Comedian and design nerd Tim Ross shares his travel hacks
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Comedian and design enthusiast Tim Ross knows how to choose the right seat, but has zero advice about loyalty schemes.
I travel to…
Spend time with my family but I also love travelling for work, because it almost always involves my passion for architecture and design. Last year it was Great Britain, Denmark and New Zealand. Over the years, I've visited some incredible buildings but also performed in places like Trellick Tower, a heritage-listed Brutalist high-rise in West London. It's not just the architecture but the people – I've met so many people all over the world through design and that's one of life's great joys.
I plan the trip…
Myself. But nobody gets a date wrong in a hotel like me. I book a lot but if it's a family holiday, my wife, Michelle, just seems to know the places to go and has a knack for finding the best hotels. She is good at taking charge on where we are going which means I don't have to make decisions and I really like that. For international travel I always use flatbeds.com.au – I've been using them for 10 years and they are the bomb.
Inside my carry-on you'll find…
A small plastic bag with hair product in it. My tubs always get confiscated, so I put enough for the flight there and back in the bag. If I have a shower during a stopover there's nothing worse than getting to your final destination with fluffy hair.
I pack my suitcase…
Really well at the start and it all goes out the window after the first hotel. Then it's all stuffed in like a complete mess. In my first two years of touring and flying in the late 1990s, I used a plastic bag for a toiletries bag. I think that's a good insight into my mind and packing style.
I like to get to the airport… Early, because I'm often travelling with a lot of equipment for filming or performing live. That can take a while; I'm always loitering around oversized luggage with huge bags.
As soon as I check in, I… Head to the lounge, have a cup of tea and refrain from posting a photo of my boarding pass.
My favourite type of travel companion is… I used to quite enjoy multiple beverages on the plane, so someone to drink with was always right up there, but more recently I've been content travelling alone.
On the plane I dress… As I always do. I will never wear a tracksuit on a plane, I think that's admitting that it's hard to fly. If you dress like normal, you feel normal.
I'm a points person but… I wish I was all over what to do with my points but it seems like you need a degree to work out how to use them. I accumulate them like mad and then can't work out when to use them.
I am not loyal to one airline because… I like to mix it up to keep them on their toes and enjoy the differences.
My preferred plane meal is… Pasta is always the safest. I never eat the bread rolls but I do eat the ice creams when they come around.
My best tip for beating jet lag is… Walk as soon as you get there and stay up as late as you can that night, but if you really need to nap, you must nap.
The plane seat I always choose in economy is… I'll take a window seat when I can, as far away from the bathroom as possible. I was on a flight to New Zealand years ago and after the movie every time the bathroom door opened we got a big whiff. I actually ended up using the external lock that the flight crew use to open the bathroom in an emergency to shut the door (when it was empty) to get a reprieve from the smell.
I save money when travelling… I've stopped drinking so that's been quite the saver.
The destination I think is the best bang for your buck is… New Zealand is very well priced.
I always get travel insurance… Because I don't want to be in a hospital in Turkey for the rest of my life and then have to pay it off by washing sheets in their boiler room.
Tim Ross is touring Australia with his new live show The Australian Dream?
Originally published as Comedian and design nerd Tim Ross shares his travel hacks
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Herald Sun
5 hours ago
- Herald Sun
I stayed at 3 of New Zealand's best luxury lodges, it was incredible
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. The first few tentative steps atop the white snowy caps of New Zealand's Southern Alps are not what I expected. From a distance, the ancient glaciers appear as a soft blanket of freshly fallen snow blanketing the mountaintops, not the hard, compacted ice we find when our helicopter lands among Fiordland National Park's highest peaks. 'Edmund Hillary climbed that peak three times in training before he tackled Everest,' our pilot says, pointing at Mount Tutoko. 'Sadly, these glaciers are disappearing. I remember seeing those mountain peaks covered in snow, not exposed like that.' His commentary forces me to put down my camera and take in the precious moment; breathe in the crisp, clean air and marvel at the silence and glaring whiteness stretched out before me. Mercedes Maguire on a helitour of Fiordland National Park. We were picked up from the front lawn of Blanket Bay luxury lodge for a helitour of Fiordland National Park. En route, our pilot points out the remote cabin on the edge of Lake Wakatipu where Brad Pitt's still-in-production film Heart of the Beast recently wrapped filming, and fans of The Lord of the Rings and Mission Impossible: Fallout movies will recognise the scenery of the lake sandwiched between mountains. The Southern Alps is the final stop in a multi-lodge holiday of New Zealand. New Zealand's lodges are different to those anywhere else – often in remote, natural settings, they offer the perfect combo of intimate service, amazing food and genuine sustainability. I like to think of this trip, which will include a stay in three of the country's best luxury lodges, as a bit like an island-hopping adventure with a twist – lodge leaping, perhaps? The Otahuna Lodge mansion dates back to 1895. First stop Otahuna Lodge may be just 30 minutes from Christchurch Airport, but it has getting-away-from-it-all vibes. The seven-room Queen Anne mansion – built in 1895 by politician Sir Heaton Rhodes for his new bride, Jessie – comes into view on approach along the long gravel driveway. Hall Cannon and Miles Refo took on the then-crumbling pile in 2006 (left derelict after its time as a Christian monastery and a 1960s hippie commune), opening the largest private historic property in New Zealand after a year-long restoration. My room is a light-drenched space styled in modern Victorian with high ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace and a large recessed picture window overlooking the grounds. The Botanical Suite at Otahuna Lodge. It was once the room of the lady of the house, and I'm happy to be its latest occupant, even if it's just for the night. While the lodge operates as a fine hotel under the Relais & Châteaux banner, it feels more like I'm a guest in a private country home, each room a perfect blend of authentic old and comfortable new. There's no minibar or television in my room, for example, because they didn't have them in Jessie's time. But on the main landing, an old timber sideboard serving as a shared minibar heaves with freshly baked friands and Anzac biscuits, tea, coffee and cold drinks. The extensive gardens were remodelled into a series of spaces that are like living jewellery boxes – the Dutch garden, rose garden, orchard and a 130-variety fruit and vegetable patch that inspires executive chef Jimmy McIntyre's seasonal menus. Guests are encouraged to book cooking demonstrations and garden tours for the full experience. Hall waves us off the next morning, after a country breakfast that included a delicious multigrain no-knead bread made from a 100-year-old recipe in New Zealand's beloved Edmonds Cookery Book, farm fresh eggs, homemade jams, honey and muesli. Whare Cottage at Wharekauhau Lodge. North Island hop A short plane trip to Wellington and a helicopter ride across the water (or a 90-minute drive) takes us to our second stop, Wharekauhau. If Otahuna Lodge is reminiscent of an old English hunting lodge, Wharekauhau is more like a luxe farmstay, cradled between the Remutaka mountains and Palliser Bay. The main building is the hub for meals, activity-planning, evening drinks, exercise or just a place to hang out, while the accommodation is away from the lodge in 16 cottage suites and a villa. Wharekauhau has a dedicated 'activity outfitter' and planning your days over cocktails in the formal lounge is all part of the experience. We toured the 1200ha estate on ATV quad bikes (keeping an eye out for movie-director neighbour James Cameron), hand-fed eels, went clay-target shooting and walked the black-sand beach at Palliser Bay – and that was without leaving the estate. A 45-minute drive takes you to the charming town of Martinborough, a great spot for lunch and shopping and the home of Lighthouse Gin, run by New Zealand's first female head distiller, Rachel Hall. Refusing to get caught up in the 'crazy-flavoured gin trend', Hall produces a core range of three gins: Original, Navy Strength and Barrel Aged, all made using nine botanicals and spring water from Wharekauhau. The picturesque Blanket Bay lodge at dusk. And back south The luxury lodge trifecta finishes at picture-perfect Blanket Bay, 45 minutes from Queenstown Airport. There are eight rooms in the main lodge plus four chalets and a four-bedroom villa elsewhere on the estate. The area is a perfect base for adventure activities like horse riding, ziplining, bungee jumping, helifishing, hiking and jetboating. But with a helipad on the grounds, flights over nearby Milford Sound and the glaciers of the Southern Alps are the ultimate local experience. Our pilot tells us that what appears to be dirt on the glacier tops is actually ash from Australian bushfires. That doesn't stop me bending to scoop the water, drip-fed from a glacier to a small steam, into my mouth. It's crisp, perfectly chilled and delicious. And after a week of pure indulgence, it seems like a fitting finale to New Zealand. The writer was a guest of Relais & Châteaux. The lodges Otahuna, 30 minutes from Christchurch Airport. Rooms from $NZ2600 a night for two adults twin share (about $2411). Wharekauhau, 90 minutes from Wellington. Rooms from $2700 a night for two adults twin share (about $2472). Blanket Bay, 40 minutes from Queenstown. Rooms from $NZ2250 a night for two adults twin share (about $2086). Originally published as I stayed at 3 of New Zealand's best luxury lodges, it was incredible
Courier-Mail
a day ago
- Courier-Mail
Prince Harry's wild palace comeback plan for Archie, Lili
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News. There is a brilliant British expression: The marmalade dropper. That one is standing in one's kitchen at breakfast time, looking out over trellised delphiniums and Marks and Spencer garden furniture, and you hear some news so startling a jar of the Waitrose's finest Oxford pip-free slips through your fingers out of deep shock. So I'm warning you now. Put down all condiments, sauces, dressings or hot drinks. Get this: Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex reportedly sees a future where his children could return to the UK and become official working members of the royal family. Yes, him. The world's only royal refugee, a man who chucked in palace-dom and the possibility of ever being proudly tasked to open the Perthshire Agricultural Show, who painted the Windsors as emotionally constipated, self-serving egoists, who told us at exhausting length about the commercial-grade suffering that he endured as a paid up representative of the Crown. Him. X He, reportedly, thinks that – despite having earned tens of millions of dollars rubbing his family and laying bare the inequities and humiliations of monarchy and despite his kids having been to the UK once in the last five years – his kids could one day become paid up, front row members of Crown Inc. I'm not sure we've had a piece of news this bizarre and defying all logic, reason and good sense since, Prince Edward (remember him? Thin, suited, bears an increasingly haunting resemblance to Prince Philip if he had ever joined a book club?) got the idea to do a royal version of 80s game show It's A Knockout. Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh attends the 2025 Chelsea Pensioners Founder's Day. Picture:MORE:'Lonely': Insiders lift lid on Harry's sad life On Thursday The Guardian, which normally stays well clear of breaking any news about Crown Inc aside from pointing out the tens of millions they squeeze out farm land they acquired during a joust in 1484, took a break from extolling the virtues of wind farms and tahini to get into the royal reporting game. (Personally, I love both.) The Guardian ran a piece reporting that Archie and Lili were forced to wait six months for new passports after the late Queen died and that Harry and his wife Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex feared the delay was because 'UK officials were dragging their feet because the passport applications included the titles HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) for both children.' A source close to the Sussexes said that 'the king hadn't wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles, most of all the HRH, and the British passports, once created, would be the first and perhaps the only legal proof of their names'. However, the Duke of Sussex wanted 'to keep the HRH titles for his children so that when they grow older they can decide for themselves whether they want to become working royals, or stay out of public life'. MORE: Prince Harry's $200m UK secret revealed Prince Harry wanted 'to keep the HRH titles for his children so that when they grow older they can decide for themselves whether they want to become working royals'. Picture: John Stillwell –Marmalade, meet floor. Of all the things that you can imagine the duke noodling about in Montecito as he did the composting or was assuming the lotus position, his children having or wanting a future that would see Buckingham Palace merrily tasking them with a few lighthouse-related outings or some mid-tier midlands military patronages is madness. It would be like a committed vegan considering whether their adored offspring might one day get into farm to table butchery. The members working royal family, the fundamental indignity of the pathological hierarchy of it, the monarchy, the mandatory involvement of his most nemesis the British media duly recording every pat pleasantry during an away day to Sheffield – isn't this everything Harry has been pushing back against? Has repeatedly criticised from the global bully pulpit of Netflix and from the pages of a Guinness World Record setting book and interview after interview? Even aside from this, what makes the duke think his kids would be allowed to rejoin the merry old house of Windsor? Archie has not lived in the UK since he was about six months old; Lili has only been there once. She is not believed to have ever met William or Kate, The Princess of Wales or anyone with any sort of main character energy here. Prince Harry holds his newborn daughter Lilibet. Picture: Instagram Harry and Meghan pose for their Christmas card last year with Archie and Lilibet. Picture: Alexi Lubomirski/The Times Why would they want to sacrifice their independence and freedom for a country and institution they have no connection with? Nor, you would have to imagine, would the British people be that jazzed about two people with thick Californian accents turning up to host garden parties who don't know what Hobnobs are. That the palace or the British people would accept the young Sussexes as representatives of the Crown is nigh-on impossible to swallow. Even then, even if these obstacles were somehow surmounted, there is the biggest of them all – would William let them? That the palace or the British people would accept the young Sussexes as representatives of the Crown is nigh-on impossible to swallow. Picture: Jim Clarke/AFP By the time Archie and Lilli are firmly in their 20s he is likely to be running the show and King. As a friend of his told The Daily Beast last year, he 'absolutely f**king hates' Harry. Does that sound like a welcome-with-open-arms situation to you? Even today, royal cousins are essentially barred from being allowed to be working members of the royal family. Since 2012, when Charles put his plan in action, four deeply regrettable words have echoed up and down the Buckingham Palace halls – 'slimmed down royal family'. At another time Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as HRHs and 'blood princesses' would have been shoe-ins to never have to work real jobs and to live lives where they spent the hours of 10am until 2ish on any given Wednesday cutting ribbons at Women's Institute meetings and visiting donkey rescues on behalf of the palace. Instead you can find Beatrice York on LinkedIn, a regular London gal in her 30s with a very good career in the software biz. Princess Beatrice of York and Prince William in Ascot, England. Picture:Beatrice and Eugenie have not been allowed out onto the palace balcony to exercise their waving muscles since 2019. Who knows. Maybe by 2045 the royal family will be desperate for fresh faces and Prince George, as he preps for the throne himself, will be dead keen on his American cousins being called up to bolster the flagging royal ranks. Maybe Archie and Lili will be keen to embrace their British heritage and want to devote their lives to dutiful public service. For the time being though, you can safely pick up the marmalade again but be warned. There is one thing we can say about Harry – the duke never fails to surprise us. Or the palace. And maybe the same goes for the next generation, in Montecito and London. Daniela Elser is a writer, editor and commentator with more than 15 years' experience working with a number of Australia's leading media titles. Originally published as Prince Harry's wild palace comeback plan for Archie, Lili
Herald Sun
2 days ago
- Herald Sun
Best Early EOFY Deals in Australia: Huge sales from Down Under
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. The end of the financial year is fast approaching and that means one thing: great sales and deals. If there's purchases you've been holding off on, now's the time to buy, as some of Australia's favourite brands drop their prices in the EOFY sales. We've rounded up all of the best deals happening already, from Ergoflex's 30 per cent off deal on mattresses, to $550 off the Dyson Gen5detect Complete vacuum, down to $1049 from $1599. Not to mention, the wild 90 per cent off sale event at Canningvale. Don't wait, grab these bargains while they're live. Please note: Prices are correct and products in stock at time of publishing. We'll do our best to keep this story updated, but be aware products move fast during sales events. These products are hand-picked by our team to help make shopping easier. We may receive payments from third parties for sharing this content and when you purchase through links in this article. Product prices and offer details are not assured, and should be confirmed independently with the retailer. Learn more. TOP EARLY EOFY DEALS Ergoflex Up to 30 per cent off with code 15YEARS Dyson $550 off the Dyson Gen5detect Complete vacuum, $1049 (down from $1599) $500 off the Dyson V8 Absolute vacuum, $499 (down from $999) $400 off the Dyson V11 Advanced vacuum, $799 (down from $1199) $210 off the Dyson V7 Advanced Origin, $389 (down from $599) $150 off the Dyson Airstrait straightener and dryer (Ceramic Pink), $599 (down from $749) $153 off the Dyson Airwrap multi-styler and dryer, $696 (down from $849) Myer Up to 50 per cent off the stocktake sale 30-40 per cent off women's fashion 50 per cent off men's fashion 20 per cent off selected LEGO Up to 50 per cent off beauty brands including Revlon, Clarins 50 per cent off cookware 40 per cent off travel luggage Myer have great EOFY deals on winter clothes right now. Image: Myer eBay 20 per cent off this EOFY, using the code 'FYMY20' Non-members save 15 per cent off, using the code 'FYMY15' 20 per cent off refurbished tech – Samsung, Microsoft, Apple and more 20 per cent off home and garden appliances Samsung Shop the early EOFY sale $4000 off the 98' Neo Q LED 4K QN90D Smart AI TV 30 per cent off Galaxy Watches and Buds Up to $400 off Galaxy S25 Series The Good Guys 25 per cent off Toshiba TVs $500 off DeLonghi Magnifica Fully Automatic Coffee Machine, $499 (down from $999) $400 off Samsung 75' Q7F QLED 4K Smart TV 2025, $1995 (down from $2395) $500 off the TCL 75' C7K Premium QD Mini LED Google TV 2025, $2795 (down from $2995) SmilePro Get 50 per cent off the Advanced Teeth Whitening Kit, $104.50 (down from $209) Shop the 50 per cent off sale 50 per cent off the Ultimate Teeth Whitening Kit, $149 (down from $298) Emma Sleep Up to 55 per cent off the EOFY sale 55 per cent off the Emma Luxe Plus Mattress 50 per cent off the Emma Diamond Pillow 45 per cent off the Emma Comfort Plus Mattress Amazon Australia 34 per cent off the Philips Homerun 2000 Series: 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with 2700Pa Suction & 130min Runtime, $396 (down from $599) 50 per cent off the Oral-B Pro 300 Mint Green Electric Toothbrush, $45 (down from $89.99) 43 per cent off the HP 14' Chromebook, $329 (down from $579) 40 per cent off the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop, $269.99 (down from $449.99) 46 per cent off the INIU 22.5W Power Bank, $25.49 (down from $47) Save on air fryers and steam mops at Amazon for EOFY. Image: Amazon Australia The Iconic Up to 60 per cent off the End of Season Sale Spend and save up to 25 per cent off Up to 40 per cent off winter staples 25 per cent off Levi's Ribcage Straight Ankle Jeans The Iconic have discounts on New Balance shoes and the Levi's Ribcage Straight Ankle Jeans. Image: The Iconic Vamos Bikes Save up to $800 on e-bikes $800 off the Amigo 2025 All Purpose Compact Cargo E-Bike, $3,545 (down from $4,345) $500 off the Rapido 2025 Daily Commuter E-Bike, $$2,795 (down from $3,295) $500 off the El Diablo 2025 High Performance E-Bike, $3,295 (down from $3,795) Adore Beauty Up to 50 per cent off clearance beauty 25 per cent off the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Sychronized Multi-Recovery Complex, $55.50 (down from $74) 20 per cent off the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Eye Cream Set, $183.20 (down from $229) Receive a free eight-piece goodie bag when you spend $139 De'Longhi Up to 30 per cent off selected coffee machines Get 10 per cent off at cart with the code NEWS10 Loungeface Save up to $37.95 off bundles, plus free shipping Koala Buy a select mattress and get a free Koala pillow Buy a select sofa or sofa bed, get an Ottoman free Jurlique Save up to 30 per cent off select products Bae The Label Get up to 40 per cent off maternity fashion Winnings Shop the mega EOFY sale 20 per cent off top bathroom brands 10 per cent off selected Miele appliances Score some bargains on linen at Sheridan this EOFY. Image: Sheridan TOP EARLY EOFY TECH DEALS Lenovo Up to 43 per cent off PCs in the EOFY sale HP Up to 50 per cent off select HP laptops plus an extra 10 per cent off with code EOFY TOP EARLY EOFY HOME DEALS Sheridan Up to 50 per cent off Sheridan Sheridan Outlet Shop everything under $199 Temple & Webster Up to 40 per cent off the warehouse sale Temple & Webster have a huge 40 per cent off sale right now. Image: Temple & Webster Bed Bath N' Table Up to 60 per cent off the clearance sale James Lane Up to 50 per cent off everything Origin Mattress Up to 40 per cent off sale Canningvale Up to 90 per cent off sitewide KitchenAid Shop the mid-season sale event KitchenAid have major EOFY deals on right now. Image: KitchenAid TOP EARLY EOFY TRAVEL DEALS Escape Deals Get 5 per cent off your first purchase, using the code 'ILOVEESCAPE' Up to 48 per cent off – An Exclusive Five-Star Stay at Double-Six Luxury Hotel 2 kids stay and eat free – A Vibrant Family Island Escape at Kandima Maldives Escape Deals have some bargains to snap up for a 2025 getaway. Image: Escape Deals American Tourister Up to 50 per cent off the mid year sale July $125 off luggage sets Samsonite Spend and save up to 40 per cent off Strand Up to 50 per cent off sale TOP EARLY EOFY FASHION DEALS lululemon Shop the mid-year sale Calvin Klein Up to 50 per cent off sitewide Target Australia Up to 30 per cent off selected clothing Lorna Jane Up to 40 per cent off selected styles Adidas 40 per cent off the end of season sale, plus 10 per cent off with code SHOPBACK Cotton On Up to 50 per cent off original prices Stock up on your winter wardrobe with EOFY deals at Cotton On. Image: Cotton On. Tommy Hilfiger 40 per cent off winter essentials Meshki Up to 50 per cent off sale Country Road Up to 50 per cent off selected styles Extra 20 per cent off sale ASOS 25 per cent off thousands of styles TOP EARLY EOFY BEAUTY DEALS Priceline Up to 50 per cent off selected skincare Up to 50 per cent off selected haircare MCoBeauty Shop the sale event MAC Cosmetics Up to 40 per cent off sale Get your beauty essentials for even less with McoBeauty's EOFY sale. Image: McoBeauty Sephora Up to 50 per cent off sale LELO Up to 50 per cent off sale iHerb Up to 20 per cent off wellness sale Lovehoney Up to 50 per cent off selected sex toys Shaver Shop Up to 75 per cent off sale Laser Clinics Australia Up to 60 per cent off selected laser hair removal WHAT IS THE END OF FINANCIAL YEAR? In Australia, the financial year ends on June 30 and begins again on July 1. The month of June is usually a time for retailers to discount their stock, ready for a clear out and restock in July. WHEN ARE THE END OF FINANCIAL YEAR SALES? The end of financial year (EOFY) sales usually occur during June, but can start as early as May for some retailers, and will often continue right up until June 30, or while stock lasts. Keep this page bookmarked and we'll let you know what deals are happening, and when! Originally published as Best Early EOFY Deals in Australia: Huge sales from Down Under
