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Courier-Mail
5 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
I joined a growing travel trend on a Kimberley cruise with kids
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. Some might call it insanity. Taking two kids on a week-long cruise. To far-flung, people-free lands. At around $10,000 a pop (double for adults). I see their point. Exploring eastern Australia's remote Kimberley aboard a luxury expedition ship is lusted after as one of life's top-tier bucket-list experiences, on a par with a Kenyan safari or Alaskan adventure. Yet most people wait until they're retired to do it. I'm not one of those people. X SUBSCRIBER ONLY Increasingly, I'm not alone. Multi-generational travel is trending, and even True North – arguably Australia's most exclusive, chopper-topped cruise vessel – is happy to have all ages on board. Always has been. It's just that, until now, hardly anyone has taken up the option. But in the past two years, the original Kimberley explorer has seen a serious up-tick in families bringing several generations along. Already this dry season – April to October – True North has hosted a group of 12, comprising grandparents, parents and grandkids, then a family with teens, and a repeat customer who brings a different grandchild on each trip. Others have commandeered the entire True North II boat to edge towering, rusty red cliffs and nose the bow into splintering waterfalls with their nearest and dearest (starting at $424,000 for 10 nights and holding 22 people; 11 such charters are booked for 2026). Once, it was a view few people under 70 would ever get to see. Now, True North is blocking out select adults-only voyages to manage the competing demands. Fleur Bainger with sons Sebby and Jasper on a chopper ride from True North. I am, nonetheless, worried about how fellow passengers might feel about my two boys, aged eight and 11, climbing aboard. Perhaps they'll avoid us at dinner? Tut-tut at the kids' queue blindness? Or worse, trip over them? I word up the boys on a no-whinging policy (my rule, not the boat's). They'll try every cheffy dish before we take the toastie back-up plan. And be on best behaviour. Agreed? I book flights to Broome. The first sign things might actually go well occurs as we spring onto the back deck. 'Keep your shoes off; we go barefoot on this boat,' pipes a crew member, clasping my hand and hoisting me from the tender boat. 'Do you mean we don't need to wear shoes for a whole week?' asks the youngest, eyes saucer-wide. I nod and he fist pumps the air. Within seconds my tin lids are kicking back in cradle-like swivel chairs, sipping lemonade and munching Kettle chips like seasoned, five-star travellers. 'They're free, Mum!' I'm told, with more jubilation. Attempts at explaining 'all-inclusive' fail. Details, darling. True North cruising Montgomery Reef. We awaken to glowing amber bluffs out flatscreen-sized windows. Craggy, Buccaneer Archipelago islands are visible from bed (the usual king converted to two singles, plus an extra, fought-over floor mattress). Sleepy eyes stretch as we witness one of the world's last true wilderness areas – much of it accessible only by small expedition vessel. Even for me, on my fourth coastal cruise (lucky travel writer that I am), the dawn panorama produces awe-struck wonder. It's just like the first time I saw Uluru, aged seven. The Kimberley bears that same magical ability to bring out the child in everyone – regardless of age. 'I was screaming like a little girl,' laughs Diane Haagsma, a 72-year-old, who jumps off a ledge into a black gorge pool as a crew member holds her hand. Surfacing in delight, she admits not realising she was still capable of such a playful act, nor the four-points clamber up and down rock walls to get there. A dewy morning on deck on Porosus Creek. Picture: Fleur Bainger Another guest of similar vintage, Chris Sadler, feels renewed with each adventure, from hiking through spinifex to see 20,000-year-old rock art 'that doesn't have little ropes in front of it' to spotting sea turtles in channels cutting through Montgomery Reef. 'It's like when I go skiing – I always think of that as being like a six-year-old,' she says. Mother-of-three Mel Ecseri feels her 40s fall away at King Cascades, terraced falls that teem over long grasses. 'The sound of the waterfall took me back to being a little kid, when you have time, freedom and no stresses,' she says. 'In that moment, I realised there are no emails here, no texts, no kid wrangling, no timetable and nothing else to think about.' True North at King Cascades. She and her husband are cruising with his parents, celebrating the family patriarch's 80th birthday. 'It's been amazing to watch them do things they've forgotten they can do,' Mel says. 'And we've talked the whole time about how our kids would love this.' Daily adventures see the clock roll back. On my kids' first-ever chopper ride, the pilot executes aerial 'speed bumps'; after word gets around, he grants others the thrill. All ages giggle over comical mud skippers, scarlet crabs and multi-horned caterpillars. Smiles are equally wide as we coast over whirlpools and boils through the Horizontal Falls. The delighted cries as my son hooks his first fish carry across the water, sharing the joy. One day we eat breakfast burgers while spotting crocs in the lee of a looming red rock escarpment resembling the Roman Colosseum. Another, we raft up the tender boats – with a 'bar boat' in the middle – for a citrus-stained sunset. A tender on Porosus Creek at dawn. Picture: Fleur Bainger Is spending thousands on kids to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth it? With the funds, the agility and the way youthful innocence allows you to see things through new eyes, absolutely. But let's hear it from the kids. As we depart the ship, my eldest turns to me and says, 'I want to do this again. Can we do this again, Mum?' Ah, to be a child again. The writer and her family were guests aboard True North, with support from Tourism Western Australia. True North's seven-night Kimberley Snapshot Cruise costs from $19,595 per adult and $9797 per child. Helicopter flights are additional. Originally published as I joined a growing travel trend on a Kimberley cruise with kids
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
South Korea weighs painful concessions to avert Trump's looming tariffs
Find out what's new on ST website and app. US President Donald Trump's across-the-board 25 per cent tariff is set to take effect on Aug 1. South Korea will hold high-level trade talks with the US on July 25, accelerating efforts to head off sweeping tariffs by weighing politically sensitive concessions that could reshape ties between the two allies. Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo will meet their US counterparts, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in a so-called '2+2' format in Washington, Mr Koo told reporters on July 22. Seoul is preparing for a diplomatic push in the final days before the Aug 1 deadline when President Donald Trump's across-the-board 25 per cent tariff is set to take effect. South Korea's foreign and industry ministers are also expected to travel to the US separately as early as this week, while National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac recently departed for the US on his second trip in under two weeks. Trade Minister Yeo has previously addressed the difficult trade-offs required to protect South Korea's broader strategic and economic interests. While no formal offer has been extended, agricultural concessions have emerged as one of the few options under consideration. Past efforts to open the beef market sparked nationwide protests, and any shift on rice could face even stiffer resistance. 'We must make strategic judgements – protect what we must, but also consider what we can offer in the broader context of the talks,' Mr Yeo had earlier told reporters. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore S'poreans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22 Singapore Changi Airport's passenger traffic crosses 17.5 million mark in Q2 2025 Singapore 2 charged over alleged involvement in posting of bail for man who subsequently absconded Opinion Singapore's vaping crisis lays bare the drug addiction nightmare for parents Multimedia 'It's very sad': She comforts loved ones turned away by inmates Singapore LTA seeks tailored solutions to improve Bukit Panjang LRT's maintenance inspections World Trump 'caught off guard' by Israel's strikes in Syria Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving The outcome of the negotiations carries high stakes for South Korea, where exports made up more than 40 per cent of GDP last year. As a key exporter of semiconductors, smartphones, automobiles, and batteries, any disruption to Korean shipments threatens to reverberate across global supply chains. To boost its bargaining position, Seoul is also exploring participation in a US-backed Alaskan gas project, potential cooperation in shipbuilding, industrial revitalisation, and regulatory changes to improve access for US tech firms. Defence burden-sharing is another sensitive area. Mr Trump has long pushed allies to increase their financial contributions to hosting American troops, and a modest boost in South Korea's share could help reduce friction in the broader talks. So far, Mr Lee has advocated for sticking with a five-year cost-sharing deal reached in October 2024, though his team has had discussions with US counterparts on the topic. Still, the priority is protecting industrial heavyweights. Autos account for more than a quarter of South Korea's exports to the US, and the nation's carmaker Hyundai Motor faces elevated risks due to its reliance on domestic production despite recent US investment pledges. Now, Mr Trump is also escalating the pressure on sectors previously considered less exposed: semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. The president has indicated that tariffs on both drugs and chips could take effect as early as the start of August. Those measures may be imposed alongside the higher reciprocal tariffs. The scope of these new duties could be wide. Korean pharmaceutical firms such as Celltrion and SK Biopharmaceuticals are among those expressing concerns over the measure, while the proposed chip duties might impact not only components but also finished products including smartphones and laptops from Samsung Electronics. Although some analysts expect Washington may ultimately favor investment incentives or import quotas in these sectors, the risk of outright tariffs is growing. Many Korean firms have built joint ventures in the US, particularly in cars and batteries, but their core supply chains remain rooted at home. After two trips to Washington since June, Trade Minister Yeo has emphasized that the talks should not be viewed as a zero-sum game. He advocates for a 'positive-sum' outcome, in which both sides walk away with mutual gains through deeper industrial and regulatory cooperation. But scepticism is mounting as time runs short and coordination among Korean ministries remains fragmented. 'From what we're seeing, this is less of a negotiation and more of a one-sided demand,' said Mr Park Sanghyun, an economist at iM Securities. 'At best, we might be able to shave the proposed 25 per cent rate down to something below 20 per cent, but the idea of avoiding sectoral tariffs altogether seems unlikely.' BLOOMBERG
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch 400+ satellites in bold push to transform Alaska's internet connectivity
AP SpaceX's plans to place over 400 satellites into this polar orbit by year's end indicate a major emphasis on West Coast launches Elon Musk's startup company SpaceX on Friday added 24 new Starlink satellites to its orbital network on a launch from California, expanding its global network to over 7,900 satellites. The launch, which occurred shortly after sunset, marked the addition of these satellites to the company's growing constellation. Identified as Starlink 17-3, the mission was executed using the Falcon 9 rocket, which lifted off from the Space Launch Complex 4 East at precisely 8:52 p.m. PDT. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had confirmed that his company would launch the 10th test flight of Starship in approximately three weeks, making it the fourth launch of the year for the fully reusable mega-rocket. ALSO READ: 460,000 student loan borrowers to be kicked off from repayment plan? Know the big changes from August 1According to the company's Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 8:52 p.m. local (11:52 p.m. EDT or 0352 GMT on July 19) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base. At about nine minutes into the flight, the booster's upper stage delivered the two dozen satellites to space. The flight was on track to deploy the Starlink spacecraft into low Earth orbit an hour later, the report said. The Falcon 9 first stage booster being used on this mission, tail number B1082, launched for a 14th time. Its previous missions include NROL-145, USSF-62 and OneWeb #20. A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, B1082 landed on the droneship, 'Of Course I Still Love You.' This marked the 141st booster landing on this vessel and the 477th booster landing to is also launching satellites into polar orbits to improve connectivity in Alaska and high-latitude regions. By the end of 2025, SpaceX plans to launch more than 400 more such satellites, doubling the opportunities for northerners. In an update posted to its Starlink website on Monday, July 14, SpaceX said part of its plan to further scale up its Starlink network, it planned to deploy hundreds of satellites into a polar orbit to improve connectivity in polar regions, like Alaska. ALSO READ: Tyler, the Creator drops surprise album 'Don't Tap the Glass': You won't believe his jaw-dropping fortune 'We plan to launch more than 400 additional satellites to the polar inclination by the end of 2025 alone, which will more than double the capacity for Alaskan customers alone, as well as other high latitude locations,' SpaceX wrote. 'The first of these additional satellites have begun to serve Alaskan users already, nearly doubling median peak-hour download speeds over the past month.'With the latest launch on Friday (designated 17-3), SpaceX has now deployed over 7,965 active Starlink satellites out of the more than 9,200 launched since 2019. The Starlink network provides broadband internet in areas with limited or no connectivity, and also supports direct-to-cell service for select phones and carriers. The reference to the first satellite in this series ties back to the Starlink 17-1 mission on May 27, which also utilized booster B1082 and deployed 24 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into a 97-degree-inclined polar plans to place over 400 satellites into this polar orbit by year's end indicate a major emphasis on West Coast launches. Achieving this target will require at least 16 launches, each carrying 24 or more Friday night's launch, SpaceX is shifting its focus to a NASA rideshare mission, which will carry the agency's TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) payload into orbit.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
$1,702 dividend to be received by Alaska's residents on July 17: Know more and check details
Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) Program will be rolling out $1,702 stimulus payments. Those beneficiaries whose payments status reflected 'Eligible-Not Paid' as of July 9 are eligible to receive this payment, as per the program's official website. The fund is meant to help distribute the state's earnings from oil reserves and is calculated using various factors such as oil prices and investment performance. Eligible Alaskan residents will receive $1,702 through the Permanent Fund Dividend Program, with payments on July 17 and August 21 for those marked Eligible-Not Paid. (Unsplash) Applications for the 2024 dividend closed on March 31 this year. Applications for next year will be open from January 1 to March 31, 2026. ALSO READ| Social Security payments today: Who will receive how much? All you need to know Eligibility criteria As per fund's official website, a user must have the following to be considered eligible to receive the payment: · Resident of Alaska through all of calendar year 2024 · Intent to remain an Alaska resident indefinitely when applied for the 2025 PFD · Not claimed residency in any other state or received any benefit as result of making such a claim at any time since December 31, 2023 · Not sentenced as a result of a felony conviction during 2024, incarcerated at any time during 2024 as the result of a felony conviction or incarcerated at any time during 2024 as the result of a misdemeanor conviction in Alaska if convicted of a prior felony or two or more prior misdemeanors since January 1, 1997 · Not absent from Alaska for more than 180 days without an allowable absence · Physically present in Alaska for at least 72 consecutive hours at some time during 2023 or 2024 Amount to be received 'The 2024 Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) amount is $1,702,' states the official website. For this year, the annual dividend is worth $1,440 while the rest is credited to an energy relief bonus due to elevated oil prices. ALSO READ| Does Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' provide tax relief on Social Security income? Here are FAQs When and how can I expect the payment 'Make sure your address is current on your application. If you electronically signed your PFD application, you can sign into "myPFD" and update your address online OR you can complete the Address Change Form, and submit it to one of our offices,' says the official PFD website. Those whose payment status showed 'Eligible- Not Paid' as of July 9 will be receiving their payments on July 17. Another round of payments is scheduled to be distributed on August 21 for those whose status reflects the same on August 13. Payments are delivered either in the form of direct deposits or mailed paper checks, depending on the beneficiary's noted preference. By Stuti Gupta
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Tsunami alert in Alaska cancelled after 7.3-magnitude earthquake: What travellers need to know
A significant 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Alaska Peninsula, prompting an immediate tsunami warning for southern coastal areas. Residents in Kodiak, Unalaska, and Sand Point were urged to evacuate, but the warning was later cancelled as tsunami waves remained minimal. On the afternoon of July 16, the Alaska Peninsula was hit by a strong 7.3-magnitude earthquake, which immediately triggered a tsunami warning across parts of southern Alaska. However, the tsunami warning is now cancelled completely by the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC). What we know so far? According to local news, the U.S. state was hit around by a powerful quake at 12:37 PM (local time). The epicenter was in the ocean south of Sand Point. The quake sent tremors across hundreds of kilometres, including regions near Anchorage. The NTWC, soon after, issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas from Kennedy Entrance to Unimak Pass. Not only this, the communities living by the sea areas including in Kodiak, Unalaska, and Sand Point were asked to evacuate low-lying areas immediately and move to higher places. Emergency sirens were also heard in the region. Alaska Earthquake Centre took to X and shared a video of the quake mentioning no one was injured: 'We got this incredible footage of today's earthquake from a resident in Sand Point, about 50 miles from the epicenter. We are grateful to those who shared their experiences -- it allows others to understand what an earthquake is like, and be better prepared. We are also grateful that we have not heard of anyone injured from this fairly large earthquake for Alaska.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read More Undo But within a couple of hours, the NTWC reduced the warning to a tsunami advisory and cancelled it. The waves were minimal, which is less than a foot high in most parts of the region. No reports of damage or injuries have been reported so far. However some residents mentioned mild aftershocks and shaky buildings. What travellers should know Alaska is set along the Pacific Ring of Fire. It is naturally prone to earthquakes given the place is one of the most seismically active regions on the planet. Earthquakes and tsunamis are not unheard of in Alaskan regions, which is why it is important for travellers to be aware of safety measure, especially in coastal zones. Those planning a trip to Alaska, here are some important tips: Understand your evacuation path : Coastal towns in Alaska often have clearly marked tsunami evacuation signs leading to higher ground. Sign up for alerts : Travellers can also sign up for alerts to receive emergency updates via apps like NOAA Weather Alerts or local government services. Follow the instructions : If a warning is issued, don't wait. Stay updated with the current situation : Monitor updates from reliable sources like the National Tsunami Warning Center or U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Though there is no more tsunami threat, the incident is a stark reminder of how quickly conditions can change in Alaska's regions. Being cautious.
