Big Adventures, Little World

Below I have listed my top 5 destinations that I have been to since I have been traveling around this great big world of ours. I hope that it encourages any or some of you reading this to get out there and experience some of these amazing and unique places that I have been lucky enough to. But don’t just go on my advice, make up your own mind, you might not like the places I do. By all means read what I have to say and let that help you make a decision. If you do manage to get to any of these places, please do share your experiences with me, as I love hearing other people’s stories just as much as I love telling mine.

5. Istanbul, Turkey – Just driving from Sabiha-Gokcen airport into Istanbul is amazing. It really is a spectacular country, but has some aspects of a third world country, while also being quite well developed at the same time. The lands are vast outside of Istanbul but you know as soon as you get to the outskirts of the city as the building become thick and tall. In the heart of the city it is always bustling with activity even well into the night and has a very lively atmosphere. Street markets and vendors are everywhere and you will never be short of options for traditional Turkish foods and items.
4. Rome, Italy – I could spend hours and days on end wandering the city and admiring the buildings and listening and learning about the history of Rome. It truly is a fascinating city. The history behind some of the buildings and the fact that some of them have been there for thousands of years never ceases to amaze me. I love learning about the stories and myths that go along with it all and wondering what it would have been like to live in the times of Ancient Rome. Other than that there is also the food! It’s simply delicious, which goes for most of Italy really, but it definitely adds to what makes Rome great.
3. Prague, Czech Republic – Prague is a city that is full of some of the most beautiful architecture I have seen, especially the Prague Castle. The stunning views it has to offer over the city too are amazing. Prague is also a city that has a number of weird and wacky museums, and although I didn’t visit any of these, I like the fact that they actually have them. One of the best things about Prague though is the nightlife and the clubs and bars that they have there. It has some of the best and most random (sticking with the weird museums theme) clubs including Karlovy Lazne, more commonly known to tourists as 5 Story. Others included underground clubs with a number of different rooms all playing different music and people everywhere, which then by day turned in to any other shop along the street. Another thing that makes Prague that much better is the cheapness of the food and the beer. Even at the most popular spots we would be paying no more than about AUD$2.00 for a full pint of beer. Truly outstanding!
2. Fiji – I don’t name a specific part of Fiji, just the country in general as it is all extremely beautiful. The beaches stretch for miles and the water is so clear and looks amazing with the sun shining down on it. Once you get off the main island it is more of the same except that there is a number of smaller islands surrounding it and just as, if not more beautiful than the main island of Fiji. I think the best part about it though is that it is a lot like an Oasis in the fact that you can just get lost in time there. There is regular time, and then there is ‘Fiji Time’ which means everyone just goes at their own pace without any worries at all. Where I stayed when I was there was a resort called the Warwick Resort, and it was mostly self sufficient with 3 different restaurants, a night club, a bar, a pool with spas and in-pool bar, shops, a number of activities to do as well as being right on the beach. It was no wonder you could just lose yourself in the Fiji Time.
1. Berlin, Germany – Berlin is intriguing for a number of reasons. The first being that it is a city that has a great deal of history, especially over the past 100 years. I think that can sometimes make it even more interesting because of the recentness of it and the fact that there is still people alive to tell the stories of the time, unlike many other cities throughout Europe that have history from thousands of years ago. It’s not only this though, it is also the art and culture that that can be found throughout the city, like the Berlin Wall (or what is still standing of it) now being covered in paintings and the monuments that can be found throughout the city. In addition to all of this though, there is still the nightlife that makes Berlin even better. It doesn’t matter what day of the week you are there you can always find a club or bar that will be full of people until early morning and will provide some of the best nights out you will have.

Honourable Mentions

These places are some other great places I have visited, but didn’t quite make the top 5. Some because I didn’t get to spend too much time there, and others because they weren’t quite as good as some of the other places. Still, they are all great in their own way.

• Verona, Italy – A truly beautiful city with a very relaxed feel but still plenty to do.
• Dresden, Germany – Another beautiful city, destroyed during the war and rebuilt using the charred stone from the destroyed buildings.
• Beppu, Japan – The Hot Springs of Hell, or jigoku’s (natural steaming hot springs) make this city very interesting and amazing. A naturally beautiful and intriguing attraction.
• Monaco, Monaco – For no other reason than the sheer wealth of the city, it has to at least get a mention.
• Tokyo, Japan – Arguably the technological capital of the world, coupled with its sheer size and the people everywhere makes this city a pleasure to be in, despite the smog.
• Edinburgh, Scotland – The buildings and surroundings of Edinburgh make for some stunning views to go along with the electric atmosphere the city has.
• Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland – A little piece of paradise with stunning views all around. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and waterfalls coming all the way down with the sun beaming down through it all to go along with the relaxed, happy and friendly people.