Archives: Feature Articles

From where I’m sitting and sweating in this five-star sauna, I’ve got a clear view straight to Greenland’s immense, otherworldly ice sheet. Well, a relatively clear view if you don’t count the sweat currently pouring into my eyes. As water hisses on the hot lava rocks beside me, I watch as a geological phenomenon unfolds—millions of tonnes of icebergs are calving away, falling into the Arctic Ocean.

Experiencing the Northwest Passage has always been a dream of mine, like any young modern explorer I wanted to walk in the footsteps of Shackelton, Franklin and Amundsen. Just a hundred years ago, teams of men would go boldly to the edge of this frozen continent, sometimes succumbing to death, madness or—even worse—cannibalism.

And yet here I am, on board Quark’s luxury exploratory vessel, The Ultramarine, eating a dinner of lamb smothered in Tuscan mushroom glaze instead of cold beans poisoned with lead. And I definitely wouldn’t change a thing.

And then there are the helicopters waiting for you on the top deck. Honestly, there’s nothing quite like jumping in a twin engine H145 chopper and getting Uber’d to places no human has ever stepped. Exploration? Adventure? This is as intense as it gets. As we slice toward the ice sheet, I watch from above as parts of it crumble into the ocean—the very same crumbling I’ve been watching from my sweaty sauna. Incredible.

When we land, I stand in awesome silence, with the great ice expanse at my feet. My eyes scan the piercing blue and white vastness; I listen as the ice buckles and twangs, like wet wood settling into a new house. Being in this place requires you to use all of your senses. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, or am likely to experience again. Any junky, be it for drugs, work or sports, is always pushing the limits of their addiction. For me, my drug is travel, and my limits are always defined by perspective; the greater the amount of perspective a journey can offer, the greater the trip will be. And this trip is definitely giving a berg’s worth of perspective.

Back in the lounge, I’m sipping on a perfect 50/50 martini—made by Jimmy the bartender who has remembered my name since day one— watching as two polar bears, sitting on an iceberg, are feeding on seals. There are no words. No words for what I’ve already seen, what I’m currently seeing, or what I will see tomorrow. I decide the only course of action is to continue to medicate myself, as elegantly as I can, as I wait for dinner.

Dinner is a special meal crafted by the ship’s chefs Mikki and Peter. Each night Mikki and Peter put together a hand-crafted menu, consisting of local recipes and regional fare, for a small group of passengers. Both chefs are natives of the high Arctic, and the flavours they command are those that have been passed down through generations.

Muskox risotto, beet cured reindeer tartare, and seared deep-dive Disco Bay scallops are some of the strange and wonderful bites you might encounter. But the truth is you can never truly prepare, as everything is sourced locally from stops we make along the way. The Arctic, at this point, is literally inside all of us. We are prisoners here, consumed by awe, incarcerated in a floating paradise. I’m loving it.

The next morning we take a trip ashore to visit a small Inuit town. Our zodiac captain navigates toothy icebergs with the skill of a surgeon to get us there. Locals come out to greet us, working sled dogs offer their bellies for rubs, and throngs of kids invite us to play games. We’re invited into homes for kaffemilk and conversation. A few of us peel off to hike a grey granite peak behind town and are treated to a view of a rainbow of Arctic moss. We see wild foxes, narwhal in the bay, and thick billed murres circling above us. I quickly realize I will need more than one martini to digest all I’ve seen today.

For some travellers, the journey needs to be difficult to be rewarding. I think mountain climbers and anyone who enjoys Eastern European art films are those types of folks. I’m not saying that a cold beer after a very long trek doesn’t taste good, but sometimes a place is so unbelievably phenomenal that there’s no need to make it more difficult than it already is.

I mean, the Arctic is already trying to kill you. Constantly. Whether it’s the freezing cold tundra or the animals that have evolved to assassinate you with the precision of a teenager playing Call of Duty. Experiencing everything the Arctic has to offer—all the sensory extremes—from the lap of luxury is still spine straightening, if you ask me.

I just wish Shackleton could’ve also known the wonders of an espresso machine.

Watch the full Arctic adventure

Taking the polar plunge!

What does it take to take a dip in sub-zero Arctic waters? And how many shots of vodka do you need afterward? We find out.

You might have seen the phrase ‘responsible travel’ thrown around a lot recently. Often it’s in conjunction with ‘ethical’ and ‘sustainable’, or even ‘regenerative’. And while we’re not normally big on buzzwords, we are big on the sentiment—travel nowadays has the power to make a positive impact, both on the traveller and the world.

If you’re thinking—how is travel ever bad? That’s a fair question, with a complex answer. From the environmental impact of mass tourism to the cultural exploitation of communities and lack of industry equity, believe us when we say the tourism sector can definitely be improved. And it needs to be.

But also believe us when we say that it’s totally possible to travel and make a difference. In fact, there are a heap of exceptional, incredible operators and businesses already leading the charge. These trips will still give you everything you crave (like adrenaline and challenge and luxury and inspiration), but with the added bonus of having a positive impact. Winner, winner.

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Arguably the greatest thing about travel is the opportunity to discover, interact with and learn from other cultures and communities. Nothing is more exciting than landing on a foreign airstrip and just immersing yourself in a new place. How do I say ‘hello’? What’s the national dish? Can I watch that ceremony? How do I flag down that bus?

It’s all well and good until a destination starts to suffer from over-tourism or you notice that the authentic cultural show you’re watching isn’t that, well, authentic. So how can we, as travellers, make sure we’re exploring and not exploiting the communities we’re visiting?

The answer is to go local, every time. Here’s a few culturally-sound adventures we’re loving:

This new trip, launching this year, is from the Much Better Adventures crew—a rad B-Corp dedicated to ‘adventuring for good’. This Mongolia trip is in support of local communities, so you’ll be experiencing life with traditional nomadic families and getting around the steppe with pioneering female guides. Not to mention bunking down in a ger (Mongolia yurt) every night. Doesn’t get much better than that.

CLICK AND LET’S GER

Ever heard of the Kalash celebration? Neither had we before today. But Pakistan’s remote northern mountain ranges definitely know how to celebrate it. On this small group trip you’ll join the Responsible Travel gang, a totally responsible (as per the name) outfit that puts people and planet first. You’ll head deep into hidden valleys, witness a men’s purification ceremony (hint: it involves the blood of 40 goats) and maybe even spot a snow leopard.

CLick to LET IT SNOW

This is one for the women, and the women only. Yeah the girls! Lirrwi Tourism is a 100% Aboriginal-owned operator offering a super special cultural immersion experience with the Yolŋu women of East Arnhem Land, in Australia’s north. This type of Indigenous experience brings people together to share in the Yolŋu culture, specifically learning from the Yolŋu sisterhood. Join the women in weaving a dilly bag—a powerful and symbolic symbol in Arnhem Land—and know that your travel dollars are supporting and strengthening the Arnhem Land economy.

Click and DON’T DILLY DALLY

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It’s common knowledge, or at least it should be, that the tourism industry has a huge impact on the environment. The pandemic proved it. When the world stopped flying, dolphins returned to Venetian canals and villages in Nepal could once again see Mount Everest. What pollution? Smog, where?

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not saying never fly again. But did you know there are a heap of ways to get your travel kicks and make a positive difference to this big blue ball we call home?

If you’re into nature and science, jumping on a volunteering trip with an organisation like Earth Watch or Adventure Scientists is bucket list travel stuff. These guys are all about leaving no trace, but still making your mark. How? They rely on citizen scientists (aka travellers) to join them on expedition trips to help collect data and perform research in some of the world’s most ridiculous destinations.

From conserving wild bees in Costa Rica to observing the effects of climate change at the Arctic’s Edge, these expeditions not only help with the hands-on science (making it possible to collect waaaay more data than scientists could do on their own) but often help to pay for permits and field equipment and lab space—all the stuff that makes science expensive sometimes. Just imagine going on a trip to Mexico and diving insanely incredible coral reefs, knowing that your travel adventure is helping to inform actual, real life environmental policies. Wild!

Click here to DO IT FOR SCIENCE

Click to watch citizen scientists in action

Speaking of reefs, the Republic of Palau—an archipelago in the West Pacific—has gone and introduced a world-first initiative that combos travel and environmental advocacy. It’s called Ol’au Palau (to take care of Palau) and it’s basically an app-based ecotourism rewards program.

Sounds complicated, but it’s not. Whenever you do something sustainable in Palau, like track and offset your footprint or eat sustainably-sourced local food, you can unlock a badge that will give you access to a unique experience normally only accessible to locals—like casting a reel in a secret fishing spot or witnessing a local ceremony.

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Click to view gallery

It’s gameify-ing responsible travel, and we’re here for it. Palau is a prime example of a destination stuck in the middle of tourism and climate change. While Palau’s economy relies on its tourism sector, the archipelago also faces the brutal reality of changing climates and rising sea levels. In 2017, they introduced the ‘Palau Pledge’ which requires every traveller to pledge a stamp in their passports promising the children of Palau that they will ‘tread lightly’ and ‘preserve and protect’ the islands. Palau needs, and is seeking out, educated travellers who understand that island ecosystems are fragile. If that’s you, why not add Palau to your 2023 bucket list?

Click here to PLEDGE IT

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So we’ve talked about having a positive impact on the planet and its people, but what about all the other furry / slippery / friendly / cold-blooded / endangered / winged critters and creatures who call it home?

If you’re looking to embrace your inner Attenborough, travel is actually a great way to donate time and money (and increase awareness) about major animal rights issues. Take Adventure World, for example. The custom tour operator recently revealed its new ethos—‘Travel with Purpose’—which sees them back responsible, sustainable travel experiences with a major focus on protecting wildlife. Good news, right?

They’ve gone ahead and partnered with Animals Asia, an animal welfare organisation that is super focussed on ending bear bile farming in Vietnam. Yep, that’s right bear bile farming. And it’s as horrific as it sounds. This practice of capturing and caging sun and moon bears has been pushing the species right to the brink of extinction, but now—with the help of a new bear sanctuary—Animals Asia are confident they can bring the cruelty to an end.

Watch Adventure World at work

But how can you get involved? This year you’ll be able to add a four-day, three-night package to your Adventure World trip in Hanoi and get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary. Plus Adventure World will also donate a ‘Mend a Broken Bear’ pack (valued at $300) with each booking.

Click if you CAN YOU BEAR IT?

If you’re more of a coastal get lost-er, a trip to Portugal’s incredible, remote Azores Archipelago could be right up your adventure alley. The team at Biosphere Expeditions are on the hunt for travellers who are keen to join them on their 2023 citizen science journey, where you’ll listen to whale and dolphin vocalisations, photograph sperm and humpback whales and capture loggerhead turtles to measure, tag and release. All in the name of conservation! During the day you’ll be hanging out on a catamaran research vessel and by night you’ll bunk down on beautiful Faial Island.

CLick here for ARCHIPELA-GO TIME

Falcons play a very traditional role in many middle eastern countries and cultures. In fact, the falcon is the national bird of UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman, and can be traced back to ancient chieftain times when hawking was a significant practice. Checking out a bird hospital in Abu Dhabi might not be high on your travel list but ADFH is the largest and most advanced in the world. It’s actually the leading centre for falcon medicine worldwide. And guess what? You can take a tour. Inside you’ll learn about the history of falconry, get up close and personal with the birds and even get a peep into the surgical room. Not recommended for people with ornithophobia.

Click here to ABU DHA-BE THERE OR BE SQUARE

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All travel leaves its mark, whether it’s a greater perspective on your place in the world or an unwanted gut parasite after some particularly sketchy kebabs. But if you really want to use travel as a way to super saiyan your life—why not give one of these adventures a go?

Really into skiing? Fancy yourself an amateur photographer? Want to make pasta like a legit nonna? There are trips out there, with actual experts (including nonnas), that are designed to help you upgrade your life skillllz.

Take the gang at NonStop, for example. They’ve got a ‘Master the Mountain’ off-piste ski course that’ll take you to your choice of Canada or France for ONE WHOLE MONTH of nonstop (lol) snow things. It’s like a mini-sabbatical, but instead of writing that novel you started five years ago, you’re cruising down fresh pow in the Alps or eating poutine in a ski camp in BC. Not to mention mastering your freeride skills with pro coaching. Yew.

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Click for POW-TOWN

Wellbeing retreats are a dime a dozen nowadays, which is cool, because some are pretty amazing. And then there are slightly more niche workshop-based trips, like the itineraries from Retreat&Conquer. These retreats work with horses in (extremely) beautiful settings to help guests conquer and overcome any fears or blocks that might be holding them back in life.

Using evidence-based methodologies in equine-facilitated learning, these retreats are posited as ‘safe places’ to examine your life and nurture a little wellness. Sounds good. Count us in for the 2023 Nihi Sumba retreat. Great, thanks.

Click to start HORSIN’ AROUND

FINAL FRONTIER
THE ECHO BASE, ANTARCTICA

Arguably the only place on Earth we haven’t conquered, Antarctica is shrouded in mystery, impossible for even the most indifferent of humans to not feel at least a little curious about.

The Echo Base is an experience-based set of pods situated in the white wilderness, inspired by space exploration. In fact, a former NASA astronaut Terry Virts called it “the most beautiful (he has) seen across Earth, Mars and Venus”.

From the base, there’s fat biking, abseiling and ice climbing, 20,000 Emperor penguins, and the opportunity to travel to the South Pole.

Opening in December 2022, this place is out of this world. Almost.

Click here to see WHEN THE BASE DROPS

LANKAN LOVE
SRI LANKA

Over the last two years, COVID and an economic crisis have made life exceptionally difficult for the 25 million lovely locals that call Sri Lanka home.

But now there is a new president, and renewed optimism, and 2023 presents the rare chance to see the teardrop island without competing with hordes of travellers.

Landscapes are aplenty with its beautiful, wave-laden coastline, mountains in the north and jungles in the centre, while the chaos of Colombo is an urban jungle all of its own. There is something for every kind of traveller here, but especially the get lost traveller.

Click here to get SRI-SLY EPIC

DON’T BE AN OCTOPUSSY
EUROPE: JAMES BOND TURNS 60

Ever wanted to be the world’s greatest spy?

From March 2023 you too can drive an Aston Martin at breakneck speed with a beautiful model under your arm, before suiting up for dinner and delivering witty one-liners over a martini (shaken, not stirred).*

In 2023 travel company Black Tomato are offering the ultimate Bond, James Bond, experience for all discerning fans.

They haven’t released the full itinerary yet but it will take you to all the glamorous locations in the ilk of Venice, Monaco, Paris and of course, London.

*Cannot recommend breakneck speed or guarantee models…

Click here to DOUBLE O HEAVE

OUT OF THIS WORLD
GEMINIDS METEOR SHOWER, DECEMBER 13-14

Attention stargazers, astronomers and general aficionados of astral activity, the king of the meteor showers — the Geminids — is due to bless our earthly night sky in December with not one, but 120 colourful meteors, per hour. Per hour!

Sure, the Geminids is an annual sparkly show, but 2023 is set to be extra sparkly thanks to an exceptionally well-timed new moon (which means the sky will be dark as…well, night). The shower will be visible from anywhere in the world but for maximum meteor enjoyment, head to the northern hemisphere where there are a tonne of world-class (but lesser-known) stargazing spots.

USA’s Bryce Canyon National Park is a desert dream; Kiruna, Sweden is just north of the Arctic Circle and perfect for a night time picnic; and Westhavelland, Germany is known for its dark sky reserve.

Click here for STAR BUCK

THE NEVERENDING WAVE (SORT OF)
SKELETON BAY, NAMIBIA

The perfect wave does exist…but now is the time to surf it.

The ominously named Skeleton Bay, on the edge of the arid expanse of the unforgiving Namib desert is a world class, barrelling left but it might not be around for much longer.

“The shoreline is advancing the wave northwards making it change in shape and quality,” says Swellnet meteorologist and barrel chaser Craig Brokensha.

“It seems 2012 was when it was at its most perfect. Erosion is occurring north of the wave, on the west facing coast. Due to the lengthening of the spit off the northern end and not enough sand being supplied to keep up with this.”

What does this mean? The wave is still super special, but there’s a possibility this won’t be the case in the coming years. Get there in 2023.

Click here for DESERT DAYS

YES, YOU KEN-YA
MOUNTAIN BONGO AND RHINO SANCTUARY, KENYA

In good news for wildlife and wildlife enthusiasts everywhere, 2023 will see the construction of a brand new animal sanctuary purpose-built to home the critically endangered mountain bongo (a fancy, very rare species of antelope) and black rhino. Their new address? A 250-acre parcel of primo forest in the Mount Kenya Reserve. And you’re welcome for a visit. BYO binoculars.

The bongo population will actually be repatriated back to their native home from Florida, where they’ve been raised by the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation. And the rhinos are going to be ushered into the sanctuary via a series of wildlife corridors (think a school hallway but for African animals) from the greater Mount Kenya ecosystem.

The mountain bongo hasn’t been seen in the wild for many, many years and the black rhino population shrank from 65,000 in 1970 to just 2,300 by 1993. Talk about special times, someone call Attenborough.

Click here for RHINOCER-YES

BALI BTS
ASTUNGKARA WAY TRAIL, BALI

Reckon you’ve ‘been there, done that’ when it comes to Bali? Think again. There’s a brand new hiking trail in town and it’s 120 kilometers, coast to coast, of lush rice paddies, thick bamboo forest and traditional Balinese culture (not a Bintang in sight).

What can you expect? Firstly, you’ll be kicking off at the Pura Gede Luhur Batu Ngaus Temple – an auspicious starting location if we ever heard of one. From there you’ll spend your days learning about regenerative farming, eating your bodyweight in organic nasi lemak, stopping by villages and making mates with the locals. Oh, and hugging a 700-year-old tree. If that’s what you’re into. This is less of a hike and more of a pilgrimage for the travellers who like their travel slow and super duper sustainable.

Click here for UN-BALI-VABLE

ON THE CAMEL TRAIN
MUNGA-THIRRI SIMPSON DESERT CAMEL TREK, AUSTRALIA

Imagine this: it’s just you, your cameleers and 18 humpies on a traditional Afghani camel train in the middle of the Australian outback.

Andrew Harper’s unique camel trips take ‘off the beaten track’ to a whole new level. Mainly because there are no tracks (or routes, for that matter), unless you count the dingo prints in the sand dunes.

This is an immersive desert experience, and an entirely different way to see the Simpson. Accommodation? A swag under a vast night sky. Transport? On foot across red plains. Leisure activity? Feeding camels unlimited oranges and/or snoozing under a coolabah tree. For the extra adventurous, join the team on one of their surveys and head out with scientists (palaeontologists, environmentalists, the lot) to research the land and its history. Mega (fauna) points for finding dinosaur bones.

Click here for a HUMP DAY

EURO TRIP
VILNIUS, LITHUANIA

The celebration is already well under way (in fact, they started a whole year early) to celebrate Lithuania’s capital city, Vilnius, turning a whopping 700. We feel bad for the person buying candles for that cake.

Quirky and off-beat, Lithuania is often overlooked as a European travel destination. But the discerning traveller will be adding this beauty to their 2023 bucket list asap.

Besides stretches of sand dunes, castles on lakes and some very, very interesting local delicacies, Lithuania is going to be putting on a hell of a birthday show in January. Expect performance festivals, epic events at the city’s Modern Art Museum and an AI-driven reconstruction of the first ever opera performed in Lithuania. Be there or be…not there and disappointed.

Click here to get VERY VILNIUS

A DAY IN LA LA LAND
LOS ANGELES, USA

Run for the hills, the Hollywood Hills. Because those big white letters are turning 100.

Come for the anniversary of an iconic Instagram selfie site and stay for the following La La Land activities that you’ve probably never heard of.

Start your day with a picnic breakfast at the Old Los Angeles Zoo. Just to be clear, it’s abandoned and kinda creepy but maybe you want to eat croissants in the cage of a former tiger, who knows. Next up, catch a puppet show at the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre. Again, kind of creepy but it’ll make you feel like a kid again.

Then hop over and explore Bronson Caves out in the southwest section of Griffith Park. These caves were part of an old quarry and have been featured in a bunch of movies, like the exterior of the Batcave in the original Batman TV show. Cap it off by spending the night at a legit Hollywood Hills castle built back in 1931 — drink a martini, swim in the pool and pretend you’re Elizabeth Taylor, Carey Grant or [insert-favourite-actor-here].

Click here and WELCOME TO THE HOLLY-HOOD

WINTER WONDERLAND
YOKOTE KAMAKURA FESTIVAL, JAPAN

Japan REALLY gets into winter.

While the rest of us are complaining about cold mornings and clothes not drying, the Japanese are busy eating delicious food inside the unbelievably cute igloos they’ve just built.

Kamakura Festival is a celebration of the beauty of winter, and takes place in February at various cities around the country. Igloos (kamakura) are built and at night, locals and travellers alike are invited in for a hearty meal by candlelight. Plus a little amazake — a kind of rice wine said to warm the body and heart.

Yokote and Rukugo, in the country’s Akita prefecture, are the largest celebrations of Kamakura, and the oldest too at over 450 years old.

Click here to KAMA TRY IT

At first, I didn’t trust the city of Roanoke. It didn’t fit the mould.

Aside from our quirky-hip hotel, the town was also full of pop up shops, farm-to-table restaurants and lively bars swimming in modern-American cocktail culture. Our first stop is Well Hung, a swanky winery offering frose on tap and amazing tuna tatar cocktail nibbles. Down the street we also find a black and white tiled alcoholic temple named Sidecar.

But the biggest surprise were the mouth treasures on offer at the farm fresh and regionally inspired River and Rail restaurant.

No, I didn’t trust Roanoke; this was (weirdly) an eclectic, modern town that still comfortably retained an old-school southern charm. As we walked the streets, it was not the South that I thought I knew.

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Rising with the sun, our goal is to take on the state’s famous Crooked Road; Virginia’s heritage music trail that takes you back in time to the birthplace of country music in the town of Bristol, a small city in the state’s Southwest.

But not before tackling the Treetop Quest at Explore Park where we’re set loose on an elaborate self-guided obstacle and zipline course high above the Virginia forest.

Coming down to earth, we’re then handed two innertubes by Roanoke Mountain Adventures allowing us to float effortlessly down the Roanoke river while still baking in the gloriously-strong southern heat.

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Having passed the physical, we barrel down U.S. Route 221 to the town of Floyd, which you hear well before you ever see. There is simply music everywhere in Floyd. In the evenings local families pour out onto the streets with their dulcimers, banjos and limberjacks (a type of percussion toy) to play old-timey country music that has generational roots in these parts.

The backbeat to this town is the old Country Store, which besides being an ice cream parlour, cafe and sundries shop is also a century old music venue. Rows of chairs support a sea of knee bouncing and thigh tapping locals who watch barefoot dancers stomp and whirl in a classic southern jamboree. Before we could make sense of this almost Hollywood-esque scene, we’re pulled into the pit and set in motion, learning that the only way to dance badly to this music is to decline the offer.

Desperately needing a drink, we continue our shindig into the Buffalo Mountain Brewpub, a charming log cabin that offers amazing craft beer and homemade nibbles. Stepping up a notch we then sniff out 5 Mile Mountain Distillery to try some of the famed moonshine found along this iconic stretch of southern road.

A long way from its underground, clandestine roots, the moonshine here is as refined as good bourbon, with fanciful flavours like saffron-infused corn whiskey and cool espresso ‘Moontini’ cocktails. To cap the night, we shed Floyd’s thick southern coat and slip into secret Lush Lounge.

After procuring a wooden ‘Buffalo’ nickel (five-cent coin) for the ancient coke machine masking a hidden door, the wall slides open to reveal a proper speakeasy from the turn of the century, slinging prohibition-style cocktails. Bartenders serve elevated smoked gin drinks for you to sip while exploring the themed rooms.

The next morning, hungover, we continue on the Crooked Road heading north over the Blue Ridge to the sleepy town of Tazewell. It’s here we have a date with a dragon.

Standing 10 metres high, this lava red lizard stands with its wings open and gnashing teeth.

Click play to watch

This scary monolith is the Back of the Dragon, which is a visitor centre marking the finish line of a 50 kilometre, stunningly beautiful, scenic road. Our host, Larry, greets us with an outstretched hand, dangling a small replica of the beast standing outside. It’s a key to the ridiculously mean looking Slingshot motorcycle parked out front.

“We feed the dragon every day,” Larry warns. “But she’s always hungry. Be safe and don’t be a snack.”

Before we have time to let it sink in we’re tearing up the Back of the Dragon as if we’re on a driveable rollercoaster. Switchbacks follow chicanes and the Slingshot’s tires struggle to grip the immaculately paved road that Larry personally looks after to ensure guests are guaranteed a smooth ride.

Trading out our rocket for our rental barge, we head further down the Crooked Road to our final port. Bristol rises out of the green hills on the horizon like a ghost; a somewhat forgotten industrial town, it has a patina of well worn history that makes it perfect inspiration for a Bruce Springstein song.

In Bristol you can find the aptly named Birthplace of Country Music Museum which as you can imagine does a watertight job explaining how this deep Southern town is the true and only birthplace of country music and American culture. Irrespective of musical taste, Jazz, R&B, Rock, Rap, and all the culture that springs from popular music can be traced back to country music’s humble roots, and right to the town of Bristol.

“We’re close now,” I say with my hand grazing the side of the brick walled museum, “Carter is very close.”

“Who the hell is Carter?” Erin replies. She’s not buying into my over-dramatisations.

It was this history of A.P. Carter whom I was tasked with tracking down by the publisher of this story. I was to travel down the Crooked Road to find A.P. Carter’s historical roots in the Poor Valley region, just outside Bristol. If I made it there, I would find the roots of country music, and with it, the very basis for much of American culture.

To find Poor Valley we needed hand written directions, much like our headlights, the GPS was powerless against the darkness of the valley. And just when we thought we were lost, we saw a row of cars parked in darkness along the roadside. We’d found it.

We travel the rest of the way by foot as the twang of a string instrument lures us in the direction of a giant timber structure. We’d finally reached the Carter Family Fold.

Click play to watch

“Well well well, there you are,” a voice pops out from behind the fence. “You must be Roberto and Erin, how wonderful. I’m Rita, granddaughter of A.P. Carter.”

Rita pulls us inside the 800 person amphitheatre that’s filled to capacity. On stage the McLain Family Band croon, as a crowd of all ages dance up front.

She then opens up the museum just for us, and as she guides us in, instantly a fuse has been lit and there is no stopping the fireworks of family stories that explode out of her.

“On the left, that was A.P’s suit which he wore to the White House,” she recollected before pulling us even further back in time, showing us the actual log cabin that her grandfather was born in. “It happened right here, in this room.”

Her voice slowed in the moment. Immediately we felt the gravity of the place. We were standing on hallowed ground. Regardless of your appreciation for country music, A.P. Carter’s family recorded the first country album in 1929 in Bristol setting in motion an unstoppable wave of American culture and music revolution.

Rita was as proud as an American could be. It oozed from her pores. While I was born in New York City, I can’t say I’ve ever been proud to be an American. I was the American that travelled to Europe and pretended I was Canadian. It was here, the historical misgivings of the deep south, which was the major source of my shame.

I had one question that I knew only a Carter could truly answer with authority. “Rita, why are you proud to be an American?”

“Well,” she offered without pause, “America is so many things to so many people. I like to think I took a little bit of all the good stuff and that’s what makes me an American. And I love the way America has their arms wide open to everyone. That’s the way my family always was. That’s how we’ll always be. That’s being an American.”

As we leave, Rita hands us a colouring book from 1982 that has her family on the cover. It’s a nice gift and metaphor for this unexpected journey through Virginia. The dark, empty black line drawings on each page will now be filled with my own choice of colour.

This unexpected visit to a state I misunderstood has helped remind me exactly why I’m proud to be an American.

get in the know While well known for Moonshine, Virginia is actually the birthplace of American whiskey.

Yes, you read that right. Darwinians sure do things differently.

It’s a pub crawl, with the difference being you’re ‘crawling’ along at 180kph in a helicopter a few thousand feet in the air over mango farms, savannahs, creeks and billabongs.

The chopper stops along the way at three truly outback pubs so you can quench your thirst and spin a few yarns with the locals, like modern day crocodile whisperer ‘King’ Kai Hansen on the ramshackle Goat Island Lodge – literally an island in the middle of croc infested Adelaide River.

The highlight is arguably landing on the majestic Crab Claw Island, where you step out onto the palm-tree laden beach, up the stairs and to the beer garden where an ice-cold Great Northern awaits – it might just be the most badass beer you ever have.

Airborne Solutions – 557 Stuart Highway, Winnellie

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There’s sunsets, and then there’s Darwin sunsets. And the best place to see the unique haze of yellow and red of the Top End is the iconic Darwin Ski Club, situated perfectly on the edge of the picturesque Fannie Bay.

In true Darwin style, stroll slowly with a cold beer in the lush, green beer garden and take in the sounds of the Ski Club, which will likely comprise of two things: a talented band playing catchy folk music on stage, and a round of applause that greets the end of every sunset, a quirky trait probably unique to Darwin.

20 Conacher St, Fannie Bay

Click to GO SKIING

Getting hungry? Darwin’s proximity to Asia means there are no shortage of excellent food options around the city, and the best of these is Little Miss Korea – the brainchild of Head Chef Chung Jae Lee.

Lee was brought up in the hustle and bustle of Mapo District, Seoul, the birthplace of Korean Barbeque. Inside a slightly industrial setting in the city centre, cook your own Korean Barbeque just to your liking, or have Lee and his chefs prepare one of his recommendations: six-hour slow-cooked beef cheeks, sweetly glazed pork belly or one of several delicious kinds of Bibimbap.

Graffiti Laneway, Austin Lane, Darwin City

Click to BECOME SEOUL MATES

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Head next door to Charlie’s of Darwin, where you’ll find yourself starting to move a bit faster.

Charlie’s is an upmarket gin and cocktail bar where plush leather upholstery and quirky art fills the interior, and a leafy garden terrace with Japanese style lanterns lies out the back. As well as producing a delicious gin made almost completely from local ingredients, Charlie’s is famed for its cocktails; sweet tooths will unite over the Freeman Sour – 12-year-old Canadian Club combined with maple syrup, rosemary, lemon juice, aquafaba and topped with a flamed marshmallow. Drool.

Graffiti Laneway, Austin Lane, Darwin City

Click for CHEEKY CHARLIE

It’s time for a little hanky panky. And more cocktails.

Around the corner from Charlie’s, on one of Darwin’s busiest streets, is a nondescript black door which hides one of this city’s best-kept secrets. Inside is a dimly lit, lushly furnished New York-style speakeasy bar, with smartly dressed bartenders who really know what they’re doing.

This is the sort of place you might dive into a DNM, or whisper sweet nothings over candlelight to that someone special, while sipping one of several extravagant cocktails that are on an impressively extensive list.

There’s the bar’s namesake, the Hanky Panky, which is gin, sweet vermouth, Fernet-Branca and orange slice served on ice, or the truly over-the-top (and truly delicious) take on a Daiquiri: pampero blanco rum, grapefruit oleo saccharum, lime and topped with a perfume-infused flavour blaster bubble, which is mandatory to kiss.

3/32 Mitchell St, Darwin City

Click to get TIME FOR SOME HANKY PANKY

With a few cocktails under your belt, it’s time to find a vibe. Get in an Uber and follow the neon-pink signage that says ‘Dom’s’ – a chic bar and creative hub located in an arcade laneway in the northern suburb of Nightcliff. When get lost visited there was a poetry slam taking place, and champagne tuk-tuk rides from the bar and down to the nearby waterfront.

Grab the hand of that someone special you found at Hanky Panky and bring them here for a boogie – DJs are regulars on Saturday nights here, throwing down cool tunes that often result in the dancefloor spilling out into the adjacent laneway.

Shop 7/60 Aralia St, Nightcliff

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With drinks now flowing like the rivers of Babylon, flow downtown yourself to the bar Babylon, where boogying into the night is a given. This place fills up, with the quirky, but unpretentious booths and couches that fill the venue making it feel as if you’re at a really, really good house party.

Be sure to dance the night away here, burning the calories of all those beers and cocktails so that you don’t have to get up early for a workout the next morning

Graffiti Laneway, Austin Lane, Darwin City

Click to BABYLON A BIT

The famed Mindil Market is the place to take it easy the next day, and to debrief with your mates on what tf took place the night before.

Darwin’s laidback nature is arguably most evident here. Stroll around the dozens of stalls selling a mixture of clothes, food and other products.

The perfect hangover cure can be found here in the form of the market’s famed, fresh mango smoothies.

Mindil Beach

Click for LIFE’S A BEACH

First stop is the Wet Republic pool party. If it’s good enough for Prince Harry it’s good enough for me, and I’ve heard the drinks are particularly potent. We down four red concoctions in the first hour and I find myself dancing in the pool to the deep beats of a distant DJ while desperately trying not to let any water splash into my drink.

I’m easily the oldest in a crowd of deeply tanned, surgically-enhanced people.

“And your nausea levels?” asks Dr Burke. “Again, between one and 10?”
“Is it an automatic 10 if I’ve already thrown up?”
“No,” he answers. “Depends on how many times.”

We depart Wet Republic when I can’t stomach another red cocktail. I’ve also been in the pool so long I look like I’m deflating. I’d read about the legendary off-strip bar called Freakin’ Frog, famous not only for being the birthplace of Las Vegas rockers The Killers, but also for having 200 beers on tap. In other words, it’s the perfect second stop.

We stumble out of a taxi and into the bar at sunset. It’s a quiet afternoon and we get chatting to Donnie behind the bar. He hasn’t heard of Hangover Heaven, but his eyes light up when I explain my assignment.

“Dude, you know we got the goddam largest whiskey collection in the US right here?!”

I mention I can’t see a whiskey bottle anywhere in the bar. He laughs and pours me a second pint of an eight per cent double IPA. “Finish that,” he says, “and follow me. We’re goin’ to the attic.”

Donnie lines up six shots of various whiskies. We’re in what can only be described as a whiskey lover’s dream. Every wall is floor-to ceiling whiskey bottles. After my fourth the walls start to move. After the sixth I recall Hunter S Thompson in his classic novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas crying out, “You better take care of me Lord, if you don’t, you’re gonna have me on your hands.”

“If you can just sign here,” says the doctor, “we can get started.”
His assistant is attaching an oxygen line to my nostrils and tapping the vein on my right arm.
“I think you’re going to need two bags of fluid,” says the doc, looking through his notes.
“You’ve had a pretty good go at it.”

Things get hazy after the Frog. We’re back on the Strip, it’s well into the night, the lights are bright and there is a stand selling a litre of frozen margarita in a plastic replica Eiffel Tower. I love the Vegas Strip. It is a roll call of the absurd. There’s a beggar with a sign asking for “Money for my Asian Bride”, and a toothless woman holding a cat wearing a singlet. There’s a woman on a scooter with a margarita on a sling around her neck and a bucket of chicken in her scooter basket. She manages to eat, drink, drive and be merry all at once.

I think we eat, but I can’t be sure. I remember The Cosmopolitan’s fancy stores and restaurants. I recall a giant shoe in the entrance and my wife sitting in it. We dance to duelling pianos at New York New York Casino and stumble back to the MGM Grand just after midnight.

That should have been enough but, no, on the walk through the casino I find myself at a sports bar ordering another pint and explaining to the bartender I need one last kick before bed.

“Ha, you’ll never fix this Hangover Heaven!” I say out loud as he lines up two shots of Fireball to complement the beer.

It takes Dr. Burke a couple of goes to find my vein and blood is spilled. Not an ideal start, but the oxygen starts to work and, as the first bag of fluid drains, the doctor adds a cocktail of pain killers and anti-inflammatories.

“Real hangovers need real medicine,” he says. After about 20 minutes I am surprised to feel almost normal. My puffy eyes have opened, the nausea is gone, my appetite has returned and, after brushing my tongue, my breath is serviceable.

“What’s the worst you’ve seen, Doc?” I ask.

He tells me of a middle-aged woman who’d come to Vegas after her fourth child left home:

“It was her first vacation without the kids and she went real, real hard. When I got to her she was bringing up bile. She’d been like that for half the day. It took a few hours, but we got her back. She even had a glass of wine that night.”

And that is why Vegas loves the good doctor. There are loose units who come out of the blocks too hard on the first day of their three night trip and end up in the foetal position in their hotel rooms for the next 48 hours.

“They ain’t spending anything anywhere any more,” he says. “I get them back in the game.”

Later that afternoon we’re strolling the Strip with a spring in our step. There’s a beer stand with a special on a two-litre bucket of Bud.

“Why not?” I ask my wife, as she rolls her eyes. Back in the game indeed, Dr Burke.

Having not been for a surf in almost a year, I was a little wary when I strolled down to the Main Point with Orry, a tan Israeli man with very impressive facial hair.

“What is the phrase in English?” he queried. “Is like bike. You remember it like a bike.”

Located just off the main road, Main Point is the busiest of the East Coast’s breaks, but at sunrise only a mere handful made the effort. Though it begins to crowd as the day wears on, multiple sections mean there is enough space for everyone to get on the slow, crumbly wave that seems to echo this place’s cruisy approach to life.

On get lost’s first night in Arugam Bay, a local band threw down both local bangers and classic western anthems at the trendy Surf and Sun bar on the main strip, a mushroom themed night. All sorts of mushrooms from a nearby jungle were on display for smelling and tasting and ask at the bar for ‘the chemist’ and you shall receive mushroom-infused cocktail – not the sort you’re thinking of.

Another 20 minutes north (halfway to Secret Point) is Peanut Farm, a truly stunning beach, lined with palm trees and with another cruisy right-hander off some large rocks.

A few hours further north is Pasikudah – a sleepy fishing town located at the centre of a large bay. From the vantage point of Maalu Maalu Resort’s private beach, it is possible to walk 500 metres out into the (what sea?) and still have your head above water.

Maalu Maalu’s ocean villas are literally eight steps from your bed to the beach…maybe nine or ten if you’re a little bit shorter. This town is the perfect place to unwind and take it easy, but then again you could say that about the entire country.

Sri Lankan Airlines fly direct to Colombo from Melbourne every day, and direct from Sydney 3-4 times a week.

Click here to check out flights.

Transport is possible by train, and Infinity Vacations are a great option for more flexible transport along the east coast.

**

Tim McGLone – Deputy Editor

Eden Found by Rob La Terra

Click here to read this article from issue 5

“I love hearing about new places. And when we sent Rob La Terra to Vanua Levu – a group of tiny islands in the South Pacific – I can hold my hand to my heart and admit that I’d never fucking heard of this place.

“But after reading about Rob’s ridiculous adventure, diving, trekking and singing with locals, and seeing the crispness of the imagery he captured, it did what all good travel stories do: it made me want to put on an out-of-office and get onto the first wobbly Cessna 172 heading in that general direction. Bula!”

Read issue four of get lost digital

Honourable mention: Chole Minji, Tanzania

Boabs and mangroves and whale sharks, oh my! This incredible Tanzanian treehouse was meticulously handcrafted using traditional tools and materials sourced directly from the island. Responsibly made and paradisiacal, win win.

Read issue five of get lost digital

**

Justin Jamieson, Publisher

Winner: Motu Nao Nao, French Polynesia

It’s hard to beat a private island lost in the Pacific with all the luxuries you could ask for. The rest of the world simply wouldn’t matter (or even exist). With all the water toys to play with you could spend your days doing as much above and below the clear blue ocean or simply while away the days on a hammock… with a cocktail!

Read issue two of get lost digital. 

Honourable mention: AuroraHut Glass Igloo Pods, Finland

I love the fact these Igloo pods are mobile and can be moved to the best vantage point for Aurora spotting. The fact they also float sets you up for a perfect night out on the lake star gazing.

Read issue two of get lost digital. 

**

Tim McGlone, Deputy Editor

Winner: Kruger Shalati, South Africa

The word unique is grossly overused in travel writing, a contradictory buzzword that was banned from get lost’s offices for a time.

Kruger Shalati gets the nod as my #1 accommodation of the year as there really is nowhere else like it – it really is unique. It’s a luxury, disused train sitting still, suspended on the Selati Bridge in South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park. Floating in the serene swimming pool while the Sabie River teems with crocodiles and hippos below you, knowing that the world’s most exciting wildlife is a short drive away, is a magical moment.

Read issue five of get lost digital. 

Honourable mention: Arcana Cabin, Canada

For pure aesthetic it’s tough to beat Arcana, the shimmering cabin in a mystery Canadian forest (you don’t find out where it is until you book).

There’s forest bathing and hiking nearby but if it’s us, we’re hanging out in the cabin…invisible to the rest of the world.

Read issue three of get lost digital.