ESCAPE.COM.AU SUNDAY OCTOBER 6 2013 ESCAPE 01

V1 - ESCE01Z10MA

SUNDAY OCTOBER 6, 2013

FIGHT CLUBSTEP INTO THEOUTBACK RING[ P 1 2 ]

ALL ABOARDTHE KIMBERLEYREVEALS ITS GLORY[ P 2 6 ]

New Lonely Planet bookputs focus on Australia

[ P 2 0 ]

beautifulworld

AUSTRALIA SPECIAL

What a

Call 1300 727 998or contact your AFTA Travel Agent

wendywutours.com.au

Where will 2014 take you?

New Brochures

Out Now

Fully Inclusive Group Tours • Deluxe Holidays & River Cruising • Independent & Tailor Made Itineraries

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32 ESCAPE SUNDAY OCTOBER 6 2013 ESCAPE.COM.AU

ESCE01Z10MA - V1

AUSTRALIA is a vastcontinent constructed,according to Aboriginal legend,by Goorialla, the great RainbowSerpent, gouging rivers andgorges, carving mountains andburrowing caves as he traversedthe flat land.

From my viewpoint, 4kmabove the vivid landscape,Goorialla’s trail is easy to follow.Meandering rivers – some wet,some dry, some wide, somenarrow – disappear to thehorizon. Sheer cliffs scythesavagely upward from thedotted plain at all angles, thedescending sun setting themablaze with orange radiance.

But how did the ancestorsever envisage this spectaclewith their bare feet firmlyplanted in the ochre dust?

I’m jetting east fromBirdsville, on the home run toSydney after 12 spellbindingdays aboard Bill PeachJourneys’ Classic AustralianAircruise, a compact andconcise exploration ofAustralia’s world-renownednatural and cultural wonders.

Unlike the explorers of 150years ago or the instinctiveAboriginal walkabouts datingback 20,000 years and more,we’re briskly embracing theglittering highlights oncebrought into Australians’ livingrooms by the pioneering TVjournalist who founded thiscompany, lending his name to it.

Bill Peach – who wasn’ttravelling on this journey– diedin August in the middle of our

itinerary and when we pausedin Broome to raise a glass to hislegacy, an errant footballsmacked a champagne flutecleanly from our host’s hand,smashing it to pieces on theground. Not so much as a dropspilt on her.

Was it a message? Some of usthought so. Don’t dwell, just geton with it. Life goes on. Andonward we went.

Our group of 30 keen, ifgreying, adventurers savourevery glorious vista andconsume each mesmerisingpanorama – sometimes fromthe elitist perspective of ourEmbraer executive jet, at othertimes from an aluminium boat.

When the bloke from theback of Wagga launched hisprivate escorted tours in 1983,they came packaged with thatsame erudite enthusiasm forAustralian wilderness, historyand culture that he projected onthe tiny screen in many

AIR ADVENTURE

On the trail of theRainbow Serpent

NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

A flying journey over the AustralianOutback reveals a canvas in keepingwith the Aboriginal Dreamtimelegends, writes Roderick Eime

HIGH SPIRITS: (clockwise from main) Uluru from the jet; theKimberley; a guest and tour guide Victor in Kakadu; the Embraer jet;and desert flowers at the Olgas. Pictures: Roderick Eime

Your hike on the Routeburn Track promises to be a truly unique adventure.

Our dedicated guides, private lodges

and three course dinners will make it

unforgettable. Walk at your own pace

and enjoy this iconic alpine track safe

in the knowledge that a welcoming

drink and a hot shower are waiting

for you at the end of the day.

Check out our website or give us a call to explore New Zealand’s great outdoors.

Challenge your senses

FREECALL 1800 925 569

WWW ROUTEBURN.CO.NZ

Contact us for a FREE World’s Best Ski

Holidays brochure

1300 754 754www.travelplan.com.au

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* All savings shown are based against the cruise lines latest printed brochures. All prices are ‘from prices’ and are per person based on a twin share. They were correct at time of going to print and are valid for new bookings only. Prices are inclusive of taxes and port charges. Gratuities and transfers are not included in the price, unless stated otherwise or prepaid. Visas are required for certain destinations, and are the responsibility of the customer. Cruise 1st recommends all travellers purchase travel insurance at time of booking. Itineraries, including hotels, airlines and advertised prices are subject to availability and subject to change/increase at any time. Airfares are based on economy flights. T&C’s apply when using the $50 Free voucher.

OPEN: MON - FRI 9AM - 7PM • SAT - SUN 9AM - 5PM

CALL TODAY ON 1300 947 234 quote Telegraph

For more details visit www.cruise1st.com.au/telegraph or email enquiries@cruise1st.com.auSearch For Cruise1st

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Mariner of the Seas®

15 nights • 06 March 2014

PACKAGE INCLUDES:• Flight from Sydney to Singapore• 1 Night FREE stay in hotel in Singapore• 8 Night Cruise from Singapore visiting Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Hong

Kong (2 Days/1 Night), Xiamen and Shanghai (China)• All Meals and Entertainment onboard • FREE Gratuities• 5 Night Tour with Tour Guide and Meals:- • 1 Night in Shanghai with

transfers from port to hotel • 1 Day Shanghai City tour with transfer to Airport • Flight from Shanghai to Xian • 2 Night stay in Xian • Full day tour of Terra-cotta Warriors • Spectacular Tang Dynasty Show • Flight from Xian to Beijing • 2 Night stay in Beijing • Tour of Summer Palace & Imperial Palace Gardens

• Tour of Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & the Great Wall• Flight from Beijing to Sydney • All taxes

Add a

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FIRE & ICEHAWAII & ALASKAFrom $3299PP

Radiance of the Seas®

13 nts • 08 May 2014

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to Vancouver

• 1 Night FREE stay in Vancouver • 7 Night Cruise visiting Icy Strait

Point, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Ketchikan and Vancouver

• All Meals and Entertainment onboard • All taxes

• Flight from Vancouver to Honolulu

• 4 Night FREE stay in Hawaii • Flight from Honolulu to Sydney

Inclu

des F

REE 4

Night

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aii H

otel

stayLEGENDARY

PANAMA CANAL CRUISE & STAYFrom $3149PP

Legend of the Seas®

18 nts • 26 Nov 2013

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to San Diego• 1 Night FREE stay in San Diego• 15 Night cruise visiting Cabo

San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), Panama Canal (Cruising), Colon (Panama), Cartagena (Colombia) and Fort Lauderdale

• All Meals & Entertainment onboard • Flight from Fort Lauderdale to

Sydney • All Taxes

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ull T

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5* COASTAL CALIFORNIAFrom $3499PP

Azamara Quest®

11 nts • 09 Feb 2014

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Return fl ights from Sydney to Los Angeles

• 1 Night FREE stay in Los Angeles • 8 Night cruise from Los Angeles

visiting Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco (3 Days/2 Nights) Ensenada (Mexico) and Los Angeles

• One Azamazing evening• All Meals & Entertainment

onboard • All drinks onboard • All Gratuities • All Taxes

All In

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e Drin

ks

On Th

is Am

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ise

ASIA TO AUSTRALIA CRUISEFrom $1199PP

Voyager of the Seas®

14 nts • 24 Oct 2013

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to Singapore

• 14 Night cruise sailing from Singapore (fi rst 2 Days/1 Night in port) visiting Port Klang, Darwin, Brisbane and Sydney

• All Meals and Entertainment onboard

• Superb choice of bars, lounges & restaurants

• All Taxes

Low

est p

rice

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day

! SOUTH COAST AND NEW ZEALANDFrom $1799PP

Radiance of the Seas®

17 nts • 09 Nov 2013

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to Perth• 17 Night cruise sailing from

Perth visiting Esperance, Adelaide, Melbourne, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound, Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Picton and Sydney

• All meals and entertainment onboard

• Superb choice of bars, lounges & restaurants

• All Taxes

SAVE

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ight

BIG 5 SAFARI, SOUTH AFRICA & MAURITIUSFrom $3999PP

Queen Mary 218 nts • 25 Jan 2014

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to Cape Town• 2 Night FREE Cape Town stay • FREE Big 5 Safari• 15 Night cruise from Cape

Town visiting Durban, Mauritius and Perth

• All Meals and Entertainment onboard

• Flight from Perth to Sydney• All Taxes

Free

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ight

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ESCAPE.COM.AU SUNDAY OCTOBER 6 2013 ESCAPE 33

V1 - ESCE01Z10MA

chicken and champagne picniclunch. Then there are pearlsaplenty in Broome, kangaroosteak under a galactic spectacleat Uluru and a dinkum beer andlamb shank at the most famousoutback pub in the land.

It might be a trifle cursory forsome who seek a moreimmersive experience, and thepace is such that you are stillprocessing yesterday’s sensory

deluge when the nextinstalment is delivered.

Yet our group takes it all inour stride. A prickly bus driverin Darwin doesn’t dampenour spirits nor does a coachbreakdown in Alice Springs.

It’s all just a part of life’s grandadventure. God speed, Bill.

The writer was a guest of BillPeach Journeys.

thousands of Australian homes.And Bill’s sense of wonder

was tempered in equal amountby a sense of responsibility.

He saw the need to educateand inform as well as entertain.

From that first, basic FokkerFriendship voyage, hisnamesake company now offersfive unique Australian air toursand 25 world voyages, shortbreaks and bespoke journeys asfar afield as Africa, the Amazonand Iceland with partnerssuch as Silversea Cruises andOrient Express.

They are mostly all-inclusive,using the best available servicesand facilities at eachdestination.

We jet first to Longreach,then Katherine, Kakadu,Darwin, Kununurra, Broome,Yulara, Alice Springs andBirdsville. All the while, thestunning patchwork of the greatAustralian landscape rollsbeneath us, sometimes only justso as we skim the BungleBungles and sweep imperiouslyover the ancient shores of theBuccaneer Archipelago at just afew hundred feet.

But it’s not all loftiness andhigh flying. We come down toearth with indigenous guides inKatherine, Kakadu and AliceSprings who share their storieswith us as they have formillennia. On Lake Kununurra,we are taken by speedboat to a

Bill Peach Journeys GreatAustralian Aircruise is a12-day fully escorted touraround Australia by privatejet. It costs $15,995 aperson, all-inclusive, fromSydney, with no singlesupplement.

billpeachjourneys.com.au

GO2THE TOUR

Your hike on the Routeburn Track promises to be a truly unique adventure.

Our dedicated guides, private lodges

and three course dinners will make it

unforgettable. Walk at your own pace

and enjoy this iconic alpine track safe

in the knowledge that a welcoming

drink and a hot shower are waiting

for you at the end of the day.

Check out our website or give us a call to explore New Zealand’s great outdoors.

Challenge your senses

FREECALL 1800 925 569

WWW ROUTEBURN.CO.NZ* All savings shown are based against the cruise lines latest printed brochures. All prices are ‘from prices’ and are per person based on a twin share. They were correct at time of going to print and are valid for new bookings only. Prices are inclusive of taxes and port charges. Gratuities and transfers are not included in the price, unless stated otherwise or prepaid. Visas are required for certain destinations, and are the

responsibility of the customer. Cruise 1st recommends all travellers purchase travel insurance at time of booking. Itineraries, including hotels, airlines and advertised prices are subject to availability and subject to change/increase at any time. Airfares are based on economy flights. T&C’s apply when using the $50 Free voucher.

OPEN: MON - FRI 9AM - 7PM • SAT - SUN 9AM - 5PM

CALL TODAY ON 1300 947 234 quote Telegraph

For more details visit www.cruise1st.com.au/telegraph or email enquiries@cruise1st.com.auSearch For Cruise1st

OUR TOP AMAZING CRUISE DEALS!WE’LL BEAT ANY CRUISE PRICE!!!

OR WE’LL GIVE YOU A $50 CRUISE1ST

FUTURE CRUISE VOUCHER†

GREAT WALLS AND TERRACOTTA WARRIORSCRUISE, STAYS & TOURSFrom $3499PP

Mariner of the Seas®

15 nights • 06 March 2014

PACKAGE INCLUDES:• Flight from Sydney to Singapore• 1 Night FREE stay in hotel in Singapore• 8 Night Cruise from Singapore visiting Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Hong

Kong (2 Days/1 Night), Xiamen and Shanghai (China)• All Meals and Entertainment onboard • FREE Gratuities• 5 Night Tour with Tour Guide and Meals:- • 1 Night in Shanghai with

transfers from port to hotel • 1 Day Shanghai City tour with transfer to Airport • Flight from Shanghai to Xian • 2 Night stay in Xian • Full day tour of Terra-cotta Warriors • Spectacular Tang Dynasty Show • Flight from Xian to Beijing • 2 Night stay in Beijing • Tour of Summer Palace & Imperial Palace Gardens

• Tour of Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & the Great Wall• Flight from Beijing to Sydney • All taxes

Add a

4 nigh

t 5 *

Yang

tze R

iver C

ruise

$599

PP

FIRE & ICEHAWAII & ALASKAFrom $3299PP

Radiance of the Seas®

13 nts • 08 May 2014

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to Vancouver

• 1 Night FREE stay in Vancouver • 7 Night Cruise visiting Icy Strait

Point, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Ketchikan and Vancouver

• All Meals and Entertainment onboard • All taxes

• Flight from Vancouver to Honolulu

• 4 Night FREE stay in Hawaii • Flight from Honolulu to Sydney

Inclu

des F

REE 4

Night

Haw

aii H

otel

stayLEGENDARY

PANAMA CANAL CRUISE & STAYFrom $3149PP

Legend of the Seas®

18 nts • 26 Nov 2013

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to San Diego• 1 Night FREE stay in San Diego• 15 Night cruise visiting Cabo

San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), Panama Canal (Cruising), Colon (Panama), Cartagena (Colombia) and Fort Lauderdale

• All Meals & Entertainment onboard • Flight from Fort Lauderdale to

Sydney • All Taxes

Inclu

des F

ull T

rans

it

Of The

Pan

ama

Canal ALL INCLUSIVE

5* COASTAL CALIFORNIAFrom $3499PP

Azamara Quest®

11 nts • 09 Feb 2014

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Return fl ights from Sydney to Los Angeles

• 1 Night FREE stay in Los Angeles • 8 Night cruise from Los Angeles

visiting Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco (3 Days/2 Nights) Ensenada (Mexico) and Los Angeles

• One Azamazing evening• All Meals & Entertainment

onboard • All drinks onboard • All Gratuities • All Taxes

All In

clusiv

e Drin

ks

On Th

is Am

azin

g Cru

ise

ASIA TO AUSTRALIA CRUISEFrom $1199PP

Voyager of the Seas®

14 nts • 24 Oct 2013

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to Singapore

• 14 Night cruise sailing from Singapore (fi rst 2 Days/1 Night in port) visiting Port Klang, Darwin, Brisbane and Sydney

• All Meals and Entertainment onboard

• Superb choice of bars, lounges & restaurants

• All Taxes

Low

est p

rice

ever

!

Just

$85

per

day

! SOUTH COAST AND NEW ZEALANDFrom $1799PP

Radiance of the Seas®

17 nts • 09 Nov 2013

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to Perth• 17 Night cruise sailing from

Perth visiting Esperance, Adelaide, Melbourne, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound, Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Picton and Sydney

• All meals and entertainment onboard

• Superb choice of bars, lounges & restaurants

• All Taxes

SAVE

$81

0PP

plus

a fr

ee fl

ight

BIG 5 SAFARI, SOUTH AFRICA & MAURITIUSFrom $3999PP

Queen Mary 218 nts • 25 Jan 2014

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Flight from Sydney to Cape Town• 2 Night FREE Cape Town stay • FREE Big 5 Safari• 15 Night cruise from Cape

Town visiting Durban, Mauritius and Perth

• All Meals and Entertainment onboard

• Flight from Perth to Sydney• All Taxes

Free

2 N

ight

Cap

e

Tow

n St

ay W

ith S

afar

i!