If going on holiday is attractive, imagine the pull of an eternal one. Sunshine, flip flops, squeaky clean sand, a laptop hanging leisurely in the background (used only to cash the massive cheques your oh-so-grateful clients throw you every couple of weeks).If only.Though being a digital nomad isn’t quite as mojitos-in-hand as all that, there are certainly a lot of upsides. And with a heck of a lot of downsides being thrown at the cubicle warriors of the world in 2020 (and 2021), and with working from home having suddenly shed a lot of stigma, the scales have shifted.Welcome to the future of remote work.In a bid to boost tourism after international travel was kneecapped in March last year, many countries introduced special offers with visas and programs to attract digital nomads. The list includes Barbados, Bahamas, Madeira, Hawaii and Bermuda.Though it’s tempting not to look, for fear of being eternally jealous, if you do want to take a peek behind the curtain, CNN Travel has just published an article by a digital nomad who recently moved from Hong Kong to Barbados.

 

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Barbados started accepting international travellers again on July the 12th last year, and released a special visa – the Welcome Stamp – that same month. The visa gave people the chance to up sticks and work there remotely for a year.Though a much different context, this comes in stark contrast to many other nations worldwide, which to this day enforce lockdowns and travel restrictions and – in the case of Australia – are not allowing people in or out without special government exemptions.It’s not just open to anyone, however. You must earn at least $50,000 annually as a remote worker to be eligible, and you must also pay a fee of $2,000 (for individuals) or $3,000 (for families) once your visa application has been approved.As well as declaring your salary, you also need to, in your application, explain the kind of work you’ll be doing during your stay.“Those who are accepted continue to pay tax in their home country and are not liable for income tax in Barbados,” CNN Travel reports.In any case, here’s what it’s like to work remotely from Barbados right now, according to Andrea Lo, writing for CNN Travel.

Getting there can be a bit of a mission

“Barbados requires passengers to present negative Covid-19 PCR test results taken three days before arrival, and only those taken by nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal samples, rather than nasal swabs or deep throat saliva samples,” CNN Travel reports, explaining that these bureaucratic measures, though crucial for public health, can lead to plans going astray.“It took me some time before I was able to find a clinic that satisfied all my requirements, which needed to present results with a pretty quick turnaround considering the time between testing and arriving in Barbados.”“On November 28, I set off for the airport in Hong Kong for my big move. Unfortunately, while checking in for my Virgin Atlantic flight, I was told the London to Bridgetown leg of the journey had been cancelled weeks ago – I’d received no prior notification on this. There would be no flight for another two weeks.”“So I ended up unexpectedly remaining in Hong Kong for a fortnight. Paranoid about the rising number of cases in Hong Kong and conscious of the fact that I had to take another Covid-19 test before my new travel date, I spent most of the two weeks – including my 30th birthday in early December – at home.

“Finally, on December 12, I got on the plane to London for the first leg of my journey.”

Barbados’ beauty can make it all worth it though

“I’d been travelling for so long… the nine-hour journey to Barbados felt like an eternity,” Lo wrote. “But I felt my fatigue instantly fade away when greeted with the sight of the deep blue Caribbean sea as we circled above Grantley Adams International Airport.”“I soon found myself basking in the sun as we were asked to form lines to present our test results to staff.”

“Welcome Stamp was just the ticket.”

“Clearing immigration was much quicker than I thought – and people seemed genuinely excited to see another Welcome Stamper arrive.”

The tests don’t end as soon as you get there

“Perhaps unsurprisingly, the lines for interviews with health officers took the longest. I was given paperwork that explained I was to take my temperature and submit them to the authorities via WhatsApp twice a day for seven days.”“In addition, I would need to undergo a mandatory test four to five days after the date I’d taken a test in my home country. After that, I’d be free to roam around Barbados.”

Quarantine is friendlier than some other places around the world

Unlike, say, Australia, where quarantine guests have no access to a balcony, at the CNN Travel freelancer’s quarantine hotel in Barbados she was allowed to go out into her room’s patio area.

“I’d taken my test at noon Tuesday and received my negative results in the early evening on Thursday. Three or so days in quarantine seemed relatively minor when compared with the 14-day standard countries such as Canada adopted.”

For more information check out the official government guidelines. But it’s worth noting that Lo travelled in December, and entry restrictions are now stricter.

 

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Working to a schedule is an interesting challenge

“Adjusting to my new working hours was not as challenging as I thought it would be,” Lo wrote.“Barbados is exactly 12 hours behind Hong Kong. Since most of my work is based in Asia, I work during the evenings — Asia’s morning. Working into the early hours is done when necessary. That also means I typically take Fridays off – when I wake up, it’s already the beginning of the weekend in Hong Kong.”

“But on the flip side, I also work Sunday late afternoons and evenings, which is Monday morning in Hong Kong.”

Not all of the traditional perks of paradise are there to be enjoyed right now, however.Though Lo was still able to “visit the beautiful beaches for which Barbados is famous,” not every bucket list attraction is booming right now.

“St. Lawrence Gap, an area on the south coast famous for its dining and nightlife, was empty.”

More food for thought…

It’s also worth noting that some of the cliche aspects of being a digital nomad are true. Insider interviewed a bunch of digital nomads working in Barbados too, and some of their insights may make you weep with envy.“I’m always struck by how nice people are here,” one nomad told Insider. “Also, some of the beaches have Wi-Fi, and that is a real game-changer — I’ve been able to set up my hammock a few times, go for a dip, then carry on working from there.”Also, contrary to the laze-on-beach stereotype that follows the phrase ‘digital nomad,’ some have told Insider that working remotely motivates them to work even harder.“I feel so blessed that I know I need to protect my lifestyle by working hard,” one digital nomad in Barbados, from Barcelona, told Insider.

Read Next

•  Phi Phi Island Image Shows Side Of Being Digital Nomad No One Tells You About
• How To Travel The World Using Bumble’s “Passport” Feature

The post 'Just The Ticket': What It's Like Working Remotely From Barbados appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

For some of you lucky bastards, January is all about lying by the pool and forgetting you are gainfully employed in a miserable office with a forty-minute commute somewhere.

But while it’s normal to enjoy kicking back on a beach somewhere, we’re a little disappointed that annual leave in the tropics has become carte blanche to dress like you’re hungover as fuck and answering the door to Ubereats.

Hopefully, you’re a distinguished critic of the Bintang-singlet crowd like us. But if not, we’ve put together a quick guide for how to dress on holidays, because we all know that the world deserves much, much more than the brutally average sartorial efforts of the average Aussie punter abroad.

Pack The Essentials (And Be Ruthless About It)

Luggage problems almost always kill the holiday buzz, and it usually starts with overpacking.

You can enjoy a solid weeklong holiday with a well-organised messenger bag (if you’re happy to wash the basics for repeated use). Don’t be the moron that packs thirty kilos of useless crap and whinges the whole way about how sore you get from carrying them everywhere, or how much it sucks to wait for the baggage claim area to spit out your gear.

Holidays aren’t for waiting in line to check in luggage and then pay a ridiculous premium for it. They’re definitely not for mourning a lost bag that jettisoned somewhere over the Pacific Islands. Pack light, be ruthless, and you’ll have an easier time dressing on holiday. We’ve even got a guide for you on how to do it right.

Make Your Hotel & Resort A Bintang-Free Zone

Australians have cultivated a unique reputation for taking it really, really, easy when it comes to their wardrobe overseas. And it sucks.
You probably get annoyed when blokes on a footy trip come to town looking like ratbags, or when festival goers assault the local bakeries with abominable style decisions. The locals probably feel the same way about tourists.

So instead of a ratty singlet, wear a relaxed linen shirt. They’re just as comfortable and will get you through the door in upscale parts of town. Boardies are a necessity but pack chino shorts too. The point is, other Australians might dress to the lowest common denominator – but it doesn’t mean you need to as well.

Bring One or Two Nice(ish) Outfits

It’s a time to kick back, relax, and tan, but you will still probably end up going to a restaurant or (if you’re really boring) going shopping in the nicer parts of town. It pays to pack at least one smart backup look – chinos, a shirt, and loafers – if you plan to hit the tiles or check out some of the prestigious joints in town.

Looking the part shows respect for the local area and inhabitants and can open opportunities you certainly won’t receive if you’re wearing a singlet that hasn’t been washed in three days and a pair of boardies you stole at schoolies back in 2005.

Up Your Sandal & Sneaker Game

Thongs are comfy and part of the Australian cultural experience, but they’re rarely (i.e, never) flattering and pretty rough on your feet if you have a long trek at some point. Replace them with sandals (not the shitty old-person kind that “massage” your feet) and you’ll have a better holiday for it.

Sandals have matured far beyond their reputation as footwear for racist baby boomers and retired European tourists on their first trip to Australia. Find something that doesn’t look like your One-Nation voting uncle’s crocs or hipster Birkenstocks and you’ll be able to transition from the pool to local bars without any fuss or disapproving stares from the locals.

If you need help we did a recent feature here on sandals that pass the DMARGE sartorial sniff test.

But Leave The Big Stuff Behind

While you might go out to a fancy restaurant or club at some stage during your time off, you’re still in an unfamiliar location.

Holidays bring disruption to routine, encounters with weird backpackers in your hostel, locals you forgot to tip, and generally an uncontrolled environment where things can get lost, damaged, or pinched. Generally, you should only bring clothes or accessories on holiday that won’t cause a nervous breakdown if you lose them.

That’s not to say people outside Australia are more likely to flog your belongings but in general, holidays bring a bit of extra chaos and the last thing you need is a lost afternoon of panic searching under the deckchairs and hostel beds for a missing watch or ancestral bling. Leave the high-end luxury shit at home, you’ll thank us later.

Don’t Forget Your Skin

Let’s face it, holidays can put stress on your body. Rubbish food, excessive sun, and dodgy cocktails all contribute to not looking your best (remember kids, ‘sun-touched’ isn’t a compliment).

It’s important to maintain a regular skincare routine when you’re making the most of your time off. All it takes is a small tub of moisturiser and a hydrating cream in your bag. If that’s too much to ask, you can probably buy something while you’re there.

And whatever you do, blokes, always wear sunscreen. Your narcissistic Instagram stories of #blissful Bali beaches might be a bit of a joke, but looking like a shrunken op-shop leather handbag, or getting skin cancer, is not.

RELATED: After Sun Skin Care Essentials

Brands You’ll Want On Your Next Holiday

Venroy

SHOP VENROY

Orlebar Brown

SHOP ORLEBAR BROWN

J Crew

SHOP J.CREW

The post How To Dress To Impress When You're Away On Holiday appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s hard not to love fast wagons. There’s something just so appealing about that combination of practicality, sleek looks and insane performance… Plus the fact that you’re thumbing your nose at SUVs. They’re the Swiss army knife of cars; good for everything. It’s why we were frothing at the mouth when we heard that BMW has an M3 wagon in the works and that some crazy Dutch engineer has come up with a Tesla ‘shooting brake’ modification.Speaking of electric cars, Porsche has just revealed that they’ve got a new fast wagon in the works, too – and not just any fast wagon, but indeed the very first all-electric wagon. Enter the Taycan Cross Turismo: the most exciting version of perhaps the most exciting car in recent memory.Australian F1 legend and brand ambassador Mark Webber has been helping the Stuttgart brand test the new auto, which Porsche is calling a ‘cross utility vehicle’ – a wagon by any other name – and he’s had some particularly glowing praise for the car.

“Phenomenal first drive for me with this beauty. Drives like a Porsche, feels like a Porsche, smells like a Porsche. It’s a proper sports car with even more space and ground clearance now. Expect the World Premiere of the all-new Taycan Cross Turismo to take place in less than eight weeks. In dealerships as early as this summer. I can’t wait. It’s the perfect car for the Australian outback and the German Autobahn.”

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It’s unclear whether the Taycan Cross Turismo will come with the Taycan 4S’ all-wheel drive as standard, but it’s a likely bet. The Volkswagen Group (to which Porsche belongs) has a long history of making lifted, 4×4 wagons like the Audi A6 allroad quattro, the Škoda Octavia Scout and the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack. Doing the same with the Taycan just makes sense: now they’ve got an electric option too.While the prospect of an all-electric wagon is pretty exciting in of itself, the fact that it’s a Taycan makes it even more thrilling. DMARGE founder Luc Wiesman had the opportunity to test drive the Taycan 4S in Kittila, Finland, and was absolutely blown away with its performance, relating that “across design, technology and performance driving this could be one of the most ‘complete’ packages I’ve driven.” Add the extra utility of a wagon and you’ve got a winning formula.RELATED: I Flew 14,996 Kilometres To Drive Porsche’s ‘Tesla Killing’ Taycan 4SAssuming the Taycan Cross Turismo will boast similar performance figures at the 4S, the car should make around 390kW, do 0-100km/h in 4 seconds flat and have a top speed of 250km/h. If the Cross Turismo designation works as a package that you can apply to the Taycan’s higher model levels, it could be even more insane: the Taycan Turbo S makes a crazy 560kW, does 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds. Imagine a wagon that’s faster than a McLaren Senna…While we don’t want to work ourselves into a frenzy, the Taycan Cross Turismo sounds like the ultimate car: good for the environment, fast as hell, and practical. Eco-warrior soccer mums must be champing at the bit – and Elon Musk must be quaking in his boots.

Read Next

• ‘Offroad Lamborghini’ Takes Car Culture’s Latest Trend To Absurd Conclusion
• ‘Dior Wrapped’ Rolls-Royce Outrages Luxury Vehicle Purists

The post Porsche Unveils Perfect Station Wagon For Sustainable Soccer Mums appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

K-Pop. Delicious, sticky bbq. While pop culture and food still propels the Korean craze, creative industries – architecture, art and certainly fashion – are proving the more celebrated aspects of Korea in recent years.

How do you define Korean style? There’s not just a single look, that’s for sure. Scouring Seoul Fashion Week, the men offered a mix youthful streetwear and louche-tailoring – with a touch of rebel (think biker and punk) and slashes of colour on classic sombre tones.

Authentic denim, practical layering and the reworking of casual jackets and topcoats – into both high and low dressing – saw Koreans work each piece into their very own ‘Gangnam Style’ (don’t you dare start singing).

Click through the slideshow for 50+ ways to dress like a Korean. And read on for key trends from the streets of Seoul.

#1 Biker Chic

Cropped and clean, Korean men look to biker jackets as key casual layering. And the more leather the better. Black perfecto jackets create a Marlon Brando shrine to the Fifties, a neat white t-shirt tucked in to classic blue jeans and boots – nothing cropped and over-styled.

Suede – in chocolate and mocha – jackets are the second leather-love. Again worn with a basic, clean tee, but more Ramones-esque with stovepipe jeans and side-buckled Chelsea boots, the denim belted over zip-front pockets – adding as much metal as they can.

#2 Hoodwinked

Making a fashion play on the activewear trend, Koreans are hoodwinked by the hoodie. The comfort clothing is well-beyond the athletic track or greasy gym and comes nighttime neoprene black with chunky statement zips for a moody, mechanical finish. Under a topcoat in the season’s camel-hue, it’s the perfect depth-addition to an otherwise minimal tailored rock outfit – black skinnys and chunky Docs the base-half.

Koreans – streetwear fiends – bounce along with the bold, bright hoodie too. Paired with slim, active-inspired trousers and white plimsols, the hoodie is refreshingly snug; nothing contrived and oversized, groping away from the ill-fit of the Nineties.

#3 Chaotic Camel

Camel topcoats – with sprawling peak lapels and sharp shoulders – are a welcomed outerwear piece in winter, lightening the bleak Seoul streets. But it wouldn’t be Korea without some style-rebellion to derail British tradition. This looks like camouflage print and patches or logos. Camo-print track pants (never khaki pants) and their khaki base-colour ties in nicely with a camel coat, kept particularly fresh with a white tee and sneakers (instead of military boots, which would give this look more oomph).

Punk-ish patches emblazoned the back of Chesterfields, in a blink-and-miss-it act of anarchy, that resolved peacefully with stoic dark denim (void of rips so to appear too punk-themed), white sneakers and a felt hat. The perfect blend of punk, tailored and street wear.

#4 Poppin’ Colour

On the streets of Seoul, a darkened mood can ascend: lots of black with the occasional flash of a primary colour piercing the sombre tone. A blue suit, pink t-shirt, or bold red stripe sweater pops against a neutral, monochromatic background. Koreans keep the other items – namely black denim, felt hats and leather boots dark – to absorb the colour noise.

#5 Monochrome Details

Taking inspiration from the classic Brits (a la Burberry) and fuss-free Scandinavians, Koreans tap easy-go monochrome ensembles. Based on three-piece looks, black slim-fit trousers, a long-sleeve plain tee and cotton topcoat (trench or work jacket) lay the foundation for the minimalism. Then jazz it up Seoul-style with orange-lensed shades (a huge trend in Korea this season) or something less brash – a fine silver necklace.

#6 Denim, For Days

Like the Japanese, Koreans adore their denim. Top-to-bottom Canadian suits (aka double denim) injected with a freshness known to Seoul. A common trend this season is the slashed sleeve denim shirt; cut home-job style at the elbow and layered over a long-sleeve t-shirt or sweater. The black buffers the matching denim jeans with gargantuan holes that would displease any mother.

The post How To Dress Like A Korean Guy appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Listen up, men. Whilst we universally condone the use of compression tights without shorts (unless you’re from the Russian ballet), there is a way to make today’s activewear look stylish without looking like a walking billboard for Nike or Adidas.

Ever since sportswear made the transition from the gym to the leisure scene, designs have gotten cleaner, sharper and more technical. Sportswear isn’t as perilous as it once used to be in the styling department, but there are still rules to scoring a cool off-duty outfit.

Keep It Athletic Up Top

It doesn’t get any easier than this. That jacket you thought was only appropriate for the slopes? That sweatshirt you wear only for shuffling from the bedroom to the bathroom on cold mornings? The t-shirt collection that’s gotten so big it’s threatening to seize territory in a neighbouring drawer? All of them are prime candidates for the perfect casual sportswear look.

Jackets

This is your chance to put all that gear described as “technical” into regular rotation in your wardrobe. If it looks like you could climb a mountain in it, wear it on the street instead. The bomber jacket is also a solid choice, especially when revamped with an unexpected colour or luxe material, as is the athletic jacket. Keep an eye out for interesting elements like extra zippers, fancy stitching and sporty ribbed details.

Sweatshirt

Designers are loving the upscale sweatshirt right now. Pluck one straight off the runway if you want something haute and high-end or, if brand exhibitionism isn’t your thing, grab something affordable out of your closet and make it smart. Hood or no hood, almost anything goes – but stick to fitted pieces to avoid the slouchy, slovenly look. Blocked colours create a cool, clean, minimal effect that works especially well for sportswear.

Tees

Pretty much anything goes here. Fitted is good. Monochrome is cool. Interesting patterns or graphic elements are also welcome. If the goal is to look effortless, you’d be hard put to think of anything more effortless than a t-shirt.

Keep It Fitted Down Low

Ok, it actually does get easier than the top half. For your lower portion you’ve got just two simple options: pants and shorts. You’ve dreamed of being able to wear sweats in public and that day has finally come. Hallelujah. On the other hand, if you’re feeling bold, you can go beyond the sporty cuts and fabrics and blend your sportswear on top with something more tailored down below.

Pants

Sweet, sweet sweatpants. How we longed for the day when we no longer had to hide you from the world’s condemning eyes. That being said, the ratty old pair you wear to the gym isn’t going to cut it. Look for sweatpants that are slim and soft, with elasticated cuffs. Basic colours, clean cuts and minimal details work best. Match the colour on top for a slick monochromatic statement. If you’re feeling daring, we’ve seen sportswear mixed with leather and tailored trousers. It’s a harder look to pull off if you’re not strolling down a runway, but give it a shot if you’re up for a challenge.

Shorts

Comfortable. Relaxed. Sporty. Youthful. Cool. Those are the words you’re going for. Basically, your shorts should look like the truncated version of your sweatpants. Follow the same rules, but with a little less fabric, and you’re golden.

On Your Feet

Don’t skimp on the footwear. After all your hard work up above, this is where it could all fall apart. Instead of making your shoes an afterthought, carefully choose a pair that elevates your outfit. Your shoes are a key part of the process – the finishing touch that says “No, there weren’t Doritos crumbs on my chest just before this…I actually thought this out and I look damn good.”

Shoes

Sneakers. Duh. This is one of those rare style occasions we live for, when fashion meets functionality and cool meets comfort. You can get away with pretty much whatever you want here, as long as your kicks are clean. High-end high tops work just as well as sleeker, simpler low tops or sporty gym shoes. Bonus points if you experiment with leather and other lush or unusual materials. If you’re feeling lost, we humbly suggest starting here.

The post How To Wear Casual Sportswear & Look Damn Cool appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Wherever there is chaos there is always a pocket of opportunity. Making the most of it can lead to some of the best moments of your life.

Speaking of, one Australian man, Shaun Birley – travel ambassador for Qantas, Instagram influencer and international fashion distributor – recently put on a masterclass of improvisation we can all learn from.

Over the Christmas break, Shaun turned what could have been a costly and boring situation into an epic coastal jaunt.

Based in Brisbane, but often doing business in Sydney, Shaun tells DMARGE, “I had a meeting I couldn’t get out of” over the holidays. Consequently, Shaun was in Greater Sydney (not the Northern Beaches) the day the shutters came down, in response to the Northern Beaches’ Avalon cluster which emerged (and was subsequently controlled) in December.

“It was on that Friday afternoon… they just declared the Northern Beaches a hotspot and I couldn’t make it back to Brisbane in time, which meant it was going to be a compulsory self-funded $3,000 hotel isolation for flying interstate.”

The whole of Greater Sydney was put on the Queensland government’s ‘yeah nah’ list. But there was a loophole.

“The loophole,” Shaun explains, “was that if you spent two weeks outside of Greater Sydney then you could cross the border. So I jumped online, had a look at Airbnb’s and a whole bunch of other things and I decided to have a look at a camper [van].”

 

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“All the major campers were sold out. The only thing that was available was a lime green and purple Juicy.”

Shaun had actually initially booked a much bigger Camper with another company with less ‘out there’ colour schemes, but it was double booked and he lost out. In the end, he tells us, he went with Juicy’s only vehicle, which wasn’t even really a van.

“It was a Toyota Hiace and it had a bed on the top which pops up.”

It wasn’t all beer and skittles from there though. Shaun tells us that keeping a good record of his receipts was crucial to his mission: “The guy at Juicy rentals was like, ‘mate as soon as you get out of Greater Sydney – top up on fuel, even if it’s like 5 or 6 bucks, and then keep that receipt.'”

 

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“You need to keep that receipt, especially if you’re going to be travelling for two weeks. I got it, drove around Northern NSW for two weeks, and just hopped across the hinterland, then after it had been two weeks [on the dot] I got to the border control.”

Here’s where things got interesting.

“They saw the car, it sticks out like a sore thumb and they were just like, ‘Yeah mate you can pull over to this side while we question you,’ and I had to show them the rental agreement, then the first receipt of me filling up in just north of Newcastle.”

“I got to the border and the guy was like: ‘you need to show you haven’t gone back in that area.’ So I brought up my ANZ app and scrolled down through two weeks of things – Coffs Harbour, Yamba, etc. – as he went through and saw the transactions were coming towards Queensland he let me across.”

“I only crossed at 2 o’clock exactly two weeks [after leaving Greater Sydney]. He saw the petrol receipt of $12.55 and said, ‘Welcome back into Queensland.'”

“I did the full two weeks to the hour.”

That said – the nerves were real. Shaun tells us: “I started panicking, thinking: ‘Am I a day too early?’ and, ‘Holy sh*t, this is like going through customs, are they going to search my car?'”

“I freaked out a little bit when they pulled me to the side asking for all the documents. They probably thought I was an English backpacker and obviously profiled the car straight away.”

Naturally, making it across felt good: “When I got across the border I was ecstatic.”

For all the latest information regarding crossing the Queensland border (the list of hotspots is being constantly updated), click here.

Though Shaun was relatively lonely in noticing this loophole, he is far from on his own when it comes to getting a taste for living in a motor vehicle. In fact, there is a burgeoning trend of Australians ditching their houses for vehicles.

 

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DMARGE last year reached out to Van Go Fit Outs, a Sydney-based company that specialises in converting vans into kilometre-crunching bedrooms, to find out just how much of an uptake they have experienced during the era of COVID-19.

Mark Atkins, founder and director of Van Go Fit Outs, told us, “Van Go Fit Outs has seen a massive increase in enquiries, which are obviously due to the travel restrictions and lockdown caused by Covid.”

“There was a week where we had 1000+ enquiries all asking for quotes, which is insane numbers when we know we can only realistically work on so many vans at one time.”

“We have some pretty crazy enquiries with people wanting to remove the passenger seat of hatchbacks to allow for a bed and pop tops onto small 4x4s like [Toyota] Rav 4s and Jeep Defenders.”

Mark also told us, “Due to conversions being custom, prices vary quite extensively. For a full conversion with off the grid living you are looking at starting prices of $30k, but more information about our packages can be found on our website.”

$30,000 for a self-sustained house you can comfortably live in doesn’t sound bad when you consider how insane Sydney’s house prices are becoming.

So, will this self-contained mode of travel go the distance or is it simply a fad that we have to endure until international travel restarts?

Mark believes it has plenty of legs.

“I don’t see the van trend going away for a long time, people have been travelling around the world for years in vans.”

“I think people have realised there is lots to see and do in this amazing back yard of ours and with more people looking for the never-ending adventures the Van Go Van is the way to see and do all the activities in comfort and style.”

On that note, Shaun agrees, telling DMARGE he is “100% inspired to do more improvised trips” and to explore more of our backyard.

Read Next

• 2020 Could Be The Travel Industry’s ‘Phoenix Moment’
• Meet The Aussie Activists Travelling From Alaska To Argentina In A Solar Powered Van

The post Australian Influencer Uses Genius Loophole To Avoid Hotel Quarantine appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

After a brutal 12 months, things are finally looking up in Australia as far as going out is concerned.

Western Australia’s having a bit of a hiccup right now with a flare-up of The Spicy Cough but other states and territories are approaching normalcy. Melbourne’s previously onerous lockdown has lifted, things are basically back to normal in Canberra and while Byron Bay has seen a dramatic influx of visitors from around the country (and the world), it’s weathered the storm pretty well.

Sydney’s not only dealing with COVID pretty well, but it has just been confirmed that the last of the dreaded lockout laws are set to be lifted come the start of March. It’s cold comfort for many Sydneysiders: the years of lockout laws have decimated Sydney’s nightlife, with the pandemic being the final nail in the coffin for previously vibrant areas such as (the rather infamous) Kings Cross. Still, it’s welcome news for others, at least on a symbolic level… It’s emblematic of the renewed desire to go out again after a rough 2020.

But we’re not out of the woods yet. We might be on track to conquering the COVID threat but many businesses in Sydney and beyond are still having to tread carefully; a combination of ongoing restrictions, hesitance (and just plain common sense, many would argue). Eating out isn’t the casual, carefree thing it used to be, with many businesses (understandably) hitting customers with restrictive terms and conditions.

A DMARGE correspondent shared this experience they encountered while trying to book brunch at a Bondi cafe on Australia Day: not only were they only allowed to stay for 45min, but the cafe asked for a $15 minimum spend per person.

We can understand the short reservation time – cafes need turnover and at a time when the hospitality industry is struggling, small businesses simply can’t afford to have patrons spend $3 on a coffee and spend 2 hours taking up a table. There’s also the COVID element to it, of course.

But the $15 minimum spend seems cheeky. Even with the most expensive Sydney coffee prices you’d still need to buy at least 2 or 3 coffees to reach that $15 minimum, or you’d need to buy a meal – but 45min isn’t really enough time to enjoy a meal. Maybe a croissant, but then, who on earth is charging over $15 for a coffee and a croissant? The mind boggles.

RELATED: ‘Surf & Turf War’: Lobsters Could Soon Be Replacing Steaks On Australian Plates

Sadly, this is the reality of dining out in Australia right now: inconvenient and often rather expensive. Until The Pangolin Parade ends, it looks like we’re going to have to suck it up, put our complaints on a fork, and it the proverbial it.

Pandemic dining at its finest.

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The post Cafe's 'Polite Reminder' Highlights Sad Reality Of Dining Out In Australia Right Now appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Cathay Pacific just canned all long haul flights to Australia, excluding Sydney. This follows new government restrictions being announced in Hong Kong, regarding stricter quarantine rules for airline crew.

Cathay Pacific also declared it would cull flights to Vancouver, San Francisco and Frankfurt in response to the local government’s new rule, which requires flight staff to quarantine for 14 days if they leave China.

The changes are reported to take effect from the 20th of February until at least the beginning of March.

During that time, Cathay Pacific’s five weekly services between Hong Kong and Sydney will continue running, but its Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Auckland flights will lie limp in the bin.

“In view of the Hong Kong SAR Government’s latest announcement, with effect from February 20, 2021 our Hong Kong-based pilots and cabin crew are required to undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine plus 7 days of medical surveillance when they return to Hong Kong after being on duty,” the airline confirmed in a statement, Executive Traveller reports.

“The new measure will have a significant impact on our ability to service our passenger and cargo markets,” noted Cathay Pacific chief operating officer Ronald Lam.

News.com.au reports “it is understood” the airline made the decision to introduce the 14-day quarantine rule after “the government’s announcement on February 5… following growing concern over the risk of importing mutant strains of COVID-19.”

Cathay Pacific are not the first airline to be impacted by this ‘mutant’ strand of COVID-19 (and the bureaucratic changes it has instigated). Emirates canned a week of flights (bar Perth) after Australian international flight caps were scissored in half in January.

Emirates ended up reinstating these flights after flight caps were increased in February.

According to news.com.au, “The number of people allowed to fly into NSW, Queensland and Western Australia were halved at the beginning of January in response to the new strain of the virus from the United Kingdom… But the weekly cap will now increase from 4127 to at least 6362 nationwide.”

What does this all mean for stranded Australians? For starters, it means when you jump on Cathay Pacific’s homepage, all flights from the 20th of February (and for that matter before it) to the end of March come up as “fully booked.”

Even months later, Cathay Pacific flights from London to Perth, come up as “fully booked” too, at the time of writing, until around June. From June one way flights from London to Perth start becoming available for about AU$1,453.

Evidence of how many Australians are still stranded overseas trying to get home? Looking at the availability of Emirates and Qatar Airways, the two other airlines which are operating flights to Australia right now, it appears so.

At the time of writing DMARGE was unable to find an Emirates London-Perth flight (with seats available) until the 26th of April, and even then the only fares on offer are AU$7,076 first-class ones. “We couldn`t find availability in Economy Class for the dates you selected. We’ve provided a flight fare for the same journey in First Class,” Emirates’ message reads.

It’s a similar story with Qatar Airways, with flights appearing to be booked out until Wednesday the 31st of March.

As Sydney University Professor of Transport and Supply Chain Management Rico Merkert told DMARGE last year: “Yes, [continuing to operate flights has been] great for brand building and grabbing market share. It is harder to gain customers than to lose them in this business (once loyalty schemes and a decent product come into play).”

Speaking about Qatar Airways he said: “They… understand the importance of aviation to their economy (as a hub with some pretty new and expensive infrastructure sitting there and lots of competition from the UAE and other places).”

The upshot? If carriers like Qatar Airways and Emirates, which lack the domestic market to sustain them like, say, the likes of Qantas, and thus have great incentive to be operating long haul flights to Australia right now are having difficulties making them happen, the aviation industry must be in real strife.

Smart Traveller is currently providing the following advice to Australians trying to get home: “If you’re overseas and wish to come home, be prepared for delays and disruptions to your travel. There are fewer international flights available due to travel restrictions, disruptions to key transit hubs and limits on passenger arrivals into Australia. Travel regulations and restrictions are changing often and at short notice.”

“There are caps on the numbers of passengers coming into Australian airports from overseas. These are in place to ease pressure on state and territory quarantine facilities. These measures will remain in place until further notice.”

“Airlines manage the sale of tickets in line with the caps, not the government.”

“This could affect your flight into Australia. If you’re scheduled to fly home to Australia in the coming weeks, confirm your itinerary and travel plans with your airline or travel agent.”

• For questions about visas and other entry and exit requirements, contact the relevant foreign embassy or consulate.
• For up-to-date advice on local conditions and information on available flights to Australia, check the website of your nearest Australian embassy or high commission and follow them closely on social media.
• Subscribe to our travel advisories and news.
• Make sure you’ve considered all your available options, and be prepared to put in place alternative arrangements in case your flights are cancelled at short notice, or while en route.
• If you’re receiving an Australian Government payment, you may be eligible to request an extension so that you continue to receive your payment. Contact Services Australia to discuss your situation.

For more information check out the Smart Traveller website.

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The post What Cathay Pacific's Latest Cancellation Means For Australian Travellers appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

This feature has been produced in partnership with Martell.

Picture this: the mercury is rising and you’re in desperate need of a cocktail. Normally, you’d be reaching for a Negroni – but if we’re being honest with ourselves here, Negronis can be incredibly hit or miss. More to the point, it’s high time you try something else. Something better.

Introducing The Swift: the classier, more refreshing alternative to the Negroni. Unlike the centuries-old, gin-based Negroni, The Swift is something new, underpinned by Martell Blue Swift – an innovative new spirit drink made from 100% VSOP cognac that’s been finished in Kentucky bourbon casks. There’s nothing else quite like it – and when it’s zhuzhed up in a Swift, it’s the perfect summer sip.

While it’s easy to make at home, cocktails are always better when you get someone else to make them for you, like pizza or your bed. Luckily, we’ve found the best places in Sydney to try a Swift out for yourself.

The Cat’s Meow on Darlinghurst’s famous Oxford St has fast become a mecca for cocktail connoisseurs and bon vivants. The Art Deco-themed spot serves up vibes aplenty, as well as a classy take on The Swift. It would be a shame to order anything else in such a glamorous spot, quite frankly.

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Maybe you’re looking for a more modern vibe. Hendriks Cognac & Wine in Crows Nest might be more your thing: dark and moody without coming off as wanky or uninviting, Hendriks is the perfect place to enjoy a Swift. Take a date and impress them with your cocktail knowledge, perhaps?

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Or you could go balls to the wall at one of Newtown’s most rollicking venues, Mary’s. The rock-and-roll bar and burger institution has long been a home to those who appreciate the finer things in life. Naturally, they make a killer Swift.

The other option, of course, is to make it yourself. Thankfully, it’s an absolute doddle to make, unlike many other cocktails. Combine Martell Blue Swift, Lillet Rouge and vanilla syrup, pour over ice and let your taste buds sing your praises. Check out our guide here.

Wherever you go or whatever mood you’re in, The Swift is the one cocktail you need to try this year. It’s hands down the tastiest, most versatile thing you can pass through your lips – and you’ll be kicking yourself that you didn’t try it sooner, whether that’s at a cool bar or for your next drink at home.

Need some Martell Blue Swift for your own drinks cabinet? Click here.

The post Where To Try The Best Alternative To A Negroni In Sydney appeared first on DMARGE Australia.