The Globetrotting, Ghost-hunting Gentleman
He’s a history buff and he loves international travel – and Lukas has another interest, but one you wouldn’t expect.
It all started when Lukas went on holiday with his family, to the West coast of Fiji, a few years ago. “I loved it,” Lukas said.
In 2017, Lukas began holidaying with Melba too. Since then he’s been to New York, Italy and Singapore, as well as a more local trip to the Whitsundays.
“When I went to Italy, I went to Rome, to the Vatican City, and to the countryside of Tuscany. I didn’t get to see Venice. I want to go back to Italy to see Venice, and also to tour the areas of art history – and also to see where my grandmother was born.
“I also want to go back to Singapore, to visit the WWII camp at Changi.”
Lukas also wants to go back to New York to visit some of the attractions he missed the first time, such as the Museum of Natural History. But he’s got to balance this with his long list of places that he wants to see for the first time.”
“I keep a list on my kitchen table at home, of the places that I want to see,” said Lukas.
That list includes France, Spain, Poland, Austria, Hungary, South Africa, Russia, Ireland and Scotland.
He also has to fit his trips in around his other commitments. Lukas works at a nursery, and he loves weeding and pruning the most. He lives in Melbourne. Lukas has used Melba’s Supported Holiday Program.
Also Lukas is incredibly creative. So when he’s not working or travelling, he’s going to art school, drawing and painting, as well as writing short stories and poems.
Part of the fun of Lukas’ trips is in the research. He loves military, aeronautic and art history. Before he visits a place, he knows exactly what happened there, when it happened, and why. It’s all part of the fun.
“At the moment, I’m reading a book that is about the letters that Nelson Mandela wrote when he was in Robben Island which was one of the four prisons that he was in, and also about letters that Barack Obama received when he was President.”
So it’s not surprising that South Africa has made it onto the kitchen table list.
While his heart will always be set on international travel, there are a few places in Australia that Lukas would love to travel to as well.
“I want to visit the Monte Cristo Homestead, in New South Wales which is haunted. I also want to visit the Humpty Doo Poltergeist House, in the Northern Territory, as well as the Ararat Asylum.” Lukas listed among many other paranormal sites in Australia.
“I love investigating ghosts. I did a ghost tour in Pentridge, and I even took a photo of a ghost.”
As for the next trip? It’s already planned however it’s just been postponed. Lukas was supposed to go to San Francisco earlier this year, to see Alcatraz of course along with the Golden Gate Bridge, and one paranormal stop – the Winchester Mystery House.
“I still really want to tour all of the US.” Lukas has quite a bit of travelling to catch up on, but certainly looks forward to the time when it’s safe to resume travelling again.