Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

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About | Countries | Tours | Trips | Bucket List – Done | Bucket List – To Do | Airport Lounges | Flight History

Travel Categories:
Flight Reviews | Lounge Reviews | Destinations | Short Breaks | World Trip 1986 | World Trip 1998 | World Trip 1999-2000 | World Trip 2006 | World Trip 2009 | World Trip 2009-10 | World Trip 2010 | World Trip 2011 | World Trip 2012-13 | World Trip 2015 | World Trip 2016 | World Trip 2017 | World Trip 2017-18 | World Trip 2018 | World Trip 2019 | Australia 2022 | World Trip 2023 | World Trip 2024 | World Trip 2024-25 | World Trip 2026-27

  • Destination: Australia

    Official Name: Commonwealth of Australia
    Established: 01 January 1901 (Federation), 26 January 1788 (United Kingdom established colony)
    Population: 27,361,50 (2024 estimate)
    Country Size: 7,688,287 square kms
    Religion: 43.9% Christianity, 38.9% no religion, 3.2% Islam, 2.7% Hinduism, 2.4% Buddhism
    Language: English
    Currency: Australian Dollar
    Capital: Canberra
    Visited States/Territories: Victoria (VIC), Tasmania (TAS), New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA), Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Northern Territory (NT)
    Selected Highlights: Wine and Chocolate tastings Margaret River (WA), Attending first night Test Match Adelaide Oval (SA), cycling on the Great Ocean Road for a week (VIC), Visiting the Federal Parliament House and the Prime Minister’s office (ACT), Diving and swimming around the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns (QLD), Exploring Historic Rocks Area Sydney (NSW), Visiting Sydney Opera House (NSW), exploring the outback (NT), watching the sunset at Cable Beach, Broome (WA), visiting the underground town of Coober Pedy (SA), hiking in Alpine National Park – Gippsland (VIC), 15+ years visiting country town of Myrtleford for Easter Tennis Tournament (VIC), hiking the stunning Cradle Mountain (TAS), hiking Freycinet National Park to reach majestic and remote Wineglass Bay (TAS), exploring Port Arthur historical site of penal colony from 1830 (TAS), enjoying the sun on Gold Coast beaches (QLD), Enjoying natural around the ground at the Tahune Forest air walk (TAS), taking the 2979 kilometres 3 day rail trip on the Ghan through Central Australia from Darwin to Adelaide (NT & SA), visited and explored Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park including watching the sun rise and set over Ayers Rock (NT), Epic helicopter experience over Katherine Gorge (NT), sunrise flight over Lake Argyle and Bungle Bungle (WA)

    First Written 23 August 2024

    Note: This entry is to help me recall the first country I ever explore, my own country. For the most part I didn’t keep journals of my travels around Australia but I wish I did and I will from now on.

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  • 2024-25 Adventure – 100 days away

    Looking forward to visiting the Arajuno River (Amazon) – Tena, Ecuador

    Today marks exactly 100 days until my niece and I catch our first flight out of Australia.  We will start in style flying in Business Class on Fiji Airways Melbourne to Nadi (Fiji) on an Airbus A330-200 that should take 4 hours 40 minutes.  Then after a short stop over we will change planes to an Airbus A350-900 for a 10 hour 10 minute flight to Los Angeles and the commencement of our trip. 

    Fiji Airways A350 in Business Class is nice way for 10 hour+ flight

    It is worth noting all flights after this award business class Melbourne to Nadi to Los Angeles will be in economy class.  I might be spoiling Erin with the first flights and then back to reality later LOL. 

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  • Southern Caribbean Shore Excursions

    My next world trip is now only 105 days with my Southern Caribbean cruise 132 days to go.

    While the main point of this trip is to explore Ecuador with my niece with time around the countryside including in Amazon and then a major yacht experience in the Galapagos Islands.

    However taking advantage of flying back from Quito, Ecuador to Maimi, USA which is a major port for cruising to the Cairbbean so I added on a solo cruise of the southern Caribbean region.

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  • Travel Plans – 2024, 2025 and beyond

    Petra, Jordan

    While my focus is on my upcoming trip with my niece to Ecuador and the USA late November 2024, plus my add on solo trip cruising the Caribbean to Haiti, Puerto Rico, St Maarten, Antigua, St Lucia, St Kitts & Nevis, plans for possible future travel are starting to come into focus.

    I’m currently planning on one final trip with my nephew which will have resulted in me sharing small of the world with every niece and nephew I have.  This world trip is tentatively scheduled for 2025 and would involve visiting Qatar, Jordan, Spain, Portugal and Morocco.  The highlight would be exploring Petra in Jordan, one of the modern wonders of the world.

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  • Destination: Uzbekistan

    Official Name: Republic of Uzbekistan
    Established: 840 (Kara-Khanid Khanate) / 31 August 1991 (Independence from USSR)
    Population: 36 million (2022 estimate)
    Religion: Muslim (96.1%)
    Official Languages: Uzbek & Russian
    Capital: Tashkent
    Order of Visit: 76
    First Visit: 21 May 2023
    Last Visit: 29 May 2023
    Duration: 9 Days
    Highlights:
    Tashkent – 1966 Earthquake monument, Hast Imam Square (Hazrati Imam), Tilla Sheikj Mosque, Chorsu Bazaar, Underground Metro, Memorial Square and the Eternal Flame.
    Samarkand – Home made pilaf meal, Registan Square, Bibi Khanum Mosque, Siab Bazaar, Ulugbek Observatory, the tombs at Shakhi Zinda Necropolis, and examining Amir Temir Mausoleum.
    Nurata – Holy Springs, Nurata Fortress Ruins of of Alexander the Great.
    Kyzylkum Desert – Enjoying Aydar Lake, Beautiful Kyzylkum Desert sunset, Dancing under the stars, Yurt Desert experience, Peaceful Kyzylkum Desert sunrise, Exploring the Caravanserai Rabat-I-Malik (Navoiy Province).
    Bukhara – Enjoying Master Puppet workshop performance, Exploring the historic Jewish centre and a labyrinth of laneways, Kalyan square, Madrasa Abdul Aziz Khan, The Samanid Mausoleum, visiting the Boloi Havz Mosque, Exploring the Ark of Bukhara (Fortress), Learning the history of the Kalyan Minaret, Exploring the Kalyan Mosque, viewing the Khoja Tabband Mosque.
    Khiva – Sunset over the UNESCO historic city, Live music and dancing, Kalta Minor Minaret, Tash-Khovli Palace, Madrasah Qutlug Murad, Tash-Khauli Palace (including Harem complex), Juma Mosque, Islom-Hoja Minaret (tallest in Uzbekistan), and Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum.
    Cities to be visited: Tashkent, Samarkand, Nurata, Kyzylkum Desert, Bukhara, Khiva
    Published: 03 April 2023 | Updated: 14 July 2024

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