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Keanu Reeves attacked for still being alive

Matthew Perry has backtracked on his insensitive comments questioning why beloved Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves is still alive. In his memoir Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing, the Friends star questioned why his friend River Phoenix died but Reeves didn’t. “Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?” he wrote. Perry was discussing his friendship with River Phoenix - who is also friends with Reeves - and about the heartache he had when he overdosed on drugs in 1993 at the age of 23. He called Phoenix his “closest friend of that era” before attacking Reeves for still being alive. Social media was in uproar at his comments with many questioning why Perry would wish death upon anyone. “In a world full of Matthew Perry’s… be a Keanu Reeves,” someone wrote. “Of all the people in Hollywood, there’s absolutely no reason to come for Keanu Reeves who even after personal tragedy has remained, by accounts, generous and kind. He just makes movies and comics, treats his cast and crew right, and minds his own business,” another wrote. “Imagine coming for Keanu Reeves like that. Might as well let the internet know you think all kittens should be drowned at birth. Good luck out there, man,” someone else commented. Perry eventually came out and apologised and explained he was “actually a big fan” of Keanu Reeves. “I'm actually a big fan of Keanu,” he said. “I just chose a random name, my mistake. I apologize. I should have used my own name instead.” Images: Getty

Caring

Why are homes still being built along rivers? Flooded residents disagree on the solution

Like many residents living near Calgary’s rivers, Irene’s house flooded in June 2013 when heavy rainfall melted the snowpack in the Rocky Mountains, inundating much of southern Alberta in what was, at the time, <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/2810070/top-10-most-costly-disasters-in-canadian-history-for-insurers/">the costliest disaster in Canadian history</a>. Irene watched as her belongings floated down the street. Everything in her basement and the first level of her home had to be discarded into a trash pile in her front yard. Reflecting on this trauma and her home’s devastation, she said: “Developers get away with a lot of shit they shouldn’t get away with.” She recalled arguing years earlier with the developer about how close to the river it planned to build the houses, and wondered if it might have been worse had her home been built as close to the river as initially planned. I was part of a team <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/15356841211046265">studying housing, environmental views and hazards</a> who interviewed residents of Calgary’s flood-affected neighbourhoods. Remarks like Irene’s were common. Calgary and many other cities, including <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/housing-development-in-ste-marthe-sur-le-lac-was-mainly-in-flood-zone">Montréal</a>, <a href="https://www.mapleridgenews.com/news/maple-ridge-council-proceeds-with-riverfront-subdivision/">Vancouver</a>, <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2019-10-08/commentary-the-danger-of-development-in-flood-prone-areas">Myrtle Beach</a> and <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Even-after-Harvey-Houston-keeps-adding-new-homes-13285865.php">Houston</a>, continue to build houses in areas that hydrologists and engineers have designated as being high-risk for flooding. In most jurisdictions, home-builders are not financially liable for flooding for very long. In <a href="https://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/n03p2.pdf">Alberta, the window of liability is one year</a>, at which point the risk is transferred to homeowners. Following floods and other disasters, research shows that the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.0.0047">development of new housing does not slow</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/sox054">but intensifies</a>, as flooded properties lose value, are bought by developers and, as memory of flooding fades, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/calgary-home-built-after-alberta-floods-11604521775">become lucrative investments</a>. <h2>The residents’ point of view</h2> The residents I spoke with viewed developers as myopic capitalists who choose profit over safety. Scott told me that while developers are responsible for driving the hazard risk, “You can’t blame the developers, they are … there to make bucks, right? And if the city says you can build there then, bingo!… They make a pile.” Surprisingly, even though their homes had been flooded, residents were not angry at developers for situating the houses close to a hazard. Rather, they were resigned to it. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434534/original/file-20211129-19-1bqnj0l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="A man wearing a mask and work gloves throws muddy debris into a pile next to a house." /> Yahya Abougoush helps clean up his parents’ house in High River, Alta., on July 3, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh When asked what they thought should be done to keep people safe from floods, residents had two very different suggestions. <h2>Better regulations</h2> A sizeable group of Calgarians favoured new government regulations limiting development in flood-prone areas to rein in developers. Rachel said, “They can’t build where the city says they can’t…. It has to be government who says it can’t be done.” Gary said he believes Calgary’s municipal government “lacks the balls” to stand up to developers and regulate floodplain development. When asked why that was, he said, “It’s about money” and the political influence that developers wield over city council. Residents viewed the municipal government as weak, ineffectual and unwilling to stand up to developers. Quite often, the same people who argued for better government regulations on floodplain development also insisted that government should provide home buyers with a disclosure of a home’s location in a flood-prone area, a move that the real estate industry has dubbed “idiotic” and one that would “<a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jeff-goodell/the-water-will-come/9780316260206/">kill the market</a>.” <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431443/original/file-20211111-27-1w1jkn7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="A gravel path and some strips of grass separate a row of homes from a river." /> New homes in Riverstone, with Bow River visible on the left. (Timothy Haney), Author provided Tasha wished she had been informed of the risk prior to buying her home, and told us, “I have lived here for 42 years and I have never heard of ‘flood fringe’ … maybe realtors should be more upfront about that.” The flood fringe is the area adjacent to the river with measurable flood risk — usually greater than one per cent annual probability of flooding. Angela said any declaration must go beyond a simple disclosure and “explain what it means.” Many preferred this type of new regulation. <h2>Buyer beware</h2> As one might expect in Alberta, a place known for <a href="https://press.ucalgary.ca/books/9781773850252/">right-wing populism</a>, other participants pushed back against new regulations and said individuals must bear responsibility. They deferred to the sanctity of private property rights and their distaste for government overreach. They felt that buyers must beware, often mentioning the need for “common sense.” Caleb said, “I think people can live wherever they want, but I think they have to carry that risk.” Others called it “instinctual.” Sociologists, like me, are often critical of “common sense,” looking at how such taken-for-granted knowledge is a culturally dependent and contextually specific <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/678271">product of socialization</a>. Still, many Calgarians did not see it this way and did not believe that the government should infringe on private property rights. <h2>Precaution over profits</h2> Calgary, like many cities, continues to develop <a href="https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/development-dispute-chaparral-residents-say-proposed-community-would-put-their-homes-at-risk-1.5326215">new housing close to rivers</a>. New neighbourhoods like Riverstone and Quarry Park offer housing marketed for their picturesque living and river access. In other areas, older homes near the river are being <a href="https://calgaryherald.com/life/homes/condos/white-the-evolution-of-calgarys-infill-housing">razed to make room for infills</a> — usually two or more homes on an existing lot. These infill developments increase the density in river-adjacent communities, putting more residents at risk. The lack of consensus among the study participants was also noteworthy. Citizen activism tends to get mixed results in influencing government decision-making on development <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13604813.2019.1690337">even when</a> there is <a href="https://uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295748696/pushed-out/">relative consensus</a>. But in the case of restricting development near rivers, there is no such consensus, which may make it difficult for residents to mobilize. My own view is that municipal governments must stand up to moneyed development and home-building interests by restricting growth near rivers, which should instead be preserved as green space. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434535/original/file-20211129-59784-d6hlez.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="aerial view of a bend in a river with some elongated islands, several bridges and homes and business developments on each bank." /> After floods in 1993 and 1995, and facing future flooding due to climate change, the Dutch city of Nijmegen gave more room to the Waal River during periods of high water by relocating a dike and dredging a new channel. (DaMatriX/Wikimedia), <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-SA</a> This approach is often called “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15715124.2020.1723604">room for the river</a>,” and is particularly popular in northern and western Europe. With this approach, areas immediately adjacent to waterways are preserved, providing esthetic and recreational value, and people are moved away via buyouts when necessary. New development is restricted. It has been imported and applied in North American cities such as <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/cities-around-globe-eagerly-importing-dutch-speciality-flood-prevention-180973679/">Norfolk, Va.</a>, though with varying degrees of consistency and success. The more volatile climate we are experiencing as a result of climate change will undoubtedly bring new flood events near rivers and mounting flood losses. Society must work harder to keep people and property away from the water, starting with halting new developments near these hazards. The first step in getting out of a hole, of course, is to stop digging.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171660/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/timothy-j-haney-1032153">Timothy J. Haney</a>, Professor of Sociology and Board of Governors Research Chair in Resilience & Sustainability, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/mount-royal-university-966">Mount Royal University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-homes-still-being-built-along-rivers-flooded-residents-disagree-on-the-solution-171660">original article</a>. Image: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Home Hints & Tips

Woman dies after her car is swept into river near Niagara Falls

A woman in her 60s has died after her car was submerged in rushing water at the mouth of Niagara Falls. The woman was pulled from the car in the Niagara River, about 45 metres from the American Falls. At the mouth of the river, there is a 34 metre plunge to the rocks at the bottom of the falls. State Parks Police say witnesses reported seeing the car floating down the Niagara River shortly before noon on Wednesday, before it got stuck on the rocks at the brink of the falls. Pictures from the scene show the car almost completely submerged and with the trunk open. New York State Park Police Captain Chris Rola said during a press conference, “We have never had a vehicle in the water this close to the brink. Due to the area where the vehicle was, our swift water team was not able to make a recovery. We contacted the Coast Guard and their helicopter ... came out and was able to make a recovery.” They were able to use a drone, however, to see how many people were inside the vehicle, and to attempt to get its licence plate number. The woman was the sole occupant of the car. The US Coast Guard Great Lakes rescue crew, which included flight mechanic Jon Finnerty, helicopter co-pilot Jake Wawrzyniak, aviation survival technician Derrian Duryea, and aircraft commander Chris Monacelli, flew in from Detroit at 12.30pm, overcoming poor visibility and frigid rapids to reach the car. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NEW?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NEW</a> video from the <a href="https://twitter.com/USCGGreatLakes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCGGreatLakes</a> shows the view of the helicopter crew that pulled a local woman in her late 60s from her car in the Niagara River Wednesday, about 50 yards from the brink of the (American) Niagara Falls. (1/3) <a href="https://twitter.com/WGRZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WGRZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/NQNCz7VjY8">pic.twitter.com/NQNCz7VjY8</a> — Robert Hackford (@Robert_Hackford) <a href="https://twitter.com/Robert_Hackford/status/1469103363656921089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2021</a></blockquote> Once on the scene, they lowered a rescue swimmer down on a hoist, who was able to pull the woman from the vehicle. Video from the rescue shows Petty Officer 2nd Class Derrian Duryea being buffeted by winds and spraying water as he’s lowered the 24 metres to the car through falling snow. He was eventually able to grab onto the passenger side of the vehicle and open the door. Duryea said in an interview, “As I was coming down I was just really focused on how am I going to get in this car when there’s, you know, pretty much rapids coming over the car right next to Niagara Falls. ”My sole focus was which window or door am I going in. Luckily, the car was unlocked and I didn’t have to break out any windows and I was able to open up the passenger side door and push it up against the current.” Roughly two minutes after entering the vehicle, Duryea emerged and signalled for his team to hoist him and the driver from the water. Jon Finnerty said, “The current was ripping pretty good through there and the car was close to the edge of the falls. If it moved, we didn’t want him getting dragged out with it.” The US Coast Guard Great Lakes confirmed on Twitter that the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, writing, “Today, we mourn the loss of a life. We commend the readiness and courage demonstrated today by our crew to effect an 80ft. hoist from a submerged vehicle 20 yards from the top of Niagara Falls in foul weather.” Investigators believe the vehicle drove into the river in between a pedestrian and vehicle bridge but it’s not clear what circumstances led to the incident. The investigation continues. Image: Twitter

Travel Trouble

New book claims man from Snowy River “had to be Aboriginal”

The man from Snowy River from Banjo Paterson’s famous poem has always been depicted as a white man, but one author claims the character was based on an Indigenous stockman. The 1890 poem regales the story of a runaway horse, with various stockmen pursuing the colt and attempting to separate it from a herd of brumbies. When the wild horses descend an apparently impassable slope, the man from Snowy River is the only one who continues the chase. In The Brumby Wars, author and Walkley Award-winning journalist Anthony Sharwood claims that the poem indicates the story takes place in the Byadbo region of the Snowy Mountains, where he says all the local stockmen were Indigenous. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Brumbies. A vision of the legendary Man from Snowy Riveror a spectre of ecosystems destroyed by feral pests? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheBrumbyWars?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheBrumbyWars</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/antsharwood?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@antsharwood</a> is the riveting account of a major national issue and the very human passions it inspires. Out now: <a href="https://t.co/WF0FKMsEHu">https://t.co/WF0FKMsEHu</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gh8je2ciRa">pic.twitter.com/Gh8je2ciRa</a> — Hachette Australia Books (@HachetteAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/HachetteAus/status/1432938770370727940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2021</a></blockquote> His theory relies on lines from the poem’s final stanza, which mention an area near Mount Kosciuszko “where the pine-clad ridges raise”. Sharwood said Byadbo is “the only part of Australia’s alpine region and nearby foothills with cypress pine forests, a native conifer that thrives in dry country”. “If the poem were sourced from stories of the Byadbo area, then the stockman had to be Aboriginal because all the best riders in the area had Indigenous blood,” he said. In his newly-released book, Sharwood considers the controversial case for reducing brumby numbers due to their overgrazing of national parks, versus the calls to protect them because of their romanticised image. “Forget that Patterson knew they were pests and advocated for them to be shot to protect the pasture for cattle,” Sharwood said. “The brumbies are characters in the poem and that makes them sacred, eternal, untouchable, as quintessentially Australian as Vegemite and thongs.” However, Sharwood isn’t the first to suggest the titular character was Indigenous. In 1988, Victoria’s official historian Bernard Barrett proposed the character may have been based on a young Indigenous rider named Toby, with Barrett claiming “a better rider never sat a horse”. <img style="width: 500px; height: 331.0546875px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843655/gettyimages-542638958.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/cb8bd6984579401690c748346937c534" /> Image: Getty Images Professor Jakelin Troy, director of Aboriginal research at the University of Sydney and an Aboriginal Australian from the Ngarigu community of the Snowy Mountains, said we may never know who the rider was based on. “I don’t think any of us really care who the man, or woman, from Snowy River was, but it is an interesting thing to explore because it definitely plays into the mythology of the area,” she said. “One piece of research says he was my father’s great uncle called Jim Troy. “Banjo stayed with the family and Jim Troy fits the description even down to the horse. They bred them tough like their horses were a mixture of Timor pony which are really tough and thoroughbreds with a bit of Arab to make them a bit finer. The horses were a mixed breed … We will probably never know who the actual person was.” <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hachette.com.au/anthony-sharwood/the-brumby-wars-the-battle-for-the-soul-of-australia" target="_blank">The Brumby Wars</a> was released on Wednesday, August 1 by Hachette. Image: Getty Images

Books

Sad end to stranded baby whale

A juvenile minke whale got stuck in the River Thames and freed on the night of Sunday, May 9. Following its rescue the animal was later found beached against a river wall and had to be put down after vets found its condition was “rapidly deteriorating”. The whale was then loaded onto a truck at Teddington lifeboat station and taken to Whipsnade Zoo for post-mortem tests, the results of which are not expected for a few weeks. Rob Deaville, who took part in the tests, said the whale was thought to be about two years old and was likely still dependent on its mother. The juvenile female minke was first stranded on Richmond Lock’s boat rollers. Crew from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) worked late into the evening to free the 4.2m-long whale and managed to move it. But the mammal escaped and was later seen swimming between Richmond and Teddington on Monday morning before becoming stuck once again. A vet from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) administered the injection to put it down after it became stranded. Though the full results of the post-mortem tests will take several weeks, Mr Deaville said told the BBC they had found “no evidence of any recent feeding” and “evidence of starvation over a few days”, which he explained was consistent with the whale being found in the Thames. Though parasites were also found in the whale’s stomach, Mr Deaville said vets did not believe this was significant. Minke whales are the smallest of the great whales and can grow up to 10m in length. Mr Deaville said he believed the number of whales found in the river had increased over recent years. “It could be because there are increased numbers of them or it’s man-made impacts. The jury is still out,” he said. The samples taken from the whale will not only help establish what happened to the creature, but will provide research material “for years to come”. “We’re going to learn a lot about it - it’s life and the species as a whole,” he said. Image credit: SKY News

International Travel

Why Paris is always a good idea

Want to know another side of Paris? Meet up with an insider. Consider a tour with Cariboo, a community of passionate local guides out to show you what they love about their city. Walk, talk history, browse buildings and grab a bite in the bustling 2nd arrondissement with a retired general. Do a hands-on shoeshine course with a professional cobbler, or get a glimpse of the murderous, ghostly side of the City of Lights with a book-loving theatre bug. If you prefer a more theatrical tone, try Visites Spectacles. Set off with a costumed actor in search of the beautiful Moulin Rouge dancer, Gabrielle, and along the way discover Montmartre’s Belle Époque characters – Picasso, Braque, Modigliani and Utrillo, street urchins and legendary cancan dancers. Why not sail on an enchanting Parisian peniche? Meander along the Promenade Plantée, a railway viaduct morphed into the world's first elevated park. Blooming with lavender, roses, wisteria, maples, cherry trees and birdlife, the 4.5km corridor winds through the lesser-known 12th arrondissement, from Opéra Bastille past apartment blocks to the woods of Vincennes, via the picnic-perfect Jardin de Reuilly. The beautiful flowers from Mimi Fuel up for an afternoon at The Louvre with a takeaway lunch box jammed with organic, gluten- and dairy-free treats, prepared by the passionate all-female team of La Guinguette D'Angèle. Stock up on food supplies at Marché Aligre, an authentic neighbourhood market with an excess of barking vendors, basket-loads of produce and a rich cultural mix. Prices are slightly higher at the covered Marché Beauvau next door but the olive oils, tapenades, craft beer, and take-home spit-roasted pork and lamb are first rate as are the cheeses and butter at Fromagerie Hardouin-Langlet. Circle back to the flea market on Place d’Aligre to pick up a bargain curio–French jam jars or a bone-handled cheese knife, anyone? Take the wheel of an electric boat at the Bassin de la Vilette (no permit required). Marin d’eau douce in the 19th arrondissement rents out cute 5, 7 or 11-seaters. Throw in a picnic and cruise the local canals on a sun-splashed Paris day, pulling into a grassy bank at leisure. Demolish a Paris-Brest from La Pâtisserie des Rêves. The unadulterated hazelnut flavour, crispy choux pastry and gooey praline is life affirming. Make a pilgrimage to the Cimetiere de Passy, the smallest of the 19thC grands cimetières Parisiens, to see the tombs of Impressionist painters Edouard Manet and his sister-in-law Berthe Morisot, composer Claude Debussy, fashion designer Jean Patou, and the last emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai. The Cimietiere de Passy A colossal WWI sculpture adorning the cemetery walls on Place du Trocadero is by Paul Landowski, the man responsible for Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue. Wave to the Eiffel Tower across the river as you head up through the 16th arrondissement to the Musée Marmottan to see the largest collection of Berthe Morisot’s work. Slip out to the Fondation Louis Vuitton in the Bois de Boulogne just to stand beneath the Daniel Buren coloured rooftop. Join the perennial queue at Le Burger Fermier des Enfants Rouges in the city’s oldest covered market. The burgers are made with meat fresh from Pas-de-Calais farms in the north, slapped on homemade buns, topped with cheeses sourced from small producers, wrapped in mock newspaper and served with a cone of fresh fries. Meats, sausages and terrines from northern farms are good take-home-for-later fare. Grab a fragrant bunch of blooms from Mimi on your way out and cross the road to Empreintes, an artistic concept store showcasing the superb work of French craftsmen and women, from jewellery and tableware to lights and furniture. Devour a côte de boeuf for two at late-night Chez Denise–La Tour de Montlhéry. Still wandering? Get lost in the ramshackle alleys of antiques at Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen. You may never find your way home again. Written by Maryanne Blacker. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/travel/why-paris-is-always-a-good-idea.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a>

Cruising

Top 5 new and exclusive experiences to add to your 2020 bucket list

Dreaming of your next extended holiday or an escape for several weeks? You’ll be blown away by the incredibly diverse array of unique tours available right in your own backyard or within a short flight to Australia. Whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in food and wine culture, reconnect with nature at a national park, or simply explore a new destination, AAT Kings’ range of Guided Holidays has something for every traveller. Because we all dream a little differently, AAT Kings offers two distinct styles of Guided Holiday to dozens of destinations in the new 2020/2021 brochure. Choose a <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/first-choice/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">FIRST CHOICE</a> Guided Holiday for premium inclusions and more downtime, or take a <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/best-buys/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">BEST BUYS</a> Guided Holiday for ultimate flexibility and must see sights. Can’t decide where to go first? We have listed our top five destinations you need to add to your 2020 holiday to-do list. 1. Margaret River, a food and wine lovers paradise Discover the incredible scenic landscapes, natural wonders and food and wine culture of Western Australia on the <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/tours/western-wonderland/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">15 day Western Wonderland Best Buys Guided Holiday</a>. For the food and wine lovers, AAT Kings have added a brand-new experience to delight the senses and allow you to dine at the region’s best. While taking in the scenery of the gorgeous <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/destination/regions/margaret-river/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">Margaret River</a>, you will enjoy a private wine tasting and three course lunch, tastefully paired with the region’s finest wines, at the Brookland Valley Estate. And as the Guided Holiday experts, AAT Kings take care of everything, so all you have to do is sit back with a glass of wine and relax with your fellow travellers. 2. The Magnificent Kimberley <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832032/aat-kings.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a430d6dcb3d74b82b5675200950f7a77" /> On an AAT Kings holiday, you won’t just visit the bucket list sights, you will become immersed in the cultures and lifestyles of the distinctly unique destinations you visit. The Kimberley region of Western Australia is one of these unique destinations, and one that is unlike anywhere in the world. The unbelievable natural wonders such as the Bungle Bungles are truly otherworldly. On the <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/tours/wonders-of-the-west-coast-and-kimberley/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">21 day Wonders of the West Coast & Kimberley First Choice Guided Holiday</a>, guests will be able to meet the artists of the Mangkaja Arts Resource Agency and Gallery, a fine art gallery, specialty store and studio space located in the centre of Fitzroy Crossing. A guided tour hosted by the Centre Curator provides an opportunity to not only view the incredible artworks, but to see the local artists working in the studio. You can purchase art directly from the local Aboriginal artists which contributes to the running and operating of the arts centre. 3. Iconic North Island of New Zealand Immerse yourself in the Maori culture and history as you venture from Auckland down to Wellington. Experience the North Island’s most iconic sights in this <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/tours/iconic-north/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">7-day First Choice Guided Holiday</a>. As you make your way down the coast, you’ll stop off for an exclusive lunch at a private Waikato dairy farm, learn insider knowledge from your experienced guides, and immerse yourself in the centuries-old traditions of New Zealand’s indigenous people, including a cultural evening at Tamaki Maori Village. At Rotorua, you will choose from a range of sightseeing experiences, including a tour of the Hobbiton movie set, a tour of Waitomo Glowworm caves, or exploring Rotorua and its lakes in an amphibious WWII-era craft. 4. New Zealand’s Sensational South <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7831983/aat-kings.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0a2670a80dc74b1e83ab2361b4f23e57" /> If you prefer to delve into the heart of New Zealand’s renowned food and wine country, you must add this <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/tours/sensational-south/">11-day Spectacular South</a> tour to your list. Starting in Wellington, where you’ll go on a guided walking tour with a foodie twist to get your senses tingling. The tour winds down the South Island’s east coast to Christchurch before branching off to Mount Cook, where you’ll join a local expert at New Zealand’s longest glacier, the Tasman Glacier. You’ll then head to picturesque Queenstown, embark on a scenic journey through Fiordland National Park, and travel to the magnificent wild West Coast and mesmerising Milford Sound. Culinary highlights include dinner at a top winery in Marlborough, a Be My Guest lunch at Morelea, and a farewell dinner at the Boatshed restaurant in Queenstown. 5. New Zealand Uncovered <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7831981/aat-kings-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e5d0eafaf9f748478f9bde67d578b97d" /> Can’t decide between which island to visit next? Why not experience the best of both islands on AAT Kings <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/tours/new-zealand-uncovered/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">17-day New Zealand Uncovered First Choice Guided Holiday</a>. Explore from Auckland down to Christchurch, experience the contrasts between the two islands: travel through picturesque Hinuera Valley, journey through farmland to the turquoise waters of Huka Falls, and explore magnificent Milford Sound on a nature cruise. See the scenery magically change from alpine to magnificent rainforests and the wild West Coast when crossing over the Haast Pass. Iconic destinations this Guided Holiday will take you include: the Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Lake Taupo, Charlotte Sound, Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Franz Josef Glacier, and Punakaiki – to name but a few. A journey through the North and South Islands of New Zealand is best undertaken with the experts. Delve into New Zealand’s national identity and explore the country’s Maori culture and history. Enjoy lunch at a dairy farm and Monteith’s Brewery, cruise across Lake Wakatipu for a gourmet dinner at Walter Peak Farm, and experience a Hangi feast at the Tamaki Maori Village. There is truly something to appeal to every traveller on this 17 day journey through the incredible North and South Islands of New Zealand. Start planning your 2020/21 escape now and save 10% with <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/earlybird/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">Early Bird Savings</a> on all First Choice Guided Holidays in Australia and New Zealand when booked by 31 January 2020 and travel dates up to 31 March 2021. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMWdUqmsOdY?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">Need more reason to book? Click here.</a> This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://www.aatkings.com/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=online_ebs">AAT Kings</a>.

Domestic Travel

Hopping wet: Stubborn kangaroo jumps back into river after police rescue

Police on a jetski were filmed rescuing a kangaroo who went for a swim in a lake in ACT yesterday. The video of the attempted rescue was filmed on the edge of Lake Burleigh Griffin and featured a very happy marsupial just going for a swim. Police officers on a jetski pulled the kangaroo onto their jetski in an attempted rescue and dumped the animal on shore, hoping it would hop away to safety. However, the kangaroo had other ideas. <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ul087KosE8g"></iframe></div> As soon as the kangaroo was put onto shore, he turned around and jumped back into the water and swam away. The video ends with disgruntled police officers jetting back to the marsupial. Commenters were thrilled with the animals determination to keep swimming, as many had never seen a kangaroo in the water before. “Obviously wants to get to the other side! Kangaroos are great swimmers,” one commenter said. “Feet like flippers,” another said. ACT Police spoke to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/animals/police-jetski-rescue-foiled-by-stubborn-swimming-kangaroo/news-story/c8d10ff0ae037d66c0b4b15d6044671b" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> about the incident, saying that after the camera stopped rolling, the kangaroo was rescued again and taken to the bush. “ACT Water Police officers were alerted to a kangaroo in the Central Basin of Lake Burley Griffin,” a spokesperson said. “Officers rescued the kangaroo from the lake, and handed it to parks workers who relocated the kangaroo to a bushland location.”

Domestic Travel

Europe's best river cruises

Europe is a cultural tapestry waiting to be explored. Forget worrying about accommodation and transport – just jump aboard a European cruise and go rolling down the river past castles and cathedrals galore. Our three picks of Europe’s best rivers for cruising can be swallowed whole or in bite-sized chunks – choose the destinations and duration that best suits your family. The Rhine The Rhine River meanders through Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands. Art-lovers will want to head to Basel, Switzerland which is packed with design museums, including a Paper Museum beside a canal in an old paper mill. The grandiose architecture of Strasbourg will sweep you off your feet. Fans of chocolate and sport will find much to love under the Gothic spires of Cologne. In Amsterdam, you can cruise the famous canals and explore cottages, cafes and markets. We recommend whizzing through the city by bike and exploring popular gems such as Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum. The Rhine joins up with a network of other waterways and tributaries, so your exploration of Europe’s rivers does not have to end there. Danube Though it might not be as blue as the song suggests, a cruise down the Danube certainly is colourful. Expect to see a vibrant, varied view of Europe. On a Danube River cruise port stop, you can Duel with Dracula in a Gothic castle, create music like Mozart in an Austrian church, and explore the wares at the Christmas Markets. Labelled by Napoleon as the “Queen of Europe’s Rivers” the Danube is the second longest river on the continent. It flows through ten countries, including Austria, Germany and Croatia. Highlights include the Turkish Baths and Parliament buildings of Budapest, the baroque palace and Spanish Riding School of Vienna and the Bavarian cathedrals and sausage kitchens of Regensburg. Rhône-Saône Tumbling over the Swiss Alps, through vineyards and lavender fields, and into Mediterranean seas near Marseilles – this is one wicked waterway. Most cruises will start from the ocean and head inland, beginning at Arles, where you can hear the echoes of long-gone gladiators amidst the Roman ruins. Make sure you try a traditional Provence feast on a shore excursion. This is a river cruise for history lovers. The journey will take you through medieval Avignon, Vienne, and onto Cluny, where you can delve into the centuries-old Benedictine Abbey, built just after Charlemagne’s reign. Grown-ups will love wine-tasting in Burgundy, and foodies will flip out in the famous city of Lyon. Written by Alison Godfrey. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/europes-best-river-cruises/">MyDiscoveries</a>.

International Travel

Explore the great Yangtze River

The Yangtze River is a massive tempestuous monster. For centuries it has been both the life and death of the Chinese people, providing food, water for irrigation and a critical transport route, but turning fierce with immense and destructive floods. In 1998, the last such flood drowned some 2000 people and millions more made homeless. This final malicious act of the Yangtze would be the last. If China was to grow and prosper, the beast must be tamed and made to work for the masses. Our journey begins in Chongqing, a vast, sprawling metropolis now bearing the title of world’s largest city. With a population of 32 million it is three times the size of New York City thanks mainly to the relocation of former riverside inhabitants displaced by the Yangtze’s rising. Both shores are undergoing momentous transformation with great cranes and concrete pourers working overtime to construct new apartment blocks and shopping centres. The ancient riverside villages are gone, replaced by the energetic and progressive new 21st Century China. We visit some of the few remaining archaeological sites en route and the macbre Ghost City of Fengdu is a standout. Visitors are welcomed by a parade of stone demons each depicting unholy vices and terrifying acts. Displays inside the temple are guaranteed to leave you squeamish. The Three Gorges themselves are Qutang, Wu and Xiling, occupying a section of about 120 kilometres of the river between Fengjie and Yichang. Despite their stunning scenery it was one of the most hazardous stretches. As river levels rose and fell with the seasons, navigating the fury of its waters was a white-knuckle experience for crew and passengers alike. We divert from the main channel to the Daning River and proceed up the “Lesser Three Gorges” (Dragon-Gate, Misty and Emerald) where former farmers and river traders are now tour guides in one of the most scenic locations in all of China. The few farms and dwellings we see are slowly being consumed by the rising waters. Mr Zhang, our boatman, now sports smart leather shoes and trousers but dons a traditional fishing jacket and headdress as he sings a song and poles us up the narrow tributary bordered by dizzying, sheer cliffs. He’s happy that his boat is full of paying travellers, but the notes of his song are tinged with sadness. He’ll never sing this tune like his father and grandfather did, hauling in the nets and selling the fish. After four days cruising, we meet the manmade monster designed to subdue the Yangtze and in the middle of the night, we toast the new Great Wall as we descend 100 metres via a series of locks to the old riverfront at Sandouping. Any way you look at it, the Three Gorges Dam is one of the world’s engineering marvels, rivalling the Panama Canal or even the original Great Wall itself. Always controversial, the dam was first proposed in 1919. Proponents argued that flood mitigation would save many thousands of lives and improve irrigation, navigation and water utilisation The hydro-electric plant would produce 22,500MW or the equivalent of ten per cent of China’s industrial requirement. Opponents cited the dislocation of millions of residents, hundreds of tonnes of damaging sediment, loss of historic relics and the danger of catastrophe due to earthquake or landslide. Begun in 1994 and completed in 2006, the dam comprises 27 million cubic of concrete, all of which had to be laid in one continuous pour. The dam wall is 2335 metres wide, 101 metres high and contains 39.3 cubic kilometres of water. After breakfast we gather our cameras and floppy hats and prepare to embark a fleet of buses. Clearly visiting the dam is a popular outing for the Chinese. Hundreds of folk are jostling and nudging, as is the Chinese way, for the few vantage points and I hurriedly snatch a few photos before my arbitrary time limit. Downstream of the dam, the river is much less affected and the water levels are more-or- less unchanged. Traditional villages reappear and there are glimpses of what life must have been like once upon a time on the other side. While we can lament how the Three Gorges Dam has transformed the Yangtze forever, the enormous upheaval thrust upon those along its course is indicative of a rapidly changing China, a country throwing off the ancient shackles of reluctance and charging headlong towards a prosperous future with the promise of plenty for all. Let’s hope the Eastern wisdom doesn’t repeat the many mistakes of the West. Written by Roderick Eime. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/locations-in-china-including-the-great-wall-for-the-mature-adventure-traveller/">MyDiscoveries.</a>

Cruising

6 essential items you need to pack for your river cruise

You may think river cruises are similar to ocean ones if you have never travelled down the stream before – but they could not be anymore different. River cruises are a lot more focussed on frequent stops and minimal lounging onboard – afterall, the spectacular experiences that come with travelling through small towns and beautiful cities are once in a lifetime opportunities. Here are a few items to take on your river cruise. 1. Walking shoes You won’t be in your cabins a lot and walking from the start of your cruise vessel to the end will not be the only exercise you can expect while on holiday. There are many sights to see, so pack a good pair of shoes that are sturdy, reliable and can go the distance. 2. Comfortable clothing Comfort is an important part of your holiday, so bring a practical wardrobe in which you can explore the great sights by foot, bike or even train. For evenings aboard your vessel – or even for the small town restaurants – bring smart casual pieces. 3. Medication Take all the medication you need – unlike ocean cruises, trusty shops are not located on your vessel and it can be frustrating to have to walk through the gorgeous cities you paid thousands of dollars to be in, just to find some headache tablets or allergy pills. Bring a mini first-aid kit just in case, as well as travel-sized bottles and hand sanitiser. 4. Adaptor Remember, European adaptors differ from our own ones, so bring the cords you require and all your electronics can be charged for another day. 5. Exercise clothes Many river cruises have gyms and swimming pools, so pack some exercise gear and swimmers in case they offer classes. 6. City Guidebooks, phrase books and currency calculator For a seamless trip with minimal challenges, bring a city guidebook so you don’t miss out on all the sights to see. Phrase books can be helpful too if you are in a country where the common tongue is not familiar to you. A currency calculator can also be extremely helpful if you want to keep a close eye on your spending habits by converting all your money.

Cruising

4 key differences between ocean and river cruises

Although river cruising has been in operation for decades, the popularity and modernisation of the sector has come in leaps and bounds in the past decade. Not only are more modern ships coming to keen cruisers but expanded amenities, alluring itineraries that are only reachable by small boats and the promise of an immersive culture to be a part of, are just some of the few perks on offer. The question arises though by people who have never been on a river cruise: Is it any different to an ocean cruise? Here is a list of key things expert seafarers should be aware of before booking their first river cruise. 1. River cruises and cabins are smaller Ocean cruises carry thousands of passengers and crew members while riverboats carry only a few hundred or much less. The upside to a small and intimate cruise is the social and friendly atmosphere that doesn’t require you to elbow a few other passengers just to get a handshake in. On the downside, anonymity is not an option. The small size of the boat means that it is likely for there to only be a few lounges, one gym, computer centre and a small spa to dip your feet into. Some do not have these amenities at all as the ports are considered to be the most attractive feature. River cruise staterooms can also be much smaller than an ocean ship, but they’re not short on comfort and relaxation. Newer riverboats are getting better and more creative with their designs though, adding balconies and features that are very unique to river cruises. 2. Entertainment is not guaranteed Splashy production shows, guest comedians, talented musicians and karaoke are forms of entertainment you might expect to find on a large ocean vessel, but when sailing the river – low-key, ensembles, lone residential pianist and local troupes are brought on board for evening or daytime shows. Days on river cruises are often jampacked with educational seminars, cooking demos, wine tastings, quizzes and scenery watching. Unlike ocean cruising, river boats host intimate and stunning scenery that changes as you go. 3. Most sailing is done at night Full sailing days are a rarity with most river cruising expeditions. The majority of sailing is done throughout the night or very late in the evenings and you will spend most of it while sleeping or relaxing. 4. Itineraries are port-intensive River cruises don’t have many leisurely days where you can go at your own pace – they are typically jam packed as you may visit one to two destinations a day and four countries in a week. The ports are the main attraction, not the ships themselves. This type of travelling is exciting and fresh but can also be exhausting – so don’t feel any pressure to go on every single port tour. Have you tried a river cruise, or would you like to? Let us know in the comments below.

Cruising

Why you MUST visit the Nile in Egypt

Are you ready for an adventure like no other? Could the Nile be the alluring getaway you have been waiting for? A river that stretches through 11 countries might just be the trip of a life time you have been waiting for. For many who travel down the Nile, it is a life source – giving water, fertile land and a means of transport through 11 countries. For others, it is the destination of a lifetime and a connection to the past for its rich culture and mysterious antiquity that has and continues to gravitate historians, archaeologists and tourists alike. Travel expert Catriona Rowntree has travelled the world for over 23 years, exploring the sights each place has to offer and seeing the world through the lens as host of Getaway. In the hundreds of trips and countless journeys she has experienced, Rowntree has decided to share her favourite trips by water. Here’s why, according to The World of Cruising, you should travel to Egypt and the Nile. There are views everywhere you turn One of the best parts about taking a scenic trip ashore down the mystique river of the Nile means everywhere you turn is a picture-perfect postcard view. It’s not just a home that is overwhelmingly reminiscent of your History textbook – it is the place where temples have risen and fallen, where tributes in honour of pharaohs have been carven from the lands soil. Rowntree wrote: “But the river itself … glorious! You won’t take a bad photo. The light is exquisite. Little children in tiny feluccas, sliding up next to your boat to sing for you or ask you to buy belly-dancer costumes. “The difference with this tour is that the devil is in the detail. It’s not the castle in the distance, or the rising vineyards snaking up the castle in the distance… “But it is the lone fisherman by the river’s edge, the elegant birdlife, the animals gently roaming in and out of the water…” It’s a historical treasure Without the serene waterway that is the Nile, there would be almost little to no ways to access the antiquities of Egyptian life there is on offer today, nor any way to see them. The Nile is not just a life source nor a large and magical chunk of history to hook your talons into – it is a basin that covers more than 10 per cent of Africa and spreads through 11 countries and holds an otherworldly connection to locals that has existed for over thousands of years. Being able to undergo a journey like a cruise along the Nile is stepping into a part of the Egyptian way of life. The historical river hosts connections to temples centuries old and heirlooms virtually untouched. It’s an easy glide from the waterway to marvels that rest on the banks of the river plains, including the Kom Ombo Temple and finally Aswan for the unfinished obelisk, Qena and Hathor’s Temple at Dendera, Luxor Temple, the Temple of Horus at Edfua, a felucca cruise to a Nubian village, and the Osiris temple complex at Philae, raised from the floods. The ports are magical From the banks of the Nile in Cairo to the tomb of Tutankhamun and the Valley of the Kings, cruisers will get the opportunity to explore it all at each of the handy ports created to take you as close to the wonders of Egypt as possible. Tour the Egyptian Museum which hosts the world’s largest collection of pharaonic antiquities and experience the significant artefacts that have stood the test of time. However, if you’re interested, you better get in fast! Queues start early. Luxor is another key port and is the home of the Temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings and Queens. Just a short trip from the main part of the city lies a little piece of earth you will never quite see ever again, with over 100 rooms to find yourself in and 63 tombs to see for yourself. The city of Luxor also features the Mummification Museum, giving you a whole new understanding of the age-old culture that enamours Egypt and gives insight just as to why it’s considered “the cradle of civilisation”. “Luxor, for me, is where that reputation all fell into place,” Rowntree writes. Whether you’re a solo traveller or a big family – Egypt is a getaway for all Both a wonderful holiday for both single travellers looking to explore the world of Egypt alone and families ready to take it all on together – cruises on the Nile cater to everyone. Would you like to take a scenic tour along the mystical Nile river? Let us know in the comments below.

Cruising

See Australia: The bucket-list worthy walking track

The Murray River Walk is a four-day guided walk that combines hiking and houseboating along a 40-kilometre stretch of the Murray River between Renmark in South Australia and the Victorian border. While you’re wandering along river banks, across flood plains and through forests of red gums, a houseboat named Desire motors upriver to meet you with chilled wine and canapés at the end of each day. It’s a luxurious way to walk the walk, with hot showers, a top-deck spa and water views at every turn, including the five double bedrooms and two bathrooms, spacious lounge and dining area. The food is a highlight, a showcase of local produce and native ingredients – Murray River scallops, kangaroo, yabbies, Riverland beef and lamb, quandong desserts and salads of samphire and native greens foraged during the day, as well as platters of emu pâté, olives, cheeses, chutneys, nuts and sundried fruits. Evening meals are presented degustation-style, with matched Riverland wines. Walking is easy, more of a stroll than a trek along mostly level ground, covering between 10 and 15 kilometres each day. There are frequent stops as your guides show you the scars on trees where canoes, shields, woomeras and coolamons were cut from the bark by the Erawirung people, point out middens and cutting tools scattered in the undergrowth and the charcoal remains of ancient cooking hearths. There are plenty of stories of the paddle-steamer days, too, when hundreds of boats and barges plied the river, ferrying wool and supplies to the stations and ports along the waterway, with rusting relics and half-submerged wrecks. You’ll also learn how irrigation and water management has changed the landscape along one of our most highly regulated rivers with its system of dams, locks and weirs The route meanders across two historic properties, Calperum and Bunyip Reach stations; the Murray River Walk has exclusive access, so you won’t see any other walkers. You will see plenty of kangaroos, skinks and, if you’re lucky, a shy echidna or two. Pelicans are constant companions, as are elegant egrets and slightly goofy spoonbills perched in treetops, cormorants and darters drying their wings on half-drowned branches and whistling kites riding the thermals. Ducks patrol the shallows and emus flounce across the floodplains, feathered skirts fluttering. You’ll spend almost as much time on the river as you do on land, exploring anabranches and backwaters in an aluminium cruiser, negotiating locks and stickybeaking at historic customs houses and old shearing sheds, including a barbecue lunch and beer stop at Wilkadene Woolshed Brewery on the last day. As far as walking holidays go, it’s pretty cruisy. WHERE IS IT? The walk begins and ends in Renmark, 256km east of Adelaide, around a 3-hour drive east of Adelaide. WHY GO? Cruising and gourmet food. WHEN TO GO? Walking season is May to the end of September. HOW LONG? 4 days. This is an edited extract from Australia’s Best Nature Escapes by Lee Atkinson published by Hardie Grant Books [39.99] and is available in stores nationally. Photographer: © Lee Atkinson <img style="width: 250px !important; height: 300px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7821835/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/411059142cf548be950fc4f94d8782c4" />

International Travel

Discovering Australia: Visit the world’s largest river red gum forest

Barmah National Park, together with parks on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, protects the largest river red gum forest in the world. Call into the Barmah Forest Heritage Centre in Nathalia before you visit to glean all sorts of interesting things, such as that it wasn’t just woodcutting and riverboating that were the lifeblood of these riverside towns last century – apparently leech collecting for medicinal bloodletting was once big business, too. The hardy harvesters would walk through the swamps collecting the bloodsuckers on their legs for the princely sum of one shilling per pound – a hard way to make a living! You can camp anywhere you like along much of the 112-kilometre river front in this national park, but the free campground at Barmah Lakes has toilets and tables and lots of room to move. It’s a great place to launch a kayak and explore the river, although be careful: the current is stronger than it looks. It’s also a good spot to fish, particularly for the famed Murray cod. You will need a New South Wales fishing licence to fish the Murray River, even though you are technically on the Victorian side of the border. Also worth your while is the two-hour cruise along the narrowest and fastest flowing section of the Murray through the wetlands – home to almost 900 species of wildlife – and red gum forests. Cruises depart from the Barmah Lakes picnic area. For more river cruising, take a drive to nearby Echuca (40 kilometres west of the campground), the self-proclaimed paddle steamer capital of the country. During the river port’s boom days in the 1880s, when the Murray River was the only way to transport goods from the remote inland settlements to the coastal ports, hundreds of paddle steamers loaded and unloaded their cargo at the historic wharf. Echuca still has the world’s largest collection of working paddle steamers, some more than a century old, including the PS Adelaide built in 1886 and the PS Pevensey, made famous in the 1980s TV series All the Rivers Run. A river cruise is the most popular thing to do in town and there are several cruise options – head down to the wharf to check sailing times. Before you go, drop into the Echuca Historical Society Museum to see the old river charts that the riverboat captains used to navigate the river. They’re hand drawn on long linen scrolls; sometimes all the captains had to go on was a picture of a tree on a bend. The museum is in the old police lock-up and has a huge collection of old photos and memorabilia from the riverboat era. Where is it? Barmah National Park lies along the Murray River between the towns of Barmah and Strathmerton, about 225km north of Melbourne. Why go? Camping and scenery When to go? Relatively mild, the Barmah forests are a good year-round destination, although winter is generally wetter than summer. The park sometimes floods after heavy rain, so check current conditions on the national parks website (see below) before travelling. How long? 2-3 days This is an edited extract from Australia’s Best Nature Escapes by Lee Atkinson published by Hardie Grant Books [39.99] and is available in stores nationally. Photographer: © Lee Atkinson <img style="width: 250px !important; height: 300px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7821757/australias-best-nature-escapes-cvr.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f93accc9ea374a19945367220d612101" />

International Travel

At the source of history: Dart River, Aspiring National Park

My fingers traced the cool contours of the mauri pounamu touchstone. The massive chunk of pounamu (jade), centrepiece at the Dart River Jet visitor centre in Glenorchy, was alternately smooth and rough in texture. His name was Te Matua o Manatu meaning "precious reminder from the throat of the reclining giant, Te Koroka". He stood on a pathway where ancient Maori once trekked, searching for pounamu. Eight hundred years ago, Maori were the only people here – first the Waiaha tribe, then Ngati Mamoe and now Ngai Tahu. It was here that Maori first discovered the home of the pounamu giant, Te Koroka. High in the mountains, they found him resting with a seam of pounamu tumbling from his gaping mouth. The giant became famed throughout the whole country for his pounamu, treasured equally for its utility and its pearly allure. Trade, economy and culture were built around this precious resource. Then with the arrival of Europeans some 200 years ago, Maori lost their connection to Te Koroka. When the first European explorers encountered these shores, they too heard tales of the celebrated source of pounamu at the head of Lake Whakatipu-wai-maori (Lake Wakatipu.) Preserved in memory, song and oral tradition, the exact location was unclear until the pounamu taonga (treasure) was rediscovered on Pekerakitahi (Mt Earnslaw) in 1970. This sacred pristine source of pounamu is now fiercely protected by the Ngai Tahu tribe as the tangata whenua (people of the land), and the state. He is a lasting remnant of ages past, one that evokes the spirits of the ancestors, the first people to travel these ancient pounamu trails. The throb of the Hamilton jet engines in the distance disturbed my contemplation and brought me tumbling back to the present. We were about to set off on an expedition up the Te Awa Whakatipu (the Dart River), in Te Wahipounamu, a Unesco World Heritage Area. The day ahead would be richer armed with my knowledge of Te Koroka and Te Matua o Manatu. <img src="https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/9/j/n/s/u/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.19jhxq.png/1454620665260.jpg" alt="Take a jet boat ride to the heart of the Mount Aspiring National Park." class="photoborder"/> Take a jet boat ride to the heart of the Mount Aspiring National Park. Image credit: Ngai Tahu Tourism After a quiet start to the day, the high-octane exhilaration of the jetboat ride set my heart pounding and pulse racing. I sat on the edge of my seat, enthralled as our jetboat driver Daniel took us ever deeper into the Aspiring National Park and the southern reaches of the Main Divide, weaving our way up strands of the braided river at the foot of tall mountains named after Greek gods - Pluto, Nox, Amphion, Chaos, Poseidon. The beautiful silvery face of Pekerakitahi was wet with tears of melting snow. My eyes searched the mountain and clear waters of the Dart, hoping for a glimpse of pounamu. I convinced myself I could see the elusive green stone. I was high on negative ions, intoxicated with the sweet taste of the air, the shock of the ice-cold spray whenever Daniel performed one of his heart-stopping 360s, the dazzling turquoise waters of the Rockburn Chasm where a giant's sword had sliced a deep gash in the side of a mountain, and the throaty roar of the twin Hamilton jet engines. Encircled by craggy peaks with gleaming glaciers and wispy waterfalls, I wanted to speed onwards to the head waters of the Dart but after 90 minutes of pure adrenalin, we were off-loaded on the side of the river with our Ultimate Nature Experience guide Pam. As the boats thundered away, disappearing in a plume of spray, I was momentarily stunned by the sudden silence and abrupt change of pace. <img src="https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/9/j/m/0/d/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.19jhxq.png/1454620665260.jpg" alt="Take a Dart River Funyak through the Rockburn Chasm." class="photoborder"/> Take a Dart River Funyak through the Rockburn Chasm. Image credit: Ngai Tahu Tourism We followed Pam up a shingle bank and entered another world, a forest wilderness with no tracks or signposts. The bright sunlight, towering mountains and silver river were replaced by the tall, gaunt trees and diffuse, mottled light of the beech forest where the only sounds were bird calls, gurgling streams, and the muted footfall of boots on the spongy leaf-litter carpet. Pam knew the forest like the back of her hand, retracing the steps of early saw millers and prospectors. She led us along the route of a tramway built in the 1920s to transport logs out of the forest for the construction of bridges, buildings and car and bus bodies. A wheel and some rusty kerosene tins were all that remained of what was once a busy thoroughfare. We also came across the debris of a gelignite explosion where a hopeful prospector had blasted away a cliff face in the 1950s in hope of finding tungsten, the metallic element of scheelite, an ore in demand during both World Wars and the Korean War for its metal-hardening properties. His identity is a well-kept secret because there are family members still living at Glenorchy, Pam said. Our lunch venue was sublime. Sitting on a log in the warm winter sunshine, munching hearty sandwiches by the remote Sylvan Lake in the company of cheeky South Island robins as far superior to any fancy gourmet cafe. <img src="https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/9/j/m/0/e/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.19jhxq.png/1454620665260.jpg" alt="A South Island robin stops by our lunch spot at Lake Sylvan." class="photoborder"/> A South Island robin stops by our lunch spot at Lake Sylvan. Image credit: Ngai Tahu Tourism It was a day of extreme contrasts – the mauri pounamu touchstone grounded me in history. Daniel and his twin Hamiltons administered a hefty shot of adrenalin while the majestic glacier-gouged mountains enthralled me. The peace and solitude of the beech forest soothed me and the simple picnic lunch beside a pristine alpine lake delighted me. Late afternoon, Pam drove us back along the magnificent 46km lakeside road to Queenstown, rated one of the top ten scenic drives in the world by Conde Naste and Lonely Planet. The mountains were under a cloud shroud when we drove to Glenorchy early in the morning but they were dazzlingly clear on our return trip. Tourists on the road that day got a bonus – there were two of everything, mountains upright in their usual position and upside down in the looking-glass lake. It made my Kiwi heart soar with pride. <img src="https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/9/j/m/0/f/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.19jhxq.png/1454620665260.jpg" alt="Sunshine peaks through as we make our way along an avenue of native red beech trees." class="photoborder"/> Sunshine peaks through as we make our way along an avenue of native red beech trees. Image credit: Justine Tyerman Fact box: Getting there: Air New Zealand Staying there: <a href="http://www.crowneplazaqueenstown.co.nz/" target="_blank">crowneplazaqueenstown</a> * Dart River Jet, the only operator on the Dart River, and Guided Walks New Zealand, the only company permitted access to the Ultimate Nature Experience wilderness area, are both owned by Ngai Tahu Tourism. * The Ultimate Nature Experience is a flexible 4 to 7km easy to moderate hike on unformed trails. Transport departs from Queenstown at 8am with pick-ups from all Queenstown accommodation. Justine Tyerman was a guest of Ngai Tahu Tourism. Written by Justine Tyerman. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a>

Domestic Travel

Good things come in small packages

<div> Small things make a big difference, especially when you’re on board a ship. And cruising the seas is a breeze when you strike the right combination of size, comfort and know-how. </div> Voyages to Antiquity’s ship Aegean Odyssey is small in size but large at heart. The delightfully charming ship provides an intimate cruising experience, incorporating uniquely-crafted itineraries that highlight new discoveries, past masters and hidden gems of Europe. You also have the opportunity to immerse yourself in culturally-rich regions, while embracing all the rest and relaxation you desire. The Aegean Odyssey is a welcome difference from the larger mega liners on offer. As well as a more personalised experience, the ship’s size means she can navigate the inland waterways, like Spain’s Guadalquivir River, and she’s able to get closer into port at many destinations. By unlocking a unique combination of ocean and river cruising, Voyages to Antiquity has mastered the best of both worlds. You’ll spend longer in each destination and in many cases, you’ll spend the night in port – ultimately there are less days at sea and more time for you to enjoy the wonders of the city before you. <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7817640/ship1_retouched_500x375.jpg" alt="Ship 1_retouched"/> Voyages to Antiquity not only offers a classically elegant holiday but is also dedicated to enriching your mind. Carefully selected first class guest speakers, from historians to archaeologists, convey their knowledge of the history of these remarkable destinations and bringing their cultures to life with daily lectures on board. Cruise fares are exceptional value for money with inclusions such as shore excursions, 4 or 5-star hotel stays, airport transfers, onboard gratuities, wine, beer and soft drinks with evening meals – meaning there’s not much left to pay for once you’re on board. If you’re travelling on your own, you can rest assured that Voyages to Antiquity will provide you with a replenishing and fulfilling experience. There are low single-supplements, dedicated single cabins and an engaging atmosphere to appeal to even the most discerning traveller. <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7817641/oo-onboard-804_500x333.jpg" alt="OO Onboard -804"/> The 2019 Mediterranean cruising calendar is available now and for the first time ever, Aegean Odyssey will be sailing the Baltic, revealing the cultural treasures of St Petersburg and Scandinavian capitals. Also making its debut in the Voyages to Antiquity calendar is the North Cape of Norway on the legendary 'Land of the Midnight Sun' voyage, where you'll experience nature at its wildest and most spectacular. In addition to the classic <a href="http://email-voyagestoantiquity-newzealand.com/_act/link.php?mId=AJ924134022379404519416066213213&tId=97202216">Mediterranean cruises</a>, Aegean Odyssey will be returning to the Black Sea. Grand Voyages, which combine two or more of the single sailings, offers airfares included complimentary from New Zealand to Europe. This is but a small taste of the delights small-ship cruising offers. You can approach any cruise confident in the knowledge the journey will be one that provides the personal touch while offering a world of glorious opportunity. To book, contact your local travel agent. For more information, or to request the 2019 European brochure, call 0800 CRUISE (278 473), email <a href="mailto:info@vta.co.nz">info@vta.co.nz</a> or visit <a href="https://voyagestoantiquity.com">https://voyagestoantiquity.com</a>.

Cruising

3 key differences between an ocean and river cruise

People often have a personal preference when it comes to ocean cruises or river cruises, so if you’re not sure what to go for, it’s best to know how they really differ before booking your next trip. Here are the three key differences between an ocean and river cruise. 1. Cost River cruises are initially more expensive, and travellers can expect the price to be from $200-500 per person per night. Ocean ships can cost less than $100 per night if you get a good deal. However, once onboard your ocean cruise there will be a likelihood that you splurge on extra costs such as drinks, tours and souvenirs. 2. Inclusions Only the most upmarket ocean cruises are all-inclusive but on an ocean cruise if you want mealtime alcohol, Wi-Fi and other extras, you will be expected to pay up. All these extras are included in river-cruise fares and sometimes airport transfers are included too. River cruises require you to pay a heftier sum upon booking but if you are going on an ocean cruise, be sure to keep track of your spending. 3. Ship amenities On river cruises, expect your onboard entertainment to be a massage room, fitness room or hot tub as most of the focus is on the destination. However, ocean cruises are lined with Broadway-styled shows, casinos, kids’ clubs, water parks, spas and various pools. If you prefer a quiet, intimate setting then river cruises would suit your desires but if you want a wide-range of entertainment, ocean cruises are for you. Do you prefer river or ocean cruises? Let us know in the comments below.

Cruising

7 spectacular European rivers you’ve never heard of

Most people associate European river cruises with the Rhine and Danube, and while these rivers are iconic, there are plenty of other spectacular rivers that many are unaware of. From the Oder River, which was an important Central European trade route, to the Dnieper River which has a history intertwined with the Vikings and Cossacks these rivers will not disappoint visitors. Scroll through the gallery above to see the seven spectacular rivers that more people need to be aware of. Have you been lucky enough to visit any of these rivers? If so, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.

Cruising

7 biggest myths about river cruising busted

People who've never been on a river cruise are sometimes quick to judge – and dismiss – this style of travel. Here are seven persistent myths that might make you change your preconceptions about having a holiday afloat. 1. River cruises are expensive Some are, some aren't. Like any holiday, you get what you pay for. A river cruise costs between $200 and $500 per person per night. At the budget end, cruises can offer extraordinary bargains, but even luxury cruises can be good value. Compare the cost of a river cruise to a land holiday, and consider it includes accommodation, meals, enrichment programs and (nearly always) guided shore excursions. You might also get inclusive butler service, drinks, gratuities and airport transfers, even flights. That can make costs hard to match compared to doing it yourself. And of course, it's all organised for you, hassle-free. 2. I'll be bored You'll certainly have nothing to do when it comes to housework, cooking and travel organisation. But on a river cruise it will sometimes seem you're too busy to take time out to lounge on the deck. You can do as much as you would on a regular holiday. River ports such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris or Ho Chi Minh City are crammed with sights, shops and markets, museums and nightlife. Smaller destinations provide opportunities to visit castles, temples, cellar doors and farms. Organised shore excursions range from general sightseeing to insider tours that focus on special interests such as beer, music, history or a particular city neighbourhood. 3. River cruising is all about the Rhine and Danube If for some strange reason you're bored by these most-cruised rivers, take heart. There are many more: several rivers in France, Portugal's Douro, the Volga waterways in Russia and more "obscure" rivers such as the Guadalquivir in Spain, Dneiper in Ukraine or Tisza in Hungary. And while it's true that Europe is river-cruising's heartland, Asia is now a big destination too, with cruises on the Yangtze, Mekong, Ganges and Irrawaddy. You can also cruise the Amazon River in Brazil and Peru, the Columbia and Mississippi rivers in the US and the Murray River, in Australia, among many other options. 4. River cruises are all the same If you think you've "done" river cruising just because you've sailed a couple of times, then really, you've only just got going. River cruising can be as varied as any other holiday. Take the Mekong River alone: you can bird watch in protected marshes, visit the ancient temples of Angkor Wat and the more recent and disturbing Khmer Rouge prisons, plunder markets, take cooking classes and make school visits. Also notable worldwide is the rise in themed river cruising, with itineraries covering special-interest areas such as wine, Jewish history, opera, golf, World War sites in northern France and much more. 5. River cruising isn't for the active The old cliche about cruising being for the nearly dead and overfed is outdated. (Well, perhaps not the overfed bit.) The average age of river passengers is falling and, in response, companies are providing more active choices. Many river ships have a small gym, carry bicycles and Nordic walking sticks, and offer morning yoga classes. The ship's concierge can recommend onshore jogging routes, and shore excursions might offer cycling, hiking and kayaking. Don't underestimate the energy needed just for the regular programme either. Days are long, and tours can involve several hours of walking often, in Europe, over uneven surfaces such as cobblestones. 6. River cruising isn't for families This was certainly the case until relatively recently, with river-cruise companies focusing almost exclusively on the retiree market. But that's changing, with a few companies now offering great multi-generational cruises with shore excursions and activities targeting children or grandchildren, and interconnecting cabins designed with families in mind. Uniworld, Tauck and Adventures by Disney have family sailings in Europe, and Pandaw has a limited number in Asia. Christmas market cruises in Europe are also a good option for families. Be aware, though, that river ships are much smaller than ocean ships, with no space for kids' clubs or activities, so they aren't suitable for the hyperactive. 7. You're always on tour You're mistaken if you think river cruising is a series of slow shuffles in a large group around crowded palaces or cathedrals. It is sometimes, of course. It might equally be a small group doing an "insider" guided walk around an interesting city district. Anyway, you aren't sent to the naughty corner for not joining an organised tour. River ships are often docked the entire day in town centres, with ample chance to wander off by yourself. Besides, shore excursions seldom run all day. You can join a half-day tour for an overview and to get oriented, then slope off for individual exploration. Written by Brian Johnston. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a>

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