Seattle Surprise

A late starter in the cruising stakes, Seattle is more than making up for it with a visitor-friendly persona and weekly cruises to Alaska and beyond.

Words and pictures: Roderick Eime

“Chop its head off!” “Cut out its guts!” and a lifeless carcass is hurled through the air. No, this is not some sadistic pirate ritual, nor some bizarre black magic chant, it’s the Pike Place Fish Market, one of Seattle’s most talked-about tourist experiences.

The market came about in 1907 when consumers, up in arms at skyrocketing produce prices, turned directly to farmers to eliminate profiteering middlemen and created the Pike Place area as the meeting place. Over one hundred years, the market has grown beyond its original trading mandate, survived several demolition orders and become a tourist attraction in its own right.

Customers order their fish from the ice tables in the front of the stall, the order is called out and the entire fish is tossed to the packer behind the counter who wraps it for the customer. This theatrical procedure draws delighted crowds and there’s plenty of audience participation.

Along the lines of many similar developments at the world’s most cruise-friendly cities, Seattle’s waterfront has evolved to service and entertain the thousands of cruise travellers who pass through the port each season. Yet despite Seattle’s long maritime history, cruise travellers have only recently visited the city of three million inhabitants in any measurable number.

In the mid-1990s, the old Pier 66 was demolished to make way for a brand new Bell Street cruise terminal directly adjacent Pike Place Market in anticipation of the growth in cruise tourism. The optimism was a bit premature and cruise passenger numbers have only grown since 2000 when just six vessels and 6000 passengers used the terminal. In 2005, the new Pier 91 facility at Smith Cove was brought online to accommodate the new superliners and annual numbers now regularly exceed 800,000 passengers and 200 sailings.

Seattle is becoming the jump-off port of choice for US passengers travelling to the neighbouring US state of Alaska, bypassing the traditional port of Vancouver, Canada. Currently Celebrity, HAL, NCL, Princess and RCCL home port 11 vessels there, with Celebrity and HAL using the more conveniently located Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66.

Once onshore, passengers can enjoy an enormous range of sights and attractions. In the immediate vicinity of Pier 66 is the Seattle Aquarium and a bevy of novelty and curio businesses in and around the Pike Place complex including Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and the original Starbucks Coffee Company store. If you have time to wander beyond the pier precinct, there’s plenty to see just strolling the interesting streets. Shopping, dining and drinking are attractions in themselves throughout Seattle and there’s never a shortage of boutique beers like Rogue Dead Guy and Arrogant Bastard Ale at Vons Roasthouse or gourmet coffee at scores of cafes besides the ubiquitous Starbucks.

Head up Pine Street to the classic monorail station where the 1960s-era electric tramway still transports visitors from downtown to the Seattle Center, site of the 1962 Worlds Fair and Century 21 Exposition. The centrepiece of this historic area is the Space Needle, a futuristic tower that is now the signature landmark of this forward-facing city. Aim for sunset for best effect.

If you are embarking or disembarking your cruise in Seattle, the strong advice is to arrive early or stay on to fully enjoy the attractions outside the immediate CBD. Seattle has some superb hotels within a stroll from harbourside like SLH’s trendy Hotel Ändra and the historic boutique property, The Mayflower Park. All the major names are represented too, but it’s these unique, standalone establishments that define Seattle.

Public transport throughout the city centre is free and very reasonable outside that with bus, trolley and a brand new light rail opened in July.

Seattle’s aviation heritage makes it something of a mecca for aircraft buffs with the iconic Boeing Company’s first factory opened there in 1916. There are two sites which must be seen; the sprawling Boeing factory and Future of Flight Aviation Center north of the city, and the Museum of Flight at the old Boeing field to the south. The latter is a magnificent museum with a staggering array of aircraft from every era of flight, while the former includes a tour of the modern Boeing manufacturing facility where you can see the new 787 Dreamliners rolling off the line.

Even a stay of three or four days will leave you wanting for more, so if you plan to spend that amount of time at each end of your seven day cruise, you’ll be assured of complete exploration of this fascinating and futuristic city with a healthy respect for tradition and history.

Space prevents detailing every conceivable option, but consider these;

• Take a Victoria Clipper fast ferry to Victoria, BC if you missed Canada elsewhere.
• Savour a bowl of clam chowder at any of the signature waterfront restaurants
• Visit the 92-acre, animal friendly Woodland Park Zoo with over 1000 animals in a botanic park-like setting.
• City museums include the Seattle Art Museum and its companion outdoor sculpture park, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture and the Experience Music Project, dedicated to Seattle’s vibrant music culture and history.
• Ride a hand-operated 1914-era elevator to the top of Smith Tower for a superb view of the waterfront
• Take a Duck Tour in a WWII-era amphibious landing craft
• If on an extended tour, consider a backcountry excursion to Mt St Helens or a river cruise along the Columbia
• Purchase a Go Seattle™ Card. This multi-attraction pass gives you access to over 30 attractions including the Space Needle and lots of museums.

Seattle is a city where Australians will feel comfortable and at ease. Navigable streets, a sensible transport system, friendly people, great dining and entertainment options, enriching sightseeing and a modern, environmentally responsible outlook that makes for a relaxing and rewarding experience.

Getting There:

Cruise lines visiting Seattle include;

Celebrity, HAL, NCL, Princess and RCCL, Cruise West, American Safari Cruises, Fantasy Cruises. Plus numerous day and charter operators like Argosy and Victoria Clipper

Cruise Season: April to October

Official tourism site: www.visitseattle.org

Sailing Schedules: www.portseattle.org

Airlines serving Seattle:

AirTran Airways American Airlines Frontier Airlines JetBlue Airways Midwest Airlines US Airways Virgin America Continental Airlines Hawaiian Airlines Horizon Air Southwest Airlines Air Canada Air Canada Jazz Alaska Airlines United Airlines United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines Aeroméxico Air France Asiana Airlines British Airways Delta Air Lines Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines EVA Air Hainan Airlines Horizon Air Icelandair Korean Air Lufthansa Northwest Airlines Sun Country Airlines

Burnie: Gateway to Tasmania’s Wild NorthWest

Beyond the Ramparts of the Unknown

By Roderick Eime

Flying into the tiny north-western regional hub of Wynyard, you could easily imagine you are in the middle of nowhere – and that is why so many visitors come!

With a heritage that can be traced back to the early 19th Century, this far flung Van Diemen’s Land outpost was referred to in King George IV’s Royal Charter as “a huge tract of unsettled land, beyond the ramparts of the unknown.”

An easy 20 kilometre coastal drive from the working town of Burnie and a further 50 kilometres to Tasmania’s third largest city and Spirit of Tasmania ferry port, Devonport, Wynyard is perfectly placed to springboard nature lovers into the world-famous wilderness areas along the north and west coasts.

Before heading off into the wild, swing by Burnie and see why it is shaking off the outdated industrial character that has defined it for so long. At the Lactos Cheese Tasting and Sales Centre you can sample fine cheeses, including major brands Tasmanian Heritage, Mersey Valley and Australian Gold. Premium food produce is fast becoming a Tasmanian specialty and you’ll find Australia’s largest single malt whisky distillery in Burnie. Hellyers Road Distillery makes fine, single malt whisky distilled from Tasmanian grown malted barley and famously pure Tasmanian rainwater. The distillery also produces the Southern Lights brand premium grain vodka. If you’re visiting in winter, this stop-off is almost mandatory.

For a fortifying meal of local fresh seafood, visit Fish Frenzy located on the waterfront in Burnie. Tasting Tasmania author, Graeme Phillips, describes it as a “bright and spacious modern café with fresh fish and seafood every which way and then some.”

Eventually the lure of the renowned Tasmanian wilderness will beckon you but the “clarion call” will come from many directions.

Most will yield to the irresistible allure of the UNESCO World Heritage Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park, a mere 70 kilometres drive. From the swank Voyages Cradle Mountain Lodge to modest hiking cabins, the options are plentiful.

The raw appeal of the Tasmanian mountainscape has captured the imagination of visitors for decades and none more so than pioneering outdoorsman, Austrian-born Gustav Weindorfer, who built a rough chalet next to the iconic Dove Lake in 1912.

Weindorfer is revered as the “founder” of Cradle Mountain wilderness recreation and is fondly remembered as an eccentric, idealistic yet jovial man who would host guests with generous lashings of his garlic and badger (wombat) stew.

“A mixture that would kill me in five minutes,” recalled local Bill Perkins in a eulogy to the colourful Austrian in 1982. Perkins first met Weindorfer in 1930, just before his death. Today you can see an authentic replica of Weindorfer’s cottage and outbuildings and get a feel for how people enjoyed the country almost one hundred years ago.

If you do nothing else, be sure to complete the Dove Lake circuit, a relaxed two hour dawdle around this imposing feature that is one of Australia’s most instantly recognisable vistas next to Uluru and Sydney’s Harbour Bridge.

If you really want to earn your “Wild Tasmania” badge, head north west from Wynyard into the Tarkine Forest region (the largest temperate rainforest in Australia) and plot a circuit via Stanley, Smithton, Corinna, Zeehan and Strahan. Get lost in the oblivion of true wilderness, a commodity that is fast disappearing in our shrinking, globalised world.

The intriguingly-named Dismal Swamp is a natural blackwood forest sinkhole, believed to be the only one of its kind in the world. Thirty minutes (40km) south west of Smithton, the visitors’ centre showcases Tasmanian specialty timbers with a contemporary interior crafted from blackwood and Tasmanian oak. From there the walkway descends to the floor of the sinkhole, or if you’re game take the exhilarating 110m slide from the viewing platform to the swamp floor. There’s an electric buggy option too.

Proclaimed by Bass and Flinders in 1798, historic Stanley is a delightfully sleepy hamlet distinguished by its characteristic, 150m high “nut”, a long extinct volcanic plug that forms an imposing natural citadel overlooking the town. Take the chairlift or walk to the top for panoramic views of Bass Strait.

The nearby Highfield Historic Site epitomises the optimistic early settlement and is the site of land granted to the Van Diemens Land Company (VDL) in 1824. The homestead is a rare example of the elegant Regency period. Edward Curr, the chief agent of the VDL, started construction in 1832, and later additions were made by John Lee Archer, the colony's first important architect. The harsh life reaped a toll on the residents, particularly the convict labourers and there are many stories of ghosts still wandering the dark corridors including that of Curr’s infant daughter killed in an accident. She has been known to tug on the skirts of women visiting the property. If you dare, take the popular night-time ghost tour.

From Smithton, it’s a two hour drive to the remote village of Corinna, a former gold mining town settled in 1881. Today the entire village is a self-catering, eco-wilderness experience with authentic miner’s cottage accommodation, a totally refurbished hotel and river cruises aboard Arcadia II, a magnificent Huon pine river vessel. Kayaking, walking, fishing, bird watching and nature experiences are some of the activities available to guests.

A further 100 kilometres via Zeehan is Strahan, a once thriving lumber town, now a picturesque bayside site overlooking gorgeous Macquarie Harbour. Before Strahan, there was Sarah Island located within the harbour and reputably the worst penal colony in the land. The ruins are still there and "is remembered only as a place of degradation, depravity and woe." (Rev. John West, anti-transportation activist and publisher, 1842). Local historian and author, Richard Davey, conducts semi-theatrical lamplight tours of the island and he almost channels the spirits of the long-dead convicts as you survey the scattered brickwork that once served as shelter for the wretched men. He’ll tell you glee the tale of the men who escaped from the island and turned cannibal and those who seized a boat they built themselves and were eventually arrested in South America.

Complete your experience with a day cruise on the harbour and into the now legendary Gordon River or take the historic steam train to Queenstown, one of the most significant such journeys in the country.

Where to Stay:

Luxury: Voyages Cradle Mountain Lodge
“showcases the best Cradle Mountain has to offer”
1300 134 044

Motel: Best Western Murchison Lodge, Burnie
“Your base for a North Western experience”
03 6435 1106

Wilderness: Corinna Cottages
“an oasis in the heart of the Tarkine”
03 6446 1170

B&B: Sealers Cove Restaurant and Accommodation
“well-appointed, comfortable and homely”
03 6458 1414

Must-do, Must-see Checklist:

• Lactos Cheese Factory, Burnie
http://www.lactos.com.au
• Dismal Swamp, near Smithton
http://www.dismalswamp.com.au/
• Corinna Wilderness Experiences
www.corinna.com.au
• Strahan Experiences
www.strahan.com.au
• Highfield Historic Site, Stanley
http://www.historic-highfield.com.au/
• Hellyers Road Distillery, Burnie
http://www.hellyersroaddistillery.com/

Food and Wine:
Visit Graeme Phillips’s comprehensive and authoritative website:
www.tastingtasmania.com

Getting There
Regional Express flies six times each day from Burnie to Melbourne
www.rex.com.au

For more details on all Tasmania has to offer, visit the official site:
www.discovertasmania.com

Selling Out – Is franchising the new model for hotels in tougher times?

What do sewing machines, cola, hamburgers and motor cars have in common? Answer: They made their success through franchising.

True. In 1856, when Isaac Merritt Singer needed to expand his sewing machine empire, his funds were exhausted from messy legal action over control of patents. Instead of paying his salesmen salaries to sell the new mass-produced device, he sold the rights to territories for which the owner (franchisee) paid a commission to Singer for each sale. Thus the modern concept of franchising was born.

Hamburger chains, automotive dealerships, soft drink bottlers and hotels followed suit and some the greatest brands in corporate history were born.

Hotels and accommodation chains took off after World War II, particularly in the USA. But like so many other franchise operations around this time, they suffered from lack of regulation. In 1979, the US Federal Trade Commission was given authority over franchising (Rule 436) and the market settled to allow familiar and reliable brands to flourish.

It wasn’t until the 1970s that franchising made serious inroads into Australia when the US fast food chains KFC, McDonalds and Pizza Hut landed – some would say invaded. Yet today, these brands are as much a part of Australian life as kangaroos, meat pies and … well, you know the rest.

In 2008, the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA) estimates 63,500 business format franchised units now operate together with 7,900 company-owned units, producing a total of 71,400 units in business format franchise systems. Approximately 8000 fuel retail outlets and 2500 motor vehicle retail outlets exist with around 413,500 persons employed in business format franchise systems. Growth of franchise operations for the last two years was almost 15 per cent.

Homegrown Success

One of the most successful franchise stories in Australia is the phenomenon of Gloria Jean’s Coffees. Australian owned and locally operated since 2004, the company now holds the international master franchise brand and roasting rights globally and currently has agreements to operate in around 50 countries.

The company has won multiple franchise awards and continues to grow at about 20 per cent annually in Australia and has opened 915 stores and signed 36 Master Franchise agreements across 35 countries worldwide.

To export a franchise model is rare as the vast majority of cases involve the arrival of brands to our shores as is the case for hotel and motel chains.

One example of domestic brand success is the 100 per cent Australian-owned Quest Apartments who have progressively moved to a franchise-dominated model since beginning to 1988.

“It was clear that company-owned properties were not performing. They lagged significantly behind the performance of franchised properties and generally sapped human resources and drained working capital,” says Nick Suriano, General Manager-Franchising, “and since our change of strategy in 2002 to franchise, we’ve seen average franchisee profits grow by 50 per cent over the last four years.”

Suriano also notes that 85 per cent of current investors are hungry for more action within the brand and that on average, 13 qualified applications are received for each opportunity. Despite the current overall downturn, Quest’s growth strategy is still on track and the brand hopes to add ten new properties each year.

Franchising not for everyone


However, for every franchise success, there seems to be at least an equal number of horror stories, indicating that franchises should not be undertaken lightly and the franchise model is anything but one-size-fits-all. A recent case just concluded by the ACCC left several former bakers anything but delighted when the Commission found in favour of the franchisor.

The commonest complaint against franchisors concerns the practice of “churning”, where franchises are repeatedly sold, reacquired, then resold in territories known for failures. Franchisors cite poor management, ineptitude or a refusal to follow the franchisor's business model as reasons while franchisees claim collusion, intimidation and withdrawal of support.

Todd Wynne-Parry, Director of Development Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific for IHG, claimed to be “the world's largest hotel company” (by number of rooms), urges caution.

“IHG believes the management option still provides the best path for all parties. Finding a franchise brand that will deliver the additional income required to service the agreement is difficult in all but a few circumstances.”

A large portion of IHG’s US network – particularly its Holiday Inn hotels – are franchised, however the majority of its Australian properties operate under management contracts. Wynne-Parry cites Holiday Inn Rooty Hill and Crowne Plaza Pelican Shores as two properties that successfully leverage their franchise association based on their very specific locations and assets.

NZ’s Heritage Hotel Management operates a mix of Qualmark 4-star owned, managed and franchised properties with majority of properties under management. “With the current economic climate, we anticipate more management arrangements struck with currently independent hotels, as they seek to reduce fixed costs and secure the support of a recognised brand with a consistent product offering,” says COO, Jeff Shearer.

Linda Wells, Franchise Manager with Constellation Hotel Group, an Australian company that owns and operates more than 70 hotels across Australia and New Zealand, agrees that some franchise models are too expensive and restrictive.

“Owners fearful of inflexible, high royalty franchise deals should probably test the market for other options, something flexible and pay-for-performance in nature,” advises Wells, “Some hotels want a huge amount of input from their group, but some just want a sign, a loyalty program and a webpage. Those operators can get a simple brand license that allows them to do just that – forget about the branded tea bags and sugar sachets!”

Franchising in the new economic climate

In the space of less than twelve months, the world economies are in turmoil. Banks, brands and borrowers of all types are floundering and the security and safety of known quantities are being questioned.

FCA Executive Director Steve Wright believes there is optimism in the franchising sector, which has a history of faring better in tough times, relative to other small businesses.

"There is a resilience in the strength of the franchise brand, the franchise support network and the bulk buying and marketing capability of franchise systems.

"We believe there is significant pent-up demand for franchise business expansion which has been hampered by the employment boom in the past few years. Franchising now has something very attractive to offer the economy in that it can provide a self-employed solution for entrepreneurial people displaced by corporate redundancies and otherwise finding it difficult to get another PAYE job. This has the double benefit of increasing production output and reducing unemployment."

Wright’s sentiments are shared by General Manager Accor Franchise Hotels, Dino Mezzatesta.

“If ever there was a right time to franchise, it’s now. Incoming enquiries are flooding in like never before as people realise that in tougher times they can’t do it on their own,” says Mezzatesta, “Leveraging the brand strength and purchasing power of a global name is a definite asset in this climate.”

David Bayes, CEO, Choice Hotels Australasia, concurs. “We’re not immune to the global economic climate but many properties are deciding they would be better off aligning with one of our global brands to access the benefits of dedicated field support, service, market segmentation, global alliances and partnerships, global reservations services and the sales and marketing force that Choice Hotels offers.

“It can be lonely running an independent accommodation business. In an increasingly complex and electronic world our franchisees gain great support from networking and common solutions and an alignment with a strong strategic direction supported by equally strong tactical solutions. The case for franchising is strong in the best of times – it’s even stronger in uncertain times!”

On the matter of “uncertain times”, Mr. Robert Anderson, CEO, Best Western Australasia, believes adversity can open doors.

“Opportunity can also be found in times of crisis. Consumers tend to favour mid-market hotel brands when economic conditions tighten. Last year Best Western bookings increased by 8.5 per cent over the previous year, the majority of these through our own Best Western website,” says Anderson.

“It is also in times like these that we can best assist our members. We are working even harder to maintain our increase in bookings and to ensure our members (property owners) come out of this economic situation favourably. We have increased all our marketing activities, re-launched our new-look loyalty program and implemented new industry-leading training courses that maximise our members’ skills and property revenue. “

Making the franchise decision

The Franchise Council of Australia advises prospective franchisees that with any business there are risks involved but they are reduced if you research effectively.

The FCA warns that buying a franchise is a major decision and that the commitment in capital and borrowings can be significant. Any new entry needs to consider the process very carefully, remembering that franchising is not a guarantee for success, rather an opportunity to establish a healthy rewarding business with the support of a network focused on success. Such a franchise is an example of true synergy where “the whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts.”

FCA Website: www.franchise.org.au

City Tour with the Star of Phnom Penh

In most cities if you go on a movie star tour you'll travel in a minibus with some dilettante chatterbox who'll drive you past the gates of celebrity homes and favourite restaurants, but in the rapidly recovering Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, you can actually go on a tour conducted by a genuine local movie star.

 

Talk about rags to riches. Sereyvath Kem, or just Srah to his mates, was standing on the corner touting for taxis when a movie crew came looking for some extras. Srah was chosen from a bunch of clamouring hopefuls to play the role of Sok, a local taxi driver in the film “City of Ghosts”. Directed by and starring Hollywood heartthrob, Matt Dillon along with James Caan and Gérard Depardieu

If you're travelling to Phnom Penh, go rent this movie first. Sure, the plot is a bit patchy but the casting, art direction and locations are genuine Phnom Penh. The proud, but crumbling French architecture, dusty streets and hurly burly is still intact some eight years after the movie was shot.

I found Srah by tracking backwards from another local cast into the plot, Michael Hayes, an ex-pat American with no idea about newspapers who lobbed there in 1991 to start the Phmon Penh Post. Hayes, still the editor-in-chief, put me in touch with a shady-sounding character, Hurley Scroggins, who runs a well known little Mexican (yes, Mexican) restaurant a few doors down from the famous Foreign Correspondents Club.

“So you're looking for Srah,” asks Hurley with a far-away sort of look, but picks up the cell phone all the same. “Srah, hi, yeah, there's this journo here from – where was it? - Australia wants to chat.”

So the next morning, Srah turns up on his moped, loads me on the back and runs me around Phnom Penh showing me the locations and reciting his lines.

“Here's the spot where Matt gets beaten up and I pick him up and take him to the hospital.”

This is great fun, but I'm more interested in Srah and his story.

Bright eyed, communicative and polite, Srah is now a healthy-looking 43 with a wife and two beautiful young children. He shows me the photos. But like so many Cambodians trying to create lives for themselves, there's the unavoidable history of the Khmer Rouge from the mid-1970s.

Srah's father, a doctor, was high on the target list for the despotic regime who sought to erase Cambodia's history, especially the academics and educated class. They managed to avoid detection for a couple years, but eventually Srah's father was arrested. The family disintegrated and Srah and his brother ended up in an orphanage for 10 years before he returned to Phnom Penh in 1990 looking for work. A stint with the military and later, the UN, taught Srah some international relations and languages.

For the rest of the morning, we tour around the streets with me hanging on the back of his moped. This is the real Phnom Penh, not some sanitised, air-conditioned tour bus with crisp-shirted guides and bottled water. As we visit more movie locations and I can't resist the urge to recreate one of the iconic shots with Dillon in the front of the cyclo-cab. But first we have to hire a cyclo. Ironically Srah has never owned or worked with a cyclo and had to learn to ride one for his role.

Thanks to the proceeds from Dillon's film and an on-going trickle of movie work, Srah now owns a flat for his family and a shiny Toyota for high-end work. He still conducts tours around the city and even out into the rural countryside for those who want to see more through the eyes of a local.

“City of Ghosts” was never a box office blockbuster and Dillon never meant it that way. Instead it's a gritty 'art house' adventure thriller with a sympathetic view of the the ordinary Cambodians struggling to make ends meet in a chaotic city. Critics were split, but the harshest criticism seems to come from those who've never been anywhere near Cambodia. They called it patronising and dehumanising, but Srah defends it.

“Movies must sometimes tell people the truth, this is the way Cambodia is.”

If you're looking for a tour with an interesting local twist, you can contact Srah for a reasonably priced, customised itinerary by e-mailing mrsoksrash@hotmail.com


Vietnam Airlines serves Phnom Penh three times per day from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and offers daily non-stop flights from Australia departing from both Sydney and Melbourne four times per week. See: www.vietnamair.com.vn or call 1300 888028 for reservations.

Australia and New Zealand Luxury Lodges and Resorts

From Luxury Lodges

Updated October 2008: South Island New Zealand - Select Hotels
Updated November 2008: SLH Blanket Bay
Updated November 2008: Pure Tasmania/Federal Group

Over the past three years, Rod (sometimes with 'Mrs Travel Writer') has visited a wide range of New Zealand's world famous luxury and exclusive lodges.

(see comprehensive spreadsheet)

Names like Huka Lodge, Grasmere and Blanket Bay feature prominently, while Rod has also visited the brand new Select Braemar Lodge at Hanmer Springs and sampled the delights of recently opened Otahuna Lodge near Christchurch.

In Australia, the list grows with visits and stays at El Questro, Arajilla, Spicers Peak, Hidden Vale, Bloomfield Lodge, Lilianfels, Q Station and more.

Features are written to commission only, so please contact me to discuss your publication's individual requirements.

A New Light on the Old West

When we think of cowboys and indians, it's all too easy to recall those gun-toting heroes of the old west purging the dusty plains of trouble-making savages, dodging arrows and riding off into the sunset. If there was ever a tired old cliché, that has to be it.

It may also seem unusual that a small ship or adventure cruise could bring you close to this part of the world, but Cruise West's Northwest Passage itinerary delivers you into the midst of Oregon Country, the scene for its own particular brand of frontier spirit. Our vessel, Spirit of '98, carries 100 passengers up the vast Columbia River toward the lesser tributaries of the Snake, Umatilla and Walla Walla Rivers, all the while retracing the paths of early explorers like Lewis and Clarke and recounting their interactions with the local tribes.

My first encounter with native American culture was meeting the elderly father of my tour host in Wrangell, Alaska. A respected tribal elder of the regional First Nation tribe [Tlingit] or as they were once called, Eskimos. I learned about their strong connection with the land, hunting traditions and resilient family structures. I also couldn't help but notice the many parallels with our own indigenous cultures' experiences with European settlers.

This once isolated NW corner of America has been something of an anomaly in the country's development and expansion. After the controversial Louisiana land purchase at the very beginning of the 19th Century, the US Government under Jefferson, formed the Corps of Discovery to find out just what they'd got themselves into. Two young military officers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, were chosen to command the motley crew and find a path to the Pacific.

The journey of this intrepid pair and their cohorts is taught to every American school kid from year one onwards. Often downplayed in the telling is the significance of the American Indian tribes in their ultimate success. In particular a young native woman recorded as Sacagawea, often led the party through some of their most difficult moments and certainly helped smooth their passage through tribal lands.

Consequently, thanks to the skill of native interpreters and the benevolence of the tribes, Lewis and Clark were able to complete their mission and open the gates for western migration. The rest of the story for the tribes does not have such a happy ending. Thanks to some double-dealing by the newcomers and diseases like smallpox and malaria, the native tribes suffered enormously. Any lingering disputes were resolved at the point of a gun.

The strength and integrity of these people who populated the land some ten thousand years before the European arrival was demonstrated to me in just a few minutes when local Nez Perce arts council chairperson, Angel Sobotta, came aboard for a short talk. She spoke with such eloquence and elegant authority that the small audience was transfixed. We learned as much about her pride in her significant ancestors as her little family and young children. Even though she must have given this talk many times, her voice still quivered at the mention of her late grandparents that helped her recover and preserve the endangered traditions. Her message was clearly one of peace and reconciliation, and not just for her people alone, but for all the planet.

This retelling may sound emotive and melodramatic, but when travel companies talk about the now proverbial “transformational and experiential” products sought out by the new wave of adventure travellers, it's hard to imagine something more effective and genuine than these encounters.

Fact File:

Established over 60 years ago by founder, Chuck West, the company that bears his name is one of the most ambitious adventure cruise lines around. Beginning in Alaska, Cruise West now offers itineraries as far afield as in Japan, Mexico, Antarctica and the Galapagos. The Seattle-based line just announced its most comprehensive sailing yet; the Voyages of the Great Explorers, a 335-day circumnavigation of the world.

Cruise West offers three variations within its Columbia and Snake River products, each visiting a different mix of natural and man-made sights.

The Northwest Passage is seven nights and eight days Portland to Portland. Prices begin at US$2999 per person which covers taxes / port charges / fees and onboard services.

Bookings can be made with any travel agent through a network of local sales representatives.

For a comprehensive catalogue, see www.cruisewest.com

Ship Details:

Vessel: Spirit of '98

Cruise Line: Cruise West

Star rating: 3 Stars

Max Passenger Capacity: 96

Entered Service: 1984, refurb 1995

Facilities: All cabins have private facilities, some have minibar. Bar/library/lecture room, dining room, sundeck/outdoor dining, exercise machine, Internet, elevator

Getting There: V Australia flies daily to LA from Sydney and now three times per week from Brisbane with easy domestic connections through Virgin Blue. Fares from Australia to Portland start from $1299 return. For full conditions and promo fares, see www.vaustralia.com.au

Samoa: Coming Out of My Shell

Location: Samoa
Visit date: May 2009
1000 words
Author’s images: http://rodeime.fotopic.net/c1695226.html
Stock images also available.
See Samoa on Google Maps

Coming Out of My Shell

Hunted and harassed around the world, have these delicate sea creatures found sanctuary here in Samoa? Roderick Eime delves beneath the waves in search of these enigmatic and delightful animals.

The determined reptile bore down with a single-mindedness only coming from eons of pre-programmed behaviour. This ancient sea creature pursued me with just one thing on its mind, and with the scent of food in its nostrils, wasn’t about to let me get away.

“Oh, give it to him for heaven’s sake,” came the plea from Gardenia, my otherwise patient Samoan guide, and with that I relented and released the fragment of pawpaw into the water. Within seconds Crush’s ravenous jaws were munching contentedly on the bright yellow chunk of fruit.

Sea Turtles, in this case Green Turtles, are about the most serene and kindly-looking animals anywhere on the planet. Most times anywhere else, you’d be jumping out of your skin at the rare sight of one, yet here among the Samoan islands the delightful critters abound.

Crush is my name for the largest turtle here in the pool at the little village of Satoalepai on the far north coast of Savai’i, the largest and northernmost of the two Samoan mainlands. The local family sell tickets to tourists and visitors for ST$5 (about A$2.50) and you are supplied with all the ripe pawpaw the turtles can eat and all the time you want to swim and canoodle with the lovable creatures. I’m told the juvenile turtles here are coaxed from fishermen for a few tala and allowed to grow to maturity before release. But the story varies depending on who you ask. Either way, the dozen or so current residents are in good shape with plenty of room in clean water.

As an amateur SCUBA diver, I also enjoyed a few dives in the crystal clear waters here on the very edge of the South Pacific. Each dive yielded at least one turtle encounter with one underwater exploration near the far eastern tip of Upolu (the other island) delivering eight turtles including the biggest damn Greenie I’ve ever seen. The 200kg monster crept out from under a ledge as I swam past, scared the daylights out of me and nonchalantly swam off.

Most of the world’s turtles are on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) endangered species list as a result of over-fishing, deadly driftnets and environmental degradation, particularly to feeding and nesting grounds. In spite of a US National Park Service assessment that places the animals in regional decline, my own unscientific observations would beg to differ. In the lagoon at Fagamalo I was even treated to the gold medal sighting of a critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle grazing unperturbed on algae at about 10m as I photographed it from every angle possible.

“She’s there most times we dive,” says Fabien Lebon, the expert dive guide on Savai’i, “ ‘bonjour Fabien’ she says ‘so just one diver today, oh okay’ and keeps eating. My daughter calls her Vanessa.”

In Samoa the animals have some nominal protection thanks to their mythical status as a saviour of lost seamen. The local name “I'a sa,” translates directly as “sacred fish”. Then there’s the old Samoan legend of the turtle and the shark which recalls unhappy Fonuea, an elderly blind villager, who cast herself and her daughter Salofa into the ocean to be reborn as sea creatures away from the unkind hands of humans.

"Lalelei!, Lalelei!, Lalelei!" the villagers still cry coaxing the pair to reappear at the foot of the cliff. But don’t point or they will immediately disappear, reminded of the cruel treatment that caused their despair.

When caught, turtles weep profusely and this sometimes engenders enough sympathy to throw them back to the sea instead of on the fire. True, despite both legend and legislation, turtles are still caught for food, although much less so in Samoa than other islands such as Fiji where they are gathered and slaughtered live in the Suva markets to the horror of onlookers.

Samoa challenges any writer to avoid the common clichés of “hidden gem”, “best kept secret” or “tropical paradise” precisely because it matches them all exactly. The great novelist, Robert Louis Stevenson, sought refuge and inspiration here in his final years and is laid to rest overlooking Apia.

Remote and almost unattainable, Samoa lies at the limit of most regional airlines’ reach, while conveniently avoiding mention in most tourist texts dominated by closer cousins Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Samoa’s lack of pervasive tourism infrastructure is a key selling point. The relatively few resorts are low impact, relaxed and uncrowded. Vigorous touts, tacky tourist haunts and Chinese-made souvenirs are rare, leaving most attractions to the native ingenuity of the locals.

P&O Cruises have rediscovered Samoa thanks to its cruise-friendly port (Apia), engaging excursions, rich culture and relaxed atmosphere and have doubled their scheduled visitations over the next year. Elite surfers and committed sports divers too have jealously kept Samoa under their beanies for years.

For me, I’d be happy if Samoa retained its seclusion, cherished its low profile and remained ambivalent about the growing interest in its natural and scenic treasures. But that won’t happen in a world crying out for new experiences and destinations far from the madding crowd. Please, if you go, tread lightly, be polite and don’t hassle the turtles.

Doing it:

The Samoa Tourist Authority has a wide range of travel, tour and accommodation options to suit all budgets. Visit their website at www.samoa.travel

Getting There:

Polynesian Blue, International Airline of Virgin Blue flies direct from Sydney to Apia (Samoa) three times a week. Formal connections are also available via Brisbane with fares starting from $429 per person, one way on the net. If you're looking to keep entertained, simply hire the digEplayer. Your own personal in-flight system features movies, TV shows and a board array of of music for an additional $15. For extra leg room, book the Blue Zone seating option for an additional $45 on top of your fare. Check out www.polynesianblue.com for current specials, bookings and all your travel needs.

The writer was a guest of Samoa Tourist Authority and Polynesian Blue.