SARDINIA info

Posts will follow soon - watch this space!

Your feedback is important

Dear followers, friends and occasional readers,

A big thanks to all of you who have left honest feedback and comments on my blog - I really appreciate that.

I am constantly improving my blog and posts and with your support I am hoping to create a unique blog that will hopefully attract more followers and readers.

Therefore I kindly ask you to respond to this post and to feed back about just anything that you think is worth mentioning.

Thanks a lot for being part of my project!

Yours
Gordana

SIEM REAP

Siem Reap is an amazing place! I wish I had more time to travel in Cambodia but, unfortunately, this was our last destination of our honeymoon trip in Australia and South East Asia. We spent more time in Vietnam  so we had only 5 days left in Cambodia.

I wanted to see Angkor Wat and that's the main reason we decided to fly to Siem Reap from Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam. We knew that we would not be able to see much in five days but it is enough time to visit Angkor Wat and the other temples nearby.

How glad I was we did decide to go. It was the highlight of our trip! I absolutely LOVE Siem Reap and the people there. What a fantastic country with people who's heart is on the right place. After all that Cambodians went through in the past, they truly are remarkable people.

We met a very nice guy called Samisok who took us around the Angkor Wat and who did a day trip with us to different villages around Siem Reap. Sami, that's what we called him, also took us to the Cambodia Land Mine Museum.

John and I met Aki Ra, the founder of the 'Cambodia Landmine Museum Relief Fund' and a former Khmer Rouge child soldier who is raising money with this project in order to help land mine victims in Cambodia.
Aki teaches volunteers how to dismantle land mines as there are still tens of thousands of land mines all over Cambodia and accidents still happen on a daily basis where people, especially children, loose arms and legs while playing in the fields.

CLMRF is a great organisation and if you want to help, visit their website to find out more about this project. Also, Aki's story is very interesting although heartbreaking and sad. For general information about Cambodia's history, click here.


On a more positive note - when we visited different villages outside Siem Reap, we had some great opportunities to talk to the local people.

Once we were invited to visit their houses and they showed us what they do for a living. As mentioned before, people there were lovely and very friendly and they openly talked to us about their lives. Luckily, our driver spoke English and translated the conversation for us as we wouldn't had understood a word :-)

That day a family in one of the villages was making sugar out of palm juice. It was interesting to watch how they did it.

It's hard work but it pays off eventually as the people make sweets (tablets) out of it and wrap it nicely in leaves and then sell it to passers by next to the main road.

In my next Siem Reap post I am going to tell you about our visit to Ankor Wat, the most beautiful ancient site I've ever seen.

Become a follower and sign up via RSS feed so you don't miss out on the updates and future posts.

Happy reading!

--> More photos of Siem Reap

FREE WEEKEND - ST ANDREW'S DAY 2010

Are you looking for something to do this weekend?

It's the 'FREE WEEKEND - ST ANDREW'S DAY 2010'.

Don't miss out and check out their website for more information.

Happy St. Andrew's day!!!

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

I could not believe I was back in good old Perth, Western Australia when we finally landed on the 24th in the evening. The weather was brilliant (as expected) and I could not wait to check into our hostel and explore Perth again. This was my fourth time in Perth and every time I arrive, I feel like I am coming home. To me, Perth is the most beautiful place to live. There are so many beautiful suburbs, shops, parks and so much to do and see. 

Our excitement went down the cellar when we checked into our backpackers and found out that this place was everything but clean and comfortable. I stayed in backpackers most of the time when I travelled around Australia in 1998 but I never came across anything like this. 

I don’t mind if a backpackers is simple with no luxury at all but I do mind when I open the cupboards and the first thing I see are cockroaches en mass climbing in and out of cereals and other food that was stored there. 

I couldn’t even count them – there were so many of them! And did I mention our bedroom at all? 

Not that it is worth mentioning but I have to say that the room had a large window which was locked and could not be opened at all. As we were on the basement, it would have not been the best idea anyway but there was no air conditioning in the room and with almost 50 degrees Celsius it was impossible to breath, let alone sleep in this room. 

Looking back, I don’t know how we managed to survive this ordeal.

Unfortunately, accommodation was pretty much nonexistent during that week because it was in the middle of the summer holidays and because of Australia Day which is the most important Day for Australians and therefore a big celebration. People from all over Western Australia come to Perth to celebrate.

Nevertheless, we did enjoy our stay in Perth as the weather was fantastic and we never stood still. 

A friend of mine lives in Perth and so does my great uncle so I arranged a visit with them. My friend showed us his business and then he took us for a lovely ride in the late afternoon to the beautiful Swan Valley, definitely worth a visit. The beautiful vineyards left us stunned and the villages in between vineyards were lovely too.

My friend also took us to suburbs where the rich and wealthy live and the houses we saw were phenomenal. There are golf courses everywhere and when people leave the golf courses, Kangaroos take over and you can spot them all over the courses, relaxing on the lovely green.

Australia Day is a public holiday and is on the 26 January. Everybody was dressed up and there were thousands of Aussie flags, huts, flip flops and people’s faces had the Australian flag painted on. 

The atmosphere was amazing and the weather was incredible! It was 42 degrees Celsius and at 11.00pm at night it was still 34 degrees! Pubs were all crowded and must have made a fortune that day. 

A concert with an Aboriginal band was among the performers as well as dancing and kids entertainment. 

I was looking forward to spend Australia Day in Perth as they always have loads of entertainment and a very special firework display. (I have now experienced Australia Day three times in Perth and it gets better ever time!!!) So if you happen to be in Australia on 26 January, make sure you book your accommodation in advance and stay in a bigger city where you can experience the great atmosphere and watch the fireworks. I don't know what they are like in other cities but the ones in Perth are outstanding! If you go to South Perth early enough, you might find a place next to the river from where you can watch the firework display and have the best view of Perth skyline (see picture above).

The next day we went to my favourite beach, the Cottosloe Beach. We took the train from Perth city which took us to Cottosloe in 25 minutes.

My friend picked us up later in the afternoon and we went to his mothers place for dinner. B. is a good cook and completely spoiled us. Luckily B. offered us to spend the night at her place after hearing our horror story about the cockroaches in the hostel.

Fremantle was on our list of things to do and see so we decided to visit Fremantle the next day. 

Locals would play the didgeridoo (see picture) while tourists would stop and listen to this very skillful entertainment.

I absolutely love Fremantle! The town centre is gorgeous with lovely restaurants, cafes and pubs along the main street. At the end of the street is the Fremantle market, where you can buy everything you need to cook a lovely meal. 

Shopping in Perth is so relaxing and good fun. The shops are lovely and, very important - they were air conditioned so we spent a lot of time in shops cooling down.

The next few days we relaxed, went to the beach and got organised for our trip to the south west of Australia. We hired a car for 3 weeks and the plan was to go to the south west, return to Perth for a night and then head north.

I took John to a famous pub called the Brass Monkey in Northbridge on the night before we headed south. Northbridge is the entertainment area where you can find all kinds of restaurants, pubs, clubs, bars and games halls (pool, billiard etc.). That’s where most people go out on the weekend.

In my next post about Australia, I will take you to the beautiful south west to places like Margaret River, Esperance, Denmark, Augusta and many more. 

Western Australia truly is a magic place if not the most amazing one in my opinion. Australia as a country is so versatile – you have beaches, more beautiful than you can imagine, rain forests, deserts, cities and mountains (although not many). Flora and fauna could not be more beautiful and the amount of wildlife you can see is enormous.

So read on and be inspired! And please feel free to comment on my posts. I would really like to hear what you think about my stories.

--> More pictures of Perth and Fremantle 

  

MARRAKESH

In my last Moroccan post I mentioned our stay in Marrakesh which was interesting and exciting.
We only spent one night in Marrakesh when we arrived as we had booked our rental car for the next 5 days but we stayed another 3 nights in Marrakesh in a different Riad (Moroccan accommodation/hotel) after our round trip.

So, the first night was an interesting one as we did not know what to expect. Having been to Egypt during Ramadan, I had a feeling of what might happen when the sun goes down but this definitely exceeded my expectations. Our plane landed around 6pm and by the time we got our luggage and a bus into town, the sun went down. In Morocco, the world stands (almost) still for about an hour.

When we arrived at the Moroccan House Hotel, we were asked to take a seat near the reception. We then figured out that the staff was having their dinner. Of course, they haven't eaten all day and once the sun goes down and they did their required prayers, they are allowed to eat as much as they want.

After a while we were taken to our room, a lovely decorated but simple room on the 3rd floor. I instantly liked it and thought it was good value for money. We only paid around £35 for the room for the night, including breakfast. Tired but excited, we decided to go into the old town centre to get something to eat ourselves. It was a short taxi ride to the Place Jemaa el-Fna, a square where everything is happening. You will find street performers, storytellers, juice and food stands and lots of restaurants and cafes. The Moroccans love their tea and it is tradition to offer sweet mint tea to customers or friends.

John and I did not have to go far - as soon as we entered the food square, we immediately found ourselves sitting on one of the many tables outside, holding a menu in our hands. The food was delicious and the olives were AMAZING!!!

Freshly squeezed orange juice was sold at stands near the food area and it was refreshing and cheap!

Beside the Place Jemaa el-Fna, you can find the souks with its large market. It's almost unbelievable how many languages the sellers speak! Their French and English is good enough to persuade you to buy something from them :-). Everything from food to shoes, jewellery, pottery, clothing and music can be found in the souks. But be aware of the hundreds of small streets - we got lost a few times - in only one night! Having a map does not do you any favour as the street signs are either in Arabic or they are no signs  at all.

If you don't know where you are going and if you look lost, it won't take seconds before young guys start to approach you, pretending to be helpful and showing you the way out or in, depending where you want to go. Beware of them as they are not just extremely friendly - they want money for their 'service' as they call it. Whether you ask for help or not, they'll tell you where to go, then follow you and demand money for their service. Be strict and say 'no thank you' in a clear manner and walk away.

Don't get too stressed out when they follow you - which I guarantee they will. Just ignore them and go your own way. If you are still not sure, stop and ask someone inside a shop as this person is unlikely to leave the shop to show you the way. Usually older men don't ask for money, we noticed.

As you might know, Ramadan is a special time for Muslims. During the day, no drinks or food are allowed so towns are usually quiet if there is not a market taking place. But once the sun goes down, it's a different world.  Everybody is eating and drinking and having a good time.

There's one thing you will struggle to find during Ramadan: alcohol! Large International hotels usually do serve alcohol during Ramadan but most of the Riads we stayed in wouldn't sell any alcohol at all.

A fantastic picture was to watch thousands of men and women run to the mosque's in Marrakesh. Everything would stand still for a while and even the cars would stop because of the mass of people crossing the road to get to their mosque.

I wish I had been able to take photographs of the happening but the majority of Moroccan's don't like their photos taken. I am not sure if this is only during Ramadan, but I noticed that women in particular never want their photo taken. They turn their back at you if you try to take a picture or they turn their heads away from the camera. Nevertheless, some people did not mind to have their photo taken but always ask for permission as you don't want to upset people.

The picture of a pink building with a beautiful door is the entrance to the Grand Mosque. Unfortunately we were not permitted to enter the mosque as non-Muslims but we tried to take a shy glance into the mosque just to get an idea of the interior, with little success. People were walking in and out all the time and we could not block the entrance as this would have annoyed them.


The photos of the terrace and the pool show our accommodation in Marrakesh in the old town, also called the medina, our last 3 days in Morocco. The Riad is called Riad Moullaoud and is a very beautiful Riad in the middle of the medina. Run by a French manager, this gay friendly place offers tranquillity, good food AND.... yes - they serve alcohol!!!

Staff is extremely friendly and I can highly recommend this place if you don't mind staying in the middle of the old town.


When you choose your accommodation, do your homework and find out where the Riad is located before you book. If you don't want to stay in the old town, there are plenty of alternatives outside the medina, in a more modern environment where hotels such as the Hilton, Ibis etc. are located.

You will  also find plenty of Riads outside the medina and it's usually a short trip by taxi into town or you can even walk, depends on where you are staying.



My recommendation:
Stay outside the Medina if you

a) have a rental car
b) don't want to be hassled by the locals for money for offering their 'services'
c) want peace
d) if you don't feel comfortable being surrounded by locals

The Moroccan House Hotel is situated in the new town of Marrakesh. It is a simple but beautiful Riad, located in a very quiet area. And I can also recommend Riad Moullaoud, if you want to stay in the old town. Both are nice Riads but very different. The first one is run by Moroccans, the second one by a French.


Also, check out the Jardin Majorelle, a luscious garden built by the late Yves Saint Laurent.

Personally, I believe that 3 or 4 days are enough time to explore Marrakesh. There are other lovely places outside Marrakesh, which I will tell you all about it in the following posts about Morocco.

--> More photos of Marrakesh

Poll #2 results

Dear friends,

Thanks a lot for participating at my last poll. The question was:
Where did you hear about my blog?

73% have answered 'Facebook' which is not a big surprise as I have advertised a lot on Facebook. 6% said 'Word of mouth' and the other possible answers got only 1% each.

This shows how powerful Facebook is as a promotional marketing tool.

Thanks again for your time and effort and don't forget - there is another poll out there waiting for you to vote. It is a bit different from the previous ones but this one allows me to ask different questions.

The evaluation of Poll #3 will be used for the final analysis of my weblog for my marketing report which is due on 10 December so please leave your feedback as soon as possible as this is a very important survey and every vote counts!

Many thanks.
Gordana

THE BELLS OF VINISCE

A friend of mine from Vinisce in Croatia has put this together - check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BH7y9ZkfLo

So nice....

Poll #3 - IMPORTANT - PLEASE VOTE

Hello,

This is a very important poll and I will need your vote.

Please participate and tick the boxes of all the ones that you agree with (multiple choice possible).
The results of this poll will be used for my assessment analysis so please everyone respond honestly and let me know what you think about my blog.

I can only improve my services when I know what I need to improve.

Thanks a lot for your time and honesty.

Yours
Gordana

CAIRNS & CAPE TRIBULATION

In my previous post about my Australia travel I finished the report with John's Birthday bash in Airlie Beach. I also mentioned that we skipped Magnetic Island as the weather was not good at all and we decided to go further north. First of all, we stopped over in Cairns where we met our two lovely German friends again.

We met Alex and Jens in the afternoon at the visitor centre in down town Cairns to discuss opportunities for snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef, sometime in the next few days. We came to the conclusion that the best place would be off the north coast of Cairns, an area called Cape Tribulation.

It is supposed to be less crowded and less spoiled then off the coast of Cairns. That's what we believed so we went to book a one day boat trip with RUMRUNNER. (I have tried to link you to the Rumrunner website but it looks like they have gone bust as their website is not accessible).

Alex and Jens offered us to drive up to Cape Tribulation with them in their car which we happily accepted as another bus trip would have cost us a small fortune. We arranged with the backpackers to store our big backpacks and just take small ones for those 3 days, until we come back.

The next day A and J picked us up we headed north. On the way to the Daintree National park we stopped in Port Douglas for lunch and groceries shopping.

We also spent some time at the Mossmann Gorge which is a very beautiful place to visit. It was very hot and humid and the mosquitoes attacked us as soon as we stepped out of the car. During the wet season they seem to be particularly aggressive.

On the way to our camp ground John and I went for a one hour boat ride on the Daintree River, the home of hundreds of crocodiles. We spotted 3 crocs and a big Python snake, rolled up on a tree branch. Nice one!

In a discussion about Australias wildlife, Alex mentioned how nice it would be to see a Cassowary (big birds, similar to Emus) but the chances are small as there are only 65 of them left. But guess what - two Cassowaries, the father and a chick crossed the road, just a few minutes after my friend had mentioned them! We were so lucky to see them at all!!!

Later on we checked in at the camp ground and cooked dinner together with Alex and Jens. I love barbecue's and Australia's camp grounds all have BBQ facilities. Bliss!

The next morning we were picked up from our camp site by a shuttle bus who took us to the beach where we went on our boat, the RUMRUNNER for our snorkel trip. We sailed out to the McKay reef and got briefed about the reef, Marine life etc. John was getting ready for snorkelling and I decided to go scuba diving.

This was the first time in 4 years I went scuba diving again. It was a bit scary after such a long time but I was desperate to dive the Great Barrier Reef (finally). I had a great time! The corals were fantastic but the diversity of fish was not that impressive. John was not very impressed with the marine life either. I guess the reef is not as active as it used to be. A lot of corals were dead, unfortunately.

We were suppose to sail to another reef after lunch but the weather was not ideal and the wind picked up so we had to stay where we were to avoid strong currents in the water.

Our trip ended around 5pm and we were dropped off at the camp site. The weather totally changed and it rained like crazy during the whole 2 nights we were there.

It was almost impossible to walk around in this rain and therefore we had to cancel our plans to do a night walk in the rain forest. Originally, we have planned to stay 3 nights but it rained constantly so we changed our plan and returned to Cairns a day earlier. The best time to visit Cape Tribulation is from June to October.

The last 3 days John and I spent in Cairns. We were not doing much, just relaxed, checked our e-mails and got organised to fly to Perth on the 24th of January. The flight to Perth had been booked in advance so we had to hang out in Cairns until our departure. I was not utterly impressed with Cairns. It is a good place from where you can do trips to the Great Barrier Reef but other than that it was just another party town, very commercial.

The hostel was very nice and the kitchen was surprisingly clean, which is an unusual case as the majority of backpackers we stayed at the East Coast would have never passed the health, safety and hygiene regulations in Scotland.

My next posts about travelling Australia will cover our 4 weeks in Western Australia, my absolute favourite place in the world. I love Perth and the whole of Western Australia is simply the most amazing place on earth.  So watch this space!

--> More photos of Cairns & Cape Tribulation

LONDON

London truly is a world city: vibrant, busy, cultural, modern and it simply offers everything your heart desires.
The two night photos were taken a couple of years ago and the other ones were taken in September this year.

I have been to London a few times and every time I feel like I discover something new. London looks great by night. As you can see, some of photos are taken at night. It's magic and lovely!

The weather was nice on one of the three days so we took advantage of it and went on a sight seeing tour.

We visited the Buckingham Palace, the St. James Park, walk past 10 Downing Street and went down to the harbour. I like the area around the Tower Bridge. Nice cafes and restaurants can be found along the Thames river.


Me and John were supposed to attend a concert of Andre Rieu which was, unfortunately, cancelled two days before the event. John and I still went as we had already booked flights and accommodation. We stayed at the Best Western Cromwell hotel which was quite centrally located in one of the nicer areas.

A couple of days won't get you anywhere if you haven't been to London before but you can do quite a lot.

A little tip - don't buy any 2 or 3 day travel cards as it is much cheaper if you buy a day ticket after 9.30am. It only costs around £6.50 for the day and allows you to use the tube, buses and trains within the zone/s you choose.

If you are interested in history, then the war museum is a place to visit. 

Also, the Harrods shopping centre is worth a visit. I spent some time  in the food hall - fantastic! No point to tell you what it's like to be in the food hall of Harrods. You have to experience it yourself.

If you want to see any shows, book your ticket in advance if you have a particular show in mind. If you're more flexible, have a look at the box offices for special offers. Some of the Matinee shows are good and cheaper than the full prized ones.

We also went to Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant for lunch. Yummy!!! The food was very good and not too expensive. Great atmosphere and top service. It was not a posh restaurant but rather a cosy one with an Italian touch.

Before I forget: I saw Julia Roberts walking down the red carpet! The film premier of 'Eat, Pray, Love' took place at one of the cinemas at London Leicester Square.


Be aware: London hotel rooms are very small so if you are not used to sleeping in a tiny double bed, book a room with two single beds for two people or go for the superior version. (Just a good tip!).

After almost 3 hours of waiting, the actors, the author of the book and some other VIP's walked down the 'red' carpet and gave autographs. Lisa Snowdon was the presenter and Brigitte Nielsen was one of the  VIP guests. Unfortunately, Javier Bardem was not there but it was interesting to watch the ceremony anyway.

Here you will find more information about things to do and see in London.

--> More photos of London

SCOTLAND'S GEMS - PITLOCHRY

Scotland has some amazing places to visit.

The Perthsire area is ideal for watching the salmon jump, for hill walking, cycling or just for enjoying a day out in the green. The best time for watching the salmon jump is either in late Spring (May/June) or in late autumn (October). Have a look at the Perthshire website - they can give you further information about things to see and to do in this region.

I sometimes escape to Pitlochry and Dunkeld for a day or two simply because it's so beautiful there and I like to get away from the city from time to time.

These two places are my favourite places near Edinburgh, especially in spring and autumn when the leaves change colours and remind me of an Indian summer.

The nature in the Perthshire area is amazing and it's only a short drive away from Edinburgh. So if you have a week in Scotland and if you would like to visit places outside Edinburgh or Glasgow, Pitlochry and Dunkeld are the ones I would recommend.

Several B&B's can be found in Pitlochry as well as pubs, cafés and restaurants. Booking a B&B in advance is advisable as they get very busy - especially on the weekends. I found a good website that gives you an overview of B&Bs in Pitlochry.


There is one restaurant in particular I can highly recommend. The food there is phenomenal but you have to book in advance as they are very busy most of the evenings. Have a look at the website of the Fern Cottage restaurant which is in my opinion the best restaurant in the whole town.


I once stayed in Dunkeld which is much smaller than Pitlochry and very quiet in the evening. Accommodation was average, nothing memorable and the restaurants are not that great either so Pitlochry is the place you want to stay. Having said that - there actually is an interesting place in Dunkeld which is definitely worth a visit. It's called 'The Taybank' - previously owned by Scottish musician Dougie MacLean. They often have live music performances and the country music festival takes place there every year. If you are a musician or into music, a visit at The Taybank is well worth your time.

Feel free to leave a comment if you have something to add to this post. Thanks!

WELLNESS HOLIDAYS

A friend of mine asked me yesterday what the name of the wellness hotel was I went after my wedding and I thought that this would be a great opportunity to share this information with you.



If you fancy spending a week in the mountains in Austria and if you want to stay in a wellness hotel, I can highly recommend the Hotel Jagdhof  in Tyrol, Austria. This is probably the most amazing wellness hotel I ever stayed at. The spa area stretches over 2000 square metres and offers all kinds of steam baths and saunas. You can easily spend a whole day there, getting lovely treatments and indulge in lovely food.

The location is also perfect as it offers great walking paths in the summer as well as skiing in the winter.

Check out the hotel's website for more information. Caution: it makes you want to pack your luggage and book a holiday straight away :-)

Have fun!

Gordana

Poll #2

Dear readers,

Thank you very much for participating in my last poll. I have created a new one where I would like to learn where you heard about my blog or where you found my blog.

Please scroll down towards the bottom of my blog site and tick the appropriate boxes (multiple choice is possible).

Your involvement is very important to me and highly appreciated. This will help me to identify which websites are the most successful ones for promoting my blog.

Many thanks,
Gordana

HONG KONG

On the 7th of March 2007 John and I continued our South East Asia trip by flying from Denpasar to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong we spend some time wandering around the city, visiting my former work colleagues at the company's Hong Kong office. It was nice to catch up with them.

The Sun Kong Hostel, where we stayed was about five to six square meters 'big'. A tiny bathroom was also available. It was ok for 4 nights but we could not imagine staying any longer. This really was the smallest hotel room I ever stayed in and is definitely nothing for claustrophobics :-)

Every evening there was a laser show on the shore of Hong Kong Island. That day, John and I went on a one  hour and a half sunset boat tour (with no sunset of course as it was overcast). The trip was good fun although the temperature was around 15 degrees only. A bit of a temperature shock, coming from warm and humid Bali.

We met some people who were in the US navy who have been to Vietnam before. We chatted about our upcoming trip to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia and they shared some useful information about Vietnam with us.

After the boat trip we got off in Kowloon to watch the laser show from the other side with a nice view of the Hong Kong skyline. Hong Kong looks great at night. We went to the Temple street night market and I bought some Pashminas and a nice handbag. There were lots of markets in Hong Kong and each one of them was more fascinating than the other ones. John was amazed by the amount of fresh fish that was sold at the fish market. The fish were still alive when the customer bought it. It can't get any fresher!

Hong Kong is a vibrant city with lots of things to see and do. Walk up to 'The Peak' and enjoy a stunning view of the city or talk a stroll along the Victoria harbour and watch the 'A Symphony of lights' show (must see!). Hong Kong offers a lot in terms of dining. The restaurants are very nice and busy most of the time.
Have a drink before dinner at the roof top restaurant of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The view is simply stunning, I can't find any other words for it.

Getting around is best by taxi, bus or tram or even by foot for shorter distances. The multiple-stories shopping centres are jaw dropping and if you are looking for any digital and technical gadgets - Hong Kong is the place to be. I bought myself a tripod for my photo camera as well as some other camera accessories.
As for accommodation, I highly recommend to book your accommodation in advance. Also, be prepared to spend more money if you want a proper hotel room (advisable) as you might end up in a tiny room with no space for anything else but a bed and a even smaller bathroom. There is definitely a large choice of hotels and hostels for every budget so don't worry if you are travelling on a shoestring - you'll be fine.

For more information about Hong Kong, check out the Discover Hong Kong website.

Poll results

Dear readers,

Thank you so much for participating at my first poll.

62% (22 people) like my blog, 25% of the voters think that my posts are interesting reading, ten of you would like to become my followers (please don't forget to sign up!) and 51% of my readers find my posts useful (good content and tips).
So far, only one person voted 'not useful for me'. Fair enough - not everyone is interested in travel blogs.

Thanks again for your honesty and I hope that you will interact with me a bit more. Feel free to ask questions, comment on my posts or challenge me if you feel that something I said is incorrect. I would appreciate your feedback very much.

Best wishes,
Gordana

FRANCE FESTIVALS

Have you ever heard of Folleville in the north of France? Neither have I but after watching the promo video for their Folleville summer festival, I got interested in it. Apparently they attract over 10,000 visitors each year and it looks like an event I have to see and a place I would like to visit.

Anyone been there yet? Check out the festivals promo video and let me know what you think.

If you are looking for a holiday with a difference, this might be your pick. I look forward to your comments.

RINCA ISLAND (KOMODO)

John and I flew from Perth, Australia to Bali on 27 February. We planned to fly to Denpasar and spend only one night there, then fly to Labuan Bajo in Flores (one of many islands in Indonesia) for 5 days as we wanted to do some hiking on the island of Flores as well as visiting the Komodo dragons. 


It turned out to be a short trip to Flores as the weather was horrible; it rained during the whole time we were there. We ended up staying two days in Bali before we headed off to Flores.

One afternoon we were strolling around just outside the town centre and spotted some local guys playing instruments, practising for the upcoming big Hindu event which took place on 19 March. They invited us over and we ended up chatting and playing their instruments.

The following day we flew into Labuan Bajo, the main town of Flores and checked into the Golo Hilltop Hotel (seemed to be the only hotel there). The peak season was over and there were barely any tourists around. Flores is not as developed as Bali and only very few people spoke a little bit of English. The same day of our arrival, John and I went into the village, hoping to find someone with a boat who would take us to Rinca the next day.

Rinca and Komodo are the only two islands where the Komodo dragons live. We chose Rinca for several reasons: It is only a two hour boat ride away from Labuan Bajo and it is supposed to be less touristy and it has more dragons than Komodo. Although Rinca is much smaller than Komodo, dragons are spotted there more frequently.

About Komodo and its dragons 
Almost entire Komodo Island are hills and barren, except palm trees and woods. This island is famous with its giant lizards which are considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. To many modern naturalists, East Nusa Tenggara is particularly interesting because of its unique species, called the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). The local people call the animal "Ora". It is a giant lizard with 3-4 meters length whose ancestors roamed the earth about half a million years ago. Komodo lives by eating carcasses of goats, deer, and even of its own kind. The only human population in this island live in fishermen village. They also breed goats which are used to feed the giant lizards. Komodo is protected by law and though they are considered harmless, it is advisable to keep them at distance. Komodo is now preserved at national park. The national park is home to a number of rare species, deer, and wild pigs, which are prey to the lizards.

After hours of searching we found a fisherman who would take the two of us to Rinca for 300'000 Rupiah which was about 18 Pounds in 2007. Not bad we thought and booked the guy for the following day. The weather forecast was 'not too bad', according to the locals (no TV in Labuan Bajo and no electricity during the day) so we thought 'let's go ahead!

It rained all night and we did not have a good feeling about being on a boat at stormy weather.


The first thing we did when we woke up the following morning was opening our door and check out the weather. It looked ok, although some clouds were building up slowly. We were told that the weather is much better out there once you leave Flores so we were happy to believe that.

Anyway - we had a nice and reasonably quiet ride to Rinca. On the island, we were given a tour by the local park ranger. He gave us interesting information about the Flora and Fauna of Rinca and Komodo and about their habitants (dragons, buffalos, monkeys).

It was a very impressive tour. We spotted approximately 12 dragons near the rangers house. They sometimes gather there when the locals are cooking as they smell the food. We were lucky to get there in time, just before the animals left. 

Did you know how the dragons hunt? They are very clever and patient - they follow their prey and wait for the right moment before they attack. Even if the victim escapes, it is only a matter of time until it gets ill and dies, usually within days or a couple of weeks if it's a large water buffalo. The dragon's saliva contains a large number of bacteria and is highly venomous and once bitten by a dragon, death is unavoidable. Fascinated by the Komodo dragons? Further information can be found here.

Just after we decided to head back to the rangers hut, the rain started to pour down like there is no tomorrow. Soaked wet, John and I finally reached the boat where the fisherman was waiting for us to take us back to Labuan Bajo. We sensed already that it would not be a smooth ride but there was no real alternative for us. We both knew that it would not stop raining until the next morning so we hoped to get back as soon as possible as there are no hotels or other accommodation on Rinca.

Just a few minutes after we departed, a big storm started to build up. Heavy rain and a strong wind made it hard for the captain to make headway. The bad weather conditions did not allow us to sail fast and the visibility was very poor. We could not see further than 80 metres!!! Suleyman, our captain had troubles to navigate as his boat was very simple and he did not have any kind of GPS but oriented himself on the islands nearby, which was almost impossible in our case as the visibility was terrible.

John and I tried very hard not to go over board as waves, three metres high, hit our little boat. We had troubles not just hold ourselves on tight to the boat but also to hold on to our belongings. There was water and rain all over the place and we feared that our camera would go wet and ruin all the photographs. But our biggest fear was drowning out there, in the middle of nowhere. Nobody knew where we were and we would probably never be found if the boat had sunk. Both of us did not think we would make it.

Somehow the fisherman managed to navigate the boat back to Labuan Bajo, after three and a half hours of nightmare.

Happy to be alive but soaked wet all over, we walked into the town centre to find a something like a travel agency to change our flight back to Bali. We had enough of this miserable weather and wanted to go back to Bali as soon as possible as hiking was impossible.

Flores is supposed to be a very beautiful island but the timing was not right and the rain made it impossible to travel around the island as the roads are very poorly built.

We were lucky to find a travel agency that represented the airline we were flying with (Budget airline: Indonesian Air Transport) and managed to get the return flight changed. The woman who dealt with us said that we could not change our flight as there were no seats available. We then took some money out and a miracle happened – after a few phone calls, we were able to change our booking.

The day was not over yet as we still had to make our way back to the hotel which was on top of a hill. The road was a muddy path rather than a proper road and it was hard work to walk up that hill, totally soaked, hungry and thirsty. Another miracle happened and we came across a local bar and restaurant on the way uphill.  It took us two seconds to decide what to do. Wet and still in shock over the nearly drowning, our faces lit up when we smelled food.

Pints of beer made the day for us and let us forget about everything that happened on that boat.

The only other thing I dreaded was the shower. My feet and hands were cold – I could barely feel them as the temperature dropped at night and the thought of a cold shower was everything but exciting. Our room did not have hot water.

After all, we were very happy that we went to Rinca to see the dragons. It was a dream of mine to see those creatures, I read and heard about so much.


My advice: 
Have a good look around and hire a proper boat that has life jackets and other life saving items. It is not worth taking such a huge risk for the sake of saving some money. 
Put your photo camera into a waterproof bag and don't forget your motion sickness pills if you suffer from it. Inform your hotel where you are going and when you expect to be back. Leave your contact details with them in case something does happen. And last but not least: Keep your distance to the dragons :-)


--> More photos of Flores and Rinca

CRAZY SPAIN

I've been to Spain a few times in the past 5 years and I always managed to miss their mad festivals such as the Tomatina or Las Fallas.
I am planning a trip to Spain next year and this time I won't miss out on the fun of festivals in Spain.

A good website to find out about what's going on in Spain regarding festivals is Crazy Spain Festivals. There you will find info about the Tomatina festival as well as many other crazy festivals.

Has someone attended any of the Spanish festivals? I would like to learn about my readers personal experiences and share your story with other readers if that's ok.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Edinburgh's Christmas Market 2010

If you are planning a trip abroad to do your Christmas shopping, Edinburgh is the place to go.

Usually, the shops have great sales on and after an exhausting day of shopping, you deserve a drink of course. The ideal place to go for a drink and bite is the German Christmas market (free entry).
The market opens on 26 November 2010 and lasts until Christmas eve.

Mulled wine is one of my favourite drinks there and it tasts fantastic. If you're not much into wine, then the beer garden will offer good alternatives. Actually, they offer mulled beer at the beer garden - I'm not joking! I never thought it would taste good but I did try it last year and it was surprisingly tasty!

There are also plenty opportunities to sample food at the market. German sausages are delicious and the potato and steak dish is also one to try!

Check out the Edinburgh Christmas market website for further info.

Maybe I'll see you there?

Cricket for women

Hey girls,

If you are interested in cricket, you should definitely check out this great blog:

http://cricketforwomen.blogspot.com/

Kings of Leon concert in Edinburgh!!!

I have just discovered that Kings of Leon are on concert on 26 June 2011 in Edinburgh!!!

Tickets will be on sale from 3 November so don't miss this opportunity. Check out the gig website!

June is a good month to visit Scotland as there is a lot happening that month. You could combine your city trip with a concert AND attend the Edinburgh Film Festival which takes place from 15-26 June 2011.
Have a look at http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/submissions

Plan your trip to Edinburgh now as early birds get the most out of it.

Scottish Rugby

Did you know that a lot of people travel to Scotland only to watch rugby?
It is great fun and the atmosphere at the Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh is fantastic!!!

Check it out:
http://www.scottishrugby.org/

Gourmet travellers discussion

Hi,

I spoke to some of my friends about a 'gourmet holiday' and this seems to be something we would consider doing in near future. I was wondering if any of my readers have done something like this before. Places like Italy, France, Spain or Greece would be particularly interesting.

Any recommendations?

Thanks a lot for your feedback!