Blogging Abroad

It’s a paradise for sports fanatics, foodies, wine snobs, animal lovers and shopaholics. Straddling the curvy, lazy Yarra River, Melbourne is Australia’s second largest city but, some would say, its best. Get lost in its narrow, cobblestone laneways, stumble on a cozy little cafe or bar, take in a major art exhibition or join 100,000 other rabid fans at a footy match. It’s got all the big-city perks, and you can get from the big smoke to the rainforest, wine country or ocean in less than two hours’ drive.
There are many ways to explore Melbourne and if you’re not sure where to begin, read our suggested itineraries in Melbourne. Highlights include:
Day 1: The City & Inner Suburbs. Start your first day in Melbourne at the crack of dawn for a bird’s eye view of the city on a Melbourne hot air balloon ride. Or if heights aren’t your thing (and […]

Original post by ChristineC and software by Elliott

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On my last business trip to Sydney I stayed an extra Saturday with the objective of exploring a new part of the city on my day off. I know Surry Hills like the back of my hand, and have a pretty good grasp of the CBD and Haymarket, but for all I knew aliens lived across the Harbour Bridge. And I hadn’t really even been to Darling Harbour, which is just embarrassing (one bar doesn’t count right?).
I poked around Viator’s Sydney tours to find the perfect new neighborhood excursion. My only requirement besides newness was that it needed to be a walking or biking tour, so I would be out in the lovely summer sunshine. I was tempted by the Crimes and Passions Walking Tour of Kings Cross, but I wanted a tour that started in the morning. Ultimately it was Terry M of Australia’s 4-star review that convinced me […]

Original post by KellyG and a wordpress plugin by Elliott

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If you’re planning on bringing the kids to New York, there are plenty of options, including things interesting for the grown-ups as well.
The #1 choice is probably the American Museum of Natural History. From dinosaurs and dodos to live butterflies and the planetarium space show, this museum is good for all ages. The cafeteria in the basement should do you for lunch, and you can expect to spend almost all day here. If you’re coming with more than one child and plan to see the special exhibits and an IMAX show, consider buying a museum membership even for the day because it comes with lots of discounts and lets you skip the entrance line.
Across the street from the Natural History Museum sits Central Park. It’s a great spot to let the kids get their ya-yas out after the museum, with rocks to climb on and much space to run around.
Central […]

Original post by BruceM and software by Elliott Back

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If you’re planning on bringing the kids to New York, there are plenty of options, including things interesting for the grown-ups as well.
The #1 choice is probably the American Museum of Natural History. From dinosaurs and dodos to live butterflies and the planetarium space show, this museum is good for all ages. The cafeteria in the basement should do you for lunch, and you can expect to spend almost all day here. If you’re coming with more than one child and plan to see the special exhibits and an IMAX show, consider buying a museum membership even for the day because it comes with lots of discounts and lets you skip the entrance line.
Across the street from the Natural History Museum sits Central Park. It’s a great spot to let the kids get their ya-yas out after the museum, with rocks to climb on and much space to run around.
Central […]

Original post by BruceM and software by Elliott Back

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Very few countries have a history free of involvement in war, be it civil war or a the global scale. It is therefore not surprising that many places which have witnessed extraordinary occurences of war are of increasing interest to the weary traveler looking for a more meaningful experience than plastic Eiffel Towers and “I Love New York” t-shirts.
Europe is full of battle sites from World War I and II ranging from the battlefields of Flanders and the D-Day landing beaches of Normandy, to the Nazi Concentration Camp of Auschwitz - Birkenau in Poland. A popular pilgrimage for Australians and New Zealanders is Gallipoli’s ANZAC cove in Turkey, where on April 25 thousands converge to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers of the bloodbath at the site in 1915.
The most visited attraction in Hawaii for Americans is the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, while in Singapore a visit to […]

Original post by komahony and plugin by Elliott Back

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Flying to or from San Francisco’s International Airport (SFO) just got a whole lot easier. According to the SF Convention & Visitors Bureau there are some new airlines flying from SFO, not to mention existing carriers offering new routes.
This is great news for travelers heading to or from San Francisco, especially when it comes to finding low-cost and budget airfares. In the travel industry competition is a very healthy thing for consumers.
Here’s a quick summary of the new routes and services from SFO:

Southwest Airlines resumes SFO service in the fall of 2007! This pioneering low-cost airline will start with 14 daily departures with a mix of short, medium and long-distance flights and a promise of cheap […]

Original post by Scott Mc and software by Elliott

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Sydney, the Harbour City - sunny, welcoming familiar - and why wouldn’t it be with all those famous icons. The Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, that soaring skyline. Breathtaking views, world-class shopping, cutting-edge dining, and vibrant nightlife - there’s no shortage of things to see and do in Sydney.
If you’re not sure how to spend your time in Sydney, read our Suggested Itineraries in Sydney. Highlights include:
Day 1: The Heart of the City. You can cover much of Sydney’s core, Circular Quay, in a day and you have several options for getting around. It’s eminently walkable, though you may want to let someone else do the work. One of the most popular modes is the Sydney hop-on/hop-off bus tour, which from the open top of a double-decker bus gives you a nice panorama. For a different perspective, try a Sydney cycling tour (those hills should give you a workout) […]

Original post by ChristineC and software by Elliott

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On March 18th, Sydney’s Harbour Bridge turns 75 years old. If you haven’t been to Sydney, you might wonder why this is interesting. Like the Tower Bridge in London, or San Francisco’s Golden Gate, the Harbour Bridge is the famous bridge of Sydney, probably the most famous bridge in Australia. Every New Year’s a message is posted on the bridge (this year’s message was 75th birthday themed), so if you’ve ever watched the New Year’s Eve celebrations from around the world on tv, no doubt you’ve seen it.
Spanning Sydney Harbour, the bridge is undeniably scenic to look at. I like the view from the Opera House or alternatively from the bridge’s base on the Kirribilli side. It’s also nice to look out at Sydney from. No trip to Sydney is complete until you cruise under, ride over or bike across the Harbour Bridge. You can also arrange to climb up […]

Original post by KellyG and software by Elliott

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Finland may not be on the travel radar of most Americans or Australians. But it’s definitely on the travel radar of the Brits. According to the Finnish Tourist Board there’s been a 10% jump in international arrivals to Finland, with much of that growth coming from London and the UK. The most popular destinations in Finland? Helsinki, followed by Oulu, Tampere-Pirkkala and Rovaniemi.
Now your travel friends at Viator aren’t going to take all the credit for this jump in international arrivals. But it may not be a total coincidence that Viator recently launched a new destination: Arctic Finland & Lapland. This is in addition to our collection of tours and things to do in Helsinki. So yeah, we’ve seen this whole ‘Finland is getting popular’ bandwagon rolling along for a while now. That’s our job, and we’re happy to be doing it.
So what’s popular in Finland this season? Here’s our […]

Original post by Scott Mc and software by Elliott Back

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