Running into the Bull Ring – what I’m doing this June and July

As the days here in Melbourne turn grey and the skies pours leading me to the question if I should be building an ark. Instead I am dreaming of a far off place where the skies are reminiscent of a tropical paradise… but my tropical paradise involves sangria stained white clothes, hanging out in a prison, and throw snowballs at friends on top of a mountain in the middle of summer.

Goodbye exams, hello trams and lots of sand

After a short pitstop back in Melbourne to take my final exam for the semester I will be bound on a plane back to Hong Kong for a spot of lens shopping before having to get on a second flight to a new city that I have been eager to visit for years – San Francisco.
I’ve left my itinerary completely open as I wait to see where I will end up. The only sure things I want to do are to take a tram down a super hilly street, visit Alcatraz, and see the Golden Gate Bridge as it celebrates its 75th birthday this week!

From San Frans I’m taking a short flight across to Las Vegas, Nevada to spend some time with the Victoria from Pommie Travels as we relax and seek to discover that there is more to sin city than sand, sex, and slots before ending up in Denver, Colorado.

Travel blogging is like any other industry and we have conferences as well and this year the TBEX conference will be help in Keystone, Colorado. But before heading up the mountain Visit Denver will be helping us to explore the city through a series of fun activities (Amazing Race style road rally here I come!!), and of course some mandatory beer tasting.

When life gives you lemons use them to make Sangria

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you may have seen that I have been getting a little over excited about a project I’ve been working on with four other fabulous female travel bloggers.

In July 2012 five female travel bloggers are going to descent on Pamplona, Spain and take part in San Fermin, better known as the Running of the Bulls – a festival typically dictated to men. We will be setting about to prove to you that females can run with the bulls and provide you with all the information on how to do it.

The girls I’m running with include;

• Jeannie from Nomadic Chick
• Lois from We are Sole Sisters
• Nicole from Nicole is the New Black
• Oneika from Oneika the Traveller

And yes, there are two Nicole’s so Pamplona better watch out for double trouble!

A few blog posts will be coming out soon with more details about San Fermin and introducing our fabulous sponsors (Roomorama, Hostelbookers, and Eurail!) To read more about the girls running and our preparation have a look at Girls Running with Bulls on our seperate custom site which will have tips and posts from all of the girls involved.

Honourable Mention to Destination NSW

As the month comes to a close an honourable mention must go out to Destination NSW who have arranged for me to visit Sydney this weekend to experience Vivid Sydney – a yearly light show which takes around the city and includes lighting up the Sydney Opera House.

Plenty will be happening on the ground so if you’re in or around Sydney come and watch the city be lit up tomorrow (25/05/12) night but you won’t find me on the ground. No, I will be climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge to watch the lighting ceremony from the top – lets hope it doesn’t rain!

Ant and Elise from Positive World Travel will also be out exploring Sydney so look out for tweets from us (#Sydney) or follow our adventures on Facebook!

What are you summer (or winter!) plans?

Photo credit: Bull Fighter / Vivid Sydney Opera House photo / Golden Gate Bridge photo