Melbourne Australia

Melbourne is by far Australia’s best city.  Less smoggy and congested than Sydney, it’s thoroughly pleasant to walk around.

Efficient tram service means it’s easy to get places – there are tram attendants helping people get the right tram too and it’s digital times displayed in the city centre at tram stops.  Trams typically run till 12.30AM most places.

Weather is great, at this time of year 21-23C.  Eating is groovey too, you will find lots of sushi places for take out, and some pleasant restaurants  – particularly in the Crown Casino.  You can also check out Melbourne restaurant reviews for other upmarket eateries.

The Visitors centre in Melbourne is extremely helpful, and should you wish to book penguin viewing tour or Neighbours soap opera tour – or even pick up a walking guide, this is the place to go.

You can easily walk round Melbourne city centre without transport, and I would advise this as you definitely see more.

For more info on Melbourne, check out That’s Melbourne and have a great trip should you go – we did!

St Kilda, Melbourne Australia

St Kilda in Melbourne is a lovely beach front area.  The pier is clean and well maintained, the sunsets amazing.  You’ll find a tarmac path round the beach area where joggers, cyclists and skaters are plentiful.  There are 2 restaurants on the beach front which are both quite good, and a gym.  Further up into St Kilda you’ll find a street full of shops, cakes and bars/restaurants, also a Thai foot massage place where I enjoyed a reflexology and massage treatment.  The cakes are excellent, sit out and enjoy a coffee and a Rum Baba taking in the comso scene.  No idiots or drunks here, it’s great.  The other main street in St Kilda which the tram goes along has vietnamese restaurants such as Tien and also the Elephant pub where you can meet Neighbours soap actors on Monday nights (booking in advance essential, doors open 6.30pm but action does not start till 8pm).  St Kilda is a lovely romantic place to visit and chill out, it’s clean, tidy and numpty free.  Just take the No.16 tram from Melbourne and vice versa till 12.30 AM (trams every 20 minutes at night).

Hong Kong

Hong Kong – what a place.  We arrived and went straight to the Inter Continental hotel desk where our Mercedes S class had been pre-booked.  A smiling staff member immediately took our bags and escorted us to our car.  I tipped him 100HK for his service (about $14) so no doubt that made him happy.  A smooth 30 minutes later we arrived at the hotel, where an Intercontinetal hotel representitive met us with a clipboard.  He knew who we were and immediately took us to the room where he did the check in.  Porters brought up our bags without asking.  We were shown in person how to operate the room which had harbour views (we speced this), safe, lcd screen with dvd and even a butler button which we just press to get our own butler to help with anything we require.  We even had a do-not-disturb button which lit up an LED outside our room – fantastic! 

 Venturing down to Nathan Road we were cautious after reading about the electrical ripoffs on the plane magazine.  This was fairly untrue.  I needed a mobile phone battery, the going rate on ebay was about 100HK from China for a copy battery.  So I went to the 2nd or 3rd electrical shop on Nathan road, left hand side. 

He started at 180 HK.  I proceeded to knock him down to 100 HK and stuck to my price which wasn’t bad as it was original.  He really wanted 120 but gave up at 100HK. 

We then left and proceeded to try to find a Pentax camera battery holder and battery.  Another shop started at 2200 HK for the dealer, my target price was 1400 HK (ebay price from china).  After much battering, the offer was 1750.  I told him 1600, he said no so I left.  As I left he said 1650.  I said 1600.  Anyway, he was not taking much more action so I said 1625 but he refused, I walked out, no chase. 

Back we went to the first shop and I proceeded to buy a mobile phone charger, it was 85HK or 100HK with 3-pin adapter.  I just couldn’t be bothered for such a low price and paid it. 

Then I spotted a small tripod I wanted, street price 100HK on ebay.  He started at 180HK but in no time I had him at 100HK.  Defiance was the key.  After buying these two items, the cheeky shop owner asked about the Pentax/battery again (I had a previous quote but left the shop).  So after much battering again I ended up at 1680HK for the lot, I stuck to my guns and moved in for 1650 telling him the shop round the corner did it for 1600.  He reluctanctly sold me it for 1650, even when I gave him the money he was still trying for 1680.  In fairness, the runner went and got the Pentax camera attachement in 5 minutes, then the shop owner showed me all working before I parted with my money.  Deal done and I definitely got my goods rock bottom. 

Anyway, away from Nathan Road on Kowloon, you will find many malls with lots of designer clothes etc. – the highest concentration you’ll ever see….this can only be down to the lack of sales tax and import duty…it does make sense to buy Prada in HK if you save 30%. 

Victoria Peak is a must visit and it was an excellent day out – take the Star ferry then catch the number 15 bus directly to The Peak.  From there take the tram to the top and look out over HK.  Fanastic eateries and shops greet you at The Peak, everyone will definitely enjoy this outing.  Further more, you can check out the parks as you walk back to one of the two ferry ports and catch the ferry back Kowloon. 

Kowloon is definitely better for shopping but there is a huge mall on HK also.  Remember the hotels are definitely the best places to eat on Kowloon as they have signature restaurants of michelin star quality – you will find locals eating in them more often than not.  HK is a place for 2-3 days max and I would advise the Intercontinental for the views and service – sure it is expensive at around $600 per night but HK is a place where you won’t stay long so over all it is worth the effort to try and afford a harbour view hotel.

HK is recommended if you are passing thru or in that area of the world, but the savings on electronics are not the same as they were in the 90s.  It is definitely a 3-night stay on max. but I would say HK Intercontinental is the best hotel in the world, beating Bellagio etc. etc. by far.

Hermosillo, Mexico

 

Not the most obvious place in Mexico to visit, but a 90 minute bus ride from Nogales.

It is a small town with no gringos or tourists really.  The streets are full of pot holes and the occasional dead (super size) rat.  You will see adverts for mobile phones and then you will see a homeless person begging.  Not much different to the west I guess.

If it’s character you’re looking for, it’s definitely got that – the bars have bars on the windows, the streets deserted at night, the police are in the bars drunk durin the daytime.

But because if this, it’s a normal Mexican town.  There is a market in the main square on a Saturday.  The supermarket is an eye opener, very fatty meat and generally nothing I preferred to buy.

Saying this, for some reason this place opens and stimulates your mind.  It’s not unusual if you’re taking a taxi ride for the driver to pick up anonymous friends, about turn, take them somewhere then drop you off.  3 wide in the front, 1970s Beetle two door.  Yup it’s basically the wild west.

We ate in the best restaurant, $20 US for a full meal/fillet steak etc.

The stars are also awesome in Mexico, they all cluster together and it is an amazing place.

Definitely an experience worth doing once, being in real Mexico and not Can cun.  When I got back to Arizona I just couldn’t stop yabbering about the sights and sounds of Hermosillo.

More info Hermosillo

Las Vegas, Nevada

 

Let’s start this blog with one of my favourite destinations….Las Vegas.

I’ve been twice – once when I was broke and once when I was more flush.  Both times were enjoyable, but the time I had more money it was x10 better.  Vegas can’t really be tasted on a budget sadly.

The first time we went, we ended up at Circus Circus for an amazing $16 per night stay.

 

At the time (1997) the rooms were nothing short of excellent as it has been refurbed.  Sadly, this has all worn out according to reviews on Tripadvisor.  Still, if I was short on funds I’d give it a shot.

Based on the trip advisor reviews, the next time I went to Vegas (2006) I made sure we stayed in the best place….that happens to be the Bellagio which rather kewl as I remember the taxi driver in 1997 pointing the Bellagio construction site out to us back then.

The hotel is nothing short of awesome inside, super clean.  If you go down at 5AM you’ll see an army of cleaners fixing and polishing things.

The buffet at the Bellagio has been rated as the best in Vegas, well I thought that was an over-rated statement but no way.  Just pheonomenal – at breakfast you can choose around 30 different dishes inc.pizza, noodle stir fry, tailor made omellettes, amazing sea bass and Scottish salmon.  Then there’s the pastry counter with dozens of different baked products.  Awesome.  The dinner time buffet is only slightly different, in that it has roasts and king prawns but mostly the same as breakfast.

The poker room in Bellagio is awesome also, but beware, it’s $200 buy in and the best players in Vegas go there.  Typically the games are real tight, and I would be very cautious as a player there.

The Spa is huge, 25000 sq feet or something ridiculous.  Every treatment you can imagine is available.  It’s expensive too, as does the gym cost $25 to use.  The gym is OK, enough for a workout but no heavy leg press machines or anything.  It does have dumbells and cables, I don’t think it has barbells (check).

We ate in FIX bar/restaurant inside the Bellagio, stating we needed our food quickly as we going to a show…it was served promptly and quickly and I had the most awesome scallops ever.

We also ate at SENSI, this was very good also.  Lovely decor but you need a reservation.

The JEAN PHILLIPE PATISERRIE is not to be missed and you *must* buy a cake from there.

PALIO has suspicious service which isn’t great, but the sandwiches are excellent as is the chocolat du pain pastries, just the best in the world!  Sadly you have to pay for it and it’s $10 a time.  It’s also $6.50 for a coffee or tea!

Just to cap off your stay, Cirque du Soleils ‘O’ must be seen, just incredible show that’ll blow your mind.

 As you can tell, I spent most of my time in Bellagio!

But you can also get out and try a Grand Canyon chopper ride  – would recommend spending more money for longer flight time as you’ll get to fly out over Vegas also.

Would avoid eating at any of the other hotels, service is not great and food mediocre e.g.Treasure Island. 

Just one more tip – stay away from KENO it’s a con!