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Thursday, April 25, 2019

Why Brits Love to Kew


Dale Chihuly: Summer Sun. Photo By Alison Plummer.©
"It's going to get spicy," says the ticket person as my friend takes out a year's membership of London's Kew Gardens. He means really busy but, because of the new membership status, we are able to skip the queues that have already formed on this gloriously sunny and warm Easter Monday, experiencing that giddy rush associated with an upgrade!

In the gardens it's a seriously perfect spring day. The leaves are dressing the trees in fresh spring shades of green, the tulips are showy in their splendid attire. Multiple-headed narcissi are strewn beneath showy magnolias with petals like porcelain.
i
'Flaming Parrot' tulips, above, and below with Chihuly Paintbrushes.
Photos by Alison Plummer.©

We've come to see the gardens of course, but primarily the glass installations of Chihuly: Reflections on nature as legendary American glass artist Dale Chihuly returns to Kew with glass artworks including some never seen before in the UK. In the chat about membership and the crowds expected we have not picked up the map indicating the installations, so we set off on our own route, seeing many of Kew's  features along the way including The Hive, an incredible geometric beehive, resonating with vibrations of living bees in a hive at Kew.

Problem is, there's just so much happening at Kew that each feature is a story in itself. There are ancient trees and the Tree Top Walkway, the Palm House and the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The Marianne North Gallery is dedicated to the female artist who travelled solo in the late 1800s to paint plants in their natural settings. Families with kids also adore Kew – a new Children's Garden will open in May, designed as a fun interactive space in a setting the size of 40 tennis courts.

The entire Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a UNESCO World Heritage site containing more than 50,000 plants in diverse collections in the grounds and in the famous glasshouses. The restored Temperate House, the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world, re-opened in 2018 after a five year renovation and houses over 10,000 rare and endangered plants.



The Temperate House is not only a landmark building but also a centre for study into the future of plant science and issues including climate change, drawing on more than 250 years of plant study. The Temperate House is also currently home to many of the stunning Chihuly installations including some with a marine theme. On our way there we see a field of fritillaries and more Chihuly in white, purple and blue as well as these Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds (above and right) erupting from a long grassy field of tulips.

What's fascinating to contemplate is that the exhibition will remain in place until October 2019 and so the outdoor settings will change seasonally from spring to summer planting followed by autumn colours. I think my friend will get more than her money's worth from her membership! Living on the doorstep, popping in for a look will be irresistible. As we leave after three hours there's still a queue - busy, OK spicy, indeed!

Chihuly Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds top  left and right.
Chihuly Neodymium Reeds and Turquoise Marlins, above.
Images ©AP
Ethereal White Persian Pond. Image © Alison Plummer. 
 The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, above. The Hive, below.
Images © Aison Plummer


All photos © Alison Plummer

Chihuly at Kew: Reflections on nature
 13 April – 27 October 2109
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Tickets and prices

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Run Away to Sea on a World Cruise

Newsflash: Considering a world cruise? This could be your moment with the potential for possible savings if you book by the end of this month.

'Myths, Marvels & Monuments: A Cultural Mosaic' is the title of Crystal Cruises 2022 World Cruise aboard Crystal Serenity with several embarkation/disembarkation options, from 86 – 116 nights. All-inclusive fares (cruise only) begin at US$37,989 per person, with segments from US$4,769 per person, based on double occupancy. Book by April 30, 2019, to save up to US$20,000 per stateroom on this voyage as part of Crystal’s Book Now Savings program, subject to availability and terms and conditions. See the video at Crystal Serenity World Cruise.

Source: Press Release, The Brandman Agency, Sydney

Thursday, April 11, 2019

The Haute-Savoie: Annecy, Talloires, a magical alpine hideaway and mouthwateringly melty cheeses in France.


Talloires, France. Photo ©Alison Plummer
Sun-drenched and sparkling one minute, moody and brooding the next, Lake Annecy is beautiful and as entertaining to watch as any film as the light cycles across it through the day. Our vantage point is high on a hill above Talloires, a gorgeous village a short drive from the historic city of Annecy and home of the Michelin-starred Auberge du Pere Bise on the waterfront. 




Lake Annecy from Talloires. Photo © Alison Plummer
Talloires is a brilliant base for hiking, biking and watersports in summer with easy access to the ski fields and resorts of Chamonix Mont Blanc in winter. The village is also only half an hour's drive or so from Geneva Airport in neighbouring Switzerland, so it's easy to fly and drive. (easyJet.)

It would be so easy to just relax and enjoy the view, but there are places to go, things to do. A walk into the village for coffee and a stroll around the picture postcard waterfront for starters, checking out the bike hire.

Basecamp Cafe and Bike Hire, Talloires. Photo © Alison Plummer
Annecy is seriously beautiful, built around canals and the Thiou River and often described as the Venice of the Alps – a twee description, but you'll soon see why. Sitting in a cafe watching the world go by is de rigueur while the shopping is delicious French boutique style.
Annecy. Photo © Alison Plummer

Local produce markets are held on Tuesdays (the best day for cheese, I'm told), Fridays and Sundays with a craft market on the final Sunday of the month. Rain stalks us on our market visit, but doesn't diminish the vibrant colours and range of local produce from the surrounding Haute- Savoie region. Cheese is a speciality of the area, made with the milk of the cows and goats that feed in the alpine meadows of the mountains and including Comte and Raclette, melty cheeses used in dishes served on both the French and Swiss sides of the Alps. Tomme (or Tome) is the generic name for a range of cheeses made from cow's, goat's or ewe's milk - here,  Tomme de Savoie is made from cow's milk from local breeds such as Abondance.


Annecy Markets, above. Photos © Alison Plummer.
Cows feeding in the alpine meadows are iconic and we meet some for ourselves on a hike to the Mont Blanc viewing area. The mighty mountain (indeed the whole area) is shrouded in mist so we are not to view it on this day – but the delightful Chalet d'en O more than makes up for this with delicious food in a rustic farm setting. Since our visit it has become simply a B&B, but it's made for romance, just the place for a hideaway weekend.




Photos © Alison Plummer


Saturday, June 23, 2018

Hong Kong to Washington DC with Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000: Fly it then Bindu it.


Cathay Pacific welcomed the newest member to its fleet as the first of its 20 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft prepares to fly from Toulouse, France to the airline’s home of Hong Kong today on a blend of *biofuel

Eight of these aircraft will be delivered this year with the remainder to arrive by 2021. After initial rounds of regional services, starting with its first commercial flight to Taipei on 1 July 2018, the A350-1000 will launch Cathay Pacific’s new service to Washington DC on 15 September 2018, which at 8,153 miles makes it the longest on the airline’s network. This technologically-advanced aircraft will also serve Madrid, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, Manchester and Zurich from the coming winter. 

Cathay Pacific Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Paul Loo said: “We already have one of the youngest long-haul fleets in the sky, and with the arrival of the A350-1000, our fleet is only going to get younger. 
“The aircraft follows the successful entry of the -900 variant which has enabled us to expand our long-haul network at a near unprecedented rate, providing our customers with a wider range of non-stop travel choices, while at the same time strengthening Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s largest international aviation hub. 
www.cathaypacific.com Source: Press Release

How to Bindu it!

Read more about Washington DC and find free travel itineraries on Bindu Trips where travel expert Candyce H Stapen says the city 'isn't always and only about politics'!

For Hong Kong itineraries go to Beth Reiber's intuitive itineraries on Bindu Trips:


Cathay Pacific and Biofuel Technology

*Achieving carbon neutral growth from 2020 is an important target for Cathay Pacific and using alternative fuels is one of its pillar initiatives. Compared to traditional jet fuel, sustainable biofuel can reduce life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%. 

Cathay Pacific is also the world’s first airline to invest in biofuel technology. In 2014 it became an equity investor in US-based Fulcrum BioEnergy Inc., which focuses on turning municipal waste into sustainable aviation fuel. In May 2018, Fulcrum broke ground on its first commercial-scale plant in Nevada. When the plant begins operations in 2020, it will produce over 10 million gallons of fuel for airlines including Cathay Pacific each year. 

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Brunswick Picture House: What a Show





Feel the good vibes at this deeply divine picture house now showing film, cabaret, music and home to heaps of family fun! In Brunswick Heads (Bruns), NSW, the place has been restored by the creatives responsible for circus/cabaret acts Club Swizzle and La Soiree, which have just been on tour – La Soiree at the Aldwych Theatre in London and Club Swizzle at the Perth Fringe World Festival, WA.

The best of the both come together in the 'Cheeky Cabaret' at the Brunswick Picture House and the 2nd Birthday Special Edition features cabaret, new burlesque, circus, sideshow and vaudeville. It's easy to see why international artists are keen to appear in this special, quirky place. If you're reading my blog, I know you'll love it, too!


Check out events at https://brunswickpicturehouse.com
Images: Ken Martin

Thursday, February 22, 2018

St Vincent's Hospital unveils painting by Tex Skuthorpe regarding Rheumatic Heart Disease

Tex Skuthorpe's wonderful painting is his interpretation of Rheumatic Heart Disease for St Vincent's Heart Health, unveiled  today, seen here with St Vincent's Tamra Langley. The painting will be used in communities to help gain a better understanding of the disease. See https://svhhearthealth.com.au

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Six Senses Fiji opening from April 2018

©Six Senses Fiji
Located in a secluded bay on Malolo Island, Six Senses Fiji features a spectacular private golden sandy beach, 650 metres (2100 feet) long and offers all-tide swimming. A range of water sports from snorkelling to surfing on the nearby reef breaks, as well as a kid’s club called Grow With Six Senses, tennis courts and a weekly activity guide full of cultural and wellness experiences will be available. The Wellness Village at Six Senses Fiji will include a Six Senses Spa, a state-of-the-art gym, an extensive wet area with hot and cold whirlpools, an alchemy bar and an elevated treetop yoga pavilion.

Six Senses Fiji will feature 24 one-and two-bedroom pool villas all with private pools, decks and outdoor showers.  Also ten private residences of two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom configurations (with another 50 scheduled to be built during phase two of the development). All residences and villas come with a guest experience maker (GEM) and private residence guests have the option of a complimentary nanny.

Sustainability is key throughout the resort which will be 100% solar, powered by the largest micro grid in Fiji using Tesla batteries.

To celebrate the opening, Six Senses Fiji is offering the 5th night free for guests who visit between April 14 to May 31, 2018. And, when booking eight nights, guests who want to completely unwind will receive their 9th and 10th nights free. Whether it’s a mini break or a well-deserved, extended getaway, the team at Six Senses Fiji promises to reward all guests with an extra day or two to lounge by the pool and beach or explore the beautiful surrounds of Malolo island.

Easy access is available from Nadi International Airport via a 35-minute private Six Senses speed boat from Denarau Marina and the option of a 10-minute helicopter. The resort also hosts two full-service marinas for guests’ private yachts.

Reservations can be made through your travel agent, direct by email at
reservations-fiji@sixsenses.com or by calling +679 6750 284.

Source: Press release.