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I have been in Vevey many times for work, and it’s a nice small city on the lake Geneva. Very quiet, pittoresque. I usually prefer it in Summer when the Jazz Festival is in Montreux (10 mins by train).

I went back to New York in November for two weeks on vacation and I forgot how amazing New York City is. I didn’t want to leave and come back to Sydney. The weather was so pleasent and warm despite being November. Since I wanted to stay there for two weeks I decided to rent a Serviced Apartment rather than staying in a shoe box hotel room and it was a jolly idea. I stayed in Chelsea and I enjoyed strolling around walking pretty much everywhere with ease. Manhattan has surely great spots to go out, although I prefer it during the day where it seems like the real New York comes back alive. I also forgot how safe Manhattan is.
Looking forward to go soon…

Been in Al Ain for a week for work and to my surprise it’s so much better than Dubai. It’s less than two hours drive from DBX where you can also see the desert and the city is smaller, less crowded, cheaper. I am used to Dubai, where taxis are getting hard to find, the traffic is appauling and accommodation are getting expensive. Al Ain is a good compromise, it looks similar to a smaller Dubai, but much more compact to walk around and experience. Like more UAE cities you will find the same shopping opportunities same as Dubai and hotels are the same standards as in Dubai but way cheaper.
People there were friendly, English is spoken widely like in the rest of UAE. There’s also gardens, museams, zoo. People I was with took me on took of a hill where the Emir lives and the view as you go there is amazing and also hot spring are available down the valley.
There’re couple of bars inside hotels, but as the rest of the UAE being muslim same as Dubai you don’t go there to get wasted.
I was really impressed with Al Ain, that I am planning to go back next year with my parents since they have never been in the Middle East as a softer, less frantic version of Dubai.

Just got from Accra couple of weeks ago after spending there 8 days… Despite reservation I had about going to Ghana, it’s a good country to visit and surely an eye opener for the Westener.
To my feel, Accra is going thru a massive increase in expact settling there, due to their political stability, hence, things that used to be cheaper are now to foreigner prices. The traffic in Accra is hectic with buses carrying tons of people and street vendors almost in every intersection selling possibly everything like a supermarket.
I walked around and jumped into taxis and I have never been harassed by the locals to th extent of being annoyed like in Cairo. Actually the locals seems to be quite helpful and safe.
There’re nice restaurants in Osu where you can eat anything from steaks to seafood but expect the bill to be in US$ and not that cheap.
I went to an Ivorian restaurant called Maquis Tante Marie and it was much cheaper, good food and local atmosphere. Ask any taxi and they will bring you there for 20.000 Cedis.
I also went to Ryan’s Irish Pub for a touch of expacts and it’s ok but just way too smokey.
The open market downtown Accra are I guess an experience, although way too crowded with vendors trying to pull the tourist in all direction for a sale for stuff that you can find in your home country for the same price.
I had a driver for a day and drove all over the city and to the beach and there you can see the different pockets of Accra where poverty is also being a reality. People there though, seem despite the odds extremely hopeful, common to jump in a taxi with a driver reading the Bible and Sunday is a church day for almost the entire city.
Regarding bars, I have only been to a few. Like in Asia, girls seems to be eager to approach Western guys for a drink and dessert, just be wary that diseases are also a reality in Ghana even if it’s less than neighboring countries like Nigeria.
Health-wise, beside the mandatory Yellow Fever, Malaria tablets are a good things to take, even though I haven’t seen any mosquitoes in the city or got bitten. (As advice, don’t take Lariam, which is a weekly one. I makes you go a bit dellusional).
Money, US Dollars are accepted almost everywhere (just check the exchange rate) and make sure the bill has big heads or they won’t be accepted. You can cash out money quite easily from ATMs if you have a VISA card (no Mastercard, just VISA). When in Ghana get used to count in millions of cedis…
Kotoka Airport is all right, the arrival is small with few booths for immigration and collect your luggage. I would suggest you organize a pick up (you can also get a pick up to meet you inside the airport) to avoid facing the arrival hall with tons of locals or willing to help. Especially after a long flight is a bit too much, nothing as bad as New Delhi Airport though…
Departure are much more sophisticated with proper immigration, Duty Free, etc.
On overal Ghana is a nice African country to visit that is not too intense, rather laid back and safe to explore.

Been in Cairo for a week and not too sure I’d like to go back…
The city looks amazing for sure, the view of the Nile at sunset is magical but way too annoying to be harassed on the streets, crossing the streets with no rules and machine guns in every corner… As for the Pyramids, I thought the would be way bigger. Sure they look amazing, but again harassed from Egyptian to buy postcards every two seconds you stop. Egypt looked like an amazing country back thousand of years ago and kinda got stuck there…

Only been in Dubai and I don’t know – wasn’t too impressed with it… sure it sounds real glam to be in United Arab Emirates though the city itself was really dusty and awefully hot with so much traffic and pollution that it ain’t really worth it.
Had a look downtown to couple shopping malls, only refuge in 40C heat… and not that great – sure they have brands, etc – but the prices also were the same as any other major city around the world with better climate…
Very bright – was walking around in sunnies and it felt as I wasn’t wearing them at all.
I wouldn’t mind going back again but I am happy it’s a tick done.

If you own Gucci – time to wear it.

here on my third day in Istanbul and I have to say that despite my first reservation about Turkey which materialized in the chaotic airport – Istanbul is actually a very good vibrant city which people being really friendly and lots of fun.
It has a strange feel to it – it feels like being in a hybrid between Italy and Greece 20 years ago, kinda modern but not really at the same time.
Turks also are very nice and seem to be quiet helpful, sure couple odd people here and there but which country doesn’t have whackos ready to go?

Taksim is a nice spot in the city – with lots of bars and shops in every corner that it’s easy to blend with the crowd and just walk around looking a little treasures with your iPod on…

A good bar to go is at Pera Marmara Hotel in Taksim, go to the rooftop and sip Cosmos… the view is to die for, lot’s of expats also go there, it’s one of the bar to go at the moment.

Definately a place I’d like to come back again in the future

it’s really cold… freezing… -4 during the day and a strong chilled wind!
hmmm compared with the rest of Asia Beijing ain’t that great, places seem to be overprices if you’re a tourist… hotel seem to be plastic made and the food is average.
Streets are clean… but not sure about people spitting and picking their nose so frequently… I hope they don’t work in restaurants!!!

Kobe is really small compared with Tokyo but it’s quiet vibrant… lot’s of fun and good shopping… Great Irish Pub just opposite Sannomiya Station worth visiting if you don’t know anybody and wish to meet some Gaijin…
30 mins train ride to Osaka… which you can go back and forth…

Belgium is weird!