Travel Recs

So it's been a while since my last update, but I was at dinner with some friends earlier and we were talking about traveling. So, I decided to write up a little thing on places I have been that I recommend checking out if you get the chance this includes areas, attractions, and accommodations. These are some of my favorite places and places I consider unique and why I think they're good. Basically, you'll have a hard time find a place similar to these so they're worth checking out. I'd def go back again. Mind you these aren't all the places I like just the more unique ones.

First Australia:

Lake McKenzie on Fraser Island in Australia- Absolutely amazing water. Fraser island is the worlds largest sand island and Lake McKenzie is a freshwater lake with crystal clear water in the middle of a rainforest like area. Kinda out of the way it is well worth a visit. Truly beautiful. Plus, dingos are running around the island, just don't let your baby get eaten!

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary- Lovely little place. Far less zoo like as the animals seem to be generally a lot more free and in open air places. You can feed wallabie and kangaroos, pretend to ride a emu, and get your picture taken with a koala. I like the pictures here better b/c the background isn't fake nature it's real nature. The prices for the pictures weren't bad either. It's a little out of the way but a great place to check out some of Australia's animals.

Vic Hall- A hostel in Melbourne located right across the street from the Old Melbourne Gaol. It was a hostel with good prices and a really neat modern style. If you're looking for a nice cheap place I would check it out. Has a movie theater and everything.

On to New Zealand:

Christchurch, New Zealand- This is such a cute town with such a unique feel to it. Stayed at the only hostel there which was a house they turned into a hostel. Cute place. There's a lot of neat ways to see the South Island that are within a day's trip distance of Christchurch (i.e. Kaikoura, Mt. Hutt, and Hanmer Springs). If you get a chance take the gondola up the mountains just outside downtown Christchurch and bike your way back down instead of taking the gondola back down. Really a lovely place.

As for China:

Qinqdao Old Observatory Youth Hostel- They turned an old observatory located at the top of a mountain in a park into a hostel. They open up the observatory occasionally. It's a little out of the way but it's an easy walk down to the beach and whatnot. Def a neat place to stay if you're into such things.

Yellow Mountain- I've been to mountains, I've climbed/hike mountains, but I have certainly never climbed another mountain like the yellow mountain. If you have it in you climb up and down as it's not quite the same if you take the cable car. Mind you only do this if you are in good shape for it is definitely no easy task and if you do climb don't bring too much stuff with you especially heavy stuff. It is amazing to see the mountain and fog, but even more amazing is to watch the locals climb the mountain with loads of stuff (sometimes even a person). Everything used on the mountain top (which has only 1 hotel I believe) has to be carried up and all the waste carried back down. You can pay people to carry you up and down in basically a bamboo chair tied to 2 bamboo sticks but it just seems cruel. Definitely wake up early and catch the sunrise it's absolutely beautiful. If you want a one of a kind mountain climbing experience you'll def get it at Yellow Mountain.

Baotou, Inner Mongolia- Not only are the grasslands and sand dunes beautiful seeing the culture and history is amazing. They've managed to preserve a lot of the culture and it is really cool. Not to mention the sand dunes are a lot of fun and come on camels are just hilarious creatures.

Jiuzhaigou National Park- Getting here is a trip. The downside is it's very crowded and touristy but it was really beautiful and if you take a walk in a part with few people it can be very serene. The hostel we stayed at was actually a hotel w/ part set up like a hostel. Seriously, rough trip getting there, but made for part of the experience and definitely worth it.

Dragon Town Hostel in Chengdu- They kept a lot of the style of old Chinese housing with which was really neat. The restaurant in the hostel was pretty good and served western style food, but the restaurant right next door outside was such a neat little hole in the wall. Amazing beer shrimp and just a cute little design and cool chill place. The hostel is down an alley type street which was kinda neat and had a lot of local stuff going on.

Yellow Flower section of the Great Wall- This is only on here because this is where we were able to camp out on the Great Wall. Organizing and pulling this off was no easy task, but not gonna lie being able to say you slept on the Great Wall...just can't beat it. Keep in mind this is technically illegal...

So, these are some of the places I've been that I suggest checking out if you get the chance. This is by means not even close to the list of places I love but yeah just a short list to share some awesome traveling stuff.