Disney World Fireworks Finish the Day with a Flourish

Disney World, Florida, deserves more than one day but that's all I had. However, I was there before the gates opened in the morning and I stayed till dark for the fireworks.

Saying that the Disney World fireworks are spectacular is an understatement. They are one of the highlights of the day though and shouldn't be missed.




The weather was overcast to begin with but the skies cleared during the day and they remained so for the evening.

One big tip. Don't try and squeeze in that last ride for the day and then expect a good position for the fireworks show. Sort out during the day where would be a good position for your photographs, preferably where no-one can stand in front of you, and then go back to that spot early, in plenty of time for the fireworks.

As you can see from my photo, I could only manage the top part of the castle because I tried to squeeze in that last ride and just made it in time for the show but not a really good photo position. Learn from my experience.

Fran's Backpack - 10th January 2011

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.


Today's item in the Backpack is a Kindle 3G Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 3G Works Globally, Graphite, 6" Display with New E Ink Pearl Technology, for $189.00.

I've chosen this because it really does fit easily in a backpack and has the potential to store all sorts of useful information for your next travels. You'll need to have one of these because future items in the backpack will be kindle books. It's also been rated 5 star by over 7,000 buyers on Amazon.

Click on the ad for more information.

Murray Magic is Mesmerising

Australia's major river, the Murray, runs through three states - New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

It's the life blood of so many towns, enabling agriculture, horticulture and viticulture to thrive. Different eco systems along the river support a diversity of bird, animal and plant life.

But the river is widely used just for pleasure. There's something for everyone as the river weaves its magic. It draws people for water sports, boating, fishing, houseboating and of course paddle steaming.

The paddle steamers are a living piece of history bringing back memories of a bygone era, of hardship and of romance. Travelling along this river highway on a paddle steamer is an unforgettable experience. There's plenty of room to walk around on the decks while the boat's moving at a leisurely, relaxing pace. Getting up close to the local wildlife is a real treat with the only interruptions being the whooshing of the paddle wheel and the occasional tooting of the horn.

This paddle steamer, P.S. Marion, is based at the Mannum Dock Museum, South Australia. Check out the link http://www.psmarion.com/ It's also one of the stars of my "Maritime Mix" DVD and well worth a visit if you're touring out of Adelaide.

Fran's Backpack - 8th January 2011 (New Addition to the Blog)

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.


Today's item in the Backpack is a magazine, National Geographic, for $15.00.

This magazine probably started off my love of travel. It brought the world to me - different places and people and the photography is stunning. I highly recommend it as a magazine to inspire people to travel and be adventurous.

Click on the ad for more information.

Penguins' Poor Navigation Skills

In Australia, there are two main islands off the southern coast commonly referred to as KI - King Island and Kangaroo Island.

King Island, in Bass Strait, off the northwest coast of Tasmania, lies in the Roaring Forties and can be fairly windy at times. Many sailing ships and lives have been lost around the rocky coast due to the winds and inclement weather. However, the island still provides a welcome haven for a colony of Little Penguins near the small settlement of Grassy.

The other KI is Kangaroo Island, a bigger and more hilly island, off the southeast coast of South Australia, not that far from Adelaide, the capital. The main town on Kangaroo Island is Kingscote and Little Penguins also have a colony near there too.

Now, while I was on King Island, Angela, from the local fish & chip shop, took me to see the penguin rookery after dark. Penguins were everywhere and they didn't seem to have any fear of two mere humans, so we were able to sticky beak into their lives.

It was a great photo opportunity (being careful not to upset the little birds) and I'm positive that these two Little Penguins didn't quite know what was going on and seemed to be saying...

Mine's Bigger Than Yours! You're Not Wrong There!

This mining truck at Leigh Creek Coal Field, South Australia, definitely dwarfs my four wheel drive. Tends to make one feel rather small by comparison. However, there are women in the mining industry who drive these mammoth trucks, so size doesn't really matter when it comes to the driver.

During "Off the Beaten Track" earlier in September last year, we visited the coal field which supplies coal for the electricity plant in Port Augusta. This then supplies power to a lot of areas in South Australia.

I thought everywhere in the coal field would be black but obviously the coal doesn't necessarily lie right near the surface.

We only had time to look around the observation area but apparently if there are enough people, a tour can be booked to go through the coal field. Several photos from this short visit are included in the DVD, "Outback Adventure".

More photos of the coal field will be posted later.

Outback Adventure DVD Out Now! Video Clip

"Outback Adventure" DVD highlighting photos from "Off the Beaten Track", earlier in September, is now available. It can be purchased in both PAL format (for Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom) and also NTSC format (for the USA, Canada, Europe and South America).

There are 270 photos (without captions), plus credits, featuring South Australia's Outback, Gammon Ranges and Flinders Ranges. Wildlife, windmills and wildflowers all make an appearance. Mini adventures like the Pichi Richi Railway journey and the Ridge Top Tour at Arkaroola are there too.

Visits to Alligator Gorge, the Ochre Pits and Leigh Creek Coal Field are included as well. Signs, buildings, vehicles and people make an appearance alongside trees, creeks and beautiful scenery.

Did I mention there are planes in it too?

What more could you want as a snapshot of the Australian Bush? These are the places Oprah didn't visit.

The DVD lasts for about 26.5 minutes and has an easy listening soundtrack.

Enjoy the video clip (short but great).



The DVDs are AUD$25.00 each. Postage & handling for Australia is AUD$2.50 and for outside Australia it's AUD$6.00. Contact me at fran@franwest.com for a bulk P&H cost if purchasing more than one copy.

Although primarily designed for aged care and dementia patients, the DVDs can be and are enjoyed by people of all ages.

P.S. the wildflowers on the DVD label are South Australia's floral emblem, the Sturt Desert Pea, (absolutely stunning in the Wearing Gorge). There are just a few on the actual DVD too.

Outback Adventure DVD

Australia (incl. P&H) $27.50 Overseas (incl. P&H) $31.00