@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, 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

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 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4nnz8x72g4o

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

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

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

timrichards, (edited ) to Trains
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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
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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

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
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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,
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@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
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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. :)

timrichards,
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@simonvarwell Indeed it is! See attached map. My train came in along the shoreline of the Thunersee yesterday, lovely view.

timrichards,
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@rcr Already enjoying the late sunsets :)

timrichards, to random
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Guten tag from Zürich! I zoomed off the plane from Dubai, zipped through passport control, leapt onto a train to the main station and now I'm on a train to Interlaken. Phew. This has been a very long start to my trip.

Good to be back in Switzerland again though, and today's supplementary train trip after the flights from Australia will set me up neatly to board the GoldenPass Express to Montreux tomorrow.

And I'm travelling first class on the Swiss trains, of course. ;)

timrichards, to Travel
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Off to Switzerland tonight. The problem with a late evening flight is that I get a bit edgy, always watching the clock.

But it's a good set of flights with Emirates, both in Airbus A380s (great planes) and with three hours layover in Dubai. I prefer having three hours there rather than, say, two hours, as it takes a while to get through the airport.

One day I will decide I've had enough of these long flights to Europe and draw a line under them. But not quite yet.

#Travel

timrichards, to melbourne
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Typical car-brained local business people. The parklet is no doubt bringing them more trade, but oh no, "TEH PARKING!"

Locals love Balwyn cafe parklet Bin 3. Businesses want the three car spaces back

(maybe paywalled) https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/locals-love-this-cafe-parklet-businesses-want-the-three-car-spaces-back-20240531-p5ji8u.html

timrichards, to Travel
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In print today in Traveller (The Age & Sydney Morning Herald) - I write about the joys of visiting laundrettes on your travels. Especially if they're near pubs!

(My words are accompanied by an excellent illustration by Jamie Brown.)

Pick up a print copy today; I'll share if/when it also goes online.

#Travel

davidtoddmccarty, to random
@davidtoddmccarty@me.dm avatar

I really can’t listen to Trump talk. Not even a little. I have a visceral reaction. I’ll read what he had to say but I won’t listen to him. I don’t want that voice anywhere near my head.

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@davidtoddmccarty Same. What a horrible whiny voice. God knows how his supporters put up with it.

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@davidtoddmccarty this is where extreme capitalism has got us - people just want someone to tear down the system. Doesn't matter that that's the last thing he'll do. Sigh

austern, to Eugene
@austern@sfba.social avatar

Seen this morning at the University of Oregon on-campus convenience store. Our long national nightmare is over.

#sriracha #UniversityOfOregon #Eugene

timrichards,
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@austern @Adam_Cadmon1 Was it running low?

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