Posts Tagged ‘Destination Tips’

If you are heading to Sydney during in November then make sure the Sculpture by the Sea is on your must do list. This is an important Sydney event and is only here for a short time. The last date is 15th November.

This unique event combines some of the most amazing sculptures with probably the best coastal walk in Australia. During the first two weeks of November, the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk comes alive with fascinating and often querky sculptures to delight all ages.

The competition is now in its 12th year and last year attracted over half a million visitors. There are over 100 different sculptures to appreciate with 9 different prizes on offer. All of the sculptures are designed to respond in some way to the beautiful coastal setting.

Last year the prestigious $30,000 prize went to Mark McCelland’s “She Thought” which was a large bronze sculpture with a key hole allowing visitors to see the ocean horizon.

A word of warning about this exhibition. It gets VERY busy and it makes the experience so much better if you can linger and admire the artwork on your own rather than part of a huge crowd. Get up early to avoid the crowds, especially if the weather forecast is for a sunny day.

Make a day of it. Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte all have BBQ facilities. Bring your own food and enjoy the views. Alternatively there are plenty of cafes in both Bondi and Bronte for you to take a well deserved rest. Some venues put on special events to coincide with the exhibition. Many run their own Sausage Sizzle and BBQ in hidden away terraces.

If you want to find the right place to enjoy the views and food, try the Bondi Icebergs RSL for some cheap eats with amazing views. Don’t forget to bring some photo ID with you otherwise you will be refused entry no matter how old you are. For something a little more sophisticated, try Icebergs Dining Rooms where you’ll be greeted with a sumptuous BBQ.

In Bronte the small row of cafes offers something for everyone. SWELL is a good choice for those wanting something more upmarket. Jennies is a good all rounder but particularly good for those of you who like coffee.

You’ll also be able to pick up brochures at key points along the walk, which will help explain a little more about the sculptures. Whilst you may be lucky and get free drink samples, make sure you take plenty of water with you as the walk is still strenuous in places with hills and steps. It makes it a difficult walk with young children or those of you with prams and strollers.

If you aren’t planning to be in Sydney in November but really like the sound of this event, don’t worry! You can catch the same event in Perth during the month of March. This one takes place on Cottesloe Beach and is almost identical to the Bondi version.

This is one part of the Sydney beach culture that you won’t want to miss. Make it an early start one day this week to really make the most of it. Avoid the weekend crowds if you can!

Jennifer Schellington has nearly half a decade of experience in travelling Australia and has recently become a new Mum. Her website, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers practical information for planning your trip to Australia as well as what to do and where to go. Click here for more details on Sydney and it’s attractions

The Oyster smart card system has significantly changed the way London’s “tube” operates.

An Oyster card lets you make use of the majority of the London transport system (even though some places choose to stay outside the scheme).

It lets you bag discounts on the standard fare as well as allowing you to avoid the inconvenience of queueing for tickets.

The system automatically saves you money by calculating the lowest fare at the end of each day based on your exact travel that day.

If you travel more than you expected to initially, it only charges you the lowest fare instead of pricey singles and returns.

So does the Oyster scheme have any downside?

It can feel a bit complex to start with, as you need to buy an Oyster card which costs a small deposit. You should however make this back in money saved very fast.

You also need to “touch in and touch out” your Oyster card throughout your journey. But you should get used to this quickly by copying the many Londoners who use the system.

Unless your trip to London is an extremely short visit, you are well-advised to get yourself an Oyster card. As far as we are aware, Oyster cards do not expire: you should be free to use them on future visits to London.

If you don’t expect to return soon, you should be able to get your deposit returned (though you should check at the London Underground ticket office before buying).

There is a “Visitor Oyster” card which you can buy from some outlets but it’s not 100% clear at the moment what its benefits are to tourists.

If you really don’t want an Oyster card, you should at least make sure that you buy the cheapest London travelcard for unlimited access to the tube and buses for the entire day. But you may need to wait until after 9.30am on weekdays to access the cheapest fares.

You could also grab a weekly travelcard for an even bigger discount in case you’re in London for longer, but this does mean that you need some sort of photo.

Do recall that Oyster cards and travelcards may be used on the tube and buses, though they are not valid at all rail stations. It’s important to confirm before travelling.

For more information about Oyster and public transport in London, do visit the official Transport for London website.

Finally, please make sure you wait until after 9.30am on weekdays to avoid London’s extremely high peak-time prices.

The writer provides expert advice on the best of London including real-time London hotel tips on Twitter.

When deciding where to go on holiday this year, you will not be short of top destinations. There will also be a lot of travel agents advising you to book with them for the best deals. One place you should visit though is the World Tourism Organisation.

Every year The World Tourism Organisation send out facts and figures representing which countries have the most tourists. This is very helpful to travel agents when selling holidays to the public.

Europe is one of the most popular travel destinations, with Italy being the most popular followed by France, Spain, UK the Germany. 18% of all holidaymakers decide to choose Europe each year, mainly because of the history and culture.

Some other destinations that are very popular with travellers are South Africa, Tunisia and Morocco – Travelling outside of Europe normally guarantees hot weather which is always great when holidaying.

Asia is starting to become very popular with travellers – places like China, Japan and Thailand are highly visited. One reason for this growth is down to the Olympics and Para Olympics taking place in China. Japan and Thailand are hugely popular due to their totally unique way of living.

If looking into the World Tourism Organisation is not enough for you, then it is worth checking out the Independent Tour Operators. They compile a list of the most popular 10 destinations in that year. Below is a list of the 10 ten places.

Tresco in the Isles of Scilly has started to see a growth in visitors due to their new builds in holiday homes.

Naples in Italy has always been a firm favourite with travellers. Naples has some of the best restaurants and shops around. Other reasons it attracts visitors is due to the fact it is very close to the attractions of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius.

Since the start of the Eurostar many travellers have been going to France, as it only take a short time from England. When in France holidaymakers will truly experience why France is so famous.

Angkor Wat in Cambodia is a fantastic place to visit, there is so much to see and do. One must see is the World Heritage site where visitors can access for free.

Western Iceland is a fantastic place to be if you are looking to be alone or with a loved one, due to its secluded areas, this is the ultimate chill out holiday.

Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico is a lovely place to visit. Mexico has always been a popular destination because of its culture. The food has a very Spanish and French influence.

Cook Islands is a great place to go is you like the sun, it is also becoming very popular with UK citizens due to the fact that the pound is strong against the New Zealand dollar.

Monte Carlo is a fantastic place to be, the sun shines and the people are nice. The one thing about Monte Carlo is that it is very expensive so plenty of money is needed. One great time to go is when the Grand Prix is on.

Zambia is becoming ever so popular with tourists due to the fact that it is very cheap. Safari is a common attraction with lots of wildlife to see. Large tribal homes are a great way to spend your holiday.

Togo and Benin is situated in West Africa is a fantastic holiday resort if you are looking to see another side to Africa. It is a cheap holiday destination so your pound will stretch much further.

If you are looking for holiday homes look no further than the classifieds site Adflyer. Adflyer have 1000s of holiday homes for sale.