Category: Come Travel with Me

My week in Vietnam came to an end, and I jetted off to Bangkok to meet my travel group for the next two weeks. However, before I met up with my group I had four days alone in the city. I had never really travelled alone before like this, as in the past I may travel alone but stay with friends or family. In this case, I was in a hotel completely on my own in a city I had never been to before.

As I am a small female traveller, I am unsurprisingly cautious about where I go on my own and the types of activities I get involved in. My hotel was luckily just a short walk from a bunch of historical and cultural sites, so traveling was not much of an issue. I played it safe and did not go far for dinners and meals, I went to restaurants near the hotel and did not go out to the bars. While I may not have had the most lively time during those four days, I felt better that I was playing it safe. I would recommend any solo female traveller to do similarly.

Now, done with all that, on to talking about how cool Bangkok is! I went to the Grand Palace and Golden Reclining Buddha. The Grand Palace was one of the most beautiful places I have been to, as every building was decadently decorated with gold leaf and jewel-toned glass. Every inch of the buildings and statues had decorations thoughtfully planned out and maintained. The Golden Reclining Buddha was also insanely big. I have seen pictures but I did not fully comprehend its massive size until I was standing next to it. I will be uploading a vlog of my time at the Palace and Buddha, as I do not feel my descriptions can do them justice!

See you in Chang Mai!

It has always been a dream of mine to go to Ha Long Bay. I have seen the islands in photos and movies, and I have always thought it was the most beautiful place. Thankfully I got the opportunity to go there and I must say it is even better in person! I got to stay in a homestay through Airbnb which had a lovely view of the islands and water, with hosts that cooked us breakfasts in the morning and gave us great tips on where to go and what to see.

One of the tips she gave us was for a day long boat cruise around the islands, which included free lunch, kayaking, a cave walk, and time to relax at a beach. This was probably the best way to explore Ha Long Bay because we had a guide who could show us places to visit, while also being very knowledgeable and generous.

We were able to kayak through a cave into a lagoon, where we paddled around for around half an hour, seeing the cool inlets and relaxing environment the islands had to offer. The cave walk also showed us another side of the islands, namely the inside! The large open caverns had stalactites and stalagmites, and other interesting rock formations. The beach was busy, as I do not think there are many beaches tourists are allowed to go to on the islands, so many people were here. However, it was a great time to relax and soak up some sun.

I am so glad to have checked Ha Long Bay off on my list of places I have always wanted to travel to. It was beautiful and more amazing than I could ever have imagined. I would definitely recommend it to anyone wishing to travel to SE Asia, it is a must.

Next stop, Bangkok!

Exams have finished and my semester at the University of Melbourne is over, but I’m not going home yet! I am traveling for the whole month of July around SE Asia and some of Australia. My first stop: Vietnam.

I flew from Melbourne to Hanoi, Vietnam (with a stop in Hong Kong for two hours), which was a surprisingly long journey. I figured that SE Asia would be a much shorter flight because Australia is nearby, but the whole journey including the layover was fourteen hours! Anyway, I made it through the flight then I caught a taxi to my Airbnb in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. I stayed there from a recommendation of a mutual friend who lives in Hanoi, as she recommended it was a fun area with lots to do. I would agree with her on that! The Old Quarter was full of activity, like shopping and food and cultural sites.

On the first day me and my friend, Linds, walked to Hoan Kiem Lake. We had a beautiful stroll around the lake once there, and looked out on the Turtle Tower, a tiny building on a tiny island in the lake.

We went to a street food location our friend recommended which was amazing, but difficult to navigate. Nothing was in English and none of the owner spoke English, which of course is completely fair since we were in their country. So we just sort of nodded and let her bring us whatever it was they were making. Turns out we got some noodles, pork, and tofu, all with this Vietnamese dipping sauce which every food location seemed to offer. Seeing as I was trying to hold on to my vegan diet for a little longer, I had the tofu and Linds had the pork. It was a great meal and very cheap! Later that evening we went out to a hotel with a restaurant and rooftop bar for a beautiful view and high quality food, still for an amazingly cheap price.

For the next few days we took a detour to Halong Bay, but more on that soon.

Once back in Hanoi, it was time to go shopping. We found a street which was full of stores with fake designer clothing, bags, and shoes. I could buy a Chanel dress for $50! It was so interesting to see all the fakes and Asian fashion, which I love. They are very much into simplicity, long and flowy clothing, and great shoes. One thing I noticed about the Vietnamese women is that many of them had really cool shoes on, something which I can definitely get on board with.

Next stop was the spa. Now this was one a highlight of the trip. Linds and I got a traditional Vietnamese massage, and it felt so good! The masseuse got all the knots out of my back and cracked my joints in all the right places. it was 90 minutes of pure heaven and relaxation. There were so many spas around Hanoi, I would definitely recommend visiting one if you are ever in the area.

One of Linds’ goals for the trip was to buy a tailored suit. We found a place called Veston Hu’ong and Linds got measured for a navy blue silk suit, which we were to pick up in a few days. The suit overall cost about $300, which according to Linds was an amazing deal for the quality. So for all the men out there, go get a suit in Vietnam!

Lastly we saw a Water Puppet show, which is a traditional Vietnamese art form where artists portray scenes through puppets which seem to be floating on water. We saw stories about Vietnamese legends and myths, what life was like for Vietnamese farmers, and dances of the four sacred animals: phoenix, dragon, unicorn, and turtle. The puppets were beautifully crafted and the musicians on stage were incredibly talented. Definitely a must-see when in Vietnam.

Finally, my favorite part about Hanoi was the nightlife. Walking around the alleys and streets in the Old Quarter at night, we were exposed to the bustling and busy nightlife Hanoi has to offer. Certain streets were closed off to cars and motorbikes, so restaurants had set up tables on to the street, leaving only a tiny path for people to walk by. There were bars, clubs, restaurants, all offering a social space to have a great night out with a large group of friends. I could imagine myself going out and having a fun night, then ending up at one of these restaurants eating some good food with friends to wind down the night. Everyone and anyone was there: tourists, locals, vendors, and my favorite were these beautiful women who must have been hired to wear these small dresses with logos of beers or other brands on them. That is some slick walking advertising there!

We had to leave Hanoi behind, but now on to the next stop, Bangkok, Thailand!

It’s that time of year! I am about to start my last week of classes and then I will have a SWOTVAC period (like a reading week) and then commence my three-week exam period. For two of my classes I have a final essay, and for my other two I have sit-down exams. Luckily they are spaced out pretty evenly across the exam period so I do not think I will have to be cramming too much.

However, I am the queen of procrastination so there is a high chance that will still happen.

Seeing as the last week of classes is approaching, it is starting to sink in that I am leaving Australia soon. Besides from fear of becoming a senior and generally having to start figuring out what I want to do for the rest of my life, I am sad because I don’t want to leave Melbourne! Melbourne is by far my favorite city I’ve ever lived in, and I would love to stay here forever. I’ve met amazing people and genuinely have had the best semester of my life over here. But instead of mulling over how time is running out, I want to take advantage of the time I have left and have some remaining memorable experiences, like visiting Uluru, seeing the Great Barrier Reef, and exploring more of the city.

Yesterday I went to the Royal Botanical Gardens and had a great day out with some friends. I rediscovered my love for palm trees, and saw some amazing flowers and plants. More importantly, I found a fast food place called Lord of the Fries which serves 100% vegan food, including vegan burgers, chicken, and sauces. Ideal for the sometimes-cheating-fake-fegan vegan! Only kidding, but finding a place like Lord of the Fries really makes me love living in a city, because there are so many more food options for my lifestyle. Got to love Clinton and New Hartford, but almost everything is covered in some sort of cheese!

for my Easter break I went to Bali to visit a friend studying there, and so I will  have some videos up of my time there, as soon as I can figure out why they are not uploading properly.

See you soon!

Let me start this blog by saying there is a lot of time to relax here. For reference I just submitted my first assignment after five weeks of the semester.  Not too much of my time is taken up by studying! Consequently, I have found time to discover recreational activities to do in Melbourne.

At the beginning of the semester, I went to the beach a few times. St. Kilda’s beach is in Port Philip Bay and is just a tram ride from my apartment. That was a great place to go relax when the weather got a bit too warm. It has cooled down a bit so the beach is not as much of an option anymore, unfortunately!

On a day where I do not have classes or it is a bit gloomy, there are plenty of places to go shopping. There is everything from big malls to small boutiques to markets stalls. I live near to Queen Victoria’s Market, which is the largest open air market in the southern hemisphere. During the day they have farmer stalls, clothing, and gift items. They also have a night market which has many food stalls and fun activities for people to do. Every Sunday there is also a book market which appeals to the bookworms among us. The Queen Victoria’s Market is a great place to wander around when you have some time with not much to do.

On campus there are so many clubs for anything and everything you can think of. I am a member of a Bhakti Yoga club which holds a AU$2 yoga session every week! Yoga is a great way to get some exercise and relax your body, so to get it at such a cheap price is such a great deal.

Lastly, this past weekend I was lucky enough to go to the Peninsula Hot Springs just south of Melbourne. The Hot Springs are a collection of naturally occurring hot springs from deep underground, along with several saunas and cold plunges. The transition between the cold plunge and the hot spring is something that truly has to be experienced first hand. I felt so relaxed! My favorite room was the ice room, which is just as it sounds, a super cold room. We went in with just our swimwear on and completely froze, then we ran into a hot spring. It really brought me back to Winter at Hamilton! There are supposedly many health benefits to bathing in the hot springs as the water is full of naturally occurring minerals, so hopefully I got some of those benefits too!

Although I am in a busy city, there are many places and ways to relax and refresh yourself. Just one of the many amazing things about Melbourne!

It has been a while! I am about a month into my time in Melbourne (and I know this because I had to update my phone plan for the next month!), and I am loving it here. I am settled into my housing, my classes, and general life here in Melbourne. After finishing my orientation with Arcadia in Sydney, we flew down to Melbourne and moved into our apartments. I am living in a place called Student Village which is apartment style housing. I have my own room, a common room, and my three other roommates have their own rooms too. I have a kitchen and living room area.

I am going to be very honest here, I lived in Babbitt last semester, and this place is way better. The building is new so there are modern facilities, light and airy rooms, and the front desk is extremely helpful. We have our own pool, gym, and two common areas with games and places to relax. You can borrow anything from the front desk, from board games to vacuums! The only downside is the laundry. It costs AU$4 to wash and AU$3 to dry. Highway robbery!

It is also a very independent environment. There are RA’s who have events and activities to do, but they are completely optional, which is perfect for me. I am one of those types of people who do not care for those kinds of things. Not that no one should like them, but I definitely like a more independent lifestyle. I have friends who live in one of the colleges, called University College, and they had a whole orientation week with activities planned for them 24/7 which they had to go to. It sounds like they had a lot of fun, and it was a great way for them to meet people in their building, but I know I would not have gotten as much out of it as they did. Nevertheless, I love that there are options for housing for different types of people like me and my friends.

Moving on to classes… which are awesome! I am in four classes: The Underworld and the Afterlife, The Age of Alexander the Great, Marine Environments, and Genetics in the Media. As I am a Classical studies major I wanted to take some courses here that would fulfill some of my requirements, and I am also pre-med and a Biology minor, so I wanted to take some relevant courses for that too. I think I found a great mix of classes which are intellectually stimulating, but also not too tough and give me time to explore the city! The class system is different here, as the University of Melbourne is such a big place, that many fo the classes are in lecture format, and the teachers record each class and put it on Blackboard afterwards, in case you miss class or want to look back on what happened on a certain day.

Overall this city is amazing and I am so happy I chose to come here. It is a beautiful city with so much to discover. The University of Melbourne is also a great place to be too.

Next post I’ll let you know about some of the adventures I have been going on in the surrounding area!

The journey from New Jersey to Australia is a long one. If I did it in one trip, I would be on a plane for about 20 hours. Luckily, my sister just moved out to LA so I decided I would split up the trip and stay in LA a few days before I flew over the Pacific. When I stepped in the airport in Newark, NJ, I felt a wave of happiness come over me – I finally could get out of NJ! I had a long winter break, from early December to mid-February and I was ready to get out of there. Even though LA was only a stop along the way to my final destination, I was ecstatic. I had never been to LA before and it is an amazing place. My sister, Lizi, took me to swanky restaurants (one was even free because her friend knew the owner!) and showed me notable places around LA. We went on a hike in Runyon Canyon where I could see LA stretching for miles, and even the Hollywood sign! It was such a nice break from NJ, even if it was raining the whole time! Here is a video I took at Venice Beach.

Finally, it was time to take the next step in my journey and fly to Sydney, Australia. Meghan, who joined me midway through in LA, and I went to LAX and got our 14 hour 55 min plane to Sydney, which was delayed by 40 mins. That was no issue to us, however, because we like to joke about our anxious parents who get to airports five hours in advance instead of two! We were much more relaxed than they would have been. The night before was Valentines Day, and Lizi had invited some friends over to celebrate. Meghan and I met this couple who were from Australia and had lived in Melbourne. They told us some tips on dealing with the flight and jetlag. They told us to stay up late the night before the flight, then sleep in that morning, and then once on the plane (we had a flight at 10pm), watch two movies and then go to sleep for the rest of the time. Meghan and I tried to follow their instructions, and it actually worked! Somehow, we were able to sleep through most of the plane journey, so it was a piece of cake. When I woke up we had 4 hours to go on the flight, so I watched some more movies and watched us fly over Sydney.

We landed around 9am in Sydney, and had a full day ahead of us. We decided to travel a few days early so we could experience Sydney on our own before we went to our orientation. We are staying in an Airbnb near Coogee Beach (pronounced Cugi!) so we decided to do the coastal walk from Coogee to Bondi Beach. It was a long walk, but worth it as the views and sights were amazing. We had lunch and sunbathed at Bondi Beach and then made the walk back to Coogee. Back at Coogee we jumped in the ocean, (which was surprisingly cold!) and cooled ourselves down after the long walk in 80+ degrees!

That night we had some Thai food (Australia pad thai count: 1) and went back to our room aiming to nap and then watch the sunset, but ended up falling asleep at 8pm! We were exhausted from jetlag and our long walk. I have just woken up at 8am and we are planning the rest of our day!

I’ll let you know what we get up to!