Nathan's Insights

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

Lounge Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris (Business Class) – Melbourne Airport

April 29, 2023

When visited: 29 April 2023
Time of day: Late Afternoon

Rating: 3 / 5

SUMMARY

The Singapore Airlines SilverKris (Business Class) Lounge is an okay way to spend some time before a flight and especially good for a shower before your flight for hydration. It has an okay food and drink selection range. It’s not that big, and it feels a little outdated and, like most of the Business Lounges in this area of the Melbourne Airport, has no views or direct sunlight.

If you can it is better to access Singapore Airlines’ Star Alliance partner lounge the Air New Zealand Koru (Business Class) Lounge instead which I found to be a gem.
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Lounge Review: Air New Zealand Koru (Business Class) – Melbourne Airport

April 29, 2023

When visited: 29 April 2023
Time of day: Late Afternoon

Rating: 4 / 5

SUMMARY

A very nice modern and large Business Class Lounge that allows some limited views of the tarmac from the underside of the airplanes. Very pleasant staff and a good range of food (loved the ANZAC biscuits).

I found this better than the Singapore Airlines SilverKris (Business Class) Melbourne Lounge that I visited later and where most travellers on Singapore Airlines would visit.
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T-12 Days: 2023 Central Asia and Türkiye World Trip

April 17, 2023
It’s now less than 2 weeks before my 2023 Central Asia and Türkiye World Trip begins.

I’ve recently completed my research into the 6 new countries I’m visiting, they are all unique with very ancient traditions to experience:

The part of the world I’m visiting
1. Türkiye (30.04.23 to 08.05.23 and returning 03.06.23 to 07.06.23),
2. Kyrgyzstan (09.05.23 to 14.05.23),
3. Kazakhstan (14.05.23 to 17.05.23),
4. Tajikistan (18.05.23 to 20.05.23),
5. Uzbekistan (21.05.23 to 29.05.23), and
6. Turkmenistan (30.05.23 to 03.06.23)
Flights all booked, long haul flights in business class (using points), hotels booked and paid, tours booked and paid, spending money almost saved (still need to exchange for some local currency).

The trip is made up of Two G Adventures Tours:
– Best of Turkey (8 days)
– Five Stans of the Silk Road (26 days)

Plus 5 days at the end of the trip in Istanbul to explore this ancient city on the edge of Asia and Europe.

The last step is convincing some friends and family that I’m not putting my life in danger or at least these countries aren’t too dangerous!
World Trip 2023 – Flights Booked and Confirmed

February 26, 2023

Flight map – Melbourne to Singapore to Istanbul to Bishkek, then Ashgabat to Istanbul to Singapore to Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne

I now have all flights booked and confirmed for my upcoming 2023 Central Asia and Türkiye World Trip.
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World Trip 2023 – Central Asia and Türkiye Update

February 13, 2023

2,500 years old Ancient City – Khiva, Uzbekistan

It’s now less than 75 days to my first international since I was in Colombia in August and September 2019 and I’m getting excited.

This trip will see me visit seven countries, six of them for the first time; Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and short stopover in Singapore.

This will be a bit more off the beaten track especially the five ‘Stan countries of Central Asia which will provide some insights (hopefully) into the old soviet era when the USSR dominated the area and the even more histroic Silk Road path.
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Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Outback Australia 2022: Trip Review

September 11, 2022

Geikie Gorge cruise

Tour Title: Wonders of Kimberly
Tour Company: AAT Kings (Tour 1) and Journey Beyond Rail (Tour 2)
Places Visited: Broome, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, El Questro Wilderness Park, Kununurra, Katherine, Darwin, Alice Springs, Manguri / Coober Pedy
Dates: 16 August 2022 to 03 September 2022 (16 days)

Tour Itinerary (PDF)Download

It has always been a desire of mine to do a long distance train journey and when I was in primary school I was enthralled by outback Australia and in particular west coast. This trip allowed me to do both at the same time and enjoy it with my sister Kara as a bonus.
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The Ghan Expedition (Darwin to Adelaide)

September 4, 2022

Tour Title: The Ghan Expedition
Tour Company: Journey Beyond Rail
Carriage B Coordinator: Kaitlin
Key Staff: Kayla, Hollie, Carmen, Loz, Hayley, Oliver, Eden
Passengers Members: 184 (29 carriages can be more)
Room: Carriage B / Room 4 (Twin Share)
Off Train Excursions: Katherine, Alice Springs, Coober Pedy
Dates: 31 August 2022 to 03 September 2022 (4 days)
Ghan Journal Entries

I took this tour as part of the Wonders of Kimberly trip with the other tour being the Untamed Kimberly 2022 (bus tour with AAT) which started in Broome and ended in Darwin just before this tour. The Ghan travels 2,797 kilometres between Darwin and Adelaide over four days.
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Outback Australia 2022: Day 16 – Coober Pedy to Melbourne, VIC

September 3, 2022

Saturday 03 September 2022.
Highlights: The Ghan experience, Returning home

Today was the last few hours on The Ghan. Waking up around 6.30 am after a nice sleep in my cabin I realised that we were only a few hours out from Adelaide and the end of The Ghan experience.

Three hours outside Adelaide
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Adelaide, Australia, Coober Pedy, Melbourne, South Australia, The Ghan, Victoria
Outback Australia 2022: Day 15 – Alice Springs to Coober Pedy, SA

September 2, 2022

Friday 02 September 2022.
Highlights: Emu and Kangaroo sightings, remote Australia, Umoona Opal Mine Museum, Quest Mine experience, the stunning Serbian Underground Church, The beautiful Breakaways

A nice nights sleep in our cabin followed by a full breakfast had us ready for our Explore Alice Springs all day excursion today. We even saw some emus and kangaroos running in the outback before our train stop!

Coober Pedy, SA – just before our stop at Manguri train station
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Australia, Coober Pedy, Northern Territory, South Australia, The Ghan
Outback Australia 2022: Day 14 – Katherine to Alice Springs, NT

September 1, 2022

Thursday 01 September 2022.
Highlights: The amazing Royal Flying Doctors Service, Learning at the Reptile Centre, Alice Springs School of the Air, ANZAC Hill, Dinner at the Alice Springs Race Track

We awake to the news that Alice Springs was experiencing unseasonable wet weather. They can in some years only have 1 or no dry season rainy days. A lot of today’s excursions were cancelled and the night under the stars dinner was moved to Alice Springs Race Track. The excursion we selected was still on so other than the 13c temperature our day only had a minimal impact.

Alice Springs, NT – A but wetter than we expected
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Alice Springs, Australia, Northern Territory, The Ghan