Travel Blogs 14/05/2012
Welcome to the Travel Blog page, Please use the categories to the right to navigate around the various blogs. Countries are listed in alphabetical order with relevant cities listed beneath. Click on the city names to be re-directed to the relevant blogs. (Click on the following link if your browser has not displayed the travel blog categories) If you have any questions or something to say/add please post a comment on the particular blog, we've added tweet and like buttons to each post, if you find the blog helpful please press the like or share via twitter buttons. Why not print a blog to take on your next trip or download to your iPod/iPad, all blogs can be downloaded in pdf format. Download links can be found at the end of each blog. Are you interested in sharing your travel experiences? Become a guest blogger, click on the following links for the templates and send an email to info@oetravelblogs.com with subject "Guest Blogs". Guest blogs will be reviewed and if suitable posted live on our sites. (Guest Blog Template) or (Hotel Review Template). Each month we feature a new blog via our Facebook page, keep up to date with new posts and information and like us on facebook, OE TRAVEL BLOGS FACEBOOK PAGE. For anything else please use the Contact Us tab. Experience it, blog it, share it! Add Comment Moreton Island, Queensland 25/04/2012
Country/Town visited: Moreton Island, Queensland Date of stay: April 2012 Travelled with: Wife & friends Tour or pre planned: Tour – Xtream day tour (Moreton Island Adventures) Moreton Island is a sand island without any sealed roads, located 40km from Brisbane city. During World War 1 and 2 the island was used for major coastal defense bases and the remains of the old military fortifications can still be seen, nowadays the island is a national park and recreation area. The island offers something for everyone and during our visit we decided to do the Xtream day tour, booked through Moreton Island Adventures. The tour included return ferry crossing, guided snorkel of the ship wrecks, sand boarding, four-wheel driving and lunch. Getting to the island takes an hour and a half by ferry from the Port of Brisbane. You can pick up the tour in Brisbane city or transfers from the Gold or Sunshine Coast. We caught the Micat ferry which was pretty good, there’s a cafe on board (the pies were amazing), comfortable seating and it can hold 400 passengers and 50 vehicles. There are a number of privately run ferry services to Moreton Island, I’d suggest doing your research and check prices. Click on the following link to see the Micat Ferry prices. Snorkelling around the ship wrecks at Tangalooma point was pretty awesome. In the bay 15 ships were deliberately sunk to form a breakwall for small boats and a wreck dive and snorkel site. You can dive in depths from 2-10m around the sunken ships and we saw wobbegongs, stingrays, yellowtail, turtles and lots of other tropical fish. You can snorkel and enjoy the wrecks without paying for the tour but doing the tour has some advantages which I’ve listed.
The tour also included lunch, a basic salad, some ham, a roll and fruit. Overall we really enjoyed the Xtream day tour and Brett (aka princess) our guide was informative and helpful. If you’d like to spend longer on the island, check out Tangalooma Resort and the Island has a number of camping sites but permits are required. Click on the following link for more information about Moreton Island. Four Wheel Drive Vehicles: A lot of visitors bring over four wheel drive vehicles to explore the sandy beaches, if you’re a foot passenger beware of the 4wd’s, try not to stand in the middle of a beach where the vehicles pass. Some of the sand roads are quite narrow, almost impossible for cars to pass and keep to the speed limits. Please note that if you are camping, you can’t get around the island without your own car. You will need a four wheel drive with ground clearance as the sand and mud tracks can get pretty deep wheel grooves (you can see what we mean in the video). We did see an AWD Outlander but our guide said that it’s not recommended. Points to highlight: Moreton Island is committed to protecting the environment, remember to take rubbish home with you and don’t use soap or detergents in the water ways. Remember to pack sunglasses, sunscreen, towels, hats, insect repellent, drinking water & snacks. You can buy some of these from the café on board the Micat ferry. If you have any questions please feel free to post a comment below. Rating system: Would you recommend this destination: Yes Overall rating: 4 out 5 By: Nick & Jackie Travel photography 18/04/2012
Travel Photography: Thinking outside the box I'm a firm believer that a camera is just a tool, your eyes are your camera. It's how you see things, thinking differently to everyone else. You can have the latest, most expensive gadgets and yet if you can't think outside the box, if you can't see things differently, your photo will be just a photo at the end of the day. Take for example my photo of the London millennium bridge, close to St Paul Cathedral. It's a very famous bridge, it has been photographed endless times, if you google it, you will find hundreds and hundreds of photos. I didn't go to take a photo of a bridge. I went because I wanted to catch the spirit of London life. This bridge in the morning gets walked by thousands of city workers going to work, instead I went late at night, I think it was 1am. This is because I wanted to show the emptiness of London late at night. It's like having two different cities in one, in the morning London’s busy and buzzing, late at night it’s calm, quiet and empty. Most of my life I’ve been around cameras, memories from my childhood are carrying my Dad's camera bag, helping him with lens and films, spending my weekends at weddings. I’m currently using a canon 5 DII camera, all manuals and I don't use a flash. This is because I like working with the lights that are around me. I'm definitely more a night traveller, cities and country sides look so much better late at night and usually places are quieter than in the morning which gives me more freedom to take my photos.  My equipment: Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3 5-5.6 IS Lens EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom lens Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 II Prime Lens Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM Manfrotto 190XPROB Tripod legs Manfrotto MN-498RC2 Midi Ball Head with RC2 Release Plate Lowepro Flipside 300 Photo Backpack My recommendation to someone that wishes to start taking photography more seriously is to start with a 550D Canon, enroll yourself in a week long course and learn how to use it manually and go for it! Get out there, travel the world and start clicking, doesn’t matter how it comes out at first, as long as you click and experiment you will get there. Don’t try to copy others, get inspired and find your own way. People have asked me many times why Canon and not Nikon. I personally think they are now very much at the same level, they are both excellent cameras. I simply got a Canon because that’s what we have always used in my family. Camera recommendations:
By: Edo Shanghai City Review 10/04/2012
Shanghai City Review: Shanghai, China Shanghai might not stack up to the site seeing mecca of Beijing, but if you find yourself stopping over in shanghai for a day or two, or even here for a little longer, there is still plenty to see and do. Here are a few favourites: French concession – Wander down the tree lined streets among a mix of 1930s colonial and new Chinese architecture. Browse through the boutique shops, stop and people watch from the cafes. If you are an earlier riser then head to the closest park and take in the sites of the strange morning exercise routines of the older generation. Yongfu Road – A great little strip of cocktail bars and restaurants for the later on in the evening. Anfu Road – An expat friendly street with good bakeries, cute shops, coffee and restaurants. Head here if you need an easy afternoon. Taicang Road – Rabbit warren of old chinese homes that have been turned into shops and restaurants. A little bit pricey but an interesting place to walk around. This place can get packed out with tourists and visitors in the weekend, especially if it’s a nice day, so go during the week if you can. Wukang Road, Sinan Road and Nanchang Road are a few others. The best thing to do is just get lost (with a taxi card for your hotel) and see what you find. The Bund – Probably the most common of the site seeing areas in Shanghai but definitely a must. Stroll along the Huangpu and take in the contrast of the futuristic skyline of Pudong, while walking beside the old International concession buildings on the Bund. The view back toward the bund from the other side of the river is equally as good and also gives you the opportunity to head up one of the towers to a bar with a view. In the evening and into the night there is some great fine dining and glamorous bars. Markets– The fake markets are a bit crazy but must be done if you have never been to one before. Try out your bargaining techniques at one of the 3 main markets in shanghai; 580 Nanjing West Road, Pearl Market -Hongmei Road or the Science and Technology market in the Metro Station. There is a lot of shopping in Shanghai and you can find almost anything at a much cheaper price than most places. Other places to check out: Antique Market, Flower Market (not just flowers), Fabric market – tailor-made suits, coats and much more (you will need to be in Shanghai for at least a few days). If it’s all a bit much for you, or you want to make sure you don’t get ripped off, then go on Suzy’s shopping tours (www.shoppingtoursshanghai.com), which will give you a good overview of these places. Spicy Food – China has some amazing food and you can get pretty much all of it here. Sichuanese, Hunanese, Yunanese and Xingjang food is excellent. All from regions where it gets very cold it is full of flavour, and spicy hot. Check out Lost Heaven, Pin Chun, Di shi dong or Sichuan Citizen for some great food with english friendly staff and menus. Check out smartshanghai.com for a more complete guide of food options. English is becoming more common here but it is not generally spoken. To get around Shanghai you will need to have the address in manderin for your taxi driver. If that is going to be difficult, then the metro system is one of the best and easy to understand with both chinese characters and English. There is a great taxi help line, which you can call if you are having trouble pronouncing the road names to your driver – 962288. Going to be in Shanghai for a while longer? Then investigate going on a day trip to a nearby watertown for some picturesque snaps of ancient chinese towns with water lined streets and stone bridges. There are quite a few all within a couple hours drive from Shanghai. Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen, Zhoujiajia, Xitang (featured in Mission Impossible 3), Tongli and Suzhou just to name a few. Happy Travelling! Rating system: Would you recommend this destination: Yes Overall rating: 4/5 By: Hannah Rendezvous Grand Hotel, Auckland Review 06/04/2012
Rendezvous Grand Hotel, Auckland The Rendezvous hotel is located in the city centre and we spent 3 nights there over the Easter weekend (2012). The hotel does not look that great from the outside (pink building screams old school) but inside is nice and been recently refurbished. The hotel has 12 floors and 452 rooms. Our room was on the 11 floor and had a great city view, king bed and large bathroom. (I requested a room with a city views prior to arriving). We booked the hotel through www.booking.com and would definitely stay there again, the perfect location and affordable price make this a top hotel. The hotel has a number of swimming pools but we did not get the chance to check them out. Staff: During our stay we had to call reception for a hair dryer and also used room service, at all times the staff we’re friendly and very helpful. Room: The room was good, we had a king size bed, large bathroom and cable TV. Internet: Guests receive 3 hours free internet per day. There’s a business centre with computers and a printer. Each room has wifi access and codes expire after 3 hours (once registered). I requested a couple of codes when we checked in. Location: The hotel is located in the city centre on Mayoral drive, only 5 minutes walk to the Sky tower/Queen street. Directions from the airport: Catch the airport express bus($16 one way) jump off at Queen street near the Metro centre and walk up Mayoral drive, you’ll see the large sign on the hotel saying Rendezvous Grand Hotel. Breakfast: There’s a buffet and continental breakfast on offer, cereals, pancakes, bacon, toast, yogurt, tea & coffee etc. *The buffet breakfast costs $31 and continental $21 unless included in your room price*To be honest the buffet breakfast is not really worth it, you can get a nice breakfast in the city for a lot less and being so close why wouldn’t you. Rating: Definitely recommended, great location and price. 5 out of 5 Points to highlight: Rendezvous hotels are affiliated with Krisflyer so you’ll gain airpoints and it pays to request a room with a city views prior to arriving so they can allocate one. The higher up the better and means less noise. For things to do and see in Auckland see our Auckland Travel review. By: Nick & Jackie Auckland city map and hotel location (interactive map) Darwin, Australia Travel Guide 02/04/2012
Country/Town Visited: Darwin, Australia Date of stay: June/July 2011 Tour or pre planned: Pre planned If you want to visit a place in Australia where you can see fascinating wildlife, but still stay in the comfort of a fun and vibrant small city, Darwin is the place for you! Darwin is the capital city of Northern Territory, the gateway to the Australian outback. It is a city right on the coast that specifically caters for tourists. There is a vibrant night life, with many restaurants, pubs and clubs located in close proximity on Mitchell Street. It is worth checking out Shenannigans Irish Pub, Victoria Hotel and Discovery Nightclub. For food lovers, a sumptuous banquet can be had at the Noodle House, or enjoy local fresh seafood by the ocean at Stokes Hill Wharf. For something a little more romantic, go on a sunset dinner cruise. We went with Cape Adieu Harbour Cruises and they prepared a beautiful seafood and steak banquet for us. There is no shortage of attractions in Darwin. The Northern Territory is famous for crocodiles, but you can see some monster crocodiles right in the heart of Darwin city at Crocosaurus Cove (costing $28). Here you can not only see some of the largest saltwater crocodiles in Australia, but you can also swim with them in the Cage of Death (costing $148). For maximum thrills, book the Cage of Death at feeding time! Swimming with crocodiles was one of the scarier things I have done, but definitely worth it. If you don't feel like swimming with crocodiles, you might prefer a swim in the Darwin Wave Lagoon. There are no stingers or crocodiles in this man-made swimming area, which covers 4,000 metres and is up to 2 metres deep. You can ride the waves on boogie boards or inflatable tubes. Keep in mind the waves are not big enough to surf on and there are too many people there to rip, but it is a nice way to escape the heat on a hot day. It costs $5 for a half-day pass. Another budget friendly activity is to feed the fish at Aquascene Fish Feeding Sanctuary. It costs $11.00 and you get to feed the fish by hand with bread. This is not a fish farm, it is actually wild fish from the ocean that swim to the shallow shoreline. It's a great attraction that all the family can enjoy. Check the website for feeding times as it is only for a couple of hours each day. For the adrenalin junkies, try a jet boat ride located at Stokes Hill Wharf (costing $55). If you like fast speed and non-stop thrills, this would be the ride for you! If you prefer your pace a little slower, check out Duck About Tours and their amphibious vehicles which drive on land through the city and then dive in the water and cruise Darwin harbour. Darwin has a rich cultural presence with many museums. I spent hours wandering through the Darwin Military Museum (cost $14), which is set amongst the gun towers built to defend the city in World War II. The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is free and has a large collection of aboriginal art and natural sciences including you guessed it, a large stuffed boat-eating crocodile! It also has an exhibition on Cyclone Tracey which was one of the greatest natural disasters in Australia's history in 1974, including a cyclone room designed to replicate the sounds of a cyclone based on actual sound recordings from Cyclone Tracy. Darwin is well known for its markets. The pick of the bunch would be the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets which are open Thursdays and Sundays during the dry season. These markets are very cosmopolitan with food from all over the world with food from all over the world, or you can try some of the local delicacies such as crocodile, kangaroo and buffalo. There are all sorts of souvenirs you can buy such as aboriginal art and local crafts. Once you have done your shopping, you can sit back and watch the live entertainment such as bands and street performers. Other markets in Darwin include Parap Market and Nightcliff Market. The best time to visit Darwin is in the winter months from May to September, as in the summer months it gets very hot and your trip can be interrupted by the summer monsoonal rains. The average temperature in Darwin ranges 19.3 degrees Centigrade (67 degrees Fahrenheit) to 32.6 degrees Centigrade (91 degrees Fahrenheit). If you time your visit to Darwin right, you will be there on 1st July to celebrate Territory Day. One of the special things about Territory Day is this is the only day of the year, apart from the Chinese New Year, when fireworks are permitted. There are fireworks going off as far as the eye can see that night and it's a great chance to get in touch with your inner youth. Just make sure you do it safely! Accommodation As I had the luxury of staying with family, I cannot give a recommendation on where to stay. There is a lot of accommodation in the city centre ranging from backpacker hostels to a 5 star hotel. Various accommodation can be found at wotif and expedia. The good thing about Darwin being a small city is that most of the attraction are within walking distance of the city centre. If you want to explore further out and see the outback the best option is to hire a 4wd vehicle or go on a tour which will be discussed in a future Northern Territory travel blog. Rating system Would you recommend this destination: Yes Overall rating destination: 5 out of 5 (during winter) By: Brett & Kelly London, United Kingdom 02/01/2012
Country/Town visited: London, United Kingdom Date of stay: 2005 - 2011 Where you stayed: Various parts of London London is an amazing city and one I’d highly recommend visiting at some point in your life. I headed to London early 2005 on a 6 month holiday and ended up liking the London lifestyle, vibe and ease of travelling Europe so much that I stayed 6 years. The OE Travel Blogs team have all spent a few years living and working in London and we loved our time there. If you have any questions, thoughts or anything else to add from your own experiences please feel free to add a comment. If you’re headed for London it’s most likely you’ll arrive at Heathrow airport which has five terminals and is one of the busiest airports in the world, if not the busiest. The expat community in London (Kiwi’s, Aussie’s & South African’s) is huge but you have so many other cultures living in the city and this is what makes it the largest city in Europe. So the question is…… where to start. This review would be helpful to travellers looking to set up base in the UK but there's also some helpful information for those visiting London and be sure to check out our London advice blog. During my time in London I lived in a number of places and my favourite part of London was South of the river, Putney & Barnes. Dossing is a big part of London life, what is dossing I hear you ask? A dosser is someone who sleeps in share houses on the floor or couch for an extended period of time, most dossers will contribute between £5-10 per week and help with cleaning etc. This is great if your fresh of the boat and want to save some £££ till you find your feet. Travelling around by tube is great but taking time to see the city above ground where possible is a must. Use buses if you can or take a walking tour. Once you arrive, be sure to buy an Oyster card, this will enable you to travel on the London Tube, Bus and Train networks. It's a pay as you go card that you swipe when catching public transport. New Oyster cards cost £5 pounds and this is a refundable deposit. Another important item is the London tube map, you can obtain one from all Tube stations. Each underground line has its own name and colour and each station is marked in order on its line. Stations that are marked with a black circle indicate that you can change lines at that station. IE: if you were travelling from Heathrow Airport Terminal 4, and wanted to get to your Hostel located in West Hampstead. You would take the Piccadilly Line (dark blue) until you got to Green Park, and then change onto the Jubilee Line (grey) to West Hampstead station. Visit TFL London for more information and the journey planner is quite handy too Finding somewhere to live: I’d suggest looking for a place near a tube line (within walking distance) ideally close to where you work to reduce commuting time. Travelling during peak periods can get quite hectic. Bear this in mind when you’re looking for somewhere to live. My first job in London was in North Acton and I had to travel 1 hour and 20 minutes each way from my flat in Tooting, I ended up looking for a new flat to cut down the travel time. Check out the Gumtree website, you’ll find a number of flats/houses available to rent but do not pay money or fall victim to scams, always be aware and if you find a post that sounds too good to be true/or asking for a deposit or a Western Union transfer then do not proceed and report the advert. Recommended parts of London to live: North: Camden, Hampstead or Primrose Hill South: Fulham, Putney, Wimbledon, Clapham, Barnes or Richmond East: Brick Lane or Docklands West: Shepherds Bush, Chiswick or Notting Hill Finding a job and National Insurance: If you're moving to London from overseas then you'll need to apply for a National Insurance number (NI), it's a requirement as part of working in the UK. For more information and applying visit the following website - UK National Insurance.If your looking for work in London check out Total Jobs and the Gumtree as mentioned above. Setting up a bank account: I would recommend HSBC bank, but to be honest you have so many to choose from so shop around and check what each one offers. Other banks include Lloyds, Halifax, Barclays, Smile and Royal Bank of Scotland to name a few. You can set up a bank account before arriving and this can be very helpful, some banks offer a passport account option and others may need proof of address information before allowing you to open an account. You can either set this up yourself or use a company like First Contact who also offer Visa information and other helpful moving to London advice. Mobile phone networks: The OE TRAVEL BLOG team would recommend the O2 mobile phone network. O2 offer great rates and you'll receive free international calls just for topping up, perfect for keeping in touch with family and friends back home! The pre pay plan is called your country, if you top up at least £10 monthly you get an additional credit of 50 free international minutes, a £15 monthly top up will get you 100 free international minutes and uses who top up £30 monthly secure 200 free international minutes. Your free minutes can be used to call international land lines and mobiles overseas. **Note, you'll need to call O2 customer services to have your country plan added** There are other mobile networks but O2 would be our recommendation. The above offer is subject to chance,visit the O2 website for more information. Once settled I’d recommend registering with the doctor/medical centre in your area, applying is fairly easy and you’ll need two forms of ID and your passport. It’s worthwhile doing this before you actually need to see a doctor as you will need to have a registration appointment with a nurse before a doctor will see you in most cases. Visit the following website for more information, NHS UK. Things to do: London has a wide variety of attractions and free activities on offer and we’ve put together a list of recommended spots. Recommended attractions: Tower of London London Eye Madame Tussaud’s London Wembley Stadium Tour Wimbledon Tennis Tour Ferry on the Thames down to Greenwich Free entry attraction list: Tate Modern Tate Britain British Museum Downing Street Tower Bridge St Pauls Cathedral Westminster National Portrait Gallery Houses of Parliament Buckingham Palace – changing of the guard Hyde Park Richmond Park – take a bike ride through the park and check out the Queens Deer Other areas of London worth mentioning. Camden Town – head there on the weekend and check out the markets, great bars and clubs. Brick Lane – One of the best places to grab a curry in London Hampstead – The best crepes in the world from Le creperie, you’ll be lining up for at least 20-30 minutes to get one but well worth it. Located next to the King William pub. Fulham – For a great night out head to Fulham in South London, Elk Bar and Belushi’s are always popular and it’s also home to Chelsea football team. Shepherds Bush & Acton – The Walkabout in Shepherds bush and Red Back Tavern in Acton are very popular with Kiwi’s and Aussies. Westfield shopping centre is also located in Shepherds bush and is the largest in Europe. Other things worth experiencing: The boat race (Rowing) between Oxford and Cambridge universities is held every year in April. You can watch the race along the banks of the river from Putney to Barnes (South London). I’d recommend heading to the White Hart pub in Barnes or the Dukes head in Putney to watch the race. Click on the following link to see more information and the course mapped out – London Boat Race Ascot Races is another popular event and takes place mid June each year. It’s much like the Melbourne cup races and tickets sell early. Click on the following link for more information – Ascot Races Wimbledon is held in London every year in late June and is regarded as one of the most prestigious Tennis tournaments in the world. Fans will camp out days before the event for tickets. Strawberries and Cream and Pimms & Lemonade are also very popular at this event. The Wimbledon tennis club & museum is open daily 10am to 5pm if you wanted to visit throughout the year. The Notting Hill Carnival takes place in London, every year on the last bank holiday in August and is definitely a must while living in London. The Caribbean carnival has been attracting millions of visitors since 1966 bringing West London to life. The atmosphere, carnival costumes, floats, music and Caribbean food make this carnival very popular. See our Notting Hill blog for more information. Gloucester Cheese Rolling takes place every year in May, as the name suggests you pretty much chase a large Double Gloucester block of cheese, it can get quite messy. Click on the following link to read our Cheese Rolling blog. One of the things I miss about living in London was the ease of travelling Europe, being able to head away for the weekend to experience another country without having to take time off work. The Eurostar train from London Kings Cross station to Paris takes lease then 2 & ½ hours and cheap airlines like Ryan Air and Easy Jet offer crazy prices all year round from Gatwick and Stansted airports. I’d recommend Gatwick airport as it’s a lot easier to get to via the Tube/Train lines. Check out our low cost airlines recommended via the General Advice page. London will always be my second home and I can’t wait to return again for a holiday………… If you have any questions or would like to add anything please feel free to add a comment. Points to highlight: It goes without saying but make sure you have travel insurance before heading overseas, see our General Advice tab for more tips and check out our general London advice blog. Rating system Would you recommend this destination: Yes Overall rating destination: 5 out of 5 By: Nick Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand 18/11/2011
Country/Town Visited: Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand (Overland self guided) Date of stay: November 2011 Where you stayed: Various hostels and backpackers Tour or pre planned: Pre planned (self guided) Arriving at Ho Chi Minh airport was not what I had imagined. I had expected a little airport that you walk off the plane on to the tarmac, but how I was wrong! I think that I had underestimated Vietnam as a whole, and was really surprised at how big it was. I was staying at Kims Hotel, which I can highly recommend. I think the room was about $24USD a night, and was really nice, in a good location and I had an airport transfer. As soon as I woke up I ran to the balcony to see what HCM had in store for me. Scooters. What seemed like millions and millions of scooters. Jaine and I set off to find some pho for breakfast, and made our way to the markets. The shopping didn't interest us too much, but we took a lot of photo's walking around the seafood and meat section of the markets. On walking to the markets, we got to experience crossing the road in HCM. Wow! I had read reviews that you just put your head down and walk. And that's pretty much what you do. The scooters swerve around you, but you have to keep an eye out for cars. Jaine went and checked in to a backpackers down the road, and then we met back up and went to find a massage. The lady at Kim's had suggested a place in a hotel down the road, so off we set to indulge in the wonderful world of cheap massages. Warning bells should have started ringing when the sign outside the suggested hotel listed "Massage, Sauna, Jacuzzi". We walked very quickly out of the hotel after the lady informed that it was "man only massage". Very cautious for our next venue, we made sure that we found a "spa". Our luck was looking up as we weren't turned away from the spa, and we almost high-fived. That excitement soon disappeared as we were led in to the rooms and girls in little short red skirts walked in to the room. The massage didn't turn out to be dodgy, but the giggling from the next room and the expectation for a big tip told us we hadn't stumbled in to the most innocent of places. Now it was time for a drink. We found a street between both of our hotels, and managed to follow the happy hours, people watching, sharing stories, and turning away street sellers. We then stumbled in to Le Pub, where we ended up meeting a Scottish couple, and joining a pub quiz team (with the most ridiculous questions ever, and went on for 4.5 hours). I bailed out after 2 and a half hours, but our team went on to win the pub quiz! I think everyone else had dropped out since it had gotten so late. The next day we went to the Cu Chi tunnels, which had been recommended by my friend Erica. I had seen a photo of Erica while she was down in the tunnels, her face drained of colour and fear in her eyes. The tunnels were set up during the war, and the Vietnamese used the tunnels for protection, living and fighting. They went metres underground and went on for 75 miles. We walked around the site where there are examples of traps and weapons from the war, then we got to fire guns (was very rushed though), and then we hit the tunnels. Having never felt claustrophobic before, I didn't see why this would change now. I was about the 4th one to go in to the tunnels, and all started out fine. Then it started getting hotter and hotter and the tunnel got narrower. Here you are, crouched over in half with a 10cm gap each side of you in a tunnel 2 metres underground. All of a sudden we approached a bend, and the section of the tunnel I was in didn't have any light reaching it. That's when the photo of Erica flashed back in to my head, and I knew I wouldn't be looking much better now. Luckily there were exit's around every 20metres, and I was out of there at the sight of the next one. That evening we had another meeting at Le Pub, with our new friends, and more drinks and stories followed. I was off to Cambodia the next day at 7am, so it was time to say farewell for now to Vietnam. I had booked the bus to Phnom Penh through Kim's Hotel, it cost $10USD and was estimated to take around 6 hours. There are flights available, but I wanted to make the most of seeing the country side. Plus who could argue with $10? I was picked up from the hotel around 7am and taken to the bus and given my assigned seat. There were a few other westerners on the bus, but not that many. Gladly I was sitting next to a local girl who spoke english, so she would inform me if we had to get off because we were at the border, or if we were stopping on one of the many food/toilet breaks they like to throw in. The border crossing was no great hassle at all and the the bus driver took your passport and money for the Cambodian visa and filled in the forms required. Then you got your passport back once stamped. You really noticed the change once you crossed the border, Vietnam had been like a city the whole way to the border, hardly seeing any farm land, it was continuously shop after shop, and still hundreds of scooters. But once you crossed the border to Cambodia, there were a few random casino's at the border (that did not look very appealing at all) and lots of farm land. We made our first stop and having started out so early, I was starving. Hunger quickly took a back seat as I walked up to the food counter, and there were about half a dozen cooked dishes, with who knew what in them, and the person serving you probably wouldn't be able to tell you - even if they could speak english. I eventually settled on a pineapple. I didn't bother stocking up on water either. Walking in to check out the toilets made me realise I would rather die dehydrated than have to use the toilet. Always carry tissues and hand sanitizer with you in Asian countries!!!!! Even if you don't use toilets in rural Cambodia, you will definitely need these regardless of where you could be. Driving on these buses can leave you at your wits end. You know when the driver is beeping his horn the situation is probably likely that you are passing another car/truck/bus or there’s an oncoming vehicle that is passing another car/truck/bus or that it’s only a 2 lane road. I just couldn't help myself, I would hear the tooting of the horn and look up. It was like I was torturing myself with seeing how close we got to hitting someone else. In saying that, if I am to do the same route again (which I am hoping is highly likely), I would take the bus all over again. So amazing driving along the country side, seeing all of the little houses up on stilts in the water. Rice paddies with all of the water buffalo, and even a ride on the barge across the river. Phnom Penh was a lot bigger than what I had imagined, and arriving at the bus stop I waited for the hotel pick up who should have been waiting for me on arrival, this had already got me in a bad mood with the city. But I had made friends with a German couple and they were my saviours with the good old Lonely Planet. I had no idea where my guesthouse was! We got in to negotiations with a tuktuk driver and they dropped me off at my place before continuing on to their accommodation. They had mentioned that they had looked at staying at the same place, but had changed their mind to somewhere closer to town. I wish I had been that wise. I was staying at Sunday Guesthouse, which had been one of the top picks from the Lonely Planet. I wish I had read the reviews before staying there, as it made my time in Phnom Penh horrible. It was not close to anything, you had to take a tuktuk if you wanted to go into the main part. When I checked in there was no mention of the common areas and I only found out about them after reading reviews online. Deciding I'd had a big enough day, I booked my bus to Siem Reap for early the following morning, and called it a night. I had just booked the bus through the guesthouse ($6USD to Siem Reap), and I wish that I had booked through one of the main bus companies. I was literally the only westerner on the bus, with men coming up within a metre of me at the bus stop and just staring at me. Being a girl, I cried quietly to myself for a few minutes, then told myself to harden up, put my headphones in and ignored everyone else. The bus ride was much the same as the previous day, around 6 hours and the driving was no different, with the same beautiful scenery. The bus arrived in Siem Reap a couple of hours late, and worry levels went to the extreme, there were tuktuk drivers everywhere and I was thinking my hotel pickup guy wouldn't have waited around. Relief was massive as I saw a little sign with my name pop up. The last thing I wanted to do after spending 6-8 hours on the bus was haggle with a tuktuk driver. Cruising through Siem Reap on the way to Rosy's Guesthouse, I already had a better feel about Cambodia. I organised going to Angkor Wat the following morning with the tuktuk driver (5am pick up) and upon arrival Rosy's felt a million times better with a bar and restaurant on the ground floor plus my room was a palace compared to the previous night and was only $4USD more. Bags dumped in the room and I headed downstairs to the restaurant. Since I went on hunger strike on the bus, I tucked in to some Amok - the local curry and an Anchor (I always drink the local beers in the relevant country). Within an hour I had made friends and set off to Pub Street, which was a 10 minute walk down the river. Around Pub Street, there are other alley ways and streets with a range or restaurants and street food. We made our way down to Pub Street, which was packed. The street is closed off and people everywhere with restaurants and clubs pumping their music out onto the street. We ended up at one bar that was selling their drinks on the street and had a band outside, so it was literally a street party. The following morning I slept in… waking up at 7.30am I had clearly missed my arranged ride. I easily found another tuktuk driver and for $14USD we were on our way to the temples. Arriving in to Angkor is surreal. People can spend days and days going to different areas of Angkor, I just wanted to check out the main spots. The rough tour I took was Ta Prohm (where Angelina shot Tomb Raider), Ta Keo, Terrace of Elephants, Bayon and Angkor Wat. The tombs are quite crowded and it's hard to get decent photos, but so amazing to be there. Angkor Wat is grand, with a massive moat going around the outside, but parts of it are being renovated and they have green scaffolding around parts of it, which ruins photos (November 2011). The temples and Siem Reap itself are so beautiful. I highly recommend going there. Females - wear a t-shirt and long pants though, you are not allowed in to some of the temples if you are dressed inappropriately (speaking from experience, but just gives me a reason to go back!). After a long day in the heat walking around, I walked myself down to get some street food and visit the night markets. I picked up some beautiful Cambodian silk scarves and other nick-naks, had a foot massage and called it a night. Next day was another early wake up call to get the bus to Bangkok. Phnom Penh was a let down on this occasion, but I want to go back there to get a different experience and stay at a better hotel. Siem Reap was my favourite place I visited, I could have stayed there forever. After waiting at the guesthouse for over an hour and a half for the bus to Bangkok from Siem Reap ($12USD), I discovered that there was an Irish girl who was taking the same bus. Finally the bus arrived and it appeared that we were the last ones to be picked up and both of the buses seemed to be full. After a lot of back and forth between the 2 buses, the bus driver said "it's ok, we have plastic seat for you and it’s only an hour and half to border, then a new bus after that". So on we hoped carrying our little plastic seats and wedged them in the aisle. Not only did it take closer to 4 hours than the original hour and a half, but they decided to stop 3 times, so we would have to carry our seats off for people to get out, and then wait for everyone to file back on so we could carry our seats back down to our positions. Finally reaching the border, after glaring at people sleeping in their seats for hours, it was time to drag my 24kgs of luggage between Cambodia and Thailand. The line on the Cambodian side was very hot and sweaty wait, standing out in the direct heat with no air con or fans. Then a 10 minute walk down to the Thailand border, at one point I was ready to just turn around and stay in Cambodia for the rest of my life. But the wait outside didn't take too long, but then there was about an hour wait inside and thank god they had air con. We made our way to the vans that were to take us the rest of the way to Bangkok, and surprise surprise, we had another food stop. Giving in to my food strike on buses, I got some delicious pad thai. Only fitting to get some pad thai on first arrival to Thailand. Orlaith and I got bundled in to the front of another mini van and we were finally heading towards Bangkok, discovering on the way that we were both staying at NapPark Hostel. I had originally thought that I wouldn't like Bangkok, but how wrong I was! We checked in to our backpackers (my first dorm room!) showered and met back up to get some dinner. More street food, this time from Khao San Road and we found a pub to eat it with some Singha's and buckets of Mojitos. Of course there had been flooding the previous week, with shops still having sandbags out the front of them, and with that, we decided we should sneak in to the closed off river to check it out. To much disappointment the river wasn't even breaching its banks and the only evidence of flooding was the fast flowing water. The hours flew by and before I knew it, it was way past my bedtime as I had a 10am transfer to the airport so I could get to Patong for some quality beach time. After some luggage rearranging to meet the 20kgs check in limit, I was finally sitting at the airport gate on route to the beach. It was kind of awkward sitting at the airport not knowing where to look with numerous couples consisting of grey haired gentlemen with young thai girls. Hmmm.. Patong was great, relaxing on the beach, getting served beers (as well as being asked if you wanted to buy everything else possible) as you lay there in the sun. After contemplating whether to go to Ko Phi Phi for a day, I decided to save that for next time and just made the most of the beach and the street food. All in all I loved my time in Asia and can’t wait to return, I made some great friends and saw some amazing sites, below are some photos from my adventure. Rating system Would you recommend this destination: Yes Overall rating destination: 5 out of 5 By: Stacey Brisbane, Australia 21/10/2011
Country/Town Visited: Brisbane, Australia Brisbane is known to locals as the River City and after the recent floods, those outside of the city also know the infamous Brisbane River. The city is spread along the banks of the river, so an alternative way to view the city is by ferry or city cat (high speed ferry). Brisbane is much easier to see if you hire a car, however parking in the CBD (central business district) is very expensive. If you are staying in the CBD, see if you can get a deal with your hotel. If you aren’t and are visiting the CBD for the day, make sure you arrive early and take advantage of the early bird parking rates. You will need to arrive before 9am for most parks. Have a look at this website for more information. Cheap parking Brisbane, the prices are a little out of date but google the car parks for updated info. The public transport system is getting better but is not as good as many of the cities we have visited. If you chose the public transport option, make sure you purchase a go card. It costs $5 and you can load it with credit. After a few trips on a bus, ferry or train you will have recovered the deposit fee. The Airport is a few kms north east of the city. You can pick up hire cars, get a taxi or take the train to your accommodation. Bear in mind that if you aren’t staying in the city centre, the train network isn’t extensive so you may need to change to a bus to get to your final destination. There are a number of hostels in the city centre and they tend to be located near the train stations either Central Station or Roma Street Station. There are also LOADS of hotels as well. I would recommend checking out Wotif.com for last minute hotel and hostel deals. You’ll get it a lot cheaper than booking directly. I lived in Brisbane for 23 years before heading overseas for 6 years. When people asked me about Brisbane and what there was to do, I always responded, “Brisbane is a great place to live but not brilliant for tourists”. Now that I have come back and brought my foreign fiancé home, I’ve had the chance to experience the city from a tourist’s eyes. I am pleasantly surprised at how wrong I was, Brisbane has a lot to offer. If you are a bit of a foodie or enjoy going out for coffee, check out Milton, Paddington, Rosalie and New Farm. They are all inner city suburbs with great cafés and restaurants. My favourite place for breakfast is Gun Shop Café in West End. The Valley is the place to go for good nightlife. It is located just outside of the CBD. There is a good variety of clubs and bars from house, R&B through to gay clubs. This area is fairly safe, although as always don’t head down dark alleys and be aware of you and your belongings. There are a number of things to see and do around the city. Story Bridge is as iconic to Brisbane as the Harbour Bridge is to Sydney. The Story Bridge was opened in 1940 and took 5 years to build. It created employment during the Great Depression in Brisbane and sadly 4 men lost their lives during construction. You can climb the bridge and costs from between $89 to $130 for adults. Brisbane’s only sand beach is man-made and located just south of the city on the river at South Bank. On the weekends this area comes to life with stalls, street entertainment along with a number of events. Bordering South Bank is the cultural heart of the city with the Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Museum, and Conservatory of Music. For a little more alternative entertainment head to the Powerhouse, it has everything from comedy to politics. If you fancy a bit of colonial history, there are a couple of sites in and around Brisbane to check out. Newstead house, located in the inner city, is oldest residence in Brisbane. It was built in 1846 for Patrick Leslie. You can visit Sunday to Thursday between 10am to 4pm. Also check out St Helena Island. Check out a free self guided Brisbane walk you can do here - http://www.publicworks.qld.gov.au/brisbaneheritagewalk/Pages/default.aspx Here’s a list of other things to do in Brisbane and around the city… If you are into flora and fauna:
If you have a car and have time to venture outside of the city I would recommend the following:
Rating system Would you recommend this City: Yes Overall rating: 4 out of 5 By: Jackie Travellers Check List 12/10/2011
OE Travel Blogs would recommend the following check list when travelling abroad. Register with your local foreign affairs office before travelling overseas. (For instance, say their was a natural disaster in the country you were visiting, how would they know to look for you) See our related links via the General Advice tab. Make sure you have photocopies of your itinerary, passport, credit cards, travel insurance and other important documents/phone numbers. Leave a copy with family/friends and two copies within your luggage in case originals are lost or stolen. Travel Insurance, it goes without saying but make sure you have travel insurance before travelling abroad. Make sure you stay in touch with family and friends, a simple Facebook/Twitter update helps. Let you’re family know where you are and who you are with. As a general rule, don’t flash valuables about and keep your money in a money belt or pouch. Carry a small First Aid Kit, with panadol/aspirin etc. A small Sewing kit can be handy to. When booking a tour or activity do your research first. Know what activities are included in the price, are meals included and will they cater for dietary requirements. Ask questions and check reviews from fellow travellers. For more helpful tips please see our General Advice page. | CategoriesAUSTRIA
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