Tiffany Douros

Santorini is one of my favourite places that I’ve visited. I hope to go back to one of the most mesmerising islands in the world.

 While the rest of Australia were hiding away from the terrible cold, my family and I enjoyed part of our summer on the Greek island of Santorini. We spent our nights watching the beautiful, romantic sunsets fill the crystal clear blue sky which matched the colour of the ocean.

 

 

There are many things that make this island unique, though the main reason why Santorini is like no other island in the world is because of how it came to be. It is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic explosion. The main island slopes downward to the Aegean Sea leaving us with incredible views of the sparkling and magical blue ocean. The island is also famously known for its unusual red and black beaches. The Greek Island of Santorini is located in the central south end of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea.

 

Everywhere you go in Santorini is magical. It has some of the nicest villages and towns, my personal favourite being the town of Oia, for its unforgettable sunsets, little shops and beautiful food. Fira is the capital of the Island and is another beautiful place to visit whilst in Santorini, it is a city of beaming white houses and glorious vistas. It’s also worth visiting The Museum of Prehistoric Fira which gives you some interesting insight on the history of the island.  The island has many other small towns which are less than a 5 minute drive or some even walking distance from one another, and each one is just as beautiful as the other, that is what makes the island so special.

 

Where ever you are in Santorini you are sure to be blown away by your surroundings and pleasantly blinded by the beautiful things around you, you surely won’t be disappointed in what Santorini has to offer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Zealand- Waitomo  By Adeja-Rose Puroku

How would it feel being able to look into a night sky whilst it’s day? Or having such and adrenalin rush, water rafting underground? Or to be able to see unforgettable sights that will create memories that will last a life time. There is only one placed you can go to have all this and more. The only place that will give you this experience is Waitomo.

They have the most beautiful caves I have seen in the world and Waitomo is well known for their cave walks but also their glow worm caves. The glow worms light up the cave and it looks like you are traveling through the night sky. It’s an experience that is remarkable, but that’s not the only thing that the Waitomo caves offer, there are many different caves that display ornate cave decorations.

Waitomo’s scenery is not the only thing you should check, but also the Unique Accommodation. I don’t just mean the accommodation is unique but the actual place is known for its unique accommodation.  Waikato Accommodation allows you to either sleep in the Worlds First Hobbit Motel, a 1950’s Bristol Freighter- which is fully refurbished, 1950’s rail car which has also been refurbished or a WW2 Patrol Boat. Now I know it sounds different to a normal place that you could stay at but I can guarantee that the Waikato Accommodation will be worthwhile. The Waikato Accommodation is only located 2 minutes away from the spectacular Waitomo Caves, so traveling there and back isn'tt a problem.

Waitomo is located in the more green and country side of New Zealand and is only 2 hours away Auckland, Rotorua and Taupo by car. It is a beautiful drive there with many green healthy fields. The scenery seen on the way there is really stunning and looks and feels really clean.

Summer in Rye!- Nicole Dimopoulos

The beautiful weather, the laughter of children and families lying on the warm sand, swimming in the blue sea. Laughter and smiles spread across everyone’s faces as they enter the grounds of the night carnival full of music and fun. Sunny, fun, relaxing Rye.

Rye is a great place to visit during summer. The gorgeous warm weather leaves you no choice but to spend your day soaking up the hot sun on the beautiful beach. You will not be able to resist taking a swim in the clear blue water. The calm ocean will leave you feeling cool and refreshed.  It is a great place to take your family and enjoy the fun in the sun by the seaside. It is also a great place to spend some time alone and lie on the sand with a nice book or just relax. There are so many cafés, food stores and the most delicious, refreshing gelato shops close by. The amazing different flavours will leave you with endless choices and so many different varieties that will you keep you coming back to enjoy. 

At night they have a fun and exciting carnival. As you enter the grounds you hear loud and electrifying music which leaves you feeling ecstatic. There are so many different and amusing rides to go on that will leave you feeling thrilled and full of adrenalin. It is full of so many fun games and heaps of cool prizes to be won! The Rye Carnival is such a fun and entertaining place to take your friends and family and you are guaranteed to have a great time. There are so many restaurants and shops nearby for you to go to for a great night. The beach is just a short walk away where you can enjoy a beautiful night walk under the shining stars along the sand listening to the waves slowly crash amongst each other. 

Summer holidays in Rye could not get any better! Soaking up the hot sun, spending time at the beach and enjoying your nights at the carnival. There is no better way to have fun than relaxing and enjoying the beach with your family at Rye. 

Victoria Falls By Tanaka Nzenza

Victoria Falls

Walked into hotel and I was greeted by a handsome young man handing me a glass of cold ice tea. The waiting room was filled with exotic plants that made the whole area smell earthy and luxurious. I sat down on the table and I could hear rush down from the amazing waterfall I had walked past earlier. I checked in and got my hotel key and the receptionist warmly welcomed us to the amazing Kingdom hotel, in Victoria Falls.

Once we settled into our hotel we set off on our adventure to the magnificent Victoria Falls. We decided that we would walk to the falls and take in the remarkable place that we were in. While we were walking there we saw a tribe of monkey playing about. We were in shock because it was weird and unusual to see a tribe of monkey’s on the footpath. The other weird thing was that the locals around them seemed oblivious of the monkeys. The locals just went on by their business and didn't disturb the monkeys and the monkeys were the same. It was just amazing to see that and a once in a life time experience.

We finally got to the falls and walked up our first fleet of stairs to the most dangerous lookout. I was terrified but once I got there and I looked out on the falls I was absolutely amazed. It was just beautiful I had never seen anything like it before, and I had finally ticked of one thing on my bucket list. I had finally visited one of the Seven Wonders of the World and it is absolutely majestic. We then moved around to other parts to see different views of the falls. All of the sudden it started raining well that’s what I thought. The water from the falls somehow managed to make it rain around it, it was the coolest thing ever. I was just amazed that it was only rainy here and not 100 meters away. I got by bottle and I tried to catch some water but that didn't work, but it was still and amazing place.

Victoria Falls has so much fun things to do with your family or if you just want to get away on a vacation with yourself or a few friends. Another place you could go to is the Victoria Falls Zoo and you can have the chance to hold a crocodile. 

Karijini National Park - Paige Riddington

The red rock, white ghost gums, beautiful waterfalls and sparkling rock pools make this place one of the best and most unique places in Australia. Camping in the dry landscape above the gorges every night and then walking down into a completely different world during the day really does take your breath away.

View from campground

Karijini National Park is located in northern Western Australia and is a 2 to 3 day drive from Perth. It is a great place for a family holiday at any time of the year. There are so many amazing gorges to walk down and explore that you will never have a dull moment.

Spider Walk

One of my favourite gorges is Hancock Gorge. It was quite an adventure the first time I walked down there, with ladders and rock shelves. The highlight was Spider Walk, where the gorge becomes so narrow that your hands touch both side while your feet try to get a grip in the rushing water. It was a unique experience and was extremely fun.  

Hancock Gorge

Fortescue Falls are a great sun baking location with a small waterhole, however if you know about the secret pathway around the back of the falls you will come across Fern Pool, Fern Pool is a picturesque large rock pool with aqua green water, red rock and a waterfall on the other side. It is a beautiful place to have a swim on a hot day after the long walk down into the gorge.

Fern Pool

No matter where you are in the national park, no matter what walk you are doing you are rewarded by stunning scenery.  Swimming is allowed throughout the whole national park as every waterhole has beautiful cold, clear, fresh water.

Fortescue Falls 

I highly recommend Karijini as your next family holiday destination, if you are into some camping, a lot of adventure and a unique experience this is the place for you. 

Thailand

Lewis Savva

I've only been to Thailand once but it is an experience I will never forget. It’s been 8 years since I've last been here and my excitement oozes off me like sweat during a hot Bangkok summer. And why do I love Thailand so much? Well, let me count the ways:

The Delicious Food
When people say they like Thai food but haven’t been to Thailand, I can’t help but think “you have never really experienced Thai food.” Thai food in Thailand is leagues better than anywhere else in the world. There’s more variety and more flavors. Your mouth dances with a concert of flavours when you eat here. The food has kick to it, too. I always order “Mai pet” which means “not spicy” because by Thai standards that means only one chili. Anything more than that, and I look like I’m about to keel over and die. All over the streets of Thailand, outdoor stalls serve up the cheapest and best Thai meals you can find. And no matter what time of the day it is, there’s always food available somewhere.

The Warm Weather
I love the sun a lot. Even though there’s a monsoon season in Thailand, I love the heat and the fact that it is always hot and humid in Thailand appeals to me. It’s never jacket weather and I can always wear a t-shirt and shorts.

Vietnam

Travel Writing Aidan Nguyen

Vietnam is one of the first places I ever visited overseas and it’s also one of the countries which I like most, it has a nice constant weather which is warm and sunny compared to the ever changing weather of Melbourne, it's always a good change of weather to get the constant heat and hit the beach.
The amount things to do in Vietnam would take you weeks to fulfill the beautiful scenery and delicious foods that fill Vietnam is exquisite, the amount of ancient temples and history that you can discover is breath-taking, the old temples where the overgrown tree roots enter out onto the temple grounds. You can walk around the streets for hours and still not run out of shops and markets to enter and the shop through.

You can choose to go on a cruise and sail around the many islands and cave systems that lie in huge rock passages, you stop off at these huge rocks and venture around the caves, across bridges and steps witnessing the absolute beauty of the natural life bloom.

If none of these sightseeing things are for you, you can visit the amusement parks that are across Vietnam, they may not be as famous as Disney Land but they’re just as good, they have many rides to offer and the people there are really welcoming and nice.

The streets of Vietnam are teeming with activity, venturing through the streets are hearing the voices and merchants and the dull roar of the hectic streets is nothing you’ll never quite experience anywhere else, the sidewalks are alive with cooks selling ramen, dumplings, shrimps, and skewers that fill up your nose with the delicious aroma.

Vietnam is a place which you have to discover, which I will always recommend to anyone willing for a little adventure.