Qype: The Slug And Lettuce in London

London – Pubs & Bars – Pubs

I have no loyalties to any chain bars. Generally I hate the idea of same same experience in different places. That’s why Nando’s shouldn’t be on church st.
But I can’t dislike a place just because it’s a part of a chain, and I admit to having had at least two great nights in this pub. It happens that one was a work party and everything was free and the other would probably have been a great night anyway given the company.
Actually I was in Timeout magazine for the first one – very drunk.
Anyway it’s a little like a McDonalds in China this place, a comforting bit of ordinary in exotic surrounds. Standard beer, food etc. The downstairs room is an excellent place for functions. If you had a free slug voucher then I would spend it here.
Check out my review of The Slug And Lettuce – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Pin Oak ct (Ramsey St) in Melbourne

Melbourne

You can give it one star of 5 depending if you like that kind of thing. This is where Neighbours is filmed – at least the street shots. I grew up about two streets across and my friend Ben used to live in Mrs Mangels house.
You can get here easiest by catching the train to Glen Waverley station and then getting a bus or walking down Springvale rd.
Honestly I don’t know what kind of weirdo would want to do that – although we did use to get a few tourists on our school bus and yes, they were all English.
Check out my review of Pin Oak ct (Ramsey St) – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Melbourne airport in Melbourne

Melbourne

Kind of a sentimental place. When the customs guy says to you “Welcome Back!” rather than “So why do you want to come the UK? Sorry this visa isn’t valid, you’ll just have to wait over there, I don’t care if you need the toilet, DON’T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT SIR!”

Really a good airport though. I’ve never had a delay, there is excellent shopping, toilet, eating, drinking facilities. The customs people are thourough, friendly and have cute little dogs.

Unfortunately it’s not connected by rail to Melbourne yet. That’s a bummer and it’s planned to happen but might be a few years off yet. The bus is ok. Takes about twenty minutes or so and costs about eight pound. Bit pricey really.
Lot’s of parking however, and as all Australians are born with at least one car each, this is how we normally get to and from the place.
Check out my review of Melbourne airport – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Siwa in Cairo

Cairo

Egypt is many things in the imagination. Not least amongst the younger genreations a place with great nightlife and beaches.
For me though, more than the pyramids even, Egypt is tiny patches of life thriving out in the desert. The Oasis.
The most far out and exotic Oasis I visited, and I think I’ve visited most of them, is Siwa on the Lybian border.
I arrived here late at night after a long bus ride and was greated by boys driving taxi carts pulled by donkeys that drove us around a town lit with candle lanterns. I kid you not. It was during a power failure and their are normal cars and the donkey thing is mostly for tourists – but it set the magical mood.
The oasis is large and contains the usual date palms, pools of water and mud clad flat roofed houses. There were no banks though, no big hotels and no alcohol. The form of religion practiced ensured that women were completely covered – even their faces when in public.
Just walking around and experiencing the place is adventure enough, but the truely exciting thing to do is to head out into the local desert on an overnight safari.
I have never felt so “out there” as I did on the evening I did that. (because we got left “out there” but thats a different story)
Check out my review of Siwa – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Docklands Stadium in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne’s second AFL stadium and it’s only purpose built one. It has a very different atmosphere to the MCG.
It’s all new and clean and shiny and a little bit more clinical. Having said that it has a retractable roof which, when closed, makes all the sound reverberate. Imagine 50,000 mad and drunk Australians yelling at the tops of their voices in a closed room?
Also because it’s smaller and the seats are designed well and steep, you can see the action very well form all vantage points.
Beer and pies are a bit more expesive than the G and so is entry, but I admit that I do enjoy watching games here.
Oh and they have concerts and other shows like soccer as well but I don’t bother with that.
Check out my review of Docklands Stadium – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: The Good Mixer in London

London

I feel like I must be spelling this place wrong or something cause I can’t believe I’m the first to review it. This place is an institution (I don’t know what that means – but people say it about popular places – a menal insitution – the mechanics institution? weird complimentative adjective..)
It’s a cool place. Lot’s and Lot’s of weird people, and not the pretend weird tourist types on the high st but the proper camden weirdos that create the scene that brings the tourists in the first place.
It sells beer, has live bands and a pool table. It has a real atmosphere that you will probably love or be totally repulsed by. I quite like it.
Check out my review of The Good Mixer – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Queen Charlotte Track in Christchurch

Christchurch

This is not only one of the worlds great walks in one of the worlds most beautiful locations, but it is also one of the most fun, best organised and best serviced.
What happens is that you get dropped out by boat to the end of the walk, or as far as you want to go, along a hilly peninsula. You then make your way back to the town of Picton, taking as long as you want, but generally up to about 6 days.
The walk is a constant series of up downs hills that provide ulternatively spectacular views or access to the beach.
What makes it even better is that at least twice a day you will walk past a pub. These have beach access and accomodation.
I walked the whole path but many people just walk little sections and spend time relaxing along the way. They will even take your bag to the next campsite so that you can walk along unencumbered.
Awsome place.
Check out my review of Queen Charlotte Track – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Frankston in Melbourne

Melbourne

If this place was in Europe, let alone London, it would be millionairs all the way. As it is you could buy a huge three bed house here for less than 100,000 pounds and be right on the beach and in the city.
It has definately the pretiest bay beach in Melbourne. Gorgeous yellow sand, clear and clean water, jetties extending hundreds of metres out to sea and boats sailing past. Beautiful!
Plus it’s in town. If Frankston was considered a seperate city, which it is not, it would be the second biggest in Victoria.
It’s a thriving place and only 40 minutes drive to the centre of Melbourne.
So what’s wrong with it?
It has a reputation for being filled with drug addicts and chav’s. Unemployed people and bogans.
The reality is very different to this reputation. Frankston High school has a great scholastic and sporting reputation. There is a thriving arts community. There is an enormous amount of new development and new opportunity.
Frankston is not included in the Lonely Planet guide book at all (for this snobby reason) and is almost never visited by tourists.
Cheap, beautiful and exciting. Check it out!
Check out my review of Frankston – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Bells Beach in geelong

geelong

A lovely right hander that can be surfed from half a metre to over three metres. The waves rap atmospherically around a sandy cliff. The point of the reef extended out from the cliff providing the take off point.
Rides are long and workable, very enjoyable when smaller on a long board.
In front is a typically beautiful sandy beach overlooked by native coastel bush, especially coastal Banksia trees.
It’s only about an hour and 20 mins from the centre of melbourne or a half hour from Geelong, so well worth a visit. If it’s not working then there are plenty of other waves nearby that might be.
Best surfers in the world compete here every Easter and it’s refered to by Keanau Reeves in Point Break.
Check out my review of Bells Beach – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Mt Buffalo National Park in Melbourne

Melbourne

You won’t find this place on any films about Australia. You probably wouldn’t see it in a tourist brochure either. There are no crocodiles or beaches. But this national park is the most beautiful place in Australia.
The camp ground is open in the summer months but you often need to book ahead as it’s so popular.
The place is alpine, so when it’s 40 degrees at the bottom of the mountain it’s a comfortable 30 up here.
All kinds of activities are encouraged but the rock climbing and Hang Gliding stand apart as perhaps one of the best locations for these in Australia.
A bit hard to get to by public transport but if you make it up here you’ll be glad you did.
Check out my review of Mt Buffalo National Park – I am gotiges7 – on Qype