Annie's Pick of
Dream Destinations 

AUSTRALIA - Dream Destinations

We Love Melbourne!

Ah, Melbourne - when I first found out we were being transferred to Melbourne from Sydney I cannot say I was excited - in fact I was pretty downright depressed!  

My husband and I made a pact - we would stay one year and one year only because I didn't "want to wake up one day and find I had lived there for 20 years"!

Well, we lived there for 11 years, our children were born there.  We are forever attached to Melbourne.  

So what do I think of Melbourne now?  If you could move Melbourne to the Gold Coast you would have heaven on earth!  The major downside to living in Melbourne is the weather - and yes I am being a shallow, sunseeking, ex-pommie who hates the cold and rain!  

The weather isn't all bad - when the sun shines and the sky is blue it would melt anyone's heart.  Melbourne has class, character, charisma, cafes and clothes shopping! What more could you want?  We LOVE Melbourne!  

Brigitte's website - We Love Melbourne is a great way to explore, find out more and plan a trip to this great Australian city.

CHINA - Dream Destinations

Traveling the Golden Route in China

I lived in Hong Kong for a year when I was finishing high school.  I was fascinated by the Chinese culture, language and history.  

I didn't get much chance to travel into China as I was studying and China wasn't as open as it is today.

The China Travel Golden Route website is such a great way for me to remember some of the sights I did see and to get excited about the things I still want to see.  I particularly love the brief history!  

CANADA - Dream Destinations

Why Vancouver?

Vancouver has a very special place in my heart.  It was my last stop on my trip to Australia when I emigrated from the UK back in the late eighties.  Vancouver is one of those places that just gets you. 
 
I had it all figured out, if Australia didn't work out for me, Vancouver was where I would head!  And as it turns out, I am not alone in thinking that as it is consistently listed as one of the World's Most Livable cities.
 
The Why Vancouver website gives me lots of inspiration to plan another trip to this very special place and if I was moving there, there's lots of great information to help make it nice and easy!  

Oh, the other thing that gets me thinking of Vancouver is the call of Whistler for a spot of skiing!  Given that the 2010 Winter Olympics are to be held in Whistler perhaps the perfect time for a trip!

***

Pahang Delights website is described as: A guide on travel to delightful Pahang, a microcosm of Malaysia.  Discover the unique traditional cultures and attractions.  The natural beauty of its flora and fauna, virgin forests, caves, mountains, rivers and lakes.  Enjoy the captivating islands, sandy beaches or cool highlands.

Before I came across this website I didnt even know where Pahang was! What struck me most was the food!  Yes, I love all kinds of asian food and I am hanging out to try some of these delicious looking local Malay dishes. Where better to sample these Pahang delights than where they come from.

Definintely up there as dream destinations go, fabulous beaches, tropical islands and good food!  The photos on this website mean you don't have to dream too much!    

Arizona excites both my visual and auditory senses! The names of cities like Tuscon, Arizona and Phoenix, Arizona are immortalised in songs!  And the harsh but amazingly beautiful scenery is right out of the old cowboy movies - and in someways similar to the Australian outback.

The jewel in the crown that everyone thinks of is the Grand Canyon.  It is on my list of 1000 places to visit before I die!  I have wanted to see it for myself ever since a friend of mine visited and photographed it back in the 1980's. 

Howard painstakingly spent hours with a hand held camera doing a piece by piece photo montage panorama.  I think when he had finished his 360 degree masterpiece there were some 180 plus photos laid out on his canvas. 

I never remember what happened to the photos, but it has been an influence on me to this day.  One of my favourite things when I visit places is to do my own little photo panoramas.  You can find my little versions on the pages of this website!  Nothing like the breathtaking view Howard created of the Grand Canyon.

When I came across the Arizona Vacation Planner website, I was whisked away to memories of Howard's panorama.  I now realize how much more of Arizona there is to see, and how much more I want to see.

This Arizona vacation planner travel site has Arizona resort, spa and restaurant reviews, city destination guides, favourite Arizona attractions, insider travel tips and personal photos.