Catching the train from London to Marseille
Did you know it is now possible to get the train direct from London to Marseille? Marvellous Marseille is somewhere I have been lucky enough to visit several times, and I have always flown there. So, when Eurostar launched their direct London to Marseille service and I was planning a trip with a girlfriend (who is afraid of flying), it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. It’s easy to let the UK’s island status make you automatically look for flights whenever you wish to leave the country. Flights are generally inexpensive, making them tempting, but there are also plenty of overseas trips by sea and rail on offer, with…
Visiting Summer Bay
Did you know, one of Sydney’s most popular sights isn’t in Sydney at all? Summer Bay is only an hour from Sydney, meaning fans of the popular television show Home and Away can easily visit the bay on a straightforward daytrip from Sydney. Along with Neighbours, Home and Away is one of Australia’s most successful TV exports. The program has been following the exploits of Summer Bay locals for almost 30 years, with viewers tuning in from all around the world. Home and Away is filmed at Palm Beach, a seaside town 45 km north of Sydney. So visitors won’t find signs saying ‘Summer Bay’ as the town is fictional.…
Free things to do in Cape Town
Isolated at the southern end of the vast African continent, Cape Town bustles with activity at the foot of Table Mountain. With a sunny Mediterranean climate and striking scenery, Cape Town offers outdoor adventures, history, some marvellous wines and even penguins! Cape Town has a lot to keep cost-savvy travellers busy. Here are some ideas of free (and very inexpensive) things to do in Cape Town. Drive the Cape of Good Hope If you have access to a car, a drive around the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is a must. Marvel at how brave early seamen must have been to negotiate the waters of the southern Atlantic as…
Brisbane – Is it worth a visit?
While visitors to Australia flock to Sydney and Melbourne, Queensland’s capital Brisbane is often overlooked. With a nickname like ‘BrisVegas’ it’s understandable to wonder what to expect! Brisbane is an interesting city, especially because in lots of ways it feels like it is still trying to decide what it will be when it grows up. The city has plenty to offer visitors, with an interesting mix of history, entertainment and the great outdoors, all in a mild climate, and usually under sunny skies. Most tourists visiting Queensland are lured by the state’s greatest drawcard, the Great Barrier Reef. As if the reef wasn’t enough, north Queensland also has lush rainforest…
5 of the best stopover destinations between Europe and Australia
While we can all be glad a trip to Australia no longer means spending weeks at sea, long-haul travel still has an uncanny ability to make us resemble our passport photos. Long flights connecting to other long flights, are hard work for any traveller, but they do offer an opportunity to taste-test new destinations. These are my favourite stopovers between Europe and Australia. During the time I have been living in Australia I have made several trips to Europe and explored lots of other destinations on the way. I have made a conscious effort to enjoy stopovers in different locations on each trip. While I don’t have a lot of…
17 Things you might not know about Istanbul
Turkey’s historic city Istanbul is known for many things, like being the world’s only city to straddle two continents, and being a great place to buy a Turkish carpet. However, this ancient city has lived many lives and has lots of stories to tell. There are probably several you haven’t heard yet. Here are 17 things you might not know about Istanbul. 1. Despite being the capital of the Roman Empire three times, and being by far the largest city in Turkey, Istanbul is not the capital. Ankara is the nation’s capital city, since Ataturk declared Turkey a republic in 1923. 2. Constantinople (also previously known as Byzantium, Stamboul and…
Kek Lok Si – South East Asia’s largest Buddhist Temple
As well as the colours making it a photographer’s dream destination, Kek Lok Si Temple is one of the most beautiful, unique and peaceful places you can visit in bustling Penang. Perched on a quiet hilltop, this fascinating temple harmoniously blends two forms of Buddhism with traditional Chinese beliefs, and is said to be the largest Buddhist temple in South East Asia. The result is a quiet place of worship covered in stunning artwork. It is definitely worth visiting when you are in Penang. The history of Kek Lok Si Temple Constructed between 1890 and 1930, thanks to generous donations from five wealthy Chinese merchants, Kek Lok Si is still…
48 Hours in Noosa
If you haven’t visited Noosa yet, you really should. While offering swanky boutiques and indulgent resorts, the Noosa region of the Sunshine Coast is also a great location from which to launch into several adventures, and make the most of the beautiful natural surroundings. Even if you only have a few days or a weekend to spare, there are so many great things to do in Noosa, and it’s only 90 minutes from Brisbane, making it the perfect weekend getaway. Noosa, at the northern end of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, is a popular destination for both domestic and international travellers, and with good reason; it really has something for everyone, and…
House sit and see the world for free
House sitting is a great way to extend your travel budget, enjoy accommodation standards you couldn’t normally afford, or get to know a new area by living like a local and exploring it for longer than a quick holiday. But how do you arrange a house sit and what is involved? Here is my introduction to house sitting. What does house sitting involve? House sitting is the exchange of services (looking after someone’s home and pets) for free accommodation. International variances in homes and lifestyles mean each opportunity is different. The most basic expectation is that house sitters keep the house in good condition until the owner returns. There can…
Three of Europe’s best coastal hikes
Europe has some incredible scenery, and a hiking adventure is one of the best ways to truly appreciate it.The European continent has it all, beautiful lakes, majestic mountains and spectacular rivers, with unique and charming towns and villages, often historic, scattered throughout, not to mention the food! There is an enormous variety of walking paths, offering everything from simple strolls to hardcore hiking. These three walks are my favourite coastal hikes in Europe, and worth the effort for the views alone. The Lycian Way, Turkey Covering more than 500 kilometres, the Lycian Way (Lykia Yolu) is made up of several historic pathways that stretch along Turkey’s beautiful south west coast…
