The title of the book – The Antipodean Express – captured our attention. New Zealander Greg Hill, a newly retired French Horn player in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra was intrigued to find the antipodes of his home city Wellington, and so he planned a journey by train to find the exact same relative GPS coordinates in the Northern Hemisphere as in the south. He wanted to travel slowly, but not too slowly as he had a three-month timeframe because his wife, also a professional musician, had taken just that much leave from her job as a violinist in the same orchestra. But Graeme Kemlo wonders if he did go all the way by train. The book is published by Exisle Publishing

This week’s #Worth1000Words is from Carolyne Jasinski in Clarksdale Mississippi who wondered if this building really was the blues club owned by actor Morgan Freeman. Morgan wasn’t there but Carolyne had a good look around and we think her photo is definitely #Worth1000Words.

There’s a little-known Sicilian island out in the Aeolian Sea. Like other parts of Italy it is volcanic with two volcanos and between them on the north coast in a green saddle lies the town of Malfa, home to Principe di Salina, a white-washed boutique resort best summed up as “barefoot luxury”. Its owner, Anita Motta is not a hotelier – she worked in marketing and advertising so she understands how to cater for guests’ needs. And although she was born in Milan – but has spent her childhood in a summer house on Salina and grabbed the opportunity when it arose to buy the hotel and renovate it to her taste. Australians are among her mostly foreign guests, as she explains to Graeme Kemlo

Tonight on Travel Writers Radio we take you from New Zealand to Spain; from Mississippi and the blues trail to fashionable New York City, and we discover one of Italy’s best kept secret island getaways.

The show is produced and presented by the professional journalists of PALAT - the Professional Association of Lifestyle and Travel Writers.

To get in contact email: [email protected]

Eighteen years ago a British chef, Spencer Patrrick arrived in Melbourne, and worked at some fine restaurants including Phoenix, but ultimately he headed off up north to warm up and settled in Port Douglas with his wife-to-be Raina. Eight years ago he felt it was time to put the local region on the culinary map for its unique reef and rainforest and the ingredients they produce. Thus began Taste Port Douglas, a food and wine event like those in other states, but featuring the unique local fare and highlighting what local and visiting chefs can do. Graeme Kemlo spoke to Spencer as tickets go on sale for this year’s Taste Port Douglas in August. Tickets are available at tasteportdouglas.com.au

Photo supplied -Spencer and Raina Patrick founders of Taste Port Douglas

Earlier this month Helen Hayes flew to the USA to attend IPW, which is an event run by the US Travel Association. It is designed to connect U.S. travel exhibitors with travel buyers and media to promote their products and negotiate future business. Each year a number of Australian travel journalists are invited to IPW, somewhere in America and from his visit they are able to generate stories, organise future visits to experience destinations and the activities on offer. Helen caught up with TWR team members Carolyne Jasinski and Fiona Harper as well as a few others among the 5600 invitees. Photo: Helen Hayes at IPW

Hard to get these ladies in the same country - they are all very busy members of our reporting team but they happened to meet up in Los Angeles at the recent IPW travel industry expo. We reckon its #Worth1000Words. And apologies that our square image format deprived you of a portion of the image.

Caryn Young is not only General Manager ANZ for Adventure World, but she is their sustainability lead, ensuring that all of the organisations suppliers of travel experiences adhere to the company’s charter of “travel with a purpose”. Caryn tells Helen Hayes that the charter is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Photo: Helen's group brought all of these items to the Oyster Box in South Africa as part of the Pack for a Purpose initiative, through Adventure World . More: adventureworld.com

The world is abuzz about the auroras with their dazzling light show visible in latitudes where it is rarely seen. We speak to our resident photography expert, Ewen Bell who was in the Victorian countryside last weekend leading a masterclass on how to photograph food, until outside the house they were in, the lights appeared glowing and dancing above …suddenly it was a masterclass of a totally different type as he explains to Graeme Kemlo

www,ewenbell.com for more information about his photography tours

Links to Ewen's blog - https://ewenbell.com/blog/What_Did_We_Learn_From_An_Aurora_Storm

Photo by Ewen Bell taken at Daylesford Victoria May 11

Here's what you'll hear this week on Travel Writers Radio brought to you by the professional journalists of PALAT - the Professional Association of Lifestyle and Travel Writers.

To get in touch email: [email protected]