It's Succulent Asian Fruit

Apples, bananas and oranges get boring eventually and start tasting like sawdust. If you struggle to eat such mainstream fruit and thus fail to ‘get your vits’, as Aussies say, join the club and discover some exotic species of fruit popular around Asia.

If you mix them up, these succulent fruits might just revive your jaded tastebuds and make consuming vitamins more enticing. You can always try them blended at increasingly common blender-powered Asian smoothie stalls.

Mangosteen

With its gnarly purple skin and dual-bump pale interior flesh, the sweet and juicy mangosteen looks straight from Mars. Its nickname is the Queen of Fruits thanks to Queen Victoria, who offered knighthood to any Brit who could offer her a mangosteen fruit in mint condition. Her subjects failed. The reason: it was near impossible to preserve the fruit during the weeks-long journey to England. So, oddly, the mangosteen’s majestic nickname stems from failure.

Durian

This oval spiny tropical fruit hosts a smelly, succulent pulp. Some people find it disgusting, like moldy ice-cream or kissing a cadaver. Why they hate it so much is a mystery. Durian actually tastes like creamy coconut with a mild whiff. In smoothie form, it tastes like nectar. Still, some Malaysian and Thai shopping arcades, buses and trains display signs banning durian consumption.

Rambutan

Rambutans look ugly. Small, red and spiny, they could be straight from a bad joke that asks what has those properties. But rambutans taste fine, a bit like lychees. And rambutans are appealingly accessible because those spines are surprisingly soft, like hairs. Give the loose skin a twist and it rips and the sweet flesh pops out.

Lychees

Increasingly mainstream a la Kiwi fruit, lychees are another seductively easy-to-eat fruit that you can rip open in seconds with a little fingernail action. The moreish orbs taste a bit like grapes. Watch out for the black stone inside that consumes excessive lychee real estate and does not go down well.

Papaya

If any fruit might deserve durian’s reputation for tasting vile, it is papaya. Diced papaya has a baby’s nappy smell. But, if you liquidize the orange, melon-like black-seeded tropical fruit in a shake, its flavor calms down. In fact, it actually tastes nice. Better yet, if you have been eating too many flabby, colon-blocking pork baguettes and need a detox, papaya is superb on that front – a natural laxative. If you are daring, try the sweet, tart and spicy papaya salad (som tam): a popular Thai dish that is an acquired taste, you may find.

Dragon fruit

Also called the pitaya, this slightly mushy fruit is low in calories and high in vitamin C. Leathery pink skin with leafy green shoots encases soft white or red seeded flesh – an interior texture not unlike kiwi, though thankfully free of the tingle. The pitaya plant is a type of cactus – hardy and decorative. When in southeast Asia, keep a look out for the beet-colored juice from street vendors.

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Mauro Mansion - A Stylish Stay in a Great Location

Mauro mansion is located just a few minutes walk from the central station in Amsterdam city centre yet quiet and peaceful. The front of the hotel overlooks one of the city's many canals whilst interior rooms overlook a small courtyard. We had a courtyard room - what it lacked in natural light it made up for big style in terms of space (huge!) and stylish decor. As well as two comfortable single beds with Memory foam mattresses there was a funky plastic rocking chair and a huge white leather sofa. Plentiful storage space came in the form of industrial looking lockable metal cabinets. The mini bar is pre filled with complimentary goodies - a couple of mini bottles of prosecco, beer, juice, Pepsi and nuts - a very nice touch, and should you fancy a refill there is a well stocked honesty bar downstairs including a range of beers and wines as well as sweet and savoury snacks.

Prior to its current incarnation as a boutique hotel the property was a hotel catering to a rather 'specialist' audience, some reminders of which can be seen throughout the building (dungeon bars anyone?) which all just add to the quirky style of the place.

The pillows in the room were huge memory foam affairs - as a fan of small pillows these wouldn't be the most conducive to a good night's sleep for me but the owners happily gave me a low feather filled which fit the bill perfectly. Overall the Mauro team occur an impeccable level of service; personal and attentive without being intrusive. They offered great tips on where to eat and drink of an evening upon request - always good to get insider tips....

Breakfast is included and featured a tasty buffet of warm freshly baked breads, cereals, meats and cheese, accompanied with fantastic teas and coffees and freshly squeezed juices. Each day there would also be a freshly made treat delivered to your table - we enjoyed fruit salad, scrambled eggs and pancakes during our stay, all expertly prepared and very tasty.

This isn't the cheapest of options but overall I felt that it was good value for money. Along with the excellent hospitality of the owners, little touches like the minibar and being able to make yourself fresh ground coffee at any time really make this place stand out as something a bit special. Combining these features with a first rate location makes Mauro Mansion an excellent choice for any Amsterdam stay.

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Luna Park Sydney in Australia

You can see the eerie smiling face from Circular Quay, on the other side of the harbor. The face is enshrined at the entrance to that sprawling Sydney fun house, Luna Park.

Dizzyingly weird, Luna Park gives that better-known Circular Quay attraction, the Opera House, a run for its money. Hence the repeated interest of filmmakers, documentary makers and TV directors. For instance, an episode of the iconic Aussie TV series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo was filmed there.

Learn more about the retro attraction set at Milsons Point on Sydney’s elegant North Shore. The attraction, which dates back to 1935, has a rich, dark past that should mean it is haunted, if ghosts exist.

Seven Secrets of Luna Park

1. Sydney’s Luna Park takes its cue from the American version which opened on Coney Island, New York, in 1903.

2. Luna Park's beaming-face entrance is nine meters wide – even proportionally broader, you might imagine, than the Cheshire Cat’s smile inAlice in Wonderland.

3. During the Second World War, Luna Park drew droves of servicemen – some taking their girlfriends on a wild night out, others on the prowl for new partners.

4. The flood of Second World War servicemen brought a less-than-wholesome element to the park. Mass brawls between Australian home defense soldiers and American sailors on shore-leave regularly erupted.

5. During WWII, the park's outer lights were 'browned out' in case of a Japanese surprise attack on Sydney. The neon lights were unplugged and frivolous electricity use – mostly for ride façades – was curbed.

6. In 1979, the park's Ghost Train caught fire. The park’s fire hose system failed to cover the understaffed ride and six children and one adult perished. The fire was contained before it got the chance to engulf the nearby Big Dipper and River Caves. Controversy surrounded the fire, Australian artist Martin Sharp convinced it was the work of property developers looking to have the park torn down.

7. Subject to volatile swings of fortune, Luna Park has been repeatedly shut down and resurrected from the dead. The fun park’s last phoenix moment came in 2004. Since then, it has been going strong. Its most famous attraction, the Wild Mouse rollercoaster, which was first installed in 1962, has been disassembled and removed several times. The Wild Mouse remains in the picture, New South Wales’s only permanent rollercoaster.

More lunacy

Did you know that the word ‘lunar’ is related to ‘lunatic’? So the bizarre gateway smile that swallows you up makes a strange kind of sense. Perhaps even more maniacal is the slightly sinister façade of Melbourne's Luna Park (lunapark.com.au). The first of the four Luna Parks to be built in Australia (in 1912) and the only other one still standing, Melbourne Luna Park enjoys a far less storied past.

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All The Comforts of Home

My family and I spent our Spring Break at Kingsmill Resort. This was our first time. I chose Kingsmill after reading some of the reviews on TripAdvisor and also because of its proximity to Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg, less than 20 minutes driving. The propery itself was beautiful. It is located in a gated community which appears to include both rental and residential and is located next to the James River. You have to check in at the main building. When the gentleman at the front desk was ready for me, he waved me over. A "next guest please" would have been polite and preferred. He also did not tell me anything about the property except for the shuttle to the nearby attractions and about only one of the many onsite restaurants. I learned more about the property after again reading Tripadvisor. I would definitely suggest that the front desk take time to fill in first time guests about all the amenities of the property. 

The rooms are located in units throughout the property. We rented a guest room with 2 double beds which was located in the rear of the unit. The room was small. However, it was fine for 2 adults and 2 small kids. The room was clean and had a sliding door in the rear which had a grassy area where the kids played. We were located near the tennis courts which I thought would pose a noise problem. Fortunately, it did not. However, the units also have an upstairs and downstairs which appear to be for larger groups. There was a family of more than 6 staying at the adjoined portion of the unit. There was only a thin door separating the units which allowed us to hear them every morning so sleeping in was not an option. It was not the worse thing but I would have preferred not having to hear this family and their kids at 7am when I'm on vacation. The bathroom was immaculate and more than enough fresh, clean towels were provided. There was also terrycloth robes available which were a nice plus. Our room was cleaned each day and even one morning the young lady who cleaned the room mistook a note to myself to purchase a robe and body lotion as a request for her to supply more for the room which she was kind enough to do. This was definitely appreciated.

As for the property itself, located next to the James River the views are amazing. There is plenty to do for the entire family - golf, tennis, swimming (indoor and outdoor), game room, spa and bike riding. My kids loved the Sports Center where the pool and game room are located. Every thing was walking distance from our room. Although shuttles are available for travel within the property; something I did not learn until our last night. 

As for dining, there are a number of restaurants on site. We had dinner at James Landing Grille located at the Marina. The view was beautiful. Although it was not warm enough to eat outdoors, this is an option. The food and service was good. They have a kids menu which worked out well since my son does not like seafood. For breakfast, we went to Bray Dining one morning which is located in the main building. They offer a breakfast buffet which had a wonderful selection including an omelet station. For roughly $9 per person, it is a great deal. There are other restaurants as well but we ventured off property too. Check out Richmond Road and Pocahantas Trail for other dining options.

Like other reviews, I must speak of the staff which I have mixed feelings and honestly is my only issue with Kingsmill. Fortunately, most of the staff was very polite particularly Elliott, the gentlemen who delivered our room service, the older gentleman at the Sports Center, the grounds crew and Michael, at the front desk upon checkout. There were a couple of instances with the staff that did not sit well with me. When my husband visited The Mill where coffee and baked goods are sold, the woman at the register asked if he was working at the resort. Unsure why she found the need to ask if he was a worker and not a guest. Also, when you first gain entry to the resort at the security gate you're given a large, yellow pass (visible to the naked eye) to place in your windshield during your stay. We had no problem with the exception of one female security guard who both times she was there found it necessary to scrutinize the car before letting up the gate; whereas other securty guards waved us in without issue. I could only assume in this day and age that sensitivity and diversity training is provided to staff and if it's not, it definitely should.

Overall, my family especially the kids enjoyed themselves. As mentioned, most of the staff was polite and understood the importance of customer service. What I could only deem as ignorance among a couple of the staff would not prevent us from visiting again.

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Great location if visiting Colonial Williamsburg

This hotel had a few things going on that we liked. 1) It's very close to Colonial Williamsburg -- we could have walked -- yet in a quiet residential neighborhood, unlike other Hampton & Inn hotels in the area. 2) As a family with a young child, pool is always a great amenity. 3) Breakfast was included in the price. The food was your typical "free breakfast" fare, and not something you'd want to eat a lot of, but still, it's nice to know that you don't have to worry about food when you get up in the morning or have to get out of the building to get breakfast.

The few negatives we experienced: 1) The sofa bed was extremely uncomfortable when it was pulled out and used as a bed. The mattress was flimsy and we could feel the hardware -- too bumpy. Our son ended up sleeping in it not in the bed form, but in the sofa form. 2) The A/C was finicky and kind of noisy.

There was no exhaust fan in the bathroom, but that wasn't a problem. The vanity area is outside of the bathroom door, which made it easy for three people to share one bathroom.

It's fairly basic, it's not a luxury hotel, but the place was quiet and clean, the staff was all wonderful, it had the amenities we wanted, and overall very comfortable. At this price, we really can't ask for more.

Overall, very satisfied with the experience.

Room Tip: We had the double queen junior suite on the first floor.

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The City Insider - Malaysian Borneo

Of all the special places in Asia, the Malaysian state of Sabah, on the island of Borneo, has to be up there with the best.  It is multi-faceted, multi-cultural, safe, clean, accessible, and full of lovely, welcoming people. It also has great food.

Many travelers start their journey in Kota Kinabalu, a bustling highly organized town with a great location, ideally situated as a hub for so many of Borneo’s attractions.  This may read like a clichéd tourist brochure, but it’s true.  From KK, as Kota Kinabalu is universally known, you can visit not only the city and the offshore islands to see the turtles nesting, but also the iconic Mount Kinabalu.

You don’t actually 'climb' Mount Kinabalu, rather you walk and slog your way up through the rainforest during the day.  You sleep over at a very organized rest-house, and then you summit in the dark, hauling yourself up on a ropeway at one point.  Your reward?  The sun rising over Borneo.

It isn’t particularly difficult, but the fact that you go up and down in two days means you will spend the rest of your Borneo trip with sore knees and aching limbs.  For the next week, we recognized fellow climbers by their gait.

If you are a wildlife enthusiast, then Borneo is absolute heaven.

Top of the pops are the orangutans, which you can visit in Sepilok.  There are crowds, there are strict timings for visits, but when the orang utans swing through the jungle to the feeding platforms, the buzz is unmistakable.  As it is when one of these endangered creatures decides to take a stroll through the crowd.  People back off in awe, as the animal ambles through, and then leaps up into a tree and off into the jungle.

Another amazing inhabitant of Borneo is the bizarrely human looking proboscis monkey, with its long nose and big fat belly, which reminded the Malays and Indonesians of the Dutch colonizers.  Hence its cheeky local name 'orang belanda' or 'Dutchman'.

In Sungei Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary, you take a boat down the river in the relative cool of the evening, and sit and watch as these odd creatures go about their noisy evening business in the trees.

In the Tunku Andul Rahman National Park, you can go watch turtles laying their eggs on the shore, then watch the tiny hatchlings emerge.  We took a boat across, stayed overnight, and watched entranced as the damp weather encouraged the babies to hatch.

For scuba divers, Sabah is home to one of the world’s legendary dive sites, the island of Sipadan. 

We drove across country to the bustling port of Semporna, from where launches take you out to dive or, in our case, to our resort – a hotel on stilts.  The advantage of staying out on a resort at sea – a cool concept in itself – is that you get to the dive sites much more easily.

A quick skills refresher course, and we were off.  Turtles, rays, sharks, corals galore – all accessible in well-organized, strictly controlled dives.  You can no longer stay on the island and there is only a limited number of permits issued each day, to protect the eco-system, but every bit of (admittedly benign) paperwork is worth it, for that first sight of a turtle swimming lazily past you.

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Grosvenor House Dubai is Perfect Hotel with Some Downsides

My parents came to visit me to Dubai so I stayed with them here in this hotel for 3 wonderful days. I had read about this hotel and also heard that it is a nice property so the expectations were very high.

The location for this hotel is awesome since it is in Dubai Marina with walking distance to many places. Also the hotel itself got good restaurants and venues, which of some of them are very famous. When I got to the hotel, the concierge staff did their job very well by helping me with my bags and opening the door. In some of the 5 star hotels in Dubai I have not got that service, a service that is mandatory for a 5 star property!

I went to see my parents at the pool. This was one of the downsides of the hotel. Well, it was almost expected since most of the hotels in the Marina are so close to other buildings so that the sun will not shine at the pool at some point of the day. Also, the pool itself is very small. For persons who like to swim, this is not maybe the most ideal one for that purpose.

The room was very nice. We had a premium suite with my parents. The bed that was provided for me was very comofrtable and I loved the blanket! The room was big enough for 3 adults. However, some more downparts were that there was no door for the toilet in the bathroom, which is not that nice, concidering that one might want to do their needs while the other one wants to put on make-up etc.

One other thing was that there were not enough outlets. Imagine when everyone's got laptops, mobile phones and other gadgets, where are they going to charge them? It was especially annoying when you did not even have an outlet next to the bed and normally people want to charge their phones in the night time. However, this is unfortunately a normal phenomenon in many hotels. Also it took one hour to get an adapter. But otherwise the service was extraordinary.

The breakfast in the lounge on the 5th floor was really good and the ambience of the lounge was nice. However, they have not seen muesli in their life. The youghurt with the muesli was not really good. 

All in all, a very nice hotel that I would recommend for anyone who comes and visit Dubai. One day when I get fed up in my apartment and want to spoil myself, I will definitely stay here again.

Room Tip: 8069. It was a nice room in the corner. Not too much noise.

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