Bali- Sam Richards

I been to many places around the world, although Bali is still the best place I have ever been to. I have been to Bali so many times its uncountable, it is honestly the dream destination if you need to relax for a week or two.

Bali is like a magnet, it’s not like any other place I have been to. It is a truly beautiful island the inhabitants are very artistic people that can draw anything you can desire. The land itself is amazing, driving for countless hours upon end observing the landscape that is filled with rice paddies and amazing temples. The volcanoes are very impressive. Being able to wake up at 3 AM to walk up this giant beast was probably the best thing I have ever done. To reach the summit and enjoy a breakfast that is cooked on the hot rocks was truly remarkable.

The food in Bali is out of this world. Satay chicken with peanut sauce, fried rice with prawns and egg, fish fresh that day or even squid that can be bought off the beach as soon as it was caught, it is truly amazing. Nasi Goreng is the national dish of Indonesia, pretty much every Balinese I saw would eat this meal and nothing else, Nasi Goreng translates to Fried rice in English. I personally love Mi Goreng (Fried Noodle) as I enjoy noodles over rice. You can get this Nasi Goreng or Mi Goreng at pretty much every restaurant at an insanely low price of around 3 dollars (AUD).

VANUATU JUNE-JULY 2013

Kasia Odell

The things that make up this wonderful place called Vanuatu are not measured by the wealth of the country, how much effort they put in to making resorts for tourists, the pot holes in the roads or the fact there are no traffic lights. But, by the down-to-earth people that you meet, the gorgeous scenery that you come across and the little towns you discover while making your 3-hour journey around the entire main island.

As we were flying over the island about to land at the Port Villa airport, the stunning beaches, aqua coloured water, beautiful trees, mountains and volcanoes took my breath away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be perfectly honest, you would think that Vanuatu is just a simple island with a small population and a reputation for being a great tropical getaway. But, in reality that is not the case. The French once owned Vanuatu and when the island gained independence 33 years ago, the French left them with nothing, no money and a poor government, which is still present to this day. Now, you are probably thinking, “Oh well, I am never going to go there”, but even though the country is still suffering it is by far the best place I have ever travelled to.

The best day from the best holiday ever was the day we drove around the whole island of Efate. We had been there for about half a week when we journeyed to our first stop, a waterfall called The Mele Cascades. We drove for 20 minutes out of town discovering more poverty that lay in the depth of the forest, it didn’t bother me though, and we drove with our windows down waving at literally everyone that past. When we arrived at the waterfall we had to walk a fair way on slippery rocks and muddy ground but it was all worth it.

The closer I got to the waterfall, the louder the water crashing down on the surface of the river got.

The view was amazing and the best part was, there were no restrictions, you could go anywhere you liked, climbing upon rocks and sitting right underneath the falling water, it felt so free, although to some it may come as a safety hazard. 

 Our next stop was a small beach we had visited a few days before, but it was so beautiful we had to return. Most of the beaches on Vanuatu are privately owned so we had to pay a small fee to use it. It was quiet and secluded, with rock edge surrounding the beach turning it into a small cove. The water was crystal clear and pumas stone acted as sand, which was really interesting because I had never seen a beach covered in pumas stone until then. 

On our drive back into town we came across the most amazing view of the island:

 

One of the things I loved most about Vanuatu was how the locals hung out there washing. It always seemed to be in order of size and sometimes even colour-coordinated.

Before we went home to our villa we stopped at the market for some pineapple and papaya. 

Although Vanuatu isn’t the richest island in the world, with perfect roads, it is still an amazing place that I would defiantly recommend visiting. It really makes you appreciate what you have because some of the people who live there have nothing at all. I love being able to say that I stayed there!

    

 

    

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer on the Nisi

Holly Tsalikidis

Kefalonia in the middle of Summer is not only my favourite Greek Island, but is one of the most mesmerising places I have travelled to. While I lived in Greece, my family would spend a huge chunk of the 3 month long school holidays on Kefalonia, meeting up with friends and family. We did this four years in a row, until we moved back to Australia where I was over 15 thousand kilometres away from my holiday utopia. Luckily enough, earlier this year, I was able to travel all the way back, for one week in heaven.

I was excited enough that I had just met friends that I hadn’t seen in half a decade, but nothing beat that moment of stepping off the boat from Athens and onto Kefalonia. It's nothing like Melbourne
The sun is strong enough to send a warm tingly feeling through the surface of your skin, but it is not strong enough to burn it. The locals are all golden brown, and they walk around without a care in the world. They vary from young, alive teenage groups of friends, to old, wrinkly papous (which means grandpa in Greek) sitting around drinking coffee and playing cards. The atmosphere is so laid back and just great!



The beaches are spectacular on Kefalonia. The water appears an amazing blue from a distance, but when you get up close it is crystal clear; so clear that you can open your eyes while under the surface and still see everything! There are popular beaches such as myrtos, which is a beach known world wide. There are also beaches such as Skala beach, where there are fish of all different shapes and sizes and when you go underwater with a snorkel and mask, the world above is forgotten and you feel as if you are a part of a new magical society of underwater creatures! My favourite types of beaches however, are the private ones, ones that can only be reached by boat; they are like a secret little get away.  

 Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian islands, and is located north-west of the coast of Greece.

 Kefalonia is the most mountainous Ionian island. Driving from one end of the island to the other does not get boring! The views of the beaches below, the windy roads and the old trees all make up such beautiful scenery. The movie ‘Captain Corelli’s mandolin’ was filmed on Kefalonia as it has such a unique landscape that it passed for being set in the time of world war 1.

 

There are many different lakes and caves to visit in Kefalonia such as the Drogarati, Katavothres and Kounopetra caves however, I highly recommend you visit the Cave of Messalini. It is a natural wonder where you are able to be rowed through the cave on small boats, observing the different colours in the water and on the cave above. What adds such beauty to this particular cave, is the opening that allows sunlight to enter and crystallise the colour of the water. 

 

Kefalonia is the place for your next holiday! It is ideal for families, couples and groups of friends. You will never run out of things to do, places to visit and sights to truly blow your mind!

Athens, the city of history - Michael Constantinidis

Athens, the city of history

The best part of being in Athens is the ability to explore across centuries. Even walking around Athens is a living history lesson, from the cobbled streets of Monastiraki, to the ancient Acropolis.  Modern is juxtaposed with ancient, and art is featured throughout the city in ways that touch people on an everyday basis.

Athens is located on a peninsula that stretches south-eastward into the Aegean Sea. The city is surrounded by the Plain of Attica, which in turn is surrounded on three sides by mountains. The city proper covers an area of 15 square miles (39 square kilometres), the metropolitan area, 167 square miles.

Once in Athens, you cannot pass up the opportunity to visit one of the most historic landmarks in the world, the Pantheon. After a beautiful 10 minute walk up the rocky hill, soaking in the amazing scenery of the city of Athens, you arrive at the front steps of the Parthenon. Upon your first glance you know that you are not only looking at a national monument, but you are looking at one of the most important parts of ancient Greek civilisation.

Not only will you experience the beauty of this monument during the day, it also shadows the city of Athens in its night lights. Wherever you are in the city, you will be able to witness this amazing sight under lights.

Once you have explored the ancient wonders of the Parthenon, you might want to grab a bite or explore the many stores of the cobbled streets of Monastiraki. Visit and soak in the atmosphere in the Sunday flea market, in the heart of Monastiraki. It is filled with many colourful attractions and many tourists and locals wondering about.

Monastiraki is not just limited to the summer time, and the possibilities are endless and you can also visit during the cold and icy winters of Athens. Enjoy a warming mug of hot chocolate or tea, and even a nice warm bowl of soup. And if that doesn’t fancy you, you can choose from a wide variety of foods and drinks from around the world.

Christmas in Beechworth

James Couper
Beechworth Australia
Beechworth Australia is a little town with a lot of character. It is a famous little gold rush town that has grown into a attraction that you don't want to miss.

Beechworth town 

The little town has many little attractions. for one there is a grate little high street with one of the best old sweet shop in Victoria. There is also the pub that Ned Kelly visited often

The sweet shop

                                                                                          At the place where i stayed there was 4 little cabins perfect for a family holiday but still there was plenty of room for you own privet time. and if you like a walk there is the great bike trail and there are lots of little paths that you can just walk around on and just take up the views. If your a motorbike person well there are lots of trails there to race around on all day no matter how good you are there is a track for all skill levels. no matter what you like no matter who your are there will always be something for you if you go to beach worth

Hawaii- Max Ross-Glyde

Hawaii

Going to Hawaii was truly amazing and definitely a trip to remember. It was my first time overseas and I’ve only been there once unfortunately, but I’m so grateful that I was able to go! I managed to experience a whole variety of joyful things.

Hawaii was the place for me. Everybody was just so chilled and relaxed, I was able to fit in perfectly. Everybody was so positive. The native Hawaiians were so welcoming and friendly towards you. Although the majority of people there were not natives, but normal Americans. All in all everybody was so chilled in the relaxed environment.

The scenery was very beautiful and breathtaking. With all the large mountains in the distance, the palm trees and the clear blue ocean. You really would not want to be anywhere else.

The weather in Hawaii was perfect. Every day was in the mid-20s. Even though it was indeed winter over there, you couldn’t tell, it was great. All I would be wearing was thongs, board shorts and large t-shirts. It was actually unreal comparing it to Melbourne. Clear sunny skies is all you need!

Swimming in Hawaii’s beaches is just something you have got to do. It was just beautiful. It was all clear and at perfect temperature. I would just spend the whole day swimming around and enjoying the serenity. I also managed to get my hands on a Malibu surfboard. As much as I sucked at surfing, it was quite fun and I’m glad I gave it a shot.

The Big Apple - Glen Rong

Sometime during the end of the year of 2010 I went on a trip around the USA with my Brother, and by far the best place I went to during the trip was Manhattan.

Manhattan is the city that never sleeps, it is always lively no matter what time of day. As a tourist there was so much to do, go to the many tourist attractions such as Time Square, Top of the Rock and Central park to name a few.

Traveling to Manhattan near Christmas time made it all the better, I got to see the big Christmas tree come up at Rockefeller plaza and see it as an ice skating rink.  In Manhattan there is everything in walking distance whether it be restaurants, sights or department stores.

Manhattan also supports many different cultures, if you want to eat Asian cuisine, a steak, Italian cuisine or Mexican, there is a restaurant just for you. There is also the street food, there is almost a hot dog or giant pretzel vendor on each corner.

Manhattan is a city in the state of New York. It is located at the upper east side of the United States. Manhattan is located between the Bronx, Long Island and New Jersey. Manhattan also has two rivers running alongside it, the Hudson River and the east river. Manhattan is only 87.46 square kilometres or 33.8 square miles and has a population of 1.619 million people as of 2012.

Manhattan is one of the most memorable places I've ever visited to and if you are ever going on a trip to the United States of America I would highly recommend you to go to Manhattan.

Wye River

Last school holidays, I was lucky enough to venture to my holiday house at Wye River for a relaxing week on the beach.

My holiday to Wye River began with a scenic drive along the Great Ocean Road to the small beachside town’s secluded location just past Lorne. The journey (about 3 hours from Melbourne) is relaxing and enjoyable, and provides you with plenty of time to absorb the wonders of this beautiful part of Victoria.

 

 I’ve been going on holidays to Wye River since I was a baby, and never fail to enjoy my time there. The beach is clean and provides heaps of room for anything from beach sports to picnics. The water is safe enough for children to play in the shallows but also kicks up waves big enough for the pro surfers to surf in.

 

My family and I make good use of the Wye River Hotel’s food when we’re at Wye River, and eat there most nights. The hotel has a few rooms for guests to stay in, but is more commonly visited for drinks and dinners. On my last holiday there, I arrived on AFL Grand Final day and joined in the celebrations they have. Don’t worry about missing out on hot pies and jam donuts, sweeps, or even the people dressed up in their team’s colours: Wye River has them all. And after the game, most people hang around to have dinner as well.

 

My favourite thing at Wye River, though, is definitely the wildlife you see. Koalas, kangaroos and every sort of wild bird comes to visit my house up the hill, in the trees. I’ve seen koalas up close, and seen them hanging on as the branch they are sitting on whilst eating starts to blow in the wind. I’ve fed birds out of my hand, and watched them as they enjoy the seed I give them in their birdhouse on our balcony.

 

Wye River is a fantastic place for anyone to visit and will definitely deliver you with a relaxing, enjoyable and exciting holiday.

April Austen

Graceland - Phuket

November 18, 2013

After a cold start to winter in July, I was lucky enough to visit Thailand and stay in the Graceland resort located in Phuket.

The hot sun shining down, the sound of water running and the smell of delicious food make this place relaxing and an enjoyable place to be. The staff were always friendly, funny and nice. They offered great sightseeing tours around the area. The resorts features were fun and entertaining. Including 3 pools, a massage salon, a bowling alley, a pool bar, a bar, free Wi-Fi, games room, and a gym! I never got bored of this hotel, with plenty of activities to do and food and drinks to eat this is the perfect vacation for you.

Graceland is right beside Patong and is an easy and enjoyable walk down to the markets, restaurant and night life. Thailand is famous for their night life and nothing was more interesting than walking down the streets of Phuket late at night. It was very different from what we have here in Australia which made it even more exciting.

They way Graceland treats there quests with generosity and kindness is exactly the reason why I would be happy to go back and visit any day.  I would definitely recommend going to this resort in your holidays, it was really a joy to be there.

Dana Pettit

 

 

Mount Buller - Nikko Shaw

Mount Buller is one of the greatest places in Australia and I recommend that everyone should go there at some stage of your life. Mount Buller is located in Victoria, around 30 - 60 minutes from Mansfield (approx 3 hours from Melbourne) and is has amazing conditions and weather for skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing. With a total of 22 lifts you have a huge variety of slopes to ski down, from the easy green slopes to the expert black slopes. There are a huge range of hotels and lodges to stay at for great deals! I've been to Mount Buller 4 times and have loved it every single time.

Ski and Snowboarding

Mount Buller is great for snowboarding and skiing, it has plenty of rental stores where you can hire ski and snowboard equipment for good prices! Mount Buller also holds many ski and snowboard events every year as the mountain has such good conditions and weather. The mountain also provides ski and snowboard school for those wanting to learn how to ski or snowboard. 

What to do at Mount Buller

You can never get bored at Mount Buller, there's so much to do! You can either go skiing or snowboarding, tobogganing, watch a movie at the cinema, go out and have lunch at the many restaurants and cafes or even go play in the gymnasium. Mount Buller also has heaps of fun and exciting events which are open for anyone to come along and join in to have a great time!

Food

The food at Mount Buller is amazing! There's a huge variety of restaurants and cafes to try from, serving a large range of different foods. The best food there though is the delicious hot donuts made under the main stairs. If your staying in a hotel, they even make you free breakfast in the morning which includes bacon and eggs, sausages and more!

Mount Buller is an amazing place and everyone should go there, you wont regret it!

South Australia: Eden Valley- Morgan Trencher

A long eight hour drive with the most charming scenery was the start to my trip. Fields, quaint little houses and horses were what my eyes flashed past as the car raced down the long stretch of road. The trip finally ended when we arrived at my family’s farm. As I stepped out of the car a wave of fresh air breezed over me. The property was huge, full of fields and trees and animals. The area was so peaceful and serene, no traffic, no cities and no pollution. The break from the busy city was very pleasant.

The days were very hot, so during the day my cousins and I swam in the lake on their property, which probably had snakes swimming in there. We also fed the baby calves who quite enjoyed to break into the neighbour’s field in the middle of the night. During the night we saw the starry sky, as we were far away from the city. It was so beautiful to gaze at the sky as my cousin and I swang on a tyre attached to a tree.   

We took a trip to the Barossa Valley which was very beautiful. We visited all the wineries and saw the rows and rows of grape vines. The view was beautiful and it was very peaceful. I would definitely recommend for anyone to visit Eden Valley for a quiet retreat away from city life. I really enjoyed the chance to relax and step away from a busy city and day to day stress. This would be a fantastic holiday for someone who enjoys a quiet and slow holiday.        

 

 

Bali:

A long 13 hour flight paired with a baby on the right crying most of the way, did not make an enjoyable journey to Bali. Then there was check-in but we all know what that’s like. When we finally arrived at our 5 star hotel, we were greeted with shelled necklaces and refreshing fruity beverages. After being escorted to our rooms, we fished out our bathing suits and went straight down to the pool.  The weather is always ideal for a swim. Bali’s weather is known to be humid sometimes a little rain but the majority of the time it is very warm (around 30°).

 

The place where the most markets are found is in Kuta. The streets are filled mainly by little market shops selling many things, including, Louis Vuitton and Gucci immitations that look quite genuine, jewellery and wooden carved goods. If you have a family then Nusa Dua is the place to be, it is an enclosed area with lots of security. The hotels are very child friendly and there are lots of activities to entertain.

 

 

 

 

 

There is also a theme park, Water Bomb Park, it is a great attraction for all ages. It has more than 21 water slides and leisure facilities. It is located in Kuta and is open daily from 6am to 9pm.

 

Bali is a place that is good for relaxation, one of my favourite things to do and that I recommend is, at some point during your trip, take a moment to enjoy a massage. Imagine lying on a beach whilst having massage, it was one of the most relaxing things I have ever experienced.

 

The sunsets are amazing, picture an orange haze casted over the moving sea, reflected off every wave. Half of a glowing radiant light loomed on the water’s horizon. That’s what I was seeing almost every day.

 

 

Nicole Zervos