Travel by Season

We don't always plan our trips based on what the best season is. But since we've started to do more outdoor related activities this has been more important  It was interesting to look through our recent trips and think of them in terms of the season, depending on the location it wasn't always easy to pick!


Summer
We got mostly dry weather when visiting the Milford and Doubtful Sounds of New Zealand.

Yet it was hot and humid, when visiting the Iguazu Falls.

Winter
We live in a location with a relatively mild winter, so Vegas in January isn't too bad. Especially considering DH is wearing a T-shirt in this photo.

Most of our rugby trips are taken in the Southern Hemisphere winter (being a winter game and all), including this game in Auckland in July.

Spring
Spring in the California National Parks such as Yosemite can be pretty spectacular, with the snow melting the falls are in full swing.

While the weather wasn't fantastic for our trip to Lord Howe Island, I think the season helped the green's in the fantastic scenery and also meant it was warm enough to go swimming.

Fall/Autumn
The leaves were starting to change on our trip to the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia.

It was also autumn when we visited Launceston prior to our Bay of Fires hike in Tasmania.

Do you have a favourite season to travel in?

Trip Must Have's

I did a post a while back on our typical packing list, but this is more about the five must have things I take on any trip, whether it's a weekend away or a 6 week trip.

1. My camera
The invent of the digital camera has allowed us to take large numbers of photos at little or no cost (once you have your original investment), and the technology in the camera's allows you to take some pretty magnificent shots without too much know how.

I have a  Lumix - drop proof, water proof and freeze proof - in other words Rebecca proof.

2. A book (or in most cases my Kindle)
I love to read, and in 2009 there was a number of occasions where I got stuck during my FIFO schedule without a book. Books in Australia are also expensive, so even though I didn't want to be on a 5 hour flight without a book I also wasn't too willing to hand over $35 to do so. Hence where the kindle came in, it's light, it holds 100's of books so there's no risk of running out and the battery charge is relatively large.

3. Pen and Paper
I use to have elaborate travel diaries and still have them stacked on my bookshelf, but now seeing most trips get transcribed right into this blog when we return, a pen with any form of paper will do the trick (I've even used serviette's when I've realised I've left the note pad at home).

4. Sunscreen
Living in the Australian sun trains you young that you do not want to spend your trip burnt. Most moisturiser sold here comes with SPF15+, but we always carry a roll on of sunscreen.

5. Torch
We tend to get off the beaten track, where sometime electricity can be unpredictable (or as in the case of Wilson Island limited at best), so a tough torch or a headlamp helps.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

We had such a good time at the rugby here in 2011 we decided to come back. Instead of rain and the miserable weather we had last year, it was bright, sunny and a balmy 30C (approx. 85F). We also had less time this trip taking a later plane from Sydney and catching an earlier flight back on Sunday due to DH being on the back shift.

Stay
Accommodation can be in peak demand and pricey for these games. So while I paid more than I would have wanted to for a 4 star hotel, I was much happier with this option than where we stayed last year. The room at The Sebel Suites was clean, had a good view and was quiet. My only complaint would be is that you can tell these hotels are old from their bathrooms, which don't seem to get updated as much as the rooms.



Eat
Lunch at AJ Vietnamese Noodle House. We were early at noon, but by time we left the small cafe was bustling.

We tried to find a better spot for breakfast, but due to time restrictions once again found ourselves at Spoon Expresso Deli. Give it a miss, the service is poor and the food is average, particularly for the price your paying.



Do
Catch a game at Suncrop Stadium, I still think it's the best venue to watch a rugby game

Have a drink and take a walk along Southbank

Travel by photo

Some of my favourites since the age of digital photography (or more to the point since I embraced digital photography!).

Lord Howe Island, Australia
This is a favourite because it was our outlook for breakfast each day we stayed on Lord Howe Island, but the different shades of green and blue show the diversity of the Island.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
This was one of the places DH pushed for us to visit (normally its the other way around) and I like the colour of the water, matched with the rushing water.

Doubtful Sound, NZ
We had been disappointed with our trip the day before on Milford Sound, but I knew it would be a different experience when we hit this lookout on our way down to Doubtful Sound.

Galapagos, Equador
There are so many pictures from our trip to the Galapagos Islands, but this seal, combined with the red vegetation behind it made me think of home.

Bay of Fires Walk, Tasmania
The combination of the white of the lighthouse, the texture of the body of the lighthouse and the ripples caused by the wind in this picture make me remember what became a sunny lunch break.

Mauke, Cook Islands
We spent hours watching waves roll in the day this picture was taken. The blue in the waves and sky are calming for me.

Machu Picchu, Peru

I can remember how I felt when we took this picture, after four days hiking at altitude and a early morning start, seeing Machu Picchu was so much more spectacular than I expected it to be (and than this picture shows).

Kings Canyon National Park, California

I don't know what I love about this picture, but we have this one in a few places over the house (including framed in A3 size), I think part of it is the sunlight on the left hand side.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat, Cambodia
A typical shot taken at Angkor Wat, but it's the colours that I love in it.

Where's your favourite picture taken from? What makes it your favourite?

MONA, Hobart, Tasmania

I am not a fan of modern art, but this was DH's main drive for coming to Hobart.

We took the first ferry of the morning at 9:30 am, arriving at MONA at 10:00 am.

The MONA gallery has only been open since 2011, and is privately owned. The gallery is actually underground and the architecture seems to have been designed to match the art inside.

We had lunch in the cafe, but the Wine Bar or the Source might have been better locations (the food was ok, but over priced, my perri perri chicken salad, was small and not at all spicy like I would have expected, yet still tasty).

Like I said I'm not a fan of art but it was easy to spend the day there.

We finished by catching the bus directly to the airport at 3:30 pm, they definitely have it all set up well.