Yahoo!7 Answers Australia

With companies encouraging us to reduce our annual leave and all these cheap travel deals around, it seems everyone is taking advantage and going off on a holiday.

I’m particularly interested in getting away from it all – leaving the city and seeing the natural wildlife in all its glory. One of the most beautiful, natural areas of Australia is the Northern Territory and currently the Tourism Northern Territory is doing a big push on getting people to visit this area. I’d love to capture one of those wonderful moments you see pictures of – a sunset over Uluru, the raw naked landscape, a crocodile jumping out of the water to be fed. Doing a driving trip like from Cairns to Darwin or Perth to Darwin would be intriguing – what a way to see our country!

One of my favourite holiday moments

Bargain flights to exotic locations aren’t just limited to domestic carriers. It’s getting very cheap fly to the USA and having watched Stephen Fry’s current ABC documentary where he travels through each of the 52 states, I’ve been very inspired to take a trip across the Pacific. I’m not interested in seeing the smog of LA or the sky scrapers of NYC though, I’d love to see some of the scenery in the centre of the continent. I’ve visited The Rockies in Canada before and jumping into a glacier lake was one of my all-time favourite holiday moments (I even captured it on camera). Apparently the Rockies on the US side is just as spectacular – particularly near the continental divide in Wyoming. Although if you really want to get back to nature, Alaska is your state. Whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking and cruises around the glaciers, it sounds like a perfect holiday.

Have you had a holiday like these above? Perhaps you’d like to tell us about it? Sony Alpha wants to know: What’s the most memorable holiday moment you’ve captured on camera?

I think it’s about time that I head to Yahoo!7 Travel to start researching my next adventure!

Caitlin
Community Manager

It’s hard to believe but space travel is a real possibility for a few lucky (and very wealthy) people. In the year that there was a total solar eclipse and the 40th anniversary of the first man on the moon, Virgin Galactic’s founder, Richard Branson will conduct a world first when he crews his aerospace vehicle, the Virgin Mothership Eve at the air show EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2009.

Space is one of those fascinating yet enigmatic topics. How does weightlessness work and what does it feel like? How were solar systems formed? Why are stars and planets round? Why is the sun yellow? The more you think about outer space, the more questions form in your mind and in many instances, we just don’t know the answers.

Well for the 200 people who have coughed up their US$20,000 deposit for the sub orbital spaceflight on Virgin Galactic, some of these questions will soon be answered. They will hurtle through the edges of the atmosphere at more than three times the speed of sound and they will experience a type of virtual weightlessness as gravity starts pulling them back to earth.

To celebrate, Yahoo!7 Travel have an out of this world trip to Space Mountain for two flying on Virgin Atlantic from Sydney to Hong Kong return with three nights at the funky W Hong Kong and round trip transfers. Click here to enter the competition.

We’d also like to know, if you had the chance, would you like to take a trip to space in your lifetime? Why or why not?

Caitlin
Community Manager

Last week another Tuesday night passed and still the Oz Lotto jackpot hasn’t gone off. It’s a bit disappointing for all of us who spent our hard earned cash on a ticket. On the bright site, at least we had another week to dream about what we’d do with a cold, hard $90 million.

Last week I went to the launch of the Embraer Phenom 300, an Executive Jet that has never before been sold in Australia. If things go my way, this time next week I will have the winning Oz Lotto ticket in my hot little hands and I’ll be able to think about more extravagant purchases, like private jets. Imagine that, being able to fly 9 of your closest friends to Melbourne for an impromptu shopping spree or up the coast for some winter sun. And for only US$7.9million (AU$9.9m), you’d have plenty of change from your $90m for a couple of luxury cars to drive you to the airport.

What else would I buy? Well obviously I’d be calling the real estate agent to talk about my dream home. It would have to be overlooking the water with plenty of balconies and there would be a big fireplace for those cold winter nights where all you want to do is cuddle up with a hot milo and a book. And of course plenty of spare bedrooms for friends to stay when we throw those fabulous dinner parties and serve vintage Grange and Henschke until the wee hours of the morning.

Of course the altruistic side of me remembers that if I won, there would also be a fair amount of money going to charity. However the indulgent part of me wants to endlessly dream. I can just seem myself seeing the hippos and giraffes on a safari in Africa, enjoying a romantic night in a Michelin star restaurant overlooking Paris and splashing out on a boat cruise around the Caribbean with all of my friends and family.

How about you? What would you splurge on if you won $90 million?

Caitlin
Community Manager

Every year when the weather gets cold, I start yearning for a holiday. Whether it’s a hot or cold destination, travelling in winter is perfect. Not only do you get a reprieve from having to get out of bed on those awful dark mornings, destinations are usually cheaper and are much less crowded.

A few years ago I lived in England and with the grey, foggy skies, drizzly rain and short 7 hour days, I spent a fair amount of time on Easyjet and Ryanair websites trying to find budget flights to anywhere with some sunshine.

My favourite winter destination was Italy. I visited there over Christmas one year and was lucky enough to have most of my family join me in a villa in Tuscany (I know, it oozes romance, doesn’t it). As soon as I got off the plane in Pisa, I realised what I’d been missing in my life in London – the sky! It was huge and blue and gorgeous, just like it is in Australia.

Now that I’m back home in Oz and winter looks like it has dig its heels in, I’m back on the net searching for destinations. Last year I went on a lovely little long weekend to Mudgee, NSW. The days were filled with wine tasting, reading books and dozing by the fire. It was a perfect winter retreat.

This winter I’m in the mood for some sun. One area that is of particular interest is Northern Territory, particularly after seeing the movie Australia. It’s not just the balmy 30 degree temperatures that are luring me there, or the fact that the rest of year it pours with rain. I’ve always wanted to see Kakadu but Litchfield Park and Katherine both seem really interesting:

Litchfield is a mini Kakadu, with swimming hole, waterfalls and termite mounds. Katherine has the Gorge (Nitmitiluk National Park) and Mataranka. More

The city of Darwin also sounds pretty cool:

Don’t forget to book yourself onto one of the Harbour cruises, the sunset cruise is particularly lovely. And if you like this sort of thing, spend a day out fishing for the legendary barramundi, several operators have this. More

Wow, I think I better go and book! Where else do you recommend for a winter holiday?

Caitlin
Community Manager

For most of us, this weekend we’re blessed with an extra day off for the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend. Lucky us! Want to escape the rat-race? Here are some good ideas:

What’s a good place in/near Victoria to go for a weekend?

Find a house that the group of you can rent for the weekend. You can either get an apartment at (say) Docklands, and go out to party all night. Or you could get a house down the peninsula or anywhere along the coast; but make sure it has a jacuzzi/spa. Pack the car with towels, sheets, blankets and food. Sitting in the spa drinking champagne or magheritas; barbecue up eggs and bacon for brunch; bring heaps of games to play – wii, nintendo/playstation or anything on DVD. For around $300-$350 you can get a place for the weekend that sleeps 6-8 people (around $45 per person per night). You can then spend more money on having a great time. More

Where are some weekend getaway suggestions within a 4 hour drive of Sydney?

A bike ride to Wollombi is one you will never forget – go via Wisemen’s Ferry. A stop off at the Wollombi Tavern is a must. Then head on to Pokolbin, flip a coin and go to one of the many wineries. Tintilla Winery is lovely and the staff there really know their wines and have a really good knowledge of the area so they can advise you where to go to get a nice feed or probably to stay as well. We were there a couple of months ago and we couldn’t recommend them highly enough. I think the woman’s name there was Winn, or maybe Lynn, she is really lovely and very helpful. More

What’s cool to do on my weekend in Hobart?

Salamanca markets Saturday morning, the Cascade Brewery tour (you’ll have to book), the Nth Hobart pubs (they will all have some type of band on) and restaurants. Depending if you want to spend a bit of money try the cruise around Bruny Island or the Tasman Peninsular. More

Of course, if you’re like me and haven’t got organised enough to do book anything for the long weekend, you might need some inspiration for some fun things to do at home. Don’t worry, we’ve got it covered!

What are some good activities you can do with a 2 1/2 yr old on a rainy weekend?

At this age attention span is small so it will be short activities. Water play with washing up bowl full of water and some washing up liquid for bubbles. They learn filling, pouring and general have fun which is what it is about to learn. Make some play dough out of flour, water and add a bit of food colouring to change colour red is good or green not blue for some reason they do not like blue. You can throw it away after and also get some shape cutters and a small rolling pin for them to play with. (put drop of food colour in water before you mix for good even colour) More

What are some different activities to do on the weekend?

Hire a kayak, go cycling, look in shops at things you’d like to buy, go to the zoo, go to the museum, go bush walking, go on a picnic, catch a bus or the train to where-ever, go ice-skating, go roller-skating, go to an amusement place, go to the park and kick a ball around, take a ride on a tram, build a tree hut, do some baking, go visit someone, catch the ferry, go horse riding, go to your local ‘Information Centre’ and get pamphlets on places and activities to do and see in your area. More

We want to do something different with our kids this weekend, any ideas?

When our boys were the same age as your boys, we had scavenger hunts… they loved them…. we went through the neighbourhood and asked for some everyday type items and then some not so ordinary items…. also might think about a treasure hunt… with the final treasure at a favourite park or something like that. More

Are there any special events in Sydney for the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend?

There is HEAPS going on, such as the Sydney International Film Festival which starts this week. The Sydney Italian Festival has been going for a while but finishes on the long weekend. The Darling Harbour Jazz & Blues festival and Luminous will also be on over the long weekend. More

Wow that’s definitely getting me inspired… So, what are your plans for the long weekend?

Caitlin
Community Manager

Yum, one of the things I love most about travelling is all the different food that you try. I always wonder what goes into these exotic dishes and want to try to recreate the experience by making my own versions at home. Granted, eating Clam Chowder in your own kitchen isn’t quite like slurping it out of its bread bowl on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. And I agree that the Cornish Pasty isn’t quite as warm and inviting when there isn’t wind biting your fingers and cheeks like it does in South West England. These recipes provided by the Answers community do look delicious though, and I can’t wait to cook them up!

Cornish Pasty
Chuck steak or skirt
Two Large potatoes
Half a large swede (turnip as second best)
One large onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Water

The Pastry: Place flour and salt in a bowl, rub in the fat, until the mixture is so fine that it falls through the fingers. Tip mixture onto a lightly floured table top. With your index finger make a well in the centre of the mixture. Add water a little at a time until it forms a pliable but stiff dough… More

Dim Sims
1/4 c. gluten rice flour
2/3 c. wheat flour
3/4 c. hot water
1/4 c. lard
1 c. cold water
Filling:
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/4 lb. dried shrimp, chopped
1/2 c. water chestnuts, chopped
2-3 green onions, sliced thin
1 tbsp. white pepper
1 tbsp. soy sauce … More

San Francisco Clam Chowder
1/2 pound (225 grams) diced bacon
2 small onion, chopped
12 cups water
3 carrots, chopped
28 oz (3 1/2 cups) fresh clams
2 1/4 cups clam juice
4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 (400g) cans stewed tomatoes … More

Spanish Paella
170g/6oz chorizo, cut into thin slices
110g/4oz pancetta, cut into small dice
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tsp soft thyme leaves
¼ tsp dried red chilli flakes
570ml/1pint calasparra (Spanish short-grain) rice … More

Caitlin
Community Manager

Visiting a wine tasting region is one of my favourite ways to spend a weekend. I love heading out of the city late on Friday night with the express intention of tasting a variety of different vinos. Experience has taught me that it is also de rigueur to return home on Sunday night with a full stomach and car boot laden with wine that I “just had to buy”.

The great thing about being a wine enthusiast in Australia is that there are so many places to try, many of which are in driving distance from a capital city. The Hunter Valley obviously has a great reputation, as does the Margaret River and the Barossa Valley. There are also perhaps lesser known wine growing areas, such as Swan Valley in WA, a variety of areas in Victoria and even Queensland is getting into the spirit of things.

Although wine tasting used to have a stigma attached to it, it is gradually losing that reputation and wineries are encouraging those who haven’t tried it to give it a go. To experience the full taste of the wine however, there are few things to keep in mind.
One tip from Oldmalibu57 is to:

Always hold a wine glass by the “stem” and never put your hands on the bowl as you want to “see” the wine and not your fingerprints. More

Walking on Sunshine says there are 5 S’s to consider:

SEE- The colour and clarity of a wine gives you several clues about it.
SWIRL- Swirling the wine in your glass aerates it, bringing oxygen into the wine and allowing it to release its aroma.
SMELL – This is the most important part of wine tasting. You can only perceive 4 basic tastes, but you can smell 2000 smells, and wine has over 200 of its own.
SIP- Be sure to move the wine around in your mouth to cover all of your taste buds.
SAVOUR – Sit back for a few minutes and savour the taste. More

Want to put your wine knowledge to the test? Yahoo!7 Travel is giving away a holiday to the Hunter Valley. The prize includes:

•  Two nights accommodation at Harrigans Irish Pub and Accommodation
•  Breakfast at Harrigans Irish Pub
•  Two tickets to the Hunter Valley Gardens
•  Two bottles of Hunter Valley wine

Click here to enter this fabulous competition! Terms & Conditions apply

Caitlin
Community Manager

We’re well into the 29th Olympic Games, this year being held in Beijing, China.

Personally, one of the things that most fascinates me about the Olympics is the country it’s held in. I tend to watch all those specials about the exotic location and end up planning future trips around those countries. No surprise then, that China is the latest on my travelling wish list. Chances are I won’t get there for some time, but a little dreaming never hurt anyone, right?

One of the most interesting things about China is the Great Wall. Contrary to a recent television advertisement, the Great Wall of China wasn’t built to “keep the rabbits out, there were too many rabbits in China”. It was actually built as a defensive structure against the northern neighbours, and between 2 and 3 million men died building it over the years. It also has been said that it’s the only man made structure that can be seen from space, a theory that is actually debatable.

Doing a little research, I learnt that the Forbidden City in Beijing was the imperial home of the 24 emperors of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties used to live, so was forbidden to ordinary people. These emperors used to visit the Heaven of China to pray and the Summer Palace during the warmer months, all of which look like definite must sees.

China isn’t, of course, just Beijing. Aileen HK recommends quite a few cities in China, including Shanghai, Hangzhou and Zhou Zhuang. She even provides a handy itinerary and highlights of what you can see in each place, with advice such as:

Shanghai – Go to Shanghai Museum + Sex Museum (900 numbers of exhibits there and some are 5000 – 6000 years old, this museum is the only one of the kind within the whole China), afternoon tea in any modern/contemporary area or traditional Shanghai tea house, drinks/clubbing in Xin Tian Di. More

The time of the year you visit China is really important as such a big country has vastly different climates, ranging from the tropics to snowy mountain peaks. CYM recommends:

For the southern part like Quangzhou, Guilin and Yunnan, the best time would be March/April or September/October. If Shanghai and Hangzhou are your destinations, go in April or October or early November as it isn’t that warm then. Personally, I like to travel in late spring(long daylight hours) or autumn as the weather isn’t hot. More

Wow, what great advice. Who else has been inspired to visit China since watching the games?

Caitlin
Community Manager

One of my consuming passions is travelling –I love seeing and experiencing new things so I am always planning my next overseas or interstate adventure. With airfare rates so competitive nowadays international travel isn’t the luxury it used to be but rarely do I ever stop to think that this might not always be the case. The reality is that with oil prices soaring skyward we soon may not be able to do so. There is also the problem of thousands of travellers taking their toll on ancient sites and fragile environments.

Answers is joined this week by Tony Wheeler, founder of the legendary Lonely Planet travel guides, and he has posed the interesting question How do we make travelling world wide a sustainable thing in the long term? Tony and his team spend six months of the year jetting off to all corners of the globe to gather information for the Lonely Planet books, so obviously this is an issue of great concern to him – not only because he likes to travel but because he wants everyone to be able to experience what the world has to offer for many years to come.

Clea