Hi Mark, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Mark, I am a 40+ year old Australian living in Sydney a few train stops from the spectacular harbour and who discovered travelling in my early 20s.

Mark in Alaska!

Your main blog is travel-wonders.com – How did you get into travel blogging?

I started travel blogging around six years when I saw the mountains of old photos, trip notes, diaries and the like I had accumulated over 25 years. As I continue to travel, it seems a better way to record and treasure the places and experiences and people that I see and meet in my journeys. It seemed a great way to save older photos by getting them scanned and sharing some thoughts on places I’ve been.

Do you think using the internet (for research, planning etc) aids or hinders your travel experience?

When I first travelled through Africa in the early 1990′s, there was almost no information (apart from dated and regularly wrong Lonely Planet books) and no way to share experiences with folks who had travelled there recently. These days, the internet is by far the easiest and most accessible way to get information but I think some travellers use the internet to tell them everything and let it remove the whole experiential element of visiting places. I always do some research on places I am planning to visit (great to find out events that are on) but not to the point where it sets the itinerary in stone. Shut down the iPhone, take your time in a place, slow down, look and walk around, talk with people, participate in local events and let the trip take you on your own journey of discovery.

You have traveled for over 25 years – How have you seen the world of travel change in that time?

Changes have been good and bad. Travel is more economical and easier than ever to do with the wealth of information and efforts by most places making it eaier than ever to see and visit places. Air travel is way less pleasant with overly zealous security, immense amounts of wasted time and airlines being way less welcoming. Getting off the beaten path is still very possible though probably a little more tricky and more and more countries (in Asia and the Middle East especially) gladly welcome visitors.

Where are you in the world right now ?

I am in my home city of Sydney, Australia – one of the greatest travel destinations anywhere in the world.

Do you have a favourite continent or country to visit and why?

I have several favourites for various reasons. My all time favourite cities in the world are Paris and Prague, though the latter is becoming crowded and over touristed. Pet countries/regions are Iceland, rural France, Antarctica and Canada while the greatest natural experiences are East African safari, the mountain gorillas in central Africa, walking in Yosemite and watching bears feast on salmon in Canada and Alaska.

What are your 2013 travel resolutions..?

Ever since I started travelling, I try to see visit or experience three new places, events, regions or sights every year. Have maintained that pretty well so that seems to be a good resolution to keep on with.

If you had a travel story to tell us over a beer, what would it be?

One strange event happened in Stockholm. Travelling out to see a castle some way out from the centre of the city, their efficient train service went near. As it pulled out from one station, the train rattled and rocked for me to look up and find that I was the only one in a carriage and it was being driven into a shunting yard, having terminated its journey six or so stops before my destination. The train stopped, the lights went out and I found myself trapped in the train with no way to open windows or doors. Before the advent of mobile phone, I sat around for a couple of hours trying to work out the best thing to do and whether I could pluck up the courage and strength to break a window and crawl out, when the doorway between the carriages opened to find a driver (who apparently has to check the entire train before leaving on a new journey). I’m not sure who was more startled but a brief discussion later and all was understood and I finally got to visit superb Drottingholm Palace. (Incidentally, a better way to visit to via boat)

Great story! What is your travel itinerary looking like for the remainder of 2013?

Travel is quieter now and tends to be shorter journeys a bit closer to home. A planned trip on the next few years is to walk the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James), a 1000-year old pilgrimage trail of around 800 kilometres through northern Spain.

How can people get in touch with you? 

I happily answer email through a contact form on my blog and I tweet at @travelwonders.

Wow – that was great, thanks Mark! If you have any more questions, I am sure Mark will be happy to answer them…

The healthcare system in oz is very good, but is largely privatised or exclusive only to Australian nationals, which makes things difficult for travellers like me. Either that or the waiting lists for public treatment are humongous. They do however use the Medicare system (formerly EHIC), which allows for some rebates on treatment.

This means that much of the treatment you receive can is subsidised by the government, so you can claim back a percentage of your costs, post treatment.

If, like me, you require urgent treatment (in my case 4 wisdom teeth out!) then your pretty much screwed. Public dentistry treatment queues are months or even years long, so often you will have to go private and try and claim what you can back with medicare. However Medicare does usually cover:

•  Free or subsidised treatment by health professionals such as doctors, specialists, optometrists, dentists and other allied health practitioners (in special circumstances only)
• Free treatment and accommodation as a public (Medicare) patient in a public hospital
• 75 per cent of the Medicare Schedule fee for services and procedures if you are a private patient in a public or private hospital (does not include hospital accommodation and items such as theatre fees and medicines)
• Some health care services in certain countries (although be sure to check which countries are valid with Medicare!)

Full information can be found here : http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/subjects/medicare-services

The details:

For those travelling to Australia from around the world – Medicare is a reciprocal system that is signed with people from:

1. New Zealand
2. The United Kingdom
3. The Republic of Ireland
4. Sweden
5. the Netherlands
6. Belgium
7. Finland
8. Italy
9. Malta
10. Norway
11. Slovenia

If you are from one of these countries, i would suggest registering immediately for a Medicare number. Just find the nearest office here and sign up straight away. Good luck peeps and let me know how you get on!

Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)

The main purpose of this visa is if you plan to travel and work to supplement your time in the country. You can do the following:

- Enter Australia withing 12 months of being granted the visa. That means that even if i apply on 1st Jan 2013, i dont need to be in the country til the following year, at which point my 12 month allowance is activated.

It would be recommended to organise the visa before you book flights, as your holiday depends on it.

- Stay up to 12 months in Australia.

- Enter and leave the country as many times as you wish during this 12 month period.

- Work for up to 6 months with one employer.

- Study for up to 4 months.

- You can also apply for a second WHV, which gives you an additional 12 months in oz, although to be accepted you will normally have to do rural or agricultural work to ensure this application is approved. This includes things like fruit picking and manual work in remote areas of the country.

Currently, im rocking a 417 visa as i expect my employer to fork out for a 457 work sponsored visa. This is quite common and can save the hassle of initially finding a company that will sponsor you. For work in restaurants, bars etc you will normally find that they will not sponsor you, unless in a senior or indespensible role.

How to apply:

You can geek up on all the informaiton on the official immigration website:
http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/

or go straight to the application forms here:

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/apply-online.htm

Costs:

The Working Holiday (Subclass 417) visa costs $365AUD for most countries in Europe, along with a few others. Be very wary of third party companies reselling the visa applicaiton process. They will tack on charges that are unneccesary and can be avoided – by filling in the forms yourself.

Overall, i found the application process to be very simple and i’m sure you will too, when considering a move to oz.

P&O Cruises have just made this pretty interesting infographic that shows off some cool facts about the ships. For example, did you know that the combined weight of all P&O’s cruises ships is the equivalent to 75,000 London double decker buses? Although I’d definitely prefer to be chilling by the pool on a Caribbean cruise ship than riding a London bus…

Check out the infographic for more facts and holiday inspiration!

Getting over here was plain sailing, our flights were two legs – Etihad and Qantas (avoiding the much loathed China Southern Airlines). With a 2 hour stop off in the swanky Dubai airport, we hopped onto the second leg of the flight, which was around 13 hours, taking total travel time to roughly 24hours all in. With a few bad movies and a few worse in-flight meals, we landed down under.

Despite travelling frequently, the stress of immigration always gets my palms-a-sweating. However our visas meant we could sail through customs with only the smallest of glances from the immigration officers.

Because the economy in Australia is still very bouyant, the work opportunities out here are just too enticing to miss. The national wage for adults over 20 is currently $15.59, so around 70% higher than what you will find back in the UK. One thing we have noticed quickly however is the higher living costs for most things – in particular, food, bills and entertainment is roughly 30-50% higher than back in the UK. Although admittedly, coming from London the increase isnt too painful to bear.

Somewhere to stay

Having a base to rest your weary head is extremely important, not only to shake off the jet lag but to get you close to the action when you need to be. When we arrived, we stayed in an AirBnb flat in Fitzroy, which is just to the north of Central Melbourne. AirBnb lets you rent whole or parts of someones home, just like you would a hotel room, but at a reduced cost when compared to a traditional hotel or B&B.

(The flat we stayed in)

My first experience of AirBnb was a good one. Our host Toby was a contractor, who worked in the Melbourne CBD. He was very helpful in answering our questions about the city, but also gave us our space within his flat to allow us to relax and do our own thing. We were also well placed at the top of Brunswick street, with good transport links. There’s something very comforting about staying in a real home rather than a drab hostel or the like.

The main street that cuts through Fitzroy is Brunswick Street, which runs in a straight line up through a bustling collection of shops, cafes and restaurants. During the week things are pretty quiet, but at the weekend things start coming alive with the local hip-crowd and young revellers descending on in. The area is classed as quite ‘alternative’, but from that i guess people mean a touch on the younger/trendier side, so it may not be for everyone.

What to do in Fitzroy

While you won’t be short of things to do on Brunswick Street, here are some notable places on my ‘done’ or ‘to do’ list:

The Workers Club

A laid back bar and cafe that plays host to up and coming bands in the area.

51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065
www.theworkersclub.com.au

Bimbo Deluxe

Somewhat of a legendary bar and pizza joint on Brunswick St, that opens its doors for 7 days a week. Simply put, the venue offers “$4 gourmet pizzas, to accompany a diverse range of beer, wine and spirits to be enjoyed amongst the lounges or in the rooftop courtyard”. If you didnt know – 4$ is cheap as you will get in Melbourne for a pizza… Ever.

Don’t miss the zucchini pizza and maybe even one of the $4 hot dogs. If you’re feeling naughty.

376 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
www.bimbodeluxe.com.au

Slowpoke Espresso

A quaint and welcoming little cafe just a couple of metres away from ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ – a traditional laundrette on the same street. Slowpoke is an ideal place for a coffee and toast whilst your whites do their thing in the dryer.

157 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
www.facebook.com/slowpoke-espresso

Phat Brats

One of the first foodie experiences we enjoyed and is one to remember. Think hipster hot dogs done in a gourmet, over-the-top way with moutains of flavbour, pickles and accompanying fries. The chorizo dog was something special…

320 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
www.phatbrats.com.au

The Standard Hotel

Great for an oldy-worldy pub feel with an eclectic atmosphere, the Standard is a great little pub. Popular with the old regulars and young whipper-snappers alike, the pub has plenty of comfy seating inside and out, which will make it a great choice during the summer!

293 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
www.thestandardhotel.com.au

That should keep you going for a while. More ozzie related posts to follow.

Ibiza

It goes without saying that Ibiza is pretty much the capital of summer party venues. San Antonio is this Balearic Island’s second largest town and has held onto the unofficial title of clubbing capital of the world for some time now, so you know you’re not going to be let down when you come here for a clubbing holiday.

When you visit Ibiza you will generally take a bus to the main super clubs, although some, such as Ibiza Rocks and El Paradis, are walkable if you’re staying in San Antonio or San Antonio Bay, making the area an ideal location.

You can choose to stay in San Antonio itself in the midst of the action, in which case Ibiza’s Hotel Gran Sol is highly recommended. Or instead you might choose to is highly recommended. Or instead you might choose to stay in the slightly more peaceful San Antonio Bay, only a short walk away from the centre of the action and with plenty of accommodation to choose from.

Aiya Napa

Cyprus’s Aiya Napa has a well-earned reputation for being a party town, but it wasn’t always this way. In fact, before the 70s it was a quaint little fishing town. Now it’s a resort dedicated to package holidays and tourists who like some serious partying with their sun, sea and sand. There is plenty to keep you entertained all day and all night here, with numerous bars, clubs and restaurants to choose from and a multitude of hotels and apartments to stay in.

Be aware though that if you fancy a trip to Aiya Napa in peak summer season (July-August), you’ll be battling it out amongst loads of other people with the same idea, so book early unless you’re happy sleeping on the beach!

Magaluf

No list of top European party destinations would be complete without Majorca’s Magaluf. Many a stag and hen do have enjoyed messy weeks and weekends here, so if that’s the kind of holiday you’re after, you certainly won’t be disappointed. The mega-clubs, world-renowned DJs and epic foam parties are enough to keep party-hard holidaymakers coming back year after year.

For serious clubbers, buying a Magaluf Club Pass is a good idea as it’ll give you entry into the area’s top five clubs and save you a bit of cash; more to spend on cocktails! 

If you fancy organising a really luxurious treat for the stag and his friends, a health resort like Spa Zuiver is the way to go. Set in the middle of the woods on the edge of Amsterdam, it really is the perfect retreat. With a swimming pool, relaxing saunas and revitalising aroma baths you’re spoilt for choice. Treatments include hammam hot scrubs, massages and tanning sessions. One visitor said “This is not a spa, it is the pure paradise! I have never experienced such a great service and so many facilities. I would say that it is the best spa in whole Netherlands.”

This video, although spoken in Dutch, shows some of the main treatment areas in the spa:

A canal tour

Fancy a tour of the city by boat? On these tours your captain will escort you and fellow crew in open-air, low-sided boats perfect for navigating Amsterdam’s canals. Run by The Saint Nicolaas Boat Club, a group of volunteers, the tours are free, but you’re welcome to make a donation (and we suggest you do!).

Due to licence issues, the canal tours are now running through Mike’s Bike Tours Amsterdam, which is the best place to make bookings. Captains can be found at Mike’s Bikes before and after rides, but they ask that you do not phone the office with boat tour-related questions (face to face is best).

A brewery visit

Established in Amsterdam in the mid-1800s, Heineken is now one of the largest beer producers in the world. The former brewery has now been opened up to the public to allow beer fans to have an interactive tour through the history of the infamous drink. With amusement rides, a tour of the historic brew room and a tasting bar, you won’t be disappointed.

Dine with the Dutch

This is a brilliant idea that should be replicated in cities across the UK. It gives you a chance to experience Amsterdam as a local: register on the website and it’ll match you and your mates with a family who will invite you to their home for dinner! Specially selected hosts will cook you a three course meal and regale you with tales about Holland and Dutch culture. This will definitely be a unique experience and it’s a perfect way to find out about all the local haunts you might otherwise miss as a visitor.

Which city do you love the most?

And while those three little facts may pique your interest in the country that grew out of the ruins of the Roman Empire in the early part of the 7^th century, Croatia has much more to offer travellers of every possible persuasion, not least those who like to travel around on their own two feet.

The country has three distinct regions, each of which lends itself to exploration on foot, for different reasons. Its coastal region on the Adriatic Sea boast over 1200 islands and islets and countless beaches, coves and caves. Its lowlands – which make up the bulk of the country’s geographical area – are mostly found in the northern regions of Slavonia and house some fantastic geological structures as well as myriad forest, lakes and generally bountiful countryside. Finally, we have the mountainous region of the Dinaric Alps, which bisects the previous regions and contains (and is named after) Croatia’s highest mountain, Dinara.

With almost 2000 km of mainly west-facing coastline, you will never be far from the splendour of an Adriatic sunset in Croatia. With numerous fishing villages, vibrant harbours and all the seafood you could wish for, the coastal regions of Croatia – whether the Istrian Peninsula or the Dalmatian Coast further south – offer relaxation, fine food and wine and plenty for culture vultures to lap up in the form of art, music and a varied and interesting architectural heritage.

The Roman ruins, Byzantine basilicas and Renaissance palaces all have their stories to tell. As do the rebuilt buildings in the beautiful and entrancing city of Dubrovnik, the newer roofs on view as you walk round the city ramparts a chilling reminder of how recently conflict blighted the area.

Move inland and no walking holiday in Croatia is complete without a visit to the Plitvice Lakes National Park. It is argued by many to be one of the best areas of natural beauty in the whole of Europe, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site back in 1979. There are sixteen interlinked lakes in the park, surrounded by a large swathe of forest. Its ecological significance is vast, housing various microclimates that support a wide range of flora, and providing a haven for such fauna as European brown bears, wolves, various eagles, owls and wild cats.

The walking at Plitvice is varied with paths of different length and difficulty ratings available. If you want to get a good overall insight into what the park has to offer, take the 4-5 hour trail H. Waterfalls abound in the park – including some accessed through a cave, while no more tranquil a setting can be found than sitting beside one of the beautiful lakes for a rest and a picnic.

If you plan to visit the mountainous region of the country to do some serious walking, be sure to get local advice as there is a dearth of literature on the region (in English at least). It is a big, brash mountain range that is not to be trifled with lightly. Interestingly, most of Croatia’s islands belong to the mountain chain after much of the western areas of the chain were submerged when sea levels rose many years ago. So if you are not a seasoned hiker / mountaineer, we would recommend sticking to the islands. You could still tell people you scaled one of the mountains of the Dinarics… who’s to know you would be referring to one that housed a very nice beach terrace where you supped a cocktail as you watched the sun melt into the horizon?

So whether it is dreamy coastal walks in the setting sun, life-affirming strolls around beautiful turquoise lakes or rugged trekking in amongst some challenging but panoramically rewarding peaks, Croatia can satisfy your desires.

Oh, just in case you were wondering, the smallest town has just 23 inhabitants, is located in Istria and is called Hum; the stone used to construct Barack Obama’s current abode was obtained from the island of Brač; and the amphitheatre of note is in Pula, though it might not have been had the Italian fascist regime during the Second World War followed through with their plan to take the structure, block by block, back to Italy. Thankfully they abandoned the ill-conceived idea, leaving its splendour for you to enjoy when you visit this fine, varied and awe-inspiring country.

The history to be found in Pula.

This article was written by David Hanson from activity holiday company Headwater.com – offering walking holidays in Croatia and further afield. Find out more at the Headwater website.

Hi Sam, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Tell us a little about yourself.

Thanks Scott, for this great opportunity. I’m a Canadian expat travel addict who hasn’t shaken the travel bug after more than seven consecutive years on the road. I’ve worked overseas as an ESL teacher, photographer and location independent digital nomad sneaking in as much backpacking adventures as I possibly can.

Your main blog is NomadicSamuel.com – How did you get into travel blogging?

Before I started Nomadic Samuel I had been taking photos, creating videos and writing stories for my own amusement and to share with friends and family. When I realized there was a whole community of travel bloggers doing this more seriously, I decided I wanted to throw my hat in with them.

You run a number of blogs – Is blogging your main source of income? (sub question: If so, what recommendations would you give to bloggers interested in doing the same?)

I’ve funded most of my travels working as an ESL teacher and it has only been recently that I’ve started to make money online with my travel sites. For new bloggers starting out thinking they’ll hit the jackpot with their sites, it’s not the most realistic expectation. The truth is that it takes many months of consistent hard work before your site is able to earn any money online. I would like to suggest for those just starting out that if money is your primary motivation for blogging you would be better of pursuing something else; however, with that being said, if you are passionate about blogging you’ll reap the rewards over time.

You also travel with the lovely Audrey from thatbackpacker.com – How did you guys meet?

We knew each other through our blogs but the first time we met was in Seoul, Korea. We instantly connected and have been going out ever since. I must admit, I’m quite lucky she didn’t ditch me on the first date because I did an atrocious job of playing tour guide in an area of Seoul (Itaewon) that had totally changed since I had last been there.

How is it travelling with a partner ? Do you have any ‘survival tips’ to prevent fall outs?

Believe it or not Audrey and I have both done most of our trips solo in the past. We only have experience travelling together in Korea on weekend outings. I think though that giving each other space and not making a big deal out of small things would be some good general advice when traveling with a partner.

Where are you in the world right now ?

I’m currently in Fredericton, Canada relaxing at home for a few weeks. I’ll soon be heading back to Korea to meet Audrey as she finishes her one year teaching contract and from there we’ll be heading to Malaysia to start our backpacking adventures.

If you could be anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?

I’d love to be somewhere warm right now. Lately the temperatures in Fredericton have dipped as low as -35 with windchill! I’m in desperate need of thawing out. Cuba would be a great fit.

Tell us a strange story from your travels.

Where do I even begin. Recently, I went with Audrey to visit Daejeon in South Korea. While we were walking through a wet market, an elderly Korean lady boldly came right up to me and tried to pick the freckles off of my arm. Sadly this isn’t the first time this has happened either. I suppose she though they were dirt. It made for a good laugh.

What is your travel itinerary looking like for 2013?

2013 is shaping up to be a year of exploration in Asia. We’ll be starting off in Malaysia with tentative plans to set foot in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China, India, Bangladesh and Nepal if everything goes according to plan.

How can people get in touch with you?

There are a number of ways people can get in touch and follow along with our adventures. I run Nomadic Samuel Travel Blog and Smiling Faces Travel Photos. I also write on Backpacking Travel Blog with my girlfriend Audrey who is best known online as That Backpacker.

Great thanks, Sam! I look forward to following your blog throughout 2013 for some more great updates!