Situated in what can only be described as no mans land between Kings Street Wharf and George Street lives a venue that will take you back in time. That venue is The Retro and has been the destination of choice for 70s and 80s music enthusiasts since forever (well at least the 70s or 80s). The Bristol Arms Hotel (or simply the Retro) is frequented by Sydneys 30+ crowd looking for a great night out.With about 5 floors to choose from (this is an...more
My first three days in Austria had already been action-packed, full of hiking excursions and culinary delights. My next adventure was going to be a full-day driving tour with my friend Gary, who had also grown up in Austria, but, like me, had emigrated to Canada more than 40 years ago.Garys native region is Upper Styria, a mountainous and heavily wooded part of my Austrian home province. He came to pick me up in his rental car in my home town of...more
For several months now I had been planning another trip to Europe, to visit my family in my home town in Austria, as well as to spend eleven days on the beautiful island of Mallorca and three days in the fascinating Czech capital of Prague, both destinations I had long wanted to visit.On May 15, 2009 I finally landed in Graz, after an uneventful flight from Toronto via Dsseldorf. The only notable detail was the inspection by the swine flu police in Dsseldorf since Canada has been affected by the swine flue epidemic all Lufthansa passengers had to fill out a health questionnaire and present themselves to two public health officials upon exiting the plane.On this sunny yet cool morning I finally landed in my final destination. Graz, Austrias second largest city, is a wonderful destination; its late medieval and Renaissance-era city core have helped to make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. My brother picked me up and we drove into my small provincial home town, and it was great to reconnect after almost a year.I spent the first few days doing local excursions with my family. Styria, my home province in Austria, offers great travel opportunities, from active travel for hikers, bikers...more
Today was our relocation day: we moved from our vacation apartment in Solana Beach in San Diego to the chic Sofia Hotel in downtown San Diego. On another brilliant day we arrived at the hotel at about 10 am, but our room was not ready yet, so we decided to embark on some brief local explorations.Seaport Villages Victorian, Mexican and East Coast...more
Okay this place is Backpacker Central! To give you a quick rundown it has the best drinks specials, the best backpacker style entertainment (meaning fake orgasm contests, hooking up with randoms on stage and all kinds of funny stuff.At the time of writing this article, entry was $10 and included a meal and 2 drinks. Not sure if that is still on but...more
If there is one word that describes Scuffy Murphys then that word would have to be... MESSY! Make no mistake of it, this place is not for the pretentious, classy or faint of heart. If youre at Scruffy Murphys (or Scruffs) then you are there to either get drunk of pickup so leave your inhibitions at the door.With live bands on the weekend, the early crowd at Scuffys is generally backpackers looking for cheap drinks. In saying that, many people are also there for bands playing covers of the latest (and not so latest rock music). If you are heading here early however it is recommended you knock back as many cheap drinks as possible before moving onto another venue as the real Scruffy Murphys only comes alive at about 2am.So what is the real Scruffy Murphys you ask? Well lets just say that if you get kicked out of anywhere in the city for being too drunk, then you will be met with open arms at Scruffy Murphys... and Sydney bar and nightclub enthusiasts know it!Its at this time that downstairs comes alive, playing that latest hip hop and electronic music, which is ironic given upstairs is 100% live music. In any case, downstairs is where it is at for sure at this time, which is filled...more
Hugging the shores of Darling Harbour, the Cargo Bar and Lounge is a destination of choice for the 30 and under crowd looking for a great night out. Located on the King Street Wharf strip right next to Wildlife World, for years Cargo bar has...more
Report - Incredible India: now for medical tourismIs travelling abroad for treatment a good idea? That is what many westerners are doing—exploring cheap and world-class medical care in India. The western medical care system is so...more
Being a traveler and adventurer places that are commonly visited are sometimes boring; you can hear a lot of those places from people who have already been there. Thus, if time comes you come to such places, you already knew what to...more
Are you looking for a nice gift idea to give your mom this coming Christmas season? This is the perfect time to start looking around at what would make Mom very happy, and because it is a fact that moms are hard working, so they deserve a treat...more
Many UK families have relatives or even family friends who now live abroad, either travelling for work or simply to enjoy a different way of life (and the more favourable weather!). Staying in touch has been made a lot easier these days...more
I love Sydney, but then of course I am biased. If you are intending to go to our great country for any prolonged time period of time, I propose that you get by yourself an Australian SIM credit card. If you are travelling here for...more