Detroit: Drab, Dingy, Dilapidated, Deserted and Dangerous? by Marjie Courtis “Why are you going to Detroit?” It was the question Australians kept asking me before I left. And it was…
Contrasts from a Connecticut village by Marjie Courtis It was long-term friendships that led to me spending two and a half weeks based in the village of Washington Depot, in…
By Marjie Courtis Negombo beach from a five-star hotel (c) Marjie Courtis Negombo had its beautiful Indian Ocean Beach. I’d been there, when I’d first arrived in Sri Lanka via…
My lemur route through Madagascar (“Mada”) first took me to Lemur’s Park out of the capital, Antananarivo (“Tana”). As a sanctuary, it’s an excellent place to be introduced to a…
Madagascar (“Mada”) is rich in bio-diversity but the people are poor. It is indeed a Third World country, but that doesn’t mean that it is an inexpensive place to visit….
Before I visited Madagascar (“Mada”) I knew it was no ordinary island. I knew it was the fourth largest island in the world (if island continents are excluded) and that…
A Glover Experience in Tasmania. I had a whirlwind encounter with John Glover’s paintings and followers, on a recent visit to Tasmania from Melbourne. I was focused on the Glover…
Two-for-one tours. What’s in it for a traveler? by Marjie Courtis For those who consider themselves travelers rather than tourists, a bus tour can be anathema. But what if the…
From the jungle to 5 World Heritage sites in 5 days Starting at a hotel embedded in the jungle, I was able to travel to five World Heritage sites in…
Escape to a Convict Island By Marjie Courtis 9 October 2023 Bound for Maria Island, Tasmania I was bound for Maria Island in June. A billboard at Hobart airport gave…
Rutherglen as destination The wineries – Buildings, bottles and bullshit?! My partner and I chose Rutherglen, Victoria for a three day getaway. I thought we’d spend it primarily around the…
The Great Ocean Road was progressively opened from 1922 to 1932. The official Great Ocean Walk didn’t arrive until 2004. Which is the best way to see this great ocean…
Bright is a Victorian town in the Alpine Shire, close to the Mt Buffalo National Park, Alpine National Park and Mount Hotham. I visited before winter set in, just after…
The Carnivorous, Cannibalistic Komodo Dragons The gentle, endearing geckos of Bali are hardly an introduction to their relatives, the carnivorous, cannibalistic reptiles of Komodo National Park – the Komodo Dragons….
Boating activity on Inle Lake, Burma : © Marjie Courtis Inle Lake – Not quite Venice Inle Lake in Burma (Myanmar) is no Venice, but it shares Venice’s proliferation of…
The solid blocks of colour on the buildings at La Boca, Buenos Aires, strike you the minute you arrive. Bright blue juxtaposed with bright yellow distinguishes one building, and reflects…
Avenue inspires a book. Book inspires a street name. It took a novel by John Steinbeck for the Ocean View Avenue in Monterey, California, to have its name changed to…