Popular Australian Islands

Australia is a beautiful island in itself but clustered around its coastline lie a rich variety of islands from the sand bar island known as Fraser to the coral islands of the Whitsundays. Lazyshark takes a quick look at the pick of these islands to visit:

1. Whitsunday Islands - The sort of islands you can go to on your honeymoon as well as on a backpacking budget. The beautiful white beaches of Whitehaven regularly appear in the 'Top 10 World Beaches' list. The backpacker way to see these islands tends to be on boat charter out of Airlie Beach for two or three nights. There are a couple of the islands you can stay on but they tend to be very expensive.

2. Fraser Island - Can be argued it is less an island and more a very long sand bar... There are three reasons to go to Fraser. Firstly there are virtually no roads - instead you drive your 4WD along the beaches - sand racing can be great fun! Secondly the Champagne pools - a popular swimming hole. Lastly it is always a great party - I have been to Fraser three times now and it is always a great buzz cooking a BBQ under the stars and sharing one or two (dozen!) tinnies with fellow travellers.

3. Magnetic Island - A short ferry ride from Townsville it is the best place to see koalas in the wild.

4. Rottnest Island - A short trip from Perth the best way to see the island is to hire bikes and go exploring - I recommend the Pie shop next to the ferry terminus!

5. Tasmania - Some Tassies might have issue with us for calling it an island rather than a state but it definately feels like a different place to mainland Australia. Quieter, poorer with a slower pace of life.

6. Phillip Island - A few hours drive from Melbourne it is worth a trip to check out the Penguin Parade to see the little penguins waddle up the banks at dusk to spend the night in their dune burrows.

Too much booze makes for bad marathon preparation

Shock news... being hung over seriously affects your running performance. I know most of you reading this will be slapping your foreheads shouting 'duh' but being a novice runner I have only just recently experienced the true horror of running 9 miles the morning after the night before... I have to tell you it wasn't a pretty sight!

After a months sobriety in January things slightly went to pot during a recent weeks break in Guernsey. My goal of a sub 4 hour marathon time might just have suffered a mini set back. Back on the soft drinks for the next few weeks!!

Guernsey Mud n' Fun 2010

Just returned from a weeks break in Guernsey. Whilst there we took part in the Mud n' Fun run - a 4 mile assault course around rural Guernsey. Typical obstacles included running along douits, through waist high (in places head high) swampy bogs, scaling cargo nets over high stone brick castle walls, crawling under an electric fence, and swimming through skips of ice cold water. Just your average cross country run then!!

470 slightly crazy participants lined up for this cult event. I doubt you'd find a comparable race anywhere in Great Britain. Money was raised for a local charity Wigwam in order to provide a playground for disabled children.

Will ensure I am in Guernsey for the next Mud n' Fun in 2011.

Celebrating Chinese New Year in Australia

Chinese New Year 2010, the Year of the Tiger, begins on 14th February. (although celebrations kick off a few days before!)

Australia has a huge Chinese population. Historically a big influx of Chinese people occurred with the 'gold rush' in the 1850-1860's, when large deposits of gold were found in Victoria, and thousands of Chinese came to seek their fortunes prospecting for the precious metal.

Even more have come in the last 50 years as construction workers and economic migrants. There are large and vibrant 'Chinatowns' in most of the major Australian cities - specifically Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The main Australian celebrations for Chinese New Year 2010 include:

Sydney

1. Launch celebration in Belmore Park - Friday 12th Feb
2. Day and night Asian markets at Belmore Park - 12th - 14th Feb
3. Twilight Parade from Town Hall to Chinatown - Sunday 21st Feb
4. Chinese New Year fireworks display at Darling Harbour - Sunday 21st Feb
5. Dragon Boat Awakening ceremony and races at Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour - 27th - 28th Feb
   

For further info on all the Chinese New Year festivities happening in NSW click here

Melbourne

1. The Millenium Dragon parade through the streets of Melbourne's Chinatown - 14th Feb
2. Hong de Lion dance and Lalor Cultural Performances on May Road - 20th Feb
3. Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival in Glen Waverley - 28th Feb

Brisbane

1. Chinese New Year festivals, dances, markets and parades at Fortitude Valley - 12th - 14th Feb

My own personal favourite memories of Chinese New Year, whilst living in Sydney, was definately seeing the Dragon Boat Races at Darling Harbour - great fun to watch although the competitors take it deadly seriously...

Killer Australian Spiders

Any arachnophobes out there read no further! I recoiled in horror when I opened the newspaper the other day to find a story on the deadly Australian funnel web spider.

This poisonous spider, which grow up to 2 inches in length, is particuarly aggressive and can jump up to 18 inches to attack its prey. Experts are warning that the unusually damp and warm Australian winter has lead to a bumper number of funnel web spiders especially around Sydney.

If you are unlucky enough to get bitten by one of these nasty spiders, be aware that the advice is to go directly to a hospital to be administered an antivenom. Their venom induces vomiting and convulsions and can prove fatal without treatment.

Speaking the Lingo

English is widely spoken by people around the world who work in the tourist industry, making it possible to visit countries as diverse as Cuba and Bhutan without speaking a word of the local language. But as anyone will tell you, it really helps to speak to people in the language of their country, for a wide range of reasons.

Firstly, it makes it cheaper. Even just knowing some numbers and the phrase for 'too much' drastically improves your bargaining power.

Secondly, it's polite. You get treated much better and with less suspicion if you greet people pleasantly, and even if you can't then take the conversation much further, most would appreciate the effort.

Finally, it can lead to some amazing experiences. One such time was in Mexico, when a tour guide we'd been chatting to all day (in our best Spanish!) invited us all back to his house for a party he was hosting. The night included a feast of roast pig, bottles of local tequilla and an impromptu guitar session! We left later that evening, slightly worse for ware, having mixed with the locals and sampled something you can't easily find on the well trodden tourist path - an experience of true local life.