Flights To Fancy

Travelling the world in luxury for less a week at a time

A Rainy Day In Spectacular Cataract Gorge Launceston

Flights To Fancy: A Rainy Day In Spectacular Cataract Gorge Launceston - Launceston City Park Lake

On our first morning in Launceston we woke up to torrential rain. After checking the scene from our hotel window we crawled back under the covers for another hour hoping the miserable weather would clear. It didn’t. At 9am, unable to sleep any longer, we prised ourselves from the bed in despair. We had planned to spend the day hiking the many trails of Cataract Gorge but the prospect of bush walking dripping wet through sludge didn’t really appeal. We googled ‘things to do in Launceston in the rain’ (as you do lol) and while the usual suspects popped up (museums, movies, indoor pool etc), nothing inspired. By 10am I’d had enough of sitting around and decided to brave the elements and get out amongst it anyway. Read on for all the details …

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Where To Eat In Hobart Harbour & Salamanca Place

Flights To Fancy: Where To Eat in Hobart Harbour & Salamanca Place - Hobart Harbour Marina

Eating out is one of my greatest pleasures. The appeal of enjoying a delicious meal, prepared with skill, that I don’t have to clean up after is hard to resist. At home, I have my favourites that I frequent regularly but when travelling choosing a restaurant is a whole different ball game. Navigating the plethora of choices is a minefield and I’ve spent countess hours over the years deliberating where my next meal will be. If you are wondering where to eat in Hobart, read on for all the details …

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Jetstar A320 Domestic Economy JQ745 SYD-LST

Flights To Fancy: Jetstar A320 Economy Class Review JQ745 SYD-LST - Plane Window Landing Launceston Tasmania

Airlines have been getting a bad rap lately. Unless you have been living under a rock, you will have heard all about United’s woes. First we had teenage girls denied boarding in what I have dubbed ‘leggingsgate’ and the latest scandal where a paying customer was forcible removed from an overbooked flight drew worldwide condemnation. Low Cost Carriers (LCC’s) get a bad rap at the best of times and Jetstar has had it’s own fair share of PR mishaps, like when they refused an arthritic child the use of a pillow on the way home from Bali. Or when they denied this family boarding in Hamilton Island. Or when they ejected two families returning to Adelaide for refusing to take their assigned seats. Slamming Jetstar is almost a national sport in Australia. Some genius even set up a website dedicated to gathering whinges from aggrieved passengers. So are Jetstar really that bad? In my experience, no. I’ve flown them countless times and while I have certainly experienced a few niggles, the bottom line is that the cost keeps drawing me back. On our Tasmanian road trip we took advantage of one of Jetstar’s free return flight specials and we lived to tell the tale. If you have never flown Jetstar and are wondering what to expect, read on for all the details …

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Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart: Waterfront Wonder

Flights To Fancy: Grand Chancellor Hotel Hobart - Exterior

Hobart is Australia’s southern most capital and for a small town it sure packs a punch. I arrived with few expectations but left vowing to return. Tasmania’s capital is a city with a country town feel and I liked it much more than I expected to. The buzz is all around the water and Hobart’s harbour is the place to be. The Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart commands an enviable position directly across from the harbour, is steps from the CBD and within striking distance of Salamanca Place and Battery Point. Guests will be delighted with the spacious modern rooms, excellent facilities and outstanding service. Read on for all the details …

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Port Arthur Historic Site Tasmania: A Time To Reflect

Flights To Fancy: Port Arthur Historic Site Tasmania - The Penitentiary

Australia has a shocking history of human rights abuses that are well documented. In 1788 the British arrived and simultaneously decimated the indigenous population while subjecting their own to a life of misery in shackles. These events seem impossible to comprehend in our modern world, but must be remembered to serve as a stark reminder to us all to do better; today and every day. Port Arthur Tasmania was reserved for the worst of the worst. This once barren, inhospitable island between the mainland and Antarctica was ideal to contain those found guilty of the most heinous crimes. If you are doing it right, a visit to the Port Arthur Historic Site is a soul-shuddering reflection on the past. Read on for all the details …

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Wineglass Bay Cruises Tasmania Sky Lounge

Fash Packing: Wineglass Bay Cruises Tasmania - Overhead View

Tasmania is a small island that is often overlooked by visitors to Australia. I know, I know, it’s not as sexy as Sydney and it doesn’t get the headlines that the Great Barrier Reef does, but you are seriously missing out if you don’t give Australia’s smallest state some love when you are next in this neck of the woods. As an Aussie myself, I’m kinda ashamed to admit just how many years it was (43!) until I made it down to our most southern state. When I finally explored Tassie I fell head over heels in love. I recently returned for a second time when we spent a week exploring the East Coast. The Freycinet Peninsula was an absolute highlight and Wineglass Bay is the jewel in the crown. There is no better way to see Wineglass Bay in all its natural glory than with Wineglass Bay Cruises. Read on for all the details …

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New Zealand Road Trip: 7 Day North Island Itinerary

Fash Packing: New Zealand Road Trip 7 Day North Island Itinerary - Title

I have been to New Zealand’s North Island once before, but it was only for three days and I barely had time to acclimatise before I was boarding a plane home. I left vowing to return. While The Hubs was in the South Island for a ski about 20 yeas ago, he has never been to the North, so we were both really looking forward to exploring this wonderfully diverse region on our 7 day New Zealand Road Trip. New Zealand is a small country, but there is much to see and we knew we would never be able to fit everything into our week. We forced ourselves to be really precise with our itinerary and deliberated endlessly to achieve the perfect balance between not doing enough and being in the car for 10 hours a day watching the world whiz by the window. I have no issue creating a run sheet that has every waking hour planned in 15 minute increments but The Hubs needs to have some down time. The FOMO monster raised her ugly head more that once during our planning sessions as I attempted to convince my man that we could indeed squeeze in ‘just one more’ activity and STILL have plenty of time to relax. In the end, we created an itinerary to explore Auckland, The Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Waitomo and Hamilton that suited us both. Read on for all the details …

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Emirates A380 International Business EK418 SYD-AKL

Fash Packing: Emirates A380 Business Class Review - Bar

I love luxury travel but I begrudge paying top dollar for it. This blog is dedicated to experiencing the champagne lifestyle on a beer budget and using your frequent flier points wisely is one of the best money saving hacks there is. That’s exactly what we did for our recent trip to New Zealand. We blew a heap of points to fly across the Tasman on Emirates A380 Business Class for nix. Was it worth it? Read on for all the details …

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