drbexl.co.uk » adventure

BBC: 50 Places to See before you Die

drbexl — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:16:53 +0000

50 places to see before you die, according to 20,000 viewers of the BBC’s “Holiday” programme (2003?). See also interesting article “things to do-before-you-die-ism“, and my travelblog(I never quite finished the text – I blame the chest infection I got on Europe Tour! Decided to make myself feel grateful for all the opportunities I have already had to travel – and you can pretty much assume if I haven’t been somewhere, I want to go there…

The Grand Canyon, USA
Great Barrier Reef, east coast of Queensland, Australia Been here!
Florida and Walt Disney, USA Been here!
South Island, New Zealand Been here!
Cape Town and Table Mountain, South Africa
Golden Temple at Amritsar, Punjab, India
Las Vegas, Nevada
Sydney, Australia Been here!
New York
Taj Mahal
Canadian Rockies
Uluru (Ayers Rock), Australia Been here!
Chichen Itza, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Machu Picchu, Peru Been here!
Niagara Falls
Petra, Jordan
The Pyramids, Cairo
Venice Been here!
Maldives, Indian Ocean, 450 miles SW of Sri Lanka
Great Wall of China
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Hong Kong
Yosemite National Park
Hawaii
Auckland, New Zealand Been here!
Iguassu Falls, Argentina and Brazil Been here!
Paris Been here!
Alaska
Angkor Wat, Cambodia Been here!
Nepal, Himalayas
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Been here!
Masai Mara, Kenya
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Luxor, Egypt
Rome Been here!
San Francisco
Barcelona Been here!
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Singapore Been here!
La Digue, Seychelles, 1000 miles E of Kenya.
Sri Lanka, S of India
Bangkok, Thailand Been here!
Barbados, 100 miles E of the Caribbean chain
Iceland
Terracotta Army, Xi’an, China
Zermatt, Switzerland
Angel Falls, Venezuela
Abu Simbel, Egypt
Bali, in the Indonesian archipelago
French Polynesia (Bora Bora), 165 miles NW of Tahiti

List from here, wonder what it would look like in 2010. I am looking at going to Amsterdam with Fiona at Easter. Here is some of the places I have said I want to go, what do you think I’m missing?!

(Slightly belated) Happy Christmas 2009… but on time for Happy New Year 2010!

drbexl — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:29:40 +0000

After taking 15hours to move about 4 miles along the M20 in Dover, finally made it to Lauterbrunnen where I’ve been cooking for 50 people all week (along with John P, who is in charge!). Christmas Eve was my day for skiing – didn’t quite work, so just enjoyed the train ride/apple fritters in Brandegg on Christmas Day, before we came back and cooked up a storm…

Heading back into the UK 27/28 December, so here’s praying you had a great Christmas, and are looking forward to 2010 - who knows what it will hold. For those of you who have lost track of what I’m up to, and are interested, I am doing the following (I was going to do this on my blog, but the database seems to have a problem, so I can’t get in…), mostly at the University of Winchester:

1 day per week promoting e-learning (permanent, but not enough to live on)
2 day per week Modern History Lectureship (til June 2010)
Hourly (but around 2 day per week) teaching Media Studies (til June 2010)
Completing my own studies: PGCLTHE (trying to finish by Febraruy 2010…)
Setting up the socialmedia strategy for Super Fun Days Out (love some blog entries if you have time!), alongside ownsocial media consultancy.
Other bits & bobs…Getting myself in the New York Times was probably a bit of a highlight for last year!

A real Super Fun Day Out!

drbexl — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:17:00 +0000

Whilst checking out social marketing material for Super Fun Days Out, I came across this YouTube video… this has to be one of the best things I’ve seen in ages! Guess it’s using the Wallace & Gromit stop-motion technique… I hate to think how long it took these guys to set this up, but I am LOVING it!

Cricket: 20-20 at the Hampshire Rose Bowl

drbexl — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:45:00 +0000

I’ve never been to a cricket match before, although I played once at school (I scored a six, got one run, and was then out!), read the full match report. Hampshire Hawks, 183; Middlesex Panthers 155! Woo… (and we had a very nice picnic!)

Wonder where the ball went?!

Round the World Trip 2007-8

drbexl — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:00:33 +0000

These are my plans for my travels around the world…

	Bangkok (Lonely Planet Guide) Friday 28th September: Leave London Heathrow on Flight QF2, 22:15, arrive 15:35 Saturday 29th September: 2-day GAP Adventures pre-trip Citybreak, staying at Royal Hotel. Monday 1st October: GAP Adventures: Indochina Encompassed, presumably Royal Hotel. Wednesday 3rd October: Chaing Mai Thursday 4th October: Chiang Kong Friday 5th October: Mekong River [Boat]
	Laos (Lonely Planet Guide) Saturday 6th October: Luang Prabang [Flight] Tuesday 9th October: Vientiane Thursday 11th October: Hin Boun
	Vietnam (Lonely Planet Guide) Friday 12th October: Hanoi Sunday 14th October: Halong Bay Tuesday 16th October: Hue Thursday 18th October: Hoi An [Flight] Saturday 20th October: Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) Monday 22nd October: Chau Doc
	Cambodia (Lonely Planet Guide) Tuesday 23rd October: Phnom Penh [Flight] Thursday 25th October: Siem Reap/Angkor Wat
	Thailand (Lonely Planet Guide) Sunday 28th/29th October: Bangkok, end of group trip, presumably Royal Hotel. Monday 29th/30th October: Thailand Beaches or other. Thailand Guidebook Phanom Bencha Mountain Resort? Scuba Diving
	Singapore (Lonely Planet Guide) Saturday 10th November: Flight CX713, depart 12:45, arrive 16:10 The New 7th Storey Hotel Saturday 10th: Night Safari Sunday 11th: Sightseeing, St Andrew’s Cathedral, 7.30pm
	Perth (Lonely Planet Guide) Monday 12th November: Flight QF72, depart 09:00, arrive 15:10 First 2 nights: The Emperor’s Crown Independent sightseeing to include Margaret River, Freemantle and Rottnest Island
	Alice Springs/Ayers Rock (Uluru) (Lonely Planet Guide) Monday 26th November: Flight QF1942, depart 12:20, arrive 15:35 Staying at Haven Resort Tuesday 27th-30th November: Wayward Bus “Just the Centre” Safari King’s Canyon & Ayers Rock/Uluru Friday 30th November, staying at Haven Resort (hmm, any chance of a balloon flight?)
	Sydney (Lonely Planet Guide) Saturday 1st December: Flight QF791, depart 12:15, arrive 16:35 Land in Sydney, use as a spring-board. 1st-2nd December: The Wool-Packers at Darling Harbour (Single room) May include Palm Beach.
	Melbourne (Lonely Planet Guide) (Before New Year): Independent travel, including the Neighbours set (what about including the sports tour?). Possibly also go to see Karen in Adelaide or thereabouts, which could then include a trip along the Great Ocean Road, and a visit to the Barossa Valley? (No set itinerary)
	Sydney (Lonely Planet Guide) (New Year): Independent travel/fireworks, etc. Monday 24th December – Friday 28th December: YHA Blue Mountains (see Blue Mountains). Looking for Christmas service at Springwood–Winmalee Anglican Churches Saturday 29th December: Y on the Park Sydney Sunday 30th December – 2nd January: Contiki New Year Sydney (Otherwise no set itinerary) Would like to try: Sydney Opera House (Tour) Harbour Bridge Climb, but with expense, might be Pylon only Church: Christians in the Media/Annandale Community Church and/or Hillsong Church, or Sydney Anglicans may help find somewhere.
	New Zealand (Lonely Planet Guide) Thursday 10th January 2008: Flight QF43, depart 11:40, arrive 16:45 Independent travel (No set itinerary) First night, Auckland International Hostel (look out for the Airbus) Purchased: Spirit of New Zealand Magic Buses pass, route: Sector 1 & 2: AUCKLAND-WAITOMO-ROTORUA Sector 3: ROTORUA-TAUPO Sector 4: TAUPO-TURANGI-WELLINGTON Sector 5: WELLINGTON-PICTON-NELSON Sector 6A: ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK Sector 6: NELSON-GREYMOUTH Sector 7: GREYMOUTH-FRANZ JOSEF Sector 8: FRANZ JOSEF – QUEENSTOWN Sector 9A: MAGIC MILFORD DISCOVERY Sector 9: QUEENSTOWN-DUNEDIN Sector 10: DUNEDIN – TEKAPO Sector 11: TEKAPO – CHRISTCHURCH Sector 12: CHRISTCHURCH-KAIKOURA Sector 13: KAIKOURA-PICTON-WELLINGTON Sector 14: WELLINGTON-NAPIER Sector 15: NAPIER-TAUPO-ROTORUA-MT MAUNGANUI Sector 16: MT MAUNGANUI-THAMES-AUCKLAND Sector 41: AUCKLAND – HAHEI – WHITIANGA Sector 42: WHITIANGA – AUCKLAND Sector 17: AUCKLAND-WAIPOUA FOREST-BAY OF ISLANDS Sector 17A: PAIHIA – CAPE REINGA DAY TRIP Sector 18: BAY OF ISLANDS-AUCKLAND Ended up with an extra 2 weeks in New Zealand, and everything else of course then moved back 2 weeks!
	Santiago, Chile (Lonely Planet Guide) Monday 18th February: Flight QF321, depart 17:25, arrive 12:45 (bit of time travel involved there!) Staying Happy House Hostel Independent city sightseeing (think what want to see).
	Lima, Peru (Lonely Planet Guide) Wednesday 20th February: Independent flight with LAN Airlines, LA634, depart 08:35, arrive 10:20 Sightseeing; Hostel to book, maybe Barranco’s Backpackers or Inka Hostel, but think I will see if anyone at the Asia end has been to Lima! Friday 22nd February: GAP Adventures: Southern Cross (this trip is not yet guaranteed, so here’s praying!), staying at Hotel La Castellana Saturday 23rd February: Pisco Sunday 24th February: Nazca Tuesday 26th February: Arequipa/Chivay/Colca Canyon [Flight] Friday 29th February: Cuzco (Leap Year) Saturday 1st March: Ollantaytambo
	Machu Picchu (Lonely Planet Guide) Sunday 2nd March: Inca Trail Thursday 6th March: Cuzco Sunday 9th March: Puno (Birthday) Monday 10th March: Lake Titicaca
	Bolivia (Lonely Planet Guide) Wednesday 12th March: La Paz Friday 14th March: Uyani/Sular de Uyani Excursion Tuesday 18th March: Potosi Thursday 20th March: Sucre [Flight]
	Brazil, Iguassu Falls (Lonely Planet Guide) Saturday 22nd March: Santa Cruz/Puerto Suarez Monday 24th March: Corumba/Pantanal Wednesday 26th March: Bonito/Iguassu Falls
	Rio de Janeiro (Lonely Planet Guide) Tuesday 1st April: Curitiba/Illha Grande/Rio de Janeiro Sunday 6th April: Rio de Janeiro, stay at Hotel Santa Clara. (end of group trip) Sunday 6th-10th April: Visit Gaynor (unspecified)
	Sao Paulo (Lonely Planet Guide) Friday 10th April: Bus to Sao Paulo (unspecified) Monday 14th April, Flight to UK, BA246, depart 16:20, arrive 07:30 15th April Unless secure some TEFL work in Brazil, in which case could return any point by 27th September 2008.

All images are (c) and paid for from iStockPhoto.com

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Find out more about countries on: http://wikitravel.org/

Find out the time: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ or http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/

Travel Providers: STA (Chris Mettam @ Manchester Oxford Road branch); GAP Adventures; LAN Airlines; Wayward Bus; Contiki; Magic Bus

Travel Forums: GAP Adventures Watering Hole; Bootsnall Travel Forums; TravBuddy; Contiki Forums

Equipment Stockists: Cotswold Outdoor; Blacks; Millets; Decathlon; The North Face; Tesco; Ebay; World Nomads; Aerotag

Useful accommodation links: Although I’d bought a YHA card, and checked through hihostels, I ended up booking most of my accommodation through hostelbookers.com (kept coming up cheapest), checking trip advisor before booking. I also checked out hostelworld.com; hostels.com; HotelClub (although hotels aren’t featuring much on this trip) .

Rough Currency Conversions: (xe.com: September 2007)

Thailand: £1 = 66 Baht/1 Baht = 1.5p
Laos: £1 = 20,000 Laos Kips/1 LAK = £0.00005
Vietnam: £1=33,000 Vietnamese Dong/1 VND – £0.00003
Cambodia: £1 = 8,200 Cambodia Riels/1 KHR = £0.0001
Singapore: £1 = 3.09 Singapore Dollars/ 1 SGG = 32p
Australia: £1 = 2.45 Australian Dollars/ 1 AUD = 41p
New Zealand: £1 = 2.92 New Zealand Dollars/1 NZD = 34p
Chile: £1 = 1,050 Chile Pesos/1 CLP = £0.0009
Peru: £1 = 6.40 Peru Nuevos Soles/1 PEN = 16p
Bolivia: £1 = 15.71 Bolivia Bolivianos/1 BOB = 6p
Brazil: £1 = 3.97 Brazil Reais/1 BRL = 25p