What’s open this long weekend?

Have you stocked up for the long weekend? Source: Supplied

THAT four-day long weekend sounds pretty good right about now right?

Loads of gorging and drinking between the relaxing and family obligations. But have you stocked up on rations?

If you're expecting to rock up to your local supermarket to pick up dinner, or the bottle shop for a six-pack, you might be met with a closed sign. So to avoid scrounging for food at your local petrol station, be prepared.

Officially, Good Friday, Easter Saturday (except Tasmania and WA) and Easter Monday are public holidays. In NSW, Easter Sunday is also a public holiday.

So if you're working any of those days (particularly Easter Saturday which a surprising number of people don't realise is a pub hol; again, not Tassie or WA), make sure you get those amazing penalty rates.

But what does it mean for your shopping and your drinking?

Here's a rundown of the trading hours over the next four days:

NEW SOUTH WALES

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are restricted trading days in Australia's first state. So all the shops, including supermarkets, are pretty much closed, except for outside of Sydney. Smaller stores like your local corner shop are allowed to open but it's at their discretion.

If you're in the mood for some epic cocktails with your friends, grab your supplies now because come Good Friday, you won't be able to. Source: Supplied

As for libations, there are to be no takeaway sales on Good Friday anywhere so bottle-os are shut. Pubs, hotels, bars and clubs (not small bars) can trade as normal but they can't sell takeaway alcohol nor can they serve you alcohol between midnight and 5am on Easter Saturday (cinemas and theatres are exempt from this particular restriction). Restaurants and venues with an 'on-premise' licence can only serve you alcohol with food.

VICTORIA

Good Friday is a restricted trading day in Victoria so expect most things to be shut. Shops exempt from the restrictions include services such as chemists, petrol stations and video stores (remember them?). All but the smallest supermarkets are closed on Friday but should be open on Sunday.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation told news.com.au that normal trading conditions for licensed venues don't apply on Good Friday, although exemptions exist for restaurants and cafes. Best to check with your watering hole first before you make the trek.

ACT

While not legally required to, most supermarkets and stores in Canberra will be closed on Good Friday but should open their doors on Sunday.

There's no retail therapy on Good Friday with most stores closing their doors. Source: News Limited

The ACT is known for being lenient towards what other states frown on so it's only fitting that the territory will go where the states won't. According to ACT liquor legislation, there are no restrictions on liquor sales or trading hours during the holy days, which actually makes it more lenient than certain parts of Sydney (ahem) on a normal day.

QUEENSLAND

Statewide, stores are closed on Good Friday while some regions are allowed to trade on Easter Sunday (mostly outside of Brisbane and the Gold Coast). Some places are also closed on Monday so check before you head in.

For your drinking pleasure, alcohol can be served in venues which also have food. You will also have to order and pay for food to go along with that tipple. Otherwise, it's a teetotal day for you.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Store shutters will be well rolled down across Friday, Sunday and Monday, lending window shopping a whole new meaning. But stores in the CBD tourist district will happily take your money on Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday while some stores in SA will also open on Saturday. But as always, smaller stores are exempt from the restrictions.

Locked out of the stores? Try an Easter egg hunt instead. Source: News Corp Australia

Good Friday looks to be pretty dry day for anyone looking to buy drinks without food — there are to be no 'bar' alcohol sales between midnight Thursday and 5am on Easter Saturday, unless you're an overnight guest at a hotel or motel. Falling asleep at the table does not make you a guest. Some exemptions do exist for special events that have applied for temporary licences.

TASMANIA

There are no restrictions on stores opening in Tasmania except on Good Friday. So after a rest day, Tasmanians can shop away as per normal throughout the rest of the long weekend.

And rejoice! There are no Easter long weekend alcohol restrictions in Tassie. So you can partake in good spirits (both varieties) with ease and convenience over the next four days.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

While there are no government restrictions on shops, most stores will be closed on Good Friday. Shopaholics will be happy over the weekend with retailers open on Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. Monday is more touch and go. Main shopping centre Casuarina is closed on Monday but some other stores will open its doors for it.

There won't be many open waterholes in Northern Territory on Good Friday so hopefully your liquor cabinet is already stocked up. Source: Supplied

For those looking to imbibe, bottle shops and most venues will be closed on Good Friday, so you're pretty much out of luck. However, a few select bars will be open on Good Friday but you'll have to order food to get your hands on the sweet nectar.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Stores in Perth are required to remain shut on Good Friday so even shop assistants can get a break. Outside of Perth, retailers are closed Friday, Sunday and Monday. Unless, of course, it's in the exempt category which include small businesses, petrol station and the like.

Bottle shops are closed, closed, closed, with all takeaway alcohol strictly forbidden. You can still get a drink at restaurant, pub or bar, as long as it's served with food. Yum.

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‘Shouldn’t we try and get out?’

The search for nearly 300 people missing after a South Korean ferry capsized has slipped into a second day.

AS the frantic hunt for survivors of South Korea's ferry disaster continues, passengers have claimed they were denied a proper chance to escape.

National shock at the incident that may have claimed the lives of hundreds of South Korean schoolchildren was mixed with fury today, as more passengers gave eyewitness accounts of what happened on board before the vessel began to sink.

Survivors highlighted the fact that passengers were repeatedly told to stay in their seats or cabins when the ferry first ran into trouble on Wednesday morning.

Those who obeyed found their possible escape route severely compromised after the vessel suddenly listed sharply to the port side, triggering total panic.

LAST MINUTE CALLS: Families send text messages saying 'I love you'

In total shock ... a relative weeps as she waits for missing passengers of a sunken ferry at Jindo port. Picture: Chung Sung-Jun. Source: Getty Images

One survivor named Kim Sung-Mook said he had struggled to rescue around 30 high school students unable to escape from a large, open hall on the fourth level of the ship.

"I couldn't even get into the hall because the whole thing was leaning over so badly," Kim said.

"The ship was going underwater and there was nothing for them to hold on to with their hands. They couldn't crawl up the floor, because it was wet and at such a sharp angle," he said.

More pictures of the sinking ferry

Using a fire hose he managed to pull a few to safety, "but there were so many of them ... I couldn't help them all." One student who was rescued said most passengers had remained in their seat for "30 to 40 minutes" after the ferry first foundered, in line with instructions they received from crew members and over the internal tannoy system.

"The message was repeated again and again: 'Stay put. Don't move'," said another survivor Huh Young-Ki.

The rescue mission ... passengers rescued by coast guard members from the Sewol ferry sinking off the coast of Jindo Island. Picture: The Republic of Korea Coast Guard Source: Getty Images

"We we're asking ourselves: 'Shouldn't we move? Shouldn't we try and get out?' But the announcement was saying help would be there in 10 minutes," Huh told the News Y television channel.

Discipline is strict in the South Korean education system and authority rarely flouted, leaving observers to conclude that most of the 375 high school students on the ferry, in their late teens, would have probably obeyed any official commands without question.

"If only we had been told to get out earlier, then more of us would have been able to jump into the sea," one student who managed to escape told the MBC TV channel.

Scrambling to find more alive ... South Korean Coast Guard and rescue teams search as bad weather hampers their attempts. Picture: Chung Sung-Jun. Source: Getty Images

"But most people just stayed put as they were told," she added. Once the 6,825-tonne vessel Sewol had begun to list, it soon ended up at a 90 degree angle to the water, before inverting completely and sinking with only a small section of the keel showing above water.

With only 179 rescued so far, the fear is that most of the 287 still unaccounted for were trapped inside the ship as it submerged.

The suggestion that many more should have been able to escape has added to the anguish of the relatives of the missing, and fuelled public anger in a country unused to a disaster of this scale, especially involving its efficient, modern transport infrastructure.

Most South Koreans believe they have left the sort of accidents that regularly blight developing countries behind.

Searching for answers ... South Korean rescuers on board the capsized ferry at sea some 20 kilometres off the island of Byungpoong in Jindo. Picture: Yonhap Source: AFP

With the exception of a subway station fire in 2003 that claimed 192 lives, there have been no large-scale disasters in the past nearly two decades.

A Seoul department store collapsed in 1995, killing more than 500 people, while nearly 300 people died when a ferry capsized off the west coast in 1993.

- 'One man was screaming for help' —

The captain of the Sewol, Lee Joon-Seok, was among those who escaped the ferry before it sank and was being questioned by investigators today.

Surrounded by TV cameras and reporters as he waited in the coastguard's southern headquarters in Mokpo, Lee pulled a hood over his head and face, and mumbled incoherently in response to persistent questions to explain what happened.

He insisted it had not run aground.

"It didn't hit any rocks," the 60-year-old told the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper.

"The ship just sank suddenly. I don't know a clear reason," he said.

The scene of the incident ... South Korean coast guard officers try to rescue passengers from ferry Sewol in the water off the southern coast near Jindo, Picture: Hyung Min-woo, Yonhap Source: AP

One 61-year-old woman escaped after ignoring the advice to stay in her cabin which she said was still being relayed as it filled with water.

"I swam for a while and then managed to crawl to an upper deck and then to a window where other people were clinging on," she told reporters in a hospital where she was recovering.

"One man was slamming on the window screaming for help, and then a rescue boat came up and they smashed the window in and pulled us out," she said.

Jin Kyo-Joong, the former chief of the South Korean Navy's ship salvage unit, said there were emergency situations where keeping passengers from moving was crucial.

"But if the ship is listing so dramatically to the point where people can't even move around, then ordering them to stay put is obviously the wrong order," Jin told the YTN television channel.

Not giving up ... South Korean Navy searching for missing passengers at the site of the sunken ferry off the coast of Jindo Island. Picture: Chung Sung-Jun. Source: Getty Images

Meanwhile, naval and coastguard vessels used floodlights and flares to keep the search operation going through the night, but strong currents and low visibility hampered diving teams' efforts to access the vessel in the hope of finding survivors trapped in air pockets.

Only two out of 500 divers are now doing rescue effort because of the bad weather.

"Honestly, I think the chances of finding anyone alive are close to zero," a coastguard official told an AFP journalist on one of the boats at the capsize site.

Two salvage cranes are on their way to the scene to try to raise the capsized vessel, government minister Kang Byung-kyu has said.

However, the first is not due to arrive until Friday morning.

US warship the USS Bonhomme Richard is on standby in the area.

Commanding officer Capt Joey Tynch told the BBC that poor visibility was hampering the rescue effort. "We found ourselves in challenging weather conditions today," he said.

"Very low cloud ceilings and reduced visibility and rain and we're working a search area around the site in close co-ordination with the South Korean on-scene commander."

In limbo ... one relative talks on the phone as he waits for missing passengers of a sunken ferry at Jindo port. Picture: Chung Sung-Jun. Source: Getty Images

The Sewol, which travels twice a week between Incheon and Jeju, is a 146-meter vessel that can hold more than 900 people.

It set sail on Tuesday from Incheon, in north-western South Korea, on an overnight, 14-hour journey to the tourist island of Jeju.

About 9am on Wednesday, when it was three hours from Jeju, the ferry sent a distress call after it began listing to one side, according to the Ministry of Security and Public Administration.

TV stations broadcast live pictures yesterday of the listing Sewol as passengers clambered over the side, jumped into the sea or were hoisted up by helicopters.

At least 87 vessels and 18 aircraft swarmed around the stricken ferry.

Of the 475 people aboard, 287 are still missing — many of them high school students on a class trip. Nine were confirmed dead and 55 were injured.

Many expect that number will rise sharply because the missing have now spent more than a day either trapped in the ferry or in the cold seawater.

The last major ferry disaster in South Korea was in 1993, when 292 people were killed.

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Royals touch down in Australia

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and baby Prince George have arrived in Sydney this afternoon, ready to embark on their 10-day Australian tour.

William, his wife Kate and their son Prince George are on a three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia. Picture: AFP PHOTO Source: AFP

THEY'RE here! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and baby Prince George have arrived in Sydney this afternoon, ready to embark on their 10-day Australian tour.

Kate looked very glam in a lemon-yellow dress by Serbian designer Roksanda Ilincic, which she is reported to have chosen 'to reflect the Australian sunshine'.

The stunning wattle-toned frock features white panelling, fashionable mid-length sleeves, a square-cut neck line and a fitted bodice (special thanks to the ladies of the news.com.au office for help with that description, which beat this writer's initial description of 'The dress is yellow. It is a yellow dress').

The Royals arrive in Sydney. We have cropped Prince William's hairline out of this picture in the hope that he makes us a Knight or a Dame. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

The Royals were greeted at Sydney Airport by Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, New South Wales Governor Marie Bashir and Prime Minister Tony Abbott. After a brief welcome, the family were whisked off to a reception at the Sydney Opera House.

Touching down after their flight from New Zealand. The dress: Canary? Wattle? Lemon? Whatever it is, we love it. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Something tells us this kid's gonna get a lot of attention over the next 10 days. Picture: AFP PHOTO Source: AFP

Kate greets the crowd at the Sydney Opera House. Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: News Corp Australia

The Royals have no official engagements tonight - but if they want to stay in with a bottle of wine, they'd better buy it before 10pm. Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: News Corp Australia

Now-former Premier Barry O'Farrell won't be a part of any of today's events, given his shock resignation this morning. Perhaps he'll stay home and crack open a nice bottle of wine instead? Don Harwin, the president of the New South Wales Legislative Council, is a last-minute replacement for O'Farrell as we scramble to work out who our Premier is (William, Kate — we're not usually like this. Honest).

Prime Minister Tony Abbott (C) and New South Wales Governor Marie Bashir (L) were among those on the tarmac to welcome the royal family. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Prince William might see another familiar face at the Opera House reception: his brother, Prince Harry. Well, almost: Harry lookalike Roddy Walker will be positioned on a yacht in the harbour, surrounded by a bevy of 20 scantily-clad models, in a stunt organised by Sportsbet. Shameless, Sportsbet (we love it).

Prince Harry lookalike Roddy Walker will be part of the unofficial welcome party for William and Kate. Think they'll be fooled? Yeah, neither do we. Source: News Limited

The couple and their young son have a busy itinerary during their Aussie jaunt: tomorrow they travel to the Blue Mountains, and in the coming days they'll visit Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and even Uluru. As we reported yesterday, some Victorians are feeling slighted by a perceived royal snub of their state.

Sorry Melburnians, it's too late for a last-minute visit now - the entire trip has been planned with military precision. Even the Duchess's wardrobe choices were locked in up to two months before the visit.

According to news.com.au style commentator Melissa Hoyer, Kate's choice of dress was totally refreshing, relevant and appropriate.

"The Duchess kept to a fairly sombre, heavier tone with her New Zealand wardrobe, so when she walked out of the plane in Sydney it was great to see some seriously bright colour,'' said Hoyer.

"The designer Roksanda Ilinncic is London-based, Serbian-born, and has dressed a roll call of diverse names including Michelle Obama, Kate Husdon, Lady Gaga and Gwyneth Paltrow.

"The same style dress, just with the colors reversed, is selling online at fashion retailer matches for around $1700, which puts it up there in the high-end designer category.''

Hoyer is sure the Duchess will 'mix it up' when it comes to choosing the rest of the designers she wears here, no doubt adding in a few Aussie names likes RM Williams and possibly Collette by Collette Dinnigan.

"Kate went from wearing Alexander Mc Queen and Jenny Packham one day to Zara and GAP the next, so she is clever at not wanting to seem or look too unattainable or out of reach.''

A modern take on the recycled classic Princess Kate wore on her last day in NZ

Crowds had been gathering at the Opera House through the afternoon to greet the Royal family:

Then you've got remarkably good hadwriting for a baby. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Prince George tests out his magical powers. George please, you'll only be able to shoot lasers from your hands when you're crowned King. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Corp Australia

Kate just NAILING that Royal Wave. Picture: James Morgan. Source: News Corp Australia

Prince George's nanny Maria Borrallo holds a kangaroo bag - we're guessing this is Prince George's and not her own, otherwise she could take a few tips from Kate on accessorising. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Royal watchers, be sure to check back each day for news.com.au's Royal Diary — we'll have all the goss and the latest pics from their Australian visit, with a healthy dose of humour mixed in among the pomp and ceremony.

Elle Halliwell, Melissa Hoyer and Melissa Matheson discuss Kate's sartorial choices on her tour so far and discuss what Aussie designers would suit the Duchess of Cambridge.

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Did O’Farrell deserve to go?

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell fronts ICAC today after resigning his position. Source: News Corp Australia

THE honourable actions of an honourable man? Or a justified fall from grace?

It seems as if Australians are divided over the motivations behind NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell's shock resignation today.

Mr O'Farrell announced he was resigning after he was caught lying to the Independent Commission against Corruption about a $3000 bottle of wine.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said his Liberal colleague had "innocently and inadvertently" misled the commission and that Mr O'Farrell's decision to resign was an "act of integrity and honour".

Although many people seemed to agree with Mr Abbott's assessment, others questioned whether the Premier's motivations were pure.

One news.com.au reader posted: "He can't remember if he received a $3000 bottle of wine? Can't remember the telephone call the same night? Pretty obvious he was going to attempt to lie his way out of it until the evidence became overwhelming. Then he receives accolades for being honourable? I mean, how stupid do you think people are?"

The sentiment was echoed by another reader: "Integrity? ... caught out more like it!"

Mr O'Farrell denied yesterday he received a 1959 bottle of Grange but a handwritten thank you noted presented to ICAC today suggested otherwise.

The Premier told ICAC that dealings with Australian Water Holdings were done appropriately, and a contract signed with Sydney Water was completed at arm's length from the government.

But the gift from Australian Water Holdings boss Nick Di Girolamo was also not recorded on Mr O'Farrell's parliamentary pecuniary interest register.

Despite the slip-up many supported Mr O'Farrell: "He resigns over a forgotten bottle of wine? Barry is the nicest, most genuine premier we've ever had. The ALP in comparison was corrupt in ways that might never be revealed," one reader posted.

Another reader said: "The really stupid aspect of this is that Barry is resigning not so much because he made a mistake, but because he is an honest person. How many of the other pollies would resign over any mistake they make at all."

Sean Kelly, a former adviser to Labor prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, said he thought Mr O'Farrell had done the decent thing in resigning "over something a lot of people would consider very minor in the scheme of things".

But he said Mr O'Farrell had been very vocal about leading a spotless frontbench.

"When he saw that his own actions jeopardised that, he took the appropriate step of resigning," Mr Kelly said.

Barry O'Farrell leaves ICAC after appearing for a second time as a witness. Source: News Corp Australia

"I have to give the Premier credit for taking the step he has, he decided that he wasn't prepared to lead a party in a damaging fight over what may or may not have happened."

Regardless of whether Mr O'Farrell made an honest mistake, the repercussions of the error are significant for the Liberal Party.

"The state has not just lost a premier but (the Liberal Party) also lost the ability to point the finger at Labor with clean hands," Mr Kelly said.

Mr Kelly said Mr Abbott and the Liberal Party had been hitting Labor with the corruption stick for years because of ICAC findings against its former ministers.

"Now the dark cloud has shifted away from just NSW Labor and NSW politics."

What do you think? Honourable actions of an honourable man, or a justified fall from grace? Join the debate below.

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The worst ‘inspirational’ Instagram quotes

If only we could "be free" of all these quotes with fancy filters. Source: Instagram

INSPIRATIONAL quotes are the new selfies of Instagram.

And Aussie celebrities are among the worst offenders.

Not a scroll of your Insta feed goes by these days without a local star peddling some sort of aspirational mantra.

"Be bold." "Be brave." "Be your best self." "Be you." "Be kind." "Be human." "Be alive." Be still." "Just. Be." We've heard them all.

While we're all for personal empowement, when some of these #instaquotes leave you feeling more :| than :), then it's time to stop and think before you post.

Here's just some of the recent mantras from Aussie celebs that have left us a little puzzled:

This is the ethos that's seen Brynne Edelsten heralded as 'Australia's best-dressed woman' by precisely no-one.

Simply deep, Anna.

A warning to The Voice: Kids contestants - expect to hear plenty of these sort of platitudes from self-described 'Child of the universe' Delta Goodrem.

Sadly, Jesinta failed to provide a recommended retail price for The Hustle.

Ricki-Lee, we sat here for half an hour trying to figure out what on earth this means and we just ended up with a nosebleed.

Megan, that's very easy to say - a supermodel like you has never had a gut!

Is it just one woman, Lauryn? Is she lonely?

And so the what begins, Jen Hawkins? The 'odnmtne'? Let the onmntes roll, everybody!

Lara's fond of the profound two-word statement - let's try it ourselves: Meaningless. Pointless.

FACT: it takes even less time to send a really filthy Snapchat.

It's also a biscuit Layla. Snap.

Yes, definitely best to get all your living out of the way while you're still alive, Ricki-Lee. THIS IS GOOD ADVICE.

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Rare blood moon eclipse underway

Sydney Observatory's Andrew Jacob illuminates the detail behind a lunar eclipse, why it glows red, and what to expect from this stellar show.

NASA explains the rare event of a Lunar Eclipse, where the full Moon darkens and glows red as it enters the Earth's shadow. Courtesy: NASAGoddard

Red, red moon ... a file picture taken in Manassas, Virginia, shows the moon during the peak of a total eclipse on December, 21, 2010. Picture: Karen Bleier Source: AFP

RELAX: the lunar god is not really angry with us, despite appearances to the contrary this week. The harvest will not be affected, and no virgins need be sacrificed to appease his terrible wrath.

The moon's orangey-red appearance this week is due to a syzygy — or a perfect alignment of three celestial bodies — of the sun, the Earth and the moon.

National Geographic explains that the moon's red colouring is due to sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere and refracting to the red end of the spectrum.

Lunar eclipses do not happen every month, because of the moon's tilted orbit around us. Their frequency varies widely: from one every few years to five in a year.

Tuesday night's eclipse will be the first in a tetrad, or series of four. Subsequent eclipses will occur on October 8 this year and April 8 and September 28 next year.

Watch the live stream below:

The shade of red that the moon turns cannot be forecast, and is largely dependent on the amount of dust circulating in Earth's atmosphere at the time of the eclipse.

The best time to see this week's blood moon — as it is called — is on Tuesday night, although Perth residents will miss it altogether due to their position.

A former blood moon ... amateur astronomer Doug Robertson took this photo from Hahndorf, South Australia, in January 2008. Source: Supplied

The Sydney Observatory recommends the following local times for best viewing:

Adelaide: Moon rises at 5.48pm; eclipse ends at 7.03pm

Brisbane: Moon rises at 5.27pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm

Darwin: Moon rises at 6.41pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm

Hobart: Moon rises at 5.33pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm.

Melbourne: Moon rises at 5.49pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm

Sydney: Moon rises at 5.28pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm

Perth residents will unfortunately be unable to view the phenomenon

Astronomers advise looking low on the horizon and to the east to see the phenomenon.

Unlike solar eclipses, the lunar eclipse/blood moon phenomenon is perfectly safe to view and to photograph.

Blood moons have been believed to be omens for many different cultures throughout history, and this week's one is no different.

Wikipedia notes that American pastor Mark Blitz believes the second coming of Jesus Christ will coincide with the final eclipse in the current tetrad.

Another American pastor, John Hagee, believes the eclipse is a portent of significant changes for the world.

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MH370: ‘It’s time to go under water’

Malaysia's Defence Minister has downplayed claims about mobile phone signals from missing flight MH370.

THE search for Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 is set to shift to the vast depths of the Indian Ocean.

The Australian vessel Ocean Shield will stop seeking pings today and the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Bluefin-21 will be deployed this evening to search the ocean floor, search co-ordinator Angus Houston has announced.

Crews are also to investigate an oil slick close to the search area, he added.

MH370: 'Plane thrown around like fighter jet'

Running out ... Angus Houston says the chance of finding floating debris has diminished. Source: AP

The Bluefin 21 autonomous sub can create a 3D sonar map of the area to chart any debris on the seafloor.

Retired defence chief Air Chief Marshal Houston told a media conference in Perth that the chances of any floating material from MH370 being recovered from the ocean has greatly diminished.

"We haven't had a single detection in six days - it's time to go under water," he said.

"The deployment of the autonomous underwater vehicle has the potential to take us a further step towards visual identification since it offers a possible opportunity to detect debris from the aircraft on the ocean floor," he said.

Locating the pings ... the US Navy autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Bluefin-21 will be deployed from the Ocean Shield to begin the sub-sea search. Source: Supplied

Any hope of receiving further "pings'' from the devices is highly unlikely due to battery exhaustion, Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

"We've got a very good lead - we've just got to wait and see if Bluefin-21 can find the wreckage," he said.

But he warned there was still no further certainty as to whether the area was MH370's final resting place.

Unknown territory ... the search area is "new to man", says Angus Houston. Source: Getty Images

"I would caution you against raising hopes that the deployment of the autonomous underwater vehicle will result in the detection of the aircraft wreckage. It may not."

Air Chief Marshal Houston said the search area "is new to man" and may have a lot of silt.

He said Ocean Shield had also detected an oil slick downwind from the search area and a sample will be tested.

"Aircraft wreckage needs to be visually recognised before we can say this is the final resting place of MH370," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

The remote underwater vehicle will be deployed this evening in the search area based on the last emissions from the locator beacons of the aircraft's black boxes, Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

Bluefin-21's missions will each take a minimum of 24 hours, with the first to cover an area of 40 square kilometres.

"We anticipate deploying it this evening," he said. "It will be deployed again exactly 24 hours after the first delployment."

Time running out ... the search area has been narrowed down to patch of ocean floor less than 1000 square kilometres. Source: Getty Images

Air Chief Marshal Houston said a decision will soon have to be made about whether to continue looking for debris on the surface.

"The air and surface search for floating material will be completed in the next two to three days in the area where the aircraft most likely entered the water," he said.

"The chances of any floating material being recovered have greatly diminished and it will be appropriate to confer with Australia's partners to decide the way ahead later this week."

Waiting game ... Angus Houston says the search is "very expensive" and countries involved are "running up big costs". Source: Getty Images

Air Chief Marshal Houston said other vehicles, which can go deeper than 4,500 metres, are being looked at in case Bluefin-21 isn't capable of reaching the necessary level.

"Those sorts of possibilities … are being looked at as we speak. But a lot will depend on the outcome of what we find when we go down and take a look."

The co-ordinator conceded the search was "very expensive" and countries involved are "running up big costs".

"I think the world community should be very appreciative to those countries for their contribution to what I would say is one of the largest search and rescue, search and recovery operations that I've seen in my lifetime."

The search area has been narrowed down to patch of ocean floor less than 1000 kilometres square making a successful physical search almost impossible.

The Bluefin-21 will submerge to its near maximum depth of 4500 metres and conduct 20-hour long sweeps using powerful sonars.

If any wreckage is found the sonars will be switched to cameras to and lights to record whatever lies on the bottom.

The initial search will focus on the location of the strongest "pings'' detected last week by the Ocean Shield.

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Seven ways your life could change

There will be more than one dame in our lives. Picture: News Corp Australia Source: Supplied

• Get ready Australia, your life is about to change
• Pension, disability, bulk billing under threat
• Have your say and comment below

JUST over seven months into Tony Abbott's reign as Prime Minister, we are finally starting to see how the federal government is going to change our lives.

Since the Coalition was elected last September we've heard about some of its plans.

But now, as next month's Budget nears, we are beginning to see what's really on the table. Here are seven things the Government may do in the coming months that could affect your life.

WORK 'TIL YOU'RE 70

Joe Hockey, in an ABC TV interview at the weekend, suggested workers may have to keep slogging away until they turn 70.

"It may be the case that my generation has to work for an extra three years," Mr Hockey said, although he did not say it was Government policy.

Mr Hockey's suggestion has sparked much debate, particularly because few Australians intend to retire so late (a report released this month found most Aussie workers want to retire at 57).

And would it apply to everyone? As columnist David Penberthy put it, the physical toll of some jobs would make it difficult for some to work that long.

MORE: WOULD YOU MIND WORKING UNTIL 70?

MORE: LABOR JUMPS ON PENSION CHANGE RUMOURS

"I couldn't care less if it were 70, even 72. But I say this because I work in a soft-handed profession where my idea of workplace risk involves burning my lips on a coffee or perhaps incurring a nasty paper cut while grappling with the photocopier," Penberthy wrote.

"If I were employed as a nurse lugging heavy and immobile patients around, as a shovel-wielding road worker, or in the still-unmechanised parts of the manufacturing or mining sector, I reckon I would have a completely different response to these blithe suggestions from the equally soft-handed Joe Hockey about the prospect of casually adding another five years to my working life."

The first Rudd Government raised the retirement age (the age when people are eligible to receive a pension) from 65 to 67. It will be enforced in 2023.

YOU COULD BE A KNIGHT OR DAME

We hope you've practised your curtsy.

In a nod to old-school imperialism, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has reintroduced knights and dames to the Order of Australia honours list, nearly 30 years after the titles were abolished by the Hawke government.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has defended his call to restore knights and dames to Australia's honours system.

First to join the round table is ex-governor-general Quentin Bryce, followed by her successor Peter Cosgrove. Up to four will be awarded to "pre eminent" Australians every year by the Queen on the recommendation of the prime minister.

In one of the Federal Government's most condemned decisions since coming into power, Mr Abbott, once the head of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, said the current honours list did not do enough to acknowledge outstanding Australians and their achievements.

What's next? Lords and ladies?

BYE BYE FREE GP VISITS?

No formal decision has been made but some people may have to make a small payment of about $6 when they visit a GP.

Former Abbott adviser Terry Barnes floated the idea in a submission to the government's pre-budget razor gang, the Commission of Audit.

Health Minister Peter Dutton has made some encouraging noises about it in media interviews.

"I want to make sure that, for argument's sake, we have a discussion about you or me on reasonable incomes, whether we should expect to pay nothing when we go to see the doctor, when we go to have a blood test," Mr Dutton told ABC TV.

"Should we expect to pay nothing as a co-contribution and other taxpayers to pick up that bill?''

According to a News Corp report, the Government is also considering charging people who visit emergency departments with minor complaints such as stubbed toes or common colds.

The Minister for Health and Sport Peter Dutton is keen to see those with "reasonable incomes" pay to see the doctor. Source: News Limited

IT COULD BE EASIER TO BE A BIGOT

Holding racists to account will be tougher for ordinary citizens under proposed laws to the Racial Discrimination Act.

In a draft proposal introduced last month, Mr Abbott and Attorney-General George Brandis seek to remove a number of sections to the Racial Discrimination Act, most notably section 18C, which makes it unlawful for someone to "offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate" a person based on the colour of their skin or their cultural background.

MORE: THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT, EXPLAINED

MORE: BRANDIS, "PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE BIGOTS"

"What it is seeking to do is to deprive the ordinary person of an opportunity to hold to account the person who uttered the language in a way that's accessible, that doesn't place a burden on the courts and captures what it means to be racially vilified," Amnesty International Australia's legal spokeswoman Katie Wood said.

Today a Nielsen poll revealed 88 per cent of Australians did not agree with the changes, including Ms Wood, arguing the Act is "not what Australia is about". Mr Brandis has a tough job getting the changes approved by the Senate.

The Abbott govt plans to remove 'insult,' 'offend' and 'humiliate' from the Racial Discrimination Act.

DISABILITY PENSION WON'T BE AN EASY GET

The Government is taking a long, hard look at the Disability Support Pension (DSP) because of fears the payment is being rorted.

The DSP is an enormously popular program for people with a condition that prevents them from working.

It provides a maximum of $766 a fortnight* to people who have a physical or intellectual disability, a psychiatric condition or are blind.

But with more than 800,000 recipients — up 20 per cent in the past decade, according to the Government — the program is proving rather expensive.

Rob Bliss, who lost his leg after a car crashed into him, has been granted a disability pension after centerlink initially refused him. Source: News Corp Australia

Government frontbenchers are concerned many Australians have switched from receiving dole payments to the DSP because it provides a much heftier payment.

"It's not something which I expect we will be addressing immediately in the Budget," Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews told the ABC last month.

But he said the "perverse incentive for people to get onto the disability pension rather than the Newstart allowance (dole payments) because it pays more" needs to be examined.

* To singles over 21, or under 21 with children. Some recipients also receive additional payments in the form of the Pension Supplement and the Youth Disability Supplement

PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

In a blessing for new families, the Coalition hope to expand upon the paid parental leave scheme in a bid to spark a baby boom.

The government say the new policy is a big win for women on average salaries who, under the new laws, will be allowed 26 weeks of paid leave in contrast to the current 18 weeks.

The government has described the proposed changes as "fair dinkum".

"We understand that for new families, there is no 'leave' from mortgages, power and fuel bills," according to the Liberals' website.

"We are proud of this policy: it helps women, it helps families and it will strengthen the economy. Time off for new parents could be a thing of the past as Australia's mounting debt creeps.'

Tony Abbott has unveiled the Liberal Party's paid parental leave scheme. Courtesy SKY News

DISABILITY INSURANCE DELAYED?

There are fears the roll out of National Disability Insurance Scheme could be delayed.

The NDIS could one day support half a million people. According to the current details of the scheme, it will provide funding for equipment (such as wheelchairs and walkers) as well as assistance at home and other benefits by around the end of the decade.

MORE: CONCERN OVER NDIS AFTER JOE HOCKEY WARNS OF BLOWOUTS

MORE: MY WHEELCHAIR COSTS $22,000

But there are concerns it could take longer to become a reality. Recent trial programs came in as much as 30 per cent over budget. Assistant Social Services Minister Mitch Fifield said the program was still on its way.

"We're not looking for ways to delay the NDIS," Mr Fifield told Sky News. "What we're doing is looking for ways to ensure that we can deliver it, and deliver it well."

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Turn your dreams into reality

Whether it's a new house or a trip overseas, turning your dreams into reality is all about planning. Source: News Limited

I remember when I was 8 years old, I wanted to play basketball in the NBA. When I told my mum, she said: "You can be anything you want, as long as you put your mind into it!" What she forgot to mention was that the tallest person in our family tree was 5'8".

But that was okay.

It was a harmless statement that any encouraging parent would tell an eight-year-old child, and this is what most of us were told in our childhood years. Because of this, we had ambitious dreams to walk on the moon, drive Santa's sleigh or even to become a starship captain travelling to space.

As we got older, our dreams became more realistic, but often remained ambitious.

Driving Santa's sleigh became driving a Ferrari. Travelling in space became travelling to different countries around the world. Although our dreams changed, our aspirations to achieve them remained the same. The difference is that when we were children, we actually believed that we could achieve our dreams. That's not the case for most of us today.

Somewhere along the way dreams became about what you can afford to do. Source: News Limited

Somewhere between our childhood and our 20s, we got conservative. Anytime we thought about working towards our dreams, an inner voice whispered: "Don't be ridiculous. Life isn't like the movies." Encouragement turned into doubt, as friends and family stopped telling us, "You can do it!" but started asking us, "How are you going to afford it?"

This is how our thoughts have been moulded. We've come to the conclusion that our highest aspirations will forever remain a dream because of what other people tell us.

But reality is only how you perceive it. The rules can be bent — it just requires a different way of thinking.

Today I'm going to share the steps to take to identify and achieve our dreams. Today, we start taking control of our lives to focus on what matters. Tim Ferriss provides an in-depth framework in his book, The 4-Hour Workweek, and while it has inspired me and is worth checking out, I'm going to provide you with a simplified method from my experience.

Having a blueprint for your dream will make it easier to achieve. Source: News Limited

Plan Out Your Dreams

Unless you know what your goals are, you'll never take the necessary steps to achieve them.

As Stephen Covey quotes in his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, we must "begin with the end in mind."

The truth is, most of us have never taken the time to sit down and plan out our dreams. We need to have a plan — a blueprint — to help us clarify what we want and how we're going to get there.

This concept shouldn't be novel, because we already plan most things in our lives. In university, we plan which courses to take and calculate the number of credits required to graduate.

Fashion designers outline a sketch of the clothing they'll be producing. Entrepreneurs create a business plan outlining the costs and steps required before launching their company. These are the fundamentals to achieving success in anything we do. But we don't apply these principles when it comes to achieving our ultimate desires.

Invest time in figuring out what your dreams are. If you had $10 million in your bank account today, what would you be doing? What would you have? Who would you be?

Beginning with the end in mind allows us to reverse-engineer our end goal and break it down into small, practical steps that allows us to achieve our dreams one step at a time.

If you waste money, you're only out of money, but if you waste time, you're wasting your life. Source: News Limited

It's Cheaper Than You Think

One of the biggest obstacles most of us think we face when pursuing our dreams is money. The truth is, most adventures and dreams in life don't cost much all. We only perceive them to be expensive from what we see on the TV or movies.

The media has fooled us to believe that only the wealthy tycoons can achieve their dreams and desires. We constantly tell ourselves, "If only I had more money, I could do X." This is what keeps us conservative. It's what keeps people at their 9-to-5 jobs for years — even decades — because we're led to believe that life can't be lived until we have a seven-figure number in our bank account. We fall victim to this trap because we've never taken the time to break down how much we actually need to fulfil our dreams.

Let's take one of my dreams as an example.

For the past three years, I have been dreaming of going backpacking in Southeast Asia. I formulated a simple cost breakdown to show the fundamental steps to make this happen.

Backpacking in Southeast Asia for 3 Months:

Flight: $1,200 roundtrip airfare

Travel Insurance: $292

Food: ~$10/day x 30 days x 3 months = $900

Accommodation: ~$10/day x 30 days x 3 months = $900

Local travels: $50/month x 3 months = $150

Travelling gear: $125

Activities and excursions: $150/month x 3 months = $450

Total savings required= $4,017

Break down the amount you need to save by the amount of months for a savings target. Source: News Limited

Let's say I'm giving myself six months to save up for this trip. This means I need to save:

$4,017/6 months = ~$670/month

$670/30 days: ~$20/day

If this seems a little too ambitious, you can always take more time to save. Here's the breakdown over 12 months:

$4,017/12 months = ~$335/month

$335/30 days: ~$10/day

Not so bad, right?

Here's another tip: Talk to your bank about transferring the money into a savings account every month.

We can apply this method of breaking down costs into any of the dreams we want to achieve. Now, not everyone's dream is to go backpacking for three months. Most dreams will be cheaper than a trip around Southeast Asia, which is good news for you.

Follow these steps and you'll be on the beach in no time. Source: News Limited

Take Immediate Action

Now that we've broken down the costs of our dreams, we need to plan and take the necessary actions to achieve them.

Taking immediate action is crucial because what we need now is momentum. For some of us, it's our own doubts that get the better of us, which leads us to shy away from taking risks. It doesn't matter if the trip is six months or even 12 months away. What's important is that we get off our feet to make something happen now.

Write down three immediate steps that you need to take today, tomorrow and in the next few weeks.

Here's what mine looks like:

Today:

— Figure out which countries and cities to visit

— See a local travel agent

Tomorrow:

— Speak with my friend who has been travelling before

In the next few weeks:

— Book a flight

— Buy travelling gear

Overcoming the first bit of inertia is the biggest challenge of all. But once things are moving, momentum will push you further than you imagine.

"Waste your money and you're only out of money, but waste your time and you've lost a part of your life." - Michael LeBoeuf

I hope the framework I have provided in this article was a stepping stone for you to take the essential steps closer to your goal. But don't let that be the main message.

If you've read this far down the article, it's clear that you have the desire to fulfil your goals. The reality is that the only thing standing in the way is yourself. It's time you let go of the inner bullsh*t voice in your head. The fire of your dreams has been kindled — now it's up to you to keep it burning.

Take action — and do it today.

This article originally appeared on AskMen.

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‘The day I got lost in Iran’

Josh Cahill travelled around Iran. Source: Supplied

WHAT first springs into your mind at the mention of Iran?

Do you imagine spectacular scenery and encounters with some of the friendliest people in the world?

Well that's exactly what traveller and blogger Josh Cahill experienced during a visit to the troubled and o ften misunderstood country. Josh, a German nomad who used to live in Australia and has travelled to more than 60 countries, says his time there was truly life-changing.

Here's his story of how his initial trepidation upon getting lost in Iran ended up turning into joy.

Today I want to share a really inspiring story about my time in the Middle East, about the generosity of the Iranian people and how important trust can be.

It was a really nice April morning (last year), the sky was clear and sun was shining. Iran's capital was getting ready for the national elections and I was packing my backpack. It was one of those days where I thought, "Today I'm leaving my fate in God's hands".

I had no money, no plan and I started hitchhiking with no real destination in mind. A rough idea then came to me, to take a bus from Tehran to Tabriz and from there try to get a lift to Ankara somehow. Well as I said I had no idea what to expect and where I was going to stay or sleep in the following days.

I said goodbye to my host Reza, the coach of the Iranian National Paintball team, and walked to the metro station. I was the centre of attention and at that moment I felt like the only foreigner in one of the biggest cities in the world.

I jumped on the train and I stood between the gate, which separated the male section from the female section. The half-covered women were waving to me and I remember feeling very uncomfortable. Wasn't that a sin here? Am I in danger now? What if someone sees and says that I broke the law and flirted with them? Well, I guess people just do what they always do regardless of religion or culture right?! I decided to smile back and then continued to stare at the floor.

I arrived at the bus station hoping to find a bus to Tabriz, which is a few hours north of Tehran. The moment I walked in the station I began getting harassed by many young Iranians trying to sell me a ticket. I simply said "Tabriz" and one guy walked me to my bus. The scenario was the same, everyone was staring at me. I kind of got used to it.

Everyone offered the seat beside them, what a nice gesture.

All aboard ... everyone offered me a seat next to them. Source: Supplied

I wasted half the day getting to the bus station and the trip was going to take at least six hours. The guy sitting next to me was very keen to share the videos on his phone with me. It started off with some funny footage about random stuff but after a while he swapped to some adult movies. I don't mind watching porn, but with a hairy dude on a bus to Tabriz? I declined politely and he returned to his seat.

I saw a sign saying that it was only 70 kilometres left to Tabriz. The sun was about to set and I still had no idea what I was going to do. The bus then exited the highway and approached its final destination. I walked around and tried to figure out if there were still any buses leaving for Turkey or at least close to the border, but there weren't. By the time I figured that out it was dark.

I was really keen to spend the night anywhere but the bus stop, so I bought a few cookies and water and ask for some cardboard from the vendor. I grabbed my markers in my backpack, and made a sign saying "Turkey".

An Iranian woman goes about her business. Source: Supplied

I had no idea what I was doing but decided to walk along the highway in the hope of getting a lift to Turkey. Imagine how stupid that was, as if a car would stop in the middle of the highway, plus you could barely see me because it was so dark.

I had no Plan B but I was super optimistic that something would work out. After half an hour of walking a motorbike slowed down and a guy without a helmet asked me something in Farsi. He didn't speak any English and I had no clue what he was saying. I tried to explain to him somehow that I want to go to Turkey. He seemed like a local so I don't think he was going anywhere close to where I wanted to go. But he motioned for me to get on the motorbike, and I did!

The village of Kandovan near the border town of Tabriz. Source: Supplied

So there I was, sitting on a total stranger's motorbike in the middle of the night. Why would I trust a stranger who didn't understand a word I'd said? Well I had nothing to lose and if he wanted to kill me, that was bad luck for me then. I felt the warm wind on my face as we drove on and I was actually getting excited about all of this. Maybe he knew someone that was driving to Turkey? We got to a street with a lot of Turkish trucks, all lined up waiting to head back to their home country. It was the perfect spot to get a lift. I jumped off the bike and I wanted to say thank you to the guy, but he had already disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared earlier.

I checked the numberplates of the trucks and they were all from Istanbul and Ankara. It seemed like my lucky day. But as I tried to find someone to give me a lift I realised very quickly that they were all asleep. I checked about 20 vehicles and had no luck.

It was a long street in the suburbs of Tabriz, and there was nothing but trucks and a little checkpoint with an Iranian soldier holding a Kalashnikov (rifle). He wasn't of any help and actually seemed quite bored. Yeah ... so I was lost again.

Stunning Tehran, the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Iran. Source: Supplied

I saw a bunch of taxi drivers and tried to negotiate a good rate but none of them were keen to go that far. It was past midnight already and the long day of travelling, walking and hitchhiking had taken its toll. I was feeling tired and annoyed. I walked a bit further down the road and sat down on the concrete. I took a deep breath and had a look around. I leaned back and watched the sky. It was a beautiful night and I started to enjoy myself.

"What an adventure," I thought to myself. I simply love having endless possibilities. There was no need to be sad or disappointed because I knew there were awesome moments to come. I love life and that's why I became a nomad, exactly for these kind of moments.

Josh says Iran is one of the most misunderstood countries on the planet Source: Supplied

Suddenly a young guy joined me and offered me a drink that tasted like off milk. He looked like a young student, was well groomed and seemed nice. Unfortunately he didn't speak English and our conversation was more based on signals and gestures rather than words. He appeared to be saying that he was waiting for a bus close to the Turkish border. He offered for me to join him and stay at his place. I agreed. By then it was 2am in the morning and then suddenly an old green Mercedes bus arrived.

We jumped on the bus and I fell asleep right away. An hour later I woke up in a little town called Maku. According to my new friend, we were very close to the Turkish border. He invited me to stay at his house and I gladly accepted. It was a very simple place which he shared with his parents. We stayed the night in an empty room which had only a carpet and two massive cushions, one of which became my bed, to my joy. I dropped my backpack in the corner and fell asleep once again.

Josh makes a new friend for life. Source: Supplied

A few hours later I woke up. The sun was shining through the window and onto my face. I stepped out the door into the front garden and couldn't believe what I saw in front of me. The 5000 metre-high Ararat Mountain was right there at the horizon. It was one of the most magnificent views I've ever woken up to, and one of the most amazing gifts from mother nature. The mountain was located in Turkey so I knew the border couldn't have been that far. I went back inside, pleasantly surprised.

My host, whose name was Behzad by the way, walked in with a tray holding some pita bread, eggs, butter, a little bit of cheese and a cup of tea. Even though we weren't able to communicate properly, it seemed like we had already become friends. It was such a nice gesture and I would have never had the chance to experience such hospitality if I didn't trust him and stay at his place. Life can be awesome and this moment was truly a memorable experience.

I asked for a bathroom and he pointed to the little shelter in the garden. It was literally a hose and hole in the ground. Well, that would do. I was about to pack my backpack when a guy in a car just in front of the door honked like there was no tomorrow. Behzad and I walked out and it was one of his friends. He looked like an IT student with big glasses and long curly hair. He told me to get into the car and then we were off.

Mount Ararat, the fabled resting place of Noah's ark. Source: Supplied

Once again, I left my life in his hands. I wasn't afraid. All I felt was contentment and satisfaction. Yes, I was high on life! I felt blessed to be there and to be able to experience such an adventure. I was lost somewhere in Iran but I was surrounded by the most warm-hearted and generous people. It doesn't take much to make me happy and this moment was something special. I hadn't come across a westerner in weeks and I kind of loved it.

The streets became busier and I saw more and more cars with Turkish numberplates. I assumed they were taking me to the border. I was right. His friend dropped Behzad and I off at a little village just next to the checkpoint between Iran and Turkey. The scenery was stunning. Mount Ararat was just a few kilometres away and its snow covered peaks was surrounded by clouds.

It was time to say goodbye. Even though we weren't able to communicate properly, Behzad and I became friends. He helped me and took care of me. I was very grateful. I reached for my wallet and I wanted to give him the small amount of Rial I had left. He declined even though I insisted. But he had no intention of taking any money. I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I think he was happy just to be able to help and believed in the same philosophy as I do, and as I always say "your life will become better, by making others' lives better".

I walked off to the border. My passport was stamped and I entered Turkey. There was nothing around except for Mount Ararat and a lot of trucks passing by. So I stood there, 1200km to go to Ankara. While I waited for a lift I thought of how amazing my experience with Behzad had been. Behzad knew from the very first second he met me that he was going to help me, he had not doubt. This was truly inspiring and many of my experiences in Iran were like this. It's a country that is unfortunately poorly judged and disregarded by a lot of people.

So what have I learnt? I don't think that I've ever experienced such generosity or hospitality while I was travelled in America, or even in Europe or other parts of the world. It showed me how quickly we judge and how we can blindly believe in everything the media tells us. But my view about Iran changed.

The Iranian people were kind to me and they went the extra mile to make my life better. Thank you for the experience and I can proudly say that Iran is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Read more of Josh's travel stories at his blog gotravelyourway.com and Twitter. Please note, that Australians have been advised to exercise caution when travelling to Iran, read the latest travel advice here.

Sheik Lotfollah mosque. Source: Supplied

Persepolis, Iran. Source: Supplied

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