Rating as one of the coolest things SHE got amongst during a stay in Los Angeles was a Segway tour through Beverly Hills. Our group were first time Segway riders – a little nervous, a touch apprehensive. After a safety demonstration, some expert guidance, and practice in the carpark, our confidence increased and we headed off in single file through Beverly Hills. Segways are licensed to be ridden on the sidewalk in America – how cool is that? They’re incredibly easy to ride, require little skill and limited training. They’re easy to manoeuvre and they ‘turn on a dime’ (and that’s a neat trick once your confidence increases!)

We glided down the palm-lined streets of Beverly Hills, past the houses of the rich and famous, and along Robertson Street for glimpses in boutiques and celebrity eateries. The highlight, without a doubt, was gliding along Rodeo Drive – absolutely awesome! SHE was surprised how forgiving the locals were…people happily moved out of our way as we rolled slowly down the centre of the sidewalk. Many joked with us that it was the best way to travel, and not one person was angry or upset with us. Can’t honestly say that SHE thinks it would be the same if we rolled through Bourke St Mall in Melbourne on a Friday afternoon!

The people at Another Side of Los Angeles Tour were fantastic: helpful, accommodating, patient, excellent teachers and knowledgeable guides. Our guide somehow managed to not only navigate her way through busy streets, but keep an eye on us at the same time – and she gave those of us who were feeling confident a chance to pick up the pace a little once we reached a quieter area – big fun! Some simple hand gestures and clear communication made this trip a stress-free experience. Thanks guys! SHE loved it and SHE’ll be back!

Arriving at the hotel SHE checked in and went to the room. Despite having booked two king or queen rooms (subject to availability of course and this is well understood) SHE found herself in a room with 2 single beds, on the lowest possible floor, facing the carpark, and as it turned out, with disabled facilities in the bathroom. Now there’s not one thing wrong with the disabled facilities, it just wasn’t what was expected. And of course there was no bath. As it turns out, one of the two booked rooms was a large corner room with a king bed located on a high floor. The two rooms could not have been more different and were clearly not the same room type. After one visit back to Reception and two further phone calls, SHE was finally moved to another room. A bit precious maybe? SHE just likes to get what SHE pays for.

On check out, the Reception staff member asked the question: “Was everything alright with your room?”. The answer was an emphatic “no, not really”. For a 5 star hotel SHE thought the facilities generally weren’t up to scratch. The room certainly did not resemble this lovely shiny photo! And he did ask the question, so he got an answer. He then spent some time explaining that if the booking had been made through the hotel website, a room type would have been guaranteed. Since the booking was made through WOTIF (and quote…”we don’t encourage people to book through WOTIF’) the room allocated was quite possibly the worst room in the house. After another 10 minutes giving more explanation about the pitfalls of booking through WOTIF, SHE turned on her heel and got out of there pronto.

SHE’s in the business of events, hospitality and tourism. SHE’s pretty confident that if a booking had been made through a hotel contact dealing in our industry market or indeed the hotel website, that a very different room type would have been allocated to this traveller. The message to the hotel: consider yourself  ‘mystery shopped’ and consider the result a great big ‘fail’. And as for the staff member who attempted to explain the situation: I’m sure WOTIF will be interested in knowing how little the hotel values their contribution to filling the rooms and keeping everyone employed as a result. Don’t bite the hand the feeds you folks.

More often than not hotels will charge for Wi Fi. SHE just doesn’t get it. Why not offer complimentary access in the bar or restaurant? No? Prefer the extra revenue you’ll think you’ll earn from us? $12 an hour/$25 a day – no thanks. So off SHE goes, with the laptop, Ipad, Iphone to the cafe around the corner: to catch up on emails, maybe a Skype call home, browse the internet, research the next stop. And this is thirsty work…SHE’ll order a coffee, maybe skip breakfast in the hotel and have it here…there could be a spend of $10 or a $100. So,  in fact, SHE has paid for the luxury of Wi Fi access, SHE’s just done it happily.

A recent Luxury Travel Magazine article quotes a survey that found “71 per cent of hotel guests say having Wi-Fi in their rooms influences where they stay”. And “free Wi-Fi was the most desired amenity for hotel guests”. Hello…hotel people…are you listening?

To the General Managers and owners of hotels who just can’t bring themselves to offer free Wi Fi – SHE thinks you have an opportunity here. In these uncertain times why not give yourself a competitive edge, and maybe increase your food and beverage revenue while you’re there. The smart hotels will give us what we’ll soon demand: free Wi Fi included in your hotel rate or we’ll vote with our feet.

A passing suggestion to a client ‘have you considered Ayers Rock?’ evolved into the beginnings of a 4 day program for a small group of lucky, hardworking resellers. So it’s off to the Rock SHE goes, leaving any real expectations behind on the tarmac in Melbourne. It’s a fact finding mission so SHE’s taking an open mind, a sense of humour, and warm clothes!

Straight up it’s worth mentioning (& clarifying) the names of where we are: the early explorers were responsible for the naming of the Olgas and Ayers Rock in Central Australia, as you do when you’re an explorer trekking to god knows where to find god knows what. The local indigenous people refer to Ayers Rock as ‘Uluru’ and the Olgas as ‘Kata Tjuta’. SHE henceforth follows suit in respect to the local traditional owners.

The centre of our country is pretty much 3 hours from Sydney, Brisbane or Perth. Qantas and Virgin Australia can get you here. A connection from Melbourne meant an early start (7.30am flight – not too bad) and arrival into Uluru at around 1pm. From the left hand side of the plane SHE had fabulous views of the salt lakes (who knew?) and that rock. Jeez…that’s a big rock!

A snappy luggage-on-baggage-carousel delivery (good work boys) and a 10 minute transfer to the hotel sees the beginning of the experience. The Ayers Rock Resort is the only option for accommodation if you want a room, hot shower, running water – oh, and a hairdryer! And it’s pretty good: SHE stayed at the Desert Gardens Hotel – the 4.5 star version. Very comfortable, a room on the first floor (that’s as high as it goes thankfully) overlooking the Rock. Admittedly its a fair way in the distance but absolutely no doubt that it really does exist! There are plenty of other accommodation options: SHE also liked the self contained apartments; nice to be able to whip up a meal if that’s your thing. Sails in the Desert (the 5 star option) is soon to undergo a room refurbishment; looks flash and a nice choice. Note: no rock view from here.

The Resort has plenty of facilities: the supermarket pretty much sells everything (there’s the self catering option checked). Prices are reasonable given the remote location. Restaurants: SHE visited the Red Rock Deli (ahhh… good coffee, surprise!) and Geckos for dinner one night – excellent chicken schnitzel. The pizza and pasta also looked great. Service staff were friendly, efficient, chatty, and happy to recommend their favourite thing in and around the Rock. How refreshing to see hospitality staff who enjoy the place they work in.

And now for the highlights…’this town revolves around sunrise and sunset’. Yep – sure does! There’s a flurry of activity as bleary eyed tourists meet for a 6am departure to watch the sunrise over Uluru. It’s hard to find a quiet space amongst all those tourists but a chat to your local guide will see you sharing it with fewer than a dozen. It was freezing (2 degrees) and the temperature dips as the sun rises (holy s…). Thermals, 3 layers, gloves, beanie – little defence against the icy wind that picked up post sunrise. Memo to travellers: be prepared if visiting in winter!

The Cultural Centre at the base of Uluru is well worth a visit. SHE tracked along with a small group gradually defrosting; a breakfast at the cafe following sunrise was light, tasty and warming. From here it was off on a guided walk with Anangu Tours, an Aboriginal-owned company providing tours at the Rock. Our guide, Sarah, spoke in her local language, using another guide to translate to English for us. It was fascinating and surprisingly entertaining: body language remains the universal communicator. Our tour ended at the base of Uluru, and it was here the sheer size and scale of the monolith quite literally took our breath away. SHE loved this tour, a great introduction to the area and the local people. And the biggest surprise of all was just how green the area is. Our guide told us that due to the amount of rain in the Centre, plant and flora varieties not seen in 14 years are raising their beautiful heads. The colours are amazing and so vibrant against the clear blue sky: reds, yellows, purples, and the rich ochre. Truly the colours of Australia.

SHE would visit the Cultural  Centre again, take some time to walk around, and then complete the base walk of Uluru (a flat, easy 2 – 3 hour walk). Oh – folks…no climbing the Rock. Locals won’t say it like that but just don’t. It’s not appropriate or safe. If you want to climb something, go to the Himalayas.

Sunrise at Kata Tjuta also makes the ‘must do’ list;  another early morning that’s worth dragging yourself out of bed for. SHE joined the wonderful people from SEIT Tours: small groups and personalised attention is this company’s point of difference. And you’ll find some options here no other company is offering. SHE thinks it good to share the love around the Red Centre.

And yes, the Sounds of Silence dinner is everything its cracked up to be. More relaxed than SHE had expected, and very social (travellers do love a chat don’t we?). Run like a well-oiled machine in true laid back Outback fashion, without any stress or drama. Pre dinner drinks with the accompaniment of a didgeridoo as the sun set over Kata Tjuta – wow. (Nice photo on the left hey?! SHE’s very proud of it!) A walk down a pathway through the glorious red sand (don’t pack the white runners if you want to see that colour again!) reveals white clothed tables and a dinner buffet. Service, again, was friendly and didn’t miss a beat. No shortage of drink service made for lively conversation with new friends.

Following dinner, the limited lighting was dimmed completely and, in darkness, Emma, our stargazer (love that for a job title), explained those amazing twinkly planets and stars to us. Fascinating. SHE now knows how to find true South, a very handy skill to have just in case SHE’s ever lost in the desert, or out on a very dark night! A peek through a telescope revealed Saturn – wow. And for those who’ve never been to the Outback – the stars alone are reason to get out here.

SHE saw the sun rise (2 mornings in a row – couldn’t get enough!), only right to see it set…this time on the back of a camel with the boys (and girls) from the Camel Farm! Fabulous. SHE’s been on a camel in Central Australia before but this experience topped them all. What a treat to plod through the desert – Uluru on the right, Kata Tjuta on the left, as the sun dipped over the horizon. Could you ever get tired of seeing that?

3 days and 2 nights just weren’t quite enough. SHE’s very much looking forward to getting back to the Red Centre next year, adding an extra day and night to pack some more amazing experiences into. There really is something special about this place, and it’s hard to put it into words. It’s the heart of our country.

For first time travellers to the Centre SHE has some tips for your consideration:

• Forget about how much everything costs and just get amongst it. In this place sits our history and our culture, right here in this incredible part of the world. You’ll regret scrimping and scraping. And that’s what credit cards are for.
• Drink water, travel with water, don’t leave the Resort without it. There’s plenty of places to fill your bottle. 5 times dryer than any other Australian destination, dehydration is a very real issue here.
• If you’re a dirty rotten smoker could you please not smoke in the middle of a pristine environment with real fresh air? Or while the rest of us are having dinner in the middle of the desert? And if you have to, pick up your damn butts. Honestly – get a patch.
• In the warmer months: buy Desert Dwellers insect repellant from the local Information Office (all natural and the only thing that works; apparently the pesky flies find Aerogard very tasty). Accept that heat, flies and red dust are all a part of it, and stop whingeing. Its boring.
• Invest in the ultimate fashion item – the fly net hat thingy. You’ll look like a daggy tourist but honestly – do you care?
• Travel in winter if you don’t want to deal with the flies. Do anticipate the freezing temperatures and pack accordingly. Yes – it really is cold and shorts and tshirts are SO NOT appropriate at 6am! Bring them out around midday for some of that stunning sunshine and blue sky we love so much…and other countries can’t quite believe is real. Lucky us.

In the words of that well known jingle written by local identity Barry Skipsey for Northern Territory Tourism all those years ago: ‘you’ll never never know if you never never go’. Go on…get out there.

And now, at last…what a wonderful surprise to find the very stylish Cafe Vue shining like a beacon in the newly revamped Melbourne International Airport terminal! Pass through security and customs, pick up your duty free and treat yourself to a great Melbourne cafe institution.  When SHE visited a few weeks ago, SHE perched up at a lovely high table and watched the airport world go by. It was early-ish (around 8am) so breakfast was calling.

Crispy corn fritters with avocado purée. Yum. At $11 it’s far superior to the buffet breakfast offering in the main airport. Real food, cafe quality, cooked to order and beautifully presented. Coffee by 5 senses with organic milk in lovely crockery. Delicious.(Of course you can do takeaway coffee but SHE doesn’t do paper cups or coffee on the run – life’s too short to drink from cardboard!)

Bread is baked on the premises using organic flour.  There’s sandwiches, pies, salads, cakes, pastries and biscuits made daily. Wonderful, fresh, appetising options. SHE loved the Plane Boxes: for those travelling on low cost airlines you can choose from a picnic style box that might include a sandwich, fruit and a macaroon (oh yumm!). Definitely more interesting (and much healthier) than the trolley offerings on board.

The licensed Cafe’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (menus are available for alacarte dining). There’s a ‘Menu du Jour’ 2 courses for $35. Open 21 hours.

It’s definitely not your standard airport fare. And it’s sure to scare some people away with it’s upmarket cafe presentation. SHE thinks it’s the perfect way to while away time waiting, waiting, waiting… Very stylish, very Melbourne.

A recent article in The Age quotes a Hilton Honours survery: “Sixty per cent of travellers would choose to drive 10 hours by themselves in silence rather than take a 10-hour flight with a crying baby”.

And other results are in:

“Sitting next to a crying baby is better than sitting next to someone with body odour, but a lot worse than sitting next to a “boring talkative” person or obese person” (a recent poll by DDB Worldwide Communications Group).

And: “Fifty-four per cent of respondents in a recent Skyscanner survey favour family-only sections on planes, with all families with children relegated to one area.”

If the airlines are listening to the travelling public, the ‘family only’ sections of the plane might be a reality sooner than we think. In the days before we could choose our seat preferences online prior to boarding, Virgin Australia (then Virgin Blue) allocated family groups toward the back of the plane. No complaints then – from anyone. Funny about that.

And for the record: SHE doesn’t think any of this is about discrimination folks! It’s about taking all traveller’s needs and requirements into consideration. It’s a long time to be confined to a small space, wouldn’t you do whatever you could to ease the pain?

SHE thinks Rockpool is the kind of place you could settle into very easily: comfortable leather chairs, muted lighting, excellent service every step of the way. Choosing a bar table doesn’t mean compromising on the service or indeed the menu. Order from the full restaurant menu or choose from the more compact bar menu; the choice is yours. No matter where you sit or dine here, no-one’s looking down their noses at you. On a Friday night after a long week, a burger and a few wines were definitely in order.

And what a burger it is: Wagyu beef with bacon, gruyere cheese, and zuni pickle; at $24 it was an absolute bargain. A side of crispy, moreish onion rings were the perfect accompaniment. SHE and her buddy enjoyed a very reasonably priced bottle of Pinot Grigio from King Valley in Victoria – surprisingly affordable and very easy to drink. SHE loved the helpful advice of our waiter Hamish – SHE overheard him offer the diners at the next table the option to choose different burgers (either the fish or wagyu and have them cut in half to share). A nice touch for a restaurant that easily commands $55+ for a fine piece of steak. And when our burgers arrived, the waiter suggested the best way to eat it was to cut it in half and pick it up with our hands. Permission to forget the knife and fork… priceless!

If you’re watching the dollars  or want to impress someone with your inside knowledge, SHE thinks this is really one of Melbourne’s great options. And SHE thanks the talented Neil Perry, and the wonderful staff, for making Rockpool accessible to everyone – no matter what your budget.

SHE’s pleased to report nothing much has changed here – there are still no cars, no motorbikes, no taxis beeping their horns. The only traffic jam SHE encountered was the horse and carts waiting to transfer arriving visitors and their luggage to the hotels. After a week in Bali, all this was a very welcome change! Transport to the island is via fast ferry services departing Bali, speedboat from Lombok (a 10 minute dash across the ocean), or mix it up with the locals and take one of the ferries that shuttle anything and everything across the water each day (also departing Lombok and not for the faint hearted! ). SHE took the Gili Cat from Padang Bai on the east coast of Bali and once again found it comfortable, safe and reliable.

Accommodation options abound on Gili Trawangan, or ‘Gili T’ as its affectionately known. It’s a backpackers’ paradise – rooms can be found from $20 a night with the basics (really basic, minus hot water, often salt water). There are a heap of options around $80 – $100 a night, but do check for the fresh water option (and a swimming pool does come in handy!). At the ‘business class’ end of the island there are a number of upmarket hotels for those who left the backpacking days well behind. SHE decided to splash out and treat the ladies to arguably one of the best options – kokomo. SHE snapped up a 2 bedroom villa at kokomo for well under the price of a 5 star hotel room in Bali’s fashionable Seminyak. Lovely large bedrooms with their own ensuites, an open plan living area dividing the bedrooms, and a perfectly sized plunge pool with a day bed tucked away in the corner for an afternoon snooze. It was quiet, beautifully appointed with the bonus option of either 24 hour room service or meals served in the restaurant on the beach.

And what a view from that restaurant! SHE had leisurely breakfasts here each morning, with the bonus of very good coffee. There were just the right number of lounges to accommodate the guests, lined up within a few steps of the very white beach and azure blue ocean. Seriously stunning.

If snorkelling or scuba diving is your thing – get yourself to the Gili Islands quick smart. Masks and fins are for hire along the beach for around $5 a day – get your gear on, leave your lounge chair behind, and snorkel straight off the beach. Visibility is excellent, and the underwater world is still alive and well. Diving is first rate so SHE’s told by her diving mates: the reputable Manta Dive was a favourite.

At the end of a long lazy day SHE headed for the Beach House restaurant – the freshest seafood on display each night sourced locally. SHE was spoilt for choice – snapper, tuna, maybe prawns, calamari or lobster – it’s cooked and accompanied by a simple salad bar. SHE loved it so much SHE was there every night!

If it’s some nightlife you’re after – and let’s face it, there’s only so many quiet nights you want on a holiday – head straight for the Irish Bar. Wednesdays is the night to party here – SHE found stools at the bar and was happily entertained by the local bartenders and their cocktail making skills. Manta Dive claims another weeknight – maybe an 80′s disco or even a rave party. There’s no curfews, no neighbours to wreck the party; you can go all night if that’s your thing! Maybe sleep it off by the pool the next day…

SHE loves this glimpse at how simple life can be, should be, or maybe could be. Its a reminder about the way we live our lives and what’s ultimately important to us. If you want to escape – truly – then Gilligan’s Island is a serious option. And the tips: pack light, book a room before you get there, and get there before the word gets out!

Regular followers of SHE travels have read about the recent luggage issues – arriving in a destination minus the suitcase and the subsequent battle to restock the basic items. Seems the Hilton has nailed this with a list of essentials on offer just in case you find yourself short. A neat flyer in the bathroom lists items to borrow (ceramic hair straighteners ladies!) or purchase. The list to buy includes basics like hair gel, hair spray, deodorant, nailpolish remover and sunscreen. On the list to borrow SHE’s pleased to see the Ipod charger or USB cord and AA or AAA batteries getting a mention. Good thinking folks.

And if you’re attending that special event and you’re caught short there’s the panty hose (SHE always manages to put a nail through the first pair!), Hollywood fashion tape (to guard against wardrobe malfunctions), belts, cufflinks – how very convenient!

SHE thinks this kit is a great idea – it’s clearly based on the observations and feedback of housekeeping staff and Concierge who must deal with these requests on a very regular basis. What a great initiative Hilton! SHE’s impressed.

Now SHE knows that mistakes can happen, but when the first excuse was that the ‘bag tag came off’ SHE found that a little hard to believe. Imagine the paranoia SHE has now that Qantas wants us to tag our own bags at the airport: if trained airport staff can’t attach a baggage label correctly what chance does SHE have? Eek! The bag did arrive on the next day’s flight – the first available given the island destination. Inconvenient? Hell yes…SHE was about to meet and greet a small group of travellers for a long weekend incentive program and that suitcase contained the event materials. Yep – most inconvenient.

The second time was more stressful. SHE was surprised by how kranky and out of sorts SHE became – trying all the while to remember it’s all just stuff, it can be replaced! SHE’s asked around…it seems women are more concerned about lost / delayed baggage than men – it’s mostly about the toileteries, all those lovely potions and lotions that we have become accustomed to over the years and can’t quite replace as easily as a new pair of knickers and a tshirt. More than 24 hours after arriving in Bali (yes, it’s a little tougher to find the same stuff here) the suitcase was delivered. Better than not at all. SHE was a happy, happy girl. An embarrassingly material girl it seems.

And then there’s the compensation process – and there does need to be an offering of some sort, an apology and a most contrite letter. Yes, that came via email along with the advice that Jetstar could offer a reimbursement for ‘personal items (such as a toothbrush and toileteries) up to $40 per customer’. Is that a joke? When was the last time anyone from the Customer Care department found themselves without their belongings for over 24 hours and tried to replace items for $40?! Ridiculous. SHE is not happy.

Of course there’s a lesson here: how appropriate! Up until a year ago SHE always packed those lovely lotions and potions, perfume and deodorant in an appropriate zip locked bag in the hand luggage. Just in case. And if travelling to warmer climates, the swimsuit and a sarong were thrown in, along with a spare pair of knickers and sandals. Just in case. Just in case the bag didn’t make it. Yep…lesson learnt thanks Jetstar.