Flights To Fancy

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

Canberra Balloon Spectacular: The Canberra Hot Air Balloon Festival

Canberra Balloon Festival - Whale

The Canberra Balloon Spectacular is one of Canberra’s premier events. Visitors who time their visit to Australia’s capital city to coincide with the annual Canberra hot air balloon festival are in for a real treat. The one thing that seems to be consistent with hot air ballooning around the globe is that dawn is largely considered the best time to lift off. I am not a morning person, but I did drag myself from under the doona at 5.30am on a cool autumn morning to catch a glimpse of these magnificent flying machines. In 2019 the Canberra balloon festival is on from 9 – 17 March so now is the perfect time to start planning your trip. Read on for all the details …

[Read more…]

Fair Warung Bale Ubud: Good Food & Good Feels In Bali

Fair Warung Bale Bali Tuna Steak

As a frequent traveller to Bali, I feel very privileged to be welcomed so often to The Island of the Gods. Bali is a tourist mecca whose stunning natural beauty, spectacular beaches and rich history draw visitors in droves. With a plethora of luxury 5 star resorts, upmarket bars and swanky restaurants, it’s easy to forget that Indonesia is a developing country. While tourists enjoy the spoils, many locals live below the poverty line and don’t have access to basic medical care. But one restaurant is looking to change that. Fair Warung Bale Ubud is tiny eatery using the tourist dollar to help those that need it most. On your next visit to Ubud, be sure to treat your taste buds to the extensive Fair Warung Bale menu and give back to the local community at the same time. Read on for all the details of Fair Warung Bale Bali …

[Read more…]

Searching For The Best Gili Trawangan Villas? Try Villa Nero

Tropical gardens at our Gili Trawangan Villas

Wondering where to stay in Gili Trawangan? You are in the right place. Not so long ago I was in exactly the same predicament. I did a lot of research on the best place to stay in Gili Trawangan before deciding on Villa Nero Gili Trawangan. You might think that Gili Trawangan villas are plentiful, but you would be wrong. On closer inspection it seems Gili Trawangan accommodation favours the backpacker set. Sure an ancient budget bunk was fine in my 20’s, but for this trip I was interested in modern up-spec Gili Island villas. I know that the Gilis are popular with the younger crowd but surely us oldies aren’t completely excluded? I was close to giving up hope of finding any Gili T villas to meet both my standards and my budget when I stumbled across Nero Villa Gili Trawangan. Chuffed with my find, I booked without hesitation. Read on for all the details …

[Read more…]

Darwin Airport Transfers: Darwin Taxis, Darwin Hire Cars, Hi Oscar & More

Darwin Public Transport

I have a tried and tested system for planning my travel and I stick to the same sequence almost religiously. Booking a cheap flight is always my first priority. Once the euphoria of scoring a bargain flight ebbs, my mind turns to the more mundane aspects of travel. Figuring out how to get to and from the airport is one of the last things I consider, often only days before lift-off. Sure you could just wing it and hope there is a reliable taxi waiting at your destination, but that is not always the case (I’m looking at you Bali!) and arriving in an unfamiliar location, particularly late at night, with no clue how you will get from the terminal to your hotel is not the ideal start to your adventure. For our recent trip to Darwin, I researched all the options for Darwin Airport transfers and I’m sharing everything right here. We ended up using Darwin taxis on arrival for convenience but Hi Oscar for our drop off for cost effectiveness. Other options include Darwin car rental, the Darwin Airport Shuttle bus, Darwin hire cars and even Darwin Public Transport. Read on to find the one that is best for you …

[Read more…]

How To Do An Enormous Greek Feast Right At Yots Darwin

Marina view from Yots Darwin

Regular readers know just how much I love Greek Food, so I was so thrilled to discover Yots Darwin during our recent trip to the top end. One of my favourite things to do on my travels is to seek out Hellenic cuisine in every new city I visit and Darwin was no exception. It’s been almost two decades since I was last in Darwin and much has changed. I found myself having to re-acquaint myself with the local foodie scene and after a bit of research I discovered Yots Greek Restaurant Darwin. Our dinner at Yots Greek Taverna was one of the highlight meals of our trip. Read on for all the details …

[Read more…]

Palms City Resort Darwin: Resort Style Serviced Apartments in Darwin City

Palms City Resort Darwin Entrance

Darwin is the perfect place to ‘winter’. While the southern states of Australia shiver from June to August, Darwin enjoys consistent temperatures in the low 30’s (that’s Celsius peeps!) during the winter months. After a particularly brutal June, The Hubs and I decided we needed a little warm in our lives and on a whim one lazy Sunday we booked flights to Darwin for the following month. With the transport sorted, our minds turned to finding the perfect Darwin city hotel. We knew we wanted Darwin waterfront accommodation so it made sense to start our search in the area near Bicentennial Park. Accommodation on Darwin Esplanade is plentiful so narrowing it down was no easy feat. We trawled through all the modern Darwin holiday apartments and the well-known chain hotels and even the lesser known motels in search of the right fit. After weighing up all our options, we chose Palms City Resort Darwin. While we don’t normally opt for self-catering, Palms City’s serviced apartments in Darwin really appealed. We were very impressed by our self contained accommodation in Darwin and I bet you will be too. Read on for all the details …

[Read more…]

Scoot Fast Cruises: Tempting Death On The Fast Boat To Gili Trawangan

Scoot Fast Cruises fast boat Bali to Gili

I’ve been to Bali many times, but until 2017 I had never ventured to the nearby islands. After reading so many wonderful articles on Nusa Lembongan and the Gili Islands, I knew I simply had to visit. After researching all the options we chose Scoot Fast Cruises to get us there. We knew we wanted a fast boat to Lembongan and Scoot seemed to have the best online reviews. Scoot’s Sanur to Nusa Lembongan sailings were also the most compatible with our schedule. Deal done! We also travelled with Scoot on the fast boat to Gili Trawangan and then back to Bali. Our experience on the fast boat Bali to Gili Islands went without a hitch until our last leg. That’s when all hell broke loose on the Lombok Strait. Read on for all the details …

[Read more…]

Sydney Weekend Getaways: 15 Fabulous Short Breaks From Sydney NSW

Weekend Road Trips From Sydney

I love Sydney getaways. I’ve lived here all my life and every time I get a glimpse of our magnificent harbour I am reminded just how lucky I am to call it home. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy my Sydney weekenders. After a hectic work week sometimes a short break from Sydney is just what the doctor ordered. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Friday night traffic is manic as the residents of the harbour city exit en masse in search of their own perfect Sydney weekend getaways. To make the most of our short breaks from Sydney we keep the driving time to within 4 hours and try knock off a little early on a Friday afternoon to beat the worst of the traffic. Weekend Getaways in NSW are incredibly diverse and within a few hours you could find yourself beside a beautiful beach, nestled in a quaint country town, exploring the the nation’s capital or hiking rugged mountain ranges. Read on for 15 of the best short trips from Sydney …

[Read more…]