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Tag: events

  • Cockroach Racing in Queensland – Unusual Australia Day Celebrations

    As the world is winding down after the festive season, Australia is looking forward to its next celebration. The country marks Australia Day on January 26, the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of British settlers in 1788. Events take place all around the country, but none are as colorful as Queensland’s cockroach races.

    It’s not as glamorous as the Melbourne Cup, but a day at this offbeat sporting event will also cost you far less than taking in Australia’s premier horse race. Spectators at the Story Bridge Hotel swap their champagne for schooners of beer and dress in shorts and thongs, or flip flops if you prefer, rather than cocktail dresses. The races have been run at this pub just outside Brisbane since 1981, a year when legend says Daz, Hawthorne, and Igor, or Gor to his mates, were arguing about whose suburb had the largest cockroaches. Bringing their insects to the pub was the only way to settle the matter, and racing the roaches seemed like the next logical step.

    Make sure you’re there at 11 am to get a prime viewing position amongst the 7000 strong crowd. A gold coin donation will secure you a spot in the tiered seating around the track. It might seem strange to start drinking before noon, but this is Australia after all. A few cleansing ales are just what you need to appreciate the spectacle of the sport. The actual races are run on a vacant plot next to the pub. There a four-meter wide square with a circle within it serves as a miniature race track for the cockies. Their stable is a big bucket, and names written on their back help the punters keep an eye on the action. Once the creepy-crawlies take to the track they can cross the circle in any direction they please, and the first to do so is declared the winner.

    There are usually 14 races on the day, and you can BYOR (that’s bring your own roach) or buy one at the pub for a fiver. If your six-legged stallion is one of the first three to cross the line you’ll win a trophy and prizes. There’s a charity component to the event as well, with funds raised benefiting Variety, a non-profit group that works tirelessly for sick, disadvantaged, and disabled children.

    While most champions are celebrated there’s no joy for the winners of this sporting event. Just like the rest of his competitors he’s unceremoniously sprayed once the race is run. However his name will live on as part of the Cockroach Hall of Fame, alongside other champions like Osama Bin Liner, Cocky ‘N’ Bullwinkle, and Crawl Keating, named after former Prime Minister Paul Keating.

    cockroachThe races are the centerpiece of the celebrations but there are still plenty of other activities to entertain locals and tourists alike. The title of Miss Cocky isn’t quite as prestigious as Miss Australia, but it nets the winner a $200 pub voucher, which will go a long way towards the evening’s drinks. The stakes are even higher for the Best Stable Costume Comp. Teams wearing their wackiest getup have the chance to win a $2000 party at the Story Bridge Hotel. There’s a $10 registration fee, but if you take out the title it’s worth the initial outlay. Bands and DJs are also on hand to entertain the masses, and there’s a dunking machine if the Queensland heat gets too much for you.

    The party lasts well into the night, as all good Australian parties do. You’re likely to wake with a fuzzy head but also some great memories of one of the most unique sporting events Down Under.

  • Full Moon Parties at Haad Rin Beach, Thailand

    Haad Rin Beach is known as Thailand’s party capital, a coastal stretch in Koh Pha Ngan that lets its hair down every month at its infamous full moon parties.

    Attendance at a full moon party is considered a rite of passage for young travelers passing through Thailand. You’ll wear day-glo clothes and dance to the throbbing techno beats blasted by local DJs until well past dawn. Various bars set up along the beach to ply their wares, and almost everyone overindulges. Prepare for crowds; during peak season it’s not uncommon to see tens of thousands of revelers on the beach.

    When you get so many intoxicated party goers together there are a few basic safety precautions you should follow. Remember to wear shoes, ideally covered ones, as the sand becomes very littered as the event wears on. Also keep only the bare essentials, including the cash you’ll need and your hotel room key, on your person. Your passport, credit card, and plane tickets home will be much safer in your room.

    And while this is a party, remember to steer well clear of illegal drugs. Thailand’s drugs penalties are some of the harshest in the world, and possession can be punishable by a lengthy jail sentence. It’s simply not worth the risk.

    With a full moon party scheduled every 28 days, to coincide with the moon’s natural cycle, it’s easy to fit one in to your Thai vacation. Haad Rin Beach is at the southern tip of Koh Pha Ngan, a budget travel spot just north of the popular resort area of Koh Samui.

    The popularity of the monthly event makes it easy to find transport. Overnight trains and buses run from most major Thai cities to Surat Thani, and then it’s just a matter of catching a connecting ferry to the beach. If you’ve got a bit more cash to spare you could fly to Koh Samui from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Phuket, and then take a boat out to Koh Pha Ngan.

    Revelers at Thailand's Full Moon Party
    Revelers at Thailand's Full Moon Party
    Make sure you plan your accommodation early though. Koh Pha Ngan becomes a hive of activity near the party. The closer you’re planning to stay to Haad Rin, the sooner you’ll need to book your hotel. Don’t be afraid to stay a little further afield though. Regular transport from neighboring Thai beaches, and even Koh Samui, will make sure you get to the party.

  • Celebrate Winter at China’s Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

    The winter chills have well and truly set in, and China is preparing to celebrate.

    From January 5 the city of Harbin, in the country's northern province of Heilongjiang, will come alive for the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. The month-long event is a Chinese institution, which was established in 1963 and, after years of interruption due to the Cultural Revolution, resurrected as an annual event in 1985. It celebrates all that's fun about winter, from competitive speed skating and winter swimming in the Songhua River to less physical pursuits like snow and ice sculpting and ice lantern park tours. The snow and ice sculptures are one of the festival's major draw cards, and they impress crowds on sheer size alone. A snow sculpture may be as large as two football fields, and there are few things as awe-inspiring as walking through a castle made entirely of ice. The chilly monuments are lit up with lights and computer-controlled LEDs which cast rainbows on the ice and snow. Competition is fierce, with experienced sculptors traveling from around the world to participate. [caption id="attachment_4764" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Ice sculptures at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival "]Ice sculptures at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival [/caption] Heilongjiang's capital is a natural site for the festivities, as it gets the harsh, cold winds from Siberia. In winter the temperature is an average of -16.8°C, but it can be as cold as -38°C if you’re unlucky! But don't let the freezing Chinese winter climate dampen your enthusiasm. The Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival is one of the largest winter festivals in the world, and there's a lot of fun to be had if you can brave the cold! To visit the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, take a two-hour flight from Beijing to Taiping International Airport. Then catch a bus from the airport to the festival sites, which are located about an hour away.

    [Image Source: LiYan/Wikipedia Commons]

  • When To Travel To China – Climate and Events For Planning Your Asian Trip

    China is a diverse country which experiences a varied climate and a number of seasonal activities, so the decision of when to travel requires some careful planning.

    The temperate seasons of fall and spring are the ideal time to travel. During these seasons weather tends to hover between 50 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Rain is infrequent during fall, although you may experience some showers during spring. Spring temperatures may also fluctuate, so it’s worth packing coats and jackets for cooler weather. In summer conditions are hot and humid, with temperatures often rising above 72. To stay cool during this period avoid the areas known as the "four furnaces": Tianjin, Chongqing, Wuhan, and Nanchang. Summer showers are also common, so pack a light rain coat and fold-up umbrella in your suitcase. Winter weather can be very cold, especially in China's northern regions, so make sure you rug up if traveling then. The attractions you want to see are also worth considering before setting off to China. Visit in September if you plan to visit the Beijing Palace Museum. This is the only month when the valuable ancient paintings are displayed, as the Chinese fear they will depreciate in more humid conditions. China Provinces map While winter in China is bitterly cold, some suggest it’s worth enduring for the Harbin Winter Ice Lantern Festival. This festival in the Heilongjiang Province is the country’s greatest celebration of ice artworks and sculpture. The month-long event is held every January. There are many other festivals in China which celebrate all the country’s nationalities and cultural traditions. It’s worth researching which events interest you before setting off to China.

  • Samoan Travel Guide – When to Travel to Pacific Islands

    Samoa is a tropical paradise, where life moves at a snail’s pace to please both the locals and tourists alike. Such a beautiful part of Oceania is a pleasure to visit at any time of year, but you may like to consider a few factors before you set off.

    Most tourists travel to Samoa with dreams of clear blue skies and warm sunny days.

    But if you visit during December or January, rainy weather may spoil your picture-perfect paradise. Between November and April, the humidity also makes it a little hard to enjoy that tropical heat. The weather is optimal between May and October, a time which happily coincides with most of the island's fun festivals. If big game fishing is your thing, you might like to travel during May to see the Samoa International Game Fishing Tournament. The rising of the palolo, which sees palolo worms rise from the coral reefs, happens in October or November. It might sound a bit disgusting, but these worms are eaten as a delicacy the way caviar is in the rest of the world. Even if you don't want to partake in the dish, watching their ascendancy is fascinating. But the biggest event in Samoa is the Teuila Festival, held every September. This is a spectacle of local culture, with fire knife dancing, choirs, float parades, traditional sports and more all adding to the fun. May to October is Samoa's dry period, and the peak of the Pacific Island's tourist season. Yet thankfully, most tourist operators don't raise their prices at this time of year. That makes some careful planning for the weather and activities sound even more enticing.

  • Ride The Simpson Desert Bike Challenge in Australia, If You Dare

    Australia has a reputation as one of the toughest places on Earth, and the toughest Aussies mix it up on the sporting field. Their football players don’t wear padding, their iron men swim in waters that may or may not contain sharks, and their cyclists head to the desert. If you think you’re made of the right stuff, consider signing up for this year’s Simpson Desert Bike Challenge.

    This is not a bike race for the faint-hearted.

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    The annual race covers some 580 kilometers in the Australian Outback, with riders traveling from Purnie Bore in South Australia to Birdsville in Queensland over five days. It’s raced from the end of September through to early October, but don’t expect pleasant springtime weather. Temperatures regularly reach 30 degrees Celsius, although it can seem even hotter with the desert sun beating down. It doesn’t often rain at this time of year, although when you’re riding you might pray for it. I wouldn’t pray too hard though, as you’ll then have bogs to contend with.

    The weather conditions aren’t the only factors which make this remote race challenging. The ground of the outback isn’t like any European race course. It’s rough and rugged, almost like riding over corrugated iron. No wonder the locals call the track Satan’s Velodrome!

    If you think you’ve got the stomach for it, you can enter the Simpson Desert Bike Challenge using the online entry form. It costs a several hundred dollars to take part, but monies raised benefit the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

  • Travel to See Sporting Events

    Sports related travel is increasingly popular, especially now with so many great travel deals available.


    If you’re a sports fan or perhaps someone in your family is, consider taking a vacation that centers around experiencing sporting events. When there are popular sporting events in any one area, you can expect that flight prices, hotels and even other expenses like food and car rentals will be more expensive. This is because with the expected influx and increased demand on travel-related amenities, hotels and airlines can get away with charging more. This is one reason to book ahead of time and to not rely on last minute travel deals when you want to see some of the world’s best and most exciting sporting events.

    Check out two great sporting events that you can plan fun and exciting family vacations around.

    One such sporting event is for our winter sport-loving friends. The Winter Olympic Games held in Vancouver B.C begins in the winter of 2010. This means bobsledding, ski jumping, moguls, speed skating and everyone’s favorite: curling, will be happening live just north of the America’s border. Take your family on a ski vacation to Calgary and then check out the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Or, start with a ski vacation to the northwest followed up by up close and personal live sports at the Games!

    Our next best sports-related vacation is for summer sports fan. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is a great time to experience not only one of the biggest and most widely watched sporting events in the world but to also experience travel to one of the coolest and most diverse countries on the globe. To find out more about the 2010 World Cup and to locate related travel deals check back with our FrugalMonkey blog or take a look at our full country profile and section on the upcoming World Cup. It’s the perfect vacation for soccer fans and sports lovers!