May 26, 2010
My Australian tour of the coast between Sydney and Melbourne has been one of the most superb holidays I have ever experienced. The scenery was picturesque, the locals were sociable and there were a wealth of things to do.
With many car rental sydney and car rental Melbourne alternatives along the coast, renting a car is the easiest way to make your way around. Car hire agencies are eager to help you arrange the tour of your dreams. I found a great deal travelling from Sydney to Melbourne just by doing a quick search online.
After finalising my car rental, I made my way south from Sydney through Royal National Park. I was blown away by the Grand Pacific Drive, it was breathtaking. There are plenty of coastal villages on the way and I enjoyed exploring and spending some time there. I also spent a a couple of hours visiting the bustling city of Wollongong before heading to Jervis Bay.
The next morning I hopped on a cruise to see the resident dolphin population that Jervis Bay is best-known for. The picturesque white sand beaches made it difficult to leave. Continuing my journey further south, I managed to pick up some authentic craft items in Tilba Tilba.
Mimosa Rocks National Park was lovely, I even got a chance to swim in the lagoon. I drove a little further to watch surfers at Tathra Beach. That evening I lodged in the classy village of Metung and had a tremendous seafood platter in one of the lakeside eateries.
Wilsons Promontory National Park is home to amazing scenery and an abundance of wildlife such as kangaroos, koalas and wombats. I spent an entire day hiking through eucalypt forests, exploring beaches and coves and climbing on granite mountains.
Next checkpoint was Fish Creek, a small, quirky and thriving township with arts and crafts, books and cafes. I took the bridge over to Phillip Island, a popular family stop. At Nobbies Centre you can watch the penquins strutting up and down the beach and see one of Australia’s most remarkable fur seal colonies.
As initially planned, I ended my trip in Melbourne making my last stop at the heritage farm on Churchill Island. Renting a car was a convenient and fun way to do this awesome coastal drive from Sydney to Melbourne. Next time I may get a car rental in Melbourne and do this trip the other direction!
August 9, 2009
It?s been an magnificent summer so far. The other week we went on a mtn bike ride through the Sequoia National Park. It was an grand trip, but started with the exhausting drive. I had my mountain bike on the back of the car and equipment all packed up the night before. I started the mountain bike ride up alone as I left early from the office. My meet up time was set for eight pm where I was to meet with my friends on the mountain since I didnt know where exactly the campsite would be. I knew my window of opportunity was about 30 minutes. If I didnt make it in time, they would come back the next day to find me. The only logical outcome of there is that I would be taking a long nap in my car alone that night if I didnt make it in time
Well I didnt have to sleep in the car alone that night. I made it in time to crack a beer and pedal around on the bike a bit and enjoy the fresh mountain air The air was crisp and I was excited to be away from the city. The bike was in perfect shape and ready to hit some trails. Friends arrived beers in hand and ready to show me where the campsite was.
Our mountain bike ride started early and we were ready with big packs stuffed with plenty of food and water. The first hill was killer and was a rude awakening to a very long bike ride. We pedaled over 10 miles uphill, that took over 2hrs. It was a good feeling to finally make it to the top. I chugged nice clean water out of my water bottle.
The next 8hrs was spent jamming up and down hills, over fallen logs, off huge hits and hucking over big rocks. We half a few good breaks in between stopping to eat lunch and have a smoke at the three sisters, what an awesome spot. The dirt was just right. Not too dry as to cause any dust and not too wet that our wheels would get stuck. It was nice to see just a bit of snow left on the ground in certain spots.
March 23, 2009
Quality scuba diving equipment is required for scuba diving and will increase your dive experience and let you remain safe. Before buying scuba diving equipment you needs to research various brands to ensure you are buying top quality stuff. Your life depends on your equipment while scuba diving, so make sure you buy quality brand name equipment rather than trying to save money.
Although diving equipment has remained the same as it was since Jacques Cousteau introduced the Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus to the world, diving equipment has drastically improved.
Reputed manufacturers always aim to make scuba diving gear safe, reliable, and comfortable at reasonable prices. The following list of basic equipment is required for scuba diving, BCD, mask, fins, snorkel, regulator, guages, weights and watch. However, the advent of the dive computer has been most welcome for the recreational diver. The Dive Computer with its ability to optimize downtime and monitor dive performances will offer a more safer dive.
We love to dive, we like to share this passion with the divers and enjoy a cup of coffe after the diving trip, talk and meet each other. As I mentioned previously, you must take care to choose high quality equipment, but remember that functionality and comfort should also be considered. Make sure that your scuba diving tank is properly sized for your body, or its extra size could end up making your dive an underwater workout just hauling it about.
May 23, 2008
Scuba diving is an ultimate experience that should be experienced by everyone at least once in their lives. There is nothing quiet like scuba diving. Swimming with the fishes is a truly amazing feeling. There is so much to do and see with scuba diving it has become a major hobby all around the world. Many avid scuba divers would agree that a scuba diving vacation is the ultimate vacation. There are many different places that offer scuba diving. Each place has its own uniqueness and its own spectacular sites to see. While your budget will play a major role in picking your destination there are locations affordable to all.
First off, let’s start close to home with the scuba diving vacation hotspots in North America. The Florida Keys is a very unique destination. The Keys are made up of about seventeen hundred island extending south and southwest of the Florida mainland. The most popular islands include the Marathon, Key West, Key Largo, Islamorada and Big Pine Key which is home of the protected Key Deer. You can visit the Florida Keys by car, plan, bus, and ferry. Most ferries accommodate twenty to thirty passengers. Expect to spend three hours sailing to the Florida Keys from Fort Myers. Driving your car to the Florida Keys allows you to visit the famous Overseas Highway.
More about Scuba diving HERE