Topdeck Travel Blog

Topdeck’s Amelia Lawrence makes a pilgrimage to Gallipoli, to remember the fallen ANZACs.

Anyone who has been lucky enough to travel to Turkey will know what I mean when I say that the locals’ continuous use of the phrase “my friend” doesn’t seem false.  To wander through the streets of almost any Turkish town or city, the locals appear to be genuinely excited to meet and talk to visitors to their country.  Being regaled with stories of an uncle, sister or next door neighbour’s second cousin (twice removed) who now lives in your home country (“do you know them?”) seems to be a favourite past time of the Turks.

Lone Pine, Gallipoli

When we first arrived in Istanbul my travel companions and I had but one aim – to get to Gallipoli and see where the ANZACs landed in 1915.

We had done minimal (actually, zero) preparation for our trip and just knew we wanted to get to ANZAC Cove somehow.

Within moments of our arrival the friendly locals had welcomed us to their country and helped us organise our pilgrimage to Gallipoli, with a friendly local guide to give us an idea of what we were actually off to see.

As the location of one of the most well known landings in World War One, the Gallipoli peninsula today is a serene and beautiful area.  The first thing that you notice is the amazing landscape where the ANZACs landed in 1915 - calm, clear waters border the rugged coastline and from ANZAC Cove it all becomes clear to a modern day visitor simply how impenetrable the sheer cliffs must have seemed to the Diggers.

It is still possible to walk from ANZAC Cove to the Australian Memorial at Lone Pine.  The idea of a 3.1 kilometre dirt track may seem quite simple, but in reality it is anything but.  The walk takes travellers past Shrapnel Valley and Beach Cemeteries and then follows Artillery Road inland as it slopes uphill past Shell Green Cemetery to Lone Pine.

The dirt road and is steep and uneven in places and while only carrying our small day packs my companions and I are sweaty and short of breath as we reach Lone Pine.  Nevertheless, the Australian Memorial site stands out dramatically against the blue sky and beautiful national park background.  The sheer number of names of those lost on the memorial is overwhelming.

From Lone Pine it’s still another 3.2 kilometres to the New Zealand Memorial at Chunuk Bair.  The road slopes uphill past the Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial and even though it is tarred it is a hard slog.

We’re young, we’re fit – we’re all red, breathless and really starting to appreciate how much harder the ANZACs had it.  In fact, only our friendly guide seems to be fine with the walk, giving us details of exactly where skirmishes took place between the ANZACs and Ottomans and how many lives were lost.

The results once we reach Chunuk Bair are worth it.

The battle of Chunuk Bair has spawned many stories and legends about both the ANZAC and Ottoman troops and the area today tells a story you cannot put into words.

At the end of our day at Gallipoli, we are all both physically and emotionally exhausted.  To be able to stand and see where 97 years ago both the Australian and New Zealand nations started to forge their own individual identities, and to see where such fierce fighting during World War One took place, is something to behold.

It is easy to believe when Mustafa Kemal Attaturk told the mothers of the lost ANZAC soldiers that their sons “having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well” the words were truly meant by the Turkish nation as a whole.

Go to www.topdeck.travel for more information about Topdeck’s range of trips to Turkey and Gallipoli, including dedicated ANZAC Day trips.

By Brett Edmonds

Topdeck’s Head of Design Brett feels the heat at the Las Fallas Festival, Spain!

Close your eyes. Now think back to your favourite camp-fire memory. Can you hear the sound of the fire crackling against the cool night breeze? Can you smell the rich, smoky scent of burning embers? Can you feel the heat of the flames as they wash over you? Can you visualise the piercing glow of the red hot wood burning at the base of the fire?

Now picture that camp-fire on a scale similar to a two-story building and you’re getting warm.

Multiply that two-story camp-fire 50 times and you’re getting warmer.

Dot those camp-fires throughout a small Spanish city and you’re getting warmer still.

Add a festival atmosphere in the mix and you’ve escalated to hot.

Stretch this over 4 days at the Las Fallas festival and you’re officially scorching.

The Spanish know how to host a world class festival and Las Fallas is no different.  In fact, the only difference is that it has yet to be discovered by the hordes of tourists that dominate many other Spanish festivals such as Running of the Bulls and La Tomatina.

Las Fallas is a festival that will truly ignite all five senses (six if you include your imagination).

Each year thousands of people descend on the city of Valencia to experience a festival steeped in tradition and imagination. Daily firecracker fights (mascletà), multi-coloured street parades, massive bonfires, sumptuous Spanish tapas, enchanting Flamenco music and fun-loving locals are all combined to make a truly incredible festival that is bound to leave a lasting mark on anyone game enough to visit it.

Be prepared to be swept up by the crowds of Spanish cheering and chanting in the streets, honouring the patron saint of carpenters, St Joseph.

A feast for the senses, this festival will really conjure your inner child with its towering, overly flamboyant effigies of politicians and celebrities dotted throughout the city in its many plazas.

The effigies are put on display for days leading up to the big finale, ‘the night of fire’, where at the stroke of midnight they are torched and burnt down to the ground in front of thousands of wide-eyed onlookers. This is where your inner cave man (or woman) will really come alive as you are mesmerised by the fiercely hot fire, raging only within a couple of metres from you - the heat snapping at you and the sound of the crowd moving through you like a freight train.

Las Fallas is a festival that really must be experienced by anyone looking for the magic of a European festival, but without the swarm of tourists over crowding the quaint little towns and cities that many of these festivals are set in.

Join Topdeck at Las Fallas from 17-20 March 2012! For more of Brett’s photos from the festival check out our album here!

by Kara Segedin

When people think of classic, romantic and charming Europe the city of Prague undoubtedly springs to mind.

For over 1000 years, the city has been one of the cultural, political and economic capitals of Europe with a rich, at times turbulent, history.

Prague, Praha to the locals, is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic and lies on the banks of the Vltava River.

Prague Castle across the Vltava River

Wanting to see as much as possible, we were up early for our day in the city. Our first stop - Prague Castle.

The castle is a huge complex that includes royal residences and churches and has been home to Kings, Holy Roman Emperors, Presidents and the Czech Crown Jewels.

Guarded by very serious looking solders in dashing blue suits you’d be hard placed trying to get one of these guys to smile.

It is also surrounded by a collection of  rather frightening statues depicting scenes of battle.

With so much to see you could easily spend a lot of time checking out the area but we were moving on to one very famous, historic bridge.

Street musicians on Charles Bridge

Built in the 14^th Century, Charles Bridge crosses the Vltava River connecting Prague Castle to the city’s Old Town.

Named after King Charles IV, the bridge is lined with statues, musicians, artists and street vendors.

One of the many statues

By now it was only mid-morning and my camera was well and truly worn out!

The focal point of the Old Town is the Old Town Square. A bustling market in medieval times, the Square is now the social heart of the city and a great place to take a break after hours of wandering Prague’s winding streets.

Not far from the Old Town Square is the must-see Astronomical Clock.

First installed in 1410, the intricate clock shows the position of the Sun and Moon, various zodiac signs and every hour on the hour figures of the 12 Apostles move around the clock and four figures either side are set in motion.

The famous Astronomical Clock

Within the Old Town lies the historic Jewish Quarter. Despite the devastation of the Second World War, the area was preserved and now includes six synagogues, the old cemetery and the Old Jewish Town Hall.

It is also home to one of the city’s most famous residents – the Golem of Prague!

The story goes that a 16th century rabbi called Maharal created the golem out of clay from the banks of the Vltava River to defend the Prague ghetto.

Some say the golem went out of control and had to be destroyed, while others say he still keeps a watchful eye over the city.

One of Prague's old synagogue

And once the sun has gone down, there’s no better way to end your day of sightseeing than with a taste of Prague’s famous nightlife!

With traditional beer halls, cocktail bars and multilevel clubs there’s something for everyone from the serious club hopper to those after a quiet drink. Na zdraví (cheers)!

Party it up Czech style this New Year’s Eve with Topdeck’s 4 Day Prague New Year’s trip! PLUS all our Christmas and New Year trips qualify for our festival rewards programme – save money when you book your 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th Topdeck Festival!

For her first wintry northern Christmas, Kara travelled to the magical Brugge Christmas Markets for some festive cheer!

If like me you are more accustomed to a warm and sunny Southern Hemisphere festive season complete with beachfront BBQs and long sunny days the thought of a wintery white Christmas is a magical and romantic prospect.

And you certainly can’t get a better northern Noel than with a visit to one of Europe’s Christmas Markets.

In this case, the Brugge (or Bruges) Christmas Market!

Brugge: A Fairytale Town

For anyone who has seen, and loved, the movie ‘In Bruges’ (Colin Farrell anyone?), the city holds a certain quirky appeal.

It’s hard to describe Brugge without using a lot of cheesy and romantic words… it’s a beautiful, breathtaking, peaceful and magical, fairy-tale town.

All these description are true – even more so at Christmas time!

With so many ornate buildings, stalls, shops and decorations it was hard to know where to turn next so my friends Kath and Becca and I needed a plan.

Our mission: to soak up as much of the Christmas Spirit as possible!

First we stopped for a look in a Christmas decoration shop. Thousands of handcrafted fairies, elves, Santas and nativity decorations hung throughout the store. The ornaments were pretty, but a bit pricey, but hey, it’s free to look!

So shiny & sparkly!

Next we sampled the local mulled wine and made our way through the first of two market squares. A warm beverage is pretty much a requirement to keep warm and feel cheery at Christmas time!

The old town is fairly compact and it doesn’t take long to cover the main area on foot and even if you get a little lost down one of the town’s many walkways you’ll soon get back on track.

The main market is found in the centre of the square in front of the Church of Our Lady. There an ice-rink is surrounded by stalls selling food, produce and Christmas-themed goodies.

My total lack of coordination meant skating was off the cards, so we tucked into some tasty banana fritters instead, followed by a round of Belgian hot chips!

Far too full to climb!

Suitably stuffed from our Belgian delights, we were far too full to climb the famous church tower so spent more time sightseeing and shopping.

My shopping basket was full of mouth-watering Belgian chocolates, locally made honey, delicate ornaments and a mini wooden tree complete with decorations.

You’d have to be a pretty big Grinch not to get caught up in the Christmas Spirit of this town. From the giant Christmas trees in town squares and fairy-lights hanging over the canal to the smell of festive delicacies.

A full on day of shopping, eating and walking really takes it out of you so by early evening we were exhausted.

Christmas cheer is everywhere in Brugge

What a better way to finish the day than with a special Belgian coffee – essentially a shot of coffee with a shot of a local liqueur topped with sweet cream. They also offer a rather tasty alcoholic hot chocolate! Nom!

So wrap up warm, don your best carol singing voice and head to the Brugge for the Christmas Markets!

If you fancy a stroll around Brugge with a hot bevvie in hand, why not join Topdeck’s overnight trip to the Brugge Christmas Markets!

Magical Brugge

by Kara Segedin

Ten minutes from full time and I couldn’t bear to watch! Peering through my fingers, this was scarier than any horror movie!

Would they, wouldn’t they? One tiny mistake and the hopes of a nation would be dashed.

And there it was, 80 minutes down and the whistle blew – the All Blacks were the 2011 Rugby World Cup champions and the crowd in our little London pub went wild.

We managed to show a little decorum and shared words of commiseration with our French friends, but it was near impossible to wipe the smiles from our faces!

The Rugby World Cup has been the perfect showcase of New Zealand’s all-round greatness (no bias here of course!). With matches played the length and breadth of the country, visitors to NZ’s shores were treated to the stunning and varied landscape of this small island nation. Not to mention the world class Kiwi hospitality.

Take a dive in Queenstown

When you grow up in New Zealand it’s easy to take its natural and cultural wonders for granted.

Watching matches with mates from overseas, the World Cup has given me the opportunity to see my NZ through the eyes of a visitor and it’s been a great excuse to brag about my home town and country to my Aussie, British and North American friends.

“Yip, the North Island is awesome. Beaches, bush, vineyards, world class restaurants and nightlife – what more could you want.”

Check out the Bay of Islands

“Oh, and the South Island – heaven on earth springs to mind topped off with some of the warmest people on the planet.”

If I was going to describe New Zealand to someone who has never visited I’d say it is a land of contrasts.

Sunny, sandy beaches, snow-topped mountains, lush bush and chilly glacial drifts – NZ has it all.

It is home to both extreme, heart pumping adventures like skydiving, bungee jumping and jet boating and more leisurely activities such as horse riding, kayaking and tramping.

Mouth-watering food, beer and wine found in even the smallest town and a unique Maori heritage that goes back hundreds of years, this small island nation at the bottom of the world doesn’t lack culture.

Spend the night on a traditional Maori marae

Topdeck trips take you right across the country from North to South and vice versa or focus on one of the two islands.

Experience all sides of New Zealand with an overnight stay on a tradition Maori marae, get your thrill fix in the adventure capital Queenstown, sample life on a sheep farm and take in the scenery on a cruise through Milford Sound.

And who knows, you may even spot an All Black in the flesh taking a much deserved break on one of the country’s beautiful beaches.

Fancy your own NZ adventure? Visit Topdeck’s website & get planning!

Cruise the beautiful Milford Sound with Topdeck

by Kara Segedin

In 1984, Germany was divided between East and West.

Girls Just Want To Have Fun and I Just Called to Say I Love You were two of the best selling singles.

The first Apple computer went on sale.

And my aunty spent five weeks travelling around Europe on a Topdeck trip.

Things were a little different in those days. Men had impressive moustaches, passengers slept, cooked and cleaned on the bus and trips operated on a flexible itinerary.

Let the adventures begin!

Despite the changes in today’s trips the spirit of the Topdeck adventure remains the same.

As all good kiwis did (and still do) my aunt Maria was busy working at a pub in Paddington, London.

Once she had settled in and saved up a bit of money she decided to take time out and do a tour of Europe.

“After some research I decided that the Topdeck tour called ‘Central Europe 5 Weeks’ was the one for me. “

Maria thought the idea of travelling around on a bus was fun and knew she would meet like minded people on the trip as well.

Back in 1984 the trip cost £497 which included £85 pounds.

“It was a great itinerary and good value for money,” she says.

Early one September morning the group met at the Enterprise in Earls Court to climb aboard the bus that would be their home for the next 5 weeks - called Platt.

Back then Topdeck travelled on double-decker buses. The lower deck was fitted out with tables, seats, a cooker and sink while the ‘top deck’ had bunks and space for luggage.

“Whisper was our driver (named for his soft voice and quiet nature). He was a safe and reliable driver. The tour leader was an experienced and confident guide.”

While on today’s trips expert Topdeck Chefs rustle up tasty local cuisine, in 1984 everyone had to take a turn at cooking and housekeeping.

Maria buy supplies for her turn as trip cook.

“This meant we had to go shopping in foreign cities and turn out a meal from the bus’s cooker. That was a fun challenge all by itself!”

As with today’s trips the majority of travellers were Aussies and Kiwis, with a couple of South Africans on board as well.

“I enjoyed the team spirit of the trip - it is still one of the best times of my life.”

The trip went through France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands before returning to London.

“The highlight for me was Florence. I adored it, still do.”

Like today’s trips that pass through Germany in September, Maria’s trip visited Beerfest in Munich.

“It was awesome – the biggest event I have ever been to – cannot believe how many people can get drunk in one place at the same time.”

The hyjinx haven't changed, but the facial hair has! Oh, and you could smoke on the bus!

Maria says the bus was a refuge for anyone who was sick or tired or simply too lazy to go anywhere

“We felt safe leaving our belongings on the bus too which was a bonus. No dragging suitcases around Europe, our hotel came with us!”

“I always tell people to go on a Topdeck trip as they are guaranteed to have a good time.”

***

Follow the next generation of Topdeck travellers as the Tadpoles crew make their way from London to Sydney in true old school style!

An old school brochure from 1984

by Kara Segedin

Imagine spending over 100 days driving from London to Australia retracing the steps of the original Topdeck pioneers?

For one group of young travellers this dream is about to become reality.

Jealous much?

We are!

***

Early on Monday morning, eleven young people from all over the world left London to travel 10,000 miles to Australia in a vintage double decker Topdeck bus.

Making their way through Europe, the Middle East, Central and South East Asia, they plan to roll into Sydney in January 2012.

Tadpoles' new crew ready to hit the road!

The Originals

Way back in the in the early 1970s, Aussie expats Bill James and Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner bought a 1958 double-decker to take eager young travellers across Europe.

The duo started out providing trips along the hippie trail to Morocco and Kathmandu and the rest was history.

The New Crew

Now, 40-something years later, the brains behind the project is Canadian Jordan Cross.

Jordan was inspired to make the epic journey after reading the appropriately named Top Deck Daze, Bill James’s hilarious account of the company’s early days.

“It’s such an incredible story of how these guys came over here with nothing and didn’t always play by the rules and stumbled their way through a lot of things,” he said.

“All their success hasn’t changed them – they are just amazing guys with amazing stories.”

Tadpoles in all its glory!

The Ride

The legendary Tadpoles is a Bristol Lodekka (a type of double-decker bus for the non-bus spotters among you) and started life working on the Isle of Wight for the Southern Vectis bus company in 1958.

After 20 years of service the bus was bought by Topdeck and fitted it out with bunks and a kitchen and soon Tadpoles was making tracks across Europe and Asia including travelling from London to Nepal more than 20 times.

The last double decker running for Topdeck, Tadpoles was taken out of service in May 1998 and given to the Isle of Wight Bus Museum on permanent loan.

But Tadpoles’ adventure didn’t end there. In 2010 it was brought out of retirement to carry a new generation of travellers over the historic route.

The Journey

The guy at the wheel of Tadpoles on its latest adventure is Australian Mitch Turner.

Mitch previously worked driving trucks in Western Australia’s mining industry so is no stranger to operating large vehicles.

As a warm up, Mitch and the new crew took Tadpoles on a short training trip around several small European cities to get the hang of driving the 53-year-old bus.

The double-decker’s size proved to be a challenge on Europe’s old, narrow streets and it sometimes took a dozen attempts to get it around any tight corners.

“There’s no power steering and it’s very heavy so corners and parking are difficult,” said Mitch.

“Even with all the work that’s been done to it 45 miles an hour will be our max speed.”

Tadpoles is sure to get plenty of honks from fellow motorists, let’s just hope it’s in appreciation of this unique vehicle and not for holding up traffic on Germany’s Autobarn on their way to Oktoberfest!

Jordan said the main idea of the project is to see how people change over the duration of the trip and how one experience can impact you for life.

“We want to do it as real as Bill and Skroo did back in ‘75 and track their route as much as we can.”

Just like the original crew, all the cooking, eating and sleeping will be done right on the bus.  Also like the originals they are operating on a rather fluid schedule – unlike today’s organised itineraries.

So while the style of travel may have changed a little (okay, a lot!) over the years the Topdeck spirit is still alive and kicking.

***

Follow Tadpoles’ progress through the team’s website, facebook and twitter.

Topdeck will also track the journey on our blog, facebook and twitter along with other old-school Topdeck titbits.

PS If you, your parents or maybe even grandparents would care to share any memories from Topdeck in the 70s and 80s please comment below.

By Kara Segedin

This blog post might be a tad late, but you’ll soon see why….

****

The Topdeck office is insane at the best of times, but this part of the year is even more hectic than usual.

Not only is it the peak of our European summer travel season, but our operations team is flat out putting together all the bits and pieces to organise our trips for 2012.

Then our design and marketing team work day and night cramming all this information into a sparkly, new brochure for your hot little hands.

*phew*

But there is no rest for the wicked and thanks to popular demand for the first time ever we have created a special 2012 Europe pre-release!

This means our faithful Topdeckers can starting planning and saving for their European escape earlier than ever before.

We have released dates for 18 of our most popular trips at 2011 prices and as a rew

ard for being an eager beaver you will save 10% off the base trip price if you book and pay in full before 30 September 2011.

You can also get an additional 5% off if you have travelled with Topdeck or Connections Adventures before or are booking multiple trips from the brochure for a total saving of 15%. (To download your own copy of this e-brochure, just visit topdeck.travel/brochure-request)

Get right into the heart of a country with our regional Explorer trips, travel with your creature comforts on EuroHotel. Mix it up on EuroClub or get back to basics (and more bang for your buck) with EuroCamping.

Was your favourite trip missing from the pre-release? Not to worry, our full 2012 brochure isn’t too far away.

We made it through to the other side and can breathe a little sigh of relief.

Until the next brochure release that is!

Where will you be in summer 2012?

by Kara Segedin

One of the largest and best known festivals in the world, Oktoberfest, is nearly upon us.

Topdeck designer Brett shared some of his tips, insights and memories (well, what he could remember) of Munich’s Beerfest.

“I first went in 2006 and then again in 2009,” says Brett.

“The experience was amazing - it was a real party atmosphere.”

The beer tents close around 10-11pm and he says everyone goes back to their campsites or hostels and keeps on partying.

The 16–18 day festival runs from late September with more than 5 million people attending every year and almost 7 million litres of beer is served.

Known as the largest Volksfest (People’s Fair) in the world, Oktoberfest has been held in Munich since 1810.

The festival is right in the heart of the city on a huge ground with rides, food stands and of course, beer.

“The majority of the time is spent in the beer halls because that’s where you get the unique experience,” says Brett.

The Beer Halls at Oktoberfest

There are about a dozen beer tents ranging in size some holding thousands of people.

Only locally brewed, Bavarian beers are allowed to be served at Oktoberfest. Each tent serves one brand of beer, sometimes with variations such as a lager or weissbier.

Brett first visited the Löwenbräu and then the Hofbräu. Hofbräu is possibly the most famous beer hall and is open all year round.

Brett says the best beer he sampled at Oktoberfest was made by a small brewery called Spaten.

“It was just so crisp, it was a really good beer, and it was a much smaller tent and the majority of the patrons were locals and I think that’s where you get the better experience from”

Inside the halls are lined with picnic-type tables with a stage in the centre where bands play music all day long.

“On the hour they’ll play a song to cheers everyone called Prost,” he says.

Brett recommends dressing for all sorts of weather. It can get ridiculous cold outside the tent, but once inside the temperature rises.

The local residents really get behind the event and many Germans (and tourists) get dressed up in traditional outfits.

Brett & a friendly local Bavarian

“The Bavarian women! The outfits! The Dirndl is absolutely incredible. It is one of the sexiest traditional outfits in Europe.”

Like a restaurant, each girl has her own serving section and they come around taking drinks orders.

“You don’t get served unless you are sitting at a table - they are quite strict with that, the beer wenches”

Besides the beer, food is a big thing at Oktoberfest.

A mix of hot meals and snacks, a number of traditional German and Bavarian delicacies are on offer including Würstl (sausages), Brezn (Pretzel), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes) and, of course, Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage).

“The chickens are absolutely sensational, it’s a bit expensive, but it’s some of the best chicken I’ve ever had,” says Brett.

Towards the afternoon and early evening local Germans start arriving at the festival from work.

“That’s one of the best things about Oktoberfest,” says Brett. “ It’s not just drinking the beer, but because you’re on communal tables your sitting with, Americans, Germans, French, anyone and everyone, and it’s such a friendly atmosphere, you end up talking to the rest of the table and cheering and dancing around with them.”

“I’ve done a few festivals before and this is the one I’d keep going back to.”

TIPS

• The tents open between 9-10am so get there early to get a seat.
• Try smaller tents and go in the evening to mix with locals.
• Eat a lot of local food.
• Wear layers – outside it can get very cold while the tents get warm.
• Have fun!

Don’t miss out on Oktoberfest 2011! We have a few spaces left so book now http://www.topdeck.travel/festivals/oktoberfest-tours

by Kara Segedin

Like many an Antipodean in London it’s taken me awhile to get out of the city and visit the UK’s sights.

I’ve travelled to the Continent many a time, but until now have failed to explore my own backyard.

Two of my new favourite spots are Bath and Stonehenge in Somerset, South West England.

The Roman Baths is a well-preserved Roman site once used as a public bathing house and now a key tourist attraction at the centre of the town it gives its name to - Bath.

The Great Bath

The thermal pools and a fascinating museum are housed within a beautiful Victorian reception hall.

At the heart of the building is the Sacred Spring. The 46°C water rises here at the rate of 1,170,000 litres every day and has been doing this for thousands of years.

In Roman times a great Temple was built next to the spring in 60-70 AD dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva, a deity with healing powers.

However, it was the Celts who first discovered the scared site, building a shrine to the goddess Sulis before the Roman temple was constructed.

In Roman times, visitors would throw offerings to the gods or curses into the thermal waters - about 130 curse tablets have been found many related to thieves who stole of clothes while visitors were bathing.

The Terrace is lined with statues of Roman Governors, Emperors & military leaders.

Aside from worship, people came to the baths to relax and treat a variety of ailments.

Sadly you can’t take a dip in the water these days because of high lead levels (thanks to the original working pipes) and the risk of infections.

Oh, and the lovely green colour is caused by algae that grows in sunlight.

Now it’s time to head further back in history to a strange and mystical past.

Located near Salisbury in the Wiltshire countryside, Stonehenge is found in the most unlike of locations

Driving up the A303 motorway I caught my first glimpse of the famous landmark, standing in a large paddock surrounded by rolling green pastures filled with grazing sheep.

Despite the masses of tourists, Stonehenge remains a spooky and impressive sight - you can forget ever finding me there at night time!

Spooky Stuff in Stonehenge

This ancient monument dates from 3,700 to 1,600 BC. The tallest stone is 7.3m high and weighs over 45 tonnes! That sure is some heaving lifting!

The origins of Stonehenge are shrouded in mystery. The significance of its alignment with the rising and setting of the sun has puzzled many a scholar -was it a temple for sun worship, a healing centre, a burial site or a ancient calendar?

An even more fundamental, but no less intriguing question is how exactly did the prehistoric Britons move the massive bluestones across land and sea from West Wales to their current resting place in the West of England?

So what are you waiting for! Get off your butts and check out what England and the UK have to offer!

If you want to explore Bath, Stonehenge and much, much more check out these Topdeck trips.

Stonehenge & Bath Day Trip

Celtic Trail 2011

Britain and Ireland Explorer