Archive for October, 2007

Another day in Egypt and another step back in time to a land centuries ago. Traveling along the Nile on an 8 day cruise, today was all about the West Bank of Luxor, or Thebes as it was called in the time of the Pharaohs, the side of the city dedicated to the dead. While the East Bank is dotted with monuments to life and the living, the West Bank is considered a necropolis where the dead are honored and are left to await the afterlife. This is a belief common throughout the whole of Egypt.

Valley of the Kings, Luxor

The Valley of the Kings is the most famous and most visited site on the West Bank. Deep in the arid sandstone mountains and in the shadow of a pyramid shaped peak, the great Pharaohs of Upper Egypt created their magnificent tombs. Inside there is little left, all but one were robbed centuries ago, however the incredible decoration makes a trip to the valley worth doing. The ceiling and walls are covered with painted hieroglyphic carvings celebrating the life of the tomb owner and its easy to imagine the treasures that once accompanied the king into his afterlife. To ensure the preservation of the artwork, photography is not permitted inside the tombs, so you are going to have to take my word for it…or go see for yourself!

Your ticket for the Valley of the Kings includes entry into 3 of the tombs (except for Tutankhamun’s — I’ll get to that later), and on our visit our wonderful guide Samir pointed us in the direction of 3 of the best. Due to the large number of visitors to the site, guards are not allowed inside with their customers so Samir told us what to look out for and what was unique about each of the tombs we would see. It would have been great to have him come in with us, but at least without a guide the large bus groups that descend en masse tend not to stay inside too long. They just arrive, walk in, walk out and tick it off their list of things to do in Egypt.

Shade - a precious commodity in Egypt

The first tomb we visited belonged to one of the Ramses’ kings but I now can’t remember which number he was. One of the smaller tombs the decoration was stunning and the huge granite sarcophagus still lay where it has for thousands of years now. The second tomb belonged to Ramses IV and was ENORMOUS! Absolutely stunning in size and detail, the walls are covered floor to ceiling with carvings and paintings with not an inch left untouched. This was something that had to be seen to be believed. The third tomb we went into belonged to one of the Seti kings but again I can’t remember which one, I really should right these things down! The tomb was never finished as money ran out before completion, nevertheless it’s clear to see had it been completed, it would have been one of the most magnificent sites in Egypt. On an even larger scale than the 2 previously seen, the tomb just kept going and going, deep into the mountain with rooms off in all directions.

Valley of the Kings

Obviously one of the most popular tombs is that of King Tutankhamun. Discovered by Howard Carter in 1921, this has so far been the only tomb discovered which had not been emptied by robbers over the years. Hidden underneath the tomb of Ramses VI (I remember that one!), the tomb mostly escaped detection for centuries until Carter’s chance discovery. The entrance had been broken but whoever found it neglected to notice the vast quantity of treasure inside. It was discovered with rooms filled to the ceiling by gold statues and furniture, jewelry and priceless artifacts.

The contents have all now been moved to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo or stolen by the discoverers and all that remains is the sarcophagus and the mummy of Tutankhamun, though this is buried deep beyond the eyes of visitors. He was a young king, risiing to the throne at age 8, but he died young so the decoration is not as elaborate as the other tombs and by all account is rather dull, however it still captures the imagination and demand is high. If you do want to go inside for a look, you will have to pay an additional 80 Egyptian pounds (about $12-$15) to do so.

Currently 63 tombs have been discovered with only 15 open to visitors at any one time. The search continues for more tombs and will not stop until all have been unearthed. Egyptologists know there are another 4 or 5 out there, they just don’t know where so the search goes on. A tomb was discovered earlier this year and the country eagerly awaits confirmation that it does in fact belong to a king or possibly queen, however like the others it had been robbed and no treasures remained.

With only a few left to be found let’s all hope another Tutankhamun style discovery is made, and on an even grander scale, to give us a greater insight into the past and further boast Egypt’s vital tourism industry.

-Kerrie O’Mahony

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours and things to do in Upper Egypt and throughout Egypt. Also have a look at traveler photos of Egypt over on the Viator Flickr site. If you are in London, get your tickets to the upcoming Tutankhamun and The Golden Age of the Pharaohs Exhibition to see some of the items from the tomb of the boy king, leaving Egypt for the last time.

Finding things to do in London can be big, ugly, muddle of chains and rip-offs. Avoid things to do pitfalls with this list of my favourite places in London for food, drink and relaxation.

An Authentic English Pub

FOOD

(Since I am a vegetarian, I’ll start with a couple of great vegetarian choices)

EAT AND TWO VEG (Marylebone High Street, W1) is one of my favourites, its got booths, great vegetarian food like shepherd’s pie, veggie cheeseburgers, and even a Sunday roast of the day. We flesh-challenged so often miss out on the old faves like Yorkshire Pudding and gravy but, you won’t here. Yum. Great, but expensive desserts. And they serve alcohol, vegetarian does not equal puritanical.

VITAORGANIC (Wardour Street, Soho, W1) is a simple, cheapish, buffet of yummy veggie food so you can see what you’re getting when you choose. Not a place to linger over a meal so much but good food, that is quick and easy. Good juices, of course, with interesting teas.

BAR ITALIA (Frith Street, Soho, W1) is an Italian daytime and late night staple of London. Great pizzas, coffee, sport on the TV inside. The toilets are downstairs and you have to walk behind the bar to get there – a trap for new players.

FLAT WHITE (Berwick Street, Soho, W1) has good coffee and toasted foccacia with an assortment of favourites like Anzac biscuits. OK, so maybe they are Australian favourites and the place is run by an assortment of Aussies and Kiwis but they do know how to make coffee with a smile. The self-serve water jugs with slices of cucumber in them are a treat.

YO SUSHI (Lots of locations, even airports) is chain Japanese, but it has the excellent moving belt arrangement so you can see what you want and grab it. The dishes are colour-coded and they add up the total according to the detritus around you at the end. Be careful though ‘cos you can add up to more than you expected. Miso soup is bottomless though and cheap. Yo Sushi is a great place to sit at the bar for a quick grab and run or to settle into a booth for a more leisurely meal. There’s a hot food menu to order from as well.

NEWMAN ARMS (Rathbone Street, Fitzrovia, W1) is a old, little pub where George Orwell used to be regular. Upstairs from the Newman Arms, is the Pie Room, the real jewel of the place. The Pie Room possibly makes the best pies in London using organic and free-range ingredients whenever possible and there are yummy pies for vegetarians. With limited seating it is best to get there early or book a table.

Looking for a pint?

DRINK

THE WARRINGTON HOTEL (Warrington Crescent, Maida Vale, W9) is a pub with atmosphere that comes from having been a brothel and it still looks like one. A pretty good Thai restaurant is upstairs.

BRADLEY’S SPANISH BAR, (Hanway Street, Fitzrovia, W1) on a small side street, Bradley’s is a small character-filled bar with an awesome jukebox.

ENDURANCE HOTEL (Berwick Street, Soho, W1) Yep, it’s opposite Flat White, you caught me. A good pub and in a quiet location so you’re less likely to get run over by a taxi as you stand outside pint in hand, as is the English custom.

THE WIBBLY WOBBLY (Greenland Dock, Surrey Quays, SE16) is a pub on a boat and is a favourite of friends of mine, but I haven’t been there yet. However, I trust my friends’ judgment, as it is impeccable. Did you get the part where it is on a boat? And the name, how could you not love a pub called The Wibbly Wobbly?

THE OLD SHIP (Upper Mall, Hammersmith, W6) a pub worth the journey and the first I was taken to when I arrived in London. With great views of the Thames, its riverside location and a chance to see the sunset over a pint, I can see why.

GORDON’S WINE BAR (Villiers Street, WC2N) is centrally located near Charing Cross Station and Embankment Tube. Gordon’s is located underground in vaulted cellars, Gordon’s is full of atmosphere. Open since 1890, Gordon’s claims to be the oldest wine bar in London and is a must for a drink. Less smoky, which is good for the lungs, but takes away from the atmosphere of the place.

CRAZY BEAR (Whitfield Street, Fitzrovia, W1) is the place to go to spend money on fab cocktails, eat delicious dim sum and enjoy lots of atmosphere, this is your place. Although after a few, the toilets are quite disorienting, “mirror, mirror on the floor…” –you’ll see what I mean.

Smoke a shisha

RELAX

SPALONDON (York Hall Leisure Centre, Bethnal Green, E2) recently reopened following restoration of the original Victorian Turkish Bath steam rooms. A reasonably priced spa with a hammam, steam rooms, saunas, a plunge pool and a relaxation room. If you’ve got more cash you can book treatments. It’s run by the local council so for residents it’s really cheap. Health and relaxation for all – I love it.

BRITISH SCHOOL OF SHIATSU (Thanes Villas, N7) London is a crazy town and it’s important to remember to chill out and bring your heart rate down sometimes. This place offers cheap shiatsu massage several days and evenings every month in their student or graduate clinics. The graduates especially are really skilled and are there to get practical hours before starting their own practices.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

SHISHA PIPES (Edgeware Road or on Paddington Street, W1) enjoy an herbal fruity smoke to while you drink mint tea and play backgammon. Due to recently introduced smoking bans, you now have to have shishas (or Egyptian Hookah) on the street or in gardens/courtyards, but it’s still possible to partake.

Enjoy.

-Philippa Burne

The World’s largest passenger jet - the Airbus A380 - is set to take flight this month

After 13 years of planning and development, the massive new Airbus A380 arrived in Singapore this week - nearly 2 years late and a few billions of dollars over budget. But that could not stop the hype and the enthusiasm of airline buffs around the world.

Singapore Airlines will take the A380 with its first paying passengers on October 28 between Singapore and Sydney. The airline held an auction for the first flight where the top first class suite went for a whopping US$103,000 or more than 10 times the normal first class flight and over 100 times the average coach price. Now there is an eager flier! So far the nearly $2 million raised will go to three great charities - Singapore Community Chest, Sydney Children’s Hospital and Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders

I had a chance to see a demonstration version on the plane landing in Singapore last year and it was quite a sight. The plane rolled over a bridge just as my taxi was set to go under. Our driver pulled over in amazement and started snapping pictures on his phone (come to think of it, after that nice tip he was going to email me those pics…) Oh well. Here are some stats on its massive size:

According to Wikipedia, The plane is nearly the length of an American football field:

• Length: 239.6 feet (73m)
• Height: 79 feet (24m)
• Takeoff Weight: 1,200,000lbs (560,000kg)

The double decker plane can be configured to seat up to 850 people. Singapore Airlines has announced their version will carry a mere 471 passengers – 12 First, 60 Business and 399 in coach.

Singapore’s First Class is the best in the sky, so save your pennies.

As of today, no US-based airline has ordered the A380 and there are no current plans for the A380 to fly to the states, though airports such as LAX, JFK and Chicago are gearing up to accept the plane.

UPDATE
Check back on the blog – Viator Business Development Director, Luke Crosthwaite, is set to travel on the A-380 in the next few weeks and will file a first-hand report. You can also check out photos of Singapore tours over on the Viator Flickr site.

–Ken Frohling

After a hideous 3:45am wake up call it was time to stroll the 50 meters from our cruise boat to the motorboat which would take us across the Nile River to a waiting minibus. A short (but fast!) 10 minute drive through the darkness of the West Bank before sunrise and a briefing from our pilot, and we were in the basket of the balloon gently taking off. The 50 minute flight took us over crop fields of sugar cane, ocra and corn, with the Nile River and Luxor East Bank on one side and the desert mountains of the West Bank on the other.

It was so quiet and peaceful flying up to 1,800 feet above ground, so silent you could hear dogs barking and donkeys braying below. As the sun rose over the East Bank the colors of the landscape changed and the temples started coming to life. In the distance the mighty Hatchepshut Temple faces the rising sun, and below the full spread of Rasmuseum illuminates in the morning light. The Colossi of Memnon rose majestically overlooking the fields of sugar cane and across the river Karnak Temple baskes in the sun rays, facing back towards the Nile.

While the views were spectacular and the monuments mind blowing, the best part of the morning was the experience itself. Our entertaining pilot continually made the balloon rise and fall in the sky, sometimes coming low enough to touch the top of the crops with an outstretched hand. We were not alone up there either, there were more than a dozen other balloons floating through the air in a graceful aerial ballet. Below us daily life began with farmers waking to attend their crops and children riding donkeys to school.

The landing was alot of fun! As we approached the ground through a narrow clearing in the crops, the basket was literally snatched from the air by a ground crew of at least 10 good looking young men. With the basket safely grounded the real fun began! The ground crew fought galantly with the giant balloon, twisting and pulling it into a long coil for packing. Bodies were thrown through the air as the crew chanted as they combined efforts to tame the beast. With the final gasp of air escaping from the balloon, a cheer was let out and the celebratory dance begins — yes you read that right, it was dancing time at 5am. While one boy drums everyone else chants and sings and dances, but its not just a spectator sport, within minutes we were pulled into the fray. With no idea what was being sung or why we were doing this, we just joined in best we could and had a great laugh.

When it was time to leave there was that moment of concern — who do we tip? The never-ending question in Egypt! With a pilot, driver, guide and an ever increasing number of ground crew, not to mention the local children who had mysteriously arrived on the scene, gazing at us with big, sad brown eyes. Thankfully Egypt is a country that knows the importance of the tourist dollar and how to make everyone comfortable and happy. The drummer turned his drum upside down and an announcement was made to simply put our tip in the drum and all the staff would share it.

Back to the boat and after a little entertaining hassle from a local merchant who spotted the vulnerable American in the group and insisted she needed 5 different colored cotton scarfs, it was back across the Nile for a quick sleep before beginning our day again at a more civilized hour!

-Kerrie O’Mahony

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours and things to do in Upper Egypt and throughout Egypt. Also have a look at traveler photos of Egypt over on the Viator Flickr site.

Seven Mile Beach

Summer is well and truly on it’s way to Sydney with the temperatures rising and the bush fire season officially underway. The mood of the city has lifted with the departure of a particularly chilly winter and the return of warm rays of sunshine. Sydney Harbour sparkles in the sun, BBQ’s throughout the city start to fire up and plans are made for the cricket season.

The only dilemma is whether or not to go away for a holiday or stay and enjoy the newfound friendliness of the city. I’m just back from a holiday to Egypt where the sun always shines and the temperature never drops below 30 degrees celsius so I’m a few steps ahead of the crowd in getting that summery feeling, and you would be forgiven for thinking I have had my holiday already. But no, the sun makes me want to be on the move again even if the bank account disagrees. I guess I’ll have to settle for overnight trips!

So where will it be?

Easy really, head for the beach - any beach! Forget Bondi Beach and the other beaches of Sydney, far too many people, I think it’s time for a trip down the New South Wales coast again. Every summer I spend a few weekends on the South Coast where the beaches are beautiful, the crowds do not exist and the mood is lethargic. There is nothing better than jumping in the car on a sunny Saturday morning and following the coast road in search of the perfect place to spend a day or two away from reality.

Gerroa - home away from home

My picks for south of the city? Wollongong is the first ‘city’ you hit after the Royal National Park and it has plenty of great beaches, but it can be a bit crowded being only an hour from Sydney and a thriving primary industry sustaining a decent sized population. Keep going a little further and you find the stunning beaches of Kiama, and a little further in Gerroa the spectacular Seven Mile Beach, which as the name suggests, is pretty big! This is my favorite as you can rock up any time of the day knowing you will find a secluded patch of sand to laze the day away without the interruption of screaming children, obnoxious teenagers or bewildered tourists.

For a weekend away you can keep heading south until you hit Ulladulla, Jervis Bay or Pebbly Beach, all great places to spot dolphins frolicking in the surf. If you are really keen you can go all the way down to the Eurobadalla Coast where over 100 kilometers of unspoilt beaches and untouched hinterland await your visit. Bateman’s Bay has always been a favorite of mine down this way, great waterfront restaurants where I once saw a dolphin swim past as I ate pancakes for breakfast.

Hmm, the forecast for Sunday is a sunny 30 degrees, I think Gerroa is calling my name…

-Kerrie O’Mahony

It’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s chaotic - it’s Cairo and I love it!

What the…?!?

Expecting the worst but hoping for the best, our Cairo experience really began in the departure lounge for Singapore Airlines flight 492 at Changi Airport. As the announcement that boarding was about to commence boomed over the speakers, there was a stampede to the gate, everyone eager to get on the plane NOW! Having already flown 7.5 hours from Sydney, with a 4 hour “transit” in Singapore, My husband Eamonn and I were bemused with our fellow passengers and their eagerness to spend as much time as possible on the plane.

Eventually all were on board and the flight passed uneventfully, touching down in Cairo far too many hours later. As the wheels touched down loud applause echoed through the cabin, shortly followed by the click-click of seatbelts being unbuckled. For the next few minutes as the plane decelerated and taxied to the gate, frantic flight attendants stalked the aisles screaming for everyone to sit down. Calm was momentarily restored until the seatbelt sign turned off with a ding and the desperate grabbing of cabin baggage began again, followed by a mass push towards the door. Never have I been so happy to be in the last row of an aircraft!

With all limbs intact and heads spinning with confusion we were overwhelmed with relief to see our names on a board as we neared the immigration counter. Being big-time pre planners, we had already booked our transfer to the hotel, and our guide, Nour, was there to help us through the debacle that is Cairo Airport. The thing is, it is organized it’s just organized chaos!

How’s your Arabic?

Nour led us through customs allowing us to skip the long lines which basically consisted or hundreds of people pushing toward the 4 immigration booths. Next came baggage claim, where again Nour came in very handy, pushing to the front to reclaim our suitcase while jokingly asking how many guns we had packed (well I think he was joking…) — not the kind of joke that is acceptable in any other airport around the world.

Straight through customs (they really don’t care what you bring into the country) and the scenes in Singapore and on the flight paled in comparison. There were people EVERYWHERE! Walking to the car we were passed by cars, bikes, the population of Canberra and a donkey, all fighting for space. However the relief of getting to the car was short lived as we took to the streets of Cairo.

You need to understand something about road rules in Cairo - they are suggestions only…

There are lines on the road but nobody takes any notice, 4 lanes becomes 6, turn right becomes turn left, traffic lights are there purely for decoration and the official speed limit is “as fast as you can go without hitting anything”. If you think I’m joking or exaggerating you need to go see for yourself. The white knuckled ride to our hotel was only slowed due to the larger than usual number of vehicles (I use the term loosely - we passed more than one donkey cart!) on the roads, the date being the eve of Ramadan.

Finally at the hotel after nearly 24 hours of travel from our home in Sydney and it was clear we were in over our heads already. ‘Ma’a salāma’ - ‘go without fear’, hmmm, easier said than done!

-Kerrie O’Mahony

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours and things to do in Cairo and throughout Egypt. Also have a look at traveler photos of Egypt over on the Viator Flickr site.

Editor’s Note: This is part of Viator’s ongoing series of posts about the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Ian’s on the ground in France, England and Wales — you can read his most recent posts here.

There were beers and tears here in Paris this last weekend: Beers before the England - France game, and tears when England won through and beat France.

Every cafe had the big screen TVs out on the pavements, and the tables were full to overflowing with both locals and tourists to watch a hard fought match between the two teams. Boy, did the cafes clear out after the fulltime whistle, when all the French went home.

Sunday night wasn’t quite as busy (now that France had been knocked out) for the South Africa - Argentina match. In the end, South Africa ran away with that one quite handily.

So - the Grande Final next weekend is going to be England vs South Africa. I am finding it hard to develop any sort of enthusiasm for this match, mainly because it is England and South Africa. I’m not going to tip a winner for this game, as my tipping has gone out the window.

The thought of these two teams fighting it out for the William Webb Ellis Cup leaves me cold. Hope you enjoy the game, I’m off to try and scalp my Grande Final tickets now… any takers?

–Ian “Frentzy” Frentz

I’ve read somewhere – I think it was Alain de Botton in The Art of Travel – that some of the best travel writers are “armchair travelers” who never leave the comfort of their own homes. They enjoy all the thrills of an exotic location, unfamiliar streets, strange languages, all without any of the disappointment or inconvenience of actual travel. No packing your bags, lugging them down four flights of stairs, taking the train to the airport, waiting in the terminal…

Today’s adventure is along those lines. I am in Berlin, Germany, and I am taking a tour of Boston. Actually it’s an MP3 audio tour along Boston’s Fort Point Channel, courtesy of Boston Harborwalk. Fancy taking a virtual armchair experience with me? Download the tour yourself, and if you can wait just one moment while I plug the headphones in, take a sip of tea, settle into a more comfortable position… and off we go.

Touring Boston’s Harbor, from Berlin

A Tour of Boston, Departing from Berlin

Waves washing in the distance, I look out the window at the clouds as Tom, the mayor of Boston, introduces and welcomes us to his neighborhood, a landmark in Boston’s industrial past and haven of creativity, largest population of artists in New England.

“I heard you wanted to take a walk.. explore the Fort Point channel. You should be standing next to a little glass circular building, in front of you, you should see water. That’s the Fort Point channel… Consider this next hour your own personal adventure.”

Map of Jodi’s Boston Walking Tour

I’m walking up to the waters edge, to the black chair, turning left, and starting walking. The soundtrack is sexy voices whispering over a sensual beat. I tune into the rhythm of the footsteps, the water on my right, a woman whispering salaciously in my ear. Past the new Intercontinental Hotel, beautiful and super-chic, with Sushi-Teq specializing in sushi and tequila. That sounds like a combination I’d like to try.

I contemplate jumping into the water taxi, but continue walking up the steps and under the tunnel. Avoid the columns, with a nice clangy slapstick from the presenter. Trying to be in two places at once, I heard an artist recently claim that she doesn’t work with linear time, and today I’m not working with linear space. I am here, and there.

Turning left now at the end of the building, along a wooden walkway towards busy Atlantic Avenue into a sudden babble of voices, footsteps, children. Slowly passing towards the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a series of parks through the heart of Boston, gardens, fountains, a sanctuary in the city. I long to sit down on a bench in the sun and watch the ducks, but keep walking alongside the brick building as instructed. Now turning into the building, and up in the lift to the 14th floor. Whoosh. Drifting elevator muzak ambient tones gently accompany me as I walk outside into the sunshine and fresh air. The black walkway draws me to the open corner, seagulls swoop and squeal, the city sprawls before me, wrapped around the port. Across the way, the control tower for Logan Airport, then harbor outlets and the Atlantic Ocean. Straight below and to the right is the Fort Point channel; just past the water is the neighborhood we’re going to venture through. I lean over the railing, always drawn to the edge, and follow the cars passing below in the street, then look up watching a plane ascend into the hazy blue.

Outside again, heading to the corner and right onto Seaport Boulevard. Walking along the sidewalk away from the bustle of downtown, accompanied by soothing tones and washing waves. This was a major shipping channel in the 1700s with exotic cargo from Europe, Asia and South America. Water below to the right, I’m on the newest bridge in the channel. “The first one built nearby in 1805 was quite the place for romantic strolls between young men and women. Apparently, so many proposals took place there, it became known as the bridge of sighs.” Aaaaaaah.

“Towards the end of 1800s the Boston Wharf Company began to build all the brick neighborhood of the area, using the warehouses to store ships, beer, ice, rum, coal, lumber, wool, molasses, leather. In two decades Fort Point went from a marshland to the New England capital of manufacturing, one of the biggest centres of industry in the whole country.” Now I am at the end of the bridge, going down stairs to the wooden walkway, towards the red and white sign of the Barking Crab. Waves wash, seagulls screech, the footsteps of the presenter accompany me. Past random miscellaneous nautical debris – I love port areas, all the huge cranes and salty detritus.

Inside the circus tent, talking to Lisa, who says, “you can walk in here with a suit, and leave in an oak barrel with suspenders because it’s that laid back. You can play games with the wait staff, there are different kinds of bands, this place is Boston History. Come over and say hi to me, I’d love to serve you.” I’d love to visit; Lisa has the raspiest voice, promising tales from years of decadence behind every hoarse syllable.

“If you ever want to disappear for an evening, grab a drink where no-one will find you – welcome to Lucky’s. So low key there’s not even a sign.” Walk inside to gentle piano tinkling, open door into a warm friendly local bar. We meet Al, who says: “No one’s going to bother you in here. I play the piano, and Sunday is Sinatra Sunday, the room has electricity, it’s unique. You don’t get here by accident. If you’re in here, you’re meant to be here.”

Now cross towards the channel, up to a cement walk. Look at the wooden beam slanted diagonally on the wall of that building. That’s the old roofline of where legendary nightclub, The Channel, once stood. Amazing shows went on here, hardcore and punk bands, and it was built right on the edge of the water, so you could look out at the fog and feel like you were on a boat. “When I stand here in front of the Channel and look at the space that’s there, it pains me that they tore it down. I don’t think there was any club around at that point in time that had as big an impact as The Channel did. The friends that I made there, you couldn’t make anywhere else. It just became like a home.”

Now it’s time to end our trip along the Fort Point Harborwalk, with a long goodbye from one of the rocks along the water, looking out at the remains of wharves and the Boston skyline. “Come back, you’re always welcome here. Fort Point is always open, the channel is always here.”

–Jodi Rose

If you plan to actually, physically, really be in Boston, check out Viator’s completely tangible tours of Boston, from Fall Foliage tours to sightseeing tours in central Boston.

I am Australian. We pride ourselves on our beaches, about having perfected ‘chilling out by the sea.’ So here’s my evaluation of recent beaches I have known. This is a highly personal evaluation, but really, these are some very, very good beaches.

St Ives, Cornwall, England

Cornwall’s beach? 8 out of 10

Well, yes, England is not the first place in the world you would think to go for a beach holiday. If you had a choice. A lot of people don’t. Mainly English people. And some English beaches are not ideal. But Cornwall was a pleasant surprise. St Ives is a lovely fishing village, winding narrow streets, small white houses and some really pretty, sandy beaches with calm, clean water. Gosh, they even have waves and a surfing school. There are lots of cute shops selling buckets and spades, kitsch souvenirs and ice creams. And you can have a cream tea with the famous Cornish clotted cream, a heart attack on a scone. Unfortunately they also have seagulls that have decided raw fish is not for them and they really prefer scones, hot chips, beer-battered fish. These birds are huge and not very polite – be afraid.

Total Score: 8 out of 10
They lose points because of the notoriously unreliable weather. And the threat of death by seagull.

Bol, Brac, Croatia

Bol beach in Croatia? 10 out of 10

I’ve been to two islands in Croatia: Hvar and Brac. For clear water, good weather, pretty villages, views and price, this is my place. The beaches are not sand and I’ve realised this is a huge plus. As long as the stones are small and smooth, it’s the perfect beach environment! Pebbles meld to your shape - or you can be a princess and buy a mat to lie on; the sea is clear because there is no silt; your towel, mouth, bag and swimmers don’t become full of grit; and, if it’s windy, there’s no exfoliation by sand-blasting. I’m a happy beachgoer.

The Croatians also have the bright idea of providing simple privacy cabins on the beach for changing clothes – although most people seem to just strip off anyway. And there is usually a café or kiosk nearby. There are ropes and buoys to stop boats and windsurfers coming in and running over swimmers: clever. Oh, and the Adriatic is so salty you can float without moving a muscle. Drowning would be a challenge. No waves – bad for surfers, great for families and the frightened. Also, the seagulls still know they are birds that eat fish and hang around the boats, not the sunbathers. The only downside is the cigarette butts – hardly surprising in a country where smoking remains a national pastime, evidenced by the sign in my apartment: “Please smoke whenever possible on balcony.”

Total Score: 10 out of 10
A beach holiday with no sand! Bliss.

Kioni, Ithaka, Greece

I have only been to the Ionian islands of Greece, Ithaka and Kefalonia, and they are very, very pretty. But my experience of them as beach destinations is a little bleak. I know that’s unusual but I found the beaches a bit painfully stony and the jellyfish plentiful. They won’t kill you but they sting and make swimming a bit of an obstacle course. Not so relaxing. On the upside, there are goats leaping around and it’s so peaceful and the people are lovely. There are great walks to do through olive groves clinging to hills, past fallen down houses deserted after the 1953 earthquake when most of the population emigrated, to tiny churches and the top of the island where the views are spectacular. Or, you can hire a boat and find a little deserted beach all to yourself. Except for the jellyfish.

Total Score: 7 out of 10
The jellyfish lost it a lot of points.

Haarlem, Netherlands

Haarlem beach in the Netherlands? 7 out of 10

For a country so closely aligned with the sea as to actually be largely underneath it in terms of elevation, the Netherlands is not a great beach destination. It has plenty of coast, miles of sand dunes to amble across and lots of sand but there are a couple of major factors working against it: the weather can be unpredictable and the North Sea is not the cleanest, nicest place to swim. Also, the beach I went to was lined with cafes and bars throwing out loud music and expensive food. I’m more into escaping the oh-so-cool scene and relaxing when I go to the beach – not my kind of beach.

Total Score: 7 out of 10.
Points gained for proximity to Amsterdam.

Santa Monica, Los Angeles, USA

I was lucky to live across the road from this beach when in Los Angeles. And it really was the full LA experience: lifeguards a la Baywatch, people rollerblading with their dogs, homeless sleeping under trees next to 5-star hotels, surfers, suits, joggers, film crews. I had the great experience once of sitting on the sand watching a perfect couple being filmed walking along the beach while behind me a group sat on rugs in a circle having some kind of spiritual encounter, and a small distance away a lifeguard plunged into the sea to help a swimmer caught in the waves. It’s those waves that were my major issue – they were definitely trying to kill me with that undertow. But I did love looking one way to Santa Monica Pier and the other way to the aeroplanes taking off from LAX. This is a beach that is unapologetically part of city life. For a holiday you’d go anywhere else. As a place to live it was pretty great. I only swam once. I survived both the waves and the bacteria. But I never took the plunge again.

Total Score: 8 out of 10.
Lots of points for human interest.

Clovelly Beach, Sydney, Australia

I know everyone loves Bondi and Manly Beaches in Sydney, and they are beautiful in their way. But for my money go to the eastern beaches – Clovelly and Bronte. Bronte has waves which try to kill you (I have a distaste for waves in case you couldn’t tell by now – very unAustralian of me), but it also has one of Sydney’s jewels: a seawater pool under the cliffs which the waves break into – wonderful. Clovelly is my favourite though. A narrow bay with a concrete seawall preventing big waves and sharks from entering, it is full of fish and assorted marine life and is one of the best places to snorkel ever. See, now I’ve mentioned sharks. And they are a definite downside to the beach in Australia. But really, considering how many people go into the water every year, 99.99% of them come back out and in one piece.

Total Score: 9 out of 10
Clovelly gets 10 but everywhere else has waves, waves, waves.

Fitzroy Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Great Barrier Reef? 10 out of 10

Coral: beautiful, don’t walk on it. You’ll damage it and get an infection in your foot you won’t like. The advantage of Queensland is that it has the good weather year round, especially this far north. It also has some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world along the Great Barrier Reef. The beaches are lovely, and there’s lots of them so you won’t find yourself in crowds. One of the most amazing things for me on European beaches is how close people will sit to strangers – I guess I’m just spoilt by the wide, long, plentiful beaches in Australia.

Total Score: 10 out of 10
Life-changing beauty.

Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy

Playground of the rich, the famous, the flirtatious. Ah, Italian men – they know how to make a girl feel special. On the recommendation of a friendly waiter, we found a great little beach just outside Bellagio in Italy. It was small, had a small café with good food, coffee, wine, and a handsome man serving up beach chairs. He even let me use his little shack to put on my swimsuit; the requisite Moto Guzzi motorcycle was parked outside. The water was clean and cool and, to me, surprising in its lack of salt; I didn’t grow up with lake swimming. There were hardly any people. The sun was hot.

Total Score: 9 out of 10
Not sure why it lost a point, but not quite a 10.

Barcelona, Spain

The ultimate urban beach. A place to work on your tan for tonight’s bar hopping outfit and catch up on sleep from last night’s bar hopping adventure. Lots of people trying to sell you things: drinks, food, massages, clothes, tattoos – I really hope they were henna. Lots of mobile phones ringing, lots of cafes, lots of people checking each other out. I went for a swim in the Mediterranean then realised my mistake as the seventh plastic non-marine-creature floated past; never swim in Barcelona after a night of heavy rain – the storm water goes straight into the sea. Not so good. Also, don’t take anything of value with you – it’ll get stolen, even your boyfriend or girlfriend…

Total Score: 7 out of 10
Great urban landscape, scary water.

–Philippa Burne

As long as I can remember I have wanted to see the Pyramids and Egypt in general has always been on my top 3 wishlist. After months of anticipation I finally got to cross it off my list on the Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, Sakkara.

Our guide for the day, Akhmet (though he prefers to go by the name David Beckham…) is an Egyptologist and Archaeologist, spending his days showing tourists the sites of Cairo or on his knees sweeping vast quantities of sand from ancient sites with a tiny little brush. Working for the Egyptian Government 10 days a month, he searches for lost treasures and was a man who clearly loves his job.

The Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre

Leaving our hotel behind the 30 minute drive to Giza was predictably terrifying as every experience on Cairo roads tends to be. Along the way Becks as he will be forever known, told us a little about Cairo, a brief of the history of the city and casually pointed out a few of the famous landmarks. Chatting away oblivious to our surroundings, we crossed over the river and Becks nonchalantly mentioned “Oh, there’s the Pyramids…”

Just like that, there they were. Only a few kilometers away and literally a few meters from the edge of Cairo city limits, the Pyramids loom on the horizon for all to see.

When you see photos of them they always seem to be in the middle of the desert with no sign of civilisation around. Surely they are miles and miles from the city on some lonely plateau in the middle of the desert, only accessible after days of traveling on the back of a camel through harsh terrain. Ok so that’s a slightly exaggerated impression but you get my point. The only remaining member of the original Seven Wonders of the World seems slightly out of place sitting next door to the joint KFC/Pizza Hut franchise! Where exactly do those romantic desert photographs come from?

The answer became apparent as we arrived at the edge of the city. Just as abruptly as the sides of the pyramids rise from the sand, the city stops and there’s nothing but desert. Its like there is an invisible wall holding back the city, you can physically turn your back on modern civilisation and step into ancient Egypt.

Hubby with the famous David Beckham!

Arriving on the plateau and standing between the 2 largest pyramids (Cheops and Khafre), Becks told us just a small bit of the vast amount there is to know about the magnificent structures that are even more impressive up close than I ever imagined. Guides are not allowed to go inside the pyramids (there is always at least 1 open to visitors) however Becks encouraged to g inside for a bit of fun. It only cost us the equivalent of about $5 so why not, when do you ever get to stand inside a building that is 4,000 years old?

There was not much to see inside, first you walk down a steep ramp which consists of pieces of wood nailed to the slippery granite floor, then up the other side to arrive in the burial chamber, The sarcophagus is still there but nothing else, however it is kind of cool to stand there knowing it was once full of treasures and a mummy! It’s pretty mind-blowing. It’s also pretty hot, so we did not linger too long. If you decide to do this be warned the passage way is low and narrow, not good if you are claustrophobic or have bad knees. I am not a tall person but I had a headache by the time I came out from hitting my head on the roof at least a dozen times…

Coming back outside and you are faced with the only negative part of the pyramids — touts. I was surprised that they were less aggressive than expected (Thailand is 10 times worse) and generally took “la shu-kran” — no thank you, for an answer and moved on. Having run the gauntlet on camel owners, postcard sellers and “have your picture taken with a silly Pharoah’s headress” guys, it was back to the lovely air-conditioning of the minibus for a short trip to the other side of the Pyramids for that “classic” shot of the 3 of them lined up together.

Driving back to the city side of the plateau it was time to meet the Sphinx. I was wondering where it was?!

Tourist not traveler…

After years of hearing “its much smaller than it looks in pictures” and “its falling to pieces”, I was surprised to see how big and well preserved it is. Sure, in comparison to the pyramids looming in the background its not massive, but it ain’t small! Becks again did a great job of giving us the most interesting parts of its history (like that Napoleon blew off its nose and the British stole it!), took photos for us and then let us wander around for a while on our own. I am happy to say that not only the Pyramids, not the Sphinx also, wildly exceeded my expectations. Something everyone should see.

Before heading off we had to tick another “must-do” off the list — camel ride! Becks was kind enough to organise it for us and one quick phone call later we were sitting on the humps of a pair of ill-mannered, and quite frankly a little smelly, Arabian camels. They make possibly the most uncomfortable seats in the world, but hey, the photos look great!

–Kerrie O’Mahony

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours and things to do in Cairo and throughout Egypt. Also have a look at traveler photos of Egypt over on the Viator Flickr site.