Wednesday 24 August 2011

Item 93: Open Air Theatre - Take Two

Location: Regents Park Open Air Theatre, London.

I still recall the warm fuzzy feeling I had the week after I saw Hello Dolly at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. When I heard that this year's production, "Crazy for You" was produced by the same team I was eager to go and check it out.

Reviewers of the show have given it five stars and they have it spot on. With a clever set design, colourful 50's style costumes (my flavour of the season), and hilariously cheeky choreography this was another light-hearted way to spend a summer day out in London.

Gershwin's songs were given warmth through the performance and the happy vibes in “I Got Rhythm”, “Someone To Watch Over Me” were channelled through the strong female lead.

When the weather isn't Melbourne's four-seasons in a day crazy like it has been recently, go and get tickets for a very enjoyable afternoon.

Item 93: Open Air Theatre? CHECK!

Item 92: Dubrovnik

DubrovnikLocation: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Prior to the scars of the sailing tour down the Dalmatian coast, we spent two days enjoying the beautiful coastal city of Dubrovnik.

Amazing views of the city could be seen from the air as we approached. Even the 30 minute bus ride into town showed breathtakingly clear blue waters of the Adriatic.

We were dropped off at the Pile gate, one of the two entrances to the Old Town and joined the other tourists enjoying the shops contained within the fortified city’s smooth stone streets.

Considering the hot weather, we woke early on the first morning to get the highlight 2km walk around the city’s walls completed. Steep stairs brought us 25 meters above street-level to the perimeter that encompasses a rich history from the town’s development in the 13th century to the repairs of buildings caused by the bombings from 1991 by the Yugoslav army. It also provided a good vantage point to the Summer-time happiness of sparkling seas.

Other pastimes enjoyed in the city during our visit included street music from the Dubrovnik Festival performers, lazing on the over-crowded Polce beach and copious amounts of ice-cream. Thanks to the lady that said, “It’s OK” when I tried to pay the 10 kuna for my scoop of blood orange in a cone. With my affinity to ice-cream, how could anything top that on my holiday?

Item 92: Dubrovnik? CHECK!

Monday 22 August 2011

Item 91: Travel Talk Tour Croatia - Cabin Fever!

Travel Talk CabinLocation: Dalmation Coast, Croatia

Cramped into a cabin with three others, the distance between the two bunk beds the length of my forearm - (wrist to elbow), I'm surprised I only threw up three times on the ship during my week-long sailing tour down the Dalmatian coast.

I've never slept in such poorly ventilated conditions in 30-plus degree heat. With one fully opening window having a diameter no wider than 40cm, the dream "7 nights in above deck single, double and triple cabins in A category private boats with ensuite facilities and air-conditioning," advertised in the Travel Talk brochure had squeezed its way out through the tiny hole the moment our four petite bodies tried to fit into QUAD the room at the same time.

And that was even before we tried to get our packs unloaded.

There was an air-conditioner in the room, don't get me wrong. It just didn't work (read, has never worked).

Toilet with broken seat There was also an en-suite. Considering the size of the toilet/shower room I guess we should be thankful that only one item of clothing was lost down the loo during the week when trying to change in the facility. Especially adding to the fact that the toilet seat was broken for the duration of the tour. This posed to us slight difficulties while hovering above the bowl as the boat was rocking at sea. Even more so when the electricity generator for the ship turned off and you needed to relieve yourself in the pitch darkness of the enclosed room.

To my three roomies, thanks for the company and support during the week away - I don't think I could have managed such uncomfortably cramped and sweaty conditions with a better group of friends.

The dips in the sea and the coastline of Croatia were beautiful, our tour guide was warm and professional, the food was edible in the stuffy saloon packed with 22 other sticky bodies side by side, and if this trip wasn't hindered by the dread of having to go back to the room to change/sleep/shower/pee each day it would have been one of the loveliest summer vacations.

Right now, my mind is still rocking on the ship and I can't gauge focus on the screen so I should just write the day off.

Item 91: Travel Talk Tour? CHECK!

Sunday 7 August 2011

Item 90: Stockholm - Hej hej

StockholmLocation: Stockholm, Sweden

Yes, there is a budget airline that has flights for under 100 quid to Stockholm....well 1hr 20mins from the city of Stockholm actually.

Overcoming the hurdle of getting into town, it was a relief to have two days of consistent sun as we soaked up the culture in the Swedish archipelago. Day one was museum day. Firstly to Vasamuseet – The Vasa Museum, to view the spectacular ship that only sailed for 20 minutes before sinking in the Baltic Sea on its maiden voyage. Devastating to the country at the time, but for us it was a rare opportunity to see a well persevered 17th century ship in it's (almost) original form.

Next on the list was Skansen Open Air Museum, conveniently located very close by. An ethnographic experience that I would describe as the Swedish equivalent of Sovereign Hill, we wandered the afternoon amongst recreated Sami villages in search of the traditional town bakery. The highlight was the zoo, home to native Nordic animals and very cute baby lynxes with the experience only diminished by stupid British tourists taunting the mother lynx by dangling their Sports Direct hoddies into the enclosure.

With the sun setting late in the evening we made the most of the extended day by taking a sight seeing boat tour around the islands, happy to see the locals enjoying their afternoon swim or cruise in the city's clean waters.

Day two had us up early to visit the old town, Gamla Stan, of the capital. Cobblestone paths directed us to the Royal Palace. We watched the changing of the guard and joined the 11am English tour of the Royal apartments which was very informative and detailed changes triggered from historic wars between Poland and Russia, then took us to the reception rooms of recent Swedish royal weddings.

Being in the home of H&M and Cos, we finished the afternoon with a spot of shopping for Scandinavian design before traipsing back through to the central station to get the Flygbussarna back to the airport.

Item 90: Stockholm? CHECK!