5 places worth a visit on your travels

To me, everywhere is worth visiting once. I have found enjoyment in every place I've been and just because there are places that I won't rush back to doesn't mean that I regret visiting there in the first place. Then there are these places, which are truly special. They might be a little trickier to get to, or you may not have them on your list for a variety of reasons (distance from other places, budget, transport options etc) but I highly recommend (read: suggest you visit or you are missing out!). I either have gone back already, will go back or a little part of my soul will pine for them.

1. Achill Island, Co. Mayo, Ireland. I have raved in previous blog entries about Achill, my favourite place in the whole world. Why should you put Achill on your list? Its scenery will take your breath away, from the craggy  rock formations, many pristine beaches perfect for surfing, kite-surfing or just a swim, magnificent cliffs rising into modest mountains that are well worth a hike, delicious seafood and Irish music sessions in many pubs waiting to serve creamy pints of Guinness. I can't extol the virtues of this island enough. From the Atlantic Drive to Keem Bay, barbecues under the shadow of Slievemore at sunset, a good walk to knock out the cobwebs on Keel beach and settling in at the Valley House for a pint and great tunes - it's hard to beat and I'm sure you'll agree.

Slievemore at sunset

The writers Graham Greene and Heinrich Boll spent time living on the island and many an artist has taken up residence there.

How to get there: Train from Dublin to Castlebar, then 1 hour bumpy bus journey to Achill Sound, or hitch - plenty of friendly locals and travellers pick up on the road from Castlebar to Achill.





2. Trakai, Lithuania. Never heard of it? Probably not but it's fantastic. Only a stone's throw from the capital of Vilnius, which is also worth a visit, Trakai is definitely budget-friendly and worth a visit for it's Gothic castle (with unique architecture for Eastern Europe), the bridge, the maze (yes, a maze you can get lost or found in!), a range of outdoor activities - including sailing and rowing and the fact that it's a national park. It's been quite a few years since I visited (hint: I was a teenager at the time) but it still pops up in my dreams. Grab some local food for a picnic beside the lake. If you wish to do more than a day trip you can get apartments for less than EUR40 a night.

Image from TraveloLithuania.com

How to get there: From Vilnius, there are regular buses every 20 mins or so. There are also trains for the short journey.





3. Koh Chang, Trat Province, Thailand.

Koh Chang is definitely growing in popularity but it's still much cheaper than most of the Thai islands, such as Koh Samui or Phuket. Don't expect the karst formations that you'll find on the Andaman islands, but there are plenty of picture perfect beaches here with far less crowds than the famous spots on other islands. It's pretty hilly and is great to explore (be careful of the wildlife in the jungle) and you can also hop onto other, even less visited islands from there. If you really want the 'backpacker' feel you can stay at Lonely Beach, where the nightlife is anything but lonely. Massages start at around EUR5, accommodation can be as cheap as EUR8 per person sharing (even in a double room) and a wide range of cuisine can be found on the island. I recommend Kai Bae beach, for location and the beach.

Me, a swing, Kai Bae beach.

How to get there: We got burned on our trip because the internet doesn't always tell the truth! Well, information changes, I guess. If you are coming from Bangkok, it is recommended to get to the Ekkamai bus station EARLY (and/or book in advance) and get a bus that leaves before noon. It takes about 4 and a half hours to Trat. Some buses go directly to the pier where boats leave from, others just to Trat and you have to share songtheaws (they resemble pick-up trucks with benches in the back) to the port. The last boat to the island leaves at 7pm. The boat takes about 30 minutes to cross and then you will have to pay about 150bht to get to whichever resort you're staying in.

There are also buses from near Victory Monument in Bangkok to Trat and Koh Chang, they leave hourly but once again, be aware that due to demand there may only be 2 or 3 buses running rather than hourly.

http://iamkohchang.com is a good website if you're planning to travel there.

4. Tarife, Southern Spain. Forget Gibraltor (seriously, it's not a nice place) and go a bit further down the road to the charming town of Tarife, which is also the southernmost tip of Spain. Although it barely gets a mention in guidebooks and isn't the prettiest of port towns, it is a haven for kite surfers and also offers pristine white beaches both on the Mediterranean and Atlantic Oceans (the two meet here) and there are wonderful views across to Morocco. There's the Moorish Castillo de Guzman el bueno fort to visit and the Church of San Mateo plus plenty of lovely tapas places to eat for under EUR10. It is definitely worth a weekend trip if you're interested in geography or history.

Med on the left, Atlantic on the right

How to get there: The nearest airport is Gibraltor, but Malaga is only an 1 1/2 hours away so you can see more of the Costa del Sol before taking in Tarife or plan your trip from there.  The easiest thing is to hire a car (pretty inexpensive - from EUR45 per week) but you can get a bus from Malaga. There are also regular buses from Gibraltor and Algeciras.












5. Kaikoura, South island, New Zealand. Last, but by no means least. There are so many places to get to in New Zealand but I've noticed that this one is sometimes missed. I have no idea why. Kaikoura is known primarily for year round whale watching, and it's absolutely worth it. Although I missed the money shot (the tail raised out of the water) I did so because watching it took my breath away. There are also large seal colonies in the area, fantastic to watch, even from a bus and dusky dolphins out at sea. Even though I visited in peak season, the small town wasn't very busy, which is nice for a break when travelling. You can see a longer post I wrote on a local bar/eatery here.

Sunset on the beach

How to get there: There are regular buses from Picton, which take around 2 and a half hours, whilst buses from Christchurch take only slightly longer and fares are very reasonable (you can get buses from NZD$1 in Christchurch, whilst it's around NZD$15 from Picton).

Kaikoura is not a cheap destination, although if you're already in New Zealand you're probably aware. Still, if you're on a backpacking budget it's probably a good idea to set a little extra aside for the even the basics here.

The walkway at 7am, beautiful mountains in the distance.

Realistically, I could put so many places on this list but these were the ones that I see mentioned least online, that were special to me at the time and still remain in my mind. Where are your places? I'd love to hear so I can add them to my list.

Day trip to Rotto (Rottnest Island)

Whilst in WA, I noticed how the Aussies like to shorten everything and often add 'o' to place names rather than say the last four of five letters, which has much in common with Dublin slang (Dubs like to use it particularly for men's names - Damo, Robbo etc). However, when people were referring to Rotto, I didn't realise they were talking about Rottnest for awhile, even though it was top of my list of things to do whilst in Perth.

So, one beautiful summers' day in January I took the Rottnest express from Freo (Fremantle) Shed B across to the island. It's a roughly 40 minute trip and if you're prone to sea-sickness bring a bag!  It's a choppy enough ride across but I managed to keep it together. I paid approx $40 return and I'd advise getting the boat about 8.30 to make a good day of it.

Rottnest has a somewhat chequered history, despite it's unfettered beauty - its' bays and rocky outcrops are final resting places for many a shipwreck and her sailors. It also housed  German and Austrian prisoners during the WW1 but exclusively Italian enemies during the Second World War and conditions were said to be tough on the island, being as it is so exposed to the elements. It was a look-out point in the Indian Ocean for the Allies. Since, it has become a favoured holiday destination for Aussies and other tourists alike, which is unsurprising given that it has over 60 beaches and 20 secluded bays in it's small 11km landmass. It is a haven for watersports lovers with different beaches being suitable for snorkelling, surfing or watching whales, dolphins, fur seals and the varied bird life of the island.

One of the reefs off the coast of Rottnest, near Porpoise Bay

It is also home to an elusive marsupial, the Quokka, an animal usually about 11/12 inches tall. The island gets its' name from this animal, as when Dutch sailors landed there, they thought these animals were large rats (their tails are similar) and called it Rott Nest - rat's nest. This is what I went in search of.  Not natural predators, they have died out in many places and are virtually non-existent outside Western Australia. It is actually a crime to remove these creatures from Rottnest but I just wanted to have a look.

When I got there I chose to rent a bike ($21) and also purchased an all day Island Explorer (bus) ticket as it was almost 40C and I wasn't sure how long I'd ride under the hot sun. No cars are allowed on the island and although it was the height of summer and busy with tourists, once I left the main settlement area of Thompson Bay there were times when I was alone on the road with just the ocean to my left and various scrub and patches of woodland to my right. A faint breeze whistled in my ears and it felt like I was hundreds of miles from any city, not less than 20km off the coast of Perth.

I stopped at most of the beaches and secluded coastal spots on the South side of the island, and the only one that seemed to be packed was Salmon Bay - I arrived just as the bus did, expelling at least 25 beach-goers of all ages with hats, deck chairs, beachballs and picnics. It's obviously a safe and popular swim spot. I moved on and found some quieter spots to take in the view and snapped a few shots - every photo of this place is picturesque, no matter how basic your camera.

After about 80 minutes I decided to lock the bike up at a bus-stop (you can leave the bikes at bus-stops and hop on the bus, which is very handy) and I boarded the bus to see the rest of the island. The Island Explorer runs on a very regular timetable (every half hour if I remember correctly) and if you're there for only a day you can easily spend some time at 4 or 5 different spots across the island.

After passing some salt lakes but without spying any of the deadly snakes, dugites - part of the brown snake family, and sometimes known to be on the roads of the island, I got back to Thompson Bay and decided to walk to Bathurst Lighthouse nearby. On my way, I was lucky enough to meet some quokka's. 

The first one cocked his head quizzically as I approached and then continued eating whatever he had in his paws (?). I moved a little closer but I didn't want to scare him as I had heard they are very shy. He didn't move so I took a few photos but they didn't come out very well as the light was shaded by the trees and hedging.

I moved further down the road and one seemed to move out of the trees towards me, I had heard that they forage for food and sometimes try to scavenge off strangers, although you're not supposed to give them food. I stayed still and then he stopped, also looking at me. They have kind little faces, almost like a squirrel. When I tried to take a photo he ran off, the evidence is below.

Delighted at having met the inhabitants, I continued on the Bathurst and also took a swim at the Basin, another popular spot for bathers. I found the undercurrent quite strong here and I think you'd need to be a strong swimmer to brave the currents here. I found myself a good few metres from where I started, but the water was so refreshing and there was plenty of sea-life around.

Afterwards I headed back to the settlement and had some lunch at the Rottnest Bakery (really tasty but very expensive, fries alone were $7, if you can, bring supplies). There is a well-stocked local store, obviously for the holiday makers who stay in the cabins and on the camp-site, it also offers souvenirs but again, it is fairly over-priced. This is probably unsurprising, given that it has a captive market. There are a couple of restaurants and even a Subway, even you can't be away from commercialised consumer fare for too long.

I also had some time to explore the local museum, which gives more information on the flora, fauna and wildlife of the island along with some personal histories of various residents. Not many people actually live on the island anymore, preferring to commute for work from the mainland. 

My last stop before heading back to get the last boat (it leaves at 16.15, a bit early for my liking - I would love to have seen dusk here) was the church. A tiny little room, with a few wooden pews for worship, it probably holds less than 50 people, but how many more would it need to? There were some lovely plaques inside, commemorating past residents and loved ones.

Sweet memories.

I left the lovely island after my day there and vowed to come back - although it's a killer to get to from most places! It's a really unique and tranquil place and definitely worth spending a few days on.

(If you want to stay on the island, apart from the cabins and camping - there is the Rottnest Hotel and also the hostel - in the old prison lodgings!)

All photos are my own and cannot be used again without my permission.

Korcula - I thought I knew ya....

Finally I made breakfast! Sleepy headed Sarah was baffled when I clambered out of my bed at 8.30am and asked where I was headed but she decided to join me and Lucie at the breakfast table. It was a very continental breakfast - meats, cheese, yoghurts and bread. Not quite enough fruit for my liking but at least we got something into us. On Day 4/5 of the holiday, it felt like an achievement. The weather wasn't looking too great yet so we grabbed another hours nap before our daily jump into the sea to blow the mind and refresh the senses. I tried to jump onto a lilo and completely missed. Doug saw the whole thing and cracked up but luckily didn't catch me with his camera.

Then it was time for some editing on deck (Yes, I brought my first draft!) in the sunshine until we docked in Korcula. Even at first glance it was beautiful and resembled Dubrovnik. We all took off exploring the old town and churches, Lisa and I lighting candles and admiring the art within. Korcula was the home of Marco Polo but also seemed like a setting for Romeo and Juliet. I took more photo's here than anywhere else.

There was a cocktail bar recommended where you could get your cocktails by pulley which we really fancied, but it wasn't open so we stopped at the Fly-In near our port for drinks in the afternoon sunshine. After a few drinks and ice-creams Lisa, Pearse and myself took off to book a place for dinner which we all agreed on (Croatian tapas - sounds good to me!) and a look into some of the shops.  Tipsy shopping can go well or not - I ended up with new flip-flops, new sunnies and a hat! After another afternoon tipple some of us headed back to the boat but the boys continued enjoying their pints in the sunshine.

After the pre-requisite drinks on deck we strolled down one of the pretty alleyways to our restaurant for dinner. It was quite near the photo taken above and they set up our table out on the terrace (as they couldn't fit us inside!). Gary and I decided on a sharing platter to get in as much of the good stuff that we liked (Olives, cheese, meats, bread, anchovies...yum) after an eggplant starter. The wine was good, conversation was flowing and a guitarists melodies drifted over from a bar nearby. We didn't want to leave, however we had a street party to get to and some people were on a mission to score that night so we finally did, after sitting over dinner a few hours. Of course we started the street party with a Jaeger train and Lisa carrying men off down the street as well as a bit of pole dancing (I missed the pole until later when there was some greasy man on it!!). I got involved in shots with some others from our boat - Ashley, Josh etc and Lucie and Halvor joined in. We thought we had a few casualties and early sleepers but it turned out Gareth had broken his flip-flops and they had gotten delayed at another bar!

Pearce had stolen my hat and was being chatted up by men nearby. Katie dragged me over to give Elliot a talking to for misbehaving the previous night. It was all getting very messy by the time we reached the club. Jagers were going down like water, people were being pinned up against bars in suggestive dance moves, all of us were jumping on the couches dancing and singing our heads off. In restrospect it sounds messy. It was, but it was a lot of fun!

After getting involved in one too many love triangles and trying to play Mommy too much I decided to redeem the night and sought out Dave for a few drinks. Dave is always a solid man to have a good time with. He never moans, he'll listen to you have a moan but then he'll get you in the mood for a bit of craic anyway. Thus we ended up wandering the streets of Korcula looking for sustenance around 4.30am. He was missing his lovely wife Linda (who couldn't come with us on the cruise) and drunken texts seemed like a great idea at that moment. As it started to get bright I got tired and headed back to the boat. There was much running around as usual so I took to one of the decks with Katie and Andre to make innings into a bottle of vodka. This wasn't my brightest idea as the sun was coming up and eventually I ended up tearful and maudlin, sitting with Cahal, both of us wishing things were different.

It was a sad way to end Korcula, as it really is a spectacular place but I was sure after a few hours sleep the boat would look very different.

I woke to the sound of rally cars on Saturday morning, the day of the wedding. All the participants were staying in our hotel. I opened the curtains and once again the sun streamed in. I turned to Gareth and said "It's a beautiful day for Aeda's wedding," to which I received the mumbled reply "The Child of Prague must have worked,". Unbelievable. Less than 24 hours in the country and he already had the superstitions. Another successful integration! This is how the Irish take over the world; with our sayings, beliefs, music and drink! For those of you who aren't familiar with the Child of Prague, it's a strong tradition in Ireland that this little statue, if left out in the garden the night before, will bring good weather for the wedding day. My aunt Mary, Aeda's mum, had actually called my Mum on the way to Cork to check if we'd put it out. It's another theory that it won't bring you luck until the head is off it, and ours is decapitated (by accident I might add). I took off into Midleton to get my hair done at Oxygen Hair Design. A lovely girl called Louise gave me a blow-dry. Louise was very friendly but I'm not sure she knew where Dubai is; she certainly wasn't interested in visiting there once I told her it was in the desert. I can see how living in a town like Midleton would seem preferable to dwelling in the sandpit and I envy people who are completely happy with their lot, unlike us - constantly chasing the dream. Back at the hotel, Gareth eventually got out of bed and we prepared ourselves for the day ahead. The bus was late, and there were a few rain showers but as we climbed the steps in the grounds of U.C.C, the sun was splitting the stones again. The bridesmaid were resplendent in fuchsia and I felt a little tingle of excitement. I actually realized that Aeda was getting married! It had felt pretty surreal until now. Most of the reason for this is because there's 13 days between us and I still think we're 16! Lawrence looked dapper in his wedding suit and not in the least nervous, and much as it sounds like a cliche there were a few gasps as Aeda entered the church. She's a gorgeous girl anyway but as is only right, she was absolutely breath-taking and grinning like a cheshire cat as she walked up the aisle. Fr Michael Enright, Aeda's Dad's cousin, was the priest for the wedding. In his opening he said "In the word's of Henry 8th to his wives' - I won't keep you long,". That pretty much set the precedent for the ceremony. He sped through all the prayers and kept us entertained at all other times. Aoife Collins provided some beautiful musical accompaniment with her singing and on the flute. Then it was a mad dash in torrential rain to the bus to take us to Castlemartyr resort where the reception was being held. There was a champagne and canapé reception in the drawing room whilst the photo's took place and I got a chance to speak to some Tralee people I hadn't seen in a few years. I lived in Tralee for 7 years prior to moving to Dubai and I absolutely loved it; it used to be one of my favorite places and I'm still very fond of a lot of people there. Castlemartyr - as an aside, is gorgeous. I wished I had time to walk through the grounds, I believe Gareth took a bit of a jaunt around later that night! The room where we had dinner was flooded with natural light, with floor to ceiling windows. For a change at a family wedding - I wasn't sat with family. I love my mum's family dearly - but it was a welcome change! We were on a really fun table - a combination of Aeda and Law's friends in Oman, and my cousin Alex. We even had a child of prague at our table - rumors that it was been plyed with jager later are unconfirmed. I wish I'd recorded the speeches! Denis hit all the right notes of humor and poignancy after giving away his youngest daughter. Then came Lawrence, and I've literally never heard a groom's speech like it. He should have his own show! We almost felt sorry for Dangerous Dave, the best man, to have to follow him! He did himself proud though. Usually at Irish weddings we play games betting on the length of the speeches or how many times people say thank you but we were mesmerized throughout. I welled up a few times but managed to keep most of my eye make-up intact! After a sumptuous feast for dinner (honestly we couldn't get through all of it, but it was fab) and a few more drinks - including Gareth getting on the jager-bombs, it was time for dancing. Gareth eagerly took part in the "Siege of Ennis" (This is a lively Irish ceili dance, often performed at weddings) despite having no idea how to do it. Anything that involves thrashing his legs and arms about at high speed is always appealing to Gareth when he's had a few. The band had all of us on our feet for most of the night and even convinced us to get quite mushy and romantic during the slow-sets. After the band it was trusty DJ Manus to bring us through to the early hours. Manus has DJ'd at many of our friends and family weddings and the obligatory Riverdance was performed a short while later. This is not Riverdance as most of you know it - but a much more raucous version where the guys basically try to jump as high as they can and take each other out. It is hilarious both to watch and take part in but not for the faint hearted! At some point in the merriment Mum suggested we should take a taxi home, this is an absolute first - normally I'm putting Mum in a taxi but I knew Gareth must me lying on the ground somewhere talking to trees or traffic if she was bringing it up! So, we left a great wedding...I heard tales of people bribing residents bar staff, flings in the holiday Village and singing til the small hours....I'm impressed Gareth stayed as long as he did! It was a fantastic day, and I'm sure Aeda and Lawrence are delighted with how it turned out.