G'day! I'm Chris. I left my home in rural Australia back in 2007 to pursue a life less ordinary.
I specialize in ambitious travel - bucket list worthy journeys such as the Great US Road Trip, the ultimate African safari, and following the length of the Silk Road.
A fortnight ago now, I announced a competition to reward my awesome Facebook fans as well as hopefully drum up a few extra followers for Aussie on the Road. Over the fortnight the contest has been running, Aussie on the Road has picked up close to fifty new fans.
It remains to be seen how many of those were picked up by my somewhat controversial (and very raunchy) Top 15 Travel Blogging Crushes post. The interest that humble entry drew has been insane. And true to form, the controversy seems to have comes from girls I excluded. I really should have just made it a top fifty…
The point of the entry wasn’t to objectify or to actually categorize the girls out there. It was meant to be an amusing and tongue in cheek read with just a little bit of perve value for the boys.
Oh yeah, I promised to announce a winner today too.
First of all, a big thanks to everybody who entered and gunned for additional points by Tweeting about the contest and sharing the link on their walls. I owe you all a beer whenever our paths next cross. You’re legends.
If I were a richer man, I’d have bought everybody something – but I’m a poor son of a bitch and so only one of you gets to take home the $50 worth of Lonely Planet goodness.
So, without further ado, the winner is…
Tamara is out exploring the world as we speak
Congratulations to Tamara Ferguson on winning the contest and picking up $50 to spend how she likes at the Lonely Planet store. Take a look at what’s on offer and shoot me an email or Facebook message to let me know what to order.
I daresay a few books on Europe might be forthcoming…
Thanks again to everybody who entered and keep your eyes peeled for more contests in the future. Have a good weekend!
It’s a rare evening where you can say you saw all of the below:
A naked magician pulling a handkerchief from her vagina
A Norwegian man named Frodo in his underpants forcing himself through two tennis rackets
A German man in jeans taking a bath while doing gymnastics and reducing all females in the crowd to horny messes
A big, beautiful black man in drag singing opera
It’s a rare thing, but not an impossible thing. An evening at La Soiree is somewhere between a night at the circus, a bit of brazen burlesque, and a good old fashioned bit of theater in the round.
The divinely talented Le Gateau Chocolat
Entering into the Opera House Theater you’re immediately assaulted by the sights, sounds, and smells that go hand in hand with the circus. Smoky air, loud and cheerful music, and bright lights dazzle as we filed to our seats and prepared for the show. Before too long the ringmaster is out to advise us all we should be as noisy and debauched as we want during the evening, and then he’s gone and we’re instead treated to some breathtakingly beautiful opera.
It sounds as if it’s coming from the PA, but soon we see that it’s actually La Gateau Chocolat in full viking diva drag. The contrast of his deep baritone and the improbably colorful outfit and wig sets the tone for the evening right away.
The very dapper English Gents
Not to be outdone, the first of many impressive gymnastic acts was out right after Chocolat’s sublime voice had faded. A pair of dapper English Gents provided the first female friendly eye candy of the night as they performed a number of stunts guaranteed to moisten panties and make the men in the audience feel like inferior specimens.
It only grew worse when God Save the Queen began to play and they stripped down to Union Jack underpants…
If the British lads had done their part to loosen legs amongst the females in attendance, Captain Frodo’s arrival hastily changed the tone. A wiry Norwegian man in nothing but underpants and a 1970s era tennis player’s headband.
Captain Frodo
Frodo’s charisma was magnetic, and he soon had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand as he bumbled about stage launching handfuls of confetti into the air as he spellbound people with his freakish flexibility. I never would have thought a man forcing his body through two tennis rackets would be entertaining, but damned if my sides didn’t hurt after his performance.
Eye candy was certainly not in short supply for the females in attendance. The two British lads from earlier in the evening both returned for solo shows – one reinventing the pole dance to Feelin’ Good while his partner paid tribute to Japanese culture with a death-defying balancing chair act. And once again, both of them found excuses to strip down to their underpants.
The dreamy David O'Mer in his signature bath tub
The real treat for the girls in attendance came in the form of the night’s final act, a dreamy German who might even have had a few of the men in attendance questioning their heterosexuality in a teasing, seamless acrobatic performance centered around bathing in a pair of skin tight leather jeans. The squeals from the ladies threatened to cause ear drums to rupture and as the announcer had warned us – there wouldn’t be a dry seat in the house.
I doubt that was purely a result of the water cascading off of David O’mer’s dark hair or chiseled abs, either…
The exotic Yulia Pkhtina
The show wasn’t completely without eye candy for the men in attendance, either. The aforementioned naked magician introduced herself in full business attire and quickly underwhelmed the audience by making a handkerchief disappear. The true point of her act became apparent as she began to remove articles of clothing with each successive disappearance – removing hiding places for the bright red hankie as her act went on.
Soon enough she was stark naked in the centre of the ring and still somehow managed to make the handkerchief disappear before reaching between her legs and bringing down the house by finding it there. The sexy and irreverant Ursula Martinez would return later in the evening to teach rudimentary Spanish.
The lovely Yulia Pykhtina’s hula hoop act was another nice bit of transfixing performance for the men in attendance, but the show definitely provided a bit more ‘bang’ for the girls in the audience. To La Soiree’s credit, the bulk of the audience did tend towards the fairer sex.
Bret Pfister's death-defying hoop act was another highlight
I went to La Soiree not having any idea what to expect from the performance. The marriage of burlesque and circus is definitely not something new, but La Soiree does it with a wonderfully irreverant style that was infectious. By night’s end you felt like you weren’t just watching a show, but watching friends performing for your amusement.
Whether it was La Gateau Chocolat’s breath-takingly personal rendition of Radiohead’s Creep swaying your heart, Gerry Connolly’s spot on impression of the Queen, or Captain Frodo taking a moment (while perched atop a pyramid of tin cans) to ask us all to follow our dreams, the show went beyond simple entertainment and aimed to move its audience as well. It was money entirely well spent.
La Soiree is currently showing at the Sydney Opera House with mezzanine tickets starting at $65. The show will then move to Adelaide for four nights in March.
It’s been a big week for Aussie on the Road. Sunday’s post about my battle with depression was not only hugely successful in terms of views and social network activity, but was also received with such wonderful messages of support that it was hard to feel anything other than proud and hugely humbled for the remainder of the week.
The sheer volume of emails, texts, Facebook messages, and Tweets that the entry has drawn has been truly moving. I’m so very proud that my own story could inspire people to share their own battles with both me and their loved ones. It’s far more than I had dared to hope for.
I wanted to take a moment to thank everybody who commented on the post, Tweeted it, shared it on Facebook, or recommended a friend read it. Depression and other mental illnesses that affect a person’s ability to live life to the fullest are criminally misunderstood and this had lead to a culture of silence that makes it so much more difficult to cope with what can be a near crippling affliction.
Every one of you who helped to spread my story – however uinremarkable it may be in the grand scheme – have done a small part to help other people realize it’s perfectly ok to tell your friends and loved ones about your struggles. It’s a burden nobody should have to bear alone.
Winning!
You could win!
In light of this big week and as a part of my quest to share my stories with more people, I’ve decided to run a little bit of a contest. Any traveler worth his or her salt is well aware of Lonely Planet and their excellent collection of guidebooks and references. I picked up my first Lonely Planet when I headed to Korea in 2007 and have gathered small library over the intervening years to cover many areas of Asia. I’ve given Lonely Planet books as gifts and received them in return.
In short, when it comes to travel, there are few names that are more synonymous with it than Lonely Planet.
This isn’t a paid ad by any stretch. Lonely Planet are doubtless unaware of my humble blog. But I’m offering one Facebook fan a chance to win $50 to spend on any item (or items) their heart desires from the Lonely Planet Store.
I might be saving for my return to the road when I head to the United States in August, but that doesn’t mean I can’t spare a little cash for the people who read, comment on, and share my stories with their friends.
You MUST do this step to be eligible for additional entries!
2. For an extra entry, Tweet a link to this post. Be sure to remember to mention @aussieontheroad(Hint: There’s a nifty ‘Tweet’ button at the bottom of this entry)
3. For a third entry, share this post on Facebook and tag Aussie on the Road so I know to give you an extra point.
With a few clicks of your mouse you increase your chances to win! How sweet is that?
After an extended hiatus it’s time for Bite with a Blogger to return. This is one of my favorite parts of Aussie on the Road – not only because it gives me an opportunity to promote a blogger whose work I enjoy – but also because it’s an excuse to hang out with a (usually gorgeous, as fate would have it) person and eat delicious food.
You can catch up on the previous installments of Bite with a Blogger below:
There’s also an upcoming interview with Tony from It’s Good Overseas, who is just a tad less gorgeous than the above ladies.
Nicole, myself, and some new friends celebrating Chilean Independence Day on Bronte Beach. Photo by Nicole McGrath
Today’s interview with with the vivacious and very cool Nicole from Hola Chica Travels. I first met Nicole at last year’s Great Nomads Chase and then spent Chilean Independence Day with her the very next day. We hung out at the Night Noodle Markets and then our conflicting work schedules meant I didn’t see her again until the night of this interview – her last in Sydney before jetting off down to Melbourne.
The Venue
This time around I opted for the very groovy Passionflower as the venue for our interview. Passionflower is an Asian dessert restaurant boasting a decadent selection of ice creams, waffles, pancakes, brownies, and fruits served up in all manner of creative and colorful ways. Couple this with syrupy sweet pop music and ridiculously cheerful staff, and you’ve got a recipe for a fun night out.
It would make one hell of a date spot, but for some reason I always go there with a friend. I tried it out with Teresa from Teresa Simonetti Photography first, had a man-date with my mate Dave after our visit to the Sydney Good Food and Wine Festival, and then took Mel from The Mellyboo Project there on her last night in Sydney.
On this particular night I decided to be somewhat healthy and get a sorbet selection with some seasonal fruit while Nicole went all out with some red bean pancakes and ice cream.
And now, on with the interview…
The Interview
So, how long have you been travel blogging?
Well I’ve only been travel blogging since September 2011, as I started right before I left the U.S. to come to Australia. However I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus recently. I had decided that getting back into blogging would be my 2012 New Year’s Resolution but now it’s looking more like my Year of the Dragon Chinese New Year’s resolution (do those exist?).
I don’t think they do, but a lot of people have suggested the same. Maybe we should make it a thing?
A beautiful (but flavorless) drink
What made you decide to start a travel blog?
I started a travel blog because I like to write and it seemed like a good way to keep my family and friends back home up to date with my travels. However I’ve learned now how hard it is to keep it up when you’re traveling long term, hence the hiatus. Now it will just be to prove that I can finish what I started.
And what made you choose Hola Chica Travels as a name?
I chose Hola Chica Travels for the name of my blog since I wanted to reflect how my hispanic roots influence my perspective on traveling. First and foremost I’m an American girl traveling, but I think growing up with hispanic customs and knowing Spanish on a native level really does affect your travel experiences.
Where have your travels taken you so far?
I’ve been to loads of places (or should I say heaps since I’m in Australia?) since I’m lucky enough to have a mom who worked for an airline which meant free airline passes growing up. I’ve officially been to every continent except Antarctica, which I would like to travel to before I turn 30.
However, in the last 5 years I’ve been to Australia, South Africa, England, Wales, Ireland, Chile (including Easter Island), Ecuador, Italy, and Mexico. I’ve also been to a handful of places within the US in that time; including Atlanta, NY, LA, Sacramento, and Denver. And of course, I’m from Miami (3-0-5 til I die, yo…)
I don’t know what that means. I think it’s some kind of gang slang. Nicole is straight up gangster.
And where will you be heading next? You know, after tomorrow’s trip to Melbourne…
I’m trying to see as much of Australia as I can while I have the year long work holiday visa. So far I’ve been in Sydney and Melbourne and I’m hoping to see Tasmania next. The next country I’d like to travel to will be somewhere in Southeast Asia, but that won’t be until about September 2012.
A delicious sorbet and fruit mix
And what’s been your least favorite place so far?
I stupidly thought Limerick, Ireland would be a cool place to visit since Frank McCourt grew up there and it’s the setting for his memoir Angela’s Ashes. Why I thought it would be nice I’m not sure, since his life in Limerick is extremely depressing. Nevertheless, I made my sister drive us through there and we discovered that it’s just an industrial city with not much going on. I later found out the city’s nickname is “Stab City”. Lovely, right?
Kind of like Detroit’s moniker of ‘Murder City’, I guess. Sound like lovely placed.
What has been your most memorable travel experience?
I’ve had a lot of very memorable travel experiences. It’s so hard to choose one!
The first that comes to mind would be the time my sister and I spent 4 hours in Wales. We didn’t plan our transport from London to Dublin ahead of time so we ended up arriving in Holyhead, Wales by train at 11:00pm with nothing to do until our ferry left at 3:30am. We didn’t want to sit in the ferry station for four and a half hours so we walked around until we heard noise and just dragged our bags into the nearest pub.
It turned out to be one of only two pubs in the whole town and everyone there was a local so we instantly stuck out. We made friends with these very drunk Welsh dudes and partied the night away dancing and playing pub games. At 3:25am we realized we were about to miss our ferry so our new friends went running with our suitcases to get us to the boat on time. We made it just before the ship left and we even got to take our beer to go!
What is the scariest or most exciting thing you’ve done while traveling?
The most exciting thing I’ve done while traveling was attend several World Cup soccer games in South Africa in the summer of 2010. The sheer amount of travelers all in one location, the feeling of national pride, and the excitement of the sport create a once in a lifetime travel experience. And the after parties after your team has won… let’s just say they’re like nothing you’ve ever experienced.
My envy at this point cannot be adequately defined in words. I would have murdered a relative stranger to be at that event.
And my favorite question: Had any road romances you’d care to share?
Haha, I have to be careful here, wouldn’t want anything too escandaloso in public…
In my experience, romance on the road tends to be fun but short-lived. I did fall for an Irish guy I met in a hostel in London. The accent is, of course, irresistible and he was a really sweet, intelligent guy. On my last night in London he cooked me dinner and then dropped me off at the airport.
We still keep in touch and apparently he’s coming to Australia soon, so who knows what may happen. Thank god for Facebook!
And last question for the evening: What is one thing travel has taught you?
Travel has taught me that there is always something new for you to learn, some place new for you to see, and someone new for you to meet. You’re never done traveling. The more of the world I see, the more I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what it holds.
In Sydney and fancy a bite to eat and a little free promotion? Want to bask in the glow of my glorious ginger beard? Shoot me an email at CWBush83@gmail.com or comment below to organize a time and a place. I’m always keen to meet fellow bloggers and check a new restaurant.
What better way to celebrate Australia Day than by highlighting a few of its more hidden delights?
While I might be stuck at my desk in an un-airconditioned office on a dreary Sydney day, that won’t stop me from embracing this wonderful country and sharing a little of what it is I love about it.
I previously rattled off five well kept Aussie secrets in part one of this series, so go take a look there to see what I’ve already mentioned.
Too lazy? Here’s a brief summary.
Think of a trip to Australia and what springs to mind? The Harbor Bridge and Opera House in Sydney? Shopping in Melbourne? Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef? Enjoying an Uluru sounds of silence dinner? Kakadu?
Australia is a big country and there’s a hell of a lot to fit into any trip to the Great Southern Land. All of the above would be worthy inclusions to any Australian trip. But while the likes of Melbourne and the Gold Coast and Perth get plenty of play with tourists, there are a myriad of undiscovered gems out there.
From the memorials and museums of Canberra to the cruisy hippie vibe of Byron Bay to the ghost towns of western New South Wales – below you’ll find ten lesser known Australian tourist spots and a few details about why I think they’d be a worthy addition to your next Australian odyssey.
10. Newcastle, NSW 9. Canberra, ACT 8. Northern Rivers, NSW 7. Flinders Ranges and Lake Eyre, SA 6. Darwin, NT
And so, without further ado, the next (and final) of my ten best kept Australian secrets.
#5 – The Outback, NSW
Cameron’s Corner. Photo by bushie
While it’s true that 18% of Australia is desert (with a total of 40% being desert or semi-arid), not all of it is quite as accessible to tourists as you might think. Enter the NSW Outback – dubbed ‘the accessible outback’ by the boffins in its tourism department.
Don’t let that fool you though. It’s still over 1000 kilometers from Sydney to Broken Hill (the unofficial capital of the Outback) for those wanting the drive. And having done the drive a dozen times in my life, I can tell you that it’s not particularly interesting for much of it.
A more economic (and pleasant) option would be to take the Outback Explorer train from Sydney – which comes in at just under $100 and will get you there in just over twelve hours. Much more pleasant on a train than in a car.
There’s plenty to see once you get out there. Broken Hill is a wonderfully quaint old mining town that boasts a dynamic blend of art and stereotypical Aussie ocker culture and it’s also a good staging point for any visits you might want to make to the iconic Darling River. Nearby Menindee (where I lived for two years) is famed for its grapes and its picturesque lakes, Silverton is a real Aussie ghost town, and White Cliffs gives opal hunters and tourists a chance to sleep in a wonderful underground hotel.
Head north and you’re passing into the upper Darling region where you’ll find outback towns such as Bourke and Walgett, the opal mecca that is Lightning Ridge, and quaint country towns such as Nyngan and Cobar.
Head further north still and you’re into the real red center. You’ll find the haunting ruins of Milparinka (where I had my first date), isolated Tibooburra (where I lived for a year), and Cameron’s Corner where you can stand in Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia all at the same time.
There really is a wealth of beautiful sunsets, bizarre Australian fauna, sprawling red dunes, and lovable Aussie characters baking out in the harsh red centre. More people need to check it out.
I originally compiled this list without a single Victorian site. Not due to any malice against the state, but because it seems like everybody is already well aware of the place’s charms. Whether they’re raving about how beautiful Melbourne is or embarking on a drive along the Great Ocean Road, there doesn’t seem to be much about Victoria that tourists aren’t already head over heels in love with.
But Kieron from Don’t Ever Look Back has drawn my attention to this little gem, and damned if it doesn’t look worthy of inclusion.
Whether you’re in it for water sports, cafe hopping, wine-tasting, or simply soaking in the beauty of grey seas as seen from cliff-top mansions and villas, the Mornington Peninsula is a glorious stretch of beaches and cafes all within an hour’s drive of Melbourne. Not bad!
The place is all about pampering and given Victoria is Australia’s undisputed capital of fine dining, it’s no surprise that there’s no shortage of options along the peninsula. There are also spas, hedge mazes, golf courses, and almost anything else you might want for an upmarket weekend away from the hustle and bustle.
You can plan your own Mornington Peninsula outing by visiting their website.
#3 – Lord Howe Island, NSW
Photo by sydneydawg2006
The tiny Pacific island’s website boasts that it is widely regarded as the most beautiful island in the Pacific, but I take Gary from Everything Everywhere‘s desire to visit the place as a truly ringing endorsement. I mean, where hasn’t the guy been?
Just two hours flight from Sydney or Brisbane, Lord Howe Island is one of the few island chains in the world recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and it doesn’t take long to figure out why. Bordered by the southernmost reef in the world and home to some truly stunning national parkland, Lord Howe Island is an unspoiled playground for hikers, animal enthusiasts, scuba divers, snorkelers, and virtually anybody who can appreciate on of the world’s few remaining paradises.
While the entire place is recognized as national park, you’re not completely isolated from civilization. A number of properties on the island operate to provide accommodation and dining options, and the island is serviced by the usual amenities such as grocery stores, hospitals, and pay phones. There’s no mobile phone coverage out here, folks.
Lord Howe Island really is one of the last frontiers for Aussie tourism. While it’s perhaps well known amongst the locals, I hear precious little said of the place by backpacking friends. It’s a crying shame. It’s well worth a look.
Western Australia is well and truly on the tourist radar. Whether they’re heading to Perth or Broome for some stunning beaches; diving off of the Coral Coast; or exploring the haunting beauty of the Kimberlys – WA is almost as crucial to the average backpacker itinerary as a stop off in Sydney or a few nights getting thoroughly sloshed in Cairns.
But Western Australia’s south west also has a lot to offer. The Margaret River region, perhaps best known for its wine (and worth a look for that alone) isn’t just tastings and vineyards. There’s a wealth of other sites and sounds to experience when you’re not imbibing in a bit of the local grape.
Love nature? The landscape fairly blossoms with wildflowers every spring. WA boasts the world’s largest variety of wildflowers in the world with over 12,000 species on display. There’s windswept clifftops in the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge and the cape to cape walk between the tour (Leeuwin Ridge and Naturalist Ridge) is a life changing 5-6 day trek worth a look.
Hamelin Bay offers bird watchers, fisherman, scuba divers, snorkelers, and beach enthusiasts an idyllic playground and there’s a wealth of local galleries, vineyards, and eateries to keep the grown-ups occupied as well.
Special mention also needs to go to Esperance in the south of WA. One of the best beaches in Australia.
#1 – Tasmania
The Gordon River in Tasmania. Photo by Don Shearman.
This one is going to be contentious. Not because anybody doubts Tasmania’s immense beauty, but because a lot of people are already well aware of Tasmania as a must visit spot on any Australian itinerary.
But I include it here because I just don’t hear ‘Tassie’ being referred to in the same breath as Perth, Sydney, the Barrier Reef, Uluru, and Melbourne, and to me, the place is every bit as important to the Australian experience as any of the above.
The often overlooked island off Australia’s south eastern coast offers a wealth of options to tourists. There’s history in the form of the five heritage listed former prison sites (including the haunting Port Arthur – site of Australia’s worst peace time massacre). There are vineyards in the north and ancient rainforests in the west. Hobart is a cosmopolitan city in the south-east boasting a charming blend of modern convenience and country town living.
But it’s natural beauty that sets Tasmania apart. The forests and beaches of this Korea sized island are amongst the most beautiful in the world and the hiking that can be had is second to none. While I’ve not yet had the pleasure myself, my housemates and several of my friends swear by Tasmania as one of the must see sights in Australia. And that’s endorsement enough for me.
You can learn all about the island formerly known as Van Diemen’s Land on their website.
What do you think?
So, what do you think of my list? Are there any on their you disagree with? Any glaring omissions? I’d love to hear your thoughts or, better yet, read your own list.
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