Topdeck Travel Blog

16. Drive the Great Ocean Road.

The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most spectacular drives, hugging the wild and windswept south-eastern coast of Australia. At 243 kilometres long, the road not only offers  some amazingly diverse scenery, but also heaps of unexpected delights – whale lookouts, mountain ranges, rainforests, historic port towns, and, perhaps most famous of all, the Twelve Apostles – craggy limestone stacks rising majestically out of the Southern Ocean. Breathtaking!

The Great Ocean Road is made even more special by its history. In 1919, one year after the end of the First World War, it was commissioned as a memorial for the 60,000 Australian servicemen and women who had made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives during the war. Around 3,000 servicemen who had returned to Australia after the war began work on the road. Construction was done by hand – the soldiers used picks and shovels to hack through dense rainforest. Many lost their lives around the steep coastal cliffs.

In 1924 an old steam boat became stranded near the shore and had to release its cargo to free itself, which included 500 barrels of beer and 120 cases of spirits. The diggers helped themselves to the abandoned alcohol which resulted in an unscheduled and well-deserved drinks break lasting two weeks! Drinks breaks aside, the road was officially completed in 1932, and became the world’s largest war memorial (by quite a distance!).

The new road opened sparsely-populated and isolated communities from Torquay to Allansford up to the outside world – bringing money and tourism into the whole state of Victoria. The relatively recent construction of the road means that this wonderful stretch of rugged coastline is, in many parts, unspoilt and untouched.

From the Lord Arch Gorge, a scenic bay engulfed by cliffs, to London Bridge, a natural arch created by the immense power of the sea – there is a new wonder around almost every corner. Top of the list of attractions is the astounding Twelve Apostles towering out of the sea - recently voted the best place in Australia to watch a sunset.

The Great Ocean Road is not only astoundingly beautiful, but also poignant and thought-provoking. It gives a small insight into what inspired Australian soldiers in the Great War when fighting to protect the beauty of their homeland. The Great Ocean Road takes its place easily on Topdeck’s list of 40 things to do before you’re 40.

Topdeck Top Tip: Don’t rush through the Great Ocean Road! It may be easily driveable in one day, but you’ll appreciate it much more by taking the time to explore and staying overnight in one of the quaint seaside towns like Port Campbell. While you’re there, try some of the deliciously fresh seafood.

This short clip shows some of the most spectacular highlights of the Great Ocean Road -www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv6683Xeg-0.

15. Ride a Gondola in Venice

Every city in the world has a main street, usually roaring with the noise of gridlocked traffic and honking horns. Imagine a city’s main thoroughfare where the tarmac is replaced by water, and cars are replaced by gondolas gliding quietly past 15^th century palaces. This is reality in Venice, where the breath-taking Grand Canal is the main street in an incredible city built completely on water.

One of the most instantly recognisable cities in the world, Venice is an architectural wonder. Originally an uninhabited swampland, it was settled by Romans in the 5^th century seeking refuge from constant attacks from nearby tribes. The crafty Romans built huge wooden pylons and drove them into the deep swampland, building their easily-defendable village on top of the pylons.

Instead of becoming a rural backwater in this bizarre environment, Venice expanded rapidly and canals were built to allow transport through the city – snaking their way past gorgeous palaces and churches. In a city with no roads, the only way to travel was by boat and gondolas became huge business. Sitting on a gondola as you glide through the canals of Venice will transport you back to a bygone age of extravagances and romance - an era when Casanova mingled with royalty and aristocrats at Venetian masquerade balls.

The unique way Venice was built may make it aesthetically stunning, but the impracticalities have proved too much for many locals - the population has halved since the 1940s to a mere 58,000 residents.

The most worrying thing for the Italian authorities is the rate in which the city is sinking. 2mm each year may sound like a miniscule amount but that, combined with rising sea levels, makes Venice prone to regular flooding. When “aqua alta” (high tide) hits, the locals don their most stylish pair of waterproof boots and make their way around the city on raised platforms. The fascinating sight of St Mark’s Square and its magnificent Byzantine Cathedral swimming in flood water makes the fragile state of Venice even more apparent.

One of the most wonderful things about Venice is that the only ‘traffic’ noise is the gentle splashing of canal water. Which other city in the world can say that? A gondola ride through this breathtaking and truly unique city should be a must-do on anybody’s list!

Topdeck Top Tip: If the crowds around St Mark’s Square get too much for you, seek respite and hop on a Vaparetto (water taxi) out to one the nearby islands - the price is capped at €7 for a one-way ticket. The island of Lido is home to some great beaches, while in Murano you can check out the famous glass-blowing factories.

Continuing last week’s James Bond theme, here is a video of 007 in Casino Royale sailing towards St Mark’s Square and then along the Grand Canal in Venice - www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DyvHwBl9vI.

14. Gamble in a Famous Casino Stepping into the Monte-Carlo Casino in Monaco is as close to stepping into a James Bond film as most of us will get. Billionaires and their bejewelled wives sit sipping cocktails while pushing inordinate amounts of money around the tables. The unflappable croupiers roll a dice or deal a card, and within seconds tens of thousands of Euros have changed hands. Nobody bats an eyelid, apart from the fascinated onlookers. An evening mingling with the rich and famous of Monaco is a truly unforgettable experience!

At barely two miles long and half a mile wide, Monaco is the 2^nd smallest country in the world, but its generous tax laws (very generous – residents pay no income tax at all!) mean this tiny country is a haven for the rich and famous of European society. Everybody from Formula One star Jenson Button to former Mr. Bond himself Roger Moore reside here, but you won’t spot any of them in the casinos as residents of Monaco are banned from entering. James Bond had a flutter in the Monte-Carlo Casino in no less than three movies - Never Say Never Again, GoldenEye and Casino Royale.

While Monaco is undoubtedly the most famous gambling destination in Europe, it’s rivalled by a very different city in North America – Las Vegas. They say that everything is bigger in America, and the sheer size of the casinos in Sin City itself is something miniscule Monaco could never compete with.

Bellagio, built in 1998, is one of the newest additions to the Las Vegas strip. It features botanical gardens, a fine art gallery, and, of course, one of the most luxurious casinos ever built. The traffic-stopping fountain and neon lights show outside Bellagio is truly breath-taking, and epitomises the extravagant spirit of Vegas. The fountains dance to a soundtrack of appropriate music including Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas” and Frank Sinatra’s “Luck be a Lady”.

Gambling is far from the only attraction in Vegas. Surrounded by desert, the city is an oasis of world-class shopping, fine dining, and 24-hour nightlife.

Even if having a flutter isn’t your thing, the insides of the Monte-Carlo Casino and Bellagio have to be seen to be believed. Go in and transport yourself into a different world, where celebrities, billionaires, and us normal people brush shoulders and sit at the same tables! Good luck!

Topdeck Top Tip: Cameras aren’t allowed in the Monte-Carlo Casino in Monaco, and you’ll need your passport which they’ll scan upon entry. Remember the house always wins, so only bet what you can afford to lose!

The water fountain show outside the Bellagio in Las Vegas: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfxDkmI_wFw

Catch a glimpse of inside the Monte-Carlo in James Bond’s ‘Golden Eye’ movie: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJpc-zXc4cc

Most people are familiar with at least a couple of the festivals the Spanish celebrate every year, whether it’s the carnage of Running of the Bulls in Pamplona or the tomato-throwing extravaganza of La Tomatina, the Spanish festivals are famously eccentric.

Only a handful of people are familiar with one of the most peculiar. The tiny town of Haro in the beautiful Rioja region of Northern Spain hosts something completely bizarre on 29^th June each year. To mark St Peter’s (San Pedro’s) day, thousands of locals come together to dump bucket-upon-bucket of red wine on each other!

The ‘wine battle’ as it’s known, originates from a dispute between Haro and neighbouring town Miranda De Ebro regarding who owned the mountains between them. Nobody knows who was the first to throw wine at their rival, but now locals from the entire region (along with a handful of tourists) come together in friendship instead of feud to celebrate, drink, dance, and last but not least, soak each other to the bone in red wine! Most of the local’s ‘weapon of choice’ is a bottle of wine, but those going for accuracy carry water pistols while those going for sheer volume carry buckets! When the once-white t-shirts have turned sufficiently pink, the drenched participants gather round bonfires to dry-off while eating tapas and drinking delicious Rioja wine. What could be better?!

One of the best things about the wine battle is that, for now, it remains a local affair. Tourists in Haro are still a novelty who are welcomed into the celebration with open arms. It’s only a matter of time before the festival booms in popularity in the same way as the other aforementioned Spanish festivals, but for now the wine battle is a unique and authentic taste of Spanish culture.

The Spanish reputation for partying late-into-the-night makes it one of the most hedonistic countries in Europe. While most tourists flock to the concrete seaside resorts of the Costa del Sol, the vibrant cities are where the genuine Spanish lust-for-life can be found.

Topdeck’s Spanish Sun and Fiesta trip combines a visit to the wine battle in Faro alongside four incredible cities. Vibrant Bilbao is first up – capital of the Basque region - followed by Madrid, the stunning and historic Spanish capital. A perfect trip is rounded-off with three nights in San Sebastian, a buzzing beachside city and surfer’s paradise, and finally a visit to Pamplona for the fireworks-filled San Fermin festival and the chaotic running of the bulls.

After an incredible twelve days, four cities and two mind-blowing festivals, we say a reluctant and exhausted adios to our amazing Spanish adventure!

13. Watch the sunrise over Uluru

The ultimate icon of Australia, Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) has an almost mystical presence. There’s something intangibly moving about seeing dawn’s first light settle on this geological marvel at the heart of the ‘Red Centre’.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Uluru is sacred to the Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area. For them it is inextricably linked with their Dreamtime stories, and even in today’s modern world it retains a sacred place in their culture.

In 1873 Uluru was given a second name, Ayers Rock, after the Chief Secretary of South Australia, Henry Ayers. Since 1993 it has officially had dual-name status, and is now referred to in formal terms as Uluru/Ayers Rock.

Located 335km south-west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Uluru sits in terrain which is unmistakeably Outback. In the area there are waterholes, caves, springs and Aboriginal rock paintings.

But it’s the flatness of its surrounds which makes Uluru stand out even more. What earthly business does this striking protrusion have in such a landscape? It all adds to the rock’s enigmatic appeal.

For overnight visitors to this great Aussie wilderness, there’s only one way to stay – in a swag (Aussie bedroll) under the stars! And camping close to this magical monolith gives people the chance to experience one of the most majestic views in the southern hemisphere; sunrise over Uluru.

As dawn’s first rays kiss the sandstone summit, Uluru stirs and awakens as if a living thing. Shades change imperceptibly with the sun’s steady migration, until the entire rock glows fiery red, as though the blood of the nation was coursing through it. Apt, you might say, for a landmark at the very heart of Australia. A more contemplative and peaceful way to start a day you’d be hard pressed to find. If ever there was a reason to get up before dawn, then watching sunrise over Uluru is surely it.

Topdeck Top Tip: To climb or not to climb? The Anangu ask visitors not to climb Uluru, as it’s a sacred religious site to their people, but neither is there a law against it. Take time to read the reasons for and against so you can make an informed decision.

Lonely Planet visit Uluru: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biuYA54nb7Y

A nice time-lapse video showing Uluru’s changing colours at sunrise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1LNcqgt00E

And another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e8Fr3CESOU

An ANZAC recount by Topdeck Trip Leader, Luke Vandenhurk.

The first day on our ANZAC trip included visiting Istanbul’s majestic Blue Mosque, carrying our shoes whilst attempting to count the 20,000 ornate blue tiles. We wandered through the famed Hagia Sophia, brought fez hats in the Grand Bazaar, went cruising on the Bosphorus and finished the day watching belly dancers work their magic whilst enjoying a three-course Turkish feast (well they were dancing and we were eating).

Following on from our traditional Turkish feast we visited the seaside resort town of Kusadasi where we enjoyed some sunshine, local Efes beer and a hat-themed party in the nearby Pacha nightclub. Some of the other guys on the trip must have been inspired by the belly-dancing show the night before and proceeded to emulate the moves on-stage. Posthumous best-hat awards go to the guy with a watermelon on his head and second prize for the girl sporting the hotels’ complimentary shower-cap all night!

On-route to Gallipoli we stopped at the ancient city of Troy, said to be the setting of the legendary Trojan War in the 13^th Century BC. Whilst sadly Brad Pitt and Rose Byrne were no longer there, a large wooden horse remains, which I thought to be equally as interesting. After obligatory photos in front of the Camilla Parker Bowles lookalike, we set off on a ferry across the Dardanelles Strait and onto Anzac Cove.

As the gates opened at 6pm, the masses of Aussie and Kiwi pilgrims quickly descended on the grassy slopes of Anzac Cove. It was a serene, peaceful night, with the fall moon casting an amber glow across the Aegean Sea. The ceremony begun with a moving account of the ANZACs treacherous landing some 98 years ago. As we listened in silence, the cool night air barely gave a hint to the harsh realities the soldiers would have faced as they struggled ashore on that very day in 1915. A respectful atmosphere prevailed through the night with a sea of sleeping bags and national flags surrounding the 5000 people camped out under the stars.

The morning Dawn Service was followed by a trek up to Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair, to watch the Australian and New Zealand memorial services. The well-worn path giving some clues to the rough terrain and steep cliffs the soldiers would have fought on carrying their 30kg packs. The seven kilometre route gave us all time to reflect on the 11,500 ANZACs that died in the Gallipoli campaign.

We saw Turkish and Allied tunnels built so close together that the ‘diggers’ could hear the enemy at work. We listened to stories of bravery, heroism, sacrifice and mateship from the 8-and-a half month campaign. We watched the documentaries detailing events from Turkish, Australian and New Zealand perspectives. We touched the soil that holds so many lost sons. But most of all we felt the Anzac Spirit that was created at Gallipoli and today manifests itself proudly in the hearts of Australians and New Zealanders around the world.

Over the course of our trip we ate many kebabs, haggled with shop vendors, enjoyed 4 star hotel luxury, ate some more kebabs and saw some pretty amazing sights along the way. Most importantly, we had the opportunity to witness an intensely moving ceremony which brought to light the incredible sacrifices made by the ANZAC soldiers for the young nations of Australia and New Zealand.

Lest we forget.

2014 will mark the 99th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing and you can experience all the history, culture, adventure and fun on any of our ANZAC packages. For information on the 100th anniversary, please contact info@topdeck.travel.