Category: Travel

San Francisco – a short stay

San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco sits on a hilly peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, in northern California.  The landscape created by the hills around the city is unique and has been featured in many well-loved TV shows and movies throughout the decades.  Since 1873, the iconic San Francisco cable cars have been climbing the hills through the streets, and they are one of the popular tourist attractions in the city, being the world’s last manually operated cable car network.

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Oahu – Hawaiian Island Infatuation

Waikiki Beach Oahu

Oahu is the third largest Hawaiian Island, after Hawaii and Maui, and is home to the state capital Honolulu.  Oahu is categorised into five regions: Honolulu, Central Oahu, Leeward Coast, Winward Coast and the North Shore.  Each region has a different character – from laidback surf towns to cosmopolitan city life, fine dining and diverse shopping options.

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What to pack for a holiday – it’s the little things that make a difference

Just Me And A Boarding Pass

So you are going on a holiday?  Awesome news!   I hope you have a great time.

Now to pack.  You have your travel bag open in the middle of your bedroom floor, but where do you start?  What to pack for a holiday? Everyone is different, and therefore has different priorities on what constitutes a necessity.  I’m not going to bore you with how many different outfits you’re going to need, or how many pairs of shoes, nor dictate the quantities of underwear required.  But I would like to offer up a list of some items that I have found very helpful on my own travels, for your consideration as to whether or not they will make it into your empty suitcase.  I may also throw in a few opinions for good measure.

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Capri & the Blue Grotto – Italian Island Infatuation

Capri Italy

Capri is a beautiful island located to the south of the Gulf of Naples in Italy.  Rising out of the Tyrrhenian Sea, much of the island has a rugged coastline –  home to caves and grottos that have been eroded out of the limestone and sandstone cliffs by the waves of the sea. Capri & the Blue Grotto it is famous for are well worth including in your Italian itinerary. From the first time you approach this island and dock at the Marina Grande, you will feel the spell of romance that has been cast over this beautiful location.

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Dinkelsbühl, Germany

Dinkelsbühl is a small town full of character, found along the Romantic Road in Germany.  One of the last remaining walled medieval towns, this beautiful area has survived two world wars, allowing you to find it exactly as it has been for centuries.

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Koufonisi – Day Trip from Naxos – Greek Island Infatuation

Ammos Beach Koufonisi

During our stay on Naxos, we had planned to do some island hopping.  Unbeknownst to us, because we were there so late in the season (1st week of October), most of the inter-island day trips had finished.  Not being one to easily let a dream die, I decided to ask around at most of the many day tour places in the town.  I found that my best options were on offer from the  Naxos Tours office at Chora Naxos Protodikion square, Naxos 843 00, Greece.  The friendly staff helped me book a Greek Island tour for my day trip to Koufonisi.   

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Kawau Island New Zealand – A Short Stay

North Cove Kawau Island

A short 8km boat ride across Kawau Bay from Sandspit, Warkworth will transport you to the beautiful Kawau Island New Zealand.  There are ferries and water taxis that leave from Sandspit daily. Or take your own boat out for a spin.  The island has three harbours: Bon Accord Harbour, North Cove, and South Cove.  Most residents rely on direct waterfront access and have private wharves for entrance to their homes.  Other residents choose to live on their boats anchored in one of the harbours.

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Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Uluru on a couldy day

You will find Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a place of unique beauty in the iconic “Red Centre” of Australia. As such, it has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List for both its cultural and natural values.  The massive rock formations of Uluru and Kata Tjuta act as a refuge for both plants and animals and are the focal point of this desert landscape. 

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Meteora Monasteries in Greece

The Meteora are rock formations shaped as a result of the erosion of wind and rain over time. These effects created separate pillars of various height and width.  Caves eroded in the sides of the pillars. Centuries ago, monks seeking quiet solitude for their devotions created small places of prayer by making cells inside these caves. Consequently, the area came to be known as a holy place. Amazingly, around the 14th Century, many Meteora monasteries started to be built at the very top of the rock pillars. During that time access could only be gained with removable ladders and winch systems used to haul up baskets and nets. This was used for both goods and people!! As a result, entering and exiting their home must have been a terrifying experience.

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Naxos – Greek Island Infatuation

Naxos Chora

Naxos is the largest and most fertile island in the Cyclades group, robed with pristine beaches on its coastline, and surrounded by blue Mediterranean beauty.  Inland there are ancient ruins, and traditional villages amphitheatrically cascading down the slopes of the mountains they nestle against.   According to Greek Mythology, the young Zeus was raised in a cave on Mt Zas ( ‘Zas’ meaning ‘Zeus’). The cave was in the centre of Naxos island, on the tallest peak in the Cyclades.  Naxos also happens to be conveniently located close to other Greek Islands and is a fantastic base to do some Greek Island hopping!

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