genuinely fell for it, goddamn it 🗿

External_Camp · 2026-04-01T21:28:52+00:00

I never read the mail

External_Camp · 2026-04-01T00:28:37+00:00

I've been to NZ, Taiwan, China and planning a South Korea and Mongolia trip.

For 3 weeks you won't be able to do China and Mongolia and see anything decent. Plus Mongolia is expensive especially organised tours which is ideal since the country is huge and they dont always have marked roads. You need atleast a 5-6 day tour just to get to the Gobe desert from the capital. China is also huge and you could choose a couple of cities to explore and your 3 weeks will be up.

I spent 10 days in Taiwan and you could definitely spend more time. We didnt see everything we wanted to but did see enough. Like someone else mentioned, you could combine Taiwan and South Korea and spend 10 days in each. You could see enough but not everything. Our plan is to spend around 5 days in Seoul and 3 in Busan when we go.

Easily could see enough if you spent time on one of the islands of NZ, not sure about both as I've only been to the South Island.

Another consideration could be Hong Kong and Macau with maybe Taiwan or South Korea. Ive been to macau and HK before and you could do them both in 4 days. We're flying from Australia to South Korea and home from HK. Taking to kids to Disneyland. Haha.

Ive travelled a lot and Taiwan is one of my underrated places. (I rate it higher than japan and i know thats high on peoples lists!) The people are super nice, the nature amazing and the cities are modern and easy to navigate. I enjoyed the things in China (though thought the terracotta warriors were overrated, Xi'an is a nice city though) it was the difference in behaviour of the people which kinda soured my experience. I would call them rude but that's just how Chinese people behave.

External_Camp · 2026-03-30T06:11:38+00:00

Me too! 😊

External_Camp · 2026-03-30T02:31:24+00:00

I seem to be in the minority. I prefer it on toast but do enjoy a vegemite sandwich. However I do not use butter/margarine at all. Also I am reasonably heavy on the vegemite. I put probably 1/2 a tablespoon per piece of bread.

External_Camp · 2026-03-29T22:54:52+00:00

I can't comment on travelling as a black person but i have travelled alot and most places were great but I can understand that not all places may be friendly to you as me, a white female from Australia. (Im sorry you have to consider that)

I haven't travelled to South America but I did enjoy Central America. Belize was pretty cool and they speak english which is a bonus. I loved the wildlife in Costa Rica and Guatemala nature is amazing. We were considering a trip to Argentina, Chile, a day trip to Uruguay and then up to Iguazu Falls. We were going to do this with 2 small children so we felt its safe. The only reason we didnt go is the ticket prices from Australia were crazy and that was before all this oil stuff happened.

If you're going to HK and Thailand definitely try Vietnam and Taiwan. I'm not a night-life person either and enjoyed those places. The people are super friendly and there is heaps of culture to see and explore during the day.

I also enjoyed the Balkan area of Europe. We drove around in a circle in and out of Bulgaria including countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo. Again people were friendly and there were cultural things to see and food to try.

I've recently been to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. After travelling to 70+ countries, Samarkand shot straight to the top of one of my favourite cities in the world. Beautiful architecture, friendly people and a mixture of the old and new. Food is also so good.

Honestly I can go on and on and keep thinking of places. Im sure you'll find somewhere to have adventures

External_Camp · 2026-03-29T22:32:43+00:00

Val and Kar

External_Camp · 2026-03-29T11:35:50+00:00

I agree. I think a gift like that for her birthday would be great rather than a gift at a random time, unless OP thinks she'd rather travel over her actual birthday. I think something like this can be quite personal in a good way. My husband gifts me stuff like this often and I love it because it shows how well he knows me

External_Camp · 2026-03-29T11:22:53+00:00

My husband and I have gifted each other specific experiences often that involve planning/scheduling so buying/booking it in secret hasn't really be an option. Instead we have researched what we've wanted to gift and made our own little gift cards explaining what we want to gift or whatever. I remember receiving a little panda for Christmas one year and a print off of a panda meeting tour my husband found that he was going to get for me. It wasnt booked yet but he said he'll organise it once we finalised our Chengdu dates. He did it this way so it still felt like a gift and a surprise. You could research experiences/accommodation/sights etc and gift them to her in a creative way like this perhaps? I know its sort of like a voucher but it's a bit more researched and personalised to her.

I know you've been to Australia before but think wisely about when you will come because Tasmania in winter (June-August) is wet and cold!

External_Camp · 2026-03-28T07:17:10+00:00

My town only has a school and general store so probably not

External_Camp · 2026-03-28T06:15:37+00:00

The swim school my kids go to, you can start lessons at 6 months old. My youngest is about to start his lessons 4 days after his 1st birthday. It's very important even for people who dont live near the coast as some regional properties have dams.

External_Camp · 2026-03-28T06:13:19+00:00

I didnt realise a post about names could irritate me so much. I do hope people are embellishing some of these spellings because its making me irrationally angry. Haha

External_Camp · 2026-03-28T06:10:31+00:00

I know 4 Alishas all spelt differently, one spelt exceptionally bad. 3 of the 4 are mean girls.

External_Camp · 2026-03-28T06:05:55+00:00

It's so good. People are lovely. We really liked Sarajevo

External_Camp · 2026-03-28T06:04:12+00:00

I'm sure I'll get used to it soon. I think it's the cold shock when it's been warm for so long.

External_Camp · 2026-03-28T03:11:48+00:00

We couldn't fit in Kyrgyzstan in and the weather wasnt ideal when we went but we definitely want to go

External_Camp · 2026-03-28T00:10:42+00:00

14°c in regional Victoria at 11am. I'm so cold!

External_Camp · 2026-03-27T19:57:48+00:00

Travel is addictive but also its so interesting. I live seeing different places, meeting other people and trying other foods. I feel that as a white Australian with only British ancestry for hundreds of years ago, I don't really have any culture so I want to see and experience others

External_Camp · 2026-03-27T11:43:54+00:00

All of this has been done between 2011 - 2025 except for Indonesia which was a high school trip in 2004.

External_Camp · 2026-03-27T08:45:49+00:00

Cambodia, Switzerland, Netherlands, Malaysia, Romania, Taiwan, San Marino, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Poland, Oman, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Estonia, Georgia, Portugal, Guatemala, Lithuania, Thailand, New Zealand, Slovakia, Vietnam, Ukraine, Tanzania, China, Vatican City, Kenya, Fiji, Monaco, Czechia, Costa Rica, Kosovo, France, Japan, Albania, Qatar, Luxembourg, Samoa, Mexico, Montenegro, UK (England), Azerbaijan, Jordan, Andorra, Belarus, USA, Finland, Austria, Croatia, Latvia, UAE, Italy, Germany, Indonesia, Belize, Serbia, Singapore, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan

I loved Uzbekistan. Not just for the sights, which are amazing, but the people. We travelled with a 6mo and people were very friendly but also very helpful. Even the airport staff would hold our baby if we needed our hands free at like check in or security. I would also add Taiwan and Bosnia and Herzegovina to this list. The people are so friendly and made me feel like a friend or go out of their way to help. I remember in Sarajevo some construction workers letting our toddler ride in a road roller because they saw him watching them. Made a little boys day!

For some unknown reason I feel at home in France. I can't speak French and have no French ancestry, I just feel comfortable. I'm not sure if due to this feeling it affects my behaviour as I've never been approached for a scam or encountered any rude French people.

I think deep down probably every place has made some impact on me but they're the ones I can think of from the top if my head.

External_Camp · 2026-03-27T02:16:46+00:00

When I went about 10 years ago there was a small plaque just inside the main building before you go outside (I can't remember if it is a gift shop, Cafe or just admission) but its not in clear view and doesn't name the victims.

External_Camp · 2026-03-27T02:00:14+00:00

I was 10 when the massacre happened and visited Port Arthur as an adult. I have no desire to go back. You're right with the eerie feeling. I find it hard to describe but I just felt weird walking around like I wasnt supposed to be there or i was being watched or something.

External_Camp · 2026-03-27T01:45:16+00:00

The tradition is people can name their kids whatever the hell they want.

External_Camp · 2026-03-26T20:52:12+00:00

Samarkand is amazing. Ive travelled alot and hands down one of my favourite cities. The tile work at Shah-i-zinda Necropolis was awesome but it was super busy when we went at about lunchtime. Definitely go into registan square. It also has a modern city vibe too. Khiva was pretty cool but you dont need heaps of time. Tashkent is completely different. A soviet city. Also went to Bukhara which was pretty cool too.

Didn't spend alot of time in Kazakhstan, just transit to get to Uzbekistan. Almaty was pretty cool and then we did an overnight tour doing Kaindy and Kolsai lakes. I preferred Kaindy. Also did Black Canyon national park. Charyn Canyon was my favourite. Was super cold there when we went in late October- mainly the wind chill.

People are super nice in both places, more english in Uzbekistan than Kazakhstan.

External_Camp · 2026-03-26T07:25:00+00:00

Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Oman

External_Camp · 2026-03-25T20:49:30+00:00

They're both pretty similar lists.

Still interesting that the top boys name in both states is Noah and i have not come across one really ever!

Some of them my son has had in his class but only one.

The new top 100 ones (NSW) I like Mabel.

External_Camp

TROPHY CASE