Crystal Cave, Mexico
Photo Courtesy of National Geographic, by Peter Carsten

It looks like Superman’s house, with massive (up to 39 feet long and 55 tons) gypsum crystals all jagged and criss-crossed. Locals call it the Sistine Chapel of caves, and it was discovered in 2000. Visit the town of Delicias in Chihuahua to visit this 30×90 foot chamber.

Blue Grotto, Capri
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Brad.Coy

Visitors love the novelty of seeking out this iconic cavern off the coast of Capri. They have to lay flat in a low-riding rowboat to sneak under the rock entryway. Once inside, they can bask in the brilliantly illuminated room, made possible by the underwater entrance that refracts light in.

Callao Cave, Philippines
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Elaine Ross Baylon | Photography

This cave system includes seven dramatic rooms that all allow natural light to peek in. The Cathedral is a popular destination for visitors and locals alike. There is a chapel and pews, which make for pretty much the most dramatic wedding backdrop ever. Visit Cagayan Valley to find this cave.

Crystal Cave, Bermuda
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by TenSafeFrogs

The islands’ most visited underground lair since it was discovered in 1905, the Crystal Cave is a 1500 foot long passage spiked with stalactites and stalagmites. A floating walkway guides spectators through the limestone formations, at over 150 feet beneath the ground.

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com

One of the largest cave systems in the southwest US, Carlsbad hosts 117 caves. Over half a million people visit each year to tour the Big Room that boasts massive stalactites that glitter spectacularly from the 255 foot ceiling.

Jenolan Caves, Australia
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by vijay_chennupati

The Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney, hide 25 miles of passageways lined with ancient fossils, calcite formations and the first electric cave lighting system in the world. This was also the first open cave system to be discovered and visited by explorers in 1835.

Surprise Cave, Vietnam
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by eoghan1973

Part of the Halong Bay UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sung Sot (Surprise Cave) can be accessed by boat ride to Bo Hon Island. The water reflected from the outside gives the rock formations an almost kaleidoscope effect, which apparently “surprised” visitors when the cavern was discovered in 1901.

Fingal’s Cave, Scotland
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Ethan Prater

Venture to Staffa, an uninhabited isle off the coast, and you’ll be treated to a unique geological phenomenon. Hexagonal stone columns that almost look man-made line the walls of Fingal’s Cave. This eerie and dramatic site is accessible by sea April through September when the ocean cliff opening is hospitable enough to navigate.

Bear Cave, Romania
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Nite Dan – Enjoypixel

Tucked deep in the Apuseni Mountains, this network of caverns supposedly housed a family of 140 bears before it was discovered in 1975. When a natural disaster buried and sealed the entrance, the bears were trapped. Don’t miss the 140 bear skulls on display when you visit this uncanny attraction.

Reed Flute Cave, China
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons by Britrob

For over one thousand years visitors have delved into the darkness of this cave system, located in Guangxi. Ink inscriptions were found when Chinese refugees used the cave for hiding during WWII. The writing dates back to the year 792AD, during the Tang Dynasty.

With a car rental in Australia , Romania, UK or Italy, you’ll have the freedom to step off the beaten path to discover caves like these and other natural wonders outside of the bustle of the city. Take your time enjoying the countryside, head to the coast or cross international borders in your car rental–it’s all up to you!

This year, the 25th of November will see the square (off Adelaide Street) transformed into a bustling throng of shoppers and vendors. Holiday cheer doesn’t get more colorful than this, and you can rest assured that the purchases you make won’t be run of the mill. Unique style is the name of the game here.

Designers like Saqqara, JD Baby, Sabine Werner, Bazil Grumble, Charlie & Boo, RocStar Dog Boutique, Paquetage, The Paper Tailor, and Cashem Couture are just a few of the talented brands you will see this year.

The market opens at 9am and closes at 1pm, so after you’ve had your fill of shopping, I recommend you treat yourself to a hearty lunch at Vege Rama, right around the corner. If you dig fresh pasta, Vapiano is the place for you, also a short walk from King George Square. Mick O’Malley’s Pub is a great option if you are in the mood for a burger or fish and chips or other pub food, but they don’t have a lot to offer the vegetarian set.

Check out all of downtown with your car rental in Brisbane, but don’t miss this market! Even if you’ve already finished your Christmas shopping, browsing the stands in King George Square is worth the stop in itself!

Starting in Adelaide, you first see gorgeous views of wine country. The Painted Desert gradually takes over the countryside as the train passes quaint railway towns and Aboriginal lands. The starry sky is so dramatic as there is no light pollution to dull the bright stars. I stayed up late even though I had a sleeper cabin because the sky was so beautiful that first night.

car rental in AustraliaThe next day you arrive at the halfway point, Alice Springs. We obtained a for an amazing side trip to tour Uluru/Ayers Rock, but other activities include educational Aboriginal tours, wildlife viewing at the Desert Park, or helicopter rides over Simpson’s Gap. We spent a few days on our side trip and then reboarded The Ghan when it passed back through town.

The third day, you’ll find yourself racing north from the historic town of Katherine towards Darwin. Katherine offers visitors the chance to explore Katherine Gorge or hike in Nitmiluk National Park for a few hours before reboarding. We opted for a canoeing tour on the river, which was relaxing and exciting since we were lucky enough to see tons of colorful birds and other critters.

Once you reach Darwin, you can take as long as you want to enjoy the bustling harbour city’s markets, awesome restaurants and nearby nature reserves before either riding the train back south or continuing your adventure with a car rental in Australia.

One of my favorite spots close to Brisbane will always be Crows Nest. If you get a car rental in Brisbane, it’s just two hours away. This national park was established in 1992, and my family was among the first in line to check out the lush eucalyptus forest, dramatic cliffs and tumbling waterfalls.

The walking trails are perfect for families and offer gorgeous vistas of Perseverance Creek’s granite walls. Koonin Lookout boasts the best view of the Valley of the Diamonds, a glittering feldspar-rich gorge with steep walls down to the water below.

My favorite part of Crows Nest is that it’s peaceful enough for the wildlife to really thrive. Platypus dart around the creek bed, endangered brush-tailed rock-wallabies pick their paths along the rocky cliff, and there are loads of bird species to admire. Keep your eye out for golden whistlers, eastern spinebills, pale-headed rosellas or my favorite (because of the funny name) blue-faced honeyeaters.

You need a permit to camp in the park, and the sites are pleasantly rustic. There are no bells and whistles here, just nice shady sites and the opportunity to relax in nature.

Day One

Since we only had the weekend to play, we flew from Brisbane into Darwin. It was a painless four hour flight, and we picked up our rental car in Darwin without a hitch. We still had time before check in at our hotel, so we decided to take a leisurely scenic route that took us into Holmes Jungle Nature Park, a unique monsoon forest that’s teeming with flora and fauna. Luckily, we thought to pick up sandwiches on the way, as there wasn’t much else to do in the park except admire the lush scenery and picnic. It was very much like an oasis in the otherwise very arid city.

Our hotel was right on the water in the super quaint downtown. And when I say quaint, I mean teeny and adorable, not so much picturesque. The buildings are all quite modern, most of them having been built in the 70s, after Cyclone Tracy. We had an amazing meal of eggplant pacchadi, veggie curry and potato pepper masala at Hanuman, a very upscale and bustling Asian fusion restaurant that was a short stroll along the Esplanade from our hotel.

Day Two

The wedding was right on the Esplanade, overlooking the water. It was a gorgeous day and the ocean was the most gorgeous shade of turquoise I’d ever seen. After a quick, albeit tear jerking ceremony, the small wedding party made their way back to the hotel, where we ate, drank and certainly made merry! Later the group of us took a sunset harbour cruise from the Stokes Hill Wharf. The 27m Tumlaren whisked us by all of the sights along the coast of the bay and we savored tastes from huge platters of Territorian treats and sparkling wine.

I don’t know where we channeled our energy from, but the party continued once we were back on solid ground. We headed straight for Deck Bar, an upscale patio lounge where there was a selection of over twenty beers on tap, as well as an illustrious wine list. Once the high heels came off and the hair was let loose, we finally ended up at the Territory’s only big “club,” Discovery. While the throbbing bass was a little much for Zee, I must admit, I had a great time gyrating around the neon-lit dance floor with some of my best friends.

The next morning it took a lot of coffee and paracetamol to get this kid ready to go, but luckily I slept the whole flight back. Next up—the English Extravaganza of a Lifetime! Stay tuned!

The first “Big Thing” was built in 1963 in Adelaide. The Big Scotsman drew admirers from the highway and all of a sudden this cult phenomenon was born. There are almost 200 Big Things throughout Australia, mostly found at roadside attractions near the cities, but sometimes you’ll stumble upon one that’s so randomly the middle of nowhere, you can’t help but laugh.

Without further ado, here are my top five favorite Big Things of Australia:

Big Banana—Coffs Harbour, NSW

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Will Ellis

Big Pie—Yatala, Queensland

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by James Cridland

Big Rocking Horse—Gumeracha, South Australia

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Jinny the Squinny

Big Scotsman—Adelaide, South Australia

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Bilby

The Giant Koala—Dadswells Bridge, Victoria

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Bushie

Honorable Mentions:

Big Prawn, Ballina
Big Mango, Bowen
Big Boxing Croc, Humpty Doo
Big Trout, Adaminaby
Big Redback, Brisbane

It was a quick drive north in our Australia rental car, about 4 hours. I do recommend hiring a 4×4 for this park, as there are loads of scenic yet somewhat gnarly roads to explore once you get there. Make sure you secure your camping and vehicle permits online before you head out! You can also purchase permits on-site, but they cost a bit more.

We started at Rainbow Beach, which was my favorite place in the world when I was a little girl. The beach is close to the Poverty Point Campground where we set up camp. The “rainbow” sand dunes are pretty much the coolest geological phenomena ever, layered with rutile, ilmenite, and other mineral rich sands.

Rainbow beach is the trailhead for the Cooloola Great Walk, which I did one summer in uni with a group of similarly dreadlocked, vegetarian tree-hugger friends, and it was a blast. The trail takes five days and winds through the forest, some beautiful eucalyptus groves and grasslands too. It’s an easy walk—perfect for families. Zee and I did not have the luxury of five days to spend here though, so we opted for the very rugged Kings Bore Circuit Track, which was an exciting and scenic drive I’d never done.

When you visit this park, take a full week so you can fully appreciate both the Cooloola section and the Fraser Island part of the park. There is so much to see and do at the beaches, in the rainforest and on the sand dunes!

The London Eye

This is the largest observation wheel in Europe and I wanna ride it! Not only do I absolutely love scary heights, but the view from the Eye is supposedly the best in town. How could it not be, from 443 feet up? Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, of course the Thames—all of the sought after landmarks are laid out like Google Maps. It’s said you can see 25 miles in the distance on a clear day!

Tower of London

I definitely have a taste for the macabre and the Tower of London is just the place to get that fix. I want dungeons, I want horror stories about beheadings and torture and bloodshed! Oh, and the Crown Jewels will be pretty cool to see too. Did you know they’ve been on display for tourists since 1669? As the proud owner of a raven tattoo, I look forward to seeing the “six required ravens” that are kept at the tower to “keep Crown and country from falling.”

Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour

Don’t even get me started on Harry Potter. My excitement level for this tour is at about a 42 (on a scale from 1-10). I will get to set foot on not only the Hogwarts Bridge, but also the Great Hall, Dumbledore’s office, Diagon Alley and Hagrid’s Hut! Areyoukiddingme? Not to mention all of the authentic costumes and other set pieces, like the Nimbus 2000, the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and apparently loads of other surprises.

Hampton Court Palace

A long time sucker for all things Tudor, this castle is at the top of my list. I’m sure I will end up touring many a fortress while I’m in England, but this one holds so much Henry VIII lore that I simply must go there! Built in the early 1500s, it’s a brick masterpiece with intricate latticed chimneys, artful spires and of course, sprawling gardens. Intended to rival Versailles, it’s sure to be as impressive as I imagine it.

Kew Gardens

Speaking of gardens, I’m also quite the little flower child. It will be autumn in London, so the bursting, kaleidoscope flora of spring won’t be on display, but nonetheless, Kew Gardens is a place I’ve always wanted to see. I most look forward to the iconic Glasshouse, the Japanese Garden and the neat-o Treetop Walkway. If the leaves are changing colour by then, it’s going to be breathtaking!

Until the trip, I’m sure Zee and I will hop in our usual Australia rental car for a few mini-breaks locally, but mostly we are saving ourselves for this UK trip of a lifetime!

Harry Potter Studio Tour photo by Karen Roe, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Moroccan Soup Bar—183 St. Georges Rd, North Fitzroy
This place is so cheap, easy and delicious, it’s impossible for me to pass up. There is no written menu, but don’t worry, the banquet option will be delicious and more than ample to fill you up. And it’s a surprise every time! Their mint tea is perfect and I crave it when I’m back in Brisbane, far far away from the food heaven that is Moroccan Soup Bar. The chickpea bake is always a favorite dish, but the assortment of stews, vegetables, olives and sauces that you will be treated to will always be flavorful, fresh and tasty.

Shakahari Vegetarian Restaurant—201-203 Faraday St, Carlton
The menu changes often here, as the available fresh veggies and fruit usually dictate what’s for dinner. All vegetarian, Shakahari has been a Mecca of Asian fusion cuisine for almost twenty years. Don’t miss the Avocado Magic, a dreamy veggie tempura dish with sesame coriander sauce that will make your knees weak. Mainly an Indian menu, Shakahari’s cuisine uses their ingredients to their fullest in unique and inspiring ways.

Monk Bodhi Dharma—202 Carlisle St, Balaclava
Visit MBD for exquisite coffee, and also their diverse and flavorful brunch menu. With tons of gluten free and vegan options, you can have your apple hotcake and eat it too. Every Friday night they are open for dinner, which offers an ever changing cornucopia of world recipes. From enchiladas to pad Thai, cannelloni to Ethiopian specialties, these single seating evenings always feel like a special event. If you like mushrooms, the selection of delicate fungi served on pumpkin polenta is mouthwatering.

Vegie Bar—380 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
For 20 years, this Fitzroy staple has delighted vegetarians from far and wide. I love this place purely for the fact that they cater to every dietary whim imaginable. From gluten free to vegan to meat-eater, they provide fresh, “bio-dynamic” recipes. They specialize in pizzas, risotto and curries, but also offer comfort food staples like burgers, nachos and homemade soup. My favorite is the massive and in my opinion, utterly perfect Mexican burrito.

Soul Food Vegetarian Café—273 Smith St, Collingwood
A vegetarian in Melbourne better get comfortable on Smith Street, where they’ll find all manner of hipster record shops, vintage thrift and of course, Soul Food. Adjacent to the organic grocer, this set up is nice because you can see the dishes before you scoop them onto your plate. They offer a colorful spectrum of salads of beets, quinoa, tofu and beans, and a selection of cheap organic wines by the glass as well. This place is ideal for a casual and bite while you’re out and about on Smith Street.

Next time you’re traveling by car rental in Melbourne, stop into one or all of these amazing eateries! Let me know in the comments what you think!

We are staying with friends in Melbourne, so we are hopping in our car rental in Australia early on Friday and hoping to enjoy most of the day there Saturday before the match. It’s truly a lovely straight shot south to Melbourne, through Wagga Wagga, Dubbo and countless rural towns that always have the best little take away stands for lunches or midnight snacks (we’re driving straight through). It takes over 20 hours to make the trek, but we do it every time rather than flying. It allows us to savor the trip a bit more, see interesting sights we may not have noticed otherwise, and of course take Jasper along!

So the match, yes, of course. It’s between a new club, Great Western Sydney, and the formidable St. Kilda Saints. Apparently GWS should not be underestimated, even if they are green, due to their tight teamwork and overall enthusiasm for the game. I’ll be rooting for them, as I always love the underdog!

The match will be at Etihad Stadium (really an awesome arena if you’ve never been!), on the Harbor Esplanade, right on the water downtown. Tweet at me if you’ll be there, it starts at 1:45!