Travel Photo of the Week: New Year’s Eve at Lakes Entrance

A hot New Year’s Eve was enjoyed at Lakes Entrance during our summer holiday to the Gippsland region. After an early dinner, we made our way to the beach where the children enjoyed the sand, shallow water and sandbanks. We all waded for sometime cooling our feet as the sun began to drop for the last time for 2010. The images the sun-rays created behind the boat silhouettes, was so peaceful. Let’s hope that’s a sign for what 2011 will bring to our world.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

We’d like to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Thank you for your support during 2010!

We thought we’d share a Christmas Poem as retold by June Williams in Australian style and based on the traditional “The Twelve Days of Christmas” which is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses. There are twelve verses, each describing a gift given by “my true love” on one of the twelve days of Christmas. Each gift being an Australian bird or animal.

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me an emu up a gum tree.

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me two pink galahs.

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me three jabirus.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me four kookaburras.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me five kangaroos.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me six platypuses.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me seven koalas climbing.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me eight possums playing.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me nine wombats working.

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me ten lizards leaping.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me eleven numbats bagging.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me twelve parrots prattling.

Travel Photos of the Week: Ballooning from Balgownie Estate

These photos portray the sense of calm and quiet as you float by without disturbing anyone, not even the clouds below. The flight took off from Balgownie Estate winery in the Dandenongs east of Melbourne in the southern State of Victoria. We had to arrive for a 5am meetup, then travelled for an hour away from the winery. It’s very hands on and everybody mucks in. We took off at 6.30am and landed in the middle of a pony gymkhana just 10 minutes from the hotel. Where, once we had packed everything up, we returned for a Champagne breakfast. Our pilot had 2,500 flying hours, and says they are very short of pilots, so if you know anyone, feel free to leave a comment below!

Photos courtesy of Robyn from Personnel Relocations.

Travelling around Australia Solo

Heading Down Under on your own? Australia is one of the easiest countries to navigate solo – with plenty of accommodation and activities that make it easy to make new friends – or just enjoy your own company. Meanwhile, if your day-to-day routine has got you wound up, it might be the perfect time for a solo getaway to recharge those waning batteries.

There’s plenty to be said about the solo adventure – here are some ways to really make the most of your trip:

• Indulge – travelling by yourself doesn’t have to have to be about staying in hostels and dorms. If you have the budget to spend, there’s much to be said about splurging on your own hotel room. It doesn’t have to be a five star luxury – even the modest double bed can feel like decadence.
• Be spontaneous - on your own, you have no obligation to communicate decisions and itineraries – you’re free to go on a whim. Make the most of those occasions when something takes your fancy and you can do that “about face” in the middle of the street.
• Be open-minded – one of the best things about travelling alone is seeing the world unfiltered, without the influences of a travel mate. We spend so much of our time within our circles that we may be conditioned to think and believe a certain way. Solo travel offers greater independence and the chance to learn more about yourself as you learn more about the world.

Great ideas for the solo Australian holiday

Townsville - the perfect coastal getaway, Townsville is a great destination for singles looking for a relaxing time to enjoy the surf and sun. Magnetic Island offers a unique natural sanctuary as over half the island is a National Park. Try out your favourite water sports – what better way to spend your holiday than kayaking amongst Townsville’s brilliant waters? You can find Townsville accommodation that caters for singles as well as families.

Darwin – if you’re looking to meet fellow travellers and make new friends, Darwin is one of the best destinations for single travellers. Backpackers mingle with locals in the many pubs and night spots while the Mindil Beach markets are a spectacle to marvel at. You can also join a tour to visit nearby Kakadu and other nearby national parks.

Brisbane – enjoy a night out on the town in style. Brisbane has a number of great entertainment venues and vibrant hot spots. You’ll enjoy the many singles’ events and travel groups where you can meet fellow travellers. Or just spend a day wandering aimlessly through the eclectic streets of the city.

Author Bio:
This article is supplied by Quickbeds.com. With no booking fees and great rates – you’ll have no trouble finding cheap accommodation – Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne – Australia awaits you.