Fraser Island: do’s and dont’s

As I backpacked my way down the East Coast, everyone around me was excited about arriving at Fraser Island. And why wouldn’t they be? This exotic island, situated in the South of Queensland, has it all: beautiful sandy beaches, creeks, a historic shipwreck to explore, clear blue lakes that are perfect for cooling off in and plenty of scenic viewpoints.

Indian Head viewpoint

Sounds perfect, right? Sure, it’s pretty idyllic but only if you forget the venomous spiders, dangerous currents, wild dingoes and the fact that you need to get around in a 4×4 in an island covered in sand! Having learned the hard way, I’m happy I can share my advice with you so you get the most out of this experience.

Do’s

– Inform your family back home that they won’t be able to contact you. You won’t have a signal and if camping outside you will have no sockets available for charging phones anyway. Embrace the lack of technology, it’s liberating!

– Follow instructions given by 4×4 companies regarding driving on sand. Ensure that you have a trustworthy driver who will follow these instructions. For example, as soon as you get there, you have to adjust the tyres for driving on sand.

Our 4×4 hire, great company!

– Take enough food and drinks with you for the duration. Beyond the arrival point, there are no shops and your tour group won’t want to waste time going away back to the shop. Take plenty of water as it is boiling hot here and the last thing you need here is dehydration!

– If you really want to embrace the adventure of Fraser Island by camping. We stayed in a campsite near the Maheno Shipwreck. We even got to see local Aborigines dance at this campsite and they taught us to play the Didgeridoo! Where else would you be able to experience this? Nowhere.

– If staying in a tent, beware of creepy crawlies such as spiders and be prepared to hear dingoes outside your tent. Just don’t be first to go out the tent in the morning and all will be fine!

– Take appropriate footwear, preferably trainers. The sand here is very hot and if you wear flip flops you will burn the soles of your feet. Trust me, I learned the hard way! Also, be prepared to walk a lot to get to the best places.

– Make the most of your time here. It doesn’t strike me as the sort of place you would return to. You will need a couple of days to get the full experience.

Don’ts

– Don’t attempt to be a rally driver or a show off in the 4×4. You get warned before going across how dangerous this can be. Unfortunately, there have been plenty of accidents there due to driving incidents. Take care especially if you are the driver; you have other people’s safety to take into account.

– Don’t expect to get from the ferry to the main part of the Island quickly. People get stuck often and several times en route. If you can, get out and help them. It will make it quicker and they will repay the favour when it happens to you. And it definitely will! Some of the best laughs we had were trying to help people get unstuck!

– If you listen to one piece of advice, let it be this: do not swim in the beaches on Fraser Island. It is really not safe. There are strong currents, jellyfish and sharks. If that’s not a big enough disincentive for cooling off in the ocean, I don’t know what is! However, the Champagne Pools are suitable for swimming in.

– Don’t make a plan of exactly what to do, go with the flow and it will be a whole lot more fun. However, I do recommend looking up what your options are to save time. We decided to visit:

The Champagne Pools

Lake Wabby

Maheno Shipwreck

The famous Lake McKenzie

– I would say, however, don’t visit both Lakes in the same day. To get to each one, you need to walk a good hour or more in the boiling heat and all on sand. There is little shade and once you start the walk, you can only get back the way you came. To see the Champagne Pools, you also have to walk along the beach from Indian Head as you can’t take the 4×4 along it.

Is it worth it?

Absolutely. If you are visiting the East Coast, you can’t let this adventure pass you by. As long as you drive safely and think responsibly, then there is nothing you need to worry about. Let me know in the comments if you have been or are intending to go.

Bad altitude

There is nothing more frustrating for me than being in a confined space with 300 people I don’t know but with whom I will be spending the next x hours of my life. Luckily my plane journeys usually only last 4 hours or less, but even on short flights you see it all. Cheap airlines are great for those of us who love travelling and want to save our pennies for more exciting things than airfare. However, as they attempt to make more profit, you find yourself practically sitting on the stranger next to you. I’m exaggerating, I don’t actually do that, but personal space is a thing of the past. That’s why it’s important to show respect when travelling by following the tips below.

Source: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/keep-calm-and-have-a-nice-trip-9/

5 tips for being a thoughtful plane passenger

1. You may be the most interesting person on the planet, but not everyone wants to hear your conversation. Especially not when you are 3 rows behind and we can still hear you. Every single word. Unless you are telling us all a secret to winning the lottery, keep your voice at a reasonable level.

2. Travelling with young kids is never easy and hats off to parents who do a great job of keeping their kids entertained. I love kids but I certainly don’t want your kid climbing over your seat and landing on top of me ( true story). Kids equally need to be taught how to behave safely in an airplane and this should start at a young age.

3. Keep your feet to yourself. I get that people need to take their shoes off on a long haul flight. If you really need to take them off, make sure they are clean, not smelly and the sight of them doesn’t make me want to puke. Anyone who doesn’t like feet will get this, the rest might think I’m being oversensitive!

4. There’s nothing more infuriating than the person behind you kicking your chair constantly, even though it is not on purpose. Tip: sigh loudly each time and they will soon get the message. I do sympathize slightly with this as tall people attempt to cram their legs into the tiny space. It’s the one time when being short is a benefit…. Plenty of leg room!

5. When the plane lands, everyone relax. Yes it can be a drag sitting waiting to get off the plane. especially when you’re going on holiday and just want to get to your destination as quickly as possible. However, there is no need to bounce out your seat the second we have touched ground, knock the person next to you in the face trying to quickly get your suitcase out of the overhead and then occupying so much aisle space that no one else around you can move. We will all get off the plane, they aren’t going to kidnap you if you’re last off! The best way to start a holiday or trip is stress free so just sit down, wait until the row in front of you is moving and then prepare to disembark.

Confession: As a child, I probably did bounce about on the plane excited and wanting to explore. As for numbers 4 and 5 I am guilty of having done these before, we probably all have at some stage to some extent, whether conscientiously or not.

Using Spanish abroad

It is no wonder Spanish is fast becoming the language to learn, with over 400 million people speaking it. That’s more than the whole population of the USA! It is used as the official language in 21 countries, so statistically speaking 11% of the world use it on a daily basis.

Source: http://goodpixgallery.com/flags-of-spanish-speaking-countries-photos/

Why you should make an effort

You are in a foreign country, it is the polite thing to do. Whether the locals can speak your language or not, it is still always preferable to speak to them in their own language where possible, even if you can only say the basics. I guarantee they will appreciate this gesture and you will feel good for making an attempt. As you become more confident, you can try new phrases.

Furthermore you can’t assume that everyone will speak English or another language, and you might just need help in a sticky situation. Recently in Barcelona, I heard the French couple in front of me talking about what bus to get to the airport. From listening I could tell they were about to get on the bus to the wrong terminal. I didn’t want them to miss their flight so told them in French that they needed to get the other bus. Knowing I had helped someone made me feel happy. In the interests of disclosure, I am a polyglot so it was easy for me to do so. But even if I had only known some French I still would have tried.

I haven’t yet been to Latin America, but I know from living in Spain that the Spanish are very proud of their language. The majority of the time, and especially outside tourist areas, they will always speak to you in Spanish, even if they can tell you are foreign. Why? Because to them, their language is a huge part of their culture. They appreciate when foreigners make an attempt to communicate with them in their language, more so than any other country I have been to. I may be wrong, but I get the impression Latin Americans would also react in the same way. I certainly hope so anyway!

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/saundzcom/inspiring-language-quotes/

Tips for using Spanish

– Before your trip use the website www.duolingo.com to get you up to speed on the basics. Be careful though as the Spanish they teach you contains many Latin American words that may not be understood in Spain.

– There are many other websites and Youtube videos you can watch to help you learn some phrases. A quick Google search will find you popular videos. Find one that suits how much you want to learn.

– Get a cheap language guide, even the small one would help you. Sometimes, charity shops have these at really cheap prices. Avoid buying at the airport as you will pay a lot more for one. If not, use the Internet to find some phrases you may need and write them down. I’d start by searching greetings, asking for help, asking how much something is and asking for directions.

– Make the flight time pass quickly by practising phrases, remember the pronunciation is easy as most words sound the way they are written. Small tip : the h is always silent so to say hello we say “ola” instead of “hola”.

– Listen to the locals use their language – how does someone ask for the bill? how do they order a beer? Or if you’re a beginner how do they say hello/goodbye? With Spanish, it is probably easier to pick up on the spot than many other languages.

– If you are unsure of a word, ask whoever you are speaking to ¿Cómo se dice (insert word) en Español? Then by learning it, you will know it for next time.

– Be prepared to make errors but don’t let it affect your confidence. It’s part and parcel of learning a new language.

What to do at Uluru and surrounding areas

Uluru

A tour of Australia would be incomplete without a visit to this natural landmark, a huge red single piece of rock more than 600 million years old that is considered a natural wonder due to its size. Uluru is the Aboriginal name for it, although it is more commonly known as Ayers Rock. It is situated in the Northern territory, a 16 hour drive away from Adelaide and 23 hour drive from Darwin. The nearest big town is Alice Springs which is 460 kilometres away!

Nothing will prepare you for the sheer magnitude of this rock and the amount of tourists that come from all over to see it. My friends and I visited it as part of the “Groovy Grape” tour from Adelaide to Darwin. We camped about an hour away in outdoor huts, which is what most tour companies offer. An early rise will allow you to see the colours of the Rock change from brown to red as the sun rises. It’s not the type of thing that you could see it, take a picture and then move on somewhere else. At different points of the day it changes colours. As you stand looking at it, you feel an eerie sense of calm and wonder. Despite being surrounded by tourists, you feel like the only one there as everyone is quiet.

Next, I suggest visiting the Aboriginal Cultural Centre where you will find out that this landmark is very sacred to the Anangu, the local Aborigines. They have a number of stories they share down the generations that explain the different formations of the Rock. I seem to recall one about snakes and another about boys sliding down the rock which made the snakes angry.

Uluru close up

After that, I would recommend doing the walk around Uluru, which takes 3 and a half hours if you are walking at a reasonable pace. Be sure to take water and sunscreen with you as there is nowhere nearby. The ground is flat and easy to walk on if you have trainers on. There are certain parts where you can’t get close to the Rock and I seem to recall you can be fined if you do not respect this. At certain stages, there are information points so look out for these.

There is also part of the Rock that can be climbed if you are interested, although it is very steep and dangerous. Personally I wouldn’t do it as the Anangu see the Rock as sacred and believe it should not be touched, never mind climbed.

If you are there all day, you will get to see how the colours change as the sun goes down. There are nearby viewpoints where all the tourists converge. I recommend getting there early to find a good spot.

After another night in a hut worried about spiders and snakes, we set off for Kata Tjuta which are rock formations situated in the same National Park as Uluru. It can also be climbed although it is a very steep climb and not recommended for those who don’t like heights. If you are brave enough to climb it, it takes 3 hours and you get to experience the Valley of the Winds which has wonderful viewpoints and scenery. I decided against climbing it, but my peers who climbed it thoroughly enjoyed it. Instead, I walked around the base in the cool shade and still managed to get lovely pictures. The picture below is merely the beginning of the walk!

That night, we stayed in nearby Kings Creek at another campsite but this time we were to sleep outside in a “swag” which is slightly better than a sleeping bag. For dinner, those who were more adventurous tried kangaroo tail and other specialities. We had been warned about the dingoes and not to go anywhere on our own, so imagine my sheer horror when I woke up with a dingo right beside my sleeping bag! The good thing is when you make noise, they disappear but I don’t think I slept very well afterwards!

Our final adventure near Uluru was a visit to Kings Canyon, another magnificent landmark which is more like a Canyon, hence the name! This walk is definitely demanding with rugged landscapes, very little shade and steep hills. But as long as you take it slowly, it is doable. It has amazing views and is certainly worthwhile. The real nightmare about this place are the flies, although it may make you look unfashionable or uncool be sure to take a hat which has a fly net on it.

The great thing about this place is although it’s popular it is less frequented by tourists than Uluru. Also, you can decide how much you want to walk as you can just turn around and walk back the same way you came.

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting all three landmarks which have some similarities. However, if short on time I would say Uluru is the one that is most striking and from which you learn most about Aborigine culture. If you do not enjoy walking or climbing, then avoid the other places mentioned. If intending to go, I really recommend Groovy Grape Tours as they make it fun and interesting. Also they provide great value for money and do not try to rip you off.

5 Day Trips from Marseille

With 96 regions and a number of big important cities, France is the destination for exploring at your own pace. It can be easy, however, to visit the major cities and forget about all the charming ports, villages and the scenic countryside. Many people claim that exploring outside the major cities is the best part of France. My viewpoint is, so long as you have enough time, why not do both?

Marseille is the second largest city in France. It’s location in the South means that it has high temperatures between May and October. The rest of the year, the temperature seldom drops below 10 degrees. It has excellent transport links which makes it easy to get to the surrounding areas. Marseille has it all nearby: beach, towns, villages, a national park and mountains. Let’s explore; it would be rude not to!

1. Niolon

Niolon is a picturesque and typically French village, surrounded by rocky hills. As you walk through it’s tiny streets, you get to the Calanque, a beautiful little port and beach which isn’t crowded with people or tourists. Here you can walk around the port whilst admiring the views of Marseille and the lovely blue waters of the Mediterranean. As there are limited places to eat here, bring a picnic along with you or stop off en-route at nearby Le Rove which has a few supermarkets.

It’s a half-hour drive from Marseille and the route itself is just as scenic as the destination. I would recommend spending half the day here and then exploring the other Calanques nearby.

Calanque de Niolon

2. Cassis

The village of Cassis is located on the other side of Marseille and is easily accessible by train. Strolling around gives you the perfect opportunity to admire it’s colourful buildings, fountains and fishing harbour. There are many pristine beaches surrounding Cassis, the most popular being Plage de la Grande Mer. Be careful you don’t end up on the nudist beach though, unless that is your intention!

Cassis is surrounded by beautiful calanques where you can do a range of activites including swimming, kayaking, abseiling or a boat tour. You can hire pedalos at Plage de la Grande Mer which are a cheap way of seeing the area. Be careful you don’t take belongings with you, my camera dropped into the water with all my wonderful Cassis photos. Not a smart move!

3. Aix-en-Provence

This town is within a reasonable driving distance from Marseille and should not be missed out on any visit to this region. It offers many cultural experiences, including following in the painter Cézanne’s footsteps as well as markets, theatres, churches and museums. There is so much to do here, I have a whole post dedicated to it which you can read by clicking here. It’s perfect for strolling about, soaking up the vibrant atmosphere and you can’t help but become enamoured with it.

4. Sainte-Victoire

This mountain, located near Aix, has been the inspiration for several painters and writers and attracts many walkers every year. The start of the walk is relatively easy to do so long as you have the appropriate footwear. If, like me, you want to see the wonderful panoramic views, you can hike it to the top. The hike is quite challenging as some parts are slippery or tricky to climb. However, I managed it and I am by no means a hiker! Almost near the top, you can visit the little Priory with it’s chapel and monastery where you can appreciate the calm and serenity. Keep walking up to the top to see the Cross. It is here where you can sit and admire the views. Up here, it is so serene and relaxing that all you focus on is nature in it’s simplest form. Plus you need the relaxation for the walk back down!

5. Villages of the Luberon

The villages are quite close to Sainte-Victoire so a good idea would be to combine them into one day trip. They are  underrated in the sense that they aren’t crowded with tourists. They are able to retain their identity, culture and charm without adapting to tourists and are a great representation of local life.

Each village has something different to admire. The village of Lourmarin is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves and has a pretty castle where you can see how it looked during the Renaissance. Pertuis is the perfect spot for sitting in a café and people watching. It has great antique shops and a market on certain days. Ansouis has a bigger castle, located at the top of the village from where you get wonderful views of the countryside.

All of these day trips are within an hour’s drive of Marseille and offer a real perspective of the local life and culture, offering you opportunities to interact with locals in their own language. I recommend spending 2-3 days exploring Marseille and then going off on day trips or even staying over in Aix for a night.

Have you been to any of these places? If not, would you like to go?

Why Aix-en-Provence surprised me

Back in 2006, my University told me I was off to the city of Aix-en-Provence for a year as part of my studies.  I must confess my first thought was out of all the exciting places in France how did I end up here? By the end of my year, I had done a 180 degree turn!

La Rotonde fountain decorated for Christmas

Information about Aix

Aix is situated in the South of France, about 45 minutes drive from Marseille. It is a medium sized town full of historic buildings, fashionable shops, pretty monuments  and parks dotted around the city and represents typical French culture. It is a University town and is also popular with tourists especially when the warmer months roll in. This city has a reputation for being posh and expensive, with it’s exclusive bistros and boutiques. However, it caters for all with reasonably priced cafés, shops like Monoprix and bars. Shops are open until late in the evening but are completely closed on a Sunday; you will be lucky to even get a loaf of bread!

Fountain of Albertas

Things you can’t miss

1. The Cours Mirabeau is a historic and beautiful street located in the centre of the city. With trees scattered all the way down it, it is perfect for strolling around on a warm day, doing some shopping, people watching or sampling some typical food in it’s cafés and restaurants. At any time of day or year, it is a flurry of activity you will not want to miss out on! At Christmas, there are markets dotted along the Cours with many wonderful goodies on offer such as Lavender soaps or sugared almonds.

2. A visit to a French town would be incomplete without the Hôtel de Ville, which is a situated in a pretty little square which is unsurprisingly called Place de l’Hôtel de Ville. This little square also comprises the Clock Tower, the Post Office and has markets on different days.

3. Aix is the city where the famous painter Cezanne was born. You can visit his house and studio, follow his steps around the city using the C shape studs in the streets and visit the cemetery where he is buried. Aix has many possibilities for culture such as the Granet museum or Natural History museum. It has 3 cinemas, one of which shows subtitled French films, and a theatre.

4. French cuisine is renowned the world over and is best sampled in one of the many restaurants offering delicacies and specialities. It is best to walk down the Cours Mirabeau towards La Rotonde and as you get to Le Bistro Romain, the streets behind are full of restaurants. I also recommend the restaurants at Place des Cardeurs.

There are plenty cafés and stalls for sampling salty and sugary crêpes, although the Nutella one is the one I recommend. Another speciality is the “sandwich steak frites” – a baguette with a long burger, thin fries and topped with mayonnaise or ketchup. Who said French cuisine was healthy?

5. Aix is called the City of the Thousand Fountains as everywhere you look, another one appears. The Fountain Moussue on the Cours Mirabeau is an unusual warm water fountain that is covered in moss. In the Old Town, the Fountain of Albertas sits in a pretty little square in front of an old mansion. On Rue du 4 Septembre, the Quatre Dauphins sits in the middle of a picturesque street. Each fountain has different stories associated with them and are all still functioning.

6. Parc Jourdan is good for sunbathing or chilling with a book. However, it is often filled with students who can be a little rowdy. Nearby, there is also La Torse which is nicer for a picnic and where you see French families playing at the weekends. It has pretty trees I have only ever seen here and a cute little stream. I love a good park!

7. One of my favourite places for relaxing in Aix is the salon de thé Orienthé where you sit on cushions on the floor and sample yummy exotic teas full of flavour. It’s like being in Morocco!

The one thing lacking is Aix is the nightlife, or at least it was in 2006. There were very few nightclubs or bars with atmosphere and as a student that is what we were looking for! We tended to stick to 3 places: O’Sullivans, O’Neills and IPN. It’s suitable however if you are just looking for a quiet drink in a bar.

Why I ended up loving Aix

– Aix has a sense of enchantment, history and magic about it. There is no way you can be unaffected by it’s charm.

– It’s proximity to other cities nearby such as Marseille and Nice. A drive to the beaches around Marseille is definitely worthwhile.

– There is always something happening here. It is rare to see the streets of Aix empty.

– Everything you need is within walking distance and it is easy to navigate around. It’s also a very safe city.

– Although it is a popular student city, the residences are a 15 minute walk away so the city centre is not overrun by them.

– You won’t get away with speaking English here without making some attempt at French!  They don’t cater for tourists and expect tourists to join in on their culture.

– No matter what time of day, time of year or weather it is a simply stunning city. It’s pretty buildings will leave you in awe.

Wanderlust and multilingualism

Amidst all the uncertainties in life, there are two things in life I know for certain about myself: I was born with a passion for travelling and a passion for learning languages. I become even happier when I get the chance to do both of these at once!

People assume that English will be spoken everywhere but this is truly not the case, particularly when venturing away from tourist hotspots. So here are some tips to help you make the most of your time abroad:

Before you go

1. Buy a miniature language guide and practice some of the key phrases you will need such as greetings. I normally buy the Berlitz guides at the airport and spend some time during the journey learning key phrases. Some of them even come with CD’s to help you hear how the words sound.

2. If you are saving all your funds for your trip, use the power of Google to find sites with basic sentences and jot these down in a notepad. Here are a few you can use:

French – http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/ss/greetings.htm

Spanish – http://spanish.about.com/od/spanishfortravelers/a/greetings.htm

German – http://german.about.com/od/vocabularytips/a/Learn-German-Greetings.htm

I’m sure there are many more options out there, the Google world is your oyster!

3. Practice saying some phrases out loud to increase your confidence in using them.

When you are abroad

4. Make sure you take your little guide/notepad everywhere with you. You never know when you might need it!

5. Take mini steps – don’t try to rattle off big sentences right from the outset. Get confident in the basics first and then you can experiment more.

6. Don’t worry about making errors or pronouncing the words wrong. It is in fact by making errors in a language that you learn the most. Also, the locals will be more than delighted that you are trying to make an effort.

7. Learn a few conversation savers such as ” I don’t understand” , “Can you repeat? ” and “I don’t speak Spanish/whatever language”.

8. Absorb all the language around you – look at signs to see what you can understand, posters on the walls, menus in cafés and restaurants and most importantly listen to the locals communicate amongst themselves. Even if you don’t understand everything they are saying, you will still be taking in words here and there.

If you are going for an extended amount of time it is probably more worthwhile to have a good handle on the language, just in case you get into any sticky situations or to get the most from your experience. In this case I recommend using www.duolingo.com which is great for working your way through different topics. You can select to do it for 5 minutes a day or longer if you prefer. It has a huge variety of languages and more are being added. You can even get it as an app for your phone.