BootsnAll's Travel Typepad

Wine Countries in South America

Major wine-producing countries like France, Italy, and even Australia may take top billing when it comes to wine tourism, but there are many wine regions in South America worth exploring as well. What's more, visitors who are accustomed to the higher prices often found when traveling in Europe will be pleasantly surprised at the bargains on offer in South America.

Wine aficionados will likely be familiar with the wines produced in Chile and Argentina, as these are the countries that most often export their wines outside the continent. But as is the case the world over, most countries produce wine to a certain degree, whether it's just for household consumption or for a larger community. There are several countries in South America that may not be known the world over for their wines, but if you're a wine lover you should definitely seek them out.

Colombia is more synonymous with coffee, but wine makers there produce Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon (among others). Brazil, famous for its lively Carnival celebrations, produces an equally celebratory drink - their specialty is sparkling wine. Peru and Bolivia grow most of their grapes for stronger drinks popular in those countries, but there are small (and growing) wine makers in both places.

Even the tiny country of Uruguay gets in on the wine making act. The wines may not be considered one of the highlights of Uruguay yet, but since most of the wineries are near Montevideo it's easy to incorporate a bit of wine tasting into a trip through the country without getting too far away from your itinerary.

In each country, it's a good idea to ask wine makers whether they export their wines to your home country so you can find out about getting any wines you particularly enjoyed more easily back home. Shipping some wine might be a fun holiday splurge, but it's probably not something you want to be re-ordering on a monthly basis.

>> Look for tickets to Uruguay

Are Australia's best beaches in Queensland?

While there is a vast area of Australia that's hot, dry, and nowhere near water, one of the major reasons people visit the country is to see its beaches. Some of the most popular destinations in Australia are along the water, including the cities of Sydney and Melbourne, and the Great Barrier Reef off the northeastern coast is a huge draw for divers and nature-lovers the world over.

But what, with all that coastline to choose from, are the best beaches in Australia?

To be fair, the word "best" is tough to quantify. One person's favorite beach may not even make another person's top 10 list. But when it comes to gorgeous beaches, there are enough to choose from in Australia that there should be something to suit every beach-goer's style.

Some of the most famously beautiful beaches in the country are in Queensland in northeastern Australia, in the same area as the Great Barrier Reef. The Whitsunday Islands are incredibly popular. There are 74 islands in total, meaning there's plenty of beach to go around, and there's quite a variety of activities available in the area, too (for when you get tired of lying on the beach). Whitehaven Beach, on one of the Whitsundays, is even listed among the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Cairns is another beach hotspot in Queensland, and - thankfully - it's really easy to get to from elsewhere in the country. The distance from Sydney to Cairns is more than 1500 miles, but there are multiple flights each day (on budget airlines) making the journey last only a few hours. You can find yourself a room at one of the cheap hotels in Cairns (which is even easier in the off-season), and then spend your days enjoying the beach. Winters in Cairns are mild, with highs averaging in the high 70sF, while summers get hot and humid. From a homebase in Cairns you can take day trips into the Whitsundays or out to the Great Barrier Reef to go swimming, boating, or diving - all of which makes a tropical climate more enjoyable.

How to Spend One Week in Italy

Ask any travel lover about planning a trip to Italy for one week and you're likely to get an emphatic, "That's not enough time for Italy!" reply. Of course one week isn't enough time to see everything in Italy, and anyone who thinks they'll "do" Italy in a week is crazy - but it's totally possible to spend a lovely week in Italy seeing many of the major sights in the country.

And really? Rather than try to tell you what you can't do, or things you shouldn't do in Italy, I'd rather be on the end of encouraging you to travel for whatever time you can, and do the things in Italy that you'd like to do during that time.

A "greatest hits" one-week trip to Italy would include stops in Venice, Florence, and Rome - a quick glance at many one-week package trips to Italy will tell you that. And if you've never been to Italy before, that could be an excellent option. You won't have much time for relaxing or experiencing "la dolce vita" on such a whirlwind trip, but you will come home with a lot of world-class attractions checked off your to-do list.

There are countless ways to spend a week in Italy - you could pick one region and spend a couple days each in a few cities within that region, do the old-fashioned backpacker trick of visiting a city by day and taking the night train to the next stop, or stay in one place for the whole trip. Staying in one place could mean taking a cooking or language class, or just renting an apartment or villa and pretending that's home for a little while.

However you spend your week, it's quite likely that by the plane ride home you'll be itching to book return tickets to Rome and pick up where you left off.

Plan a Working Holiday in Australia

Australia tends to be a "bucket list" destination for many travelers, but unfortunately it's one item that few get to cross off. Rather than take a two week slice here or there, they wait until they can take a month or two off work in catching a plane to Sydney. The end result is that many people don't ever get to go because they can't ever take the time they need off from their job and they may not be comfortable with going without employment for the duration of their trip.

You could try to work remotely at your current job from Australia. Depending on your line of work, it's definitely possible. It just may not be the most convenient option. It would be hard to keep up with co-workers in a totally different time zone, and internet options in Australia are expensive.

There's a better solution. For those who want to spend extended time in Australia but who can't afford to travel on accumulated savings, there's the Australian working holiday visas program. A working holiday visa allows people 18 to 30 to ravel and work for up to 12 months in Australia. Work can include helping out on a farm, picking fruit, or working in the service or tourism industries. While the visa doesn't guarantee you work (you're on your own for that), it does ensure that you'll have more options than trying to go under the table.

Most people who apply are approved and the online application is easy. Some programs provide more assistance than others when it comes to finding a job and a place to live, but with an adventurous spirit and a bit of research you could be living and working in OZ much sooner than you'd expect, earning enough to fund your travels in the Land Down Under.

Photo by Michael Dawes

Plan a Wild Weekend in Vegas

Though Vegas is a popular spot for quickie weddings, it's no surprise that the city is also quite popular as a destination for bachelor and bachelorette parties. The same "anything goes, no consequences" mentality that leads so many people to tie the knot with a near stranger also entices people to spend their last days of singlehood in Sin City.

There are several other reasons for the city's popularity as a bachelor/bachelorette weekend spot. It's easy to find cheap flights to Vegas from most major airports throughout the US. The city's popularity means that you can get a direct flight from all areas of the country and generally be there in under five hours. It's also easy to find deals that can make a trip to Vegas pretty affordable, especially if you avoid the casinos.

Many of the best hotels in Vegas for Bachelor parties even offer deals that include show tickets, dining vouchers, or VIP passes to local clubs when you book a stay. And of course the more you save on food and lodging the more you can spend on those extra touches that will make a bachelor or bachelorette party more memorable, like limousine services in Las Vegas, spa treatments, shopping and other entertainment.

Photo by Old Shoe Woman