Bit of a mix. Its also hard to beat our beaches, your basically always safe here and random people are legends (as long as you arent a complete dickhead), and I have a big family/was in quite a few rep teams during HS so know people basically all over who can give you the inside word on the best shit to do.

Ive also found that I dont really give a shit about touristy sites (Macchu Pichu, Notre Dame, Statue Liberty, etc.). Like, I'll see them, recognise it as cool, but be bored within the hour. I rate the social aspect, ability to explore, and general vibe higher. For example, the Eiffel Tower sucks to actually visit, but smashing some beers and having a picnic in the park 50-100m away from it is awesome.

We do lack a bit of a party spark in Aus compared to other places though, and obv our alcohol prices are ludicrously over the top comparatively. I know for a fact The Yacht Week did a trial run around Qld/Whitsundays and realised we dont have the necessary vibe and it was too expensive to make it work.

Byron Bay (and surrounding area) would safely make my top 5 places worldwide.

Understandable, it makes sense when attractions bore you and exploration is more your thing, being in your own country is a lot more comfortable and easier to explore new places, and agree on the party vibe lacking here

And just on your point about Asia, I guess it depends where you go but some of it is definitely doable when you're older like you said, but some places would be great to do when younger i.e Tokyo/Seoul nightlife, Singapore/Hong Kong

Have been to Honolulu if that's where you thinking of going to, absolutely loved it (even without being 21 :lol: )
Diamond head, Waikiki, Chinatown and the main strip are all fantastic

I'm heading to Melbs with the Mrs tomorrow for 4 days.

Staying in the city centre and relying on public transport.
We have nothing planned. Do's and don'ts?

Go to St Kilda, particularly if it's a warm day.

Going to Kansas City next month for a wedding. The wedding is of course on the same day as Sporting Kansas play at home. Will be taken to a baseball game though. Anybody been there? Stuff to see?

Try not to laugh at Federation Square.

Check out the MCG, or walk down there. Nice walk along the river if the weather is nice. Eureka Skydeck is great at night.

Interesting read Roary. Hard to rank them, but Vancouver will always be top for me.

Cyprus was incredible and fun (very English), Fiji was amazing. Didn't rate New Caledonia. Spain was fun. England is great. Did a driving tour of the North and loved it. Rocky Mountains are incredible too.

Yellowstone National park is still probably the most amazing thing I've done. Did a big loop from Van all the way through Banff and Calgary to YNP and then then back through Seattle. Amazing trip.

South East Asia interests me, but I can't bring me self to do it :lol:
South America absolutely has my interest, but I'd like to do it over 6 months or so.

South East Asia is good mate. Just prepare yourself for overflowing sewers when it rains and HIV infested old white men trying to pick up ladyboys every time you turn the corner.

South America is amazing. I spent a year there when I was 19 and did all my uni assignments and exams via correspondence. Took a small hit to my GPA but was worth it; did most of the required reading and writing on bus trips. I caught a riverboat from Ecuador all the way through to Brazil along the Amazon for about $15. Took a week and all they give you is a hammock and a fishing line. Amazing experience and gives you plenty of time to self-reflect and talk absolute shit to people.

Bolivia is 10/10 fun. Highly recommend reading Marching Powder before you go and trying to do all the shit that goes down in the book (aside from the super criminal stuff obvs). Riding the Death Road is pretty surreal.

Would definitely advise you to learn at least the basics in Spanish before you go... a little Italian (South and West) and Portugese is super helpful as well. French in a pinch the further North/East you go.

Edited by roary's mane: 29/6/2015 10:51:10 PM

Did you get over to Peru at all?

Jeez I loved Peru. My heartstrings are hurting, thinking about it again :lol:

Have any of you guys used airbnb before - either domestically or abroad?

I'm a complete rookie. What are the pros/cons, do's/dont's?

I'm thinking of heading to Wellington in October for the first Jerks game and there's a few bnb's that are desirably-cheap for like a private room in an apartment or something.

Is there anything more to airbnb's then just booking it, organising pickup keys time, etc? As in can I just treat it as if I'm booking a normal hotel? Or are there things I should know?

Yeah, all over. Was in a really dodgy town for NYE where everybody wore yellow and shot guns in the air at 12. Could literally buy pistols of blokes in the street. Also bulk fireworks. All the touristy shit is cool. Nazca Lines, Machu Pichu, Alps, Lake TitiCaca, Hot Springs, etc. Machu Pichu is overrated, you see cooler ruins that arent getting pummeled by tourists on the trail.

Highly recommend getting to this tiny little oasis town called Huacachina - super chill place, but also epic dunes so they take you sandboarding and in fuck off huge dune buggies , etc. Really cool place. Also really enjoyed Huanchaco, which is a real touristy town, but had awesome beaches, sick beach parties at night, could take boat trips off to nearby islands (few poor man's Galapagos arent too far away). We sailed out to this abandoned oil rig, were seals all over the bottom, then climbed up to the top (climbed around locked gates, etc) to jump off. Was min. 25 metre jump. Pretty exhilarating.

If youve only got like a month you could do a pretty epic Bolivia-Peru-Ecuador trip if you planned it rigtht. Internal flights are scary as shit but.

Old white men picking up young asian ladies. Me love your money long time:lol: :lol:

Have to travel 100km for victory games. We always drive even though we could use public transport. It's easier for us to fly to london and use the tube than it is to get a fuck off myki card and use melbournes public transport for a day. (And potentially cheaper )

Just got back from a tour of North Africa/Europe. Thoroughly recommend Nice, Krakow, Warsaw, Mostar, Sofia, and Tel Aviv.

Highly recommend airbnb. Never had a problem with any of the places I've booked there. You can essentially treat it like a normal hotel. Not much more than organising pickup times, etc. Have a google of the contact number that they give you to see if anything untowards pops up, but highly unlikely.

Always had a good time with airbnb places. Have always been clean and the people have been good.

So, this is actually a stupid question, but who's actually been here? ->



Its seen by everyone outside of Australia, and its Australia's most recognisable natural wonder, just like the most recognisable man made structure is the Opera House in Sydney.

Isis wants to wipe out the pyramids and the sphinx

IDIOTS! We know what they look like, we'll just build a replica of it somewhere else!

Meanwhile they have Nigerian women playing soccer running around in outfits which dont cover up their limbs at the women's world cup

Used airbnb in Kyrgyzstan and it was fantastic, would recommend it to anyone, having the local access made the trip.

One of my mates, arguably the most Strayan guy I know, did an Australian contiki tour. He said it was the greatest experience of his life. He got to see a bunch of Australia he always wanted to, plus he was on a bus with a dozen Swedish people who wanted to sleep with Australians :lol: and he cleaned up :lol:

Currently using airbnb in Japan and don't have a single complaint. One bloke even met up with us and took us to his favourite resteraunt on top if you have any problems they get back to you within an hour

Go back through the thread. I think I and a few others posted about it. I'm going back to the NYC apartment this year with two mates and the lady is charging $100 US a night. 33 bucks a head in NYC is insanely cheap nearly unheard of for the awesome place we get. If anyone is interested pm me and I'll give her Airbnb ad.

I've just seen this now while doing a bit of reading. I've been and gone back. Damn I would've met up as all mates and family were working a lot of the time. Next time perhaps.

Absolutely m8. Bummer we missed this chance!

Off to Japan Monday! \:d/ \:d/

Yeah I'm there on the 12th.

-PB

Hey fellas. Does anyone here have any suggestions on what to do in Bali (4 days), Kuala Lumpur (2 days) and Singapore (2 days)? I'm going next week and I have nothing planned haha!

Finally made it to Tokyo after leaving Cairns @ midday today.

Sleep times.

-PB