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Once you’ve arrived refreshed from your rail journey, don’t rush away too quickly from Avignon Station. Do take time to appreciate this innovative building completed in 2001.
A curved façade and wall of overlapping laminated glass panels has been used by the architect to impressive effect. Look upwards to fully appreciate the scale of it all.
On your return journey ticketed passengers are allocated platform space nearest their booked train seat in order to reduce the usual rush when a train pulls in. Avignon is just one of four new stations between Paris and Marseilles commissioned in 1998.
In and around Tupiza the landscape is very similar to the wild west in the USA. Lots of weird rock formations and bold colours. The best way to view all of this is on horseback.
There are quite a few different options for people who have never been on a horse, and some for the experienced rider. You can also do a walk-bike-horseride-jeep combination which is quite challenging but very good. The only problem with Tupiza is that there are few restaurants to choose from, but it does have one or two good ones, and an internet cafe.
Tupiza is south Bolivia, near the Argentinian Boarder and there are many places to book activities, usually at hotels which are all central.
Make sure that you know a certain amount of French and where your destination is because you will have to fend for yourself. Be very exact because certain places have similar names. Don't get tricked by taxi drivers.
Also, if you decide to go to Monaco, or any other city for that fact, please take the train because I took a very scenic six-hour walk there and my feet didn't thank me. Besides, you will see more than I did because I was on a tight schedule, but I still managed to see a reasonable amount.
For people who follow F1, if you want to visit David Coulthard's restaurant, it is called Knights of The Round Table at the Columbus Hotel. The Food is wonderfully exquisite and the prices are very very reasonable.
A rooftop bar with a spectacular view of the Empire State Building. Drinks are expensive, but worth it for the view!
230, Fifth Avenue, at 27th St. www.230-fifth.com
Just an hour and a half's drive from Kiruna is the Abisko Mountain Station considered as the best place on earth to view the Northern Lights.
With its fresh clean air and its practically cloud-free skies the conditions for seeing the lights are optimal. Aurora occurs, more or less, every night but to detect it the skies have to be dark. The period from September to March is best time of year.
A beautiful old Tuscan farm at the top of a hill. Great views of the surrounding countryside and the medieval village of Casole d`Elsa. Private garden and swimming pool.
Just behind Qutub Minar and off the beaten track. A bit filthy but an absolute treasure house with old tombstones, forts, water bodies.
If you are hungry, look for the 'Royal Dakshin Restaurant' at one of the edges of the park.
If you decide to brave it until night falls then the djinns come out.
www.igougo.com/travelcontent/journalEntryFreeForm.aspx?reviewID=1216579
This is the best view in The Cape. You dine on superb food while the restaurant turns at a leisurely pace giving you a view of the city from on high.
It's 22 storeys up at the top of the Ritz hotel and looks like an alien spaceship has landed on top of the building to the casual observer. Inside it's well decorated with an open kitchen and candles on the tables.
There is nowhere else you can get this standard for so little money (mains from 90 rand). A pianist plays while you dine which, combined with the great food and super service, makes for an unforgettable experience.
You cant miss it. Its that building in Sea Point with the flying saucer on the top. Ritz Hotel Sea Point
The Steinkjerr church is amazingly beautiful!
Steinkjerr, Trondheim, Norway
Central Otago has more than its fair share of wineries where you can enjoy tastings and/or a great meal among some of New Zealand’s finest scenery.
One of my favourites is the Amisfield Winery which is halfway between Queenstown and Arrowtown on the shores of Lake Hayes. It’s a fantastic place for a relaxed lunch or dinner with a great outdoor terrace (weather permitting). If they’ve got any left, try their rose but I’m afraid I may have drunk it all on my last visit.
www.amisfield.co.nz
10 Lake Hayes Road, RD 1, Queenstown
This lovely restaurant is an oasis of calm and quiet (Khajuraho's main street can get hectic!) where you can chill out after temple-gazing in a pretty courtyard with yummy food or watch the setting sun over a lake from the roof terrace.
At dusk thousands of chirruping green parrots fill the sky, pull up a chair and be amazed. Lovely owners Charlie and Sanjay also have a very good guesthouse, and are sweet and helpful hosts. I can't recommend this place enough!
Next to the Archaeological museum (cross the little square on the corner) corner of main road and jain temples road
Lake Atitlan is one of the most breathtaking places on the planet. We travelled around the lake and never found a more peaceful and scenic spot than right out of our cabin door at Lomas de Tzununa.
Thierry and Maria were welcoming hosts and the accommodation was cosy and comfortable. We couldn't bring ourselves to leave!
www.ontheroadtravel.com/travel-recommendations/Guatemala/Lake+Atitlan/Hotels/Lomas+de+Tzunun'E1
Take a scenic detour on your way to the Bay of Islands via the Tutukaka coast drive through Ngnunguru and Tutukaka. Stop at Matapouri for a swim, it's a beautiful beach.
If you want to stay, Bluewater Cottages are up in the hills between Matapouri and Tutukaka with beautiful views over the ocean and out to the Poor Knights Islands
Bluewater cottages,Matapouri Rd, 09-434-3423. Approx 26km northeast of Whangarei
Every new year, Valpo is home to the biggest and best fireworks display in South America.
Over a million people from Chile and abroad descend on the city for one huge party. Hotels need to be booked by October at the latest (prices 3-5 times normal) and reconfirmed at least 3-4 times in December to ensure they're honoured.
The fireworks used to be only in Valparaiso but now stretch 20-30km all the way along the cost to Con Con. The display lasts almost half an hour.
The best place to watch them is on Cerro Concepcion and Alegre where the police are out in force making it the safest area to be.
youtube.com/watch?v=jZnkUdb5Q34
All over Valpo
For a real treat, take a helicopter flight over Mt Cook with the Helicopter Line. The company have various flight options and most include a 'drop down' on to a snowfield for a short walk. You need good weather, but if it is sunny, the views are spectacular.
This part of NZ (where I grew up) is largely untouched by tourism and reflects the real NZ, laid back and multicultural.
The drive from Opotiki to Gisborne around the East Cape has some amazing scenery and a few well spaced apart pubs and cafes for a break - try Two Fish cafe in Opotiki - or pack a picnic and find a shady spot near the sea. Rugged scenery and beautiful coastline.
Returning through the Waioeka is a great drive too. If you can, visit in December when the Pohutukawas are in bloom.
Almost no public transport. www.opotiki.co.nz
As you drive along SH35 you wonder if anyone else knows about this remote part of the North Island. You can drive for what seems like hours before you see another car. You wave, not because you know them, but you just do!
If you plan to break your journey, book up accommodation before you set out. Whakatane visitor centre can help. Try and go when the pohutukawa trees are flowering.
NZ Walks organise a variety of guided walks at various levels of difficulty. We did the 10 mile Mt. Aspiring National Park walk in a very small group with an excellent guide who carried our lunch! Pick up from various hotels in Queenstown.
The catamaran from Split to Hvar takes one hour, and the ferry takes just over two.
If you're not pressed for time (they cost the same - 38kuna or £3.50), take the ferry as you can sit on the top deck and sunbathe as you pass by beautiful islands.
from Split harbour, Jandrolinja ferries/catamarans
If you are planning on staying a little further out of Hvar centre and renting a scooter or car to get into town or see more of the island, be aware that there only seems to be one company that rents them and it's very expensive!
We were shocked to pay £32 a day for a banged-up old scooter which could hardly make it up the hills (we paid £7 a day last year in Greece). Cars were £56 a day.
Having said that, it is worth it for at least a day, to visit some of the beaches, and to take the old road via Brusje on the way home, gorgeous view from top of Hvar looking out towards Brac as the sun sets.
Rent scooters from the bus station at Hvar
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