Ben Groundwater

Ben Groundwater

Traveller's globetrotting backpacker, Ben Groundwater, finds the good, the bad and the ugly in the world’s best destinations. Ben is a columnist, blogger, feature writer, and host of Traveller's podcast Flight of Fancy, who has visited more than 80 countries during his 12 years in the industry. Ben was named travel writer of the year by the Australian Society of Travel Writers in 2014 and 2015.

While European cities go up, ours go out into huge urban sprawls.

'Everything's expensive': 13 things that shock expats returning to Australia

Reverse culture shock is real. There are a few quirks of Australian life that it takes a while to get used to as a returning expat.

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Cheap travel for the masses may no longer exist in the short term as overseas holidays become more of a luxury item.

The era of cheap travel for the masses is over

In the post-COVID world, travel won't be for everyone anymore. It will be for those with plenty of cash.

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Can't go hiking in South America? There are plenty of spectacular hiking trails in Australia, such as the Larapinta walk ...

Podcast: How to live your international travel dreams in the bubble

We may have had to ditch our overseas travel plans this year but here's how you can recreate your dream travel at home.

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We're looking for somewhere to go, somewhere new, somewhere different.

Sorry regional Australia: We're coming for you, and we're going to be a bit of a nightmare

We're coming to drink at your pubs and eat at your cafes and stay in your B&Bs and peruse your shops and wander your streets. And we're going to be a bit of a nightmare.

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'Stick to writing about holidays'? Congratulations, you're privileged

If the ugly parts of a country don't affect you, you don't have to worry about them. What a luxury.

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The Three Sisters seen from the Echo Point lookout near Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

Podcast: Regional travel in Australia - the best places to visit

The regional communities and isolated attractions that you might have heard of, but have probably never visited.

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Flying with masks, for cabin crew and passengers, will become common practice.

Six aspects of travel that are going to change forever

Things might be better, or things might be worse, but travel will never be the same again.

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Sri Lanka is one of the countries we're keen to get back to as soon as possible.

Podcast: The places we can't wait to get back to

The question all travellers around the world must surely be considering right now is: where to next once global lockdown is over?

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While the curve still hasn't been completely flattened in Singapore, this is a nation that knows how to deal with ...

The 11 destinations Australians should be able to visit in 2021

The world is not your oyster right now. It's barely even your mussel.

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Hainanese chicken rice, singapore cuisine iStock image for Traveller. Re-use permitted.Â tra27-online-dishes

You have to be there: 10 overseas dishes Australia can't replicate

Travel on a plate: it's a concept I've embraced over the past few months, the idea that the best way to experience the world during lockdown is through food, through authentic dishes that capture a place and a culture.

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Soon we will be allowed to travel within Australia. But should we?

The rewards we've always enjoyed, as well as new rewards for taking a chance, will still be there, better than ever.

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Italian opera singer Laura Baldassari sings from her window in Milan during the lockdown.

Podcast: What lockdown has taught us about travel

There's nothing like a little isolation to give you time to think: about your life; your career; your relationships; and what travel mean to us in this crazy new world.