NomadGirl Travels

"I've been traveling on a boat in a plane in a car, on a bike with a bus, and a train." ~George Harrison I don't remember how the idea got in my head in the first place. I must have been watching "Crocodile Dundee". Somehow the idea that I had to go to Australia got in my head and would not let go. I have wanted to go to Australia since I was nine years old. It took me 25 years to get there, but finally, my dream trip happened! I traveled on Oz Experience ( http://www.ozexperience.com/ ), a bus tour catering to backpackers. It is hop-on, hop-off - you can get off when and where you want. As I had one month exactly to do everything I had always wanted to do, I had my trip planned down to the last day. I booked all my buses online through Oz Experience. I also booked all my hostels, my tour of the Red Centre, and my inter-Australia flight from Cairns to Alice Springs before leaving Canada. I was a bit worried about not getting my entry visa,

Beetles (as food) Bugs for Sale Fried squid on a stick Chicken, anyone? The Weekend Market in Bangkok, Thailand, is an interesting experience. You can buy anything there. I eventually bought a dress, but a large variety of goods is yours for the taking if you are interested. There are animals for pets, and to eat, whatever suits your fancy. The smell of food left in the sun (with flies all over it) was less than appetizing, in my opinion. There were bugs to eat, chicken, squid; pets included rabbits, dogs, snakes. You want it, it's there. There are buddha statues, ornaments, clothing, rugs, furniture. If you can't find what you are looking for at the Weekend Market, then you have a problem. There is pandemonium and confusion everywhere. It is loud. It smells. It takes a few hours to go through, because it is spread out over a really large area, with stalls in neat rows, yet it is a maze. It is very easy to get lost. My mom did not buy a pair

 I voted in the Advance Polls today for the Alberta Election. This got be thinking about the Parliament buildings in New Zealand. It also reminded me of the history behind women's right to vote. The parliament buildings in Wellington, New Zealand were each constructed during a different period starting in the late 1800's and ending in the 1970's. The House of Representatives and part of the library were destroyed by fire as well. So each has a very different style. The Parliament building is called the Beehive, because that is what it looks like. The House of Representatives was built again in 1912. The cool thing about both the House of Representatives and the Library is that the foundation was enhanced by concrete and rubber cushions to make it so that they are earthquake proof. I'm not sure how to explain this without visuals, but I will try since I was not allowed to take photos. A mote was dug out around the original foundation and new concret

London Underground Sign Shop on Portobello Road, Notting Hill Sherlock Holmes Statue, just off Baker Street Tower Bridge On my first visit to London, in 1999, I was afraid to use the London Underground. It was very scary. All those confusing lines on the map were very intimidating. When I returned ten years later, I had a very full day of going to Abbey Road, Baker Street, Notting Hill, Kensington, Kensington Palace, and finally Hyde Park. The only way to do this quickly was to use the Underground. It is not as scary as it seemed. In fact, the London Underground is a brilliant system that is very easy to use. There are signs posted at the beginning of tunnels telling you what stations are on that particular line. Then, once on the platform, there are signs again indicating which stations are along the line. It is simple, really. I love the Tube. It is one of my favourite things about London. It makes transportation easy for commuters and makes the who

While in Mission Beach, Australia, I was told to make sure I was on the side of the creek where my hostel was located because high tide would make the water as high as my chin - and there are crocodiles. I went to Innisfail, Queensland. The town is bigger than Innisfail, Alberta & has a crocodile farm. I held a baby crocodile - it felt really nice. The lady who brought him out said he would make a good Gucci purse. That is what he felt like. Most of the crocodiles on the farm are there for the purpose of selling for their skin & meat. I also held an American Alligator. He had rougher skin. And I held a snake! It was a little scary at first, especially when he started moving his head! Very cool! Angie

Welcome to my new blog! I will be talking about my travel experiences here, both past and present. Places I have traveled to include: Western Europe, UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Fiji and Thailand. I will be posting stories about my adventures both past and present, plus travel related tips. Enjoy! Angie