April 2023 – HandPicked List of the Best of

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5 Lesser-Known but Must-Visit places in China

Where I’m from, when you say traveling to China, it means touring one of these five cities: Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Macau and Guangzhou. outside the travel circles and blogging communities, only a few have heard of other Chinese destinations. everything else can already be considered “off-the-beaten-path.” but if there’s one thing that my journey from Guilin to Zhangjiajie has taught me, it’s that this vast, vast country has a gazillion surprises tucked in its provinces.

We asked travel and food enthusiast Wai Zhou, co-founder of eating Adventures Food Tours, for other marvelous places in China that every explorer must experience. She has traveled extensively throughout the country with a particular interest in Yunnan, Guangdong and Xinjiang provinces. here are her recommendations, words and photos by her.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

1. Wan Feng Lin (10,000 peaks) in Guizhou province
2. Shangri-La in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province
3. Longji Rice Terraces and Longsheng hot Springs in Guangxi Province
4. Jade Dragon Snow mountain near Lijiang, Yunnan Province
5. Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region in far Western China

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1. Wan Feng Lin (10,000 peaks) in Guizhou province

Wan Feng Lin, which means “ten thousand peaks”, is a collection of around 20,000 karst peak formations that stretch over a length of 200km in southern China. We stumbled across this near Xingyi in Guizhou province during one of our overnight stops on a leisurely train adventures between Guangzhou and Kunming.

Like most Chinese tourist sites, the government has a very well set up and structured way of viewing the site, with shuttle buses taking loads of domestic tourists to and from the viewing point. Not being fond of sticking with the hordes of tourists, we decided to follow a dirt path that weaved through some small farms and then up into the mountains.

Wan Feng Lin
Wan Feng Lin
The walk through the farms right away connected us to another world, with friendly old ladies attending to their crops, local people drying chillies outside their front doors and keeping pigs near their homes. A family was building their new home – it was mansion by Western standards. We started walking up one of these peaks. For a long time, we did not see anything of interest. just when we were about to turn back, we persisted a little longer and arrived at a small Buyi village hidden between the peaks.

Most of the Buyi people live in Guizhou province. They have their own language and normally live in small villages and work as farmers. We saw a young man in front of a simple old house and yelled out “Ni Hao” which means “hello” a few times but he didn’t turn around. We thought what unfriendly locals! then the young man turned around and we could see the surprise and delight in his face. He ran into the house to grab his elderly parents. They invited us into the house and insisted we stay for lunch. We witnessed true hospitality from these people who live such simple lives themselves. We found out later that the young man was mute and deaf.

How to get there:
Xingyi is on the train line from Guangzhou to Kunming.
From Xingyi, take bus no.19 (40 minutes) or take a taxi to Wan Feng Lin (costs around CNY35)
Entry fee: CNY80 (Shuttle bus ride extra CNY50)
Opening hours: 8:00 – 18:00
Contact number: 0859-3342299

2. Shangri-La in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province

Shangri-la City, China
Shangri-la is a fictional place featured in lost Horizon, a novel written in 1933 by British author James Hilton. He describes Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains. Shangri-La is actually a Tibetan word which means “sacred and serene land.” people associate the word to an unearthly paradise, a utopia. In 1996, the search for Shangri-La in Yunnan province began. In 1997, the Yunnan government declared they have found this utopia in Zhongdian. Zhongdian was then formerly renamed to current Shangri-La in 2001 to attract more tourists. With many snow-capped mountains and glaciers, hundreds of alpine lakes, gorges and meadows, I think it is well worth the title.

When we arrived Shangri-La town, we felt the effect of Shangri-La has instantly. We were more relaxed but could not think properly. We felt a bit light-headed and sleepy. Well, that was probably due to the high altitude – Shangri-La is 3450m above sea level.

The town itself is very interesting with a large Tibetan population. You see groups of Tibetan women dressed in traditional dresses with their bright pink hair wraps shopping together, all carrying a basket on their back and snuff in their hands. We saw Tibetan men running antique shops, where you can find Tibetan prayer flags and prayer wheels to silver snuff boxes, mingling with other locals.

We were expecting the Tibetan5 Lesser-Known but Must-Visit places in China (###) Where I’m from, when you say traveling to China, it means touring one of these five cities: Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Macau and Guangzhou. outside the travel circles and blogging communities, only a few have heard of other Chinese destinations. everything else can already be considered “off-the-beaten-path.” but if there’s one thing that my journey from Guilin to Zhangjiajie has taught me, it’s that this vast, vast country has a gazillion surprises tucked in its provinces.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

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1. Wan Feng Lin (10,000 peaks) in Guizhou province

2. Shangri-La in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province

We were expecting the Tibetanmonks to be simple vegetarians and do not indulge in the materialistic world. However, we saw them driving nice four-wheel drives, smoking, talking on their fancy mobiles and eating meat in the best restaurants in town. While we were in this restaurant enjoying our yak hotpot, we saw a group of monks and out of curiosity we asked the waitress what the monks were eating. She replied “Everything! same as you.”

Just 5km outside town, there is a big Tibetan monastery called Gadan Songzanlin Monastry. It is the biggest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan province. built in 1679, it is typically referred to as “Little Potala Palace”. If you are not visiting Tibet and are interested in seeing a Tibetan monastery, it is worth a visit.

The best way to explore and enjoy the beauty of Shangri-La is by hiring a bicycle and start riding away from the town. You are not going to only ride through stunning meadows and lakes but you will meet a lot of friendly locals. On the day we went riding, it was raining and the local Tibetan invited us into his house for a tea to get out of the rain. We helped out some locals who were trying to move a log and we got invited into their grand Tibetan house, an impressive two storey structure elaborately decorated with Tibetan wooden carvings with the tea making stove at the centre of their living room. Shangri-La is living museum with so much to offer.

How to get there:
You can fly into Diqing Shangri-La airport from Beijing, Chengdu, Kunming, Lhasa, Shanghai and Chongqing.
However, most people will be coming from Lijiang. From Lijiang, you can either take a bus (4 hours) or hire a automobile with driver to take you to Shangri-La.
Bicycle rental: There are several places to hire bicycles or mountain bikes in town. Please check the condition of the bikes carefully.
Songzanlin Monastry: 5 kilometres north of town. You can either take bus no. 3 or a taxi (CNY10). entry fee is CNY115. open from 7:30 – 18:30. Enquiry number: 0887-8222455

3. Longji Rice Terraces and Longsheng hot Springs in Guangxi Province

Longji Rice Terraces
Longji Rice Terraces is one of the highlights in the Guilin region. located 75km from downtown Guilin, the rice terraces are cut into the mountainside from an elevation of 380m to 1180m and spans across an enormous area. The rice terraces are over 700 years old and there are 7 heritage listed buildings in the area over 150 years old. one of these buildings and a museum are opened to public for free. It is stunning area to check out and makes for a relaxing stroll around through the rice paddies and villages. The villages are populated by Zhuang and Yao minorities with their noticeable distinctive architecture.

You need to pay an entry fee to enter the area. Whilst there are plenty of tour guides who will offer to take you around, our idea is to stroll around by yourself. This way, you can avoid the tour groups, have a private experience and meet friendly locals. The two main villages to check out are Ping An Zhuang village and Jin Keng Hong Yao Village.

How to get there: From Guilin, there are buses every 30 minutes from Guilin Qing Tan Bus station to long Sheng town. It takes around 1.5 hours and costs CNY27 per person. Alternatively, you can hire a automobile with driver to take you from Guilin.

From long Sheng town, there are buses to take you to different villages of Longji which is about 13km from town.

Entry fee: CNY80
Opening hours: All day
Contact number: 0773-7583088

The Longsheng hot springs are set in the mountainside in a truly natural and relaxing environment. The hot spring water originates from 1200m underground, with the source water varying in temperature from 45 to 48 degrees Celsius. There are 16 pools with varying temperatures. There are also a 4 star and a 5 star hotel attached to the hot springs if you would like to stay overnight.

How to get there: Longsheng hot spring is 32km from Longsheng town. There are buses from Longsheng town which takes around 40 minutes and costs CNY8 per person. Alternatively, simply take a taxi.
Entry fee: CNY98
Opening hours: All day
Contact number: 0773-7482241

4. Jade Dragon Snow mountain near Lijiang, Yunnan Province

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Snow mountain (or “Yu long Xue Shan” in Chinese) is located 15km north of Lijiang city. There are 13 peaks in total and Shanzidou is the highest peak with an altitude of 5596m. It stretches 35km long and 20km wide. It is the southern-most glacier in the northern Hemisphere. As such, you can experience scenery from a Subtropical zone, Temperate zone to Frigid zone all in one place. It is also a holy place for the Naxi people who lives in this region.

There are few scenic spots in the area. the most important experience is unquestionably the trip on the long Ropeway. The long Ropeway departs from an elevation of 3356m. We were there in September and the temperature was not too low and quite pleasant. However,

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9 reasons WE like SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

San Diego, California is a young, fun city full of interesting cultural mixes, sensational beaches as well as tasty food. No question we like it so much. right here are our top 9 things to perform in San Diego, California as well as why we like this town so much.

Mrs romance as well as I get on extremely well with San Diego. maybe it’s since we share some crucial values – beaches, fantastic food, a kicked back lifestyle… however then who wouldn’t want that, right?

Of all the cities in the USA, we’ve spent a lot of time in San Diego, so we feel like we get this city a lot more than we do other locations we’ve visited.

Having stated that, I likewise feel a deep connection with Chicago as well as the like Mrs romance has for nyc nearly verges on bigamy. however San Diego truly does have something special. There’s a reason it’s understood as America’s Finest City.

We believed we’d share a few of our much-loved things to perform in San Diego as well as the reason why we like this city.

9 things to perform in San Diego that make us like it so much

1. The beaches

San Diego has a big amount of shoreline looking out over the Pacific ocean – about 115km of it in fact.

The likes of Pacific Beach, ocean beach as well as objective beach put the ‘sandy’ in San Diego. Sorry, that was lame. These beaches are all on the city’s doorstep. They’re wide, sandy as well as have some fantastic eating as well as drinking areas ideal on them.

There’s likewise Coronado, a peninsular that’s a lot more like an island off the city’s coast. On its ocean side is Coronado Beach, which is absolutely stunning. We’d like to stay at the famous hotel del Coronado, which overlooks the beach as well as is just stunning.

Further north of the city is the Torrey Pines national Park. Not only is this bit of coastline an outstanding hiking area with some easy-going tracks with the clean as well as along the cliffs, the beach below is huge as well as magnificent.

Here’s a lot more on Torrey Pines.

With the sun setting over the water each night, San Diego’s beaches are quite much all an Instagram dream.

2. The food

San Diego is ideal on the Mexican border – as well as was in truth part of Mexico for a extremely long time. undoubtedly this has influenced the food choices right here as well as Mrs romance nearly refuses to eat anything else when we’re in town.

The Mexican food right here is outstanding – one of our all-time much-loved locations to eat is a bit tacoria as well as bar called El Camino in bit Italy – however there are so lots of other choices here.

Little Italy, a cool bit suburb ideal near the airport, it isn’t a great location to be if you’re hungry: there are so lots of locations to select from. You’ll be broke as well as fat by the end of the afternoon!

Everything from Ballast point Brewery’s taprooms to Ironside seafood restaurant as well as oyster bar resides right here as well as it’s all fantastic.

In the city itself, there are holds of locations to eat. From Phil’s barbeque (a true meat extravaganza) to fine dining at Cucina Urbana in Bankers hill you’re truly spoilt for choice.

And if you want Mexican food in genuine Cali-Mex style, the only location to go is Old Town.

Check out our a lot more in-depth run-down of where to eat in San Diego here.

3. The city

San Diego city itself has a fantastic feel to it. San Diego is one of America’s bigger cities, however even downtown feels chilled out as well as easy-going.

From the fun touristy areas like the Gaslamp Quarter as well as the Marina to the nightlife of Hillcrest – the heart of SD’s gay scene, there’s a vibrant as well as extremely friendly feeling on the streets here.

It’s likewise amazingly simple to navigate this city. just like a great deal of well-planned cities, SD is in a grid pattern. North to south are numbered streets as well as a lot of of the east to west are either tree names (1st letters running alphabetically) or just lettered A, B, C, D after that.

Coronado, off the city’s coast, is house to the huge air force base made popular in films like top Gun, however there are some fantastic restaurants dealing with the city as well as – on the ocean side – the famous Coronado beach as well as Resort.

4. The people

The locals (San Diegans?) are a friendly, fascinating mix. Laid back, polite as well as helpful, it’s likewise a quite young crowd right here – mainly owing to the big number of universities as well as colleges in San Diego.

They likewise truly get into stuff. Dia de los Muertos – the Mexican Day of the Dead, Halloween, even ComiCon are all heavily subscribed by San D’s denizens.

We’ve been lucky sufficient to be right here for all three of these as well as it’s awesome. These people take every chance to go out, gown up as well as have fun.

5. Mexico as well as Old Town

San Diego is only 25km north of Tijuana, so Mexico is a big influence on this us city. Going across the border into Mexico is simple enough, however even better is San Diego Old Town.

Old town has an old cemetery with the graves of a few of the original founders of San Diego. The cemetery is a focal point for the Dia de los Muertos parade.

There are buildings in the Old town proper, which have been brought back as well as turned into museums to show the vibe of exactly how things were right here in the 1800s.

And of program there are the restaurants.

The primary street – San Diego Avenue – is a bright, colourful row of eateries as well as bars that are full of life as well as laughter. as well as a lot more importantly, tasty food! There’s even a cigar bar – Churchill’s – on the street, which I never stop working to take advantage of!

If you’re into your cigars, San Diego has a great deal of bars where you can even take pleasure in your smoke inside your home – a unusual treat these days. Here’s our excursion of cigar bars around San Diego.

6. Rooftop bars as well as terminate pits

Southern California is a extremely warm part of the USA with around 265 days of sunshine a year, however that doesn’t seem to matter in San Diego – they like their terminate pits so much.

We even went round a friend’s apartment or condo who has a terminate pit on her balcony, as well as in the typical area of her complex is one more big terminate pit for everybody to utilize too.

Pretty much every bar as well as restaurant with an outside area will have an area with naked flames licking from granite chips.

San Diego truly takes advantage of its friendly climate with its outside spaces. There are tons of awesome rooftop bars in San Diego.

Here are a few of our much-loved rooftop bars in San Diego.

7. San Diego Zoo as well as Balboa Park

Balboa Park is ideal at the centre of San Diego as well as it’s absolutely massive. In truth it’s the greatest metropolitan cultural park in the USA. It’s house to 15 museums, botanic gardens, award-winning theatres, art galleries as well as finest of all San Diego Zoo.

We’re not normally into zoos, however this is world popular for great reason. It’s an extraordinary facility with some interesting programmes.

Our much-loved conservation programme is exactly how the zoo provides the cheetahs, which are notoriously flighty as well as tend to experience from nerves in captivity, a ‘buddy’. They grow up with a canine buddy as well as the pet dog stays with them a lot of of the time.

The dogs calm the cheetahs down as well as assist guide them with their lives in the zoo. It’s so clever.

Here’s our evaluation of San Diego Zoo.

8. Breweries, wineries as well as distilleries

San Diego is the house as well as heartland of craft beer in America. There are around 150 craft breweries as well as brewpubs in the region with some excellent beer coming from them.

Some breweries even have distilleries attached, like Ballast Point. Their beer is awesome, however their gin Old Grove is a genuine event.

Further north of the city is the mighty stone Brewery’s closest taprooms, which are amazing. stone is one of the greatest as well as a lot of prominent craft brewery, even discovering its method to Australia’s shores.

Here’s our evaluation of Stone’s taprooms in Escondido – such an extraordinary space.

There are some fantastic wineries in as well as around San Diego. a lot of people go north past Escontido to the wineries there, however the vineyard excursion I went on headed west to San Pasqual Valley as well as Ramona Valley.

I need to state I was extremely pleasantly surprised. Here’s what occurred on the white wine excursion of San Diego.

9. La Jolla

La Jolla (pronounced “la hoya”) is a northern suburb of San Diego (but additionally south than Torrey Pines) as well as is rather different to the rest of the city.

It’s a coastal suburb with some outstanding views out over the Pacific, gorgeous houses as well as – finest of all – seals as well as sea lions. This colony has resided in LA Jolla for ages as well as is an crucial part of the community.

They’re simple to area lounging along the cliffs at La Jolla Cove as well as other parts of the coastline. For a lot more info, inspect out La Jolla Mom’s insights into this exceptional spectacle.

To see the less evident as well as harder to reach sea life of the area, you must absolutely inspect out the Scripps organization of Oceanography aquarium in La Jolla. It’s a charming bit aquarium as well as comes without the dispute of Sea World.

Make sure you’re at the aquarium for sunset – the views from the cliffs over the Pacific are sensational.

Bonus: weather condition as well as climate

I’d be missing a major function of San Diego as well as So Cal if I didn’t mention the outstanding climate here.

If you’re trying to find somewhere that you’re nearly guaranteed to have best weather condition all year round, it’s San Diego. even in wintertime the sun still lusters as well as in summer, while the mercury rises, the humidity is still extremely low.

As for rainfall, there’s never sufficient water in California, as well as they’ve been having a hard time with drought for ages now. however for the visitor it indicates no requirement to bring those horrible emergency ponchos with you everywhere!

Please do be mindful of water usage right here though. Please don’t squander water or spend an unreasonable amount of time in the shower.

I hope these things to perform in San Diego have provided you a remove insight into why we like it here. For a lot more ideas on things to perform in San Diego as well as our First-Timer’s Guide to San Diego, click here.

If you’re trying to find a local’s ideas on the very best things to perform in San Diego with kids, inspect out this publish by the charming Katie from La Jolla Mom.

Do you have any type of ideas on what to perform in San Diego? are there any type of other reasons why San Diego is just so bloody good? tell us in the comments!

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WHERE TO stay IN SYDNEY – bit ALBION guest HOUSE, SURRY HILLS

tucked away snug in the labyrinth of Surry Hills, bit Albion guest home is as hidden as the many speakeasies as well as cafés of this hip Sydney suburb. This shop hotel offers so much more than a bed for the night in a part of Sydney that’s always conspicuously lacked lodging options.

Surry Hills – probably Sydney’s coolest suburb – sits right on the space between the city as well as Sydney’s Eastern suburbs towards the coast. It’s the part of Sydney that we called house for over a decade, as well as so it holds a location close to our hearts.

From gritty metropolitan to gentrified urbane, Surry Hills has seen a excellent offer of fast modifications in recent years.

And the days of Surry Hills’ gloomy, derelict past still fray the hems of its well-tailored present-day outfit. It’s most likely this edge that has made this specific suburb so extremely likeable.

For a long time, it was the undiscovered great part of Sydney – however now quite much everybody understands about it.

That hasn’t stopped it being cool. In fact, there are more little bars cafes as well as restaurants opening up than ever before.

However, the one thing Surry Hills was missing for a long time was somewhere to stay that in shape the rest of this eminent suburb’s hipster aesthetic.

Now together with the coolest bars as well as restaurants in Sydney, a few of the coolest shop hotels are popping up.

One of these areas is the bit Albion guest House.

Take a look around as we walk you with with our video.

Little Albion guest House

Visiting the bit Albion guest home feels like you’ve been let in on a regional secret. There are no indications to it as well as as you walk down a small alley, you’ll see a little entrance that conceals the true scale as well as style to be discovered inside.

With a mix of 1920s beauty as well as 1970s boheme, bit Albion guest home is the perfect shop hotel that fits into the Surry Hills persona as if it’s always been here.

Melding the old with the new, the designers have produced a perfect blend from the old institution lawn as well as church buildings on the southern side to the new buildings on the northern side.

And although the style is extremely cool, the welcome is extremely warm as we arrive. The bit Albion still handles to provide that comfort of a house away from home.

The rooms

There’s a variety of different space types spread out across the buildings – from little accident pads for a night in the city to the bit Albion’s suite ‘Big Albion’, where you can relax as well as stay for longer.

Our basic space had a big bed, a generous bathroom with a lovely freestanding bath as well as stunning rain shower, as well as one of the biggest TVs we’ve seen in a hotel room.

As well as looking good, our basic space is functions beautifully too. A great deal of care has gone into the details right here as well as it shows.

There’s sufficient area in our space to relax as well as work too. Amenities include a robe as well as slippers, wonderful treats from whisk & Pin, T2 tea as well as a Kitchenaid kettle.

Service as well as facilities

From where you inspect in, there’s a sunken lounge in the lobby area as well as a little patio outside where guests can likewise relax.

There’s likewise a lovely bit rooftop terrace, where you can even see our old house from! The wrought iron furniture provides the area a quite Parisian summertime feel.

Downstairs you’ll discover an espresso machine, free to utilize any type of time of day in addition to the cutest honour bar. set up like a regional little bar’s mixologist station, you can craft a mixed drink or if you’re feeling lazy, you can pour out one of the bottled pre-mix mixed drinks from the fridge.

Alternatively, grab some wine or a regional craft beer as well as relax downstairs or take them back as much as your room.

The neighbourhood

Once you’re all inspected in, you can exit directly onto Albion street or sidle with the side lane of bit Albion St, as well as then you’ve got Sydney’s finest cafes, bars as well as restaurants in walking distance.

If you’re not sure where to go, the hotel will happily share some insider understanding from their ever-increasing listing of uber-cool venues to wine, dine as well as unwind. however for our sake, you should stop in at our old local, The royal Albert, as well as try some excellent Aussie craft beers as well as sample their drool-worthy dumplings as well as burgers.

Little Albion guest House

21 bit Albion Street
Surry Hills, Sydney
#littlealbionguesthouse

We’re thrilled to see the basic of lodging in Surry Hills grow as well as whether you’re a leisure traveller or in Sydney for business, the bit Albion guest home is in a brilliant spot.

We’re huge fans of staycations and like playing tourist in our own city. There was something so great as well as comforting being back in our old stomping ground Surry Hills that you feel like a local.

We’re adding the bit Albion guest home to our listing of where to stay in Sydney and we definitely suggest you inspect it out the next time you’re looking to stay in town.

And if you wished to make it one of the most spectacular stays, it’s possible to lease the entire location out. You can book The home out either directly or via a world-first partnership with AirBnB (click on this link to grab some AirBnB credit history btw).

We might envision hiring the whole building for an legendary anniversary celebration or a special birthday where all of your guests might celebration into the night.

Do you like a staycation in your own city? Is a go to to Sydney on your container list?

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9 methods TO explore THE CARIBBEAN SUSTAINABLY

Posted: 10/8/20 | October 8th, 2020

Lebawit Lily Girma is an award-winning journalist who has been living in the Caribbean considering that 2008. In this guest post, she shares her ideas and advice for checking out the Caribbean in an honest and sustainable method while benefitting the regional neighborhoods that phone call the islands home.

In 2005, I went on my first Caribbean vacation. I selected Saint Lucia, and like a normal first-timer, I stayed at an all-inclusive resort. Over the course of three weeks, I was awestruck by the color of the Caribbean Sea, the beautiful beaches, and the natural splendor of this region.

But I realized that what moved me the most were the cultural reminders of my childhood in West Africa: the plantain dishes and chicken stews, the tropical gardens full of hibiscus and palms, the drumming and soca beats, and the warmth of the locals. three years later, I packed my bags, left my corporate legal career behind, and hit the road with dreams of ending up being a travel writer and professional photographer in the Caribbean.

With over 20 islands and numerous beaches a short flight away from North America, it’s much easier than ever to choose a Caribbean escape. even today, in the midst of a global pandemic, the Caribbean Islands are among the safest and the most appealing destinations for Americans and Canadians seeking an escape path near home. The region general has had a lower rate of COVID-19 infections compared to the rest of the world, mostly thanks to the majority of Caribbean countries being separated from their neighbors by water.

But here’s what a lot of people may not recognize or spend much time believing about: the Caribbean is also the most tourism-dependent and prone region in the world. Of the top 10 global destinations that are a lot of dependent on tourism for jobs, eight are in the Caribbean. This region has also experienced the unfavorable effects of mass tourism — both the continuous, unabated development of large, foreign-owned all-inclusive resorts in coastal areas and the expansion of cruise tourism have produced severe environmental and socioeconomic issues.

For instance, big resorts have exacerbated coastal erosion as a result of being developed as well close to the shoreline, and they’ve also triggered a shortage of commodities in surrounding communities, including power and water, as the average tourist’s utilize of these resources is higher than a local’s daily usage. In the past, cruise lines have also triggered increased plastic contamination and participated in illegal discarding in the Caribbean.

To boot, climate change is hitting the Caribbean islands the hardest. The world tourism and travel Council has predicted that the Caribbean will become the most at-risk tourism destination in the world between 2025 and 2050. Studies have also shown that rising sea levels will put at least 60% of resorts at danger by 2050. In turn, warmer temperatures and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have led to coral bleaching and ocean acidification, affecting the Caribbean’s reefs.

Perhaps the greatest danger of all is the lack of considerable trickle-down economic benefits from tourism to locals because a lot of visitors stay in all-inclusive resorts or book excursions with foreign-owned companies. Did you understand that an on the internet all-inclusive resort booking equates into 80% of those holiday dollars going directly to a foreign corporation overseas — not to the regional economy — before the traveler even sets foot in the destination?

What does this all mean? That every decision you make during your Caribbean trip, from supporting a hotel that utilizes solar power and recycles water to the type of excursion operator you choose and reef-safe sunscreen you pack, has a huge impact.

Today, with the economic crisis the Caribbean is dealing with compounded as a result of the pandemic, it’s become imperative that we utilize this time around to rethink the method we explore the Caribbean. We requirement to see the region not as a commodity we utilize and abuse but as a location that’s home to special populations in requirement of preservation and deserving the exact same amount of security from overtourism and environmental abuses as any other major destination in Europe.

As independent travelers, we have the power to shift the tide of our favorite tropical holiday region in the years ahead. enjoy rum, cocktails, and fine sand? That’s fine — while making options that cause a healthier, greener, and culture-rich region for many years to come, where tourism benefits communities.

Here are nine easy methods you can explore the Caribbean sustainably in the future, when travel fully resumes back to normal.

1. stay at little hotels, community-run guest lodges, or hostels

From hostels and guesthouses to shop hotels, villas, and rainforest lodges, there are some incredible locally hadlocations to stay in the Caribbean. Whether you’re into mountains, beaches, or rainforests, these type of accommodations are normally run by locals or long-time residents who are eager to immerse you in their communities. This way, you get a a lot more authentic cultural experience, including locally sourced meals and expert regional guides that these properties have relied on for years.

You can also find community-run lodging; these are frequently nature-tucked lodges or guesthouses run by a community group or cooperative members that operate just like privately had lodges. The income, however, is equally shared among the members while you enjoy an authentic stay — a win-win.

“Staying local” goes a long method toward supporting the regional economy, ensuring that your travel dollars reach those who deserve it the most, from the farmer supplying the hotel to the excursion guide who gets repeat business.

To find these different kinds of locally had or locally invested accommodations, you’ll have to do a bit extra research.

First, contact the destination’s tourism board and request locally-owned hotel suggestions in the area that interests you; you must also scan their website’s hotel listings.

Second, you can find a handful of special guesthouses and locally run hotels on Booking.com — but take the additional step of searching for the property’s own web site for a lot more information and booking directly with it.

Third, depending upon the destination, you can find special regional properties provided on TripAdvisor.com, under the “B&B and Inns” category.

Last but not least, you must browse for and checked out regional news outlets from or blogs on your destination; these frequently cover the domestic side of tourism and tend to feature a lot more locally had properties.

2. Bike, walk, or utilize regional transportation

Touring a Caribbean island on two wheels is ending up being a lot more prominent than ever. On your next visit, switch the safari truck excursions for a biking tour. Bike Barbados is a best example; you can lease a range of bicycles from this shop in St. Lawrence Gap, on the primary vacationer drag, and escape along Barbados’s diverse shoreline before ending up back at the beach. It’s a great method to make regional friends, find hidden corners, and discover a different side of the destination. other well established bike excursion business around the Caribbean are:

Zona Bici in Santo Domingo

Aruba E-Bike excursions in Aruba

RutaBikes in Havana

Bike St Lucia in St. Lucia

You can also ask your hotel’s personnel if they supply bicycles for lease or for free; if they don’t have any, request a regional bike shop recommendation.

Getting around by public transportation is also a good method to minimize your footprint and contribute to the regional economy. You’ll get a look of island life, see how a lot of people get around, and discover locations along the method that you may have missed.

3. Take cooking classes, go on food tours, and indication up for cultural experiences

What better method to discover about the regional cuisine than signing up for a cooking class or hopping on a food tour? aside from the fun side of tasting new dishes, it’s a great method to support regional agriculture in the Caribbean, by pumping your dollars into some tasty food, sourced directly from farmers and chefs’ gardens.

Although over 80% of create in the Caribbean is imported, the tide has begun turning toward increased food safety for locals with growing one’s own food and practicing permaculture principles. supporting regional food production indicates you’re supporting the country’s efforts in reducing its dependence on exports — which can include genetically customized seeds — while increasing self-sufficiency. This becomes critical when major storms hit or when borders shut down (say, because of a pandemic).

Barbados Food excursions uses a three-hour food walk around historic, UNESCO-designated Bridgetown, while showing you favorite regional lunch areas and dishes. Belize Food excursions operates fun evening food excursions in San Pedro, in addition to cooking classes in a state-of-the-art studio. other choices include Tru Bahamian Food excursions and Trinidad Food Tours.

Another great choice for cultural immersion is to find a workshop or excursion used by a community organization or cooperative. One great example of an well established cultural, community-run experience is the bomba dance workshop at the COPI community center in Loiza, Puerto Rico, just outside of San Juan, where you’ll discover not only bomba moves but also Afro–Puerto Rican history. be careful of excursion business that don’t work together with locals and that offer cultural experiences as an “add-on” as a method to attract tourists.

Finding these kinds of immersive experiences led by community leaders will need additional research: browse social network and the Internet utilizing keywords such as “X workshop in [destination]” and dig into who is using the experience.

Subscribing to a sustainable Caribbean travel advocate’s platform is another method of staying in the know, for example, my new See the Caribbean initiative or Sunshine and stilettos blog, social enterprise regional guest in Puerto Rico, and the increased Hall community development organization in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, among others.

4. go to secured areas and sustainability jobs

From coral replanting efforts to regenerative farms to wildlife protection, there are incredible nature conservation jobs in the Caribbean. In Belize, for instance, the Belize Audubon society runs a number of secured areas that are also prominent with visitors, including the Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve. There are recently developed new cabins on-site for avid birders and naturalists, or anyone trying to find a different experience by overnighting in a wildlife-rich secured area. You’ll discover a great deal a lot more about the Caribbean’s biodiversity and interact with scientists daily in a method you never would by staying in a routine hotel.

In the Dominican Republic, where secured areas have been at danger in the last decade, your go to to prone national parks — such as Jaragua national Park, the Sierra de Bahoruco, and Valle Nuevo national Park — goes a long method toward supporting the work of regional environmental organizations and naturalist guides while you discover about critical wildlife conservation issues.

But how do you go about finding well established environmental jobs around the Caribbean? The first step is to checked out about the environmental difficulties in the destination(s) you’re visiting. From there, you can look up the most famous conservation nonprofit organizations on the ground. For instance, the Nature Conservancy’s work in the Caribbean region can be found in the Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Virgin Islands, among other locations. The work of the sustainable Destinations alliance for the Americas is also a great resource for background information on the Caribbean’s several projects.

A destination’s tourism board and hotel association are great sources of information, as they frequently back and sponsor conservation jobs or initiatives. You can also ask your hold or hotel for the lesser-publicized yet prominent community groups that are doing meaningful work on the ground, from cultural preservation to turtle conservation.

Before you donate funds or rush to volunteer, please seek advice from the tourism board, your hosts, and the regional organizations for advice on how you can finest utilize your skills while on vacation, if at all. As a visitor, discovering about a country’s environmental and conservation difficulties before your trip is far a lot more effective because you’ll get a sense of where to tread lightly and where your vacationer dollars are needed the most.

When in doubt, just make time to go to secured areas and national parks that are available to the public, as your visitor charges contribute to the year-round maintenance and preservation of the area’s biodiversity. listings of national parks are easily found on tourism board websites.

5. shop local

Skip the made-in-China trinkets and find locally sourced, hand-crafted souvenirs. Whether it’s jewelry, textiles, or paintings, the Caribbean is full of skilled and ingenious artists. go to art galleries with on-site botanical gardens like Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and garden near Montego Bay, find ceramics at Earthworks in Barbados, and Dominican hand-sculpted art in specialty stores like Galeria Bolos in Santo Domingo’s Colonial City. There are also artist studio workshops and a chance for one-on-one interactions, like taking a Taino pottery class in Puerto Rico, after which you get to take your creation home with you.

Know what grows in the Caribbean destination you’re checking out and then purchase directly from the regional factories and stores: coffee, chocolate, tobacco, rum, and spices are among the lots of choices.

6. eat and buy locally sourced food

Are you planning to cook your own meals and self-cater during your stay? Head to your nearest outside market; there’s one in every major town. go on the busiest market days — Saturdays are normally the best bet — when there are a lot more vendors per buyer and

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WHERE TO stay IN MUDGEE, NSW – PEPPERTREE hill COTTAGES, EURUNDEREE

In the hills above Mudgee, overlooking a huge yard down to a dam, Peppertree hill Cottages have all the self-contained high-end for a charming getaway, a household trip or a fun group holiday.

There’s a great deal to be stated for staying a bit out of town when you’re travelling. Yes, it’s helpful having whatever in walking distance, however an simple 10-minute drive provides you so much more. things that are frequently missing from hotels in town.

Space, privacy, peace as well as a sense of homeliness.

And that’s precisely what you get at Peppertree hill Cottages in Eurunderee just outside Mudgee.

Check out our video walkthrough here.

Where to stay in Mudgee, NSW – Peppertree hill Cottages

As with so much of Mudgee, you truly are spoilt for option right here for accommodation. whatever from worldwide brands as well as serviced apartments to digs above a pub or even gorgeous farm-stay villas as well as glamping.

But our stay at Peppertree hill Cottages truly showed exactly how comfortable you can be in Mudgee.

Bilgola – our two-bedroom cottage – had all the facilities for much longer stays than just a weekend.

The kitchen area is completely equipped with whatever from a dishwasher to a Nespresso coffee machine, as well as even a gas barbecue.

In the comfy lounge, there’s a log terminate best for a wintertime stay as well as exceptional reverse cycle air con for whatever else.

A long veranda looks out on the expansive yard with its sculptures to admire during the day, as well as as night falls as well as the stars blaze, you can take pleasure in the therapy of a terminate pit all set as well as prepared to go.

Gloriously soft beds bring a terrific night’s sleep prepared of the day of checking out the Mudgee region the next day.

Perfect for a stay with buddies or a little family

Bilgola, with its two bedrooms is perfect of two couples or a household to get away from it all. The only drawback is there’s just the one shower room here, which may be problematic for some.

For bigger groups or for two couples who want their own space, the excellent variety of accommodations choices at Peppertree hill Cottages.

With a overall of 11 cottages, villas as well as homestead retreats, there’s space for everybody as well as every occasion.

From two-bedroom cottages like Newport, Avalon as well as Palmy to the excellent Stag’s Head Retreat that sleeps 15.

Alternatively, there are combos you can put together. For instance, Bilgola, Palmy as well as Avalon cottages are all set together, so a group of eight might lease all three as well as still have privacy.

How to get around Mudgee

Of course, you can self-drive around the Mudgee Region, which is a fantastic method to take pleasure in the area as well as totally on your own time.

Alternatively, you might leave your vehicle in its personal carport at the cottage as well as hire Sabrina for the day.

Mudgee’s darling, this famous powder blue split-screen VW Kombi takes you around the wineries of the region in style. It likewise indicates you can taste all the white wine you want without having to spit.

Book Sabrina here.

Also inspect out the go to Mudgee region web site for a lot more concepts on what to perform in this incredible part of NSW.

Other Peppertree hill lodging options

If you’re after a lot more centrally found locations to stay, Peppertree hill likewise has a number of other hotels as well as retreats in their portfolio, all using high-end lodging to the exact same excellent basic that we took pleasure in at Bilgola Cottage.

You can discover out a lot more about their other properties here.

We stayed as media guests of Peppertree hill Cottages.

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21 things TO do in MARYSVILLE, VICTORIA

From waterfalls to forests, from top class restaurants to catch-your-own fish farms, and from hikes and snow to luxury spas and hotels, Marysville, Victoria has it all. Reborn from the 2009 ashes, this little alpine town 2 hours from Melbourne is a must-visit.

Call it a gift or a curse, we love to cram as much into our trips away as possible. It can be exhausting but we do like to think we get as much out of the places we visit as possible – even if it’s just a weekender away somewhere local.

On our recent trip to Marysville in Victoria’s alpine region of the great Dividing Range, we did quite a bit, but it seems like there’s still plenty for us to see and do. We love this part of Australia and we’ll certainly be back.

The feel of this town, which was so badly ravaged by the fires of 2009, is amazing. The strength of spirit in the people of Marysville to rebuild is remarkable, and to turn the town back into the thriving traveler destination it once was should have taken so much.

The result is an abundance of things to do and see in such a small area, but an area of such outstanding natural beauty, it’s hard not to fall in love with this place.

Here are our 21 things to do in and around Marysville:

1. Go chasing waterfalls

The ideal combination of rivers and mountains makes the Marysville area amazing for waterfalls.

The closest to town is the Steavenson Falls. It’s also one of Victoria’s highest at 84m. You can get really close to the falls and the decked walk from the car park is an easy 10 minutes.

Otherwise, the nearby Keppel Falls, the Cumberland Falls and the Phantom Falls are also certainly worth checking out.

2. catch your own fish & have a bbq

There are 2 fish farms in the area – the Marysville Trout and Salmon farm and the Buxton Trout and Salmon Farm.

You can purchase fresh fish or – as we did – some delicious pates and smoked fillets. but if you’ve got much more time, you can hire rods and tackle, and catch your own dinner.

They’ll clean and gut the fish for you and away you go.

Even if you don’t want to catch your lunch, you can ask at the counter for a pot of pellets and walk around the ponds to feed the fish. They’re both beautifully maintained farms and it’s fun to see the fish jumping for the food.

3. The only place to stay – vibe Hotel

Right in the heart of Marysville, the vibe is the new face of the town. It’s funky yet comfortable, perfectly located and home to Radius Bar & Grill – the best restaurant in town – and The Spa.

This hotel is small enough for you to get really great personal service yet big enough for you to experience the luxury and facilities we look for in a romantic escape.

We slept perfectly, we ate supremely, we unwinded sublimely and we really got to know the area.

4. Go lolly loco at the Lolly Shop

From this farmhouse style building you can satisfy your sweet tooth with some amazing sugary morsels, but there’s much more to this family-run firm than sweets.

They also sell some great little gifts, toys and souvenirs, and the locally baked bread and cakes they sell here are to absolutely die for.

If fact the hotel manager at the vibe where we stayed let us into this little local secret and set out a quick lunch schedule that he likes to follow.

Buy a ciabatta loaf from the Lolly shop (get there early), purchase some smoked trout from the Buxton Salmon and Trout farm and drive up the mountain or into the forest for the ideal picnic. sounds good, doesn’t it?

5. hit the slopes at Lake mountain Resort

During the winter season months you have to pay to go into the resort. This is to pay for the snow machines they use to cover the slopes – it’s still too warm and low for much powder to fall here.

During the spring and summer, it’s totally free to come in. The views out across the Yarra Valley and the mountains are amazing.

If you do come here in the winter, it’s the ideal spot if you’re not a big skier or have kids that just want to play on toboggans.

6. get a local’s view at Marysville visitors Centre

With lots of information about places to eat, things to do and see, and to hear what Marysville’s like from a local’s perspective, you need to come here.

Put some time aside and get Reg or Mary to tell you a few yarns of what living in Marysville and the Yarra is like.

7. drink in the region with a red wine tasting

The Yarra region boasts some amazing high altitude wines. You have to head southwest of Marysville to Healesville if you want to visit cellar doors. You’ll find the likes of Innocent Bystander, Oakridge and Rochford here.

But if you just want to try a bottle of the local good stuff, the range at Radius Bar and Grill is very good or the stock they have at Marysville country Bakery is also excellent.

8. Picnics and hikes

There are so numerous walking trails to get you out and about in these parts. As we’ve mentioned, the walk to Steavenson Falls is a good one.

Otherwise try trails like theMichaeldene Logging Trail, which follows alignments of the old logging trams through the forest to the Taggarty River.

The Cambarville trail that loops from the picnic area and car park around to the Cumberland Falls is a harder walk. You’re rewarded with sights of huge 85-metre tall 400-year-old ash forests and the waterfall itself.

9. get in a round of golf

If you’re into a spot of whack-a-ball, the Marysville Golf and Bowls Club has one of the most beautiful courses in Victoria.

If the 19th hole is much more your scene, the clubhouse is the place to go. It’s a bit of a rarity as there are no pokey machines here.

10. get a sense of history – visit the Phoenix Museum

For a very real insight into what it was like in Marysville during the 2009 fires that devastated the area, the Phoenix museum is an amazing and extremely heart-rending experience.

With accounts from locals who lived through the disaster, you really get a feeling of what disaster this town has gone through. some of the things you learn about in this museum will stay with you forever.

We highly recommend you go here – but don’t forget to pack tissues.

11. chill out at The medspa at Marysville

Since my day at the Ikatan Balinese Day medspa in Noosa, I’ve become a bit of a fan of spas. The medspa at Marysville provides a few different packages and treatments.

Our couples massage was exactly what we needed to put us in a unwinded state of mind needed to get the most out of this beautiful area. The medspa is part of the vibe hotel in Marysville town centre.

12. Hang with the locals at the Bucky

If you’re searching for a meal that’s low-key and local, you can’t beat the Bucky – or the Buxton hotel as outsiders call it. This place is about as homely as a pub can get – think open fires in the winter, outside seating in the summer.

The little kitchen serves up some good Aussie classics, and their wood fire pizzas are extremely popular, and the bar as some local beers, ciders and red wine worth a go.

13. hit the road for some beautiful drives

There are some outstanding mountain roads up and around Marysville, so if you’re into hairpins, switchbacks and driving the bendy-windy, you’ll love this part of Victoria.

In particular, the Black Spur, which brings you best into Marysville from Melbourne, has to be one of the best drives in the country. With the towering forest trees all around you and the mountains looming and delving either side of the road, it feels like you’re in Jurassic Park much more than regional Victoria.

It wouldn’t have amazed us if a T Rex had jumped out at us as we were driving along. The scenery is absolutely stunning.

14. best meal in town at Radius

Being in the Yarra, there are lots of great eating spots nearby, but our meal in Radius Bar and Grill was superb.

We especially like the concept behind Radius; its name refers to the sourcing of the produce used in the restaurant. 85% of everything on your plate has come from within 100kms of Marysville.

The menu is exciting and enticing, and isn’t developed on price for profit. instead it’s based on quality of ingredients and DOC.

15. always room at the inn – Black Spur Inn

A little way out of Marysville is the Black Spur Inn. It’s a local icon and a historic landmark of the area. It’s been housing gold diggers, wood merchants and tourists because 1863.

A great spot for lunch or dinner.

16. best view of the region at Keppel Lookout

Only a little way out of Marysville, the Keppel lookout is best above the town but gives you some amazing views out over the region best up to the escarpment and up to the mountains.

There are lots of lookouts in these parts but we think that the Keppel is the best.

Stick to the boardwalk or explore a bit even more afield – there’s even a hiking trail that takes you all the way down to Steavenson Falls.

17. purchase some stretchy pants and visit the Marysville country Bakery

If fudge and cakes are your kind of disco, you can’t miss the Patisserie. We also purchased their delicious coconut macaroons and a pack of choc chip shortbread biccies. Yum!

18. purchase local – great produce in the area

The Yarra region is well-known for its produce. From red wine to honey, cheese to bread, keep your eye out for local producers or places that stock local stuff. You’ll certainly taste the difference.

19. get into Marysville’s café culture

Marysville has a good range of cafés if you’re after a good coffee or a spot of lunch or brekkie. Radius Café, Elevation 123, Fraga’s Café and Marysville country Bakery are all on the main street and are well worth checking out.

20. meeting of the Waters at Buxton

One of the walks we’d like to have done but didn’t have chance is to the meeting of the Waters. It’s an easy 600m walk from the car park through the rainforest to the point where two rivers – the Taggerty River and Whitehouse Creek – come together.

It’s a popular local spot and epitomises the area.

21. hit the Coldstream trail on the wayto/from Melbourne

The 10 stops along the Coldstream trail objective to showcase the amazing produce of the Yarra. We stopped in at a couple on our way back to Melbourne.

Our preferred was the Napoleone Brewery. It’s beautifully developed inside and out, and the taster flights of beers and ciders you can get at the bar are awesome.

We love getting to know new parts of the Australian countryside. Our trips to Daylesford in Victoria and Mudgee and Orange in NSW have really given us the bug.

Marysville and the Yarra region really is an exceptional part of the Australian landscape. There’s so much to do, see and learn about here. We’ve got so much out of exploring this area.

When you go to Marysville, we’d also highly recommend you download the visit Marysville phone app. It’s got lots much more detail the area and its fascinating history. There are also audio tracks to guide you around walks and trails.

Have you been to Marysville? What’s your preferred part of regional Australia? tell us in the comments!

Images by Mrs Romance.

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Sipadan: the best scuba Dive Of My Life

Sipadan is Malaysia’s only oceanic island and it is actually a enormous extinct volcano cone. Coral has grown from the volcanic rock mountain which lays dormant and nearly absolutely submerged in the Celebes Sea. located just off the north eastern coast of Borneo, Sipadan has long been a scuba diving mecca.

When we were travelling in the area (July, 2009), we heard other divers speak of this tiny island as if it was the holy grail of marine ecosystems. Over 3,000 species of fish inhabit this tiny atoll and they are accompanied by hundreds of green and hawksbill turtles, as well as barracuda, jack fish, hammer head sharks, whale sharks and more. This was absolutely a place I had to see!

We planned our trip to Borneo, one of the most stunning islands in the world, and excitedly booked our flights online. There are a limited number of flights to this island, so we searched different airlines for the best deal. We usually find AirAsia to be the cheapest, but by using Expedia, we were able to lock in a seat sale and we flew from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to jungle-clad Borneo for less than $40!

The Dives

The conditions in July were absolutely best for a terrific week of diving. We arrived in the Northeastern town of Semporna after a long bus ride from Kota Kinabalu. We found a small, basic hotel, checked in and immediately passed out.

The next morning I awoke early and headed to the dive shop where I suited up and prepared myself for my first 2 dives. As I boarded the dive boat, I couldn’t help but to by hypnotized by the brilliantly clear waters of the Semporna Marine Park. As the sun rose higher in the sky, it illuminated the powdery white sand below our boat and the entire sea took on an effervescent glow.

I chose to do the 10 dive package and my first 7 dives around the Semporna Marine Park were spectacular! I right away rated them as some of my much-loved spots on scuba and couldn’t think of how Sipadan could possibly be much better than those first few dives. Well, it was…

The Sipadan Island Dives

On the fourth day, I had 3 dives planned at Sipadan Island and as we slowly cruised over the glass-calm waters of the Celebes Sea, I chatted with our 65-year-old dive master, Richard Mei. Richard has been diving these waters considering that before I was born and he has been a big part of the conservation on the islands. I asked him if we’d see any turtles and he replied:

“If we don’t see 20 turtles I’ll be surprised”.

I laughed and thought for sure he was exaggerating.

Suited Up & Ready! A much younger Me, ecstatic to dive Sipadan.
On the horizon I could see a tiny spec of jungle rimmed by a glowing ring of white sand. “That’s Sipadan!”, Richard hollered over the hum of the engine. “Time to get suited up!”

I was ecstatic as I donned my tank, mask and fins. we all sat on the edge of the boat and one by one we dropped backwards, our splashes shattering the otherwise glass-like emerald waters.

Floating In The Waters Off Of Sipadan Island, Malaysia
As soon as the bubbles from my entry cleared around me, I realized that we were all in the middle of a enormous tornado. The swirling mass spiralled around us in every direction and downward as far as the eye could see. The twister was made entirely of jack fish, some reaching 4 feet long! The ecstatic fish were so densely clustered that we couldn’t see the waters beyond their silvery cyclone.

Photo By Andrepiazza, by means of Wikimedia CommonsFinally the whirlwind dissipated and we could see the edge of Sipadan Island. Richard signaled for us to continue and we all swam slowly, single file at a depth of about 30 meters. We followed Richard along the enormous coral wall which plunged to a depth of nearly 600 meters below us.

The visibility was so good that I could spot reef sharks circling their prey some 40 meters below. The coral embankment on my left was so brightly coloured that it looked surreal. dazzling blue and red fan corals gently waved back and forth in the transparent sea. Every 10 meters or so we passed different caves that seemed to be dug out of the wall. inside of nearly every cave there was a turtle. Richard jokingly began counting turtles with his fingers and by the time we finished our third dive, I think he lost count at around 30.

A green Turtle At Sipadan (Photo By Avoini, by means of Wikimedia Commons)

Every dive at Sipadan was the best dive of my life. I swam with reef sharks and eagle rays. I laid next to nurse sharks and turtles as they slept in small reef caves. I identified an octupus, sting rays and so lots of other fish that it would be impossible to list each species here. The marine lifeat Sipadan was so abundant that it seemed as if all of the fish from the nearby reefs pertained to meet at this one coral atoll, leaving the other seas barren and empty. Why so lots of species of fish, turtle and coral congregate here is a mystery, but it makes for a genuinely memorable dive.

Returning To Land

Dariece met me at shore and she could tell by the enormous grin on my face that I had an outstanding day of scuba diving. I struggled to recall all that I had seen as I excitedly explained the dives to her.

Richard laughed and patted me on the back “I told you we’d see turtles” he said proudly. but in truth, the turtles were only a small part of what made Sipadan so spectacular. The sheer diversity of the sea life, the colour of the corals and the clarity of the water made Sipadan the most unforgettable dive of my scuba career. considering that then, I have dove in The Red Sea, Egypt, seen Humpback Whales on scuba in Tofu, Mozambique, been cave diving in Cenotes in Mexico, and checked out spectacular reefs in Belize, but none of them compare to the wonder that is Sipadan. I hope one day I can return to this underwater dreamland which will probably remain for me, the best dive site on Earth!

***Goat Notes

6 Dives costs 919 MYR ($280 USD) including equipment, boat carry and lunch. (As of May 2014)

I chose to dive with Sipadan Scuba. (Click here for their current rates)

Sipadan Island is limited to 120 divers / day and to make sure you can dive on Sipadan itself, it’s best to purchase the 6 – 10 dive packages

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Beginner’s guide to Pinterest For travel blog writers

In this publish we’re going to be going over why Pinterest is a need to for travel bloggers, sharing our finest ideas for optimising your profile, telling you exactly how to set up your boards correctly, as well as describing exactly how to produce the very best pins to allow your remarkable blog material reach a far broader audience.

Why You requirement Pinterest

First of all let’s talk about why you requirement Pinterest in your travel blogging life.

Studies have shown that a Facebook publish will hit 75% of its maximum impressions in the very first 2.5 hours as well as 75% of interaction occurs in the very first 5 hours. A tweet has an even shorter life of just 18 minutes, after that it vanishes into Twitter oblivion. depending upon the material of your photographs, the life of an Instagram publish varieties from 6 to 48 hours.

Pinterest is totally different as well as enables for long-term engagement. On typical 50% of pin sees occur after 3.5 months. What’s more, if done correctly, the platform likewise enables for your pins to be rediscovered as well as re-pinned once again as well as once again for months as well as even years. Added to this, the typical Pinterest individual likewise spends 14.2 minutes every see pinning content.

But, the most crucial reason why you requirement to make Pinterest a high concern is since of the web traffic it will give your website. With a appropriate Pinterest strategy, you can get countless new visitors monthly to your site. It is a material powerhouse.

Key Point: Pinterest must be THE social network channel that you focus on.

Beginner’s guide To Pinterest

What You will Learn:

How To set Up Your Profile

How To set Up Boards

How To join group Boards

How To produce Pins

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Setting Up Your finest Pinterest Profile

There are 3 aspects to your Pinterest Profile; 1) your photograph, 2) your ‘name’ as well as 3) your bio.

Your Pinterest profile picture can either be a shot of yourself or your logo. having a great high quality picture of yourself will, however, provide your account a much a lot more personal feel as well as this is crucial for audience engagement. Whatever you choose, it must likewise be exact same across all of your social network channels, this is crucial for consistency of your brand image.

Another extremely crucial thing that you requirement understand about Pinterest is that it’s different to all other social network platforms. In truth it’s not truly a true social network platform at all. It performs much a lot more like a browse engine, with material being discoverable by typing in words for whatever the individual is browsing for.

For this reason it is extremely crucial to research study the kinds of ‘keywords’ that your audience will be searching for as well as include them together with your name as well as in your bio.

For example when Pinterest individuals are searching for ‘how to travel forever’, ‘blogging tips’, ‘full-time travellers’ or ‘digital nomads’ we want them to be directed to The Goats’ Pinterest account, because they are our target audience.

Your bio likewise needs to tell the person checking out your Pinterest profile what precisely it is that they will get from complying with you as well as your content. once again this must tie in with your target audience, so whether that be ‘ultimate hacks for affordable travel’ or ‘ remarkable destination guides to the very best locations to see in the world’ spell it out.

You must likewise include a link to your web site as well as go into your place in your finest Pinterest profile.

Key Point: Make your Pinterest profile discoverable to your target audience by including keywords.

How To set Up Your Pinterest Boards

It depends upon your niche as to precisely what type of boards you want to set up, however you always want to the most crucial boards at the top. Don’t concern though, you can modification them around at any type of time by just dragging them.

For example the boards that are at the top of The Goats’ Pinterest profile are the ones that are the most beneficial to our target audience. It’s practical to have one of the very first boards as a master board for the post pins that you will be pinning directly from your blog as well as phone call it the name of your travel blog.

The rest of the boards are set up by destination as well as this extremely typical for a travel focused Pinterest account. We don’t necessarily have a board for every country, some are grouped together into regions. For example, ‘North Asia Travel’, ‘Central Asia Travel’ as well as ‘South Asia Travel’. edit boards by clicking on the grey pencil as well as be sure to set the board classification to ‘Travel’.

It’s totally as much as you exactly how lots of boards you want to have however our recommendations would be to begin off with 5-10 as well as then you can add a lot more as you progress. As discussed above, just like optimising your profile with keywords you likewise want to optimise the descriptions on each of your boards.

Here we are utilizing the keywords, ‘travel blogging’, ‘blogging tips’, ‘monetise your blog’, ‘travel forever’ as well as ‘digital nomad’. To browse for relatable keywords to utilize in your descriptions you can utilize the browse function in Pinterest like this:

The next thing you want to perform in this section of setting up your Pinterest account is to add some great high quality group boards to your profile. You can discover these by searching for associated travel blogs as well as looking with their profiles to discover out which group boards they have. They will have the directions for exactly how to join at the top of each board.

After you have requested to join you will get an invite in your notifications on the tool bar at the top of your Pinterest account. when you accept it, it will then appear on your profile as well as you can step it appropriately in buy of importance.

The reason that you want to join prominent as well as great high quality boards is since when you pin your material to those boards they are shown to a broader and/or different audience. undoubtedly the a lot more eyes you have on your pins the better. group boards are likewise a excellent method of discovering appropriate material other than your own to pin to your boards. as well as Pinterest’s algorithm likes you to share other people’s content.

Key Point: buy your boards by relevance to your audience, key phrase optimise them as well as join high quality group boards.

Creating great high quality Pins

Now you have your profile optimised as well as your boards set up, you requirement to get pinning. the very best performing pins on Pinterest, particularly in the travel arena, are vertical, have lovely photography, as well as aesthetic however basic text showcasing what the post behind it is about.

The finest tool for producing excellent pins is a graphic style program called ‘Canva‘. It’s difficult to believe when you begin utilizing it that the tool is totally free! It’s extremely easy to use so get yourself an account set up as well as begin playing around.

At the top you will see there is a ready-made Pinterest theme choice with optimised vertical orientated pin dimensions of 735px x 1102px. If you click on that you’ll be taken with to a page with great deals of ready-made templates.

From here, down the left hand side you can select a Canva Pinterest theme as well as just just modification the text as well as photograph, or you can develop your own graphic from scratch. just have a mess around as well as see what looks good, keeping in mind the style of prominent travel associated pins on Pinterest. then when you’re done just hit download in the top ideal corner as well as your remarkable looking pin will be downloaded, prepared for you to insert into you blog publish as you would any type of other image.

Next you are going to want to make sure that you have a ‘Pin It’ button installed on your web browsers tool bar – you can do this here. This will allow you to pin your recently produced pin to your Pinterest master travel blog material board directly from your published blog post.

You can do it right here or edit it when you have pinned it, however you must likewise make sure that you have any type of relatable keywords for the post included in the description. For the above pin description for example, we included the complying with keywords: things To perform in Corfu | finest beaches In Greece | Where To stay In Corfu | finest Islands In Greece | finest restaurants In Corfu | Canal d’Amour | guide To Corfu | emerald Isle | travel Greece.

It’s totally as much as you if select to have some boards with just your content, or all of them with a mix of yours as well as others’ content, however you must keep the master board with articles from your blog solely for you. whenever you publish a new publish save it there with your remarkable Canva produced picture as well as then re-pin that pin to all other associated boards.

Key Point: set up an account on Canva as well as utilize it to produce visually attractive pins.

In Summary

You must now have a key phrase optimised Pinterest account set up, have a few of your own boards as well as others’ group boards on your profile as well as understand exactly how to produce remarkable looking pins to save to your travel blog material on your Pinterest account.

Let us understand exactly how Pinterest is working for you in the comments! delighted pinning!

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Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon partner as well as likewise an affiliate for some other retailers. This indicates we make commissions if you click links on our blog as well as purchase from those retailers.

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10 expert ideas To become A (Successful) travel blogger

These days, it seems as though everyone wants to learn how to become a travel blogger, and I don’t blame them! having the opportunity to make money online while following your passion for travel is something that we in the Internet generation are lucky to have.

Nick and I have been running Goats On The road for 6 years now, and for the past 5 years it’s been our sole source of income – earning us six figures a year.

In my opinion, there’s no better way to get paid to travel! If you want to learn how to become a travel blogger, but not just any travel blogger, a successful one, you’ve come to the ideal place.

In this post, I’ll share our best ideas to help you become a travel blogger. Let’s get started.

(Note: This post may consist of affiliate links, which indicates we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. thank you in development for your support.)

1. start A travel blog – The ideal Way

First of all, you need to actually create a travel blog in buy for it to become successful. It sounds basic enough, right?

There are many steps to starting a website. You’ll need to pick a travel blog name, choose a hosting company, decide on a blog theme, and then navigate your way through the murky waters of WordPress.

For us, this is simple. We’re always in the back end of our web site messing around with coding or the design. As I said, we’ve been at this for 6 years, so it’s second nature to us.

But for newbies who are learning how to become a travel blogger, it’s not so basic and can be a daunting, hair-pulling task. Every little mistake you make in the beginning could come back to bite you down the road.

Starting your travel blog the right way is exceptionally important.

That’s why we’ve created our Beginner blogging Course, which helps you set up your travel blog step-by-step. I wish we had this course when we started out – hours of Googling and YouTubing could have been avoided…not to mention, all of the mistakes!

If you start a travel blog through our link here, then you get the course for free. Plus, we will give you our best blogging ideas eBook, SEO checklist and access to our VIP Facebook group as well.

Our VIP Facebook group for our students – some terrific information and engagement in there!
Here’s what one of our students has said about our course:

“I made a decision to give this course a go because at least when I was paying for my blog I was getting something extra for it. Well, I got a whole lot a lot more than I could ever have imagined! Nick’s videos give clear step by step instructions that are easy to follow even for someone who is absolutely new to this.

I set up my blog simply by enjoying the videos, pausing when Nick told me to do something, and often rewinding if it was difficult so I could hear the explanation as I did it. The additional help sheets give you something concrete to refer back to which is terrific as you make your way through the course. As a teacher, I was pleased at Nick’s ability to break things down and describe them clearly.

The Facebook community is amazing! I love seeing where other people are up to and getting ideas and advice. If you’re thinking about setting up a blog, I wouldn’t hesitate with this purchase. You’ll not only get an amazing course, you’ll get ongoing support and a new community of online colleagues who all want the best for one another!”

– Jo Needham, Beginner blogging course student

Start your blog the ideal way so it grows faster, reaches a lot more people, and earns you money sooner.

2. pick a Niche

According to Worldometers, today alone there were 2,760,019 blog articles published on WordPress somewhere in the world. Those aren’t strictly travel related blog posts, but still, that’s a lot of content!

Now a lot more than ever, it’s imperative that you have a niche when learning how to become a travel blogger. You need to stick out and be an authority on the topic that your blog is about. I personally don’t believe that you can be just a travel blog anymore, you need more.

So how do your get your blog articles seen? You niche down.

Here are some examples of various travel niches:

Budget family travel

Travel in (city or country specific)

UNESCO travel

Travelling with a pet

Luxury adventure travel

Travel in Europe

Travelling on a sailboat

Travelling with a disability

Scuba diving around the world

Vegan travel

Travelling in a van

Travelling in a van as a vegan

You get the picture.

If someone is reading your blog and they see that it’s a luxury travel Blog, they’ll think “cool, I’m luxury too!”

Then if they keep reading and realize that it’s also a luxury travel blog for female Travellers, they’ll likely think “Wow, luxury female Travel, that’s exactly me!”

This multi-level assimilation is what makes a niche so crucial and will help you genuinely connect with your followers.

3. create epic Content

When I was learning how to become a travel blogger, I was regularly told by fellow bloggers that “content is king”. To this day, I still believe that 100%.

But what does that mean?

It indicates creating informative articles for your readers. If you look back on our earlier posts, they’re a bit embarrassing – there’s a lot of “I did this, and today we travelled here” – which is ok (it’s a blog after all), but there wasn’t anything substantial that our readers could take away from the articles.

Once we realized that in buy to become professional bloggers (rather than hobby bloggers) we needed to create epic, practical, beneficial content, our mindset and writing style changed and we started seeing traffic to our website.

Writing epic content while overlooking a lake in Argentina

If you want to blog as a hobby, then write about whatever you want. But, if you want this to be a successful service and make money from travel blogging, then you need to think about your audience.

I hate to say it, but no one cares where you went last week, or the bus ride you took. BUT, they do care about the details of where you went (the restaurants, the landscape, the people, the culture, the overall vibe) and they do care about the logistics of that bus ride you took like how much it cost, where you booked it and how long it took.

Reading someone’s diary is boring. reading someone’s stories about travel and finding beneficial information is what people want when they’re using Google.

If you’re going to Colombia, write an thorough travel guide, or a compelling story about a particular place that makes the reader want to travel there. focus on lists – the top things to do in Colombia, the best places to hike in the country, the top spots for foodies, what to pack for the trip, or things people must know when travelling to Colombia.

Within those articles, keep your voice and your flavour (that’s why people read blogs), and when your personality mixes with beneficial content, that’s when you’ve hit the jackpot. find the sweet spot between being informative and being personable.

Articles must be well researched, supply as much information as possible, be lengthy (1,500+ words), have images throughout, and be reader friendly (focus on font size, paragraph length, using headings to split up content, etc.)

The goal of travel blogging is to inspire people to do something or go somewhere, and then give them details on how to do so. blogging isn’t just about you, it’s about those you are reaching with your words. Not only will your readers like your articles, but so will Google and other search engines.

4. Be Your amazing Self

Being a travel blogger indicates supplying travel information to your followers, but it also indicates being YOU.

Most likely, the reason that people started following you in the first place was because of your writing style, your personal story, or how you portray yourself on camera.

People will like your content and find it useful, but they’ll also feel like they’re connecting with you personally. having that relationship with your audience is what being a successful blogger is all about. We absolutely love interacting with our readers through email, blog comments and social media.

Just being our “awesome” selves ?

Be authentic and genuine in the articles you write, the social media articles you add, the emails you send out and the videos you create. Your followers want to feel like they are a part of your journey, and your community.

Being authentic and genuine also indicates being 100% transparent with your audience when you write posts. If a trip is sponsored, tell them. If you have affiliate links in an article, make sure you disclose that. If you’ve made a mistake about something, own up to it.

Just be sincere and open and let your amazing self shine through.

5. get Noticed

How do travel bloggers get observed when there are so lots of blogs online today?

Four main ways:

being niche (as discussed above)

doing something unique

knowing SEO

marketing yourself

Like I said above, you need to have a niche to stick out from the crowd, but you also need to be doing something interesting.

Are you travelling to every country in the world? Do you house sit abroad and earn complimentary accommodation? Are you planning to cycle the Pamir highway in central Asia? Driving a camper van across new Zealand? teaching English in China? rock climbing in California?

Those are all very exciting and special takes on travel and lifestyle. If you market yourself properly, people will hear about the amazing trip you’re doing and want to follow your journey, while getting insights on how they can follow in your footsteps.

But, how do people see those amazing things you’re doing? Either by chance, from SEO (more on that below), or by marketing yourself and your website.

Here’s a few way to market your travel blog:

1. guest Posting: This is what will get you noticed. reach out to bloggers in your niche and pitch them an post idea. once they agree, write a compelling post while linking back to your website, a particular post or upcoming adventure. Do this multiple times, not once, not twice, but ten or a lot more times. find at minimum ten blogs in your genre, write a new post for each of them and have them all published around the same date within the same month – we’ve dubbed this the “guest post bomb“. We did this when we were embarking on our trip through central Asia and Iran and gained a lot of new followers this way.

2. Getting Featured: Getting featured on a large publication is an exceptional way to reach a lot more people, and in turn, have them follow your blog. If you’re doing something special that gets noticed, large publications will reach out to you, but if they don’t, you can always pitch them. write to Lonely Planet, NatGeo, BBC, Forbes, etc. and pitch them your story / angle. If they accept and feature you on their website, you’ll receive thousands of new followers. (you can actually get paid to write online with these companies – lots of of which are big brands)

3. Attending Events: There’s something to be said about actually meeting people in person rather than just reaching out online. attending travel conferences or press trips with fellow bloggers and pr reps for companies is a terrific way to get your name out there. once they meet you in person and see your personality (and travel blog stats), they’ll want to collaborate with you – whether in the form of guest posting, social / video collaborations, or press trips. The a lot more connections you make, the much easier it will be to market your travel blog.

4. Being Social: By this I indicate being social online and interacting with those in your niche. There are many travel groups and communities on Facebook that you can join, and there are lots of sharing groups as well where bloggers share each other’s content to help give it a boost. read other relevant articles and leave genuine comments on them to get yourself noticed. joining Twitter chats are a terrific way to interact with those who are interested in the same things as you, in real-time. Plus, they’ll get to know you better and in turn, follow you. (More on social media below).

When we went on our 5 month trip through central Asia and Iran, we gained a large following because we promoted it
6. Don’t forget about Social Media

Love it or hate it, social media isn’t going anywhere! And, for those who want to become successful travel bloggers, this is a good thing.

Every time you write a new blog post, share it across your social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and of course, Pinterest (Google+ is dead). use relevant hashtags on Twitter and Instagram, and to get a additionally reach, identify people who you think would be interested in your post – without being spammy.

Facebook: post a large variety of things on your

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SOLO IN MELBOURNE FOR infant SHOWERS, household TIME, as well as lots of FOOD as well as red wine

just when you believed it was risk-free to go back in the water… yup! I’ve got to repack as well as head back to the airport!

Jim has relinquished the reins on our regular edition this week so I can tell you all about my (semi-)solo time down in the gorgeous city of Melbourne.

We haven’t been back in the country long, as well as possibly that’s a great thing. If I had time to stop as well as relax, I may not have been able to make it to the flight terminal at all! Instead, mum as well as I are hopping on a airplane as well as heading south for some work, some household time as well as to celebrate the imminent arrival of some new nieces and/or nephews!

I hope you delight in this regular Edition, concerning you all the method from Melbourne, VIC!

Christina xx

It’s our very first week back in Sydney, however not for long for me.

After living out of the suitcase together of what feels like the last six months, Jim as well as I are lastly costs a long weekend apart. It feels unusual to be apart however we believe it’s a great concept since absence does make the heart grow fonder.

Jim’s staying in Sydney while I’m flying down to Melbourne. It’s part work trip, however I’ve asked my mum to find with me so we can see household too.

Lucky for my mum, I’ve handled to money in some regular flyer points as well as we’re flying down company Class. now we’re ruined for flying again, as they treat you so in a different way when you sit at the front of the plane.

It’s been a while because I’ve flown Virgin Australia company class for domestic flights as well as their services really are quite good. I’m amazed with the meals, the drinks offered as well as the service is fantastic. shout out to Rochelle for getting mum an additional champagne, which she’s extremely pleased about!

With concern luggage, we make a swift transfer to pick up a vehicle as well as drive down to the Victorian surf Coast. Our very first stop is Torquay to go to my cousins’ beach house.

I likewise found Peach’s, one of the prettiest grocers, just up the road. I promise whoever does their merchandising has an amazing eye for detail.

While we’re in Torquay, I have to tell you about a awesome competition that we’re working on with Amex for #ShopSmallAU. inspect out our Instagram right here to discover out exactly how to go into to win 2 $5000 travel vouchers – one for you as well as one for your preferred little shop.

While we’ve driven the fantastic ocean road before, we did it as well rapidly as well as didn’t realise exactly how lovely these coastal towns are. They’re like country towns by the sea, as well as have some beautiful historic buildings.

My cousin takes us on a mini-tour stopping at Geelong, Queenscliff as well as Barwon Heads. The baths at Geelong have an practically British / European feel with the boardwalks as well as jetty.

We stop by Rolling Pin pies to try a few of their awarding winning pies (sorry Jim – I guarantee to bring you back here!) as well as I can state their breakfast pie is quite tasty. If you’re feeling adventurous, they have a crocodile pie too.

We roam with adorable regional stores as well as antique shops that are dotted with town. This location is extremely harmful for me to be exploring… it’s just a great task my sibling isn’t right here with me. Together, Mary as well as I would spend all our money as well as purchase everything!

And I discover the fluffiest canine I have ever seen (his name is Jedi btw!)

And in the afternoon we take in the views from At The heads restaurant. It’s truly sheltered right here from the winds as well as the sun comes out in full force. obviously this is where they filmed the TV show “Seachange”.

I can see why my cousins are planning to retire here, this part of Australia is just gorgeous.

Next stop for us on our Melbourne trip is best across the other side of the bay at Mentone. infant fever has hit my buddies group as well as I’m celebrating a infant shower for two of my great mates, Jessica as well as Amy.

Jessica has developed the suspense by waiting up until today to expose if she’s having a young boy or a woman with this beautiful cake. I liked seeing her mum’s deal with when she cut the cake to expose she’s expecting a boy! It’s still a surprise for Amy as well as as she’s due close to my birthday, I couldn’t assist however suggest ‘Christina’ or ‘Christopher’ as fantastic names.

Fun fact: I was really expected to be called Christopher since they believed they were expecting a boy! My name was likewise influenced by being born so close to Christmas.

From the coastline we drive north to go to with my wonderful Auntie Nora. She has not been as well well lately, so we’re trying to get to see her as much as possible this trip. I like that Italian food is always at the centre of our catch-ups as well as she can’t stop feeding us.

She even makes fritole, which are a type of Venetian donut. I honestly cannot stop myself eating these tasty bites. I ought to ask her to instruct me the recipe, however I understand when it won’t taste the exact same when it’s not cooked by her as well as with so much love.

Between work, I make time to catch up with my bestie whose bit young boy now is practically two. She suggests we satisfy up in Collingwood at Stomping Ground Brewery.

It’s a cool, family-friendly brewery in inner-city Melbourne. They do brewery trips at midday on weekends as well as they likewise make a imply Aperol Spritz if you’re not into beer. I understand this is a area Jim will like as well as we will be back next time we’re in Melbourne.

Before heading to the airport, I’m expected to have lunch with the great Smaggle, however sadly she’s not feeling well. She can’t make it out of the house, however we take the celebration to her. as well as just before we left she kept in mind to catch a picture together.

She is expecting a infant in December as well (close to my birthday as well as I did suggest ‘Christina’ would be fantastic for her infant girl). I’m very thrilled for all the new infants that will be showing up around Christmas this year.

Back in Sydney Jim’s been lastly decompressing back home. He’s been difficult at work editing videos (which you’ve seen in our newest messages right here as well as here) as well as likewise handled to catch up with one of his besties who concerned stay as well as keep him in company. They delighted in cigars as well as whisky by the harbour, so don’t feel as well bad; he was having a quite great time while I was away.

I’ve handled fewer than four nights at house because we’ve flown back from London so this coming week is going to be quiet. We most likely won’t have as well much to report in our next regular edition – I’m just looking ahead to catching up on some sleep.

But I’ll most likely spend the weekend searching for flights back to Melbs, it’s so great for the spirit to go to our buddies as well as household there.

Monthly Archives: April 2023