Gude Travel

We started the day at The Gounds in Sydney. They were decked out in Barbie with Barbie themed drinks. We took a ferry to Manly Beach, named after all the manly people there in the time of pirates. We got fish and chips here, which is the thing to do. It was delicious! We drove…

Took a trip to the Opera House and around Sydney today. The history of the Opera House and it’s construction is really interesting. The original architect was Dutch but it was finished by a group of Australians under his advisement. The whole structure is done with concrete blocks. It’s really impressive. We walked around for…

We landed in Australia and took a trip to Bondi Beach first thing. It’s a really popular area and there was a lot going on: surfing, ice skating, an art festival, and some kind of event for dogs. We took a walk through Gap Park and saw some incredible views. The wild Cockatoos and Lorikeets…

Did you know that Kmart is still alive and well in New Zealand (and Australia)? We had to take an adventure over to this relic to see it in action. We were not disappointed. Turns out they also have a Woolworths too! But it’s a grocery store. I thought I remembered it being a clothing…

We took a tour of Queenstown that highlighted some of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings filming sites. Above is a hill used for several scenes including a rocky area used to film the escape from Minas Tirath. We ran into an unfortunate fog that prevented us from seeing the area where they took…

It’s winter in New Zealand! The mountains are beautiful in their snow covered majesty! We are in Queenstown which is such a charming city! Above you can see the air tram taking folks up the mountain. It is prime skiing season here! We are also close to lake Wakatipu which has a lovely trail around…

Lisbon is the biggest city in Portugal, and I’m glad we saved it for last. It’s a bit overwhelming at times, and really packed with tourists-which I did not expect. I guess the secret of this travel destination is out. This is the Monument to the Discoveries, honoring Portugal’s journey around Africa in search of…

Started the day with a cork factory tour. The whole process is really interesting. It turns out taking the outer bark off does not actually remove the part of the bark that feeds the tree water and nutrients. We spent the rest of the day walking around Lisbon to get to know the area. Above…

I think Evora is my favorite place in Portugal. It’s much smaller and seems a bit less traveled. You can see most everything in one day, but why, when you can take your time? Our biggest draw was the bone church. Monks before the 1600’s created it as a statement about how, regardless of your…

We traveled to Coimbra, home of the oldest University of the same name. It has a famous old library where you, unfortunately, cannot take pictures. The entrance to the University is famous as a place where students, after they graduate, tear off their robes and hang them from the grate. Athena, or Diana, of Greek/Roman…