Budget Travel: Auckland, NZ

Hello, lovely travel friends!

My favorite trip I've ever taken was to New Zealand. The country is beautiful and the people are so cool. New Zealand is a very nature-centric place, which is incredible and makes for amazing trips for people like me who love the natural beauty of landscapes.



One of the main, larger hostels in Auckland, New Zealand is Base Auckland. It's a very large hostel that is fairly nice and very close to a lot of the bars and the city center.

A little further away from the city center, but closer to K Road is Haka Lodge Auckland. This is where I stayed. It's smaller than Base, but so so nice. The beds have privacy curtains, lights, under bed storage, and outlets. It's the most privacy I've ever had while staying in hostel dorms. At the same time, because it was smaller, I got really close with a lot of the other travelers there. We all hung out together before going out.
K Road is home to many, many gay bars. It's a very fun atmosphere with a lot of cute and a lot of cheap restaurants near by (it's also close to bagels - rare find). It's not a bad walk or bus ride to where more of the bars, restaurants, and activities are.


There's many opportunities to take buses to glow worm caves and many other hiking spots further north. The hostels often advertise these trips and they're fairly cheap.


When I was in Melbourne I used Happy Travels to book a Waiheke Island wine tour through Fullers Group. I can't even begin to explain the beauty of the island and the vineyards we visited. We took the ferry from downtown Auckland and visited four vineyards where we tasted amazing wine and cheese.








Visiting/eating at the Britomart area is gorgeous. It's located very close to the water and is a nice place to relax. I especially liked the Store and the pizza place around there.

A splurge I made was eating at Orbit 360, a restaurant that rotates while you eat so you get a panoramic view of Auckland. When you make a reservation at Orbit 360, you get admission into the Auckland Sky Tower included. If this is too pricey for you head on up one floor above Orbit 360 to Sky Cafe for a coffee or a drink.

I spent one day just walking around by my hostel and ended up at Mount Eden, which was a beautiful walk.
You can also take a ferry to Rangitoto Island and do a volcano hike, which is a lot of fun.

Obviously a big thing to do is a day trip to Hobbiton. I personally did not do this, but it's a huge attraction.

Hope you enjoy this beautiful land as much as I did!

~The Flighty Blonde

Guide to Disney World Parks

Hello, travel beauties!


So, you're planning a trip to Disney World? You've got your flight or your gas money and now you're deciding on parks and fast passes. In my 21 years I have been to Disney World 20 times - you've come to the right place.

Your questions may be: which park is the most fun? Which park is the best for families? I only have time for three of the parks, how do I choose? Well, I won't answer your questions, but I will give you enough information to decide on your own. I will not dictate your vacation, but after reading this, you will be able to confidently plan your own trip. Or at least you will get an idea of good rides to get fast passes for.

Before we start, there is an option to do one park a day or "park hop". As you've probably looked into, park hopping is much more expensive than spending your day at one park. Here's what I have to say about it:
You can absolutely spend an entire day at one park. Especially if you like roller coasters, want to eat in the park, and want to see the shows. Even more especially if you want to sleep in a bit and not go immediately when the park opens.
On the other hand, if you're not going to do most of the roller coasters, maybe want to eat quickly or not in the parks, or want to wake up early to be there right at opening then it would be possible to park hop and do more parks than you originally thought you could. This will involve more time management, though.

Another thing is that you should definitely go on the Disney Parks website and determine what days the parks have "Extra Magic Hours" so you can take advantage of the parks being open later. It also helps you if you're having trouble deciding which days to go to which parks.

Now, finally, I will get to the parks and their highlights!

Magic Kingdom

Probably the best known Disney park, Magic Kingdom is the most popular, crowded, and all-age friendly park. They've recently done quite a bit of renovating, too.

Rides for kids like 'It's A Small World', Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. A bit more intense rides like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Shows like Under the Sea and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. Now, there are three castles (two in addition to Cinderella's Castle). Find a full guide here.

There are more kid-friendly rides at Magic Kingdom than any other park in my opinion and less thrill rides. There are a lot of shows, parades, and seasonal activities that make Magic Kingdom always interesting. This is an iconic park, but that also makes it very crowded.

There's no doubt this is the place for families, children, or to unleash your inner child.

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is a pretty unique, cool idea for a park. It's a zoo and amusement park. There are many different animals kept within the limits of the theme park. Four of my favorite things to do at this park are the rides DINOSAUR, Expedition Everest, and Kilimanjaro Safaris and the show Festival of the Lion King. The animal shows are fun and engaging as well. Find a full guide here.

They are in the process (hopefully opening Spring 2017) of building Pandora (from 'Avatar'), which I personally am extremely excited about. If you like animals, rides, and tons of fun this is a great park. There are less rides, but there are animals and some cool educational experiences in addition to the very cool rides that there are.

If you're a fan of the Lion King, dinosaurs, animals, and conservation, you will love this park.


Disney's Hollywood Studios

This park has my two favorite Disney World rides: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. If you have kids, they probably will not understand these rides as they are themed for Aerosmith and Twilight Zone. But you will have fun explaining to them or just do this for you. I don't have kids so I enjoy these rides a lot. There are also a few new Star Wars experiences. I also enjoy the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!, and Beauty and the Beast Live. Unfortunately, two of my other favorite attractions closed down and they did take down the giant Mickey Fantasia hat.

There are performances in the street that go on all day. This is a smaller park than the previous two mentioned, but has, again, my two favorite rides.

This is probably not as much of a park for younger kids, although they did add seatbelts to the Tower of Terror, which makes it a bit more kid friendly.


Epcot

Epcot is a very and yet not at all friendly park for kids. I would say it depends on how much your kids like science. But, it's great for people who want to drink around the world (which I will be writing about next and have for you soon). It's also great for older people who like science, history, and travel.

Epcot contains rides more fun for the older crowd such as Soarin', Spaceship Earth, and Living with the Land. Rides for kids such as The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Test Track, and Mission: Space. Epcot also has attractions such as the aquarium and the World Showcase (12 "countries" to visit). It's also where Disney has set its Imagineers' sights next for expansion and renovation. See a full guide here.

Definitely get to Epcot early as the rides can have longer lines. You will also want to leave a lot of time to explore the World Showcase (a lot a lot of time if you go during the Food and Wine Festival). There is lots to eat, drink, buy, and see in the "countries".

As a child, this was my least favorite park even though I am now a scientist and love history. I still liked it, I just didn't used to mind if we didn't go to it. But, as I got older (18) I started to be able to truly understand everything Epcot tries to teach, instill, and inspire.



Not a park, but the new Disney Springs deserves it

Wow. In the last two years Disney Springs has become less of a meal stop and more of a full day adventure. With what seems like a million new restaurants - highly recommend Portobello's and T-Rex - shops, and attractions. They have most of what used to be there (thank goodness, because that Disney store is Heaven), but have added so much.
You can go to the dine-in theater, movie theater, bowling alley, and/or DisneyQuest (indoor interactive theme park). You can eat at 53 different restaurants (make reservations!). Have dessert at Haagen-Dazs or Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop and pick up a Disney Springs exclusive Pandora charm. There is so much to do now that I definitely recommend spending more time here than you'd expect to.
Find the full guide here.

Sydney on a Budget

Welcome, travel monkeys!

Here I will talk about the first of three times that I have traveled to Sydney. This first time, we wanted to do everything while saving money where we could. Sounds good, right? Right! Here's what I did, where I stayed, how I ate, and how much money I spent while there.

If you would like to learn about other, more expensive activities I did in Sydney such as skydiving or spending a couple days in the Blue Mountains, you can see my article on luxury travel in Sydney here. You should also check out my backpacking trip itinerary and must-dos on the east coast of Australia.

So, the first time I went to Sydney we spent a total of around $395 USD over five days. That's about $79/day for accommodation, food, drinks, and activities. **Make sure if you stay at a hostel you check out the discounts they have for various attractions in the area.

On the day we arrived we got on the train from the airport and checked into our hostel (Maze Backpackers). After settling in we explored a bit around the hostel and got groceries in order to save money on food. Things like pasta, cereal, eggs, and sandwich fixings were great. We even brought some sandwiches and snacks to the zoo.

Our first full day there we walked to Circular Quay and walked around to find all different sorts of angles to view the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the opera house from. We walked around the shopping part of town and over to Darling Harbour. In Darling Harbour we went to Sea Life Sydney to see some platypus, dugongs, and other sea life. Sydney is known for its milkshakes so we also went and got a milkshake.

Our second day we woke up really early and got on a Hunter Valley Wine Tour (HIGHLY RECOMMEND - it's worth the money). Since this was on a Tuesday, when we got back we headed over to the Soda Factory, a really cool, cheap, prohibition style restaurant and bar that has $1 hot dogs on Tusdays.

Day three we went to the Taronga Zoo (I rave too much about it in my posts, so I'll just say, Go!), the Royal Botanic Garden, and explored some more. At night we went out to a super great Ramen restaurant and then out to some of the bars (Bar Century, Scubar, etc.)

On the fourth day we went to Bondi Beach and at night went and saw a ballet at the Sydney Opera House. Now, I thought the Sydney Opera House would be pretty overrated since it's all you hear about when people talk about Sydney, but I have to say, the show was amazing, the opera house is gorgeous and it was such a cool feeling that not only did we see the opera house, but we went in and saw a show there. I can't even properly describe it.

Our last day in Sydney before our flight we went back over to Circular Quay for one last milkshake and walk around Circular Quay. Sydney is such a vibrant city that we never got bored of just walking around and finding things to look at or do on a whim.

So, it is possible to cut corners on spending even in such an awesome city as Sydney and get the most out of it. Budget travel is fantastic! It's like guilt free carbs. And you'll have so much fun in Sydney, Australia.


"And then there is the most dangerous risk of all - the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later" - Randy Komisar

~The Flighty Blonde

Why date a traveler?

You've met a traveler? Or you're looking for the kind of person you might be interested in? You've come to the right place. You almost can't go wrong dating a traveler (especially not if you start to travel with them). Here are some of the main points of why dating a traveler is such a great decision:

1. She/he is deep
A traveler places more value on travel than on material things. He/she believes in understanding and celebrating different cultures and values. They fill their life with experiences, meaning, and fun rather than possessions.

2. She/he is adventurous
Get your mind out of the gutter. You will never be bored with a traveler. He/she will always be looking for and planning their next adventure even if it's just a day at the park. They know how to make even the most routine things fun.

3. They're an excellent story teller
His/her mind is full of amazing stories just waiting to be told. They've experienced and seen so much. His/her capacity for imagining stories or recapping adventures is endless.

4. He/she is flexible
Again not that way. She/he has learned to adapt to many different environments and situations. Almost anything you throw at them they will catch and move forward with you.

5. Money
A traveler knows how to budget to get the most out of their time on this planet. Not only will they not be buying a bunch of meaningless things, but he/she will know how to make their money go the furthest.

6. She/he is passionate
Passionate about life, love, adventure, etc. This passion spills over into all parts of their life.

7. He/she is a generally great person
A traveller has seen a lot. And they take the best experiences and what they've learned from their adventures and incorporates it into their personality. This will also make you a better person. Learn from them and what they've learned. They are also very happy and that happiness is contagious.

11 Things to do in Miami

Welcome lovers of travel!

As a relatively seasoned Miami resident, I have done a lot here. This is my advice on things to do in the Miami area in no particular order. Enjoy! Sorry I don't have any newer, better photos here, I'll work on it.

1. Go to Ocean Drive
Ocean Drive in South Beach is a fun and lively place to go. There are shops, restaurants, interesting people, and of course - South Beach. Hang out here for a day as it is widely considered a must do. One of my favorite places for breakfast/brunch over here is the 11th Street Diner.

2. Have a Cuban sandwich
As someone who recently came back from Cuba, Miami's Cuba sandwiches are authentic and great. A couple of the better Cuban restaurants to me are Versailles and Miami Smokers.

3. Go to Wynwood
Wynwood has it all - fun bars, awesome art, and great restaurants. Take a walk to see the art on the buildings, sidewalks, and parks. If you're here during Art Walk or Art Basel then come on and join in those festivities.

4. Hit up the clubs
It's no secret Miami is known for it's nightlife. Popular clubs are in Brickell and South Beach including Liv, Story, Space, Club 50, and E11EVEN. Other low key spots are Coconut Grove and Wynwood.

5. Get ice cream
Some of the best ice cream shops are Chill'N Nitrogen Ice Cream, Whip 'N' Dip, and Bianco Gelato.

6. Fairchild Botanic Garden
It's like walking through a tropical paradise.

7. Venetian Pool
Pack up your swim bag and hit up this wonderful spot. It's something you have to see to believe is a real place. Google it.

8. Day trip to the Keys
Key Largo is only 45 minutes - 1.5 hours away!

9. Spend the day at Jungle Island
They turned an island into a zoo! I know. And they do some really fun special events there like Fourth of July concerts. There's also an obstacle course on the ocean.

10. See Flipper!
Flipper is at the Miami Seaquarium. It's not really one of my most recommended things to do, but it's pretty cool. He's in a natural bottom dolphin pool with some of his friends.

11. Have dinner with a view at Whiskey Joe's or the Rusty Pelican
Both of these restaurants lie on Virginia Key and have stunning sunset views of the Downtown Miami skyline.

Please, please, please whatever you do - pick up after yourself!! Tourists come to our beaches and our parks and they think Miami the party city is their trash can. It's not okay and it's not welcome. We are so close to the ocean with frequent floods and rainfall...your trash will be carried into the ocean and hurt the sea like like the cute turtles and dolphins.

Hope you have fun! My home is your home!
~The Flighty Blonde

Travel Tips for Cuba

Hi beautiful adventurers,

If you're an American traveling to Cuba, this list is going to be really helpful. If you're from somewhere else traveling to Cuba, this will still be helpful.

Something to know about traveling to Cuba...in order to book flights, hotels, dives, etc., you have to have one of twelve reasons to travel to Cuba as a U.S. citizen. They're not difficult to figure out, but you need to have one and fill out the affadavit.

Getting into a 1980s Russian car and driving into Havana was surreal. As we drove I watched as beautiful and not so beautiful old cars went by with puffs of black smoke following them. I went by graffiti that said things like, "socialism or die" and "I love this island". Beautiful gardens and a combination of run down and modern store fronts were seen from our little car. It became hard not to question everything I've ever learned about this country. It quickly became clear that this place was different from everything I've heard about it (unless you've heard it's a beautiful country that values its citizen's rights and nature). If you're planning a trip to Cuba, I highly recommend it.

1. Lots of airlines are flying to Cuba now, so do your research
American airlines like American Airlines (hehe), JetBlue, and a few others are allowing flights ($60 for JetBlue in November) from a number of different American airports. Also, there are charter flights from Havana Air (Eastern Airlines) and Aruba Airline. I use Google Flights to research flights, but some of these flights don't show up there yet.
Tip! Turn off Cookies on your browser when researching flights.

2. Bring lots of CASH!
Bring lots of Euros! I found very few places in Cuba took credit cards and a lot of the ones I did find couldn't get their credit card machines to work.

3. You'll be hard pressed to find internet
Some places offer internet if you pay for a card first, but good luck. I'd tell everyone you won't be able to contact them just in case you don't find any internet so they don't worry too much about you.

4. The locals are friendly, so ask them where to go and how to get there
They are so friendly! And they love Americans ($_$). Don't be afraid to ask them where they like to eat, drink, or dance. What events are going on? What's the best place to see the sunset? Ask them!

5. Bring toilet paper
Many bathrooms don't have toilet paper or toilet seats around Cuba. Just in case, bring a roll from home.

6. Don't forget bug spray and sunscreen!

7. Brush up on some Spanish phrases
A lot of people in Cuba speak English, but this is good just in case you run into someone who doesn't, which did happen to us and I was so thankful I'm fluent in Spanish. I'd still recommend to just learn some common things like, "where are the bathrooms?" and "check, please".

8. Food is cheap, but good lodging is not
Although you will hopefully pay for your lodging beforehand (I used AirBNB, but found some hotels I almost wished I'd stayed in (almost because AirBNB was a lot cheaper), there will be a definite trade off when paying for things. Food and drinks are super cheap in Cuba, though!

9. Try to find a ride from the airport
Taking a taxi is fine and all, but if you want some things pointed out to you along the way and someone who will know where you are going exactly...definitely arrange for an airport pickup. Our AirBNB offered us one and I think it was one of the best decisions we made.

10. Go SCUBA diving

Splurge in Sydney, Australia

Hello lovely travel bugs!

I have traveled to the beautiful city of Sydney, Australia three times. I've done it two ways - luxuriously, and on a budget. Here I will tell you how I traveled Sydney in comfort and style.

Time of year: New Year's

Duration: Five days

Accomodation: Rented condo in Darling One Building, Darling Harbour
If you go during New Year's also, this building had a great view of fireworks from the roof. Only residents were allowed up, so you don't have to go at 6 am and fight with everyone and their mother for a good fireworks spot.

Activities:

Skydiving with Sydney Skydivers
- You meet at their Sydney office and they'll bus you out to go skydiving. As you're skydiving you get wonderful views of the Blue Mountains and the ocean

America's Cup Sail with Sailing Sydney (Darling Harbour)
- They even let you help to work the sailboat if you want to. It's exhilarating and relaxing at the same time.
- Sail under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, past the Opera House, hear about the history of the Sydney Harbour including the submarines that lay at the bottom

See a movie at the world's largest IMAX
- We were lucky enough to be there when Star Wars Episode VII came out. It's located in Darling Harbour

Do the Sydney Bridge Climb
- BridgeClimb Sydney will take you on a walk up the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the tallest steel arch bridge, and back down (of course!). You'll get amazing views of Sydney (including the Sydney Opera House).

Go shopping around Pitt Street
- Pitt Street and the surrounding couple of blocks have great shops, both luxury and regular. It's a fun way to pass some time, even if you're just window shopping. The street performers are pretty amazing here, too.

Visit the Taronga Zoo
- In my post about what to do on the East coast of Australia I write a lot about the Taronga Zoo. It is one of my favorite zoos in the world.

Dress up and have dinner on Circular Quay and see a show at the Sydney Opera House
- There are quite a few good restaurants with great views on Circular Quay. Afterwards you can stroll over to the Sydney Opera House for a show or just to see it lit up at night.

Go to The Rocks
- The Rocks is a famous location in Sydney and has good restaurants and bars. Located on the water there is also a nice breeze.

Hang out at Bondi Beach
- Everyone has heard of Bondi. It has cute surf shops and souvenir shops. You can also get a day pass to the pool that is built out into the ocean so that the waves crash up into it. Bondi is famous for its surfing. There is a walk a lot of people do from Bondi to Bronte that goes along the coast.

16 Things to do in the Twin Cities

"Blessed are the curious for they will have adventures" - Unknown

Hey there, traveler!

Interested in Minnesota? Good choice. But, as a native Minnesotan I might be bias. These are some of the best things the Twin Cities area has to offer, in my opinion.

Best time to go? I would say the Fall. It's not freezing cold yet, but it's not blistering hot either. And the colors are gorgeous.

Where to stay? Depends on your budget. Luxury - The Saint Paul Hotel - it is conveniently located close to downtown St. Paul where you will find Mickey's Diner, the History Museum, the Science Museum, the Landmark Center, lots of good restaurants, and the Children's Museum.
There are plenty of more budget options as well especially close to Downtown Minneapolis and the Mall of America.

Make sure you check out lots of restaurants. They are exceptional.

Top Seasonal Things to Do:
These depend on the time of year you go...
1. Apple and Strawberry Picking
My favorite place for apple picking is Aamodt's Apple Farm. But there are so many good places to do both of these activities you almost can't go wrong. A lot of the places sell other things too like apple crumble crust, honey, and hot air balloon rides. After Aamodt's, take an early dinner at Danny's or happy hour at the Lion's Tavern.

2. Minnesota State Fair
Aahh...the great Minnesota get together. It's the largest state fair in the U.S. by average daily attendance. And with Sweet Martha's Cookies, fried mac and cheese curds, and frozen chocolate covered bananas on a stick...why wouldn't you want to go? There are rides, animals, food, and concerts.

3. Ice skating, sledding, curling, skiing etc.
Winter sports are BIG. Try them all. It might be cold at first, but with all the fun you hardly feel it after a while. Make sure to wear layers. For skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing check out Buck Hill or Afton Alps. Sledding can be done almost anywhere, but many people go to the Town and Country Club. Most parks and neighborhoods set up outdoor ice skating rinks, but there are some indoor ones, too.

4. Check out a sporting event
They might be famous for having many poorly ranked sports teams...but they'll still show you a good time. If you're not looking to spend a lot of money on tickets, check out the Saint Paul Saints in their new stadium.

5. Check out the fall colors or Christmas lights with a nice drive
Sometimes it can be very fun to take a drive (in the winter) or a walk (any other time) around different areas/lakes to see the scenery. Minnesota is quite beautiful. Take a stroll around Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun, or Lake Harriet. Take a fall cruise on a Stillwater river boat down the St. Croix River.

6. Visit Fort Snelling
This historic fort overlooks the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. There are actors who teach you about what it was like to live in Fort Snelling while it was active. It's educational and very cool.

Top Year Round Things to Do:
1. Visit the Mall of America
With a theme park, tons of shops, a bowling alley, a movie theater, an aquarium, and more there are endless possibilities. I would definitely recommend a few of the rides at Nickelodeon Universe and a visit to Sea Life Minnesota.

2. Go to Minnehaha Falls
Whether you go in the summer or the winter this place is beautiful. There are walking paths, picnic areas, places you can wade into Minnehaha Creek, restaurants, and of course the beautiful waterfall.

3. Take a trip up to Duluth
It's quite the hike, but if you have a car, this is highly recommended. Whether you go for the day or for a couple days, this city is so cute. It is located on Lake Superior's coastline although it looks more like the ocean. There are beautiful lighthouses and breathtaking views of nature.

4. Take a tour of the Guthrie
The Guthrie has beautiful views of Minneapolis and is also an incredibly cool theater. They offer tours to anyone who wants to see it. Minneapolis is home to more theater seats per capita than any other city outside of New York. After seeing the Guthrie you will understand why.

5. Mill City Museum
This is such a cool building with a gorgeous view. You can take a tour to see the period equipment and the iconic mill that was once the world's largest.

6. Take a tour of Paisley Park
Prince's former residence is now officially a museum! You can now take a tour of the legendary Minnesotan's monstrous home. You can also go see his gold star on the side of First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis.

7. Go to the zoo
There are a couple of Zoo's near the Twin Cities. The first is Como Zoo and Conservatory. This is a free zoo although I recommend making a donation when you enter. But, yes, it is absolutely free and home to a variety of animals. Attached to it is also a children's theme park and a conservatory. Don't skip out on the conservatory! It's beautiful and there are some animals (a sloth!) in one of the rooms. The second zoo is the Minnesota Zoo. This one costs money, but is really, really cool. They also do events occasionally that are fun like Adult's Night (hint: there's alcohol and no children).

8. Nelson's Ice Cream
Don't forget to head over to Nelson's for a extra large cone of deliciousness!

9. Stroll through the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Most people have at least seen a picture of the big spoon, but see it in person along with a bunch of other really cool art pieces!

10. See the 112 year old St. Paul Cathedral
Located near the mansions of Summit Hill and Downtown St. Paul, the St. Paul Cathedral is a beautiful building. And if you think the outside is beautiful, the inside will take your breath away. It also has a great view of Downtown St. Paul.

Bonus!
Visit a brewery!
Minnesota has so many good beers. One of the more popular breweries is Summit. They have a large beer hall and a good outdoor area. Surly and Bauhaus are my personal favorites. Their atmospheres are so energetic and fun. Bauhaus is not as well known, but definitely caters to a fun loving crowd. They also have a resident food truck that is delicious. And Surly has such a good area to hang out and drink in, especially when the weather is nice. There space is very large and beautiful.

See you soon!
~The Flighty Blonde

Two days in Havana, Cuba

Ahoy Adventurers!

I know there are many questions about Cuba travel, especially for U.S. citizens. I would be happy to try to answer them. But remember, as a U.S. Citizen you still need one of the 12 reasons to travel to Cuba.

I spent two days in Havana during my first Cuba trip and I admit I didn't do my research beforehand. Here's what I did despite not doing my research..

We stayed in an AirBNB in Havana Vieja near the capitol. The nearest hotel to us was the Hotel Parque Central, which is a beautiful hotel. Other people we met stayed in the Valencia. Both are in great locations. Just walking up and down the main streets of Havana Vieja is a good way to pass time and get beautiful pictures.

Make sure to appreciate all the old cars. Take a walk down to the harbor and see the water and the fort. This is good at night for people to go to Malecon - it seems to be the hangout spot. Go to the Cuban Art Museum. Hang out in the Plaza de la Revolucion. The Museum of the Revolution is another cool place to go. It documents Fidel Castro's history. See if you can get a tour of the cigar factory (Partagas). We weren't able to, but it's worth a shot if they are running tours.

We ate dinner at a couple of Italian restaurants that were simple, but delicious. For breakfast, we indulged in the buffet at the Hotel Parque Central. Food in Havana is very cheap, but make sure you bring lots of cash.

For a view and a bit pricier but more interesting food, check out Cafe Laurent. It offers a view of the water and a more creative and adventurous menu.

The Cubans are a very friendly people. Do not be afraid to ask them for suggestions about what you should do or where you should go.

Have Daquiris and go dancing at The Floridita. Salsa dancing is also good at the Florida.

"Jobs fill your pocket, adventures fill your soul."
~The Flighty Blonde

10 Must-Dos in Eastern Australia

Hey, travel superstar!

Eastern Australia is far away, kind of a pain to get to, and the jet lag is so real. Have I sold you, yet? It is a large, bustling, beautiful place regardless of how you get there. And once you get over the jet lag, you will not regret all you went through to get there.

Without further ado, here are 10 must dos while traveling through Eastern Australia (besides go to the beach).

1. Great Ocean Road/Phillip Island Tour
The Great Ocean road runs 243 km along south-eastern Australia. Many people start their tour in Melbourne. You do all or almost all of the road. The tours include zoos, rainforests, animals, lots of pictures, adorable surf towns, good food, good people, the Twelve Apostles, and of course...fairy penguins. Many people know of Phillip Island as home to the Hemsworth brothers (and quite a claim to fame that is). But I don't know if even they are as cute as the fairy penguins. One of the best parts is that you cannot take photos of the fairy penguins. This is great because you can actually watch these adorable creatures and enjoy the time you're spending there. You also don't have to watch them through the screen of the person's phone in front of you. The Twelve Apostles is the other main attraction of the Great Ocean Road. These are rock structures that extend up from the ocean just off the coastline. They make for some amazing photos and have a pretty unique origin. I used Otway tours for my exploration of this part of Australia and had an incredible time.

2. The Blue Mountains
Why are they called the Blue Mountains? How tall are the mountains? How did they form? Why is everyone so obsessed with them? What are the Three Sisters? Why are pictures from there so inspiring? Well you just have to find out the answer to these questions. Thsi beautiful landscape has to be seen to be believed. The clouds of smoke that lie just over the treetops give the valleys a mystical air while the sky seems so close you could reach out and touch it. But, do this for me...take at least five minutes in each part of the Blue Mountains you visit (and there is more than just the Three Sisters) and put your phone in your pocket and just look out at the beauty before you.

3. Dreamworld
Dreamworld is Australia's largest theme park located near Gold Coast. It is sponsored by DreamWorks (Madagascar). There are shows, tigers, and lots of rides. There are water rides, family rides, and my favorite - the Big 9 Thrill Rides. The scariest ride I went on was called the Buzzsaw. Wow. They do a few shows a day with the tigers - just showing some of their tricks and habits, which are pretty fascinating to watch. 

4. Dive the Great Barrier Reef
Obviously this list is not in order. And everyone knows they should dive the GBR. Alternatively, snorkeling works just as well. A lot of the time while I was diving the GBR it was basically snorkeling with SCUBA gear on because it's pretty shallow in many places unless you choose the lower reef (Whitsundays) or the SS Yongala. You can choose to do a day dive trip or a liveaboard. I know people who have done the liveaboards and loved them. I did a day dive trip, which included two dives, and was also fantastic. 


5. Taronga Zoo
The Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia was one of my favorite things I did in Australia. It's the only zoo that I have comfortably spent an entire day at. It's definitely a good value. You take a ferry over to it and there is so much to see. It is a zoo on a hill and once you get to the top the view is spectacular. It looks out over the Bridge and the Opera House. You can take a gondola to the top or back down to fully appreciate the view and how large the zoo is. The animals were some of the most active animals I've seen in a zoo. Plus, there are many unique Australian animals like platypus, koalas, and quokkas. On the Australian Walkabout you can get pretty close to kangaroos (close enough for a selfie!) and emus. You can also take a walk through the lemur exhibit. I went to this zoo three times...

6. Australia Zoo
Of course the Australia Zoo...an incredibly famous zoo because of the beloved Crocodile Hunter. This is the "home of Steve Irwin". One of the highlights is the "Crocoseum" that does daily crocodile shows that teach you how to be responsible around a crocodile. You can hold a koala. This is another very large zoo with tons to see and do. We had a blast here. It's especially good for families and children. It is located just outside of Brisbane. 

7. Skydive
For my adventure bunnies...skydiving is so worth it. My friend did skydiving in Byron Bay and I did it in Sydney. We were bused from Sydney to the skydive area where as we were coming down we got great views of the ocean and the Blue Mountains. This was so much fun. I definitely thought I would freak out more than I did and if you feel like this would be too much for you...like I did...maybe it's not and you should seriously consider doing it. If you've skydived before then this is such a great plae to do it again. If you haven't, it's such a great life experience and such a beautiful place to try it out.


8. See a show at the Sydney Opera House
So many people go to see the Sydney Opera House each year. It's an iconic building with its beautiful sails on the harbour. But, why not take it a step further? Tickets for shows are surprisingly cheap. You can also take a backstage tour if you're feeling like it. I saw a ballet here, which may not be my first choice of show, but I was captivated the whole time. And saying that you not only went to the Sydney Opera House but saw a show inside of it? Well that's worth it for sure.

9. Sydney Bridge Climb
Again for my more adventurous friends. This also costs a bit more than most people are willing to spend, but it is icnredible. It's totally safe and laughing at everyone in their jumpsuits is very fun. You get to walk up to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and see Sydney from a totally different point of view. You also get to learn a lot about the bridge and its history.

10. Go to a rainforest
There is no shortage of rainforests on Australia's east coast. From the tippy top of Queensland to the colder southern edge of Victoria. Any one you choose to explore will be beautiful. A few of my favorites that I visited are Otway, Paluma, and Hinterland (heart pool). 

BONUS
Go on a wine tour!

Three Weeks Backpacking East Coast Australia

Hello, adventure bunnies!

Now I know backpacking nowadays can be kind of daunting and a bit frightening. Let me assure you, it is definitely the best way to see Australia (and save some money doing it!). You get to meet more of the locals as well as other foreigners, make friends, do things you hadn't heard of before, and get discounts on local attractions.

We started our road trip in Queensland and worked our way down. We had previously gone to Cairns, which if you haven't done before this trip, I recommend that as your starting point and then flying to Airlie Beach.

Overview: Airlie Beach (Whitsundays) --> Brisbane --> Gold Coast --> Byron Bay --> Blue Mountains --> Sydney --> Melbourne

Airlie Beach 

We took a bus from Townsville to Airlie Beach. Note: Print bus tickets before!
The group split up here and some stayed at a hostel a block away from ours (but, our hostel was better). Our hostel had it all: beer garden, restaurants, adorable villas in a lush jungle backdrop. It is called Airlie Beach Magnums ($22/night). We stayed here for three nights.
We used Mantaray Bay Charters to explore The Whitsundays. With them we got to do one dive and take time to explore Whitsunday Beach aka one of the best beaches in the world.
The other two days were for going to the pool, shopping, and drinking (which you will find we did a lot of in Australia, as is customary).

There is a $20 airport shuttle that will pick you up from almost anywhere in Airlie and take you to the closest airport.

Brisbane

Hostel: Manly Harbour for three nights ($15/night).
Brizzy is a major city in Australia and as such there is much to do. The airport also has a Krispy Kreme! I had the pleasure of flying through Brisbane a lot. This was the only time I was able to explore there.
There is a gorgeous strip of restaurants, park, shops, art, and a ferris wheel by the river. The ferris wheel is a good thing to do right away as they give you a map to the city and as you go around the ferris wheel they point out all the major landmarks, most of which you can see from your pod.
We also did the XXXX Brewery tour, which is a fairly popular beer in Oz and definitely my favorite one I had from there. It was a really good brewery tour, even if you don't like beer that much. We got to see the packaging facility, which was fascinating to me (although I am easily entertained).
Guess what else is in Brizzy!? The Australia Zoo. That's right...Steve Irwin's Zoo. It was incredible.
Brisbane is where we picked up our rental car to drive down to Gold Coast.

Gold Coast

Gold Coast...ahh the party city. Here's the thing we did wrong and yet kind of right. We stayed at a hostel called Komune for three nights ($30/night), which is also a club at night and has an awesome pool. It's also across the street from the beach. We had a great time exploring the wilderness inland and laying out on the beach. We also went skydiving here. Some of our other friends stayed a little further north and it was hard to meet up with them. Regardless both groups had a great time. On our way to Gold Coast from Brisbane we stopped at Dreamworld, the largest amusement park in Australia, themed for DreamWorks and they have tigers! It was a ton of fun and definitely worth the money.

Byron Bay

Byron Bay!!! Too many people skip out on this adorable beach town. This was honestly one of my favorite things. We had such a great time exploring this little surfer paradise. They had the cutest stores, a great beach, and the most unique people. We stayed here for only three days and I wanted to stay so much longer. I felt so at home. We stayed at Backpacker's Holiday Village ($37/night), which was a short walk to the beach and all the shops. We also took a day trip to Nimbin. I don't think I can really go in to detail about that trip, but maybe another time. Look it up ;)

Blue Mountains

We hooked up with the posse in The Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney. The drive in was awesome right off the bat. It was like a fairytale driving up and down the windy roads through the mountains and looking out over the expanse of trees that looked so small from above. The magic of the Blue Mountains should definitely be experienced. We went straight to our hostel Blue Mountain Hostel ($28/night), which was a fine place to stay for the one night. There is a hop-on hop-off tour that will take you to any of the sights of the Blue Mountains for a good price, but we opted to load up the car past capacity and drive around so we didn't have to worry about how long we were going to be somewhere. We spent the day at the most incredible places I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams. Of course, the Three Sisters. We also went to some of the cascades and other wonderful spots. I have photos out the wazoo. Beautiful photos.

Sydney

So this was my second of three trips to Sydney while I was in Australia so I will do a separate post on it later. It's a gorgeous city. We spent the night at Nate's Place ($32/night). We went to some awesome places in just that one night. But I will talk more about it another time. Just know for now that Sydney is a lively, modern, and breathtaking metropolis.

Melbourne

Melbourne. The most livable city in the world. And it's not hard to see why. Within the city limits there is a free trolley that anyone can just hop on and off. We stayed at Flinder's Backpackers ($30/night) for part of the time and Nomad's Backpackers the other part. Nomad's was probably a better location, but Flinder's was such a cool hostel. It had recently been updated, there was a travel agency downstairs, and the space was fun and hip. I spent time at the Sea Life Aquarium (Melbourne Aquarium) and the Eureka Tower. Melbourne has an open range zoo that is accessible by train called that Werribee Zoo. It was so cool to go through a zoo where a lot of the animals weren't in enclosures, but had space to roam around and just be animals. Giraffe's came up really close to the bus and we got some awesome pics. The best thing to possibly do in/around Melbourne is the Great Ocean Road tour. We went with Otway for our tour. We were loaded in a van with a few other people and had an awesome tour guide. We all quickly became pretty comfortable with each other. We went to a cold weather rainforest and drove down the Great Ocean Road stopping periodically along the way. The tour lasted two days and one night. We stopped at a zoo and at Phillip Island to see the fairy penguins, the beach, and the sunset. This had to be my favorite thing we did on this whole trip.