Parkes at Elvis Festival time is a very busy place, filled with hundreds/thousands in Elvis costumes and countless performances by Elvis impersonators, who prefer to be called "tribute artists". With accommodation at an absolute premium in Parkes and surrounds, we were pleased to discover that Railway Adventures, a company owned by TV personality Scott McGregor,  was planning to run its inaugural "Elvis Special" journey, so we jumped on board. We left Central a couple of hours after the well-known "Elvis Express".Refurbished carriages from the old Southern Aurora that are now privately owned provided  our accommodation and most meals, and became our home for four days. Our forward journey used the southern route via Cootamundra and included a lunch-time concert by tribute artist Damian Mullin at the Centennial Winery at Bowral en route to the Festival. Once at Parkes, the train was stabled in a siding with the Main Stage in Cooke Park, only a couple of hundred metres away as we enjoyed three days at the Festival. And what a great time we and 25,000 others had!All shows at Cooke Park are free, as they are in many other venues, while some signature concerts are ticketed. The atmosphere was great, with this year's Festival theme "Jailhouse Rock". In the traditional Festival Street Parade on the Saturday morning for over 45 minutes decorated floats and vintage cars, featuring countless costumed Elvis's and Miss Priscilla's, many in jailhouse apparel, sang and played Elvis songs. For a change of pace you could even play "Jailbird Croquet"!We were amazed at the overall quality of the Elvis tribute artists, many of whom are world-renowned, such as Taylor Rodriguez and Cote Deonath. Given Elvis Presley's musical beginnings, the Sunday morning Elvis Gospel Service on the Main Stage is regarded as a key part of the Festival, with renowned tribute artist Gabe Phoenix and up-and-coming 15-year-old Charlie Gaylard performing brilliantly. Guest speakers including the Mayor, local clergy and ministry representatives and former inmates from the local Kairos Prison featured in the Service, very appropriate for the Festival's Jailhouse Rock theme.We were on a high when our "Elvis Special" train rolled out of Parkes station around midday on Sunday, but the Elvis atmosphere well and truly remained in the lounge and dining cars on the train as we headed east through picturesque countryside towards the Blue Mountains, Central and home.One of the best weekends of our lives. Make sure you get to at least one Parkes Elvis Festival in your lifetime using any means of transport and accommodation. If you don't enjoy the shows on the Main Stage in Cooke Park we will fully refund your entry fee. Please do go to the Festival- after all, "It's now or never."By Heather and Gordon Bell

This is my last postcard from Saudi Arabia, before moving on to Egypt. I specifically went to Jeddah (and Al Wadj before it) to see and photograph the mashrabiyas in the 'old town' ('Al Balad', literally 'the town').What is a mashrabiya (sometimes spelled mashrabiyya, or you might hear it called a takhrima, barmaqli, gannariya, shanashil or rowshin!)? It's an architectural element which is characteristic of traditional architecture in the Islamic world and beyond. It is a type of projecting oriel window enclosed with carved wood latticework, located on the upper floors of a building.It was traditionally used to catch wind and for passive cooling. Jars and basins of water could be placed in it to cause evaporative cooling. The earliest evidence of the mashrabiya, in its current form, dates from the 12th century. Apart from their cooling function, one of the major purposes of the mashrabiya is privacy, an essential aspect of Arab and Muslim culture. From the mashrabiya window, occupants can obtain a good view of the street without being seen.The mashrabiya has been used since the Middle Ages, reached a peak during the Ottoman period, but fell into decline in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. However, more recent interest in sustainable architecture has contributed to a revival of the mashrabiya.The mashrabiyas in Al Wadj were in a dilapidated section of the 'old town', but at least that gave me the opportunity to go inside an abandoned building and inspect a mashrabiya close-up from the inside.Jeddah, on the other hand, has some quite new mashrabiyas, as well as many older and dilapidated ones. The accompanying photo shows a row of fabric shops with accommodation above them. They display both old and new mashrabiyas, some new ones having air-conditioners fitted, perhaps attesting to the lack of effectiveness of the evaporative cooling of old!Daniel Ford

Last Christmas, I was on the other side of the world in the Canary Islands, and I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the largest city on Tenerife Island.The Canary Islands is an autonomous territory of Spain and lies about 300 kilometres from the troubled area of Western Sahara in Africa, and over 2000 kilometres from Spain, with at least a three hour flight.It is a wealthy European enclave, which gets much of its economy from tourism, especially in Summer and during Carnivale, where the main parade on Shrove Tuesday takes over the whole city.In late December, Tenerife is still quite warm but not crowded at all, and the accommodation is quite cheap, sometimes ridiculously cheap. The Canaries are noted for their mild temperatures around the 20’s Celsius throughout Winter.I arrived off the ferry at Tenerife for Las Palmas on Christmas Eve at 4pm. The ferry is operated by a Swedish company called Fred Olsen, and the trip was effortless and comfortable from Las Palmas in Gran Canaris. It was the same company I travelled with over nearly three days by ferry from Huelva in Spain to reach Las Palmas in Gran Canaris.Walking around Santa Cruz, I was impressed by the great light displays along all the streets but puzzled by how quiet it was. In Spanish culture, Christmas Eve is not traditionally for gift-giving, but for family dinners. The gift-giving, especially to children, is held on 6 January as part of the Three Kings Festival, and many of the shops hold sales from Christmas to Three Kings.One remarkable event that occurred while in Tenerife was the arrival of the Calima, a sandstorm blown all the way from the Sahara, which is closer than one might think. It can obscure vision, shut down airports and even cause breathing difficulties as the sand is like fine dust hanging in the air.Santa Cruz divides into a tourist precinct along the sea, notably, the giant water park called Parque Maritimo Cesar Manrique with the nearby botanical gardens, the Palmetum. The Palmetum is a 12-hectare property built on a former garbage dump and specialises in palms, including many from Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.  It is a fascinating botanical experience.Like in the rest of Spain, it is always best and polite to use a tourist-level of Spanish for ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and so on.The street life in Santa Cruz, I much enjoyed the busking of an up-and-coming pop-rock group called Postcode at night, since very little entertainment outside the casinos or drinking bars seemed on offer. Street life during the day was also colourful, especially the bird whistle man of Santa Cruz, who was very skilled and entertaining. I bought one of his clay whistles which I still have, but on reflection, I dumped the syringe it came with to fill with water before my next flight.The place I recommend visitors explore and even stay in is the old city of San Cristobal de La Laguna which is where the University of La Laguna is located, and has much more vibrancy, and activity than actual Santa Cruz. It has the most interesting art galleries dedicated to highly talented local artists, local museums and a general sense of a town full of life.As a tip if you visit Tenerife on the cheap backpacking trail, San Cristobal is a must-see. There are numerous ads in Tenerife for huge water parks and even zoos, but they could be anywhere in the world really.I would recommend Gran Canaria much more than Tenerife, especially the north of the island around places such as Galdar. The south of the island has many resort towns where foreigners stay in garish concrete blocks in order to bake themselves in the sun. The north of Gran Canaria is much more authentic, cheap and fun and full of a variety of activities. For example, I got a trip on a tourist submarine at Playa de Mogan which turned out to be free as they had overbooked my first ride by three and offered us a refund to wait for the next trip in a few hours.Happy to head back to the Canary Island but be aware it’s much more expensive in the busy seasons!

Most people will have heard of Petra, the Jordanian city carved from solid rock by the ancient Nabateans. But few seem to have heard of its sister city, Mada'in Saleh (also known as Hegra, and also made by the Nabateans), near AlUla in Saudi Arabia.In 2008, UNESCO proclaimed Mada'in Saleh Saudi Arabia's first world heritage site. It was chosen for its well-preserved remains from the 1st century AD, especially the 131 monumental rock-cut tombs, with their elaborately ornamented façades.As a result of that heritage declaration, Saudi Arabia is taking steps to protect the site from further degradation, while also promoting it as a major tourist destination. As a result of these two actions, access to the tombs is now strictly controlled, and rather than being free to roam around the extensive site at leisure, we were taken by bus to four specific sites only, and allowed only limited time to inspect them.The accompanying photo is one of the better examples we visited. Some of the tombs were for prominent individuals, while others included multiple individuals, each in a slot carved into the walls.

Greetings from Shaqraa, Saudi Arabia! As most people do, I started my adventure to Saudi Arabia in the capital, Riyadh. Leaving there after a few days, I began hitchhiking north, towards the city of Shaqraa.Saudi Arabians are incredibly hospitable, welcoming, generous and friendly. Within minutes I had a lift part-way towards my destination. My third lift that day was an Arab dressed in the traditional style (see photo). While his English was poor, after the usual initial questions about my name and country, he then invited me to his home for traditional Arabian tea, coffee and dates, served by his wife and daughter.All the while in his car he was on the phone, with the name 'Australia' frequently mentioned. Little did I realise that he was organising with his closest fellow tribesmen a dinner in my honour! After driving me around to photograph all the places on my list, we ended up at a friend's date farm, where I was surprised to see several other men already waiting for us.On our arrival, they all stood up, and I went around the circle shaking each hand and introducing myself. With every late arrival, the same procedure occurred, except their friends received either three cheek kisses, or rubbed noses. It wasn't till later I found out that only Saudi men who are very close friends greet one another by touching noses. This indicates trust, intimacy and respect in the friendship. It is not performed unless people are deeply loyal to one another.One of the men took this photo with my phone, to preserve what is a very fond memory of my introduction to Saudi hospitality. The subsequent dinner, served in a nearby room while seated cross-legged on the carpet, was boiled camel, yellow rice and some leafy vegetable. Food is eaten with the hand, but only the right hand must be used.Regards,Daniel

For over three decades, I've been visiting Bermagui, a coastal delight that somehow manages to remain a well-kept secret. The local scenery is spectacular with a range of beautiful beaches and walks. There is a range of different accommodations, including holiday lets (see local real estate agents and websites), plus Airbnbs, and an array of caravan parks.If you’re like me, the first thing you’ll want in the morning is a good coffee and my favourite is Mr Hope in Bunga Street, who not only does wonderful coffee with every conceivable milk alternative but has some unique breakfast food offerings you don’t see anywhere else. The standout favourite is the potato, feta, rosemary and sea salt pide - the breakfast of champions. While other options like mushrooms and smashed tomato are tempting, once you've savoured the potato version, it's hard to go back.Don’t miss to visit Honorbread, the award-winning bakery just down the road. Honor has won numerous awards for her baking, and when you try their bread and pastries you’ll understand why. Personally, I can never resist the Kardemummabullar, a Swedish Cardamom Bun with a local twist known as the Mumbulla Mountain bun. Its a perfect balance of sweetness and flavour. The ginger scones there are equally tempting, making for a tough decision.Everyone who visits Bermagui should try the Fish & Chips at the Fisherman’s Wharf, as it's fresh and delicious. After lunch, to assist in working off the calories, you might like to go for a walk along the beach, either at Main Beach, which has a great reserve behind it, or around the corner at Beares Beach where you can let your dog run free.  The walk along the headland is excellent, starting from the War Memorial all the way along to the Blue Pool and  has a phenomenal view, where you can look out to sea and usually spot seals frolicking. For a refreshing dip descend the hundred-odd steps to a lovely fresh saltwater pool at the bottom. Before heading back to your accommodation, try the Gelati Clinic at the Fisherman’s Wharf which has some homemade offerings. All ingredients are locally sourced and made onsite. Their affogato is one of their highlights. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as visiting Mimosa Winery, exploring landmarks like Camel Rock or Horse Head Rock, fishing, taking a nature tour, going on a river kayak tour, or playing a round of golf.. There is a long list of activities and places to visit. You’ll find all the details at The Bermagui Visitor Information Centre. 

Billed as the world’s most remote music festival, BIG RED BASH is located 35-kms west of Birdsville Queensland. As a crow flies, that is some 1400-1500-kms from the cities of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne but much further by road. This is its tenth anniversary year, and BIG RED BASH attracted over 10,000 people in attendance. A tremendous line up of musicians included: Icehouse, John Williamson, Chocolate Starfish, Angels, Hoodoo Gurus, Kate Ceberano, Troy Casser-Daly, Human Nature, Grace Knight, Mel Dwyer, Caitlin Shadbolt, Shane Howard, Wendy Mathews, Dragon and many more.  Apart from the music, there are many other events and activities for the whole family. This year some 5,838 people set a new world record for Nutbush dancing as sung by the legendary Tina Turner, who recently passed away. This record event raised some $90,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Further funding for RFDS came from Drag Race, Dunny Door painting, fashion parade and early entry/exit passes. Juvenile Type one Diabetes Medical Research received a huge donation from 5,467 people who dressed in blue clothing and wigs to form a giant map of Australia, which made another world record. Crack Up Sisters also entertained the crowd with their shows, comedy, whip cracking plus games and activities.  The event also included a big number of displays and food vendors to cater for the masses. Smith‘s mobile bakery made hot bread, pies, cakes, tarts and donuts for patrons. Other vendors did pizza, burgers, coffee, Mexican food, South American food, chicken, ice cream, fish & chips etc.   Festival goers could also do camel rides and helicopter flights. Festival organisers also had a huge range of merchandise for sale. Birdsville BIG RED BASH (with Big Red sand dune as a backdrop) certainly Rocks the Simpson Desert and is an iconic event that brings people back year after year. For myself, this was my fourth BIG RED BASH as a volunteer. I work as a stage builder along with about 400 volunteers that are road marshals, merchandise sellers, ticket staff, concert marshals, tent erectors, cooks, electricians, plumbers, dunny angels, stage hands, camp site and road set up teams etc. Some 11,000 man hours of work was done by volunteers to make this event a success plus a huge effort by the event staff members. It is a great event in that it showcases Australia’s music talent, has raised some $300,000 for charity. It has generated an estimated $20 million for the outback economy as patrons travel to and from Birdsville, spending money on fuel, food (groceries, meat, fruit and vegetables), caravan parks, hotel/motels, meals out, camping supplies and tourist attractions. It is a windfall for small towns like Birdsville, Boulia, Windorah, Quilpie, Winton etc. plus larger towns like Charleville, Cunnamulla, Longreach, St George and many others along the way. I believe it helps our economy where Australian tourism dollars are spent here rather than overseas.     Congratulations to Greg Donovan and his family who have founded and promoted Birdsville BIG RED BASH and making it such a great event. Greg was featured on ABC’s “Australia Story” some months ago.        

After returning to Guernsey in late May, I took a day trip to tiny Herm island, via a 30 minute ferry ride (in itself very scenic). Herm is a hidden gem, loved by the local Guernsey folk and visitors alike, many of whom come back yearly. Walking along the coast one comes to various beaches including the wonderful Shell Beach, with its stunning white sand with tiny shells. A good seasonal cafe has now started at Shell Beach and Belvoir Beach. There are scenic views towards Sark (another of the Channel Islands) and on a clear day you can see the French coast too.The cliffs are covered with beautiful wildflowers in the spring – in pink ,white and blue. If you’re lucky you can see puffins, most common in April and May, coming to nest in the rocky cliffs. Walking back across the common, one comes to the harbour where there are cottages for rent and the 5-star White House hotel.The alternative inland route from Shell Beach passes by tiny St Tugual’s chapel, with its lovely stained-glass windows, and from the garden there are great views back toward Guernsey.After a visit to Herm Island, you’ll come back to Guernsey refreshed, with a good suntan and a fond wish to return soon.FROM MARGARET MITCHELL, GERRINGONG

Everywhere in Northwestern France, visitors are immersed in examples of stunning natural beauty and rich history. Against this high bar, breathtaking Mont-Saint-Michel stands out as the jewel in the crown. We visited recently on a busy Ascension long weekend in May. One of Europe’s most visited attractions, drawing up to three million visitors each year, Mont-Saint-Michel is a rocky granite island outcrop rising out of a beautiful bay just east of the Couesnon River, which opens onto the English Channel. Construction of its buildings began a thousand years ago. At the island’s base, thick medieval fortress walls and towers surround and support the magnificent gothic abbey at its peak, which in turn towers over the village buildings and grounds clustered around it.  Mont-Saint-Michel has played a key role in various wars and battles, as a fortress resisting sieges. It was in centuries past the biggest western world pilgrimage site, attracting more pilgrims than Santiago de Compostela.  Mont-Saint-Michel was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

With the chilly months fast approaching, my wife Julie and I escaped north to Port Douglas to find the last glimmers of warmth.After a three-hour flight, we found the sound as temperatures rose to 25 degrees, a much kinder experience than the blustering winds we’ve had back home.We’re usually intrepid overseas travellers, but we still appreciate and enjoy the convenience of travelling in our own backyard.On a previous trip up north, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a cassowary in the wild, but Julie was yet to spot the elusive create.On this trip, magic happened.A beautiful cassowary started crossing the road right in front of us, not alone either; it was trailed by its little chicks following close behind.Next was a day trip to Mossman River for snorkelling, which produced the highlight of the trip: a turtle popped up from out of the water right in front of us.It’s such an amazing experience when something so wild and free joins you, even if just for a moment.That afternoon saw us drift down the Mossman River on a specially built inflatable air bed, where we could lay back and watch the rainforest’s ceiling pass us by.We’re back home now and fully recharged, but still missing the wonderful tropical north each day.

The spectacular Jurassic Coast, England’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famous for its rocks, marine fossils, remarkable landforms and stunning natural beauty.It spans over 180 million years of geological history, being the only place on earth where due to extremely active marine erosion, rock formations from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods can all be seen in one location.Impressive natural features include arches, pinnacles, hollowed out coves, crumbles, stack rocks and a fossilised forest.The Jurassic Coast makes up a 150 kilometre stretch of the English Channel coastlines of Dorset and Devon, and forms a section of the longer South West Coast Path walking trail.The relaxed and pretty seaside town of Weymouth (photo Weymouth harbour) makes an enjoyable base from which to explore the area, and is an easy couple of hours from London by train or car. Local buses from Weymouth to the nearby Jurassic Coast destinations mentioned below are plentiful and inexpensive.Chesil Beach is breathtaking, a dramatic steeply-shelved shingle ridge beach stretching for kilometres (29) from the Isle of Portland into the distance, and comprised of millions of pebbles and stones (mainly flint and chert from and Jurassic rocks) of different shapes and colours, some as large as potatoes.Author John Fowles described it as “above all an elemental place, made of sea, shingle and sky, its dominant sound always that of waves on moving stone: from the great surf and pounding … of sou’westers, to the delicate laps and back-gurgling of the rare dead calm….”. Beautiful Lulworth Cove is a favourite spot for fossil hunters and the gateway to a breathtaking coastal path featuring a range of eye-catching natural rock formations, such as Stair Hole and Durdle Door.Over time the power of the sea cut through the resistant Portland limestone layer at the mouth of the cove, with waves then bending into an arc shape when pushing through the cove’s mouth, thereby creating its horseshoe-shape.Striking Durdle Door, which resembles a dinosaur drinking (very fitting for the ‘Jurassic’ Coast), is an example of a natural limestone arch, and a lovely place for a fresh dip on a warm summer’s day, after an exhilarating walk along the scenic coastal path to reach it.Durdle Door and its surrounds have been featured in a range of music videos, films and TV programs.Bellinda Dunn, Kiama

With an urge to experience the world, I thought there was no better place to do it than the land of fire and ice.Known for its rugged landscapes and scenery, my friend and I called a cosy campervan our home for three weeks while we travelled the coast of Iceland.In the 21 days, we experienced everything the small country has to offer.We made friends with locals and tourists, hiked up volcanoes and through canyons, walked across glaciers, explored surprisingly small towns, swam in hidden hot springs and wandered behind countless waterfalls.A highlight of the trip was our three days spent driving through the Westfjords Region.Around every corner was a new mountain towering above you.It was also where the majority of the hot springs were and each day we would find a new one to jump into.The Eastern Region of Iceland is where I stumbled across my favourite town.Seydisfjordur is a small fishing village hidden between huge snow-capped mountains with hundreds of small waterfalls falling down its cliff face.We travelled through the town on bikes, and I couldn’t help but feel like Walter Mitty.By travelling to Iceland in April, the transitional month from winter to summer, we got to experience the best of both seasons.We saw the adorable Atlantic Puffins – 60 per cent of the population migrate to Iceland in the summer months – and were lucky enough to experience the magical Northern Lights, which are seen in the winter months.With no itinerary to follow, every day held new and unexpected adventures.Every morning we jumped in the front seat of our camper and drove through Iceland’s insane and beautiful nature before pulling up to a new patch of grass with a different awe-inspiring view.I wouldn’t have done it any other way.Cassandra Zaucer, Kiama If you’d like to share your travel story, send your postcard to: [email protected] 

For oyster lovers there could be no greater indulgence than a weekend away down the NSW South Coast for the famous Narooma Oyster Festival celebrating the Rock Oyster, native to New South Wales estuaries.The festival is held on the shores of the picturesque Wagonga Inlet in Narooma on the first weekend in May and is a feast for the senses for lovers of this complex, delicious and luxurious salt-water bivalve mollusc.2023 did not disappoint. Oyster lovers came out in force, delighting in the bounty of freshly harvested and shucked oysters on offer, served at the height of the season and the peak of their glory.A favourite on the New South Wales food and beverage calendar, the festival boasted a packed schedule of general admission activities as well as special ticketed experiences commencing on Friday afternoon concluding with an oyster hangover breakfast on Sunday morning.Attendees enjoyed produce from dozens of oyster and other food and beverage vendors, live music, market stalls, oyster shucking competitions as well as light projections and spectacular fireworks on Friday night. A real treat for the kids young and old!The delectable Rockies were served ‘au naturale’, with a myriad of dressings - traditional kilpatrick and mornay to more unusual offerings like the New Orleans“Po’ Boy”.This was a rich concoction of cooked oysters with spices in a creamy bacon sauce, served in a hollowed out ba- guette. Sound rich? It was!Ticketed events included a Long Table Dinner, Yuin Native Food Exploration, Ultimate Oyster Experience Masterclass, Champagne and Oysters cruise on the inlet, Saturday night salty Festa and more!To cap off the festivities, the grand finale Sunday Hangtown Fry breakfast at Club Narooma included oyster omelettes, as well as bloody/virgin Marys, garnishedwith - you guessed it - fresh oysters.Exhausted but not defeated we made our way back home to Kiama with treasured memories of a wonderful briny weekend.Sofia Cappodanno, KiamaIf you’d like to share your travel story, send your postcard to: news@ thebuglenewspaper.com.au 

After an exhausting three years, a resort holiday was in order – that is, paying to be fed and watered in comfort, along with having my bed made.Researching options across Bali and Fiji, I leaned towards the latter because of the shorter flight. A friend who returned from Fiji recommended the Intercontinental Fiji on the Coral Coast and this was the confirmation I needed to finalise a booking.Train travel and transit through Sydney and Nadi airports were full of smooth moving queues. The one-hour cab drive from Nadi airport had me arriving in the early evening, just in time to witness the spectacular sunsets that the Coral Coast is so well known for.The hotel welcomed me with a hearty ‘Bula’, multi-strand necklace, a brief hug and a reminder that it was a homecoming. After checking in, I was shuttled to my room – and what a delight! The generous space opened to a large balcony, offering panoramic views of the sea and an atoll less than 200 metres offshore. And six more nights of those spectacular sunsets.Quickly hooking my Wi-Fi and emptying my suitcase, I then headed out into the night-time gardens to find a meal, grinning from ear to ear and feeling enormous gratitude for my good fortune. The smile and the gratitude remained with me for the entire trip.If it was another holiday, I might regale you with descriptions of all the activities available to a visitor to Fiji – water sports, island hopping, horse-riding on the beach, outdoor massages, forest hikes, mountain climbing, mud baths, golf. Perhaps I might also tell you about the hotel facilities such as evening cocktails, spas, shopping, kid’s activities, cultural events and daily fitness.But I wasn’t on that holiday – so I did none of these things.Instead, I surrendered to the warmth and genuine friendliness of the Fijians, I surrendered to the tranquillity, privacy and comfort. I swam, slept, read, relaxed and came back to myself.George Elliot wrote, ‘adventure is not outside man: it is within’ – and those quiet, reflective, peaceful seven days in paradise cleared the way for a small but perfectly formed adventure.Tracey Henderson, KiamaIf you’d like to share your travel story, send your postcard to: [email protected]