By Marjie Courtis This article was first published by Australian Air Safaris on their website in January 2026: Click here for the original version of the article. A different set…
By Marjie Courtis Basque Country: The New Dimension where 4+3=1 I thought I was on planet earth when I set out to visit Spain and France. But stepping into the…
“Forget the maps, follow your instincts” said the neon sign in the Hostels International lounge in Chicago. Alas, with only four nights in Chicago, I needed some structure, though I…
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…
Travel article: Fanning out from a village base in Connecticut by Marjie Courtis It was long-term friendships that led to me spending two and a half weeks based in the…
By Marjie Courtis Negombo had its beautiful Indian Ocean Beach. I’d been there, when I’d first arrived in Sri Lanka via Sri Lankan Airlines and Bandaranaike International Airport. Negombo is…
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…
By Marjie Courtis This article was first published by Seniors in Melbourne on their website in March 2026. There is a link to the original version of the article in…
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….