Countdowns, Life and Love on the Road, Life on the Road

My 2015 Resolutions

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Looking Back

Another year over and that means it’s time to assess the resolutions from the year gone by with one last wistful, nostalgic sigh before looking ahead to what 2015 has in store.

After a less than stellar effort in 2013 saw me only check off three of my ten resolutions, I’m pleased to say that I did considerably better in 2014 – thanks largely to my move away from the hustle and bustle of Nanjing and into the peace & quiet of rural NSW. It’s hard not to be productive when you’re away from the distractions of a night life!

Here’s how my 2014 Resolutions looked.

10. Improve Aussie on the Road and launch another website.

9. Get into better shape.

8. Successfully set up a life for myself in Thailand.

7. Check off another 10 bucket list items.

6. Finish Dustbowl.

5. Scuba dive more often.

4. Be a better uncle.

3. Visit 3+ new countries.

2. Be happier.

1. Spend more time outdoors.

Successes

When you consider the fact I checked off all but 2.5 of my resolutions, it might look like a made a concerted effort to pursue them and run them down.

Truthfully, I didn’t consider my resolutions for long after I wrote them; but the fact I achieved so many of them is a good indication of a year well lived and, (perhaps) my being more realistic in my setting of goals each year. My resolutions are slowly falling more into line with my own desires (rather than what I feel obliged to chase after) and my own abilities to achieve them.

Aussie on the Road enjoyed a very good year – with a new design and renewed committment translating into drastically improved traffic and social media, as well as a bit more financial reliability. This year also embark on my first two press trips – a visit to Broke Fordwich in the Hunter Valley, and a five day safari in Tanzania!

I’m still yet to follow through on my desire to launch a second site – but given I’ve yet to really perfect the one I have, I’m okay with that.

My time at home has allowed me to drop from a record ‘high’ of 112kg back down to a somewhat more slim 102kg, and I’m confident I’ll be able to keep dropping the kilograms into the New Year as I battle towards getting back to my 2010 weight.

man at stonehenge
Visiting the UK (and Stonehenge!) in early 2014 was the achievement of a lifelong travel ambition.

I visited four new countries (the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Tanzania, and Kenya), scuba dived more often (twice is better than the zero times I dived in 2012 and 2013), lived a generally happier life, and managed to be a better uncle simply by being in the same country and time zone as my adorable niece and nephew.

Spending Christmas with them was definitely a highlight.

How did I do on the bucket list? Let’s see:

1. Kiss Passionately in the Pouring Rain

4. Give a speech at a good friend’s wedding.

best man speech
Giving the second of two best man speeches for 2014. No less terrified.

6. Swim with a whale or whale shark.

9. Go on safari

34. Swim in an isolated canyon or gorge.

108. Be in a real fight.

144. Have a bar or cafe I’m a regular at.

155. Eat haggis in Scotland.

299. Spend the night in a five star hotel.

I also made progress on my desire to scuba dive on every continent (adding Asia), kissing a girl from every country (adding the Philippines, Kenya, and Wales), visiting all of the continents (adding Africa), and seeing a bunch of different animals in the wild (seeing elephants, lions, giraffes, hyenas, rhinos, and hippos).

leopard in a tree
How the hell wasn’t ‘see a leopard in the wild’ on my bucket list? Definitely a high point in my year.

I also came perilously close to achieving #195 (be in one more play) when I was cast as the lead in a local production of The Producers, only to have my safari plans rule me out! Ouch!

Not a bad year at all!

Failures

Frustratingly, the two resolutions I had no joy in achieving were arguably the two that would have made the biggest difference to my life!

For a few years now I’ve dreamed of setting up a life for myself in Chiang Mai or El Nido where I could focus solely on my writing as both a source of income and enjoyment. Alas, my damnable credit card continues to dog my tracks!

My second ambition – to finish my novel, Dustbowl, continues to be thwarted by my own lack of commitment. I go through flurries where I’ll generate 40,000 or 50,000 words in the space of a few days, only to not look at it again for a month or more.

The upside to knowing that this failing is entirely of my own doing is that it’s within my power to remedy it. You can be sure that ‘Finish my fucking novel’ will again make an appearance on this year’s resolutions.

Speaking of…

My 2015 Resolutions

#10 – Get rid of my credit card

My damned credit card has been maxed out and paid off twice now, and I’m in the process of slowly paying it back down for a third time. As convenient as it is having it, I’m itching to finally get it paid off and then shut down for good.

If it weren’t for the hanging sword of unpaid debt hanging over my head, I’d be considerably more open to the idea of just packing a bag, buying a ticket, and seeing where fate took me.

#9 – Visit 4+ new countries

For the past two years, it’s been a resolution to visit 3+ new countries. Given how easily that has been achieved, I thought I’d up the ante a bit.

Having done the math, I need to visit four countries a year to make it 40 by 40, too. Since my late start stopped me from doing 30 by 30, 40 by 40 will have to do.

Where will those countries be? I haven’t the faintest idea!

#8 – Get back to my 2010 shape

Shortly before Christmas, I weighed in at 102kg and could feel a swell of pride at having shed 10kg since returning from China. More gratifying was being able to fit into the Game of Thrones t-shirt my ex bought me that I’d never been able to wear.

men in cowboy hats on the beach
I’d love to be able to pose for this shot with my brothers without feeling quite so inadequate by comparison.

That same day, TimeHop was cruel enough to bring up a status from four years ago when (on the same day) I’d weighed in at a post high school record of 92kg.

Not one to balk at a challenge, I’ve now made it my goal to get down to 92kg or lower by the end of 2015. Methinks it’s going to mean a whole lot more running…

#7 – Check off another ten bucket list items.

I only just scraped in this year thanks to going on safari and staying in the Four Seasons Serengeti, but I’ll keep to my traditional ‘ten or more bucket list items’ goal.

The list is ever expanding, so it shouldn’t be too hard to chase down a scant handful.

#6 – Make writing my primary source of income.

The dream is to someday be able to say “I’m a writer” and mean it in every sense of the word. As it stands, my writing income isn’t quite enough to be considered a full time job.

I’d love to get it to a point that I could say I earned a living solely from my writing – be it on this site, through freelance work, or (gasp) through selling a novel and becoming the next Stephen King or George R R Martin.

#5 – Finish my fucking novel.

With that in mind, I’d like to finally pull my thumb out of my arse and finish my novel. At 183 pages, it’s criminally short for a fantasy epic. I guess I’ve got a lot of work to do in 2015.

#4 – Continue my education.

Whether it’s learning a new language or going back to school to learn something a tad more useful and vocational than my Bachelor of Arts, I’d like 2015 to be a year where I expand my knowledge base beyond useless trivia and fragments of languages.

There’s still the chance that I make a full time return to study in 2015, with a Bachelor in Tourism Management being of appeal due both its subject matter and the fact it’s a course with a few travel opportunities includes. I’m just not sure I want to commit three years of my life to Australian life. There are reasons that I hate living in Australia, after all…

#3 – Be happier.

Every year I say this and every year I struggle to decide whether I’m happier or not. It’s not exactly an easy thing to quantify.

men at a party
Singing up a storm with old friends. Recipe for happiness.

Still, if I can look back at the year just passed and think of it with more fondness than bitterness – I feel confident in saying that I’m happier. Let’s hope that 2015 can make it a two year streak.

#2 – Launch an Aussie on the Road podcast or web series.

While writing is my first love, I’ve always enjoyed both radio and acting. In 2015, I’d love to launch one (or both) mediums on the site. While I don’t have a face for television, I like to think I’ve got the enthusiastic personality to make vlogging an option, and my past radio experience (however limited) makes me confident I can rock a podcast too.

Sadly, neither is likely to eventuate while I’m living in a village with pedal powered internet…

#1 – Find somebody special

Deep breath

“Awwwwww!”

It’s a ballsy resolution when it’s largely beyond my control, but I’m not getting any younger and I like to think I’ve reached a point where I’m emotionally and mentally ready to add somebody else to this chaotic, fun existence I lead.

In the past, I’ve been guilty of rushing into things buoyed by the irrational belief that I just needed a significant other to find that enigmatic happiness; but these last few years have taught me that it’s entirely possible to love your own life without having a love of your life in it.

I’m always going to have growing and improving to do, but I’m pretty happy with who I am and where I am in life. I’d like to finish 2015 with somebody to share that contentedness with.

Your 2015 Resolutions

What are your 2015 resolutions? How did you go in achieving your 2014 resolutions?

Countdowns, United States

A US Challenge: Tackling America’s Most Beautiful National Parks

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The United States is huge, but more than that, the United States is diverse. From coast to coast, there are more than 58 national parks and countless hundreds of state and municipal parks protecting the landscape from human invasion. Unlike parks in many countries across the world, it seems that every U.S. park offers vastly different flora and fauna, creating a landscape quite dissimilar to anything else on Earth. If you are looking for a travel challenge to round out your bucket list, try to reach as many American national parks as you can; at the very least, check out these five stunning parks that range from sea to shining sea.

1. Everglades, Florida

Home to more than 700 plant species, 300 bird species, and a plethora of fascinating ground animals including the endangered Florida panther, American crocodile, and manatee, the Everglades are an incredibly diverse mix of temperate and tropical landscapes. In fact, this national park was the first in the country to be founded for its biodiversity and unique natural resources, rather than to preserve gorgeous views (though the scenery is particularly jaw-dropping during sunrise and sunset).

A baby alligator in the Everglades.
I spotted this little cutie while riding through the Everglades.

Visitors can tour the park by foot or via bicycle, tram, or boat. Unfortunately, it seems the Everglades’ days are numbered. The abundance of resources in the region means human influence continues to press in from all sides. This one-of-a-kind biosphere is shrinking fast, so you should look for an inexpensive flight to Florida on Flights.com or Bookingwiz.com as soon as you can to check the Everglades off your list.

Editor’s Note: I was lucky enough to not only visit, but cycle through the Everglades in 2012 and even got to see a baby alligator basking by the road.

2. Glacier National Park, Montana

While it isn’t the only place to find glaciers in the United States, Glacier National Park certainly lives up to its name, containing dozens of individual glaciers that carve their paths roughly into the landscape. Sharp spires of mountain surround verdant valleys filled with more than 700 glinting lakes; it is no wonder that naturalist John Muir judged the park as having “the best care-killing scenery on the continent.”

The park is teeming with life, which is why the land has such a deep cultural history with natives and colonists alike. Both groups tracked bison over Montana’s hills and valleys and took advantage of the plentiful fish in the region’s streams. However, today, the park’s 60 mammal species (including the highly endangered gray wolf) and 260 bird species are protected. Visitors can traverse the 1,800 square mile park on any of its 700-plus hiking and horse trails.

3. Yellowstone, Wyoming

Just to the south is America’s favorite and first national park, Yellowstone. In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant established the park for the “benefit and enjoyment of the people.” This meant that the American people were prohibited from damaging the park in any way, including poaching animals or vandalizing scenery with construction or mining. More than 140 years later, Grant’s declaration, and the efforts of countless naturalists and conservationists have preserved Yellowstone as one of America’s most stunning national parks.

Initially, people became captivated by Yellowstone because of the natural phenomena around the park. Filled with geysers and hot springs, the landscape was very much unlike the surrounding regions, despite the similarity of flora and fauna. Still, Yellowstone’s volcanic activity makes it especially fertile, and while human development elsewhere in the West eliminated habitats, fantastic creatures like bighorn sheep, bears, moose, mountain lions, beavers, and more flocked to the park in droves. Visitors continue to have close encounters with wildlife, and if you follow your park rangers’ instructions, your experience should be safe and exciting as well.

4. Grand Canyon, Arizona

The Grand Canyon holds firm as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and once you stand on the rim and look out at its expansive canyons and colorful rock, the wonder certainly becomes overwhelming. While more than five million people visit the canyon every year, most of the park remains untouched wilderness. Dense evergreen forest shelters the rims from further erosion of the canyon and provides much-needed habitat for Arizona’s native animal species, including coyotes, bears, and elk. The clean, cool air provides excellent views, and on a sunny Arizona day, most visitors can see more than 100 miles in the distance.

Sunset grand canyon
Forgive 2009 CWB, he couldn’t frame a shot worth a damn.

Even if you aren’t interested in seeing the rest of America’s national parks — though you should be — you absolutely must hop on a plane to Arizona and see the Grand Canyon in person at least once in your life.

Editor’s Note: My visit to the Grand Canyon in 2009 offered up some spectacular photo opportunities, but I’d love to go back someday and hike in the canyon itself.

5. Zion National Park, Utah

Walking though the red rock canyons of Zion National Park, visitors can easily feel transported to another world. Views of the park from above are rather unimpressive, but looking up at the sky through the cracks in the canyons is utterly fantastic.

Zion National Park

Like the mighty Colorado River in Arizona, Utah’s humble Virgin River is responsible for the astounding beauty in Zion. After millions of years, the streams cutting through Utah’s vast deserts have carved narrow canyons more than 2,000 feet deep in some places. While there is little flora or fauna to observe, the breathtaking colors and shapes of sandstone are more than enough to sate one’s appetite for views.

Your Say

Have you been to any of the above national parks?

Do you have a US national park that you think deserves a place in a top five or top ten?

Featured image and Zion National Park images care of the below. All other images are my own.

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=42471490&src=id

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=117191623&src=id

Life and Love on the Road, Life on the Road

2014 in Review

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Looking Back on 2014

The end of another year approaches and it’s time to look back with fondness (and a little regret, I must admit) on the year that has just gone by. It was a year of surprise successes (such as my invitation to go on safari in Tanzania) and disappointing failures (such as my failure to quit my job in China and move to Thailand or the Philippines to be a full-time writer).

When you add up the wins and the losses, though, it was a year that was definitely more steak than sizzle. I had a lot of great moments, wonderful experiences, and enjoyable times.

There were no heart-breaks, but a few one night stands. No falling outs, but a lot of new friendships forged.

Finishing it all off surrounded by the people I love for my favourite holiday of the year was the icing on what was a pretty appetizing cake.

January: Starting the Year on a Boat

January wasn’t hugely eventful, but it did get off to a flying start when my friends, my brother & his girlfriend, and I boarded a boat to cruise along a river while we drank, ate, and danced the night away.

boat party new year's
My brother, his girlfriend, my mates, and a horde of others rang in New Year’s in style.

The evening saw me fall temporarily in puppy love with a pretty Polish girl, smash my knees while trying to piggy back my 26 year old brother up the middle of the road, and take a bunch of mysterious two second video selfies of myself on the dance floor.

I started the year having fun, flirting shamelessly, and regretting it about 12 hours later. It set the tone for what was my most socially adventurous year since 2008, and I loved it.

February: Three Vacations in the Philippines

February saw my brothers, a brother’s girlfriend, and my erstwhile wingman, Hogg board flights and head over to the Philippines for three weeks of sun and blissful escape from the bitter Chinese cold.

Our first week saw all five of us soaking up sun, romancing locals, and being sexually harassed by lady boys in beautiful Boracay. It was a week of surprise happy endings, ‘big sets coming in’, and eating decadent meals like they were going out of style.

Aussie men in cowboy hats in the Philippines
Three Aussie Adonises rocking the beaches of Boracay.

The second week – following the departure of my brother and his girlfriend – saw the three bachelors head across to Palawan. There we experienced the underwhelming Puerta Princesa city tour, scuba dived, road motorbikes out to isolated beaches, and spent an awkward half hour in what was clearly a brothel/karaoke bar before deciding to find more reputable company.

el nido island hopping group
You can’t see me, but I’ve been buried in sand and given breasts.

The final week of the vacation – now just Hogg and I – saw us visiting Bohol and Alona Beach. We roamed the muddy streets, befriended the family who managed the local Mexican restaurant, hung out with tarsiers, swam with whale sharks, and generally ran amok.

tarsier in a tree
Hamming it up with an obliging tarsier while visiting Bohol.

It was glorious.

March: Joining the Nanking Nation

I might have joined the Nanking Nation as a reveler in October of 2013, but in March of 2014 I was invited to take a place on the five man board who organised event, negotiated with partner venues, and generally made sure that merry was made across the city.

It was a role I found I took to far more easily than I anticipated. After a year and a half of thinking Nanjing was the most boring city in China, I was suddenly leading busloads of people through darkened streets to find hole in the wall bars to rampage through.

people drinking nanjing
Enjoying the World Cup festivities at Bellini Lounge in Nanjing.
Budweiser Storm photo
Out representing NKN in promoting the Budweiser STORM Festival.
st patrick's day costume
Running registration (and booze service) at my first NKN event.

I couldn’t tell you how many cool people I met doing the gig, nor how many pretty girls seemed attracted to a man in a position of very little authority… (Well, I could tell you the latter, but that would be terribly improper of me)

Over the next five months, I had a blast organising everything from pub crawls to jazz nights to beer World Cups, and drank entirely too much alcohol in the process.

It was also glorious.

April: An English Garden Wedding

April saw me flying to the United Kingdom to attend the wedding of my dear friend Dave and his lovely wife.

After spending a few days exploring London, I headed down to Bath to catch up with the man in question for his birthday. Munchkin was played, beers were drank, idyllic English villages were explored, and Stonehenge was conquered.

man standing by stonehenge
I fulfill a lifelon travel dream by visiting Stonehenge.

The wedding itself was the stuff of British literature. Cottages amid green fields, cold pork pies and warm beer, and a stunning marquee set in the equally stunning gardens of a village estate. I survived the terror of delivering my first best man’s speech and even got to canoodle in the garden with a pretty British lass on the rebound and apparently impressed by my ability to belittle my sexual prowess while delivering a speech.

Who knew?

men in top hats and tails
The wedding party rocking top & tails for the English wedding.

I wrapped up my visit to the United Kingdom with a few fantastic days exploring Edinburgh and its surrounds. I caught up with my old friend Danielle (Scottish Nomad) for a ghost tour, tried haggis, and even went up north in search of Nessie.

May – July: A Family Visit. Final Months in China

Late spring and early summer saw me continue in my role as party planner and general booze fiend, with the added bonus of getting a visit from my family. Having the majority of the Bush clan (sans my sister) in Nanjing for a few days was really great, and we sent them off in style with a sizable Japanese feast at my favourite restaurant in town.

brothers selfie
Getting a rare selfie with my 15 year old brother while he was visiting China.

I was deployed/exiled to Suining in northern Jiangsu on a fortnightly basis, which was both a lot of fun (for the students) and awful (for the eight hour round trip commute). I played in a cricket tournament and performed abysmally.

cricket in china
The competitors come together for a drunken photo after the Nanjing Rural Sixes.

Beyond that, the months were mostly drinking, teaching, and trying in vain to find a future Mrs. Walker-Bush. Despite dating a veritable United Nations along the way, I’d leave China empty handed.

It was not glorious.

August: An Aussie Return

August saw me returning to Australia and bidding China farewell after two and a half largely pleasant years. While my Chinese contract was not due to end until September, I negotiated an early release for good behaviour so that I could attend my best friend’s wedding back home.

My two weeks in Sydney included an expensive Rocks Pub Crawl for the bachelor party, lots of catching up with old friends, and the honour of being Best Man at a second wedding inside one year. I was no less terrified in giving the Best Man’s speech and didn’t find anybody to canoodle in the garden with, but it was a truly humbling experience to see not one – but both of my best friends married in one year.

men in suits waiting for the bus
The groomsmen and groom pretending to wait for a bus.

An even greater honour to have been asked to be the one to stand by their side and send them off with some choice words.

My return to Australia also saw me renew hostilities in my battle with the black dog. I started seeing a psychologist, began the arduous task of finding a medication that was effective without destroying my soul, and began the process of losing all of the weight I’d put on in China.

As of December, I’ve shed 9kg (20lbs).

September: A Weekend in Broke

September saw me taking my very first press trip/media tour as a blogger, as I was invited along to the picturesque Broke Fordwich region of the Hunter Valley to partake in a weekend of fine wine, good food, and some of the best company you’ll ever encounter.

wine chocolate tasting
I couldn’t tell you how much wine I drank in Broke, but this was the prettiest picture I took of the process.

To say that I enjoyed my introduction to wine in a wine region is an understatement, and it speaks volumes of the warmth of the people of Broke that I still have several of them on Facebook and text one of them from time to time to see how things were going.

With the Little Bit of Italy in Broke festival coming up in March or April, I might just be due a return…

October: An Aussie Bush Wedding

October rolled about with Dave and his wife doing the Australian leg of their wedding. Despite having attended in the United Kingdom, I could hardly turn down the chance to see these two groovy cats again; especially when the wedding was just 45 minutes drive from my mountain hideaway.

We descended upon Green Valley Farm (which you may remember as Australia’s Strangest Theme Park) and found that the park isn’t just fun, but can be remarkably romantic when called upon.

How many weddings have you been to where you can spend the morning on the waterslides and end your day sipping champagne in a well manicured park watching an understated wedding service?

couple kissing wedding day
Two dear friends seal their marriage with a kiss.

All three weddings (in April, August, and October) also gave me a rare opportunity to catch up with old friends from high school, college, and beyond. As I get older and our lives get busier, these opportunities are all the more important.

men at a party
Reuniting with my friends from high school and uni was a blast.

November: On Safari in Tanzania

November was a huge month for me, as I flew halfway around the world as a guest of Shadows of Africa to participate in their annual blogger safari. Joined by the irreverent Robert of Leave Your Daily Hell and the lovely Lisa Lubin of LL World Tour, I got to spend four stirring days seeing up close the animals I’d only ever seen before on documentaries.

Leopard in tree.
I got lucky and snapped this stunning shot of a restful leopard.

It’s hard to put into words the thrill of seeing a leopard lazing in a tree less than ten metres from you, or how it felt to have our truck stared down by a bull elephant. Robert battled tsetse flies, Lisa wowed me with her fake Long Island accent, and we spent one amazing night staying in the positively decadent Four Seasons Serengeti as well.

bloggers in africa
Lisa (LL World Tour), Robert (Leave Your Daily Hell, and yours truly on our last day together. Photo by Robert Schrader.

I’ve got some exciting news about my relationship with Shadows of Africa in 2015 to share with you soon too. Keep your eyes peeled!

I finished off November with a few lazy days at a resort on Zanzibar. It was both relaxing and a little chilling to be one of the only guests in a lush resort, but the quiet was just what I needed.

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

December: Christmas at Home

December was a month of long overdue catching up. After two years of Christmases in China, it was perhaps the highlight of my year to do a good, old fashioned Christmas at home with my family.

family at church
The entire Aussie on the Road clan gathered for Christmas Mass.

It’s not the presents, the lights, the carols, the food, or even the giving of gifts that I love most about Christmas.

It’s that Christmas is the one thing in my life that hadn’t changed in 19 years. It’s the one link I have to my childhood and the wide eyed optimism and naïveté I possessed then.

As I get older, that link seems all the more important.

December also saw me turn 31, and I was lucky enough to spend both the day and the weekend following it partying with good friends in Sydney.

A Good Year

All things considered, I had a year that was more awesome than not.

How was your 2014? What were you happiest about? Were there any less than stellar moments?

Life on the Road, Travel Tips, Video

Sponsored Video: Visa’s Well Travelled Travellers

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Merry Christmas

Before I get into today’s short and sweet post, I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas from idyllic Ben Lomond, Australia!

While I’m frantically helping to prepare delicious treats for tomorrow’s big Christmas lunch, I’m thinking of all of my readers, Facebook fans, Twitter followers, and Instagram groupies out there. I hope your Christmas is full of love, laughter, good food, and a couple of cheeky drinks.

Money on the Road

I’m a very lucky person when it comes to travel. Not only does what I do afford me a lot of wonderful opportunities to travel around the world and see extraordinary things, but I’ve also never had anything stolen while I’ve been on the road.

Touch wood >_>

A big part of that, I think, is also that I am especially careful when it comes to my money while I’m on the road. I’ll rarely carry an excess of cash with me at any given time, and I keep both my cash and my Visa card tucked into either my waterproof Adventure Underwear or my super comfy Clever Travel Companion underwear. With both pairs of underpants boasting pockets on the inside, any theft attempts made against my person are going to have an… ahem… happy ending.

While I make most of my payments in cash while traveling to avoid repeated currency conversion fees, my trusty Visa card is always there in case I’ve got an emergency or need to pay a sizable chunk all at once and can deal with having to pay it back a wee bit later.

 

Visa Prepaid Travelmoney Cards

While doing a bit of research after seeing the above video, I was intrigued to read more about prepaid travelmoney cards. In the scary event that I ever lose a card, I’d be horrified at the prospect of giving some nefarious individual access to my main bank account or, perhaps worse, my credit card information.

A prepaid travelmoney card, in addition to being prepaid and therefore having a set limit on it that you define yourself; is also super handy in that you can load it with multiple currencies with locked in conversion rates. Pretty handy if you’re going to be bouncing through a few countries and don’t want to be contacting your bank every few weeks to keep them appraised of your comings and goings.

When I next hit the road (hopefully in January or February), I’ll have my trusty Visa card with me and might just make the transition to a prepaid travelmoney card should I find myself hitting multiple countries in rapid succession. They sound super handy. If I do, I’ll be sure to let you know how I found the whole experience!

Your Say

Have you ever dealt with theft or the accidental loss of your wallet or cards before? How did you cope?

This post was sponsored by Visa but all thoughts are my own. 

Countdowns, Travel Tips

Five Places I’d Love to Spend Christmas

 4 Comments

Christmas at Home

A few days ago I shared an old post about the five reasons I love to celebrate Christmas in Australia, and it got me thinking about other countries I’d like to celebrate Christmas in some day. After all, many countries do it differently than I’m used to as a born and bred Aussie.

Doing a little research, I found an article on the Scenic Tours blog discussing some of the most desirable Christmas destinations in the world, and I was surprised to see that an Australian Christmas didn’t make the cut.

While a boozy, beachside fortnight of festivities in San Juan, Puerto Rico did make the cut – sinking beers and sunbathing on Bondi was a noticeable omission. With that in mind, I thought I’d compile my own list of countries I’d love to someday celebrate the big day in.

Five Fascinating Places to Spend Christmas

You may notice that all five of my picks hail from the northern hemisphere. While the experience of spending Christmas someplace warm and sunny is pretty familiar to me, that didn’t stop me from spending Christmas in Hainan a few years ago rather than shiver it away in the brutal cold of Nanjing.

Celebrating Christmas on the beach in Hainan, China.
Celebrating Christmas on the beach in Hainan, China.

But until I have an honest to goodness White Christmas, I’m going to pine for Christmas someplace where it snows and where Santa’s outfit makes sense.

Bath, England

I was lucky enough to visit beautiful Bath while I was in the United Kingdom earlier this year for my friend’s wedding, and I fell in love with the quaint city and its imposing architecture. I can only imagine how stunning the Roman Baths or the Bath Abbey would look dusted with snow and surrounded by the over 150 wooden market ‘chalets’ that fill the streets during the city’s 18 day Bath Christmas Market.

Maybe it’s my unabashed fandom of Love, Actually that makes a British Christmas seem so appealing; but I’d love to someday spend the Christmas season trekking up to London for Christmas shopping, sitting by a crackling fire listening to carols, and perhaps re-enacting some of my favourite scenes from the movie with a likely British lass.

Admit it, this gets you every time!
Admit it, this gets you every time!

Bethlehem, Palestine

Having been raised Roman Catholic, I’ve grown up with the stories of the nativity. Just this past Sunday, attending the annual Christmas Service at the village church, I again heard the stories of Mary & Joseph’s fruitless search for shelter, the coming of the Three Wise Men, and the birth of Jesus Christ.

While my own religious beliefs have faded considerably over the years, I still think it would be a transcendent moment to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem where it all started some 2000 years ago.

When the region is safer, I'd love to visit Bethlehem over Christmas.
When the region is safer, I’d love to visit Bethlehem over Christmas.

Christmas in the Holy Land is understandably a predominantly religious affair, with multiple processions and Church services to mark the occasion in suitably solemn fashion. My own religious beliefs notwithstanding, I can only imagine what a moving experience it would be.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh is another city I visited while in the United Kingdom this year that I absolutely adored. Not being quite as cluttered and busy as London made it really stand out for me, and the Royal Mile may be one of my favourite stretches of road I’ve ever had the pleasure of wandering along. The sheer weight of Edinburgh’s storied history is evident in its cobbled streets, abundant pubs, and the great castle that looms over it all – and I can think of few places that would be quite so festive as Scotland’s Christmas capital.

A six week Christmas festival overflowing with performances, markets, rides, ice skating, and more transforms the already endearing city into a veritable winter wonderland in the weeks leading up to the big day.

My being a sucker for redheads certainly doesn’t hurt Scotland’s chances either, let’s be honest.

Nuremberg, Germany

The home of Germany’s most famous Christmas Market, Nuremberg draws millions of people each year who want to celebrate the Christmas season in German style. Mulled wine, gingerbread, and other delicious delicacies abound midst the beautifully decorated streets and stalls that transform the city each year.

The colours, smells, and sounds of the Nuremberg Christmas Market are intoxicating.
The colours, smells, and sounds of the Nuremberg Christmas Market are intoxicating.

After playing Santa at a German Christmas party last year, I’ve had a taste for how the Germans like to celebrate the holiday, so I can only imagine how infectious the festivity of the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt must be.

New York City, USA

Is there any Christmas image more iconic than the towering Christmas Tree that dominates New York’s Rockefeller Center? Images of couples and kids skating around that famous skating rink have become near synonymous with Christmas movies out of the United States, and no country does holidays quite like the country that invented commercializing holidays.

The most famous Christmas tree in the world? Photo by newyork808
The most famous Christmas tree in the world? Photo by newyork808

The window displays along Fifth Avenue, the decorated buildings and homes, festive shows, and some of the best shopping in the world are just a few of the reasons why an NYC Christmas is one I’d love to have someday.

Lonely Planet has even been kind enough to put together a few do’s and don’t’s for a New York Christmas for your consideration.

Your Say

Where is the most memorable, magnificent, or memorable place you have celebrated Christmas?

What are some of the places you’d love to spend the holiday someday?