The hot new Melbourne restaurant where pasta starts at $6
And the cool thing about cheap places is that cashed-up patrons will often get a bottle of wine rather than two glasses, order a round of peach cheesecake for the table and keep the wheels humming, while those on a tight budget can be here too.
Three more excellent-value places to try
Jay Bhavani
This is the first Melbourne branch of a vegetarian Indian street-food chain with nearly 200 branches around the world. Start with panipuri, fragile dough balls stuffed with spiced potato; it's $10 for 15 tasty bite-sized spheres.
401 Clayton Road, Clayton, jaybhavani.com.au
Beit Siti
Falastini Food Truck now has a permanent cafe home, sharing Palestinian food and culture, inspired by owner Rahaf Al Khatib's teta (grandmother) Jamal. On Mondays and Tuesdays, laptops are encouraged (there's Wi-Fi) to accompany bottomless batch brew coffee and a slice of focaccia for $10.
150 Bell Street, Coburg, instagram.com/beit.siti
Blackwood Hotel
An hour north-west of Melbourne, this 1868 weatherboard pub has been given a sensitive refurb by new owners. Prices are keen, and the pub classics are all there, plus a lamb shoulder that reflects the chef's Greek heritage and roasted cauliflower with cashew cream. Kids schnitzels or lasagne are $14.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
7 hours ago
- West Australian
South Africa in a new light
For most of our lives South Africa has been in the news for the wrong reasons. The apartheid regime that was ushered in after World War II led to riots and killings that shocked the world, including the Soweto riots of 1976, when students objected to Afrikaans being forced on them as the main language of the country. The protests over racial selection in Springbok tours in numerous countries were prime news around the globe and the imprisonment of African National Congress head Nelson Mandela for 28 years was a constant blot on the government's legitimacy. So it was something of a miracle when Mandela was freed under the de Klerk government and the country moved towards free and open elections which guaranteed the African majority power in government. It has indeed been a miracle that the country has been able to move forward under different governments the past 30 years, without major bloodshed. This is not to overlook the cruel history or the numerous challenges that remain and have arisen afresh. So what is South Africa like to visit, now that Qantas has announced direct flights will resume in December to Johannesburg? South Africa — the great melting pot of African, European and Indian history — is a fascinating blend of everything you can look for in a holiday, if you like a little soft adventure. The cities are a mixture of towering skyscrapers and urban villages, the landscape a breathtaking panorama of mountain ranges and endless fertile farms, or grasslands that keep rolling forever. But first, where to start? Do you want to head off into cities, towns and villages alone? That is quite a big step in the major cities. The crime rate in Johannesburg is daunting. Perhaps the best way is to find a local expert and a driver, and have an organised plan of places to visit, things to see and some company to enjoy it with. That is what we did. An escorted minibus tour for 15 days, from Johannesburg, our airport of entry, to Cape Town. In between, game parks, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern and Western Cape. Mountain ranges, deep river valleys, huge farms, bustling small townships, seaside resorts, surf beaches, modernity, classy suburbs and poverty. You can see it in many places on the planet, the mix of wealth and poverty. Go to India, the USA. South Africa has its own blend. The good news is that locals are your guides, and they give you all the time you need to talk about it. Dissect it. See the good and the bad. Like the family in Eswatini, of father, two mothers and 25 children. Dancing and singing traditional songs is their birthright in their village. You are invited in, after passing through passport control at the border. But, let us start at the beginning, with Oliver Tambo, African National Congress president for many years. His statue greets you at Johannesburg's international airport. We get to revered leader Nelson Mandela later. Johannesburg is a city of 13.2 million, according to our guide Walter, who says he speaks 11 languages. But we are here to initially see the game parks, stay at the airport hotel and head off next day to the delightfully named Hippo Hollow Country Estate, en route to an early assignment at the Kruger National Park, a mere two million hectares. There are many other camping grounds. We see the small red dot of the sun just emerging as we enter the massive park, the size of a small country. It is freezing cold, as we huddle under jackets and blankets. Suddenly, off to one side, three male lions are standing to get the first rays of the sun and its warmth. Then they all wake up and wander into view: giraffes, elephants, hyenas, water buffalo, antelopes and elands by the dozen. There is a heightened sense of being alive when you are being studied by the female head of an elephant herd, before she wanders off across the road and the rest follow. Next morning, we are up early for breakfast again and are treated to elephants wandering past the window where we are sitting. Other tourist groups arrive too late, and we feel somehow privileged. Hippos bathe there, but not today. We drive through hundreds of kilometres of huge orchards and farms, boasting rich red soil. Then vast tree plantations stretching to the horizon, for paper, timber and woodchips. And finally sugar cane. Everything agricultural is on a huge scale, supported by the native settlements where the farm workers live, some on the property and some on their own ancestral lands, where they can build freely. Many sons and daughters move to the big cities to build a career or return to finish off their homes. All the schoolchildren are immaculately turned out in school uniforms. We hit the mountainous road to Eswatini (Swaziland), where we are treated to a great view of local Indigenous culture. The village chief and his big family show us their village and way of life and perform a great celebration of singing and dancing. Our stay at Piggs Peak Hotel is beautiful and majestic, in a slightly decaying sense. Views in every direction are amazing in this hotel, owned by the king. He could probably do with switching some of the expenditure from his 16 wives to hotel maintenance, but there are indications the wives are becoming more politically aware these days and enacting their own reforms. Then we enter the kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal, where ancient and modern cultures, Zulu and settler influences, form a thriving and modern society. Certainly, the towns are full of fairly new cars and minibuses, shopping centres and cafes. The next day is Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game park, home of the white rhino conservation program. Not quite so long or cold a day as in Kruger, but full of rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Till we roll into Durban, which is a mirror of the contrasts in South Africa. We stroll along the scenic Golden Mile beachfront, watching surfers, then visit the city centre to see the historic Victorian municipal buildings, boasting statues of leader Jan Smuts and Queen Victoria (of course). It is Friday afternoon and teeming with shoppers, but the locals look upon us as just another bunch of tourists. Just five blocks away are car dealerships for Mercedes and BMW, and South Africa has several car assembly plants, which is more than Australia has. Our hotel is modern and nearer the beach. The food is terrific and cheap. A quality steak meal and fresh fish dish plus beer is $31.50 (can you remember back that far?). It was the weekend of the 90km Comrades Marathon, where thousands of ultra-distance runners ran to Durban from Pietermaritzburg. It switches direction each year. Then we are off inland to explore the majestic Southern Drakensberg Mountains, which seem to stretch all the way down the east side of South Africa. Outside Howick, we visit the site of Nelson Mandela's capture by security forces in 1962. It is a reminder of his sacrifice, the intense news coverage of those years, and an amazing montage sculpture of his face. Our base for a couple of days is the Drakensberg Gardens hotel, which sits on a scenic World Heritage site. It is more like a 1970s holiday camp with facilities for hiking, cycling, tennis and lawn bowls. But make sure you lock your door. The local baboons have a technique of trying every door handle once you go out for the day, and heading straight for the fridge. The next day is an all-day 4WD drive up the Sani Pass to an altitude of 2876m, to Lesotho, the kingdom in the sky, where we are greeted by shepherds, vultures circling for the leftovers of some other predator's meal, and the highest pub in Africa. Passports are required. The only break in the endless June blue skies came over the next two days, as we headed into our fourth province, the Eastern Cape. A massive thunderstorm descended and caused widespread flooding, a reminder of the extremes of continental weather formations. Looking out from our room perched high in Crawfords Beach Lodge, the Indian Ocean was boiling. There are stops along the Garden Route to admire the jagged mountains that line the road. Cameras are running hot in this region formerly known as the Transkei, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela. Till we arrive at the Tsitsikamma Village Inn, a historic hotel established in 1946. The buildings reflect many of the different building styles to be found in the Cape Colony during the 1800s. Outside the towns, the vegetation more closely resembles the Western Australian bush, a little denser but very familiar, with eucalyptus trees swaying in the breeze. The cliffs and coastal scenery of the Storms River Mouth are best viewed from three suspension bridges and 1000 steps, which make a small dent on our waistlines from too many cooked breakfasts. Back inland, we visit the ostrich farming district of Oudtshoorn. This is the global hub for ostrich feathers, which grace the stage of the Folies Bergere in Paris and many other theatres. We come prepared with small tubs of snacks, and the ostriches are delighted, though somewhat lacking in table manners. Ostriches have been a big rural industry in South Africa for well over a century, and are the primary source of income for the town. We head underground into the enormous Cango Caves, with six spectacular halls, the biggest the size of the Perth Concert Hall. Our guide shows off his impressive baritone singing voice in this vast echo chamber. At the Protea Hotel Riempie Estate, we stay in traditional, thatched (rondavel) rooms, with the latest mod cons of course. Then the renowned Route 62 takes us on to Cape Town, with a stop for a 9am sampling of port wines at Calitzdorp, which certainly brought quieter members of the group to life! We hit the outskirts of South Africa's second biggest city, where country roads yield to freeways and bustle. On our all-day tour we took the cable car up Table Mountain, the first place we encountered other tourists, then delved into many corners and bays of this sprawling metropolis, with our local guide an encyclopedia on its history, the rights and wrongs and his place in it. Groot Constantia Wine Estate, established in 1685, was an ideal place to end the tour amid the wine region's rich history. Under the apartheid regime, 'coloured' populations were moved from central city locations to outlying districts like the Cape Flats, basically a huge housing estate. On some of the more scenic bays, populations were moved to make way for upmarket homes. It's a huge bone of contention, even 50-60 years later. It is an unavoidable fact that travel in South Africa comes with a history lesson. Our guide Walter, a Xhosa from the Eastern Cape, bemoans the huge gulf between rich farmers and poor labourers, and the arrival of migrant workers from across the African continent taking jobs and undercutting pay rates, as well as drug dealers from Nigeria. His is a social concern that began with the Soweto riots in 1976. As a teenager he left the country to swell the ranks of the ANC in exile, but can see the progress since Nelson Mandela easily won the election of 1994. But he wants more, so much more. We end our journey at the Cape of Good Hope. The views of the cold Atlantic waters and warmer Indian Ocean are breathtaking, like so much we have seen. The wineries, the beaches, the mountains, the surging rivers, the Dutch and British heritage, the singers, the dancers. All the markets groaning with produce and wood carvings. Then we head to Cape Town airport and fly home, but some holidays stay with you. Discovering South Africa is one of them. Join a group and see the country away from the mass tourist sites. We covered 3500km in two weeks and enjoyed every day. If you have had enough sitting around the pool, go have an adventure. fact file South African Airways operates flights direct from Perth to Johannesburg. Qantas is due to start flights later this year. Singapore Airlines operates flights via Singapore. Emirates and Qatar Airways operate flights via the Middle East, to Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. These are obviously much longer but are competitively priced. Cape Town publishes a booklet with tips on how to stay safe while visiting the city centre, Stroll Smart, Stay Sharp. Most advice is common sense for experienced travellers. Don't leave valuables in your vehicle in full view of passers-by. Keep your mobile phone out of sight, not in your hand. (In the tourist areas like Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope and Simonstown, everyone had their phone out. Lanyards are increasingly popular. But the CBD is a different story.) If you are asked to buy a permit to walk in the Cape Town CBD, you are being scammed. Don't hand over your bankcard or punch your PIN into any handheld keypad, and don't let a stranger accompany you to an ATM.
West Australian
8 hours ago
- West Australian
India, Uniworld & the Golden Triangle
This is India's holy river, the Ganges. This is the goddess Ganga Ma, a deity descended from Heaven; a brown ribbon of spiritual cleansing. And the goddess is all around me. I am on the river cruise ship Ganges Voyager II, on which Uniworld Boutique River Cruises offers a seven-day voyage, sailing out of Kolkata, in Bengal, east India. Uniworld offers this as part of two packages — one coupling it with the Maharaja's Express train, and one with a journey round the Golden Triangle, staying in Oberoi hotels. But we'll get to that . . . For now, all I can think about is this little stretch of the 2525km long Ganges. The ship has left Kolkata and is on the way to the village of Kalna — a place that I doubt travellers would get to by land. We are ferried ashore on the ship's solid timber tender, and what unfolds amazes. Ganges Voyager II carries a maximum of 56 guests, looked after by 36 staff, and generally runs full. For excursions, passengers are divided into three groups, each with an experienced and talented guide — so the groups walking around on shore are small and the guiding personalised and intimate. Guests have a small and unobvious audio box and ear-piece. The guide gently narrates in my ear. And I'm glad to be with Bikash (Vikas) Mehra in Kalna, which has temples dating to 1755 — most unusually, built of brick and clay, as is the style in Bengal. The temple for the Hindu god Krishna is covered in intricate details. But then we stroll into an extraordinary circle of 108 temples for the god Shiva. It's been an early excursion, and I'm glad to return to the ship for a late breakfast. It could be an Indian-style breakfast or Western, but I opt for a simple omelette. 'How would you like it? Medium or soft? Would you like it folded?' At every moment, the staff of Ganges Voyager II are attentive. Every waiter walks through the restaurant looking for a plate to pick up. My room is kept immaculately. I'm in a suite which has a four-posted bed, two armchairs and a desk and a very big bathroom with a shower that's 2m deep. Raj Singh, who owns the ship and charters it full-time to Uniworld, pioneered river cruising in India. Many of the crew and staff, like cruise and tour manager Vishal Bhaskar, have been with him from the beginning. I speak with one who has worked for Raj for 48 years. 'He has taught me everything,' he says with gratitude. Local youngsters are taken on, trained and retained, Raj tells me, and I see the importance of this to him. 'They are all young and they want to do it,' he says. 'That's what counts. We do find people locally rather than get people from outside. We train them every year.' They are full-time employees, and not on contract. The ship was designed specifically for the Ganges, after Raj did an extensive research voyage in a local boat. The Voyager was built in Kolkata. 'This is 100 per cent locals, and 100 per cent Indian,' Raj says. Certainly, it feels like a very Indian experience — and, once again, as we stroll along the Strand in Chandannagar, we are the only tourists in sight. After a 1673 agreement with the local ruler, and permanent French settlement in 1688, this town was ruled by the French then British, then French, then British, then French, until 1950 — three years after India got its independence, from British rule. There's French colonial architecture here, just as there is British architecture in Kolkata, including the epic Queen Victoria Memorial, which is built from the same marble as the Taj Mahal. But Chandannagar has also been one of the hotbeds of Bengali politics and resistance. Indians will tell you that Delhi is the political capital of India, Mumbai is the business capital, and Kolkata is the capital of culture. But Kolkata in particular, and West Bengal in general, has always pushed forwards with politics. Motifs for the Communist Party of India are sprayed on walls, and it is one of few States not run by the BJP party of Narendra Modi, which holds national power. It has a plain speaking female Chief Minister in Mamata Banerjee. Hinduism with its 330 million deities, Islam and the Partition of 1947, when Muslims from this area were told to leave for what is now Bangladesh and where to buy the best gifts — Bikash Mehra will discuss and explain anything and everything, gently and with great accuracy. And after these great dips into rural India, we retreat to the ship to move on (happily unpacking just once). Ganges Voyager II is a real sanctuary. There is one restaurant, where everyone eats what really tastes like home-cooked food, always with Indian and Western options. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are nice moments when all guests come together, mix and exchange experiences. This happens in the lounge and bar on the top deck, too, and out on the sundeck. The lounge has comfortable armchairs — enough for everyone, though there are times when there might be just a few other people there, each enjoying some private space and quiet time to read or muse through the pictures in their phone. Complimentary house wine, local spirits and beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee are served throughout the cruise. There's a gym and a spa, with a range of treatments. The ship also offers yoga and meditation sessions and coaching, and there's a class in cooking Indian cuisine, and a henna artist who comes on board to adorn guests' hands and arms. But the two evening performances, one of Baul musicians and one by a company showing various styles of Indian dance, are real highlights for me. Baul people sing and accompany spiritual songs which can be traced back to the 15th Century, and the Kalachand Haldar baul music group are expert exponents. I am mesmerised and head to bed with my head swirling the sweet sounds of India. Ah, the bed. The ship, launched in 2016, has the comforts of a quality hotel — quality linens and a pillow choice, spacious bathrooms, robes and slippers. My suite has a lot of storage space, including that nice under-bed spot for luggage. There are other touches — the ready supply of bottled water in the room and on excursions, fresh fruit and flowers upon arrival and universal electrical plugs. And the ship is air-conditioned throughout, with individual controls in rooms. The 56m-long ship has 13 Colonial Suites and 10 Signature Suites, both of 24.3sqm. If you pace out six big strides by four strides, I think you will agree that's a more-than decent 'entry level cabin'. There are also two 26sqm Heritage Suites, two 33.5sqm Viceroy Suites and a 37.2sqm Maharaja's Suite. There are French balconies and with floor-to-ceiling glass doors. For out there, all around us is the holy Ganges. Never forget that. (I never forget that.) Raj Singh says: 'What distinguishes this river from other rivers in the world is that it is natural. It is undammed, free-flowing. That's very different.' He adds that the river cruising experience here is also different because there aren't other ships. 'Wherever you go river cruising you will see ships and ships and ships,' he says. 'But not here. When you visit a village you will be the only ones there.' And, of course, he's right. To complete the full India experience, Uniworld includes either a rail trip or coach touring around the Golden Triangle to the days on the Ganges. There are two nights in New Delhi at The Oberoi New Delhi, one in Agra at The Oberoi Amarvilas and two in Jaipur at The Oberoi Rajvilas. Each hotel is splendid. Each place is full of wonders. Having flown from Perth to Delhi with Singapore Airlines, we start gently with a stroll along the wide walkway at Humayun's Tomb — a grand mausoleum clad in red sandstone with white and black inlaid marble borders. This dramatic example of Moghul architecture, built by Empress Bega Begum for the deceased Emperor Humayun, was completed in 1572. We visit Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated after his assassination by another Hindu in 1948, and bounce through the laneways of Old Delhi in cycle rickshaws. The Oberoi hotel group is a fine fit for the Uniworld package, as this is very much an India company, and proud of it. That comes through, again, in loyal and long-term staff, who are well trained and have pride in their work, and being part of Oberoi. A comfortable air-conditioned coach takes us on to Agra, where we see the Taj Mahal both at sunset and sunrise. Not only that, but I can see it from the window of my room at The Oberoi Amarvilas — just as you can from every room. This beautiful hotel, with pools bringing freshness to its entrance, and a grand lobby with a huge chandelier, is built for guests to fully experience the Taj Mahal. The pool area is that side of the building. And, to top it all, it is literally a stone's throw from the great, white marble monument built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Begum. It took 22 years to build and was completed in 1653. Another coach trip takes us on to Jaipur, the pink city. And the city does, indeed shimmer pink in the warm evenings. We visit City Palace, still run by a royal family and Jantar Mantar Observatory, built between 1728 and 1734, where 17 big astronomical instruments accurately plot the skies. A highlight for me is always the Amber Fort with its beautiful Ganesh Gate and Hall of Mirrors. But another highlight for me is the Oberoi Rajvilas. I do actually love this hotel — as it is built around an ancient temple. As the stone plaque outside rightly says: 'This ancient 280-year-old Lord Shiva Temple adds a very positive oorja (energy) and spiritual serenity to the entire resort.' Prayer is conducted by a local priest twice every day: 'We welcome you to participate in this age-old tradition and seek divine blessings.' More than 150 peacocks stroll the grounds and more than 1000 species of migratory and resident birds have been identified in these beautiful and extensive gardens. To me, Oberoi Rajvilas is more than a hotel. It is a sort of rare-air village, with rooms set at ground level among the gardens. My sunken white marble bath looks out at a private garden courtyard. The four-poster bed is set in the large main room, which has a window seat and a writing desk in one corner. There's a separate walk-in dressing room. Pathways to the rooms have gardens, waterways and fountains. Oberoi Rajvilas has a past, but also has an abundant, sharing life, here in the present. I feel the spirituality of the place. I feel deep joy (two words that roll around my head as I stroll in the gardens, visit the temple and feel a tranquil sense of 'coming home'). And I am completely unsurprised when my butler introduces himself. 'My name is Deepjoy.' + Stephen Scourfield was a guest of Uniworld. They have not influenced, or read this story before publication. + Ganges Voyager II sails from September to March and is in high demand, so travellers need to plan and book ahead. Most do this through a travel agent, can book direct with Uniworld by calling 1300 370 792. Also see + Uniworld has two packages which include a seven-night cruise on Ganges Voyager II. India's Golden Triangle and the Sacred Ganges is a 13-day package from New Delhi to Kolkata. It starts with Delhi, Agra and the Taj Mahal and Jaipur and the Pink Palace, staying in Oberoi hotels. Then travellers join the ship. In 2026, it is from about $12,239 per person in a Signature Suite, depending on date and cabin type. That includes excursions and 12 breakfasts, 10 lunches and nine dinners. Meals onboard prepared are excellent, using fresh ingredients. There is already limited availability. Bicton Travel is a key travel agent handling bookings for the packages. 9339 0277 + The other, 16-day package combines cruise and rail and is The Sacred Ganges and the Maharajas' Express — a luxury train from Delhi to Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Mumbai. Guests cruise the Ganges first on Ganges Voyager III, and fly from Kolkata to Delhi on day eight, to join the train. In 2026, it is from about $34,4843 per person, and there is already limited availability. + Both packages include welcome and farewell gala dinners.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Son vows to get injured lifesaver mum home from Greece after serious crash
An injured Australian resident lies alone in a Greek public hospital with no privacy, a language barrier, unclothed, with just a sheet across her. Narelle Massey was on an overseas holiday and had been enjoying an ATV ride with her sister when the unthinkable occurred, which resulted in numerous injuries. Narelle, from Merimbula in NSW, sustained a punctured lung, splenic hematoma, fractured spine, broken ribs and a broken pelvis. The woman was airlifted from Naxos, a Greek island in the South Aegea, to Athens for treatment. But her son Aaron Reid said the experience had been terrible. Aaron was standing at the Sydney International Airport on July 10, with a wheelchair among his luggage, prepared to fly to see his mum and arrange plans to bring her home. "I won't be leaving her until I bring her back home," he told ACM's Bega District News. "Mum's an amazing human, mate. She's a volunteer surf life saver and helps every year with the Pambula same wave program." "She's been a surf lifesaver since 17. She was one of the first female life rescue radio operators. "I just have to get there," Mr Reid stressed. He said it had been difficult to communicate due to the difference in time zones and the language barrier. However, he had spoken with the embassy over there numerous times and they had helped. Narelle and her sister Pam were originally going to the United Kingdom for a family wedding, but had decided to go via Greece when the unfortunate incident happened. Due to a health insurance dispute with Narelle's bank, Aaron was looking to an ombudsman. "They denied the insurance. She thought she was covered for the ATV, and they've denied it all. We have the reports for it all," he said. "It went from bad to worse. It's been frustrating for everyone involved." Tracy Wallis, a friend of Narelle's from Yellow Pinch, organised a GoFundMe to raise donations to help bring her home to the Far South Coast. "She's pretty down," Ms Wallis said, as she described her friend's spirits. "She had her insurance. She rang them and asked them before she went on the quad bike if she needed extra cover, as she's a very cross-the-T's and dot-the-I's type of person," she said. "They told her no. She accepted that the insurance she had would be ok. "Since she had the [incident] they are refusing to cover her because she didn't have the extra cover." Those wishing to donate can find the fundraiser here. An injured Australian resident lies alone in a Greek public hospital with no privacy, a language barrier, unclothed, with just a sheet across her. Narelle Massey was on an overseas holiday and had been enjoying an ATV ride with her sister when the unthinkable occurred, which resulted in numerous injuries. Narelle, from Merimbula in NSW, sustained a punctured lung, splenic hematoma, fractured spine, broken ribs and a broken pelvis. The woman was airlifted from Naxos, a Greek island in the South Aegea, to Athens for treatment. But her son Aaron Reid said the experience had been terrible. Aaron was standing at the Sydney International Airport on July 10, with a wheelchair among his luggage, prepared to fly to see his mum and arrange plans to bring her home. "I won't be leaving her until I bring her back home," he told ACM's Bega District News. "Mum's an amazing human, mate. She's a volunteer surf life saver and helps every year with the Pambula same wave program." "She's been a surf lifesaver since 17. She was one of the first female life rescue radio operators. "I just have to get there," Mr Reid stressed. He said it had been difficult to communicate due to the difference in time zones and the language barrier. However, he had spoken with the embassy over there numerous times and they had helped. Narelle and her sister Pam were originally going to the United Kingdom for a family wedding, but had decided to go via Greece when the unfortunate incident happened. Due to a health insurance dispute with Narelle's bank, Aaron was looking to an ombudsman. "They denied the insurance. She thought she was covered for the ATV, and they've denied it all. We have the reports for it all," he said. "It went from bad to worse. It's been frustrating for everyone involved." Tracy Wallis, a friend of Narelle's from Yellow Pinch, organised a GoFundMe to raise donations to help bring her home to the Far South Coast. "She's pretty down," Ms Wallis said, as she described her friend's spirits. "She had her insurance. She rang them and asked them before she went on the quad bike if she needed extra cover, as she's a very cross-the-T's and dot-the-I's type of person," she said. "They told her no. She accepted that the insurance she had would be ok. "Since she had the [incident] they are refusing to cover her because she didn't have the extra cover." Those wishing to donate can find the fundraiser here. An injured Australian resident lies alone in a Greek public hospital with no privacy, a language barrier, unclothed, with just a sheet across her. Narelle Massey was on an overseas holiday and had been enjoying an ATV ride with her sister when the unthinkable occurred, which resulted in numerous injuries. Narelle, from Merimbula in NSW, sustained a punctured lung, splenic hematoma, fractured spine, broken ribs and a broken pelvis. The woman was airlifted from Naxos, a Greek island in the South Aegea, to Athens for treatment. But her son Aaron Reid said the experience had been terrible. Aaron was standing at the Sydney International Airport on July 10, with a wheelchair among his luggage, prepared to fly to see his mum and arrange plans to bring her home. "I won't be leaving her until I bring her back home," he told ACM's Bega District News. "Mum's an amazing human, mate. She's a volunteer surf life saver and helps every year with the Pambula same wave program." "She's been a surf lifesaver since 17. She was one of the first female life rescue radio operators. "I just have to get there," Mr Reid stressed. He said it had been difficult to communicate due to the difference in time zones and the language barrier. However, he had spoken with the embassy over there numerous times and they had helped. Narelle and her sister Pam were originally going to the United Kingdom for a family wedding, but had decided to go via Greece when the unfortunate incident happened. Due to a health insurance dispute with Narelle's bank, Aaron was looking to an ombudsman. "They denied the insurance. She thought she was covered for the ATV, and they've denied it all. We have the reports for it all," he said. "It went from bad to worse. It's been frustrating for everyone involved." Tracy Wallis, a friend of Narelle's from Yellow Pinch, organised a GoFundMe to raise donations to help bring her home to the Far South Coast. "She's pretty down," Ms Wallis said, as she described her friend's spirits. "She had her insurance. She rang them and asked them before she went on the quad bike if she needed extra cover, as she's a very cross-the-T's and dot-the-I's type of person," she said. "They told her no. She accepted that the insurance she had would be ok. "Since she had the [incident] they are refusing to cover her because she didn't have the extra cover." Those wishing to donate can find the fundraiser here. An injured Australian resident lies alone in a Greek public hospital with no privacy, a language barrier, unclothed, with just a sheet across her. Narelle Massey was on an overseas holiday and had been enjoying an ATV ride with her sister when the unthinkable occurred, which resulted in numerous injuries. Narelle, from Merimbula in NSW, sustained a punctured lung, splenic hematoma, fractured spine, broken ribs and a broken pelvis. The woman was airlifted from Naxos, a Greek island in the South Aegea, to Athens for treatment. But her son Aaron Reid said the experience had been terrible. Aaron was standing at the Sydney International Airport on July 10, with a wheelchair among his luggage, prepared to fly to see his mum and arrange plans to bring her home. "I won't be leaving her until I bring her back home," he told ACM's Bega District News. "Mum's an amazing human, mate. She's a volunteer surf life saver and helps every year with the Pambula same wave program." "She's been a surf lifesaver since 17. She was one of the first female life rescue radio operators. "I just have to get there," Mr Reid stressed. He said it had been difficult to communicate due to the difference in time zones and the language barrier. However, he had spoken with the embassy over there numerous times and they had helped. Narelle and her sister Pam were originally going to the United Kingdom for a family wedding, but had decided to go via Greece when the unfortunate incident happened. Due to a health insurance dispute with Narelle's bank, Aaron was looking to an ombudsman. "They denied the insurance. She thought she was covered for the ATV, and they've denied it all. We have the reports for it all," he said. "It went from bad to worse. It's been frustrating for everyone involved." Tracy Wallis, a friend of Narelle's from Yellow Pinch, organised a GoFundMe to raise donations to help bring her home to the Far South Coast. "She's pretty down," Ms Wallis said, as she described her friend's spirits. "She had her insurance. She rang them and asked them before she went on the quad bike if she needed extra cover, as she's a very cross-the-T's and dot-the-I's type of person," she said. "They told her no. She accepted that the insurance she had would be ok. "Since she had the [incident] they are refusing to cover her because she didn't have the extra cover." Those wishing to donate can find the fundraiser here.
