The list below includes my favourite coastal walks around Sydney.

Bondi to Coogee coastal walk by Pinterest

Bondi to Coogee coastal walk

Probably one of the busiest coastal walks in Sydney, the 6km stretch between Bondi to Coogee has been a popular Sydney walk for some time. The walk either starts or finishes at Australia’s famous Bondi Beach and Bondi Icebergs pool and passes through the rugged sandstone cliffs to Coogee via boardwalks and the mansions of the eastern suburbs.  Time your walk around a meal in Bondi – there are plenty of amazing cafes to choose from.

For three weeks every October, the section of coastline between Bondi and Tamarama hosts Sculpture by the Sea. The free public exhibition is the largest annual sculpture exhibition in the world.

Distance: 6km

Time: About 3 hours

Watsons Bay to Bondi Beach coastal walk

Watsons Bay to Bondi Beach coastal walk

Definitely a favourite of mine! Catch a ferry from Circular Quay passing through Sydney’s iconic harbour to start your walk from Wastons Bay. Walk out towards the Hornby Lighthouse to catch views towards Sydney Harbour. Follow the coastline south checking out the views and vistas from the viewing platforms along the rugged coastline.  You may even catch a glimpse of some migrating humpback whales between July and September or Aussie birds in the trees and scrub. 

Distance: 5km

Time: 1.5 hours

Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk

Okay technically a pedestrian bridge crossing, not a coastal walk but walking the Harbour Bridge is one of my favourite things to do in Sydney. This harbour city is like no other and the views from the bridge are absolutely breathtaking.  Catching my first glimpses of the Opera House from the bridge always brings a smile from ear to ear. You can walk across the bridge via the pedestrian walk for way free of charge in just 20 minutes or via over the top bridge span with Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb for about $200. The Pylon look out can be accessed for $15 from the pedestrian footbridge and offers views over the city skyline and harbour also.

Extend your walk by exploring the surrounding villages of the Rocks and Kirribilli.

Distance: 1.5 km

Time:   20 mins (one way)

Spit to Manly coast walk

Spit Bridge to Manly coastal walk

One of my personal favourites, the Spit Bridge to Manly walk travels along the harbour taking in bushland, ocean views and Aboriginal rock engravings. This walk spans about 10km in length and can be started at either end but I personally like finishing up in Manly, for a drink or ice cream then to ferry back to the city or to a parked car at the Spit Bridge.

When the weather is warm be sure to bring your swimmers for a dip in the ocean, there are many beaches along the way for you to cool down in.

Distance: 10 km

Time: 4-5 hours

Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach coastal walk

This walk ticks all the boxes for iconic Sydney experiences starting with a ferry ride with picturesque harbour views to Taronga Zoo. The harbour views just keep getting better as you follow the coastline north towards Balmoral.

Distance: 7km

Time: About 2-3 hours

Barrenjoey lighthouse walk

Barrenjoey lighthouse walk

A visit to Palm Beach just isn’t complete without walking to the tip of the northern beaches to Barrenjoey Headland. This is a relatively quick walk of 30 minutes one way and is quite steep in places. Walking from the beach via Smugglers Track, the path to the Barrenjoey Headland takes in 360 degree views back towards Palm Beach and Pittwater. Making it to the top of the lighthouse you’ll see vast views of the Pacific Ocean, the Hawkesbury River and the still waters of Pittwater and Broken Bay.

Distance: 3km

Time: 1 hour (return)

More on Sydney coming soon!

The post 6 Of The Best Coastal Walks In Sydney appeared first on Follow The Sun Seeker.

Now when I started planning my Alaskan adventure, I found it difficult to plan – where is all the travel information on Alaska? Surely someone out there has written a blog on it or providing some advice on the world wide web! I discovered once I arrived that I was one of the younger tourists in Alaska by a good twenty years. So is it worth going to Alaska if you aren’t retired? Definitely do it. Alaska is as they say, the last frontier, with its simply breathtaking scenery, iconic wildlife it is well worth the adventure.

Southeast Alaska – Take a cruise along the southeastern coast of Alaska taking in the mountainous coastline, fjords, glaciers and great open ocean.  Cruising is a convenient way to see the coastline, and it can also be a very affordable way to given the cost of cruises these days.

Anchorage –  As the most populated city in Alaska, Anchorage is a good resting place and stop over for a day.  As it is not a big place, you’ll be able to cover the main attractions in a few hours. During the late summer to fall months see the salmon spawn at the Wild Salmon Parade, and the 26 acre Alaska Native Heritage Centre, just outside of town. In the downtown core and not to be missed is the Anchorage Museum is a must for a visit to Anchorage. The museum has recently obtained the Smithsonian collection of rare Alaskan Indigenous heritage objects. It is wonderful to see the collection returned home to the people of Alaska.

Kenai Fjords National Park and the Kenai Peninsula – spend at least two days in the Kenai Fjords National Park to take advantage of a full day boat cruise, kayaking around the fjords and taking in the local sights like the town of Seward and the Exit Glaciers.

Denali National Park – Grizzly bears, moose, caribou and sheep as well as beautiful Mt. McKinley. Denali National Park is a must see.  Read my post on Alaska’s Mt. McKinley and Denali National Park

Prince William Sound – Prince William Sound lies between the Alaskan southeast coastline, the Canadian Yukon and the Kenai Peninsula. This beautiful coastline of fjords and glaciers is something to see.

Kodiak, Katmai and Southwest Alaska – You’ve seen those iconic pictures of grizzly bears catching salmon in streams, this is where you can see it.

There are a few ways you could travel to Alaska.

Cruise
A cruise is probably the most popular way to see Alaska. There are several cruise lines that travel to Alaska leaving from Vancouver or Seattle. They are either return journeys from their original departure port, travelling north along the British Columbian/Alaskan coastline, stopping in usually Ketchikan, Juneau, Glacier National Park and Skagway. Otherwise there are one way journeys from Victoria, Vancouver or Seattle to locations just outside of Anchorage such as Whittier or Seward. This option is great if you want to see more of Alaska following your cruise.

Flight

Fly into any of the Alaskan airports, Alaskan Airlines fly in and out of 12 locations, Air Canada flies into Anchorage.  Anchorage is a good option to fly into and then drive around the see the sights of Alaska. This could be a good option if you don’t have a lot of time to include a cruise.

Drive

Drive in from Canada’s British Columbia or the Yukon.

The food wasn’t great during my visit in 2013. In the tourist areas it is really hard to find anything that isn’t deep fried that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. And given the journey fresh fruit and vegetables have to reach Alaska, they will often be missing from the meal you ordered until the next truck arrives.

Book early – I made the mistake of planning a last minute trip and found it difficult to find hotels, cabins, cars etc. Given there is a short tourist season in Alaska it is suggested to book at least six months in advance.

Car vs RV – I opted for the car. It is much easier to get around in a smaller vehicle that you can park anywhere, that moves faster and requires less gas/petrol. The advantages to the RV though is that during the peak tourist season when its hard to find accommodation, you won’t have that problem.

The post How To Travel In Alaska appeared first on Follow The Sun Seeker.

Today over 15,000 people have volcano boarded down the slopes of Cerro Negro to speeds as fast as 90km/h.  The sport has become known to the New York TImes, BBC News and Survivor Nicaragua. CNN named volcano boarding #2 on the “thrill seekers buck list: 50 things to do before you die”. Reader’s Digest also rated the experience as “# 4 on the Death Defying Travel Destinations”. Participtants of Survivor Nicaragua also slid the slopes of Cerro Negro.

What is volcano boarding?

Volcano boarding was created in 2004 by a fellow Aussie! It involves a skinny wooden board with a rope as a handle, an ugly jump suit, safety glasses and gloves. Once you are well equipped with your personal protective equipment you jump on your board and you slide down the face of the active volcano.

How dangerous is volcano boarding?

I met a girl who broke her leg while volcano boarding.  She said there were absolutely no safety instilled in practice, no safety equipment, no briefing, it was a mess. while in hospital she met a guy who had been there two weeks already suffering from a head injury. Was I scared? Um yes! And was I going to be volcano boarding, I didn’t think so!

Why I changed my mind?

I was travelling with a group of people who reminding me that travelling was all about experiencing the adventures along the way, living in the moment and taking advantage of opportunities as they release themselves to you. I’m not the kind of girl put my safety on the line so I decided to sign up rather than miss this opportunity and be aware  and wary of dangerous situations.

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It was never hard for me to pick my favourite thing about Japan. The Japanese people would have to be the kindest and genuinely considerate collective group I think I’ve ever encountered travelling. The funny thing is, it’s not uncommon to be approached by locals offering assistance, but it my experience it’s uncommon to be approached regularly! Our first evening in Japan on board a local train from the airport, an elderly Japanese businessman made his way to the exit as the train slowed to stop. Before he left though, he made a turn and approached us. He slowly spoke in English “I wish you a pleasant stay in Japan”…. awwwww it melted my heart. It didn’t stop there, we were approached many more times with well wishes, or offers of assistance, even when they couldn’t speak English there was still a major attempt to help!

Anyway, go for the culture, the food and the beautiful scenery but do take time to connect with the locals, they are pure magic. Here is my 2 week Japan itinerary, it will keep you on your toes but it’s doable! Take longer if you want to go at a slower pace.

The best way to cover some ground in Japan is on the fast train network. Booking ahead will save you some cash making it very affordable. As an Australian traveller, I found Japan Travel to be cheapest place to buy my rail pass in Australia. The 7 day pass was $300 (now about $380) which seems like a bargain when you consider unlimited use for 7 days including use of the local train networks within cities. Especially when comparing the cost of flying in Australia! For the additional 3 days not covered by the pass, we used the subway system in Tokyo which wasn’t too expensive, never more than about $5 a day. 

This guide has been set up in a way for you to maximise your time as part of a 2 week Japan itinerary.

Tokyo is the largest city and where the majority of international flights will be flying into. I have based this itinerary from a Tokyo arrival.

From Australia watch out for regular Jetstar sales. If you are lucky you may score 2 for 1 flights like I did.

Tokyo

Start your 10 day adventure in Tokyo. Stay at least 3 days to get your bearings, to take in the sights and recover from your jetlag!

Tsukji Fish Market

The Tsukji Fish Market is a great place to kick start your time in Tokyo. The market opens early (around 5am), get there early when the atmosphere is at its peak to see all the action when the early bird gets the best seafood! The market wraps up about midday.

Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo

Possibly the busiest intersection in the world, but most definitely the busiest intersection in Japan, Shibuya Crossing is something to be experienced in person. But if the thought of the crowds bring you to a state of anxiety – there’s always L’Occitane Cafe (or a nearby Starbucks if you’re desperate) to see the crowds from above. Our little break at L’Occitane Cafe is captured below.

The Imperial Palace is the main residence of the Imperial family (aka the Emperor and his extended family). There’s not a whole lot you can see without pre-booking for a guided tour so its highly recommended.

Hachiko Status, Tokyo

There’s a famous story you may have heard about a professor who’s dog would follow him to work every day and wait at Shibuya Station. When the man died, his dog would return to Shibuya Station every day for 10 years until he too passed. A statue in Hachiko’s honour now stands in Shibuya Station in honour of the sweet pup. Knowing the story behind this statue made the Hachiko Statue my mum’s highlight of Day 2 in Tokyo!

Another unique Japanese experience would have to be seeing a sumo match. While it can be a little hard to get tickets it’s definitely worth it. You can purchase tickets online before you travel through the Ticket Oosumo website or same day at the stadium.

Best views in Tokyo

For panoramic views of the city, the observation desk of the Metropolitan Government Building offers free entry from the 45th floor. Go on your last day in the city to pick out your favourite landmarks of Tokyo.

In recent years, themed cafes seem to have become an emerging trend in the past few years. Anything from animals (think cafes where you can interact with animals like cats, goats, hedgehogs, owls) or see robots, get cuddles. These weird cafes seem to becoming a more common place to visit while in Tokyo.

Take the train for free look out over the city and to Mt Fuji if its a clear day.

Hiroshima

The city of Hiroshima is most commonly known for its bombing and destruction during World War II, even today the city remembers its history through beautiful memorial parks and informative museums. Hiroshima is a five hour fast train ride from Tokyo – about 45 mins into the trip, on a clear day you can see Mt Fuji on your right hand side of the train.

I recommend spending at least 1.5 to two days in Hiroshima to see all the history and parks of the city as well as include a day trip to Miyajima Island.

Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park is a significant feature within the city. At 120,000 m2, the park is hard to miss! It includes beautiful paths, trees and gardens.

Peace Memorial Museum

Wandering through the paths of the Peace Memorial Park will lead you to the Peace Memorial Museum. You’ll be deeply moved by the displays which capture the suffering and recounts of the nuclear bombing.

Paper cranes in the Children’s Peace Monument Children’s Peace Monument

If you were anything like me, in school you may have learnt about a healthy little girl from Hiroshima who developed leukaemia following World War II. In hospital she folded paper cranes as she believed it would make her feel better. After eight months of fighting sadly young Sadako lost her life. Following her death, Sadako’s death triggered a campaign to acknowledge the children who lost their lives after being exposed to the A-bomb. Every year 10 million cranes are collected for the monument.

A-Bomb Dome

A-Bomb Dome or as it’s also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial was an industrial building bombed and one of the only buildings left standing. The memorial is a constant visual reminder of Hiroshima’s past.

Less than an hour’s train and ferry ride from Hiroshima’s city centre, you’ll discover Miyajima Island. Miyajima or ‘Shrine’ Island is most commonly known for the giant red torri gate which appears to float on the water just off shore. It also features a number of over-friendly deer, temples and a series of hikes with stunning views towards Hiroshima.

Views from Mount Misen towards Hiroshima

While the island isn’t all that big, if you are fit and active you could take one of the three hiking trials up Mount Misen. The views are simply stunning and you can rest in the restaurant on top of Mount Misen and catch the Ropeway down.

While everyone has their favourite Japanese city for different reasons, mine without a doubt is Kyoto. Kyoto is a city of history, culture and has easy access to some beautiful natural features.

By train you can access Kyoto from Hiroshima in about 2.5 hours. I recommend basing yourself in Kyoto for at least four days, more if you’d like to go at a leisurely pace.

Bamboo Grove, Kyoto

My highlight for Kyoto was travelling out to see the Bamboo Grove.  Access to the Bamboo Grove is free, and you can pay for the bus or use your rail pass to get there for free. The Bamboo Grove is located in the Arashiyama area of Kyoto, about 45 mins outside of the city. Get there early for insta-worthy shots.

Geisha in Gion district, Kyoto

Gion is known as Kyoto’s entertainment district. It is also the best place to spot Geisha.

Southern Higashiyama

Southern Higashiyama has many with cultural buildings and landmarks. Spend a few hours walking along the base of the mountains, flowing narrow streets and taking in the historic Kyoto street scape. My personal favourites include Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Ginkakuji Temple (Silver Pavilion) and Yasaka Pagoda.

Sitting at the base of the Higashiyama Mountains, Northern Higashiyama is less busy than Southern Higashiyama. It contains a number of significant temples, shrines and other cultural landmarks including Nanzen-ji Buddhist Temple, National Museum of Modern Art, Tetsugaku-no-Michi (Path of Philosophy) and Eikan-so temple.

There are a number of day trips you can take from Kyoto. Some of the popular day trips you can do to make use of your rail pass would have to be Osaka, Kobe and Nara.

Giant Buddha in Nara

With the time we had available we opted to see Nara after reading about the Giant Buddha, more temples, and a little town filled with deer – need I say more!

While I can’t recommend visiting Japan enough, there will be some people who find it challenging and possibly very overwhelming. In a 2013 Japanese survey, over 70% of Japanese people claim they can’t speak English. For the less experienced, this might be a bit daunting and if you rely on communicating in English to get around!

And finally, it’s a surprise to many people (mostly Australians who live in an endless summer), that cherry blossoms bloom in the spring, during March-April. It can be hard to time your visit as warmer or cooler seasons and wet weather can all impact the timing of cherry blossoms and how long they stay in bloom.

This 2 week itinerary of Japan includes everything you need to know about planning your Japan holiday. More travel in Asia here.

Japanese crockery

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Looking for things to do in South Beach Miami?! I have to admit, Miami had never been very high on my North American bucket list, however it totally exceeded my expectations. I wasn’t expecting much more than a fast paced city with not a lot of soul, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Miami is a laid back, coastal community with an infused Latino vibe.  South Beach is in the heart of Miami’s tourist scene lined with palm trees and  white sandy beaches and has the largest number of art-deco historic buildings than anywhere else in the world. This is exactly the kind of break anyone coming from a Canadian winter needs – especially this Aussie girl who studied heritage buildings as part of her masters degree and misses her Aussie beaches and warm weather like crazy.

Here are 8 things to do in South Beach, Miami.

For those of you who don’t know much about architecture, art deco is a style which came about after World War II. You will distinguish art deco from other styles due to its geometric shapes, bright colours and ornamentation. Miami has over 1200 buildings, more than anywhere else in the world and Miami has done a great job of keeping them in great condition. Take a walk down Washington Ave and then head back down Ocean Drive and feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

Grab one of the City of Miami’s bikes by swiping your credit card and take a leisurely ride along Ocean Drive.

Soak up the sun’s rays on Miami Beach.

Along Lincoln and Collins Avenues for all the big brand names from Zara, Nike, Aldo, Mango, Sephora etc.

Rent a car or take one of the many tours to the Everglades or Disney world. Tours to Disney world will be a full day affair. If you aren’t in a rush, might be worth to a make a few days out of it.

From Miami, consider taking a day or two to explore the Florida Keys. Read my Guide to the Florida Keys.

Why not see one of the better teams in the NBA while you are in Miami. Buy your tickets in advance, Heat games sell out in advance.

Miami is a cruise hub. While you are in town, why not consider taking a few days or a week or two to explore the Caribbean. Read my article on Experiences of a First Time Cruiser. 

It will be much easier to explore Florida with a car. If you are flying into Miami International Airport, consider renting a car with Fox Car Rental. They are located offsite from the Airport, but they offer an airport shuttle and their prices are cheaper than the bigger name car rentals.

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A few years back I took the plunge and booked my first cruise.  Now cruising isn’t  something I saw myself doing until I was well into my retirement years, BUT, when looking for warm destination to escape the Canadian Christmas holiday that was affordable during peak travel time, a cruise seemed like the best option.

I had heard through the grapevine by committed cruisers that the only way to book a cruise was through Vacations to Go*

Now this is in no way shape or form, a sponsored post. I’m just sharing my experiences…. Here is what I learned.

Vacations to go offer a world wide selection of discounted cruises.  Focusing on the Caribbean region, I searched for week long cruises following Christmas.  A seven day cruise leaving from Miami stopping in The Bahamas, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Turks and Caicos was the cruise we ended up choosing. I wanted to maximise the time I had away and four days out of six being able to explore a different island sounded like a really great way to spend out time.

Here is what I learned:

1. Book with Vacations To Go

2.  Tip or not to tip – Read on the fine print. At least on our ship, tipping was included and added to our tab at the end of the cruise.

3. Room service is free – We quickly learned that the mini bar offered drinks at a price, however room service would bring juice, soft drinks (pop/soda) for no charge.

4. Consider getting an upgrade –  I had been told an “inside room” (located within the inside of the cruise ship and therefore has no windows) is the way to go. You are barely in your room and it seems unnecessary to spend the extra money for a window or balcony.  Having visited a friends “ocean view” suite (which we later found out was only another $50 more per person for the week), I would recommend the upgrade. While the inside room was comfortable and everything we needed,  $50 is not much to pay. And if I ever did a cruise with my parents, I would recommend that they get a balcony as they would appreciate a space of their own to relax and escape the crowds.

5.  Bring some fancy clothes – There will be dress standards in the dining rooms, be sure to look into that when packing your bags. Some cruise lines are more fancier than others – dress accordingly.

6. Don’t miss dinner – Dinner in the dining room is not a meal to be missed.  The meals served were absolutely amazing and beyond anything I would have imagined. During our seven days on the cruise I sampled a number of firsts for me including alligator, escargot and braised rabbit. I also had the daily dilemma of which main course to choose from fillet minion, lobster tails, a variety of fresh fish, racks of lamb and chicken. Sometimes when it was too hard to choose, I just got both. Desserts were of course, equally amazing.

7. Don’t take your passport off the ship –  Depending on where your cruise is destined of course. We found in the Caribbean the only thing we needed to board the ship after our daily excursions was government issued photo ID and the cruise line identification card.  As a cruise employee told me, “best to keep your passport onboard, if it gets lost while in port you could be in a bit of trouble getting off the boat”. This should be confirmed prior to docking at port.

8. Book your own activities prior to leaving – If you plan to take part in some of the activities in a port-of-call, it was recommended to me to book these online through companies not affiliated with the cruise. It was good advice and if I had of been more organised prior to leaving I would have taken this advice.  Boat activities squished people on the boats like sardines and snorkelling activities were too crowded to see any fish. Neither were very enjoyable.

9. Limit sea days – If you can, pick a cruise that maximises the opportunity to see new places. Spending a number of days “at sea” I can imagine would get old pretty quickly. There is lots to do on board but everyone else will be doing it too. On sea days it’s hard to find any deck chairs, room in the pool, or any sporting activity that doesn’t have a huge line. Lines for food will also be long, it might be a good day to get room service for lunch!  The cruise I selected was a seven day cruise with two sea days and four port days – perfect in my opinion.

Read my posts on:

The Bahamas

St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Grand Turks, Turks & Caicos

The post 9 Things To Know About Cruises appeared first on Follow The Sun Seeker.

Here is my ‘tried and tested’ itinerary for a 2 week road trip around the South Coast NSW starting and ending in Sydney.

Day 1

Sea Cliff Bridge

Heading south from Sydney take a left on the Princes Highway at Stanwell Tops for the scenic drive route along the Grand Pacific Drive. Stop at the Sea Cliff Bridge to admire the engineering marvel elevated from the ocean floor.

Sea Cliff Bridge by Grand Pacific Drive

Wattomolla

As part of the Royal National Park, Wattomolla Beach is a great place to swim, snorkel, fish or hike. There are a number of hikes that follow the coastline from the Wattomolla to Eagle Rock look out walk or the Wattomolla to Garie Beach walk. Both take about 3 hours.

An alternative to a hike would be to check out the Bald Hill Look Out. It’s got great views but it’s also a well known spot for hang gliding.

Day 2

Kiama

Explore the sweet little town of Kiama. Wander down to the water to the famous Kiama blow hole. If it’s Saturday explore the markets along the waterfront.

Stop by for lunch – there are no shortage of take away fish and chip spots!

Gerringong

The road between Kiama and Gerringong winds its way around the lush green countryside. You’ll see Gerringong Beach as you drive into town. The town itself is perched up on the hill and is filled with quaint little shops.

Berry, NSW
Cafe in Berry, NSW

Day 3

Berry

Berry has to be one of my favourite towns in Australia, I can’t get enough. When the Princes Highway bypassed Berry, few expected that this little town would transform into a vibrant and thriving little place that it is today. A popular weekend day trip for Sydney siders, Berry has a selection of home décor and furniture stores, great little cafes and eateries.

While I’ve only visited in summer (numerous times now), you can see that this gorgeous southern country town would be the ideal little winter escape. Renting a little stone cottage with a fireplace for the weekend in Berry should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Hyams Beach

Day 4 – 6

Jervis Bay

Spend a few days exploring Jervis Bay – you won’t regret it. The white sandy beaches and sparkling turquoise water of Hyams, Seamans, Greenfields and Chinaman beaches will keep you mesmerised for days. You can walk the White Sands Walk which links all of the beaches. It will take just over an hour if you don’t stop. Allow time to walk back and for a few swims along the way!

Hyams Beach

Take a drive and explore the Booderee National Park, it’s beaches, indigenous botanic gardens and other walks – you’ll need to purchase a parks pass for $13.

The town of Huskinson is a great place to grab dinner at the pub or a famous Husky pie.

Mollymook

Day 7

Mollymook

The gorgeous Mollymook Beach is worth the stop off. It’s calm waves make it a great place to swim. It took me back to my youth being able to explore the rock pools for shells and starfish. The Bannisters Point look out will give you a good vantage point of the area.

Ulladulla

Nearby, Ulladulla is a picturesque harbour side town with some good surf breaks. The Gondawana guided fossil walk along the harbour is popular with visitors.

Pebbly Beach, NSW

Day 8 – 10

Murramarang National Park

Not too far from Batemans Bay you’ll find the Murramarang National Park. I spent a few days exploring the beaches and national park. The area is filled with natural beauty and wildlife. Be sure to spend some time at Pebbly Beach, Pretty Beach and Depot Beach. Kangaroos can be found on the beach at Pebbly Beach and native bird life are also very common within the national park.

Merimbula

Day 11 – 12

Merimbula

Merimbula is another favourite of mine along the South Coast. Hit Short Point Beach, Merimbula Bar Beach while in town. Take a short drive to Pambula to check out Pambula Beach. While you are there do the Pambula River Walk. Consider doing the Merimbula to Pambula Beach Walk – it’s a stunning coastline and the walk will take about an hour. In case you weren’t aware, the region has many walks. Take the drive to Eden or take the Pinnacles loop walk in the Ben Boyd National Park.

On your return journey to Sydney consider heading inland via the Kangaroo Valley and Bowral. for a change of scenery.

Fitzroy Falls

Day 13

Kangaroo Valley

Kangaroo Valley is a little town in the Australian bushland surrounded by escarpment. Just outside of town be sure to check out Fitzroy Falls and its hikes around the escarpment. In town there are a few shops, pubs and the historic Hampden Bridge.

Hampden Bridge, NSW Bowral, NSW

Day 14

Bowral

Similar to Berry, Bowral is filled plenty of shopping, wineries and eateries to keep yourself amused. If your visit is during September, the town will be filled with tulips for the Tulip Time festival. One of favourite Bowral finds was the Dirty Janes vintage emporium. Here you’ll find vintage clothing, restaurants, a (plant) nursery and an array of boutique stores.

For out more about travelling Australia.

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This blog post has been inspired the countless times I’ve given this advice when asked “What should I do when I have 24 hours in Sydney?” Usually this happens when I’m flying back from a trip and sitting next to someone who is in town for work or on a brief lay over. It’s also been tried and tested by the countless times I had friends visit or when I’ve had a short stay in Sydney.

Morning in Bondi Beach

A trip to Sydney, wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Australia’s most famous beach, Bondi. Start your day early to fit as much as you can into the day – you’re only in Sydney for a day after all.

Bondi Beach is known for it’s extensive organic and gate-to-plate movement cafes. It makes a great place to grab breakfast during your 24 hours in Sydney. Some Bondi breakfast favs include Harry’s Cafe, Brown Sugar or Lox Stock & Barrel.

Bondi Beach

What to do in Bondi?

Bondi Beach

Make your way to the iconic Bondi Beach, easily Australia’s most famous beach. Here you may find the life guards filming Bondi Rescue or the beautiful people of Bondi doing their morning exercise.

Bondi Icebergs

Bondi Icebergs

Bondi Icebergs is the home to Australia and one of the world’s oldest surf clubs. Take a dip in the icebergs pool or just admire the view.

Bondi to Coogee walk via Pinterest

Bondi to Coogee coastal walk

Easily Sydney’s most popular coastal walk, the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk is a tourist favourite. The 6km pathway links the eastern beaches of Sydney passing sandstone cliffs, mansions and views to die for!

Sculptures by the Sea 2018

In late October to early November every year, Sculpture by the Sea takes place along the Bondi to Tamarama coastline. Sculpture by the Sea is the largest outdoor sculpture exhibition in the world.

Between June – July and September – October watch for migrating whales.

How to get to Bondi

Arriving by plane:

From the Sydney Airport, make your way downstairs in the International or Domestic terminals following signs to the train station. Make your way to Central Station, it’s only 2 stops from the domestic terminal and 3 from the international terminal. This is a great place to start your Sydney adventures.

Arriving by cruise ship:

If arriving by cruise ship, you’ll arrive in Circular Quay. From Albert Street bus bay, catch the bus to Bondi Beach. The trip will take about 45 minutes.

Arriving by bus/train:

If arriving by bus or train, you’ll most likely you’ll arrive to Central Train Station. Central Station, is the major transport hub. From here make your way to platform 4 to take a train to Bondi Junction. Once you arrive at Bondi Junction, take the 333 bus to Bondi Beach.

How to get back to the city:

When you’ve completed the Bondi to Coogee walk, take the bus back to Circular Quay. It will take about 40 mins to get back into central Sydney.

Afternoon in Sydney

Sydney Harbour

Sydney Harbour

Arriving in Circular Quay you are in the heart of Sydney Harbour. You might call it the tourist heart of Sydney. Take some time to wander around the waterfront, watching the bustling harbour with ferries constantly moving people around the city.

Opera House

Once you’ve wandering around the waterfront a bit, make your way towards Sydney’s Opera House. Grab lunch here at the Opera Bar for stunning views over the harbour.

Alternatives to lunch could include any of the German pubs in The Rocks – the next stop on your itinerary. Otherwise, nearby Mr Wong, is a popular little Cantonese bar with fantastic food.

The Rocks

The Rocks

The Rocks is Sydney’s oldest neighbourhood and adjoins Sydney Harbour. It marks the place where the first Europeans settled Australia. Wander the cobbled stones streets, stop off for a beer at some of Australia’s oldest pubs or visit the galleries, museums or stock up on Australian souvenirs at the markets on Saturday, if that’s your thing.

Take a ferry

Make your way to Circular Quay’s ferry terminal to take a short ferry trip on the harbour to Barangaroo. On your way you’ll pass by the Opera House, pass under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and then onto Luna Park. Luna Park is an amusement park also located on Sydney Harbour.

Barangaroo

The city once turned its’ back to this corner of Sydney’s central business district and with good reason, it was a large industrial ship yard. Barangaroo is one of the world’s largest urban renewal projects. Once the last stage is complete in 2024, it will be not only be home for 3,500 people but also home to high end restaurants, a world-renowned casino and expansive parklands, plazas and coves. Spending some time wandering around to take it all in.

Dinner

To finish your 24 hours in Sydney, stay within the Barangaroo precinct for plenty of food options. And by plenty of food options I mean many of the city’s best. While you can’t go wrong with any, some stand outs are Zushi Barangaroo (Japanese), Anason (Turkish), Cirrus Dining (seafood), Ume Burger or The Meat and Wine Co.

How to get around in 24 hours

The most cost affective way to see Sydney is to use the public transport network. Sydney’s public transport network is world class and locals rely on it to get around for work and fun. Sydney locals use their ‘opal card’ as their transport ticket which can be reused and ‘topped up’. It is free to obtain but a minimum of $20 needs to be loaded for adults and $10 for students and seniors.

For visitors to Sydney, you can get an opal card or use your own contactless credit or debit card or mobile device. Purchasing a single ticket is also available on some services. For all you need to know about paying on Sydney’s transportation network, click through here.

If you’d prefer you can also Uber or taxi for more direct trip.

Where to stay with 24 hours in Sydney

Assuming your 24 hours in Sydney is a lay over while travelling by air, it is suggested you stay close to the airport to allow for ….

Got longer than 24 hours in Sydney?

Check out my favourite coastal walks in Sydney

Or plan your time wisely hitting up all the best places to eat in Sydney. Read my post on best brunch spots in Sydney.

The post 24 Hours In Sydney, Australia – The Best Things To Do appeared first on Follow The Sun Seeker.

Not only is this road dangerous for cars, it is also quite dangerous on a bike. At least 15 tourists have died riding down the mountain and many get injured, myself being one of those injured. 

How to survive Death Road?

• Choose a reputable company. For the sake of your safety it is smart to pay a little bit more for quality equipment  – full face helmets and full body pants and jacket are a must.

• Compare companies, check safety equipment. Are the tyres worn? Is the equipment faulty? Is safety considered the top priority?

Check your equipment

• Double check your equipment. On the day you are provided your bike, go for a ride on it, check the brakes. The biggest regret I have is no checking I was completely happy with my bike. The gears were not working so I had to change to a bike which was even worse. If I had spoken up to begin with, I may not have ended up with injuries.

Double check your equipment

Recommended companies

• Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking – the most expensive company. They are the best in La Paz and purchase all their bikes brand new
• Barracuda – I also heard great things about this company. They purchase their bikes from Gravity second hand.

The warm up – before entering Death Road

The first part of the bike ride is along a sealed road, which personally for me was the highlight of the day. The scenery was gorgeous, and simply stunning.

Death Road

Death Road is a rocky, windy road with many sharp corners, waterfalls and picturesque views. At some points the sharp drop off point is 400 metres. There is no guard rail. Your support vehicle follows the group to assist where needed but at times the group can be spread out so far the nearest support vehicle is some distance away.

My stack

As I mentioned the brakes on my initial bike weren’t working very well, so I swapped bikes with one of the guides. The guide, a much larger man then me, had a very light bike built for him. I found I didn’t have the weight to slow down his bike. I came to a rocky corner, swerved to miss a big rock at speed and the next thing I knew, I was flying over my handle bars wondering where I would land.  Much to the shock of my Irish friend following close behind, I landed close to the side of the cliff, she watched me fly through the air thinking she was going to watch me go over the side! But I did land, face first into a pile of rocks (thank goodness for that full faced helmet!). My nose started to immediately run, my wrists hurt, my ribs hurt, my back hurt,  my knees hurt. I was hurting everywhere.

My injuries

I moved very slowly with the help of friends and friendly people over the next few days – luckily I was only days away from coming home. I had a professional massage in Santiago, Chile before flying out and had my left wrist popped back into place. It was actually an amazing feeling to have had my wrist constantly ache for days and then once it went back into place… nothing, no pain! It also helped a lot of the pain in my back. After returning back to Australia I decided to see a chiropractor after a week of still experiencing pain… everywhere. It turned out I had a fractured rib and a number of my ribs had popped out of place. I also have my wrists and back checked.

Would I do it again?

Now that I have done it, no I wouldn’t. For me, Death Road is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. If/when I go back to Bolivia I will not be doing Death Road again. But I’m glad I have the experience and lived to tell the tale!

The post All You Need To Know About Biking Death Road Bolivia appeared first on Follow The Sun Seeker.

From Positano with love Italian breakfast Gelato in Italy… is there anything better? Positano Italian getaways for friends

For more on European travel see my Travel Europe page

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