I love surfing and i have been to many surfing sports in Europe but last January, the coldest month in Sweden where I booked a trip to the sun for some surfing. Little did I know that I was about to go and find my new favorite place in the world, Byron bay.

Australia really has surfing in its core, especially the Gold Coast. At the Gold Coast you have many options for surfing, there are many camps offering you different things. You have one, Mojo surf camp that takes you from Sydney to Byron bay and you surf at different locations as you travel the country. There are camps in almost every city in the Gold Coast but if I could give advise I say take on off the camps that are stated in Byron Bay.

Byron Bay is the coolest, loveliest and most awesome town that gives you all you need when it comes to surfing. Not only perfect conditions for surfing but you are in a town that breaths and lives surfing. You walk into town and you are surrounded by surfing in everyway possible and you get a chance to really try the surfing lifestyle. You have several options when it comes to surf camps, i myself was at Surf Camp Byron Bay, but there are others like Byron Bay soul surf, backpackers in, Byron bay surf school, black dog surfing among many others. What you get with them is you pick the amount off days you want to surf for and in the price accommodation is included. You can pick anything from 1 day to a month long stays.

Check here for the list of Surf camps available in Byron Bay

I booked 10 days at the surf camp, because I really wanted to get a feel for the lifestyle. We had surfing lessons everyday for three hours after that it was time to chill. The hostel I was staying at had a backyard with everything you needed for a afternoon off fun, games, volleyball, pool, food truck and a lot off sunbeds and hammocks. In the evening you would stroll down to town and one off the many restaurants for dinner. That was one thing that really surprised me, that such a small town had so many food options. They have everything you can imagine several amazing pizza places, hamburger bars, healthy food places. By the time was up i had really gotten a chance to try the surfer life and was more then ready to leave for the next destination off my adventure in Australia.

About the author: Sara has a life long passion for traveling and adventures. Her moto in life is make money and spend it on traveling the world. She also love to help you out with tips on how to make your trips the best you ever had. Make sure to follow her site tripsbysara.wordpress.com.

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There are ski fields in Tasmania and Victoria, but the largest ski fields are in New South Wales on the boarder with Victoria state and actually the first ski club in the world in 1861 was established in Snowy Mountains in Australia. Who could thought Australia has such long history of skiing?
Two largest downhill ski resorts are located not far from highest peak (Mt Kosciuszko) in Australia.  Thredbo ski resort has longest ski run and Perisher ski resort has largest ski fields – 12 square kilometers (4.6 sq miles) and it calls itself as largest ski resort in Souther hemisphere.

Both resorts are located somewhere in the middle between Sydney and Melbourne and only ~60 kilometers (~40 miles) away from each other, so you can visit both on your trip to snowy mountains.

Here is comparison of these two resorts if you want to choose one of these resorts.

* you can go up to 2034 meters (6673 feet) elevation and then climb 20 meters (66 feet) to the nearest peak. Both picture bellow are done from that highest point.

** all prices are in Australian dollars. The price of lift pass and ski/snowboard rent shows how much you need to pay if you pay at the resort. You can get better deals by buying lift pass and hiring skies/snowboard online in advance. Or buy visiting resorts during low season. Check their websites for the deals.

My choice was Perisher, because by lift you can get up to 2034 meters (6673 feet) elevation and climb another 20 meters (66 feet) to the peak of Mt. Perisher for fantastic view.

I also need to note that you should carry snow chains as you may require to put it on in case of heavy snow in a ‘snow-ice’ risk section within the Kosciuszko National Park. Chains can be hired in Jindabyne and Khancoban or in Cooma if you are coming from Sydney/Canberra.

So enjoy the snow but be careful and don’t underestimate snow in Australia, as it happened to these cross-country skiers.

Save

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All prices are in Australian dollar. Current rates are: 1 AUD = 0.77 USD and 1 AUD = 0.70 EUR.

Now most companies offer repeat tour voucher valid for up to next three years.

* there is no published prices for the current season yet.

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We arrived to our campsite sometime in the early afternoon; my friend Mark who had a penchant for anything that involved the outdoors and his girlfriend Alice, who was always game for spontaneous plans.

This camping trip was about as spontaneous as it gets – a half-hearted joke about moving to the woods over dinner evolved into a ‘well, why not camp tomorrow?’ conversation, Alice finally offering to drive us. Three hours and one detour to greasy diner later, we’d successfully managed to leave civilization behind.

I was soon to realize I didn’t arrive on this trip prepared. Anyone going camping owes it to themselves to research the area beforehand and become acquainted with the land. That’s a camping ground rule everyone should abide by.

“Did anyone actually check the weather report for the weekend?” Alice asked as she started removing fold-up chairs from the back of the Suburban. I looked to Mark in an admittance of my own ineptitude.

“Yeah … couple days back. We should be good,” he said, helping Alice lower a heavy cooler from the trunk of the car. Mark looked at me and shrugged, which essentially meant he only made the previous statement in an attempt to appease Alice. Oh well, I thought, we’re here now.

We quickly settled into the campsite, Alice breaking into a bag of turkey dogs to roast over the modest fire Mark and I had teamed together to build. As I peered across the flames, the light dancing across Alice and Mark’s faces as we laughed about old times, I felt as though there was no place else I’d rather be.

As Alice was recounting tales from her turbulent student teaching internship, a roll of thunder interrupted her. We all peered overhead but couldn’t make out any storm clouds, in the midst of engaging conversation it had become night time.

“I just felt rain,” Mark said. “Definitely just felt rain.” We looked at each other in a moment of grim realization before everyone burst into action.

Alice got up first, rushing over to the tent that had yet to be fully pitched.  She fumbled around on her hands and knees, feeling out for stakes, finding nothing. The only light was from the campfire and it was too dim.

Mark looked over to the car. “Flashlight … shoot,” he said, “we forgot the flashlight!” Mark ran back to the car and looked around for a miracle as another crack of thunder rolled overhead. Seconds later and the rain really started coming down.

“Let’s just get in the car,” Alice said, abandoning the site of the tent. “We’re going to get soaked.” It sounded like the most logical solution but somehow I couldn’t allow it. My mind was on the firewood pile nearby quickly getting saturated, becoming useless to us the rest of the trip. Rain aside, this trip could be miserable without the warmth of the fire.

“I’ll be right back!” I said, racing past the fire. Alice called after me but there was no stopping me from making a desperate effort to salvage the campfire. The only problem was I was searching through relative darkness for my pile.

When I couldn’t see the campfire anymore, I realized I’d probably gone entirely too far into the woods. Attempting my way back only caused me to grow less familiar with my surroundings. At least I had the luxury of Mark and Alice knowing I was somewhere in the woods – someone should always know where you’re venturing off to.

I was hardly prepared with survival gear, a realization that brought upon immediate anxiety. I stopped myself from panicking and assessed my options. I decided to sit down and collect myself and ultimately observe the surrounding area, looking for materials I might need to get through the night.

I had learned from an early age that if I were in a situation like this, I should stick to one place. Not only does it increase your chances of being found but it also prevents you from wasting energy in the body. So I familiarized myself with the immediate area and counted my blessings. I was still in one piece and my friends were savvy enough to find me, the roar of the rain made it difficult to communicate by calling out – not to mention my friends were probably huddled in the car.

The storm had loosened some nearby branches so I started building myself a modest shelter. It wasn’t anything worthy of Bear Grylls but it managed to keep most of me dry which I was thankful for. Hours past and I slipped in and out of sleep until dawn crept in.

The early morning light allowed me to see some tracks I knew were mine. I decided to follow these tracks for a few minutes, marking the trees so I could find my way back if necessary. Eventually I came far enough that I saw the car peeking out in the horizon. I couldn’t help but smile – I made it through a night in the woods alone.

This article was written by Tyler Thursby, a regular writer for Vagabond Summer.

The post Lost in the Oregon Woods appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

Yosemite National Park is located ~300 km (190 miles) east of San Francisco and it takes about 4 hours to get there, so it is better get up as early as possible. Actually it applies to any day of this itinerary. Sorry, there is no time to sleep during this week J

The entrance fee to Yosemite NP is $20 per car and includes all occupants of the car. Permit is valid for unlimited entries to the park for 7 days. Because during this week it will be visited at least 4 national parks the best deal is to buy Annual Pass. It cost $80 for all National parks and you can buy it before your trip online.

Yosemite National Park is huge. The area of the park is ~3100 square km (~1200 square miles) with over 1200 kilometers (750 miles) of trail. Yosemite Valley is the best place to go for day visitor. Surrounded by up to 1.5 km (5,000 feet) rocks the valley itself is very flat and it is possible to take some short hikes without proper hiking boots.

Some short hikes to choose:

• Bridalveil Fall – 800 meters (0.5 miles) round-trip, 20 minutes
• Lower Yosemite Fall – 1.6 km (1 mile) loop. 30 minutes
• Cook’s Meadow Loop – 1.6 km (1 mile) loop. 30 minutes
• Mirror Lake/Meadow – 3.2 km (2 miles) round-trip, 1 hour
• Vernal Fall footbridge – 2.6 km ( 1.6 miles) round-trip, 1.5 hours

May is the best month to watch water falls then snow melts in the mountains. You won’t see so much water in August as you can see in above photo.

Next stop is at Sequoia National Park (entry fee is $20 if you didn’t buy Annual Pass). Park is 300 km (190 miles) and 4 hours driving away from Yosemite Valley, but you must to see those giant trees and largest is the General Sherman Tree. The tree is 84 meters (275 feet) height and estimated 2300-2700 years old and is called the largest living thing on the Earth.

The tunnel log located not far from the General Sherman Tree will let you feel even more how big these trees are as you can drive with your car through that tunnel.

It will be later evening by the time you reach this tunnel and the close by Mono Rock is the best place for sunset viewing – with sun going down in the west and moon rising above Great Western Divide in the east .

A view is fantastic and at least during my visit it wasn’t many people there at night so maybe you can enjoy that view only by yourselves.

Sun goes down and it is time to look for overnight stay. Bakersfield is largest town on the way. There are plenty of motels there, so I think it is best place to spend a night before heading to Death Valley tomorrow.

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Usually Uluru or Ayers Rock is often called as world’s largest rock. But in fact Uluru is more then 2 times smaller size comparing with Mount Augustus.

I am sure somebody will start argue it is different type of rock. One is monocline and another is monolith.  I am not planning be involved in such discussion, but you can check this talk on wikipedia if you are interested.

How big is Mount Augustus

Mt. Augustus, or Burringurrah as local aboriginals call it,  raises 1106 meters ( 3629 feet) above sea level. It is 8 kilometers (5 miles) long and 3 kilometers (1.5 miles) wide.

Circumference of Mt August is about 30 kilometers (~16 miles). For comparison Uluru circumference is slightly more then 9 kilometers (~6 miles). There is no base walk, but you can take 49-kilometer drive around the rock with access to some creek gorges and Aboriginal rock engravings.

Where is Mount Augustus located

Getting there is one of the exciting parts of the trip to Mount Augustus. It is very remote place. Nearest city, Carnarvon, is located 430 kilometers (~270 miles) West from the mountain and 360 kilometers (~225 miles) East there is small town – Meekatharra.

I was driving from Meekatharra to Mount Augustus and then to Carnarvon and most of the road was unsealed, but it was good enough to drive my small 2WD camper van.

Of course it is better to check latest information about roads condition on Main Roads Western Australia website, as some roads can be closed or in bad condition and not suitable for campervans or 2wd cars.

As you understand it is remote place so you must carry plentiful of fuel, water and supplies. There is fuel at Mount Augustus Outback Tourist Park and in Cobra, but gas prices are almost 50% higher what you would pay in Perth or Carnarvon. In Cobra I found probably most expensive fuel in Australia.

There is one  interesting thing I found during preparation for this trip. Google Maps couldn’t show you direct route to Mt Augustus from Meekatharra. It is already couple years passed since my trip, but Google Maps still shows you wrong route.

Here is Google Maps:

and here is Bing maps suggestion:

I wouldn’t mind if it would be couple km difference, but in this case it is additional 200km (125 miles) and 5 hours more driving. So it is better to use Bing Maps for online route planning.
Duration of the trip is another important thing to note. All online route planners and GPS applications take average speed 30km/h (20miles/h) if route goes on unpaved road. That is why it shows almost 11 hours driving. In reality it took 5.5 hours for me to get from Meekatharra to boundaries of Mt Augustus National Park. So actually it was ~60km/h (38miles/h) average speed.

I did get up early in Meekatharra and at midday was near the mountain.

Climbing Mount Augustus

There are two trails to the Mt Augustus  summit: one is called Summit trail (class 4) and another is Gully Trail (class 4/5). Both trails are 12 km  (7.5 miles) return. After first 3 km (2 miles) Gully trail links into Summit trail, so only first part of Gully trail is more challenging trail and park’s guide recommends additional hour each way if somebody choose Gully trail (marked in green colour in map bellow).

According DEC brochure it takes average 6 hours return on Summit trail and 7 hours return on Gully trail.

It is easy to calculate how much time you will need on the trail if you did any trekking on other national parks. I usually recommended time divide by 2, so expected to spend ~3 hours on Summit Trail and that was very accurate assumption.

In my opinion it is quite easy trail except one part. Here is trail’s elevation profile:

The total vertical elevation of the trail is 650 meters (2133ft). Trail stars at very gentle gradient. After 1.5km (1 mile) the steepest climb starts. In next 1.5 km(1 mile) trail goes up 350 meters (1150ft) and then again it will gentle gradient with short steeper part just before the summit. It will take only 1.5 hours and you will be on the top

And enjoy view of endless plains from the summit:

It was no other people on the top and I could enjoy the view just by myself.  I was happy I did this climb and didn’t climb Uluru rock.  Really why should I climb most pretty rock (Uluru) then I still can climb largest rock in the world instead?

P.S. In winter temperature is not such high at Mount Augustus National Park, but it still reach average 25C (77F) and with clear skies it can be really hot. So it is better to climb in the early morning. I started my climb at dawn and may be that helped to reach summit faster.

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Having decided to spend your holiday in the Mediterranean, you really are spoilt for choice, since there’s something for every taste and budget. If you are travelling with children, a good option is a beach club. Club Vounaki in Greece is a state-of-the-art resort that boasts perfect sailing conditions for anyone wanting to experience any number of water sports under the watchful eyes of qualified instructors. There’s a wide range of land activities too, including tennis, mountain biking, a gym and an adult-only pool. With childcare provided on-site, you couldn’t ask for a better family destination.

If you’re looking for excitement and an experience you simply can’t get anywhere else, Egypt is the place for you. Diving in Alexandria is the ultimate adventure you should not miss if you want an unforgettable holiday. There are dives to suit all levels of ability and you will find yourself deep in an underground world of times long past. The modern day harbour hosts the submerged City of Cleopatra, where you can explore ancient buildings first hand and imagine what life must have been like thousands of years ago. You can also discover multiple shipwrecks dating all the way from ancient times to the Second World War.

There are many other exceptional activities you should try as you explore the Mediterranean like exploring the coastlines of this region or kite surfing in Tarifa, Spain–Europe’s most southern port town. Situated on the Strait of Gibraltar, it is a top destination for kite surfers, thanks to the strong winds generated through the Strait.

If you want to visit Greece but are put off by package holiday deals, an unusual way to explore the Greek islands is to sail yourself between them. There are many holidays available where you can lean to sail in the first week before taking the helm of your boat and wending your way around the waters. Much more rewarding than bedding down in a hotel at night.

The Mediterranean has so much more to offer than just water sports, however. The French island of Corsica is dubbed “the mountain in the sea” and has multiple challenges to offer the aspiring mountaineer. Climb along the famous GR20 trail or try your hand at ice climbing within a stone’s throw of the ocean. There are many climbs that overhang the sea if you’re looking for something different – one false step and you fall into the water. Still relatively unknown as a climbing destination, Corsica has over 50 peaks higher than 2,000 metres, plenty to keep you occupied for years to come.

There’s so much to see and do in the Mediterranean that the hardest part is deciding where to start. One thing’s for sure, though: once you’ve experienced the delights of the region, you won’t want to leave and you’ll find yourself coming back time and again to discover more about this incredible corner of the globe.

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As one of the most beautiful sets of islands in the world, the Canaries are visited by millions every year. Not only are they part of the lost islands of Atlantis, but they also hold great historical significance too; Hercules collected his golden apples in the Canary Islands. For thousands of years, these islands have been shrouded in myth, however as amazing they are in ancient literature and fable, they’re even more impressive in real life.

Located just off the coast of Morocco, these seven islands are also of great geological interest. Sometime in the last 40 million years, the tectonic plates under the sea bed shifted, causing mass volcanic eruptions. These eruptions, once the lava solidified, saw massive volcanoes form, which are now the range of mountains seen across the Canaries.

The island used to be the home of travellers and missionaries looking for a safe haven on their way to exploring the New World, however these people have been replaced by culture-seeking tourists looking to bask in the sun, and experience the wonders these islands have to offer. Let’s take a look at some of the best activities the Canary Islands have to offer.

Hiking

There are a range of activities to experience when holidaying on the Canary Islands, however hiking is one of the most popular. Climbing a volcano can be a very gratifying thing to do, and with the amazing views from the top, it’s obvious why so many people choose to find the hiker in them. Experience is recommended however, and hiking one of the many volcanoes in the Canary Islands is not for the faint of heart – or the unfit.

Mount Teide, the tallest mountain in Tenerife, is one of the biggest climbs in the Canary Islands, taking over five hours of solid walking to reach the peak. At 3718 meters (12198 feet), the summit can get very steep at points, and you’ll have to navigate large boulders and solidified lava formations on your journey.

La Palma is also a great hiking spot, and it offers over 960 kilometers (600 miles) of walking trails for all levels of hiker. These trails take you straight though the heart of the volcano range, with forests, waterfalls and tough terrain all along the way. One of the best hikes to experience is the La Caldera de Taburiente National Park, and it is ideal of experienced walkers. Visit cruise.co.uk for great deals to the Canary Islands.

Scuba Diving in the Canaries

Every once in a while, mother nature throws a climate temper tantrum over the Canary Islands, and the sea bed can be dramatically reshaped when earthquakes occur. This makes scuba diving one of the most popular activities on the island, and there is even a stretch of sea bed that has been declared a UNESCO Marine Reserve.

As you descend though the crystal clear waters, you’ll be able to see the spectacular marine life that live in the Canaries, and from stingrays and turtles to globefish, there are some spectacular sights to behold.

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Exmouth was my first choice when I looked for swimming with whale sharks tours on my first trip to Western Australia. Only later I discovered there is another small community located just meters from Ningaloo Reef. It is Coral Bay. I don’t know why Exmouth is called gateway to Ningaloo Reef. Maybe because there is airport in Exmouth and it much easier access it? Or maybe because there are more swimming with whale sharks tour operators in Exmouth?

Coral Bay and Exmouth are incredibly different. Coral Bay is very small village where everything is in walkable distance. You can see whole settlement on this map:

View Swimming with whale sharks in Australia in a larger map

There are two whale sharks tour operators in Coral Bay:

Somebody could think s(he) could have more choice with seven tour operators in Exmouth. I am not sure about it. Tour prices are very similar in Exmouth and Coral Bay. I think Coral Bay is undeservedly overshadowed by Exmouth.
Exmouth is ~40 kilometers (~ 26 miles) from the reef. From the beaches of Coral Bay, the reef starts 40 meters out. Where would you prefer to stay overnight? On the beach or in the town?

Here are two other thing to consider.

Firstly, for whale shark tours in Exmouth there’s a 45 minute bus ride just to get to the vessel (which is moored nearer the reef), and then back again afterwards, whereas it’s a leisurely 5 minute ride in Coral Bay from any tour company office to the vessel. This means Exmouth tourists need to rise almost an hour earlier, and get back to their rooms at least an hour later or have much shorter tours!

Secondly, 10 vessels operating from Exmouth, whereas there’s only 3 in Coral Bay, so if there is only one or two whale sharks, as is common, your chances of quality swimming opportunities are much more limited from Exmouth vessels as each vessel has a maximum time allowed on the animal, and when that swim is done they have to go to the back of the line and await their turn before they can have another one.

And if you are lucky as a bonus in Coral Bay you also able to include swimming with manta rays when possible, which is almost never possible on any whale shark tour from Exmouth.

I went for whale shark tour in Exmouth, but I was swimming with Manta rays in Coral Bay. I it is up to you which place to choose, but want to note – Coral Bay Ecotours is the only tour company on the Ningaloo Reef to be fully carbon audited and 100% carbon neutral. If you are real wild life lover you should choose wisely.

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