Experience the Australian Alps from the comfort of a movie theater

Film, at its best, has the ability to transport us to a different time, place or state of mind. The great leisure of cinematic travel is that you do so parked in a plush theater chair for two or so hours, with a jumbo pack of Milk Duds and Red Vines by your side. The Fifth Annual Backcountry Film Festival aims to take theatergoers on a tour of wintry locations the world over, from Vermont to Japan.

Your lift ticket to mountainous and blistering-cold regions comes in the form of films shot in the backcountry of different nations, including unlikely places such as Australia. It's a little-known fact that there is snowboarding along with surfing down under. ]]> Heidi Atwal 2009-11-02T15:34:20-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/5/12/213231/680

Is it just us, or did Andrew Zimmern kind of take this week off? Sure there was a new episode of Bizarre Foods, but it was decidedly un-bizarre; we'd eat all of it no problem.

Andrew was in Eastern Australia this week in what seemed like a less-intense mode after a rough time in the Outback. What we mean is, he went to the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach and ate Vegemite; is this "Bizarre Foods" or "Bridget's Sexiest Beaches"?

We will concede that he did find some bugs to eat, but even those were in a stir fry—not exactly the slimy and hardcore chewing we expect of Andrew. In all fairness, he does a great job as a not-so-crazy travel host, since he actually got us pretty excited about hitting up Oz for some tiger pie and Wagyu steak.

We're hoping to get our usual dose of gross eating next week when Zimmern heads to Singapore. Just promise us one thing, Z: no more steaks!

Related Stories:
· Eastern Australia Travel Guide [Bizarre Foods]
· The Real Outback Stekhouse [Jaunted]
· Bridget's 'Sexiest Beaches' Is Not Exactly Blowing Our Minds [Jaunted]

[Photo: Travel Channel] ]]> BS 2009-05-13T09:01:54-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/3/27/0317/67051

Is V Australia about to officially announce LAX-SYD service at a press conference? That is the likeliest first route--or perhaps SFO-SYD--for the international arm of Australia's Virgin Blue Airlines.

We hear there's an "event" happening in Los Angeles this Monday, 3/31. Let's say this is the big shebang and we get an official ticket sale date and launch date (probably early fall '08) for LAX-SYD...will they give us cabin details? And more importantly, PRICING? Where do you think V Australia is going with these details?

We say: hopefully, as far as pricing goes, to the sub-$1000 (round-trip) sweet spot...sweet spot for flights between the U.S. and Australia, that is. Oh, the soothing lullaby of skies opening up...

Related Stories:
· V Australia [Official Site]
· V Australia [Wikipedia]

[Photo: scherre]]]> djk 2008-03-27T14:30:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/6/14/194356/649

Up in Queensland, the Qantas Founders Outback Museum has got a new baby this week. A very special Boeing 707 has been recovered from the scrap heap in the UK, restored and now flown back to Australia, ready for a new home in the Qantas Museum.

It's special because in 1959 it was the first commercial jet in Australia, and some would say that made it the beginning of mass tourism in Australia--it made the trip from Australia to the US or Europe much shorter and finally affordable for more normal people. And like most Qantas plans, it never crashed: yet. It's got a few demo flights to do before it gets tied down permanently for you all to visit in Longreach, but we're confident the Flying Kangaroo can make it.

Related Stories:
· First Qantas Jet To Make Final Touchdown [ABC]
· Some Qantas News That Doesn't Involve Sex [Jaunted]
· Got a Taste For Qantas? [Jaunted]

[Photo: ABC] ]]> amandak 2007-06-15T09:14:48-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/5/7/173713/1553

Last night, in Melbourne, Australia, the self proclaimed sporting capital of the world, pop culture rag TV Week hosted its Gold Logies, Australia's version of the Emmys.

Kate Ritchie, the Susan Lucci of Aussie soaps, took home the award for Most Popular Personality on TV. Ritchie grew up playing Sally Fletcher for the last 19 years on Home and Away. The show, naturally, follows the lives and loves of residents in a suburban small town.

The ceremony also honored the late Crocodile Hunter for his contributions to documentary film. Terri Irwin and her franchise, er, daughter Bindi accepted the award on Steve's behalf.

Few Hollywood stars showed up for the event. Jessica Alba came to support two of her Fantastic Four nominees, Michael Chiklis and Ioan Gruffudd. Alba blazed down the runway faster than The Human Torch, reports The West Australian.

Sadly, no one took a plunge in Melbourne's famous upside down river.
]]> ced138 2007-05-07T17:37:47-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/12/26/214429/43
If you're Down Under for the New Year, the ultimate celebration takes place at Sydney Harbour, but there are plenty of other good spots to bring in 2007. Melbourne's been shivering through the coldest Christmastime in history, but they'll host a massive fireworks show along the Yarra River near the city center. Bad pre-Christmas weather also meant that a lights show at Federation Square has been moved to NYE.

Queensland's capital, Brisbane, offers the Streets New Year's Eve party on South Bank, and over on the other side of Oz in Perth, you can choose between the Vienna Pops Concert or jazzy NYE on the Rocks. Or if you don't want to celebrate with tens of thousands of revelers, but a few hundred instead, check out the newyearseve.com.au site for a rundown on events in local clubs and pubs around the country.

[Photo: peculiarhand]

Related Stories:
· Sydney Farewells '06 [Jaunted]]]> amandak 2006-12-27T11:05:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/12/6/22359/9833
All you well-informed Jaunted readers know that big stuff is big Down Under, and perhaps no object is more popular than Coffs Harbour's Big Banana. The giant bendy fruit, celebrating one of the major crops of the area, has been a tourist attraction (of questionable value) for many years now. But today we want you to know that the Big Banana is getting bigger.

The Big Banana and its connected attractions have already been blessed with a $2 million upgrade, and that's just the beginning of a 10-year, $18 million improvement plan. Just imagine how many black blemishes can be scrubbed out of a banana for that kind of cash. This week, the first phase of the extension opened, including:

a games hall for children, a guided tour through a working banana plantation, an interactive banana-packing shed, as well as "two high-tech shows with hologram-like figures"

To compete, should the Big Orange add rides derived from juice-based cocktails such as the Screwdriver, the Bahama Mama and Sex on the Beach, while the Big Pineapple offers an interactive exhibit called the Rough End?