Spread the love

Ponant has introduced a series of free lectures on Facebook crafted for the adventurous.

Each week’s lecture showcases a Ponant expedition team member — for example, a naturalist, a scientist or a photographer —with each contributing in an area of specialisation and expertise relative to the destinations or environments being reviewed.

Throughout May, the focus has been on the Antarctic region, including South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, providing an opportunity for viewers to learn more about some of the world’s most amazing expedition voyage destinations from the comfort of their home.

In addition, viewers were invited to ask questions and submit their own photos to these experts ahead of the lectures.

Guest lecturers included naturalist Chloe Powers, who shared her obsession for the cold, the ice and the importance of the small shrimp-like crustaceans called Antarctic krill.

The lectures are on Thursdays at 5pm AEST.

Visit www.facebook.com/PonantAU.

 Elvis:  helps make Memphis a music lover’s dream.

From the lively sights and sounds of Beale Street to the home of the King, Elvis Presley, Memphis, Tennessee, is a music lover’s dream.

Once an overlooked city, Memphis has rejuvenated itself with plenty of boutique stores, bold new restaurants and microbreweries — all draped in the iconic river-town soul Memphis is renowned for, making it an essential destination for any visit to the American south-west.

There are tons of hidden gems to see in this historical river town.

Catch the march of the Peabody ducks at Hotel Peabody. At 11am and 5pm every day, a flock of ducks marches to and from Peabody’s Fountain to a musical accompaniment.

The American Queen Steamboat Company will have 94 river cruises starting or ending in Memphis in 2021.

The cruise line is offering an earlybird discount on all 94 cruises. Prices begin from US$1598 per person twin-share, and guests can save up to US$2000 per couple if booking before June 30.

Visit www.cruisetraveller.com.au.

 Black Gate Distillery: offers a unique experience.

Rum is having a resurgence right now, and NSW is leading the way.

From Riverbourne Distillery in the cold crisp air of the Snowy Mountains, to Husk Distillers in Northern NSW, with its beaches and sugar cane plantations, NSW’s best and most innovative small-batch distillers are producing memorable, world-class rums.

Sydney’s Lobo Plantation and Kittyhawk are famous for their menus, rum bars like Newcastle’s Blue Kahuna’s and Enmore’s Jackobi’s Tiki Bar are now home-delivering their potent rum cocktails, and Brix Distillers is selling mix-your-own rum drinks via its online store. Rum is truly tantalising taste buds all over right now.

It’s time to start imagining and planning your future rum-ble through NSW to some of the many distilleries around the state.

Situated in Mendooran, 45 minutess from Dubbo in Central West NSW, Black Gate Distillery, for instance, produces both Single Malt Whisky and Dark Rum, which are brewed and distilled on site, including their delicious Overproof Dark Rum.

The team here offers a unique experience with tastings at the small bar specialising in craft beer, cider and malt whisky.

Visit www.visitnsw.com.

 The Hokkaido Powder Belt: increasing appeal.

Australians looking for an international ski holiday often find themselves pulled to Japan – not surprising considering the minimal time difference, usually direct flights from most metropolitan cities and reliable snowfall.

Areas close to Tokyo such as Hakuba may seem the most obvious choice, but there is a rising appeal to the far-north island of Hokkaido.

The Hokkaido Powder Belt covers a region of approximately 15,000 square kilometres stretching across the mid-centre of Hokkaido, incorporating seven different mountains of the Daisetsuzan Range and housing a number of micro-climates which attract snow from all directions.

The area’s inland position compounds extremely low temperatures with minimal humidity, creating conditions optimal for the lightest and driest snowfall in Japan.

Hoshino Resorts’ properties act as bookends, offering convenient entry and exit points with OMO7 Asahikawa in the north and Tomamu down south.

The latter is particularly suitable for families or groups of skiers with mixed expertise due to the plethora of facilities and varied courses to suit all levels.

Visit www.snowtomamu.jp.

 Cape Grim: cleanest air in the world.

The Roaring Forties sweep across Cape Grim, on the far north-west tip of Tasmania, bringing with them some of the world’s cleanest air.

These currents, located in the latitudes between 40 and 50 degrees south, force air across thousands of kilometres of open ocean before finally reaching land in Tasmania.

The CSIRO has maintained a research station at Cape Grim since 1976, creating a global baseline to chart increasing levels of pollution around the world.

These measurements show Cape Grim has the cleanest air in the world.

Breathe deep.

NOTE: Potential travellers should check the status of individual events and establishments with regard to the coronavirus outbreak.