Travel Writing

My 22 Favourite Travel Photos

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I’d hardly call myself a photographer, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. Over the last seven years of traveling Australia and the world, I’ve been lucky enough to snap a few photos that I’m quite proud of.

As my desire to get out on the road again continues to build, I thought I’d share the twenty-two photos that I’m most proud of. This has absolutely nothing at all to do with  my being too busy with university work to write a full length entry. Nothing. At. All.

22. Ben Lomond Sunset. Ben Lomond. December 2014.

A brightly coloured sunset in my home town.
A brightly coloured sunset in my home town.

I’ll start things off with one quite close to home: it was literally taken in my back yard. The sleepy little village of Ben Lomond might not have much of a night-life, but it sure turns on a hell of a show every evening with some truly spectacular sunsets.

This one was snapped late last year on an otherwise unremarkable summer day.

21. Light and Darkness. Serengeti. November, 2014.

A lone hyena stands in the shadows, eyeing off the herbivores in the distance.
A lone hyena stands in the shadows, eyeing off the herbivores in the distance.

It’s surprising how often you won’t realise how much you like a photo until you’re back home going through them. I don’t even recall snapping this particular shot of a lonely hyena looking wistfully at the distant impala, but I loved the way it turned out.

The lone scavenger is hidden in the shadow cast by a storm cloud, while the herbivores continue to enjoy the warm sun unaware of his doubtlessly malicious intentions.

20. Fusimiao Foliage. Nanjing, China. June 2012.

Bright ribbons contrast with autumn foliage on this tree in Fusimiao, Nanjing.
Bright ribbons contrast with autumn foliage on this tree in Fusimiao, Nanjing.

The Fusimiao district of Nanjing is more market than historic site, but on my first visit there back in 2012 I did have the pleasure of seeing the way the changing leaves contrasted with the brightly coloured ribbons hung in the tree.

I don’t recall much else about my day at Fusimiao, save that I was there with a couch-surfer and that I had my first taste of Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings).

19. Raven. Xinjiang, China. May 2012.

A raven picks through the garbage on the roadside in Opal, Xinjiang.
A raven picks through the garbage on the roadside in Opal, Xinjiang.

I was surprised by just how trash-strewn and dirty the town of Opal along the Karakorum Highway was. One of the benefits of this was the sheer number of ravens who came to the town in search of food.

I caught this guy picking through a pile of garbage and snapped a few photos of him. It’s hardly ground-breaking photo journalism, but I’ve always been a fan of these intelligent, menacing birds.

18. Maasai Woman. Mto Wa Mbu. November, 2014

A Maasai woman shows us her wares while visiting Mto Wa Mbu in Tanzania.
A Maasai woman shows us her wares while visiting Mto Wa Mbu in Tanzania.

In November of 2014 I was lucky enough to have been invited to visit Tanzania along with Robert from Leave Your Daily Hell and Lisa from LL World Tour as part of Shadows of Africa‘s annual media trip.

On day one of our safari experience, we made our way through the market village of Mto Wa Mbu on our way to Tarangire National Park. While none of us felt brave enough to test our bartering skilsl with the locals, I managed to snap the above photo of a local woman showing Lisa this gorgeous necklace. I’m even happier with this shot as it was actually taken as we began to pull away from her insistent pitch.

17. Pearl Shoal Falls. Jiuzhaigou, China. May 2013.

The Pearl Shoal Falls in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan.
The Pearl Shoal Falls in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan.

There are some things that a camera (at least, one I’ve owned) can never quite capture. The Pearl Shoal Falls in Jiuzhaigou felt like that for me.

Above the falls, you’re able to walk on walkways that take you above this strange mixture of river and wetlands. The crystal clear, ice cold waters eventually come to the falls pictured above, creating a broad cascade that extends for some distance. It’s a surreal feature of the land that I’ve thus far not encountered anywhere else.

16. Glencoe. Scotland. April, 2014.

A brook under stormy skies in Glencoe, Scotland.
A brook under stormy skies in Glencoe, Scotland.

I hadn’t anticipated the drive from Edinburgh to Loch Ness being the most picturesque part of the trip, so I’m glad I stayed awake for the drive. Our visit to Glencoe gave me an opportunity to snap some photos of the area from which the town next to mine takes its name.

This was another of those photos that I wasn’t particularly excited about when I took it, but which I thought turned out quite well once it was blown up on my PC. Love the greens, but wish I hadn’t boosted the saturation on those clouds so damned much.

15. Best. Pool. Ever. Serengeti Four Seasons. November 2014.

 

Best pool in the world? The infinity pool at the Four Seasons Serengeti overlooks an active waterhole.
Best pool in the world? The infinity pool at the Four Seasons Serengeti overlooks an active waterhole.

About as close as this humble boy will ever get to living in the lap of luxury, my stay in the Four Seasons Serengeti was the height of decadence by my standards. Forget the wonderful rooms, the delicious food, and creature comforts that the rich & famous travel to experience – it has a frickin’ infinity pool that overlooks a waterhole!

After eating breakfast, I spent a good hour or so on the verge of tears marvelling at the beauty of this herd of elephants coming for a dip of their own. Just stunning.

14. Drinking Galaxies. Dubai. March, 2015.

Enjoying a non-alcoholic cocktail and a stunning view.
Enjoying a non-alcoholic cocktail and a stunning view.

I was sitting on the Gloria Hotel’s pool deck enjoying a romantic dinner for one while looking out over the bright lights of the city. Waiting for my food to come, I idly snapped a photo of my non-alcoholic wine with the lights of the city in the background.

The way the lights caught up and swirled within the glass made it look like I was drinking the starry sprawl overhead rather than fizzy grape juice. It loses a little of its magic being blown up from iPhone size, but I still love the colours in this one.

13.West Lake in Summer. Hangzhou, China. August 2013.

A rare moment of quiet at West Lake in Hangzhou, China.
A rare moment of quiet at West Lake in Hangzhou, China.

When I found myself newly single after a year long relationship, I did what any young lad with newfound free time would do: I dragged my mates on a cultural road trip to Hangzhou to see what the fuss about West Lake was.

It was a 40C+ degree day while we rode bikes around the crowded park, but we managed to find a little serenity (and a lot of greenery) during our exploration.

I think I like this photo most not because it’s good (I don’t think it’s particularly well composed) but because it captures the image of China I had in my head before I went there. There’s no sign of skyscrapers or spitting locals – just a distant bridge, the water, and beautiful gardens.

12. Five Flower Lake. Jiuzhaigou, China. May 2013.

Five Flower Lake in Jiuzhaigou.
Five Flower Lake in Jiuzhaigou.

The startling blue and the clarity of the water in Five Flower Lake in Jiuzhaigou makes it the most popular stop in the stunning national park. This, of course, made it especially hard to capture its beauty without getting a horde of over-dressed Chinese tourists in the background.

Of the dozen or so photos I snapped of the lake, this is the one in which the crowd is the least obtrusive. I’d love to go back someday and try my luck in the fall, when the brilliantly coloured foliage on the mountain would make for a startling contrast.

11. Graffiti in Stone Town. Zanzibar. November, 2014.

stone town zanzibar alley
The alleys of Stone Town were utterly enchanting.

While on a walking tour through the Stone Town district of Zanzibar City, I had actually hoped to get a phoot of these local kids playing football in the tight confines of the alley.

Later though, while editing the photo to share, I was instead drawn to the graffiti sprawled across the walls and the dirt that smeared everything. It really captures, for me, both the beauty and the poverty of this part of the city.

10. Nomad. Golden Grasslands, China. May 2012.

A Uighur herder clings to his (or her) nomadic existence in the face of rapid industrialisation.
A Uighur herder clings to his (or her) nomadic existence in the face of rapid industrialisation.

One of the most appealing things about China’s Xinjiang province is that it is still very much as it was before China began its rapid industrialisation. While the province’s capital, Urumqi has been homogenized and fallen in line with the majority Han view of how the world should be – farther flung Kashgar and Tashgurkan (pictured) still exist much as they have for centuries.

Pictured above is a local herdsman ushering his charges across a stream on the majestically named Golden Grasslands. Even here, on the very fringes of China’s territory, things are changed. Behind me, a massive wooden walkway and performance space has been erected for tourists to better explore the grasslands.

This picture snuck up on me. It was only this year (almost three years since it was taken) that I noticed how the picture exists on thre layers – the water in front, the herd in the middle ground, and the ever present mountains in the distance.

9. Yosemite Sunset. Yosemite, USA. July 2012.

Nomadic American perches on a rock to capture the sunset from Sentinel Dome.
Nomadic American perches on a rock to capture the sunset from Sentinel Dome.

In July of 2012, I made the rather bold decision to fly over to the United States in the hopes of wooing a girl I’d known for a few years but never met. Over the course of the next month, we had a summer romance as we traveled around the US on our way to a wedding in Chicago.

Pictured above is one of my favourite shots from the trip. Nomadic American is perched up high to capture the sunset, and it’s the way the light bounces off the lens of her camera that I really dig.

About twenty minutes later, stumbling back towards our car in the dark, we encountered a bear and were scared witless. Good times.

8. Boats in Stone Town. Zanzibar. November 2014.

Fishing boats in the crystal clear waters of Zanzibar's Stone Town.
Fishing boats in the crystal clear waters of Zanzibar’s Stone Town.

My walk through Zanzibar City’s Stone Town district was mostly sweating profusely in narrow alleys, but I did manage to duck across the road at one point to snap this shot of the fishing boats in the harbour.

It loses a little bit being converted from Instagram to the ‘big screen’, but you get an idea of just how clear and colourful the water is.

7. Dune. Dubai Desert Conservation Area. March 2015.

Our balloon soars low over the dunes of the Dubai Desert Conservation Area.
Our balloon soars low over the dunes of the Dubai Desert Conservation Area.

The sheer level of detail in this picture never fails to amaze me. You wouldn’t think I’d taken it on my iPhone 4 from a moving hot air balloon.

Having spent a few of my formative years living in the NSW Outback, soaring over these dunes was a giddying experience for me. When you know full well how dangerous the desert can be, there’s something really enthralling about being able to photograph it from relative safety.

6. Big Sky. Tanzania. November, 2014.

A lone Maasai teen heads out under the wide open skies on the road to Serengeti.
A lone Maasai teen heads out under the wide open skies on the road to Serengeti.

Another highlight of our visit to Tanzania was the opportunity to visit a ‘traditional’ Maasai boma. While we had our doubts about just how traditional the village was when tourist weren’t around, the opportunity to photograph the bright-coloured clothing of the locals in such beautiful surrounds was something we really appreciated.

Pictured above, a teenage boy heads out to look after the herds. I dig the way this lone figure is made to look all the more lonely by the barren ground and the big sky overhead.

5. Stone Fort. Tashgorkan, China. May 2012.

The aptly named Stone Fort in Tashgorkan, Xinjiang.
The aptly named Stone Fort in Tashgurkan, Xinjiang.

Mostly destroyed during Mao’s idiotic and ill-fated Cultural Revolution, the Stone Fort dates back to the 12th century and is otherwise known as the Princess Castle for the colourful local legend that goes with it.

Abandoned and crumbling as it is, it still makes for an interesting photographic subject when you factor in the mountains that soar above it. The towers built by kings long dead do not measure up to those that occur in nature.

4. Deflation. Dubai. March 2015.

Its work done, our balloon slowly deflates on the dunes.
Its work done, our balloon slowly deflates on the dunes.

We’d just completed our hot air balloon ride over the Dubai Desert Conservation Area and were patiently waiting for the trucks to make their way out and pick us up.

While most people milled around the basket and chatted with the affable Captain Mike, I ducked away to snap this shot of the balloon slowly deflating on the dunes.

The fiery colours of the balloon give the impression that it’s melting into the sand and becoming a part of the desert it soared over only minutes earlier.

3. Dark Point. Tea Gardens, Australia. October 2011.

A slice of paradise. Dark Point Beach in Tea Gardens was all ours.
A slice of paradise. Dark Point Beach in Tea Gardens was all ours.

Back in 2011, I was working at a call centre and biding my time until I could flee Australia again. Summer was approaching when a contact at Ford reached out and asked if I’d like to test drive the new Ford Focus.

My friends and I quickly latched onto the idea, turning it into a weekend road trip to Tea Gardens on the NSW coast. The BBQs, boozy Saturday night, and the camraderie were all awesome, but the highlight of the weekend was discovering Dark Point Beach and having it all to ourselves.

If you look closely in the picture above, you can see one of my party on their way down to the sheltered end of the beach. I’d dropped back to snap this photo, which remains one of my favourites to this day. Just look at that water!

2. A Lonely Yurt. Xinjiang, China. May 2012.

A yurt in the mountains along the Karakorum HIghway.
A yurt in the mountains along the Karakorum HIghway.

There’s a peaceful solitude to this yurt high in the mountains along the Karakorum Highway in Xinjiang. China’s westernmost province is also it’s most unique in my opinion, with a very distinct culture and some of the most stunning landscapes to be found anywhere in the country.

Having come from a country which is both flat and largely devoid of snow, I was utterly enchanted by this isolated little mountain retreat and the view it possessed.

1. Leopard Relaxing After a Kill. Serengeti. November, 2014

A gorgeous leopard eyes us lazily from its lofty perch.
A gorgeous leopard eyes us lazily from its lofty perch.

Our day on the Serengeti was winding down when we came across this absolutely beautiful leopard lounging in a tree with its recent kill. The opportunity to not only see my favourite animal in the wild, but to photograph it from no more than eight metres away was a definite highlight of my time in Africa.

I honestly can’t decide whether I like this photo more or the photo below. Both have since been printed and hung on the walls of my room here in Coffs Harbour.

Another shot of the same leopard as it chooses to ignore its photographer.
Another shot of the same leopard as it chooses to ignore its photographer.

Your Say

What are your favourite photos from your own travels? Is there a story behind why you love it? Or is it just a shot you’re proud of?

Join the conversation over on Facebook and share your favourites. I’ll be showcasing the best of them on Facebook and on the site in the coming weeks.

Travel Tips

Bargain Hunting on I Want That Flight

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UPDATE FOR SUBSCRIBERS: 

IWantThatFlight.com.au has just found a sale to Los Angeles. Fly to LA for just $788 return!

The flights are with Air New Zealand, and are only for a few days so don’t miss out

Wanderlust

Of late, I’ve found myself questioning the sanity of a serial traveller such as myself committing to completing a three-year degree in a beautiful but small coastal town. I’ll go into more detail on that front later this week, but suffice to say I’ve been plagued by itchy feet and crippling waves of nostalgia in the last few weeks.

I sometimes read with envy as Facebook friends around the world are able to make use of various travel-hacking guides and flight search engines to find absolute bargains on flights. In the past, Australia has often lagged behind on this front.

I recently came across I Want That Flight when trying to figure out whether it was more economical for me to book a train to Sydney or to book flights to Sydney for my recent trip to Dubai. While I ultimately decided to head home for a few days via train, it was good to have discovered a flight search tool specific to Australia that I could use for future research.

I Want That Flight Search

Domestic Flights

My sister, her husband, and their adorable kids recently relocated to Melbourne – putting them away from the rest of the Walker-Bush clan for the first time in years. While it’s certainly possible to take a train to Melbourne or to go on a big family road trip, time constraints obviously make flying the more desireable option.

In addition to the generic option to enter your location, your destination, and your travel dates into a search field – I Want That Flight also has the option to select flexible dates when searching. In my case, it doesn’t matter when I visit Melbourne, just as long as I make it down there and shower my niece & nephew with gifts. By selecting anytime, I’m able to browse monthly graphs that show me the cheapest days to fly.

Scroll further down and I’m able to see a handy table that shows me the average price of tickets for every month of the year, making it easy for me to plan when is the best time to head to Sydney’s ugly step-cousin.

iwantthatflight2

Not only does this table let me know just how much Qantas and Virgin have regional travellers over a barrel when it comes to pricing, but it also shows me that my best times to visit my sister would be May, June, or October.

I don’t much fancy paying $180 for a one way ticket right now, but I Want That Flight has the option to set up fare alerts that will keep me posted if there are any specials on the horizon.

International Flights

Let’s look at my proposed trip to Beijing and Nanjing this June. In this case, I have a very specific intended departure date of May 30th. I can either select my usual departure airport (Sydney) or I can get a bit creative by navigating to the International Flights tab, selecting All International Destinations from the sidebar, and then selecting Beijing.

I’m then presented with information about Beijing as well as a table showing me the average monthly return ticket price from a number of departure points. I literally just did this and was surprised by how competitive with Sydney and Melbourne prices Gold Coast airport is in this regard. I’d only be paying $5 more to fly from the Gold Coast than I would be from Sydney. With the Gold Coast being considerably closer to me than Sydney, it might be worth trekking up north for my planned trip.

iwantthatflight4

In addition to my desire to catch up with old friends in China, I’ve been eying my tattered old passport lately and day-dreaming about checking off bucket list item #71 by just packing a bag and buying a ticket going anywhere.

I go to the International Flights section, enter my departure airport (Sydney), select ‘anytime’ as my flight availability and leave the ‘To’ field blank. Let’s see what the fates have in store for me…

I see cheap flights to various parts of New Zealand, Ho Chi Minh, Bali, Fiji, Bangkok, and Noumea in New Caledonia. That’s one you don’t see every day, so let’s click that and check it out.

iwantthatflight3

Looks like I could be checking out the French colony in late August for a svelte $533 return. Not too shabby!

For the more graphically minded, there’s also a handy world airfare map showing the cheapest flights available from your chosen airport. A $350 return flight to Singapore? Sounds good!

Other Functionality

In addition to the powerful flight search engine, I Want That Flight also boasts the aforementioned fare alert set up as well as a regular newsletter making users aware of deals that on cheap flights that they might like to take advantage of. You can sign up for I Want That Flight Deals to be kept abreast of various sales and deals.

On top of all of that, the site also has a blog that shares handy travel-hacking tips such as how to avoid paying for extras with Jetstar as well as more general interest travel stories.

It’s a pretty handy resource, and one I’ll be availing myself of once it comes time to book my flight to Beijing in June.

Your Say

Do you have any favourite flight search sites you’d like to recommend?

 

 

Dubai
Nothing of this size was used, but I look pretty bad-ass, right?

Of Wagers, Guns, and Clay Pigeons: A Day at JA Shooting Club

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In early March of 2015, I was invited to Dubai as part of the Hidden Dubai campaign headed up by Yahoo, Emirates, and Dubai Tourism. While my trip was complimentary, all opinions below are my own.

An Aussie with a Gun

Having grown up in Australia, I’ve not had much experience with firearms. While gun sales in Australia are strictly regulated and shooting clubs exist, experiences such as this aren’t as commonplace as they are in other countries.

I had the chance to fire an AK47 in Cambodia and an M16 in Vietnam, but I went into my visit to the JA Shooting Club in Dubai excited to have a more traditional firearm experience. 

Growing up, the idea of shooting clay pigeons seemed like the domain of the rich and famous, but I was about to try my hand at it out in the blistering desert.

Nothing of this size was used, but I look pretty bad-ass, right?
Nothing of this size was used, but I look pretty bad-ass, right?

Getting to the JA Shooting Club

Roughly forty minutes drive from the glitz and glamour of Dubai’s high-rise hotels, colossal malls, and manicured beaches you’ll find that the veneer of decadence soon gives way to dusty roads and even dustier fields. Out beyond the city limits, you see the Emirates as they may well be without the money and concerted effort of the Al Maktoum family.

As pleasant as I’d found the luxury of the Gloria Hotel and the pampering I’d received while exploring the city, it was nice to get out from the hustle and bustle of the city to the relative quiet of the Jebel Ali Shooting Club. It’s an oasis of green (and blissful air conditioning) out in the red-brown earth of the desert.

Inside, we’re ushered to comfortable couches and armchairs while we fill out the standard forms you’d expect to sign before handling a firearm. There’s a small shop on hand where I grab some souvenirs/essentials – a JA Shooting Club branded polo and a baseball cap. The desert heat has already baked my poor, bald skull and forced me to sweat through my poorly chosen sky blue t-shirt.

We’re given the option to choose a handgun and hit the firing range or take shotguns out into the blazing sun to work out our frustrations against some clay pigeons. While my preference was for the path of least exposure to sun, we eventually decide to shoulder some shotguns and head out.

The Video

If you’d rather not read (reading is for nerds, after all), Hidden-Dubai has this rad video that sums it all up.

The Wager

“Have you ever fired a gun before, Chris?” Kim-Marie from Luxury Travel Mom asks as we make our way to the range.

“No,” I lie, choosing not to count the time I fired an AK47 in Cambodia, “I have not”.

Looking the party while in Cambodia in 2013.
Looking the part while in Cambodia in 2013.

Australia has pretty restrictive gun laws. While it’s certainly still possible to fire a handgun at a firing range, it’s really only farmers who still keep guns these days. The events of the Port Arthur Massacre necessitated harsher gun laws, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.

“I bet I can hit more than you,” the saucy American taunts me. I don’t doubt it. If watching The Walking Dead has taught me nothing else, it’s that every American is a crack-shot capable of pulling headshots at a run with ease.

“I don’t doubt it,” I concede.

“What do I get if I hit more than you?” she presses. For her part, the demure woman behind Hungry Hungry Panda chuckles and lets me defend myself.

“I’ll…uh…buy dinner?”

I’ve seen how much dinners are in Dubai. I am not confident my poor credit card could stand up to losing such a bet. Still, I’ve got Australian pride on the line.

The Range

Our teacher out on the range is a stony-faced but friendly man whose name escapes me. His name tag said ‘One Love’, so let’s just call him that.

We’re given a crash course in gun safety, how to load our weapons, and how to track our target before firing. It’s a far cry from the dingy shed in Cambodia where I squeezed off an entire clip’s worth of ammunition in a heartbeat.

Kim-Marie first and, wonder of wonders, only manages to blast one pesky clay pigeon from the sky. In her defense, I can’t imagine it’s easy firing a shotgun wearing high heels and a skirt. The price we pay for looking good.

Nervous and picturing a recoil that will throw me across the range and back into our camera crew, I step up to the plate and prepare to be emasculated.

“Pull”

Wait.

BLAM!

Sweet shit, I got it on the first go!

Buoyed by my apparent status as a natural shooter, I proceed to miss the next nine attempts. Still, I’ve managed to equal Kim-Marie’s efforts.

The Sharpshooter

Petite and cute as a button, Fei from Hungry Hungry Panda saunters up and makes a show of squinting as if she can’t see what’s going on.

She coolly blasts three pigeons from the air before coming back towards us with a big grin on her face.

“I got one!” she cries proudly.

“You got three!” I object, “They don’t count if you don’t know you hit them”.

In a show of remarkable opportunism and female solidarity, Kim-Marie is quick to throw her lot in with Fei.

“Fei beat you, Chris,” she chides me, “Dinner is on you!”

I bluster. I growl. I threaten mayhem in the third degree.

Thankfully, Yahoo were kind enough to foot the bill for our camel burgers that night. I was off the hook!

Luxury Travel Mom, myself, and Hungry Hungry Panda in a post firing a weapon glow.
Luxury Travel Mom, myself, and Hungry Hungry Panda wearing a post firing a weapon glow.

 The Experience

I went in a bit nervous about handling a firearm, which is likely a result of having grown up in a place where guns are pretty much outlawed. I definitely enjoyed the experience, and I can see now why people say it is relaxing to fire off a few shots. Even missing, there was something strangely satisfying about the kick of the shotgun.

Weird.

——————-

The JA Shooting Club is part of the Jebel Ali Golf Club and is located a short drive from Dubai.

The range offers a variety of handguns (including a kick-ass six shooter) as well as clay shooting. Prices range from 110 AED for a .22 up to 220 AED for clay target shooting.

All participants must be over 13 and must have a valid passport.

Your Say

Have you ever gone shooting while abroad?

Dubai
Its work done, our balloon slowly deflates on the dunes.

Seeing the Sunrise from a Hot Air Balloon in Dubai

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The sun makes its presence known as we soar over the desert at 4000 feet.
The sun makes its presence known as we soar over the desert at 4000 feet.

An Early Start

The sun hasn’t even started to colour the horizon when I drag myself out of bed and stumble-stagger my way down to the foyer to meet the tour bus from Balloon Adventures. The sun still hasn’t made its first appearance by the time we’ve left the slowly filling streets of Dubai or even when we turn off the highway and onto a bumpier, less well-traveled side road.

In fact, we stand shivering in the cool desert air as we wait for the balloon to be inflated; some of us huddling extra close so as to get a bit of the warmth that comes off the burner as it blasts hot air into the envelope.

The crew blasts hot air into the envelope to inflate the balloon for take-off.
The crew blasts hot air into the envelope to inflate the balloon for take-off.

I’m using cool hot air balloon terminology just like the irrepressably charming Captain Mike, who whisked us through the skies with more enthusiasm than anybody should have at 6am on a Thursday morning.

It was only as we piled into the basket that the sun crested the horizon, angry and red like some distant apocalypse that we’d be making a very slow, serene escape from.

The Air Up There

While there’s quite a bit of noise and heat as we’re lifting into the air, we’re soon at 4000 feet and I’m stunned by just how quiet it is. There are 24 of us in the basket, but each of us seems to realise the importance of quiet at this moment. It’s as if the stunning sight of the sun’s light slowly spreading across the desert and the fact we’re floating high above it all has approached the religious.

In fact, with the exception of Captain Mike’s witty commentary and the occassional belch of flame from the burner, the entire half hour is like this. Whether we’re stunned into silence by the experience or we’re just not awake enough for conversation, we are all wide-eyed, open-mouthed observers as we float over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.

We don’t remain at 4000 feet, of course. As we drift towards our landing site, Captain Mike takes us low enough to see more of the desert’s rolling dunes and the sparse vegetation that clings to them.

We're close enough to the ground to make out these oryx tracks.
We’re close enough to the ground to make out these oryx tracks.

Down this low, we’re able to see just how quickly we’re moving. The dunes whip below us as startled foxes and gazelle race away from the ominous shadow that hovers overhead but never seems to strike.

Even now, moving at speed, it’s still incredibly relaxing. The sun has conjured up some much needed warmth and the warm air whips through my hair (well, my beard) as we draw near to the edge of the conservation area and our rendezvous point.

A Bumpy Landing

“Landing positions!” Captain Mike shouts as we begin to descend. We dutifully bend our knees, grip the ropes, and lean back as we’d been instructed prior to take-off.

We strike the barbed wire fence that surrounds the conservation area as we’re coming in, although it’s more of a kiss than any real contact. Just like that we’ve hit the ground and we’re all hanging onto the ropes and dangling precariously. There are a few surprised cries as we tip to a point where we’re almost lying on the ground on our backs, and then we’ve leveled out again.

“That’s what I call a pussy landing,” Mike informs us as we clamber out of the basket and onto the road he’s landed us beside.

We have a twenty-odd minute wait until the trucks make their way out to us with cool refreshments and our return to civilization, but there’s an incredible serenity to that twenty minutes out in the desert. We’re the only people in any direction for miles, although we can hear the distant sounds of gunfire from a nearby military base.

Its work done, our balloon slowly deflates on the dunes.
Its work done, our balloon slowly deflates on the dunes.

We’re the only people in any direction for miles, although we can hear the distant sounds of gunfire from a nearby military base. When they’re not firing it’s just the wind and our own muted chatter. The balloon, its work done, slowly deflates on the hot sand; much like it’s smaller cousin’s do after the party is over and they’ve been forgotten about.

Riding back to the buses, I cling to the side of the 4WD and soak in the sun and the view. It’s not even 8am, but it’s going to be hard to top this day.

Your Say

Is riding in a hot air balloon on your bucket list?

If you’ve been before, where did you fly and what did you make of the experience?

I was lucky enough to be invited to go hot air ballooning as part of the Hidden Dubai campaign, although all opinions are my own.

All photos taken on an iPhone 4. Some have been edited using Instagram. All images are property of Aussie on the Road, but feel free to share them with accreditation. 

The balloon starts its day feeling about as energetic as I did.
The sun rising over the desert.
Looking straight down from the basket. Terrified I’d drop my phone!
Obligatory idiot selfie. Adventure Time!
The same shot from the opening, but with the sun’s light helping out.
Soaring over the dunes.
A sea of canvas next to a sea of sand dunes.
Spain
The breathtaking Costa Del Sol.

Guest Post: Top Things to do in Malaga

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Spain has long been a region that has enchanted and intrigued me. My European experiences thus far have only seen me tackle Scotland and England, but this guest post from Erica Tapley has me looking at Spain once again. Up until recently, my friends Stephanie and Richard (from Our Food Future) were temporarily calling the country home, and their photos paint a wonderfully appealing picture. 

Top Things to do in Malaga

Located in the south of Spain is a little slice of coastal heaven — the city of Malaga. Known for its pristine beaches and culturally rich in history and tradition, it’s no wonder the area draws in thousands of visitors every year.

Once you experience the area for yourself, it can be difficult to leave. But for those of you still not convinced it’s worth the trip, check out some of the top sights the area has to offer, and see if you can resist packing your bags.

The Picasso Museum

A visit to Malaga's Picasso Museum is a must.
A visit to Malaga’s Picasso Museum is a must.

While everyone has heard of the world-famous artist, very few know that Picasso was born in Malaga. Not surprisingly, one of the best museums dedicated to the famous painter’s memory is located right in his home city. Known as the Museo Picasso Málaga, the museum shows over 40 pieces of his work spanning his entire career from 1892 to 1972. This timespan covers the revolutionary innovations of his career, as well as the wide variety of styles, materials and techniques that he employed in his storied career.

Whether you’re an art lover or just somebody who appreciates the significant cultural contribution the man made, it’s a must see museum. As such an important part of the city’s culture, the citizens’ pride for the beloved local is evident in every inch of this well-kept monument to his talents.

Costa Del Sol

While you’re visiting the south of Spain, you’ll of course want to check out the sparkling beaches. As British Airways confirms here, the coastline of Costa Del Sol is one of the biggest attractions for Malaga visitors. Every year, tourists flock to the area to enjoy the white sand beaches and deep blue waters.

The breathtaking Costa Del Sol.
The breathtaking Costa Del Sol.

Not only can you soak in the sun while lounging and taking in the sounds of the surf, but lining the beach you’ll find amazing shops filled with local styles along with a slew of restaurants and tapas bars to quench your thirst and sate your appetite. As Malaga has just recently embraced a trend for traditional cuisine, some of the finest restaurants along the surf are offering up plates of classics regarded as some of the most decadent dishes in the area.

Historic Castles

One of the benefits of exploring an older city is that you get numerous glimpses of its past. In Malaga, however, you get much more than that. You can’t miss taking in the city’s history, especially when it’s in the form of two enormous castles, one of which is located right in the city’s center.

Visiting iconic Alcazaba is one of the most popular things to do in Malaga.
Visiting iconic Alcazaba is one of the most popular things to do in Malaga.

Built by the Hammudid dynasty around the 11th century, the Alcazaba of Malaga is a well preserved castle located in the heart of the city. Guests can explore the inner and outer citadels in addition to admiring the views overlooking the city centre and Mediterranean Sea.

There’s another historic castle in Malaga: the Gibralfaro Fortress, which was built in 929 AD. Calling the castle a “fortress” makes it sound a bit intimidating. However, as Andilucia.com notes here, the stunning architectural detail and meticulously kept gardens surrounding the castle make it a stunning, must-see piece of Malaga history.

The Museum of Glass and Crystal

The Museum of Glass and Crystal is always highly regarded as a worthwhile stop among Malaga’s long list of must-see attractions. If you can’t already guess from the name of the venue, it features different decorative art pieces shaped out of crystal and glass.

This particular museum is located in a carefully restored 18th century house that’s beautiful enough in its own right, and visitors can learn about and admire the evolution of these man-made pieces of art by viewing over 3,000 works of art. Some of them are from as far back as the Phoenician times; while others reflect the more modern designs of the 1900s.

The Botanical Gardens

The Malaga Botanical Gardens make it possible to take a botanical tour of the world.
The Malaga Botanical Gardens make it possible to take a botanical tour of the world.

Established in 1855 by the Marquis of Casa Loring, the absolutely beautiful Historical Botanical Gardens are situated in north Malaga. The greenhouses and outdoor gardens contain tropical and subtropical plants and vegetation from parts of Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania.

In additional to hundreds of species of plant life, there are several species of birds that call the gardens home. Some are taken care of by garden staff while other, wild species have created homes in the plants all on their own.

Make sure you set aside a few hours to explore everything on the beautiful grounds. Just like the rest of Malaga’s best offerings, the garden is an easy place in which to willingly lose yourself.

Your Say

Have you been to Malaga and have a favourite of your own to share?