While there are many things to love about autumn here in the northeast - apple picking, football, foliage - it is also the perfect time to travel abroad.  Fall usually means fewer crowds, more comfortable temperatures and stellar weather for exploring outdoors in both the northern and southern hemispheres.   Here are five of my favorite fall destinations:

I spent about three weeks in China last October and almost every day was perfection. Beijing, known for its relentless smog, is supposed to be clearest and cleanest in October and it did not disappoint.  Autumn brings colorful foliage in the northern countryside resulting in spectacular views from  the Great Wall.  It is warmer farther south, but not oppressively hot. Shanghai's weather was incredibly comfortable requiring a tank top by day and light jacket at night. My favorite place in China - Yangshuo - offered 70 degree F days,  perfect for biking through the karst mountains. While October is a great month to explore China, be sure to avoid the first week as it's a national holiday called "Golden Week", when prices and crowds skyrocket across the country.  Read more about my adventures in China here. 

While Paris is beautiful any time of year, I especially love autumn.  The crowds are significantly reduced since all the students are back in school, and while the temperature can sometimes be a bit chilly, it's usually great for long walks around the city.  We walked and biked all over Paris and Versailles and the cool air gave us plenty of motivation to continue moving!  Autumn is also the  perfect time to enjoy a warm drink at an outdoor cafe.  Nothing goes better with a glass of Bordeaux than a cozy sweater.  Read more about Paris here. 

The high season for Koh Lanta - and the rest of the islands along the Andaman Sea in Thailand- is November through April.  We were there in late October/early November which is  technically "shoulder season" - the end of the low season and beginning of the high season. This meant great deals  and fewer crowds. For example, we had no problem booking hotel rooms or scuba dives a day in advance.   We only had one weather woe - a rain downpour that lasted about an hour.  The rest of the week brought sunshine, warm breezes and spectacular sunsets.  Interested in visiting Koh Lanta? Check out our guide to Koh Lanta. 

While it's been almost ten years since we've been to Ireland, we still talk about that vacation.  The weather was marvelous for hiking and pub crawls - two of Ireland's best pastimes.  The cooler temps meant we could hike without getting too hot and also suited the cozy cavernous pubs scattered throughout the countryside. Like the northern US, mid-October is the height of colorful foliage which looks extra beautiful surrounding Ireland's castles, stone walls and green hills. Definitely check out Galway, the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula this time of year. If you like stunning views, friendly locals and pub food you will not be disappointed! 

Since Australia is in the southern hemisphere, their seasons mirror ours in the north.  Therefore, Australia experiences spring during the months of late September, October and November.   Queensland summers are hot  & humid and monsoon season begins in late November through April.  I think we visited during the best time of year - late September/early October. With the exception of a freak wind storm in Airlie Beach,  the weather was beautiful and the water visibility was incredibly clear which made for phenomenal scuba diving. While the water in New South Wales required a wet suit, the crisp, sunny days were perfect for hiking and walking around Sydney.  Considering a visit to Australia? Read our tips for driving up Australia's east coast  and for more general Australia information see our Australia information page. 

This spring, I'm making a few changes to my home and garden and I'd like to incorporate elements inspired by our recent trip around the world. Although I can't plant exotic tropical flowers in Boston, nor do I have the space for nest beds, I can look for a few pieces that remind me of some of my favorite places. So, in no particular order, here are a 15 things from around the world that would be fun to replicate at home. 

1. Bangkok, Thailand: Nest Beds
Nesting has taken on a whole new meaning in Bangkok. The shape of these human sized sanctuaries will make the most boring of outdoor spaces intriguing. Add a light inside and create glowing garden sculptures at night!

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: Chillin' Out In Bangkok

2. Hamburg, Germany: Modern Rococo
I'm typically not a fan of rococo and prefer balancing frills and flourishes with corners and crisp lines. However, I reveled in this little cafe in Hamburg, sipping my chai tea slowly while sinking into a cozy velvet couch.  I have no idea if they intentionally distressed the walls or if they just spruced up a derelict space with vintage couches from Oma and Opa's house. Whatever they did, it worked. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: Hamburg, Bremen & Bloemendaal

3. Cappadocia, Turkey: Canvas & Carpet Covered Terraces
While in Turkey, we spent two glorious mornings having breakfast here, overlooking the cave town of Goreme. I've been thinking about using canvas to provide shade on my deck during the hot summer since it's pretty easy to put up and take down. I also love the rug covered table for extra lounging.

Photo by Eva Barbier. To learn more about Turkey, visit our Turkey Destination Page. 

4. Cambodia: Colored Wooden Blinds
These colorful blinds would add cheer to any space such as a nursery, kitchen or my home office.

Photo by Eva Barbier from the blog post: Waterworld: The Floating Village of Kompong Phluk, Cambodia

5. Yangshuo, China: Wagon Wheel Benches
Check out these benches at our Inn in Yangshuo. They are made by attaching local wood planks to an axle and wagon wheels. This set-up is a charming alternative to a traditional picnic table. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: Days 167-170: Yangshuo, China - Hiking and Biking the Karst Mountains

6. Koh Lanta, Thailand: Bamboo Lounges & Pyramid Pillows
Koh Lanta is one of the places i miss most often because we found total relaxation here. Perhaps it's because bamboo lounges and beds are scattered along the beaches, waiting for a wanderer to plop down for a cold beer and a little shut eye. The colorful pyramid pillows are a nice touch, and help prop up one's head in order to enjoy the sea view.  I don't think bamboo would last in the harsh Boston weather, but if i ever live somewhere milder I plan on creating my own little slice of Lanta. 

Photo of The Indian bar in Koh Lanta by Eva Barbier from Our Guide to Koh Lanta, Thailand

7. Ubud, Bali: Stone & Wood Carvings
Bali is full of insanely talented artisans and artists that have been perfecting their craft for generations. We visited gardens, homes and temples full of intricately carved statues and furniture. Two of my favorite pieces were these Balinese women who seem full of happiness and peace. Generally, this is how I feel after a really good meal. They would look lovely in my garden and remind me of the warmth and hospitality we experienced in Bali. 

Read more about Bali here: Ubud, Bali - The Barong Dance, Stone Carving & The Awe-Inspiring Contact Lens 

8. Melbourne, Australia: Bold Tile
This tile covered the inside of a bench shelter in Melbourne. It was a pleasant surprise, since the structure was grey on the outside. I thought the pattern would make a nice outdoor table top. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: 3 Days In Melbourne

9. Kruger Park,  South Africa: Drapery Over Doors
The decor at safari camps is fantastic, but much of what you'd expect from the African bush - typical wood furniture, local animal fur rugs, and lots of neutrals.  One thing I really liked was the use of drapery, particularly over doors or entryways.  I'm not sure if this has a practical use in the summer (ie keeping bugs out of rooms) but they really made our accommodation, a tent, very homey. 

Photo by Eva Barbier in blog post: Tanda Tula Safari Camp

10. Paris, France: Black & White Tile
Black and white tile was everywhere in Paris so it always reminds me of my favorite city.  I don't know if it's the the tile that contributes to the glamour of Paris or if it's Paris that makes the tile so chic.  Let's just say it's a symbiotic relationship. If my bathroom wasn't so tiny, I'd tile it like the picture below. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: Our Favorite Room in Paris: Six Cent Deux 

11. Arrowtown, New Zealand: Recycled Container Garden
This is a neat idea for people who have a lot of outdoor space. Arrowtown is an old gold mining town in New Zealand. There was a lot of abandoned equipment from the mining days so local artists used them in their artwork and homes. Here is an old pipe transformed into a container garden. 

Photo by Eva Barbier. To learn more about New Zealand visit our New Zealand Destination Page. 

12. Winelands, South Africa: Chrome+Stone+Wood
The wineries in Franschhoek, South Africa are stunning both inside and out.  I particularly enjoyed the modern decor of the tasting room at the Gran Provence. The chrome bar and fixtures gave it a sleek modern look which was nicely offset by the rest of the room, comprised of natural elements from the region - stone, clay and wood. While it's void of color inside, the view was bursting with color outside the glass doors. 

Photo of the Gran Provence tasting room by Eva Barbier as featured in The Winelands Awards.

13. Seminyak, Bali: Colorful Shutters
These pretty shutters, spotted in Bali, would liven up a pool house or backyard shed. 

Photo by Eva Barbier in blog post: Bali, Indonesia - Laid Back Seminyak

14. Chiang Mai, Thailand: Copper Light Fixtures
Giant copper lights were suspended from tall tree trunks in our hotel lobby in Chiang Mai.  They were especially enchanting when twinkling at night. Perhaps they could be used on a much smaller scale in an entryway, over a dining room table or kitchen island. 

Photo of VC@Suanpaak lobby by Eva Barbier from Chiang Mai, Thailand - Hits & Misses

15. Caye Caulker, Belize: Weathered Wooden Signs
The tiny Caribbean island is comprised of small wooden structures that have been weathered by the salt and sand in the air.  Painted wooden signs were strewn about the island featuring island mantras (Go Slow) and store names. I think these would look great hanging in a bohemian urban garden. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from Caye Caulker - You Better Belize It.

After spending about a month traveling around Australia, we came up with a quick list of helpful hints for anyone considering a trip here.  Here they are in no particular order:

1.  Credit Card Fees 
Most hotels and many restaurants and shops will add anywhere from 1-2.5% to your bill if you decide to pay with a credit card or non-Australia debit card.  If you can book and pay for your hotels through a third-party website such as booking.com or hotels.com you can avoid paying this fee. Also, considering getting a credit card with a rewards program that gives you 2% cash back to offset the fee. 

2. Food Prices & Tipping
Restaurants in Australia are expensive, and most of the time, the food is nothing special. Keep in mind that you do not tip, so you should deduct 15-20% off the menu prices for an apples-to-apples comparison with prices in the US.  Even after this adjustment, it's still a bit pricey.  Fortunately, lots of hotel rooms come with small kitchens, so you can do your own cooking. Alcohol is even pricier due to taxes.  For example, a bottle of Australian wine generally costs much more in Australia than the same bottle would cost in the US.  There is really no way around this other than perhaps picking up a few things at duty free on the way in.

3.  Airplane Travel 
Lately there's been an increasing trend of airlines charging you for checked bags.  Australian airlines have taken this to the extreme.  If you buy a cheap domestic ticket on an Australian airline, it probably won't include a checked bag.  You are allowed to carry on a maximum of 7kg of bags, which some airlines adhere to strictly.  And 7kg does not get you far.  If you need to check a bag at the airport and your fare does not include a checked bag, you will have to pay $40-80 per bag.  To avoid this, be sure to book your ticket directly through the airline's website and be sure your ticket includes a checked bag, or that you can add one when you're buying your ticket.  Tickets purchased through a third party such as Priceline often do not include checked bags, forcing you to pay a high fee for one at the airport.

4.  Hotels
As mentioned earlier, looking for a hotel room with a kitchen can be a good solution if you would like to save money on pricey restaurants.  We've heard that you can also get self-contained cabins at campervan parks, which are present all over the country, at a very reasonable rate, though we didn't get to try one of these.  In cities, apartment hotels offer a great compromise between price, comfort and all the conveniences of an apartment in a good location.  Check out Meriton, which has properties in most major Australian cities.

5.  Campervan Rentals
Lots of people rent campervans to travel around the country, either camping or staying at campervan parks along the way.  We looked into this and actually found the campervan rental a bit more expensive than renting a car and staying at hotels.  On the plus side, it could be a lot of fun to stay at campsites and meet other travelers, and this also affords you a bit more flexibility on your itinerary, but it will come at a price.  One additional consideration is that gasoline currently costs the equivalent of $6-8 per gallon depending on where you are in the country, so be sure to factor this into your budget if you hire a gas-guzzling RV.

6.  Gas Discounts
If you're going to be doing a lot of driving, as your first order of business, sign up for a loyalty card at one of the two major grocery chains, Woolworths or Coles.  One benefit of the card is discounts on gas at either Caltex (with your Woolworths card) or Shell (with your Coles card).  This can really add up over the course of a long road trip.

7. Travel Agents
Travel agents are still widely used in Australia, even though they have gone the way of the dinosaur in other countries. It's worth checking in with a couple agencies before you book local travel as they often have really great package deals. Flight Center is a chain located across Australia and then each town has it's own local agents. We booked our trip to Heron Island directly online and then later found out we could have saved the cost of our very expensive ferry tickets if we had gone through a local travel agent. 

8. Last Minute Discounts
If you have flexible travel plans, you can save a lot of money on excursions by booking standby tickets with a local agent 1-2 days beforehand. We found great deals on sucba/snorkeling day trips, island resort trips, and liveabaord sailing trips throughout Queensland by just showing up at a travel agency the day before.  Research peak seasons ahead of time as these tickets may not be available if you are traveling during local school vacations or holiday weekends. 

We planned to go to Bali after Australia, and most of the reasonably priced flights to Bali from Sydney stopped in Perth. So we decided to extend our layover and spend a couple days in this part of Western Australia. 

Perth - one of the most remote cities in in the world - is 12 hours ahead of Boston and probably as far as you can get from our home town.  It may not seem far from Sydney, but it takes just as long to fly there as it does to fly from Boston to California. It's also an expensive city.  Companies have to pay people a lot of money to move to such a remote city so wages are high as are hotels, food and everything else.  In fact, Perth currently has the highest cost of living of any city in the southern hemisphere.

Margaret River Valley
We spent our first two days in the Margaret River Valley, which is about 3 hours south of Perth.  Margaret River is one of Australia's most famous wine regions. 
  
We stayed at a little B&B called Bridgewater. It's owned by an older couple, who gave us lots of tips about the area and about Bali because they had visited the island over 30 times. Both nights we spent in Margaret River brought major wind and rain storms.  On the first night, there was also an earthquake (which neither of us felt).  On the second night it got a lot more interesting, with category 2 cyclone-force winds ripping through the valley!  The house had a tin roof so the rain & wind was incredibly loud and I didn't sleep, fearing that the roof would blow off.  The next day trees were down all over the place so I guess we were pretty lucky. Luckily, the rain held off during the day. 

Coastal Drive
On our first day we drove to various beaches along the coast, getting our first glimpse of the Indian Ocean. These beaches are most famous for surfing and serious surfers travel here from all over the world.  Unfortunately for us, the wind was so strong and the waves were so crazy that not even the bravest surfers were out.  Despite the wind, it was still very picturesque. 

There isn't much to downtown Margaret River, so that night we had dinner at the pub in the main hotel. Everyone was there to watch the footy finals since the local team, Freo (Fremantle), was playing. 

Big Day Out
On our second day in Margaret River we booked a vineyard/brewery tour called Margie's Big Day Out.  Our group was small - me, Chris and two girls from a town nearby. Apparently everyone was in Freo for the big footy game. Nevertheless we had a lot of fun! Here are the places we visited:

-The Berry Farm (winery) - Great strawberry sparkling wine. Refreshing and not too sweet. 
-Stella Bella (winery) - Best staff.  We could have talked to them all day.
-Margaret Valley Cheese Factory (cheese tasting) - Yummy sweet chili cheese. 
-Bootleg Brewery (lunch) 
-Margaret River Chocolate Company (dessert)- Meh.
-Evan's Tate (winery) - Our server was a fab cork dork with a hefty arsenal of adjectives.
-Cheeky Monkey Brewery (brewery) - Great IPA.

Perth... pronounced Puhhth
We spent the last day in Perth, driving around town since the weather wasn't great. It's a modern city and much bigger than we expected. While we didn't walk around downtown, it looked like there were lots of cute restaurants and shops. We went up to King's Park to see the war memorial and a great (but cloudy) view of the city:

Afterwards, we drove to Fremantle, or Freo as they call it, which is about 20 minutes south of the city. Freo had just won the footy semifinals and everyone in Western Australia was incredibly excited. I guess they have never made it to the finals before and they were a big underdog going into the last game. Freo was a pretty cool town. It's much older than Perth, much smaller and has a ton of character. There is a section of town that is full of bars and restaurants that must get pretty crazy at night. It reminded me a bit of the French Quarter in New Orleans, but much smaller.  I'd consider staying in Freo if I ever visited this area again (which is highly unlikely, btw, because of how far it is from everything!). 

Bottom Line
All in all, I'm glad we saw this area, however I don't think it's worth a separate trip out here if you are visiting Australia.  If you are into wine, Margaret River might be fun, but we much preferred the New Zealand wine region which might be a closer flight depending on where you are in Australia.  Also, Perth is incredibly expensive due to the huge energy and mining boom in the area.

After spending a full day learning about the Opera House, we spent the next few days exploring other sites in Sydney, wandering through its many shops, sampling some of the great food and catching up with a couple of US expats who have come to call this city home. 

Our Sydney Apartment
First, I want to quickly mention where we stayed in Sydney - The Meriton Apartments on Campbell Street in Chinatown. These apartments were great - spacious, fully-equipped and right around the corner from Sydney's main thoroughfare, George Street. There is a free bus that runs up and down George Street during the day, which we used daily to get around to some of the main attractions. Being in Chinatown (and Thai Town), it's also located near tons of great restaurants. We ate Thai food twice while we were there!

Walking Tour
One day we joined up with the Sydney Free Walking Tour. This is a great way to get an orientation to the city (and it's free).  The guides work for tips, so it's up to you how much to leave.  We met our guide downtown at 10:30am and spent the next 3 hours seeing most of the major sights in the downtown area and learning about the city's history. Here are a few things we learned about this city:

Another day, we spent the morning walking through the beautiful botanic gardens:

Later that morning we also visited the New South Wales Art Gallery, which was fantastic. It's free during the day and it has a variety of pieces including classical, impressionism, expressionism, modern and aboriginal art. Here are a few examples of what we saw: 

We spent the afternoon exploring a few different neighborhoods including Darlinghurst & Surry Hills.  We had lunch at a little diner-like placed called the Tropicana Cafe and then got gelato at Messina. The banana caramel cheesecake was delish, rivaling the gelato we had in Italy. 

A Night in Bondi
One evening we got together with my friend from Chicago, Maureen, and her husband Doug. These two used to live in Chicago but didn't meet until they both lived in Sydney. They now live in an adorable house near Bondi Beach and are loving life in Sydney.  Maureen and Doug showed us around Bondi where we had drinks by the beach at a colorful little open air bar. Then we went to The Hill for margaritas and a variety of awesome food.  The service was great as was the food and we ended up closing down the restaurant that night. Thank you Maureen & Doug for a great night out in Bondi!

A Manly Last Day
On our last day, we explored Manly Beach, which is a 30-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay (near the Opera House). The ferry ride was great because of the fabulous views of the bridge and the Opera House.  We arrived in Manly around lunch time so we at a couple of burgers right across the street from the beach. Once our bellies were full, we sauntered over to the beach and snoozed for a couple of hours. It was spring break in Sydney so all the high school kids were at the beach sporting their neon-colored bikinis, oddly shaped cut-offs, and insanely large tank tops. I even spotted a few pairs of overall jean shorts.  I felt like I was on the set of an early episode of 90210, except everyone had Australian accents and regularly attacked each other with the footy (what they call a rugby ball). 

We had a great time in Sydney. It's a fantastic, diverse, and lively city. I only wish it was closer to the States!

We spent our first full day in Sydney by the harbour learning about the city's most iconic building - the magnificent Sydney Opera House.  Buried behind this most interesting structure is a lesson about human creativity, perseverance and art and science working together to push the boundaries of possibility. 

Opera House Tour
While the Opera House is today recognized as an iconic building throughout the world and one of the main symbols associated with Australia, it also has a very interesting history, which we learned all about on the official Sydney Opera House tour. We thought this tour was well worth the money as it was very informative, it allowed us to see the building's interior while no one else was there, and it got us a great discount on a show that night!

Opera House History


The Contest
The Opera House sits at the end of a narrow peninsula jutting out into the harbor from the central part of Sydney.  Until the early 60’s, this site housed an industrial area and an unsightly rail yard.  The city’s government proposed to clean up the site and the decision was made to build an opera house.  They decided to seek proposals for the structure’s design from around the world, and launched a design competition.  Over 250 submissions were received from all over the world, most of which involved rather conventional rectangular structures. 

 A Risky Winner
The concept that led to the ultimate design of the Opera House was initially discarded by the panel of judges.  One judge was late to the discussion, and asked to see the submissions that had already been discarded.  Upon seeing this proposal, he reignited support for this winning design, submitted by Danish architect Jørn Utzon.   The only problem was that this design was very conceptual- just a series of sketches, really - and no structure like this had ever been built before.  Utzon was confident he could figure out how to build it, so the judges took a risk and selected this unconventional design, giving Utzon $7 million and 3 years to  complete the project. 

Art & Science: The Struggle & Solution
Over the next several years, as the construction of the base of the building got underway, there was no solution for how to construct the massive sails comprising the structure’s roof.  Utzon and the structural engineering team, Ove Arup & Partners simply could not figure out how to build a structurally sound roof that would satisfy Utzon's vision.  Art & science were working against each other.  Finally, a breakthrough was achieved, which entailed the concrete roofs being fabricated as slices of the same sphere and then joined together in mid-air.  Honestly, I don't quite understand how it works, but it does, and I'm really glad they figured it out. 

A Sad Ending (for Utzon)
This unique approach, which had never before been undertaken, led to massive cost and time over-runs.  By 1970, a new Sydney government, frustrated with the slow progress, decided to replace the architect who poured so much creativity and work into this massive piece of art.  Thus, Jørn Utzon returned to Denmark and never returned to Sydney to see the structure completed.

Finally, in 1973, the completed Opera House was opened after 13 years and over $100 million. Today, most people in Sydney still believe that all this time and investment was worthwhile, as it is one of the most important symbols of Sydney and Australia.  In fact, even the cost overruns were not ultimately a problem, as the Sydney government ran a lottery upon its completion to raise money to repay the bonds issued to fund the construction.  Amazingly, the lottery was hugely effective and the debt was repaid within just 18 months!  

Today, the Opera House is one of the most financially successful public opera houses in the world, with over 85% of its operating budget funded by performances and events.  

We enjoyed being able to see the different theaters within the two buildings comprising the Opera House along our tour.  Here is some of what we saw:

Surprise Treat:
During our tour, a classical orchestra was rehearsing for their opening performance the next evening.  We watched the rehearsal for about 15 minutes (our small tour group were the only people in the huge empty concert hall) and it gave me chills.  Some folks on the tour were tearing up.  The music was so exquisite and I could hear and feel every single note - all without amplification due to the hall's excellent acoustics.  I was in awe that some people have the ability to create and beautifully execute something so complicated.  What is even more mind-boggling is that it takes a multitude of diverse talents - both artistic and scientific - and hundreds of years to perfect a symphony. Those wonderful 15 minutes of music were the result of  years of work from composers, instrument makers, architects, engineers, conductors and musicians. It was a good reminder about the importance of mixing diverse talents in an effort to improve, progress, inspire and (in my case) amaze.  

Showtime!
Another benefit of taking the Opera House tour is that you are able to get big discounts on performance tickets for that evening, if any are left.  That night they were showing South Pacific, a musical I regularly watched with my grandmother growing up. So we decided to check it out.  We really enjoyed the show, and especially the chance to see a show in this magnificent building!

We dedicated a full day to seeing the famous Great Ocean Road, which runs along the coast beginning about an hour west of Melbourne.  The road was built by veterans between 1919 and 1932 and dedicated to soldiers that died in World War I, making it the largest war memorial in the world.  It's a beautiful coastal drive with several stops where you can see the orange cliffs drop into the wild ocean. Its most famous landmark is called the Twelve Apostles, which are limestone rock formations scattered along part of the coastline. Here is a map of the route, starting in Torquay which is about an hour outside of Melbourne.

While most people take 2-3 days to drive the  Great Ocean Road, we decided to do it in a day. Chris is no stranger to driving long distances and felt up to the task.  For us, a day worked out well because we made many stops along the way which really broke up the drive.  We left Melbourne at 8:30am and returned around 9:30pm.  Here is the route the we took:

Torquay & Bells Beach
Apollo Bay (lunch)
Cape Ottway National Park (koala spotting)
Twelve Apostles
Loch and Gorge & Thunder Cave
London Arch & London Bridge
Back to Twelve Apostles for sunset
Departed Port Campbell for Melbourne via the A1 highway which runs north of the coast

Here is what we saw along the way:

We spent 3 days exploring the city of Melbourne, plus a day trip to drive the Great Ocean Road (the subject of future post).  Melbourne is considered the most European of all the cities in Australia, however I only found this to be true for a few alleys lined with cafes.  While there are lots of places to eat outdoors, most of the city is very modern and colorful.  Unlike Queensland (and most European cities for that matter) it has a very diverse population, which was a nice change of pace.   

We stayed in a great apartment building called City Tempo, which was only a few blocks from Melbourne's famous outdoor food market, Victoria Market.  We loved our little studio apartment because it had a well-equipped kitchen, a washer/dryer, and being on the 27th floor, we had a great view facing west.  Also, its proximity to Victoria Market was key since we really enjoyed shopping for fresh food there! 

We did a lot of exploring in Melbourne, visiting the following places:

• Victoria Market  (outdoor food market)
• South Bank (river walk, cafes, casinos, shopping)
• Crown Entertainment Complex (full of shops & casinos - a lot like Vegas)
• Royal Botanic Gardens
• St. Kilda (low-key beach town with lots of cafes)
• Downtown shops (there are lots!)
• Fitzroy (hipster boutiques, bars & cafes)
• Hardware Lane (a charming alley full of restaurants where every owner harasses you to choose theirs)

Here are some pictures from around Melbourne:

Typical Australian rowhouses

St. Kilda
St. Kilda is a little beach town about a 20 minute tram ride from Melbourne central. While we were there, it was too cold to enjoy the beach, but I can see this neighborhood being really fun in the summer time. There is a main street filled with cafes, restaurants and shops. There is one stretch of this road that has about 4-5 cake shops in a row. We definitely indulged!

Fitzroy & Naked for Satan
One evening we went out in the Fitzroy neighborhood to a restaurant called Naked for Satan. Fitzroy seems to be where a lot of the hipsters hang out and this place is a crowd favorite.  Its specialty is vodka, and they have an extensive menu of vodkas from around the world, infused vodkas and exotic vodka cocktails. On the ground level, they offer $2 tapas (the price drops to $1 later at night, which fortunately coincided with our arrival). Upstairs, there is a full service restaurant and a rooftop bar that was jammed packed. We opted to for downstairs and really enjoyed our drinks and the interesting tapas they served.  Chris tried a sampler of their infused vodka and they all tasted like cough medicine, so make sure you pass on those if you ever visit. 

I really liked the back story for the bar name, Naked for Satan: A guy named Satanovich moved to Australia from Russia after his family perished in the early 1900's. He settled in Fitzroy and worked as a sweeper in the building currently occupied by the bar. During the Great Depression, alcohol became very expensive. Satanovich knew how to make vodka because it was his father's profession back in Russia. So in the basement of this building, he started making vodka, allowing anyone with ingredients to use his facilities. As you can imagine, he became very popular! During the summer, the basement was sweltering while the vodka was brewing, so Satanovich would strip off his clothes until he was almost naked to stay cool. Those who joined him did the same. The Aussies, who tend to shorten words, called him Satan instead of Satanovich. So whenever someone wanted vodka they would go and get naked with Satan.  

We had about three days to check out the city, and I'm sure we didn't even scratch the surface. One thing that we didn't check out was Phillip Island, where you can go at dusk to see a colony of penguins return from a day at sea.  Phillip Island is 1.5-2 hours outside of town, depending on your mode of transport, so we decided to skip it, however, we may have checked it out if we'd had an extra day.  Overall, we enjoyed Melbourne.  It was a smaller city, but it was full of energy and had a lot to do.  

Stay tuned for our next post on our trip along the Great Ocean Road, stretching west along the coast from Melbourne.

We had a wonderful time exploring Queensland's beautiful coastline.  Since this is a popular driving route with many choices, I thought it might be helpful to outline what I would have done differently, had I known then what I know now. 

An ideal route will depend a lot upon your specific interests and goals for your trip.  Our priorities were:

• SCUBA certification & seeing the Great Barrier Reef
• Seeing & learning about Australia's native animals 
• Visiting our friends in Gladstone
• Liveaboard sailing and seeing the Whitsunday Islands
• Beach time

We spent about 3 weeks (22 days) on Australia's east coast - from August 20th through September 11th. Here was our itinerary:

While we loved exploring the east coast, we would have made some changes. Specifically, we would have skipped Mission Beach, spent less time in Brisbane and dedicated more time to diving off the islands. In hindsight, this is what we should have done:

Eliminate the first three stops from the itinerary above and start in Gladstone/Heron.  

If it's cost prohibitive to fly to Gladstone, then start and end your trip in Cairns. During this time you can drive as far as Airlie Beach, enjoying the islands off this part of the coast. It would be a shame to miss out on Heron Island but it can be a bit pricey to fly in and out of Gladstone airport, and the drive from Gladstone to Airlie Beach eats up a full day. 

Spend more time along the coast from Byron Bay through Noosa Heads.  If you also like to dive, then go as far as Gladstone and get your diving fix on Heron Island.