Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Ocho Rios, Jamaica is one of the most unique places to visit in the Caribbean. It was the second stop on my cruise last spring break and it was quite an experience. Apparently it is one of the more dangerous stops cruise ships visit. This was alarming to me that cruise ships would choose to visit ports such as this one. Many families did not even leave the ship. My family decided otherwise and with caution we preceded to get off the boat. It was raining that day; however, it was still warm and sunny. We decided to check out the Dunn River Falls which is one of Jamaica’s most famous tourist attractions. The falls are 200 feet high from the beach and are spectacular. Tourists are able to climb up them wearing rubber shoes that are there to rent. At times it was challenging but it was also a lot of fun. After climbing the falls we went down to the beach and went swimming, the water was really warm although it was still raining. Before we left the falls we went through the shops by the exit. The vendors were very aggressive and would grab your hand and would not let go, it was really scary. From the falls we took a cab back to the port and while it was early decided to just go back on the ship. Jamaica was a good experience but it is not a place I would choose to visit again. The entire time we were there we all felt un-easy as you feel it is not a safe place. If anyone ever visits Ocho Rios I would advise just going to the falls or the beach and stay out of the town for it can get very dangerous.

Sydney Australia

The first time I really got a taste of what Sydney Australia was like was watching the 2000 summer Olympic Games on television. Every since then, I have thought it would be a really cool place to visit. My ultimate favourite season of survivor was filmed in the Australian Outback which made me really want to experience that beautiful and vibrant continent. During the recent past months Real World Sydney has been playing on MTV and I was completely addicted to it. Anyways bottom line, I hope one day to visit Sydney. I would love to walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where you can see the spectacular view of Sydney Harbour. As well I would like to visit the Sydney Opera House which is one of the most famous sites I can identify with Sydney Harbour. I hear the Sydney Aquarium, located in Darling Harbour is a must see, as it contains over 11,000 animals. Most of all I absolutely love beaches and warm vacation destinations. Bondi Beach is one of Australia`s most famous beaches, and if I ever go to Sydney I would not be able to miss it. I really hope in my life time I get to visit Australia and experience its warm, fun loving culture.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada is the city that never sleeps. During my summer going into grade eight, I went there for a week with my family. Summer in the desert is not the time I would advise someone to visit Vegas. The temperature is nothing below 100 degrees, even during the night. Since we were going for a week we decided to stay in two different hotels. The first couple nights we stayed in the Flamingo which is located right on the strip. Although it is one of Las Vegas’ older hotels it has a beautiful pool, which was where we spent our time in the day, since it was too hot to sight see. The last three nights of our vacation we stayed in the MGM Grand, which was one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. All green and gold the MGM grand had tons of shops along with seven pools. Since at thirteen I obviously could not gamble, we spent our time site seeing, shopping and going out for dinner. Among many of the great places to shop I loved the mall at Cesar’s Palace and the Coca Cola and M&M stores. It is amazing to see all the architecture they put into these massive hotels. Many of the sites in the hotels create an allusion as if you were in real place. Among these hotels include King Arthurs Castle, Egypt, Paris, and New York. My favourite hotel by far was the Venetian which is absolutely beautiful. The Venetian takes you into Venice Italy where you can even take a romantic gondola ride down the canals. I definitely will go back to Vegas but I think I will wait till I turn 21.

Germany

When I go to Europe I know I will want to see everything, a place I know I must visit is Germany. While looking at all the destinations in the country Germany, it appears to be a trip on its own. With its beautiful architecture and history Germany comes across as an amazing place to travel to. When in Germany I hope to visit Munich which was once home to the Olympics and Berlin the nation’s capital. Munich Germany held the Olympic Games in 1972 and is a gorgeous city. Munich is also famous for Oktoberfest, a festival of singing, drinking and dancing beginning in late September and carrying through early October. Berlin which is north of Munich is famous for the Berlin wall which history originates back to the end of World War two. Also located in Berlin is Potsdamer Platz which once was a major square. During the war it was no-man’s land which also contributes to its history. This square is a large metropolis shopping center and is one of the best tourist attractions in Germany. Besides seeing the beautiful sites of some of Germany’s largest cities, I think it would be amazing to see the German Alps and the small town of Fussen which is home to two castles Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. Just looking at the pictures of Germany makes me want to visit and see this beautiful country and all of the sites, I cannot wait till I finally go to Germany.

Grand Cayman Islands

During spring break of my senior year in high school I went on a cruise with my family and friends. The cruise was on Royal Caribbean navigator of the seas and took us to four stops in the Caribbean. The ports included Haiti, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Among the stops one of the most beautiful places was Grand Cayman, one of the three Cayman Islands. Grand Cayman is a British colony and is located at the top of an underwater mountain. George Town is the capital and is the location where the cruise ships come in. In George Town there is a wide variety of shopping including jewellery, beautiful local arts and crafts, and designer clothes. Located five minutes from the cruise ship port is Seven Mile beach which has crystal clear waters and white sand, it was absolutely stunning and was where we spent most of our day. One of Grand Caymans main tourist attractions is Stingray city. Stingray city is a sandbar off the island where you can take boat out and swim with hundreds of stingrays. Unfortunately the day we were in Grand Cayman it was very windy on the north side of the island which is where stingray city is located and it was closed. Besides that minor downfall I still really enjoyed Grand Cayman and it was one of my favourite stops on the cruise. If your do not visit Grand Cayman while on a cruise it is extremely expensive due to its upscale hotels, private homes and condos. I looked up how much a week would be in an all inclusive in Grand Cayman and it was over $3000 which is very pricey.

Cairo Egypt

Cairo Egypt is definitely a travel destination I want to experience. Ever since I did a unit on Ancient Egypt in my grade seven class I have been interest in visiting the Pyramids. Apparently Cairo is the most popular city in Africa to visit and is one of the world’s largest urban areas. When I think of Egypt the first site that comes to my mind are the Pyramids, the Nile and Camels. I love horseback riding, have ridden a dolphin in Mexico and an elephant at the circus, it would be really cool to add a camel to that list which I am sure you can do that at the pyramids. Egypt was once the home to the Pharaohs, and Romans and is located by the Nile River. Cairo is home to almost every Egypt Pyramid, such as the Great Pyramids of Giza on the very edge of the city. The only time I have even been close to a pyramid is the Luxor in Vegas which is magnificent but I would rather witness the real thing. There are also ancient temples, tombs, Christian churches, magnificent Muslim monuments, and the Egyptian Antiquities Museum to visit. I am camera crazy when on vacation and all these sites sound like they would be wonderful photo opts. As well Cairo is known for its incredible selection of shopping including the famous Khan el Khalili souk which to us is known as the bazaar, where you can find anything from tea and spices to Egyptian cotton. The only concern I have when visiting Cairo is that it is a foreign country therefore safety most likely is an issue. I read that there is not a high crime rate in the city but you do have to beware of your belongings being stolen such as your purse. Women also are not recommended to walk around unaccompanied due to harassment which sounds pretty scary. There also have been terrorist attacks in the past five years in tourist spots so it is advised to try to avoid areas that are packed with people. Besides these minor setbacks Egypt is an avid place for travellers to visit. Cairo sounds like an amazing place and I really want to visit it someday.

Hawaii the Island of Oahu

The islands of Hawaii are one of my favourite places on earth. Last Christmas instead of going to one island my family and I went on a one week cruise through three of the islands. The cruise departed out of Waikiki, a city on the island of Oahu. During the duration of our cruise we visited Kauai, Kona and Hilo (which are two cities on the big island of Hawaii), and Maui. After experiencing all of the islands I still prefer to stay on the island of Oahu where I have spent many Christmases. The island of Oahu is home to the city of Waikiki located along the shoreline where many of the tourists stay. Although our family stays in the city we prefer to rent a car and travel to different beaches along the island. A wonderful place for snorkelling on Oahu is Hanauma Bay Park. Hanauma Bay, located in the crater of a volcano, is one of the Hawaii's most beautiful bays, with world-class snorkelling and scuba diving. Hawaii is famous for its beautiful beaches from its pounding waves of the North Shore, to the gentle break in Waikiki. On the North Shore, Waimea beach is located in a bay home to at times thirty foot waves. If you are an experienced swimmer it can be a lot of fun. Sunset beach and Banzai beach are also great places for surfing. During December on the North Shore you can catch the Banzai Pipeline surfing competition where you can witness some of the most talented surfers in the world. Besides going to beaches there are many tourist outings you can visit on the island. Sea Life Park and The Honolulu Zoo are wonderful places to take children as they have a wide range of marine and wildlife. If you are interested in history and the culture of Hawaii the Polynesian Cultural Center and Pearl Harbour Memorial Museum are very interesting and education places to visit. Lastly the there is the Dole Pineapple Plantation, Diamond Head Mountain where you can see the beautiful view of Waikiki beach, and Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park which is an awesome waterslide park good for all ages and that you cannot miss. At night in Waikiki there is a wide range of stores to shop at ranging from Gucci to more affordable stores like Billabong and Nine West. As well ABC stores are found on every corner where you can buy almost everything. Along the strip there are many different restaurants including Red Lobster, Cheese Cake Factory and one of my favourites Dukes. I love the island of Oahu and have many memories there; it is a wonderful island to spend Christmas in the south pacific.