London Bridge – Sorrento version.

Learn more about Guangzhou at WikiTravel.

Learn more about Cairns at http://www.cairns.com.au/

Beijing Finger Food can be a challenge for a westerner.  Take the plunge!

Learn more about the Healesville Sanctuary at http://www.zoo.org.au/HealesvilleSanctuary.

The Ninety Mile Beach is amazing, but keep in mind it is a surf beach and swimming is best kept between the flags of the Lakes Entrance Life Saving Club.  The Gippsland Lakes are an option for swimming and I had a great time riding the tide along the Lake foreshore at a wonderful spot where you can play in the Gippsland Lake on one side of a spit of land and then enjoy the surf within a five minute walk over the sand dunes.

Don’t leave the area before taking a pleasure cruise on the Lakes.  There are many options to enjoy the Lakes including large skippered cruisers, large lake boat tours and self skippered boats of various sizes.  I decided to charter a small Poly Craft from ‘The Director Boat Charters’ and explore the lakes from the charming small town called Metung.  The town is a mini Port Douglas (see Great Barrier Reef article) and has several superb options for a meal including the famous Metung Pub and the Bancroft Bites restaurant.  I especially enjoyed the Seafood Chowder for lunch.

Ensure you hire the boat for at least four hours to give yourself time to hug the Lakes northern edge on your way to the beach adjacent to Rigby Island.  Small creeks and inlets can be found along the Lake shore and are worth exploring to have a closer look at some of the fine homes situated near the Lake system and the collection of private boats. While the houses and boats are all very interesting to view, the definite highlight of this region is the natural environment.  The area supports a fishing and tourism industry however people are yet to spoil the area with over development or pollution.

The morning light on the still lake water provided a delightful backdrop to the local bird life.  Later in the day the wind increased and a slight chop built up on the lake surface.  You need to book a few days in advance during the summer peak months and I recommend checking the weather forecasts and picking up your boat early in the morning.

Keen Golfers will be interested to know that there is very nice Golf Course situated on the Lakes just north of Lakes Entrance.  The Lakes Entrance Golf Club takes great advantage of its position to offer water views on many of the holes.  The course is one of many great courses in regional areas of Victoria.  The state is best known for the concentrated collection of great courses in the Sandbelt region of the capital city Melbourne, but there are many great courses in the state outside of Melbourne.  The Golf Australia website has more information about Golf in Australia and AusGolf has updated lists of the best Golf Courses to visit in Gippsland and around Australia.

More Information:

Lakes Entrance Information

· Keep away from toilets as they normally attract a queue (line) of people.

· Select seats adjacent to doors if you seek more legroom. Keep in mind that your Entertainment screen may be less conveniently placed for these seats.

· Children tend to be located at the very front of the economy section. These seats are actually excellent in other ways but consider the possibility of being close to irritable children.

· Aisle seats provide flexibility when needing to get to the toilet or when you would like to get up for a stretch or walk. You will need to be aware that your window seat neighbour will be interrupting you when they need to make their journey.

I suggest that you schedule a trip length that allows you to break the trip before you want to go home. If this will be your first trip, you will almost certainly return with the travel bug and be inspired to continue your travels throughout your life – there is no need to see the whole world in one hit.

Number 9: Anfield

English Football was a big part of my growing up.  Saturday morning was for playing tennis.  Sunday morning was for watching Serie A, and Monday night was Division 1 English Football (now called the Premier League).

When I started watching Football, Liverpool was the best team in England and one of the great Football teams in the world.  They weren’t my team, but they were a team to admire.  Aside from their standard of play on the field, their fans were also to be admired.  The atmosphere created in their home ground was and is amazing.  Anfield was built for Everton FC in 1884 only for Everton to move out in 1891.  Liverpool FC was formed in 1892 by John Houlding and they play their first home game at the ground that year.  The ground is designed along the common principles of English Football grounds.  Line of site and enclosed almost claustrophobic stands help to create a wonderful atmosphere even in the lesser stadiums in England.  Anfield is typically packed with some of the most passionate fans in the world and the best games of the last thirty years have given me goose bumps – even though I wasn’t in the stadium!

The Kop – The stand built in 1906 and expanded in 1928 to a capacity of 30,000.  The stand is home to many of the most raucous Liverpool fans.

Stadium Developments – The current owner of Liverpool is John W Henry and he has indicated that Liverpool FC is likely to stay at the ground with possible capacity expansion.

Stadium Statistics -

Highest Attendance: 61,905 for FA Cup fifth 2/2/1952 against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Current Capacity: 45,276

This is Anfield – If I was a Liverpool player, the simple sign above the change room exit would inspire me to give my absolute best for the club.

Scoreboard:

• Architecture:   7
• Atmosphere:  10
• History:          9
• Community:    10

More Information:

Liverpool FC Official Site

Premier League Stadium Profile

If time is also important to your style of travel then central accommodation is also important.  There are some lovely accommodation options on the outskirts of Rome, but then you waste time getting into the central areas where most of the most important attractions and neighbourhoods are located.  The Beehive is an example of a good value, safe and restful option.  The location is amazingly convenient if, like many visitors, you arrive in Rome at the Roma Termini railway station.  A five minute walk will get you there and then you are ready to launch into the exploration of Rome.  I have featured the Beehive before in my Travel Tips E-Book, but have recently noticed that the owners of the Beehive have launched an excellent site called http://www.cross-pollinate.com/.

The site has some great travel advice for Europe as well as a range of other Beehive style accommodation options for Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Barcelona and London.

Check out Cross Pollinate for more information.

Rating System
Architecture            /10
Atmosphere            /10
History                /10
Importance to local community    /10

A stadium attains a status of greatness when it enters the heart of its community. 

The following stadia are all great, but could not squeeze into my Top Ten.

20    Bristol Motor Speedway
19    Eden Gardens – Kolkata
18    Beijing National Stadium
17    Old Trafford (Theatre of Dreams)
16    Indianapolous Speedway
15    Croke Park – Dublin
14    Wimbledon
13    Maracana – Rio de Janeiro
12    Yankee Stadium – New York
11    Bayern Munich stadium Allianz Arena

Number 10:
Lambeau Field

Lambeau Field is the home field for the NFL Green Bay Packers.  They have played at the stadium since 1957 and have been one of the great sporting franchises of USA sport.  They have won more NFL Championship titles than any other team (13) which is an amazing  achievement for what could be considered a small city team.  Green Bay Wisconsin is located 120 Miles north of Milwaukee and the team attracts passionate fans from all over Wisconsin.

Lambeau Field is named after the Packers founder Curly Lambeau.  The stadium was previously named the City Stadium and was regularly enlarged from the original capacity of 32,500 to the 2011 capacity of 73,128.  Plans are in place to further increase capacity to 79,728 in 2012.   Spectators have unimpeded views however the majority of the crowd is exposed to the weather.  The atmosphere created by Lambeau field has commonly accepted to be one of the best in the NFL and the team has done much to popularise the game within the USA and around the world. 

Scoreboard:

• Architecture:   7
• Atmosphere:   9
• History:          10
• Community:    9

Learn more at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambeau_Field
http://www.packers.com/

Geysers

Yellowstone is the home of Old Faithful and many more thermal features.  In fact Yellowstone National Park hosts 60% of the active Geysers in the world.  Old Faithful is special because of the sheer size of the geyser height, but also because it goes off on a regular time frame.

The average time between eruptions is currently 90 minutes and you can be sure the geyser will put on a show with boiling water reaching heights of 106 to 185 feet (32 to 56 m).  When you arrive at the Old Faithful Welcome centre check the timetable and then plan your visit so that you arrive at the provided seating a few minutes early.  The Old Faithful Information Centre is a great way to soak up the minutes before the show.  There is a book store and comfort facilities but the highlight is the exhibits area with great displays explaining the science behind the wonders of Yellowstone National Park.

If you didn’t realise already you will find out that much of Yellowstone National Park is actually above an ancient Volcano Caldera.  It is possible that Yellowstone National Park will experience another eruption, although the last one was 630,000 years ago.  Scientists predict the next major eruption in the area will not likely occur within five to ten generations.  It is not possible to precisely predict this event, however it is strongly likely that nature will provide us with warning signs before a major eruption.

Lakes

Yellowstone Lake is located partially within the Caldera and is a beautiful site.  At the Grant Village site thermal features hug the edge of the lake providing some of my favourite views in the Park.  The National Park is provided with well maintained walk ways so that visitors can get up close to these amazing thermal features without damaging them.

Yellowstone Canyon

One of the most recognised images of Yellowstone National Park is the lower falls in the Yellowstone Grand Canyon.  I remember seeing images of the waterfall in photography books when I was a kid and visualised myself standing at Artist Point ready to take my own image.  The location is awe inspiring and deserves to be savoured.  At one stage while we were there the clouds parted and the water exploded with a silver brilliance.  It was quite a site.  Photos don’t do it justice.

Accommodation Options

There are many accommodation options both within Yellowstone National Park and just outside the park.  You can choose a style that suits your preferences.  Many people choose to rough it and obtain a campsite reservation.  This is a great way to get in touch with the nature of the park, however we decided to stay in one of the many cabins in the area.  A visit to Yellowstone is really best achieved with your own car as you then have the ability to explore the different experiences in the Park efficiently.  We had a hire car and this gave us the flexibility to stay outside the Park and get a little more accommodation for our budget.  West Yellowstone is a popular launching pad for day trips into the Park and provides a good variety of restaurants, souvenir shops, food supplies and accommodation.  We chose to stay out of town in the Brook Trout Inn.  The complex of four cabins (another cabin closer to town) is located 10 minutes from West Yellowstone and 15 minutes from the West entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

We were very happy with the more relaxed setting (compared to West Yellowstone) and really enjoyed returning to the generous and well maintained cabin facilities.

Bill is a relaxed and friendly host and has created a peaceful place to wind down after a full day exploring Yellowstone.  The cabins have easy access to the main road to West Yellowstone without being too close.

Other Accommodation Resources:

http://www.vrbo.com/

http://www.destinationyellowstone.com/

http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/

Eating Options

There are many options for food in the Park and in surrounding towns.  The food we experienced was not memorable, however we particularly enjoyed the ice cream.  My suggestion though is to prepare sandwiches and other snacks at your cabin in the morning and stop on one of the many picnic tables in the park for lunch.  The atmosphere is better and you won’t need to structure your day around being near one of the major food centres.  As always within the park make sure you dispose of your litter and left overs in the ‘Bear Proof’ trash cans provided.

Wildlife

A strong memory of Yellowstone is the interaction between people and animals.  It is a common site during a visit to Yellowstone to see groups of cars huddled around the side of the road with all their occupants poking cameras out of the windows.  Bison, Elk, Moose or even Bears can be spotted by the side of the road.  Soaring birds of prey are also a common sight in the park.  Fishing is also a very popular activity in lake and rivers of Yellowstone.  The Native cutthroat trout is a prized catch.  A permit is required and is available from http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fishingpermits.htm.  There are several spots in the park that seem popular for wildlife spotters with high power telescopes or binoculars.  If you ask nicely, you will be offered a look.  I was able to observe a wolf lunching on a fresh kill in the distance.  Of course you can hire your own from suppliers in West Yellowstone.

Camping in Yellowstone National Park will increase your wildlife experience, however it is necessary to take some precautions including carrying Bear spray.

Further information regarding these precautions is available at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/bearenc.htm.  Special locations within Yellowstone National Park for wildlife include the Hayden Valley and the Lamar Valley.

Transport

It is possible to take organised bus tours through Yellowstone National Park, but if you are physically able it is preferable to drive.  We had a Dodge Caravan hire car that we picked up in Salt Lake City and it was perfect for the group of five we had for the trip.  The car soaked up our group and the luggage and gave us a comfortable journey to and from the Yellowstone area.  The handling of the car was fine for sedate driving over the very well built and maintained roads through the park.  Having a car means you can devote more time to the areas of the park that hold most interest for you and return to areas that demand a better look.

How to get there

By Plane
West Yellowstone Regional Airport (tel. 406/646-7631) in Montana,
Jackson, Wyoming, a scenic 56 mile drive from the southern entrance of Yellowstone.
Bozeman, Montana, is 87 miles from the West Yellowstone entrance. o
Billings, Montana, is 129 miles from the Cooke City entrance.
Cody, Wyoming, 53-mile drive west along U.S. Hwy. 14/16/20 to the east entrance of the park.
Salt Lake City, Utah, (our choice, but be prepared for the 300 mile drive)  The route through the Grand Teton National Park offers some great scenery.

Weather

Yellowstone National Park weather is highly changeable and visitors should ensure they check updated forecasts and pack layers of clothing to protect against sudden changes in conditions.

Yellowstone is fascinating to visit in all seasons:

Summer
Yellowstone National Park is huge so the higher crowds can be avoided for most of the time.  An occasional traffic build up is worth the more stable weather.

June:
low: 36.6, high: 68.5

July:
low: 41.3, high: 78.5

August:
low: 39, high: 76.2

Autumn

The shorter days are offset by the smaller crowds.  Yellowstone Elk become active during the Rut when bull elk come together with the cows.

September:
low: 30.5, high: 64.7

October:
low: 22.5, high: 51.8

November:
low: 12.8, high: 34.2

Spring

The crowds are few and wildlife youngsters are everywhere to be seen.  Snow and Ice are melting and do limit hiking access to some areas of the back country.

Spring is the best time to view wolves and grizzly bears in Lamar Valley, as well.

March:
low: 10, high: 37.2

April:
low: 19.9, high: 45.9

May:
low: 29.2, high: 57.9

Winter

Snowmobiles and snow coaches allow access to Yellowstone National Park in winter wonderland mode.

December:
low: 1.5, high: 23.7

January:
low: 1, high: 24

February:
low: 3.4, high: 30.

Additional Resources:

National Park Service

Montana Tourist Information and beautiful Yellowstone Videos

YellowstonePark.com

Yellowstone.net

I will attempt to limit myself to raving about ten shrines of sport in the world and will describe how these sport stadia impact on their communities.  Visiting these destinations to join a tour or to attend a sporting contest will teach you much about the local culture.  Sport provides the thrill of competition and a chance to admire the athletic achievements of the most talented people in the world.   Even if you are not a sport enthusiast, please join my journey to learn why sport energises so many people around the world.  If you do love sport then join in and let me know about your favourite stadia!

Trippy has been started by JR Johnson and his team.  They founded VirtualTourist in 1999 and understand travel and people.  The service will be completely beneficial if you have a critical mass of friends that already use Facebook.  The authentication mechanism chosen by Trippy is Facebook and this will rule out those amongst your friend network that have decided to steer clear of the Facebook world.  Trippy currently exists in web and iPhone App form.  It seems like your initial interaction with the service should be through the web site as I was unable to get the show started by using the iPhone application first.  A really nice wizard assists you with your first trip creation process and within five minutes you will have the skeleton of your dream trip.  In my case I created a week long trip to New Zealand.  Trippy had recommendations for places to visit already built into the service, but will benefit hugely with a larger number of Trippy users.  The hive mind will then pre-populate your trip ideas more effectively.  I also like the Copy feature where you can watch and possibly help one of your friends create an amazing trip, and then copy it for yourself.  Trippy makes travel a social experience for the people in your network.

Trippy Drawcards:
- Source travel opinions from those whom you trust
- Website interface is easy and efficient to use
- iPhone app is simple and quick to use.

Trippy Challenges:
- Facebook usage is a requirement
- iPhone app only as of 31st October 2011
- Works best if you can convince a wide circle of friends to get involved

Trippy

More iPhone travel planning help available at TravelCoachApp.com.

Effects of anxiety and stress:

- energy levels drop

- individual is prone to periods of depression

- teeth can be damaged due to grinding while sleeping

- the body can be exposed to illness due to lowered levels of immunity

Positive thinkers see opportunities for progress while melancholic thinkers see opportunities for setbacks. This has a long term impact on the ability for a melancholic thinker to recognise and take advantage of the opportunities that life has to offer. The time we have is precious and finite so we need to respect that fact and revel in our time. Melancholic thinkers can benefit from time out from the regular routines that these people feel safe within. Routine is a safe bubble that anxious people naturally build around them so that they can feel isolated from the flood of opportunities for problems that life presents. Routine is also a trap that isolates anxious people from discovering the aspects of life that can free them from their previously understood limitations. Anxious people can resent others that don’t live by self-imposed limitations. These other people don’t seem to recognise their personal responsibility to society and spend their time pleasing themselves. The reason this resentment is felt so intensely is that anxious people secretly envy the freedom others live by and want that for themselves.

I write this article with the knowledge that I am a melancholic thinker.  I see the possible problems in the world to avoid and can quickly imagine what could go wrong. Much of my time is spent avoiding problems which is in itself a reasonable pursuit, however if you spend all of your time doing this, when do you have time to for creative thinking? When do you get time to appreciate the positive features of the world and really consider the amazing possibilities most of us have in our lives? If people in your life tend to the negative style of thinking and you watch News and Current Affairs programs it will be very easy for you to have a view of the world skewed to the negative. It is absolutely the case that terrible things occur in this world: War, Disease, Famine, Terrorism, and accidents. Those things do exist and should not be ignored, however have you ever noticed that positive thinkers around you seem to be happy anyway? They are busy creating and making the world a better place while melancholic thinkers feel weighed down by the problems of the world. Have you ever observed positive thinkers and thought they seem disconnected from reality? How can they be so carefree when there is so much to get done and so much that can go wrong? Do you ever resent their lack of responsibility? I remember being infuriated by the lack of sensitivity others show to the common good. I feel attracted to the cultures like those found in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Japan. The level of consideration shown in these cultures is very soothing to a melancholic outlook personality. Consideration for the practical needs of others is the core feature of these cultures that I admire.

Breaking out of the routine bubble can change your life and open your eyes to a range of other opportunities. You may have mapped out your life and feel trapped by a destiny that has been created for you by society or even by yourself. Travel can vaporise this myth by allowing you to experience a huge range of other ways of living and thinking. This payoff alone is easily worth the financial commitment you make when deciding to travel.

The act of being prepared and organised can bring peace to an anxious traveller.  Being preparing for situations that you can control and accepting situations you can’t control can ease your mind.  Examples of this would be ensuring you have organised all the necessary Visas, and at the same time placing your trust in the highly trained and professional pilots to get you to your destination safely.

My experience traveling with a melancholic personality has taught me how to better handle my anxiety and actually enjoy the amazing experiences on offer.  I encourage you to check out my free travel E-Book and iPhone planning tool MyTravelCoach for more information.

MyTravelCoach features include:

• Project Management for your Travel adventures
• Provides the best resources to efficiently achieve your travel goals
• Packing lists
• Keeps your travel details handy for filling out Arrival/Departure Cards
• Navigation assistance for airport transfers
• Specialised advice for Business and Leisure travel

Check out more about MyTravelCoach at the official site or in iTunes.

http://www.travelcoachapp.com/

http://itunes.apple.com/app/mytravelcoach/id470848830

10. Temple of Heaven – Beijing

9. Imperial Palace – Tokyo

8. Tower of London

7. Sydney Opera House

6. Palace of Versailles – near Paris

5. Hagia Sophia – Istanbul

4. Empire State Building – New York

3. Parthenon – Athens

2. St Peter’s Basilica – Rome

My number one is the oldest building on this list and has always fired my imagination.  The building is a symbol of one of the great civilisations of human history and has inspired wild theories regarding how it could have been built with the available technology at the time.  I don’t believe that Aliens were involved, but I do feel inspired by what people can achieve when I think of:

The Great Pyramid of Giza

(called the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops)

The Pyramid was built during the fourth dynasty of the Egypt in 2560 BC.  The pyramids are shrines to the glory of the main occupant.  The building protects the body, possessions, family and servants of the Pharaoh Khufu.  Many of the ancient Egyptian buildings have been looted over the centuries that have passed, however treasures continue to be found.  The Pyramid of Giza is located on the Giza plateau and modern metropolitan sprawl is creeping closer.

The Great Pyramid is made from an estimated 2.3 million limestone blocks and its dimensions are 146.5 metres high and 230.4 metres square at the base.

The design of the Pyramids is far more simple than many in the countdown, but is pure, original and classic.  The original finish of the Pyramids was a spectacular polished Tura limestone and would have been an incredible sight in the day of the Egyptian fourth dynasty rulers.

A part of the wonder I feel for the Great Pyramid is due to the fact that it still exists.  Most of the ancient wonders of the world are no longer visible but the Pyramids are still there and still imposing.  They make me feel good about what people with a common purpose can achieve.

More information about the Pyramids and ancient Egypt:

Pyramids – the inside story

Building the Khufu Pyramid