Bondi Beach is one of the most iconic beaches in Australia located in eastern Sydney. If you’ve visited Sydney before and missed out on a trip to Bondi Beach, then your visit was incomplete. It’s world-renown must do! A go-to beach for a stroll, picnic, swimming, surfing, dining and shopping. Getting there is easy, accessible by public transport from the city, direct bus or a combination of train to Bondi Junction and bus to Bondi Beach.
Want a great spot to enjoy a walk, swim, picnic and even a cuppa with views that’s not too far from Sydney? Then make a trip out to idyllic Kurnell, a suburb located in the Southern part of Sydney, less than an hours drive from the City. Driving is the best way to get there although it can be reached by public transport from Central Station. Catch a train to Cronulla, a day out all by it’s self, then a bus to Kurnell. We love this place, being away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
A trip to one of the many wineries is a must if you visit Bordeaux, not only for wine tasting but also the opportunity to soak in the breathtaking views that have stood the test of time. Our second day in Bordeaux was a trip to Saint-Émilion, a Unesco World Heritage Site!
French wine, wine not! Our sojourn in Marseille has come to an end so it’s bonjour to Bordeaux! The famed wine growing region is our next destination. As vinophiles, this city has been high on our bucket list to tick off for a while. Aside from wine, Bordeaux is also known as the culinary capital of France, so bon appetit!
As promised we returned to spend the next day in Cassis, thankfully the weather had changed to give us bright sunshine and warmth giving us the opportunity to just laze under the Mediterranean sun, a self-imposed break after all the previous days of constant driving. So Cassis here we come!
According to our Michelin route planner, the fastest way from St Tropez to Toulon was via D58 with a driving time of one hour and 20 minutes. It was a straight forward drive although we thought if it was during the day, we would have been able appreciate the scenic views a lot more with a few stops here and there. We joined A570 in Hyeres then the A57 into Toulon.
There is a merit of being behind the wheel in the South of France. Flexibility and opportunity to visit places that are not easily accessible by public transport and you can stop whenever you want to. Driving in France can be challenging, especially if you are like us who normally drive on the left hand side of the road. It is hard to prepare for such a change, so just take it easy and try to do what everyone else is doing! Navigation has moved on from bulky maps and the various Apps now available take this distraction away to a point. We used what was available which included Google Maps, Waze and Michelin (the recommended travel map for Southern France), hire cars these days are equipped with smart connectable devices and gadgets, making for the ultimate road trip without getting lost!
During our visit to Nice, we took a day trip to Monaco by train. Journey time is around 30 minutes, terminates at Monaco-Monte Carlo. Monaco is the second-smallest country in Europe roughly the same size as New York’s Central Park. Divided into four neighbourhoods: Monaco-Ville (the old city), La Condamine (along the port), Monte-Carlo (tourist area) and Fontvieille, (a reclaimed area from the sea).
If you’ve experienced ‘tabehoudai’ – all-you-can-eat in Japan before then good news Sydney-siders, this favourite Japanese pastime has arrived in Sydney. Originating from Melbourne, Okami Japanese Restaurant offers bargain-priced dining for $34.80* per person (*minimum 2) for two hours of all-you-can-eat Japanese favourite fare. There are three branches in Sydney right now, located in Marrickville, Silverwater, Cronulla and soon in Penrith. We recently had the opportunity to check out their newly opened branch in Silverwater.
Want to learn how to cook some easy and delicious Filipino food? The Filipino Food Movement Australia Inc. will present a series of short cooking videos using the finest ethnic and premium products of the Philippines in partnership with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) Sydney, Department of Trade and Industry Sydney and the Department of Trade and Industry Export Marketing Bureau to increase awareness and understanding of Filipino Cuisine to the wider Australian audience.
We have sailed with Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas a number of years ago for a 7 day cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong visiting Vietnam (Nah Trang) and Thailand (Pattaya and Chabang) and we loved it. As first time cruisers our expectations were all met hands down! We were impressed with our room and service, dining, entertainment and activities and shows onboard, never a dull moment.
