Diving vs Snorkelling

Recently returned from a holiday in Egypt where I did some diving for the very first time. Initially apprehensive, in the hands of my expert young blonde diving instructor from the Camel Club, Naama Bay Sharm, I soon was at ease.

My first open water dive was like a scene from "Finding Nemo" crossed with James Bond. (in my head at least!) The abundance of underwater life in all its colours was dazzling. Being able to get to the same level as the fish, the feeling of flying, and staying undewater without having to worry about the next breath was wonderful.

Also whilst in Naama Bay, we went on a days snorkelling trip, to Thomas and Jackson reefs. We still saw a lot, but glancing down from the surface to see divers below, made me want to be back down there! You might want to snorkel because it is cheap, easily accessible, safe and you don't need any training. Certainly this is why I have not previously tried diving. But I have now been converted.

In my opinion, there is no question - the only way to see the glories of the coral reef is by diving rather than snorkelling.

Classic Australian tourism website Q&A's

These questions were posted on an Australian tourism website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have a great sense of humour (not to mention a low tolerance threshold for cretins!)

Q1: Does it ever get windy in Australia ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? (UK)
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q2: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q3: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.

Q4: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia ? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?

Q5: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (USA)
A: A-Fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not ... Oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.

Q6: Which direction is North in Australia? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q7: Can I bring cutlery into Australia? (UK)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do...

Q8: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is Oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q9: Can I wear high heels in Australia? (UK)
A: You are a British politician, right?

Q10: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q11: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.

Q12: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia , but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA)
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q13: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia ? (USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q14: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.

Q15: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first

The Rise and Fall of TripAdvisor?

Do a Google search for almost any travel related topic and one of your first hits is likely to be a review posted on TripAdvisor. This website has established an enviable reputation for being a great place to go for advice from other travellers on a range of topics from tour companies, restaurants, hotels etc...

However whilst it is a great format it is very open to exploitation. Two recent examples come to mind:-

Firstly a restaurant in Sharm El Sheikh is handing out business cards imploring people to write reviews about them on TripAdvisor. Whilst not exactly fraudulent this is surely a blatant attempt by them to boost their profile.

Secondly one of the top things to do in Marrakech on TripAdvisor in their "The Best Things to Do" list is a Moroccan cuisine course run by a man who works for them. He has obviously found that promoting his business in this way has been very successful for him.

TripAdvisor seems increasingly to not contain unbiased reviews from travellers but rather be becoming more commercialised in its content. A bad thing? Depends upon your outlook. However I am sure that when they first set up the site this is not how they intended it would end up.

England v Australia Semi Final

As I write this blog England could have been playing New Zealand in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy...

Who am I trying to kid?!! England are still ridiculously inconsistent and simply not able to string more than 2 good matches together. This presents something of a problem when you are trying to win a tournament. If you peak too soon as England did you get knocked out in the business stages of the competition. If you try and leave it late so you build up momentum going into the final then England would simply not qualify from the group stages...

Dilemma - Would you rather be lulled into a false sense of hope as England blow away top quality opposition in the form of South Africa and Sri Lanka (probably the best 2 one day sides currently in the world) at the start of the tournament only to follow perfection up with total incompetency in the next 2 matches and disappear out of the competition with a whimper. Or just simply fail to qualify from the group stage so as to spare a large section of England cricket lovers getting hopelessly caught up in the belief that England could eventually win the cricket world cup.

Now does that ring any bells regarding another popular sport in England..!! The mere mention of South Africa 2010 gets me excited that about 44 years in the wilderness this could finally be our year...

Call me a sadist but give me a false sense of hope any day of the week. If we carry on believing surely one of these days either the English cricket or football team will follow suit and match the achievements of the rugby team.

The Great Australian Road Trip

America has long had a history of great road trips to undertake and is often the best way to move around and explore this vast country - immortalised in movies such as Road Trip, Little Miss Sunshine, Thelma and Louise and Easy Rider.

However Australia lends itself to the great road trip as well. It is a good way to see the in-between places and appreciate the vastness of this country.

Australia has a network of well maintained roads which makes driving a pleasure. The other thing that surprised me about driving in Australia rather than the UK is the quality of their roadside food. It puts Little Chef to shame..!

So grab yourself some scooby snacks, fill up the tank and set your radio to ABC Radio National. Here's a Lazyshark run down to the best Australian road trips:

The Great Ocean Road - A must do. This famous stretch of coastline includes the Twelve Apostles. Good network of campsites along the route.

The West Coast - A much less visited coastline of Australia where you can go a long way without seeing much but it is beautiful and feels like the true Australia.

Sydney to Cairns - A much travelled route by backpackers it is not so much a drive in itself rather than a collection of different experiences as you wind up the coast. Probably cheaper to do using public transport however a somewhat different experience.

Cairns to Port Douglas (and on to Darwin) - Careful with your vehicle choice for this trip... A Smart car might not be the ideal choice (especially in rainy season!)

Fraser Island - Hire a car from Hervey Bay or alternatively many of the hostels offer organised trips across to Fraser Island in larger groups. Great fun and a must do for all backpackers.