Travel Blog

There aren’t many major cities in the world that have a World Heritage listed wilderness literally in their own backyard, but that’s exactly what Sydney, Australia has in the breathtaking Blue Mountains. Between the Blue Mountains and the other national parks that adjoin them, there are over a million hectares of unspoiled wilderness to explore, all within an hour’s commuter train ride of Australia’s biggest city.

When you travel from Sydney to the Blue Mountains, you feel as is you’ve been teleported to another world, one where there is no sign of the hustle and bustle of the city you left behind. Instead, you find yourself gazing across an endless landscape of undulating hills covered in blue-green eucalypts. As you step into this stunning landscape, you peer over sheer rock faces, look up at spectacular waterfalls and into the eyes of Australia’s unique animal life. If you’re an outdoor lover, you will surely fall head over heels in love with the Blue Mountains. If you like putting on your hiking boots and exploring, you can spend weeks in Katoomba or Leura, two of the main cities, hiking a different trail every day. If the thrill of rock climbing or mountain biking is to your liking, then you will be in paradise.

If you have never been to the Blue Mountains before, you can see the best of them from Katoomba. Just walk or drive down the main street of town until you come to Echo Point and the famed Three Sisters. You have probably seen these Sisters in pictures, since they have been photographed thousands of times before and been featured in countless ad campaigns. You won’t be disappointed, though, when you “meet” the Sisters in person for the first time. Only then will you really appreciate the sheer depth of the cliff faces and breadth of the scenery. If you’re a climber, you will head straight for the Giant Staircase that leads to the valley floor and head for the cliff faces, where you can tackle some of the hundreds of classic climbing routes that dot the area.

The Giant Staircase is also where thousands of hikers begin their discovery of the Blue Mountains. If you have limited time but want to feel like you’ve escaped civilization, by the time you’ve reached the foot of the stairs, you will have forgotten everything. Surrounded by pristine nature, the only reminders of civilization you will see will be the signs that will help you find your way and the occasional welcome bench when you can rest your weary feet and gaze out at the horizon. If fatigue overcomes you and you don’t want to have to face the steep climb back up to the top, just hop on the world’s steepest railway line and you’ll be back up in minutes.

Incredibly, you can come to the Blue Mountains, do all of these things and still be back home in Sydney in time for dinner. However, you probably won’t be in a hurry to leave. That won’t be a problem, since finding a cozy Katoomba accommodation is easy. Aside from the numerous camping grounds in the area, there are B&Bs, backpackers, hotels, motels and other Blue Mountains accommodation options to choose from. After you’ve checked in, step outside and check out the many great restaurants and cafes along Katoomba Street. Being Blue Mountains locals, they know you’ll be hungry and looking for a hearty meal. They won’t disappoint you, either!

Byron Bay, on the far north coast of NSW, is not a major metropolitan center by any stretch of the imagination. The entire Byron Shire region boasts a population of just over thirty thousand while the city of Byron Bay itself, Australia’s easternmost city, has only about 5000 permanent residents. Their small population doesn’t stop them from playing host to over one and a half million visitors every year, though.

Byron Bay wasn’t always so popular. Back the the 1960s, it was known as dairy country and there was far more cattle in the region than there were people. In the sixties, Byron Bay’s now world famous surfing break, “The Pass” was an insider’s secret spot coveted by surfers from as far south as Sydney. In the “Flower Power” era, those surfers spread the word about the stunningly beautiful scenery and serene atmosphere of Byron Shire and gradually, thousands of young Australians migrated there in search of a gentler lifestyle away from the city.

The new breed of locals revived the shopping district of Byron Bay just when the previous generation left after the closing of the meatworks and other industries that had been the commercial lifeblood of the town. They opened craft shops, surf shops, vegetarian cafes and, to cater to the increasing numbers of traveling surfers and other young travelers, backpackers resorts. By the 1980s, Byron Bay was on the map as one of Australia’s most popular backpacker destinations.

In 1990, the Arts Factory, a popular backpackers resort, hosted the first Byron Bay BluesFest. Even BluesFest organizers didn’t realize that they were making history with that inaugural event. The turnout far exceeded expectations and the Blues Festival remains an annual event to this day, though it outgrew its original venue many years ago. More than any other single event, this first music festival led to an explosion of global interest in Byron Bay.

Byron Bay found prosperity in tourism and continued to grow, but has always kept its ideals and the locals have resisted all attempts to create highrises or huge developments in the region like those that are found in Surfers Paradise. This determination to retain its unique, laid-back atmosphere has paid off. Today, Byron Bay remains true to its values but still welcomes its millions of visitors with open arms.

There is much more to Byron Shire than what Lawson and Jonson Streets, the main streets of town, have to offer. You can get a better perspective from the Byron Bay Lighthouse. From high above the city on Australia’s eastern tip, you command a sweeping view of the whole magnificent panorama. Up there on the green hills behind Byron Bay are many other fascinating places to explore and you can easily do so by shuttlebus tour or by car.

Today, surfers and alternative lifestylers mingle freely with families and jet-setting tourists in Byron Bay. There’s something for everyone there. If you want a cheap but healthy vegetarian meal, it’s as easy to find as is gourmet restaurant. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious five star resort or an inexpensive backpackers lodge, you’ll find the perfect Byron Bay Accommodation for your needs. Above all, if you’re looking for fun and relaxation, you’ll find it in abundance in Byron.

Students will often relish the opportunity to take a train around Europe. Travelling in this way is great fun when you are that age and it gives you the chance to see so much more of the continent. When you are on a train you can really socialise with your friends; this is something that is not really possible when you fly. Here are a few tips for students who are thinking of travelling Europe by train.

- There are normally discounted train tickets available for students so it would be wise to look for these. All you will usually need to claim these is your NUS card and it can make a huge difference to the amount you pay. Remember to always take your student ID with you when you go out because this is the only way to avail of all the other discounted prices that are available for students all over Europe.

- If you are travelling long distance you might want to consider going by night and booking a sleeper. Travelling in a sleeper cabin at night means that you get a good nights sleep while you are travelling and you can save on the cost of a hotel room. As long as you remember that you will be missing out on some spectacular scenery when you travel at night.

- Most trains will stop in the heart of the city and this is really one of the most advantageous things about taking a train. Try to find a hostel or other accommodation beside the train station and that way you will avoid having to pay for a taxi or needing to deal with public transport upon your arrival.

- Booking your tickets in advance is a good idea especially if you are travelling with a large group. That way you will all be able to sit together. If you want a sleeping cabin you will usually have to book this in advance.

It can be great getting an English ferry for a holiday to the UK. Very often, though, some enjoy the delights of the Channel Tunnel Channel Tunnel (shuttle are the alternatives, in French). Should you wish to stay in England, these are probably the best ways of getting there.

Greeting someone with a warm “hi” is a universal expression that makes the other person feel accepted and it lets him perceive that the person is happy to meet him. This manner of greeting is used by people everywhere irrespective of sexuality, age, faith, or nationality.

When an individual meets somebody in Korea, he will most probably hear the expression “annyeonghaseyo” which is means “hello.” The nation is predominantly influenced by Confucianism thus as a result, there is a prominent order in society and respect for elders. A lot of the customs and traditions existent today in the Korean society still demonstrate the respectfulness they have for others and the elderly. One of the practices in Korea is bowing when meeting people. Traditionally when two people of like social position meet they both bend. On the other hand, if one person has a lower social position than the other, then only the man with the lower social position will bend when exchanging salutation. This traditional practice applies for example, to a instructor and a student. The pupil will bend towards the instructor. The instructor then nods to acknowledge his pupil’s gesture. Bending is not the only form of greeting practiced in Korea. There are other scenarios where two close friends, might greet each other by waving.  In the business arena, businessmen practice handshaking when they greet each other.

As a general rule, when talking in Korean you should endeavor to make sure that you are using the polite form of a greeting or word by appending the suffix ‘yo’ to the end of the salutation or sentence.  Most polite forms of words end in ‘yo’ in Korean and this ending can be found in some phrases such as “annyeonghaseyo” which means hello.  Every time you speak to those well-advanced in years than you, strangers and anybody who has a high status in society, remember to use polite words at all times.

There are a number of simple greetings in the Korean language that you can quickly learn besides “annyeonghaseyo.”  When you want to ask a person “How are you?” you can say “Jaljineseyo.”  To become more familiar with somebody and when presenting yourself, you may say: “Hello, I am ….” and the words to use in Korean is “Anneyonghaseyo, ……. imni da.” To ask someone “What is your name?” use the sentence “Sungham-i mu-uht ipnika?” When meeting or upon knowing the name of someone, you could say in appreciation ” Mannasuh Bangapseupni da” which means ” happy to see you!” An additional popular expression in the Korean language you may wish to study is “Chwii-miga Mu-uht-ipnika? which means “What is your hobby?”

There are many manners of greeting a person. It is crucial to know what common words, phrases and sentences are spoken in greeting locals in the Korean language. There are formal and informal ways of greetings and learning how to use both is also important.

If you’re taking a cruise taking your kids along with you, don’t be fraught with anxiety. Granted, it is a floating trip and you’ll be on the sea for days together before sighting land. It’s an unnerving experience if it’s your first time as an adult. For a child, it can be quite traumatic if you don’t prepare them first. Here are 12 tips on how to cruise happily with your kids.

Prepare Your Kids For The Cruise
Before you leave on your cruise, prepare your kids to be on water for days on end. Show them videos of cruises and ships at sea. Explain how many hours or days you’ll be on sea before landing at the different ports. Explain to your kids about the various delights that await them at each port, so that they have something to anticipate.

Involve Your Kids In The Planning
Get your kids involved in the research and planning stage of your cruise. Unless they’re very small, they should be able to contribute and participate eagerly. Shop for port guides, study your ports-on-call using the internet and get as much information as you can. Let your kids contribute their ideas; pool all your ideas together in your family plan.

Prepare Your Kids For Stopovers
Lengthy stopovers and airport transfers will be part of your cruise experience. A good book and suntan lotion might be your way of dealing with it, but kids just don’t have our patience. Let your kids know that stopovers are to be expected. Organize games and activities to keep them occupied during these times.

Practice Flexibility
Not much goes as planned in life and cruises are no exception to this fact! Your flight could be delayed, anticipated ports could be canceled and you might even miss your cruise ship! Whatever you do, don’t transfer your anxiety to your kids. Kids are tough to handle when taken outside their comfort zones and your anxiety will make them even more hyper.

Sign Your Kids Up For Cruise Programs
Take advantage of any on-board programs on the cruise. Reputable cruises such as the Royal Caribbean provide supervised activity centers for young kids. Let your kids have fun and explore your deck. If you find older kids on the cruise, pay them to babysit and play with your kids.

Bring Out The Child In You
The best way to enjoy any time with kids is to bring out the child in you. You’re anonymous while on the cruise; go ahead and clown along with your kids, run around, explore, climb up and down decks and have a ball in general. A few hours of you playing with them will set their anxiety at rest and help them adjust better to the cruise.

Buy Disposable Cameras
Buy a few cheap disposable cameras, load them up with film and get your kids to take pictures of everything they see. Point out interesting objects that might motivate them to click away. Arrange a competition amongst your kids; whoever builds the most impressive photo album chronicling the entire cruise gets a special reward.

Take Some Painter’s Tape Along
Use colorful painter’s tape to block electric sockets so that your children don’t get accidentally shocked. A large roll of such tape is also great to put up your kids’ cruise pictures and artwork in your cabin. Use a bit of the tape to ensure your camera lens stays shut when you’re traveling.

Pack Inflatable Toys
Buy some inflatable toys for your kids for the cruise. These toys are cheap and easy to pack and it’s ok to leave them behind when you’re done. You can buy beach balls, animals and a variety of blow up toys.

Take Bubble Bottles Along
It’s important to keep your kids occupied so that they don’t get into trouble. Buy small bottles of soap bubbles and start blowing bubbles whenever you need to distract your kids. This could be during stopovers, delayed flights or while waiting in long lines for something or the other.

Buy Cheap T-Shirts
Pick up several white and color t-shirts for cheap before you travel. You’ll need to replace several of your kids’ t-shirts on the cruise, especially when they’re allowed free to play on the ship. Plus, you’ll be able to avoid paying 10 dollars for white t-shirts for activities such as spray painting and making tie-and-dye t-shirts.

Take All Required Medications Along
Most cruises will provide you excellent first aid facilities and services. Still, when accidents occur, it’s hard to wait for someone to go get the supplies. Always carry basic first aid supplies in your on-hand bag. Also carry basic medications for cold, cough, fever, pain, inflammation and mild antibiotics for infections with you.

Teena is a freelance writer working for Adrenaline that offers a large range of gift ideas for men like – skydiving , hot air ballooning, V8 race experience, rally driving and a lot more all across Australia

When you think of traveling to Egypt, which is the first image that comes to mind?

For many people, it will be the iconic image of the amazing Pyramids of Giza. These incredible structures have come to stand for the ancient wonders of Egypt and are on the must-see list of many an intrepid traveler. If you will be visiting Cairo, taking a trip out to the desert to see the pyramids is definitely worth doing.

About the Pyramids of Giza

There are three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis, and the Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and the largest. They are easy to reach from Cairo, as they are only an 8km trip southwest of the city.

No one really knows for sure when it was built or exactly why, but the best guesses of most Egyptologists is that it was originally built as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu and took approximately two decades to build. They estimate that construction was completed in 2560 BC.

For over 3,800 years, the Great Pyramid at Giza was officially the tallest man-made building in the world. It’s hard to imagine how truly majestic and enigmatic these landmark monuments are, until you are gazing up at them in the warm desert sun.

Tips for Visiting

Here are some helpful tips to remember when you are exploring these beautiful structures:

• One of the best ways to get out to the pyramids from central Cairo is to take the public transit bus route 355 or 357. It is a large, comfortable, air-conditioned coach which will take you out to Giza for only LE 2.
• Unfortunately, the pyramids are a popular location for opportunist scam artists to try to con tourists out of their money. Beware any “favors” or “advice” from these characters, as they are most definitely expecting to end up with as much of your money as possible.
• Try to avoid eye contact and interaction with the tourist scammers, because being too friendly will show you as an easy target. “La Shukran” means “No Thank You” and is a very handy phrase to memorize in these situations.
• It is completely forbidden and very dangerous to climb any of the Pyramids or the surrounding structures.
• While you are at the pyramids, you will see many men offering camel or horse rides. These animals have been notoriously mistreated in the past, so take a look at how healthy and happy the animal looks before you consider taking a ride.
• If you really want to go horse riding in the desert, it is best to do business with one of the better quality stables rather than the cheaper touts.
• The sun will be very hot, so don’t forget to protect your skin with lots of sunscreen and a hat. Also, bring plenty of bottled water with you to prevent dehydration.

Enjoy exploring the amazing Pyramids of Giza!

Simon Grant is a writer and traveller who has written this on behalf of Etihad Airways, a provider of flights to Cairo.

When you look at the map of the country, you will notice that the majority of Australia’s people live on the east coast. What’s on the other side of the country? To see the best of Western Australia, visit its capital city, Perth.

Virtually every postcard and panoramic picture you see of Perth features the Swan River in the foreground with glimmering modern skyscrapers in the background. These photographs capture the spirit of this city of 1.7 million perfectly. As big and bustling as Perth is, it has never lost touch with nature or an appreciation of beauty and refinement.

The Swan River has been of vital importance to Perth ever since the city was first settled. In its early days, the river was the most important transportation hub between the settlement and the ocean port twenty miles west. The Swan is no longer as vital a transportation link, but remains vital to the city and in many ways defines the Perth lifestyle.

Perth’s commitment to nature began way back when the city was founded in 1872. 172 hectares were set aside in the heart of the city for Perth Park. This was expanded to 400 hectares in 1901 and the name of the park was changed to King’s Park. This makes New York’s Central Park, at 340 hectares, only the second largest city park in the world. King’s Park, with its hundred plus species of animals and 250 plant species, is the largest.

Aspects of King’s Park is a good example of how artfully Perth blends commercial enterprise with its beautiful natural surroundings. Aspects Gallery and retail shops offer some of the finest examples of Australian arts and crafts that can be found anywhere in the world. Whether you go there to make a purchase or just view the exquisite examples of art, glass, woodworks, ceramics and other fine crafts, you will come away inspired.

After you have been inspired at Aspects, call in at the Aboriginal Art Gallery. It is located in a stunning area of the park and the staff includes the aboriginal performers who entertain visitors with traditional aboriginal performances each day. You can meet with them in person and learn about their heritage as you browse the gallery, where you can buy stunning examples of aboriginal art.

While you’re in Perth, you simply have to go to the Bell Tower. Located on Riverside Drive, the Bell Tower is a stunning example of modern architecture. After Western Australia was offered a priceless gift of historic European bells for its Bicentennial celebrations in 1988, it was decided to build an architectural structure worthy of them. More bells have been acquired since then, including an enormous, 459 kilogram bell dating back to 1550 and the legendary 12 bells of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields, whose origins go back to before the fourteenth century.

These few examples of Perth attractions are just a handful out of dozens of places to see and things to do in this amazing city. After you have seen Perth for yourself, you’ll know why it has a reputation as one of the world’s best capital cities. Your Perth accommodation will reflect the city itself – refined, sophisticated and still in touch with nature.