Topdeck Travel Blog

Saturday 26 March 2011

Topdeck and Shepherds Bush Walkabout are hosting a fundraising event to help raise money for those affected by the Christchurch Earthquake in February. Come and show your support and take part in some of the auctions and raffles being held on the day. You can bid for some awesome prizes including Topdeck travel prizes, tickets to festivals, gym membership and much, much more. Just book your ticket in advance for £5 or pay £8 on the door. Live bands and DJ’s will be entertaining you throughout the day and £1.50 from all Kiwi beer sold will be donated towards the appeal, as will all the door funds and money raised from raffles and auctions.

• WHEN: Saturday 26th March 2011
• WHERE: Shepherds Bush Walkabout, London
• TIME: 4pm until late
• TUBE: H&C Line, Central Line or Shepherd’s Bush Overground

We’re looking forward to seeing you down there!

PART 2

Five best things to do in Melbourne

Head to Lygon street for a great Italian meal

1. Shop till you drop -

A dizzying array of first class restaurants, charming cafes, shops, art galleries, museums and theatres greet visitors to the Swanston Street area, home of the Bourke Street Mall. It has long been seen as the epicenter of Melbourne shopping: the city’s two major department stores reside here as well as an assortment of boutique shops and chain stores.

2. Visit the Queen -

The Queen Victoria Market, that is! A Melbourne institution, this huge market sells everything from bargain basement clothing and accessories to fresh produce. Head down on a Wednesday evening during summer, as the market transforms into an Asian-style night market filled with hawkers stalls, fresh food, licensed bars, live performances and locally made gifts.

3. Relax at the Bay -

A quick tram ride from the CBD, St Kilda makes for the perfect place to relax. This palm-lined foreshore with rolling green lawns has plenty to offer to visitors. Do as the locals do - on weekends, Melburnians flock here to walk, cycle and skate along the boardwalk or to lounge in an outdoor café or cocktail bar – and take in the panoramic views of Port Phillip Bay.

4. Head to (Little) Italy -

Take a stroll down Lygon Street. The heart of Melbourne’s Little Italy, this is a haven of little boutiques, inexpensive pasta and great Italian coffee! The street has great colour, particularly at night when the sidewalks are thronged with diners and restaurateurs touting for your business.

Beautiful coastline along the Great Ocean Road

5. Venture West –

Stretching from the sleepy town of Torquay to the South Australian border, the Great Ocean Road weaves along the southern coast of Victoria revealing gorgeous landscapes and stunning rock formations. It’s the perfect way to leave Melbourne and head to the next exciting city: Adelaide.

PART 1

Five best things to do in Adelaide

1 – Catch a tram to “The Bay”

Only half an hour from the city is the beach side suburb called Glenelg, home to boutique shops, great pubs and restaurants. Why not have a beer and watch the sun set over the ocean!

Barossa Valley Vineyards

2 – Go wine tasting

McLaren Vale, The Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra and of course, The Barossa Valley are only a stone’s throw away from the CBD. It is definitely worth the trip!

3 – Catch a game at Adelaide Oval

South Australian’s love their sport so why not see what all the excitement is all about. The Adelaide Oval is a 5 minute walk from the CBD.

4 – Tempt your taste buds at the Central Market

Right in the centre of the city, the central market is home to one of the most diverse selections of food anywhere. With our vast multi-cultural heritage, there is something for  everyone so why not have a wander through the stalls then treat yourself at the food court.

5 – Get lost in the Botanic Gardens

Surrounding the CBD is vast “belt” of parklands full of trees, lakes, and rivers including the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens. There’s plenty of room to throw out a picnic blanket and relax. Want to know the best part – It’s free!

Topdeck’s Liana Szwajlyk describes the sights and delights of Egypt.

Being an employee of Topdeck does mean a deep passion for travel – but unfortunately the work doesn’t get done by itself. There comes a point when we have to put down our backpacks and chain ourselves to the desk, to get the job done. Though, that doesn’t mean we don’t dream of travel….every-single-day! So, as I sit here reminiscing about warmer weather and my summer travels, (READ: my new form of procrastination) I thought I’d share with you a particular highlight - my recent journey throughout Egypt.

With me, the fascination with Egypt started at a very early age. Well, what child isn’t intrigued with mummies, pyramids and the mysteries tied to this ancient civilization? So I was understandably thrilled when I had the chance to explore all that this captivating country has to offer, on Topdeck’s 21 Day Ultimate Egypt tour.

My adventure began in the country’s capital, Cairo, which proved to be quite an overwhelming experience and understandably so: Cairo is Africa’s largest city and home to more than 16 million people. It’s chaotic, exotic, smelly, dusty and also….beautiful! It won’t take long before you acclimatise and get drawn in by the charm of this pulsating metropolis.

Cairo… The Egyptian Museum in the centre of town is a must-see, with its countless ancient Egyptian artefacts, including treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb. Similarly, I highly recommend shopping at the Khan al-Khalili Bazaar, where you can practice the age-old art of haggling for trinkets, spices and perfume in one of the world’s largest markets. Here you might find yourself highly entertained by the shopkeepers’ commentary, just as I was. These men yell just about anything to get your attention and then beckon you to look at their stalls. A few favourites of mine were: “How many camel for you to marry me?”, “Look! Shakira, Shakira” and strangely enough “Welcome to Alaska?!”.

Continuing on, no trip to Cairo would be complete without a visit to the pyramids - the only surviving Ancient Wonder of the World. In front of the pyramids lies the Sphinx, an enormous cat-like sculpture that continues to mesmerize millions of visitors.

Beyond Cairo… If a bustling metropolis isn’t your dream destination, there is certainly more to Egypt than just Cairo. The real allure lies somewhere between the desert landscapes and dry, rugged mountains, the peaceful towns full of exotic smells and sights and the tucked away treasures known to few.

Egypt has something for every traveller!

Aswan…Let your cares melt away while drifting down the Nile on a traditional felucca sailboat in Aswan. Spend time sipping mint tea or puffing leisurely on a shisha and watch the world whirl past as it has for eons.

Luxor… Step back in time at the magnificent pharaonic tombs, temples and palaces found in Luxor. Wander wide-eyed amid the hugely impressive Luxor temple and the equal grandeur of Karnak temple. Visit Tutankhamun’s final resting place in the hot, hidden Valley of the Kings and Queens.

Hurghada… Head to Hurghada for spectacular diving, stunning crystal waters and beautiful sandy beaches of the Red Sea. Test your skills with a myriad of watersports or simply bask in the glistening sun.

Dahab… Get back to nomadic life on a unique a desert experience in Dahab. Jump on a Jeep safari to the inner oases or trek up the stunning Mount Sinai. Follow this up with a well-deserved feast of freshly caught seafood, in one of the town’s tranquil ocean-side cafes.

These are just some of the exotic attractions that await you. Don’t just take my word for it, discover the essence of Egypt for yourself!

Explore the major sights and hidden treasures of Egypt on Topdeck’s Ultimate Egypt trip, currently on sale from: £549pp

Topdeck offers a wide range of trips to Egypt, Morocco and the Middle East from 3 to 21 days.

With so many of our friends and families, colleagues and passengers affected by the devastating Queensland floods, let’s see how much money we can raise to donate to the Queensland Flood Relief Appeal!

Our Queensland Flood Relief, in association with TNT Magazine and Walkabout Shepherd’s Bush London starts on Saturday, 29 January at 12 noon, with raffles and auctions kicking off at 3pm. To book your tickets, visit www.tntmagazine.com/floodrelief

For those of you who can’t join us in London:

For those of you who can’t make it to Topdeck’s Flood Relief Event in London, we’ve teamed up with STA Travel Australia to auction off some great Topdeck trips, with all proceeds going to the Flood Relief Appeal. Get bidding now on some great items! Visit the QLD Flood Relief Auction for 5 round-the-world flights and three Topdeck Europe trips and help those gravely affected by the floods in Queensland, Australia. Hurry - this auction will be ending soon!

The Topdeck January Sale has begun!

We’re kicking off the year with our huge Downunder Sale, so now is the time to bag that bargain trip to the beach & the bush.

Score generous discounts on Australia & New Zealand trip bookings made in January 2011, for travel between April 2011 and March 2012.

SAVE 20% - On all reverse direction trips of 10 days and over through Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand, including Queensland/Northern Territory combo trips.

SAVE 10% - On all Tasmania, Northern Territory and Victoria trips (both directions).

To claim your discount, simply, ‘check availability’ on the trips selected above and the discount will automatically be calculated into the price shown for those departure dates.

Win a Topdeck trip Downunder

And while we’re at it, to help celebrate our January Downunder Sale, we’re giving away not one, but THREE trips to Australia or New Zealand! For you chance to win simply upload your favourite travel photo on Topdeck’s Facebook page, along with 50 words on why you think you should win this fabulous prize. Whoever gets the most facebook “like” for their entry will win! So, tell your friends (…or anyone who will listen for that matter) for your chance win a Topdeck adventure to Australia or New Zealand!

HINT: Use the comment section on our blog to promote your entry!

Topdeck’s Liana Szwajlyk shares her final revelations on the Land Down Under

I’ll try to wrap up my ramblings by finishing with my personal rationale for loving Australia – our food!

Our rich cultural diversity is reflected in our ‘tucker’, and while you generally won’t find Wichetty Grubs on the menu (unless you’re in the Outback) Australia does offer a vast variety of food and wine to suit every palate. A solid study of the bars and restaurants will particularly reveal our hopeless addiction to coffee, seafood and global cuisine.

Our most notable food tradition is the great Aussie barbeque, the centre of any social event – and the place where the Aussie male dominates. A lot of our entertaining is done outside, and what could be better than an ice cold beer, a succulent steak, a prawn thrown on the barbie.

Vegemite also deserves an honourable mention here, as another Aussie-food icon. It’s an acquired taste. It has to be force-fed to you from a very early age for you to acquire it. It’s a thick black sandwich spread, consisting of salt, yeast, wheat, salt, cereals, oh and more salt! Try it, by all means, but use it sparingly. Let us know if you like it!

Oh and who could forget Tim Tams?…Enough said!

If you’re not so much a food aficionado, then there’s always the great Australian fallback – the pub. Everywhere you go, you’ll find a pub or three. This Australian institution is where many Aussie blokes go when they want to spend some quality time together, away from the shielas. Not only can you get a cold beer here, spirited conversation and light-hearted banter are also guaranteed.

In all of this we mustn’t forget the Aussie people: always happy to help you out, Aussies, for the most part, are a very genuine and accepting mob, with a sense of humour which is almost certainly quite different to any you’ll have experienced anywhere else. We’d probably also have to be the most laid back people on the face of the planet and with all that sunshine and merriment, who can blame us?

Add to this the original native Australians, the Aboriginals, with their ancient culture and simple way of life and I’d say we have the most diverse population, in terms of cultural mix, of any country in the world.

So yes, it’s a big place and there’s a load to explore. You will discover that this sunburnt country is filled with excitement and immense beauty and although the length of time it takes to travel there is long, a trip to Oz is well worth the effort. It has to be one of the best places in the world to visit and I should know, I’ve been living there for the past 22 years and miss it so.

Find your Aussie adventure now! Visit www.topdeck.travel

Topdeck’s Liana Szwajlyk continues on with more endearing aspects of life in Aussie: the Weather, Wilderness and Wildlife.

If you love those golden rays, then you should definitely check out Australia – truth be told, the sun is always smiling somewhere in the country. As the seasons in the Southern hemisphere are reversed, the chance to swap a dreary British winter for high summer on a beach Down Under is hard to resist. Any weekend and often during the week as well you’ll find most beaches packed with bronzed bodies in bikinis and Speedos (that’s men’s brief swimwear) all eager to improve on their already impressive tan.

Speaking of stunning beaches, Australian beaches are the best in the world, soft and clean, so clean in fact that they “squeak” when you walk on them. Queensland has some of the most beautiful beaches (the sand on Whitehaven can be as white as a fair Englishman’s skin) but all around the 12,000 or so kilometres of Australia’s coastline you’ll find plenty of beaches to frolic, and all without any sign of a crocodile or a shark.

So, why are we so obsessed with getting some sand between our toes? With more than 80 percent of Australians living within 50 kilometres of the coast, the beach has become an integral part of our famous laid-back lifestyle.

In fact, it’s not just the sandy shores we enjoy: we really just love all unspoiled beauty. Australia is certainly a place to be discovered in its natural state. And, as much as I am a fan of Australia’s far North and the tropical regions, there is no denying that Alice Springs is the heart and the centre of the Australia, both in a geographical and a metaphorical sense. Close by lies the awe-inspiring formation Uluru which for many travellers is the most anticipated moment of their Australian adventure.

And then there’s “The Bush”, which entail the wilderness areas outside the cities. This backdrop provides home to a wealth of wildlife, some of which is found nowhere else in the world. I shouldn’t really be telling you this, but we Aussies like to scare tourists with wild stories about the dangerous animals in the Bush. The truth is: a lot of what you hear about the terribly dangerous animals is either grossly exaggerated or plain nonsense. However, the infamous kangaroo and koala, our most recognised mammals, do freely roam the land.

If you want to get up close to one of these little creatures, share the experience with like-minded 18-30 somethings and journey across one of the world’s most diverse countries.

Keep an eye out for my final instalment…

Topdeck’s Beach & Bush is currently on sale from £1717pp

Visit www.topdeck.travel

Topdeck’s Liana Szwajlyk pays homage to the motherland…

Simply searching for a new frontier and a practical launch pad for more travel, I didn’t give it much thought when I decided pack up and leave my homeland for the unknown. But, I’ve been travelling and living abroad for a while now and my time away has proved a great opportunity for me to reflect on the Land Down Under.

Without boasting, I’ve travelled to dozens of countries and while I thought all of them were amazing, there’s nothing quite like Australia anywhere else in the world. So, while I’m pining for home, I thought I’d share some of my personal highlights of living in the land of opportunity. There’s a load to mention, so without boring you, I’ll present my realisations and exclamations about Oz in a series of (hopefully) exciting instalments.

Now, where to begin? For one, we call it “The Big Country” and we’re not joking. Check it out on a map - it’s about the size of mainland US and 50 perfect larger than Europe.

We have very few major cities and they’re great distances apart. But, they’re BIG cities and you will find them full of a vibrant mix of people and filled with loads of breathtaking scenery in between. From beautiful ancient landscapes, as old as time itself, to the most modern of cities there’s something for everyone in Australia.

I’ll start with Sydney, Australia’s oldest city, the economic powerhouse of the nation, blessed with sun-drenched natural attractions, dizzy skyscrapers, superb shopping, and, of course the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, what more could you want? Oh, I forgot, there’s also the Sydney Harbour itself. If you’re flying into Sydney make sure you have a window seat, the view of the harbour alone is worth the price of your flight - it really is spectacular.

Let’s move on to Melbourne, the vibrant, cosmopolitan city that hosts an impressive combination of old and new architecture, elegant streetscapes, harmonious ethnic communities and lavish parks & gardens. The locals claim that it’s the most enlightened and liveable city in the world and being an avid Melbournian myself, I would definitely have to agree. Melbourne has a lively passion for social eating and drinking, which is reflected by the vast array of fashionable cafes and restaurants. The city also boasts a full program of festivals, varied sporting events and a crazy nightlife - Melbourne certainly has it all.

I could drone on about each sophisticated city or quirky country town, but you get the picture! Our metropolises are huge and there’s a lot going on - it’s best you check it out for yourself!

Stay tuned for Part Two…

Convinced already? Topdeck’s Island Suntanner is currently on sale from: £1297

Visit www.topdeck.travel