SUNDAY TRAVEL Escape · Harley Rides in Melbourne provides chauffeur services run by accredited...
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34 Sunday Territorian. Sunday, January 12, 2014. www.sundayterritorian.com.au PUB: NT NEWS DATE: 12-JAN-2014 PAGE: 34 COLOR: C M Y K YOU can almost hear the distinctive theme music moving in time with your heartbeat. Good old 007 would nod approvingly as you perch perilously over the edge of a city building with only a rope held by virtual strangers separating you and the ground. With your heart pounding, cars buzzing 30m below and the skyline of Melbourne’s CBD all around, you dangle your left leg over the edge of a skyscraper. Then, as you’re right leg follows, the adventure begins. The earth rushes towards you face first as you “skyfall” like Daniel Craig, stopping only to bounce on two feet from the side of the building before taking off again towards earth. It’s all over in a matter of seconds, but the rush lasts much longer. Doubts you previously had while looking down on a daunting challenge quickly turn to adrenalin and, before you know it, you’re climbing the stairs of the building to do it all over again. This time faster. Welcome to MacKa MacKail’s Rap Jumping at Urban Central in Southbank. And welcome to life as James Bond would know it in Melbourne. If ever Australia had a city fit for swapping your everyday life for the sophisticated, exciting and stylish turn of Bond, surely Melbourne is it. And with the Victorian capital one of the first in the world to host an exclusive exhibition celebrating 50 years of Bond – what better time to explore Melbourne through the eyes of the world’s most famous fictional spy? Rap jumping, developed by the Australian SAS, is just one way to get the heart pumping. In basic terms it is forward abseiling with a system of ropes allowing you to free-fall as fast or slow as you like. People scared of heights are some of the most common participants in the three-jump routine that gets easier with every try. But it’s not just those scared of heights who can conquer their fears Bond-style in Melbourne. Feel like channelling your inner Sean Connery? Then do as he did in Thunderball and make a splash with a shark dive experience at Melbourne Sea Life Aquarium. As soon as you descend with a scuba tank on your back and a basic scuba lesson under your belt, a flurry of fins, colours and eyes are upon you beneath the surface. Sharks in the tank with you include a well-fed grey nurse named Mitchell and marine life of all shapes and sizes inside the 2.2 million litre oceanarium. Thankfully they are a lot friendlier than the man-eaters who threatened Bond. So too are the children on the other side of the glass, waving and smiling the whole time you enjoy a remarkable experience led by friendly, informative and reliable instructors who know how to calm nerves as well as take you to the best parts of the tank to enjoy it. If life in the fast lane is more your style than flippers and fins, consider pulling on a leather jacket and riding a Harley- Davidson. Unlike Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies, the route is up to you and is a great deal more enjoyable than being pursued by gun- toting bad guys in a helicopter. Harley Rides in Melbourne provides chauffeur services run by accredited riders armed with shiny bikes and excellent local knowledge. Everything from one hour to full day, 10-hour tours are available, with popular paths including the Bolte and West Gate Bridges, Port Melbourne, St Kilda, past the MCG and Federation Square. Most rides whiz you around waiting traffic, offer ripper views of the city, ocean, lakes, parkland and palm trees and, of course, turn heads in the CBD when passers-by hear the trademark roar of the Harley-Davidson. The bearded bikies taking you on tour have helped people aged up to 90 climb on the back of their Harley to tick off a bucket list wish. They are almost as passionate and knowledgeable about the city as their shiny machinery, and happy to play tour guide as well as chaperone. If food is your fancy, get set for culinary bliss. Black tie or not, Bond would be at home at No. 8 in the Crown complex where riverside dining brings farmyard freshness to your plate sourced from Victorian producers. Chef John Lawson, who has worked for celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay in London, has launched a menu dedicated to seasonal flavours, traditional cooking techniques and a bespoke selection of carefully farmed fare such as Milawa chicken, Barwon lamb and almond mushrooms. The wine list is also something special and all can be enjoyed metres from everything Crown has to offer in accommodation, entertainment and health spa. For a dining experience straight out of the film Skyfall try Brooks in George Parade off Collins St where gourmet dining is done in extravagant surrounds. Before you go, check out the extraordinary view of Melbourne with a signature cocktail at the Lui Bar, level 55 of Rialto at 525 Collins St. And, of course, what Bond experience would be complete without a martini, shaken not stirred? One of the best in town is at Siglo where you can even enjoy it with a cigar opposite State Parliament at level 2, 161 Spring St. For Bond fans flocking to Melbourne, options for walking in the footsteps of Ian Fleming’s famous character are limited only by your imagination. But if all that sounds like too much at least check out the exhibition. Designing 007 — 50 years of Bond Style is on at Melbourne Museum now until February 23. The Friday Night Bond Experience started on January 3 and will run for eight weeks with exhibition hours extended until 9pm so guests can make a night of it. Bond would like that. LIFE OF BOND: (clockwise from main) Former SAS soldier Peter ‘MacKa' MacKail rap jumping off the side of Urban Central backpackers in Melbourne; the view from Lui Bar at Vue de Monde; a cocktail at Siglo; rap jumping at Urban Central; and Mitchell the grey nurse at Melbourne Aquarium. Inspired by a new exhibition, Peter Rolfe shows how to follow in the stylish, action-packed footsteps of James Bond C g d s c e o s t o C w BEING BOND MacKa MacKail’s Rap Jumping: 1800 243 868. rapjumping.com Harley Rides in Melbourne: 1800 182 282. harleyrides.com.au Melbourne Sea Life Aquarium: (03) 9923 5999. melbourneaquarium.com.au Melbourne Museum: 13 11 02. museumvictoria.com.au Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style. In Melbourne until February 23 GO2 MELBOURNE Escape www.escape.com.au sundayterritorian.com.au SUNDAY TRAVEL Take the plunge to 007th heaven
Transcript of SUNDAY TRAVEL Escape · Harley Rides in Melbourne provides chauffeur services run by accredited...
34 Sunday Territorian. Sunday, January 12, 2014. www.sundayterritorian.com.au
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YOU can almost hear the distinctive theme music moving in time with your heartbeat.
Good old 007 would nod approvingly as you perch perilously over the edge of a city building with only a rope held by virtual strangers separating you and the ground.
With your heart pounding,cars buzzing 30m below and the skyline of Melbourne’s CBD all around, you dangle your left leg over the edge of a skyscraper.
Then, as you’re right leg follows, the adventure begins.
The earth rushes towards you face first as you “skyfall” like Daniel Craig, stopping only to bounce on two feet from the side of the building before taking off again towards earth.
It’s all over in a matter of seconds, but the rush lasts much longer.
Doubts you previously hadwhile looking down on a daunting challenge quickly turn to adrenalin and, before you know it, you’re climbing the stairs of the building to do it all over again. This time faster.
Welcome to MacKa MacKail’s Rap Jumping at Urban Central in Southbank.
And welcome to life as James Bond would know it in Melbourne.
If ever Australia had a city fitfor swapping your everyday life for the sophisticated, exciting and stylish turn of Bond, surely Melbourne is it.
And with the Victorian capital one of the first in the world to host an exclusive exhibition celebrating 50 years of Bond – what better time to explore Melbourne through the eyes of the world’s most famous fictional spy?
Rap jumping, developed bythe Australian SAS, is just one way to get the heart pumping.
In basic terms it is forwardabseiling with a system of ropes allowing you to free-fall as fast or slow as you like.
People scared of heights aresome of the most common participants in the three-jump routine that gets easier with every try.
But it’s not just those scaredof heights who can conquer their fears Bond-style in Melbourne.
Feel like channelling your inner Sean Connery?
Then do as he did in Thunderball and make a splash with a shark dive experience at Melbourne Sea Life Aquarium.
As soon as you descend witha scuba tank on your back and a basic scuba lesson under your belt, a flurry of fins, colours and eyes are upon you beneath the surface.
Sharks in the tank with youinclude a well-fed grey nurse named Mitchell and marine life of all shapes and sizes inside the 2.2 million litre oceanarium.
Thankfully they are a lot friendlier than the man-eaters who threatened Bond.
So too are the children on the other side of the glass, waving and smiling the whole time you enjoy a remarkable experience led by friendly, informative and reliable instructors who know how to calm nerves as well as take you
to the best parts of the tank to enjoy it.
If life in the fast lane is moreyour style than flippers and fins, consider pulling on a leather jacket and riding a Harley-Davidson. Unlike Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies, the route is up to you and is a great deal more enjoyable than being pursued by gun-toting bad guys in a helicopter.
Harley Rides in Melbourneprovides chauffeur services
run by accredited riders armed with shiny bikes and excellent local knowledge.
Everything from one hour tofull day, 10-hour tours are available, with popular paths including the Bolte and West Gate Bridges, Port Melbourne, St Kilda, past the MCG and Federation Square.
Most rides whiz you aroundwaiting traffic, offer ripper views of the city, ocean, lakes, parkland and palm trees and,
of course, turn heads in the CBD when passers-by hear the trademark roar of the Harley-Davidson.
The bearded bikies taking you on tour have helped people aged up to 90 climb on the back of their Harley to tick off a bucket list wish.
They are almost as passionate and knowledgeable about the city as their shiny machinery, and happy to play tour guide as well as chaperone.
If food is your fancy, get setfor culinary bliss.
Black tie or not, Bond wouldbe at home at No. 8 in the Crown complex where riverside dining brings farmyard freshness to your plate sourced from Victorian producers.
Chef John Lawson, who hasworked for celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay in London, has launched a menu dedicated to seasonal flavours, traditional cooking techniques and a
bespoke selection of carefully farmed fare such as Milawa chicken, Barwon lamb and almond mushrooms.
The wine list is also something special and all can be enjoyed metres from everything Crown has to offer in accommodation, entertainment and health spa.
For a dining experience straight out of the film Skyfall try Brooks in George Parade off
Collins St wheregourmet dining isdone in extravagantsurrounds.
Before you go,check out theextraordinary viewof Melbourne with asignature cocktail atthe Lui Bar, level 55of Rialto at 525Collins St.
And, of course,what Bond
experience would be complete without a martini, shaken not stirred?
One of the best in town is atSiglo where you can even enjoy it with a cigar opposite State Parliament at level 2, 161 Spring St.
For Bond fans flocking to Melbourne, options for walking in the footsteps of Ian Fleming’s famous character are limited only by your imagination.
But if all that sounds like toomuch at least check out the exhibition.
Designing 007 — 50 years of Bond Style is on at Melbourne Museum now until February 23.
The Friday Night Bond Experience started on January 3 and will run for eight weeks with exhibition hours extended until 9pm so guests can make a night of it.
Bond would like that.
LIFE OF BOND: (clockwise from
main) Former SAS soldier Peter
‘MacKa' MacKail rap jumping off
the side of Urban Central
backpackers in Melbourne; the
view from Lui Bar at Vue de
Monde; a cocktail at Siglo; rap
jumping at Urban Central; and
Mitchell the grey nurse at
Melbourne Aquarium.
Inspired by a new exhibition,
Peter Rolfe shows how to follow
in the stylish, action-packed
footsteps of James Bond
Cogodosu
chexofsithofCo
wh
BEING BONDMacKa MacKail’s Rap
Jumping: 1800 243 868.
rapjumping.com
Harley Rides in
Melbourne: 1800 182 282.
harleyrides.com.au
Melbourne Sea Life
Aquarium:
(03) 9923 5999.
melbourneaquarium.com.au
Melbourne Museum:
13 11 02.
museumvictoria.com.au
Designing 007: Fifty
Years of Bond Style. In
Melbourne until February 23
GO2MELBOURNE
Escape www.escape.com.au
sundayterritorian.com.au SUNDAY TRAVEL
Take theplungeto 007thheaven
