WHAT’S ON November/December events, online and offline

WHAT’S ON No matter where you are in the world, there’s plenty of events - both online and offline - to enjoy

JAPAN 8-22 November

The Grand Sumo Tournament is the final of Japan’s six beloved annual honbasho (professional sumo tournaments).

SINGAPORE 13 November

Orchard Road’s magical Christmas lights can be seen from anywhere this year, with a virtual 360-degree tour online.

INDIA 14 November

Diwali, the grand Hindu festival of lights, celebrates the triumph of good over evil.

AUSTRALIA 16 November 2020-10 January 2021

Melbourne’s beloved Myer Christmas window display will go ahead this year, but the theme is still – at the time of print – a heavily guarded secret. Rumours suggest it will be a “very Melbourne theme.”

Noticeably absent are adorable spectators – penguins actually don’t live this far south.

USA 4-13 December

In its 20th year, with the motto “films worth freezing for”, the Anchorage International Film Festival features local Alaskan talent in the impressive line up. ANTARCTICA 13 December

As if heading to Antarctica wasn’t an adventure in itself, the 16th Antarctic Ice Marathon takes place less than a kilometre from the South Pole.

AUSTRALIA 26 December

Hopefuls in the gruelling, iconic Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race set sail from Sydney Harbour.

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This photo was taken at Colossi of Memmon near Luxor. I was so lucky to capture the balloon flight in the middle of the massive stone statues of Paraoh Amenhotep lll. Our Inspiring Vacation Egypt, Jordan and Israel tour was the most amazing trip we have ever done - there were jaw dropping sights at every turn. @LorraineCraig RUNNERS UP

My wife Mandy and I went to Japan for cherry blossom season in 2019. This photo is of a night market in Kyoto where the trees had been lit up - a magical feeling! @JimYoung

We were very blessed to do the 19 Day Norway Winter Wonderland in January this year. This photo was taken on the Aurora Safari optional tour. Words cannot explain just how special we felt to observe the Aurora after we crossed everything we would see it! @MichelleMonks

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IN THE KNOW What to see, do and where to play

SURVIVAL OF THE FATTEST

Take note, cocoa fiends: the Lindt Home of Chocolate is now open in Zurich. In a country where the art of chocolate is serious business, discover the history of this treasured national indulgence with an interactive museum, openview production line, research plant and chocolate-making classes. There is even a nine-metre-high chocolate fountain. UNDERWATER MUSEUM OPENS The new Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA), off the coast of Townsville, is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The largest underwater installation, the Coral Greenhouse is conceptualised by renowned British sculptor and environmentalist Jason deCaires Taylor, to create an artificial coral reef carefully designed to promote regeneration and rehabilitation. Stage one is now complete, with the other two sections at Palm Island and Magnetic Island to be finished by December 2021. Read our Q&A with Jason on page 24.

Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve is home to the world’s densest population of brown bears – about 2,200 of them – but only one holds the illustrious title of 2020 Fat Bear Week Champion. The very well fed, well loved Earl of Avoirdupois, bear 747, will head into hibernation a triumphant winner. 12 of the park’s biggest bears are selected every year and bear fans vote online for their favourite furry oaf in the week-long, single

WILL TRAVEL FOR CHOCOLATE

elimination tournament.

SEE THE WORLD…FROM YOUR LAPTOP

Amazon Explore’s new virtual tours are one-on-one travel experiences, like livestreamed cooking classes and walking tours with a local guide. Explore Prague’s Old Town Square, take a Peruvian cocktail class or learn Spanish in Costa Rica. Take screenshots for your holiday snaps and in some sessions, you can even purchase souvenirs to be shipped directly to you.

Inspiring Japan

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KYOTO • TAKAMATSU • BEPPU • NAGASAKI • HIROSHIMA • OSAKA • KANAZAWA • MT FUJI • TOKYO

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Your 15 day Inspiring Japan tour includes:

14 nights in quality hotels throughout Japan Fully escorted by professional, English-speaking guide Daily breakfast, 1 dinner

Incredible sightseeing including Mount Fuji and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Spectacular experiences including:

Riding the iconic bullet train; taking in breath-takingly beautiful temples, shrines and castles like the UNESCO sites Fushimi Inari and the Golden Pavilion; comfortable, dedicated private transportation and a fully escorted, English speaking guide throughout.

Travel from MAR to OCT 2021 SEE ONLINE FOR FULL ITINERARY DETAILS

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www.inspiringvacations.com 1300 88 66 88

ZOOM FACEBOOK MESSENGER The big name in video ROOMS conferencing, 2020 is the year You don’t need a Facebook that we learned to Zoom. Calls account to be invited to join a video on the free version are capped call in Messenger Rooms – but let’s at 40 minutes and you can even face it, most of us have one! Up record the meeting (with the host’s to 50 people can squeeze into a permission). There’s a waiting call (eight on the desktop version), room feature, so you can choose with no time limit. The idea of a when to let your guests in. Virtual ‘room’ is that people can just drop backgrounds can be tricky to set up in and say hi; no scheduling calls or WAYS TO STAY but are a hoot, or just a nifty way to hide your clutter. Tired eyes? There’s a ‘touch up my appearance’ feature that does just that, for a soft-focus airbrushed effect. (digitally) CON N E CTED Forget the tyranny of distance. Did some bo dy say g r o u p c h a t ? WORDS: EMILY HUMPHREY coordinating calendars. There are games and snazzy effects, like 360-degree backgrounds and augmented reality filters to play with – try out the bunny ears.

GOOGLE MEET Firstly, you’ll need a free Google account. It’s simple to join or start a meeting and you don’t need an app although it’s handy especially if you want to access via your phone. Free meetings can last for 60 minutes, with up to 100 people. To make a grand entrance, you can see who’s already in the meeting room before you enter. Turn on the real-time captions – they’re surprisingly accurate. BUNCH Games night! Stay connected with friends and family you can’t see in a fun way. It’s a video call with a twist, no awkward silences or stilted conversation here. Choose from a host of group games – like Draw Party, Flappy Bird and Charades – and chat (or heckle) with up to seven other people while you play. Don’t knock a game of pool on your phone until you’ve tried it. SKYPE It’s no wonder Skype has become a verb for video calling. Its userfriendly interface is easy to figure out, and you’ll soon recognise that distinctive tone when someone is calling. Skype is widely compatible, including Xbox. Chat to up to 50 people, with 100 hours a month, four hours per call. You can blur the background, add emojis and even call mobiles and landlines at a fair price.