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We had very litle time in this city; but, the smidge I did see was worth it and I would love to go back again one day. We booked a culinary day with a chef, cookbook  author & wine somilier all rolled up in one person – Liz. And what a day it was, she met us in the morning & whisked us away to the local La Vega Central Market to purchase the items we would need for our day. We toured and tasted our way around the vibrant market all the while Liz explaining what things were and in what way they could be used. After filling our tummys and purchasing the vegetables, fruit, fish, meat for our [...]

We boarded our ship late afternoon after a day of sight-seeing. The Aura doesn’t look much on the outside; but, the inside is totally different with an elegant dark interior theme throughout. The Aura has everything you need or want – spa treatment room, salon, gym that is well equipped with a wall resistance platform, treadmill, bike and small area for stretching. It has a small pool that even though you can stretch out in, it will only take at least 2 good strokes to be at the end. The pool is surrounded by plenty of shaded seating and bar. The dining areas consist of the main dining room, Bamar and the café in the Mandalay lounge. There is a [...]

Death, mystery and cops plague this little area - sounds like Midsomer Murders right? You wouldn't be too far wrong if you agreed, the only difference is that this setting is in paradise called Guadeloupe an island in the Caribbean and the name of the show is, Death In Paradise. This two island nation in the shape of a butterfly is made up of Grand-Terre and Basse-Terre. Our journey centred on Basse-Terre which is a mountainous and volcanic island. Allow a couple of hours to drive around the island, this isn't including any stops and driving through the middle of the island is windy and pretty.  To walk up the volcano Le Soufriere allow 4 hours and is steep, undulating [...]

There are a few ways to see the islands – cruises, hotel based and opting for day trips & island hopping. We found the best way for us was to cruise in a small to mid-size yacht as the amount of visitors per island is restricted to 16 at any one time and the yacht can cover long distances at night whilst you sleep, so you awake to a new island each day. Africa is known for it’s Big 5; well, the Galapagos has it’s Big 15 and we were privileged to see 13 of them. To see so many species of animals that we just don’t have here in Australia, it was just too exciting. With zodiac cruises and [...]

The capital Stanley is like a mini English village, which is a bit out of place if you happened to have spent time prior in the Spanish speaking countries of either Chile or Argentina. Stanley is a maritime gateway for Antarctica & the surrounding islands. Many international fishing vessels come to Stanley and therefore, common to see many in the local river. The museum of Stanley has an interesting collection of historical artefacts and you can easily pass a few hours in this establishment. A walk around the village won’t take you any longer than an hour at a leisurely pace. And the main street has a row of houses that is reminiscent of village buildings. The Anglican church has [...]

New Years in Old Town Dubrovnik is a surreal experience for foreigners that can’t speak Croatian. We were right in the thick of the crowd that had gathered to welcome the new year. Families, couples, friends all keeping the winter chill at bay with good food and good wine at the many restaurants that fill Old Town whilst listening to the bands that played on a specially constructed stage. We first watched the fireworks from our hill side accommodation before a 15-minute walking descent to get where the live music was played. We arrived to find literally everyone singing along to what seemed a heart-warming patriot song with some swaying and others with hand on heart. As we didn’t know [...]

Japan is a country of contrasts, where ancient gods and tradition rub shoulders with modern technology.  21st Century Architecture blends into paddy fields and crowds disperse into the tranquillity of a classical garden. I have to admit that prior to arriving in Tokyo, there was a little bit of trepidation at the thought of navigating around Tokyo with everyone else, I was pleasantly surprised.  The best way to traverse the streets was either walking, bicycle or underground train.  I would recommend for any tourist to upload the maps of the city and train system on to their mobile phones. One word to describe Tokyo is sensory overload. Once you step out of the tranquillity of your hotel room, be prepared [...]

We were met by our transfer service and whisked away in a luxurious van for our 2 hour drive to Tembok. We flew past vista's and Mount Agung along many a winding road and past villages and temples. Our arrival at the resort couldn't be more welcoming; whilst the receptionist grabbed our passports to complete check-in we were treated to a welcome back, neck massage & foot wash. The property is a small one; but, is well appointed and delightful. The main rooms overlook the well tended gardens and there are only 2 villas with private plunge pools looking out to the sea. The restaurant, gym and pool look out to the sea, as well as the yoga sites. Speaking [...]

This blog is really a visual one, as the road trip from Santiago to Mendoza across the Andes is an all-day journey filled with amazing colour. It’s best to start early in the morning to avoid as much as possible the peak hour traffic in Santiago and the long queue at the border crossing. A journey of over 300 km, it will take approximately 8 hours to transverse and the border crossing can take about 2 hours to complete; so, a bit of patience is required for that part.