Kate Flannery The Worlds Foremost Travel Blogs

Can You Consider a Boot Camp as Vacation?

Having enough time and patience to organize regular physical exercise is quite complicated today. An average employed family person can hardly manage to handle even some more important things, like family and work, let alone physical exercise. However, since a sedentary lifestyle can put your health at risk, it is essential to introduce regular physical routine to your life. Opting for a fitness boot camp for your next vacation can be a smart move, but first have a look at some pros and cons of such a training routine.

Coping with harsh discipline

Boot camps have gained a bad reputation, mostly due to some military methods that trainers use there. Those instructors are often former soldiers or army trainers and their way of work can be pretty detached from our everyday reality. If you know that you cannot become a self-discipline person all of a sudden but you want to build your body, you could find yourself in a boost camp.

On the other hand, if you cannot stand people shouting at you in any situation whatsoever, it is better for you to skip this exercise program.

Getting ready for work challenges

Getting up at dawn to run in the hills and do dozens of pushups does not sound like a dream-come-true holiday. Modern people have got accustomed to a certain pattern of living, so it is impossible for them to get up so early only to do some physical exercise. However, according to research, your work productivity can be significantly improved if you start attending training sessions. For instance, if you attend a boot camp for a few weeks and get back to work, you will surprised to see that your productivity has increased.

Boo(s)ting mental strength

Every type of physical exercise increases the power of will and improves your overall mental condition. However, spending some time with a group of people in the wilderness, doing hard exercises, while the instructor is treating you like army recruits is something completely different. It is a harsh fight between your body and brain on one side and your will and the instructor on the other one.

You can expect nausea, vomiting, cold sweat during the first few days, since these camps are extremely intensive. After that, each and every muscle you have will burn. This initial period can be perceived as a cold turkey phase, where you will be healing your neglected body from the unhealthy life you lead. However, when you surpass all the obstacles and finish this camp, your mental strength will be much higher than before the camp.

Refreshing your body

By putting your body back to normal shape, you return it to its natural basics. Still, your habits from the non-camp world can cause serious issues for your immune system and health in general. This is why you have to make an additional effort to keep your body as healthy as possible. The most practical and safest way to recover it after every training day is to use fitness supplements. They contain vitamins and other features that should give your body some additional power and durability.

Even if you are skeptical about spending a vacation in a boot camp, you should give it a try. If you give up, you will know that you have tried. On the other side, you might even end up going to such camps several times a year.

Mountain Biking through Australia

Australia’s backland is intersected with unsealed roads and trails that offer some of the world’s best mountain biking adventures. For the majority of these trails you need to be well armed with equipment, mountain biking experience, and time. Although some of them are also suited for absolute beginners. Here are our favourites.

Kakadu National Park, NT

The flat terrain of the Northern Territory is ideal for mountain biking through. This makes riding down the highways a popular sport here. However, riding on the sealed roads, you will not see much. To really explore the Kakadu National Park and to reach the most interesting sights, you will have to get into the dirt. Koolpin Gorge, Gunlom, Maguk, and Twin Falls are well off the road. Take the adrenaline up a notch by paying a visit to the crocs at Cahill’s Crossing. Be extremely careful, though. Those warning signs were put there for a reason.

Cape York, QLD

Stunning views, changing vegetation, from arid savannah to tropical rainforests, rich birdlife, and beach trails. Or simply – Cape York. This is one of the most amazing and most challenging trails in Australia. The terrain is pretty hilly, the heat can be unbearable, and the distances a bit frightening. You might need to set aside a couple of weeks for this adventure. But it is worth it.

Tasmanian Trail, TAS

If you are not as fit as a fiddle, you better skip this roller coaster of a ride. It is a total body workout all day long. This trail through the heart of Tasmania includes a lot of steep hills, unsealed roads, and fire trails. There is some heavy pedalling and an occasional push-a-thon involved, and do not be surprised if you find yourself boulder hopping at some point. Also, get ready to get wet in one of the numerous creeks and bridgeless river crossings.

Narrow Neck, NSW

North South Wales has a lot to provide for Australian first-timers of all tastes. As it goes, adventure travellers can find the cream of the crop here. One of the best Blue Mountain trails, the Narrow Neck trail will take you deep into the wilderness of the park. The ride is suitable for novices as well as seasoned cyclists and involves just the right amount of steep climbs to raise your adrenaline. The views are breathtaking, and there are photo opportunities waiting for you at every turn. The scenery is changing from open forest to heath and swamplands. Do not miss a chance to enjoy spectacular views over Lake Burragorang.

Munda Biddi Trail, WA

The Munda Biddi trail is not a family mountain biking tour since it is fairly physically demanding. Prepare for a lot of sweating and hardship. You should not be heavily loaded, and make sure your bike has fat tyres. The terrain is generally undulating, and there are some really difficult gravelly and sandy track sections, which are at times impossible to ride over. But then, there are also long stretches of flat and downhill roads to enjoy. The trail can be a bucketload of fun as long as you do not underestimate it.

Which trail would you hit first if you had the choice?

Soccer Stadiums Every Fan Should Visit

This year’s MLS season just wrapped up and Portland Timbers became the eleventh team to win the MLS Cup and add deservedly so – Not only because of their great games, but also because of their great fans. In a country where soccer still fights for the public endorsement, the Timbers Army showed just how far one team can be propelled with such excellent support. It is certainly a sight to be seen, but if you cannot wait for the next MLS season to have a great time on the Providence Park, or you simply want to have similar, top-notch soccer experience consider visiting some of these famous stadiums.

Allianz Arena, Berlin

“Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.” Thanks to Bayern München, this famous quote by Gary Lineker, still very much holds the truth. Although some of their fans have to travel more than 120 miles to watch their games, 75,000 seats at Bayern’s home stadium Allianz Arena are almost always filled.

Camp Nou, Barcelona

FC Barcelona is a soccer behemoth, and its home stadium is equally as imposing. With the capacity of nearly 100,000, Camp Nou is not only the largest stadium in Spain but the entire Europe as well, and Barça’s loyal fans are making sure that every single of those seats counts. All of that amounts to explosive atmosphere during some high-stakes games.

Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro

How can you fit 199,845 people in the stadium with the capacity of 78,838? In order to find the answer you would first have to know that Brazilians live and die for soccer. If you have your own soccer gear, just visit some of the playing fields and make sure for yourself. After you are done, go to Maracanã, watch Flamengo, and witness just how great crowd Brazilians can be.

Anfield, Liverpool

All English stadiums are great, but we have to point out Anfield as one of the best – if for no other reason, than because of passionate fans. Although current FC Liverpool is the far-cry from the soccer powerhouse it was couple of decades ago, its fans made sure that it is, at least, one of the best-supported clubs in Europe.

San Siro, Milan

A.C. Milan is a European legend, and its rich history was mostly written on San Siro. Now, every opportunity to watch this club live is a privilege on its own, but if you manage to catch the Derby della Madonnina between them, and their city rivals Inter, you can expect 80,000 passionate fans and rabid atmosphere.

La Bombonera, Buenos Aires

If anyone can match Brazilians, both in skill, and in their love for soccer, that would be their bitter rivals Argentinians. Their most famous stadium La Bombonera, although smaller in capacity than Maracanã, features the same passionate crowd. Wait for the Superclásico derby between Boca Juniors, and River Plate, you will be in for a treat.

Nissan Stadium, Yokohama

Of course, Europeans, and South Americans, are not the only one playing soccer. Japanese are playing too, and Nissan Stadium in Yokohama is a living testament bot to that love, and Japanese professionalism. Well-maintained grass, retractable roof, and enormous screens will put a smile on every soccer fan’s face.

Make the Most Out of Your Travel Photography

Every trip is special as it is and you want to keep it in your memory forever. One of the most efficient tools to accomplish that is with your camera. Still, sometimes it seems as though all your photography skills cannot capture the impression of the place you have visited, not even nearly. To avoid the feeling of disappointment when you scroll through your vacation images, you will need a few tips on how to take your photographing to the next level. It is not nearly as difficult as you might think. With just a few changes, you will be able to have the most amazing photos. Just follow our lead.

Keep Your Camera Always By Your Side

Being at some entirely different place than your hometown is always exciting and almost any scene you are witnessing can be unique and special. That is why you should always keep your camera or smartphone by your side, so you could snap a shot in a second. Remember to be patient and not to give up, any moment now the ideal scene will come up. Sometimes it takes a couple of hours for the perfect setting and lighting.

Think About Composition

You do not have to be professional photographer to think about composition when taking your travel photos. Composition is a way of telling a good story by arranging the visual elements within the frame. One of the most common photography mistakes is not complying with the basic rules of composition. The rule of thirds means that the photo subject is located in the intersection of the lines of a tic-tac-toe grid.

Use People as Subjects

Photographs with people can be much more powerful than simple architecture or landscape photos. Not only that a person in the image will give a sense of perspective, but it will also enhance the scale. So the next time you see crowd walking in front of a monument you want to shoot, do not idly wait until they pass by, but capture them in the photo. You will see that the results are much more lively and exciting.

Get Creative

Photography is supposed to be fun. Trying your best to make everything perfect will only lead to poor results and dissatisfaction with your images. That is why you should play with different perspectives, shoot from the side, from high above or from down low. Add some dynamic to your photos. Use unusual things as the objects of your photos (an object that someone left behind in a coffee shop, an empty glass on the table, or just click here and find some new ideas from people who like to share their work).

Get Close

By placing your camera or smartphone near to the subject/object of the photo, you will add an interesting twist to your vacation album. If you are shooting some water surface you can bring your phone right to the water’s edge you will create a fun reflective effect. When shooting portraits, try to get as close as you can to capture the face expressions and to make the subject sharply focused.

Do Not Exaggerate with Editing

Usually, all it takes is a couple of touches to make your picture perfect. You can fix the composition with cropping the frame, enhance saturation for landscape photos and use some fine tuning moves to improve the overall appearance of the photo. If you are a filter-aficionado, try not to overuse them and to use them wisely. Black and white almost never goes well with landscape photos and HDR is not the perfect tool for portraits.

At the end relax and enjoy your travel. Never try too hard to get the perfect results. Some of the best photos in the world are made accidentally.

Going from Tourist to Expat in Australia

To really feel what is the life like at some place, you need to stay a bit longer than those two weeks of vacation. When you stay somewhere over a month or two, you start paying the bills and even looking for some part time job, you are seriously getting closer to the title of expat. If you are about to stay in Australia for this amount of time, here are some great and useful tips that you will definitely benefit from.

Finding Suitable Accommodation

If your stay is about to be closer to two months than just two weeks, you need to make sure that you avoid hotels and even hostels. That would be too expensive for you. You need to choose cheaper options. One of the ways to do this is to register at AirBnB and benefit from longer stay discounts, or find some similar localized websites. The price is usually negotiable. Another option is house sitting, and this is the best deal you can make, if you make it – it is a bit hard to get on house-sitting waiting lists. People from Australia who also love to travel, sometimes hire people to stay at their homes. To avoid extra fees when paying, do your best to pay your rent on time and do it online if possible.

Planning Your Budget

It makes a really big difference if you are in one of the big cities or in a smaller one. Obviously, the bigger cities have higher living costs, but trying to live in a small town in Australia is quite specific. They are smaller than what you would expect from a small town in USA. Their population is measured in hundreds. Australia is very oriented toward cities and the life is more comfortable there. Therefore, if you want to be comfortable in Australia, you have to be prepared to spend from $50 to $100 on electricity, around $150 on groceries, $30 to $60 on Internet. These costs may vary significantly, but that is the rough budget.

Getting Around

You can always print out your own maps and visit famous sights on your own if you prepare well. However, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne are well covered on Travelfore. Wherever you plan to go, check the Grayhound buses, but always check the flights, as well. At times, the difference in price will not be that great. Saturday afternoons and Tuesdays are the cheapest days to fly. Always use CouchSurfing or similar websites to find people to share taxi fares or simply to show you around. It will give you the best insight into the city you are visiting.

Getting Involved

The best way to understand how people think and how things work at a new place is to try and participate in the community events. History walks and classes, dance lessons, meditation sessions and many more can be found for free. Visiting free courses can help a lot with getting involved in everyday life of your city without spending money.

The last but not the least – drinking in Australia will cost you a fortune. You should focus on getting to know this country’s people and sights without enjoying local wine and beer too much. There is no cheap way of doing this.

Know Your Way Around Airport No-Fly Items

When it comes to boarding the plane, it is all about safety. Fire extinguishers are safe and necessary when it comes to fires. However, did you know that you are forbidden from carrying a fire extinguisher on board? It is one of those items that contain compressed gas and that is the reason why this item that is considered very safe becomes hazard when on plane. Also, there’s very few, if any, reasons for a passenger to carry a fire-extinguisher to an airport. Yet, the rules exist, and they are there because someone has at some point attempted to perform these acts. Here are some of the items that you should be very careful about when you try to take them with you on your flight.

Potential Weapons

It is not impossible to carry firearms on the plane, but there are restrictions and rules about it. They definitely need to be checked in. However, any sort of firearms, including the flare guns and similar guns, as well as replicas, need to be put into separate containers and checked as separate baggage, not to mention approved of beforehand by the customs offices of the place of departure and place of arrival. There are cases in which firearms can be taken on board, but that is only the case for law enforcement officials. Even they have to be flying under special conditions. Also, all the power tools, tools, kitchen utensils and other sharp and blunt objects that can be used as weapons cannot be taken on board.

Liquids and Gases

Compressed gases are generally not allowed on planes. However, some containers, like deodorants that do not exceed 50 ml in quantities are allowed by certain companies. These are details that you need to check with your company before flying. As for the liquids, you can take them on board, but your liquids and pasts must be in containers that are less than 100 ml and in a sealed plastic bag. They also need to be shown during the check in.

Sports Gear

All sorts of spears, bats, sticks and other objects that can potentially cause harm cannot be allowed as cabin baggage. Some companies have different types of check in rules and regulations when it comes to sports gear. That is why you need to call the company and be very precise about the description of your sports gear.

Metal and Valuables

You are allowed to carry gold, silver and other precious metals on board. However, there are weight restrictions that you need to respect. You can carry them in the form or jewelry, coins or bars. It seems that the most convenient way to transport gold is to carry 100 oz gold bars with you rather than coins. Of course, airport personnel has the right to check the baggage and to apply their own rules and regulations about the content of your bag. Generally, gold bars should not be a problem for any of the big companies.

Food

Fresh fruits and vegetables are allowed at all times. If you plan on taking jams, sauces and dips with you, especially in glass jars, they will have to be in your checked baggage. Moreover, all the cheese, meat and poultry should have special licenses and they should be checked. If you want to bring your own snacks for a short flight, make sure that you use dried fruit and nuts, combined with fresh fruit. Granola bars and similar snacks will keep you full until you land.

The golden rule of thumb is to check the website of the company that you travel with and the local airport to see the restrictions that they have concerning the baggage. These are the general rules that you can expect, but there are many factors that influence the decisions of the companies to allow or forbid something from the plane or require it to get checked in. To avoid prolonging the boarding process and causing inconvenience, make sure that you inform yourself in time.

Luxury Gyms as a Growing Market for Fit Globetrotters

So, you have decided to hit the road. Sure, it sounds nice now – saying goodbye to everything, but a lot of questions arise when you decide to make that decision. What are you going to do with your training sessions? Where can you find a job? Do you think that you can find a job easily in, say, Tokyo?

These may be some of the questions running through your head, but you have to know that there are simple answers to them. Keep reading and find out which are the most exclusive luxury gyms in the world, with only the best amenities in which you as a fitness instructor-globetrotter can find a job.

1. Quads Gym, Chicago (USA)

If you want to find your peace in the United States, make sure you head straight to Chicago first, because you will stay there for good. Quads Gym may be the greatest gym in Illinois (in fact, in 2005 it was declared one of the 10 best American gyms) and is famous for being the official weightlifting home of Ed Coan, the greatest powerlifting legend in the world, who has set over 71 world records. The very fact that you would be working in a gym that fostered one Ed Coan truly inspires an awe.

2. Original Temple Gym, Birmingham (UK)

This 62 years old gym, founded in a Birmingham basement, accepts all people who find themselves fit to train there. It consists of a unique combination of old school equipment and the newest high tech gadgetry. One of the biggest pride they have is the original Nautilus equipment.

3. Tiger Muay Thai Gym, Thailand

If you area of expertise includes martial arts, Tiger Muay Thai Gym should be your final destination. Their high-standard luxurious martial arts programmes offer the most perfect setting for training. Its amenities include even yoga, strength training equipment, truck tires, heavy bags, as well as large conditioning facilities. Their unique payment system includes paying for how much you have used their services, that is, for the time you have spent in their facilities and used certain amenities.

4. Symmetry Gym, Dubai

The experienced team in Dubai-based Symmetry Gym is one of their biggest prides, but not the only one. Their facilities house “only state-of-the-art equipment, that is maintained at the highest standards”. Their philosophy includes long-term commitment in order to achieve the perfect bodily shape, and they also take care of your mind and psychological state in order to achieve the best results. Indeed, they offer symmetry between body and mind.

5. Titan Fitness, Sydney (Australia)

One of the best features Titan Fitness gym has is that it appreciates quality. This elite gym was founded 26 years ago, and since its inception it valued customer service as their top priority. This is why there are even facilities which include child care, free healthy eating programs, and the best staff in the world. They may actually be the freshest personal training group in the whole southern hemisphere, so make sure to check them out if you find yourself in the neighbourhood.

No matter if you plan to leave your hometown for good, or just want to spend a few years away from home, fear not that you will not find a good job somewhere in the world. As you can see, there is a plethora of luxury gyms in the world which look for experienced trainers and instructors, meaning that there is room for you in at least one of them. Do not hesitate and give them a call.

Neil Emilfarb’s Hidden Paradise Exposed

Located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, in the Southeastern region of the Europe, Montenegro is a relatively small country with an upper-middle income status and a tremendous potential for growth. This potential is solely concentrated on the Montenegrin tourism industry, since this country’s number of visitors is on a constant growth. One of the main reasons behind this occurrence is definitely the complex called the Dukley Gardens, a real estate investment that caught the attention of media worldwide.

Mr. Neil Emilfarb, an American investor and founder of the Stratex Group, found this piece of paradise in a phase of development, while the local government was still struggling with the translation to an open market economy model. The town of Budva, nestled between mountains and sea, famous for its ancient monuments and well preserved medieval fortress, and a popular destination because of its sandy beaches and a very active nightlife, is the very center of the Montenegrin tourism. During the year 2013, Budva reported almost a 4,500,000 overnight stays, and a total of almost a 700,000 of tourist visits. That number is on a constant increase, and for the small city of no more than 14,000 people, this number of visits is astonishing.

The Dukley Gardens

Some of the most popular beaches on the south Adriatic are located right here. However, if you are looking for a little bit of privacy, you can still find secluded sanctuaries nearby and enjoy in the serenity of this wonderful place. The most beautiful and completely private beaches are located inside of the Mr. Neil’s real estate complex, the Dukley Gardens.

For the residents of this complex, there is a great variety of services available. There are tennis courts, pools and find many other activities offered for your convenience; or you can visit one of the restaurants and a lounge bar which is situated in a sandy beachfront, in the shades of palms and cedar trees. The panoramic views from this place will encaptivate you, and an obvious presence from centuries old societies that left their mark on the town of Budva will make you believe that you’ve wandered off in a timeless haven.

The great thing about Dukley Gardens is that this place welcomes families as well as individuals. The younger crowd will have no trouble in finding some excitement as well. It is designed for every need or desire possible, so if you are looking for a day-care center – you will find it inside of the complex, with educators and animators available for your child’s needs and amusement. If you are looking for a good time – the old town of Budva is a regular host to some of the greatest pop stars, and even movie stars like Steven Seagal, are known to visit their residences as well.

So if you are already planning your 2016 vacation, consider Budva as your destination. The Dukley hotel will be open for business by that time, and if you are a yachting enthusiast, you will have no trouble finding port here. In fact, it is one of the popular Adriatic destinations for yacht owners too. With beautiful sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and an amazing cuisine at affordable prices – this hidden paradise will offer you peace, amusement, and memories that will keep calling you back to Dukley all year round.

Wine Capitals of the World

True wine lovers and aficionados know what the world has to offer. Countries such as Spain, France, California, Australia, Argentina and Chile are just some of the largest wine producers and exporters in the world. These areas have the perfect grape-growing climate and long traditions in winemaking, with billions of liters produced each year. Other countries, unlike these traditional produces, are able to provide only small supplies of domestic wines, not enough to quench the world’s thirst. If you find yourself in a local retailer’s wine cellar, or travelling abroad, these are the wine capitals that have given, and continue to give the best wines, consistent in quality and flavor.

Spain

Bilbao, located in the province of Biscay (autonomous community of the Basque Country), is the tenth largest municipality in Spain. Founded in the year 1300, Bilbao is a well-known industrial and cultural center and tourist destination, famous for its natural resources, geography, cooking and wine. Rioja is the famous wine region in Spain, located about 100 km south of Bilbao. It is divided into three major regions – Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja. About 250 million liters of wine are produced annually in Rioja (of which 85% are red (tinto), while the rest are white (blanco) and rosé (rosado). “The land of wines” has over 57 thousand hectares of cultivated land, producing a variety of delicate wines. Spain has over 250 wine regions, with Rioja and Priorat that produce wine of most lauded quality.

Australia

The land of Aborigines, rich in rainforests, deserts, beautiful coral reefs, beaches and national parts, is the fourth largest exporter of wine in the world. Governor Phillip brought the first vine cuttings from the Cape of Good Hope to the colony of New South Wales in 1788. Thirty five years later, Australian wine was exported for the first time. Today, over a billion liters of wine is made in 6 major wine regions of Australia each year. New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia are areas with an astonishing array of diverse climates and about 130 different grape varieties, allowing winemakers to produce well-reviewed Australian wines with unique and distinct flavors.

California

The sunny California is regarded as a top tourist destination, culturally diverse, with great nature preserves, relaxing resorts, shopping places, best cuisine, and the Sunset Strip. Napa Valley (Napa County, northern California) is one of the best American viticultural Areas (wine grape-growing region) in the North Coast wine region. Central Coast, South Coast and Central Valley are areas consisted of 12 most notable wine regions. The first commercial winery in California was opened in 1859 by John Patchett. California is a top wine and food destination in the US, with a wide range of world class wines offered for the enjoyment of your palate.

France

French wine has a worldwide reputation. About 8 million bottles are produced each year, all throughout France. There are 17 wine regions, with Bordeaux being the largest one, with the longest history in wine exporting. The city of Bordeaux mesmerizes with its beautiful architecture (cathedrals, gothic and baroque churches, museums), parks, squares, gardens, seaside resorts, restaurants and shopping centers. The wine is categorized into 6 main families with 60 different appellations. Consistent in quality, tasting Bordeaux wines is a must for every wine aficionado out there.

Springtime Events in Sydney: Culture and Taste buds

The spring season is upon us and joie de vivre is all around while Sydney is brimming with events and things to do and see. With so much going on, it can be difficult to choose, so we’re giving you a short guide through the season and we hope you find something of interest.

September

Sydney Fringe festival – during the entire month – September the 1^st through September the 30^th, this is the largest independent arts festival in NSW, spreading across five cultural villages. Check out the festival e-guide to plan your route from over 300 productions in over 50 venues. http://www.sydneyfringe.com/ticketing/festival_e-guide/

October

Balcony Styling workshops – a well known garden designer ,Judith Sleijpen, will be teaching about design, furniture, accessories, plants and everything you need to know to make a great garden and patio for yourself. This is a 3 hour workshop including brunch. http://www.petiteretreat.com.au/

The Greats: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland – Sydney is home to many exquisite galleries the whole year round, with both regular and guest exhibitions to fascinate even the most critical of enthusiasts. You should book a Sydney tour and see them all, but take special note of the Art Gallery of NSW this spring and summer – October the 4^ththrough February the 14^th, 2016, is the right time to feast your eyes on the sight of 70 masterpieces from the greatest European artists including Botticelli, Leonardo, Cézanne, El Greco, Gauguin and Monet. The exhibition will be presented exclusively in Australia by the Art Gallery of NSW as part of the Sydney International Art Series.

The Greats: Art Gallery NSW — Sandro Botticelli
The Virgin adoring the sleeping Christ child, c1485 (detail)

Sydney Morning Herald Growers Market – October the 3^rd through November the 7^th, held in Pyrmont Bay park, this market has been a tradition for the last 14 years, selling everything from seafood, vegetables and fresh fruits to locally roasted coffees on tap. Specialty breakfasts are served outdoors by the harbor, and a special celebrity chef cook-off will take place at the Market Chef Stage.

Growers' Market Best of the Brunch — Growers’ Market Best of the Brunch

Night Noodle Markets – October the 8^th through October the 25^th, held in Hyde Park, with over 50 food stalls as part of the Good Food Month, the world’s largest food festival and the best time for outdoor cooking and dining. Enjoy the rich flavor, sounds and smells of Asian cuisine and the buzz of a festival.

Good Food Month in Sydney — Photo by Shannon Reddaway

November

Twilight Racing – October 30^th sees the start of the sailing season that will continue till March. You can join the Pilgrim Sailing crew on a beautiful yacht and help sail the boat or just sit back and enjoy. You will get sailings instructions if you want to get involved but the crew will try and win the race. Races are held on Wednesday and Friday nights. Book in advance.

Sydney Open – this November the 1^st, presented by Sydney Living Museums, this event gives visitors the chance to see some of the city’s best heritage, architecture and urban design. This year, the focus will be on buildings across the CBD, Ultimo and Chippendale.

Chinatown Night Market – going on from mid September to January, every Friday night as part of Good Food Month, take a moonlit walk among food stalls and lanterns along Little Eat Street and enjoy the flavors, from Hong Kong to Hanoi, with yum cha, tepanyaki, takoyaki, sushi, Sichuan, pho and more!

Springtime is here, the buzz is on, get out and enjoy all the wonders this amazing city has ready for you!