I’m looking for a blogger in the 18-30s age group who fancies spending 30 days on the road travelling through NSW Australia in March with other bloggers from around the world. You’ll have an all-expenses paid trip, including flights, accommodation, meals, crazy activities and we might even be able to eke out a little daily stipend.

You’ll be required to write a blog post each day of between 300-500 words and take great photos to go with your stories.

If this sounds like you, email me megan@bloggeratlarge.com with a brief bio about yourself and send me a link to a couple of examples of your writing that I can forward on to the relevant people.

Good luck!

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Al Brown's Depot

If you slip down Federal Street between the Sky City’s valet parking entrance and Sky Grand’s entrance you’ll see a raft of new restaurants and bars spear headed by celebrity chefs and bursting with happy diners. It’s easy to miss though if you’re not a regular to the casino or one of the inner city commuters who hot foot it down Federal. Buses line the street like a train at any given time and a taxi rank stretches for at least half of it. But when they “move that bus” (Auckland Council please make it permanently so!) the big reveal is quite simply fabulous.

Today I lunched at Al Brown’s Depot. He opened his doors at the same time Luke Dallow opened Hummingbird (read our opening night review here) next door and Sean Connolly opened The Grill just on the other side of the Sky Grand’s new entrance. Like Hummingbird there is outdoor seating for those brave enough to sit amongst the bus fumes, but we decided on a table next to a new window that has been blasted through the Sky Grand wall to reveal their swanky lobby.

Just slide these suckers off the shell in one

Nick (from somewhere in the north of England by the sounds) was our waiter and after hearing about the Depot’s most popular dishes until a little pool of drool collected on the table in front of me, we let him come up with a selection of small plates and one main for us to share. I was also keen to try the wine on tap. Yes, pinot noir out of keg from Mt Edward in Central Otago’s Gibbston Valley. It was 17.5˚ (which I find quite suitable for a red) and is done especially because Al is a mate. It pays to be mates with Al, who was sitting behind me, because he’s been selling barrels of it. That and Spy Valley sauvignon blanc and Mt Edward rose, also on tap but chilled like beer.

While poring over the menu a little plate of complimentary and deliciously smooth babaganoush arrived with flat bread. But it was the raw seafood bar that grabbed my attention.

The fabulous warm peach and proscuitto salad

I’ve never seen tuatua just sitting on ice like oysters before. Let alone tasted them. The only way I’ve eaten tuatua (after doing the hip swivel in the sand at low tide) is to throw them on the barbie in their shells with a little white wine when they pop open. But no. Here they come raw and shucked with a little vinagarette to drip on and “schloopp”. That’s the sound you make when you suck them off the shell. (NB: Not first date fodder). The texture is tougher than an oyster, but the flavour mild, like a scallop maybe? You’ll have to try them and decide for yourself. $2.50 each.

A plate of raw salmon sliced thinly was our next dish with wasabi mayo, $15. Nice but not as wow as the rest of what was about to come.

These tiny fish burgers are FAB

The plate of the day for me was the white peach and proscuitto salad. It was a surprise and I have already tried to emulate it at home putting peach slices on the bbq. This was sublime: warm charred peach slices, salty proscuitto, rocket, toasted macadamia nuts and tart blue cheese with a cab sav dressing. I think it’s only a special so you’d better get there quick.

Next was also fab and I’d already read Tweets about it: Turbot Sliders, 4 for $15. This light fish is similar to flounder, lightly egged and pan fried, served with aoli in tiny burger buns that are a little sweet. But we still weren’t done.

Slow cooked pork and potato skins

A swig of my tumbler of pinot and the 6-hour cooked pork hock which fell off the bone served with crispy skin, grated apple and a parsnip puree arrived. This is a main dish ($29) and would be great to share with a wine for two.

I’d almost forgotten that we also ordered the potato skins – most likely deep fried, they were that delicious, with shaved chevrago cheese and dusted with porcini powder giving it a truffle taste, $10.

Done and dusted and heading home for a lie down! I’m going back with my Bloke as soon we can

Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar, 86 Federal Street. Ph 09 363 7048. But you can’t make a booking, so just call if you’ve left your wallet!

www.eatatdepot.co.nz

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Even people who’ve been living in a cave for the last year and have never heard of Downton Abbey wouldn’t be able to keep from gasping with delight at their first view of Highclere Castle, near Newbury in Hampshire.

Tall and square, with towers, pinnacles and a flag, built of mellow golden stone and set in acres of green parkland dotted with venerable cedars of Lebanon, it’s ridiculously photogenic: which is clearly a major reason for its choice as the location of the fabulously successful TV series now screened in over 100 countries.

The irresistible upstairs-downstairs soap opera set in the early 20th century has made millions of viewers familiar not only with the gorgeous exterior of this ancient seat of the Carnarvon family, but also with its possibly even more stunning interior. The Castle, pre-Downton, was already a popular wedding venue — Jordan/Katie Price’s ill-fated marriage began here, a symphony in pink including the two thrones, all to the tune of $1.1million — and received a steady stream of day-trippers, but the popularity of the series has been a huge boost to visitor numbers, and when I step onto the marble-mosaic floor of the pillared entrance hall, the place is buzzing. Lady Carnarvon herself is there, keeping an eye on the smooth running of her business, and she tells me that the series creator, Julian Fellowes, is an old family friend and a frequent guest at the Castle: “He knows all our stories”.

Lord & Lady Carnarvon pose in front of their home

Highclere was used as a convalescent hospital during the First World War, just as Downton Abbey was in the second series, and the lady of the house in those days was also an American; but the 1300 years that there has been a house on the site (the current building was remodelled in 1842 by Sir Charles Barry, who designed the Houses of Parliament) have generated far more stories than Fellowes could ever hope to use.

Down in the cellar, though, there’s an exhibition of Egyptian artifacts brought back by the fifth Earl of Carnarvon who with Howard Carter discovered the fabled tomb of Tutankhamen in 1921, and I wonder if that tale will work its way into a future series of Downton.

It’s fun to spot the locations as I trail through the three floors of public rooms, from the soaring saloon with its ancestral crests to the library’s 6,000 gold-tooled leather-bound books to the bedrooms along the gallery upstairs; but there are riches to marvel at too. The dining room, where the table seats 24, is dominated by a huge Van Dyck portrait of Charles I; in the music room there’s an ornate mahogany desk that once belonged to Napoleon; and everywhere there are paintings, clocks, statuary, china and furniture to admire. Even so, it’s the framed family photos on the sideboards that catch my eye: there’s the Queen, the Duke, Charles and Diana.

“Oh yes, most kings and queens have stayed at Highclere,” Lady Carnarvon tells me airily. Even reality seems fictional here.

© Pamela Wade 2012 www.travelskite.com

Highclere Castle is on the border of Hampshire and Berkshire near Newbury, a 90-minute drive along the M4 from London: take Jct 13 onto the A34 south and follow the signs to the Castle. There is no public transport to Highclere from Newbury. The Castle has a café and gift shop, and entrance includes the extensive grounds and gardens. It is open 11am—6pm from Sunday to Thursday in summer, July to September, as well as throughout Easter and on the May Bank Holiday weekend. It is occasionally closed for filming or weddings: check the website www.highclerecastle.co.uk.

Certainly not me. I was staying there for a Monday and Tuesday and didn’t know what could possibly occupy my time since the market is only open on Saturday mornings. Clearly Matakana’s Farmers Market has a very good PR person because 2 days wasn’t long enough to do everything else.

We’re at the end of our swanky 5-day tour of a teeny part of Northland (Waipoua on the west coast, Bay of Islands and now Matakana) and I’ve had a brilliant time exploring the nooks and crannies of this part of the country and acting like a posh tourist.

And I am doing it posh. First 2 nights at Waipoua Lodge, last night at Bay of Islands Lodge in Paihia and today we are heading back to Auckland via 2 nights at Takatu Lodge and Vineyard, just out of Matakana.

Owners John and Heather Forsman originally bought this rolling piece of countryside to produce a Bordeaux-style wine – no additives and minimal intervention. They weren’t planning on the whole luxury lodge thing, but the land pretty much called for it. While John (an airline pilot in between tending to the vines) was busy studying everything needed to make the perfect drop, Heather was researching design and architects. They eventually found Steve McCracken who has helped them build one of the most beautiful, modern and minimalist lodges I’ve seen.

Disclaimer: I confess to loving this style of building anyway. But how can you not want to build your dream home just like this?! Open fire in the huge living room with ceilings as high as the moon. Ten-metre wide French doors that spill onto a patio and the vineyard at the end of the front lawn, and the kitchen fully involved in the middle of the hospitality.

It’s deceptive though when you arrive. We pulled into the stone courtyard where two guest suites flank both sides of the front door and to be honest, it’s lovely but doesn’t prepare you for what it’s hiding. Open the huge wooden door and the wide hallway stretches out like an infinity pool dropping into the view of the vineyard and hills beyond. Okay, I’m raving here, but it’s flippin’ cool!

John and his cohort, winemaker Herb Friedli (who also makes wine for Waiheke vineyards Te Whau, Kennedy Point and Poderi Crisci) are more about taste than quantity. In fact John confessed to not being able to look when the workers prune most of the grapes off to allow the sun to ripen only the best ones.

But the result is award-winning wine that Peter Gordon, for one, has snapped up for his London restaurant Providore. They have 9000 vines of red, 5000 of pinot gris and their dry rose is deliciously non-sweet. Of course, as guests, we got to sit in the late afternoon sun with an antipasto platter and taste them, along with a posh couple from England who were on their grand New Zealand adventure.

But this isn’t such a posh lodge that you can’t wear Hawaiian boardies and bare feet to breakfast (as the aforementioned English gentleman did). It’s homely and Heather and John are genuinely interested in their guests.

The rooms each have enormous bathtubs under French windows with views of the vineyard, a CD player (with a selection of great discs that we loved so much we went away and bought one), a super-king bed with 500-thread count linen and fresh coffee to make our own brew.

That night we took Heather’s recommendation and dined in Matakana at Tapiano Bar and Bistro, or we could have poodled along to Leigh to Sawmill Café the other way. But we’ll save that for next time.

Takatu Lodge & Vineyard, 518 Whitmore Road, Matakana
www.takatulodge.co.nz

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Tai chi on the Bund

It’s overcast with a hint of drizzle that isn’t bothering anyone. We walk along the concourse beside the Huangpu river that they call the Bund. It’s German for embankment or quay. It is edged in ornate stone buildings across the busy road but the concourse along the riverside is wide, lending itself to sightseers, groups doing tai chi and men flying kites early in the morning.

It’s also one of Shanghai’s most photographed spots and it is here I learn about the Wedding Book.

In China, having your wedding photos taken is no simple exercise. You don’t take them on the big day, you start weeks, if not months, before in different locations wearing different hired wedding outfits.

Creating the Wedding Book

Now that I am looking, I see brides and grooms dotted like confetti all over the city, embracing and posing in front of various iconic buildings, bridges and sights.

The first couple I saw, I thought was a photo shoot for a magazine as she was in full western wedding regalia with strapless white dress and big poofy flower in her hair, he in a tuxedo, canoodling beside a popular cafe on a leafy street in the French Concession. I also took photos.

The next bride I spied was in red – the traditional Chinese wedding colour. He was in a black suit with black cummerbund and a white dragon looking tie. They were trying various poses sitting on bridge railings as the photographer instructed.

I was intrigued and as we had a Chinese tour guide, I asked all my nosey questions…

The lady in red

What is the Wedding Book all about?

Umpteen different outfits are hired to put together for this pricey Wedding Book. This crusade can start up to a year before the wedding day as couples hire a photographer to go out each weekend and ‘catch them unawares’ in fabulous places. Typically the bride will choose 5 or 6 dresses. But it’s not all formal. I spied a couple in a bus stop with matching Will You Marry Me? T-shirts on. No photographer in sight so they were either extras on their way to the shoot or maybe they’d just finished and were happy to wear their love T’s in public.

On the actual day, more dresses will be worn. This time purchased. One will be a western gown and another a traditional Chinese gown.

The book is then bound beautifully and shown at the reception. It costs about NZ$2000, but don’t worry about finding the money. Each wedding guest is asked to give $500 as their gift.

I’m sorry, but I think I’m busy that day.

If Shanghai is on your wish list, click here for more info on Air New Zealand >>>

One of Paul Gaugin's big bottomed beauties

The half freighter/half passenger ship Aranui III is in Devonport dry dock right now undergoing it’s tri-annual spring clean before a soft refit will be carried out back in Tahiti and this lifeline to the outer Tahitian islands, will be cruising again. For 50 years the Aranui has serviced the Marquesas and passengers have been tagging along now for about 20 years. Only 200 passengers are onboard when the ship is full.

The pool deck in Auckland

Today a whole bunch of travel agents and me got to have a sticky beak onboard, meet the owners and execs and look at a DVD of her two-week itinerary. I’ve heard about the Aranui, seen pictures, even trawled the website in times gone by, but I still wasn’t entirely sure that this was more a working ship with a rough and ready ambience or whether the cruise passengers had a bit of luxury. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the latter is true.

You’re not going to find a casino or a stage for caberets, but you will find carpetted suites with full size bathrooms, queen size beds and balconies, right down to a bunk room that can sleep up to 8. There’s a lounge with comfy chairs and a bar in the bow, and upstairs is an open plan dining room where buffet meals are served.

The Aranui III is the third ship to serve the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. To get there it takes about 36 hours of sailing from Papeete – plenty of time to unwind, read a book, sleep, meet your fellow passengers, check out the captain on the bridge … and by the time you arrive you’re refreshed and ready to roar. Well, as much roaring as one can expect in the tropics.

Where will the Aranui visit?

You’ll jump on in Papeete and set sail at 11am on Day 1. Day 2 is in Fakarava then Day 3 at sea as you’re full steam ahead to the Marquesas. Day 4 is in Ua Pou, Day 5 Nuku Hiva, Day 6 Hiva Oa, Day 7 Fatu Hiva, Day 8 at Hiva Oa again – this time a different port, Day 9 Tahuata, Day 10 Ua Huka, Day 11 Nuku Hiva and Ua Pou again on the other side of these islands, Day 12 is at sea as you head back to Tahiti breaking it on Day 13 at Rangiroa Lagoon and arrive back in Papeete at 9.30am on Day 14.

The Aranui lounge

Who will love this cruise?

Typically your experienced cruiser who is over the glitz and glam of onboard entertainment and is looking for an authentic experience of Tahitian life. And since they’re two weeks long, you’re probably retired or have a nice chunk of leave to use up. Excursions on these remote islands include plenty of hiking, picnics, meeting local villagers and shopping at their handcraft markets, photographing waterfalls and archeological sites, even riding horses. Not to mention swimming on idyllic and remote beaches. Back onboard there are lectures for those interested in artist Paul Gaugin, who spent the latter part of his life in Tahiti, and other stuff like archeology, culture, history – all taught by experts in their fields.

Family style dining

One day there is a 17km hike over the island and everyone does it. I LOL’d at the management who told me this. I’ve never walked 17 kms in my life! But apparently its very popular and with lunch at the top, I guess it might be the only way to get fed! The ship meets you on the other side of the island.

There is a gym onboard, but I’m reliably informed that there is so much to do on the islands that most people are knackered and just to come back for a glass of wine and a delicious dinner at the end of the day.

The Aranui suite

What are the cabins like?

Suites: There are 14 suites (12 with balconies). They have a spacious studio layout with a lounge area and a large bathroom that has a full size bathtub. Air conditioning, queen size bed, flat screen TV, fridge.

Aranui Deluxe cabin

Deluxe Cabins: There are 9 of these with opening doors that you could pull a chair up to for a breeze but not actually a balcony. These are also very spacious with a queen size bed, bathroom with bathtub, air conditioning, TV, fridge.

Aranui standard twin room

Standard Cabins: 63 standard cabins have a porthole window and are twin share with some triple share. Air conditioning and TV as well as small bathroom with a shower. You can keep your luggage here, or there is storage that the crew will arrange.

The unisex dorm

Dormitory: This ‘Class C’ room is for those who are travelling with mates or alone and want to mingle. (I met one travel agent who told me a 75-year man booked himself in the dorm and had a whale of a time!) These can sleep up to 8 in bunk beds with shared facilities and of course, air conditioning.

For more info on the Aranui III, click here for www.aranui.com

Holiday reading: Hawaii for Dummies

It seems some people clearly need instructions for lying by the pool! This guy is reading Hawaii for Dummies. LOL! It goes something like this: take towel from hot towel guy, lay it on sun chair (nearest pool steps is preferable), sit down and beckon hot pool girl to bring drink with umbrella in. Repeat tomorrow.

And if you need any more tips on great things to do in Waikiki, here’s a few of my suggestions:

1. Take the trolley all the way down the main drag (Kalakaua Ave) to Ala Moana Shopping Centre when you need to get out of the midday heat. This is an excellent and HUGE mall with really posh shops and run-of-the-mill ones, enormous food hall, cinema and bars.

2. Get along to the International Marketplace on Kalakaua Ave to ferret for souvenirs, jewellery, sun dresses, weird gimmicks…

3. Go to a Hawaii College football game at Aloha Stadium and watch the cheerleaders (oh, and the game) whilst eating hotdogs in the stands.

4. Walk along the beach and sit under the banyan tree at the majestic Moana-Surfrider hotel and people-watch over a nice cold beer.

5. Eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise for greasy burgers and fries (go on, you’re on holiday!)

6. Take the kids (or just yourself) to Honolulu Zoo right down by Diamond Head. Wander the extensive grounds or take a picnic on a Wednesday for the 6pm concert.

7. Dine at Roy’s on Waikiki Beachwalk for a bit of fine dining on “Hawaiian fusion cuisine”.

8. When in Hawaii you really must surf. Get a lesson or rent a longboard and head out into the waves. The latest craze actually seems easier though – punting on your longboard (not that I tried it!)

9. Pretend you’re ex-miltary and have dinner at Hale Koa Hotel – exclusively for US Military and right on the beach (down near Hilton Village). RSA prices on beer and cheap dinners. (Actually if you arrive and say you’re visiting, the manager will most likely “sponsor” you in.)

10. Swim in this man-made lagoon down at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki in front of Resort-Quest Waikiki. It’s not very crowded and the waves are blocked by this wall.

Scandinavia’s most famous Ice Hotel is in Swedish Lapland and Canada has the Quebec Ice Hotel. They’re made by packing ice and snow together into incredibly elaborate designs and last about 4 months (December to April) until they melt away for spring. You can expect temps from minus 6 up to a balmy zero degrees celsius (that’s 21 – 32 farenheit). Some have ice bars and restaurants with ornate ice sculptures and glassware made from ice. (No your lips don’t stick to the glass because funnily enough the air is dry.) Some have hot tubs on private decks so you can soak in warm water while all around you freezes.

You will be provided with sub-zero sleeping bags (oh joy) and your ice beds will likely be covered in reindeer skins, but you should wear thermals and pack a big polar fleece. And here’s a tip: pack your clothes in the bottom of your sleeping bag so you can get dressed Mr Bean-style into warm clothes in the morning. Personally, I’d be sleeping in tomorrow’s clothes already. It’s also wise to book a warm room in the main hotel if it doesn’t come with your package, that way you can use it to change, shower, toilet and scamper to in the night if you can’t hack it.

Ready for bed?

Here’s a couple to check out:

Sweden’s Ice Hotel has been chilling guests for 22 years in Lapland (the home of Santa). It has an ice sauna and a stunning, sparkly chapel so perfect for a white wedding. And if you’re really lucky you’ll get to see the northern lights (which are on my Bucket List).

Hotel de Glace in Quebec City, Canada opens Jan 6 until March 25 2012. This has the hot tub suite (a must for me). You’ll get a tour of the whole hotel before you check in and can see each artistic design in every room.

Mmmm, 6 satays for $5. Dinner

With The Bloke away and me enjoying a sunny Saturday pottering about, my big outing was a visit to said market. And I wasn’t disappointed. They’re open 6pm till midnight every Saturday, rain or shine because they’re under cover. In the Pakuranga Warehouse carpark, to be precise.

Not sure what Bunch of Mutton is...

Since I first wrote this blog in March 2011, the market has quadrupled in size.

Come hungry because you’ll find all sorts of food sizzling away from Malaysian satay to Pad Thai noodles to dumplings, Hangi pies, steamed pork buns, curry and plenty of sweets in the form of churros, donuts and even a cupcake stall.

There were a couple of stalls selling antiques (read second-hand), some cheapie jewellery stalls (which will be perfect when I bring my 8-year old god-daughter here for her birthday treat). Artists painted kids names to be framed, and kids $2-shop style toys make it fun to bring the kids with a bit of pocket money. People were selling soaps, others socks and pantyhose. A candyfloss man was making floss on a stick bigger than a kids’ head, the Avon lady was there and so was The Coffee Guy. There are clothes for sale and fresh fruit and vegies. A sound system was being set up which I presume was for some markety tunes, but I’d had my fill by the time he got it all plugged in.

An octopus anyone?

I bought The Bloke a battery powered fly swat from a stall selling toys and electronic games, and I’ll be grateful not to consume any more giant puffs of Raid every time a fly enters his personal space.

Oh and I also bought a bag of fantastic seasoned salt mixed with smoked garlic and chilli which will go just grand on roast chook, barbecued salmon or as a dip with bread and oil. In fact this was the purchase of the night and I am now an internet purchaser of the stuff.

If you’re in the area, pop in one Saturday, The Auckland Night Market, Westfield, Pakuranga Plaza, Auckland.

Apparently this guy was tasered 3 times by airport security when he tried to get back on the plane he had just come off to get something he’d forgotten.

I’ve done that – but fortunately for my heart rate, chose to stop at the cabin door and let the flight crew go to my seat and find my cardy, or book, or sunnies, or whatever it was.

But no, not 26 year old Edwin Barton at Sacramento Airport, who did the right thing and got a pass from the desk to go back, and then refused to be rescreened. Bzzzzz. That’ll teach em.

Read more here on eGlobal News if you don’t believe me!