Pikes Winery
Pikes Winery, Clare Valley, South Australia (from the South Australian Tourism Commission)

Food and Wine in South Australia

Did you know that Australia’s food and wine scene is bursting with creative chefs, skilled purveyors and exciting winemakers producing fresh and innovative flavors that are the envy of the world? With a rich and varied landscape capable of supporting a variety of fresh and tantalizing produce coupled with a long immigrant history, Australia’s fusion food really sets itself apart. Multicultural diversity influences each producer’s enthusiasm, passion and experimentation in a different fashion allowing for a uniquely Australian style to unfold.

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Uluru, Australia
Photo By Tourism Australia

Experience the Indigenous Side of Australia

The Aboriginal peoples of Australia are considered one of the world’s most ancient living cultures. With a history dating back more than 50,000 years, their culture is rich with spirituality and wonder. Their deep connection to the land is showcased through their rituals, art, dance, music and Dreamtime stories - the time when their ancestral spirits created the land and all life. A trip to Australia wouldn’t be complete without experiencing at least some of the cultural activities of the Indigenous peoples. Sure, Australia has beautiful beaches, the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsunday Islands, and so on – but there’s a lot more to offer when you get a more cultural and historical perspective.

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Packing Advice from Expert Travelers

I asked a group of experienced travelers how to go about packing for a trip. When I reached out to this intrepid group of travelers for their advice, one key theme emerged: take only what you really need. Also, I asked them about the common concept of "packing light." I asked these travelers if they pack light, and most said they do, but many still struggle with the concept. So how do we pack light and what does that really mean? What have these expert travelers learned over the years, and how can we benefit from their advice?

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Making Memories at a Dude Ranch

Sometimes you want to get off the beaten track, and sometimes you want comfort. Sometimes you want an adventure to escape “real life”, and sometimes you want a little peace and quiet to relax. Well, on a dude ranch, you can have everything. The noises of construction and sirens (and your boss) are left at home and replaced with the sounds of a gurgling stream, birds chirping, children laughing, and even silence. If you have ever fantasized about leaving your daily commute behind and replacing it with horses on the trail, or natural experiences all around, then a trip to an authentic working dude ranch may be just what you’ve been looking for.

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Read more about the article Our Mongolian Adventure
A typical Mongolian ger

Our Mongolian Adventure

I can't fully explain why we wanted to go to Mongolia. Of all the places in the world, most people would rather visit another country. Many of our family members were amongst those that politely asked why, and our answer was something vague, such as "It just looks interesting." Our trip would take us on a two month journey through China and Mongolia, of which we spent almost three weeks in Mongolia. Most of that time was spent on a 15-day tour of the Mongolian countryside in an old beat-up Russian army van, now re-purposed to carry tourists across the rugged terrain. We would spend most of our journey in this old nearly broken-down van while camping in the countryside, eating very fresh meat, and meeting the locals.

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Holiday Gift Guide for the Traveler

You might not see your favorite traveler very often due to the very nature of travel - they are probably out in the world somewhere following their dreams. This holiday season, you can help them stock up on the best travel items they want and need to make the rest of their traveling year as adventurous as possible. We've curated our favorite and most used travel items to help you filter through the best new and consistently awesome travel products on the market. We like to travel, and we do it often, so we think this list is more than just fluff. The items here will keep you safe and comfortable while enjoying the amazing places at the far reaches of the globe.

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New Year’s Travel Resolutions

Now that we’re almost to the end of January, you’ve had time to give up on your diet and exercise routine and slip back into your old habits. Since those aren’t fun topics to discuss, let’s talk about travel instead! Now is the time of year when people everywhere start to plan their yearly vacations. Since we’re discussing New Year’s resolutions, I challenge you to make your next trip a little more interesting than the last with these travel resolutions.

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Read more about the article Travel Stained
Agri and Shelley

Travel Stained

A few months ago, Shelley and Agri gave in to their travel temptations and departed on an around the world adventure. They had been living in Asia already, but wanted to see more of the world. Thus, they took off to South America and haven't looked back ever since. Long term travel has become a growing trend lately (as you may have noticed from some of the recent interviews here on our blog). Shelley and Agri, like many couples choosing to take off for a long trip, do not fit into the stereotypical "backpacker" mold. They have been married for several years and established their careers, but want to do something exciting before they settle down. Since the beginning of Febuarary they have been roaming around South America, with plans to visit Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and more of Southern Asia before returning home. We asked them all about their trip and future plans, and their answers are below.

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Duane and Kim: Wright2Travel

Recently we found out about Duane and Kim, an Australian couple planning a trip around the world. As we are huge fans of long term travel and extended career breaks, we naturally wanted to learn more about this intrepid couple and their exciting trip. After all, they have no set date to return home! Their plans will take them from Australia to Southeast Asia, and then into China, over to Europe and then to the U.S. We asked them a number of questions about their trip and their planning process, so read on to find out what they said.

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Peg Legging Around The World – Top Pirate Locations to Plunder

If you think about it, Pirate Travel is a completely sensible topic for posting about. It’s always good to get back to our (ancestral??) roots and remember that they were the original pioneers of the randomised, inquisitive and adventurous ideals of travel. Plundering their way around the world cove to cove, finding the unexpected and bathing in the riches on offer sounds faintly familiar. Many a traveller will bounce from hostel to hostel, enriching their lives, perhaps not through treasure but more through experiences and photo shots. So here’s to tracing the footsteps (or peg steps!) of history by outlining a few treasures of pirateyness left unplundered around the world.

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