Rocky Mountaineer train journeys from Denver, Colorado, to Utah
The Rocky Mountaineer train is heading into the rugged Utah landscape with this new itinerary.
The ever-popular Rocky Mountaineer train chuffs off on its first Rockies to the Red Rocks journey on Sunday, travelling between Denver in Colorado and Utah’s Moab. The new trip promises the spectacular scenery travellers have come to expect on the operator’s three Canadian routes, which call at destinations such as Jasper, Banff, Lake Louise and Kamloops.
The four-day itinerary takes travellers through some iconic US landscapes. Expect steep-sided canyons, desert expanses, impressive tunnels, dramatic mountain ranges and the majestic Colorado River, all viewed through large glass-dome windows.
Highlights include the 10km Moffat tunnel, which slices through the Continental Divide; Byers and Gore canyons, home to bears, bighorn sheep and mountain lions; the dazzling red cliffs of Ruby Canyon, which stretches for 40km; and the snow-capped La Sal Mountains. On approach to Moab, guests will be introduced to the extraordinary geological formations of Arches National Park (pictured).
Passengers who choose the SilverLeaf Plus experience have exclusive and unlimited access to a small outdoor viewing area and a newly renovated lounge car, where they can sip carefully crafted cocktails and enjoy premium dining experiences. The Classic itinerary includes two days’ train travel with one night mid-journey at Glenwood Springs, bookended by hotel accommodation before departure and at the journey’s end.
From $2243 a person, twin-share.
PENNY HUNTER
Book club
THE BOMBAY PRINCE
Sujata Massey
It’s the 1920s and Perveen Mistry, Bombay’s “first female lawyer”, is the cool, calm, Oxford-educated and delightfully snoopy lead character of Sujata Massey’s “murder mystery” series. The title of this third novel refers to Edward VIII, Prince of Wales and future (short-term) king of England, who’s arrived in Bombay in 1921 for a “goodwill visit” on an extended tour of India. The royal visitor is met by agitated pro-independence crowds and Massey’s descriptions of ensuing events are based on historic fact.
An imagined plot dashes us off on a parallel course involving the death of Freny (corr Freny) Cuttingmaster, a young student of Perveen’s own Parsi faith. Did Freny fall from the second-floor gallery of her prestigious missionary college or was she pushed? Perveen suspects the latter, an opinion strengthened by the fact the girl, an avowed freedom fighter, had sought her legal opinion a day earlier. “Truly, I would vomit if I had to look at that prince!” Freny had told Perveen as she challenged the authority of her academic masters to force students to attend a parade to welcome the “loathsome” royal. Freny’s parents want answers and appoint Perveen as their advocate. The case becomes a “five-hundred-piece puzzle” and her reputation is on the line.
The British-born and US-based author is of Indian and German parentage and she writes with keen insight and exquisite detail about Bombay society, the importance of family honour and rituals, and Perveen’s frustrations to be taken seriously in her ground-breaking legal role. As tensions rise and rioters become more violent during the prince’s stay, Perveen questions law, order, politics and, as always, women’s rights. She’s been granted a legal separation from an abusive and unfaithful marriage, but a divorce will never be granted. But, hello, here’s Colin Wythe Sandringham, the Indian Civil Service political agent Perveen became acquainted with in book two (The Satapur Moonstone), who’s arrived in Bombay from his mountain post to join the royal entourage. “The appearance of Colin causes a weight in her chest that makes it difficult to speak …” It’s a tantalising reunion in a book that evokes many strong and noble passions – for family, justice, race and the belief in new beginnings.
SUSAN KUROSAWA
View from here
FIELD TRIP WITH CURTIS STONE
LifeStyle Food, Sunday, 8pm; Foxtel on Demand
You can take the boy out of Australia but you can’t take Australia out of the boy, it has been observed about celebrity chef Curtis Stone, which is good for viewers of the second season of his culinary travel show Field Trip.
Half of his destinations (NSW, Victoria and South Australia) are within tantalising reach, lockdowns permitting. The others, Rome, California’s Sonoma region and Hawaii, we may have to dream about for a good while longer. But how refreshing it is to savour the splendour of those places and the aroma of their dishes almost wafts on the airwaves. Whatever happened to Smell-O-Vision?
Stone is Los Angeles based these days with restaurants quaintly named after his grandmothers, Maude and Gwen, but he retains a strong Aussie presence as a recipes ambassador for Coles.
During lockdown in LA he opened a pop-up food outlet and introduced Hollywood stars (or the ones not resident in Australia) to the magnificence of meat pies and sausage rolls.
In Field Trip he showcases for a global audience the vineyards and produce of SA, catching up with MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo and Maggie Beer. Stone is Melbourne-born so his trip there allows family time and an exploration of the city’s vibrant Greek heritage.
In NSW, he heads to the Hunter Valley and the Tweed with its cane (think Husk Distillers) and tropical fruits.
But it is at a community rooftop garden in South Eveleigh, Sydney, that I reach for my share. Caterer Dwayne Bannon-Harrison, who specialises in Indigenous food, pairs succulent oysters from his hometown, Narooma, on the NSW south coast, with wild raspberries. It sums up Stone’s culinary philosophy: keep it simple, cook with naturally provided ingredients.
GRAHAM ERBACHER
Spend it
Husband and wife team Trevor Lee and Lilly Choi-Lee have launched Naturally Northern Rivers to promote and support sustainable growers, farmers and producers in their fertile home region near Mt Warning (Wollumbin) near Murwillumbah, NSW. An online store offers the likes of essential oils, skincare products, cacao powder and organic comestibles. Create your own “wholesome hamper” or consider the newly released Natural Travel Care Pack in a 100 per cent cotton drawstring bag containing a quartet of Active Jellybush Antibacterial Honey (25g), 20ml Certified Organic Pure Tea Tree Oil (20ml), Avilla Farm Hand & Body Lotion (75ml) and Mindful Foods Certified Organic & Activated Maple Munchies (110g). $69.95.
SUSAN KUROSAWA
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