Author: Larry Heath

I’ve always been fascinated by Theme Parks, especially in America. The stories of how the parks originated and have since grown and thrived is often as interesting as the rides themselves. Six Flags: Fiesta Texas, located just outside of San Antonio, is no exception, with the origins of the park dating back some 25 years,…

This May, we’ll be heading over to the annual music festival and conference Canadian Music Week, held in the fine city of Toronto. Last week, we let you in on the best ways to get to Toronto from Australia, and now today we’re taking you through a day in the fine city. What to do, where to…

Back in December, for the music video competition Captured Australia, one of the participating film makers dropped out rather last minute. I was the man behind the competition, and the artist he was paired with – WA musician Gryff – was one of my favourite entrants. I really wanted to see him stay a part of…

We return to Australia for today’s Flight Review, for the rather brief journey from the Gold Coast to Sydney with Qantas’ discount airline, Jetstar. Airline: Jetstar Route: Gold Coast to Sydney, JQ409 Seat: 12F (Window seat, exit row, of a 3-3 configuration in Economy) Aircraft: Airbus A320 Scheduled Flight Time: 1 Hr 30 Minutes (Approx.) On…

On the AU Abroad, we bring you a birds eye view of the world of travel. In this article series, we let you in on the best airlines to fly with. Today we bring you a look at Virgin Australia’s flagship service, taking guests on an affordable direct service from Sydney to Los Angeles International’s new…

Every week it sounds like there’s something new opening in Cronulla, a reasonably isolated beachside town outside of Sydney that seems to have a dining gem around any corner. For now, they’re keeping a lot of this to themselves – but at the end of last year, we spent a weekend in Cronulla and thought…

Situated along San Antonio’s famous Riverwalk, the Wyndham couldn’t be better located for the visiting tourist. A short walk to the city’s entertainment area and tourist hotspot The Alamo, the sizable 410 room hotel, spread over 21 floors, serves as an excellent port for both business guests, tourists and their families. As with any hotel…

This May, the annual music festival and conference Canadian Music Week will be opening its doors to the world, shining a spotlight on Australia and New Zealand, bringing with it dozens of bands and delegates from our countries up to the great city of Toronto. Why not come and join us? Over the next two…

Gold Coast indie pop band Fairchild share with AU Abroad their touring tips and favourite eating spots around the world… as well as their love of Ramen, naturally! ———- This content has recently been ported from its original home on AU Abroad and may have formatting errors – images may not be showing up, or…

Though the next Record Store Day may be a while away yet (16th April 2016! Not that we’re counting…), believe it or not but for the rest of the year Record Stores continue to be amazing. They deliver incredible product, unique experiences for their customers, often run their own labels and even showcase artists themselves….

Located between Chelsea and the Meatpacking District on the West side of Manhattan in what was once the National Maritime Union headquarters, a building sticks out with a unique design – like a cruise ship sitting amongst the concrete waters of New York City. This is the home of the not-so-inconspicuous, hip boutique hotel Dream…

There is a general misconception about the food and drink culture of Singapore that puts it as an expensive, primarily upper class enterprise. Indeed, most of the tourist traps hold true to this – and the bar culture in Singapore makes the already overpriced $7+ schooner at Australian pubs seem like a bargain (we’re talking…

On March 17th, Adelaide’s Palace Nova cinemas will be hosting an exclusive season of the highly anticipated and acclaimed horror film The Witch – and The Iris readers have the chance to see the film before everyone else. We’ll be hosting a very special preview screening of the film on 2nd March at 6.30pm! The…

Sydney may be locked out, but we continue to create some of the best music in the country, as proven by the three bands who took to the stage at the Newtown Social Club on Saturday night. The night celebrated the release of Cold Cold Heart, the debut EP from Gideon Bensen, a local artist who is best…

Every year, Easter in Australia means one thing for music fans: Bluesfest. The annual Byron Bay festival bringing some of the finest acts from around Australia and the world to the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm just outside of Byron – and this year the lineup is without question their finest in years. From the contemporary…

Getting in and out of Toronto’s Pearson International Airport can be a bit of a pain. Though a new express train service installed for the Pan Am Games in June has made the process of getting in and out a slightly less tiresome affair, it remains an expensive one. Luckily, for some routes, another airport lays…

The idea of the interactive theatre experience is nothing new. From “whodunit” dinner parties to whatever it is people get up to at those Rocky Horror screenings, there’s always been a market for those of us who want to feel a part of the action. Even sitting front row at a comedy show brings out…

The world’s newest Universal Studios Theme Park – Universal Studios Singapore – turned five years old last year, and there have been a few new additions to the park to celebrate. Towards the end of 2014, a new Puss in Boots themed show “The Dance for the Magic Beans” launched that preceded “Puss in Boots’…

A towering monument on the Brisbane River, the Park Regis North Quay has become a go-to destination for Brisbane bound travellers (be it for business or tourism) since the 24 floor hotel opened in 1998. We stayed for two nights in a 1 bedroom apartment overlooking the beautiful Brisbane River – blessed with similarly kind…

On AU Abroad, we bring you a birds eye view of the world of travel. In this article series, we let you in on the best airlines to fly with. We continue things in North America with Air Canada’s direct route from Toronto to Los Angeles, which we took as part of our long journey home…

Nashville is a city well known for its music – but it’s also filled with some of the best examples of American cuisine, from breakfasts that are loved by Taylor Swift, to the superb Tennessee BBQ scene and some of the most impressive burgers you’ll ever have the pleasure of putting your lips around. Here…

Disneyland Hong Kong is the iconic brand’s second home in Asia, after launching its Tokyo location back in 1983. It’s also the Disney Theme Park that’s geographically closest to Australia – and with the park originally opening in September 2005, that means that this year they recently celebrated their 10th Birthday! I had the chance to…

A couple of years ago, Californian Andrew Smith was awarded the title of Destination NSW’s “Chief Funster”, a duty that saw him travel around the State for six months, creating digital content that shows off New South Wales in all its splendour. I had the opportunity to join Andrew for two days of his adventure,…

Is drinking the night before a gig a good idea? Is it necessary to bring a pillow while on tour? What kind of food do you eat in Canada? When you’re a musician, sometimes it’s tough making decisions on your own. Doing what you love in a new country can be scary and with it…

When one speaks of the cuisine of Quebec, it’s impossible to ignore the simple yet much loved dish “Poutine”. Essentially chips, cheese and gravy – something which is also popular in places like Scotland – it may seem hard to understand without experiencing it for yourself just what makes this stomach pleaser such an anticipated…

Flying into Newark (EWR) can not only often be a cheaper way to get into New York with some airline carriers, but it can also be an easier way to get into Manhattan on arrival, too. Unlike La Guardia (LGA) and similar to the crowded John F Kennnedy (JFK), Newark has a train station connected…

In today’s Flight review on AU Abroad, we take you on Singapore Airline‘s A380 service from Hong Kong to Singapore – with an ongoing connection back to Sydney, as well as one of the handiest check in services you’ll find in the world… Airline: Singapore Airlines Route: Hong Kong to Singapore, SQ861 (Virgin Australia codeshare…

In our recent article looking at the Hawker centres of Singapore, we outlined a few of the places to get some of the best and cheapest food in the city. But to eat some of the best food in the city, you may have to venture away from these areas… still, none of the items…

We should expect it by now, but the masters of the one-take music video have gone and done blown our minds once again. For their new single “Upside Down & Inside Out”, the US quartet have convinced a S7 Airlines to send them weightless. In an actual aircraft. For a perfectly time, free-floating, magnificent adventure. I…

Perched dangerously close to the edge of the stage, Battles‘ signature skyscraping cymbal lingered precariously over the crowd as the New York band’s fans eagerly awaited their long anticipated return to Sydney. Guitarist and bassist Dave Konopka emerged first, busy looping his effects on the ground, a guitar draped over his shoulder. There was a slow build as guitarist/keyboardist Ian Williams came on and then, finally,…