Full steam ahead: Thai railway journey turns back the clock

Love trains? Visiting Thailand in March? 

A special train will run from Bangkok to Ayutthaya using historic steam locomotives to mark the State Railway of Thailand (SRT)'s 127th anniversary on March 26.  

SRT’s governor bureau chief Ekarat Sriarayanphong said this historic train trip will also commemorate

the opening of the train route between the current and previous capital cities on March 26, 1896, by King Rama V.

Travellers will get a chance to ride Pacific-class steam locomotive numbers 824 and 850, built by Japan’s Nippon Sharyo in 1949 and 1950, respectively.

The train will leave Hua Lamphong station at 8.10am and arrive in Ayutthaya at 10.20am. Passengers will have six hours to tour the ancient capital, before the train leaves at 4.40pm to arrive in Bangkok at 6.50pm.

There will be stops at Samsen, Bang Sue, Don Mueang, and Rangsit stations, so passengers can board or disembark at any of these stations.

Snacks and drinks will be available for passengers throughout the trip.

Those interested can reserve tickets at SRT stations nationwide or via D-Ticket mobile application and website: www.dticket.railway.co.th.

The SRT is also partnering with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Ayutthaya Office to offer a special one-day tuk-tuk tour for passengers travelling by the steam locomotive excursion train. 

Passengers can book the tuk-tuk tour via the website: https://eform.tourismthailand.org/public/26-2567. 

One trip you must take in San Francisco

 

If you are planning to visit the increasingly nutty United States, then San Francisco should be one of the cities on your travel agenda.

It is a visually spectacular city with a vibrant waterfront, dramatic views and a fascinating history.

Its many steep hills make it hard for walkers, but thankfully there are the city's iconic cable cars to spin you around with a minimum of fuss - although you may face a long wait to board at peak times.

The cable cars are recognised around the world over for the clanging of their bells, panoramic views, and thrilling descents down steep hills.

Taking a ride on a cable car should always be at the top of a visitors’ must-do San Francisco list, say the local tourism authority.

The cable car lines serve around seven million passengers per year

San Francisco celebrates 150 years of cable cars in August this year - and they are the world's last manually operated cable car system, traversing three routes across the city.

Of the 23 routes of yesteryear just three remain operational: two routes from downtown near Union Square to Fisherman's Wharf, and a third route along California Street.

The first successful cable-operated street train was the Clay Street Hill Railroad, which began operations on August 2, 1873

Today, San Francisco is one of the top tourism and meetings destinations in the US and received 21.9 million visitors in 2022. 

Make sure to check out Fisherman's Wharf, the Haight-Asbury district as well as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Golden Gate Park and Chinatown are worthy of some time and try to visit Oracle Park - one of the best baseball stadiums in the US, for a San Francisco Giants game.

Taking a ferry ride to Sausalito is a joy on a warm day - and the Napa Valley is a popular day trip destination. Be prepared to spend big bucks on your wine tasting experiences.

One word of warning: be self aware. I once stepped just the wrong side of the Tenderloin district and entered a scary world of street people and drug abusers.

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair, and for details on the brighter side of San Francisco see https://www.sftravel.com/

Hobart hotel icon toasts its first birthday

It has only taken 12 months for Hobart's Tasman Hotel to become one of the Tasmanian capital's places to see and be seen. 

Now The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart, is celebrating its first birthday with a special package for guests who wish to explore the history and heritage of the unique property. 

Guests booking the package will enjoy overnight accommodation in one of the architecturally diverse suites, a locally crafted arrival cocktail in Mary Mary bar and breakfast for two in signature restaurant Peppina, as well as valet parking.

Having stayed in the hotel fairly recently, I can attest to its unique ambience and efficient staff. 

Mary Mary is the hotel’s chic, sandstone-walled bar that takes its name from the St Mary’s Hospital building that preceded it. 

Mary Mary showcases Tasmania through locally sourced indigenous ingredients and a spirits library stocked largely with home-grown artisanal spirits.

Mary Mary’s signature cocktail, True Local (top), is crafted from purely local ingredients including Charles Oates apple brandy and Our Mates Farm apple juice along with 7K raspberry aperitif and Hughes & Hughes red vermouth.

The booking period for the package runs until December 31 for stays through September 30, 2023 - and blackout dates are in force.

Bookings are essential here.

A capital idea: Canberra's wine celebration

The Australian national capital of Canberra is surrounded by standout cool-climate wineries - and the the Canberra Wine District turns 50 this year. 

That means the 2021 Canberra Wine Week will feature a lot of celebrating from March 20-28.

There will be over 60 wines on offer at the annual Market Wine Tasting event to be held this year in the Kambri Cultural Precinct in Acton, from 3pm-6pm on March 20. All tickets include a 50-Year commemorative Plumm stemless tasting glass. 

At least a dozen local wineries will be pouring their wines and visitors can buy a glass of wine, or a bottle and share it with friends in the Courtyard, grab a pre-purchased grazing box, and sit back, relax and enjoy the cool style of the cultural center of the ANU.

Entry is $40 online pre-sale, $45 at the door.

A special dinner at The Boathouse on March 24 will feature Tim Kirk of Clonakilla, one of the founding families of the region, as key guest speaker.

The evening will feature four courses, four different Clonakilla wines and bubbles from Gallagher Wines, 

Tickets are limited at $180 per person. 

For full details of events - including guided tastings at Shaw Wines - visit www.canberrawines.com.au/events/

Third time unlucky as winery's 160th birthday party is put on hold again

The 160th birthday celebrations for landmark Victorian winery Tahbilk have been put on hold for a third time as a result of Covid-19 lockdowns. 

Tahbilk, Victoria’s oldest family owned winery, was established in 1860 on the banks of the Goulburn River in the Nagambie Lakes region.

Two dates in 2020 - the first in August, then in December - to mark the winery's anniversary had to be scrapped and the latest Victorian lockdown has forced the Purbrick family to abandon celebrations planned for February 22-23. 

"It's with sadness and much frustration that we have decided to postpone this event for the third time but it's our intention to reschedule when vaccination roll out has been completed in Australia and we have entered a safe and stable post Covid-19 era," said CEO Alister Purbrick.

"We'll monitor the current Victorian outbreak and the vaccination roll out and confirm our intentions with regard to holding this event around July-August 2021.

"It's certainly been a rollercoaster ride."

The Tahbilk team and PR company Fireworks decided: "It's hard to predict what will happen in Victoria with the latest virus infection cluster and, even if the stage 4 lockdown is lifted next week, there may be restaurant/function space and/or number restrictions which will mean that the dinner scheduled for February 22 may have to be cancelled."

Purbrick added: “Clearly the pandemic has affected Tahbilk from a travel and tourism perspective, but the Tahbilk team are completely confident that these unforeseeable circumstances will see Tahbilk come back stronger than ever.

”What we have noticed is a shift towards the purchase of our premium portfolio, with our iconic 1860 Vines Shiraz and Old Vines Cabernet Shiraz being particularly popular. “