Sydney, Australia

While traveling this summer, I had one night in Sydney and I managed to hit the major tourist attractions all within a 3 hour walk. Yes, you read that correctly.

My flight landed at 10:30 at night and some friends that I had been backpacking with all summer and I took a train from the airport, walked to our hostel, checked in, and immediately searched for some night life.

The nightlife in Sydney is strange, yet very very fun! We arrived at the club and were greeted with the blasting of ambient beats and loads of young travelers dancing as if they were in a rave. The interesting thing about Sydney’s nightlife however, is that no hard alcohol is allowed to be served after 10:30 (we were pretty upset). On top of that, no one is allowed to enter a bar or club after 1:30 AM, and all bars and clubs close at 3 AM. Regardless of the rules, we had a great time and danced off our jet lag.

I had a flight to catch the next day at 2:30, so my friends and I got up around 8:30 AM for a walk around the city. The city was packed with people on the streets and in the shops. Everyone was getting their morning coffees and breakfasts, I noted that there wasn’t a single Starbucks in sight– everything was truly local and Australian. Fun fact about the iced coffee in Australia: they put a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it!

Soon we arrived at the harbor which is clearly one of the largest tourist attractions because it is home to both the Sydney harbor bridge and the Opera House. So we took our pictures of both and moved on. We did catch brunch at a place called the Opera Bar, which is right on the harbor next to the Opera House. Surprisingly, it was very decently priced given its location and it was also super delicious!

From the harbor we walked to the Royal Botanical Gardens. It’s free to enter the gardens (which made us backpackers pretty happy) and a great escape from the noise of the city. We enjoyed a nice long walk around the gardens.

Overall, Sydney was great! I do wish that I’d had a little more time to spend there, but after speaking to several people at my hostel, it seemed that the general consensus is that spending more than a week in Sydney is unnecessary. So I’m not too bummed!

Antwerp, Belgium

Many of my friends are studying abroad next year and one of the most popular destinations among them is Antwerp, Belgium. I figured I should do some research on the place to help them out and to see what’s so great about this place anyways. What I found is that Antwerp is a very diverse city that offers entertainment and adventure to all visitors.

While browsing the internet and talking to friends that have previously been to Antwerp I found out some awesome stuff to do when in the city!

• First off, I’ve heard that if you go to Belgium and you don’t indulge in a Belgian waffle, some Belgian Beer, and some Belgian chocolate, then you really haven’t been to Belgium… make sure to do all three!! I’ve also heard that the french fries (although not as famous) are also amazing and that Cafe Haute Friture is the place to get them. 
• Second, there’s this place called the Ruien, which used to be an underground city! It is a series of tunnels underground that were created due to overcrowding in the city. Eventually they became an open sewer system and were closed off. However, today they are open to tourists. I don’t know if they smell great, but I do know that seeing an underground city would be so cool.
• There’s an amazing true-life castle called the Het Steen that has been deemed a must-see!
• Peter Paul Rubens is a famed artist of Antwerp and his works can be found in the massive cathedral of the city, the Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp as well as in the Rubens House. Both are said to be amazing historical locations!

Obviously there are hundreds of other things to do in Antwerp, but these are just a select few that I would love to check out if I were to go to Antwerp!

Norway

My family’s roots are in Norway, and I’ve always wanted to venture there and see the place that my family originally came from. When doing some research, I realized that Norway is a great place to go to do outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, kayaking,  rafting, and so much more. If you’re into these kinds of activities, Norway is definitely a great travel option!

Since I love to kayak, my eyes immediately lit up when I saw that Norway is one of the top sea kayaking destinations. I noted that kayaking in the Lofoten Islands, an archipelago, is supposed to be one of the most beautiful places to go. Another great place to kayak is the Fjords, a popular destination in Norway.

Another must-see if you’re into outdoor activities is hiking to the top of the Preikestolen rock. The hike is on a well marked path and is suitable for people of all ages, which is great because the view at the top of the rock, looking out over the water, shouldn’t be denied to anyone.

If spending time outdoors isn’t your main priority when traveling to Norway, there are plenty of other options as well. Some of these involve visiting museums such as the Vigeland sculpture museum. This is the official sculpture museum of Oslo and is located in a luscious green park. You can also visit the Munch Museum and see other works of the painter of The Scream, Edvard Munch, and Norway’s National Gallery.

As if this doesn’t provide enough options for a great trip to Norway, I found an amazing list of 99 AMAZING Things to do in Norway to help plan a trip of any kind. Hopefully I’ll make it over to Norway someday!

Moab, Utah

One of the coolest adventures I have ever been on was when I went whitewater rafting down the Green and Colorado Rivers in Utah. The trip lasted a total of 30 days and was truly life changing. During this trip I kayaked, rafted, camped, and hiked up to the the tops of the canyons. I would recommend this type of adventure to anyone who is willing to push themselves physically and mentally. I know that 30 days of camping sounds pretty hard, but while on the river I noticed groups of people other than my own that had been on the river for far less time. If you aren’t ready to really dive in and get super outdoorsy, here are some other options, all available in the town of Moab.

• Arches National Park– This park is conveniently located 5 miles away from Moab and offers the beautiful scenery of the canyons. Some things to do here include canyoneering, hiking, camping, biking, horseback riding and others.
• Visit the Colorado River– the Colorado river is one of the main attractions of Moab. Moab is a popular drop-in location for people that plan to travel the extent of the river or even go on a half-day trip. It is a river for both beginner and expert rafters. The river has many rapids and attracts many visitors.
• Dead Horse Point State Park– This park is one of the most photographed scenic areas in the world. It towers 2,000 feet above the Colorado River and you can see hundreds of miles of the red canyon. The park offers a multitude of trails available for hikers, bikers, and some trails are pet-friendly as well.
• Movie Sites– Moab is home to multiple movie sets because of how accessible the canyons are in this area. One can visit the sets of several  John Wayne classics, The Lone Ranger, and 127 Hours.
• Rock Art– These canyons were previously home to multiple Indian tribes. For that reason, the canyons are decorated with carvings and paintings of the Indians. Some of these sites are still in tact today.

 

Overall, Moab, Utah has a lot to offer, especially for people that enjoy the outdoors and nature. If you plan on going out there, I definitely recommend checking out the Colorado River and the Rock Art!

 

SCOM Conference

I attended a session of the SCOM conference in which students presented their research that they completed this semester. One particular study that stood out to me was a study looking at wether TV shows about tattoos change the perception that people have about tattoos. This study sounds interesting, but the students had a hard time conducting the research because of the population pool that they were working with. They had a hard time finding people who had tattoos in their population pool and many people did not watch the TV shows about tattoos and tattoo artists. This study showed me that in all situations, knowing your audience is the most important.

London, England

I have always had a fascination with royalty and whenever I am in Europe I love to visit castles of royal families and high society. Because of this little obsession of mine, touring around London would be so much fun for me! I did some research to learn about the royal places of interest, here’s what I found!

• The Buckingham Palace is probably the most famous royal site of all in London. It is one of the last operating palaces and is still the residence of the queen. During the summer most of the 775 rooms are open for visitation. The palace’s rooms are ornately decorated and feature art by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Canaletto, among others.

• Hampton Court is another famous palace in London. It is said to be Henry VII’s favorite place to stay in all of England and holds a rich history. This palace is special because almost all of the original furniture is still in its positions and many artworks from the Royal Collection are there. It is also said that ghosts of royalty roam the halls at night, making for a thrilling visit. This palace also hosts the famous Chapel Royal in which Queen Catherine Howard was dragged down the halls, begging King Henry VIII not to be executed.
• Kensington Palace is also a popular destination, particularly because the people who live there are modern socialites. This was the home of the late Princess Diana and her family, Prince Henry and George. It also hosts some of the Royal Collection. This palace was home to Queen Victoria, who ruled over England after inheriting the throne at age 18.
• The Tower of London, famous for being a prison and a place of execution, is a top tourism destination in London. The tower is interesting to learn about and gives an insight into the history of government in London. The Tower of London is also home to the Crown Jewels which are famous worldwide.

There are many other royal locations in London, but these are just a few of the most famous! Someday I hope to make my way there and explore the history of England.

Athens, Greece

Greece is one of the top travel destinations in the entire world, attracting millions of visitors every year. I have always wanted to visit Greece, particularly Athens, because of the rich history and culture. Although Athens is probably packed with people year round, I still would love to visit!

Athens is packed with archeological sites and huge monuments that were dedicated to gods and kings when they were built. These monuments are both artistic and architectural feats given the amount of precision in building them and the length of time that they have stayed in tact.

Athens has created a pedestrian zone for historical sites that is 3 km, the largest pedestrian zone in all of Europe. This area has 7 archeological sites: the Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, Dionysou Areopaghitou Street, the Theater of Dionysos, the Stoa of Eumenes, and Odeion of Herodes Atticus.

Some other major monuments to visit include the Acropolis Museum, which houses artworks from several monuments, including the Parthenon. However, not all of the original works from the Parthenon are in this museum, many are in the British Museum and the Louvre. After visiting the museum, it is recommended to go to the Acropolis, which is a historical landmark featuring 4 major monuments: the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheum, and the Temple of Nike.

Greece would definitely be an amazing experience, especially for people who appreciate ancient art and history. Some day I would love to have the opportunity to travel here!

Salamanca, Spain

When I was in high school I did a homestay in Salamanca, Spain. This town, as I quickly learned, is very much geared towards students that are currently studying abroad. People are very willing to work with those who are not very confident in their Spanish and the town is very focused on education, with the Universidad de Salamanca located in the center of all the action.

Some of my favortie things about being in Salamanca was the relaxed European lifestyle. I’m not sure why, but I felt it here in Salamanca more than any of the other European destinations I have visited. In Salamanca, the streets emptied and the stores closed during siesta time, right after lunch. The entire city would go back home and eat lunch and take a midday nap. This was amazing, espeically because I was taking Spanish classes and exhausted.

On the first night in Salamanca my high school teacher asked our group if we wanted to go to a bar. It was 10 o’clock at night, and we were all so confused, thinking he was asking us to go to a bar to get a beer or a drink. Little did we know, the bars in Spain are actually just cafe’s with light snacks. It is very common for people there to settle down at a bar after dinner for a coffee or dessert.

The Spanish food was definetely an experience. As naive high schoolers, were were all expecting beans, rices, and tacos. Little did we know, that is not what Spanish food is all about. Walking through the streets you’ll see massive dried meats hanging in windows, especially pigs. Also, when ordering a meat dish, do not be surprised if they serve it to you including the skin, hair, and innards. I remember ordering fish, thinking it was a safe bet, and receiving a full fish, including fins, scales, and eyeballs. It took me about an hour to eat it because I had to carve it myself. Nonetheless, it was delicious.

While in Salamanca there are certainly some must-sees that I have to recommend.

• The Plaza Mayor– a gathering place for the entire community. Packed at night because everyone meets there to go out to the clubs and bars.
• Universidad de Salamanca– the symbol of Salamanca is a frog and there is a hidden frog on one of the walls of the university. It’s very popular to go there and try to find it
• St. Stephen’s Convent– an old Dominican monastary with incredible architechture
• Catedral Vieja– one of the biggest buildings in Salamanca. A huge cathedral that tourists are allowed (for a small ticket price) to walk around, even on the outside walkways . Tons of relics some art. I dont recommend if you are scared of heights.
• Puente Romano– beautiful bridge, especially at night when it is lit up. I went here on my first night.
• Casa Lis– an art deco museum. I didn’t go when I was there but I really wish I had. It has 19 different collections from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Broome, Australia

When people say they are going to the “The Outback” you automatically know that they are talking about Australia. Currently, I’m preparing for my own expedition to “The Outback,” and it isn’t going to be the typical Australian experience. I will never set foot in Sydney (apart from an airport), and I certainly won’t be surfing or eating vegimite sandwiches. This summer I’m going backpacking and sea kayaking in the Australian dessert, otherwise known as Broome.

The trip is approaching quickly and lately I’ve been wondering to myself: What exactly have I gotten myself into? I’m going to be traveling by foot and kayak for 45 days and I think my wardrobe consists of about 3 shirts and 2 pairs of pants. This is probably going to be the most challenging thing I will do in my entire life and I couldn’t be more excited or more nervous. Judging by my adventurous nature, the 110 miles of hiking that I’ll be doing through canyons, woodland planes, and cane grass will be very exciting and rewarding. Not to mention the amazing views I’ll witness while sea kayaking.

The other day I booked my flights and made a hotel reservation for the several nights I plan on taking to my self in-between travel and it got me thinking, what am I going to do by myself in this desolate area? Naturally I did some research.

Here is a list of the most popular things to do in Broome:

1. Swim on Cable Beach– Cable Beach faces the Indian Ocean and it is very popular to ride camelback down the beach at sunset!
2. Visit Chinatown– Chinatown is a cultural hub in which visitors can find Broome’s famous pearls, opium dens, cafe’s, shops, and brothels.
3. Walk in a dinosaur’s footprints– Broome is home to many archeological sites featuring multiple dinosaur footprints and fossils.
4. Visit the Broome Bird Observatory– This observatory is home to over 40% of Australia’s bird species and is a guaranteed spectacular site, even if you aren’t an avid bird watcher.
5. Horizontal Falls– the Indian Ocean’s powerful tide created a natural horizontal waterfall, certainly something not to be missed
6. Hovercraft– Broome is one of the only places in the world that offers hovercraft flights out to sea to look at shipwrecks, wildlife, and dinosaur footprints!
Broome is a great place to visit if you enjoy doing outdoor activities! Hopefully I’ll have an opportunity to take part in a few of these opportunities!

 

Negril, Jamaica

I just got back from a trip to Negril, Jamaica and had the most amazing time. So, it only seemed fit to blog about it! When I first planned my trip to Negril, many people started warning me about the safety precautions I needed to take while in Jamaica. I had heard that the people there pickpocket and at times will make tourists feel really unsafe. So when I finally arrived, I was very apprehensive of the locals.

We spent our first day on the beach and within moments of setting up our beach chairs, locals approached us one by one, some attempting to sell merchandise, water activity trips, and marijuana and some playing their music right next to our chairs, looking for a tip. At first it was really annoying, but eventually we met a couple people that we got along with and we agreed to go to a reggae concert with a Rastafarian man named Marley.

The reggae concert was at a club called Roots Bamboo and was certainly a surprise for my friends and I. For us, the culture of the concert was more striking than the music itself. We were surrounded by Rastafarians and there was a cloud of marijuana smoke looming over the outdoor stage. Despite being surrounded by marijuana, the concert was still very fun. We all took our shoes off and danced with our feet in the sand.

The day after the concert we agreed to see Marley again and this time he told us he was going to take us to a cave to meet with a local medicine man. After driving through the countryside of Jamaica for about an hour we arrived at the Roaring River. We were shown into a dimly lit cave by Dr. Scott, who appeared to be yet another Rastafarian. He brought us down inside the cave to a dark swimming hole in which he used natural sulfur from the cave and exfoliated our skin and gave us all a blessing. After this, Dr. Scott took us on a hike up into the mountains in which we swam in several other swimming holes.

While both of these experiences make Negril seem very rich in culture, it would be very easy for a tourist to stay at their resort and not have those experiences. The resorts, particularly along the Seven Mile Beach, are completely catered towards tourism, boasting a very clean, tourist-friendly environment. Many of them are all-inclusive, allowing tourists to stay at their hotel if the overwhelming presence of Rastafarian culture makes them uneasy.

However, even if tourists decide to spend most of their time at their resort, one thing that is a must is visiting is Rick’s Cafe at sunset. This is known to be the best place on the entire island to watch a sunset, and on top of that the cafe offers cliff diving. Watching the sunset while people dive off cliffs (or guests dive off cliffs!) is something every tourist needs to see and highly recommended!