TravelStream™ news feed for member nixsboys on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/nixsboys en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:23:25 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/21/1255290619/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/21/1255290619/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/21/1255290619/tpod.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:23:25 -0500 A Medieval Banquet

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Coventry, England, United Kingdom


Within 2.5 hours we had reached Coventry from London and were driving down a long tree lined path in the middle of a huge parkland. It was to say the least impressive as we go closer to Coombe Abbey Hotel which was originally a 12th Century Cistercian Abbey. They have done a great job in the restoration and you are soon transported back in time as you explore your surroundings and find all sorts of historical artifacts and treasures.

After leisurely meeting up with the rest of the party to celebrate Joan's (my brother-in-law's Mum) birthday we all went off to our own rooms so we could put on our outfits and prepare to go back in time to 1539 and enjoy a Medieval Banquet as they say 'Fit for a King'.

I was not too sure what to expect but dressed as a warrior princess I made my way across to the drinking chamber hall along with an Elf Princess, Sir Percival, a Wood Nymph, Merlin the Wizard, Princess Joan and Knight Sir Arthur of Alcester with his Lady in White.

We were kindly given some history by the monks before the Abbot opened the doors and invited us peasants for a meal. We did not stay peasants for two long as we were invited to Host the Banquet with the Baron and Baroness of Coombe (otherwise known as Mike and Lynne) - the bonus of this was a great view and not having to wear our napkins around our neck. I will also admit a little that it did make us all feel rather important :)

It was an extremely entertaining evening and included a scrumptious four course meal and selection of wine and mead. We were entertained by de Clapper Family and Ladyes of the Court with songs and melodies before we were transported back to 2009 to finish the night off as Disco Divas.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/20/1253128660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/20/1253128660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/20/1253128660/tpod.html Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:40:13 -0400 A Sparkling Surprise

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Reims, Champagne-Ardenne, France

Birthday times are always exciting. It is generally an excuse to hang out with friends you have not seen in a while and have a few celebratory drinks. This year my birthday was no exception with the extra bonus of being taken away for a mystery weekend to celebrate by my two friends, Kerry and Martin. I had no idea where I was going and it was very exciting when I was told that I needed to bring my passport!

Having received my packing list I was all ready to go, wondering where they would be taking me. I was like a little child at Christmas when I was told we were off to France to the Champagne region. What a great way to carry on celebrating my birthday --- with lots of sparkles in my glass :)

We effortlessly crossed the channel in our car through the Channel Tunnel Within 35 mins of having driven our car onto the train we were in France. To be fair the first entrance to France is not the most scenic but it gets better as you get on the motor way and start to see some of the countryside. It helped that it was a gorgeously sunny day with only a crisp wind. You could see that Autumn was on the way as every now and then trees and bushes had a sprinkling of light gold and orange, making the drive seem more beautiful.

By lunchtime we had reached Reims our destination for the weekend. Reims is considered the champagne capital of France and lies in Champagne-Ardenne region (the official name) in northeastern France some 129km northeast of Paris. The architecture of the city is very Gothic in some parts and modern in others. Unfortunately the city is full of road works as they are currently building the new light train in the city. It is only due to be finished in April 2010, so if you are planning a visit I would make sure it is complete so you can fully appreciate the beauty of the city.

We stopped for some lunch before exploring the city at Ernest Hemingway's on the main shopping street. A lovely atmosphere bustling with people we spotted the huge hamburgers and made it our instant choice. To be fair with my non-existent french it was the safe choice but word of warning for those not familiar with french cuisine - the hamburger is made of mince meat and generally does not come cooked. So a little disappointing especially as the middle was a bit cold - yuk.

It was then off to explore the city and of course see how champagne is made. I did find it bizarre that a lot of the bigger Champagne house were in the main city as I had expected it to be like most of the wine farms surrounded by vineyards, but here we were in a city walking around unknowingly at first above some of the most expensive champagnes that are stored in the underground tunnels of the abbey. Our first champagne house was Taittinger where we heard all about the art of Champagne making. Made from the Chardonnay grape it can only be classed as Champagne if made in the specified region and according to a set process called 'methode champenoise'. Their cellars are some 30m below the ground surface and are kept naturally cool due to the chalk rock sediment. Our tour ended with a delicious glass of Taittinger Brut Reserve.

In to the swing of things now, we freshened up at our hotel before making our way to the balcony of Le Lion to relaxingly sip some Canard-Duchene while watching the Golden Angel of the Sube fountain glisten in the sunlight. Dinner at Bistrot de Boucher was a great end to the evening as we sampled Foie gras, honey coated duck and peppered steak but not before starting our dinner the french way with a glass of Kir Royale.

It was our last day in France and our Champagne exploration was not over. We headed off to Epernay the next Champagne capital in France to visit the famous Moet & Chandon, explore the cellars situated on Champagne avenue and of course get a picture with the famous Dom Perignon. No not the prestige cuvee of Moet and Chandon but the Benedictine Monk who doubled the size of the Abbey's vineyard while it was under his stewardship. Although he has been erroneously credited with being the founder of champagne he must have done something right to get his statue placed just outside the Champagne House.

After tasting a few glasses of champagne after our tour it was off back into the countryside to start to make our way back to Calais and then finally England. We meandered along the country roads and found a picnic spot which looked back on the town of Epernay and the surrounding vineyards to have our lunch.

It was soon after lunch that Ernest Hemingway came back to haunt us. One by one we fell victims to food poisoning and all pointed to those dodgy hamburgers. The drive back to the Channel Tunnel was a bit stop start and I felt sorry for Martin who had to drive us all the way home. We naturally got to see all the service stops on the way back and had further entertainment when rushing into one of the service stations to find police with guns. We were told in French by a policeman that the service station was closed. I of course had no idea what he was telling me and must have wrinkled my eyes in confusion as it was quickly translated into English. It was only then did I spot the four people sitting on the floor handcuffed - I guess that was the reason why it was closed then!

The channel tunnel trip back was not as smooth as the crossing over as we were delayed for a couple of hours - made worse by the fact that all we wanted to do was have a cuppa tea, slice of marmite toast and climb into a warm bed.

Was it a good trip? Naturally - selective memory is a great thing, especially when my most fond memory is watching those delicate bubbles escaping to the top of MY champagne glass :)




]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/19/1245038400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/19/1245038400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/19/1245038400/tpod.html Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:52:14 -0400 Weekend in West Cork

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Baltimore, Cork, Ireland

When I landed at cork airport I got off the plane and was met with the smell of country air. Fresh and crisp with the unmistakable smell of cows. Not that the cow smell particularly bothers me it just brings up thoughts of rural, quaint and being in the middle of nowhere. Having never been to this part of Ireland I was glad of the excuse to come for a Hen's party, catch up with friends and to see the beautiful countryside of west cork.

The 45 minutes drive to the delightful town of Clonakilty or as the locals call it 'Clon' I can only assume was beautiful - we were so busy chatting in the car and trying to take in all the village names that the countryside seemed to have gone past in a blur (I paid a little more attention on the way back to the airport but my eyes were heavy and I could not help nod off just a little). The town of Clon was lovely with lots of colourful shops lining the main street selling local produce among the generally well known stores and of course no place in Ireland is complete without a Guinness Toucan displayed above the local pub.

Having spent a good night staying in a little county house surrounded by almost head high wildflowers and grass I was well rested for the Hen's Activities for the day. About 15 of us assembled at Reen Pier, Union Hall for a couple hours of kayaking. The wind was a bit chilly so I was glad to be given a wind breaker for the trip. With my great Kayaking parter (thanks Katie) I enjoyed a leisurely kayak down the harbour warmed up a little by the peeping sun. The views were quite pleasant and it was only when we turned back did we have to work a little as we were now paddling into the wind. On a high from our kayaking we packed up and headed to Baltimore where we would be staying for the night. Let the night activities begin!

We had booked at the Top of the Hill Hostel and as there were so many of us, we had it exclusively for the evening. Our rooms were very nice apart from the mushrooms growing in the corner of the carpet! After making our beds (yip duvets for everyone) we freshened up ready for our Hen's night activities which included great food, wine and lots and lots of laughs.

It was Sunday already and I could not believe how quickly the weekend had flown past. Katie and I decided to quickly explore the village of Baltimore. We only got to see the cute village, harbour and the outside of Dún na Séad Castle built in 1215. I would certainly think of returning to see the sandy beaches of Sherkin Island just a short ferry trip away.

It was one last stop before heading back to the airport and that was to walk on the beautiful beach of Inchydoney. Inchydoney I was reliably informed used to be an island. It was joined to the mainland by causeways built over the marsh during the war. You could spend hours walking on the beach, enjoying the peacefulness and silky sand under your toes but unfortunately we had to leave to go back home :(
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1228411680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1228411680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1228411680/tpod.html Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:04:07 -0400 Little gems of South Africa

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Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

I spent only a few days in Cape Town visiting family and friends. As per usual Cape Town's scenery was just beautiful from Mountains, to oceans to vineyards.

Thanks to friends and family for a great week of fun on the beach, sipping champagne at the pool side, having cocktails at the 12 Apostles and simply catching up.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1237709820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1237709820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1237709820/tpod.html Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:41:28 -0400 Little gems of South Africa

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Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

I waited breathlessly one eye focused on the water and one eye focused on my camera screen. Wondering where this graceful creature would break through the water into the air and thrill us all with it's perfectly executed somersault. I missed the shot but was given the opportunity to view this lovely bottle-nosed dolphin in action on the replay screen.

I felt like a kid all over again sitting on the stairs at uShaka Marine World in Durban watching the Dolphin show. These graceful creatures always seem to entertain through their displays of speed, high jumps and sometimes squeaky noises. It was also fantastic to see Gambit - the oldest Dolphin in the park and the largest bottle-nosed dolphin in captivity to perform his tricks and it was weird to think that some 20 odd years previously I had watched the very same Dolphin in action.

uShaka Marine world is the the sea world of South Africa. Centered around a 1920s recreated shipwreck it brings together a number of things to do from visiting the huge aquarium, snorkeling the in the lagoon, taking wild water rides to sampling tasty cuisine next to the Shark tank. I was fascinated with the perfectly reconstructed shipwreck and how it magically contained all those marine animals you are only lucky to see in the wild.

The park is well laid out and gives you information on the marine life and how you can best preserve them through looking after your environment. This is doubly emphasized by the big recycling bank at the entrance where you can throw away all your rubbish in the correct bins.

The water rides where not working the day I arrived but with so many other things to see and do it did not matter too much. Anyway with the beach right on the door step, you could always venture off for a swim in the warm Indian ocean and return to the park for more action.



Featured in 15 best places in South Africa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/9/1206023220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/9/1206023220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/9/1206023220/tpod.html Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:34:40 -0400 The Lost World - Venezuela

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Caracas, Venezuela

The simmering heat remained with me as I left the Orinoco Delta and made my way north towards the Caribbean sea. Even the local people were feeling it and the it was not uncommon to see children playing in portable swimming pools and picnics by the river but my favourite scene was a woman lying in a hammock cooling herself down with a garden hose - absolutely classic!

Beaches
Being the Easter break things were a lot busier than usual and there were a lot of people on the roads enjoying their holiday. Unfortunately it meant a relaxing time on Playa Colarado was permeated with crowded beaches, constantly loud music and most disappointedly streams and streams of rubbish littering this beautiful area. However, determined for a good beach I did manage to find (although the route to get there was most unpleasant and stinky) an almost deserted cove and got to enjoy a more relaxing time on the beach while watching the small crabs run up and down the beach.

Leaving Playa Colarado we visited the main city of Caracas before once again heading for the sea. This time we went to the sleepy town of El Choron near Puerto Colombia. The town was full of character with old buildings, wooden fruit stalls and other small shops.

Los Llanos
As much as I did not want to leave the beach the thrill of seeing some exotic animals was too exciting. So it was off to Los llanos (meaning the flat plains). Besides the beautiful bird life (I think we saw over 50 varieties of birds) I was extremely lucky to see a giant Anteater who unfortunately was far too fast to take a decent photo off, an Orinoco crocodile having its lunch.

The days were scorching hot but unfortunately we could not swim as the rivers are filled with cayman and piranha. A little less piranha now as we caught a few for our dinner than evening. In between spotting wildlife and catching fish we came across a Mata-Mata turtle - a wonderful find as this prehistoric turtle is not seen very often. Our guide picked it up to show us how its heads curls sideways into its body and I could not believe the stench. This is the reason why these turtles still remain today as the locals will not eat them because of the smell - aren't we lucky!

One of the evenings we set off on the river in search of the night animals. You can´t really see too much on the river at night and it was not long before I had my feet on the chair in front of me as fish constantly jumped into our boat - I was not sure if it was going to be a fish that could easily bite off my toe or those sneaky silver dollar fish just trying to scare me. It was a little tense for a while as we waited for another fish to hit us but all was forgotten when we spotted it - an anaconda - just a head as it was taking a breath of air. Our guide was in the water in a flash and after about 5 to 10 minutes had finally wrestled it out of its underwater cave for us to see. It was about 3 meters in length and a lot skinny than I had expected but it was still an Anaconda. Everyone got a chance to drape the snake around their necks and take lots and lots of photos - sorry to disappoint you all but I declined the offer and watched everyone else as they squealed in delight.

After we had got our fill of excitement it was off to the town of Merida, nestled in the Andes, to party at El Hoyo del Queque - described as the best bar in the world. We got to salsa all evening to the Latin American beats which was great fun.


Featured in Giant prehistoric snake found in Colombia
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/18/1243576498/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/18/1243576498/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/18/1243576498/tpod.html Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:18:18 -0400 No wellies in Wales

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Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom

One of my good friend's birthday falls around the time of the May Bank holiday weekend - and it seems to have become a tradition that a group of us go camping. Good weather in the UK is never a sure bet but out come the tents and the barbeque's in anticipation anyway.

This year we decided to explore a little bit of Wales and it was off to the beautiful coastline of the Gower. The Gower Peninsular is located in the south of Wales and is about an hour and a half drive away from Cardiff. The drive from Swansea onwards if very scenic and can be a bit hair-raising as cars squeeze past each other on the country lanes and in some cases come face to face before deciding who has to reverse first. I think we lost the stare down every time and our little Corsa got very used to moving backwards.

Our base for the weekend was the most southerly point of the Gower - Port Eynon. Port Eynon is a quaint little town full of character and cute cottages and offers some great cliff walks where the views are just spectacular. The beach is a little bit rocky but that did not stop us from having a game of rounders before exploring the rock pools in search of starfish. The weather remained good to us and we all enjoyed our first camping barbecue along with some tasty local Gower potatoes.

The next morning the weather was good to us again and I woke up to gorgeous sunshine. I had the perfect view of the campsite and ocean from my tent and was quite content to have my breakfast while watching the antics of the campsite.

As much as I liked Port Eynon it would be a waste of a weekend not venturing around the other parts of this dramatic limestone coastline. So we hopped in the car and drove to Rhossili Bay. This area is largely owned by the Natural Trust to preserve its beauty and you can see why with it's 3 mile sandy beach and the prominent Worm's Head. Access to the causeway to reach Worms Head is only possible 2.5 hours either side of low tide. As we arrived in the morning we decided to venture what we thought would be an easy walk across but turned out to be a bit of rock scrambling. It was worth all the effort just for the views.

I never did get to the tip of Worms Head though as it was the birds nesting season. I was happy enough to sit near a bird watcher and let him tell me what birds he could spot through his binoculars. A real big shame that hundreds of other people ignored the sign and went marching on. Lets hope nature has a way of coping with the disturbance and maybe the National Trust will monitor people's walking around nesting season more closely.

I could not believe how packed the town of Rhossili had become while we were at Worms Head. Which was a shame as it took away the eerie feeling of the skeletal remains of the Helvetica ship wreck on an almost deserted beach. It also meant that I could not try some faggot at the local shop. No, faggot is not a rude word but a traditional dish found mainly in the midlands in England. To sum it up it is like a meatball but made from meat off-cuts and offal. (I guess not everyone's taste!)

After having enough of the crowds we went searching for a more quite spot to have our lunch. We chose Llangennith beach, known as a surfing beach and apparently a frequent haunt by young party people the locals would say it is far from quite! But if you find a spot amoung the dunes everything becomes still and you can watch all what is happening unseen.

When I eventually caught my £5 Megabus back to London, I reflected on how lovely my weekend was and what beautiful scenery Wales has to offer. I was also grinning to myself thinking Wales without the wellies was a good experience and it just goes to show that contrary to everyone's belief the sun does shine in Wales.





Wales



]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1227201840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1227201840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1227201840/tpod.html Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:57:15 -0400 Little gems of South Africa

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Rust de Winter, Gauteng, South Africa

The one thing I love about going back home is having the luxury of staying at my Dad's lodge in the middle of the Pride of Africa Nature Reserve. Is situated in the north-west of the Gauteng Province of South Africa roughly one hours drive from my hometown of Johannesburg.

What attracts me is the peacefulness, the sweet smell of the bushveld, the intensity of the rain when a typical highveld storm hits and of course the animals. Filled with a range of antelope, warthog, jackals and giraffe it now forms part of a government initiative to bring together a host of private game farms to form the Dikoneng Big Five Nature Reserve. So the next time I can be sure to add Rhino and Lion to the list!

This little peace of heaven has the ability to bring all my family together and this weekend was no exception. We spent every evening watching the beautiful sunsets and throwing bones onto the fire so that we could get the jackals to howl. During the day we drove around for hours looking for game and enjoying the fresh air only Africa can give you. Occasionally we spent some time at the pool where we could lie and gaze up at the sky and the big Soetdoering trees watching for butterflies or trying to avoid those nasty wasps.

I can only say that this is the true African lifestyle - beautiful surroundings and peacefulness!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1226246280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1226246280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1226246280/tpod.html Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:07:44 -0400 Little gems of South Africa

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Hluhluwe Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

I had not visited the Hluhluwe (pronounced 'shoeshloee') game reserve since I was a little child. All I could remember from memory was that it was very hilly and filled with Giraffe. It is amazing what your mind can retain and for the most part the game reserve is hilly and it does have lots of giraffe but how I did not remember the abundance of rhinos is beyond me.

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi game reserve lies in the heart of Zululand, South Africa. It is one of the oldest game reserves in the country and is well known for its conservation of the white Rhino. The reserve is set in two the Hluhluwe part which is the hilliest part of the reserve and the iMfolozi section which is flatter and makes it easier for wildlife spotting.

I travelled with my family from outside Durban just for the day. Yip it was a long drive but well worth it in photographs and admiring the beautiful wildlife in their own habitat. It took us about 2.5 hours driving to get there. For the most part we travelled along the main coastal road before turning towards the Mtubatuba village which is some 48kms from the central Nyalazi gate. It was a slow drive along these parts as you drive through remote villages and you need to keep an eye out for the goats wandering across the roads.

The Big Five are said to be around but we were only lucky enough to spot Elephants, Buffalo and Rhino but I guess 3 out of 5 is not too bad. I enjoyed the lazy drive around the game reserve and was very intrigued to follow a big Secretary bird while it strutted it stuff in the bush and looked for food in the form of snakes by stomping on the dry shrubs.

We took a break from driving half way through the day to have some lunch at the Mlipa camp site. Even while having a picnic lunch you can be entertained by families of warthog walking through the camp or by watching the hard working dung beetles roll their supplies down the hill.

Our day ended off by looking at the rolling hills from the Hilltop camp and wondering how that Rhino managed to make its way up the hill so fast...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1228082100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1228082100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nixsboys/17/1228082100/tpod.html Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:03:48 -0400 Little gems of South Africa

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Kloof, South Africa

I woke up one sunny morning to find a monkey in the backyard - this is not uncommon in KwaZulu Natal where one often spots these creatures running about. But this little one was definitely up to something. He was playing hide and seek. My assumptions were maybe a snake on the bank (which I wasn't keen to go and check out) or maybe he had been a bit mischievous in the troop and was hiding from a 'hiding'. Either way he was rather entertaining to watch as he peered in and over the fence occasionally ducking down for a better view.

This was not my only furry friend encounter when I visited my father's new home in Kloof, KwaZulu Natal which was right on the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve. I have included a couple of photos of the animals and beautiful surroundings that I could reach within in minutes of where I was staying.
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