Sensual Spain

1. What country and city did you travel to?
Visited Spain and spent most of my time in Barcelona.

2. What time of the year did you travel?
 I went in spring time so around May/June.

3. Where did you stay?
I stayed at the Hotel Constanza Barcelona, this place was amazing in every way... the views were incredible and was conveniently located to everything.

4. What was your favourite location?
It would have to be the Las Ramblas which is one of the most famous streets in Barcelona. It has something for everyone as it lined with all kinds of shops, bars and restaurants.

5. What was your favourite activity?
My favourite activity was seeing all the amazing architecture on display for instance going to see the Barcelona Cathedral was a truly remarkable and memorable experience.

6. Name a song that framed your trip? Or reminds you of your trip?
Don't really have a song that framed my trip but when ever i think of my holiday to Spain i just remember all the locals playing music on the street.

7. List the 5 words you need to know in that country?
Most people tend to speak spanish across the country but there are heaps of tourists in the streets so your bound to find someone who speaks english.

-Habla ingles? = Do you speak English?
-No comprendo = I don't understand!
- Cuanto Cuesta? = How much does it cost?
-Buenos dias = Good day/ Good morning
- Por Favor =  Please
8. Words of Warning
Make sure not to carry too much cash on you because thieves do still lurk around and also to have a back up of all the necessary documents such as passports and travel insurance.

9. List 3 essential clothing items
-Good walking shoes since we did a lot of walking
-Light cardigan for the evening
-Party Outfits for the night outs in the city

10. List 3 essential personal items
-Reliable backpack
-Shorts
-Sleeved tops

11. Currency convertor
Since Spain is part of the European Union, they follow the euro.  So 1 AUD = 0.79 Euros

12. Name one thing that is highly recommended by you -which is also great value for money
If your a big foodie lover like me, I would highly recommend going to the Mercat de Sant Josep which is an open food market. Best thing about it is that your able to take full advantage of the amazing stalls and are able to try the food on offer.

13. Traditional food that you recommend to try
Their were so many great dishes to try in Spain but you cant go their and not try a Spanish Paella. They are INCREDIBLE!!!

14. Something to push your boundaries
If you want to see the city in a different light try a cable car ride from Montjuic which is a hill overlooking Barcelona from the southwest and takes in views of the entire harbor.


Written specially for you by Toula :)

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Flirtatious France

1.  What country and city did you travel to?

Paris, France

2.  What time of the year did you travel?

July, when its summer in France

      3. Where did you stay?

I stayed at Etap Hotel Paris Porte de Montmarte, it was very nice, clean and had good service.

4. What was your favourite location?

The Eiffel Tower because it is just spectacular and you can get some awesome photos in front of it.

       

      5. What was your favourite activity? 
    
     My favourite activity was walking up the Arc De Triomphe because when you reach the top you get a great view of Paris.

       6. Name a song that framed your trip? Or reminds you of your trip?

A song that reminds me of my trip was a song played every morning on my Contiki bus which was ‘Stereo Love’ by Edward Maya.

7. List the 5 words you need to know in that country?

Hello – Bonjour

Thank you – merci

Good bye - Au revoir

Sorry – désolé

Do you speak english ? - Parlez-vous anglais

      8. Words of Warning 
     
      Be careful of thieves especially directly under the Eiffel Tower.

      9. List 3 essential clothing items

A dressy outfit for a classy dinner and a fun night out, walking shoes especially if you plan on walking up the Arc De Triomphe and Eiffel Tower and a cardigan because the weather isn’t consistent.

      10.   List 3 essential personal items

A camera so you can capture amazing memories of the spectacular sights France has to offer. Also a book with French translations and a map because getting around Paris can be confusing.

      11.   Currency convertor

1 Australian dollar equals 0.81 Euro.

      12.   Name one thing that is highly recommended by you which is great value for money

I recommend going to a Cabaret show, you are provided with great entertainment such as dancers, comedians and juggling acts.

      13.   Traditional food that you recommend to try

Go to a French patisserie and try a delicious sweet of your choice!

 

14.  Something to push your boundaries

Snails, they may look ugly but they don’t taste too bad.

Written by Georgia

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Boiling Bali

1. What country and city did you travel to?

Indonesia- Bali on the one and only Legian beach.

2. What time of the year did you travel?
 July

3. Where did you stay?
The Legian Beach hotel. The accommodation was perfectly located- right on the beachfront. The staff were extremely pleasant and the breakfast buffet was great value!

4. What was your favourite location?
Nusa Dua Beach- Beautiful beautiful beautiful… Did I say beautiful?
It is a pleasant place to unwind and relax on a pristine beach.

5. What was your favourite activity?

The monkey temple in Uluwata- Fascinating place- Monkeys everywhere- the template was a wonderful piece of Balianese-Buddism history and it was in an un-worldly location. Located on the edge of a cliff with a surfing beach below.

6. Name a song that framed your trip? Or reminds you of your trip?
“Rolling in the Deep” Adele- It was the most recently downloaded song on my iPod at the time- I played it repeatedly while lazing in the sun.


7. List the 5 words you need to know in that country?
You're Welcome: Kembali.
Hello: Halo
Do you Speak English? : Anda bisa berbahasa Inggris? 
Where is...: Di mana ...?
How are you?: Apa kabar?

8. Words of Warning
Don’t drink the water from the taps- Be wise and drink only bottled water from a convenience store. You don’t want to end up on the toilet for the remainder of your trip.

9. List 3 essential clothing items

• - Swimmers
• - Thongs
• - Hat

10. List 3 essential personal items

• Gastro Stop- many bali Bugs and tummy bugs floating around
•  Reading Book
• Sunscreen and moisturiser in one.

11. Currency convertor
1 AUD = 10222.90 Rupiah

Everything is cheap cheap cheap!

12. Name one thing that is highly recommended by you -which is also great value for money

WaterBomb world- This is Indonesia’s equivalent to Australia’s to Wet n’ Wild.
It’s a little more dodgy- for example the facilities are a bit more run down but you can spend an entire day inside. Its so much fun and a bit of a workout running up all the stairs.

13. Traditional food that you recommend to try
Definitely try the Nasi Goreng

14. Something to push your boundaries

Paddy’s bar in Kuta! If you want to drink or just dance- Paddys has great music and cheap alcohol.

Written for you, by Lauren
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Roaming Rome

 1. What country and city did you travel to? 

I travelled to Italy and spent a few days in Rome. 

2. What time of the year did you travel?  

I went in June, which is their summer. 

3. Where did you stay?  

I went as part of a tour so I didn’t have a say in the accommodation but we stayed at ‘Pineta Palace’. The name is a bit deceiving, but I guess it was clean and a place to rest our weary feet after a big day.  

4. What was your favourite location? 

My favourite location was the sleepy village of Castelli Romani which is a few miles out of the heart of Rome. It is well known for being the summer residence of the Pope. There is not much to do in Castelli Romani but take in the breathtaking views and wander the streets soaking in the culture and history. It was a really nice change from the busyness you experience in the city. 

5. What was your favourite activity? 

My faviourte activity was getting lost in the streets of Rome. We decided to do this for the day and by strolling through the streets we came across some amazing Piazzas, churches and fountains that were not highlighted on the map p.s. always carry a map just in case.

 6. Name a song that framed your trip? 

I don’t have a song that frames my trip as I was too busy sightseeing and exploring the city. 

7. List the 5 words you need to know in that country? 

When in Rome I didn’t experience a big language barrier but you should try and learn the following:

Good morning – Buongiorno

Good Evening – Buonasera
Thank you – Grazie
Yes – Si
No – No 

8. Words of Warning   

If it’s your first time to Europe, don’t forget they drive on the opposite side of the road so when crossing the road make sure you look left to right when crossing from the right hand side and vise versa for the left hand side to avoid any near accidents. 

9. List 3 essential clothing items

Three things you cannot leave at home:

-Cool clothes e.g. shorts, skirts and t-shirt

-A shawl as you cannot enter any church or the Vatican if you are wearing anything that is reveling or too short
-Comfortable walking shoes

10. List 3 essential personal items

These are three things you can’t travel to Rome without:

- European power point convertor

-Camera
- Water bottle that has a built in filter like a Bobble or Brita bottle as you can’t drink the water straight from the tap.

11. Currency convertor 

In Rome they use the Euro which currently stands at:

1.00 AUD = 0.788835 EUR

12. Name one thing that is highly recommended by you which is great value for money.

When in Rome you have to go to the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum. After studying them in school and always seeing them on travel shows it was amazing to see them in person. I do suggest paying a bit extra and doing a guided tour around the Colosseum as there is so much more to it than meets the eye. 

13. Traditional food that you recommend to try 

When in Rome you have to try their Pizza, Pasta and Gelato, it is nothing like what we get here in Australia. 

14. Something to push your boundaries

If you want to try something different try their napolatana pizza with anchovies, it is definitely an acquired taste!

Written for you – by Hannah

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Magical Morocco!

1. What country and city did you travel to?
Morocco

2. What time of the year did you travel?
I travelled in November, which is Winter

3. Where did you stay?
I stayed in several locations around Morocco. As I was travelling alone, I decided to travel with a tour company, who organised all the accommodation. The company I booked through was On the Go Travel.


4. What was your favourite location?
The Sahara desert! It was magical riding a camel for hours in the open sand. We stayed over night in a traditional camp site. The Berber people hosted a dinner, where they played drums and danced into the night.

5. What was your favourite activity?
Shopping in the Marrakesh markets. Walking through the little alleys, and bartering for clothes and spices, make me feel as though I was a character in the Disney movie Aladdin. As we walking around the markets, there were monkeys jumping on our shoulders, snakes being charmed out of baskets and ladies trying to paint henna on our arms. It was so different to anywhere I have travelled before.

6. Name a song that framed your trip?
There is no western song that fits in with this trip. When I think of Morocco, I think of drums!

7. List the 5 words you need to know in that country?
Thanks - Shokran
Hello - Salam
It is ok - Mashi moshkil
Good - Mezyan
where is the toilet - Fin kaynin twalit?
   
8. Words of Warning
Be careful with the food you choose to eat. Travelling in any foreign country can lead to the possibility of stomach bugs. As a whole we did not have too many problems, but make sure you are eating meet from reputable places.

9. List 3 essential clothing items
 - Head scarf
 - Walking Shoes
 - Rain coat

10. List 3 essential personal items
 - Camera
 - Back up copies of all documentation. eg. Passport
 - Sunscreen

11. Currency convertor
1 AUD = 9 Dirham

12. Name one thing that is highly recommended by you which is great value for money.
Make sure you have plenty of time to walk through the street markets.

13. Traditional food that you recommend to try
Tajine! Tajine is a Moroccan Tajine is named after the pottery that it is cooked it. One of my favourites has meatballs and egg in it!

14. Something to push your boundaries
You can do a day tour that allows you to ride quad bikes out to the site where they filmed Gladiator. This activity is located near Ouarzazate, and takes most of the day. It is about a 3 hour bike ride out to the set, where you get a chance to walk around and see the location. It was heaps of fun!!

Written by Bek
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