The Five Places You Must Visit in Italy

There are so many incredible places to visit in Italy. It's hard to know where to start, especially if you're on a budget.

If you're there for a short time, you absolutely must visit:

Florence

The Piazza Del Duomo, Florence, or in English, the "Cathedral Square" is one of the most visited places in Europe. From here you can see the Basillica de Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto's Bell Tower among many other extraordinary buildings. This photograph does not do the architecture justice.

A charming store made of wooden items, where Pinocchio is definitely the star.

Florence is also the home of Michelangelo's 'David', the infamous statue which lives in the Accademia Gallery. You can visit the statue for a small price, but beware of long cues. A replica of the statue (above) lives in the nearby Palazzo Vecchio, which is free to visit and is almost the real deal..

Pisa

Instilled in our minds from a young age is the ridiculous notion of the leaning tower of Pisa. Yes, it really does lean. And yes, everyone visiting tries to get a photo of them "holding up" the tower. The tower now leans at 3.99 degrees, meaning that the top of the tower is 3.9 meters displaced!

One of the best parts of visiting the leaning tower is taking photos of everyone looking silly as they "hold up" the tower. 

It's also worthy to note that a lot of gypsies loiter around, trying to sell knock-off sunglasses and bags to unsuspecting tourists. The fines for obtaining knock-off brand pieces are huge.

Rome

Rome, the city of romance. There are so many things to see and do in Rome, it's almost unfair when you're on a tight schedule. The Spanish Steps is a monumental 135 steps, perhaps most well known to Western audiences from watching Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday.

The Roman Forum ruins is a site that I would go particularly out of my way to visit. Its vast history spans hundreds of years. It was for centuries the centre of Roman public life - of elections, speeches, trials and gladiator matches along with many other affairs and trade. Now in ruins, and the home of hundreds of stray cats, it is still easy to picture how life in Rome may have been as so  many of the buildings and monuments have been well preserved. The history is overwhelming.

One of the most famous fountains in the world is the Trevi Fountain. Be sure to throw your coin from your right hand over your left shoulder for good luck. It is estimated that 3000 euro are thrown in everyday, and the money all goes to Rome's needy.

 The Colosseum is the most well known ampitheatre in the world. Construction started in 70AD, and was the home of gladiator battles and other entertainment, holding 80,000 spectators. While today the ampitheatre is not in its original condition and is slowly eroding, thousands of visitors visit each day and a small replica floor has been built to reimagine that part of the ampitheatre.

Force

Force is a very small town on the eastern side of Italy. With a population of 1400, it is a town where you can really immerse yourself into Italian culture. There are no English speaking Italians around, so communicating can be humorous. Above is a photo of the backyard I stayed in - with picturesque mountainous views and locals wanting you to try all of the finest cuisine, I couldn't recommend it more.

One thing that you will notice all around Italy is the huge amount of vespas! Hire one for the day and you'll feel like a real local, with your hair flapping behind you in the wind.

Porto San Giorgio

Porto San Giorgio is on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, aka the east coast of Italy.  With 16,500 inhabitants, there are endless shops, plazas, churches and architecture to visit. Gelato in this region is a must have. The beach (pictured above) reminds me of the film The Talented Mr Ripley, but is a perfect place to relax and the surf is not too strong. The water was the perfect temperature when I visited in August.  

Fun fact: Villa Bonaparte, Napolean's little brother lived here between 1829 - 1831. 

 Until next time,

Jayne x

5 Things You Should Do In Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.

So, you're going to Switzerland. 

Filled with lakes, rivers, mountains and aesthetic beauty - it's the land of yodelling, the best chocolate you'll ever eat, and four national languages. Situated at the base of the alps is a valley-town called Lauterbrunnen; a town you do not want to miss. Here are some things you should consider doing if visiting this stunning, awe-inspiring place. cheese 450 varieties, watches, army knives tag heuer, rolex, omega. 65% of switzerland is covered by Alp 

Cool your drinks in nature's fridge: the river.

Are you short a fridge? Nature is your best friend in Switzerland, where the cold, year-long temperatures are perfect for cooling down your next holiday beer or cider. Yes, really.

Visit the musical cows.

"Cows playing instruments?", you ask. Kind of. Switzerland is famous for their cows wearing bells. The cows mainly wear the bells so that it is easy to locate them if they wander away from their herd, but it has become a Swiss tradition. The fields of tinkering bells bring a humorous and oddly soothing atmosphere to the sweeping, colourful meadows. You can listen and watch some of these Swiss cows tinker, here. 

Climb the hidden Trummelbachfalle.

There are 72 waterfalls in the Lauterbrunnen valley, with most of those pouring down and free-falling  the valley walls, in a very theatric way. Trummelbach Falls in the 'Black Monk' mountain is hidden within the rockface and they're the only glacier waterfalls in the world that are only accessible by a very steep, underground tunnel lift. That's right, you enter from within the waterfall, climbing around the gurgling, churning water as it thunders down at speeds you don't want to know. Terrifying, but stunning.

 Travel to Jungfrau.

Overlooking the valley of Lauterbrunnen is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps, the snowcapped Jungfrau. While it was once a hard place to journey to, the Jungfraubahn cog railway goes to the highest railway station in Europe, Jungfrau railway station. At the top of this, you will find an impressive collection of an observatory, a ski school, a cinema, restaurants, but perhaps the most impressive is the Ice Palace, where a collection os ice sculptures are held as well as possibly the worlds best, snow-covered viewing platform. 

 Go for a wander. 

One of the best things to do in Lauterbrunnen is to just wander. Absorb the meadows, the plummeting, freefalling waterfalls, the quaint village huts and churches, enjoy the friendly neighbourhood cafes and stores.

Here are a list of other things you might like to do:

- Rent a mountainbike from Stechelberg.

- Hike to Wengwald (1.5 hours).

- Eat swiss chocolate and swiss cheese (there are over 450 types of Swiss cheese).

- Go skydiving from 4000m high, overlooking the Swiss Alps.

- Buy a Swiss watch. Known for Tag Heuer, Rolex and Omega, the watches might set you back a bit, but are hailed for being world-wide quality products.

- Buy a Swiss army knife. Though, you may have trouble taking that one through airport security.

Until next time,

Jayne x

Halong Bay - Vietnam

 

Halong Bay – Vietnam

When came back to Vietnam I usually take a long trip to the north, as many travellers like to visit Halong Bay where we can enjoy the amazing limestone islands, rock and caves naturally built up as a miraculous pictures. We can rent a kayak or a junk boat to sail around the bay for free air breathing with wind and water before a delicious dinner of fresh sea food.

 

Halong Bay has thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes. It is a centre of the larger zone which comprises Baitulong Bay to the northeast, and Catba Island to the southwest.

 



Legend of the name Halong (It means "descending dragon")

According to local legend, when Vietnam had just started to develop into a country, they had to fight against invaders. To assist the Vietnamese in defending their country, the gods sent a family of dragons as protectors. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form a great wall against the invaders. Under magic, numerous rock mountains abruptly appeared on the sea, ahead of invaders' ships; the forward ships struck the rocks and each other. After winning the battle, the dragons were interested in peaceful sightseeing of the Earth, and then decided to live in this bay.



 Hang. L

The Land Down Under, Australia

Australia is one of the largest nations in the world by land area, yet little more than 23 million souls inhabit it, leaving much of its remaining territory open to those that cherish the outdoors. Many Aussies and travelers seek it out on a regular basis, as its vast outback, infinite coastline and its massive offshore reefs make this country attractive to adventurers.

In this post, I will suggest three regions that are perfect for those looking to carve up big waves and swim through some of the most heavenly marine environments in the world.

Learn to surf in Byron Bay

Byron Bay is the best known destination for this sport in Australia. While some of it has to do with its proximity to Brisbane, which is one of the largest cities in the nation, Byron is well known for long swells that go on seemingly forever. Combined with sandy bottoms, it has attracted aspiring surfers and the more experienced ones in droves.

Dive the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns

While you are travelling to Down Under, you may as well see the world's largest barrier reef, which lies offshore of Queensland, whether it will be your first time under the waves, or the thousandth. The experience of seeing marine lives is indescribable, you need to see it in order to feel it. You can try other activities such as whitewater rafting, jungle trips and skydiving. 

Trek Tasmania's ruggedly beautiful outback

While trekking through the desert or tropical jungle can be found throughout the Australian mainland and Queensland, those looking for a hike through a more temperate environment can find it through the interior of Australia's island state, Tasmania.

Those that are into multi-day treks, the Overland and South Coast Tracks will take you through mountain and oceanic environments that are unlike anything that can be found elsewhere in Australia. Bushwalkers tackling the Overland might even encounter snow during springtime and experience a wide variety of climates throughout its expansive territory.

.Minh H

London Calling - Why England is the Best Gap-Year Location

"London Calling", "The London Boys", "London, Luck and Love", "London's Brilliant". If there's anything The Clash, David Bowie, Hall & Oates and Elvis Costello have in common, it's a universal agreement that London is the place to be.

In 2010, I decided England was, without a doubt, the place I wanted to be; and so started my four month journey into a world of Britpop, museums, cornish pasties, incredible architecture, and a never ceasing gaping mouth as I took this incredible, alluring country in.

King Arthur's castle in Cornwall

Cornwall is an incredible coastal town in the western most part of south-west England. It's England's most notable area for surfing, and has an incredible coastline, but coming from Australia, it doesn't really compare to our surf. The food, on the other hand, is delicious. Best known for their Cornish pasties which are a savoury pastry filled with beef teak, onion, potato and swede. Being a large dairy area, the other well known Cornish delicacy is clotted cream. The cream actually has a Protected Geographical Status under EU law, which means it can't be made anywhere else!

London, oh London!

Perpetually grey, London is an incredibly beautiful place with a rich history. History and culture nerds alike will melt. If you're a fan of both, add in the British accent and you might just explode. This vast city has something for everyone. Of course, the tourist attractions such as Big Ben, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, The British Museum, The National Gallery and The Tate Modern are must see destinations, but get into the nitty gritty of places like South London for a vibrant music scene and quirky nooks such as Brick Lane, or head to national events like Wimbledon and eat your strawberries and cream whilst sipping a refreshing Pimms and lemonade.  

Stay tuned for more, coming soon.

Jayne x

Capetown

Cape town is nothing like most coastal cities you'll visit in Africa. I was 16 when I visited, and at the time I used to watch a show on MTV called Laguna beach, and all I could think of was Laguna only better. The houses facing the beaches definitely reminded me of the show, but it's diversity, creativity, colour, sounds and taste was nothing I had ever seen or even imagined.

 At night the city is very lively, my friends and I went for a movie and were shocked at how busy it was. The internet cafes, restaurants and a lot of shops were open till late. There's many of Cape Dutch architecture, narrow, cobble stone streets and the strongly Islamic ambiance of the Bo-Kaap enhance the cosmopolitan ambiance of the city. I love penguins and Capetown became the first place I ever saw them, they were too cute.

My first time on a aerial cable car was when we were going to the table mountain.  At that moment I was in awe and I even forgot about my fear of heights, it was nothing like I'd seen before. When we got to the table mountain I love the little shops there and bought myself lip balm and a few other souvenirs. The view was out of this world, we were literally seeing all of Capetown. 

Hong Kong harbour side

Hong Kong Harbour

Hong Kong harbour side is a relaxing blast from the past in a new age world. The harbour is full of old ships that make you think you are back in the early 1900s, it is truly amazing.

Ships such as this ship here hold world class restaurants that have great seafood, at night the harbour lights up with classic Chinese ships circling the harbour or sitting docked which are full of restaurants and function facilities. 

When i spent my time in Hong Kong the restaurant in which i went to on the harbour was Jumbo a world renown seafood restaurant. As you walk in you get quite a surprise to how large the ship actually is and the class and sophistication of the ornaments and goods onboard. As you walk in the entrance it is like walking into a great hall with two massive stair cases on either side it is truly amazing for a boat of this age and size. 

The food in which is offered is fantastic, i got a banquet deal which included 8 servings of food and cost around $100 U.S dollars for this amount i feel as though it was worth while. As the scenary and night which you have is truly fantastic as well as the food. 

A whole other world...

I love to travel and the first thing I normally do after confirming my flights and where I’ll be staying, I picture myself in that place I’ve never been. I have vivid images mostly from the media, books I’ve read, what I’ve seen on TV and what I’m told. In June I told one of my classmates from China that I would be going to visit but the trip I was making is mostly for the graduation of a relative who was there on scholarship. She was excited for me, this took away the little worrying I had in me of going to a place I never thought I’d visit anytime soon. I told her I was looking forward to the shopping mostly, and she encouraged me to take an empty suitcase because it was ‘crazy cheap'. She warned me of the Beijing atmospheric pollution but I told her I’d be there for a few days then get a train to Shenyang where my cousin goes to University.

The flight was long, maybe it was because we stopped in Malaysia for a few hours. I was so relieved when we landed in Beijing after the long flight. I headed to a family friends where I stayed for a few nights before heading to Shenyang. Beijing was beautiful, but I expected the streets to be cramped with people and I’d be struggling to move, to my surprise it was nothing like I imagined. I did a little shopping there, the kind where you can bargain for a pair of shoes from 100 dollars to 10. I was shocked and even felt sorry for the seller, but the friend I was with insisted, "trust me that’s the whole point, if you don’t want to bargain there’s always the fancy malls we could go to", she said. But I was on a budget and this is what I needed, this kind of shopping therapy. I bought myself a lot of shoes, bags and clothes, things I’d probably spend so much on in Australia, stuff I’d never be able to afford here all at once, but I got all at once for a bargain, the jaw dropping kind, it was insane. The nightlife was amazing, the alcohol was cheaper than water, no kidding! The clubs were big and getting around the city was easy especially since the cab drivers were always ready outside calling out for you with their cheap fares they’d negotiate with you before even entering the car.

Another thing I was in awe of there were the huge train stations, I felt like I was at an airport and kept thinking maybe it’s both a train station and an airport. It took 5 hours from Beijing to Shenyang on the bullet train, went by really fast but I also hardly sleep when I’m travelling. I was told it was a smaller city, but on reaching and just by the look of the train station and driving through the city to my cousins apartment I thought, “well if this is small, then I don’t know what Kampala is”, honestly the few days I was there and hearing about the population, it might as well be the whole of my Uganda. My cousin and his friends obviously speak Chinese but it was at this point I realised I’d never been to a country or in a place where almost no one spoke English, yes I believe even in the deepest rural village in Uganda you’ll come across a herdsman or farmer that speaks broken English but you’ll feel safe in knowing you cannot get lost if left alone. Here I was, always thought of myself as independent but I relied on my cousin and his friends for everything, for directions, buying food, you name it, except getting money from the atm machine, it’s all I could do.

Also I was very shocked on the little personal space I had, while walking I could feel people touch my hair, they were so fascinated by not just my skin but my hair too, like I was the first black girl they were seeing, some even went as far as asking for a picture, and here I was thinking this town had a lot of international students and they should be used by now. All in all, it was an awesome trip that made me wish I spoke Chinese, being in another world, their world, made me realise; the world’s way bigger than what I’m shown on TV or the magazines.

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Singapore

Hi guys, we will take you to one of the island country in Southeast Asia – Singapore. The most recognizable landmark would be the Merlion Statue. The name combines two exotic creatures a lion and a mermaid. Merlion is also known as the Guardian of Prosperity, is a statue with the body of a fish and the head of a lion.

I spent just roughly two weeks at Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the experience is top notch. Have you ever spend a night on a massive ship floating in the sky? There are pools with high glass barrier that give you the feeling that you are floating in the sky. 

The Light and Water Show at the Marina Bay Sands is one show that you can watch in Singapore every night for free.  The shows start at 8pm and 9.30pm.  On Friday and Saturday nights, there is another show at 11pm.

There is a little catch that you should know – although the show starts at the same time, you cannot watch both at the same time.  You have to be at the Marina Bay Sands side to watch the Water Show, and you have to be across the bay to watch the Light Show.  You can catch one at 8pm and then stroll over to the other side to catch the other one at 9.30pm.

Marina Bay Sands Light Show

During the 15-minute show, laser lights lighted up the sky from the unique ship-like rooftop of the Marina Bay Sands.  I loved how the water reflected the colourful lights from the roofs of the Marina Bay Sands shopping centre in the foreground.  The dancing lights were accompanied by music that could be heard around the whole bay area.   I definitely think its worth watching if you are around the Marina Bay area.

Marina Bay Sands Water Show

The Water Show, on the other hand, was not as impressive as the Light Show.  Yes, there was some excitement when a small burst of fire took the audience by surprise, but the typical dancing water and the video display on the water were not new, at least not to us.  Despite that, I think it was still nice to watch because of the awesome city skyline as the backdrop.

 I would recommend Singapore to be one of the "must go" destination because in spite the fact that Singapore is a very small island country, there are heaps of other activities that you could visit and have some fun. I would come back to Singapore in the near future if I have time.

.Minh H