Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Myella Farm Stay, Baralaba #AustraliaTour2015

The Myella farm stay was a  bonus on my tour, as it brought me away from the East Coast and presented to me a lifestyle that, being a city girl,  I was very unfamiliar with.

It was located near Baralaba, a very rural town with one pub, a small local shop and not much else, and even then it was a good drive to reach the farm.
Family run, the place was adorable, and had views that looked like a stereotypical Australian outback postcard. It is a cattle farm that tries to be mainly self sufficient, feeding both the family and guests  whilst still providing a small profit with the produce left over. Even I had a go at milking and herding the cows which, although was great fun to try once, I cant say is exactly my cup of tea......

I imagined this style of living, being very hands on and , in my opinion, 'old fashion' , would've left the inhabitants with little time to spare, however they also provided activities such as horse riding, motorbiking and quad biking. As I already had plenty of experience with horses, I decided to try something completely new that I had never considered trying before.... Motorbiking!

From what I could sense from the instructors they thought I was useless, and I probably was.  Personally I thought I was a complete natural, until someone mentioned that I might want to change gears and that I was steering all wrong, oh well - If it moves I'm happy. After about 2 hours of practicing and getting told to change my gears at every turn, they let us onto the track. So there I was, on a motorbike, looking at the most amazing views in the Australian outback, a morning I will never forget.





Monday, September 14, 2015

Surfari @ Crescent Head #AustraliaTour2015



Surfari is located at Crescent Head, a small town between Sydney and Byron Bay. This area is often described as 'Mother Natures Wonderland' for its large amount of wildlife, forest and beautiful beaches. It is small surf camp for a spectrum of novice to expert surfers where they can stay and visit a range of beaches for different levels of surfing. It is family run, and felt very homely and relaxed, which was a nice change from the normal hectic days travelling. 

In all honesty this was the one part of my Australia tour that I was dreading, for the simple reason that I can't surf. Not even a little bit. Im not exaggerating - Whenever I try I get compared to Bambi at the beginning of the movie. For my fellow travellers surfing turned into a little bit of a competition, who could stand up and then who could stand up for the longest, for me surfing was simply a humorous activity where I had to leave my pride in a small box in my suitcase. 

After 2 hours attempting to surf and having great fun the surf lesson was over. Out of a group of 10 only I didn't stand up - and it was all of our first times. However I did manage to get some great photos and the willpower to try it again. I would recommend Surfari , as it is a great environment to try out a board for the first time and take part in the notorious Aussie surfing lifestyle. 



http://www.surfaris.com

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

The Whitsundays - Sailing around and Whitehaven Beach #AustraliaTour2015

The Whitsundays are an absolutely beautiful group of  74 islands located of the stunning coast of Queensland. I was fortunate enough to fully appreciate these islands by sailing around them for 2 days. It was great fun to relax on the boat and appreciate the natural landscape, and also to appreciate the marine life around the islands via snorkelling. Luckily, as I was relaxing and attempting to gain a tan on the boat,  I saw both a turtle and a blue whale as they swam around us to surface.



Australia in general had some amazing sunsets and sunrises, however the Whitsundays felt extra special. 


The most notable stop, in my opinion, was the notorious Whitehaven beach. 
The beach was huge with clear blue water and surrounded with jungle bursting with wildlife. It is no wonder that this location is protected. It was worth the extra early wake up call to claim the beach before the other tourists arrived. 





Friday, August 21, 2015

Sydney- Paddy's Market and China Town #AustraliaTour2015


A short distance from my hostel is Paddy's market. The only way to describe this place is full of crap in the best way..

Selling anything from cheap designer knockoffs ( heaven ) to Australian tourist tokens to electric yapping toy dogs it's very fun to explore as it has a great vibrant atmosphere. Something I did not realise though is that people expect you to haggle down the price as you would in a less developed country for things such as handbags, watches etc. 

Next to Paddy's market is China town, which I luckily found by accident trying to find my way home.... 
It was very busy but still was great mainly due to the adorable crafty market stalls and gorgeous Chinese arcetecture.  It seemed surprisingly expensive for what it was, looking about $25 dollars for a main meal, however after a brief hunt I soon found a meal deal that fitted my backpacker budget. 😇

You can take the girl out of Asia but you can't take Asia out of the girl 😎

Sydney - Newtown #AustraliaTour2015

Mainly due to my amazing tour guides ( friends that I had met in Singapore ) , I was lucky enough to explore some areas of Sydney that where not so absorbed with Tourists.


My favourite of these was Newtown, located about 15 minutes on the bus from where I was staying. This area of Sydney seemed decicated to street style with plenty of quirky bars , restaurants and cafes. 
Although I went during mid day , it was still semi busy with a couple of market stalls. I found a hypster- styled bar that seemed empty, however once I found its rooftop was challenging to find a seat. To my delight they were showing the old English carry on movies on a big projecter and was serving happy hour cocktails ($7 each!! ) until 8pm. ❤️❤️❤️

Sydney- Arriving , Backpackers hostel, The Opera House and TheBotanical Gardens #AustraliaTour2015


After  arriving  in Sydney international airport I quickly bought myself a cheap Vodaphone Australian SIM card ( 3GB for $30 ) and headed to my backpacker lodge via the airport train.

I decided to stay at the YHA Central hostel in Sydney, which is a hostel for a veriety of people- most of which are relatively young and either backpacking, surfing or looking for work in Australia. I had high hopes for this hostel, mainly due to its good reputation as it is a chain that can be found all over Australia and other parts of the world. 

Not wasting any time I, extremely exhausted,  jetlagged, and exited, decided to explore the city. The great thing about my hostel is that it is only about 100m to the central station, which has buses, trains and trams that go all over Sydney and even the rest of Australia. Deciding on the tram ( because we don't have them back home and I thought they where speedy ) I slowly travelled towards the harbour to see the opera house. This was really fun to see however I didn't really see much to do aside from the Opera bar .... Honestly after the luxurious experience of the budget airline a bar with a stunning view didn't take much convincing ...

After I explored the botanic gardens, ( which is just behind the opera house ) which was really nice to walk through as it is on the edge of the water looking over to the other side of the Sydney bridge. 


Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Rasa Sentosa Resort - Shangri La

The Rasa resort on Singapore's Sentosa island is a part of the Shangri La hotel chain. As a common visitor to Singapore's other Shangri La near Orchard Road I was surprised when first entering to find this hotel looked significantly different to the Shangri la I was used to. This one seemed allot more resort orientated, which works really well with kids and blends into the summer holiday vibe of Sentosa island. 



The room I stayed in was a double twin Garden room. I found the room very convenient as the patio leads out to the garden on the ground floor making the pool and the restaurants close and accessible. The room itself was a bit on the small side however had lots of storage and was very clean and pleasant. 

The buffet lunch , breakfast and dinners are all delicious and I was not short of choices... 
( Please forgive the terrible photography... My camera died :( )
 
The hotel also conveniently provides a range of activities such as paddle boarding, kyaking, table tennis, and kids slides and craft events.

-considering everything I would recommend to families with kids. 

Monday, July 13, 2015

River Safari Singapore

As my time living in Singapore comes to an end I have decided to make a special effort to see one I two of the tourist sights I know I will miss... Starting with the River Safari. This new sight is one of Singapore's 3 major animal  attractions, The River Safari, The Singapore Zoo, and the Night Safari.
What I found especially interesting about the River Safari was the sorting into the main rivers with information and decoration associated with the cultures surrounding the rivers. 

I went with children aged 11 and 5 who both really enjoyed looking at all the animals, and especially the Amazon boat ride that takes you through some majorly cool exhibits.

Jaguar spotted up close on the Amazon River ride.

One of Singapore's two famous pandas. 

Otter love ( my favorite animals !! )


The monkey Forrest is also pretty cute...


Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Perfume Pagoda - The Marble Mountain Cave Temples - Vietnam

One of the best temple experiences in South East Asia. The shrines and statues are beautifully carved into the walls of the caves, whilst also leaving much of the cave walls bare to show the natural beauty. I had allot of fun exploring the caves as they have not been altered for tourists and have been amazingly preserved. Most of the cave temples require a walk to reach their entrances, as they are away from the main road where many marble shops can be found. To my delight we decided to climb the very steep 1000 steps (that was sarcasm) to reach one of the largest cave systems. 

                                            Me before climbing the 1000 steps...


PLANNING A TRIP TO TOUR THE EAST COAST OF AUSTRALIA!!



I have decided to end my gap year with probably the most exhausting yet amazing trip of my life so far... a road trip from Sydney to Cairns over 14 days!! 
As I will be embarking this final trip on my own I have decided to do it through a gap trip company recommended by a number of friends; Real Gap. This will help with my safety and hopefully offer the chance to meet some extraordinary people!
- Time to start saving! 

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Single Malt, Bali

BEST BREAKFASTS EVER!!

I went to this restaurant on the centre of Seminyak high street for breakfast the last two days of my visit and I honestly wish I had been there every day. It was completely delicious. Between my friends and I we ate the eggs Benedict, Steak Benedict and french toast and we all had nothing but praise. Its not expensive either (about 55,000 for the breakfasts).  We also went for cocktails in the evening, and the mojito menu is completely glorious! There are at least 10 different type ( I loved the coconut and pomegranate), they are a little more expensive at 90,000 a cocktail but the happy hour makes it more affordable. So if your around Seminyak and don't mind breakfasting like a Queen then go here.




Seminyak Beach, Bali


Seminyak beach was the closest beach to the Villa where I stayed and therefore where I spent a large portion of my holiday. It was beautiful, clean and not too busy despite the amount of sun beds and small beach stalls. The water is gorgeous, clear and warm and the waves can get very large so perfect for surfing! Locals wander across the beach to sell things however are very friendly and respectful. They offer coconuts, beers, jewellery, sarongs, Henna tattoos, and massages. Make sure you take notice of set prices in the town as they will try to rip you off more then usual - I payed 120,000 rupiah for a message that was only 65,000 in the centre of town. I would probably be more annoyed if it wasn't so good!






                                           Fresh yummy coconuts bought from a beach seller



On - beach massage


Waterfall Munduk - Bali

Something I have always wanted to do it 'trek' to a waterfall, and this really did not disappoint.
A half an hour treck down a narrow dirt path through the bali wilderness was completely worth it as the end opened up into the most stunning view of a large waterfall accompanied by some beautiful vegetation. Balinese nature at it finest.  Although the walk back up the hill was pretty painful (I really need to go to the gym more often.... ) the Waterfall was 100% worth the effort of the walk and the long drive.

                                                                 The Waterfall



                                                       View from the drive to the Waterfall




                                                     
                                                                Hike to the Waterfall




Tripadvisor - http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Attraction_Review-g1372806-d3267471-Reviews-Munduk_Waterfall-Buleleng_Bali.html

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan - Temple on the Water , Bali

A stunning temple built in 1556 with a stunning backdrop
I loved visiting this temple, it was beautiful to look at, not too crowded with respectful tourists. 
The complex consists of 4 temples, main one is located on the lake, with other smaller features in the gardens around it which were all beautiful and well preserved. We spent about an hour here relaxing in the gardens and admiring the temple which was an hour well spent. 



Trip Advisor - http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Attraction_Review-g608496-d447061-Reviews-Pura_Ulun_Danu_Bratan-Tabanan_Bali.html

Horse Riding at Kuda , Bali

This has to be one of the best ways to see Bali.
The 2 hour hack went through a village, rice paddy fields and finally the beach. All the scenery was completely breathtaking. I am an experienced horse rider, and my friend was a complete beginner and both of us found it a great experience. Staff from the stables lead us, allowing us to concentrate on our surroundings, they were even kind enough to do the photography for us, so we were able to capture ourselves in the moment. The best bit was at the beach when I had 4 or 5 completely amazing gallops across the sand. My friend, being slightly less confident, opted for trots and a canter into the water. We felt completely safe and well looked after. Beginners and horse enthusiasts alike if you EVER visit Bali DO IT! I pinky swear you won't regret it!

My horse was called tequila!!!!

Rice Paddy fields 



Stables Website: http://kudapstables.com
Trip Advisor : http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Attraction_Review-g294226-d1763938-Reviews-Kuda_P_Stables-Bali.html

Subak Bali Agro --- COFFEE BREAK!

This was an unexpected surprise.
My friends and I had hired a driver for the day to take us around the main temples, but when he suggested we had a 'coffee break' we expected him to take us to just another Balinese restaurant.. we were very mistaken.
Instead we pulled into a beautiful coffee plantation. We had a full tour and learned about the different types of coffee that grows in Bali and about the mongoose poop coffee that is popular with locals and tourists alike. The tour guide showed us how the mongoose coffee was fed to the mongoose, collected, washed and roasted. We then had tasting session, comparing coffees and teas from all over South East Asia and to our surprise all were delicious - even the mongoose poop coffee! The atmosphere was amazing with a beautiful backdrop of the forests and over all it was one of the main highlights of the trip. As the tour and the tasting is all free you are expected to buy something at the shop, they sell all the coffee tasted. My favourite is the Balinese coconut coffee!
Roasting the Coffee beans

                                                         Mongoose poop coffee beans!

                                                        View from the coffee plantation

                                                          Tour through the coffee plantation

                                                                        Tasting Time!