Author: noel

Fantasy Trip #1: Backpacking through Australia

The idea of backpacking through Australia is enough to get me saying: Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi! Oi! Oi!

But man, this country is big. Where do you even start when planning a trip through OZ? We’ve compiled some easy steps and if you listen to us, everything’s gonna be fair dinkum.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

First, if you’re not already there, buy a ticket. And then hand the rest over to us! There is no better way to see Australia on your own terms than by car but it can be expensive. With Transfercar, the fees are so low that you’ll be able to spend most of your damn heavy Aussie coins on things that matter, like beer and barbeque. Do you really want to spend your days on a cramped bus? Do you want to miss the breathtaking scenery by flying? No, you don’t. So man up! Or lady up and take your trip into your own hands by driving one of our cars!

Pack It Up

Australia is hot so tank tops, board shorts and flip flops can take you a long way. Pack for comfort and not style. You’re not a runway, sweetie and I don’t see a modelling contract so stock up on some light, easy drying comfy clothes. When you hit the big cities like Sydney and Melbs, you can trawl the multitude of shops and fix yourself up real pretty. Be sure to pack some essentials like a flashlight, first aid kit (there’s a lot of critters that bite over here!), a quick-dry towel, and a tough water bottle.

Money Talks

Make sure you’ve got enough money to take you through to the finish line. If you’re planning on backpacking for more than 3 months, look into getting a work visa or even do some woofing on farms. And I don’t mean barking.

Sleep is for Suckahs

But you want to be well rested in order to fight off all those crocodiles that’ll be hunting you down. I mean, so you can have an enjoyable trip… YHA or HI hostels are always the way to go. Camping is a possibility if you’re not fussed about all the wild animals, especially the poisonous ones.  Hostels are great places to meet other like-minded travellers and, of course, to pick up hotties.

FOOOOOD

One of the best parts of travelling is the food. But, restaurants can be expensive so you might want to hit the grocery store instead. Cooking your own food is the best way to save money while backpacking and good hostels have well stocked kitchens with the frying pans and plates needed to make a good meal.

Wolf Creek

So, um, DON’T watch this movie before backpacking through Australia. Like seriously, don’t. But if do watch it and you get stuck in Wolf Creek, give us call and we’ll get you outta there pronto.

 

Road Tripping in The Movies

Whether there’s summer or winter knocking at your door, the open road is calling you. Can you hear it?! If you’re a little deaf, here’s a list of classic road trip movies to inspire you to get into that car and give in to your wanderlust.

Road Tripping with Your Girlfriend:

Bonnie and Clyde, 1967

Bonnie, you a bad girl. Sure, the sexiest outlaws in history don’t get a happy ending, but they have good fun along the way and they look great doing it. We don’t recommend any crime sprees on your romantic getaway, so if you’re looking to channel the B and C, make a playlist of Serge Gainsbourg and Beyonce and wear some berets.

Wild at Heart, 1990

Grab your Lulu, Sailor, and hit the road to California, North Carolina and Texas. Sorry for yet another violent movie here, but it’s not like you have to go a robbin’ to make your road trip have sex appeal. Steal her heart by packing some sweet snacks in the cooler.

Road Tripping with the Dudes:

Beavis and Butthead Do America, 1996

FYI: this movie was the biggest December box-office opening in history before being beaten by Scream 2. Beyond the hit-men, peyote and cavity searches, these guys actually have quite an interesting itinerary, stopping in at some of the most picturesque places in the wonderful US of A like The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park and Hoover Dam. Who knew these guys had taste?!

Sideways, 2004

This movie makes me thirsty. Thirsty for wine I can’t afford. Here we have Miles and Jack heading to the Santa Ynez Valley in Cali for some fine wine before Jack’s wedding. Cheating, drunk dialling and general bad behaviours ensue, creating one of the best bromance movies ever.

Road Tripping with the Family: Little Miss Sunshine, 2006

If an 800 mile road trip with your crazy family isn’t enough to kill you then I don’t know what is. Family tensions get real during this film along with classic mechanical probs, the best being that the family has to run to 20km to start the van, which is just pure gold. Financial ruin, heroin overdoses and beauty pageants make for a trifecta of hilarity. Lessons learned: don’t do anything anyone does in this film. Ever.

National Lampoon’s Vacation, 1983

The 46th Greatest Comedy Film of all time features a family road trip from Chicago to LA. Can you imagine Chevy Chase as your dad?! Wouldn’t that be awesome? The formidable, late and great John Candy is one of the highlights in this beauty.

And last, but surely not least, here’s one for the ladies:

Thelma and Louise, 1991

The ultimate feel-good road trip movie, despite an ending with the heroines plunging to their deaths, Thelma & Louise is an adventure gal-pal film by Ridley Scott. An incredible Californian road trip is featured, amongst some crime, but in the end, it’s the female friendship bond that is the real star of the movie.

How to Pack for a Road Trip – Pack it Up, Pack it in

You’ve got your mates, maps and a sweet rental, but if you don’t pack right for your road trip, it could end up costing you. Here are some packing tips from some of our experts.

Make a List

You’re not an elephant, which means you’re going to forget things, important things that will ruin your life, well, maybe just your trip. So, get all Martha Stewart on your bad self and make a list of everything you’re going to need like sunglasses and sunscreen to extra undies. By planning in advance, you won’t miss any travel necessities. At the top of your awesome list should be proper documentation, navigation materials, and mobile phones and chargers.

Ring the Alarm

Make sure your car is kitted out with a spare tire, a jack and some jumper cables. Have a set of spare keys on hand too, in case you accidentally lock them in the car, stupid. Bringing along the basics like ibuprofen, antacids, bug repellent, a small first aid kit, and hand sanitizer will make your life easier if the situation gets real.. Oh, if you’ve got anyone in the car that’s prone to motion sickness, let them off at the first gas station. Or bring some Dramamine if that seems too harsh.

Muzak

This is probably the most important thing. Ever. I’m going to assume that you and your pals have somewhat similar tastes in music, but it’s a good idea to set up some musical boundaries. Like, no Britney. No Cher. ABSOLUTELY NO NICKELBACK. Get everyone to bring their own iPods and make sure there are enough earphones to go around, that way if not everyone’s into your 1980’s hip hop remixes, they can escape.

All the Foods

Do you want to gain 5kg on your road trip and be mistaken for a beached whale at the beach? No? Then be sure to pack all the fruits and veg. Prepping in advance can save you money and pounds. Bring along Ziploc bags of cut up carrots and broccoli, and keep some healthy dips in your cooler. Because you have to bring a cooler, yo. Not for beersies, but for water. Pack some sammies for your first day on the road, and go nuts on sides: chips, pretzels, and granola bars all travel well. Bring some mints or gum for after.

Playtime

Yeah your smartphone is super awesome, but there’s no ‘us’ in Candy Crush. Well, actually there is, but bring a Frisbee or a ball anyway, or a deck of cards for some Crazy 8’s action. If you’re traveling with spawn, bring some kid friendly activity gear like a portable DVD player, laptops and iPads unless you want to hear the eternal chorus of “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”  Books are cool too, and they make you look smart.

Auckland Sky Tower – I believe I Can Fly!

Auckland cops a lot of flak in NZ because, well, it’s the best. No really, it is. Sure, it may not be a hipster capital (I’m looking at you, Wellington), but it’s a bustling big city that can compete with other world beauties like Vancouver or Seattle. If you’ve only a got a few days in NZ’s biggest city, then there is One Thing You Must Absolutely Do in Auckland.

But it’s a secret, sooo, this is awkward….

Ok, fine, I’ll tell you.

It’s the Sky Tower. You’ve got to do the Auckland Sky Tower.

At 328 metres, this Godzilla-esque tower is the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand. The stunning views of sprawling, dazzling Auckland are simply breath taking. While the views are a main attraction, Auckland’s Sky Tower isn’t just a pretty face. There’s plenty to explore up here, so take a deep breath (and maybe a shot of whiskey for courage) and let’s go exploring.

So, maybe you’re an adrenaline junkie, or perhaps you’re just plain nuts. Either or, the SkyJump may just be your fix. Crazies the world over have jumped and lived to tell their tales, touting it as an absolute must-do. The SkyJump is more like base jumping rather than the ol’ bungee. It’s simple: you’re attached to a wire and then you fall fast, 85km fast, and you land alive and well in the Sky City plaza. You even get a certificate proclaiming your insanity-er-bravery.

If you’re averse to falling then the SkyWalk is your deal. You can walk the line around the pergola 192 meters up the sky Tower, taking in the 360 degree panoramic views of this beautiful city, its harbour and the surrounding islands. Did I mention there are no handrails?! Whoops! But you’re all roped up, so it’s no biggie. Plus you get to make faces at the elite eating at Peter Gordon’s Sugar Club, which is a bonus in itself.

Now that you’ve survived two adrenaline pumping adventures, you’re ready to make it rain. The SKYCITY Casino is conveniently open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you’re feeling lucky, try your hand at popular casino games and machines. Just be sure to keep it real and play at levels you can actually afford.

If you’ve managed to make it out of the Casino with some cash, you won’t be holding onto it much longer once you walk past the Sky Tower’s fabulous restaurants. Where’s the beef? It’s at The Grill by Sean Connolly, a restaurant that celebrates all things bovine and other delicious locally sourced animals. Al Brown, the King Kong of NZ food has made his name at Federal Delicatessen and Depot, serving up incredibly authentic NYC Jewish deli-style food and beautifully cooked NZ cuisine like freshly shucked oysters, whitebait and paua.

Sure, the Sky Tower may seem a bit touristy, but guess what? You’re a tourist. Your experience is what you make of it and the Sky Tower has the goods, so get amongst it.

Things to do in Melbourne

The world’s Most Liveable City has quite the reputation to live up to, but Melbourne delivers on all of the expectations placed upon her. Voila a short list of the Things You Must Do or Die in Melbourne. They’re very easy, don’t be scared…

First things first, you’ve just driven miles to get here so you probably need a COFFEE. If you don’t like coffee, then just leave now, because Melbourne is basically the Coffee Capital of Australia. It’s a city built on café culture, like her great European counterparts Paris and Rome.

Melbourne has hundreds of sexy, independent cafes who each have their own unique design, beans and sweets. The cities best cafes can be found in every suburb and in the downtown concrete jungle. But where you really want to be is in…

…Melbourne’s laneway cafes and bars. The laneways of Melbs are like a sneaky-styley underground labyrinth of cool.  Whatever it is you’re into, you’re going to find it in the lanes. These incredible art-bombed alleys are covered in exquisite graffiti and sculptures that often serve as addresses for hideaway bars and shops. Amongst the caffeine dens and cocktail bars, you’ll be dropping your money on the most glorious food in all of Australia. Old faves like Pellegrini’s snuggle up against trend setting restaurants like Movida. Hardware Lane and Centre Place are dying to feed you: give in. Eat all of the foods. And once you’re done, keep moving down the lanes, pop into a few galleries and try to fit yourself into some clothes from Somerset Place and Rankins Lane. But they won’t fit. Because you ate all the foods. The best thing for you now, and for your new-found curves, is to take a long walk to The Queen Victoria Market.

Yes, there is much more food here, and you’re full, but you’re also on vacation so stop whining and get eating! This is the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s that fabulous that it’s been listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. ‘Queen Vic’ is the beating heart of Melbourne for a reason. Spread out over two entire city blocks, it’s a vibrant and bustling inner-city Market where you’ll find anything from Aussie fruit and veg, diverse arrays of local and imported gourmet foods, to clothing, cosmetics and souvenirs. Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Markets is the Queen of all markets so… bow down.

Right about now, you’ve rested and digested and it’s time to see some nature. Hit the Great Ocean Road. Rightly called the most stunning drive not only in Australia, but the entire WORLD, (and therefore maybe the UNIVERSE), don’t even think about not seeing this road, ok? It’s 243km of pure, eye-melting beauty along the Victorian Coast. The vistas and views will not only kill you with their staggering beauty but the sunset, voted one of Australia’s Top 10 Sunsets (yes, it’s a thing), will destroy you with its awesome power. You’ll never look at the sun in the same way again. Be prepared for complete transformation, baby, you’re under Melbourne’s spell now.

Destination Australia: Coober Pedy, “The Opal Capital of the World”

Things looking dull in the city? Or maybe you’re looking for somewhere stunning as you visit Australia? The opal city of the world, located in the Australian Outback, is sure to brighten up your life.

Coober Pedy’s shining history

In the early 1900s a team in search for gold came across something more extraordinary. While wandering in the painted desert looking for water they stumbled upon traces of Opal. Reacting quickly and laying claim to the area, the Stuart Range Opal Field was constructed. Before the great depression of the late 1930s the area was renamed Coober Pedy, and since then saw a slew of ups and downs. Both in the 1940s and 1960s the Opal industry boomed dramatically, bringing Coober Pedy back from the brink of being wiped out.

Now you can explore this fascinating Opal themed town, making the most of their underground homes which were used to survive the harsh desert conditions.

Heading down under…ground!

Books & Goanna Land – Outback maps, books, guides and postcards can be found underground at the B&G Land store. Take something home to remember the underground experience by.
Art Gallery –  A collection of Australia’s finest artists have works at the underground gallery at Coober Pedy.
Faye’s Underground Home – Enjoy the snug and beautiful underground houses that Coober Pedy residents take shelter in. You’ll be surprised at how magnificent a subterranean home can be.
Crocodile Harry’s Underground Nest – See how the fame of Coober Pedy passed his days by visiting his home. Now passed, Crocodile Harry was notorious for having a wacky underground abode and even wackier personality. His home is filled with hoarded wears that are sure to make you smile, like his various sculptures of people in odd poses.

So if you’re looking for somewhere a little bit precious or you want to experience life underground, Coober Pedy is an outback experience you’ll not want to pass up.