Nice – The Gateway to France’s Finest.

Pebble Beach.

The French Riviera is pretty much the only place on the planet that can claim to have more labels than China. Names such as; Chanel, Cartier, Gucci and Louis Vuitton command over the beautiful area blessed with sun, style and elegance.

Being the so called ‘Capital of the Riviera,’ Nice has a lot to offer and pools together a vast variety of cultures to offer a mix more compelling than the pebbles and blue waters, not to discount the gorgeous beaches of course.. It’s streets are filled with all types – Chinese, African, Indiand and of course, Australian. It’s one of the few places in Europe where you can get a great Asian dish, a curry, pizza or pasta, along with local specialties.

Most of the attention however is handed to the beaches and the shopping centres. Nice is a shopping Mecca – you won’t have much trouble finding your favourite brand or shop here, as long as it’s classy enough… Few locals will be without a notable label and it can at times reach the point of sickening, when 10 year olds are dressed head to toe in Chanel, you seriously have to scratch your head. The wealth here is simply mesmerizing, from the cars to the yachts and cruisers, you seriously begin to wonder what these people do!

Nice’s Old town is a refreshing area that has maintained its traditional beauty. Here you’ll find some stunning restaurants and shops which stand outside the fantastically vibrant antiques market that runs down the centre of town. If you’re looking for a really interesting piece of France to take home with you, this is a very good place to look and also a lovely place to visit..

Vieux Nice - Old Town

Along with the mesmerizing wealth, comes the prices… everything is extremely expensive here! Even the tightest of backpackers’ will struggle to keep the budget down. The 6 Euro pints are not friendly at all, nor are the 15 Euro sun beds on the beach that some maniacs manage to pay for.

You just really have to be prepared to spend the extra cash if you want to stay here. When you’re lying on the beach staring at French Godesses all day, the extra quid seems quite well worth it. If I were a single man, the Riviera is certainly one place where I could fall in love every single day.

However, Nice and it’s opulence is only small scale compared to the likes of Monaco. The richest country in the World (per capita) lies just a 20 minute train ride away and really does not disappoint. This is the epitomy of fantasy! It’s a real insight into the lives of the richest on Earth. The colossal boats, the palaces, the Ferrari’s, the Bentley’s, the 5 star Hotels…It’s just a jaw dropping experience observing all the wealth that exists here.

Monaco & its Boats.

One of Monaco’s great attractions is of course the F1 Grand Prix and for a good 85 Euro’s, you too can roar around the circuit in the drivers seat of a Ferrari! The flashy comes to a peak in Monte-Carlo, home to the beautiful Casino and many tycoons the world around. It’s also home to a beautiful beach if you get the chance to go swimming. It’s always fun spotting the rich tycoons and their glamorous play girls, I know, I know – jealousy is a curse…

It really is a grand spectacle of the rich, an incredibly beautiful scene none the less and a place where everyone can find something that amazes them. The Palace is beautiful, along with the quaint Cathedral that is perhaps most famously known as the place where Princess Grace Kelly was married. I didn’t pay much attention the Aquarium and was tragically told just days later that it houses some of the most incredible underwater exhibitions on the planet!

The train ride to Monaco passes through some gorgeous towns – of which, Villefranche Sur-Mer should be visited. It’s a beautiful little town that holds a lot more essentially French elements than many other Riviera spots. In the other direction, down the coast, lies Cannes. The town is very Monaco-esque in the way that it flaunts its obscene wealth, yet it doesn’t really have too much to offer outside of the film festival. Other nearby towns such as Juan Le Pins and Antibes offer more natural beauty and intimacy.

Monte-Carlo.

Nightlife in Nice is interesting, not many bars come to life till late, yet many close at 2 A.M. The town can often become ghost like at this time when most of the party moves to the beach. Drinks at bars are pretty insanely expensive so drinking a 1 Euro pint of Kronenbourg on the beach sounds like the smarter option. Don’t worry, the party will arrive…

Bring your cash here and perhaps even your credit cards – they both might hate you after your visit to the Cote D’Azur, but I bet you have fun none the less.

Au  Revoir!

Dubrovnik – The Walled City.

Marble Lanes.

We cruised into the buzzing town of Dubrovnik, again having no accommodation. We did however rest a little easier this time as we’d been strongly recommended by friends to stay with a man named “Edi.” Yes, the recommendation may have come from the same friend who gave us such great advice on our ventures in Hvar, but this was a good way to restore his faith – and that he did (Haha). Edi owned a block of apartments right next to the Old Town gates and right on the water – with the Hilton sitting across the road, well away from the water, we thought we were in a pretty laughable situation.

Edi was a big bubbly man, down to help you in any situation. Greeting us at the bus-stop & walking us to our apartment, we soon figured out this guy was hilarious – a true Fonz of Dubrovnik. Grinning away and offering any kind sentiments to females walking past, he gestured, “Ladies, my name is Edi, you don’t forget it!” We knew we were going to have fun staying here.

The first night we were given a pretty average room but Edi truly pulled through on our second night by giving us a beautiful sea view room which looked out directly to the outskirts of the city walls. Dubrovnik is stunning! An incredibly charming collection of marble roads, stairs, shops and restaurants lie inside the commanding stone walls. It’s the first walled city I’ve ever seen and when inspecting the exterior, you simply can’t even imagine that this glamorous yet traditional setting lies inside.

Room With A View.

It truly is one of the most picturesque cities I have ever seen. When Kerry Packer visited Dubrovnik some years ago, he arrived on an elaborate cruiser with Hollywood legend Tom Cruise, the local press obviously paid him little attention not quite knowing who he was yet one Journalist asked him what he thought of the town to which he replied, “I now know where God put heaven on Earth.” It really is a captivating place.

Market City.

I initially thought the grey of the marble and stone would become stale but it’s the complete opposite, each and every square has so much character. You can’t really go wrong with restaurants here, I tasted some of the best seafood and pizza here that I have ever had in my entire life. Again, try and stay off the main strip, you’ll find beautiful, family run restaurants in the alley ways that will seriously have your taste buds thanking you…

One of the best experiences in Dubrovnik is to drink at what the locals call the “Doje Bars” which translates to a “Hole in the wall bar.” You literally walk through a tiny hole in the city walls before you are sitting at the base of it all, sipping on a fresh cold Lasko while looking over the Mediterranean. Edi simply described the place as “like something out of a dream…” he was not wrong.

Dubrovnik holds the bulk of the opulent tag that Hvar only flashed. Names such as Hilton live here but honestly, It’s become pretty clear to me here that you’re best to steer clear of pretentiousness – do as the locals do. Things are not cheap here, depsite what you might have heard. You will probably spend a bundle in Croatia – just enjoy it while you do it!

Hvala!

Hvar – An Ancient Delight..

Hvar Town.

Of all the surprises Europe delivered, Hvar was perhaps the finest. It was nothing like expected and yet everything you could ever dream of. I’d never thought of Croatia as a flamboyant type place, a naturally beautiful group of islands, yes – but a playground for the world’s rich and famous, no…but you can understand why. Hvar is magical, one of over 1000 Croatian islands, it’s certainly one to be seen – incredible yachts and cruisers line the marina, parked along side some of Europe’s most vibrant restaurants and bars.

It really is a lavish, luxurious place and that was the big surprise, the natural beauty was not so much a surprise but none the less incredible! The deep blue waters of the Mediterranean are spectacular, crystal clear waters that are opened up by the brilliant sun right before your very eyes. The only best way to explore its waters are by boat, we hired a 6 man boat for around $70 AUD per day which we found to be great value. It’s surroundings really offer no boundaries, with a full days sun and a boat full of petrol or wind in the sails, getting lost is probably your best option!

Beautiful Waters.

However if you’re sticking to the road often travelled, one of the best stops near by was the Carpe Diem beach club, on the island opposite Hvar town. Not only is the island itself beautiful but the club is great with beach chairs lining the coast alongside a fabulous restaurant. Try eating your meal from bed sized lounges overlooking the ocean, you’ll be back again I bet. If you want to relax, this is definitely somewhere where you’ll find it very easy..

The island is a very old, ancient delight, some 5000 years old. Looking up into the rocky mountains it’s easy to tell that you’re in a very mysterious ancient place. The history really is amazing with Hvar changing hands over numerous millenniums from the Greeks, the Illyrians, the Slavs, the Venetians and the Hungarians. When owned by the Greeks the island was known as ‘Pharos Lighthouse,’  being a shining light in the Adriatic, you can understand why…

Hvar is a culinary dream, we visited a new restaurant each and every night and never left anywhere disappointed. We found the best restaurants in the back streets of town, which are often home cooking style places – don’t be surprised if you’re literally eating out of a family’s kitchen..

When the hot sun fades away, Hvar town really comes to life – the place is buzzing! The crowd is often young and always beautiful as they manage to squeeze into all kinds of trendy clubs such as Carpe Diem. It’s one of the main hubs and its often hard to move in there the place is so packed.

Perhaps the most unique and fun of all the bars is the ‘Kiva Bar’ situated in a little lane of town – you can even take your drinks from the bar across the lane to the kebab shop, amazing or?? These bars tend to die down around 3 AM when most of the crowd moves up the hill to the ‘Veneranda’ nightclub – the party lasts long and hard in Hvar.

Bar in the Streets - Amazing Nightlife

You probably wound’t believe me if I told you the beer was good too… but it is, try the ‘Lasko’ – you’ll probably thank me later. Being an island the whole relaxed vibe is definitely embraced – we left Hvar well chilled and ready to take on the many other sights and beauties of Croatia.

Croatia: Hvar – Finding a Room to Suit Paradise…

Stunning Hvar - Carpe Diem

All I’d heard on the travel front for the past year was; “Croatia,” so when the opportunity arose, I felt I definitely had to check out the ‘New Greek Islands’ – or so it had been tagged. An overnight ferry later, my girlfriend and I were on Croatian shores in Split – our time in the city was short however, before boarding another cruise to the beautiful, hip and lavish Island of ‘Hvar.’

We were told not to book any accommodation and that when alighting the ferry, we would be approached by numerous people offering apartments to rent. We arrived around 9 in the morning and there wasn’t much on offer. We had 3 choices; The creepy looking old man with a cheap dorm beds on the hill, the nice lady with an expensive house a bit far out, or the nice young girl with a pricey room right in town. Nothing really managed to take my fancy… We decided to walk around for a while with our luggage, yet the heat got the best of us and we thought it wise to just take any room for the night with one of our 3 mates at the bus stop. We took the nice young girl’s offer…

We carried our luggage up to the room having no idea what to expect…We walked through the beads hanging from the front door and were suddenly in the middle of a family’s kitchen. A loud and seemingly crazy old lady just kept talking at us in Croatian, kicking a shirtless old man off the couch to make room for us. He stood up very slowly and awkwardly and put forth his hand for us to shake. His hand only had 4 fingers, which was a little creepy, but he seemed nice enough. He then introduced himself…. “Hello, my name is Gorat,” I thought – this can’t get any better haha…

Gorat and his wife then proceeded to bash down the door next to the kitchen… A very dusty looking guest came to the door with a very stunned look – This family were kicking him and his girlfriend out of their room so that we could then stay there. My girlfriend and I looked at each other and thought, “What the hell is going on??” but we thought, ‘it’ll be ok, it’s only for the night, then we can get out of here..’

The guests who were kicked out came out to the kitchen and chatted to us, the girl said, “These people are crazy – you are in for an experience, you’ll see…” We again thought – it’s just for the night, it’s ok, we paid and then left.

I looked at my partner and thought, this doesn’t feel right at all ‘haha,’ in such a beautiful place, we felt a little unsafe and extremely uncomfortable. I had never felt culture shock like this before – the walk to the beach was done in silence…

I started looking for other accommodations for the next few nights, leaving my girlfriend at the beach. I found numerous safe, well priced rooms right near the buzz and the beach. I soon felt like a major idiot for shacking up with Gorat.. I knocked on one really nice block of apartments and asked if they had availability, she said, “yes,” so I asked to see the room. It was great, I then asked the price and again thought ‘great’ – I had an idea….

This new apartment was not only better but cheaper too! I was going to get us out of Gorat’s pad and check us into the new room! How would I do it? What do you say?… How would I ask for my money back off a bloke like Gorat!?? I had to really think about this one…

I ran straight to their house, walked in the door, trying to look as tired and rushed as possible saying, “I am SO sorry guys! But we have to go! Our friends…they just called, they’re on another island and we must go meet them now! My girlfriend’s down getting tickets for the ferry right now! We have to go! I am sooo sorry!”

The young girl who spoke English just shook her head at me but the more I said “Sorry” and that I had to go, she finally conceded to say, “No problema…” Her grandma didn’t like it one bit! She starting screaming at her grand daughter. I felt so bad, this can’t have been pleasant for them at all but neither would my night have been under this roof. I usually just suck it up in these instances and take it but I figured it was time to be selfish. Then, I had to ask for my money back…

Old Gorat was not happy, he let out a big “Ahhhh” before moving in to the kitchen. God knows what he was about to bring out with him – but I was in luck and it was only the money…There was a bit missing but I didn’t care – I was gone. I moved our baggage straight to the new room and have never seen my girlfriend so happy as when I dangled the new set of keys in front of her eyes and told her the story.

We learnt many valuable lessons – when going to a place without accommodation, don’t both walk around with your luggage, you’ll only get desperate and also look desperate! Don’t settle for the first available option and don’t settle for anything you don’t feel comfortable with!

It’s perfectly fine to go to places such as Hvar without accommodation but there are much better ways to find it. Sit one of your crew members down at a cafe with all your luggage – then without any bags, go knocking on every accommodation you can find. Your safest bet is to knock on doors with a blue sign out the front saying, “SOBE” or “Apartman.” These are mostly legitimately approved accommodations.

Your other best bet is to consult a local tourist/travel agent, they have a lot of great local places on their books and will help you find the best. We used the ‘Hvar Agency’ and they were brilliant! For the next 4 nights we shared an incredible 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom house, with a giant balcony overlooking the Mediterranean at a great price. The next few days were magical…Best of luck with that acommodation

Pamplona – San Fermin

Arriving in Pamplona at midnight on the opening night of the San Fermin festival is probably not advisable. We arrived to a bus station filled with zombies, people stumbled through the outside park as me and my partner looked at each other blankly and wonderered what the hell we had come to…

We arrived to our friends apartment feeling much the same, a rowdy overcrowded space which was not exactly what we wanted after the 6 hour bus ride from Barcelona. We were soon shown horrible cuts on our friends feet after they had been knocked down and trampled over broken glass at the opening ceremony of the festival. Again, we looked at each other blankly and wondered what the hell we had come to…

We woke in the morning to witness the first day of the running of the bulls. I really had no idea what to expect from this, I guess I thought it was going to be more a joke type thing…. Treacherously stepping through the broken glass in the main Plaza, we made our way to the best vantage spot that we could find. The streets wreaked of eurine and vomit as I crammed in to a tiny lane with many still drunk and partying viewers.

Peering into the streets I witnessed the first few runners moving through our area, many of them slowed down as they were waiting for the rest of the pack. The looks on their faces held the some of the most intense fear I had ever seen in my life, eyes were popping out of heads while many looked to the sky and said their prayers before running off. It was at this moment that I realised, ‘this shit is real.’ It’s not a joke and the lunacy of the whole thing made me wonder once more – “What am I doing here?”

It was not till later that morning when our friend took us on a tour of Pamplona that we realised the beauty of this town and its incredible festival. We took a walk through the park in the old town to see bustling markets, immaculately dressed locals in their red and white, families of all generations celebrating together and brilliant live music. Pamplona is a stunning city, with old stone cobbled roads and gorgeous buildings looking off into the mountains towards the Pyrenese, on your way to France.

Big Heads Procession

We stumbled across one of Pamplona’s beautiful churches where a congregation of thousands were creating a sea of red & white in a buzzing procession to San Fermin. Big headed costumes danced around the church as figures of the Saint were led inside. It was here that you came to realise the festival was so much more than lunatics running away from Bulls & people passing out in the park.

The festival of San Fermin is a beautifully rich, cultural event. I finally knew what I was here for – to be invited in to an incredible culture throughout our stay, a once in a lifetime experience. It’s something that you really have to become a part of before you can enjoy or really understand it. You really must change your clothes for the red and whites – locals go as far as wearing red shoelaces with their white shoes, so if you’re not playing the part, you might feel a little left out.

Paelllaaa

It might sound as if I’m against the whole getting drunk thing but I’m sorry to disappoint, it couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s just the anti-social drinking to smash glasses or yell chants about your country on the other side of the world that I couldn’t care for. ‘Social’ drinking on the other hand is quite clearly where the fun of San Fermin lies, or any event for that matter. The interaction on the street with others here is on a whole other fascinating level, most congregate in the main plaza where locals and tourists alike attempt to conquer each others language and make sense. War stories are shared from the mornings bull run along with local blends of Cali Mutxos and Sangria.

Red & White Streets

The whole festival vibe on the streets is electric and if you’re lucky enough to be in the plaza while a live band is playing or a communal dance is happening, you will know exactly why you came here and that it’s something you will never forget for the rest of your life. We were so blessed to be travelling with a large, hilarious, beautiful group of people. It’s definitely an experience that you’ll want to share with as big a group as possible, perhaps only not when it comes time to sleep haha…

Waking up at 6 AM every morning to watch the Bull Run can become a seriously impossible task as the festival goes on. Unfortunately though, the early start is necessary to gain a decent vantage point on the streets, it is often very tough and I can tell you, the most fun I had watching the run was from the inside the arena. The scenes are absolutely wild – it’s like stepping back in time to this stone circle where crowd members literally cheer for blood.

The arrival of early runners is seen as cowardly and they are treated as such with all kinds of rubbish thrown at them. “Viva La Punta” is the most common phrase chanted by the crowd – I’ll leave you to consult your dictionary on that one. You can only really compare the scene with that of a modern day Gladiators arena. When the runners arrive along with all of the Bulls – a great big cheer sounds. Many of the runners believe that it’s all over and that they can now laugh, but it’s not the case. They release more bulls on to those in the arena, one by one they let loose smaller, but faster and fitter bulls who continue to ground, anyone in their path.

This is the most entertaining part of proceedings, a lot of runners get bashed around but not many seriously injured, it’s incredibly fun to watch but I was glad to be chillin in the stands. The town tends to quieten right down after the run, with many early starters returning to bed. We enjoyed relaxed afternoons in the park with our group – sipping our own mix of Sangria out of 10 Litre drums. It’s a people watcher’s dream, sitting back with a drink watching the constant streams of red and white can be very enjoyable.

Park Life

The apartment we were staying in sat ringside to the nightly fireworks display. Each night at 10 O’clock, brilliant firweworks lit up the Pamplona skys, for the whole town to enjoy. Most days were spent in that order, in between countless Sangria’s and Cali Mutxo’s, I enjoyed being part of one of the greatest festivals the World has to offer. I finally understood why Hemmingway felt so compelled to write about Pamplona all those years ago. It is completely compelling, every second of it. I can fully understand why people can’t get their head around the festival, yet it is seriously something you must become a part of before you can understand it – your red and whites are waiting….

London Town

Looking Over London - St. Pauls

I had never romanticised over grey skies, no matter how much Jamie Cullum tempted me – the same could be said for heavy meals and warm ales. I always saw London as a dark and cold place – somewhere that I never associated with love. Yet after 8 sun soaked days in the Royal City, my heart was turned and I found myself feeling at home in a place I thought I would never even feel comfortable. I fell in love in London, with the very place I was in…

I’d always wondered what it would be like to travel alone and of all places in a bustling tourist hub such as London. My first endeavour, like many was to tackle the tube – first stop, East London’s ‘Whitechapel.’ A friend was in town for the day and took me back to his apartment where I would stay the week while he was on vacation. We sat out on the street, eating breakfast where I met one of his room mates. I told him I’d just arrived in the country to which he replied, “Well what the f**k are you doing in East London!?”

The East is actually, an incredibly vibrant place, in between countless sirens & run down buildings, lies a colourful mix of Arabic, Indian & British cultures. A short tube ride away lay the fruits of London and I had absolutely NO idea how sweet they would be. As far as culture goes, I was blown away – places like Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace are all attractions of equal beauty but the architecture on normal buildings in the city centre is so amazing that you know you’re in a special place, you know you’re in Europe.

It’s incredible to think how many important and rich cultural sites lie next to each other. Big Ben & Parliament House are architectural wonders, as is Westminster Abbey. Trafalgar Square really took me though, the whole fountain vibe in an open square just seems so European and with the National Art Gallery adjacent, it really is a brilliant spot.

Trafalgar Square

The smartest thing I did in my first few days was purchase a pocket guide to London, with maps and site reviews. This was an absolute lifesaver, the 3 Pound price tag proved to be priceless. My first adventure took me up to Regents Park which has a few nice features, definitely a good spot for any garden lovers but if you’re not, you might be better off saving your legs.

There are so many quaint little lanes filled with boutique shops and excellent cafes, I thoroughly recommend getting lost for a while, just go wherever the lanes take you. If you do however want to stick to the road often travelled, Bow Lane is beautiful.

For the adventurous, seeking a more alternative London – Camden is a very, very interesting town. Often touted as the ‘Amsterdam of London’ it is quite that; housing interesting shops such as, tattoo parlours, piercing places and gothic wear outlets, it creates an equally intriguing crowd. The highlight of Camden however has to be the markets – ‘Camden Lock’ houses some of the funkiest markets you could hope to find, this is a must visit for anyone looking to buy some very unique pieces of London.

For the lovers of quaint, is Notting Hill and more importantly – Portobello Road. Making your way down to Portobello, you’ll stumble across beautiful rows of houses painted in wonderful bright colours – greens, pinks, yellows and blues scream out at you as they jump out of the often grey skies. Portobello Markets stretch for over 1 km, packed with the areas most vibrant bars, restaurants, shops and food stalls. The buzz down here is fantastic and is something that shouldn’t be missed on a visit to London. If only for the photo opportunities.

Notting Hill

Back in London central, the amount of brilliant free museums and art galleries is incredible, I really don’t know what all the hype is about, it is very easy to have a great cheap day out in London. The British Museum is one of these places, for anyone into Ancient History, you won’t leave here disappointed. It’s not only amazing to see these incredible artifacts that remain today from Egypt and Greece etc. but it’s seriously mind blowing to think of all the wonders the British have acquired over time, or ermm…stolen! Haha. 40% of the marble ‘Acropolis’ freizes are in Athens and ahh, 60% are in Britain – go figure.

Further North along the Thames, is the commanding Tower Bridge, the whole structure is epic and walking along it is the best way to inspect its construct. It’s one of London’s most beautiful areas along the Thames which leads over to the amazing medieval Castle that is the ‘Tower of London’, once home to King Edward and Henry. The fortress still stands today in all its impressive glory, and is now home to masses of 12th Century weaponry and armour, including the coveted and stunning Crown Jewels.

Tower Bridge

My next venture took me out to Greenwich, just a short trip on the light rail, there is however the cruise option down the Thames if you’re prepared to drop the extra quid. A few ales later, we set off to see some structures of the master architect, Sir Christopher Wren, Greenwich was once a home to the Royals and the buildings are nothing short of magical! Here you can enter the Chapel and meeting hall which are both equally brilliant.

Greenwich is also home to the Maritime Museum but more importantly, it has come to be known as the ‘home of time’ and also Longitude & Latitude. It sets the mean time for the rest of the world & stands at 0′00 degrees. Atop the beautiful green hills of Greenwich stands the old observatory and Museum which houses some incredible pieces of history, all related to British discovery. Such items include crazy clock designs from the brilliant ‘John Harrison,’ showing the evolution of his wierd and wonderful designs.

I had to tick another box on the list of London: ‘play darts with a mate’ - Did so and won, somehow…haha. Many schooners & tales later, St. Paul’s Cathedral was waiting. Another Christopher Wren masterpiece, this place is absolutely magical! The design is simply gorgeous and the interior is no different. Incredibly artworks line the interior of the giant dome. So much history surrounds this place from Charles & Diana’s wedding to its protection during World War 2. It is one of those Worldly sites set so deep in history that it must be explored and is sure to be appreciated.

The Cathedral has some 500 steps which lead up to the very top of the dome, providing one of the most amazing 360 degree views in London, looking straight down the Thames to Tower Bridge. At the base of the cathedral is the crypt, housing tombs of incredible figures such as Lord Nelson & Florence Nightingale, the whole building is just one breath taking house of history.

St. Pauls Cathedral

Across Millenium Bridge lies the Tate Modern Art Gallery, housing one of the most appealing collections in the entire World with numerous masterpieces from genius’ such as Picasso and Andy Warhol. Tired and starving, I treated myself to ‘fish & chips with mashy peas,’ overlooking the Thames…when in Rome ay. My last stop on the sightseeing trail was the Imperial War Museum.

The Museum’s in a quiet area and is one of the less populated sights. I felt it really lacked the buzz of the British Museum or the Tate but it is still a worthwhile trip out, highlighted by what was a fascinating and moving holocaust exhibition. Seeing rare footage of Hitler and his men at their most despotic was mind blowing to say the least, as were the heart wrenching accounts from Jewish victims.

I was truly blessed on my visit to London by Blue Skies and beautiful sunshine. I can understand why people speak ill of the place when they experience rain but I guess I’m one of the very lucky. I was honestly blown away by how much there was to do in London and how good a time I had in doing them.

Cancun for the Non-Party-Go’er

Blue Cancun

Travelling to destinations immortalized or defined by Hollywood can be strange; your expectations are often felt to be known or at least moulded by what you have been shown. ‘The Real Cancun’ delivered the Mexican Caribbean to a global audience in 2003, displaying the amazing coastal destination in all its wild and flashy glory. So you know what to expect right?.. ..I’m 21; I’m in the prime period of partying that anyone will go through and yet in one of the world’s party capitals, I have not come to tempt senorita’s through tequila eyes, bump and grind at Dady-O’s or wait in line for hours outside the famous Coco Bongo’s – I am simply here to relax with my girlfriend.

The Zona Hotelera (Hotel Zone) is pretty much as expected; luxurious hotels with names such as Hilton, Marriott, Royal & Hyatt, walling the beach as far as the eye can see. We arrived late in the evening and soon found ourselves on an ocean front balcony overlooking the Caribbean, where even under night skies the aqua waters shone brightly.

We left the hotel on our first night in search of a quirky, quaint Mexican restaurant, yet ended up having to decide between a mixture of Americanised franchised diners (where the only thing Mexican was the staff.) This included the “Outback Steakhouse” which promised to deliver ‘bonzer’ soups and salad, yet we settled for Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville” and returned to our room a little bemused at the entire experienced; we wondered where Mexico was.

We soon found solace the next morning as the Caribbean sun pierced through our balcony doors – we had finally arrived! J. Our second day proved very successful as instead of exiting north of our hotel, we walked south and found ourselves in possibly the most Utopian shopping mall you could ever imagine. Picture waterfront, open air, designer labels, clowns, rides, fountains, local bazaars and a canal running through it that mimicked the waters of Venice.

Here at the ‘Isla Shopping Plaza’ we found beautiful restaurants, Mexican ones too! The local style of business was interesting though – so aggressive, we had numerous experiences where we were made to feel uncomfortable. In the heart of the Zona Hotelera they know you have money – the only problem was; we didn’t! Ha-ha.

We came as students and didn’t possess the disposable incomes of many around us. When eating at restaurants, waiters would pressure us into buying more dishes and more drinks but the most interesting side to their service was when presenting the bill, many would re-iterate that ‘the tip is not included’ and proceed to stand right next to me to watch me sign it. While the food was great, it still managed to leave a sour taste in my mouth.

Like most, our hotel’s swimming area was beautiful, a gorgeous pool overlooking the Caribbean. It’s all two sun obsessed Australians could ever really ask for – throw in a Corona & a Pina Colada and I really don’t think the term ‘living the dream’ has ever been portrayed so accurately. My adventurous side soon got the better of me and I wanted to explore downtown. Buses are frequent and only cost 60c Australian for the 15 minute trip, which was good value.

Catching a bus in a developing city when you have no idea where you’re going can be a little daunting, especially when you’re the only ‘gringo’ on board! We managed to get to downtown to be instantly swamped by Mexican hustlers.

I said ‘no gracias!’ about 40 times in 40 steps, being led down narrow alleys for underground cigars just wasn’t my thing…but hey, it might be yours. My girlfriend and I walked pretty aimlessly for a good while, soaking it all in. Downtown is fairly run down and what surprised us most was that there were close to no tourists there, I guess there was a reason….My girlfriend on this particular afternoon had managed to wear the shortest shorts she owned which made us the subject of a thousand car horns and many local male eyes ha-ha. Feeling hungry and wanting to have an authentic dining experience, we were drawn to a beautiful scent coming from a street fajita stall. For 90c Australian, they were a dream – this is what we wanted.

Not really knowing where to go downtown was interesting but sickeningly saw us end up in Wal-Mart to get our supplies. 53^rd state or what? We returned to the ‘Isla Plaza’ that night to dine at the most amazing Thai restaurants (structurally) we had ever seen, with wooden huts planted in the Nichupte Lagoon. The restaurant was near empty however and with two waiters hovering next to our table for the whole meal, it just made things awkward.

Cancun still wears the scars of Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Many places have become modern ruins along the entire Zona Hotelera, the majority of the hotel’s beach accesses have disappeared, along with the beach. The images of beautiful bodies lining the crystal white sand will sadly no longer be found here; there is often no way down to the beach and if you can make it down there, you’ll be lucky to find 5 metres of sand before the water.

There is very little public access down to the beach also, so if immersing yourself in the bright, beautiful Caribbean is your sort of thing, you might want to make sure your hotel has beach access. Diving in was quite an experience, even in winter the water is bath-like and the most captivating colour you could ever imagine – this was one thing that was exactly like the movies.

Carrying on with this movie-esque environment was the fly by advertisements; all the largest clubs such as Coco Bongo’s and Dady O’s advertise via a message behind a plane. It seems as if nothing is sacred to commercialization here – a real life ‘Brave New World’ scene right before your eyes. It really is quite sickening.

But as I sit here at what I like to call my ‘desk’ – a Mexican balcony so close to the Caribbean Sea that I can smell it, I really couldn’t think of a single thing to complain about. Pestering hustlers, arrogant Americans and aggressive business people are all washed away here on the shores of Cancun. This makes you know it was all worthwhile.

If you are looking for a beautiful laid back beach area in this region, Cancun isn’t the place. If you are fixed on the city however, there are more relaxed areas towards the North, around Playa Tortugas. This is also where you’ll find the main ferry dock to get over to Isla Mujeres – an exotic island just 20 minutes offshore. The ferry costs around $20 Australia for the round trip but is well worth it! Arriving at the Island was something pretty special, we didn’t think it possible but the water sparkled even brighter than Cancun. Downtown was lovely, quaint markets and restaurants stemmed for miles along the beach, all painted in the spectacular bright colours that you could only hope to be surrounded by in the Caribbean.

Beautiful Isla Mujeres

We ventured to the North side of the Island where we found the most beautiful beaches we had seen. This is the real Mexican Caribbean, not quite ‘The Real Cancun’ but hey, who’s complaining! Walking through beach clubs in between little inns, we wished we had spent our week on this tiny paradise. Alas, we were there for the day and made the most of it.

Alcohol is very cheap along here and after paying a few dollars for a beach chair, you can indulge in cocktails and beers at 2 for the price of 1. I thought this was really impressive until I walked past a bar offering 5 Corona’s in an Ice bucket for six dollars, how I kept walking past it I will never know.

The Island is absolutely stunning and the best way to see it is to hire a golf cart or a moped. We decided to hire a golf cart for just one hour and found it enough time to explore the small haven. The scenery was magic, bright green and pink businesses line the roads with little locals screaming ‘Hola!’ while playing in the street. We found the North side the place to be, it boasted the nicest beaches and was right near the vibrant downtown markets and bars.

The West side can also get extremely windy, making its beaches unbearable, so to be picky – staying in the North East would be absolutely ideal. There are plenty of little apartments where you’d be best served to find accommodation when you get there, almost all of these quirky places don’t advertise anywhere.

The 5:30 ferry was approaching and to finish the day we enjoyed a drink at a bar on the beach as the sun set over the Caribbean. A group of Americans asked us how much the drinks were and before I could say “a dollar fifty,” they were already over the rope.

Isla Mujeres is the Mexican Caribbean, while staying in Cancun’s luxurious hotels is nice, you can do that anywhere in the World; the Island is a truly different experience and one that will have you basking yourself in the laidback Mexican Caribbean and not the American.

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