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Things to do in Traralgon – Vic – Australia

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If you are planning a trip to Traralgon, you might be wondering what to do. This article will cover some of the top things to do in Traralgon, including the Traralgon Railway Reservoir Conservation Reserve, the Traralgon Farmer’s Market, the Miners lookout, and more. These activities will be great for the whole family, whether you … Read more

Top tourist attractions in Bahrain

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Bahrain is a tiny island in the Persian Gulf, located off the east coast of Saudi Arabia. It was perhaps the first Gulf State to open its doors to tourism and expatriates. Originally Bahrain was dependent on pearl and fishing trade due to the shallow waters that surround the shores, until the 19th century when … Read more

5 Safety Tips For City Biking

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bike in the city

Biking is a fun and healthy way to stay fit and its one of the fastest ways to get around a busy city. Unfortunately, even the elite riders understand the risks of maneuvering their way around the sea of buses, cars, pedestrians and other bikers within an urban area. For starters, there are basic safety … Read more

Holiday in Tuscany – Castello Montalto

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The Castle of Monalto is located east of Siena in an area known as La Berardenga in Chianti Tuscany. Castello Monalto has a long history and there has been a castle on the site since the 6th century. Montalto in Toscana overlooked an important medieval road that was a gateway to the Mediterranean Sea and … Read more

Nightlife in Prague – what to do at night

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Many, many years ago on my first around the world trip I arrived in Prague. Back then it was a very different place. Prague had been suffering from 40 years of state sponsored neglect, beautiful old building that had survived World War 2 were run down due to the lack of time and money spent … Read more

Wedding in a villa in Mykonos

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Picking a wedding spot must be one of the most difficult choices a couple has to make. The place has to benefit from a nice location and enjoy a scenic setting. The place has to be big enough to house all the party: all the friends, the distant and first-degree relatives, the friends of the … Read more

Simplify Your Traveling This Holiday Season

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Whether you are going back home to visit your family or you are planning an exotic getaway, traveling during the holiday season can be quite challenging; not least of all because everyone else is doing the same. Crowds and long waits can really put a strain on your patience, but these are things we cannot … Read more

Info for AirBnB owners – Air Conditioning

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This article is for people who are starting or have started to sell rooms on AirBnB to make extra money for themselves on this sharing platform. In Australia our climate is so changeable that you will probably need a good air-conditioning system for your rooms. You have the choice of 3 different types of system. … Read more

Forget Naples in summer head straight to the beach

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Naples in summer can be a hot and unpleasant place to be as a traveller, but a short trip away is a wonderful coastal area which has been a haven to travellers for centuries. Neapolitean Riviera The Neapolitan Riviera is Italy’s most idyllic holiday spot that has been popular over many centuries. The Neapolitan Riviera … Read more

Furnishing your Airbnb room

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So you’re thinking making some extra coin renting out your spare room. There’s plenty of things to think about and some expense before you start making some filthy lucre. Your room must have furniture so what should you consider when you are buying furniture?  Choice of furniture can be sorted into two things, function or form.  Think what … Read more

Trekking in Patagonia

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Patagonia

If you’re anything like me a major reason for wanting to travel has been the effect that literature has had on my up bringing and the curiosity of wanting to see what you have read about. I believe that the more you read the more likely that you at least wish to travel even if … Read more

10 Health Benefits to staying properly hydrated

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Currently the majority of Australians don’t drink enough water and up to 75% of us are dehydrated. While travelling proper hydration is essential to good health and happy travels.   Here are 10 Health Benefits to staying properly hydrated. Combats Fatigue Reduces High Blood Pressure Halt Allergies and Asthma Reduces Acne and Aging of the … Read more

Getting Lost in Languages on your overseas travels

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One of the most common problems and apprehensions about travelling to foreign lands is a person’s inability to communicate in the local language. It is something that is a shock to many people and particularly to Anglophiles that are travelling for the first time. This is certainly true if you are hoping to work in … Read more

Buy vs. Rent: What’s The Best Way To Drive Australia?

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motorhome parked near a hill

If you’re heading down to Australia, you might have a road trip already planned…..if you don’t you definitely should! There’s over 817,000 kilometers of roads in the country.

If you planned a trip from Sydney (in the south-east) to Perth (Western Australia), it would take you nearly two whole days to drive there.

In other words, Australia is huge, but the best way to see it is by road. Nothing compares to the freedom you experience seeing this gorgeous country from behind a steering wheel. But that begs the question – is it better to buy a used car or rent one?

Here’s a look at the pros and cons of both options:

Renting a car in Australia

In most countries, renting a car is straightforward. You can even do it at the airport. You probably know all the big rental brands anyway – Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Thrifty, and Redspot. There’s also a ton of local players that offer cars.

The issue is the complex paperwork involved in getting a car hired. There could be issues with security deposits, insurance cover and the amount of distance you can cover.

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Damage excess for rentals varies greatly. Image: bayswatercarrental.com.au

You may fail to notice car damage as minor as bumps or scratches, before you leave the car rental lot. Then end up paying for damage you weren’t responsible for. The terms and conditions also apply many restrictions – not letting you take the car on a ferry, for example.

Our overall thoughts on renting a car in Australia

Overall, renting a car provides less freedom to do what you want. For a lot of travellers, renting is the least enjoyable part of travelling.

But if you’re only going to be visiting for a few days, renting a car rather than buying one might make sense.

Buying a second hand car in Australia

Prefer having more freedom to do what you want? Whilst saving money over the long term, buying a used car might be a better option in Australia.

You can easily buy a used car online and complete the paperwork in a few days. Australians love the open roads and there’s a lot of variety in the cars on offer.

Buying a second hand car can work out cheaper if you’re in Australia for longer than a few weeks. The one caveat is the need to inspect the car before you buy.

You can even sell the car for a reasonable price once your trip is done and you have to leave.  Just make sure you sell the car in the same state as you bought it to avoid extra paperwork.

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2006 Ford Focus with 6 months registration. Image: Gumtree Cars

At the end of the day, whether you buy or rent a car, depends on your budget and time in Australia.

It’s the perfect country for a road trip, so make sure you do your research and get the car you want before you land.

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Having a great stag party in Prague

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There are a number of reasons why having a stag party in Prague is a great idea and they are not all you think. Firstly, everyone will tell you that Eastern Europe generally has a lot of things going for it rather than going to London for a legs up big night on the town.  … Read more

Is Classic Holiday a scam? Few Points that Validates Classic Holidays a Signature of Excellence

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Is Classic Holiday a scam? Few Points that Validates Classic Holidays a Signature of Excellence

The world’s most recognized holiday club, Classic Holidays, has been helping families enjoy exceptional holidays since 1978. It is their forte to take care of their members in every way with their travel requirements. In all these years they have reached a position with over 650 employees, looking after almost 65,000 club members in Australia and New Zealand.

Classic Holidays takes care of the holiday arrangements of its members- everything from planning, reservation to car rentals. This year, almost over 98,000 member holidays booked in. Overall, the Classic Holidays Club system is versatile, flexible, diverse and easy to use. Take a look at the below points that make it clear why joining Classic Holidays Memberships is extremely efficient-

  • For those who love travelling, Classic Holidays make a wonderful holiday arrangement to its members to remember for the rest of your life.
  • Club member will have access to top-notch resorts and accommodation facilities in the most beautiful and exquisite areas in the world.
  • The strength of Classic Escape lies in its enduring affordability! Once you re connected as members, you get into affordable relaxation.
  • As a member, Classic Escapes entitled you to the lowest possible prices for holiday accommodation and travel. You can receive the following discounts-
  1. 15% discount off the lowest price of any resort, hotel or holiday park accommodation
  2. Up to 60+% off the price of off-peak accommodation packages.
  3. Up to 40% off on international travel bookings.
  4. Up to 30% off on cruises and cruise/travel packages.
  5. 15% minimum discount off on all-inclusive travel insurance.
  6. Up to 30% off on car rentals, transfers and activities.

When you join the membership as a Resort Owner under Classic Holidays membership club, you own a traditional week of timeshare at the home resort managed by Classic Holidays. Being a part of the wide chain of members, you can take advantage of your free membership and exchange your week for $1,000 rebate on cruise or coach tour.

 Again, as a Classic Getaway Member, you have easy access to discounted holiday ownership throughout the world. Other features including the discounts are achieved through your association with Classic Holidays and its global partners.

If you deliberately want to create a lifetime of holiday memories, join Classic Escape affordable holiday club to see how exciting it is to travel across the world. You can ask other members, or the people who work with the team, they’ll tell you that Classic Holidays’ customer-centric culture is widely acknowledged

Romantic Holiday in Brittany

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Peugeot driving through Brittany

Imagine, one day ago you were in the office in London staring at your computer screen thinking about all the places you’d rather be. It’s mid afternoon, the next 3 hours will feel like an eternity, it’s Friday and lunch felt like it happened hours ago but you’ve only been back 30 minutes, sitting, staring … Read more

Private tour of Pompeii

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pompeii

On a summers day in August 79AD the people of Pompeii were going about their everyday tasks oblivious to the danger watching over them.

The previous day was Vulcanalia (the festival for the Roman God of Fire) and in honour of the day Mount Vesuvius was likely speaking to the people. Little did they know it was about to roar to life burying the town for the next 1500 years.

Scientists say it’s most likely people were killed by a pyroclastic flow which is a surge of heat produced when a volcano erupts so when the town was excavated people were found exactly where they were when disaster struck, with no ability to try and escape the eruption.

For the next 6 hours ash rained on the town, until it was under 15 metres of ash and buried for the next 1500 years.

In 1599 a wall of Pompeii was uncovered but quickly forgotten again until the 19th century when the site was discovered and excavated.

Ever since Pompeii has been an important tourist attraction and a must on The Grand Tour of gentlemen in the 19th century and tourists today.

Today Pompeii is  UNESCO World Heritage listed and attracts well over 2 million visitors per year.

The best way to counter the crowds and the multitude of tour groups in their big buses is to take a Pompeii & Vesuvius private tours.

This will allow you to bypass the waiting for other people, be able to see gems that private travel guides know rather than see the same thing, walking the route that thousands of people on the tour buses have done before and are doing that day.

By taking Private tours in Italy it gives you the ability to customise your experience seeing the things that you are interested in, not the same old experience that everyone gets on group tours.

Try using travel guides and private tours you will find that you can get a more pleasant and customised experienced and a better holday all round.

Pay your Argentina Reciprocity fee online

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Are you about to travel to South America and are visiting Argentina? Argentina is one of the most interesting countries in South America with a large amount of major tourist attractions In Buenos Aires you can learn to tango, see a local football game or the polo and so many historic buildings to see. And … Read more

5 Adult things to do on The Gold Coast

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When everyone thinks of the Gold Coast the first thing that springs to mind are the theme parks. But what about the adults, what do they do when they visit the Gold Coast?

There are plenty of adult  things to do away from the main theme park stretch of the Gold Coast nowhere near the screaming and tantrums of those little munchkins.

Most people will go to the Gold Coast for about 5-7 days so I’ve given a quick rundown of a few things to do in that time.

  1. The quest for the perfect photo.

Everyone wants to come back with the iconic photo looking down the coast beach one side high rise buildings the other. Here are 3 ways you can get some great shots.

Firstly the romantic way. Hot Air Gold Coast offer a range of champagne breakfast/balloon ride packages over the Gold Coast hinterland, a great way to get some fantastic photos and a great way to spend the morning.

Hot Air Gold Coast will pick you up from your Gold Coast Hotel.

If you’d like to do get in the air with a little more adrenaline maybe a helicopter ride or Tiger Moths maybe more appealing.

There are a number of companies offering 15 minute helicopter scenic flights over the Gold Coast. For then even more adventurous Tiger Moth Joy Flights operate out of an airfield in Pimpama.

If none of that appeals you can always get 360 degree views from the Q1 Observation Deck at the top of the Q1 building. You also have the option of the 90 minute Skypoint climb which is the highest external building climb in Australia.

   2. Meeting the wildlife

Experience Australian wildlife by feeding kangaroos and cuddling koalas. There are bird shows, sheep shearings, Aboriginal performances and treetop ropes courses at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s a must for overseas visitors who’d like to see Australian wildlife up close.

You can see Pelican feeding daily at 1.30pm at Ian Dipple Lagoon, 371 Marine Pde Labrador. You should get there early to witness the pelicans gathering before feeding time. Pack your swimmers and a picnic lunch and make an afternoon of it.

3. Around the Water

As you can imagine Gold Coast life revolves around the sea, surf and beach.

There are a number of water based activities to try.

You can learn to surf – there are many surf schools along the Gold Coast where you can learn to hang 10 and allow the inner child to show through. If you like your surfing a little less wet you can go to the Surf World Museum at Currumbin.

For horse riders you can ride along the beach try Tassiriki Ranch for details.

Lastly for the adrenaline junkies there are the power boats. Paradise Jet Boating will give you an action packed ride over the water.

4. Food

Gold Coast boasts some great restaurants and also Jupiters Casino where you will find 5 different restaurants.

Ask your hotel concierge for a local recommendation.

5. Health and Fitness

If a relaxing holiday is more your forte then there are many options for you.

If pampering is what you need there are many day spas where you can find your peace and look your best.

For fitness and well being every Monday and Wednesday morning Tai Chi classes are held at Justin Park Burleigh Heads and Australian School of Meditation also hold free yoga classes you need to contact them for more details.

If golf is your thing there are many great course on the Gold Coast try the Emerald Lakes Golf Club or the Links Hope Island Resort there are may others though.

There are plenty of things for adults to do on the Gold Coast and every place you go doesn’t have to end in the name World

The Facts: Getting the Right Travel Insurance

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A lot of preparation can go into making sure you’re not one of those travellers that comes home with a woeful story of being ripped off or injured overseas. You can spend hours researching local scams, the best accommodation available and the locks you’ll get to protect the camera and phone tucked in your luggage. … Read more

Villa in Sicily

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infinity pool

Renting a luxury villa in Sicily can open up a world of opportunities and experiences that you would not normally get from staying in a large hotel. If you want to find a villa that is right for you and your family, you need the right agent who not only understands the area but also the needs of the customer.

Villas offer the unrivalled experience of living like a local, so that you can enjoy the luxurious surroundings of a character property in a relaxing pool, surrounded by lush landscapes and breathtaking sea views.

Finding the right villa in Sicily for your holiday can be a daunting task, particularly when there is a language barrier. There are plenty of websites for renting villas, but sometimes it is just easier to give the difficult task of finding a villa to an agent.

The best agents will have personal knowledge of Sicily and will be able to offer advice about location, customs and even excursions. They should also be able to answer any questions about the finer details of renting the property before you choose to go ahead.

When dealing with a rental property, especially a luxury villa with a pool, it is always best to prepare for the unexpected. Like any other holiday property, you will probably find something that you didn’t expect, whether it is the situation of the villa, the decorative features or the proximity to neighbours, but it is important to keep an open mind. Your own personal idea of what luxury villas should look like may be very different to the opinions and tastes of a local, so it is essential to keep this in perspective. No matter what property you choose, your villa will always offer more space and freedom than a large luxury hotel.

Benefits of renting a villa

The best part of renting a villa is the freedom it can bring to you and your family. If you love to see all of the local attractions, then you certainly have the opportunity to see them at your own pace. Sometimes the best moments are spent enjoying all the facilities that the villa has to offer. This is especially true for children, who will love to run around freely or splash about in the pool. It’s also the perfect opportunity to explore the local area, get to know the owners or the neighbours and really immerse yourself in authentic Sicilian culture. Sicily has a long and fascinating history that has been shaped by its ancient Phoenician, Greek and Roman influences. To explore all the wonderful historic sites of this fascinating island, like Syracuse and Catania, there’s no better choice than spending your holiday in a luxury Sicilian villa.

Relax with nature in Tuscany at Oasi Maremma Village

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The thought of Tuscany brings evocative images into my mind. The sun setting behind a vineyard as you snack on olives and sip on your glass of wine.

I guess everyone gets a different picture in their mind when they think if a certain place and that’s my image of Tuscany.

One place where you can satisfy that desire is at Oasi Maremma Village where you can let one of 48 newly built apartments for you holiday in Tuscany.

There are many things to see and do near Oasi Maremma Village and is very close to Scarlino a small medieval village on Alma Mountain, with a view of the blue sea.  Scarlino’s history is linked to the noble Aldobrandeschi family, dating back to the eleventh century.

Walk along its medieval walls to the Rocca Aldobrandesca castle, walk through ancient streets and encounter the Romanesque atmosphere of the San Donato church, dating back to the 12th Century.

Only 40km away is Grosetto a town that dates back to the 9th century, see the 16th Century Medicean Walls and Grosseto cathedral you can spend a great day exploring the town and its history. You could spend days exploring all the churches, abbeys and palaces in Grosseto but you may not want to because Siena and Florence are only a 2 hour drive away as well.

Within the city walls you can visit

  • Church of San Francesco. Situated in the square, it was built in the 13th-century, initially an important Benedectine, later Franciscan convent. The complex underwent several restorations and reconstructions: the bell was rebuilt in the first half of the 20th century.
  • Convent of Clarisse. Located on strada Vinzaglio, the convent is annexed to the Church of Bigi. The convent of Clarisse and the church of Bigi are now desecrated. The entire complex is characterized by the probable medieval origins, which was followed by a series of restorations in Baroque style in the 17th century.
  • Church of San Pietro. The oldest religious building in town, it was built along the stretch of the Via Aurelia that crossed the center and was originally a plebeian and stational church along the old consular road.
  • Church of Misericordia (19th century). It belonged to various religious orders during the following centuries, before moving on brotherhood in the early decades of the 19th century.

Another daytrip you could take is to Portoferraio best known as the location of Napoleon’s first exile (Elba) there are a number of historic forts on the island for you to visit, you can get to Elba on a ferry from Piombino.

And if the history is not enough you have the beach and there is a great sand beach nearby for you to swim and spend some time in the sun.

For more information about accommodation at Oasi Maremma Village please go to the website oasimaremma.it

Sailing Holiday in Croatia

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Sailing the Adriatic Sea is a great way to spend your vacation. The blue sea , a wonderful climate and historic ports to visit will make this the most wonderful trip of a lifetime. Sailing holidays in Croatia can take you to some fantastic, historic towns on the Dalmatian Coast. While many appreciate the tranquil … Read more

Villa in Goa

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One of the most popular areas of India for a beach location is the ex Portuguese colony of Goa. Goa is best known for its many beaches and its wonderful cuisine. You can dine on many seafood dishes and great curries that are distinct to the region. Fifteen kilometers from Panjim, the Goan capital, is … Read more