Travel Blog
Here you will find our regular travel blogs, blogging about destinations all over the world and handy travel hints to make your trips as exciting and drama free as possible.
If you'd like to write a blog for us then please get in touch - we'd love to hear from you!
And don't forget, every trip needs a travel diary. Get yours today!
9 Unique Animals You Can Only See in Australia
Did you know that more than 80% of Australia’s animals can’t be found anywhere else in the world?
This very large, down-under island is home to some incredible and unique animals that bring flocks of tourists to the country. So, what are some of the great animals you can see travelling in Australia? Here’s a taste from our Australian travel journal…
1. Kangaroo
While Australian kids DON’T really ride kangaroos to school, these strong animals weight up to 90kgs and can run up to 70km/hour. You’re likely to see one in most rural parts of the country. Watch for them crossing roads and don’t mistake them for their smaller relative, the wallaby.
2. Koala
Contrary to popular belief, one, the koala is not a koala BEAR and two, they’re not cuddly! Koala’s are aggressive and territorial marsupials that spend all day either sleeping or eating eucalyptus leaves, which are toxic to almost all other animals. You’ll find them up and down the east coast.
3. Dingo
Dingoes are native wild dogs and they’re Australia’s largest predator. They can be found all over the country with the exception of larger towns, cities and Tasmania.
4. The Tasmanian Devil
Although you won’t find dingoes in Tasmania, it’s the only place to see the endangered Tasmanian devil in the wild. About the size of a small dog, it’s the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world and it’s very unique with a pungent odour, extremely disturbing screech and strong, ferocious bite. Don’t worry though, they’re not known to attack humans unless provoked.
5. Platypus
The platypus is an egg-laying mammal, or monotreme, which are distinct to Australia. The live in burrows near rivers, have a duck-like bill, a furry body and webbed feet for swimming. They’re very shy and hard to spot but head to the coastal areas of eastern Australia or the zoo for your best chance.
6. Echidna
Echidnas might look like a hedgehog but they’re another unique monotreme with a long, sticky tongue that they use to eat ants from their holes. Don’t try picking one up!
7. Wombat
This solid, muscular and short, burrowing animal isn’t often seen in the wild but can be found throughout the south-eastern regions of Australia. Weighing up to 36kgs, they have rodent-like teeth, powerful claws and a backwards pouch to carry their young.
8. Emu
The flightless emu is the second tallest bird, after the ostrich. They can be found all over rural Australia and are well adapted to the harsh climate, only requiring water and food infrequently. Their meat was an important food for native Aborigines and although uncommon, you might be able to taste an emu egg that’s the size of 8-10 chicken eggs.
9. Perentie
These shy native goannas are the forth-largest type of lizard. If you see one of these in arid areas, west of the Great Dividing Range, count yourself lucky! They can overpower small birds, mammals and reptiles with their strong claws and tail and are an important part of Aboriginal culture and traditional diet.
Write about your unique experiences with Australian animals in our Australasia Travel Diary. 10% of all proceeds are donated to the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust, helping to save New Zealand’s rare and unique bird.
8 Ways to Save Money Travelling in Europe
“Travel. It’s the only thing you can buy that will make you richer”
Here at Adventurelogue, we totally agree that seeing the world only makes you richer. But, if you’ve got the wanderlust gene like us, you’ll also appreciate that the more money you save, the more places you can venture.
Travelling through Europe can be fairly expensive (especially if the exchange rate’s not in your favour), but there are lots of simple things that you can do to save yourself some pennies so that you can do more, see more and experience it all!
1. Travel Off Season
All the attractions are crowded, you’ll spend hours waiting in lines, it’s hard to find availability and when you do it’ll cost an arm and a leg. If you choose your timing, travel to Europe in shoulder seasons when the weather’s still good and prices are a little lower.
2. Travel Overnight
Red eye flights and overnight train tickets are often cheaper than travelling during the daytime but they’ll also save you on a night’s worth of accommodation. Invest in a comfy travel pillow, record your daily explorations in your travel diary and fall asleep to wake in your next city.
3. Join Loyalty Programs
Sign up for frequent flyer and hotel programs that give you reward points for your bookings. It’s amazing how quickly they add up and a free flight and/or hotel rooms makes a big difference to keeping travel costs down.
4. Look for Free or Low-Cost Activities
It’s amazing how many free events and things to do there can be in different cities so have a look online for free art events, museums and other interesting things to do. You can also save lots of money by creating your own tours such as mapping out top restaurants or coffee shops for a personalised gastronomical adventure or hire a bicycle to see major sites.
5. Cook Your Own Meals, Sometimes
One of the best parts of travel is trying the local cuisine but if there’s nothing particularly delicious or unique then cook your own meals to save money. Pick up snacks and other easy to prepare food from local farmer’s markets or supermarkets and find a picturesque place for a picnic.
6. Walk or Use Local Transport
Do as the locals do and get a subway pass, walk or use buses to get around instead of using taxis. It’s a great way to experience the more authentic side of a city and it’ll help to keep you fit.
7. Buy a Local Pre-Paid Sim
If you don’t think you can get by just using free Wi-Fi in shops and hotels, buy a local sim card to save a small fortune on roaming costs.
8. Sleep Local
If regular hotels are expensive, look for local alternatives like Airbnb and Home Exchange, stay just out of the city centre or camp for a more authentic, money saving experience.
Before you head off on your European adventure, grab yourself (and your travel buddies) a European Travel Diary. With plenty of blank pages to capture your thoughts and memories, it’s the perfect way to document your journey.
10% of all sales from the European Travel Journal are donated to Hauser Bears to help them in their mission to better the welfare of bears worldwide.
8 Reasons Why You MUST Keep a Travel Diary
The days of journal writing seem all but lost in our fast-paced digital world. Cameras have replaced sketches of beautiful people and places, ‘checking-in’ lets us look back on what we’ve done and a single post to all our friends is easier than sending postcards.
There’s a special beauty in the written word. So, before we forget these age-old traditions, here’s a timely reminder of why keeping your own travel journal is the best way to truly experience, learn from and remember your worldly adventures.
1. It Never Runs Out of Batteries
No power adapters, cords or charging needed, your travel journal is always good to go even if your adventures are taking you for a month-long trek through the wilderness.
2. It’s the Best Place to Express Your Creativity
Everyone’s got a bit of a creative spark within them. No matter where around the world your travels take you, visiting new places and experiencing new things allows you to explore your creativity.
Try sketching the Great Wall of China, record inspiring meals and ingredients or brainstorm new business ideas. Your World Travel Diary is the perfect place!
3. It Lets You Remember All the Important Bits
Everything from your must-do lists to funny quotes and that ticket to a Broadway show fit perfectly in your travel journal. Help make the taste of that banoffee pie be remembered by slipping the package into your diary or spritz the pages with your favourite French perfume.
4. It’ll Help You Defeat Boredom
Let’s face it, travelling isn’t as constantly incredible as your Instagram account makes it out to be. Those more boring times waiting for planes, busing across a country or waiting for your ‘lost’ friends to make it back to the meeting point are the best opportunities to scribble down some memories in your travel journal.
5. Gives You Something to Show the Grandkids
When you travel, you collect stories and experiences and there’s no better way to be able to share your journey with your family than sitting down and flicking through your travel diary. It’s something you’ll keep forever and look back on with fond memories.
6. It May Save a Friendship
It’s true that “travel is best measured in friends, rather than miles” but no matter who you choose to see the world with, they’re sure to do something to aggravate those nerves.
Use your travel diary to work out your annoyance, leave your poor friend who insists of taking photos of every single landmark be and avoid a fight.
7. Your Travel Journal Isn’t a Target for Theft
That’s unless you’re on a Contiki and you’ve done a bit too much ranting, raving and other things that would make good gossip…
8. You’ll Use it to Help Others Plan
Revel in being the travel expert among your friends and share your best travel tips and secrets by flicking through your diary to help others plan an amazing trip!
Don’t create experiences that will be forgotten, preserve your around the world adventures in your own World Travel Journal from Adventurelogue.
Not only does it have a pouch for keep-sakes, it’s got a wold map so you can track your footprints around the globe.
10% of all proceeds go directly to help support Traffic, so you’ll be supporting a leading world organisation to monitor and prevent wildlife trade.
