Category Archives: Travel 2012

Feeling every bit the tourist in Edinburgh

Posted on by
Reply

When: 10/04/2012

Where: Edinburgh, Scotland

Stayed: Apex Waterloo Place

 

Apparently Edinburgh attracts around 1 million visitors every year; effectively tripling its population and making it the 2nd most visited destination in the UK. These figures were no great to surprise to me before we left given all the positive feedback we’d heard. I’d like to be able to say without a shadow of doubt that we loved our trip to Edinburgh – call it sleep deprivation or just unreasonably high expectations but sadly we didn’t come home with quite the same level of rave reviews.

Our trip started with an eye-opening display from what appeared to be a rather disgruntled baggage handler. In travel mode with eyes partially glazed, we stared out the window while waiting to board our plane. A chorus of gasps rippled through our fellow travelers as everyone inched a bit closer to the window to sanity check what they were seeing. Anticipating something of a YouTube moment, we watched with horror as the baggage handler carelessly tossed each bag onto the truck. The smaller the bag, the greater the distance the bag was thrown. Horrified we cringed as bags were thrown several meters. Just as I convinced myself it was a one-off episode, his colleague joined the bag throwing festivities and showed him how it was really done. I guess that’s what you get for buying discounted flights. Mental note, NEVER put anything breakable in your checked-in baggage!!


Our hotel was called the Apex Waterloo Place and was based at the end of Princess Street (main street in Edinburgh), right near Castle Hill. Fairly modern looking, and in a cracking location, at first glance the hotel was perfect for what we needed. That was until patrons left the pub across the road around 3am and stood under our window discussing the finer points of the latest football match for another hour. The downgrade we received when we asked to change rooms went down a treat as you can imagine. Fortunately there was a redeeming feature of the hotel – Elliot’s restaurant. Arriving late on the first night we ducked into the restaurant to grab something quick to eat. Our quick bite turned out to be little short of a white table cloth meal with silver service – without the corresponding bill. Exceptional roast lamb that has set a new benchmark in roasts was an absolutely delightful introduction to Scottish food.

Getting up early we checked out the view of the city from Castle Hill followed by a stroll up the Royal Mile in the Old Town. Wall to wall trinkets, kilts, shortbread, whisky and all things stereotypically Scottish adorned the Royal Mile. Our walking pace became directly proportional to the volume of souvenirs on display. We practically sprinted past the bagpipe playing busker who (from what we could tell) was playing the only song anyone ever plays on the bagpipes. Tourists lined up to have a photo next to the busker in droves. Justin summed it up beautifully – ‘he’s just a dude in a kilt playing the bagpipes isn’t he?!’

With lunch booked for 1.30pm at the famous Witchery restaurant we had 2 hours to check out Edinburgh castle. Arriving at the castle we were greeted by a line of a few hundred people deep and a waiting time of around an hour. Yay. Thanks to the trusty iPhone we swiftly booked tickets online, puffed out our chests and walked smugly straight past the throngs of tourists to the front of the second line for those with pre-booked tickets. Well played us!


Unfortunately after about an hour in the castle we found ourselves wanting to tell the rest of the line not to bother wasting their time. ‘It’s 2hrs of your life you’ll never get back!’ we wanted to warn them. Despite the history of the castle being clearly remarkable, most of the significance was just a bit lost on us. Jam packed with hundreds of people, it was hard to get past the annoying crowds to really take in and absorb what we were seeing. Moving from one line to the next, the final straw was standing in line to view the Scottish jewels for 20mins. A classic Justin call once again summed it up; ‘I just find the history all a bit old for me’. Me too.

We hot footed it over to the restaurant for lunch in the hope that this would pick up our spirits. After all, the Witchery had received rave reviews and was quite hard to get into. Several bland dishes later, a hefty bill and a headache from the dark we left the restaurant feeling a bit deflated. Perhaps the sou chef responsible for seasoning was on holidays for Easter?! Who knows. Nothing a little pub crawl wouldn’t fix. After walking through the new town, we decided to check out several of the pubs that lined the walk way down to Leith. Joseph Pearce with it’s high ceilings, huge windows and oodles of light went a long way towards pulling us out of our funk. Victoria, a few hundred metres down the road continued the trend with it’s bohemian decor and vibrant feeling. The party of pirates ‘arrrring’ like every self respecting pirate should, provided some fabulous entertainment. The Kings Wark on the water in Leith was our final stop for dinner. With it’s 15th century origins, low ceilings, open fire and candle lit interior not to mention fabulous pub style food, it was the perfect way to end a bit of a mixed day in Edinburgh.

Easter Sunday we hired a car and drove north to have lunch with Justin’s boss and family in Elie – a lovely little sea-side town popular with the locals. Afterwards we checked out St Andrews, the home of golf. It was hard not to feel a tad bit nostalgic walking on the Old Course. Knowing that this was where the very first round of golf was ever played in the 1400’s and seeing the club house with it’s members only (for men) signage was a reminder of where the game started all those years ago. The 7 shared greens, individually named bunkers and the fact that the course can be played in either direction are enough to peak the interest of even the most jaded golfing widow. Other golfers with similar (to Justin) dumbstruck looks of awe on their faces meandered across the course and took close up photos of blades of grass. Classic stuff.

Driving back to Edinburgh we saw glimpses of the landscape we’d heard so much about in Scotland. Rolling green hills on a backdrop of dark stormy skies with spectacular castles centuries of years old – all sitting majestically under the arch of an extraordinary rainbow. Unfortunately we didn’t get a picture to capture the moment due to what can only be described as a stubborn streak in the driver..’We’ll be able to get back to the best spot by taking a short cut through here….’ Followed by an extended silence in the car as the rainbow disappeared into the darkening sky. Happy times hubby-to-be!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Doing the snow dance in La Tzoumaz

Posted on by
1
When: 16/03/2012

Where: La Tzoumaz, Switzerland

Stayed: Chalet Mandalay

 

Pink Panther, Double Espresso, Boy from Wanthaggi, Aimz, Lowbanger and Grant – 6 Aussies, 1 cracking Chalet, 2 boarders, 2 expert skiers, 2 battlers and 400km of ski runs on our door step. Life was pretty good for a week in La Tzoumaz.
Turns out La Tzoumaz is named after the word ‘tzoumer’ which means taking a break…ahhh the perfect place for our week in the snow. La Tzoumaz is 2hrs from Geneva and sits in the Swiss Alps, part of the Four Valley’s ski area which includes the famous Verbier ski resort. It is touted to have direct access to some of the best skiing in Europe – not too shabby!

We stayed in Chalet Mandalay courtesy of Justin’s very generous boss who built the property around 2 years ago. With 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and every mod con and kitchen utensil that opened and shut (including a sauna and drying rack for our boots), we certainly weren’t roughing it. A 2min drive to the chair lift made ski access ridiculously easy and on top of that, we were treated to 5 star views across the valley. Just magic.In an attempt to find our ski legs with minimal carnage, day 1 we stayed local and played on the slopes between La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres. Perfect way to ease our way in. The 2nd day on the slopes was a big day of nearly 8 hours skiing. Visibility wasn’t great and unfortunately got worse as the day progressed. The last run of the day we were practically blind being unable to see one pole to the next. A tad scary when you’re not sure which way is down! The upside of the poor visibility was the enormous dump of snow that was heading our way…power of collective prayers?!

Despite the mammoth day, clearly we didn’t go hard enough because the energy reserves were well and truly stocked for the snowball fight to end all fights when we got home. Cheeky Fi sent a few well aimed balls at the boys as they headed off to get pizza for dinner. Female intuition saw Amy and I join the fight without the need to call for reinforcements. And so ensued a flurry of missiles from the balcony only ending when we realized the pizza might be getting cold. We declared a female victory given the boys felt the need to ask for a free shot at each of us because they couldn’t actually make contact. Ah the sweet smell of success!

When the snow came, it arrived in spades. We were treated to a god-sent dump of around 15cm of snow overnight. The area was completely transformed into a Winter Wonderland with our barometer  (beer on the balcony) showing us every few minutes just how heavily the snow was coming down. A shriek of delight rang out from the lounge room when the snow swallowed up the label. Opening the curtains in the morning was like being 5 years old on Christmas Day again. Fresh powder everywhere! Justin and I grinned, knowing we wouldn’t hurt ourselves falling over today. Shame our bodies were just a bit beaten to take to the slopes for the 3rd day in a row.

Luckily the next day provided equally good conditions. Freshly groomed slopes on a backdrop of blue skies and bright sunshine – heaven on earth. We were up and at ’em by 8.45am beating the locals onto the slopes. Soaring down with the wind in our neck gaiters, whooping with delight – pure joy. If we’d been golden retrievers our ears would’ve been flapping, tongues hanging out and tails doing circle work with unabated enthusiasm.

Unfortunately that unabated enthusiasm manifested itself with a ‘I’m invincible’ mentality. Oh dear. After oohing and aahhing at the sensational panoramic view from Mont Fort, one of the highest points in the region at 3300m, a little voice inside my head told me to ski down with the far more experienced group rather than take the safe option – the cable car. With moguls up to my thighs and a drop which looked every bit vertical I’m not sure why I listened to that little voice. Next time you can be sure I’ll shove a cork in it until it’s completely suffocated! The good news is I only fell once, losing my ski, ending up spread-eagled and taking a good 10mins to get on my feet again. The bad news is, I was so knackered once I got to the bottom that my legs had the shakes and I was almost ready to call it a day. It was 11am.

I soldiered on and boy am I glad I did because I would’ve missed the most extraordinary spot for lunch – Cabane Mt-Fort. After stalking some Germans we secured pole position of the lunch tables with front row seats to a view that was nothing short of jaw dropping. I won’t even try to describe it as it won’t do it justice. Let’s just say lunch included – a raspberry tart that Aimz will continue to dream about for many years to come, an off-piste display of gutsy skiers / boarders dropping off the side of the mountain, cheese fondue, mouth watering lasagna, killer apple tart and flawless coffee. Very happy little campers! Even the brash Aussie yelling at me to sit down couldn’t dampen the mood. Benny put him back in his place later that day with a verbal onslaught that made us all very proud.

Over the course of the week we spent 4 glorious days on the slopes (5 for hardcore BM), an afternoon in quaint Iserables where we helped the cafe owner make budget for the year and a day in Verbier where we basked in the sun over beers and said g’day to Sir Richard Branson jogging past. The rest of the time was spent eating like Kings in our Chalet, drinking our weary bodies to sleep and icing war wounds from the slopes. Sheer bliss!!

Top 10:
1. It can take 4 people to lock a door – the boy from Wanthagi being the ultimate door whisperer
2. Never embark on a snowball fight with 3 females with something to prove
3. 60 pounds for 3 takeaway pizza’s hurts but is not unusual in Switzerland
4. Stacking on the slopes is far better if someone is there to see it
5. It’s possible to fall spread-eagle style with bum in the air every time
6. Telling people you don’t like a nick-name will ensure it sticks…Grant!
7. Regardless of how new a Chalet is, you may still find a spider in your bed
8. There are 325 different ways to photograph a raspberry tart
9. Mess with Benny Maccormack at own risk!
10. Never get sucked in by the voice in your head – know your limits!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A city full of surprises

Posted on by
Reply

When: 01/03/2012

Where: Singapore

Stayed: Mandarin Oriental

Singapore knocked us for 6. Who knew that such a tiny city is actually one of the most progressive and cosmopolitan cities in the world?! Not a fishing village in site! I’ve heard Singapore be described as a ‘world class living environment’. It wasn’t until we arrived that I realized what that actually meant.

Ruthless efficiency at the airport, building architecture that’s out of this world, spotless streets, ability to loosen your grip on your handbag and a veritable melting pot of cultures. Chinese, Indian and Malay along with around 20% of the population being made up of expatriates from all around the world. The result is a feast of cuisines, a beautiful looking city and a type of harmony that only comes from multiple cultures co-existing in peace. Ahhh the serenity.

There are however distinctly two sides to Singapore. The ‘new Singapore’ sits on the Marina and if you breath deeply you’ll catch the scent of cash wafting off the water. Extraordinary architecture, designer brands tottering on stiletto heels and 5 star hotels oozing business men with big job titles. The Marina Bay Sands – a 5 star hotel / shopping centre / entertainment venue – wreaks of luxury and exclusivity and dominates the Marina scene. Shopping centre doesn’t really conjure up the right kind of image – think more designer brand exhibition. Felt like I should take my shoes off and put on a cocktail dress before entering the centre. Put it this way, Louis Vuitton thought it fitting to open a floating glass and steel crystal pavilion display in front of the centre… yup another world. Just take a look at the architecture of the building with it’s panoramic views, 3 hotel towers and a Sky park sitting 200m in the air – say no more. No wonder it’s touted as one of the most complex establishments ever built in the world.

Speaking of architecture, the helix bridge which takes you across to the Marina Bay Sands is the world’s first curved bridge. Inspired by the yin and yan concept, the design represents the structure of DNA and is said to bring wealth, happiness and prosperity to Marina Bay. Well it’s certainly ticking the first box.

Both of these captivating landmarks were clearly visible from the window of our hotel. Lucky little puppies to be staying in the Mandarin Oriental which is one of the more prestigious hotels in Singapore. Justin and I kept cutting laps of the hotel just because we liked being greeted in such a friendly way by the staff. It was such a pleasure to be in a country where people were smiling and genuinely hoping they could assist you. I asked one of the staff for directions to the shopping centre and she nearly jumped out of her skin with sheer delight, tripping on her traditional dress. From that I made a sweeping generalization that Singaporeans were the friendliest people we’d come across. My mate Jo (who has lived there for 4 years) quickly reminded me that we were staying in a 5 star hotel and probably not getting a real taste of the culture. How quickly we forget.

The shopping in Singapore was outstanding. In most of the other cities we’ve visited, shopping centers have been a pretty good barometer for the demographic in an area. However in Singapore, designer brands seem to be found on every corner you turn. It’s hard to believe many of these stores actually make money!

Orchard road, a famous shopping strip that stretches further than the eye can see is home to pretty much every major brand on earth. My heaven and Justin’s worst nightmare. The cabbie dropped us off at The ION Orchard centre – a complex with 8 levels (yes 8!) of shops. Love at first sight for at least one of us.

In a bid to sample some of the local cuisine from the original Singapore, we ventured to Lau Pa Sat – a street food market. Dinner for only a few Singaporean dollars – nice – and a sharp contrast to the eye watering prices we’d been paying around the Marina. Crispy carrot cake and Nasi Goreng were tasty but unfortunately we were punished with tummy pains all night. Needless to say, it was a short lived foray into street food. Straight back to 1 Altitude Bar with it’s million dollar views across the entire city. If you can cope with handing over your first born in order to get up there, you’ll be greatly rewarded. Simply magnificent city views and a vantage point that takes in all the highlights of Singapore.

There’s certainly a lot to like about Singapore. Despite the rising cost of living in the city and the somewhat suffocating humidity, it’s easy to see why there’s such a large expat community. If the safe, clean, modern, culturally diverse, friendly nature of the city doesn’t do it for you then the cheap cabs most likely will! Especially if you currently live in London…!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Living the dream in the Italian Alps

Posted on by
Reply

When: 02/02/2012

Where: Champoluc, Italy

Stayed: Buena Vista B&B

Champoluc is the kind of place that gives you a good sharp kick back to the land of the living. Kitchen renovation? What kitchen renovation? How could you possibly care about anything so mundane when you’re faced with rockstar views and a peacefulness that forces you to breathe out London chaos and breathe in life again. This little pocket of beauty sits a 2 hour drive north of Milan, high up in the Italian Alps. Champoluc provides a gateway to the Monterossa ski region which opens up dozens of runs of varying degrees of difficulty – with more than enough options to keep you out of trouble.

Our trip to Champoluc had an interesting start to it. A car not prepped for icy conditions and an inability to access snow chains left us fuming at LocAuto (car hire) and feeling a tad nervous about the journey ahead.
Fortunately we made it to Champoluc unscathed despite the freezing conditions (-20 on the day we arrived). The luck stopped here however. With hindsight it’s a shame that the mounds of snow and icy road didn’t deter us from driving down to the driveway to our accommodation. Yup. Watching the speedo reach nearly 60kph while remaining stationery wasn’t an overly good sign in anyone’s language. Numerous trips up and down the vertical footpath to the local Garage, some serious lactic acid, several games of charades with the elderley italian mechanic, an hour of pushing, heaving, swearing, wheel spinning, aqua planing and revving – and finally we managed to get the car to the top of the driveway. Still no chains. Lucky for LocAuto we were 2 hours away.

The accommodation was very simple but importantly had a cracking shower and heating that managed to combat the -23 conditions. The star of the show was the view however. Opening the curtains to the outside world revealed an imposing mountainous backdrop, layered in meters of snow. The kind of view that catches you off guard every time you draw the curtains. The daily breakky was traditional and filled up our tummy’s nicely – though we did draw the line at cheesecake which was presented as the entree…hmmm not sure about that one.

Ever been so cold that you can’t actually feel your nose running down your face? Yep, a veritable snot fest takes place and you have no idea it’s happening right on your very own face – until you see the horror in your ski buddies eyes. Slightly disturbing and extremely disgusting but when your face is so numb with cold you’re only concern is ensuring absolutely no skin is exposed – and if that means simply pulling your neck gator up further to smother the tap attached to your face; so be it! The good news is, snot does not discriminate by skiing ability, nationality or class.
In theory -25 sounds cold. In reality, it’s an indescribable kind of feeling that embeds itself into every part of your body until you’re fairly certain that your blood may very well start to solidify. Despite roasting hot showers, open fires, heating on max and layers that rival the michelin man you never actually manage to feel warm. A constant battle to ensure you don’t reach the point of no return.

The skiing in Champoluc was phenomenal for those of us newly residing in the intermediate group. Red runs dominated across the region with a smattering of blue runs to help us find our ski legs. Day 1 was outstanding with very few people around to make us feel inadequate – always nice to warm up without the scrutiny of our European skiing friends. Plenty of room for us to snow plough to our hearts content, take lovely wide turns across the slopes and practice our entry onto the chair lifts. Let’s just say it was a good thing we didn’t have an audience for the ‘text book’ chairlift entry we had on the first morning. An ugly web of arms, legs, skis and stocks didn’t do much for our attempt at blending in!

The sun took the edge off the freezing conditions most of the day with only the afternoon becoming unbearable as it started to snow heavily. There’s only so long you can cope with sheer knife like pain in your fingers and toes. The final straw for me came as I lost complete control over one of my legs that decided it had had enough. I nearly did a cruciate ligament in my snow plough action to prevent going over the edge of the mountain. Unfortunately Justin bore witness to the drama and looked on in a mixture of amusement and horror as I only barely skidded to a stop in a tangled mess amongst the orange warning tape. Time for Apres Ski me thinks!

We had high expectations for the food in Champoluc. We weren’t disappointed. Not sure where else in the world you can waltz into a restaurant with polished floors, floor to ceiling glass and brand new modern furniture in your ski boots, eat from an incredible restaurant standard menu and only pay 10 Euro for it! Hotel Creforne – true love. Following apres ski at Lo Bistrot, each night we ate like kings and sampled a different wine from the local Aosta region at fantastic local restaurants such as Il Balivo and Brasserie du Breithorn. Divine.

All in all, close to the perfect Ski trip. We left Champoluc feeling revived, full of life and far more confident in our skiing ability. Even a 5hr plane delay in Milan and 2hr wait for our bags at the other end couldn’t put a dampner on our spirits. (Mind you Monday morning at work after getting home at 1am had a good go at it!)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.