Doc Holiday: Can I get travel insurance without a return flight?
Escape's Doc Holiday, Dilvin Yasa, answers your travel-related questions.
My daughter has booked a one-way ticket to Prague but is having trouble getting travel insurance. How can she get around this? She has yet to finalise her return date.
There are plenty of travel insurers – Fast Cover, World Nomads, Travel Insurance Direct and Cover-More among them – offering one-way insurance policies, but your daughter will need to read their Product Disclosure Statements carefully, as exclusions and limits can vary from general single-trip policies.
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Some may offer cover for up to 12 months, and others up to 24 months, and should your daughter's return date change (once she locks it in), extending it is usually as easy as contacting the insurer online.
Two things to watch out for. An exclusion specific to these policies is if your daughter is repatriated to Australia for any reason listed in the policy. In these cases, she may still have to shell out for an additional return economy ticket back home.
And most insurance providers also require travellers seeking one-way insurance to be an Australian citizen or resident, and have the trip originate from Australia.
You can apply for the UK's ETA (its visa waiver program) easily online.
My sister and I (two elderly ladies) need a UK ETA for an upcoming cruise, but neither of us have the technical knowledge or equipment to access the app. What can we do?
No need to worry about the app. You can apply for the UK's ETA (its visa waiver program) easily online. Towards the top of the screen under Contents, you'll see a link for Apply for an ETA. It will keep encouraging you to apply via the app, but if you scroll to the bottom of the page, you'll see a link that says 'I cannot apply on the UK ETA app'. Press that, and then 'Continue application online' and it will take you to the form. You'll need to take a photo of the passport you'll travel with, as well as a close-up photo of your face, so if you don't have a phone with these capabilities, you may need to ask a family member, friend or neighbour for assistance. You'll also need a credit or debit card to make the £16 (around $34) payment. Approval can take up to 72 hours and while it's a nuisance, the UK ETA lasts for two years, or until your passport expires.
For those who have asked, paper applications for the UK ETA are not possible.
I've booked Qantas flights to Tokyo Narita airport but have read that the airline will change QF61 and QF62 to use Haneda airport later in 2025. When will this come into effect?
Great news. Although there was talk earlier in the year about Qantas shifting its Melbourne and Brisbane flights from Narita to Haneda, the airline has since confirmed there will be no changes to its Tokyo services, with the exception of the December 2025 start of its non-stop seasonal flights between Sydney and Sapporo. Qantas offers two daily flights from Sydney to Haneda, plus one daily flight from both Brisbane and Melbourne to Narita.
Qantas has confirmed there will be no changes to its Tokyo services.
Can you shed any light on compatible carry-on strollers for domestic flights? We want to know we're buying the right one.
Yikes! It's been a while since I've looked at baby and toddler gear and I'd forgotten just how expensive a stroller or pram can be (not to mention how quickly those costs stack up).
On domestic flights, our airlines will accept any wheels (securely packaged in a protective cover preferably) which can be collapsed to their carry-on baggage dimensions of 56cm x 23cm x 36cm. The pram or stroller can weigh up to 7kg. Anything larger or heavier will have to be checked in.
There are a couple of great options that won't cost the earth. The Original Karion Travel Stroller and the Cybex Libelle Stroller are among some of the most compact and lightweight out there and both will fit neatly in domestic overhead compartments.
I'd forgotten just how expensive a stroller or pram can be.
You could also visit a store such as Baby Kingdom or Baby Bunting and ask staff to show you strollers that fit within those exact margins if you'd like a few more choices across various price points.
When my girls were little, I used a cheap umbrella stroller from Kmart for our travels. It wasn't small enough to fold down for carry-on and had to be checked in, but I appreciated how light it was to lug around and best of all, no one ever tried to steal it from the baggage carousel. I always just figured that if it broke en route (it never did), I'd simply replace it.
Need help?
Doc Holiday is on duty to answer your travel questions. Email docholiday@news.com.au. Personal replies are unfortunately not possible.
Originally published as Doc Holiday: Can I get travel insurance without a return flight?
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The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Newcastle to become state's first berthing for luxury superyachts
The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year. The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year. The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year. The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Does Australia's biggest contribution to global dining come from ... McDonald's?
Before flat whites surged through New York City, Aussie-inspired coffee was being poured at America's first McCafe in Chicago, back in 2001. Since its Melbourne creation in 1993, the McDonald's concept has taken off globally and McCafes now serve macarons in France and alfajores in Argentina. There are McCafes with bubble tea in China, zaatar croissants in Saudi Arabia and local coffee beans in Guatemala. 'I don't think it would be crazy to argue that Australian coffee culture is the country's biggest culinary contribution to the world, within which McCafe plays a major role as the delivery vehicle,' says Gary He, author of McAtlas: A Global Guide to the Golden Arches. The self-published book won the Reference, History and Scholarship category at the prestigious James Beard food media awards in June, held in Chicago. He, a US-based writer and photographer, travelled to McDonald's outlets across six continents to document the fast-food chain's surprising diversity. The project, started in 2018, has taken him to more than 50 countries, from Sweden's McSki to Germany's McBoat and New Zealand's Taupo location which incorporates an actual plane.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
One of the world's most isolated places is the ultimate cruise destination
It isn't just wildlife numbers that have an impact on visitors to South Georgia. You get closer to animals here than almost anywhere else in the world. Close enough to admire the sheen on penguins' feathers, to be alarmed by the fierce beaks of giant petrels, and to look into seals' watery black eyes. South Georgia beats the Arctic and Svalbard, where you're lucky to see only a few walrus or polar bears at a distance. It's even harder to get to, however. The British Overseas Territory is 1300 kilometres from the nearest permanent habitation in the Falkland Islands, and 2000 kilometres east of the South American mainland. South Georgia has no airport. Unless you join the British Antarctic Survey, the only way to get here is on an expedition cruise in summer. I'm here with Aurora Expeditions, a top choice for this remote and rugged destination. The inverted bow of Greg Mortimer provides increased stability in rough waters, and abundant decks a grandstand onto icebergs and drifting seabirds if you can stand the cold. Two well-placed hot tubs are terrific if you can't. Wind and waves set the agenda in this volatile environment, so you need an experienced company and expedition team that knows the best places to sail and land. I'm lucky to have Aurora's founder Greg Mortimer himself on board. The legendary adventurer – the first Australian (with Tim Macartney-Snape) to climb Mount Everest and various other big peaks, including Antarctica's highest – has led more than 80 expeditions to Antarctica. Every excursion brings something different. Hercules Bay has macaroni penguins with jaunty yellow head feathers, and a laziness of elephant seals as big as boulders. Fortuna Bay is encrusted with glaciers and bands of buckled rock, and jammed with fur seals and their newly born pups. The sun is bright on a silvery sea as we sail into Stromness Bay, illuminating alpine peaks. The ship's Observation Lounge, with coffee in hand, is my box onto the grand opera of scenery. By the time we anchor, clouds are low and the wind furious. What looked beautiful now seems desolate and grey, but going ashore is just as wonderful. By far the biggest pleasure of expedition cruising is the chance to tap into expert knowledge, and I soon find myself fascinated by lichen, cloud patterns and the penguin life cycle. Twice-daily talks by the expedition team add informative and entertaining detail to South Georgia's natural history. One afternoon, we land at St Andrew's Bay. Dozens of elephant seals are slumped on the beach. Fur seals are everywhere. The king penguin rookery is the biggest in South Georgia, with perhaps well over half a million animals. When I see Linda, I have to admit that my amazement at the wildlife all those days ago was indeed premature. The numbers are difficult to fathom. The island is home to most of the world's Antarctic fur seals and half its elephant seals, plus some 60 million seabirds. Returning to the ship seems surreal. The mudroom, where we strip off Aurora-supplied boots and polar jackets, is its portal between wilderness and the ship's comfort. A quick treatment for chilled bones in the sauna and pre-dinner cocktails are followed by pappardelle alla norma and an Argentine malbec. On our final morning in South Georgia, we're out in Zodiacs at Right Whale Bay. Peaks stab the background and waterfalls gush into a churning sea. The beaches are strewn with so many fur seals that we can't find spare sand on which to land. Bull seals agitated by the mating season grunt and huff. The water around the Zodiac plops with penguins, yellow beaks and throats flashing as they surface for air. They're as soon underwater again, sleek as synchronised swimmers. Once more, South Georgia provides a constant state of wildlife overstimulation. By late morning the wind has whipped up to 70 knots, forcing us to abandon our final excursion. South Georgian weather is capricious. 'You'll have some blue-sky days and bad days and some filthy days but get up and out anyway, because you'll always see things that are unique,' Mortimer advised us at the start of our journey. Loading Indeed. Now the snow is falling, or rather stabbing horizontally across the slush-slippery deck. But no matter. I huddle by the railing, peering through frozen eyelashes at my last glimpse of South Georgia, which disappears into the fog like a magical kingdom, leaving only albatross wandering in a milky sky. The details Cruise Aurora Expeditions visits South Georgia on several different itineraries that also take in the Antarctic Peninsula and Falkland Islands. For example, a 23-day Antarctica Complete journey, which next departs on December 20, 2025 and December 17, 2026, costs from $US29,756 a person ($46,640) including all shore excursions and Zodiac expedition. See
