Where to Bendi-GO!

I recently went on a short weekend trip to Bendigo. When I planned this, I didn't know what was there, hadn't looked into it too much, I just wanted to have a weekend away. After visiting Bendigo for a few days, I fell in love!

Here is a small guide of what to do, and what to see if you also find yourself spending the weekend down in Bendigo:

1. Go to the Bendigo Art Gallery.

2. The Marilyn Monroe exhibition starts this month at the Benidigo Art Gallery, so once visiting that, pop around the corner to see the Marilyn Monroe sculpture!

3. If you're into super foods and healthy eating, grab breakfast or lunch at Blue Jam Cafè!

4. If you need to grab dinner, visit Mr Beebe's! (we went there for dinner two out of three nights that we were there because we loved it so much! Here's the menu: http://mrbeebes.com.au/asset/MB_Menu_Web_Apr.pdf)

5. Wander around the small town centre and visit the independent stores such as the Bendigo Hat Store!

6. Keep an eye out for the night markets on the weekends!

7. Stay at the Schaller Studio! Just a ten minute walk from the town centre, designed by Australian artist Mark Schaller.

8. If you wanna explore surrounding areas and don't mind driving an hour, pop by Daylesford and visit the main town centre, or even the Chocolate Mill or Hepburn Springs Salt Baths and Spa!

9. Have a relax! It's such a lovely and quiet little town that you will adore and it's perfect for a short little getaway! :)

- Christine

A Year of Discovery.

Last year was a great year; it was a year of learning and a year of discovery about the world and myself. In 2014 I started my first year of university, studying a Bachelor of Fine Art degree at Monash University. I loved it and worked really hard, forwardly getting the results I needed to be able to further my studies abroad! When I got the acceptance letter to study at Monash University’s Campus in Prato, Italy, I was excited to say the least. I had been to Italy before, but mostly with family so this time around was my first independent and solo trip abroad. I was excited as I knew I could invent a new perspective on the country for myself. So the second year of my studies commenced and the first semester went by in a breeze, and then with the second semester came Italy!

When I landed in Florence it definitely felt very real. I didn’t have a family member coming to pick me up from the airport so I had to manage a way to get a taxi, and my Italian is very poor. I remember getting in the taxi and saying ‘Prato’ to the driver. He looked at me strangely, and said “Prato?”, it really hit me then that I don’t even know where or what Prato is or what it was like, and the driver's expression towards this place made me even more confused, while also very intrigued as to what Prato would be like as a city. And as expected, my time living as a 'local' in Prato enabled me to truly gain an appreciation and understanding of the city.

Prato is a provincial city, in Tuscany and is the second largest city in that region after Florence. Known for Italy’s biggest Chinese community and also the largest industrial city for textiles. Prato has many different sides to it, my favorite side was from my apartment window, I could see the Tuscan hills that stretch for miles, and it was so beautiful waking up every morning and watching the sunrise over them. Although I was mainly studying in Prato, it was definitely not the only city the study trip was bound to, in fact the exchange trip gave me, and all the people studying with me the opportunity to travel all around Italy. From medieval parades in Prato to the Venice Biennale, to the hustle and bustle of Rome, not one day of the trip was wasted for me. I would take the train to Florence most weekends with friends, as it was so close to Prato, and visit museums and flea markets or just search around for good places to savor some nice food and wine. The trip gave me the opportunity to meet new people from all around the country and also get to know the people in my course better.

I travelled to cities like Naples, Cinque Terre, Bologna, Rome, Siena, Venice, and Milan to name a few. What I adored about Italy was how every city is different, in its own way, and how the people and their way of living change throughout each city. If there is one thing I can guarantee that I visited in every city it was their churches. Each city has a marvelous array of Duomos with amazing and intricate frescos, sculptures and paintings, and let's not forget the astonishing and memorable architecture that quintessentially reflects different time periods of Italy’s growth as a nation. Immersing myself in the country's sensuality of art, architecture, food culture, lifestyle and history, the cultural sensations of Italy were the most inspiring to my studies there.

I feel so privileged and lucky to have experienced this great country, and travelled through it with like-minded people. The ability to further my tertiary education outside Australia, experiencing an array of old to new and contemporary art and learning how to understand and interpret artwork through the centuries, and there link with lifestyle and culture of Italy and Europe was truly invaluable. Overall I would have to say that the two months I spent in Italy were incredibly inspiring for myself. Everyday held something new and unexpected and I learnt to enjoy every second of every moment I was there. I do miss Italy, but the trip has given me the light to understand that there is really nothing stopping me from going back and re-living another amazing experience there again.

- Isabella

Studying in the Land of Pizza, Pasta and Padre Pio.

Studying in Europe - could any option in the whole entire world sound any more enticing!? Getting two subjects done (which normally take twelve weeks each) in the space of 5 weeks.. whilst only attending classes two days a week and being able to travel and sight-see for the rest of the time!? They was my thoughts exactly! So I decided to apply,and luckily got accepted to study in Prato, Italy (a city located only a 30 minute train ride from the main city of Florence).  

I had been to Italy a few years before, holidaying with my family and I really enjoyed it, but this time, I knew I was going to appreciate it so much more. 15-year-old me got to a point where I no longer appreciated beautiful churches and got tired out from early wake-ups and late nights of sight-seeing and walking around. I knew it was going to be different this time.

The second day I got to Italy, I thought that bad luck was going to be on my side for the trip as my friend Troy and myself got scammed at the main station in Rome when a stranger grabbed our bags and stormed off pretending to help us get to our platform - after they pulled up the deserted part of the platform we were meant to be on, they demanded $20 euro from the each of us (enough for two dinners!); but enough of the boring, sad and scary things.. the rest of the trip was a total blast! It was all just a tiny streak of bad luck at the start.

At first I was a little nervous attending the study tour as it was only myself and my friend Troy from my course/year level. The rest of the tour group were Communication Design students - but as the first night of the tour had drawn to an end, the friendships had already started to grow, and being surrounded by so many like-minded people (and being given the opportunity to travel around Europe with them) was refreshing and super exciting!

The city of Prato was absolutely gorgeous. Whilst hearing that it was one of the towns in Italy with the highest crime rate, I honestly could not have felt more safe throughout my time there. We were constantly travelling in groups and the small, quiet town was quite charming and had so much history and detail around every corner. Prato used to be a town containing a large focus on the textile industry in Italy - filled with textile factories and design houses. Now, it is not so dominant, however it does contain a gorgeous textile museum paying homage to this moment in time. 

The sandwich shop owned by a lovely bald man was the highlight of each of my schooling days - I purchased my favourite smoked ham, mushroom cream and Swiss cheese toasted roll almost every single day! And the lovely selection of ice-cream stores, and stores that we don't have here in Australia kept me intrigued throughout my whole time spent in Prato.

On the two days that we weren't studying, we were given the opportunity to venture around the rest of Italy. Throughout the five weeks that I spent there I was able to visit: Florence, Tuscany, San Marcello, Venice, Burano (the most gorgeous, colourful town in the world!), Murano, Rome and Milan.

The trip to Milan was spontaneous and planned whilst we were in Italy - this was one of the best decisions we made and it ended up being one of my two favourite places (alongside Burano), due to it's overwhelming selection of galleries, historic sites, places to eat, shops and also since the WORLD EXPO was happening there during the time we were travelling! I had never heard too much about the World Expo, but read up about it whilst in Prato as there were signs all over Italy advertising it. The World Expo has been going on for over 100 years and some of the most well-known buildings and sites of the world have been a result of World Expo happening in their cities including: The Eiffel Tower and the Melbourne Exhibition Building! 

World Expo was this amazing stretch of pavilions represented by hundreds of countries. The pavilions are designed by upcoming architects of the countries contributing to the Expo, and each country has to respond to the theme which for 2015 was: 'Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life'. Essentially, each country had to respond with a design or an idea to equalise food distribution around the world. I found this so fascinating as a design student, being able to observe amazing inventions like aquaponic set-ups and so much more! I'll pop some photos from World Expo below so you can see the beauty of the pavilions! 

My other absolute favourite place in Italy was Burano. I cannot use a single word to describe Burano. It felt like it was part of a childhood storybook. It felt so happy and wonderful. It was a tiny town that you can reach by boat from Venice and it is just a quiet place where all of the houses are painted all of these beautiful, bright colours! It really was my happy place. There wasn't a whole lot to do there besides walk around and take photos of the beautiful colours surrounding you, but I loved that. I loved that you could be in a place and just soak in all of the beauty surrounding you without being distracted by anything else. You just enjoyed being in the moment every second you were there. I will also post some photos from Burano so you will be able to understand my love for this small town.

Overall, studying there was intensive but so worth it! It was so worth taking 5 weeks to study, travel, meet new friends, discover new places and learn a lot about myself. I would recommend any sort of exchange - it's so refreshing to be learning what you love in a completely different environment with completely different people. I found I pushed myself to the limit, learnt a lot about organisation and gained inspiration from so many different things surrounding me that shaped my designs whilst in Italy. If I could have gone for longer, I would definitely have done so in a heart-beat, but saying that, Prato was amazing and mixing education and travel would have to be one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced and I would recommend this to anybody and everybody! I truly miss you, Prato 

- Christine. 

Milan World Expo 2015.

Burano, 2015.

India.

When you say the word India it seems to signify something greater- there is a mystery to it, something undiscovered. People go to India in search for of love, in search of faith, in search of themselves. I was going purely for the experience, to embrace an entirely different culture, one that was extremely foreign to me.

Upon returning I have learnt that India is indescribable, it can never be condensed to a few words because India can only be truly captured through the experience of being there and being present. It is ever changing, filled with noises and smells and colours that clash and assault the senses, and finally decide to co-exist. It is a place of extreme contradictions; everything is considered holy but nothing is sacred, poverty is contrasted by extreme wealth, the old more conservative India is juxtaposed with the new emerging India, rapidly embracing the contemporary world. 

Do: Take Photos/Travel in a Group/Travel by Tuk Tuk/ Camel Rides/ Hikes/ Watch the Sunrise/ Dance with Gypsies in the Dirt (Basically everything)

Take photos of everything, all the time, always. No, really. India is so beautiful you can't, not record it and photos are great for your post travel depression when you get back. Travelling with a group was so much fun as well, it made everything more exciting and you feel so much safer. You make new friends and bonds that will last forever and it gives you an excuse to drink a Kingfisher beer every night (it's totally cheesy but its also completely true).

Tuk Tuk Rides are the equivalent of Disneyland's Wild West ride in India and the main form of transport and camel rides are not as popular but just as fun!

Go hiking to get another perspective of Indian cities. It's so easy to get carried away in the busy Indian streets but an early morning hike up the surrounding mountains of Pushkar definitely gives you perspective and a sense of calm in among the chaos. It is those moments between light and dark in India that bring the most enlightenment. Dawn and dusk. Dancing at dusk with the gypsies in the dirt was also an amazing experience. You completely let go of all your inhibitions and surrender to India. 

Stay: Narain Niwas Palace 

Narain Niwas is situated in Jaipur and is an oasis, an absolute heaven and a the hotel you should splurge on. Some of my favourite moments were spent just sitting on the Havelli porch watching the peacocks strut around and the busy street in the distance or spending the last few minutes of sunlight relaxing in the pool, or waking up to a beautiful painted ceiling every morning. 

Eat: Carefully (!)

Be super careful about what and where you eat. Eating in the hotel is usually safe. While I was there I ate only vegetarian dishes which is mainly the cuisine anyway but even that can be unsafe; yes I got food poisoning and yes it was the worst and yes everyone got sick but we all survived (and to be honest it was kind of worth the risk for the amazing curries).

Shop: Local Markets 

Local markets are always the place to go for jewellery, homewares, handwoven material and lots of other knick-knacks.

Handy Tip: XE currency app 

The app that stops anyone from ripping you off.

- Alessandra 

Japan II

When my best friend Steph and I decided to book this trip, we were like “Hey do you wanna go to Japan? Yeah sure thing.” And the rest was history. To be honest we didn’t really have much planned for the holiday. But we were met with wonderful mix of neon lights and beautiful temples, and a hustle and bustle of a city that was  unlike any other. Here are some of my recommendations if you ever find yourself planning your own trip:

DO: Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea

The Japanese absolutely love Disney, both children AND their parents were decked out in Minnie and Mickey ears and the awesome printed t-shirts they sell. There are no expenses spared here, with the amazing street parades and night time light shows. They have some pretty awesome rides and nothing is more magical then seeing your favourite Disney characters in the flesh. I lost count of the times I fan-girled over them.

If you have time, please do both the theme parks, you won’t be disappointed. You simply can’t miss out on the Arabian Coast and the Mermaid Lagoon in DisneySea. And if you have the money stay one night at one of the resorts, that way the magic never ends.

STAY: Airbnb

Before this trip, I had a vague idea of what Airbnb was, but now I swear by it.  We booked all our accommodation through it and we stayed in some really cute apartments. It gave the whole trip a more homely feel, rather then just staying your standard hotels or hostels.

EAT: Genki Sushi

Each region in Japan is full of their own traditional meals and street food, so you will not be disappointed. But we found Genki Sushi, on a whim while looking for another place to eat one night in Shibuya. And after that night, we were hooked. We pretty much went there everyday during our stay in Tokyo. In was so easy and convenient; we ordered our sushi on a little touch screen and it came out to us on a little conveyor belt. It took the stress out of trying to order food or feeling rude by simply pointing to the menu, and it was such delicious food of course.

SHOP: Everywhere

When it comes to shopping, Japan has everything. From Daiso to Alexander McQueen and everything else in between. And man do they love their department stores.

Omotesando is were the high rollers come out to play. The streets are lined with every luxury brand you could think of. If you are planning on splurging on one item, this is the place to do so. Harajuku is also the next suburb over which made it super convenient to have a big shopping day.

Shimokitazawa is the Brunswick of Tokyo. The streets are filled with dozens of second hand and vintage stores, as well as cute little artsy boutiques

HANDY TIP: Google Maps will be your best friend. Without this nifty little app we would definitely have not been able to navigate our way through the streets of Japan. It even told us what trains to get on and what platforms they were on (which was half the journey itself).

- Sarah  

Entrance building of Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Kyoto

Dotonbori, Osaka

Mermaid Lagoon - Tokyo DisneySea

Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo - Courtesy of the Starbucks lookout

No + No = Peru.

I have always been the type of daughter never wanted to disappoint her parents. They never really had strict rules for me, but I always made sure I did well in school, came home by my curfew (mostly) and was polite and charming wherever we went. 

When I told my parents that I wanted to go overseas to Europe with my friends, the list of reasons why not to was never ending; "You’ve already been." "You’re wasting your money." "You are a group of girls..." You’ve heard the spiel. With my uni course starting earlier than most, and not wanting to disappoint my parents, I listened to them and didn’t go.

Semester 2 really got me down in the dumps; I was unmotivated and I needed to have something to look forward to. So what did I do? I decided I wanted to book a 3 and a half week volunteer trip to a place that is considered to be more dangerous than Europe - Peru (with a short stop over in LA, of course). 

But this did not come easy, oh no! There were tears, lots of tears and screaming matches too. Every time I brought it up, it was like World War 3 was about to begin. It took me until 2 months before the trip to actually book it. When I told my parents the night that I finally decided to book it, they stormed off and I thought they would never talk to me ever again. Their “baby” girl was growing up there was nothing they could do about it.

And do you want to know what happened when I returned, nothing. The world did not end, I returned home in one piece and it felt like I had never really left and it was all a dream. The only tangible way I knew that I had gone, was the fact that I had my typical touristy woven bracelets from the markets, an abundance of alpaca and llama printed souvenirs and that breathing and walking everywhere was 100% easier. 

But I knew that once I came back, that "barrier" was gone. That ball and chain which I thought was attached me is no longer there, I am a free woman!!! (not really haha).  I no longer feel the need  to always do what is expected of me by others. This is something I have always really struggled with; doing what I want vs. doing what others expect me to do. This trip made me realise that I can do things on my own, and I need to trust my gut and stop the self doubt. 

I would also like to thank anyone who gave me the courage to take this leap of faith, you know exactly who you are. Without you I would not have seen what I have seen, met the wonderful people I have met and experienced a whole new way of life.

So here is a peak of my trip. Peru, is a truly amazing place! I didn’t even get to see half of the country and I'm in love. Invaded by the Spanish, most of Peru and definitely Cusco reminds me of Europe, with the cobble stone roads and beautiful architecture. The landscape itself is absolutely breath taking. Once you leave Cusco, there are mountains at every glance and untouched greenery. They are very in touch with the land and preserving the ruins they have.

The culture is amazing, from their food to their music and everything in between. Their textiles are what got me. Everything was bursting with colour and intricacy; from their hand woven tapestries, to the natural dying of yarns and the colours of the Cusco flag.

It is so gratifying to think that in the short time we spent volunteering, we enabled the last two households in the village of Misminay to have a greenhouse. They are now able to grow and eat food, that they otherwise couldn't because of the cold weather and high altitude in the Sacred Valley. We could only speak a few words of Quechua and they spoke not a word of English, but we somehow made this house. It was so heartwarming to see them happy and smiling even when they had all but nothing. It was even more heartbreaking when we had to leave them. But a piece of me will always remain in Peru. For as long as it stands, the green house we built for our families will always be there.

I miss wearing my hiking boots everyday and not caring about what I looked like. I miss being called Sara (because it was too hard for the Peruvian’s to say Sarah) and being haggled every time we entered a market. I wish I could still be eating the delicious quinoa cereal mix for breakfast, drinking Pisco Sours and Inka Cola and continuing  to try every meal on the Paddy’s Pub menu.

The Peruvian’s use the world “ciao” instead of “adios: to say goodbye. “Adios” is a final goodbye, instead, “ciao” means see you soon, because we never really do say our final goodbyes.
So until next time Peru, ciao!

- Sarah

Bendigo

Taking advantage of the last few weeks of the holiday break, I recently took a trip up to Bendigo. I didn’t know what to expect, or what would be on offer once we arrived, but was really pleasantly surprised by the amount of activities available. I hope this very brief summary inspires you to head out on a road trip of your own to one of Victoria’s beautiful country towns.

On the first afternoon we stumbled upon ‘Book Now’ on Farmer Lane. Housing rare and out of print second hand books, ‘Book Now’ has a fantastic collection spanning all genres, and classic children’s novels with beautiful vintage covers from all the way back in the 1940s.

The Bendigo Art Gallery has a beautiful permanent collection with both classic and modern art works on display, but it was their temporary collection featuring the work of artist Ben Quilty that was my must see. Large scale canvases depicting his take on the invasion of Australian land and his self-portraits, all created with his signature 3-D brushstrokes feature in a bright contemporary space. The exhibition will be running until the 1st of March.

The Golden Dragon Museum houses traditional Chinese textiles, clothing items and vintage homewares. The Bendigo Chinese Association use this museum as a means to provide tourists with an insight into both the rich history of Chinese culture, but also the challenges associated with living as a member of the Chinese community during the Gold Rush. Quick tours around the museum are conducted daily and really help to give the key pieces in the museum more meaning, as well as providing interesting recounts of life in Bendigo during the Gold Rush.  Serene gardens with Chinese architecture and landscaping can also be found on the grounds. 

Bendigo also has some beautiful natural spaces, Rosalind Park was gorgeous and had we had a little more time it would have been a beautiful spot for a picnic. Hiring a bike and going for a ride around Lake Weeroona or through the Botanic Gardens are also lovely options if you’re after something more outdoorsy.  

We stayed at The Schaller Studio, a really fresh and modern place, with artist Mark Schaller’s work featuring throughout the hotel and in every room. You can book through the hotel’s website but great deals can also be found on Wotif.com


-M