Spent 2 days in Goreme which is in Cappadocia, eastern Turkey. Took in a cultural show with Whirling Dervishes (religious cult) and local dancing with all-you-can eat and drink. Sore heads all around the following morning. But the major highlight was going on an early morning balloon flight which was so breathtaking and peaceful. I'll let the pictures say it all. [View Full Entry]

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Life on an overland truck is interesting to say the least. Some nights you get to stay in a hostel or campsite and get a decent shower. Other nights we have bush-camped, which means going without or having a "Wet Wipes" rubdown. Everyone has a duty (mine is the AM back locker which means loading and unloading rucksacks every morning) and is put in a cook group. However everyone pretty much mucks in and helps out wherever they can. Best part so far has been going to the local souqs and markets to buy food supplies when it's your turn to [View Full Entry]

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I vaguely recall studying WWI in school. But it's not until you come to Gallipoli that you get a true appreciation for what the Aussies, Kiwis, Brits and other Allied troops fought for. It was an overwhelming experience to wander the battlefields and memorials, and reflect on the horrendous loss of life. And to thınk it may have been averted if the Brits hadn't reneged on delivering 2 battleships to the Turks! Our guide was really great and went through the history and sequence of events plus lots of stories. It was interesting to also visit the Turkish memorials, as this [View Full Entry]

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I am LOVING Istanbul! This is a fantastic city with a great vibe. I've been here for 6 days and feel I've only scratched the surface. People have been really friendly, and the shop owners don't hassle you at all. The day I arrived was in the middle of a 3-day holiday to celebrate the end of Ramazan (fasting period). Every one of the 12+ million people that live here were out and about. Madness and mayhem everywhere. Cuisine is yummy too. Loving the turkish delight, baklava, kebabs and apple tea. Nothing like going through the Spice Bazaar, and local markets [View Full Entry]

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I had been looking forward to Berlin as many people had said it was a top city. Plus I was going to catch up with a good mate Pietro (aka Fuey) who was travelling in from Dusseldorf (where he lives) and whom I hadn´t seen for a couple of years. Berlin is built on a boggy swamp, so can be a bit whiffy at times. But it just adds more character to a city that is already very individual and diverse. Took a free walking tour (they work on tips alone) which was really worthwhile for orientation purposes. During my stay [View Full Entry]

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When you check into your hostel and meet your fellow travellers, there are the usual conversation starters such as - name, country of origin, where have you been, how long been travelling for, etc etc etc. For something different, some random dude (from Melbourne of all places) told me that if I smelled something funny it was likely to be the new shampoo he was using as he had contracted some fungus infection. Whoaaa man, too much information; I was totally speechless. Anyway, onto the blog. Left lovely Krakow and headed to Warsaw for a day. A lot of Poles I've [View Full Entry]

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Took a tour to Auschwitz and Birkenau, the largest extermination camps in WW2 history. I remember studying the Holocaust back in school but nothing prepares you for the reality. Around 90% of the prisoners comprised European Jews. The remaining 10% consisted of Soviet POW's, politicial prisoners, criminals, and those minorities considered by the Nazi's as being 'inferior' or 'anti-social' such as Gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses and homosexuals. Extremely sombre experience. Quite a few people were visibly upset and broke down in tears. While we were visiting there was a large Jewish contingen [View Full Entry]

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This blog is dedicated to my friends Jason and Natalie who tied the knot today. Congrats guys, I wish I could have been there to celebrate your special day with you. Krakow is a great little city with cosy cafes and pubs. Firstly walked around the Main Square (largest in Europe), Wawel Castle and Cathedral (where homegrown hero Karol Wojtyla was Archbishop before becoming Pope JP2), and Kazimierz (old Jewish quarter). Then took a bike tour of Krakow. Visited a lot of interesting places, in particular the Jewish ghetto from World War II and Oscar Schindler's factory. Interesting to hear abo [View Full Entry]

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Went to Zakopane which is located at the base of the Tatry Mountains. You may recall that I went to the High Tatras in Slovakia. Well this time I am on the Polish side. I wanted to do a nice 6-hour walk, so went to the Tourist Info who showed me a decent route from Kuznice to Gasienicowa Hala and then to Czarny Staw (pretty lake). I'm not exactly the world's fastest walker as I like to enjoy the scenery and take photos. Even so I got to the lake in 1.5 hours without raising a sweat. This wasn't good enough [View Full Entry]

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A lot of people I've met rave about the Czech Republic, especially the cheap beer. On a per capita basis, the Czechs drink approx 160 litres per annum. We even did a tour of the famous Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Plzen, established since 1842. I can see why Connie loves Cesky Krumlov so much; it's like a fairytale place. The townsfolk and tourists were all a-buzz as they were filming the movie "Hostel 2" which stars some random dude that plays George in Desperate Housewives (WHO????). And Prague is a really beautiful city; very easy to walk around. Mini and I [View Full Entry]

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