The Great Gippsland

The great eastern region of Victoria, which features Australias largest inland system of rivers, lakes, beaches and lagoons, is the Gippsland. With the high country in the north and beaches in the south, there is incredible beauty providing plenty of recreational activities for every age group. The many facets of this scenic region make it a fantastic option for a self drive holiday, so you have freedom to choose where you want to go and for how long.

One of the most sought after regions of the Gippsland is the Mountain Rivers, with Walhalla the most central tourist spot. There are so many activities to choose from such as bushwalking, biking, canoeing, horse riding and white water rafting. For something quieter why not board the heritage train, visit a tea house or find a spot by the river for a relaxing picnic.

Travel through Bairnsdale to reach the East Gippsland wilderness region. This is Victorian country at its best, with the charm and comforts of the town which gives you the perfect base to visit the surrounding countryside. Why not visit the Aquatic Centre or hire a canoe at the banks of the Mitchell River. There are beaches, mountains, rivers and snowfields all within driving distance from Bairnsdale, so it certainly is the gateway to the Gippsland.

Bairnsdale Holiday Park is located only 2km from the town centre, and only minutes from the Gippsland Lakes. With its excellent facilities and acres of gardens, it is the perfect choice for a longer stay in this incredible region.

The heart of Central Gippsland ventures through the dairy district via the Gippsland Plains Country Road. There are also a number of wineries in this area with lots of art and craft shops. You can reach the Gippsland Lakes from here, which is great for fishing, bird watching and gem fossicking and has all varieties of wildlife including kangaroos, possums, black swans and koalas, and awe inspiring scenery that is constantly changing. The Macalister River Valley Road also winds along the Great Dividing Range with rolling hillside scenery.

South Gippsland is just as spectacular, with the Strzelecki Ranges to the north and Wilsons Promontory National Park stretching to the south. Step back in time and visit the Coal Creek Historical Village for some history. Close to the lakes entrance, the Lakes Beachfront Holiday Retreat is located at Ninety Mile Beach and is a fantastic setting with gum trees overhead and pristine beachfront to enjoy. You would want to spend at least a few days here to sightsee and unwind in this relaxing environment.

For the adventurous at heart, there is no comparison to the High Country. It is rugged beauty at its best, with national parks and forests, streams and amazing views, it is perfect for a camping retreat or day trip. There is also snow skiing in winter and bushwalking, fishing and exploring for the other seasons. Bring your warmest clothing as the temperatures do drop suddenly, and be prepared for exhilarating moments as you weave your way through this remote region of Victoria.

The Snowy River Region of the Gippsland takes you back to the movie that captured Australia, where wild horses and misty mountains will take your breath away. There are rural activities and farms to visit, underground caves at Buchan, and plenty of tourist parks if you want to stay for a while.

Depending on which direction you take you will see a complete diversity in all aspects of Victorias great Gippsland. With the main highway running directly through the Gippsland region, it couldn’t be more accessible for tourists who want to experience all there is to offer.

Plan your itinerary to suit your favourite activities. Whether it is bushwalking, bird watching, thrill seeking or just lazing on the beach, this part of the world offers it all.

Accommodation In Australia Can Be Tricky

From experience I know that finding accommodation in Australia is a very delicate matter. Once you’ve saved the money to pay for your flying trip to Australia, you might think that nothing can come to you as a surprise anymore. (Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought). In Australia I was confronted with the brutal facts that made me realize that things aren’t that simple.

“They do things a little different down there” my grandmother said before I left. Just because they speak English in Australia doesn’t mean that you won’t be surprised once you get to the Land of Oz!

When I was there I learned that most popular types of accommodation in Australia are Australian hostels. I think this has to do with the fact that people down there travel a lot more than Americans.

A great share of the country is an amazingly beautiful and unspoiled wilderness and some places are rather remote. You can also find some kind of ruggedness in the Australian spirit that we Americans and Western Europeans have lost many years ago.

Most Australians don’t mind living in what I like to call “Spartan environments” if they can live relaxed and on the cheap, and that’s exactly what Australia hostels are all about.

They are Spartan and they are cheap. But for my family sharing one room with 15 to 20 people and having only one toilet to share is kind of frustrating. Due to these circumstances we were forced to make another decision about accommodation in Australia.

If your facts about Australia are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don’t let this important information slip by you.

So in the end we picked a fancy Australia resort to spend the rest of our vacation. The service was excellent as I remember. At the time the choice was very simple, we had to choose between a plain old hostel/camping or a hotel.

As you can imagine we were tempted to indulge in a few nights of hotel accommodation in Australia, where we could finally enjoy our privacy and well needed soft beds to rest our tired bodies.

Because the people living down under are always on the move, it isn’t hard to find some kind of outdoor accommodation in Australia.

The only thing we took with us were our backpacks and sleeping bags because we wanted to travel light. We found it was no problem at all to find a good tent, pans, pots and things like a portable stove, and other essential camping gear for a modest amount of money.

You can easily buy all these things or even better rent them. We found that renting our gear was very convenient since we had no plans on taking all this stuff with us when our vacation was over.

Don’t Visit Europe Without Seeing Cathedrals

As a high school history teacher, I have had the privilege of bringing my senior students on tours of Europe for the past fifteen years. I never imagined that I would get so many opportunities to travel when I went into the teaching profession, but I ended up working in a great district that made room in their budget for the senior class to travel to Europe and help make history come alive for them each year. I am so blessed to be a part of a district that is so committed to giving their students real life experiences. I have learned many things during my years of leading this trips, but one of the first things I learned was that you cannot go to Europe and return home with a clean conscience unless you have taken time to visit one or many cathedrals.

Europe is so full of history, architecture and sheer beauty that there is obviously too much to do in a ten day tour. Since I get to lead this trips each year, I have gotten to see almost all of the wonders of Europe, but I must plan carefully each year to see that my students get the most out of their ten day experience. I am careful to combine adequate amounts of history, modern attractions, and time for fun on our trips. But any of my students will be quick to tell you that whether we are visiting Ireland or Italy, I will never lead a ten day trip without making my team experience at least one or two cathedrals

I am not sure what attracts me to cathedrals so much except their sheer beauty. I have looked far and wide in the U.S. and have never seen any building that compares with the detailed intricacies that most European cathedrals hold. I guess because our buildings are not nearly as old as those in Europe we have a far lower standard of what is beautiful and of what is true architecture. I love dragging my students into cathedrals and seeing their jaws drop as their realize just how much history has happened in these European countries and as they see how young America truly is.

So, the next time you plan a trip to Europe for any reason, make sure that your trip includes time visiting cathedrals. You will be amazed by their size, their beauty and their architecture, not to mention the amazing amounts of history that have happened in each cathedral. I guarentee you’ll be looking for more cathedrals to visit once you begin.

Destination: Destin

You want to go where? That was my family’s reaction to my idea of taking a trip to Destin, Florida. It’s not a trip to Disney World, but there’s an abundance of things to do around Destin and you don’t even have to wear a set of mouse ears.

1) Henderson Beach State Park. 6,000 feet of white sand on the Gulf of Mexico. Admission is cheap, $3.00 for a vehicle with one person, $4.00 for a vehicle carrying up to 8.

2) Big Kahuna’s Water and Adventure Park. The name explains it all. Try the Pirahanna and Humunga River. The adventure park features mini golf, arcades, a roller coaster, and many other attractions.

3) Fudpucker’s Gator Beach. Perhaps the only place in Florida where you can feed a gator and not worry about losing your arm. Visitors are allowed to feed the alligators in a pond using a long, cane pole, complete with bait.

4) Destin Fishing Museum. With the beautiful beaches surrounding Destin it should be no surprise that Destin was once just a small fishing village. The Destin Fishing Museum illustrates what life was like before the tourists came.

5) The Track Family Recreation Center. Bumper cars, bumper boats, mini-golf, go-karts, and, just perfect for the kids, bungee jumping! Some rides do have age minimums.

6) Gulfarium. Down the road in Fort Walton. Everyone’s favorite Gulf of Mexico sea creatures are here including dolphins, otters, sharks and sea lions. Live shows several times a day.

7) Destin Commons. Loads of stores so the traveling shopaholic can get a fix. For the non-shopper there is a movie theater, playground and beautiful outdoor fountains.

“The Pancake House”. Seems simple, right. There is nothing that my family looks forward to more than to head to the pancake house in Destin a few blocks west of the outlet mall. That’s right. There is the beach, parks, recreation centers - and the thing we look forward to the most is the unbelieveable breakfast at The Pancake House. It might not be the highlight of your vacation to Destin…but trust me, you dont want to miss it!

There seem to be more vacation home rentals in the Destin, FL area than anywhere in the country. Well, that means there are a lot of people that are there to have a great time. So, remember that it is a vacation and be sure to relax, beverage in hand, baking in the sun either poolside at the beach.