The whole world in your hands

Turkish Memorial at Gallipoli

The sun is shining, warm with the beginning of spring. The narrow sandy beach is deserted. Tiny crystal clear waves lap at the few piles of seaweed. It’s an idyllic scene and hard to imagine thousands of soldiers landing here at dawn on April 25 1915. But I try, because this beach below me is Anzac Cove.

My grandfather was one of the last to evacuate Gallipoli, just before Christmas 1915. We have his war letters, neatly copied into an exercise book by his aunt; his official army photographs of Anzac Cove and the trenches, and the blue cloth-backed map he carried in his pocket, faded and worn at the folds. And of course, we have his medals.

When I was a child, every Anzac Day, my mother would take those medals out of their cases and we would walk out of our gate to the War Memorial which, coincidentally, stands outside my parents’ house in a small coastal town in Australia. On it are listed the names of local men killed in the war. Some surnames are repeated too many times. Most of them are families I recognise.

I hadn’t ever really thought about visiting Gallipoli although it was such a huge part of my family history. And in fact, my day trip there came as a bit of an afterthought to a quick trip to Istanbul, possibly because until then I hadn’t even been fully aware of where Gallipoli actually was. It sounds shocking, and is not a great reflection on me, but although hyperaware of the tragedy of Gallipoli I did not know a lot of details.

Now for me, Gallipoli is a real place, with sights, smells, sounds.

Gallipoli: Bringing it to life

My time was limited so I did a one day Gallipoli tour with a driver and a guide. It’s a four and a half hour drive from Istanbul to the Gallipoli Peninsula so we only had about three hours actually there. That’s why most people stay the night, either at Ecebeat or the larger town of Cannakale across the Dardanelles. (I recommend Cannakale.)

We met our guide Aykut at Ecebeat. A smiling, friendly man in his 40s, who makes his living through a passion for and knowledge of a great tragedy. A Turk teaching Australians and New Zealanders their history. And giving some understanding of the other side of the story, as well.

WWI trench at Gallipoli

I’m not sure what I was expecting at Gallipoli. Certainly not such peace. Barely a bird in the sky. And such silence. According to Aykut, this used to be an area famous for its honey, though but not anymore. ‘All the bees are gone now. Since 1915.’

The only buildings I can see are miles away up the gently curving coast, three abandoned beach shacks about to be pulled down because this area is now a national park.

Standing on the cliff above Anzac Cove, I looked at my grandpa’s photograph of the same beach in 1915. It was 45 metres wide then, it is only 30 metres wide since the road was put in to cope with the massive crowds coming each year to commemorating the ANZACs – in 2007, more than 30,000 people attended the dawn service. At either measurement, the beach is narrow for so many men and supplies.

For boats taking the wounded to the hospital island offshore. For donkeys and artillery storage. Where I am standing is the exact spot from which the photograph was taken. It’s a really strange thought. At the end of the day I gave my copies of grandpa’s photos to Aykut.

Gallipoli: Still haunted

The beach might look calm but the place is haunted. Leading up into the hills are narrow, scrubby valleys with names like Shrapnel Gully, Rescue Gully. Through these all those men had to scramble day and night. Under enemy fire. Carrying wounded friends.

Once you get up the hills, onto the ridges and plateaus, there are trenches winding beneath the trees. I hadn’t expected there to be so many trees. I’m guessing that the land ended up fairly stripped at the time; now the trees have grown back.

And in the clearings, there are headstones. Cemeteries built since 1915 to commemorate the men who died here. Some replace the original graves hastily dug by the soldiers at the time, burying friends, the early casualties before the sheer number became too great to cope with. Some are from a later time, so we never forget what happened.

One headstone reads: Private H O’Donnell. 11th Battalion, Australian Inf. 12 May 1915. Age 16. He sleeps where Anzac heroes came to do and die.

Another headstone reads: Private W C Fawcett. 23rd Battalion, Australian Inf. 20 September 1915. Age 20. Sisters. Florrie. Alice. Rosie. Miss you dearly. Miss you “Will”.

ANZAC cemetery in Gallipoli

The ANZACs had about 250,000 casualties out of 700,000 troops. The Ottoman Turk casualties were around 253,000. This was over 250 battle days. So each side lost an average of 1.000 men per day.

Even though these graves represent so few of those who died, they are powerful in reminding me it was individuals who fought here, struggled to survive here, many of them dying here. And families who never really knew how, where and why they lost them.

Aykut took us to a section of the trenches known as Johnstone’s Jolly and Wire Gully. Here there are remnants of the trenches dug by the ANZACs. It is how Australian soldiers got the name, Diggers. After Sir Ian Hamilton’s famous command to “dig, dig, dig until you are safe”, they began digging trenches. A front line of only 3.2 kilometres. A distance of 1.7 km from the beach to the frontline. But behind it, connecting trenches and tunnels of 320 kilometres. And thousands of men lived in these holes. For months. Under fire. Each with a ration of one litre of water a day. (Water which came from the Nile River in Egypt as there was no well in the Anzac-held territory.)

I stood in a trench and tried to imagine it. A road has now been built following the path of the front line. I was a few metres from the road. In the ditch on the other side remains an Ottoman dugout, one of the burrows which kept soldiers alive during bombardments. Eight metres between the two sides at this point. When not shooting at each other, the ANZACs and the Ottoman soldiers used to throw food and cigarettes to one another across the gap.

A huge statue of the Ottoman Turkish Commander Kemal carrying a British Officer to safety back on the ANZAC side stands along the roadside. There was humanity amongst the brutality.

After visiting Gallipoli, I understand the whole thing so much better. I know that the Dardenelles campaign was about opening a new supply route for Russia – then an ally – to get weapons in and their main export, wheat, out. Did 16 year old Private O’Donnell know that? Or Private Fawcett? Or my grandfather? Did any of them have any idea why they were even there?

Gallipoli: What I learned

I now know that a naval attempt to capture the area had failed so the ANZAC landings were conceived. I have stood on the high ground at Chunuk Bair that was the object of the exercise and seen how hopeless the position of the ANZACs was while the Turks sat on the hilltops. I’ve discovered that the British landings on Helles Peninsula south of Anzac Cove failed because they were betrayed by Mr Palmer, an ex-diplomat who was captured and spared death in return for information. And that the New Zealanders landing on North Beach came under sniper fire from the Ottoman soldiers guarding the peninsula and rounded the point to join the Australians.

I’ve learnt about the importance of timing: Hamilton decided to leave the landed ANZACs on Gallipoli although their initial landing mission failed because in the half hour he was making his decision he heard that an Australian submarine had breached the Dardanelles and he assumed he would have support from that side of the peninsula. He did not know the submarine was quickly captured, that the crew sunk it to stop the enemy getting their hands on the technology. Since then it has lain just offshore, intact.

That submarine has recently been the subject of negotiation: the Turks want to raise it, the Australians argue it is still their property. An agreement has been reached and I am told it will be raised next year to go on permanent display at Gallopoli from the 100th anniversary of the landings in 2015.

I’ve also learnt about the interconnectedness of everything. Because the battle to control the Dardanelles failed, Russia underwent great hardship. At this time Russia was the world’s main wheat supplier and the war in Europe had cut off their trade routes; the country suffered economically. This, partially, contributed to the Revolution. Which led to the Soviet Union, the Cold War, the face of the twentieth century as we knew it. The failure at Gallipoli had a massive impact on world history.

As we stood by the trenches at Johnstone’s Jolly, Aykut pointed to a bush and we saw bees. ‘They are coming back,’ he said. ‘After nearly one hundred years, maybe they are coming back.’

-Philippa Burne

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Turkey tours, things to do in Istanbul, and Gallipoli tours.

Rod’s been a busy man recently. He’s just back from a tour to Rome, in the fullest sense of the word “tour”. In between enjoying the sights and sounds of Rome, Rod grabbed his camera and video gear and took an in-depth look at the dozen of skip-the-line and private Vatican tours offered by Viator.

It’s no secret that the Vatican is one of the world’s most famous - and most crowded - attractions. The art, the sculpture, the architecture, the history - a tour of the Vatican is basically a tour of western history (the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly) over the past 1,000 years.

The downside, of course, are the long lines to get into the Vatican.

This is a story, though, with a happy ending. There are many ’skip-the-line’ tours to the Vatican, where for a small fee you can (literally) skip the hours-long lines. If you don’t believe us, just read some of the reviews from travelers about the joy of bypassing the Vatican’s long lines.

Rod’s created a video to help you choose the right skip-the-line or private tour to the Vatican. Have a look, then head on over to the Viator.com website to read reviews from other travelers, and browse some of the amazing photos they’ve taken. Either way, Viator has a Vatican tour to suit your budget and itinerary in Rome.

Links to tours mentioned in Rod’s video:

• Skip-the-line Vatican admission ticket - this is the best-value option, though it does not include a guided tour.
• Skip-the-line Vatican Tour & Sistine Chapel includes a guided tour (to really and truly beat the crowds, select the “8:10am Upgrade” option when booking and tour the Vatican before the doors open to the public)
• Private skip-the-line guided tour of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel. Just you, a private guide, and the Vatican to discover.
• Private after-hours guided tour of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel. This is a Viator exclusive, and there are only two dates left this year - September 22 and October 13!
• Complete list of Viator’s Vatican Tours and Viator’s private tours in Rome (many including the Vatican)

-The Viator Travel Team

Editor’s note: The Muslim holy month of Ramadan (which began September 2) puts many people off travelling to the Middle East during the period, but travel writer and Dubai resident of 10 years Lara Dunston thinks it’s a fabulous time to visit. Here’s why.

Travel in the Middle East during Ramadan? You bet.

Ramadan #1: It’s all about the moon!

What’s not to love about a festival that only begins once the moon has been sighted? While astronomers can accurately confirm when the new crescent moon will be visible, Muslims prefer to be guided by the Moonsighting Committee. The Committee predicts when and where the crescent will be sighted, however, the holy month of Ramadan only begins once the new moon has been spotted by the naked eye. On the downside, this means the region’s governments won’t commit to the official start of Ramadan until just before it begins, and likewise won’t commit to its end (see #9). These dates are hotly debated among expats planning a mini-vacation at the end of Ramadan. Flights are booked left right and centre and once the date is announced everyone does a mad dash to embassies to collect visas and to travel agents to pick up tickets. Others wait and make last-minute decisions. The forced spontaneity is kind of exciting. I have lots of memories of picking up passports on the way to the airport!

Ramadan #2: Lazy days

For Muslims, Ramadan is about separating the physical from the spiritual so they can focus on the soul and on prayer. Ramadan requires Muslims to fast during daylight hours, although they also abstain from smoking, drinking and ‘intimacy’ (not even kissing!). Because everyone is lethargic and lacking the energy and skills of concentration to perform their work properly, for the Ramadan month working hours are shorter. As non-Muslims also shouldn’t eat, drink, smoke (or kiss) in public as a sign of respect (it’s illegal in some Muslim countries), they’re also feeling weary. Therefore, everyone gets to finish work early. In the United Arab Emirates and Dubai, for instance, we’d head home around 2pm. Small businesses, schools, universities, government offices, and many shops (excluding malls) close. The pace of life slows down and the cities have a more languid feel more akin to the Caribbean than the usually chaotic tempo of Cairo, Beirut and Dubai. For travellers, it’s a good excuse to take it easy too. Relax by the pool, beach or at the spa. Enjoy the languorous vibe while you can.

Ramadan #3: Silent streets

The cacophony of noise you’d normally expect of cities in the Middle East subsides with Ramadan – at least during the day. Apart from that early afternoon period when everyone is rushing home from work to take a nap before they wake to break their fast. Then, you’d be wise to stay off the roads when people’s driving is at its worst. (And that’s saying something!) For the rest of the day and particularly in the late afternoon before Iftar (see #7), the streets are silent and empty. It’s sublime. It’s always been our favourite time to take a saunter around the city. You can walk on the pavements without bumping into people or on the roads without risk of getting run over, and leisurely take in the architecture and buildings, and notice things you’d never paid attention to before. We love wandering the backstreets, exploring residential neighbourhoods we haven’t ventured into before, peeking into people’s homes and buildings, and stealing a look at their preparations for Iftar. You should do the same!

Ramadan #4: The call to prayer sounds better

Ramadan at Dubai’s Jumeirah Mosque

The melodic call to prayer becomes a familiar sound in the Middle East. Muslims pray five times a day, and while they can pray anywhere they like, women prefer to pray in the privacy of their home or workplace, while men usually head to the mosque. The muezzin sings the call to prayer from the mosque, and it’s generally broadcast from tinny loudspeakers fixed to the mosque’s minarets. In the old days, before such state-of-the-art technology, the muezzin would climb to the tiny balconies at the top of the minarets and sing the call to prayer as loudly as he could, telling people to come and pray. Mosques are never far away in the Middle East. There are usually a few in each neighbourhood, and in Dubai it’s said that you’re never more than 500 metres from a mosque. If you live in the Middle East for any length of time you come to either love or hate the call to prayer. I become melancholy and miss it after being away from Dubai for a couple of months. I don’t know why it sounds better during Ramadan. Is the muezzin trying harder because it’s such a special month? Is it because of the empty streets that it reverberates more loudly and with more clarity? Or are we simply more conscious of it?

Ramadan #5: Lively nights

By contrast to the somnolent days, Ramadan nights are spirited. After everyone breaks their fast at Iftar (see #7), the streets really come alive. Whole cities are on the move. People pile into their cars to go visit family and friends, particularly those they haven’t seen in a while. They’ll feast as they sit together and chat and enjoy each other’s company, and they’ll also spend some quality time around the television together (see #6). They’ll go out shopping to buy food to prepare for Iftar the following night or to take to the homes of friends and family, and they’ll head to the parks (particularly if Ramadan occurs during the cooler months) to spend the night enjoying barbecues, picnics, and games with their friends. Hotels hold Iftar buffets and set up special Ramadan tents (often overlooking the beach) where people can smoke aromatic sheesha and listen to an oud player playing the lovely lute-like instrument. Only traditional music is allowed during Ramadan – nightclubs are closed and DJs, dance parties and live gigs are forbidden – but nobody seems to mind. Indeed some people go out more often during Ramadan to take advantage of the opportunities to hear traditional live music. Nights are long, with many places staying open until 3am.

Ramadan #6: A good excuse to watch TV

Remember the good old days before the Internet, Google, Facebook, e-Bay and Twitter? When families and friends used to sit around the television and bond as they watched programs together? Well, Ramadan is all about a return to such good old-fashioned fun! It’s a high-ratings period for television in the Middle East. All of the best Arabic-language shows premiere in the region and some series are made especially for viewing during the period. The programming – from hilarious melodramatic serials to riveting games shows and intense talk shows – is very family-oriented with traditional themes to remind Muslims of important Islamic values such as charity, compassion and tolerance. The shows are highly addictive so you can’t resist sitting down to watch, even if you don’t understand the language. One program that’s proved incredibly popular across the Middle East, is the charming animation “Freej,” developed by young Dubai local Mohammed Saeed Harib. It’s about four Emirati grandmas who live in a typical old neighbourhood who sit around solving the city’s problems over a cup of coffee and gossip. It’s absolutely delightful and is must-viewing!

Ramadan #7: Iftar

Iftar is the main meal of the day after the break of the fast. Walk by a mosque and you’ll find scores of expat workers enjoying a communal meal together with mountains of food spread across plastic tablecloths on the ground. If you’re strolling the streets, you’ll smell the mouthwatering aromas first. (As Ramadan is a time of giving, their banquet was probably donated by the local Sheikh, neighbouring families or a charity.) Emirati families eat their traditional Iftar at home or at the homes of family members. Families in this part of the world are huge – many of my friends have up to 10 siblings! So if you’re invited to the home of a local for Iftar, don’t refuse – you will appreciate the term ‘Arab hospitality’ and it will be a memorable experience. Many Arab expats (Muslim and non-Muslims) like to head out for a lavish hotel Iftar. Some make a ritual of it, trying a different hotel buffet every night. If you’re in the region for Ramadan you should do the same. While some are simple affairs, others are extravagant with platters piled high with Arabic mezzes and salads, soups, hot breads, live cooking stations serving mixed grilled meats and shwarma, and trays of Arabic sweets. At hotels in the UAE, there is almost always a tented area by the beach, strewn with cushions and carpets where you can have sheesha while you play traditional games and listen to oud music. The all-you-can-eat buffets cost between US$15-40 per person. Because there’s such a large multicultural population in the UAE, and so many restaurants, you can choose from Lebanese, Moroccan, Egyptian, Persian and Indian-themed buffets.

Ramadan #8: Succulent dates & traditional sweets

Ramadan at the UAE’s Sharjah Mosque

Muslims tend to break their fast with dates and milk and then pray before settling down for Iftar, a tradition that dates back to the Prophet Mohammad who broke his fast with this humble meal before prayer. Platters of delicious dates are always present at Iftar buffets and on coffee tables at people’s homes during Ramadan. The Emirati owner of our apartment building would send enormous boxes of beautifully wrapped dates to the residents with a festive card wishing us all ‘Ramadan Kareem’ (‘kareem’ means generous). Traditional Arabic sweets also make an appearance during Ramadan, such as the tasty katayef, a deep-fried pancake stuffed with ricotta or cream and crushed walnuts, served with a sweet lemon and rosewater syrup, and kunafeh, a shredded pastry with a vermicelli like texture made with soft white cheese, walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, and a sweet sugar syrup. The sweet pastries are a great way to get that much-needed energy kick. Any excuse!

Ramadan #9: It ends with a holiday!

Eid Al Fitr is a holiday that celebrates the end of fasting, marking the end of Ramadan and the start of the next month on the Islamic calendar, Shawwal. Once again, we wait for the Moonsighting Committee to announce the dates, or if we’re planning on going away for a holiday, we trust friends who consistently get the guessing game right. For Muslims, the three-day long Eid begins with prayers, visits to family to exchange gifts, especially for kids. Because Ramadan is about being charitable, many make donations to the poor and take gifts to the local charity or mosque. While the Eid is three days long, the holiday could be longer if it adjoins a weekend or is mid-week and the government generously decides to grant the days in between. (They know everyone will phone in sick if they don’t). Travellers to the Middle East during Eid should explore residential neighbourhoods to take in the festive spirit, then head to the local mall or cinema in the evening. The malls buzz with locals, providing great people-watching opportunities. All the kids are out spending their gifts (many get cash these days) and the cinemas are packed with locals. Eid is the busiest time of the year for regional cinemas, much like the post-Christmas period in the West, and a trip to the movies is another memorable experience, especially in Dubai!

Finally, some Ramadan travel tips to smooth your way:

• Don’t eat, drink or smoke in public. It’s illegal in many Middle East countries – even in your car. Those exempt include children, pregnant women, the sick and elderly. If you need to drink water, pop into the nearest rest room. Hotels will also dedicate a restaurant for non-Muslims with a private area that is curtained off from the public for meals during the day. Other restaurants are business-as-usual at night.
• Dress more conservatively when travelling during the Middle East in Ramadan – no matter how hot it is cover your shoulders, upper arms, décolletage, and legs – loose long cottons and linens are best.
• Ramadan is a period of prayer and reflection, so while most bars remain open for non-Muslims, loud/live music is forbidden. It’s also not allowed in the car or home, so keep the radio and MTV down in your hotel room, too.
• Don’t travel within the Middle East during the Eid, especially in Morocco and Egypt when it can be hard to get a seat on a train.

-Lara Dunston

You can sip a Mai Tai in the middle of a freezing New York City winter, but really the experience is not the same as having one on a lanai in Maui. There’s something about the perfect drink in the perfect place that really rallies the senses together to experience something more than just the power of the alcohol. Like the 7 Wonders of the World, here’s 7 wonderful ways to really experience some beverages of choice.

Viator Travelers toasting champagne in Champagne.

1. Oktoberfest in Munich Germany - Need I say more about where (or when) one should be hoisting up a stein of German beer? Prost!
2. Napa Valley Wineries, California, USA - California’s premier wine country, if you’re going to have a glass of Chardonnay or Cabernet this is the place to do it. Overlook a gorgeous vineyard awash in the California sun and enjoy a day of wine tasting.
3. Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, Ireland - If you enjoy a pint of the black stuff, you’ll enjoy a perfect pour of the freshest Guinness around at its Dublin home. Cheers!
4. The Raffles Hotel, Singapore - Step up to the quaintly preserved Long Bar and order its most famous invention, the Singapore Sling.
5. The Champagne Region, France -The only real champagne is from Champagne (everything else is just sparkling wine). Toast a glass of bubbly near its true home in the French countryside (a stone’s throw from Paris on the TGV train). À la santé!
6. Grosvenor House, London, UK - Perhaps you are a teetotaller, in which case, you should definitely experience high tea, preferably at one of the posher venues in London, like Grosvenor House (or the Ritz). Do not pass up the double Devonshire clotted cream on your scones, that is a must.
7. The Blue Mountains, Jamaica - Tea not your cup of tea? If you prefer a cup of Joe some of the most expensive in the world comes from Jamaica’s Blue Mountains. Never fear, you can have a piping hot mug for cheap at the source.

Heather, a Viator traveler, enjoying a Guinness at the Storehouse.

I lift my glass to all intrepid travelers who seek libations at their source, cheers!

– Kelly G

PS - Viator offers all sorts activities for drink lovers, from a shot of Jack Daniels to a light and peppery New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Search for your favorite poison and find the perfect place to have a glass.

So if you carefully followed my instructions some time back, you should have made it as far as the Western Australian border. You trembled at the escarpments of Timber Creek, wept at the unparalleled beauty of the Beef Road Monument (sob) and you cried as they took your food away from you at the Quarantine Station at the NT/WA border (the beans!). Congratulations, soon you can imagine civilisation as just another roadkill on the highway of life, receding into the distance with the vultures and the smell behind you.

Firstly, a word of warning – to keep this venture honest we need to sort out the Crocodile Hunters from the true-blue diesel-and-dust salt-of-the-earth types. There are no awards for the biggest hat. There are no prizes for the biggest barramundi, or the biggest barra story. There’s no pride in sleeping in a luxury 4×4 trailer or campervan when you can camp out under the Starlight Hotel and feel the earth under your swag. The less you take, the less you lose, the more you gain. Simple. Bone simple.

Danger Will Robinson, Western Australian singer, man with a big hat

Rather than wake up and wonder where the Pierre Cardin bottle opener is for that third bottle of Sparkling Red you’ll need tonight from the 24Volt 60kilogram camp-refrigerator that you dragged in your wake, why not just reduce the equation, take a box of matches, some changes of clothes, a pan, a pot, knife, fork, spoon and a plate, and make it all transparent enough to see beyond the horizon of the campground and far away to the wide brown hills and mountains. Could be why so many people think there’s “nothing” out there, in this glorified place called the Outback: its simplicity and plain honesty has been what’s kept it there so long and able to sustain the people that walk on the ground. Father Brown has spoken, so now go and walk ye gently.

First thing you’ll find in Kununurra, the first town you hit just 60kilometres over the Western Australian border, when you step up to the bar in your big fancy hat, is that you’re told to take it off. Some fellas are seen to grow a few inches shorter without their chief cowboy accessory perched proudly upon their head. A bit of air will do you good to work out which way you’ll be heading come sunrise. If fancy, you could go up the track toward Wyndham or halfway that way and head out along the Gibb River Road through the mighty Kimberleys to Derby and Broome. For now, we’ll take things a little easy to start with and amble down the Victoria Highway some more toward the Bungle Bungles and Halls Creek – bitumen all the way but plenty beautiful nonetheless – it’ll give you a moment to keep your eyes on the landscapes and see it shift and swirl around you.

You might have noticed as you came across the border a wee bit earlier the sign pointing off to the great man-made puddle called Lake Argyle. This could be a nice diversion if you are into unnaturally large lakes made to allow the irrigation of large areas to create the Ord River Irrigation Area – but as we’re here to appreciated the Natural Wonders, this might be a little strange, especially given its seven times the size of Sydney Harbour and backs onto one of Australia’s largest diamond mines. And anyway, when I tried swimming there in the middle of the night on a New Moon, my natural instincts still had me worried about Jaws sized crocodiles muddling about in an artificial lake just so big…

Paddy Bedford, true legend of the WA Outback

So down the Vic Highway, the place is obviously a bloody marvel – great mountains rising up and swooning at your rubber-necking head, the simplicity of such grand statements about landscapes becomes as obvious as a fart in a lift within minutes. Millions of years old this is the stuff of legend that leaves the How The West Was Won stories in the dust – this West can never be Won, it just allows you to be there for a time. After an appropriate amount of a time, an hour or two perhaps, you’ll come upon the Glen Hills lookout, and I encourage you do Look Out and let it all sink in a little. I’ve seen that stretch more times than many others in my working days and never did tire of it, even when I had to drag the old beaten up ute down there at 70km/h so the wood on the roof wouldn’t blow off (don’t ask, its not important and anyway, I make the diversions here).

Do show some respect as the land is occupied by more than just cattle stations out this way, again you’re running alongside Aboriginal Land, so as intriguing as it may seem, don’t wander down the tracks leading off from the Glen Hills lookout, or any others for that matter, without finding out where they might lead first, or you might just end up in the middle of a remote community feeling like you’ve just walked into somebody’s house with no pants on – i.e. what am I doing here and what do I do now I am here?

Turkey Creek is your next point of calling, also known as Warmun, it’s just a little way down from Mistake Creek where a nasty massacre happened back in the days when white men thought the West could be won. Warmun is a nice enough little place, you’d need a permit to go in, or if the Art Association is open you could see where the likes of Rover Thomas and Paddy Bedford drew the inspiration for paintings that now, post-humously, sell for a million dollars apiece.

Bungle Bungles from the air

If you fancy a date with adventure now, perhaps some extra fuel wouldn’t go astray – the Bungle Bungles are just 50kms down the road and even though its only a further 50km drive into the heart of the action it’ll still take you three hours each way in even the best 4WD.

And don’t think you’re the Michael Schumacher of the Outback that can do it in less, unless “blind corner” or “dangerous road conditions” don’t mean so much to you. There’s plenty of opportunity to take the road slow on the way in and back, so you will be nicely acquainted with the slowly unveiling, jaw-dropping beauty of the Bungle Bungles as you make way along the fender bending track to the wild chasms and red/black domes in the desert.

Once you make it down to Halls Creek you can once again ponder the question that towns can sometimes present in this Outback-state-of-mind – press on and ditch this joint, or tarry a while and see what there is to see. Invariably the towns just represent the two Fs out here – Fuel and Food, and maybe some water for good measure – so once you’ve spent that 30 minutes surveying the town you can make your choice – back up the Duncan Highway to the NT side of the Vic Highway and maybe a luxury sofa in Katherine or Darwin; OR out to Palm Springs via the Tanami Highway and the frighteningly filmed Wolfe Creek and on down to Alice Springs; Or continue on to Fitzroy Crossing and Broome, then Pilbara down south and see just how big big can get.

The choice is yours for now… the towns just start getting further apart and thankfully so do the people…

–Jack Brown

Planning a trip? We think Jack is suggesting you check out things to do in Perth, Broome and the splendor of Western Australia, including the Kimberley. But you just never know with Jack.

While we wait for the next update from the Optimistic Fools (click here to read previous posts), Chris has sent through some photos of their journey (they’re currently in Russia, having just passed through Kazakhstan). So here’s a quick photo update from the 2008 Mongol Rally, courtesy the Optimistic Fools.

An excerpt from Chris’ last email to Viator: “I have had great difficulty getting to an internet cafe, they seem to be few and far between in the deserts of Kazakhstan. We are now in Russia. I have attached some photos, which Olly took, for you if you look at the one of the back of the car you will see the sticker of Viator I made!”

Thanks Chris, we look forward to your next update from the road. And yes, that Viator bumber sticker is pretty cool. Can we get the original when you’re done, all covered in dirt from your crazy mad journey?

The Optimistic Fools - Somewhere in Kazakhstan

Viator’s well-traveled bumper sticker

-The Viator Travel Team

Paris may be the city of love, but this stylish vibrant metropolis will also enchant younger travellers with a myriad of delights and adventures. Here are my top 5 picks in Paris with kids:

Paris with Kids: #1 Ride the Carousels

Kids in Paris? Take ‘em on a carousel ride

The carousels are gorgeous, old-style painted wooden horses and carriages, lavishly decorated with familiar music to swirl by around and around and around. These pop up unexpectedly all over the place, and will help turn your day into a spontaneous carnival, giving a sense of the city as a funfair. They can be an enchanting moment of nostalgia for parents, climb on board too, and wave to the kids as you pass them!
If you don’t stumble across any in your travels, head for Luxembourg Gardens, the Jardin Des Tuileries, Parc du Champ de Mars, and down the hill from Sacre Coeur in Montmartre.

Paris with Kids: #2 Go Underwater & Visit the Dinosaurs

The zoo at Vincennes is closing in December for extensive renovations, so make sure you take one last trip there this summer to visit the wildebeests before they are relocated. The Palais de la Port Doree will remain open, found underneath the newly purposed Immigration Musuem – which used to chart French Colonial history, and now documents immigrant experiences and culture. CinéAqua - The Trocadéro Aquarium is a tropical water wonderland, filled with colourful fish and exotic underwater species, and a favourite with my 8-year-old friend, as it contains a crocodile pit. See if they live up to the promise of 9,000 fish and 26 sharks, go on, count them all! Intriguing list of activities include an underwater sound studio, the ‘green wall of incrustation’, underwater robots a film program, cartoon workshop and daddy day camp. Located in the historic Trocadero area, you can eat in the museum at Cafe Petit Jules Verne or for more experimental food, try the gastronomic Japanese restaurant Ozu.

The main building in the Jardin du Plantes houses the perennially enchanting dinosaur museum, the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle. Don’t let the description of “comparative anatomy, mineralogy and paleontology” put you off, this is where living reptiles can be seen in the reptiles gallery of the Ménagerie at the Jardin des Plantes. The Fossil gallery contains objects that were part of the Cabinet of Curiosities of King Louis XIII. Explore their collection online with the kids before you leave home, and decide which exhibits they are most interested in seeing.

Paris with Kids: #3 Picnic in the Park

Step back in time with a trip to Buttes Chaumont, built in the early 1900s, this park has an extraordinary landscape to explore, with panoramic views over Paris. The man-made river runs through mountains, into caves and down along waterfalls, and there are plenty of gorgeous picnic spots at the many grassy verges along its banks. It’s located in the 19th arrondissement at the Rue Botzaris, near two metro entrances: Botzaris and Buttes Chaumont.

Parc de Belleville is perfect for a summer afternoon picnic, and with a little exploring, you can find a spot for swimming along the river. This former village and 18th-century gypsum quarry, has been transformed into a beautiful garden which opened in 1988. The Maison de l’Air located inside the park offers educational workshops for children with explanations and demonstrations on the theme of the air, the atmosphere, and pollution. Give the kids an environmental perspective to write up in their school report. Rue des Couronnes. Metro: Couronnes.

The famous Jardin de Tuileries is a favourite with French families, dating back to the 17th Century. The public garden has great entertainment for kids, including a puppet show, ferris wheel, carousel, playgrounds with trampolines and toy sailboats for sailing on the pond. Between the Louvres to the Place de La Concord, the garden houses the only remaining structures of the original Palais de Tuileries, Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume and the Musée de l’Orangerie, which displays Claude Monet’s water lily paintings, and will appeal to budding artists.

I highly recommend a trip to one of the markets for fresh bread, fruit and cheese, or you can stop into the many small grocery shops around for supplies. The kids will love to stop for authentic french crepes at one of the many stands selling them, and of course the perennial favourite ice cream is available everywhere. Berthillon, next to the bridge between Ile de la Cite and Ile St-Louis, has fabulous flavours of sorbet and ice-cream in raspberry, strawberry, lemon, pear, vanilla and chocolate, and offers a view of Notre Dame as you enjoy them.

Paris with Kids: #4 Explore Science, Industry, Cinema

Kids will love the Cité des sciences & de l’industrie

The Parc de la Villette houses the Cité des sciences & de l’industrie, a fascinating world of invention and technology, with a real submarine to explore, a satellite dish, and summer events including performances and music nights. There is a science museum designed for kids, the Cité des Enfants, you can also work on their language skills, as many of the explanations are in French, and it’s free with the Paris Pass.

The wide-open grass area is a perfect place to let the kids run around and expend some energy, especially on those hot summer days. Three of the gardens are built specifically for kids, the Jardin du Dragon with a wonderful playground and dragon-shaped slippery slide, the Jardin des Brouillards featuring water curtains and fountains, and a self-driven windmill in the Jardin des Dunes. A fun way to reach the Parc de la Villette is a boat trip along the canal, which also offers a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery. The 3 hour trip starts at Quai Anatole France and ends at the Parc de la Villette, bring your own food as there are no refreshments for sale on the boat.

In case you need to escape the rain, or as a relaxing alternative to another day of sightseeing, the Forum des Images offers film programs for a variety of ages from Touts-Petits Cinema to les scolaires. The button ‘Activities Enfants’ on the website has listings for all the films in the children’s programs at Cinema le Latina, 20, rue du Temple 75004. Métro Hôtel-de-Ville or Rambuteau.

Paris with Kids: #5 Stroll along the Seine and let the kids decide

As a child, the Adventures of Madeline was one of my favourite books, the row of tiny yellow uniforms tramping up to the Eiffel Tower has always intrigued me, and I recently had the joy of visiting the Pont Neuf, where she falls in the water. Entice your children’s imagination with their own French adventures before you head to the city of light, and they will walk around enchanted by being alive in this wonderful fairy tale city. You can buy them a Madeleine, and try some other authentic French treats, like Croque Monsieur, sure to appeal to a young palette. Strolling along the Seine from the Debilly Footbridge, which goes across to the Eiffel Tower is perfect for an afternoon walk, that will give you a new view of the city from the river, and allow you to experience the streets of Paris from another perspective as you wander.

City Walks with Kids: Paris is a wonderful book of cards with child-oriented maps, plenty of pictures and delights for young travellers. Let the kids take charge of the itinerary, giving you a break from making the decisions. Parents with teenagers might suggest a trip to the Pere Lachaise cemetery, to visit Jim Morrison’s grave, along with the many French artists, writers and musicians buried here.

-Jill Rhodes

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Paris tours & things to do, including kid-friendly and family-friendly tours in Paris. Also check out Paris Info for listings of current events plus a section for Paris with Kids, or pick up a copy of Pariscope, also offering activities for kids in Paris.

File this under “Only in Thailand”.

We had two elephants come to the village recently for a game of elephant soccer (”football” to those people with funny accents). Now I thought that would mean the two elephants playing soccer against each other. But oh no. In typical Thai style, this turned out to be two elephants playing soccer against the local 12-year-old team.

Apparently everyone thought this was a great idea! So full-tackle soccer with eight 12-year-olds versus two elephants.

Turned out to be marvellous fun; they roped an area off and charged 30 cents for spectators. The elephants were powerful and hard to tackle, but the kids were quick and nimble, a 2-all draw in the end. And no kids got squashed.

Don’t believe me? Well here’s a short video montage I made of kids scoring a goal, and then of the elephants scoring. Gooooooooal! Stick around to the end - the live footage of the elephant goal is a keeper.

–Jordan Digby

Check out Jordan’s earlier post on Life Lessons in Thailand. Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s things to do in Thailand, Bangkok tours and activities in Phuket.

Editor’s Note: Terry Carter and his wife and writing partner, Lara Dunston, have written half a dozen travel guides to Dubai and the UAE and have made it their home base since 1998. This time ’round Lara writes about Dubai’s top shopping experiences. You can also check out their recent post about “Top Things to Do in Dubai.”

Dubai Shopping Tip: Bracelets are a good buy at Dubai’s Gold Souq

When we arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), just over 10 years ago, the Indian guy from my company who collected us from the airport chatted the whole way to the hotel, giving us a detailed introduction to the country, culture, and society, while extolling the virtues of living in Dubai compared to Abu Dhabi, where we’d just moved.

“… and Dubai has a shopping festival!” he proclaimed rather proudly. In those days, Abu Dhabi didn’t even have a mall so we had to drive to Dubai to do any real shopping, like buy an espresso machine for the apartment. But a shopping festival was something else! Admittedly, we thought this a little weird… what kind of country has a festival dedicated to shopping?

Although Abu Dhabi now boasts a few big swanky shopping centres, Dubai, with its scores of malls and atmospheric bazaars is still the region’s King of Shopping. And according to Terry, I’m the Queen of Shopping. So, here’s my Ultimate Dubai Shopping Guide, or, 10 Reasons Why You Should Shop Dubai.

#1 - Dubai Shopping Festival

The Dubai Shopping Festival, or DSS as we call it locally, has become much more than a festival of shopping. Sure, it’s the huge discounts, crazy promotions, citywide sales, and raffles with Porsches as the prize, that get us excited. But there’s also entertainment for the kids, street fairs with food stalls, nightly fireworks, and at the Heritage and Diving Village, traditional performances and cultural activities. Held in January and February, the UAE winter, the weather is lovely. It’s still warm enough to swim and tan by day, but in the evenings you need to pop a pashmina around your shoulders. The big disadvantage is that this it’s high season (and conference season) so hotels are expensive and you need to book well ahead. Like, now.

#2 - Dubai Summer Surprises

Dubai Shopping Festival became so popular that they started a summer equivalent called Summer Surprises. Even more family-oriented, as the kids are on school holidays, there’s a festival mascot called Modhesh which looks like a yellow bicycle pump. A summer version of DSS, held annually from the end of June to the end of August, there are sales all over the city, but the major advantage of the summer festival – if you can drag yourself away from the Olympics – is that hotel rooms sell at rock-bottom prices. Keep in mind, though, it’s a sweltering 45C (113F) degrees outside, your glasses fog up each time you step out of the hotel or taxi, and the whole time you’re there you’ll feel like you’re in a giant sauna or God has placed a big blow heater above Dubai. It’s an experience.

#3 - Dubai’s Shopping Malls

Dubai’s Ibn Battuta Mall: Seven malls with a mall, each themed on a country the Arab traveller Ibn Battuta visited

I’m not a fan of malls generally but in Dubai, the mall makes sense. Remember, this is a place where it’s too hot to stroll the city streets for half the year. In Dubai, the shopping mall is a relief. And here, malls are about so much more than shopping. They’re a place for socializing, for meeting up with friends for coffee, a movie or bowling, for hanging out with the family at a fun fair or eatery, for slipping on the skies to swoosh down the slopes in preparation for winter, or heading to the gym, spa or beauty salon to get into shape for the summer.

Dubai’s malls also boast theatres, art galleries, child minding centres, and even mosques. Think of them as the equivalent of an old town square, piazza or plaza in Europe.

#4 - Mall of the Emirates

If I had to choose one mall out of the city’s scores of shopping centres, it would be the opulent Mall of the Emirates. This sumptuous shopping centre is one of the city’s largest, but also one of its most beautiful, with polished marble floors, spacious avenues, and a stunning skylight. It boasts the best selection of shops, with several swellegant department stores, including swish Harvey Nichols, dozens of chic boutiques, exclusive designer stores, fantastic shoe and accessory stores, cosmetics supermarkets, a massive Virgin Megastore and Borders bookshop, cinemas and theatre, art galleries, a theatre, Ski Dubai (yes, that huge indoor ski slope you’ve read so much about), and superb restaurants, including Emporio Armani Caffe and Almaz by Momo (by Mourad Mazouz of Momo London fame), bars (Apres), and a hotel, the swanky Kempinski Mall of the Emirates.

#5 - Dubai’s Souqs

Souq Madinat Jumeirah’s wooden arcades

While Dubai boasts an abundance of sleek shopping malls, the bustling souqs (Middle Eastern-style bazaars) are actually what Dubai has historically been famous for. The Deira covered market was once the Arabian Gulf’s largest – remember, Dubai has been a trading port for several centuries.

The city’s souqs may not be the region’s most attractive – get images of Marrakesh or Istanbul out of your head – but they’re just as atmospheric and easily as fun.

The difference is Dubai’s souqs are real. Gritty and ramshackle, they’re not just for tourists, they’re where the real people shop for everyday things. In Deira and Bur Dubai’s souqs, Emirati girls shop for fake Yves Saint Laurent shaylahs (headscarfs), their mother’s haggle for stainless steel pot sets, their grandmothers buy oud (aromatic wood that’s lit like incense), while their brothers, husbands and dads bargain for the latest digital gadgets.

English expats take visiting guests to gawk at the glittering gold souq, Indian expats buy saris and textiles from home, while expat workers from Afghanistan and Bangladesh stock up on basic goods to take home, from woollen blankets to cheap kids clothes.

#6 - Because in Dubai Bargaining is a Fine Art

Part of the fun of shopping Dubai’s souqs is bargaining, or haggling. It’s not a requirement, as in Cairo, Istanbul or Marrakesh – if you don’t want to play simply ask the price, you’ll be told a price, and you can pay that price. And believe me, I’m an old hand at it, and it can be exhausting and it’s not always fun. But if you pay the first price you’re given, understand you’re probably paying double the value. It’s probably still a bargain compared to what you’d pay back home, but you can get it for a whole lot less, and have fun in the process if you bargain.

So, where do you start? Ask how much then when offered a price, suggest 50% less. The salesman will probably laugh or feign horror and offer a higher price. Stick to your guns. He’ll then drop the price and once he does, you should raise yours a little. And so it goes…

Use your instinct to respond to his reactions and adjust your price accordingly. As the process draws to an end, ask for the final and best price. If the offer seems reasonable, pay up. Don’t go back to your initial offer – or worse, leave! – this is extremely rude. The sales guy won’t welcome you back when you later realise his offer was a good deal and he’ll probably spread the word around the market so you get ripped off elsewhere. While bargaining in the souqs is acceptable, it’s not in a mall, unless it’s at a carpet shop. At small independently owned electronics, computer or camera shops, you can ask for discounts, but offer 50% less and you’ll be laughed out of the store.

#7 - Dubai’s Best Buys

Dubai’s best boys are the things we associate with shopping the Middle East – carpets, textiles, perfume, spices, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Seriously. Dubai’s Spice Souq may be small and a lot more touristy now than it once was, but a stroll here is an aromatic assault on the senses – great buys include tiny boxes of saffron, frankincense (the sticky golden rocks of resin in the big sacks), incense burners, and do-it-yourself henna kits. Deira’s Covered Souqs are the place to shop for bellydancing outfits, traditional costumes, sheesha pipes, and at the Gold Souq, anything that glitters. Bur Dubai’s Textile Souq sells Indian saris, vibrant fabrics, spangly Aladdin slippers, Dubai t-shirts, and Arabian ‘antiques’. Karama Souq is not so much a souq but a rather shabby shopping centre, but it’s the best place for discounted souvenirs from the region: Arabian bronze and copper coffee pots, engraved trays and Aladdin lamps, Yemeni khanjars (daggers), Bedouin silver jewellery from Oman, colourful Moroccan lamps, sequinned and beaded cushion covers and bedspreads from India, and mother-of-pearl inlaid boxes and furniture from Syria.

#8 - Souq Madinat Jumeirah

This stunning, air-conditioned, contemporary incarnation of a souq is the place to head when you can’t face the chaos of the real souqs, the heat has got too much for you, you’re not in the mood for bargaining, or, when you decide to refuel, you want to have a cold beer or glass of wine with your lunch. At this beautiful “Old Arabian” styled shopping centre with wooden arcades, wind-towers, and lovely courtyards, you can shop in comfort for fine quality carpets, handicrafts, souvenirs and gifts, and the best stores for those are Lata’s, National Iranian Carpets, the Pride of Kashmir, and Al-Jaber Gallery. Prices are obviously higher than at the souqs, but the quality is better. You’ll also find fashion, jewellery, leather and accessories, and dozens of restaurants, cafés and bars where you relax and ponder your purchases, make new shopping lists, or assess the damage to the credit card.

#9 - Dubai’s Homegrown Fashion

Dubai may have made its fortunes on the import-export trade, but there’s actually some wonderful stuff produced in Dubai by Emiratis, and one of the standouts of interest to shoppers is its homegrown fashion. The biggest local name is quirky young Dubai-born designer Raghda Bukhash, who creates fabulous fashion under her Pink Sushi label, by playfully appropriating traditional Emirati culture and symbols. The black and white Palestinian keffayah or red and white gutra (Arab men’s headdresses) are all the rage in Europe right now, but Raghda was the first to use them to produce cute skirts, handbags and clutch purses. You can buy her hip fashion from chic fashion boutique, Amzaan, owned by local princess Sheikha Maisa al-Qassimi. Other independently owned boutiques stocking local Dubai fashion as well as interesting international labels include Five Green, Ginger&Lace, and S*uce.

#10 - Dubai’s Shopping Hours

Shopping malls in Dubai open from around 10am to 10pm daily (although a few don’t open until 2pm on Friday, the Muslim day of worship, like Sundays in the West), which is bliss for shopaholics on a stopover! Stores outside of malls, especially those in the souqs, close around noon for an afternoon meal and rest, opening around 5pm, which makes sense in this kind of heat. Shopping in Dubai is most fun at night when the locals go out to shop, so even if you don’t like shopping you can enjoy some people watching instead. This means you’ll end up eating late and hitting the pillow late, but what are days for if not dozing in the sun by the hotel swimming pool?

–Lara Dunston

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s complete list of Dubai tours & things to do, from desert sandboarding safaris to Dubai city sightseeing tours.

Brooklyn Bridge Waterfall

I think for most of my life I have been suffering from some horrible prejudice induced by seedy waterfront film noir movies because, until my last trip there (trip #10ish), I didn’t think of New York City as a great place to get out on the water. The East River is for people wearing cement shoes, and the Hudson has who knows what lurking beneath its murky surface. That’s why there’s so many nice bridges in New York City, so you can get over the polluted, kraken infested water that is lapping dangerously near Manhattan’s shores. And the poor Statue of Liberty, stuck out there, she must be lonely. Turns out, I was horribly wrong. New York’s water is as lovely to sail on as San Francisco’s Bay or Sydney’s Harbour.

The impetus for my brave venture onto the water is the New York City waterfalls art installation by Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson. Eliasson designed four enormous waterfalls along New York’s waterfront, including one pouring out from under the Brooklyn Bridge (