Travel Special: Top 10 Things to do in London

For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to tour the United Kingdom. Like many Australians, the roots of my family tree lie in Great Britain. My maternal grandfather was born in Yorkshire and my maternal grandmother was born in London and although they both passed away before I was born, their British influence could be seen everywhere in our home when I was growing up. To date, I haven’t had the means to travel to London. But I’ve heard because of our strong Aussie dollar it has never been cheaper for Australians to travel to Europe.

According to the people behind London Pass – the sightseeing card which gives holders FREE ENTRY to over 55 sights and tourist attractions in London – the English capital is a fantastic city for sightseeing, with a wealth of history and culture that leaves every visitor wanting more. Whether it’s Royal history, sport, architecture, museums and galleries, or just a fun-filled family trip there is something to please everyone.

TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN LONDON
Entry to all the following attractions is FREE for holders of the London Pass.

1. The Tower of London
The ancient stones reverberate with dark secrets, priceless jewels glint in fortified vaults and pampered ravens strut the grounds. The Tower of London is one of the world’s most famous fortresses and has seen service as royal palace, prison, armoury and even zoo! It is still home to the Crown Jewels and Beefeaters. You’ll also see an impressive exhibition of royal armour in the White Tower including Henry VIII, Edward VI and the Stuart King’s royal armours. Read more

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Whether you are traveling for leisure, visiting friends and family in other countries, or heading overseas on business, vayama is excellent for international travelers. Read more

It’s a Sweet Life Family Road Trip – Day Four

Day Four of our Koleos It’s A Sweet Life adventure meant home time. Alas. How we loved our short stay in Sydney, and could have easily spent another twenty years exploring the enriching tendrils that seem to snake down every single laneway and waterway.

I actually decided, when we dragged our carcasses out of bed far too early this morning, that I’d like to live in Sydney again, and so asked Husband if he could please organise a posting there soon. Sure, he said. Right after he organises postings to the other cities I’ve requested – New York City, London, Paris and the Hague. Read more

It’s a Sweet Life Family Road Trip – Day Three

Hooray! No rain for day three of our It’s a Sweet Life family road trip; just a small smattering upon entry to Taronga Zoo, which soon disappeared for a cloudy but delightful day with more sunbursts than cloud.

We zipped across the Harbour Bridge in the Koleos this morning, ready and set to go early to beat the ‘crowds’ but the roads were virtually bare, being the Monday public holiday. Ahh. Lovely. There was even free parking at the zoo. Nice. Read more

It’s a Sweet Life Family Road Trip – Day Two

Day Two of our sweet, sweet trip dawned pretty much a repeat of Day One – persistent rain and a persistent damp feeling in our sneakered areas. No bright blue Harbour skies, no glinting water to take the glare off with our Polaroid sunnies. No warm, sunkissed shoulders at Manly beach.

Sigh.

Undeterred, we got out the door a wee bit late thanks to that don’t-forget-to-turn-the-clocks-forward thing (which we forgot about) and walked through puddles up York Street and into The Rocks, where we navigated sopping pavements and winding steps on a mini-exploration through this gorgeously historic part of town. Read more

It’s A Sweet Life Family Road Trip – Day One

Day one of our Renault Koleos road trip dawned dank and rainy in Canberra with promise of more dank rainy-ness in Sydney for our arrival. We didn’t even pack coats, we were so hopeful the weather man got it wrong.

Three-quarters of the way to Sydney, we were thankful we’d at least packed a couple of brollies. And it was eight degrees outside most of the way. Talk about unprepared. Read more

Travel Offer: Top Museums in London

By purchasing a London Pass you can experience some of the most famous places all for one set cost. Some of the top museums that are included in this offer include the Cartoon Museum and the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum.

Cartoon Museum
This highly entertaining London tourist attraction covers the history and development of British cartoons from the 18th Century to the present day.

Firepower Royal Artillery Museum
This engaging weapons museum shows every gun up close and details in which conflicts it was used in and with which ammunition. You can also watch videos demonstrating the pieces in use and see how each works. It’s a fascinating London attraction that looks at how military personnel use armoury today – even in peacekeeping missions.

Florence Nightingale Museum
As one of the most famous women in British history it is not surprising that Florence Nightingale should have a museum dedicated to her memory. The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates the woman who almost single-handedly created the modern nursing profession in Britain following her experiences during the Crimean War.

Guards Museum
The London Guards Museum is a fascinating insight into the history of the military in the capital and is unique among London museums as it was not originally intended for public view.

Handel House Museum
One of the many specialist London museums, Handel House Museum celebrates Handel’s life and works, as well his contemporaries in what many consider the golden age of classical music. The beautifully restored interiors give a sense of what life must have been like for this hugely influential composer at the peak of his power.

Household Cavalry Museum
The Household Cavalry Museum is unlike any other military museum because it offers a unique ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at the work that goes into the ceremonial duties and operational role of The Household Cavalry. From a glazed screen inside the Museum, visitors can view into the working stables of The Queen’s Life Guard.

London Canal Museum
During your London sightseeing visit you can see inside a narrowboat cabin, learn about the people who lived and worked on the waterways and the horses that pulled their boats. This is the only London museum of inland waterways and one of the best canal museums in the UK.

Twickenham World Rugby Museum & Stadium Tours
There is nowhere in England more important to the contemporary game of Rugby than Twickenham Stadium. The Museum Of Rugby is the ultimate London visitor experience for the world rugby enthusiast – and the Twickenham tours give you backstage access to this hallowed turf.

Pollock’s Toy Museum
Named after Benjamin Pollock, a famous printer of toy theatres at the turn of the century, Pollock’s Toy Museum opened in 1956 and is dedicated to the traditional English toy theatre.

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, London visitors to the Wimbledon museum can experience the atmosphere in the 1980’s Gentleman’s Dressing Room and watch John McEnroe guide you through normally off-limits areas and reminisce about how he first met Jimmy Connors and how he prepared himself for matches.

You can now save some money when you purchase a London Pass – Click Here. The London Pass is the ultimate complement to a London sightseeing trip, offering FREE entry to over 56 of the best London tourist attractions and a FREE 160 pages guide book, with one affordable ticket. Visit Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, London Zoo, Shakespeare’s Globe and many more FREE with London Pass.

Girl’s Guide to the World

I was recently surfing the net, in search of a Guest House to stay in, during an up and coming visit to Chiang Mai, in Thailand’s north. Often, I look on Trip Adviser, one of the many internet based travel resources I use when planning my trips, but as I was travelling alone this time, I was specifically looking for female friendly accommodation, restaurants, bars and all the pampering hot spots around town!

I was pleasantly surprised when I came across Girl’s Guide To The World, which is a female focused travel guide for the discerning female traveller. Girl’s Guide is a trustworthy source of unbiased and insightful information on where to shop, eat, drink, sleep, pamper and play. It features over 3,000 venues in over 100 hand picked cities around the world. Another great addition to the site, is the Girl’s Guide To The World Blog, which is full of interesting facts, tips, special offers, stories and reviews.
Often women find travelling alone to be a little daunting, especially if it’s a location that they haven’t been to before, so having input from other female travellers can be extremely comforting.

The girls at GGTTW are always out combing the globe for information relevant to the female traveller and they are consistently bringing in new reviews and amazing trip ideas.

Check it out girls at www.girlsguidetotheworld.com, as it has heaps of recommendations and reviews from a community of female travellers who have already tried and tested the various destinations and venues on offer.

Sue Hile is the Director/Founder of the specialist travel company for women only Adventurous Women – www.adventurouswomen.com.au.

Heading to London – Save Money with a London Pass

Would you like to Save Money While Visiting London? Check out the London Pass

Your ultimate passport to London! Skip queues and avoid hassle! The London Pass is a must for London sightseeing, offering FREE ENTRY to 55 of London’s top tourist attractions with one affordable ticket. But where to start?

Maybe at The Tower of London, or Windsor Castle? How about St Paul’s Cathedral, The Queen’s Gallery, HMS Belfast perhaps, or would you prefer London Zoo? With so many great attractions to choose from you will be spoilt for choice.

And it doesn’t stop with attractions – there are plenty of activities to keep you busy too! Take a cruise along the beautiful Regent’s canal in a traditional narrow boat through London Zoo and on to Camden Lock FREE with The London Pass. Read more

Stay at a Monastery: a unique, inspirational and cultural experience

Girls, have you ever thought of staying at a Monastery or a Convent Guest House?

When travelling in Italy a few years ago, I stumbled across a small Tuscan village called Orvieto and decided that I would like to stay there for a couple of days. I was pleasantly suprised to find cheap, secure and comfortable lodgings at a local convent tucked away in one of the tiny cobbled alley ways. I would recommend this kind of accommodation as being very suitable for women travelling alone or together. Monasteries and convent guest houses provide a gentle and warm environment and the stays are totally unique. Read more

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