Tourism

Tag Archives for Tourism.

Whimsical Portmeirion, Home of “The Prisoner”

I am a fan of the weird 1960s TV series called “The Prisoner”. This cult classic was written by and starred the actor Patrick McGoohan, who had previously worked on a top-rated British TV series called “Danger Man”. The Prisoner is an enigmatic, brilliant TV series that has left a lasting impression on fans worldwide. If you don’t know it, here is an explanation (language warning): “The Prisoner” was filmed in the strange, whimsical, and wonderful village of Portmeirion in Wales. I had an unforgettable day visiting Portmeirion. Walking through its winding streets felt like…

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A Journey Back in Time: Discovering the RH&DR Heritage Line

For my train nerd friends, I recently took a ride on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, a 15 inch gauge line in the south of England. Join me for the ride! The Railway along the coast of Kent, England opened in 1927, and remains a beloved heritage line today. Founded by millionaire racing drivers, it has survived depression, war, and closures of many other railways to become a key attraction, maintaining its vintage charm and allure for rail enthusiasts, tourists, and local residents alike. I have wanted to ride on it since I was…

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Don’t eat near a tourist site!

I have three rules for eating when travelling: 1. Never eat in a tourist zone. They always have a higher price tag and lower quality than they should or could! Up a tall building, opposite a touristy square, next to a landmark, then expect to hand over the moolah! 2. I use yelp and/or tripadvisor to find nice places that the locals hang out in 3. Check if the restaurant actually has some locals eating there! I am amazed how often I have found amazing food in places just metres away from the tourists! At a third…

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Place Review: Phuket

a beach with people swimming in the water

There are a few destinations in the world that immediately spell party. These include: Bali, Ibiza, Miami and Porto Heli (Greece). The list also needs to include the small southern Thai island of Phuket which is invaded by 14 million tourists  every year.  They come to get massaged, swim, snorkel, eat, drink and dance. Many do not know why they go to Phuket, just lured by its reputation as a fun place. I first came to Phuket just after the 2004 Tsunami had ripped through. It did not capture my heart! I came back this week to…

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93 Free Travel Tips

One of the things I most enjoy doing is sharing my travel tips for better,  less stressful travel. Over the last four years I have shared almost 100 tips for better travel.  Here are 93 of my travel tips grouped into eight categories: Planning Booking Travel Accommodation & Food Trip Preparation Packing Travelling Travel Problems  In Location Any suggestions or requests welcomed. 1. Planning Stop Wishing and Do it- Life’s Bucket List Greener Travel Tips 20 Top Travel Tools My Essential Travel Apps for 2014 Woofound Explore Where is this? Cool Tool Medical Tourism How far is it from?…

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Tourist’s Stupidity wins them €20K fine

I hate tourists that damage the buildings or the natural environment. Its a massive bugbear of mine. The question is how much do we want these people to be punished? It seems Italy is getting tough. This week,  one such vandal was fined $US25 000 for attempting to carve his initials into the Colosseum. This AD70 amphitheatre built during the Roman Empire stands 48.5 metres high and welcomes over six million visitors a year. I have visited it twice and it still inspires me. The 42-year-old Russian tourist  had used a stone to carve the letter “K” into…

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Thailand curfew lifted

Thailand‘s military government has fully lifted the nationwide curfew it imposed after seizing power last month. They announced that there is no threat of violence and tourism needs to be revived. Good timing for the World Cup!   Related Posts Being in Busy Bangkok Thai Curfew Times Relaxed Martial Law in Thailand- Staying Safe [Updated] Thai Army takes full control in Coup -imposes curfew.

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Being in Busy Bangkok

“you’re going to Thailand…in a coup?” My friends were incredulous. After all news of a coup conjures up images of danger, disorder and degeneration. My friends were not alone in their fears. Tourism arrivals fell 20% in the first week after the Thai coup, some airlines have canceled  flights into Bangkok and most tourist spots are way less busy. The capital itself is operating pretty normally, the army presence is minimal and apart from the curfew (which has now been lifted in some beach side areas) tourists have been largely unaffected. Remember, this is not the first…

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Thai Curfew Times Relaxed

In a  move which is intended to help tourism, the military has relaxed the curfew. The curfew now runs from from midnight to 4 a.m.  (It was 10pm to 6am). Markets, shops, petrol stations and bars will now be able to stay open longer. This follows a fall in tourism numbers of 20 per cent since martial law was imposed just over a week ago. Nine per cent of Thailand‘s GDP is tourism related.  There has also been a drop in consumer spending by Thais. Outside Bangkok, tourists and locals are reporting little difference to day…

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Breathtaking Bagan

Bagan is one of the musts on the Myanmar tourist trail. Almost all tourists make the trek by air, train bus and even car to this spot 715km  (431 miles) northwest of Yangon. The area is sited on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwady (or Irrawaddy) River. This river slices Burma into two. You can travel to Bagan from Mandalay using this river on an express boat (which takex 10 hours) or an equally long train ride, a very rough bus or car ride (8 to 9 hours). Trains, cars and buses will take you south to Yangon (13…

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