Category Archives: Travelgasm

Travelgasm: containing Christchurch

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Re:Start - big business getting small business back on its feet

Almost one year ago to the day, the city of Christchurch, New Zealand was rocked to its core, if you can pardon the pun. The city was devastated by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake, killing 185 and injuring scores more. The city remembered those it lost earlier this week in a memorial service.

But juxtaposed with this sadness and devastation are the signs of a city getting back on its feet. Christchurch is recovering and repairing, and local business are reviving their livlihoods in the most innovative way: pop-up shops made from shipping containers. The humble shipping container has been pimped, and the result is Re:Start -  a mean metal example of Kiwi innovation and resilience.

Shipping container chic - Christchurch style

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Travelgasm: Travel Fever

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Travel [trav-uhl] Fever [fee-ver]

1. noun – an abnormal condition of the mind and body, characterised by undue rise in temperature, compulsion to journey from one place to another by car, train, plane, or ship; take a trip; journey: to travel for pleasure.
2. verb – intense nervous excitement causing one to travel compulsively for pleasure.

I’d be willing to bet good money that anyone who loves travel can remember the exact moment they caught the disease that would see them spending the rest of their life struggling to pay the mortgage/bills/rent while blowing all their spare cash on that next trip.

I was a young’en when I caught Travel Fever. The year was 1997 and I was almost 15 years old. The place was Pakistan. Yes. Pakistan.

Until recently, I hadn’t thought about when the year I caught the fever, but when my Pop passed away I found myself searching through piles of of birthday cards, Christmas cards and postcards my grandparents had hoarded during their lives.

While sorting through the hundreds (seriously, there were hundreds) of cards they’d been given, up popped a little beauty I’d sent my grandparents back in ’97.

Exhibit A – how patient was infected with the deadly Travel Fever (TF). TF is known to cause patient to behave irrationally, often taking off from their safe and warm home with only a small backpack, and no where near enough money to survive on. Continue reading →

Travelgasm: a massive night out

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I certainly don’t need a reason to have a night out, but I’ve now got a regular excuse to drink cocktails on a school night. For the past five months I’ve stamped the last Thursday of every month in my calendar RESERVED: Travel Massive.

Brisbane Travel Massive crew

Travel Massive started as travel networking drinks at a backpackers in Sydney, Australia and has now spread around the world. It’s grown from being just a few travel-lovers sharing beers to a global travel meet-up. Travel Massive is now connecting the travel industry with start-ups, bloggers and socially engaged travellers in cities like New York, London, Toronto, San Francisco, Melbourne and Singapore. Continue reading →

Travelgasm: when the festival’s rockin’, do come a knockin’

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For the past 15 years, the hospitable people of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads, Queensland, Australia, have been allowing fans of everything retro to get their rocks off at Cooly Rocks On.

The celebration of all things 50s and 60s (known as Wintersun until 2010) has a long history on the Gold Coast. This festival was rocking long before it was trendy to be retro, but with the resurgence of all things nostalgic in the past five years or so, crowds continue to grow each year.

I was corrupted at a young age by nostalgia. My first birthday was at a car show. Being a first-born daughter didn’t stop my father – a total old car nut – from taking me out into the garage every chance he got to teach me the ropes. Mum and Dad took me along to rock ‘n’ roll dancing lessons, and I was MORTIFIED when I was picked up from school in our 1964 Pontiac Parisienne. (I later realised this was actually pretty cool). Continue reading →

Travelgasm: five ways to do NZ

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When thinking of New Zealand, it’s hard for your imagination not to wander to those jokes about sheep and love-making.

My boyf is a Kiwi, and while I must say he is fond of sheep, he likes his wool on his back, not the other way around.

I think, however, those dirty jokes are a bit of a metaphor for the Kiwi way; clearly they can take a joke. They also know how to have a good time and they don’t take things too seriously (except maybe rugby). This is just one of the things that makes New Zealand a great place to visit.

This is my (adopted) New Zealand – five ways.

1. Nature at its naked best

New Zealand is a place where nature almost seems untouched by humans, if you squint really hard (and have questionable eyesight). Whether it’s Milford Sound on the South Island, Stewart Island or Matamata on the North Island, where the Lord of the Rings movies were famously filmed, you won’t be disappointed. Continue reading →

Travelgasm: you can leave your boots on…

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Ride ‘em cowboy. It’s a cliché for a reason.

Clearly cowboys must know how to have a good time. And Nashville’s CMA music festival is where you can take Party Like a Cowboy/Cowgirl 101. Yee-haw! (Disclaimer: the locals actually say that).

Cowboys come out to play at CMA music fest

I appreciate country music, but I can’t say I listen to it every day. How can you hate it though? Any music genre that talks about that dog-gone fella who’s a whisky drinkin’, heart breakin’ son-of-a-gun has got me by the ear. Continue reading →