Tag Archives: hiking

Tips for Travellers to Australia

With wide open spaces, iconic scenery and a beautiful array of wildlife, Australia is one of the most popular tourist hot spots worldwide. Often very popular with young travellers and those looking to take a gap year out of education to go travelling, part of Australia’s appeal is that it is a completely unknown continent that just happens to speak the same language as we do.

spiderThis may sound like a strange thing but one reason less people travel to see the world is the fear that they will be stuck in an unfamiliar place and they won’t be able to properly communicate their distress. Australia gets rid of part of that fear, as most people speak English. You get the strange new world, without the fear of being stuck up the language river without a paddle.

However, there are a whole host of other dangers just waiting to pull you under the water and while we may be vaguely aware of them we’ve piled together a few top tips for those of you who are planning on hiking it across Australia in the near future.

Stay Clean to stay safe!

Always wash your hands before eating. It may sound like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised at how often people forget about hand sanitation. You can always take a portable hand sanitizer with you if there is nowhere near to clean your hands. When going outside always put your shoes on to prevent scrapes or possible bites and scratches. Make sure to shake your shoes before putting them on just in case little critters have tried to crawl in them overnight!

Know the Climate

SONY DSCAustralia is a hot country! Make sure to take plenty of water for hydration wherever you go and always apply a lot of sunscreen. If you happen to swim at all, make sure to apply sunscreen both before and after swimming as the sun can quickly burn skin if left unprotected. Try to wear a hat to prevent heatstroke, or at least drink water regularly.

There are a lot of insects in Australia, and while some are just a little bothersome, a lot of them like the taste of human flesh! Apply insect repellent along with your sunscreen to avoid nasty bites and scratches and if you need to sleep at night with the window open, make sure you have flyscreens or netted screens to prevent the nasties from coming inside at night!

Safe Swimming

crocorileAlways swim between the designated red and yellow flags as Australian beaches are home to strong underwater currents commonly known as rips. To avoid these make sure to swim between the red and yellow flags and never swim alone or at night. Lifeguards will patrol the beaches but it is better not to take any chances!

When travelling through or near established crocodile habitats there will often be safety and warning signs. Take heed of these and never swim in rivers, tidal rivers, mangrove shores, estuaries or deep pools nearby. If you plan to go fishing or boating, make sure to take expert advice when fishing or boating near crocodile habitats.

Between November and April, the tropical beaches of Australia may be home to marine stingers which can cause discomfort and certain species can even be lethal. Swim within the designated areas and if you are swimming, diving or snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef make sure to wear protective clothing and to pay close attention to the warning signs. Be aware!

Travel Insurance

As with any holiday, having the proper travel insurance is essential. Australia is a little different in that there are a huge number of small critters which can deal a lot of damage in a small period of time. Having good medical insurance is essential, as with backpacking or hitch-hiking you can never be 100% certain that your holiday will be injury free. Depending on your visa type you may be entitled to certain benefits through the public healthcare system of Australia, but a lot of medical expenses will be taken out of your own pocket, so it is essential to have good medical insurance.

Take good care of yourself and make sure you are well prepared before you head out to Australia. You can never be sure of what will happen once you get there but it is better to plan for the worst and hope for the best instead of getting stuck in a foreign country with little or no back-up plan! Just remember to still have fun!

50 States Road Trip – Wisconsin

Pack your travel bag, because Wisconsin is a relative treasure trove of hiking trails, adventure parks and fantastic locations ideal for fishing and camping holidays. Whether you love living in the great outdoors, or you just like visiting it on occasion, Wisconsin has so much to offer. Aside from the numerous hiking trails and camping locations, Wisconsin has a couple of other gems for those travellers looking for something a little different.

wisconsin-map

Cave of the Mounds

One of the most famous caves of America, Cave of the Mounds is a National Natural Landmark, created over hundreds of thousands of years to become the natural wonder you can go and see today. It is referred to as the ‘jewel box of America’ out of the major natural caves, due to its intricate and unique formations.

cave-moundsGuided tours of the cave are available all year round, and because the interior of the cave is always warm, the cave is a popular destination to take the family in the winter. Guests can wander around the intricate butterfly and prairie gardens, as well as participating in their own fossil dig. The gift shop of Cave of the Mounds contains rock and fossil specimens from all over the world, making it an essential tour stop.

Cheese and Wine

Wisconsin is a state famous for its dairy produce, its cheese in particular. With over 100 cheese factories, visitors are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to eating delicious cheese. For a unique experience, try the Cedar Valley Cheese Store where you can sample some 300 varieties of Wisconsin cheese.

Hire a car and drive south for around 20 miles where you will find the Cedar Creek Winery, a historic mill built in the 1860’s. This mill creates several award winning wines, made with a variety of spices and fragrances, ideal as an accompaniment to the beautiful cheeses of the Cedar Valley Cheese store, or on its own.

Milwaukee Art Museum

Milwaukee-Art-Museum

A giant art museum that holds over 30,000 stunning pieces of art. Located by Lake Michigan in Milwaukee this art museum is visited by over 350,000 people a year, and has a self states mission to ‘collect and preserve art, presenting it to the community as a vital source of inspiration and education’. The museum has also been praised for its extensive collection of individual architecture.

Various pieces of historical architecture include the 1957 War Memorial Centre by finnish-american architect Eero Saarinen and the Quadracci Pavilion created by Santiago Calatrava in 2001, a Spanish architect.

Next Stop…

Still heading East on our journey through the 50 states of America, we travel into Michigan next time, home to the largest crucifix in the world. Detroit, which is the state of Michigan’s most populous city, is also known as the car capital of the world.