Life on the Road, Relationships

Wanted: Travel Blogging Partner (Must Love Beards)

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Happy Birthday, Aussie on the Road

We’re approximately a month away from Aussie on the Road celebrating its fourth birthday, and I’ve never been prouder of my baby. After several years of work, the site is finally starting to really come into its own – thanks largely to the fantastic readers and fans who are commenting, sharing, and re-Tweeting the nonsense I periodically birth onto the internet.

A much younger Aussie on the Road celebrating his 24th birthday in South Korea.
A much younger Aussie on the Road celebrating his 24th birthday in South Korea.

What better way to celebrate four years of Aussie on the Road than be rewarding you: the readers?

Wanted: Travel Blogging Partner

With my bouncing baby boy growing up, however, it’s come to my attention that the poor lad is a tad lonely.

I look around at some of the travel blogs I enjoy the most – yTravel, iDelish, Jack & Jill Travel, Over Yonderlust, and GQ Trippin’, and I see these dynamic traveling couples who compliment one another so well.

I see traveling duos such as Neverending Footsteps and What’s Dave Doing, or Nomadic Samuel & That Backpacker, and see two bloggers who are doing what they love and doing it better because they’re doing it together.

Hell, even Miro from Raising Miro pitches in occasionally to help Lainie out from time to time!

I guess what I’m saying, is that blogging – like life and so many other things – is better when you’re doing it with somebody you care about.

And with 31 fast approaching, I’m not exactly getting any younger…

Behind Every Great Man…

I’ve tried eHarmony and OkCupid. I’ve done the blind dates and the speed dating.

I’ve had near misses, a Devil’s three way, kissed in the pouring rain, and even pioneered the Break Up Tour (but more on that later).

I’ve waxed, shaved, grown beards, dyed, trimmed, Couch to 5ked, posed for a sexy calendar, and everything in between.

Clearly, the logical next step is to run a competition on my modestly successful travel blog.

That’s right, ladies: Aussie on the Road is looking for future Mrs. Aussie on the Road.

Apply within.

What You’ll Get

You get the Aussie on the Road, a 30 something Aussie traveler whose skills include:

  • Writing about travel.
  • Procrastinating when he should be writing about travel.
  • Taking forever to finish hos novel.
  • Sleeping in.
  • Having fun regardless of the situation.
  • Being on social media for extreme amounts of time.
  • Willing to try anything once. Twice if it tickles.
  • Lucking into free trips and awesome times.
  • Teaching English abroad.
  • Taking too many photos of girls he is dating.
  • Being a hopeless romantic.
  • Adding things to his bucket list.
  • Checking things off his bucket list.
  • Avoiding an ordinary existence.

You also get this handsome mug, daily access to his beard for stroking purposes, the best cinnamon toast you’ve ever tried (except maybe for his Mum’s), guaranteed laughter, and a thoroughly adequate sexual experience.

You know you want to...
You know you want to…

He’s also got this pretty spiffy blog which, for some reason he doesn’t quite understand, people seem to enjoy.

What You’ll Give

Applicants for the position of chief beard-stroker, travel blogging partner, and vice president of Aussie on the Road romancing should:

  • Enjoy travel.
  • Enjoy writing about travel.
  • An excellent sense of humour.
  • Be more organised than Aussie on the Road.
  • Not be afraid of trying new things.
  • Be able to see the best in bad situations.
  • Be able to shoo away the black dog (or at least tolerate its presence).
  • Like Love beards.
  • Be geeky. Failing that, not roll your eyes too much when he is excited about a new video game, edition of Dungeons & Dragons, Stephen King book, or episode of Adventure Time.
  • Understand (and practice) the importance of compromise.
  • Enjoying taking photos.
  • Enjoy being photographed.
  • Be healthy enough to run/hike/scuba dive with me, without being so health obsessed that I have to adopt to a diet of quinoa, lentils, and broth.
  • Promote happiness and positivity.

Really, only the first two and the last one are deal-breakers.

Applicants who resemble Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, or Alison Brie and meet any of the above criteria will be seriously considered.

beautiful-emma-stone-fashion-girl-photo-Favim.com-136380
Fair warning: If Emma Stone enters, I will declare the contest over regardless of the quality of entries.


 And, if my past dating experience is any indicator, being American will put you in good stead.

The (Real) Prize!

Getting to go on a date with the gorgeous hunk of man meat behind Aussie on the Road isn’t good enough for you? For shame! Well, in the interests of making things interesting, I’m going to offer up a prize (to be decided) to the winning entry.

While I can’t say specifically what it is just yet, I will say that it will be travel oriented and it will be of at least $100 value.

I’m in negotiations with a couple of travel companies now, so I’ll keep you posted.

How to Enter

Submit your application in the comments below. Tell me what makes you the best travel partner and why I should select you to win the super-rad mystery prize.

Entries can also be submitted as videos (just link in the comments) or emails or whatever butters your biscuit.

This is about having fun, guys, so be as silly or wildly inappropriate as you so desire. My favourite game is Cards Against Humanity, so I’m not likely to get upset with you regardless of what you say or do.

I’ll choose the best ones (and the winner) to feature in an upcoming post.

Don’t want to enter? Share the post so that your friends can try their luck, and help a brother out in the process.

In All Seriousness

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my year of being single since Nomadic American and I parted ways. This is a new feeling for me, as I have always been a person itching to get into a relationship as soon as humanly possible after the last one had ended.

In at least one case, that ruined what could have been a potentially good relationship.

I see my friends tying the knot and raising families, and I look back at what I wrote in my Year 12 Yearbook under the Ambition heading:

To meet and marry my soulmate.

While I’m glad to say I’ve outgrown such maudlin ambitions, I’d be lying if I said I don’t feel the smallest pang of envy when I see friends and co-workers and acquaintances pairing off to start lives together.

I’m far from ready to settle down with a mortage and 2.5 adorable rugrats, but that doesn’t mean I’m not the least bit eager to find somebody to share my awesome adventures with. Much like Ed from Rexy Edventures (who, I’ve been informed, has just posted his own search for a Rexy to his Edventurous), I’m well aware that life is better when it is spent with somebody special.

Who knew September was the time for crippling loneliness and self reflection?

Coming Soon

Not interested in entering and trying your darndest to become Mrs. Aussie on the Road? I’ve got you covered.

In the upcoming months, Aussie on the Road ventures to the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Tanzania and Kenya in Africa for a safari, and there’s even a potential (brief) return to China on the cards with a mooted visit to Chengdu to play with the pandas and see if I’ve become any better at stomaching the delicious but notoriously spicy Sichuan cuisine.

I’ve got a string of reviews coming up for products specific to travel, as well as finally catching up on events from my 2013 trip to Thailand & Cambodia, and my 2014 trips to the United Kingdom and the Philippines.

Stay tuned!

Australia

Top Apps for Aussie Travel

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The age of smart phones and tablets has lead to an unprecedented level of convenience and a wealth of information at our fingertips when we travel. While apps such as Google Translate, Google Maps, Facebook, and the like are near universal – there are obviously a lot of more region specific apps available.

A visit to Australia might not require a translation app (although you may wish to consult my guide to Australian slang) or a VPN, but there are quite a few apps that will make your time – be it a short visit or a year long working holiday – a lot easier.

Banking

If you’re here for more than a few weeks, it’s likely you’ll be opening an account with one of the Australian banks. All of the major Australian banking chains have apps that allow you to handle day to day banking, check your balance, or make transfers. While ATMs are easily accessible in the cities, it’s always handy to be able to do your banking on the go.

 

Phone Credit

‘Credit’ is the Australian way of measuring how many minutes of talk time, how many texts, and how much data remains on your mobile phone. While most companies these days now provide you with on the go SMS updates as to your balance, it’s always handy to be able to check your usage when you’re on the go – especially if you’re on the road and can’t afford to drop off the radar unexpectedly.

Telstra and Optus are by far Australia’s two biggest mobile phone vendors, and both have apps packed with features both mundane and specific.

If you’re not venturing too far from the city, you can also consider looking at phone providers such as Vodafone, who don’t have stellar coverage in rural Australia but are fine for the city.

Travel

Public transport can be a daunting prospect when you first arrive in a new city, so taking some of the guesswork out of the equation is always handy.

In Sydney, TripView (which has both a paid and a lite version) is the go to app for your train, tram, and ferry schedules. In Melbourne, you’ll want the PTV app. In Brisbane, you’ll want to grab Go Brisbane, and in Perth it’s TransitTimes.

If you’re in a hurry and want to take a taxi, I’d recommend the very handy GoCatch, which handles taxi bookings for every major Australian city. While there are region specific options available as well, none offer quite the level of convenience that this one does.

Food

Staples such as FourSquare, Urban Spoon, and Yelp are still going to be the best bet for finding a restaurant on the go while in Australia. TripAdvisor is also quite popular with Aussies.

When it comes to food delivery, I’m an advocate of Menulog. This app has over 4700 restaurants across Australia listed in it (most of them in capital cities, so it’s not much use to you out in the sticks just yet) and lets you place orders quickly and conveniently. Many restaurants on Menulog also have deals exclusive to those using the service, so you’re going to save some cash as well.

You can find Menulog on both the iTunes Store and on Google Play.

Things to Do

Sometimes the wealth of online content and travel blogs aren’t quite enough to get you motivated and give you the information you need. In these cases, there are a few handy apps that can provide you with local info or even plot out your trip for you.

The Appy Travels series has guides for nineteen cities and regions in Australia; ranging from Sydney and Melbourne to regions such as the Yarra Valley, Byron Bay, and The Kimberley.

For those with a desire to go on an epic Aussie road trip, the Australian Road Trips app has over 350 unique treks for you and your friends to embark on.

Your Say

Do you have any favourite apps that are specific to Aussie life or Aussie travel? I’d love to hear about them!

Bite with a Blogger, Thailand

Bite With a Blogger: Talon from 1 Dad, 1 Kid

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It’s been a long while since I’ve published a Bite with a Blogger article, which is a bit criminal given how many bloggers I’ve crossed paths with over the two years I spent living in China. Not only did I get to sit down with Talon and Tigger of 1 Dad, 1 Kid last year in Koh Samui, but I also gorged on baked goods in Chiang Mai with World Flavor, hosted Backpacker Becki (now Borders of Adventure) in my Nanjing apartment, partied with Edna of Expat Edna on two separate occasions, snogged Wandering Dragon Heart, and had yet another ‘fancy lunch’ with Tony from It’s Good Overseas.

The Venue

Nomadic American and I were spending a few lazy days on Koh Samui when Talon and Tigger breezed into town. With us staying at the wonderful Penzy Guesthouse and being close to the main drag, we opted to meet at the nearby Otaru Sushi Restaurant for a change from the delicious Thai street food that had largely been our diet since we’d arrived.

While I’ve been lucky enough to interview some pretty amazing bloggers in my time, I’ll admit to being just a little starstruck when Talon and Tigger walked in. I’ve been reading 1 Dad 1 Kid for almost as long as I’ve been blogging, and Talon’s an inspiration to me not only as a travel blogger, but as somebody who has lived with depression.

We settled down for a good meal of sushi and tempura, with Tigger and Talon both pitching in to make it a really fun night. We discussed everything from racism to video games, from his story to history, and everything in between.

Tigger is every bit as personable as his gregarious Dad.
Tigger is every bit as personable as his gregarious Dad.

I wish I remembered the conversation better, but in the interim, here’s the shiny new Bite with a Blogger interview.

The Interview

1. How long have you been travel blogging?
In a couple of months, I’ll be hitting my 4th blogversary.

2. What made you start a travel blog?
We were leaving on an indefinite adventure. I saw it as an opportunity to share our travels and experiences with my friends and possibly to help inspire other people to (a) travel and (b) live their dreams.

 


3. How did you choose your blog’s name?
I’m a single dad traveling with my son, so 1 Dad, 1 Kid was succinct and memorable.

 

4. Where have your travels taken you so far?
So far we’ve been on 6 continents and to almost 30 countries, many of them multiple times.

 

5. Gun to your head: What has been your favourite country?
Morocco.

 

6. What’s your favourite travel experience so far?
I’d say shark diving with my son in Honduras.

 

Editor’s Note: Talon is a certified Scuba instructor, and was kind enough to give the nervous Nomadic American some tips on how to overcome her fears of removing her mask underwater.
You're a braver man than me, Talon...
You’re a braver man than me, Talon…
7. What about the worst?
Traveling from Guatemala to La Ceiba, Honduras. Travel day from hell.

 

8. Where are you headed next?
We’re heading back to the US for at least a few months. My son is now a teenager and wanting a bit more stability, and we’re both craving community. We’re trying to decide where our long-term base will be. We’ll still travel, but it will be less often and/or for shorter durations.

 

9. What is the scariest/most exciting thing you’ve done while traveling?
Scariest thing was having a possible pedo follow us in KL. It got close to possible violence from my end. Most exciting would probably be the shark dive.

 

10. Had any travel romances? Share a story!
I WISH! I’m going on a 3-1/2-year drought. It ain’t fun!

 

EDITOR’S NOTE: I hear you there, brother! It’s been a month for me, but I don’t foresee any romances in my time here in sleepy Ben Lomond…

 

11. What’s the best travel lesson you’ve learned?
That we live in a culture of fear which is total bullshit and that the number of good people far outnumber the jerks.

 

12. What has travel given or taught you?
I’ve learned a lot about myself, my real needs, how to be happy, and have developed a super tight relationship with my son that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

Where to Find Talon (& Tigger)

Talon writes on two sites. 1 Dad, 1 Kid and Travels 4 Yum.

 

Fancy a Bite?

In the neighbourhood and fancy a chat and a bit of promotion for your site? Shoot me an email at cwbush83@gmail.com and we’ll see what we can arrange!

Countdowns, San Francisco

Top 5 Most Famous Places to Eat in San Francisco

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The Top 5 Most Famous Places to Eat in San Francisco

sushi2
Image via Flickr by Britt Selvitelle

It’s been just over two years now since I was last in San Francisco, but I still have very fond memories of my visit to the bay-side city. With its iconic bridge, thriving LGBT scene, mild weather, and alternative feel – it reminded me a lot of Sydney, particularly the Australian city’s vibrant inner-west. While my own visit featured more junk food than fine dining (I believe we ate McDonalds, cheap crab at Fisherman’s Wharf, and hot dogs at Pier 39), I’m overdue for a return to the city to sample some of its finer foods.

Here are five of the most famous places to eat in San Francisco. Bon appetit!

1. ICHI Sushi

Sushi is one of Japan’s most beloved cultural exports, but Americans owe the stylish, gourmet sensibilities of stateside sushi to the West Coast. ICHI Sushi on Mission Street is the premiere California-style sushi restaurant in San Francisco. It’s a bit removed from the tourist-heavy stretch of the district, resulting in a more relaxed experience. The menu is creative and uses a lot of local ingredients, and naturally the freshest fish on the market. Also make sure to check out their sake menu for a complete meal.

2. Nopalito

While Southern California is best known for its authentic Mexican cuisine, places like Nopalito make the case for San Francisco’s south-of-the-border bona fides. This is thanks to great touches like house-made masa and tortillas, adding a fresh and sweet flavor to classic dishes. Nopalito also has some of San Francisco’s most highly regarded carnitas. The house selection of tequila and mezcal is nothing to sniff at either.

Photo courtesy of the Nopalito website.
Photo courtesy of the Nopalito website.

3. Boulevard

This beautiful, renowned, French-inspired eatery is a warm, welcoming restaurant with an extensive menu of smart, delicious treats. Nestled inside a great San Francisco hotel, it sits right on the northeastern edge of the city, overlooking the bay.  Try celebrated dishes like crispy pancetta-wrapped quail leg, Pacific seabass with red shrimp, or octopus escabeche. Boulevard is also a decadent getaway for dessert lovers, from the evolved s’more made with bittersweet cocoa nibs and salted caramel marshmallow to the Snow White peaches and brown sugar ginger cake.

4. Suppenkuche

Sure, the standard culinary traditions for top-notch eats these days tend to lean Asian fusion, French, or New American, but it’s hard to deny the hearty delights at German restaurant Suppenkuche. Affordable but uniquely delectable, Suppenkuche features classics like potato pancakes, wiener schnitzel, venison, and sauerkraut. It’s also one of the most interesting brunch options in San Francisco, including savory items like the cold cuts plate and farm-style sausage as well as German-style sweets like the Emperor’s pancake with brandied raisins.

5. Beanstalk Cafe

Delicious doesn’t have to mean fancy. The Beanstalk Cafe in Nob Hill is San Francisco’s finest entry in the storied café tradition of the Pacific Northwest. The coffee and espresso are excellent, and the sandwiches are spot-on. Deli favorites like pastrami go hand-in-hand with West Coast fare like the tofu veggie sandwich in homemade spice sauce. Beanstalk Cafe’s marinated cucumbers are a refreshing addition to sandwiches. They also have a unique breakfast option in their egg-filled toast cups. All of the bread is baked fresh and the coffee comes exclusively from Bay Area roasters.

From fresh fish to strong coffee and always with a multicultural flair, San Francisco’s restaurant scene is the envy of Northern California. There are excellent places to eat for every budget, and there’s a lot of creativity in the San Francisco culinary community.

 Your Say

What are your favourite places to dine while in San Francisco?

Title image courtesy of Jeff Gunn.

Cambodia
I'm sure a gun enthusiast could tell me what this is. I call it my small penis compensator.

Guns & Travel: Playing Rambo in Cambodia

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Guns and Travel: Going Rambo in Cambodia

I’m going to do my level best to avoid being too political in this post. Gun control is something I am quite passionate about, but I didn’t start Aussie on the Road to discuss politics, and I know how touchy my American friends get when I dare to question the sanity of them having automatic weapons so readily available.

Seeing the coverage of the recent incident in the US in which a 9-year-old girl accidentally killed her gun instructor with an Uzi she was far too small and inexperienced to use struck a particular cord with me, though.

It’s not that this single, tragic death affected me more deeply than the countless mass shootings that have occurred in the United States – more that I can’t ever picture myself being in a position where I think shooting a bunch of innocent people might be the solution to whatever ails me.

I have, however, been in a situation similar to that pictured in the video of that poor girl accidentally taking a life. It wasn’t an Uzi (it was an AK-47), but my instructor stood just as close and the setting was eerily similar.

Back to Cambodia

It’s February of 2013 and Nomadic American and I have just finished a sobering, tear-jerking visit to the Killing Fields.

As our tuk-tuk bounces along the dusty road back into Phnom Penh, our driver suddenly veers down an even dustier side road that takes us between rows of dilapidated houses and struggling farms. Soon enough, we pull up behind a large shed.

Our tuk tuk takes us down a back road to find the gun range.
Our tuk tuk takes us down a back road to find the gun range.

“You want to fire a gun?” he asks us cheerfully, apparently unaware of the uncomfortable juxtaposition that comes from going straight from the site of a massacre to a place where we can fire weapons built for murder and call it ‘fun’.

That said, the temptation is definitely there. Firing a gun is something I’ve never done and likely never will get the chance to do in Australia due to our restrictive (and bloody effective) gun control measures. It’s on the bucket list and here’s the opportunity for just $50 US. After briefly conferring with my partner in crime, it’s decided that we would like to fire a gun.

We enter into a place that bears a remarkable resemblance to a crime den – a bunch of t-shirt wearing locals playing cards while their arsenal of weapons lay scattered about the table and hanging from the walls. Rock music plays on the radio and a thick haze of cigarette smoke dances in eddies around the head of the man who approaches us.

He’s got one of those pubic hair mustaches that are probably an indication you shouldn’t try growing facial hair, and he wears aviator sunglasses that add 10% to the intimidation factor. The M16 he carries adds the rest.

“You want to fire? Check the menu”

There is a menu, actually. It’s a laminated sheet of A-4 paper onto which a list of weapons and prices has been listed. The cheapest option would be to fire a pistol, but the $50 AK-47 deal looks pretty good to us.

Farther down the list there’s the option to throw a grenade (also $50) or fire an RPG ($150). They push us in this direction, or try to tempt us with firing one of the larger stationary guns – but we’re on a budget and I’m something of a pussy, so we settle on the AK-47.

Training to Fire a Gun in Cambodia

I can’t say that I was given exhaustive training before being handed a weapon with which I could do a substantial amount of damage. I’m shown where the trigger is, how to switch between single shot or automatic, and reminded to wear my headphones at all times.

Then I’m shown how to brace the stock of the weapon against my shoulder and told to have at it.

We’re still in the large, corrugated iron shed. My target is a simple paper job at the far end of a long alley littered with sawdust and shell casings.

I’ve had all of sixty seconds between arriving at the firing range and being given the go ahead.

I prepare to squeeze the trigger on the dusty old AK-47.
I prepare to squeeze the trigger on the dusty old AK-47.

Here goes nothing.

The first few shots are fun. I can definitely see the appeal that gun enthusiasts see in letting off some steam by squeezing the trigger and feeling all that power buck back against them.

Ever the competitor, I try my level best to actually strike the target with a few shots before I’m encouraged by my doubtlessly impatient instructor to switch to automatic.

The rest of my clip is expended in record time. I doubt many of those shots manage to hit the target, either.

Nomadic American tries her luck next, and though she’s fired a gun before, her target comes back largely unscathed.

Nomadic American tries her luck with the AK-47
Nomadic American tries her luck with the AK-47

Mine? I landed more than a few on my stationary paper assailant. Who knew I’d have something approaching an eye for this when I’m going slowly blind in one?

I show off my firing handiwork.
I show off my firing handiwork.

Essential Posing

We’re encouraged to try more weapons (and spend more money) before we leave, but we settle instead for posing with various weapons and trying to look more bad-ass than the scared tourists who’d entered the dingy shed not long before.

I channel Rambo as I pose with a pair of M16s.
I channel Rambo as I pose with a pair of M16s.
I'm sure a gun enthusiast could tell me what this is. I call it my small penis compensator.
I’m sure a gun enthusiast could tell me what this is. I call it my small penis compensator.

I found the experience to be entertaining for what it was, but I couldn’t help feeling that a younger or less well adjusted person might have left with an entirely unrealistic view of guns. They are not toys, however much they might have felt like toys as I brandished them like Rambo. I’m not against the idea of using guns for recreation, but I do think that you should be responsible and mature enough to be considered an adult before you’re handed a death-dealer and told to have at it – regardless of who is supervising you.

But that’s delving dangerously close to politics, and I already get enough hate mail for my 10 Reasons I Hate Living in Australia post…

Your Say

Have you ever fired a weapon while abroad? Do you think it’s acceptable to do so? Or does it encourage an unrealistic view of guns and gun safety?