Photo Assignment: Saudi Arabia

Veteran travel photographer, David Kirkland, has just returned from Saudi Arabia 

"It’s been a successful shoot, with plans to bring me back in 2017 to photograph the Kingdom’s major cultural event and train some of its local photographers to capture tourism photographs, before heading off on a tour of the Empty Quarter with its towering 300 metre sand dunes (yahoo).

In the meantime, here’s a sample of some of the photographs captured during this visit, which concentrated on a welcoming people, significant landmarks, the sophistication of the capital, Riyadh, and the Kingdom’s fascinating culture."

Andaman Sea Expedition aboard Silver Discoverer

UPDATE: Journey complete [preview images]

This month, expedition cruise specialist, Roderick Eime, will set out on an 11-day voyage aboard Silversea's Silver Discoverer to explore some of the remote territory in and around the Andaman Sea.

The route includes visits to the bustling ports of Phuket and Yangon, but ranges out into the Andaman Sea to Port Blair and the derelict colonial capital on Ross Island, abandoned for more than 80 years.

Ruined and overgrown church, Ross Island

Rod will scuba dive on some of the remote reefs as well as explore ashore in such isolated locations as Burma's Mergui Archipelago and India's Cinque Island Wildlife Sanctuary.

Proposed expedition route

Commissions are invited. Please contact Rod

Pack your bags: Not all luggage is created equal

So when you go to buy a new car or washing machine, who would provide the most reliable endorsement of the product's reliability? The salesperson? No. How about the repair person?

No, this is not my bag, but it could be yours.

Yep. When things go wrong, it's the person who has to fix it who can quickly tell the dud from the deluxe.

When his expensive suitcase fell victim to rough baggage handlers, Rod sought out the experts. You might be surprised at the verdicts.

Want to make baggage handlers' job easier? Try this pre-smashed range of luggage.

Stunning new Tahiti and French Polynesia images

Our busy pro shooter, David Kirkland, has just returned from a 10-day assignment of French Polynesia, shooting for the tourism authority. He started on the main island of Tahiti, before heading off to Moorea Island for a couple of days, then finishing up on Taha'a Resort near Bora Bora.

click for more

New stunning images from the Solomon Islands

Prolific travel photographer, David Kirkland, has returned from yet another expedition to the Solomon Islands to update the destination's photo library.

Use David's stunning images to accompany a commission from one of our writers.

Photo Assignment: Cook Islands

David Kirkland has just finished a seven day shoot of the Cook Islands for its tourism authority.

Venice: That Sinking Feeling

"Venice is built on a swamp, so of course it's sinking," my hotel manager Gilberto tells me.
But at the moment Venice is sinking under the weight of tourists. Twenty-two million of them every year. And every year a thousand residents leave permanently.

So, with the additional threat of rising sea-levels, can Venice survive? Should you rush to see this legendary city before it disappears? Or will massive engineering efforts see it withstand the elements and remain one of the planet's architectural wonders?

John Maddocks poses the question and examines efforts to save the UNESCO World Heritage city.

[Image: Shutterstock ID:54664264]

The Formula One of gravel racing

Get this close to the action (credit: Jeremy Rogers / Rally Australia)

In November this year, Liz Swanton embeds herself amid the frenzied activity of Rally Australia, the local round of the elite World Rally Championship, to be run on the NSW North Coast.

Apart from her professional duties, Liz will have unprecedented access to the machinations and personalities behind this international sporting event – effectively the Formula One of gravel racing, contested by some of the best drivers in the world – hosted in one of Australia's most popular coastal tourist locations.

Great surf is just one of the attractions of NSW's Coffs Coast (supplied)

Soak up all the thrills of this high-octane event which will have the eyes of millions around the globe glued to the action happening around the sunny Coffs Coast – and brings millions of dollars of revenue to the region.

Nicely Icey: Ewen Bell loves Iceland

Photographer, Ewen Bell, is back from Iceland

Nicely Icey - Photo Essay

Horses and Ice Caves / Iceland / We always have a few good cracks at the aurora when travelling in Iceland, but this time we also got a chance to watch the colours dance inside an ice cave.

"I love the way light dances through the ice, revealing a hint of it's origins from glaciers far back in time. On this adventure to Iceland we chased the ice on beaches, the snow falling at dusk, the geysirs erupting for its audience and the deep dark hues within freshly revealed glacial caves. And we made friends with lots of Icelandic horses, because I love them too :)"

Australia’s most awarded travel writers

The Travel Writers co-operative prides itself on assembling the best and most talented travel journalists and photographers for both single feature commissions as well as large content projects.

With the announcement of the latest winners of the Australian Society of Travel Writers Awards for Excellence, it is clear the team have an abundance of ability and experience to offer publishers of travel and lifestyle content.

John Borthwick: Is he Australia's
most awarded travel writer?

No stranger to accolades is the inveterate “professional tourist” and PhD, John Borthwick, who returned to the spotlight with the big one - ASTW Travel Writer of the Year - an award he has won before, along with multiple category awards over the last 20+ years. Borthwick also picked up the prestigious PATA Gold Award for destination journalism in 2008.

Winners in their respective categories were Craig Tansley (Cruise), Lee Atkinson (Adventure), Lee Mylne (Travel Trade), Kerry van der Jagt (Australian and Kennedy Award for Outstanding Travel Writing 2015 and AFTA Best Travel Writer 2014) and Carla Grossetti (Food).

Other members were hot on their heels with many providing fierce competition as finalists. Angela Saurine (also AFTA Best Travel Writer 2012), Kris Madden (a three time ASTW winner), Belinda Jackson, Helen Hayes and Aleney de Winter (Winner ‘Voices of Australia' 2014).

Acclaimed travel and documentary photographer, Ewen Bell, was awarded ASTW Travel Photographer of the Year in 2007.

The Travel Writers founder, Roderick Eime, was elated at the news he had won the 2016 PATA Gold Award for Destination Journalism but had to be content to be named as a finalist in this year’s ASTW Awards. He has had multiple wins in the past including two gongs for ‘Travel Photographer of the Year’ and a finalist for AFTA Best Travel Writer in 2015.

To discuss your travel and lifestyle content, please contact Travel Writers

New Solomon Island photo shoot from David Kirkland

Perfect to accompany any commissioned story from this exciting tropical destination. Please contact us for details.

New Photoshoot - WA's Coral Coast

Why not commission a story to match David's superb images?

 

http://www.freshmail-kirklandphotos.com/lt/t_go.php?i=1808&e=Mjg1Ng==&l=-http--kirklandphotosblog.com

Chile: Santiago Revival

Traditionally conservative Chile and its one-time capital of stodge, Santiago, is emerging from the shadows.

Chileans, thanks in no small part to new arrivals from the rest of South America and the world, are experiencing something of an 'awakening' in the form arts, architecture and culture.

Driven underground by oppressive governments of the past, subversive, left-wing elements are now much freer to express themselves and this new-found freedom is slowly transforming the city into a more vibrant, even edgy metropolis.

Rod sets out to see something of the Santiago underbelly, and with long-time resident and English ex-pat, Gary James of Sense Chile, elbows his way through crowded markets, spills his 'terremoto' at La Piojera and even stops by for a racy cappuccino at one of the city's 'café con piernas', literally 'coffee with legs'.

As part and parcel of this urban arousal is a new wave of boutique hotels: small city enclaves of just a dozen or more rooms. We visit four such properties, including Santiago city's newest hotel opening, a renovated 1928 building in the trendy Lastarria neighbourhood designed (and now named after) one of Chile's most famous architects, Luciano Kulczewski.

Hosted by:

• Movidas Journeys
• MOH Collection
• Sense Chile

Hola South America - Patagonia, Chile, Panama, Colombia

Luxury wilderness lodges * UNESCO World Heritage * expedition cruising * airline review * Urban luxury * Panama Canal * Colombia * Panama * Chile

Commissions invited

Ola South America - April 2016

Latin America is flavour of the month for April 

Stella Australis

The month begins with a cruise with the acclaimed Cruceros Australis navigating through the southernmost Chilean-Argentinean Patagonian channels, exploring the Strait of Magellan and the Beagle Channel. 

Actual itinerary: Discover Patagonia

Rod will fly to and from Santiago with Qantas (QF27/28 B744) on a paid ticket in Premium Economy with a request for space available upgrade made.

explora Patagonia lodge

Upon disembarking in Punta Arenas, Rod will visit firstly the famous explora Patagonia lodge in the middle of Torres del Paine National Park

From there, he travels to The Singular Patagonia, Puerto Bories Hotel and back to Santiago to stay at The Singular Santiago.

Rod then moves on to Guayaquil in Ecuador to join G Adventures for the 12-day expedition to Cartagena in Colombia via the Panama Canal and the fabled San Blas Islands. Aboard MS Expedition

MS Expedition

Itinerary: 
http://gadventures.com/trips/XVGCSX/

Heritage-listed Alfiz Hotel Boutique, Cartagena

Before flying home, Rod will stay at the boutique hotel, Alfiz Cartagena and tour the city, founded by the Spanish in 1533.

With thanks to:

• Robyn Smith, movidas, South American specialist travel agency
• Michelle Mohaupt, MOH Collection (Singular, Australis)
• Andrew Mevissen, Peak Media Relations
• Sarah Park, Mulberry Marketing Communications (G Adventures)

Arctic Wonderland in pictures

Ewen Bell is back in the land he loves, the Arctic. His highly individual images so perfectly capture this very special environment, you'll need to put on a beanie and scarf just to look at them.

Whether accompanying an editorial feature or a simple photo essay, Ewen's images will bring your pages to life. [Enquire]

Click to view Ewen on Instagram

Exclusive: Bentley Bentayga preview.

Britain's illustrious Bentley Motors are understandably excited about their all-new Bentayga SUV and so are TTWs Roderick Eime and Mike Butler who are among a very few select Australian media invited to preview the model when it breaks cover in Australia this week in the lead-up to the Australian F1 GP. Get in touch now if you'd like editorial and images for your publication. 

Blue Lagoon Cruises: On Fiji Time

Expedition cruising expert, Roderick Eime, reacquaints himself with an old Fiji favorite, recently overhauled and renovated, but still blissfully untroubled by urgency. Blue Lagoon Cruises

Food: Best in Show

Every year Australia’s food judges decide on the best produce in the land. But how right are they? Journalist and cheese judge Mike Butler went behind the scenes of the pinnacle food competition, the Sydney Royal, to find out not only what it takes to get a gold medal but whether they’re worth the hype. Story will come with interviews with the chief judges along with details of the must have products for 2016.

Tasmania: Wild West

The remote western shores of Australia's largest island contain some of the world's most precious wilderness forests and waterways.

Lashed by weather blown straight from Antarctica, this climate also ensures some of the world's cleanest air and purest rainwater. Water that falls on forests whose trees bear closer relationship to ancient Antarctic fossils than any mainland eucalyptus.

Aboriginals are known to have inhabited this harsh territory for at least 30,000 years.

After explorers like Abel Tasman, Bligh and Cook sent back reports, Europeans arrived in numbers all through the 19th century, setting up penal colonies in the east with prospectors and wood-cutters seeking fortune in the west.

The spectacular view from Fluted Cape (R Eime)

We visit the isolated settlements of Queenstown, Strahan and Corrina to explore the landscape that bears more resemblance to prehistoric times than our modern internet-connected world. We cruise the southern extremities in an ocean-going catamaran, ride the historic Abt Railway and visit former mining and logging sites deep in UNESCO World Heritage-listed temperate rainforest, one of the last expanses of its type in the world.

The writer, Roderick Eime, has both original and supplied library images.

[CANCELLED] French Polynesia: Diving with Cousteau

CANCELLED

332-passenger Paul Gauguin 

Legendary environmentalist and
oceanographer, Jean-Michel Cousteau

Update: CANCELLED

If scuba diving in French Polynesia wasn't exciting enough, getting the chance to dive with a Cousteau has to be a gold medal opportunity.

Rod will cruise with Paul Gauguin Cruises, the award-winning luxury small ship cruise line to join the 10-day, June 1 departure accompanied by Jean-Michel Cousteau.

Expressions of interest from editors are invited.

Editorial and images will be available from mid-June 2016.


Rod holds PADI Open Water Advanced certification and has completed more than 200 dives at locations around the world. [more about Rod's diving experience]

Solomon Islands: Raw Appeal

Experienced adventure travel writer, Roderick Eime, has made three trips to the Solomon Islands in as many years, with the last one in October.

Unlike Fiji or New Caledonia - or even Vanuatu - the Solomons is the least developed of our neighbouring Melanesian nations.

Zipolo Habu Resort, Lola Island, near Munda

That may rule it out for mass tourism and lush, palatial resorts (for now), instead visitors can experience authentic culture and practices. While there is an airline network servicing most of the outer islands, small ship cruising is perfect for low impact, small footprint travel.

WWII history, volcanoes, great scuba diving, bountiful fishing, unsurpassed cultural experiences and unusual foods make the Solomon Islands one of the last redoubts for genuine, non-commercialised travel.

Recently discovered Grumman Wildcat of US ace, James Swett [more]

New York, New York!

New York City is one of the great cities of the world. No argument. Some of the world's most famous architecture and museums are all found in and around Manhattan. Ex-pat Australian writer and editor, Kristie Kellahan now lives in NYC and takes us on a tour of her new home town where we visit the brand new Whitney, MoMA, the Guggenheim and others you may not have heard of.