Featured, Recommended Reads

Friday’s Recommended Reads – September 23rd

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Another week and yet more fantastic posts from the travel blogging community. This week I’ve had to expand the list to a whopping ten entries. Y’all are generating great reads faster than I can read them all!

What’s going on in my world? I’m afraid that all work and no play are making this particular Aussie a dull boy. A date with a pretty girl, a few birthday beers with old friends at the Bavarian Bier Cafe, and lots of pimping my company’s Fetch TV in order to secure a few extra dollars for my upcoming trip to Brisbane, Moreton Island, and the Gold Coast.

With so little excitement going on in my life this past week, the ten reads that make up this week’s Recommended Reads were just what the doctor ordered for a little vicarious living. You’ll soon see what I’m talking about.

The Reads

New Zealand Smackdown – North Island vs South Island by A Dangerous Business

Amanda from A Dangerous Business is probably the first person I go to when I’m wanting to do a little research or reading about a visit to New Zealand. While she’s an American gal, Amanda’s love of all things shaky isles is obvious in every post she puts together about the land of the long white cloud.

This past week saw her weighing in on the age old north island vs south island debate and reluctantly providing her winner. She covers a lot of key criteria along the way and I won’t spoil the answer for you. Go read!

Melting Pot Food Tours in Pasadena by Bucket List Nation

There are a few food related posts in the Recommended Reads this week and I am pretty certain that (in addition to being awesome reads) my current state of hunger is weighing into that.

Kalyn from Bucket List Nation recently took what sounds like a fascinating and filling walking tour of Pasadena to discover the many different cultural foods and drinks on offer in Pasadena. It’s not just food porn either – there’s some great photos of the city and a few non food related stops along the way as well. I’ll definitely be looking into it if my travels ever take me to Pasadena.

How to Accurately Calculate How Many Calories You Just Burned Sight-Seeing by Fox Nomad

I think I just got carpal tunnel typing out that title…

Travel and a healthier lifestyle tend to go hand in hand these days and Anil at Fox Nomad has come up with a really useful post on how to keep track of the calories you’re burning while you’re trekking around on vacation. While it’s easy to keep up with your calorie intake by being aware of what you’re putting in your mouth, it can sometimes be difficult to accurately gauge how many calories you’re burning when you’re out taking photos and meeting new people.

Anil takes the guess work out of it with a few useful tips and apps that make it easy to monitor without taking too much time out of your daily activities. A very helpful post indeed.

Behind the Scenes on the Huayhuash Trek by Jack and Jill Travel

Hiking isn’t really my cup of tea, but I couldn’t help but read every word of this great article from Jack and Jill. Answering a lot of questions about their arduous trek while keeping it light with some hilarious anecdotes.

While I usually focus on posts that are helpful, I couldn’t not include such an interesting and unique post from this week’s reads. I guarantee you’ll get a few laughs and learn a few things about long haul hikes as well.

An Inconvenient Death by Man on the Lam

This one’s a story of an entirely different type. Where Jack & Jill’s adventures were an amusing read, this was a really sad and thought provoking one from a guy I usually turn to for laugh out loud stuff.

Dealing with death on the road is something I’ve been lucky enough to avoid, but Raymond had a close brush with it while in Vietnam and tells the story of his experience here. A look at a less glamorous side of travel.

5 Life Lessons Learned from Climbing Mt. Fuji by Pinay on the Move

My experience black water rafting in Waitomo last year taught me the vital value of confronting one’s fears in pursuit of a dream, and Grace from Pinay on the Move really highlights this in her inspirational article about her experience climbing Mount Fuji.

I am a big believer in travel as a means of self improvement and this is an entry that demonstrates that wonderfully. Brooke from Brooke vs the World commented on just this concept in her own recent entry on the subject.

My Favorite Place in Iceland: Reynisfara Beach by Seattle’s Travels

Seattle always takes such breathtaking photos and Iceland is certainly providing her with plenty of fodder. While this particular beach isn’t the white sand and crystal clear waters you’d usually look for in your coastal holiday destinations, Seattle’s photos might just convince you that there’s more to a beach than sandcastles and pretty ladies in bikinis.

And it’s a tad unrelated, but Seattle’s Travels might be the best designed travel blog out there. It’s right up there with The Aussie Nomad‘s fantastic design. I daydream about someday having a similarly gorgeous site.

Pollo en Cazuela – Chicken Stew for Comfort Food Abroad by Kaypacha Travels

If you’re not feeling just a tad hungry by the time you’re reading this entry, you’ve either just eaten a massive meal or you’re a harder man (or woman) to please than I.

Mica gives you a detailed recipe (complete with pictures) on how to make this delicious Peruvian dish right in your own home. I think I know what I’ll be making for dinner tomorrow night…

This isn’t the only salivation inducing recipe on her site either. Browse around and you’ll find all manner of culinary delights to keep you in your kitchen for the foreseeable future.

A Day at the Races: A Traditional Aussie Day Out by yTravel Blog

It was hard to choose just one of Caz and Craig’s entries this week. While Craig was throwing himself out of a plane across the ditch in New Zealand, Caz took a moment to highlight the proud Aussie tradition of donning your Sunday best and heading out to the races.

I’m ashamed to confess that it’s not an Aussie tradition I’ve managed to partake in just yet, but reading her post and looking at the pictures of pretty girls in pretty dresses might just have made a believer out of me.

If you’re in Oz over Spring and Summer, a day at the races is a truly Aussie experience that needs to be tried.

Jazz Age Lawn Party in New York by Bucket List Nation

So I’ve included two entries from Bucket List Nation this week, but in my defense, they were both written by different people. This one’s a guest post from Natalie at The SoHo and tickled the gentleman in me just a little too much to exclude it.

Swing dancing (or my own poor attempt at it) has been directly responsible for wooing two of the four long term girlfriends I’ve had in my life. It’s also been almost entirely responsible for a few of the shorter (one night) ones as well. That’s perhaps not so gentlemanly…

Regardless, the opportunity to swing dance and dress in 1920s style to experience a real old fashioned lawn party. The photos really do capture just what a unique experience it must have been. Very jealous!

What’s Going On?

Not a whole hell of a lot!

I had originally planned to spend this coming Monday (my scheduled day off) on the beach with Jessalyn from Diary of a Wandering Student but the weather is conspiring against us and decided to be miserable for the two days that comprise my weekend. We’ll have to rain-check.

The big October trip continues to pick up speed and I purchased my tickets to the Fright Night at Movie World this pay. I’ve also got my 10 year high school reunion in November followed by the wedding of an old friend the next week. That’ll give me a chance to get up and see a bit more of beautiful Newcastle too.

As far as articles in the pipeline go, I’ve got a few really good ones. Not only will I post part two of my Top 10 Best Kept Australian secrets, but I’ll also have an interview with Nicole from Bitten by the Travel Bug for your reading pleasure. We met up last week for some delicious Korean BBQ and I took the chance to ask her a few questions about travel and travel writing.

There’s also a sponsored post about Tenerife (I promise to make it interesting and useful) and a little something about my first encounter with the United States way back in 2008.

In Case You Missed Them…

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!

And, if you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to my RSS Feed.

Activity Review, Portland
I am awe-struck by the beers at Widmer Brewery

The Great Portland Brewery Tour

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I am awe-struck by the beers at Widmer Brewery
Awe-struck by the first beers of my Portland brewery tour

It’s a little known fact but Portland, Oregon has more microbreweries per head than any other city in the world. There are 30 microbreweries in the fair city of Portland and a total of 46 microbrew outlets in the city.

If you are a beer lover (and why wouldn’t you be!?) – a visit to Portland should be at the very top of your list of things to do while you’re in the United States. That’s right kids, I’m proposing a Portland brewery tour.

Don’t let the American predilection for Budweiser and Pabst Blue Ribbon fool you – the Americans, particularly those of the fair state of Oregon, know how to make a damn fine beer.

Picking a Tour

 

With so many microbreweries and so many companies offering to take you on a tour of the city, it’s not easy to choose one. A quick Google for a Portland brewery tour brings up a few options – but the cheapest of these comes in at $45. Why pay money for something you can do on your own?

The tour I list below includes five of Portland’s breweries all within a fairly pleasant walking distance of one another. The walk has the benefit of letting you get in a bit of exercise between beers and also has the added bonus of letting you sober up a little bit between sampling platters.

And trust me, in between five breweries you’ll be drinking plenty of beer. Unless you want to be carried home – that walk will prove a lifesaver.

And it gives you a good chance to see more of the beautiful city.

The Great Portland Brewery Tour

The tour I’m about to described, designed by my ex-girlfriend and still good friend, Fallon – includes five breweries and covers a total of about 3.5 miles in walking. That might sound like a lot, but remember that you’ll be stopping for beer and food pretty regularly.

The original Portland brewery tour included the sinfully good Laurelwood Hotel, but they seem to have closed the venue we visited. It’s a shame too – they made amazing carrot cake and some pretty damn good beers too.

The Laurelwood menu
Alas poor Laurelwood. I knew him well!

But I’ve consulted the Portland locals and been told that the Bridgeport Brew Pub would be a worthy addition to the tour. It slots in nicely at stop #3 to ensure a smooth day of hops related shenanigans.

The five breweries included are:

That’s five of the Pacific North West best breweries and a scenic walk through the beautiful city of Portland for the hefty fee of zero dollars. Well, aside from beer and a ticket on the Max to get you to destination #1.

Stop #1 – Widmer Brothers Brewery

A Word of Warning: Windmer Brothers is popular! If you don’t want to wait for a table – call ahead and make a booking.

Widmer Brothers Brewery is located at 929 North Russell Road, which places it right on the yellow line of Portland’s fantastix MAX service. There are also some pretty detailed instructions for walkers and riders here underneath directions. We start our Portland brewery tour here.

Widmer Brothers have the distinction of brewing the single best hefeweizen (wheat beer) I’ve ever had the pleasure of sampling. It was the first beer I sampled upon arriving in the United States and the one I still lament the absence of in my life two years on.

Enjoying my first ever Widmer Hefeweizen at the White House in Post Falls.
Enjoying my first ever Widmer Hefeweizen at the White House in Post Falls. Photo by Fallon Fehringer.

The Widmer Brothers Brew Pub has the benefit of being both a restaurant pub and the site where the beer is brewed. If you want to do a tour proper of the brewery – they run them at 3pm on Fridays and 11am & 12.30pm on Saturdays.

For the purposes of this tour, we’ll just assume you’re looking to try some fantastic beer and good food. We started our tour at around 11am and decided to make our late breakfast one accompanied by beer.

I am awe-struck by the beers at Widmer Brewery
Awe-struck by the first beers of my Portland brewery tour

My personal beer recommendations from the very impressive Widmer stable would be the aforementioned Hefeweizen, the Drop Top Amber, or the Drifter Pale Ale. There’s also a Pitch Black IPA if you’re a stout man, but I like my beers on the lighter side.

Prices start at $3.25 for a glass and stop at $14 for a pitcher. Go the $6.25 Weiss glass and treat yourself or just grab a sample paddle and see where your tastebuds take you.

My friend poses next to a stein almost as large as his head
Adam poses next to a stein that almost matches his head

The food at the attached Gasthaus is worth a look as well. With everything from fondue samplers to pretzels to pulled pork sandwiches to burgers and desserts, you really do feel a little spoiled for choice. I can personally vouch for the very good Reuben (complete with sauerkraut) while my friends all raved about their burgers.

A delicious Reuben sandwich at the Widmer Brewery
My first Reuben experience was transcendent

Unlike most Australian brew pubs, where eating seems like an exorbitant affair, the food is all reasonably priced. The $10 Reuben was criminally filling.

Full of beer and delicious food, it’s time to make our way to brewery numero dos.

Stop #2 – The Lucky Lab Beer Hall

With a real Germanic feel to it, the Lucky Lab Beer Hall is a hall in the traditional sense of the world. There’s no isolated booths or darkened corners for would-be canoodlers here. Instead tables and benches fill the vast hall in a scene reminiscent of medieval banquets.

Machinery hanging ominously overhead at the Lucky Lab

Once again the beer is fabulous and the food is on a par. The Lucky Lab, rather than having a formal restaurant setting like the other bars on this tour, instead boasts a menu of pizza that can be bought whole or by the slice. The beer on hand didn’t (in my mind) really match up to some of the other breweries on the list – but still hit the spot.

Enjoying beers at the Lucky Lab
Cody & Desiree enjoying their beers at the Lucky Lab

The best beers I tried included the Dogfather and the Organic Golden Ale. Sample paddles are available for those wanting to try a selection.

Sharing a Lucky Lab sampler
Sample paddles may be the greatest invention ever

If not for the beer and pizza, visit the Lucky Lab Beer Hall just for the atmosphere. Even quiet as it was on the afternoon we visited, the acoustics of the place mean that even a small group of slightly rowdy drinkers will make the place feel full. And the staff were lovely.

Stop #3 – Bridgeport Brew Pub

Good friends and good beer
Enjoying good times and good beers with Caitlin, Fallon, and Stephen

A brewery that is fast gaining credence both in the United States and around the world (its beers have been winning awards in Australia and Germany to name a few) – the Bridgeport Brew Pub takes the place of the Laurelwood on our tour list.

Located inside of a heritage building with plenty of the rich historic charm that exists in Portland, the Bridgeport Brew Pub is a pleasant stopping off point and a nice change of pace after the larger Lucky Lab.

Like the other breweries to feature on our Portland brewery tour, the Bridgeport boasts a menu of delicious food as well as a selection of top quality beers.

The highlights of the beer menu include the multi award-winning India Pale Ale and the exotic Summer Squeeze.

Stop #4 – Rogue Distillery and Public House

Much like McMenimans above, Rogue Breweries have become something of a PNW icon – with breweries and bars scattered across the map in places such as Ashland and Newport as well as Portland.

More than anything about the Rogue Distillery and Public House, its the vibe and design of the place that stands out. With the open design of a good old Aussie pub and plenty of out of the way tables – it was easy to find a quiet spot to drink and chat even on a busy Friday afternoon.

Highlights of the menu include the Idaho Fries, the Spruce Gin Oyster Shooters, and the jaw dropping selection of sandwiches and burgers. There’s even Kobe beef on the menu! Re-reading the selection makes me wish I hadn’t been so full by the time we rocked up to the Rogue Brewery actually…

A paddle of fantastic Rogue beers
A paddle of fantastic Rogue beers

The list of beers available is pretty exhaustive as well. Rogue Breweries make almost 50 unique beers – and the selection at the Distillery and Public House changes pretty often. Spoiled for choice – my party of three opted for three tasting paddles just so we could cover as much as possible.

Standouts included the Dead Guy Ale, the Rogue Pumpkin Patch Ale, Shakespeare’s Oatmeal Stout, and the oddly named Menage a Frog Ale.

Rogue beers are world renowned for their quality, and can even be found right here in Sydney at the Pumphouse.

Stop #5 – Deschutes Portland Brew Pub

By this point in the day the legs are probably feeling a little sore and your head should be spinning just a little. You’ve tackled four of the five breweries that comprise my Portland brewery tour.

Press on, brave traveler! The end is in sight!

The final stop on this particular tour of Portland’s breweries is the slightly fancier Deschutes Portland Public House. Even if you’ve been throwing down your beers like water and hitting a brisk pace, chances are the sun is setting by the time you’re at Deschutes – and this means contending with the dinner rush.

There’s a more formal feel to drinks and food at this particular bar and it’s a fitting end to a day of drinking and eating. The more sedate ambiance is a good way to wrap up your day.

Whether you’re throwing back a Black Butte Porter, a Twilight Summer Ale, or a light Cascade Ale – you’ll be doing it in comfortable surrounds. Still hungry? Like every other stop on this list – the pub offers up everything from salted peanuts to more formal fare such as a ribeye steak or the Obsidian Stout Mac & Cheese. It weighs in a little pricier than previous venues, but you’ve earned it!

Victory!

I let out a barbaric yawp at the Mud Festival
ALL YOUR BEER ARE BELONG TO US!

You’ve done it! You’ve drank a huge selection of fine beer, eaten entirely too much food, and walked off barely a third of the calories you’ve probably consumed. What does the rest of your night hold?

If you’re anything like I was – drunk – you’ll not be ready for your night to end just yet. And why should it? Portland isn’t just a city of good beer – it’s a city with one hell of a night life.

Play retro video games while sinking cheap beer at Ground Kontrol; see a drag show; rock some karaoke at one of the many regular bars; and finish the night off at the fantastic Voodoo Donuts.

The Budget

Our day of drinking featured five breweries (with food at four of them), liberal gaming at Ground Kontrol, a ride on the MAX, and a late night showing of Zombieland. We even finished the night with a few of Voodoo’s more unhealthy options. All told we spent no more than $150 between the two of us. Not a bad day out.

Sydney

Fiestas Patrias on Bronte Beach

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A Chilean girl showing her national colors

Chi

Chi

Chi

 

Le

Le

Le

 

VIVA CHILE!

 

I’m standing on Bronte Beach but I might as well be on the other side of the world. The hypnotic, primal rhythm of salsa music is a heady underscore to the fast paced Spanish chatter of the fifty or so people surrounding the BBQ.

The sweetness of pisco and Coke (piscola) is in my mouth and the cold wind blowing off the Pacific create a strange contrast. All around me are Chilean guys oozing machismo and Chilean girls moving and swaying to the music in a way that just screams sex.

I was born on the wrong continent.

Fiestas Patrias is the celebration of Chilean Independence. Not being Chilean or having had any Chilean friends before, I was not aware of September 18th’s significance until I strolled down to Bronte Beach and saw the sea of red and white spread out below. Flags blew in the wind and face paint decorated the faces of children and adults alike. Thousands of miles from their South American home – Sydney’s Chilean residents had turned idyllic Bronte Beach into a bastion of Latin American pride.

I arrived while my friend Nicole from Hola Chica Travels was off in Bondi securing her first Australian job. Now while it’s true that I did take a short course in Spanish at The Spanish Cat last year – my Spanish vocabulary is basically limited to:

  • Tengo un gato en mes pantalones (I have a cat in my pants)
  • Los ochos banditos tienen me hombre (The eight bandits have my man)
  • Estoy rabioso! (I am furious!)
  • Mi nombre es Chris (My name is Chris)

And a few other random words like llaves (key) and banyo (toilet). You know – the essentials…
So I decided against launching myself into the festivities and instead contented myself with snapping photos of the beach and of an impromptu game of football that broke out between the Chileans on hand. Plenty of photos below:

A Chilean girl showing her national colors
Me and a few of my newfound Chilean friends. Photo by Nicole McGrath.

Soon I was joined by Nicole and her cousin Anne. I later found out that the Latin American definition of ‘cousin’ is a little more liberally used than it is here in Oz. Anne is Nicole’s nanny’s sister’s daughter. Or something. There was another guy there who was Nicole’s mother’s friend’s friend’s son. I kid you not. And they were as thick as thieves!

I envy them that. To be able to travel around the world and stay with ‘family’ as defined in the loosest of terms would be such a treat. And you would never tell they aren’t actually related. Very sweet.

Once the girls arrived, I was able to actually participate in the festivities. A Wollongong based Chilean expat successfully procured us a few beers time and time again by simply scavenging the tables for forgotten beers. Not the classiest of ways to find a drink – but definitely the cheapest.

Me and a few of my newfound Chilean friends
Me and a few of my newfound Chilean friends. Photo by Nicole McGrath.

He was not impressed when he had to make do with a Five Seeds instead of a beer. I wish I had captured the look on his face.

So we drank liberated beers, had a few glasses of Pisco & Coke, and mingled with the surprisingly large and unsurprisingly friendly Chilean community.

“This is small,” Fernando informed me after introducing himself with a gentle head-butt to my chest, “There will be 4000 people in Fairfield tomorrow”.

I don’t get drunk. There’s an entire post coming in the near future to explain the why of that. I pose for photos with people too drunk to walk in a straight line. I listen in amusement as a pair of party-goers bounce from threatening fisticuffs to calling one another brother.

At one point I feisty (and pretty) little Chilean girl attempts to pick me up. Literally. She wrapped her tiny arms around me and tried to heft my 100 and something kilograms off of the ground.

“You’re too fat,” she informs me with a saucy grin. I’m well aware of the fact.

Later in the evening, that same pretty girl grabs me and drags me out onto the well worn grass that acts as a dancefloor. She makes me spin her and dip her. I’m grateful for the lessons in dancing I’ve had from past friends.

“You can dance?” she asks in surprise as I spin her around. I nod dumbly. Smooth.

“You did well” she states when we are done. She nods and then disappears into the crowd.

I don’t see her again.

Soon enough we’re picking up the dozens of empty beer bottles and discarded paper cups. Fernando leads us in the clean-up. He then urges all of us to pile into cars and head into the city to continue the party. Nicole decides to tag along.

My empty wallet tells me I should just go home.

My first taste of Latin American celebration was a lot of fun. I didn’t get to sample some Chilean BBQ, but I continued the love affair with Pisco that got kick started at the Sydney Good Food & Wine Festival earlier this year. Piscola is almost as good as Pisco Sour.

Activity Review, Sydney
Two girls getting drenched in a fountain

The 2011 Great Nomads Chase

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It’s 1pm on a bright spring afternoon and I’m awkwardly milling around with a motley crew of backpackers, World Nomads employees, and fellow travel bloggers. From a distance we doubtless paint an interesting picture. While the World Nomads wear yellow, the rest of us are painted with grey, black, or purple.

We were there, of course, for the Great Nomads Chase.

Before too long a former Neighbours cast member clambers up onto one of the benches in Belmore Park and begins to explain the rules to we nervous participants. It all sounds a bit convoluted at first as he talks about ‘paparazzi bombs’, ‘bus challenges’, and ‘Sydney Chance Cards’ – but before we’ve had time to digest it all we’re having a green folder thrust into our hands and we’re being issued our first challenge.

Building a paper plane for challenge #1 of the Great Nomads Chase
Clearly a degree in Communications goes a long way towards improving somebody’s paper plane building skills

We’ve barely had time to make introductions but we spring into action. We’ve been tasked with creating a paper plane and throwing it. The distance it travels will decide how many world flags we’d need to name.

One of the two leggy American beauties in my team is some kind of paper plane building savant, and my FIFA inspired encyclopedic knowledge of world flags sees us as the first horse out of the gate.

The 2011 Great Nomads Chase was underway.

Leg 1

Sydney’s turned out a 28 degree day and I can feel the sweat trickling down my back already as we make our way towards China Town. There we’re charged with snapping photos of three animals of the Chinese zodiac as well as purchasing a chicken foot. You know, the usual.

Soon we’re piling onto a crowded bus to complete our three bus challenges. They’re not compulsory, but the team agrees that getting the extra time taken off of our total will be worth it in the end.

The benefits of being in a team with four pretty girls pays immediate dividends. We manage to convince a friendly Dutch backpacker to hold the BBQed chicken foot in his mouth for challenge #1 and then get a confused Chinese-Australian to go down on bended knee in a fake proposal for challenge #2.

Oh yeah, and we got yelled at by the bus driver for holding up a busy bus making its way through Sydney’s CBD.

We’d taken longer than we’d planned to finish our bus challenges and had managed to overshoot our mark. This necessitated a hard slog up the steep Sydney streets towards Hyde Park where we would begin…

Leg 2

There was just a little panic among our team as we passed several other teams on our way to the second checkpoint. Were we that far behind?

The second checkpoint began with a death-defying food relay consisting of:

  • Wolfing down a Tim Tam coated in Vegemite
  • Devouring a dry Wheat Bix
  • Blowing up a balloon until it popped in your face
I grimace through my Vegemite Tim Tam
Don’t let the grimace on my face fool you. I actually enjoyed it >_>
Famished by my own lack of food, I was quick to opt for the bastard child of two of Australia’s most famous foods and found it to besurprisingly good. Call me crazy, but there was a fantastic chemistry between the sweetness of the chocolate biscuit and the saltiness of Australia’s number one yeasty treat.

Lana then stepped up to make short work of the dry Wheat Bix. She managed to do it all with a level of calm dignity I didn’t think possible in a competition, but still managed to best her rival by a good few seconds. Then one of our American girls (whose name escapes me) put the ‘biggest lungs in the third grade’ (her words) to work on blowing up a balloon.

She certainly got into the task. By her own admission, her head movements were more in line with the ‘other kind of blowing’ than the considerably more innocent task at hand.

Lana eating wheat bix
Lana somehow manages to make an eating competition look good
The balloon blowing contest underway
Note the protective eyewear

Before the rubber has had time to settle on the ground we were off and racing again. Our tasks this time around included getting drenched in a fountain and making passionate love to a bronze pig.

Two girls getting drenched in a fountain
The girls would complain about being wet for the
rest of the day

The first port of call saw both of our American team-mates eagerly leaping into a fountain at the heart of Hyde Park. There were plenty of amused onlookers and even a few wolf-whistles.

Can you really blame them?
We paused long enough for them to pull their shoes back on and then we broke into a desperate run. A brief stop-off allowed web designer Jake to spend some alone time with a bronze pig and then we continued on towards the third checkpoint.
We were joined along the way by Jesse from World Nomads with video camera in tow. Keep an eye out for the interview he conducted while we ran toward the Domain.

Leg 3

The third leg of the race got underway with a mixture of trivia and endurance. Team members would sprint down to the questions, hurriedly snap photos of them on their iPhones, and then bring them back to their team-mates to solve.

My nerdy upbringing proved beneficial when it came to answering a pair of riddles and then we were off and running again. Our next destination? Circular Quay.

It was there, on the lookout by the Cahill Expressway, that I committed accidental career suicide by tackling the man I later found out was the founder of World Nomads. In my defense, he was blocking my entry to the elevator…

With the race winding down the challenges were getting easier. We hurriedly posed as Taronga Zoo and then used a Magic Eye puzzle to learn the combination to a lock box. Easy stuff.

Pretending to be a zoo
Our best impression of Sydney’s most famous zoo

Leg 4

Sydney’s iconic Rocks district was our next port of call. But first we had to pose with William Bligh by Cadman’s Cottage. This lead to another confrontation with our rival team. While Jake frantically tried to paparazzi bomb our opposition, I again tangled with a CEO intent on stealing away my camera and preventing us from completing the challenge.

I’ll clearly need to start my own travel insurance empire to get my revenge.

Posing with William Bligh
Two teams call a brief ceasefire in order to pose with William Bligh

We settled on an uneasy truce for the purposes of taking the required photo and then it was on for young and old. The aforementioned CEO again used underhanded tactics as he tried to drag his office manager back using her scarf. Dirty pool!

Undeterred we raced through the cobbled streets of Sydney’s historic district on our way to Foundation Park. I’ve done a Ghost Tour and a Photography Tour of this particular part of Sydney, so the riddle of take a step back in time pointed to only one location – the model clock among the other over-sized furnishings in the popular park.

Leg 5

The final leg of the competition was completed at an exhausted run. We brave adventurers had eaten, posed, embarrassed, sprinted, and photographed our way through some of Sydney’s most iconic locales on our way to what we hoped would be victory.

Our team, ominously named ‘Something Intimidating’, were the third through the doors of the Harbour View Hotel – but we were quietly confident our decision to complete every single bonus challenge would reap rewards.

My calves had been chafed bloody and I think every single one of us had smelled better in our lives, but that first ice cold beer was worth the temporary pain. We settled around a table and awaited the arrival of the other teams. It was a relief to see everybody looked as exhausted and generally downtrodden as us. Poor Brooke was the last through the doors after her team had somehow managed to get lost along the way.

Then it was time to tally up bonus points and complete the dreaded Sydney Chance round of the competition. The times were up on the board but no team names were assigned. Still, I had a good feeling that the top time of 28 minutes (our total time minus our bonus deductions) would be ours.

I was right. Team Something Intimidating were announced as winners of the Great Nomads Chase. Glory to us! Glory!

I was already preparing a magnanimous speech to accept our awards when the dreaded Sydney Chance card came into play and we were most unjustly robbed of our righteous victory. The third placed team leap-frogged us into third and robbed us of victory. The fix was in!

The winners of the 2011 Great Nomads Chase
The winners collect their medals (and awesome iPods)

Outrage!

Hmm… just in case you’re not aware. I’m not serious. The winners stepped up to accept their prizes (new iPods!) and there were no hard feelings as we all made our way to the Australian Heritage Hotel for free beer and free pizza.

For those playing at home – those are the best kinds of beer and pizza!

War stories were exchanged, blogs were plugged, beers were chugged, and laksas were worshipped. Nicole from Hola Chica Travels experienced her first ever meat pie, Lauren from The Life That Broke and I shared our love of Butters from South Park, and bar staff were hailed as heroes when they brought us more beer.

The night wound on and the participants gradually filtered away. Eventually it was down to Jessalyn of Diary of a Wandering Student and I. We grabbed a quiet beer at the very good Red Oak on Clarence Street to finish up the night and then it was time to call it a day.

In Closing

I have to give a big shout out to everybody involved in making it such a wonderful day. I can’t recall the last time I had so much fun. To Alicia from World Nomads – the woman behind the whole event – a huge thanks. I didn’t speak to a single person who didn’t enjoy the day immensely. The Great Nomads Chase was a rousing success.

Thanks also to the guys from Great Race for putting on a great event and for the Australian Heritage Hotel for their fantastic pizza and friendly staff.

And a final thanks to my awesome team-mates for making it a fun experience and to the cool Travel Massive peeps who made the aftermath of the affair as hilarious and fun as possible.

It’s days like this that make me so, so glad to be a part of Sydney’s travel community.

Recommended Reads

Friday’s Recommended Reads – September 18th

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Don’t panic. It’s not actually Friday.

For the first time since I started doing my Recommended Reads I’ve actually found myself too busy to sit down and do the required reading. Why? That’s a good question.

Friday saw me out and about in Sydney with the likes of Brooke from Brooke vs the World, Alicia from World Nomads, Jessalyn from Diary of a Wandering Student, Lauren from The Life That Broke, and Nicole from Hola Chica Travels. And a bunch of super cool back-packers and World Nomads employees.

We were out in numbers for the very cool Great Nomads Chase. Suffice to say, a lot of fun was had and some new friends were made.

Oh, and my team were robbed of victory most unjustly >_>

Saturday rolled around with me feeling the nasty after-effects of a day spent running around in 28 degree heat. I managed to strain my hernia and had to go get an ultrasound to see if surgery would be necessary. That did give me a day off of work though, so once the pain had subsided I joined the aforementioned Nicole at Bronte Beach to partake in the Chilean Independence Day festivities.

While the day proper falls on the 18th (and I’m stuck at work on another gorgeous Sydney day) – there were still plenty of Chileans out on the beach for some pisco, some good tunes, and lots of salsa dancing. Even a clumsy oaf like me managed to get in a dance with a particularly feisty Chilean girl.

It was a fun night and a great chance to experience an often forgotten section of Australia’s very multicultural society. You’ll be able to read more about my experiences real soon.

But in the meantime, here’s your weekly dose of Recommended Reads!

The Harbour Bridge as viewed from the Cahill Expressway
The Harbour Bridge as viewed from the Cahill Expressway

The Reads

You’re going to notice a bit of a theme this week. There’s a lot of travel tips and budget tips here. This is intentional. As I continue planning to go on my own crazy adventure next year, I’m finding these kinds of articles more and more interesting.

I hope you do too!

 Free Travel Tips eBook by Brooke vs the World

A month or so ago Brooke asked me if I wanted to contribute something to a free eBook she was creating about thrifty travel and budgeting for travel. Those who know me know that this isn’t really my forte, but I was still happy to contribute and couldn’t be happier with the end result of Brooke’s hard work.

Covering everything from saving to eating to getting there, the eBook is a great free resource for any traveler. Go look!

The Pros and Cons of Spontaneous Travel by Man vs Clock

When I’m idly day-dreaming about travel, the most persistent dream (aside from lying on a beach with a cocktail in one hand and a pretty lady feeding me grapes) is of just packing my bags, quitting my job, and going.

The Man manages to do a good job of playing devil’s advocate in here, even if I do feel like the pros far outweigh the cons. Maybe I’m just a tad biased though…

33 Useful Resources for Digital Nomads by Neverending Voyage

I said it in their comments but I’ll say it again here – this is one of the most useful blog posts I’ve ever had the pleasure to stumble across. Simon and Erin come up with a pretty comprehensive list of items, pieces of software, and websites that every digital nomad (or travel blogger in less fancy terms) should look at including in their next trip.

I found plenty of new sites and apps to investigate in here, and I’m sure you will too.

The Ultimate Travel Hacking Guide by Nomadic Matt

Travel hacking is the fine art of hunting a bargain – whether that be in the form of super cheap flights, a bargain in accommodation, or simply a cheaper way to find a bite to eat.

Matt’s put together a pretty damn comprehensive guide to finding the cheapest of everything when you’re planning your next trip. I particularly enjoyed the detailed section on finding the cheapest flights. I’ll be bearing that in mind next time I look at Kayak as the be all and end all of flight hunting.

How to Make Romance on the Road by Runaway Guide

I recently posted my own two part series on Relationships on the Road and found it intriguing to read another traveler’s advice for backpackers and world nomads looking for love. Or, y’know, just a little somethin’ somethin’.

Whereas my own article tended towards the hunt for romance, Leif’s gets right down to the nitty gritty and provides some unique ideas for lovemaking locales and selecting a hostel to maximize your sexy time. I think Leif being a dashingly handsome rogue has certainly helped him in past too.

Lucky bastard.

Smiles of China by Nomadic Samuel

Samuel’s come up with  a great photo essay comprised of various toothy grins spotted during his travels in China. These range from the adorably cute to the candid to the slightly scary of a near toothless old man baring his fangs. But if this post doesn’t bring a smile to your face on a sunny Sunday, I’m not sure what will.

Shortest Way to the Infinity Pool: Straight Through the Riot Police by A Chick with Baggage

Much like Man on the Lam’s now infamous post about kissing a lady boy (and liking it), I was drawn immediately to this post by the title alone. Riot police? Some kind of magical infinity pool? The sci-fi geek in me couldn’t resist!

And while the pool in question isn’t quite as fancy as its name sounds, the adventure getting there certainly made for interesting reading – as a Chick with Baggage’s blog almost always does.

5 Must Do Things in Miami by Hola Chick Travels

The final recommended read of the week comes from my new friend Nicole. A Miami native of Chilean heritage, she’s just begun her adventure here in Australia and is making friends left, right, and centre already.

While her blog is a little quiet at the moment while she job hunts and searches for a reliable internet connection, this post definitely gives some food for thought for anybody considering a visit to Miami. Nicole’s writing is fantastic and her enthusiasm for her hometown is infectious. A definite blogger to watch.

What’s Going On?

I’ve got a few exciting entries on the horizon. In addition to covering the fantastic time I know we all had at Friday’s Great Nomads Chase, I’ll also be doing a short piece on my experience as an outsider at Saturday night’s Chilean Independence Day festivities. There’s also an interview coming up real soon with Nicole from Bitten by the Travel Bug. We had a great time sharing Korean BBQ and soju on Thursday night.

My own travel plans for the future are a tad quiet. I’m hitting up the beach next Monday with Jessalyn from Diary of a Wandering Student. There’s my fast approaching 10 year high school reunion in November to look forward to as well.

Beyond that, you’ll be seeing a lot of new content in the near future about my time in the United States and Korea. Going through a lot of my old content – I realize that a lot of it is dense and focuses on entirely too many things at once. Lots of exciting new things to read about soon including:

  • A Portland brewery tour
  • A day kayaking in beautiful Bundeena
  • A focus on beach culture in Korea
  • My impressions of sleepy Flagstaff, Arizona
  • The breath-taking Route of the Hiawatha in Idaho
  • A great route for a walking tour of Portland’s most picturesque sights
  • Tips for planning your own The Goonies tour of Astoria in Oregon
  • Part 2 of my count-down of Australia’s 10 Best Kept Secrets

And a whole lot more.

In Case You Missed Them…

 

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