Inspiring Travels

  A few days ago, I was scrolling through Instagram when I came across the latest photos from my niece Helena, who is travelling through Central Asia with her friend Ivana. They’ve been exploring Uzbekistan and some of the other “Stans”, travelling through a part of the world that still feels wonderfully remote and exotic. Then I saw a photo of Helena on horseback, riding through this vast, beautiful countryside. And it stopped me. I felt this sudden rush of excitement for her — but also an incredible sense of nostalgia. It took me straight back to being a young traveller myself, when the world seemed enormous and there was always another adventure waiting around the corner. I remembered travelling through Morocco in 2011 and heading into the Sahara Desert by camel. There was something extraordinary about leaving the roads and towns behind and moving slowly into that enormous landscape. And then spending the night in the desert. No city lights. No familiar surroundings. Just the va...

Most poeple do the day trip thi sthis region, wheWherther your a Sydney Local or an inter state or international travaller to the Blue mountians, theres more to see then you could possiblie see in one day. I recently ventured to this region just 1.5hrs drive from Sydney west up and to the top of the great deivideing range which separates the coast to the country We stayed for a 3 days and depending on what intrests you ( and the waether) the things to do here is a vast as the scenecy! Our first day was clear and bright so decided to visit the smaller towns alont the way up the mountain.  Glenbrook was teh forst stop and if you are heading up either t 1st or 3rd Starurady of the month you can visit the local markets. You will find local arts and crafts as well as fresh produce glenbrook  bric abd brook at hazelbrrok lidsey gallery lost bear gallery  lillefeds https://www.booking.com/index.html?aid=8038438 megalong valley and the tea rooms at lot 101 local chesines or fine ...

I am sure if we all think back over some of the journeys we have made, we will have a funny, exciting or hair raising story to tell about a method of how we got from point A to point B. Its so true when people say, its not just the destination but the journey to get there which is part of, if not all of the adventure and joy of travelling! Do you have a weird and wonderful story about how you got to the place you were trying to reach? If you do - I would love to hear it!  Please share! Here's one of my most interesting and great memories of a destination reached! SPLIT - CROATIA Croatia - Split to the  Village of Bogdanovic  This is my father's childhood family home and in part, mine too. Let me set up the mood -Its 1990 and my first overseas journey.  I am travelling with my cousin Marina and we both have very limited understanding of the Croatian language. We had been already travelling on this journey for 3 months so we're pretty relaxed, i...

A journey to a destination but also through life. Why is it that we have this drive to explore? People who love to travel (not just vacation) but want to explore, and learn about other people and cultures will understand where I am coming from here. It's a drive to learn and see everything we can on this planet.  I think it's also a way for us to improve ourselves as humans. I feel that I have grown to be a more understanding and tolerant person because of the traveling I have completed. Life's journey (like traveling) can be at times, a joy and also a struggle. Both life and traveling can be an adventure or a battle to get to where we aim to land. What are some of the most challenging or interesting journeys you have taken to reach the destination you were planning to get to? Did the planned destination change because of the journey? I have one great memory of when I was traveling through Europe for the first time. I was 23 years old and with my cousin Marina. We were back...

I started writing this blog topic nearly 10 months ago when I first decided that I wanted to write a book. Its been sitting in draft until today (the blog I mean - not the book).  I seem to have been side-tracked with life, as we all do at times.  The idea started marinating in my mind about writing a memoir on  the subject of my travels and how exploring the planet seemed to be when I could truly find myself. I know this sounds corny and we are all seem to now wish to find our 'true' self, but I think its really important to living a happy and filling life - so not so corny I think. Understanding who we are and where we come from helps to understand the generational behaviours we all carry with us. I also wanted to re explore the old country 25 years later and see how my memories and perceptions may be changed. I hesitated to start writing the book because I asked myself - - everyone's got a great travel story and why would mine be any more interesting that people would ...

I recently returned from a 3-week holiday exploring Mexico. It was my first-time visiting Mexico and learning about its culture. It was also my first post covid overseas trip and I just wanted to go and did not really plan too carefully. Oh sure, I did a few Utube views of 'must sees' and 'best food tours' etc but I really did not know a lot about its culture and history. Well as I travel though this land, I heard a lot about many different cultures, invasions, and rulers (the Aztecs and Mayans are only a few of at least 5 or more cultures in Mexico). I retained some of what I heard as I travelled about this rich culture in my crush course of Mexico but, one thing that did stay with me and the Day of the Dead tradition. Of course, I had herd of this holy event but did not know a lot about its origins and why it was so important. I had planned to travel in October and early November (mainly to avoid the hurricane season) and this happened to coincide with the Day of the ...

I just finished reading another great book where the setting added a huge part to the of atmosphere of the story. It made me reflect on how, over the years so many books have inspired my travel destinations. I am a big reader and thought that maybe one day I could write a book (they say there's at least one book in us all!) but it made me reflect on how descriptive writing can be. At times it can set my imagination going and drive me to my next travel destination. I am sure you have been inspired to dream about or actually travel to the location you have read about. If so please share your story. "The seven skins of Easter Wilding" by  Holly Ringland.  was the latest book that got me thinking This best seller by a Australian author Holly Ringland begins with Ester Wilding returning home to Tasmania a year after her sister Aura 'committed suicide'. Ester searches for answers as to the why which takes her to Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands. The story is sad but upl...

 Experience a safari on the South Coast of NSW at Mogo Wildlife Park, Mogo. Just 10km south of Batemans Bay, 2hr from Canberra & 2.5hr from Woolongong, make Mogo Zoo a stop or side trip on any South Coast Journey. I revisited this favorite spot recently as I wanted to see how it had recovered after the 2020 bushfires where it was at risk of being destroyed but thanks to the brave efforts of owners and staff. I was glad to see that it was as good as, if not better than I remembered. In this tranquil 70-acre paradise, take some time to enjoy the peaceful and natural setting the custodians have recreated for both visitors and animals. The team here has a passion for conservation and wildlife protection, wishing to educate and share the joy of these animals by offering feeding opportunities and talks by zookeepers. Mogo also has a reputation as a birthing Zoo with the most recent and famous addition being baby Gorilla, Kaius who's now 2 years old. Kaius had to be hand-raised by zoo...

Reliving my French Food Memory Bonsoir,  Carcassonne, France So one of my methods in managing my travel withdraws is to revisit my favorite food memories.  Those that know me, are aware that food is as much a passion for me as travel - so it's the next best thing in a bad situation  - yes? Australia is a fabulous country with great food from all cultures around the world even just in Sydney (and considering the rest of Australia is pretty much off limits, NSW is my playground!) - so I have decided to indulge in regular outings to a different country around my city to experience the  best in global cuisine we have on offer.  First stop - France - and FRENCH FOOD  - Oh la la!  The hunt started to find local but fabulous cultural cuisines and my first find was Bistro Cocotte in Haberfield. https://www.cocottesydney.com.au/ This is a great find - lovely, local and truly authentic.   Haberfield is a inner city suburb of Sydney that I learnt a litt...

With these strange and ever changing times around us, I have like all of us, had the time to ponder  how this affects both the world we live in and our own individual space. Looking at how this pandemic is affecting other parts of the world is both shocking and scary as we Australians are guarded and protected by our island continent.  This protection does also, however create for me, a feeling of separation which is strange. Like most travel lovers, I have viewed the world as my playground to explore.  To see and experience all the varied cultures and landscapes as I wished. But now, I am faced with the thought that I never,  ever imagined I would face.  That I can not move and travel as I wish. That borders are now locked and we have no clear idea of when this or if, may change.  To image the idea of never being able to depart and explore our world makes me very sad. The village of San Fele  I am sure that soon this will change and we can a...

There's something about a road trip that is different to a planned destination when you go on a vacation. I think its the freedom of having the ability to get in that car and not really know exactly where you are heading - it gives you the sense of exploration and the ability to change your direction depending of how you feel and what you see. There's nothing like it - its part of the joy of travelling and exploring - where you see some little gem of a destination that you may never have even heard of, or, it may have been a little dot on a map - and you just think, "you know what, lets just stop here" and it turns out to be something amazing. Giving you memories unplanned . This happened many times of our recent trip around Spain and Portugal. The driving leg from Madrid to Lisbon had us discovering  Trujillo in the region of Extremadura. Plaza Major The Plaza Major, when lit at night is said to be the most beautiful in all of ...