I climbed up the steep grassy Fantail Bay track until I was out of breath and my legs were protesting. But I kept going, thinking that the view from the top would be the perfect reward for this short but punishing climb. Then I reached the end of the track. In a forest. With no view. But the Fantail Bay Track redeemed itself once I turned around and went back the way I’d come.
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‘But what are you going to DO here all day?’ the guy asked, and I looked at him like he was crazy. It pisses me off when people say there’s nothing to do in a place. Of course there are things to do, you just have to find them. In fact, I see it as a personal challenge! So here’s my massive list of suggestions for finding things to do when you think there’s nothing to do!
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I waited politely, until the food was served to everyone, the introductions were done and the chef had told us exactly what we were about to eat. I even waited until we’d all taken our pictures. And then I lifted the Bao Chicka Bao Bao to my mouth and took a bite. And wow. I knew immediately that I would be dreaming of this food for years to come.
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Do you want a great day trip out of Coromandel Town? The Matamataharakeke Track only takes about three hours, going along a stream through the forest, a walk up a ridge with views across to Kennedy Bay and out to Waikawau Bay, a great lookout point that’s perfect for a picnic, and then a descent back to Waikawau Bay with more stunning scenery.
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You may have noticed that a couple of months ago I was making some noise on my blog and various social media channels about a big announcement coming up. Then I went eerily silent about it, because for various reasons I was still uncertain I was actually going. But now it’s time to announce it: Jenny Far Away is moving to Oman!
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The city of Zìgòng, with its measly 1.2 million people, is not a well known city in China. But tucked away into a corner of Southern Sichuan province, it’s not difficult to get to and quietly but proudly displays its history for the few visitors who venture in this direction. Did I mention that there are DINOSAURS?
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I did the tourist thing in Hpa-An. I took a boat across the river and climbed a big hill to watch the sunset. I took a day trip around to all the cave temples and karst scenery. I visited a popular swimming hole. And when I’d done all that? I wandered. Beyond the market, towards the river, I followed a road down a slight hill, into an area remarkably different from the rest of town.
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Onawe Peninsula juts out into Akaroa Harbour like an elongated pyramid, connected to the mainland only by a thin ridge reminiscent of a dragon’s spiny backbone. A walk on this old Maori pa site is a lovely way to spend an afternoon, basking in the sun and watching people fish from the nearby beach.
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“Eeet’s mees-teee,’ Maria says, “Eeet’s coooo.” She flashes a huge grin when I say yes, it’s misty and cool. We are talking about the top of the mountain, while we are waiting at the bottom of it for our ride. Here it is definitely neither misty nor cool, and the four of us have been loitering here for an hour already. There is no sign of any bus, but I am having a great time.
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It was pretty hard to get up. Why would I even want to? Sitting on the pure white sand with my legs stretched out before me, facing the ultra-clear blue water of Dead Man Beach and basking in the warm sunshine, I was very content.. Why move? But I had to, because as glorious as that was, I still had a walk to finish by the end of the day, and I had no idea how much further I needed to go.
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