Articles – Page 74 – Aussie on the Road

Whale Watching in the San Juan Islands

October 31, 2013 3 Comments

I’m slowly but surely catching up on last year’s US trip! It’s hard to believe that it’s already been over a year since my five week road trip around the States, but this is the penultimate US trip reflection before I can start catching up on all of my China, Thailand, and Cambodia adventures.

The Road to Seattle

The final leg of our US road trip was to be Seattle, and after our visit to charming Tillamook, we had a relaxing road trip from Porltand to Seattle with our friends Cody and Desiree.

The obligatory stop off at Multnomah Falls was an early pit-stop. While I’d been there before during my previous visit to Portland, I wanted to show Nomadic American the truly beautiful little corner of Oregon.

The view of the Colombia RIver Gorge from the Old HIghway

From there it was smooth sailing in the four hour drive to Seattle, where we decided it would be a good idea to check out the famous Pike’s Place Market before we went our separate ways. While Cody & Dez did a little shopping, Heather and I found a barber to give me a shave and spent a while looking through used bookstores and kitsch shops to while away the time.

A flower display at Pike's Place Market. Thrilling. — A flower display at Pike’s Place Market. Thrilling.

The ferris wheel and the (very industrial) skyline around Pike's Place Market. — The ferris wheel and the (very industrial) skyline around Pike’s Place Market.

I’m an unabashed lover of a good market experience, but my tastes run more towards used books and the festive atmosphere than they do towards produce, so I found Pike’s Place to be a little light on entertainment.

That said, there were some impressive buskers and the antics of the World Famous Fish Market for us to take in, so it wasn’t a complete loss.

Oh, and the discussion with my very old fashioned/sexist barber while Nomadic American leafed through his collection of vintage Playboy magazines. Definitely a blast from the past!

Whale Watching in the San Juan Islands

Our decision to visit Seattle was one of three reasons:

For me to catch up with old friends from Korea.
For Heather to catch up with one of her best friends.
To try and check off a bucket list item and see a killer whale in the wild.

With that last goal in mind, we teamed up with Heather’s friends Amber & Teddy to go whale watching in the San Juan Islands. We shopped around for quite a while to find the best looking service, and eventually opted to head out with San Juan Cruises out of Bellingham.

I’ll be up front and say that they were kind enough to offer me a complimentary ticket and to discount the tickets of my friends, and I’ll do my best to be impartial in spite of their generosity.

We arrived bright and early on a cool but clear spring morning, and while we’d been forewarned that there was no guarantee we’d be able to see killer whales in the wild, we were quietly hopeful that we’d get to experience that magic moment.

Getting ready to board for our day of adventure at sea.

Picturesque

If you had to find a word to describe the San Juan Islands, ‘picturesque’ would be a pretty apt selection. As our boat chugged through the dark waters of the Salish Sea, Teddy and I were both on hand to snap the obligatory pictures of our respective significant others while also trying to capture as much of the natural beauty on display as possible.

An adorable lighthouse out on the islands. — An adorable church out on the islands.

As the day went on, our captain was happy to chirp in with some useful or interesting facts about the islands we passed, but the whales were conspicuous in their absence. We saw some exotic bird life and some unexpected mammal life as we passed an island that had once been a hunting retreat, but the real selling point of the day didn’t make itself known.

Foodgasms & Friday Harbour

While the whales weren’t present, one perk to whale watching in the San Juan islands with San Juan Cruises was a surprisingly decadent on board lunch of BBQ chicken, fresh seafood, and plenty of trimmings. It perhaps wasn’t enough to make me forget that I’d yet to see a killer whale, but it certainly put me in the mood for a wee bit of a nap.

A delicious lunch care of San Juan Cruises.

But nap time was not in the offing as our boat slid into its berth at Friday Harbour for our two hour shore leave. Much like Flagstaff in Arizona and Queenstown in New Zealand, I immediately felt a kind of love for this quaint little island town. As we walked around alternating between antique shops and gift shops, I found myself imagining what life on the island must be like.

Friday Harbour felt like coming home. What a lovely spot.

As the girls bored us silly looking at whatever it is girls look at, Teddy and I ducked off to a wine bar to indulge in a secret wine tasting. All four of us met back up at the harbour proper for ice cream before it was time to board the boat and head back towards the mainland.

With a lengthy journey back to Bellingham ahead of us, both of the men took the opportunity for naps while the girls gossiped or talked about shoes or whatever.

We hadn’t seen any whales, but I couldn’t be unhappy with my day ‘whale watching’ in the San Juan Islands. I’d had a good meal, I’d spent it with good people, and I’d found another corner of the earth that just felt ‘right’ to me.

Who knows? Someday I might even choose one and call it home.

Your Say

Have you ever been whale watching? Did you get lucky or did you strike out like I did?

And on the subject of places that just feel like coming home, have you found one of those magical spots for yourself yet?

Spain, Travel Daydream

Travel Daydream: Canary Islands

October 29, 2013 2 Comments

As Ned Stark would have said: Winter is coming. While some people around the world look towards the change of season with hopes of ski trips and snowy days indoors or just a respite from the summer’s heat, I’ve always found that winter is an all around miserable time of year for me.

Maybe if I’d grown up in the northern hemisphere and associated the winter months with Christmas, New Year’s, and my birthday I’d think differently, but as it is I’m battening down the hatches for a lengthy, bitterly cold, and generally miserable winter here in China. Without a pretty girl to warm my bed or a halfway well insulated apartment to cozen me while I play World of WarCraft in my underpants, I’ll be relying on my always active imagination to get me through.

The Daydream

While I’m lucky enough to be headed to the beaches of southern China this weekend, I like to dream just a little bit bigger than Chinese beaches. I’m thinking that some time in Spain’s fabulous Canary Islands would be the perfect last dose of sunshine before I batten down the hatches for four to five months of shivering and complete outdoor avoidance.

So, I’m going to pack my fantasy bags, apply plenty of fantasy sunblock, and (fantasy) fly to Lanzarote with Monarch.

Stunning Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Photo by Dunas Hotels.

Beach Time

I’ll be completely honest with you. Sometimes I’m that kind of traveler. You know, the kind who has no interest in doing anything cultural or exciting and instead just wants a hammock (or deck chair), a good book, some cocktails, and close proximity to some restaurants with good food.

The beaches of Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura are perfect places not only for this kind of lazy relaxation, but also offer up perfect conditions for all manner of more active aquatic pursuits. I’ve tackled learning to surf in Manly in the past, and I’ve made no secret of my unabashed love of scuba diving – but there’s also the opportunity to ride the trade winds for a bit of kite-surfing or wind-surfing.

A bit of luxury sailing off the beaches of Lanzarote wouldn’t go astray either…

Getting in Touch with Nature

You might not be able to tell it from looking at me, but I’m actually a guy who loves getting out and hiking. Some of my favourite travel memories have been of getting out and getting sweaty amidst nature. Whether it’s a hike through the Blue Mountains or trekking through the steamier climes of northern Thailand, I’m not adverse to getting drenched in sweat and making sure my calves feel the burn.

The lunar splendour of Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote. Photo by Elena Ruiz.

Thankfully, there’s an abundance of unique and interesting hiking options across the Canary Islands. I can feel like I’m walking on some volcanic moon in Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park, wander the massive sand dunes of Gran Canaria, check out the nature reserve on Lobos island, or I can climb (ha!)/take a cable car up Spain’s highest mountain, Mount Teide.

Food! Glorious Food!

You almost certainly can tell it by looking at me: I’m a guy who loves his food. Between just being a bit of a fattie and being a frustrating exponent of eating myself happy (still trying!), I’m a sucker for a good meal.

canarian food — *Drool* Photo by JeaGi Gilbert

Canarian cuisine is this dizzying fusion of Spanish, Latin, and African cultures and I’m dying to try it. Washed down with some good local beer or wine, it sounds like the perfect end to a day that would doubtless leave me either sore and sunburned or relaxed and sunburned.

What? I’m of British stock. I burn at the mention of sun.

Your Say?

Have you been lucky enough to visit one (or more) of the Canary Islands?

Or are you yourself hankering for some respite from the coming winter? Where would you most like to be as the temperature spirals ever lower and summer fades into a distant memory?

Australia, Musings

Rocking the Family Holiday in Queensland

September 26, 2013 5 Comments

For many of us, the first experience with travel probably wasn’t solo travel. It probably wasn’t even international or interstate.

No, most of us got our first taste of travel crammed into the back of the family car with our siblings preparing for a lengthy drive to wherever it was our parents had decided to take us. While some of my wealthier classmates could boast of trips to New Zealand, Europe, or Disney Land over the summer breaks – my own memories of family trips are less grand but no less wonderful.

Taking full advantage of my time with my family by checking Facebook while at Baskin Robbins.

Whether we were summering in Newcastle with the extended family; taking a week to soak in the sun on the beaches of Byron Bay; or driving to Cameron’s Corner or Broken Hill when we lived in the NSW Outback – family trips were played a big part in kick-starting my love of travel.

Mooloolaba

We first started taking an annual spring trip to Mooloolaba on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast when I was 14 or so. Each year we’d pack ourselves into the car along with whatever possessions we deemed essential for a week’s separation from computers.

This was before the advent of smart phones.

I’d have my Warhammer 40,000 miniatures and some issues of White Dwarf, my younger brothers would pack plush footballs and a soccer ball, and my sister would bring… I haven’t the faintest idea.

I have fond memories of waking up to the sound of the ocean and the feel of a cool spring breeze drifting in through the window. Of early morning jaunts to the beach so we could leave before the sun got angry at 10am. Of day trips to nearby tourist attractions like the Australia Zoo or the criminally bad Nostalgia Town.

Nostalgia Town has been closed now. Good riddance.

Memories of fish and chips eaten on the balcony. Of being bored out of our skulls waiting in the car while Mum looked at dolls or yarn or honey. Of nights spent in front of the TV as a family.

Good times.

That younger, more naive Aussie had no grand ambitions to ever be on the road. He was dealing with the pressures of high school and trying to figure out how to be cool. His most grand ambitions were likely ‘get a girlfriend’ or, on a good day, ‘become the next great game developer’.

Had you told him he’d someday live in South Korea or China; or that he’d have girlfriends and friends from every corner of the world, he’d have looked at you like a crazy person.

I still have to pinch myself sometimes.

Return to Mooloolaba

When I told Mum I’d be back in Australia for three weeks in March, she leaped into action planning a family trip. It’s a rarity that we’re all on the same continent and have free time, but Mum managed to knock together a five day family holiday in Mooloolaba. We weren’t able to get the same apartment we used to rent every year, but we got one within walking distance of our old stomping groups.

Well, two. A family of ten takes a little more than a two bedroom apartment.

We stayed at Bellardoo and really liked the place. Heated pool. spacious apartments with balconies overlooking the ocean; and really close to the beaches, restaurants, and stores we’d need to keep a group of ten occupied.

My brothers and I gathered at the feet of my adorable niece, Alchemy. — My brothers and I gathered at the feet of my beautiful niece, Alchemy. Photo by Bronte McGovern.

Our days there weren’t remarkable of family vacations. We spent time on the beach when it wasn’t too windy or rainy (it was autumn, after all). We revisited the Mooloolaba Wharf for a decadent meal at Hog’s Breath Cafe and the girls spent a torrid, rainy day at a local market.

The boys and I played board games (Nintento Monopoly and Spicks & Specks were particularly popular), bought Warhammer miniatures in a fit of nostalgia, went bowling, and even took part in a bit of no-holds-barred Laser Tag.

We totally didn’t lose almost every game to a trio of eleven year olds. Definitely not.

We had a night out for sushi as ‘just us kids’ (pictured below) and another night where the entire family had Sizzler like we did in the old days. We watched daytime TV, read books, and discussed our lives.

All of 'the kids' out to have some sushi and let Mum & Dad have some alone time. — All of ‘the kids’ out to have some sushi and let Mum & Dad have some alone time. Photo by Heather Ginn.

Far from the days where all we had to talk about was school or some new game we’d found, the conversation came from all angles. Dom discussed his plans to move to China with his girlfriend, I discussed my future plans, Heather discussed married life and being a mother, and Izaak regaled us with tales of being cool in high school.

It’s sad that the family holiday falls by the wayside as individual members of the family make families of their own. For eighteen (or more) years of our lives, our families are the most important people in the world to us. It’s easy to let them slip to the back of our minds when we’re caught up in our own existence, and I’m really grateful that I got the chance to be together again as the family that helped me become the man I am today.

We might be older and busier. Some of us might have had girlfriends or husbands or children in tow, but we’re all very much the same people who helped shape one another.

Call me crazy, but a five day vacation with my family was every bit as memorable as seeing the Grand Canyon, running away from bears in Yosemite, overcoming the language barrier in Asia, and any number of tragic airport goodbyes.

Your Say

When was the last time you took a family vacation?

What were the challenges you encountered? Or the rewards that stuck with you?

Oregon, Portland, United States

Why Visit Tillamook? An indulgent trip.

September 12, 2013 5 Comments

After the boozy debauchery of our visit to the Oregon Brewer’s Festival, day two in Portland would be a more sedate (and delicious) affair. My previous visits to Seaside and to take a Goonies tour of Astoria had already introduced me to Oregon’s stunning coast, but I wanted to show that off to the Nomadic American.

To that end, our obliging hosts, Cody and Dez, were quick to suggest a day trip out to visit Tillamook and sample some delicious food. Once we’d eaten our fill, we’d then kick on to the coast to dip our toes into the already-too-cold water.

The Hole in the Wall With Delicious Food

One of the many things I love about traveling with local guides is that you get to eat the best food without paying a fortune. A feature of Nomadic American and I’s trek around the United States had been that we’d over-indulged in fast food. Part of that had to do with me wanting to try every chain I’d seen on TV as a kid, but I think a small part of it was also just not knowing where else to eat.

Those big neon signs are hard to miss, and it’s not often that Ma & Pa Hamburger have the budget to do the same. Hell, maybe they just don’t want to draw that crowd of road weary travelers.

Regardless of the logic behind it, I was delighted when our ninety minute drive came to an end outside of a ramshackle hut proclaiming to be Joe’s Crab Shack. A younger, more naive CWB might have set his standards low looking at the state of the place – but if Asia has taught me nothing else, it’s that the best food can often be found in the least glamorous of locations.

A fishy treat at Joe's Crab Shack in Tillamook — A fishy treat at Joe’s Crab Shack in Tillamook

The toe-curlingly good crab melt at Joe's Crab Shack. — The toe-curlingly good crab melt at Joe’s Crab Shack.

And the Asia theory proved resoundingly correct here. We feasted on fresh seafood, orgasmic crab melts, and fries cooked to perfection. The sleepy town of Tillamook was already winning my approval.

The Cheese Factory

I’m not going to lie. I have zero interest in the process by which cheese is made. Factories are only slightly behind museums and temples in my travel pecking order.

But good company makes almost anything a potentially enjoyable experience, and I certainly didn’t find myself bored as we shuffled through the factory and ogled the workers crafting delicious cheese. Truth be told, the Tillamook Cheese Factory is actually pretty engaging as far as factories for not very exciting things go.

I put my years of acting training to good use as I pretend to look at cheese. I didn't buy any! — I put my years of acting training to good use as I pretend to look at cheese. I never intended to buy any!

A few interactive displays, an inexplicably entertaining replica delivery truck, and the opportunity to sample a few of Tillamook’s more famous cheeses certainly didn’t go astray.

Sample trays at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

The single greatest thing about the Tillamook Cheese Factory, apparently.

The real eye catcher, though, was the opportunity to try some mouthgasm inducing Tillamook ice cream flavours before we moved on.

Adam samples a bit of Tillamook's finest ice cream. — Adam samples a bit of Tillamook’s finest ice cream.

I would not have thought a company most famous for its cheese would also produce damn fine ice cream.

The Wine Tasting

As if a seafood lunch, some free cheese, and a heaping helping of ice cream was going to be enough to satiate we ravenous Americans (and this Aussie with an American stomach). Next stop? A wine tasting and gourmet food venue: the Blue Heron Cheese Company.

There’s something terribly fancy about participating in a wine tasting. I always feel like I’m an undercover spy as I sip wine and pretend to understand terminology like ‘nose’ and ‘bouquet’ and ‘undertone’.

I’m a man of simple tastes: my first encounters of wine were in the cask variety as I’d chug ‘goon’ I’d bought at $10 for four litres. To me, Fruity Lexia will forever be the King or Queen of Wines.

Regardless, I daintily sipped and nodded appreciatively as the woman behind the counter/bar waffled on about the flavours she claimed existed in the wine. All I could taste was wine. I’m a Philistine, I know.

In between taste tests, we also navigated the numerous displays and free sample stations – dipping tiny pieces of bread into flavoured oils, trying chili pastes on crackers, and even picking up a couple of snacks and a bottle of mead on the way out.

I’m sad to say (as a dyed in the wool nerd) that I didn’t get to try the mead. Shame on me, right?

The Petting Zoo

The final stop on our day in Tillamook would be the petting zoo adjoined to the Blue Heron Cheese Company place. Having largely grown up in rural NSW, I can’t say I was particularly excited to see sheep, pigs, and the like up close – but Heather got a kick out of it, and I tittered childishly at a donkey’s penis, so it wasn’t a complete waste of my time.

Heather befriends the well endowed donkey.

Free-spending high roller that I am, I even splashed out on a paper bag full of pellets and such to feed to the animals. Watching Heather’s face as an emu frantically pecked at her hand was pretty priceless.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that emus are (like all Australian wildlife) incredibly venomous. — I didn’t have the heart to tell her that emus are (like all Australian wildlife) incredibly venomous.

Hitting the Coast

Our hunger having finally abated, we piled back into the car for a round of merry gun control debate before hitting the windswept Oregon coast. While the idea of a beach you can’t swim at seems somewhat alien to me (unless it’s box jellyfish season, shark season, or blue ring octopus season) – there’s something so gorgeous about the clear, cold water and the crisp sky overhead.

Nomadic American and I coupling it up on the windswept Oregon coast

Being brave souls, we even ventured out (up to our knees!) in the icy water. Photos were taken and girlish squeals were squealed, and then it was time to take our sandy feet back to the car for the trek back to Portland.

Raccoon Lodge

Because our day hadn’t been indulgent enough, we decided to finish off our food-heavy day with a visit to Portland’s very groovy

for some good micro-brew beer and some even better food. The Raccoon Lodge has featured on both of my visits to Portland, and would totally be a regular watering hole for me if I were ever lucky enough to call the Pacific North West gem my home.

My first ever pulled pork sandwich. I see the appeal now.

It might not have seemed like a particularly exciting day to read about, but the choice to visit Tillamook and spend a little time on the Oregon coast is one I’m glad we made. I had a fantastic day.

Your Say

Have you ever had the pleasure of exploring the Oregon coast or some of Oregon’s cities and towns not named Portland? What are your favourite spots?

China, Qingdao

The Awful, Rotten, No Good, Low Down Qingdao International Beer Festival

August 27, 2013 2 Comments

Call me an optimist, but I like to think a beer festival is a pretty hard thing to screw up. Everybody likes festivals and everybody likes beer. Putting them together just makes sense.

And when my last visit to Qingdao proved to be a culinary delight accompanied by some of the Tsingtao Brewery’s fantastic dark beer, I went back to Qingdao with the false impression that the Qingdao International Beer Festival would be amazing. And if not amazing – it would still be a beer festival.

I was wrong.

The Posse Comes to Qingdao

Of late; myself, Byron (of Byron & His Backpacks fame), and my co-worker James have made a habit of taking a fortnightly holiday away from the sweaty, anti-social squalor of Nanjing. I’ve yet to share the tale of our visit to Hangzhou to take in West Lake’s majesty – but suffice to say, it’s a damn fun little posse to be a part of.

Byron (aka Beeker) is so not the serious one that this photo is perfect.

Despite my bookish appearance, I actually lead the thug life. Here I can be seen rolling two furries deep.

As you can see, James is the stylish member of the group.

After wrapping up our working weeks and filling the five hour train ride to Qingdao with old Wrestlemania, Civilization Revolution on iPad, and a bit of Patrick Rothfuss’ infuriatingly unfinished Kingkiller Chronicles; it was time to check into our room at the Kaiyun Youth Hostel and hit the town.

Well… gently carress it.

You see, after a five hour train ride and a ‘long’ working week (I’m not sure my 8 hours or Byron’s 4 hours really count) we were more hungry and tired than ready to party. But at 11pm in Qingdao, apparently your options are rather limited.

We opted to be underwhelmed by China’s impersonation of KFC and a couple of sneaky Vodka Cruisers. We’re classy lads. Bellies full and visions of a boozy day’s festivities ahead of us, we turned in early.

The Festival

The first difference between what I’d read and the reality of the festival was its location. Where the Qingdao International Beer Festival had previously been held at the aptly named Beer Street; it was now held some twenty five minutes cab ride away in an industrial estate.

Far removed from the city of Qingdao, the famous Tsing Tao Brewery, and a street full of fresh seafood – the festival instead featured a bunch of tents set up in what is usually some kind of entertainment centre.

Streets choked with cars alerted us to our imminent arrival, and soon we were handing over 10RMB ($1.50) to get into the festival. Our hearts were racing and our faces wore the kind of grins usually reserved for children on Christmas morning. We were going to get drink, drank, drunk.

Tent #1 – Paulaner

Our first port of call happened to be the one closest to the entrance. Fancy that. The Paulaner brand is fairly well known to use due to its brew-restaurants in Nanjing and Shanghai (among other places) and seemed as good a place as any to start. It was only 11.30, so we weren’t particularly surprised by the small crowd. The smell of German sausage and sizzling seafood reached our nostrils. We were in heaven.

Paulaner's dark beer proved to be the high point of the day for us beer-wise. — Paulaner’s dark beer proved to be the high point of the day for us beer-wise.

A pretty young bar-maid skipped up to us and asked us what we’d like.

“We’ll take three dark beers”.

“Large or small?”

Was this girl for real?

“Large”.

Byron and James enjoy the first of many beers at the Qingdao International Beer Festival

Soon we were nursing comically large steins of pretty good dunkel style German beer. The cost? A princely 120RMB ($20) for a litre. A far cry from the usual price of beer in China.

But the beer was cold and hearty and pretty bloody good. We were in a happy place. Unfortunately, from a festival perspective, this would be as good as it got.

...so of course we had to take a shot at impersonating it ourselves. — …so of course we had to take a shot at impersonating them ourselves.

Tent #2 – Tsingtao

An hour and a litre of fine dunkel later, we made our way next door to the Tsingtao tent. We were surprised to see it was almost identical to the first tent: a stage with a karaoke level performance, lots of trestle tables, a bar at the front, and tired looking servers carrying around plates of food they’d pester you to buy.

But this one happened to have girls in bikinis dancing around on stage too, so we thought it’d do.

It also had some bloody watery beer (even by Chinese standards) and luke warm crab that tasted like it had soaked in brine for a day.

James' reaction to the crab was probably right.. It was foul. — James’ reaction to the crab was probably right.. It was foul.

The crab was a real warning of things to come. Across the day we’d try food at several different locations and all to the same general outcome: stale fries, cold shao kao (BBQ), and bland churros. For the prices we were paying, we would have liked something remotely palatable.

I daresay this ice cream from the highlight of James' day. — I daresay this ice cream from the highlight of James’ day.

The Problem

You’d think two litres of beer into our day, we’d be in high spirits. But as we moved to our third and fourth tents, we began to realize something: they were all the same.

Heineken, Tsingtao, Carlsberg, Tiger, Paulaner… every tent was essentially the same. Trestle tables, a stage, over-priced beer, and awful food. In three separate tents the only entertainment was a rerun of China’s interpretation of The Voice. It was as we drank another nondescript, watery jug of beer that we began to realise that the ‘international’ part of the Qingdao International Beer Festival was a crock of shit.

I’ll be stunned if Carlsberg, Tiger, or Heineken had any input at all into their ‘participation’ in the festival. It felt more like the local Chamber of Commerce had just erected tents for every awful beer that could be purchased in bulk.

It's surprisingly easy to put on a brave face when you've had 4-5 litres of beer. — It’s surprisingly easy to put on a brave face when you’ve had 4-5 litres of beer.

Making Our Own Fun

I won’t say that we had a miserable time, because that would be a lie. We aren’t forcing smiles for these photos.

We had a hell of a good time winning cheap stuffed toys throwing darts on the Midway.

Byron and I subjected ourselves to the abject awfulness of starfish.

We rode a ride for $15 and posed for photos with all and sundry.

I had a bloody fantastic weekend away, but it had almost nothing to do with the Qingdao International Beer Festival. It was a combination of good mates and alcohol, and I could have had that in Nanjing for a fraction of the price and effort.

Despite only missing a single balloon, it seemed impossible to win a prize of any real size.

The alcohol, however awful in taste, certainly helped. But the entire day felt like a colossal missed opportunity and a waste of money.

Rather than drinking beers from around the world and enjoying a unique experience, we were basically moving from identical tent to identical tent being underwhelmed by the just how awful Chinese beer is.

If it had been the Qingdao Chinese Beer Festival, I’d have gone in expecting that. But the Qingdao International Beer Festival should have something a little more exotic from the Carlsberg, Heineken, or Tiger we could have picked up for 1/8th of the price in any corner store or bar worth a damn.

Don’t even get me started on the ridiculously expensive carnival rides, either. $15 for two minutes is criminal even by Australian standards. I doubt the poor bastards labouring in the 32C heat were getting any extra money for their work, so it was just another cash grab from the people behind the festival.

Don’t Bother

Should you go to the Qingdao International Beer Festival? Almost certainly not.

Even if you’re in Qingdao, it’s just not worth the time or money. You could celebrate beer from around the world far more easily at any respectable bar and actually sample something decent.

The festival is out of the way, poorly organised, overpriced, and is less international than my own meager dating history. A complete and utter disappointment.

Maybe in the past the festival was actually something worthwhile. In its current form, it’s infinitely missable.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Byron and I try to eat a starfish. It doesn’t go well.

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The Pearl of Africa: 10 Reasons To Visit Uganda

Craft Beer in Beijing: A Boozy Beijing Brewery Tour with Lost Plate Tours

G'day!

Chris

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