Travel and touring have to be amongst the best assets we have to better understand our fellow humans. Through this website we will share our world with you. Travel hints, secret places, hotel critiques, advice on how to get the best out of your airline (that can be rather difficult, mind you), and stories which may help you plan your next vacation,.. that's what this website is all about.

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G'day and welcome to our revamped website.

thetravelman reports on destinations, travel tips and whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the facts are accurate and up-to-date, it will be your responsibility to check on validity and current status of each product which is featured.

Any recommendations I make are based on personal experiences. Just remember restaurants can vary in quality overnight,- for instance, businesses change hands, chefs get cranky, floor staff have bad-hair days.

There's a delightful seaside village south of Coffs Harbour, along the New South Wales coastline. I was introduced to Sawtell via an earlier edition of the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide to Australia. The top nosh joint in question was The Blue Fig.

From my first visit in 2001, up until recent months, it was to Sawtell when travelling between Brisbane and Sydney. The big attraction was the cuisine on offer at this restaurant.

More personal reasons, unknown to this travel scribe, late last year the doors were closed and that put paid to my making a regular pilgrimage to the town.

But one door closes another opens. Travel into Bellingen, which is about an hour south of Coffs and check out an equally as impressive dining spot, No 2, Oak Street.

The Urquhart family operate this restaurant. It's superb !
Whilst I really do miss that regular dining experience at the Blue Fig, it is good to know that when travelling the Pacific Highway, there's gold at the end of the rainbow.

The tourism year for Central Australia appears to be off to a good start with operators claiming that a greater number of Australian holidaymakers are targeting the Centre.

Proprietor of Outback Auto Rentals, Gemma Bourne tells me that her company's 'have a longer weekend on us' promotion is proving to be a winner.

This special offer gives renters with bonus long-weekends throughout the month of March. Book a vehicle for a long weekend, for any weekend in March, and Sunday is a 'free bonus'.

The locally owned Outback Auto Rentals is located in the cbd of Alice Springs, at 78 Todd Street and offers clients vehicles from campervans through small cars.

The company offers a range of rate options, from 100 kilometres to 500 kilometres. Check the special camping packages. For details and reservations contact the Central Australian visitor information centre on the toll free number 1800 645 199. Overseas readers should email visinfo@catia.asn.au

Come April 9th 2005 the hills of the Southern Highlands in New South Wales, particularly those in the vicinity of the village of Bundanoon will resonate with the music and the romantic legends of Brigadoon.

The event is Brigadoon, and this is probably the closest thing you will get to Scotland without actually being there.

This year, it's the 28th annual Highland Gathering with street parades, massed bands, caber tossing, through to fun events such as kilted races, haggis hurling.

Sorry, but that's what I reckon needs to be done to haggis.

More than 100 variety stalls with 30 food stalls will service the visiting public.
Some of the display tents will be set up to help those of us with Scottish blood to seek more information on our various clans.

One of the key events is the Ceilidh Ball, at the Bundanoon Hall. That's the big evening 'do' on April 9th.

This is a big event, thoroughly Scottish and one which should be included if in the vicinity of the Southern Highlands on April 9th.
If you need more information, on the event, or on accommodation availabilities, I suggest you call the Southern Highlands Visitor Information Centre, on 1300 657 559, or email accommodation@wsc.nsw.gov.au