London is truly one of the best cities in the world, and for that reason plenty of people want to visit. As a visitor it’s easy to fall into the trap of paying to go to the top of buildings to see this lovely cityscape. There are free options though!
It can be expensive – but we’re here to share money-saving travel tips.
St Paul’s Cathedral is a top pick for visitors and opposite is a shopping centre called One New Change where you can get some of the best free London views!
“Let’s go see this waterfall, the guidebook says it is only 15km off the main road!” Little did I know these words were going to come back to haunt me throughout the rest of our expedition as it was not one of my better suggestions.
Turns out what the guidebook failed to mention that it was 15km up a very narrow mountain track, winding up the steep mountain side with a sheer drop on one side and solid rock face on the other.
The single lane track had 15 hairpin turns at which you prayed that you would not meet on-coming traffic.
Twice we did which resulted in a very nervous shuffle as by some miracle the oncoming vehicle passed without going over the edge. Our trusty Land Rover was put through her paces as she slowly clambered up the washed away track.
Needless to say that by the time we got to the top our adrenaline was pumping, our knuckles white and we were feeling a bit shaky, so much so that we actually missed the sign for the waterfalls and went on until we reached the small town of Livingstonia.
We did eventually find it and it was stunning! And we made it safely down the track again.
This was one of the more adventurous experiences Andrea and I had during our Africa Conservation Adventure expedition across southern Africa, driving through Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
The purpose of the expedition was to raise awareness about conservation issues that these countries are facing, in particular highlighting the poaching of elephants due to the illegal wildlife trade.
We visited many national parks and protected areas in the different countries to see the rewards of the conservation projects in action.
Both being keen photographers we came back from our 40 days and 8700km road trip with thousands of photographs documenting our adventures, which raised the question what to do with them all.
We decided to put together a photobook and release it on Amazon and give the profits of the book sales back in to conservation projects that we met along the way.
Our expedition was a success but we felt that our project Africa Conservation Adventure was not done yet, as we had already started planning our next expedition before the last one was completed.
So in late March we will be packing our Land Rover again and heading North to explore more of east Africa.
We will see the famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, visit the majestic Nyungwe rainforest in search of Chimpanzees in Southern Rwanda, trek for Gorillas in Northern Rwanda, Congo and in Uganda.
Experience the wilderness areas of Uganda and Southern Kenya before making our way home through Eastern Tanzania.
We want this expedition to have even more of an impact and we are once again teaming up with small conservation projects.
We are launching a crowdfunding campaign at the end of January 2017 as a means to make this next expedition a success.
Situated only 90 minutes from Melbourne discover unlimited coastlines and seaside villages, lavishing wildlife and an array of family attractions on Phillip Island.
The breathtaking natural beauty is perfect for everyone looking for the perfect holiday vacation.
The most popular attraction here is the penguin parade. Other attractions include koala and bird sanctuaries, remarkable rock formations, historic homesteads and fine pottery shops. Sports activities here include surfing, sailing, fishing, tennis, golf and bowling.
The penguin parade at Phillip Island is an amazing natural spectacle. Every day at Summerland Beach, hundreds of little penguins waddle from the waters of Bass Strait to their burrows in the sand.
They have been doing this for many years for all seasons. On shore, the penguins spend their time preening themselves. Visitors watch them from raised boardwalks from the many penguin tours to Philip Island. Read more about a day in the life of penguins and tourists on Philip Island here, where Peter Dann comments:
“I can see quite clearly that tourism has been crucial in the protection of this colony and the visitors are playing an important role in the conservation of Phillip Island.”
Seal Rocks is located at the western end of the Phillip Island.
At Sea Rocks, you can find Australia’s largest colony of fur seals. There are about 6,000 seals indulging in activities such as playing in the surf, resting in the sun or feeding their pups on the rocks.
The peak of the breeding season is around early December; hence, it is best to watch these fur seals during this time. Visitors can watch these fur seals through telescopes in the kiosk on the top of the cliff at Point Grant.
Alternatively, they can join an organised trip to view these fur seals. There is also a large koala colony on Phillip Island.
Phillip Island has a few fantastic beaches. Cape Woolamai, with its wild surf and red cliffs, offers fine walking trails, great surfing and good bird watching.
There are some sheltered beaches on the north side. You can view Australia’s native fauna at the Koala Conservation Centre. The main town, Cowes, is located on the north coast.
In this place, you can find sheltered beaches, pubs, cafes, resorts and hotels. It is a peaceful town where you can enjoy swimming, eating and relaxing.
There is fine seafood served by restaurants. Cowes served as a tourist centre on the island.
During summer, when the number of visitors is at its peak, you can find the place extremely packed with holidaymakers and tourists.
Phillip Island is an interesting place to visit. Particularly, you can have a unique opportunity to view the amazing penguin parade.
Besides this, you can enjoy viewing fur seals, koalas, birds and Australia’s native fauna.
There are plenty of exciting activities for you to do here.
Apart from sightseeing, you can enjoy many kinds of sports activities. Explore the hidden treasures of nature that will forever be an exclusive experience you’ll ever find!
We’ve always loved our coffee and cake outings. Australia has a booming coffee culture industry with boutique and specialised cafes in all cities, and nice brands on offer.
London of course offers plenty on that front, and we enjoy seeking new experiences.
Exploring our north/east neighbourhood – Angel Islington London – between Angel tube and Highbury and Islington station you can find all sorts of delightful restaurants, cafes and bakeries.
Most have free wifi if you want to hang out and do some work like we do.
Already pining for your next holiday? Why not head out over to Mexico and check out some of the amazing places you can visit in the central American nation.
Four of the best places to visit in Mexico
Merida
If you’re looking for a historic ambience when it comes to your holiday locales, why not check out Merida?
This spot is also known as ‘real Mexico’ and provides people with a blend of old and new.
A beach is located near the city, which serves as an excellent destination for people wanting to get a break from the slightly more chaotic scenes of the central town.
History buffs will love the 17th Century cathedral which can be found in the middle of the region – constructed from Mayan brick.
Zipolite
Cancun is the premium name when it comes to exotic beach locations in Mexico, but a nearby neighbour which is often overlooked comes in the form of the town of Zipolite.
If you’re really ambitious you can even take a stroll through a couple of sandy spots which are really ‘out there’ (as in, they don’t require you to necessarily wear clothes).
Chichén Itzá
This Mayan temple is one of the wonders of the ancient world; standing as one of the few largely intact remnants of a long-forgotten culture.
The name literally translates to ‘at the mouth of the wall of Itza’, and serves up a fantastic blend of different styles through separate Mayan time periods.
Coba is similar to Chichén Itzá in the sense it plays host to a series of fantastic Mayan architecture, but also offers a more modern approach for people who aren’t solely concerned with history.
Snorkelling and zip-lining is also available in the area, as well as guided tours of caves which have gone long untouched by humans.
Again, like any good set of historic landmarks, tours are widely available for anyone looking to visit.
Be sure to add one of these amazing locations to your itinerary for your Mexico travel planning! You certainly won’t be disappointed.
Image credits (via Flickr creative commons):
Coba – Jason Ramos
Chichén Itzá – Paul Simpson
Zipolite – Carlos Adampol Galindo
Merida and feature image by Jorge Andrés Paparoni Bruzual
Welcome! We are Sarah + Cooper, Aussie expats living in the UK with our Westie dog, London. We like to inspire on how to travel for longer and to live and work from anywhere. Our most popular content here is about seeing the world with your pet, remote working & digital nomadism, and house + pet sitting. Create a global life of your dreams at any age! Subscribe to find out more :)
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