Dream Downtown Hotel - photo by Rob McFarland

The Sun-Herald, Australia – Dec 12, 2011

As I’m checking into Dream Downtown, a dozen beautiful, gazelle-like models sit clustered in the lobby, idly flicking through their portfolios. Sadly, despite sprinting to and from my room, I never see them again but it sets the tone for the sort of fashionable crowd you can expect to encounter in this stylish new hotel.

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Casa Marin vineyard near Santiago - photo by Rob McFarland

Escape travel section, Australia – Sep 11, 2011

Everyone told Maria Luz she was mad to try growing grapes in Chile’s San Antonio Valley.

The valley is just 4km from the coast and every morning gets smothered in a cold sea fog. They said the grapes would never ripen. Or they’d be killed off by the frosts. And what about the humidity?

She ignored all the advice and planted her first grapes in 2000. They did ripen, eventually, taking two months longer than everywhere else, and they had to use heaters and fans to combat the frost and humidity.

But in 2003, Casa Marin winery had its first vintage and Luz became Chile’s first female vineyard owner and winemaker.

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Hiking in the Canadian Rockies - photo by Rob McFarland

Escape travel section, Australia – Aug 21, 2011

I’m huddled with a dozen others on an outcrop at 2500m in the Canadian mountains.

After a glorious morning of hiking along high ridges, meandering through an eerie burnt-out forest and zig-zagging down steep snow-covered slopes, the weather has turned.

The wind picks up, the temperature falls and fat raindrops are splashing insistently against our faces.

It’s not the ideal situation to be in when you’re a four-hour walk from your accommodation. But Dave, our guide, is unperturbed. A quick call on the radio and five minutes later we hear the welcome sound of our ride home. Chad deftly lands his Bell 212 helicopter 3m from where we crouch.

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Bull riding at Calgary Stampede - photo by Rob McFarland

Escape travel section, Australia – Aug 21, 2011

I’m 2m away from a man with one of the world’s most dangerous jobs. A day in the office for 24-year-old J.B. Mauney involves hopping on the back of one tonne of muscle, hoofs and horns and trying his hardest to stay there for eight seconds.

After which he has to get off without being trampled or gored to death.

To psyche himself up, he’s hitting himself, hard and repeatedly, in the arms, legs and head. It’s an unusual but effective technique. He’s won the event for the past two days running.

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Top of Toco Volcano in Atacama desert - photo by Rob McFarland

Escape travel section, Australia – July 31, 2011

“Go up like an old man, come down like a teenager,” advises Pablo. I’ll second that. I’m 200 metres from the summit of 5600-metre-high Toco Volcano in the Chilean Andes and I feel 108.

At this altitude, every step is a breath-sapping test of physical and mental endurance. I’d never understood why climbers sometimes turn back within a few hundred metres of the top. Now I do.

Read the rest of this story here: Breathtaking Chile (PDF)

The Aubrey Hotel in Santiago - photo by Rob McFarland

Escape travel section, Australia – July 17, 2011

Chile’s capital tends to get a bad rap when compared with other South American cities.

It might not have Rio’s party atmosphere or the style of Buenos Aires but it certainly has enough sights and attractions to justify hanging around for a few days.

It’s also the main gateway to the country, so if you’re coming to Chile, the chances are you’ll be passing through Santiago. So before you go dashing off south to trek in Patagonia or north to explore the Atacama Desert, take a few days to live life like a Santiaguino.

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Las Vegas - photo by Rob McFarland

KiaOra (Air New Zealand’s inflight magazine), NZ – July 2011

Las Vegas offers much more than blackjack tables, roulette wheels and slot machines. Visitors can also enjoy wonderful restaurants, shopping and shows or even hiking and biking amid stunning desert scenery. If you’re planning a visit to the city that bills itself The Entertainment Capital of the World, here’s a rundown on the latest hotspots and happenings.

Read the rest of this story here: Las Vegas Update (PDF)

Overlook on Blue Ridge Parkway - photo by Rob McFarland

Open Road Magazine, NSW, Australia – July 2011

National Park Ranger Jan wasn’t going to let a spot of rain ruin the party. The ominous purple clouds in the distance were moving closer so it was time for Plan B. “Looks like we got some rain comin’ our way, so why don’t y’awl just come up here on stage.” So we did.

Packing up our camping chairs, we climbed onto the covered stage and joined a hundred or so other music enthusiasts in a tight semi-circle around the band.

The Red Stick Ramblers seemed completely unfazed by the invasion and immediately launched into an acoustic set of infectiously toe-tapping Cajun fiddle and Western swing tunes.

Two attractive girls in cowboy boots got up and performed an impromptu line-dance to riotous applause (particularly from the men) before three local musicians joined the band for a furious finale of guitar, banjo and fiddle playing. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to and the CD I bought from the band afterwards became the soundtrack for the rest of our trip.

Read the rest of this story here: Bluegrass bliss on the Blue Ridge Parkway (PDF)

Grand Mosque in Muscat - photo by Rob McFarland

Escape travel section, Australia – June 25, 2011

When you walk through the streets of Oman’s vibrant capital, Muscat, it’s hard to believe that the country’s Ministry of Tourism was only established in 2004.

Even more difficult to comprehend is that 34 years before that, the nation had only three schools, two hospitals and 10km of paved road.

Oman’s transformation from one of the poorest nations in the Middle East to one of the most accessible is nothing short of astounding. The man behind this impressive feat is ruler Sultan Qaboos and you’ll see his revered image in practically every shop and restaurant in the city.

Today, Muscat is a lively city with a wealth of cultural attractions including old forts, palaces and traditional souks alongside some stunning newer developments such as the Grand Mosque. English is spoken widely, you can get a decent meal for about $10 and a can of Coke for 50c.

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Graves in Arlington Cemetery - photo by Rob McFarland

Escape travel section, Australia – June 5, 2011

For the next two hours I will be Colin Walker, an 18-year-old British art student visiting Turkey on holiday. My assignment is to meet another undercover agent in Ankara and exchange classified information.

Unfortunately, I’m rumbled at immigration. When the officer asks me where I was born, I panic and blurt out Blockley. I should have said Broseley.

Clearly, I’m not cut out to be a spy, but if you think you are then the new Spy Museum in Washington DC is a fascinating place to learn about this most secretive of professions. I have a low boredom threshold when it comes to museums but this is a textbook example of how they should all be: interactive, informative and entertaining.

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