Friday’s Recommended Reads – September 2nd

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Hello again!

Another week and another collection of great reads to get you through the last few hours of your Friday at work. There’s not a lot of new stuff to report on my end unfortunately, but I am pleased to show off my shiny new Aussie on the Road business cards from Moo! They’re all professional looking and shiny and just begging to be handed out to pretty girls on the bus when I’m too shy to say hello.

Take a look!

My shiny new Moo business cards ready to be handed out to all and sundry

It hasn’t all been quiet on the travel front. I’ve got my hostels booked for this October’s visit to Brisbane, Moreton Island, and the Gold Coast.

I’m preparing to register for this year’s Warrior Dash here in Sydney, and I’m also continuing planning for wherever it is I may be next year.

At this point the front-runners for 2012 are teaching in Japan, teaching in Turkey, or saving every spare cent so I can quit my job and backpack around SE Asia until I get sick of it.

What do you think should get the nod?

The Reads

Why China is the Most Intense Country I’ve Traveled To by Round the World L

As her adventures in China continue, Lillie pauses from the hiking and crazy food eating to talk about how easy it is to get overwhelmed by a new place – especially one as fast paced and built up as China.

It’s all too easy to say how amazing your adventures are, but sometimes its good to stop and take off the rose colored glasses a moment. I’m sure we’ve all paused and felt overwhelmed from time to time.

A First Timer’s Guide to the Aussie Barbie by WhyGo Australia

I love it when Brooke takes a moment to look at Australian culture from an outsider’s perspective and gives a guide on surviving in the land down under. This week sees her giving a newcomer a guide to how to do an Aussie barbeque the right way.

From the correct lingo to the best place to have a BBQ, any first timer will be able to look like a seasoned veteran following a read.

Bodie – A California Ghost Town by Don’t Ever Look Back

Don’t Ever Look Back is a newcomer to my blog rotation and I’m already finding plenty to like about it. Having visited the ghost town of Milparinka in western NSW as a child, I already have a bit of a fascination with ghost towns – so reading about and see photos of a real old fashioned gold rush site from California was a bit of a nerdy thrill for me.

Kuranda Village by Lakwatsera de Primera

I had the pleasure of visiting Kuranda Village in late 2010 as a part of my scuba diving weekend in Cairns and immediately fell in love with the cute little rainforest town.

Around the same time I was there, my friend Claire from Lakwatsera de Primera was also exploring the hippie village and also finding it had a lot of charm. In this entry Claire discusses that charm and includes some great pictures from her experience riding the scenic rail to the village.

Australian Sporting Events by Nomadic Samuel

A budding friendship very nearly came to an end when I read this article. The absence of the State of Origin is tantamount to talking about Catholicism and leaving out the Jesus part. Samuel has promised my beer as a means of compensation though, so I’ve let him off the hook.

In all honesty, this is a well researched piece about three of the must see Australian sporting events. It touches on the Aussie fanaticism and tribalism when it comes to sports and does so from the unique perspective of an outsider. Well worth a look.

On Being Adventurous by Suzy Guese

I once remarked on the wonderful little adventures and detours we can take in life, and this entry reminded me of that one a lot. Suzy’s article goes a bit further than mine did though – highlighting the importance of knowing when it’s good to be adventurous and when it’s time to exercise a little caution and play it safe.

Her story of visiting a secluded Irish beach paints a really vivid picture of a good time to play it safe, and the whole article is a must read for any traveler.

Photo Print Giveaway by Seattle’s Travels

This isn’t so much a must read as a great opportunity for you to win yourself some stunning photo prints. Having browsed the album and picked out the one I like, I can guarantee you’ll be hard pressed to choose just one.

And don’t just stop at the photo contest. There’s some absolutely breathtaking photos and fascinating articles all through this new discovery in my blog-roll.

September 2011 Desktop Wallpaper by Everything Everywhere

This one is just a bonus. Gary from Everything Everywhere takes some of the most amazing photos you’ll ever see, and this month you get to have a brilliant shot of the Bern skyline as your desktop wallpaper. It’s decorating my work desktop as I type.

What’s Going On?

I’m somewhat ashamed to say that I have very little to report this week. Aside from my upcoming October trip to Queensland and my daydreaming about plans for next year, I’ve got very little on at the moment.

September 16th is the next exciting date marked on my calendar as I participate in the World Nomads Great Nomad Chase, and then it’s counting down to my trip in late October. Although I might try and fit in a Blue Mountains day trip or some time up in Newcastle before then. All work and no play make Chris a dull boy.

In Case You Missed Them…

Entries this week included:

Don’t See Your Entry Above?

If you’d like to see your link (or just a link you really liked) here next week don’t hesitate to leave a comment here, hit me up on Facebook, or send me a Tweet. I’ll feature the post on Facebook as well as Tweeting it to the Twitterverse and Stumbling it to the Stumbleverse. That’s free publicity!

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