Australia - The Lucky Country

As I start to write up my many, many experiences in Australia - The Lucky Country, I will be happy to relive the wonderful variety and enjoyable holidays I have had over the years. I have no idea how many times I have visited this expansive country. 30, 40 50 ........I lost count long ago.I'll be recording much of interest, tips, recommendations, must see's at http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/guide-to-australia.html

I first visited in 1969, when I travelled by bus between destinations. Starting in Sydney, my cousin and I caught a bus to Brisbane........then a run down backwater......now a lovely town where the historic buildings have taken on a new lease of life, and the South Bank Park has created a great place for a day out.

Back to Sydney, down via Canberra to Melbourne.

Here we were fortunate to stay with friends and got to see much of Melbourne including some of the outer areas. Beaches at Frankston and Lorne, Mornington Peninsula and Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary.

Back on the bus we headed for Adelaide. Here we were taken out and about by work mates of our hosts in Melbourne, so we saw Port Victor and the Adelaide Hills area.These were all places we probably would have missed, as we had a limited budget and no transport other than bus.

We took the return routes inland, so covered quite a bit of territory.

I have since revisited most of these places, and visited many more.

Cairns is a wonderful tropical place I am keen to revisit. We loved Port Macquarie when we had a week there last year.........see http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/camel-ride-on-lighthouse-beach.html

Western Australia is home to both my sister in Perth and my brother in Albany, yet I had not visited until last year. They are both beautiful cities, and Margaret River, is a wonderful holiday spot, in between.

The Great Ocean Road drive a couple of years ago took me back to Adelaide and Port Victor........ I barely recognised it.While my husband was there for a conference, we made the most of our time to visit the many wine areas......Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Harnsdorf,but have yet to get to the Clare Valley. Whale watching from the shores at Port Victor were a highlight.

The road and coast has to be surely one of the most beautiful in Australia, with the The Great Otway Lighthouse and Park, Twelve Apostles, Port Stephens, and Port Fairy.

This vast country has plenty to see. No wonder retired Australians...the Grey Nomads......... take to the roads in their campervans and motorhomes, to spend months or years roaming the country.See http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/travel-in-australia.html for more information.......which is being regularly updated.

Cuba fast becoming a popular Fascinating Travel Destination

Cuba is becoming a very popular travel destination.As Fidel Castro has relinquished the reigns of Cuba to his brother Raoul, there is an expectation that things are about to change. This expectation is further fueled, by the change of US President. It is expected that soon it will once again be easy for American citizens to visit Cuba.

My husband and I visited this fascinating country and got caught up in Hurricane Wilma! Despite the weather,which did restrict our movements a little, we found it different to any other country we had ever been to.Havana, clearly once a very beautiful city, is crumbling.However, they have a restoration programme under way, and I fully expect that in a few years, this city will once again be stunning. There are already many very lovely old colonial buildings, houses, museums etc.

Trinidad was my favourite town with its cobbled streets, and sherbet houses.You can read about it at http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/trinidad-cuba.html

The people are really what makes Cuba the truly fascinating travel destination it is. Music pours from every bar and restaurant, and the bands and their members can be seen wandering through the streets, double bass slung over the shoulder.The bands invariably feature three generations. We saw a teenage boy sitting on the Malecon sea wall, practicing his trombone. Often dancing by accomplished, elegant couples, accompanies the music. The minstrels wander on their stilts through the city, easily picked out by the vivid colours they are wearing. Every band sells their signature C.D's as a money spinner.

Many characters roam the streets, dressed in a wardrobe from another era, sometimes a fat cigar hanging from their lips.Yes, some will bale you up to sell you dud cigars, newspapers, or ask you for money for "milk for their babies" although they clearly have no babies to give the milk to.

The old cars we see pictures of, do exist in abundance. Parked on the streets. Or on the sides of country roads..........where they have died, so now the bonnet is up the owner's head lost in the depths, as they try to restore life to the ancient motor! This will change, once life improves for these people. At present it is tough.

With a dual currency, those involved in any form of tourism who are paid with convertible pesos, are more comfortably off than those who have to survive on the
ordinary peso, which is worth almost nothing.


For travellers who are keen to visit Cuba while it remains in a time warp, you will find it a unique experience.You will find all the important information about accommodation, travel,weather, getting around at http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/information-on-cuba.html

Another Samoa trip

Well, I had not expected I would be returning to Samoa so soon. 24th March we will go for a 4 day package. This is great as it will give me chance to stay at Aggie Grey's and report back both here and on my website about staying at the the hotel as a guest.

Samoa is such a beautiful country, it will be lovely to return.

I have already put many pages about Samoa on my website at http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/travel-to-samoa.html These include information on excellent hotel accommodation, restaurants - I was so surprised at the improvement in restaurants and hotels in Apia. When we lived there in the mid 1980's there was very little apart from Aggie's and the Tusitala, and only one reasonable restaurant, now gone.

I have included a page on sightseeing and put my first slideshow on it. I am not so happy with the slideshow. I am looking for something a little more refined and elegant.

But it is a wonderful way of displaying a lot of lovely photos for a good look at fascinating travel destinations.

Fascinating Travel Destinations Blog is Born

This blog is basically to keep you up to date with my website http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com You will be able to find out all my new pages on amazing destinations around the world, including first to know information about my visits to more fascinating travel destinations. Vietnam is coming up - so watch this space!

So far the website has good information to inspire and inform on Cuba, Cambodia, Japan, Czech Republic and a New Zealand page which will direct you to a very comprehensive website at http://www.holidays-in-newzealand.com

Coming soon is information on Thailand and Slovakia.These are all destinations I have personal experience of. I have many many more! But I am also inviting people to contribute stories of their fascinating travels for others to share. If you are happy to write a story to inform and inspire, please do. We would all love to hear about your adventures.