Looking Back on my Year of Travel - From Bali to Melbourne, Boracay to the Greek Islands, London to New York City

Sunset in Seminyak, Bali

On my 24^th birthday last year I was standing on a beach in Seminyak, Bali when I made the monumental decision to move to London. It was something that I’ve always dreamed about – travelling around Europe, working overseas and making the most out of life. It was finally time to get out of my comfort zone and actually do it!

The London dream is shared by thousands of twentysomething girls. So I admit I don’t feel like I’m unique, as I am but just another girl working in Central London catching the Tube each day. Yet I still feel a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes I feel like pinching myself – that I actually moved all the way across the world with nothing but a 12 kilogram backpack!

A Western Australian sunset at Cottesloe Beach

A Melbournian start to 2010

Soaking my feet in Torquay, Victoria

I started the year in Melbourne, devouring a book about living and working in the UK whilst enjoying balmy summer evenings. I went jogging with my brother in the Royal Botanical Gardens, walked along the beach in St Kilda and spent quality time with my best friend drinking cocktails in secret laneway bars and having high tea.

A Filipino Getaway

Boracay's White Beach

Pagsanjan Falls

In April I embarked on, and survived, a group holiday to the Philippines. I was astounded by the beauty of Boracay – the white beaches with sand so fine that it’s used for day spa treatments, the fresh value for money seafood and crazy beach bars. Most of all, I was humbled by the generosity of my friends and their family in Manila.

Once my UK work visa came through and I quit my job there was no looking back! 

A European summer

Falling in love with Santorini

Octopus handing to dry in Paros

I’ve always wanted to ‘summer in Europe’. Landing in sticky, hot Athens the weather didn’t disappoint my travel buddy Kassie and I. We sailed around the Greek Islands, enjoying beautiful sunsets in Santorini and even hiked up the volcano. On the Amalfi coast we ate spoonfuls of gelato every day and then ventured to Rome to be immersed in history in the hidden churches discovering Michelangelo in the unlikeliest places. Paris meant plenty of macarons, an escape to Disneyland before we relaxed in Nice and gambled some Euros in Monaco. 

Sacre Coeur in Paris

Capri, Italy

Then I sailed the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia on a 7 day cruise. The scenery in Croatia is simply stunning – untouched national parks, pristine beaches and imposing mountains. My biggest feat was climbing to the top of a 16^th Century pirate fortress!

London -  a home away from home?

Serpentine bridge in Hyde Park

In London the holiday was officially over. I needed to get a flat and a job asap. In four weeks I traipsed all over London looking at 10 flats, meeting with recruiters and interviewing for jobs. How would you describe yourself in one word? Exhausted!

Time escapes you when you’re endlessly hunting and by sheer chance I ended up living in a hostel run by nuns. Despite the weekday lock out by 11pm it was the best experience of my life! It’s here where I met my ‘London family’. Having a support network is the most important thing you need when you arrive in a big city. Even though you never know who’s going to stay in London as the hellos and goodbyes are always constant, my friends ground me when the grey skies and cold causes bouts of homesickness.

Weekends away in the UK

It's exciting to be able to escape London for the weekend. I visited Edinburgh and was charmed by the amazing B&B we stayed at and then also drove around Inverness in one day! In Bath, I channeled Elizabeth Bennett and went to the thermae spa, browsed the charming Christmas markets and enjoyed eating a cinnamon butter Sally Lunn bun.

View from Edinburgh Castle

Bath Abbey at nightfall

I’m ending this year on a high in NYC with my brother Ryan – I survived my first blizzard and am looking forward to seeing the ball drop. 

This year has been a tough, challenging, emotional roller coaster. Travelling is always about big highs and lows. My biggest high this year is waking up every day in a new city, feeling like my next adventure in 2011 is just around the corner. 

Wanderlust Wednesday - Deep Fried Sushi in Manila

Deep fried beef sushi with egg drizzled in roe and mayonnaise. 


Julie introduced me to this dish at Haiku Japanese restaurant at Greenbelt 3 in Makati. The tender beef was offset by the crunchiness of the battered seaweed. Very tasty and moorish, even better when accompanied by a mango daiquiri for only 185 php.


This is a very Filipino take on Japanese as I've never encountered deep fried sushi in Japan (or back home for that matter)! Nevertheless it was the stand out dish out of all the food I tasted in the Philippines.

Exploring Intramutros, Manila

Still on the search for a real piece of Manila, on my very last day in the Philippines I visited Intramutros. Intramutros translates to "within the walls" -  the oldest part of Manila is enclosed by the walls of the original fortress built by the Spanish in the 16th Century.


Before we even entered the gates though we were swarmed by hawkers selling hats and sunglasses. Two straw woven hats and one pair of sunnies later, we embarked on a horse drawn carriage tour of the historical area.


For some reason I originally thought Intramutros was a small town, like a park you could stroll around. There's a reason why we took the carriage ride! Intramutros is actually the fifth district of Manila, over half a square kilometre and features many schools and universities.


The original political, military and religious hub of the city, Intramutros is a well-preserved area thanks to the restoration after WWII. There's no Jollibee or Starbucks visible in sight. Buildings in the area have a distinctive Spanish influence. Some of the walls of the fortified compound contain bulletholes. 

The tour takes you to the oldest churches in the city. San Agustin Church was built in 1571. The Church has massive wooden doors featuring intricate carvings. Hawkers of a different kind ran up to our carriage selling rosaries and bracelets. I bought three beautiful blessed bracelets for 100 php.


Manila Cathedral is the largest church in the city. Inside Catholics celebrated mass, reading prayers that echoed down the church. A statue of La Pieta, one of the 11 authorized replicas in the world, features inside the cathedral.

My friends were most impressed by the tour guide who knew almost everything about Manila's past. Our guide spoke rather passionately about General Douglas McArthur and the American influence which saw the original moats outside Intramutros transformed into a golf course.

Intramutros offers a different side to Manila, outside of the shopping malls. Just a warning though to watch your belongings in Intramutros. Be street smart and hold onto your bags and cameras.

Intramutros entry fee 75 php per person

Tour 250 php per person

Wanderlust Wednesday - Taal Volcano, Philippines

Taal Volcano. Situated in the caldera of Lake Taal this active volcano is about 50 km from Manila. The last major eruption was in 1977. Occasionally showing signs of life, on some days the sulphuric smell is toxic.

This photo was taken on a non-toxic day from Josephine's Restaurant which has breathtaking views over Lake Taal.

24 Hours In Manila

Before I landed in Manila I met two native Filippinos on my Perth to Manila via Brunei flights. One gentleman told me he was going on a tour of churches and quietly read his bible throughout the flight. My second seat companion hailed from London, narrowly missed the volcanic ash chaos and warned me to be careful, watch my drinks in bars and "not get too much drunk."

First Impressions

Manila is a sprawling city. It's so separate and distinctive from one area to the next. The traffic is utterly crazy. Cars pull out in front of each other constantly and traffic lights are a suggestion. In this game of friendly on road co-operation - I didn't see one accident - it can take 45 minutes to get from an adjacent suburb to the next. No wonder there are hawkers weaving in and out of cars selling everything from bottled water to fishing rods.

For some reason, I found it difficult to get my bearings in the city. I couldn't pin point one exact main street or landmark. Maybe this was because I was travelling in taxis from one place to another and the roads felt like a blur. Maybe it was we were staying in Makati which is a gentrified urban area and financial district - almost a city itself. Maybe it was because I didn't organise any transportation.

Nevertheless if you only had 24 hours in Manila, I recommend doing the following three things:

1. Eat a buffet dinner

My dinner plated up

Halo-halo with strawberry ice-cream

Julie playing a game called Sungka

Filipinos love to "eat and talk" at the same time. Buffets let you socialise and eat as much as you want. At the Lola Maria Restaurant the buffet featured Filipino foods like chicken adobo, deep-fried seaweed, barbecued seafood and smoked tuna belly and DIY halo-halo for dessert. I was intrigued by the seaweed with little "grapes" which were salty and burst in your mouth as you crunched through the leaves.

2. Shop at least one mega mall

Pace yourself in Manila, shopaholics. There are a lot of shopping centres in Manila like Greenbelt, Rockwell and the infamous Mall of Asia - which I'll go into more detail about in another post. If you were pressed for time and on a tight budget, I'd have to recommend visiting the department store Landmark for its crazily cheap prices. I picked up a bikini for $15, a headband for $2 and socks for 50c AUD.

3. Have a night out at The Fort

Street performers at an outdoor festival

Myself and Julie posing in front of an outdoor art exhibition

A Saturday night must start, though not necessarily end, at the Fort in Bonifacio. A hub of nightlife, the area is full of restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The nightclubs may even have heavily made-up lady-men hostesses who hand out business cards stating they are a Broker/Realtor/Actress. Seriously.

Pork sisig - normal meat, no pig's liver

Pier One is a themed bar set on the high seas. Wait staff are dressed in sailor outfits, signal them with an ahoy there if you dare and order cocktails for around $4 AUD. Bar foods like sisig (of the non-mystery meat variety) are a great accompaniment if on the off chance you're still hungry after a buffet dinner!

Lychee Martinis with four lychees!

Once you're ready to hit the dance floor head to Encore. This is quite possibly the nicest nightclub I've ever been to in a long time. Chandeliers hang down over the stairwell as you strut upstairs into the main third floor area. The DJ pumps out a heady mix of old school RnB and new hits whilst the dancefloor is shoulder-to-shoulder with the trendy 20-something set.

A private booth at Encore will set you back 1,000 peso per head or roughly $25 AUD inclusive of all food and drinks so keep them coming. The only downside is that patrons still smoke inside the clubs.

Once you're all danced out, jump into a cab back to your hotel. If the song playing on the radio is "It's Time To Go Home Now" you know you've had a great night.