I am ashamed to admit that I have travelled shockingly little of Australia outside of Queensland. Apart from a a few visits to Canberra and a drive to Dubbo to visit the Western Planes Zoo when I was in primary school, I have yet to venture to most other parts. Whilst Sydney and probably more so Melbourne have always been destinations that I have wanted to visit, somehow I have not actually gotten my act together to actually book flights.…
I am a big fan of Airbnb. I love the whole concept of actually living like a local, being able to embrace the culture and make new friends. It’s economical, you have more control over the type of accommodation you have (single room, whole unit, house, mansion, cave, treehouse) and you often get great tips about where you are staying from people who know what they are talking about and not working on commission. Besides, how many other ways could you…
I love flying. I don’t think I have ever not had a huge grin on my face whilst taking off. For me, as soon as the engines start to roar and you have the moment of lift off, in that moment, nothing seems impossible. However, flights can be uncomfortable, boring and often exhausting if you aren’t prepared. And starting and ending a journey feeling as though you wish you had never left the comfort of your bed are not a…
Hong Kong is continuing to be full of surprises. Trust me on this; this “stop over” city is a stop in itself. I don’t know if there are many places in the world where you can catch cable cars up over incredible mountains and hiking tracks to a giant Buddha and serene temples, 1 hour later find yourself in the most luxurious shopping centres (including a book store called Page One which truly blew my mind) before heading out to…
I must admit something. Hong Kong has never been particularly high on my must-visit list. And this is a must-visit list which practically has everywhere that does not have some sort of political or social unrest on it. Other than being a nice place to transfer flights, it had not even really crossed my mind to actually venture out into the city. Besides being a business hub, how is it different from visiting any other big city? I was wrong. Completely…
What did I do in my whirlwind time in Ho Chi Minh City? I ate. Shopped at a shopping centre. Bartered at the markets. Avoided being hit by motorbikes and cars (which is actually somewhat of a feat). Had drinks at the Majestic Hotel (where if walls could talk, this place would tell quite the story). Visited the same-same, but completely different Notre Dame Cathedral (coincidentally on the 1 year anniversary of my visiting and climbing the real Notre Dame…
After saying our sad goodbyes to family and the friends we had made in Hoi An (and passing 8 wedding set ups during the morning), we arrived in Ho Chi Minh City excited about our next taste of Vietnam. On a side note, weddings are a huge thing in Vietnam. Everybody comes. The food is abundant and the joy is real. Each guest just gives money in an envelope that goes towards the cost of the wedding (hence why they can…
Before arriving in Hoi An, I was certainly under no illusion that I wasn’t going to learn something from the Vietnamese. For me, learning is such a huge part of the joy of travelling. Yet, how much I have learned has still caught me by surprise. I have seen some strange things since I have been here. People riding water buffalo by the side of the road, kitchens and building sites where you can assume the O in OH&S has been replaced…