Travelgal on the move

Writing or typing 2019 has been a trial for me. Those numbers didn’t sit right, they jar and are unbalanced. And every time I wrote it I questioned myself . . .was it 2019? or 2018? And as 2020 has arrived, I’m getting excited about writing those lovely 2020’s for an entire year.

But before leaving 2019 behind, despite the numericals, it was a damn fine year for travel and experiences. And there were a few super highlights.

I began 2019 slowly and stayed at a northern beaches house that I make a pilgrimage to every year. A few days with old friends to laze about, go to the beach and yak about old times, good times and what’s in store for the future.

Throughout the year my partner and I left Sydney for further pastures, some close to the city some a bit further. First encounter was in a sleepy holiday place called Ettalong. Drive to Palm Beach on the farther reaches of the northen beaches then a quick ferry ride. We went to the famous Cinema Paradiso two nights running for movies and choctops.

Mid March I was Morocco bound. Two spectacular, colourful weeks there were thrilling. Every day was another day to fall in love with this amazing country. (Stories available https://travelgaltravels.com/2019/06/18/the-ultimate-town-of-colour)

I would recommend this country and would stress to do it with a small group company. Highlights: everything.

The end of April and I was in India for a trade show in Delhi. Always fun to be back in crazy India. And while there I developed a stingy, hurting, feverish bout of shingles. In 47deg. heat and having to wear clothes that touched the skin was torture. Aftet he trae show I went with a few people to Jaipur and on to Dera Amer: Acquiring 180-acres of largely neglected scrubland in 1981, the Singh family made a commitment to returning this stretch of land to its state of untouched natural beauty. The concept behind Dera Amer was never about profits, and despite being approached by several developers to turn the plot into something more lucrative, the Singh family remained resolute in the protection and preservation of the local environment. Over 30-years later, Dera Amer is something of a sanctuary for animals: both domestic and wild, and the perfect spot for visitors who wish to escape the city.

After India which included several palace dinners and tiger sightings in the wild I recouped my health and equilibrium.

The end of May hurried itself up to me and I was in a plane to Hawaii with a to day stop over on Maui, then on to the USA mainland flying into Long Beach with Hawaiian Airlines.

I was here for a monster travel trade show (6000 delegates) called IPW (International Pow Wow). Four days of full on talkfest, business, parties and grand gestures followed. Our party (the entire 6000 peeps) had Disneyland to ourselves and we were some of the first visitors to the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. I almost missed it, thinking nah, just another ride. Ohhh, it was/is fantastic. Such splendid detail and every space (no pun intended) is covered in realistic Star Wars paraphenalia and the space ship is real – I know, because I piloted it.

After IPW I met up with a road warrior friend and we hot-footed it to Palm Springs. I wasn’t sure what was in the offing but I found lots of stories along the way and the charm of the desert towns and parks. (I will post a story on the experience soon.) It was fiercely hot so outside the air-con in the car we slipped into cool coffee shops and restaurants. There are beautiful mid-century homes and public building there plus a retro vibe in the restuarants still standing since the Rat Pack days.

In between my overseas trips, going into the diary are notes that are scribbles: “Dumplings with Merryl”; “movie and lamb with Dot”; ‘astw trivia night”; “magazine gone into liquidation – bugger”; “to Orange and Nashdale Wines for glamping”; “record Crime Story”; ” dawn balloon ride for friends”; “send invoices”; “Belize, yes or no”.

We went west for my partner to research wall art in country towns for a story in the Financial Review’s Weekend Magazine. Drought, drought and drought.

Then a gig came up for New Caledonia. I said yes to the job but had a ho hum attitude towards the destination – only because 20 years before there was nothing in Noumea that was memorable for me.

But “quelle surprise”. I had a wonderful time, Noumea was fab and felt young and invigorated. The beaches are sublime and the food has moved on from too much butter and bloody vol- au-vents (this was heavily on the menu years ago). But as New Caledonia is only three hours flight from Sydney – France is in the Pacific. Mad if you don’t go!

After two days in tropical north Queensland’s city of Cairns I visited Fitzroy Island just 40 minutes off the mainland where there’s a family friendly resort and a turtle rehabilitation centre . . . a fine endeavour indeed.

In between the trips there was work: writing, writing, writing; sub editing, content creating, procrastination, lots of visits to the pool to avoid work; meeting friends for loving catchups and being grateful for this life.

Happy new year to friends, comrades, relatives, aquaintances and peers. May our collective year bring good health, good work, good times and good choices.

In the pink in Long Beach, California where I caught up with my old mate Ronnie Woods.