@timrichards@aus.social
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timrichards

@timrichards@aus.social

Travel writer living and working on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, Australia. Rail travel expert, current books on sale include Heading South and Ultimate Train Journeys: World. See my published writing at iwriter.com.au.

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timrichards, (edited ) to music
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New at my Patreon... I was walking along the lakeside promenade of Montreux, when I was startled to see a statue of Freddie Mercury. What was the connection?

Dateline Montreux: I want to break free! https://www.patreon.com/posts/105701100

timrichards, (edited ) to Israel
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Good piece in Crikey (possibly paywalled):

"You can’t seek to curb the voices of critics of Israel, stay quiet about an Australian murdered by the IDF, isolate and punish pro-Palestinian MPs, and preside over handing nearly a billion dollars to a company complicit in the slaughter of Palestinians, and then complain about the Greens attacking you. Labor would prefer that silence reigned over both Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and Australia’s links with Israeli companies. The Greens, rightly, want to yell about it."

Labor wants silence on Gaza amid confected outrage at the Greens

#Israel #Palestine #Gaza https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/06/06/labor-greens-gaza-israel-palestine-confected-outrage/

timrichards, to melbourne
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Great to see Melbourne's city centre back to its old booming health.

Melbourne’s CBD has lowest retail vacancy rate in nation after rough COVID years

(maybe paywalled) #Melbourne https://www.smh.com.au/national/after-bumpy-years-melbourne-s-cbd-has-lowest-retail-vacancy-rate-in-nation-20240605-p5jjgv.html

jon, to random
@jon@gruene.social avatar

I’m speaking shortly about #CrossBorderRail in Sarajevo. Trying to apply some lessons from my project to South East Europe

No Stream, but PDF of slides here:

https://nextcloud.techpolitics.eu/index.php/s/p8Er87ySxKqAAbX?dir=undefined&openfile=115551

timrichards,
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@jon Always good to see trams. Anything on the horizon there about reestablishing rail links with the outside world?

timrichards, (edited ) to Switzerland
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Mushroom risotto for lunch yesterday at Ristorante Sensi in Locarno, Switzerland. Great stuff. Feeling the relaxed vibe here in the Italian-speaking south.

#Switzerland

timrichards, to Switzerland
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Have been out on Lake Maggiore, taking a ferry to Brissago Island and its botanic gardens. Beautiful place.

#Switzerland

Island in the lake, with a graceful old villa at centre.
Botanic garden, with a path leading past a palm tree.

timrichards, to Switzerland
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Interesting to note the large numbers of Indian tourists here in Switzerland. Last time I was here, East Asian tourists seemed more visible; but I'm told that market hasn't fully recovered yet.

timrichards, to india
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Good to see Modi weakened, these endless nationalist strongmen are very tedious (and dangerous).

India election: Narendra Modi loses his aura of invincibility
#India https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/modi-who-casts-himself-as-sent-by-god-loses-his-aura-of-invincibility-20240605-p5jjch.html

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

In Economy? OH GOD NO

Qantas says 22-hour direct flights to Europe, US still on track
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-says-22-hour-direct-flights-to-europe-us-still-on-track-20240604-p5jjah.html

timrichards, (edited ) to Trains
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Interesting backgrounder explaining the lack of international trains in and out of Serbia.

Serbia’s Faded Railways Tell the Tale of the Death of Yugoslavia

#Train #Trains #Serbia https://jacobin.com/2023/08/serbia-railways-yugoslavia-tito-collapse-war-corruption

Cc @seatsixtyone

timrichards, to southafrica
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Catching up on the South African elections. Interesting transition underway from ANC majority rule.

South Africa elections: ANC's dilemma over coalition government - BBC News #SouthAfrica https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4nnz8x72g4o

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Why yes, I am enjoying an alarmingly pink drink at a lakeside bar in Montreux. How's your day going?

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Oh that's surprising, Was expecting something sugary but it's bitter like Campari. Rather good. Refreshing.

jon, to random
@jon@gruene.social avatar

Welcome to today's thread - South East Europe Day 06 04 Jun 2024 - Arrival of night train, Budapest - Pécs - Beli Manastir - Osijek - Zagreb

Crossing these borders:
Lanžhot 🇨🇿 - Brodské 🇸🇰
Štúrovo 🇸🇰 - Szob 🇭🇺
Beli Manastir 🇭🇷 - Magyarbóly 🇭🇺

These borders on the borders map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_935041#8/48.971/18.358

Today's routes on the routes map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_935041#8/48.971/18.358

Finally South East Europe! 🎉

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@jon To be fair, not much happens at any of Croatia's stations. ;)

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@vandyke4ad @jon That's a disappointing train too, modern but far too small and uncomfortable for such a long ride.

timrichards, (edited ) to Trains
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

New at my Patreon... In Switzerland, I take the GoldenPass Express from Interlaken to Montreux - seeing beautiful mountain scenery and changing gauge on the way:

Mountains and a narrow gauge: Interlaken to Montreux by train https://www.patreon.com/posts/105493706

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Congrats Booking.com, you're the latest app to have notifications privileges withdrawn, due to spamming me instead of informing me of essential info. Great work.

joannaholman, to melbourne
@joannaholman@aus.social avatar

#melbourne folk: some friends and I are aiming to try European cuisines we haven’t had before. What are some good places serving European food types less common in Melbourne? (so not Italian/greek/french)

timrichards,
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@joannaholman Haven't been there for a while, but this place does good Polish food: https://www.borschvodkaandtears.com

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Hmm cutting tour groups to 25 people seems a bit limp. I'd take it down to, say, eight people. #venice #overtourism https://mastodon.social/@TravelandTourWorld/112551305707988675

timrichards, to Switzerland
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Good morning from Switzerland. A bit damp and moody in interlaken today, though picturesque.

Later today I'll be boarding the GoldenPass Express to Montreux, then joining an international media tour that's exploring the country's lesser-known scenic rail routes.

I'll be writing about the highlights for my patrons at my Patreon, so feel free to join the gang and enjoy: https://www.patreon.com/timrichards

#Switzerland #Train #Trains

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@sister_ratched pretty standard three-star Central Europe hotel selection of boiled eggs, bread rolls, cheeses, yoghurt, etc. Livened up by a few things for the Asian tourists, e.g. little pots of spicy chickpeas.

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@sister_ratched Didn't mean to sound dismissive, it's all good stuff. They make great bread in this part of the world.

stufromoz, to random
@stufromoz@aus.social avatar

They won’t allow people to board in other zones? Karens will go absolutely nuts …

https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jun/03/qantas-boarding-changes-departure-times-lines-brisbane-airport

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@stufromoz Hmmm good luck with that. I've never liked that boarding "class system" at US airports in which all the loyalty membership grades go first. And that mucks up the neatness of boarding by area anyway.

timrichards, to Switzerland
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

OK I have finally arrived at my hotel in Interlaken, Switzerland, just in 35 hours since I walked out of my front door in Melbourne, via:

tram
bus
plane
airport shuttle train
plane
airport shuttle train
train
train
on foot

No wonder I'm exhausted! But I approve of the resultant view. :)

#Switzerland

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@rcr Already enjoying the late sunsets :)

timrichards,
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@simonvarwell "So it's... between... two lakes..."
"You've got something there..."

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