My adventure stories from Australia

I have always, since a young age, had a fear of death and for a long time that put me off doing many things. But after a close family member died way before their time, my fear turned into dying without having properly lived, having let opportunities sail me by. Since then, I've stopped saying no to things and instead saying maybe or yes.

Adventure stories from Australia

Back in 2009, I headed to Australia on a holiday visa for three months with two aims: visiting as much as I possibly could and being more adventurous. You might not see these as an adventure, but for me they certainly were!

Diving

My first attempt at diving in Cairns did no go so well... a newbie diver diving in open water is not the best idea. I sat through the safety demonstration, got all the diving gear on and got into the water. With the safety checks all done, I was ready to go. The instructor started deflating the buoyancy, I looked below me at the vast ocean and panicked. So I got back out of the water and went snorkelling instead. I might not have succeeded but at least I tried.


By the time I got to Airlie Beach, I was determined I was going to dive. I could not come all the way to Australia and not see the Great Barrier Reef. The way the dive was carried out was much better for newbies like me. From our boat we climbed into a dinghy boat which took us to a shallow bit where we could stand. It was much easier to be in control here and I managed to do the dive. Not only that but during the course of our 3 day boat trip, I even did 3 more dives..... from the open water. Go me! My dream of seeing a turtle was accomplished!

 

Diving at Whitsundays

Boat recommended: http://www.summertime-whitsundays.com/


Jungle surfing

At Cape Tribulation, in the heart of the rainforest, stand 6 tree stations of varying heights. All that awaits is for you to hold on tight and embrace the thrill. With my upcoming skydive, this did not really faze me. The fact that you stop at stations makes it easier to get through. Not only do you get a huge rush of adrenaline, you also get wonderful views of the forest and where it meets the Reef. I loved this activity and now wouldn't think twice of doing it in other locations.

 

 

Here is the link if you are interested: http://junglesurfing.com.au/. 

 

If you are going to overcome fears, Australia is the place for it. The best tip I can give is to start off small and build your way up to the more challenging activities. In this way, you will certainly build on your confidence.  I did far too many thrilling activities to mention in one post so look out for part 2 soon.

Places I would not go back to in a hurry

I always believe that our impressions of a place are based on how much we make of each particular experience. Those who open their mind to all types of new things will reap the most benefits. If you go travelling and immediately dismiss opportunities, you won't be getting an accurate feel for the place. It often depends on the company too, a particularly bleak place can be made better by good memories with friends.

 

I'd like to think I always go to a place with a blank canvas, although at times I may have listened to other people's accounts and thought "I hope it's not like that". Yet, in the case of the following cities, I truly have no desire to return and wish I had spent the time elsewhere. Some bloggers believe no travel is a waste, on the other hand I know that we have a limited time and want to hope I will get to see the destinations that leave a lasting impression.

It was easy to pick these simply by looking at my photo files. Anyone who knows me, knows I like to document my travels with a ton of photos. The only exception is when there is not much to see or do. If I get restless in a place within 2 days, the case with all the places mentioned below, then I know it's not for me.

Places I would not go back to in a hurry

Marbella. Only positives about this place are the weather and a quite nice port. Full of pretentious shops, food and people. To be brutally honest, it doesn't even feel like you are in Spain.

 

The only thing that's not pretentious!

Adelaide. Probably my least favourite of them all! Dull and boring, not much to see at all. Nightlife and friendly people are it's saving grace.

There's only so long you can chill at a park

Nîmes. Although it does have some nice monuments, it didn't really leave any lasting impression on me. Having said that, out of them all, it's the most cultural and if you really twisted my arm and made me pick one, it would be this.

 

 

Darwin. I almost feel bad for putting in 2 Australian destinations because I loved so many places in Australia and would go back to them in a heartbeat. On top of that, I had a good time in Darwin but purely based on the company I had ( I'm not only talking about the goon!) but also the nightlife is pretty darn good. I'm glad I went but I wouldn't waste my time or money returning. Many seem to think Kakadu National Park is in Darwin but it's actually 2 hours away. If you take that out the equation, there's nothing that really springs to mind that would make me convince someone to go there.

I'm not a Moaning Myrtle, out of all the places I have been these are the only ones! If you do go to any of them, I hope you thoroughly enjoy your time and let me know what made you enjoy it.

Backpacking Australia : Cape Tribulation

Since I've been blogging heaps about Australia, for a bit of variation I'm going to a Question and Answer type post!

Q1  Where is it?

I hadn't even heard of this place before arrival in Cairns and yet I probably enjoyed it more than Cairns! It's in Queensland about 3 hours drive north from Cairns. It is where the rainforest meets the reef, in other words, a tropical paradise full of adventures.

Q2 Where should I stay?

Accommodation in this area is fairly limited. We stayed at the Ferntree Rainforest Lodge which was a bit more expensive than what we were used to. For backpackers, there are shared dormitories which come in a little cheaper and allow you to meet new people. It also has a lovely pool and 5 minute walk from the village.

Q3 What is there to do?

1. Go on a cruise of the Daintree River and be on the lookout for some crocs ( only the ones that maim you so don't worry!).

2. Visit Port Douglas for some stunning panoramic views.


3. Take a walk through the National Park and have a swim in the Mossman River - can't remember if this has crocs but you'll soon find out!


4. Go to the beach - be careful as you need to walk down a road with no pavements. Or you can do it as a horse ride. Then you walk down a pathway for about 5 minutes. There are warning signs all over - yep you guessed it, those crocs again!

5. Failing all else there is a bottle shop on the main road - it's a good time as any to buy some goon ( cheap wine!)

Q4 What was your favourite activity?

Doing a canopy tour through the rainforest - what better place to do it? After a safety demonstration and being given a "celebrity" helmet - I was given Barbie despite being brunette- you make your way up the pathway. You start off at the tallest tree and work your way down 5 stations. The twist is some go really fast, some you do in a couple and some upside down. From up here, you also get wonderful views of the Reef. If you do one thing in Cape Trib', do this! Don't worry if you are scared of heights - if I can do it, you can too.

Holding on for dear life!

 

 

Definitely don't give it a miss! Thanks for reading and scroll down to see my other Australia posts.

 

Why Ronda is worth a rendez-vous!

Recently I've seen the quote "Don't be a tourist, be a traveller" and it's got me thinking. Why can't we be both? I see no problem with going somewhere like Barcelona and having a set itinerary of things to see and do, especially if you are only spending a little time there. Choosing what you want to see does not mean you won't stumble across things unexpectedly. It's equally good to arrive at a destination and see where it takes you, coming across places you hadn't heard about before or taking part in activities you never thought you would. Surely the intention is the same - to go somewhere new and learn things you didn't know before.

There's a reason why Spain is one of the top tourist destinations in Europe in that it offers something for everyone. From historic cities such as Granada, green landscapes in the north to little pueblos full of enchantment all over the country. It's a country full of history, with delicious food and drink and great weather. Having lived in Spain as a teenager, I have been lucky to visit twenty one different cities and will share the best experiences with you.


Ronda is a small city in the south of Spain, near Málaga. It is a city of culture with its famous bullring, squares and its pretty cobbled streets. The beauty of Ronda is that, whilst it is popular, it is not overburdened by tourists. You can visit the attractions peacefully and can see the locals living their daily lives.

 

El Puente Nuevo

 

 

It's main attraction is the "Puente Nuevo", a historic and picturesque bridge which offers lovely views of the nearby mountains. Just by strolling around I came across this gorge with wonderful views of the bridge and the river Tajo. With two mountain ranges nearby, it offers many opportunities for seeing the local fauna and flora. For those interested in history, just a few kilometres away you can visit the Pileta caves which have paintings that are centuries old.

 

 

 

Aerial view of the city

 

Ronda isn't somewhere you can get away with simply communicating in English. If you go to a restaurant or bar, they will talk to you in Spanish. I really love this about Ronda and wish more Spanish destinations would do the same.

 

 

 

Plaza del Socorro

 

 

I'd recommend staying in Ronda a couple of days at most. I went as part of a day trip in combination with the village Olvera. If you want to combine it with other cities, I recommend Málaga or Seville which are close by.

 

 

 

Arch of Philip V

 

 

Previous posts about Spain:

 

 http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/my-10-favourite-destinations-number-7.html

 

 http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/my-10-favourite-destinations-number-6.html

 

 http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/my-10-favourite-destinations-number-1.html

Backpacking Australia : Darwin to Cairns

 

After our 7 day tour from Adelaide through the Outback, we arrived in Darwin with our tour company Groovy Grape. Finally, some civilization at last and no more sleeping in tents or huts with creepy crawlies roaming around!

Personally, I loved the tranquillity of Darwin after what had been an adventure filled week. If however, you are looking for somewhere with lots to do during the day Darwin is not for you. Darwin is great for strolling around, doing some shopping and has a vibrant nightlife. From Darwin we flew to Cairns, a journey that only takes a couple of hours. If Darwin is for relaxing, Cairns is a pretty city with adventures aplenty for all. 

Although it can be a little bit more pricey, I recommend staying at the YHA here. It has a fun atmosphere, has spacious rooms and does airport pickups. It has an area for sitting chatting to new people, a tour booking office and movie nights.

Cairns waterfront

Cairns is situated at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef and there are many excursions available departing from the Reef Fleet Terminal. The boat I went on was called Reef Experience and included meals, all equipment needed for snorkelling and some very friendly staff. If you want to do scuba-diving then be prepared to pay extra.

My boat

 

 

If you are new to scuba diving, like I was, it can be pretty daunting to do it out in the open sea. You have to hold onto a rope which is attached to the boat and do your safety checks. As you look down there is absolutely nothing below you for what seems like miles. This put me off and I ended up coming straight back up and not completing the dive.

During high tide, Cairns has no beach but being a coastal location it has many beaches around it. To keep you cool during the hot summer, it has a lagoon situated at the Esplanade. With green spaces nearby in which to sunbathe, this makes for a very popular spot amongst locals and travellers alike. I much preferred this to a beach anyway!

The amazing lagoon

 



The Esplanade is also very popular and has free areas for a Barbie, an activity the locals can't get enough of.  As you stroll through the city, you will notice that the locals are very into their fitness. If you want to work off all the food eaten in your Barbie, you can use the fitness installations located along the Esplanade. They are free of charge and a standard feature in Australian cities.


There are many more things on offer here including shopping, doing hot balloon tours, visiting the Outback and taking a stroll along the Marina. At night, you won't be disappointed either with many options in terms of restaurants and pubs. For some crazy shenanigans head over to Gilligans where they do drinking competitions. My personal recommendation would be The Woolshed as there is a fun party mood, happy hours and table dancing. It is slightly tamer than Gilligans too.


I've yet to meet anyone who did not enjoy their time in Cairns, in fact I wish I had stayed longer. You could easily spend a week here before moving on. I would go as far to say that it's one of my top 5 locations in Australia.

Useful links ( these are not sponsored in any way!):

https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/qld/cairns-and-far-north-queensland/cairns-backpackers-hostel/

http://reefexperience.com.au/

http://www.thewoolshed.com.au/

https://www.gilligans.com.au/

Previous Backpacking Australia posts:

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/backpacking-around-australia-before.html

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/backpacking-australia-adelaide.html

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/backpacking-australia-adelaide-to.html

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/backpacking-australia-alice-springs-to.html

Backpacking Australia: Alice Springs to Darwin

  

I couldn't think of a better way to describe Alice Springs than the picture does. This town is located in the Northern Territory, a 6 hour drive from Uluru. As you are driving into it, you are greeted with wonderful views of the red hills that surround it. It is best to visit it after having been to Uluru to give you a chance to relax after all the walking!

As part of the Groovy Grape tour, we stayed here for 2 nights. Our lovely driver took us, as an extra and without any charge, to Aurora Alice Springs which is a hotel that has wallabies roaming in the grounds. You can buy pellets to feed them at the hotel.

 

 

The next day we started by walking up Anzac Hill from which gives you panoramic views of the town. Throughout Australia, there are Anzac memorials to those who have died in wars. This is where the Remembrance ceremonies take place each year on Anzac Day. If you are there on the 25th of March, don't miss it!

 

 

 

 

Alice Springs is a bustling town with many great shops and art galleries which offer Aboriginal art. There are many day tours that you can do nearby the town such as bike trails, helicopter rides and exploring the Outback. As backpackers we stuck to exploring the town itself but if I went back now, I would certainly want to visit more of the Outback and see more wildlife.

As a tourist, a visit to Bojangles Saloon is a must. Although popular with tourists, it is mainly frequented by the young Ozzies that live here. This restaurant serves amazing food and also has cameras around it. You can tell people at home to log onto a website and they can see you at the pub. For backpackers who have been away from home for a while, it is a brilliant idea and a good way of making more business.

 

What does strike you upon arrival here, and in most of the Northern territory, is the amount of Aborigine people. It is here that we found out that many are unemployed and are not treated well by the Australian government despite it being their homeland. As they have nothing to do, many lounge around in the outdoor public areas of the town. This article here explains the true reality for them: http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/04/alice-a07.html

 

Things to do between Alice Springs and Darwin (in geographical order)

 

1. Cross the Tropic of Capricorn.

 

2. Visit the creepy and interesting Wycliffe Well, the UFO centre of Australia.

 

3.  Visit the Devils Marbles for some cool photo opportunities.

 

4. Visit the Daly Waters aviation complex.

 

5. Visit the town of Katherine. Then, go visit Katherine Gorge. Here you can either go on a boat ride or do kayaking. Beware if kayaking as there are saltwater crocodiles.... but as the instructor tells you, they only maim you, they don't eat you alive! If you do kayaking, do not stop at the big warning signs where the breeding grounds are!

 

6. Visit Kakadu National Park. Our tour didn't include this but I know there are beautiful waterfalls and wildlife to be seen here.

 

 

 



 

My 10 Favourite Destinations: Number 1

 

Hurrah, it is finally time for my absolute favourite destination of all time. In case you haven't read my previous posts this is how it stands:

10. Krakow and Warsaw ( a cheeky joint entry!)
9. Monaco
8. Ireland ( includes Cork, Connemara and Dublin)
7. Granada
6.Gibraltar
5. Bruges
4. London
3. Oslo
2. Berlin

And my number one or número uno is......

SEGOVIA!

For those who are unfamiliar with it, it is situated just over an hour from Madrid in the region of Castilla y León.  This historic and picturesque city will not leave you unimpressed. It is no surprise that it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. I have been a handful of times and will definitely be back!

Attractions:

Segovia is a relatively small town which you could visit in one day trip. I recommend staying 2 days though in order to get a real feel for the place. There are many good hostels that are relatively cheap and all central.

1. The Viaduct is situated right in the centre of the city and you literally can't miss it. This magnificent feat of civil engineering was used in Roman times to transport water across the top. I am always amazed by how they managed to build such structures without the help of modern machinery. There are stairs at the side which take you to the top from where you get wonderful views of the city. Or you could sit at one of the cafés in Azoguejo Square, situated right next to the viaduct. I assume that it was built for its practical uses without taking into account the aesthetics and yet it really is a beautiful landmark.


2. The Alcázar is a Castle dating from the 12th Century and has been used for many other purposes over the years. It was one of the inspirations for the Castle in Cinderella. It is located on a rocky crag and has wonderful views over the city. If you decide to visit the inside, you won't be disappointed. It is not overpriced and indeed they offer different prices depending on what you want to visit. To see the full thing it is €7 which is excellent value for money.

 

Source of photo: http://free-stock-illustration.com/alcazar+de+segovia+pics

3. The Catedral de Segovia is situated next to the main square and dates from the Gothic period. Entry costs €3 and a further €2 if you want to visit the Tower. If you are interested in religious buildings, then it is definitely worth a visit. For me, it is most striking on the outside and although I have visited the inside of it, it certainly didn't interest me enough to visit the inside again in subsequent visits.

I always judge a place by the atmosphere, rather than the amount of touristy things to do. Indeed, it may be why I like Segovia so much because it has a relaxed atmosphere, you can take your time seeing the attractions but you also have time for wandering the streets and sitting in an outdoor café people watching and soaking up the sun.

With trips to New York, Washington and New Zealand in the planning stages it may not stay my favourite for long. Sometimes you associate a place with happy memories, for me that place will always be Segovia.

Backpacking Australia: Uluru and surrounding areas

Uluru

A tour of Australia would be incomplete without a visit to this natural landmark, a huge red single piece of rock more than 600 million years old that is considered a natural wonder due to its size. Uluru is the Aboriginal name for it, although it is more commonly known as Ayers Rock. It is situated in the Northern territory, a 16 hour drive away from Adelaide and 23 hour drive from Darwin. The nearest big town is Alice Springs which is 460 kilometres away!

Nothing will prepare you for the sheer magnitude of this rock and the amount of tourists that come from all over to see it. My friends and I visited it as part of the "Groovy Grape" tour from Adelaide to Darwin. We camped about an hour away in outdoor huts, which is what most tour companies offer. An early rise will allow you to see the colours of the Rock change from brown to red as the sun rises. It's not the type of thing that you could see it, take a picture and then move on somewhere else. At different points of the day it changes colours. As you stand looking at it, you feel an eerie sense of calm and wonder. Despite being surrounded by tourists, you feel like the only one there as everyone is quiet.

Next, I suggest visiting the Aboriginal Cultural Centre where you will find out that this landmark is very sacred to the Anangu, the local Aborigines. They have a number of stories they share down the generations that explain the different formations of the Rock. I seem to recall one about snakes and another about boys sliding down the rock which made the snakes angry. Wish I could recall it and share it with you!

Uluru close up

After that, I would recommend doing the walk around Uluru, which takes 3 and a half hours if you are walking at a reasonable pace. Be sure to take water and sunscreen with you as there is nowhere nearby. The ground is flat and easy to walk on if you have trainers on. There are certain parts where you can't get close to the Rock and I seem to recall you can be fined if you do not respect this. At certain stages, there are information points so look out for these.

There is also part of the Rock that can be climbed if you are interested, although it is very steep and dangerous. Personally I wouldn't do it as the Anangu see the Rock as sacred and believe it should not be touched, never mind climbed.

If you are there all day, you will get to see how the colours change as the sun goes down. There are nearby viewpoints where all the tourists converge. I recommend getting there early to find a good spot.

 

After another night in a hut worried about spiders and snakes, we set off for Kata Tjuta which are rock formations situated in the same National Park as Uluru. It can also be climbed although it is a very steep climb and not recommended for those who don't like heights. If you are brave enough to climb it, it takes 3 hours and you get to experience the Valley of the Winds which has wonderful viewpoints and scenery. I decided against climbing it, but my peers who climbed it thoroughly enjoyed it. Instead, I walked around the base in the cool shade and still managed to get lovely pictures. The picture below is merely the beginning of the walk!

That night, we stayed in nearby Kings Creek at another campsite but this time we were to sleep outside in a "swag" which is slightly better than a sleeping bag. For dinner, those who were more adventurous tried kangaroo tail and other specialities. We had been warned about the dingoes and not to go anywhere on our own, so imagine my sheer horror when I woke up with a dingo right beside my sleeping bag! The good thing is when you make noise, they disappear but I don't think I slept very well afterwards!

Our final adventure near Uluru was a visit to Kings Canyon, another magnificent landmark which is more like a Canyon, hence the name! This walk is definitely demanding with rugged landscapes, very little shade and steep hills. But as long as you take it slowly, it is doable. It has amazing views and is certainly worthwhile. The real nightmare about this place are the flies, although it may make you look unfashionable or uncool be sure to take a hat which a fly net on it.

The great thing about this place is although it's popular it is less frequented by tourists than Uluru. Also, you can decide how much you want to walk as you can just turn around and walk back the same way you came.

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting all three landmarks which have some similarities. However, if short on time I would say Uluru is the one that is most striking and from which you learn most about Aborigine culture. If you do not enjoy walking or climbing, then avoid the other places mentioned. If intending to go, I really recommend Groovy Grape Tours as they make it fun and interesting. Also they provide great value for money and do not try to rip you off.

Here are my previous posts about my wonderful time in Australia:

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/backpacking-around-australia-before.html

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/backpacking-australia-adelaide.html

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/backpacking-australia-adelaide-to.html

Backpacking Australia: Adelaide to Coober Pedy

Despite a rather rocky start in Adelaide, my trip through the centre was about to become interesting and exciting. My friends and I had booked a tour with a company called Groovy grape which would take us from Adelaide all the way north to Darwin. This company operates for backpackers mainly. If driving, I recommend you work out in advance where you will fill up on petrol, as stations are far apart and you don't want stranded in the Outback!

Our lovely driver, think he was called Bruce but might be making that up, kept us entertained during the more mundane parts of our 10 hour drive to Coober Pedy with historical facts about the Stuart Highway (the road that almost takes you from Adelaide to Darwin) and last minute stops to show us lizards at the side of the roads.

We stopped off at Glendambo and the picture below is no joke. The flies would drive you crazy here!

Nearby, we did a quick photo stop at the salt lake at Lake Gairdner. It was worthwhile to see but after we took some photos we hopped quickly back on the bus. By this stage, excitement was building on our wee tour bus as our final destination that day was Coober Pedy.

Coober Pedy is a small pretty town in a desert like area in South Australia. It gives you a sense of visiting "The Real Australia" and in fact many Aborigines live in this town. Many people living here live in "caves" ( houses built in the hillsides) due to the hot days and cold nights. It is very famous for it's opal mining and I recommend a visit to the Umoona Opal Mine Museum which shows you how opal is collected. It also shows the inside of what the hillside dwellings are like. Usually I'm not a fan of museums but I really liked this one. It has a gift shop with many enticing presents to treat yourself and others.

For backpackers or those who don't mind communal accommodation, I thoroughly recommend staying overnight at The Opal Cave which is underground. The "rooms" are for 4 people and you draw the curtain over at night for some more privacy. For something more luxurious, individual although expensive I recommend the Desert Cave hotel. These are the only 2 places I saw and can comment on but there are plenty more options - see the link below.

The Opal Cave

It's a nice little town to just walk around, has a nice church on the main street and has spectacular sunsets which you can't miss. There are not many places to eat and I would say that the most time you would want to spend here is 2-3 days. There are day trips you can do to explore the local area although I never did any of them so can't say if they are worth it.

Again, this was really only a transition stop for me en route to Alice Springs and Uluru, but I thoroughly enjoyed Coober Pedy and would recommend stopping off even if you can only stay a few hours. You get to see a different way of living and wonder how people can live in such an isolated place.

Tomorrow, my post will be about Coober Pedy- Alice Springs.

Useful links :

http://www.cooberpedy.net/tours

http://www.groovygrape.com.au/

http://www.umoonaopalmine.com.au/

http://www.desertcave.com.au/

http://www.southaustralia.com/info.aspx?id=9001968


Previous posts about Australia:

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/backpacking-australia-adelaide.html

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/backpacking-around-australia-before.html

Backpacking Australia: Adelaide

 A few months ago I posted some tips about planning a backpacking trip to Australia and valuable tips I learned during my own experience. Over the next few weeks I will post daily about all the wonderful places I visited in my 3 month adventure.

Adelaide

Situated in the south of Australia, it is a relatively small city with a population of 13,000. The airport is quite close to the city centre and many hostels do pick ups from the airport for a small price. I stayed at 2 different places: Sunny Backpackers and then the YHA. The YHA is a bit more expensive but I would recommend that hands down. Sunny Backpackers was good enough but if you are staying in a hostel keep your luggage and belongings near you at all times!

 The best way to see Adelaide is to hire a free bike from BikeSA. It is relatively safe to ride around the city and allows you to see parts of the city you might not have seen. I recommend cycling along the River Torrens, which is beautiful on a summers day, from where you can see the Adelaide oval. There is a beach called Glenelg about half an hour away which I recommend if you are staying there for a while.

River Torrens

 

 



Adelaide has a weird but vibrant nightlife and the main places to go are all on Hindley Street. It's very popular among young people and backpackers. It's not somewhere I would be going if I was on my own but in a crowd it's a fun place to be.

I don't want to be scathing, or put anyone off, but if my report seems tame it is because the city is just that. For tourists, there is not much to do at all. It was fine for my group as we were only staying a few days and it was our transition to Uluru. But we didn't expect to become bored in a few short days. To be brutally honest, if I was going back to Australia, Adelaide would be last on my list. It's a nice enough city and probably a nice place to live, it's just not my choice of destination. If you have been and loved it, please let me know in the comments.


Useful links for Adelaide:

http://www.bikesa.asn.au/adelaidefreebikeslocation

http://glenelgsa.com.au/

http://www.barsandnightclubs.com.au/adelaide/

https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/sa/adelaide/adelaide-backpackers-hostel/

Previous posts about Australia:

http://pourquoiviajartheworld.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/backpacking-around-australia-before.html

My 10 Favourite Destinations : number 2

Hi all,

It's been so long since I last posted on my blog due to time constraints. After my last post I moved house, a process I hate due to stress levels going through the roof! At the same time, work became manic and I just had no time to even consider my blog.

If you have read my previous posts you will know I was stating my top 10 favourite destinations and had finished on number 3. I am so glad that I never revealed my number 1 because due to a recent city trip I have a new favourite destination of all time. But you will need to wait to find out as my number two or zwei is ...

Berlin!

Whenever someone mentions Berlin to me, I can't help but tell them how much I loved it. As mentioned in other posts, I often meet up with my Uni friends somewhere abroad and in December 2012 we spent a couple of days in Berlin.

Why Berlin?

Berlin is a vibrant city in which you will not run out of things to do and see. It's easy to get around and ,despite being popular with tourists, feels safe. You don't need to walk around holding carefully onto your belongings, always a plus in my book!

When to go?

My personal preference is late November or beginning of December as it is worthwhile getting to see the many Xmas markets dotted around the city. I must point out that it is very cold during this time so wrap up well! However, I love this city so much that I would recommend going whenever you can.

What to visit?

1. Brandenburg Gate or Brandenburg Tor is the image that comes to mind when Berlin is mentioned. Unfortunately I don't recall seeing any plaques with information about it, so we took some pictures with it and went on our way.

2. The Reichstag building ( pictured above) is where Parliament meets in session. You can visit the Dome area which gives wonderful sights of the city but be prepared to wait in a very lengthy queue to get in. We visited it in the early evening and waited well over an hour. Make sure you take identification and be prepared to have your bags searched to gain access. Definitely recommend a visit, I think it is free to get in.

3. Checkpoint Charlie, the crossing point from East to West. Here I recommend you visit the Museum although it is quite expensive but you get to find out information about how people tried to get across.

4. Charlottenburg Palace. It is a little tricky to get here and quite a walk from the metro station it is nearest. At a pricely cost you can visit inside which is beautiful and worthwhile if you are willing to pay it. To be honest, I think we went in to keep us out the cold for a while! There is a Xmas Market within the grounds and at night the Palace is lit up in different colours. Here it is in all it's glory:

5. East Side Gallery is a long section of what used to be the Wall that is covered in different paintings. My favourite one is below which has the message "No more wars, no more walls, a united world". It's a shame when people graffiti their names all over them.

 

6. The Xmas Markets. My favourite was the one at Alexanderplatz with the Ferris wheel but I thoroughly enjoyed the mulled wine on offer at al of them! You buy a mug with the wine in it and then you can either keep the mug as a souvenir or get the money you paid for the mug back.

7. Holocaust memorial, situated near the Brandenburg Gate. It is like a maze with concrete blocks of different sizes. When you walk further in and the blocks get higher, it is difficult to see your way back out. Apparently this was done on purpose to show a sense of confusion.


I only spent 2 whole days in Berlin and managed to visit all these attractions. However, there are probably many more I did not get a chance to visit. Berlin offers many wonderful typical places to eat as well as cuisines from around the world.

Hope you enjoyed reading my post. Look out for my number 1 next week ( I can't wait to share it!)

Nikki