Jericho is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. It’s located near the Jordan River in the West Bank in the Palestinian Territories.

The day I went to Jericho, it was 43 degrees but I deal heat way better than cold. So I didn’t feel suffering as much as some fellow travellers did.

Still, it wasn’t pleasant to stay in the little shopping complex for nearly 2 hours lunch break without air conditioning.

We saw mount Temptation, where Jesus fasted for forty days and nights above Jericho and walked among many ruins from Bronze age.

Once again, I wouldn’t dare to walk on the streets of Jericho alone without joining a tour. This is a snap shot of the streets from my tour bus:

The Russian Museum in Jericho on the other hand, looks stunning and much civilised. Looking by photos, I can’t even believe those places belong to the same city.

 

Sometimes, in life, it can be good to take some time out for yourself – and what better way than taking a solo break away from it all to replenish and refocus.

We’ve all heard the revolution of solo female travellers trailblazing the way for independent solo female travel with blogs and vlogs aplenty… but, if you’re looking for a trip to get your heart and head together, you might need a different approach.

After all, whilst taking snaps by a luxurious pool with your outfit from Bohemian Treasure will certainly make you look the part, the point of this trip is for you to allow yourself the time and freedom to be yourself and really get to grips with where you want to go in life.

In that vein, here are some top tips…

  1. CHOOSE YOUR DESTINATION WISELY

If you’re looking for a solo getaway, to do some soul searching, then your choice of destination is going to be the hardest thing.  Let’s face it, the majority of people planning such a trip will have recently undergone some form of loss – often in the context of a relationship, so you don’t necessarily want to be checking into a honeymoon hotel that would feel akin to the guy in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”.

That said, you want more soul than a business complex and perhaps a little more comfort than a backpacker town – meaning, the most ideal destination in terms of accommodation is likely something a little quirky and upmarket but rustic and rural.  This tends to attract a reasonably gentile crowd that, if they are couples, aren’t usually rubbing it in your face – preferring to read a book by the pool and have a relaxing meal at night.

  1.  BE ACTIVE

You want to make sure that this trip has enough activity to keep you entertained, whilst not being so busy you’re too distracted to focus and connect with your innermost feelings.  In this sense, a yoga holiday often works well because there’s something to do, but it’s not like a firework distracting you from the purpose of your trip.

The key point, is you want to have enough activities planned for your trip to keep you entertained and not sat, feeling alone, perhaps dwelling a little too much on your emotions. You want to be true to the purpose of the trip which is to take a break away from it all in order to connect with yourself.

  1.  INDULGE

You don’t necessarily need to spend heaps of money to indulge, but treat your inner child to what it needs – for instance, if you fancy an ice cream be sure to get your favourite flavours and indulge in the gastronomy of the local area… if you see a speed boat trip you would love to go on, then book it.  The point is, that just because you’re by yourself doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy all the things everyone else does.

Give yourself permission to indulge, and look after the most important person in your life – yourself.

Related: Travelling Solo: 5 Pieces of Equipment You’ll Need

I travelled with a tour to the Church of the Nativity, also Basilica of the Nativity  located in Bethlehem (Palestine) in the West Bank. It is richly decorated inside nowadays and welcomes thousands of visitors a day.

Inside the Basilica, it contains the original mosaic floor from the 4th century.

The holy site known as the Nativity Grotto underneath the Basilica is thought to be the cave in which Jesus of Nazareth was born. The grotto is the oldest site continuously worshipped in Christianity. And the basilica is the oldest major church in the Holy Land.

The birth place of Jesus.

More photos of my middle East trip will be posted gradually.

I’ve been to so many churches and chapels during my Middle East trip and it’s easy to forget which is which, especially for  non religious person like me.

I remember the significance of this Chapel in Bethlehem, Palestine because it’s where the angles first announced the birth of Christ according to Catholic tradition. I just couldn’t remember it’s name.

After checking my note, it’s all coming back. The name is Chapel of the Shepherd’s Field, located southeast of Bethlehem in the West Bank in Palestine.

Without a tour, I’d never dare to go to Palestine by myself. I’m glad finally made it to Middle East and learned so many historical stories and culture background in this region.

Here are some photos of this beautiful chapel and its surroundings:

This is the cave under the church. An image depicting the birth of Jesus can be seen in the place.

On the way back to Haifa, I had the chance to explore the Ruins of Caesarea, an ancient Roman city on the Coast of Israel.

King Herod built Caesarea as a luxury city carefully planned 2000 years ago, with streets and monuments such as temples, a palace, roman bath and entertainment sites.

Roman statues out side the theatre:

The Roman Amphitheatre:

Caesarea Maritima-Columns and stones:

The stone of the columns were brought from all over the Mediterranean and Eastern coast, especially from famous quarries of Greece, minor Asia (Turkey) and Egypt.

A stone Coffin

Caesarea Hippodrome:

These are just outside of the entrance to Hippodrome. Guess what were these for originally?

Ready for the answer? Ok, these functioned as toilet back then, 2000 years ago. People went to release themselves in the open air and have a chat with each other before going into the hippodrome to watch a show. Ocean water was the natural flush… Way to socialise!

A fellow tourist offered take a photo of me sitting on these ancient toilet but I quickly picked a spot just in front of it and stood like a lady:)

People were fascinated by that ancient open air toilet

There are many places in Israel that I wouldn’t mind visiting again and spending more time to explore. Mediterranean coastal city Akko (Acre) is one of them.

Steeped in medieval crusader history, The Old City of Akko is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest ports in the world.

Wish I had more time to wander through these wonderfully decorated little alleyways, admire the well preserved stone architecture, try all the colourful deserts in the market, enjoy the sea breeze by the harbour and take more pictures of EVERYTHING.

As we rushed through the sites with our tour guides, I quickly took a snap of the map of Akko old city for future reference.

Here are some photos of major sites:

The harbour

The Citadel – Built on ruins of the Crusaders fortress

The Crusader City – inside and underneath Citadel

Map of The Crusader City

The court yard

From the court yard going underground

Underground Knight Halls

The Hall of Pillars

In the 17th century, a traveller who visited Acre (Akko) wrtoe on a staircase located on the western facade of the Pillared Hall:

“We descend a broad and magnificent staircase all made of stone, wide enough to allow eight persons to walk side by side. Below there are spacious and beautiful halls, supported by large, strong columns…”

I guess this is the said staircase, obviously tourists are no longer allowed to walk on them for preservation purposes.

The stone staircase

Khan al-Umdan

View to clock town out side Khan al-Umdan

Ahmed Al-Jazzar

Walls and fortifications!

Shame I didn’t have time to go along the coast and enjoy the full view of the walls that wrap around the old city from outside. But hey, I made it to Akko all the way from Australia!

The Suk (Market)

The narrow and decorative alleyways

They reminded me those wonderful and good looking alleyways in Tel AvivHow pretty is Israel? Unreal.

 

We all work hard and when the summer comes it’s understandable that you’re excited about booking yourself a nice little vacation away. It’s also totally understandable that you want to book yourself something a little more classy than usual to reward yourself for all of your hard work throughout the year. Sometimes word of mouth simply isn’t enough when it comes to booking yourself a luxurious holiday, so take a look at these tips on how you can do exactly that.

Invite the girls

No vacation can compare to those spent with your best friends. Get the girls together and plan out where you’re going to go. Not only do you have a super luxurious holiday to look forward to, you get to spend it with the people you love the most and more often than not, larger groups of people will bring down the price of your vacation dramatically. Everybody is a winner!

Spend a little more on accommodation

Your accommodation is going to be your new home for the foreseeable future, so why not spend a little extra to add comfort and class to your holiday? Renting out luxury apartments will do you and the girls the world of good and allow you to truly kick back and relax. Take a look at serviced apartments in Canberra to see what kind of luxury you could be having on this year’s vacation. Don’t forget to check whether the accommodation you choose has all of the amenities that you want like air conditioning or a swimming pool.

Pre-book activities

While lounging on the beach sounds like heaven right now, it’s likely that you don’t want to spend your whole holiday doing nothing. Take a look at some activities and attractions that you’re interested in and pre-book them before you jet off. Not only does it give you something else to look forward to, but it will give you a chance to save the money and pay it off before you travel.

Use room service

Spending that little bit extra on your accommodation will probably include some sort of room service – so why not take advantage of it? Order champagne for you and the girls, or even a sweet treat to wake up to each morning. Whatever you choose, the service is there to be used, so take advantage of it!

Pamper yourself

Finally, going on vacation means relaxation, so make sure that when you’re on your break away that you’re pampering yourself. See if you can find a spa nearby and head for a spa day. Alternatively, you could take some face masks and bubble bath with you and have a girly pamper day in your luxurious apartment!

As you can see, a luxurious vacation isn’t that far out of reach, and you deserve to treat yourself once in a while! Which ideas did you like the most? Is there anything that you would have added or taken away? Let me know!

There are so many important considerations that need to be made when you’re travelling, but there are even more when you’re travelling with children. You want to make sure that they get the most out of the experience, and that means planning things differently to how you would if you were travelling without children. Read on to learn more about some of the important differences and the important considerations that need to be made when travelling with children.

Giving Yourself Extra Time in Your Schedule

Whenever you need to get somewhere at a certain time, you should add a little extra time into your schedule. That might mean setting off earlier because having kids with you always means that you should expect the unexpected. There are plenty of little things that can slow you down when you have to think about the whole family, so it makes sense to give yourself a little extra breathing room.

Family Friendly Accommodation

You’re going to want to spend time in the kind of accommodation that welcomes families. If the place you’re staying at isn’t really suitable for kids, your stay probably won’t be as enjoyable. Luckily, there are kid friendly caravan parks and hotels all over the world, so you shouldn’t struggle to find one. It is something you should pay attention to when you’re browsing accommodation though.

Preparing for the Climate Properly

It might be alright for you to misjudge the weather and cope with it while you’re there, but your kids can’t do this. They’re going to need all the right clothing and other items to help them cope with the climate. This is especially important if the climate is very different to what they’re used to at home. You should do your research and find out what the weather will be like at the time of year you’re heading to your destination.

Where You’re Going to Eat

Eating out can be very tricky when you have children to think about. Many restaurants simply won’t be suitable for small children. And the ones that do might not have the food on the menu that your kids want. If they have a pretty limited diet, it’s worth doing some research ahead of time and finding the restaurants that will be suitable for your whole family.

Not Allowing Them to Get Bored

Getting bored is something that kids are very good at, so you’ll need to keep the activities coming constantly throughout your travels so that they never get bored. The last thing you want on your hands are bored kids demanding you do something fun and interesting. All of the activities should be planned between you as a family before you even board the plane.

Travelling with children is never the same as travelling on your own. That’s something that you just need to accept if you’re going to make the most of your journey. If this is your first time travelling with your children, be sure to prepare and plan things out carefully beforehand.

floating in the dead seaFloating in the Dead Sea was on my bucket list. Now I’ve ticked it off the list. Was I ecstatic about the experience? Hardly.

I know I could be too critical at times. There’s also a saying: the more you expect, the more disappointed you’ll get. Probably both true.

My floating in the Dead Sea Experience:

The Dead Sea looked deadly gorgeous high above from Masada fortress. It looked wonderful when we drove around it many times too. But the Dead Sea beach we went? Didn’t look inviting at all – sorry for not saying something more positive. I’m not sure if you could go floating anywhere in Dead Sea on your own. Somewhere less touristy, less crowded would definitely make the trip more pleasant.

In any case, this is just the account of my experience going with a tour company. The beach was obviously a destination that all tour buses would go to. It has a large souvenir shop that sells Dead Sea skin products as well as hats, tea towers, pouches etc with “Dead Sea” written all over them. There are a couple of bars on upper level and a changing place with bathrooms, shower rooms and a locker room. It costs 15 shekels to hire a locker. Everywhere was packed with people. People from all over the world.

It was around 42 Celsius degrees when we went to the beach. Normally in a hot day like that, I’d be dying to go to cool water. I didn’t have much desire to go down all the way to the beach that day. Instead, I felt hot and bothered. But hey, who couldn’t miss this maybe once in a life time opportunity to go floating in the Dead Sea! I travelled all the way from Australia to do this. “Don’t be discouraged so easily Yvonne!” telling myself off, I slowly worked out how to utilise the free time we were given.

Taking everything with me,  I went around and down to the beach to explore the whole area before going into the water. Someone yelled out: “Hey, where are you coming from?” Hmmm. I squeezed a very weak smile and walked faster, not in the mood to be friendly just with anyone.

floating in the dead sea

Trying to find the best angle to photograph this crowded, touristy beach. It looked decent from this quiet spot.

floating in the dead sea

After a quick orientation, I went up again, changed to swimming suits and hired a locker to put everything in it including my camera and phone. Feeling much lighter with only a towel and a bottle of water in my hand, I headed to the beach, this time, for a real dip and float.

floating in the dead sea

The beach was burning hot – you could grill your feet without wearing shoes. A fellow tourist kindly made room for me under an beach umbrella. I put my towel down on a chair, sat down and gazed at the water a little bit more. A couple of women fell on  the way back to the beach. It must be very slippery.

I walked towards the water sweating from the heat, took my shoes off right before the edge and went into the Dead Sea slowly. People have warned me to be careful not to get the Dead Sea salty water in my eyes. But sweat streamed down heavily on my face and flew into my eyes. I wasn’t sure which one is saltier, my sweat or the Dead Sea Water. It felt good to cool down in the water finally. Soon my exposed skin was burning like crazy because I didn’t put sunscreen on properly. I grabbed the slippery mud and put it all over my body. The best sun blocker ever! I lied on my back for a little float. It was super easy. You could totally relax on your back, stretch/twist your arms and legs without sinking.

After a while, I walked back to the shore, put more mud on my body and slowly made my way back. There were cold shower facilities along the way back up. I queued a little to have a quick one. The water was much cooler than the Dead Sea water. How refreshing was the cold shower! And my skin, how smooth it was after the mud! Back to the locker and bathroom on top. After a quick shower and changing to my normal clothes, I walked back into the heat. It didn’t feel that hot any more. The bar next to the tourist centre looked my inviting now. So I went in and chilled a little more before it was time to catch the tour bus back. My mood improved dramatically.

floating in the dead sea

Looking back at the trip of floating in the Dead Sea, it was still worthwhile though not overwhelmingly enjoyable. But I did what I’ve always wanted to do and understand the beach was packed because floating in the Dead Sea is OBVIOUSLY on so many people’s bucket list, therefore we’ve got to share the pleasure! 🙂

floating in the dead sea

floating in the dead sea

Israel the country as a whole is beyond amazing. Israeli people are so creative and artistic! Look at those abandoned workers’ houses near the Dead Sea Beach. Aren’t they adorable?

Want to see more photos? Here are many more posts about my Israel trip:

I loved taking a cable car up to the high desert and touring around the ancient fortress Masada.

Israel continues to amaze me and I’m so glad I made it here to keep on learning the rich history around this fanscinating region.

Masada is located near the shore of the Dead Sea, 450 meters above the level of the Dead Sea. To get into the palatial fortress high up in the mountain, we no longer need to hike all the way up through the snake path like ancient people did. A 3-minute cable car ride is all we need. Of course, the option of walking up the Snake Path is available for you if you choose to. I didn’t see anyone on the Snake Path in the 40+ degree heat though. These cable car are quite big but look rather small from a distance, you get a sense about how high the fortress is.

Enjoy the view to the Dead Sea once you step out of the cable car. The colours are so incredibly dreamy and I looked forward to a dip and float in the Dead Sea soon.

Masada was one of many splendid creations by Herod, king of Judea. It was built in the style of the ancient Roman East. “The camps, fortifications and assault ramp at its base constitutes the most complete surviving ancient Roman siege system in the world.”

I adore everything old and beautiful. People have different travel preferences. Some like watching wild life, some like going to beach resorts. I like exploring ancient ruins. Give me any old castle, temple or old side street, I could wander and get lost in time 100% content.

I’ve certainly learned a lot of about of King Herod from my Israeli trip. One clever man he was. Superbly clever. He built a luxurious palace in the middle of a desert, high above the ground. He used the geographically strategic advantage of Masada as  as refugee against his enemies. This palace was well – stocked with food and water, well – equipped for defence in case of a seige.

King Herod even brought water all the way up there to build a large Roman bath house! Imagine having a bath and sauna in the dry desert, 400 meters above the ground! My simple brain would give up the idea immediately but King Herod made it a reality.

Floor plan of the bathhouse. It is really huge!

Sauna room with water holes

As you walk around the site, you’ll find thick black lines run through the walls of those ruins. That is a mark to let visitors know that everything below the black line is part of the original construction while everything above the black line is done by later restoration.

The whole national park is simply stunning, I don’t think any picture could capture its really beauty but I was trying to capture it nevertheless. 🙂

Look how high it is. Ancient people used to climb up by foot!

Over looking the Dead Sea. Falling in love with the views again and again.

Visiting Masada is a must while you are travelling in Israel. In case you worry, the site is well – facilitated with bathrooms, free chilled drinking water, snack bars and a restaurant serving delicious buffet.

Open Hours and Cable Car Operation:

Apr – Sep: 8am – 5pm

Oct – Mar: 8am – 4pm

Traveling sometimes requires some preparation as far as documentation is concerned. We all know that we need passports, but depending on where you are going, you may also need a visa to go with it. Getting one is no picnic if you do it the old-fashioned way. You need to get off work, travel to the nearest embassy of the country where you want to go, stand in line, and basically waste an entire day for a piece of paper. Lucky for us, things are changing.

Introducing the electronic visa

The electronic visa is not new. They have been around for a few years but now is when the process is expanding. At first, only a handful of countries released such a document, but today, more and more states adopt this program. It is a lot simpler than the application process at consulates, and people are sold when they hear that they can go through all that from home.

Let’s take an example, shall we? Let’s say that you want to travel to Egypt. That means you need an Egypt evisa. Depending on your country of origin, you may or may not be eligible for one. For the sake of argument, let’s say you are a US citizen, thus eligible. All you have to do is fill in an online application, and then you wait for the visa to arrive via e-mail in the timeframe of your choosing. At the same time, the evisa will be linked electronically to your passport.

Of course, there are a few requirements you need to meet, apart from the eligibility issue. One of the most important is your passport. You are required to have a passport that is valid and remains as such for at least another six months from your date of departure. This is a general requirement dictated by Egypt’s visa policy, so there is no way around it. Even so, a valid passport is not such a difficult thing to obtain. Worst case scenario is that you apply for a new passport. You can find passport photos online as well if you like.

Apart from the passport requirement, you also need to provide a few documents for the company that will handle the application process. There are multiple companies that can do that for you, one of which is iVisa, so they need some things from you to get started. You are required to provide your personal information, answer some personal questions, and depending on the visa you are applying for, some additional documents. The supplementary materials depend on the case as well. For example, if you travel with your minor child, you need an authorization letter from the other parent. Failure to upload the entire necessary documentation will lead to a denied application, and you may end up at an embassy after all. However, if you pay attention and make sure to cross every requirement off the list, you should be able to get what you need in just a few days.

Say what you want about this, but you have to admit that it is a brilliant solution to a common problem. You can apply from home, day or night, and there is no hassle and waste of time. Not to mention that it is not expensive either. Until passports and visas go extinct, this is the best thing that can happen to travelers.

 

 

Most people commented “You are very brave” when they found out I was travelling to Israel on my own. Middle East, is unsafe for travellers in many people’s eyes. My personal experience in Tel Aviv speaks otherwise.

I was of course, a little concerned flying into Israel without knowing anyone but the airport transfer all turned out fine. My hotel room in Tel Aviv, to my surprise, had direct views to the beach. I could see the sun beaming, people running on the beach and colourful paragliders all over the sky, just like they do over beaches in Sydney. Best of all, I could watch sunset on the beach in my room! That was a perfect set up for a day dreamer like me.

My schedule was tight, there were so many places to see, no time for day dreaming. Everyday I was on a day tour to explore different parts in Israel and this country really fascinates me. One day I met Sharon, a (medical) Doctor from Cape Town, who’s been to Tel Aviv before. My trip turned out to be even better.

I was travelling alone and intended to keep pretty much all to myself. My plan for that evening was to walk alone on the beach, enjoy more sea breeze and another beautiful sunset. Sharon called me from behind on my way back to my hotel and asked if I’d like to go for a walk on the beach together. “Sure,” I replied. She looked nice and a company like that doesn’t hurt. But we didn’t just had a little walk on the beach, she took me to the Old Town of Tel Aviv and showed me around. Without her, I wouldn’t know how wonderful Old Jaffa is – that was like the best personal tour ever. And I couldn’t be more grateful.

Looking back to the new town from old town Tel Aviv – a mixed world of old and new:

Approaching the old town:

Iron cannons left from when Napoleon conquered Jaffa in 1799:

The iconic bell tower of Franciscan Church:

Keep exploring… We watched sunset together. There wasn’t a single cloud on the sky, which allowed us to watch the last bit of evening sun dipping into Mediterranean sea. And the wonderful, winding sandstone alleyways – I could walk in those for days! Israelis are such creative, artistic people. You’ll be amazed how beautifully decorated the doors and side streets are.

I’m not a religious person who could tell the religious significance of many old monuments, but words can’t express how much I appreciate the beauty and rich history of Old Jaffa!

Jaffa Port at night.

Tel Aviv is modern and fun with a brilliant mix of old and new. You can feel the relaxed, happy and romantic Mediterranean air in the whole city, day and night. No wonder it’s been such a popular holiday destination for Europeans.Note to people from Jerusalem who said there’s nothing in Tel Aviv: That’s not a true statement. Please don’t mislead your guests:). Old Jaffa is one of Israel’s most ancient cities and there are plenty to do and see. For people who are scared to travel to Israel, please don’t listen too much to the media. 🙂 It’s totally safe to travel to, even for a not so confident, single female traveller like me.

I didn’t know where Rosh Hanikra is; didn’t even have time to Google it before I went. I simple trusted the driver and the tour guide that they’d take me to somewhere rather amazing. They surely did. It was more than an amazing experience.

What is turquoise blue? The colour of sea water here is! Looking down from the top of the cliff, I couldn’t stopping thinking how impeccably, naturally beautiful Israel is.

Following along the board walk, we were about to take a short cable car ride down the cliff to see those spectacular grottoes that used to be only accessible by capable native swimmers and divers. This cable car is supposed to be the steepest cable car in the world, with a 60 degree gradient. One yellow, one red. They are easily the cutest too.

The steepest cable car in the world

The steepest cable car in the world

I was about to explore the grottoes in peace. All of a sudden, groups of screaming school kids rushed to the entrance. I was pushed in every direction inside the tunnel but it didn’t spoilt the spectacular sight.

Walking out of the tunnel, you’d be welcomed by those white chalk cliff faces and more stunning scenery. It felt like a dream.

My selfie skill sucks but who could resist a photo with this dreamy background?

Rosh Hanikra is right on the boarder of Israel and Lebanon. This sign clearly shows the distance to capital cities of both countries from this point.

Across the road from that wall, is the boarder crossing. Residing in a country so remote from any neighbour countries, it still fascinates me how close it could be from one country to another.