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Here we are again! Another year in review. It feels like 2016 has come and gone too fast. We are in that weird and scary part of the year where it feels as if iconic figures are dropping off like flies as fate cherry picks those that won't make it into the new year. Celebrity deaths of 2016; from the shocking death of Carrie Fisher from a heart attack, then her mother Debbie Reynolds the day after. Also, the death of Wham legend George Michael, then the likes of David Bowie, Ricky Harris, Prince, Gene Wilder. It’s always sad when you lose people that you have grown up listening to and watching from a young age. It’s also a lesson that we must all live the lives we were intended to live, not living according to anyone else’s forced dreams or expectations of us. Live a life that is fearless, where we take charge of our own happiness. Both in our professional and personal lives. "So many people make that mistake and allow others fears and insecurities to change the trajectory of their lives." If you need inspiration for pursuing your dreams and living a life without fear check out an interview with Natasha Rock on her move to live and teach in Saudi Arabia.
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Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
29 December 2016
2016 In Review | One Year - 10 Countries, 19 Cities + A Full-Time Job!
15 December 2016
Want See Melbourne's Best Spot For Street Art? - You Need To Head To This Spot!
Hosier Lane | Street Art
Firstly I am sorry that my posts are drubs lately, this working and commuting the long distance for work is not allowing my blog to state update. Plus the fact that I have had trips in Dusseldorf, Venice, through in some training for work and an engagement and you end up with the blog at the bottom of the priority list. I did, however, manage to squeeze some time in to show you Hosier Lane. Hosier Lane is a cute little lane in Melbourne filled with colourful street art. Melbourne or Australia, in general, might be known for its obsession with quality coffee but it looks like street art is up there with coffee, shopping and gastronomy when it comes to thing that get Australians pulses rising.
25 October 2016
Scenes From The Great Ocean Road
The second installment of the posts on road tripping through Australia's Great Ocean Road. Australia's most famous road tour routes. I recently shared the first installment a few weeks ago which included a video with views of the 12 Apostles from a Helicopter. The pictures in this post are from ground level while driving through the famous B100 road and wheezing past cute seaside towns, postcard picture kangaroos in open fields, tree hugging koala bears and those beautiful beaches that we are used to seeing on Home and Away. The beaches are plenty! Many you will have all to yourselves this beautiful stretch of the road gives you. Great Ocean Road is one of those Road trips that you have to do in a lifetime. The history behind the road is also beautiful in itself in that is serves as a permanent memorial to those who died while fighting in World War 1. It was built by returned servicemen who upon return, many had no jobs and lacked the skills to get back into work. It was through campaigning and lobbying by Alderman Howard Hitchcock to bring about the idea to get the servicemen involved in this audacious task of building this road and bring about an end in the isolation of many of the little towns in this part of the country. It's quite sad that he never actually got to see the end of it. However, it is said that they drove his casket road the whole stretch of the B100 Great Ocean Road.
15 October 2016
Melbourne's Best Breakfast and Brunch Spots
It would be an understatement to say that Australians love their coffee. With that in mind, dont expect to see Starbucks on every corner either. They take their coffee seriously, which has morphed into an obsession with quality coffee. It may come as no surprise to anyone had has read my rants about Starbucks and their none-paying tax butts, in addition to not paying taxes, I wouldn't put quality and coffee together when it comes to Starbucks, which also so they open 84 stores only to close 61 of them in the 8 years since opening. They could not rise to the challenge when compared to the cafes that pour out high-quality shots that Australians are accustomed to. The coffee culture in Australia is a lot more mature than I and a lot of people expect when visiting this far away land.
6 October 2016
Brighton Beach | Visiting Melbourne's Iconic Bathing Box Beach
Located south of Melbourne on the realms of Port Phillip Bay, is where you will find one of Melbourne's Iconic beaches. The 6 kilometres of coastline are not the only draws to Brighton Beach, the attraction to the shorelines may have something to do with the 82 bathing boxes that line the foreshore of Brighton Beach. These were built over a hundred years ago in response to ideas of Victorian moral values and seaside bathing. Each now comes adorned with distinctive decorations which have now turned Brighton Beach into an immediately recognisable spot. These bathing boxes are located on a popular spot of the coastline of Dendy Street. On a good day this coastline is filled with picnickers, windsurfers and water skiers.
3 October 2016
Australia's Great Ocean Road | A Helicopter Tour Over The 12 Apostles
The Great Ocean Road winds and bends for 243 kilometers along the Southern Ocean, from Geelong to Portland. While driving this beautiful and scenic coastal stretch, you bear witness to Victoria's dramatic coastline, iconic surf breaks, waterfalls, cute fury animals like the kola bears, kangaroos in additional to the most famous sights of them all; The 12 Apostles!
28 September 2016
Gunnamatta Beach: Getting Introduced to Melbourne's Hidden Gem
I have been keen to visit Melbourne for some time now, partly because I was going to be getting a local tour of the city. Local in that I was going to have my very own personal guide to the city. Not in the ‘driving miss Daisy’ type of experience but I was going to have my friend chauffeur me (there was a tram or bus threw in the mix too) me about to all the cool little hang outs that tourists don’t usually venture out to. I love a touristy spot, but adore even more to see hidden gems in cities I visit. This is the same thing I try to inspire people to do when they visit London. Don't just stick to popular places in central London. Visit Angle, Brixton, East London, Kingston, heck add Peckham in there too. You want to see where the locals hang out, don’t you? So get in there!
7 September 2016
Visiting Sydney's Botanical Gardens and Mrs Macquarie's Chair | a must for the Unique City Views
I posted my top 10 things to do in Sydney which included a stop at the Royal Botanical Gardens. This is one spot that is a must, and no you don't have to be a lover of plants to visit. It starts off from the bottom steps of Sydney Opera House and circles Farm Cove. The gardens also feature Australia's first and oldest bridge, which is a cute little bridge crossing a stream in the gardens. You also have amazing plants that are about as old as dinosaurs. Walking along the shape of the cove you will have amazing views looking into Sydney CBD and its skyscrapers. A walk through the gardens leads you to a vantage point offering stunning views of Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge from Mrs Macquaries Chair.
4 September 2016
Exploring Sydney's Opera House
Sydney Opera House! A building that really needs no introductions, huh? But, for those not in the know, Sydney Opera House is a performing arts center in Australia's Sydney on Bennelong Point of Sydney Harbour. Situated close to the business district and the famous Harbour Bridge. Inspired by bird wings, the shape and form of clouds, shells and palm trees, say its Danish architect Jorn Utzon. The roof is made out of fungus ceramic tiles and concrete.
Looking at these pictures you would not believe that the city had rained for 3 days in a roll! Yep, that total messed up all the plans I had to shoot the sunset over the bridge or my planned rides to Manly. I suppose I can't complain too much as I still managed to venture out and explore the city parks, the famous Bondi Beach, and its sea water pools along the coast and beautiful harbours or the famous Kings Cross a notorious red light and entertainment district of Sydney.
Back into Farm Cove, you can admire the view of Sydney's Opera House from many unique viewing points that include Mrs Macquaries Chair, from the Botanical Garden which I will be sharing more pictures on shortly after this post.
Booking a tour in Sydney's Opera House
2 September 2016
Top 10 Things To See and Do In Sydney
Sydney is one of those cities that has been on my list now for a long time and I had put it off for so long until my friend announced that she was moving back to London. Suddenly the pressure was on to visit Australia before she left but the thing is, she was based in Melbourne. No problem at all, solo travel is nothing new to me so I embarked on travelling to Sydney on my own before flying out to Melbourne and check out her city a couple of weeks before she moved to London. If solo travel is something that scares then hopefully my recent post with tips for first-time solo travellers will help ease the anxiety of getting out there on your own.
Sydney is one city that you can happily explore by yourself but if you have company to experience it with then even better! Below are my top 10 places to see, visit and maybe do, while visiting Australia's famous city. Enjoy! Don't forget to share the post.
20 August 2016
Sydney Apartments That will Bring Out The Naomi Campbell Out of You!
Lately, when I travel I prefer a little bit of "home from home comfort" so I tend to opt for apartments when traveling for leisure these days. Sure you might want everything taken care of by the hotel and that's great when I am staying in hotels while on a work project. For my trip to Australia this March, I wanted to be right in the city but still feel comfortable in the space I was staying and much less foot traffic compared to a hotel. I definitely found in Meriton Apartments. They have some of the tallest residential properties in Sydney. They have many apartment buildings in Sydney and some with penthouse. I chose to stay at Meriton Serviced Apartments in Pitt Street. Right in the heart of Sydney's CBD. Westfield Shopping Centre is just a street or 2 streets away. It is perfectly located in that you also have the world famous Queen Victoria Building with designer boutique stores, cafes and restaurants just a few steps away. Just as well, as being close to many a restaurant meant I had enough time to evoke the Naomi Campbell alter ego before venturing off to dinner with travel friends I met in the city.
1 June 2016
Ocean View | A Day Out On Sydney's Bondi Beach
Sydney's most visited beach and Australia's world famous beach. You cannot visit Sydney and not make it to Bondi Beach. Waves upon waves of the Pacific come gushing in and its mesmerising just standing there listening to the waves crash in foaming swells. Surfers breaking waves like child's play. If the waves or winds are all too powerful for you can drop by the famous Bondi Baths that have become a landmark of Bondi Beach for many years. What I also learned while exploring the city is that Sydney as many saltwater baths by the ocean which makes swimming in the ocean a lot safer. They are all dotted around the coast and not as busy and popular as Bondi Baths but bear in mind that not all will have life guides around like Bondi Baths.
Bondi Beach is usually crowded but as I was visiting at the end of the season, it was so busy with just enough sunshine to make it look inviting but shortly after we were all ducking for Bondi Pavilion cafes and gelato shops to escape the rain. Come rain or shine tens of thousands of people walk this stretch of the beach to take in the views, walk the coastal route, jog or sunbath on the golden shores. Bondi Beach is not famous for no reason, it's absolutely beautiful and not only that, I love that the city center is not too far. You could be sunbathing one minute and burning plastic with a little retail therapy within minutes.
While exploring the area don't pass on checking out other beautiful beaches nearby like Tamara, Bronte, and Coogee which can all be easily accessed via the coast walk.
Getting Around: Bondi Beach is only about 30 minutes drive from Sydney CBD. Tour buses actually stop by the beach so if you are doing the city tour you can actually get one of the buses from CBD and get on and off by the beach. You can also use Uber or any of the tax services to get to the beach. Will be sharing more pictures from explorations of Sydney CBD soon.
Getting Around: Bondi Beach is only about 30 minutes drive from Sydney CBD. Tour buses actually stop by the beach so if you are doing the city tour you can actually get one of the buses from CBD and get on and off by the beach. You can also use Uber or any of the tax services to get to the beach. Will be sharing more pictures from explorations of Sydney CBD soon.
28 October 2015
Word On The Street | A Local's Guide To Sydney With The Trusted Traveller
This is the last in the Word On The Street travel series I have been doing with bloggers this month. I hope you have enjoyed coverage of Cusco in Peru, Scottsdale in Arizona, USA and Perth in Australia. The last installment is also by way of Australia. One other reason why I am super excited to share this city guide with you is because I have FINALLY booked my ticket to Australia. I am heading down under come March next year. I will be sharing more details about that soon. Without further ado, I will let Jen Seligmann aka The Trusted Traveller guide us on things to do and see in Sydney and around this beautiful and popular Australia city.
7 October 2015
Word On The Street | In Perth With A Hole In My Shoe
Perth is like no other place because of its location. We are one of the most isolated capital cities in the world. But don’t think because we are isolated there is nothing to do here. Quite the opposite. Known for our sunny, Mediterranean climate, Perth has the best beaches and one of the largest inner city parks in the world.
2 October 2015
What's Hot This October
On The Blog This Month: Word On The Street Travel Series
We have some serious global wandering this month by way of a travel series called Word On The Street. We are going to travel around the world this month, I tell ya. Another new month getting us closer to the end of 2015! With this new month I thought I would introduce a few cities that I am sure some of you(including myself) have been wanderlusting about. What better way to do that than to interview other bloggers who live there, been there, done that and bought the t-shirt. The image above gives you an idea of where we will be travelling to this month. Four of those places will be introduced by other bloggers and the other four places I will be showing you around. The four cities introduced by blogger will be part of the 4 week series this month called Word On The Street. This will be published very Wednesday at 4pm to get your Wednesday Wanderlust juices flowing. So make sure you sign up on Bloglovin, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as well as the newletter(enter email to the right) to make sure you read them first when they publish. Check out the list below for more details of whats to come:
1. Perth, Australia - We are visiting two beautiful cities in Australia this month one of which will be Perth. This will be introduced by Lyn and Steve Baker from A Hole In My Shoe. They will show you around Kings Park, Cottesloe Beach and the City Lights. (Publishes - 7/10/15)
2. Cusco, Peru - Heather Cole, a traveller and writer with a serious case of wanderlust will take us to Cusco in Peru. Visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites, tips on the best places to see, where to eat, drink and how to get around this part in South America. I am dying to publish this Conversanttraveller's tales, as I have been dreaming about Peru for too long now, but haven't bought a ticket yet. (Publishes - 14/10/15)
3. Scottsdale, USA - With most wanderlusters dreaming about faraway places like Vietnam, Chile, Indonesia, we often forget about the USA. Yes, the big United States are filled with some crazy-beautiful sights so you would be nuts to not want to visit the cool places on offer, one of which is Scottsdale in Arizona. This is also the state that has the amazing canyons! Antelope Canyon and Grand Canyon, of course. Allison Mathis from LiveLifeWell with introduce these desert landcapes this month. (Publishes - 21/10/15)
4.Russia and The World For Black History Month - October is Black History month in the UK so what better way to celebrate than to take you around the world for black history month. We will be looking at some historically significant black people from from around the world. Russia's Alexander Pushkin who was and still is a well known poet. Then we will head to Mexico and check out Vicente Ramó Guerrero; Mexico's first black president who also happen to have led Mexico to Independence in 1829. We will also be celebrating modern heroes too, like Mae Carol Jemison; the first black woman in Space. So look out for that! I will be covering North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa! Around the world in black history.
5. South Downs - England - I am sure some of you may have seen pictures of the white chalk cliffs in England. Well I will be taking you around East Sussex and the beautiful coastal towns of this part of the UK. Even better was the fact that I was challenged to do this trip for under £100 by YHA hostels. I love a good challenge too, so look out for this post to find out whether I succeeded or failed miserably.
6. Sydney, Australia - Another trip back to Australia in the Word On The Street series will be provided by Jen Seligmann, The Trusted Traveller. Who hasn't dreamed about seeing the Opera House from across the habour? Exactly what I though, no one. We will get the details from a local on where to hang out, eat, get the best views so look out for that. (Publishes - 28/10/15)
7. Snowdonia, Wales - I love adventure as much as the next person but I love it even more when experienced with friends. Over the August bank holiday a bunch of friends and I drove to Wales to explore Snowdonia National Park. Most were driving from London with one coming from as far away as Cornwall. I cant wait to share more pictures from our hikes, picnicking next to an elevated lake and just experiencing the most amazing views after scaling the peaks in Snowdonia.
8. New Delhi, India - Another trip I am dying to share with you is India. I will be giving you the low down on the sights to see in India's New Delhi. What to see and do, where to stay, shop and eat. So be show to follow on social media to make sure you read that when it drops.
If you want to find the travel series for this month. You will be able to find it via the hashtag #WordOnTheStreetWithBee. The These will drop every Wednesday at 4pm.
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