Sydney Sensation

 

An Unseen Beauty

The Unseen Beauty of Bangladesh; A country only known for the poverty but never seen for its natural beauty.

 

Tight Ass $Tenners

The Food Guide for The Cheapos!

There are some days even spending a dollar hurts the wallet. There is nothing worse than budgeting while your peers are indulging in great food. You also try the cheap cafes or restaurants but are constantly disappointed by the service and quality of the food, which makes you think you should have just paid that extra money to have a good lunch. Then there are the places that are a ‘one off great-service’, these are the worst ones! I’m the kind who loves to seek out places that you can go back regularly and not have to worry about how much money you have left over, but just enjoy the food with the great company of my friends.

Here is a Quick guide of places in Melbourne I love to go to get good quality food for under $10 and am never let down by the service. They’re not the most fanciest of places but believe me for the price you pay for the great servings you get, they are definitely the places you can afford to go regularly.

5. Asian Beer Café – This is a great place to get those infamous $4 pizzas and $10 beer jugs. Being just across the street from RMIT and a few blocks down from Melbourne uni, it’s a great place for students to come down during their lunch breaks. The ambience of the place is quite chilled out and some of the interior decorations are actually quite interesting. It’s a place for good laughs with your friends and it really does have a nice view of the streets of Melbourne from their balcony. Even make your way into their restrooms, there is a tape recording that plays some fun facts which you can’t help but linger on in there a little longer to listen to.

4. Vege Bar – While I may not be vegan, this place does not make it hard to think it might be okay to be one day. I love everything about this place! The faux chicken to the flourless chocolate cakes, I could eat all the dishes right down to the very last drop. If you’re a meat lover like I am, your first reaction to this place would be “No Thankyou” just like my initial reaction, but when I tasted that chicken faux wrap I couldn’t even tell the difference! Infact, I think it even tasted better than real chicken. Good vibe, good price, located on Fitzroy Street, only downside to it is that it is always busy and you can’t book a table so if you go during peak hours, you may be spending 20 minutes waiting at the bar waiting to be seated and another 20 minutes for the food. I don’t usually mind because it gives me a good chance to catch up with my friends.

 

3. The Hive Bar and Grill– Previously known as Coco Inc, this restaurant islocated on High Street, North of Melbourne! Coco Inc used to be my favourite restaurant to go to, however, they have recently closed down. The Hive Bar and Grill is not to shabby, has a really cool, chilled out bar type feel to the place. The great thing is they have kept some of the best dishes that was served at Coco Inc. They have a great selection of pasta, foccacias, risotto and other meals. These guys are not shy with their servings! I can never order a main and am constantly struggling to get through their entrees. Their focaccia’s are all under $10 and I struggle to eat it all. Also just for an extra $3 you can order an entrée size of the pastas that is good for lunch and dinner. And if ever you are willing to spend a little more to get the best experience at this place, order their parmigiana for $17 which comes with side serves of chips and salad. Finish the night off with one of their many selection of hot chocolates from hazelnut, coconut to chilli flavour. Give these guys a call before you go in and book a table because they can get quite busy.

2. Sushi Deli – This place is a small Japanese shop on Little Bourke Street. You are bound to walk past this place if you find yourself walking up and down this street. There is nothing that stands out about this place and I think that is half the appeal to this place. They offer bowls of traditional fares such as Curry don and Chicken teriyaki don with a can of coke all for $10 and their sushis range from $2-$3. This place closes by 4pm so they are great for if you’re in the city during lunch hours. This place has their regulars and have also noticed their customers are mainly businessman who perhaps work around the corner because they are certain to get their orders in less than 5 minutes. Fast service, great servings and the staff may not speak very well English but are super friendly.

 

1. Fresh Chilli – This place is great place to enjoy takeaway Thai food with your family and friends because between everyone you can order meals and share the dishes amongst you all. They are situated in Laverton, West of Melbourne and are constantly busy and never fail to give great service. They are only open for dinner and if you are not budgeting one night it is definitely worth sitting at the restaurant and ordering a few dishes off their menu. Definitely make sure you end the night off with their coconut icecream and you’ll be coming back for more.

There’s plenty more decent places around Melbourne and you may not agree with my choices, this is just a top 5 List in my opinion that I prefer to go to if I am short of cash.

Have you been to any better places in Melbourne recently? Leave a comment below!

Travel To South America – Get It Right!

Dreamed of travelling to South America but have always been hesitant because of stories you hear from people?

Questioned your fitness level and wondered could you ever trek the Inca Trail?

Do you always brush off possible tours to South America because you think it is going to be too expensive?

I have definitely asked myself these and many more questions in the past. For the last 2 months now I have been researching blogs, tour companies, attended the Travel Expo, spoken to several Travel agents and just exhausted the research process.

I attended an evening session recently where we had a representative from G Adventures who gave a good 30-40 minutes presentation going over the main tourist spots all around South America. I thought since I have finally booked my trip (yayy!!), I might share things that helped me with the decision making and coming to a conclusion to just jump the gun and book this dream trip.

The Time is Right

When booking your trip, make sure to set a realistic time frame. It is possible to cover some of the popular countries in S.America within 3 weeks but you’ll need to be very time efficient. It was recommended for this time frame to perhaps try cover 2-3 countries in S.America, for example, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. If time is not a factor 6 weeks is encouraged, as South America is a very large continent, there is a lot to cover and make sure to allow for flight delays.

Altitude Sickness

Try to give yourself 2-3 days to get around from one country to the other. This will allow for flexibility on any time loss due to flight delays. Also, if you are looking to go to Machu Picchu, the start and end point will be at Cuzco, which is very high up. It is very common to suffer from altitude sickness at Cuzco and it is recommended to give at least 1-3 days to get accustomed to the altitude and to the environment. Altitude sickness doesn’t affect any certain people, it could still affect someone who is very actively fit, and so it is good to climatize to Cuzco altitude prior to setting off for your trek.

If you do suffer from Altitude sickness, make sure to see a local doctor, as they can help with reducing the symptoms. Possible symptoms may include dizziness, sleepless nights, nausea, loss of appetite etc. A very popular remedy is to chew on coco leaves and can be found very readily in Cuzco. Other remedies may be medicinal drugs or wristbands to prevent from getting sick. Make sure to stay hydrated and keep your energy up!

Connect your Transportation

Make sure to have connecting transportation booked PRIOR to arrival in South America. It is highly recommended you pay for these with your travel agent, as the transport companies are highly trustable that are affiliated with travel agencies. While the East Coast is more westernised and there are more English-speaking residents, it is still advisable that you book a private car, taxi or some sort of transportation from the airport to your hotel as it is much safer and reliable. In the West coast especially Bolivia and Columbia, it is highly encouraged that you book a private car to take you back and forth the airport and your hotel as theft and crime levels are higher in these regions. Try to also stick to flights between Columbia, Peru, Bolivia and Chile as you may experience more trouble crossing the borders of these countries if you were to travel say via Bus instead of Airplanes.

Cheaper and Alternative Transportations

While the west coast may not be so convenient in terms of transportation other than flights, the east coast from Chile to Rio has many connecting routes that are cheap, convenient and safer. There are first class buses where you can recline your chair all the way back and have TV viewing for under $100 US. I have been told you could even play Bingo on your trip (Any kind of entertainment is better than a long, boring bus drive)! This is a much better and cheaper alternative to flights if you have the time to travel by bus.

Now that you have an idea of what to expect in South America, next comes the fun part… Choosing your destinations!

So the main highlights that most tourists wish to visit are starting from the North in Columbia, down to Ecuador across to the Galapagos, further down to Quito, Lima, Peru, Bolivia and down south in Chile, Argentina and finally Brazil.

Country Highlights

Columbia

If you want good food, great coffee, feel the culture; Columbia may be the spot for you.  As mentioned by the G Adventures rep, the people are some of the “friendliest, beautiful people and has many tropical places” and you should not listen to the bad perception that most people have of Columbia. From the research I have done and spoken to several people who have been to Columbia, they spoke very highly of Columbia and the culture and that it was one of their most favorite places they visited.

Galapagos

“There is nowhere else in the world where you will get up and close to the animals as you do in Galapagos” is how the rep described it. If you are mad about nature, this place is apparently a MUST for travellers. There are several tours that go to Galapagos from Quito that Include flights to Galapagos and back. Some tours could go for 6, 7 to 10 days but 10 days is mostly recommended as you can lose around 3 days just travelling to Galapagos, back and around. There are several activities that include seeing the animals and getting up and personal, swimming, snorkeling and for the passionate divers while most tours don’t organise this for travellers, you can always take a day away from the group to do so yourself. Isabella Island is apparently very common for running group and private diving.

Also a side note, if you book tours with G Adventures to go to Galapagos as well as Peru, you get a free connecting flight from Quito to Lima which saves you about $600-$800!

Peru

There are two different ways to travel to Machu Picchu. You can either train it or hike it.

For the activity lovers, trekking the Inca Trail is highly recommended. There are several tours that can take 7 days, which will include 4 days and 3 nights of hiking the tracks. You are to leave your bags and luggage at Cuzco, which is your starting point and can bring along a daypack with you and your sense of adventure! You could be walking for 8-12 hours each day and may get the opportunity to trek through the Sacred Valley and visit some of the locals there. The 4th day is your last morning when you will walk for 2 hours to get to Sun Gate and then to view the Machu Picchu. This tour is rated a 4 out of 5 physical activity level, it’s not a walk in the park but I have been told that people of all fitness levels can get through it and you also have the option to hire trekking sticks to help you along the way.

The second option is to take the Rail up to Machu Picchu. While you may not get the full view and experience of the trek, you are still able to witness the breathtaking views of the Machu Picchu and lets be honest, who is going to give up that offer when you travel to South America?

You can also take your passport with you to get stamped once you get to Machu Picchu (Cool!!). While it all sounds amazing, it couldn’t be stressed enough on the information night that you should book in advance as tours to Machu Picchu is very popular in South America and you also need to organise to get your Permit at least 3 months in advance. Also bare in mind there are no trekking in the month of February due to the Rio Carnival.

After visiting Machu Picchu some tours take you down to Aguas Calientes but if you are travelling solo, it is highly recommended you spend some nights here. There are great music, markets and culture to experience and while you’re at it why not try their infamous local dish… Guinea Pigs!

Upon returning to Cuzco, it has been recommended that you spend some nights here also for the cheap shopping at the local markets as well as their food.

If you are still unsure whether you wish to trek the Machu Picchu or take a Rail up, there are several maps on the net that show you the spots and sceneries around that might help you make up a decision.

Bolivia

Deep into the desert is where the true beauty of Bolivia lies. The salt flats are one of the breathtaking views in Bolivia you can drive to in a 4WD. There’s hot thermal springs, 100s of flamencos, Pink and Red Lake and “even a crazy tree rock along the way” (That is how the rep described it!). I did a bit of research myself and it is called a stone tree situated in the Atacama Desert. A nest of these “crazy rock” formations can be found in the middle of the desert. You can travel here with 10-15 days in hand to experience Bolivia.

Brazil

The host of the world cup, Rio Carnival, Christ the Redeemer the most picturesque view in the world and not to mention one of the 7 wonders of the world. This place is buzzing with culture, beautiful beaches, dancing and friendly people. You can go up to the Sugar Loaf Mountain for spectacular views, visit Copacabana. There are also opportunities for a trip to the favelas to see how the residents live in the slums, see the schools and why not get in touch with the inner youth and play a friendly game of soccer with the children. You can also Hang Glide to get a different sort of view of Rio. There are plenty of activities and things to see in Brazil.

Once you have decided on your times and places you wish to visit make a trip down to one of your local travel agents. There are so much more things to consider when travelling to South America, it is a very large continent. If it helps I have researched G Adventures, Intrepid and Contiki tours. I did not feel that Contiki covered enough of South America and the tours seemed very rushed so that was not an option. My invested time went into learning about G Adventures and Intrepid and I have booked tours with both companies. There didn’t seem too much difference between the two companies, they both give you similar cultural experience. G Adventures won the Inca Trail tours hands down over Intrepid since they’ve been running it for 20 years, but we booked our remaining tours to Columbia and Buenos Aires to Rio with Intrepid purely because we were able to negotiate a better price with them. It all came down to the price difference that helped us make the final decision. I can’t say much about the tour companies obviously because I have not experienced it but definitely check back after my visit because I will definitely blog about it then.

I’ve mentioned tips I have heard from several people, my tip is to take it slow. Make sure to be very thorough with your planning and organization. Be patient, it doesn’t hurt to delay the process to get a better price. Try to organise the trip from a year in advance this way you really do save hundreds to thousands of dollars.

 

 

Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour London

“Mr Gorbachev Tear Down This Wall”

And we LOVE you Berlin

Tear Down This Wall

Rio de Janeiro- Points of Interest

 Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro

Ipanema is a neighborhood located in the South Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between Leblon and Arpoador.

Copacabana

Copacabana is a bairro located in the South Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for its 4 km balneario beach, which is one of the most famous in the world.

Christ The Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, considered the largest Art Deco statue in the world. It is 30 metres tall, not including its 8 metres pedestal, and its arms stretch 28 metres wide.

Sugarloaf Mountain

Sugarloaf Mountain is a peak situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the mouth of Guanabara Bay on a peninsula that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Tijuca Forest

The Tijuca Forest is a mountainous hand-planted rainforest in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is claimed to be the world’s largest urban forest, covering some 32 km², although there are sources

Arpoador, Rio de Janeiro

Arpoador is a region located on the southern zone of the city Rio de Janeiro, in a small peninsula between Ipanema and Copacabana. It is not officially recognized as a neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.

Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden

The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden or Jardim Botânico is located at the Jardim Botânico district in the “Zona Sul” of Rio de Janeiro. The Botanical Garden shows the diversity of Brazilian and foreign flora.

Escadaria Selarón

Escadaria Selarón is a set of world-famous steps in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They are the work of Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón who claimed it as “my tribute to the Brazilian people”.

Pedra da Gávea

Pedra da Gávea is a mountain in Tijuca Forest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Composed of granite and gneiss, its elevation is 844 metres, making it one of the highest mountains in the world that ends directly in the ocean.

Parque Lage

Parque Lage is a public park in the city of Rio De Janeiro, located in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood at the foot of the Corcovado. The land was formerly the residence of industrialist Enrique Lage and his wife, singer Gabriela Bezanzoni.

Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Rio de Janeiro

Neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro
Recreio dos Bandeirantes is both the name of a beach and neighborhood in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a recent development, with no skyscrapers, and the area also contains jungles atop rocky cliffs and hills

Paquetá Island

Paquetá Island is an island in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. The name of the island is a Tupi word meaning “many pacas”. The island is an auto-free zone, so travel is limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages.

National Museum of Brazil

The National Museum of Brazil is a centenarian museum and research institution, located in the Quinta da Boa Vista park in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ilhas Cagarras Island

The Cagarras Islands make up an uninhabited archipelago located 5 km or 3 miles off Ipanema, a major beach of the southern coast of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, outside Guanabara Bay, and occupy an area of 2 km². 

Governador Island

Governador Island is the largest island in Guanabara Bay, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It has a population of about 300,000 inhabitants, in a small area of 42 km².

Imperial Museum of Brazil

The Museu Imperial de Petrópolis is a museum situated in the historic center of Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is housed in the former summer palace of the emperor Dom Pedro II, built in 1845.

Quito – Points of Interest

 Pichincha Volcano

Pichincha is an active stratovolcano in the country of Ecuador, whose capital Quito wraps around its eastern slopes. The mountain’s two highest peaks are the Guagua, which means “child” in Quechua and the Rucu, which means “old person”

El Panecillo

Panecillo is a 200-metre-high hill of volcanic-origin, with loess soil, located between southern and central Quito. Its peak is at an elevation of 3,016 metres above sea level.

Cotopaxi National Park

Cotopaxi National Park is a protected area in Ecuador situated in the Cotopaxi Province, Napo Province and Pichincha Province, roughly 50 km south of Quito

Basilica Del Voto Nacional

The Basilica of the National Vow is a Roman Catholic church located in the historic center of Quito, Ecuador. It is the largest neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas

Church and Convent of Francis

The Church and Monastery of St. Francis, commonly known as el San Francisco, is a 16th-century Roman Catholic complex in Quito, Ecuador. It fronts onto its namesake Plaza de San Francisco.

Teleferico

The TelefériQo, or TelefériQo Cruz Loma, is a gondola lift in Quito, Ecuador, running from the edge of the city centre up the east side of Pichincha Volcano to lookout Cruz Loma.

Church of the Society of Jesus

The Church of the Society of Jesus, known colloquially as la Compañía, is a Jesuit church in Quito, Ecuador.

Parce La Carolina

Parque La Carolina is a 165.5-acre park in the centre of the Quito central business district, bordered by the avenues Río Amazonas, de los Shyris, Naciones Unidas, Eloy Alfaro, and de la República.

La Capilla Del Hombre

Oswaldo Guayasamín´s Capilla del Hombre occupies a site in Bellavista overlooking the city of Quito. The Capilla is a purpose built art museum dedicated to the peoples of Latin America.

Atacazo

Atacazo is a volcano of the Western Cordillera, southwest of Quito, Ecuador. It lies 25 kilometers south-west of Quito. Southwest of Atacazo is another volcano known as Ninahuilca.

G Adventures Tour – The Great South American Journey

Planning for South America has begun! Several options are available, much research process has all led to this great package with G Adventures (Click here to visit website). A 65 Day Tour for as low as $7400 and that includes accommodation, internal flights and meals.

Currently in talks with Student Flight agents. It is definitely worth while to bring up discounts with the representative because even if you travel alone you could get as low as 5% discount or travelling with a friend could get you unto 10% discount! So don’t be shy! Nothing has been set in stone price wise, but keep a look out on this page for how much everything costs for my trip!

Places Visited: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, Peru, Uruguay

Physical Grading -4 You might encounter a few high-altitude hikes or other more strenuous activities. Pro tip: Put down that pastry, buster.

Travel Style -YOLO Designed for young, budget-minded travellers, Yolo trips maximize time and money by squeezing the most out of a destination. This ain’t your typical big-bus tour, though. Small groups, insider access and personal freedom to follow the whim of the moment are the order of the day, every day.

SERVICE LEVEL — BASIC

• Excellent value, amazing prices, quality experiences
• Simple and clean hotels, guesthouses and hostels chosen for location and character
• Affordable public and private transport for maximum cultural interaction
• Plenty of optional activities tailored to your interests and budget

Day 1 Quito (Click here for List of Attractions)

Arrive at any time.

Day 2-4 Amazon Jungle Homestay (3B,3L,3D)
Travel to the jungle city of Tena, then continue by truck and motorized canoe to a jungle community. Spot wildlife on nature walks and learn about local traditions while overnighting in a homestay.

Day 5-8 Baños/Cuenca
Time to get active with outdoor optional activities such as hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking, or opt to soak in the nearby hot springs. Explore historic Cuenca, head to Cajas National Park or check out the Inca ruins of Ingapirca.

Day 9-13 Mancora/Huanchaco
Head to the beach and enjoy optional activities like surfing or horseback riding. Continue by overnight bus on Day 11 to Huanchaco, where optional activities include visiting pre-Inca sites or the city of Trujillo—or enjoying more beach time. Overnight bus on Day 13 to Lima.

Day 14-18 Lima/Paracas/Nazca (1D)
Explore Peru’s capital. Don’t miss its tasty ceviche and pisco sours. Optional visit to Ballestas Islands before travelling to Nazca. Stop at a winery en route at the Oasis of Huacachina. Indulge in a traditional Pachamanca meal. Optional sandboarding and flight over the Nazca Lines before an overnight bus on Day 18.

Day 19-22 Arequipa/Colca Canyon
Optional visit to the Catalina Convent or a local hot spring. Spot condors on a guided tour to Colca Canyon. Overnight bus on Day 22.

Day 23-30 Cuzco/Ollantaytambo/Inca Trail (3B,3L,3D)
Free time to explore Cusco. Take an optional city tour or go whitewater rafting, horseback riding or mountain biking. En route to Ollantaytambo, opt to take a Sacred Valley tour and visit a Planeterra-supported women’s weaving co-op. Take in Inca culture, history and great views on a 4-day guided Inca Trail hike with a visit to Machu Picchu. Planeterra-supported handmade biodegradable soap products for use on the Inca Trail.

Day 31-33 Puno/Lake Titicaca (1B,1L,1D)
Visit the floating Islands of Uros and take a guided tour of Lake Titicaca with a homestay in a small village.

Day 34-36 La Paz
Explore the city’s winding streets and lively markets and opt to visit the Valley of the Moon. Oxygen bar anyone? Overnight bus on Day 36.

Day 37-40 Sucre/Potosí
Opt to take an excursion to nearby dinosaur tracks, explore the cities, go mountain biking or check out a working silver mine.

Day 41-43 Uyuni/Salt Flats (2B,2L,2D)
3-day 4×4 excursion to the Uyuni Salt Flats and surrounding desert altiplano with spectacular scenery.

Day 44-47 San Pedro de Atacama/Salta
Free time in San Pedro to try sandboarding, go mountain biking, or visit the Valley of the Moon. In Salta, check out the scenic Quebrada de las Conchas to Cafayate, the High Mountain Arqueological museum, and enjoy local cuisine.

Day 48-50 Buenos Aires
Avoid the long bus journey with a quick flight to Buenos Aires. Free time to explore the many attractions here. Check out a football game, watch a tango show, or take in the city’s famous nightlife.

Day 51-56 Colonia/Montevideo/Estancia (2B,2L,2D)
Free time to explore to get a flavour of Uruguay. Leave the city and lights behind in favour of rural life—get dirty at a working ranch. Go for a hike and be sure to indulge in a local barbecue with wine from the region. Overnight bus on Day 56.

Day 57-63 Iguassu Falls/Paraty/Ilha Grande
Explore both the Argentine and Brazilian sides of the falls. Opt for a helicoptor flight over the natural wonder or take a boat near the base of the falls. Fly to the coast, and opt to go for a hike, relax on the beach, take a boat trip to nearby islands, or try the local libations on the Brazilian coast.

Day 64 Rio de Janeiro
Explore the city using a centrally located hotel in Copacabana as a base.

Day 65 Rio de Janeiro (Click here for List of Attractions)
Depart at any time.

Click here for Full Itenerary 

A Bad Day In London Is Still Better Than A Good Day Anywhere Else