Phuket is a beautiful place to have a laid back vacation, except that it could be overwhelmingly crowded during the peak month of Decembers. I was there in late November and already the hotels, traveler lodges, pubs and massage parlous were gearing for the in flood of December tourists. If I could, I always like to visit Phuket a week or 2 before their golden months set in. It was great that the company sent me for a 4-day training stint there.

I like nothing better to do than waking up late, walk down to the beach and have a few laps before I head for breakfast. After that, is a stroll down to the town area for a massage. Well, the girls there were great, and their fingers can certainly do wonders. Especially if you can speak a little Thai language so that they can better understand your needs. Well, make sure you negotiate price before you settle for a massage, facial or foot reflexology. Sometimes, the listed price doesn’t count!

Currently, I can greet in Thailand and can bargain using Thai numbers. You bet that helps, because when you can bring on a wide smile from the vendors, there’s hope. “Sawatdee Khrab!” That is how you say hello in Thai. If you are a girl you will say “Sawatdee Kaa”. When you are on holiday in Thailand, most places you go to you won’t have a problem. Still, learn some basic conversational will help. Most web sites and phrase books just write down the Thai words using Roman letters for you to try and read. That is a waste of time because Thai is a tonal language. You need to listen to native speakers and try to talk as often as possible. You don’t talk, you don’t learn.

Additional Reading
60 Minutes to learn the Thai Alphabets

Apparently a fairy left one of her slippers at Yeliu GeoPark, Taiwan,  and it is immortalized thereafter on the lonely shore.

Somehow, it reminds me of Cinderella but the damsel’s glass slipper was picked up by the prince. Does the fairy has no prince? At least the Fairy Slipper will be resting in peace unlike the Queen’s Head which is destined to be decapitated by the elements .. . …  sooner or later.

Yehliu  is a cape on the north coast of Taiwan in the town of Wanli between Taipei and Keelung in the beautiful island of Taiwan. Taiwan is formerly known as Formosa

The cape, also named the Yehliu Promontory,  by geologists is a part of the Taliao Miocene Formation. Apparently it runs 1,700 meters into the ocean and was formed as geological forces pushed Datun Mountain out of the sea.

One of the most distinctive feature of the cape is the hoodoo stones that dot its surface. Based on the shapes, some of these rock formations graced many tour brochures. Among the more well-known ones is The Queen’s Head”. This  is an iconic image in Taiwan and an unofficial emblem for the town of Wanli. Other formations include “The Fairy Shoe”, “The Bee Hive”, “The Ginger Rocks” and “The Sea Candles.”

The picture here is taken earlier this year. According to the locals, the Queen has  “slimmed” down over the years due to the harsh wind and tough climatic change. In fact, some said the Queen is bound to be decapitated due to the punishing elements shining and blowing at her.  So if you are passing by Taiwan, do make a trip to Yeliu Geopark. You don’t want just to see her neck only.

This city is also equally well known for its gothic architecture and markets; including famous sights like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe to name just two internationally famous landmarks. Fortunately for tourists, Paris has a first rate transportation system; the underground train system or Metro can take you to anywhere within the city and is simple to use.

You can’t miss the Eiffel Tower, mainly because it’s over three hundred meters high; it can be seen from any point within the city and the superb views just can’t be matched by those looking at it from the ground. At night, it comes alive with lights that have to be seen to be believed; if you are really enthusiastic you can take a tour where the guide will tell you how this beautiful tower was built.

A trip down the Champs Elysees is encouraged when you visit Paris as this is the city’s most famous street; if you want to see famous, designer label shops and the restaurants, this is the place. This avenue may be select but it attracts large numbers of visitors daily; top class hotels are found here, although if you want to stay at a more reasonably priced hotel, they are available outside of the city center.

If you are an art lover you will enjoy the Louvre, a truly amazing museum; it contains almost a third of a million exhibits and is in fact one of the biggest art museums in the world. There are enough art exhibits to keep you occupied for more time than your short stay in Paris would allow; the Mona Lisa is one such world famous work of art which should not be missed. Over the years, Paris has been home to many of the world’s famous artists; the likes of Monet, Picasso and many others lived in the city for years and some of their work can still be seen today.

Of course, Napoleon commissioned the construction of the Arc de Triomphe, another Paris landmark; engraved with the names of generals that commanded his troops, it has become a popular photo spot for tourists visiting Paris. It also features an observatory to take in surrounding views; in particular those obtained along the lanes that lead from it.

This city has a huge variety of places to visit, many of these have not even mentioned here; these are however, the most popular with regular tours arranged, many of which are either free or at a subsidized cost. Unfortunately, short stays in Paris can be demanding on visitors; what you aren’t able to this time will have to wait for another occasion.

Author:
The author of this article is Tushar Mathur who writes his own Travel Blog at http://travel-eat-sleep.com

At Auckland, I visited Auckland’s Dolphin and Whale Safari. The Hauraki Gulf is supposedly one of the world’s richest playground for marine mammals. Reportedly, at least 22 species of dolphins and whales have been found here. That day was Blue, bright and clear. The kind of day where it’s tough to separate the horizon and definitely not a day to think of work. and There were lots of shrieks and shrills when a sighting was made. According to the amused crew, the company can almost guaranteed viewing because there is a high 90% dolphin sighting rate and a 70% whale sighting rate all year round.

If you are going to Auckland for the first time, you can try this site for information on Auckland hotels. Don’t go there without a confirmed booking as the favourite hotels around business districts or tourist hot spots can be hard to get at certain period. Some  hotels will provide free brochures to recommend where you can visit.

At Wellington, I did a rare thing. I went to the Te Papa Museum. It was a rainy day and I thought the museum would keep me amused for a couple of hours before I decided what to do next. I was wrong, it kept me busy for 2 mornings to cover all the 6 floors of exhibits. I found Bush Walk, an outdoor venue featuring native plants and rocks an eye opener. While the Awesome Forces showing how earthquakes, volcanism and other forces have shaped the landscape were very interesting to me who don’t read geography in school. Of course, the entire 4th floor the covered the history of both the Maori and European settlers were fascinating. Knowing a little more of NZ’s definitely made me see it’s people and culture in a new light.

If you are not familiar with Wellington, I suggest you look up Wellington hotel before going there.

While at Christchurch, I was fortunate that my host made a reservation well in advance. Otherwise I would not be able to sit back and relax in this luxury 36-seater air-conditioned, colonial style dining tram. Not only was I treated to fine cuisine, I could see Cathedral Square, Botanical Gardens and the River Avon slowly past my window.

I’m sure you will have no diffculty getting infoormation on luxury or budget Christchurch hotels, but you might want to check the rate during the peak seasons. Christchurch is the must-see place for many tourists and business travellers at all time.

With airfare going cheaper, I was wondering if I can steal sometime to go back to New Zealand for pure holiday. I visited NZ way back in the 1990s and never failed to be amazed by this beautiful country. Would be really good if can spend at least 2 – 3 weeks there.