April 2017

The holiday season is fast approaching and you still have got no idea of where to visit? I can suggest one. A place you will burn all your calories in sheer excitement and wonder of the natural yonder. All you need to do is book a flight from Sydney to the distant lands of Bali. It will cost you approximately $498 and take 6hours 16 minutes shortest time. Otherwise if your holidays go for more than a month, you have a variety to choose from many stopovers and cheaper flights but that can take you 32hours. The flights are normally available from 10 am to 9 pm.

A place to spend your night should not be a bother as there are several villas in Bali that offer excellent hospitality services. You can afford as cheap as $49 per night bed and breakfast. Luxury hotels are also available and offer competitive services. You can dine high in these villas thanks to international chefs and go for a relaxing spa thereafter.

Just so you know, once you are Bali, there is a place that is fast rising to be one of the Indonesia’s tourist spot; Seminyak in Bali. It has humongous resort and spa not to mention a wide beach facing stretches of the Indian Ocean. The sleek bars and clubs around are enough to get you partying all night, swim and surf all day and settle in the evening to witness the magical sunset scenes it offers. It has been rated top ten alongside volcano Bali, Tanah lot and Borobudur tourists’ attraction sites. Just a taxi away, Seminyak Bali is the home of the most luxurious resorts, fashion stores, shopping experiences and dining spots. From its humble beginnings as a laidback village few years ago, it has risen to be desired destination backed up by the rich cultural diversity it has being a home of 300 ethnic communities speaking 700 languages.

This is why Seminyak is the most popular attraction site in Bali:

• Private tours – You can decide to grab a cab and go round on an adventure around Seminyak’s surrounding beaches and resorts.

• Cultural tours – Learn about several cultures in Bali, how they relate and their different diversities

• Spas – Apparently, this is the only place you find excellent body massage as low as $20

• Seminyak beach – Walking in the sand, skiing and surfing are major activities you can engage in plus the magnificent sunset viewing

• Gift and specialty shop– To surprise your loved one s and friends when you go back to Sydney

• Sightseeing tours – Oh there are a lot of tourist attractions to see in Seminyak

Ghana is called the Golden Child of West Africa which reflects its significance and stature in the entire Africa. If you decide to become a volunteer in Ghana, expect to experience an unmatched hospitality from the local people. And this requires you to be a sensible and responsible Ghana traveller while doing volunteer works there. Below are the things that you have to remember to avoid any type of unintentional disrespect towards Ghana’s people.

The Do’s

1. Make sure that you exchange items and eat with your right hand. Ghana’s culture consider left hand as the toilet hand and must be avoided when greeting and giving or taking items.
2. Whenever you enter a room, you must always greet people. People in Ghana would expect this and you would not want them to stare at your strangely.
3. Show respect whenever you interact with anyone in the country, particularly the elders.
4. If you are in a rural area, visit the chief of the village. Take you r hat off as you greet the chief and make sure your hands are out of your pockets.

1. Try to learn some greeting phrases or routine words so you can interact and merge with the natives quickly.
2. If you visit somebody’s place, bring a gift because this is a sign of good gesture. Ghanaians love to share.
3. Know that it is a general practice in the country to tip waiters. If you think that waiter gives a good service, leave hip a tip.
4. If visiting a certain event or location, wear property outfit or dress. You can ask your guide or coordinator about this.

The Don’ts

• Photography. Don’t take photos of a person or place without asking consent.
• If you meet the village chief, don’t offer your hand unless he offers his hand first.
• Don’t many any funny or derogatory comments on political or ethnic groups and religion. In fact, do not even think about it if you want to go home safe.
• Expect events in the country to be started out late. Don’t arrive at an event on time unless you have so much time and like to wait for at least an hour. This is called “Africa time.

• Do not waste resources especially water and food. In Ghana, even the smallest things are quite valuable.
• Do not get out of your senses while drinking in a bar in Ghana
• However, things are different in terms of appointment or business meetings. So never be late when you attend any of these.
• When in front of the village chief or the elders. Do not sit with crossed legs. People in Ghana take it as an insult.

Volunteering in this African country is a great opportunity to have an understanding of the local people’s lifestyle and make lifetime friends. Following the basic tips above can help in you making unforgettable memories and ensuring you are safe while volunteering in International Volunteer Program.

People usually find it a little difficult to choose a good restaurant. Of course, the restaurant reviews and word of mouth are really useful. They give you a good idea as to how the restaurant is like, especially from those people who had been to that place several times in the past. But, why can’t one take that risk of going and trying out in a new place each and every time? This may or may not be a great experience depending on the restaurants you are going to.

Trying out new restaurants during free time will be an experience that you will cherish. Restaurant Sinclair is a classic example of how an ideal restaurant should be. Many people prefer this kind of a restaurant.  Of course, a lot of them face major difficulties in choosing the right restaurant and this article is specially written for them.

Here are some factors that you need to consider when choosing a restaurant.

The Location: Look out for a restaurant where you can easily go. When you are looking to have fun, driving long distance can most of the time be a problem. Therefore, go to a restaurant that is pretty close to your residence or well within the city limits. Of course, it’s a different thing altogether if the restaurant is in a hilly region or near a beach. But in general, look out for a restaurant that is not too far away.

The Ambience: At times, the restaurant may actually be nice, but the décor may not be of your preference. Go to that place where you actually enjoy a good atmosphere. If you enjoy music, look out for restaurants that play music; if you like art, then look out for restaurants that have some highly creative work on their walls. Therefore, do some groundwork before you go to a restaurant. Ambience certainly matters.

Great Service: This is one of the most important things that you should expect from any restaurant. Who likes going to a restaurant where they hardly care about you. Look out for reviews or even take the risk of trying out restaurants all by yourself and come up with a list of options that are great when it comes to service. Look for a restaurant where the waiters and managers are really attentive to your needs.

These are some really important factors that you must be considering when you choose a restaurant. Honestly, each one of these can make a huge difference to your dining experience.

When you visit Australia if there’s one thing you want to carefully plan out in advance it is your budget. Make no mistake Australia can be a little bit on the pricier side, and if you aren’t careful you will very quickly go through your budget.

Keeping that in mind, there are 4 items that you should include in your budget and plan in advance before visiting Australia:

• Accommodation

The cost for accommodation can vary quite a lot, but you can expect it to be somewhere in the range of 20 to 40 AUD for a dorm room, 75 to 100  AUD for a private room in a hostel or budget hotel, or about 150 to 200 AUD for a room in a larger hotel chain. Other accommodation types are also available, such as homestays or camping – which you could consider if your budget is tight.

• Meals

Eating out at restaurants can get expensive quickly and you should budget at least 20 to 30 AUD for a meal if you intend to do so. On the other hand if you feel you can get by on fast food and takeout then you may spend about 10 to 15 AUD. Needless to say the cheapest option is to buy your own groceries and cook for yourself.

• Transportation in Australia

Excluding your flight, you’ll need to get around within Australia itself – and your budget will largely depend on whether you’re traveling within a certain area or to other parts of the country. Generally if you’re sticking within a single city you should be able to get by on the local trains and buses which are relatively cheap, but if not you may have to look at renting a vehicle or booking local flights.

• Phone and internet

Assuming you would prefer not to be completely disconnected, you should pick up a prepaid Australian SIM card that will let you make calls and give you access to 4G internet. Prices can range from 10 to 30 AUD, depending on how many minutes and how much data you want.

By taking the time to plan your budget out you should be able to figure out exactly how much you’re going to need and won’t have to worry about spending over your limit. Of course you’ll also want to check whether you require an Australian ETA visa or eVisitor visa, but once you do you should be good to go.