There's so much more to experience on the Indonesian archipelago than just paying a visit to Bali. Australia's nearest neighbour to the north is home to 220 million people, and the world's largest archipelago has 1700 islands which span more than 5000 kilometres. Mind you, no visit to Indonesia is complete without stopping off in Bali, a beautiful island that holds a special place in my heart. When the flight arrived from Sydney I checked into the same Kuta hotel as previously, and enjoyed a few days relaxing with the smiling Balinese before setting off to explore Java and Sumatra. So then, it was time to embark on exciting new travel adventures... starting with a taxi ride to Denpasar and…

Singapore is an intriguing country that has always fascinated me. To use a sporting parlance, the country reminds me of the little guy who is always punching well above his weight, the guy who gets extraordinary results despite what seems to be overwhelming physical deficiencies. For example it's incredible to note that Singapore, with a population of over four million people, has the fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre in the world. This country is a serious player on the world stage in spite of it's tiny size, an island state of sixty three islands situated just below East Malaysia. Continuing from the previous journal, dear reader, I caught a bus down the south east coast of Peninsula Malaysia into…

Malaysia is an unheralded destination on the South East Asian backpackers trail, and definitely fits the description Truly Asia! I flew in from Sydney to land in Kuala Lumpur on the Peninsula Malaysia, kicking off a backpacker trip in the most populous part of the country. Only five million Malaysians out of the total population of twenty four million live in Borneo on the other side of the South China Sea. Kuala Lumpur is the very modern capital of this regional economic powerhouse, and I spent an enjoyable few days exploring the city, which included a brush with a conman straight out of the KL warning section in the Lonely Planet. This smooth talking, but very dodgy looking character started…

The United States dropped more bombs in the Vietnam war than were used during the entire course of World War ll, and it's not too much to assume the Vietnamese would harbor a great deal of resentment toward foreigners. However, it's amazing to experience nothing but kindness from the local people when visiting this extraordinary country, with a predominantly youthful population of 75 million people. The reality of travel in Vietnam means unfailingly gracious hosts greet travellers from around the world with a welcoming smile. Vietnam is a highly recommended travel destination in South East Asia, and I was excited to board a flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to commence my visit to this fascinating and beautiful country.…

There is an indefinable quality that makes Buddhist countries superb travel destinations, and possibly the most famous of these is Thailand. Tourists flock to this Asian paradise from all over the world, and when it comes to the tourism industry the Thais do things better and with more grace than anyone else ... and who can resist the world famous Thai cuisine! When I arrived in Bangkok I mysteriously slotted into Thai lifestyle as if they had cast a magic spell over me. It hardly seems possible to be in a foreign country for the first time, and yet from the moment of arrival feel so relaxed and at ease. But that's the mystery of Thailand; in a country of…

For several years I'd been focusing on my Sydney rock and roll band with all the puritanical zeal of the Blues Brothers, to the extent that Mind's Eye was the focus of my existence. The idea of gallivanting around the world to visit exotic locations never even crossed my mind during these band years, that is until my lead guitarist and bass player informed me they planned to cement their relationship through the sacrament of marriage. They asked me to be the best man at their wedding to be held in Bali and I felt honoured. The news, however, hit me like a thunderbolt after spending several years as a struggling musician, totally engrossed in the fortunes of our band.…

There is stunning natural scenery covering the length and breadth of Tasmania, in this magical tourist island below the east coast of Australia. We drove our cars onto the ferry for the journey across the Bass Strait, with a plan to rendezvous with another brother after he flew direct into Hobart. Tasmania was a first time travel destination for all of us, and my eldest brother hatched the plan to visit the Apple Isle when he was posted in Melbourne temporarily for work. The ferry trip from Melbourne was a relatively calm overnighter and we were lucky considering the reputation of the Bass Strait for wild seas. When we arrived in Devonport we disembarked the ferry in our cars, and…

The Overland Track is located in the wilds of Cradle Mountain National Park, and is one of the most famous bushwalks in the world. The track is a tough ninety odd kilometre walk through pristine wilderness where walkers are constantly surrounded by the spectacular natural beauty of Tasmania, and the park is in the middle of an island state that is a world renowned travel destination. The beautifully maintained track features strategically positioned bush huts to warm the bones of intrepid walkers at the end of another long day in the Aussie bush. We embarked from the ferry out of Melbourne to start a family expedition to see the sights of wonderful Tassie, which lies south of the east coast…

The head office of the company I'd been working for closed their Sydney operations, and this provided a perfect opportunity to embark on a relaxing overseas holiday to the South Pacific. There are several great travel destinations in the islands of the South Pacific all just a short flight from the east coast of Australia. I chose Port Vila for my holiday, which is the capital of Vanuatu situated on Efate Island. I boarded a plane in Sydney for the effortless three hour flight before touching down in Vanuatu, and it felt like arriving in another world. A short taxi ride followed to the hotel, dear reader, that was pre-booked as part of a package deal, and it was time…

My job in Sydney working for an oil exploration company led to a second business trip overseas, and the final destination proved to be out of this world! My boss gave me the go ahead to accompany a geologist to an offshore oil rig off the coast of Taranaki, which is situated on the North Island of New Zealand. I'd never travelled to the land of our Kiwi cousins, and was thrilled to join my colleague for the three hour flight over the Tasman sea to Auckland. From Auckland airport, dear reader, we boarded a connecting flight to New Plymouth on a smaller propeller plane. My first impression of NZ out of the plane window was that the countryside looked…