Travelling to Italy in 2022

I'm so looking forward to boarding my Singapore Airlines flight and heading for Rome in the middle of April.  We have three tours scheduled in May (Sardinia; Naples and Campania; and Sicily) but first I'll be re-walking a couple of our self-guided walks, starting with the Amalfi Coast (yeh!).

Celebrating Chinese New Year around SE Asia

 

THAILAND

Banyan Tree Samui

Visitors to Koh Samui can ease into this Lunar New Year with a rejuvenating massage and treatment at Banyan Tree Spa. Throughout the month of February, this luxury venue, which includes a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy facility, is offering a 90-minute Purposeful Therapy for Two for 8,888 THB per couple (reduced from 12,000 THB). The promotion also includes one complimentary Wellbeing Sanctuary activity and a 25% discount on selected purchases at The Gallery, an onsite boutique. 

For reservations: samui@banyantree.com

Relaxing with a massage treatment at Banyan Tree Spa Samui

The historic Norwood Institute, Adelaide

Norwood Institute, Norwood Parade | Flickr User denisbin

 

A Norwood and Stepney Institute was formed in 1855 by a group that met in a schoolroom in Beulah Road, Norwood. Lectures were soon advertised and a library of 200 books organised.

The following year a different group met in Mr Barrow's old chapel in Kensington for a similar purpose and proposed an amalgamation with the other group.

The history of Australian Riverboats

Paddle-steamers and riverboats were vital to the opening up and development of Australia. While ocean-going ships brought people to Australia, it was the river system and river trade that opened up the whole south-east corner of the continent.

Rediscovering Swan Reach SA

#SouthAustralia

Prior to the arrival of Europeans in 1836, the custodians of the region were approximately 1200 Ngalawang tribal members. The aborigines lived with nature, while the white man tried to tame it. Living along the river on a semi-permanent basis, they used the skins from their catches to ward off the cold during winter, made an arrangement of baskets from the reeds, built low stone walls across the river to trap fish, in all, surviving a healthy lifestyle.

Six spooky experiences to try this coming Halloween

From unleashing your inner ghostbuster to investigating crime scenes and being part of a supernatural interactive theatre show, there’s something for everyone.

Hahndorf: The Studio of Nora Heysen

#AdelaideHills

Nora Heysen is recognised as one of Australia's most significant 20th-century female artists, being the first woman to win the Archibald Prize (1938), and the first woman appointed as an Australian War Artist (1943-46). Her art is in the collections of the Australian War Museum, the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and the National Library, together with state and regional art galleries, and numerous private collections.