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  • Khoo Kongsi, Georgetown, Penang

    There are many beautiful Chinese clanhouses in Penang, but for me, if you were to choose only one, it would have to be Khoo Kongsi.
    It is the most impressive on approach, set in its own square, and once inside, the ornamentation and artwork are exceptional. The detail in the carvings and wall drawings are impressive and unusual.
    Not for nothing is this part of Georgetown a UNESCO world heritage centre 
      
      

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  • Criniti’s, Manly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales

    Two of us ate here for lunch on a sunny Sunday lunchtime before doing the scenic walk from Manly to Spit Bridge. We both ordered pizza which were large and tasty. The quality of the ingredients was good. The restaurant was busy, the service was still pretty good. We enjoyed it, we would recommend the walk too!

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  • Dusky Leaf Monkeys in the Botanical Gardens, Penang.

    These gardens are a short taxi ride out of Georgetown or they are at the bottom of Penang Hill if you descend by road. They are free to enter and have many lovely trees and flowers. There is a train (paid) that will carry you round the gardens if the heat is too much for walking; it does get very hot in the afternoons. For me, the highlight of the gardens was the Dusky Leaf Monkeys eating the topiary trees near the entrance. They are beautiful and seem quite at ease around people. They are also less cheeky and noisome then the Macaques up the hill, near the top of the park.

    Worth the trip for the Dusky Leaf Monkeys alone.


      

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  • A trip up Penang Hill, Penang Malaysia 

    The funicular railway to the top is a good way to get to the top.
    Make sure that you go early in the morning; the queues for the train get long in the summer and the view from the top is more spectacular before cloud cover comes in.
    You can walk down (you can walk or cycle up too, but I suspect it is a killer journey!) it is a 5k walk. It is very, very steep and took us almost 2 hours. However, there were many monkeys on the way down and it ends in the Penang Botanical Gardens which are beautiful.
    The views from the top though are the best because trees line the road all the way down. So, I think if I were to do it again, I would catch the railway back down and visit the Botanic Gardens separately so that I would be able to give them all the time that they deserve.

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  • MOzen Bistro, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas

    Traditionally it has always been the casinos that have had the best buffet brunches in Las Vegas, however there is a new contender on the strip. MOzen Bistro is in the Mandarin Oriental, a gambling free oasis of calm in the madness of the heart of Vegas. This is now the place that has the best brunch in Las Vegas bar none. It has the widest variety, the best ingredients, the most exotic dishes and excellent service. Try it, step away from the gaming tables for a moment, enjoy the change of pace. #TOTastemaker

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  • Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

    The Petronas Twin Towers are spectacular from the ground, outside during the day.
    The trip up to the top is also well worth the money, the views are great both from the walkway between the towers half way up and from the observation deck at the top. The 3D high tech equipment and models of the city are great fun and futuristic
    But for me the real amazement was seeing them, from ground level, lit up at night – beautiful, imposing, visionary! Don’t miss them lit up at night!
    #TOTastemaker

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  • Hotel Bruny Bistro, Bruny Island, Tasmania

    We were staying in Adventure Bay and decided to look for a restaurant, there aren’t too many restaurants on Bruny Island and this one had pretty good reviews. We almost missed it because it looked more like a local pub than a Hotel and restaurant. The view out the window is beautiful (although admittedly it would be tough to find a view that isn’t beautiful on Bruny) and the service is friendly and helpful.

    We ordered the scallops and the flake and chips. The fish and chips were lovely. I got 15 huge, delicious, crowned scallops. They were fresh, simply cooked and full of flavour.

    I know it’s a long way to go for scallops, but my word they were gorgeous! If you are ever in the vicinity of Bruny Island – I recommend that you go – and you know what to order!

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  • Captain Cook Caravan Park, Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, Tasmania

    We stayed in a 1 bedroom cabin in this camping and caravan park. The cabin was clean and well maintained. Ours had a separate kitchen with cooker, fridge, freezer and microwave. There is also a TV and a sofa. The seating area out the front has a barbecue. The sea is directly across the road and the sound of the waves as you sit there in the morning or evening is gorgeous.

    The bed was comfortable and the water in the shower was hot and strong.

    Reception is open limited hours and the nearby shop and restaurant close early…. So bring snacks! There is no wifi. However this is easily compensated for by the empty pristine beaches, the beautiful walks, the nearby penguins and the white wallabies.

    We had such a fantastic time in Tasmania and Bruny Island in particular.

    These photos were both taken from the vicinity of the Park


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  • Meriton Serviced Apartments, Campbell Street, Sydney

    Sydney hotels are pretty pricey if you choose not to go down the backpacker route. However, if you are staying more than a single night, serviced apartments offer a great alternative. Meriton do them well. We stayed 5 nights in these ones in Campbell Street and were impressed. The position was great; just on the edge of Chinatown and the CBD. It is possible to walk almost anywhere in Central Sydney from here and if you don’t like to walk, it is only a couple of minutes from Central Station.

    The rooms are huge, the bathrooms modern, and the water hot and plentiful. There is loads of cupboard space and the aircon is efficient. There was a washing machine and dryer in the room too, they even supplied a little tube of washing powder!

    The 1GB limit on wifi use per day was enough even for our data hungry devices.

    We shall be looking up Meriton Serviced Apartments for future stays in Australian cities.

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  • Park Hotel Clarke Quay, Singapore

    We stayed here for 4 nights. The room was compact but well laid out, so it did not feel too restricted. I particularly liked the wardrobe that could be opened from the bathroom as well as the bedroom.
    It was a good base from which to sightsee Singapore. It is modern and had good facilities. The bathroom and shower were great. The wifi was good quality. It has a nice pool and sunbathing area. There are many restaurants and shops close by and it is walking distance (but hot and humid, so we did get taxis sometimes!) along the river to Singapore’s must see venues. I would stay here again.

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