South Africa: Johannesburg and Cape Town
South Africa’s major cities – Johannesburg. Also known as Jo’burg or Jozi, the big city vibe is discernible. Life is fast-paced and buzzes and a burgeoning art scene especially in the cultural districts of Newtown and Braamfontein. what was once a no-go zone is now a sought destination by tourists who enjoy its stunning skyscape.
From here, it’s just a short domestic flight to South Africa’s mother city, Cape Town – possibly the most beautiful in the land. To see it all take a trip to the top of Table Mountain – named so because a flat layer of cloud unfurls over its top) and from there choose your favorite beach. An hour’s drive away is the Winelands grown out of fertile valleys and producing the famous wines of Stellenbosch.
Dubai
It was once a fishing village, but today Dubai artfully crafts its world-wide reputation as a playground in the sun. With so many shopping centers and high-rise, it may be easy to forget that this is the Middle East.
This means you won’t see any debouched, Las Vegas-style shows or casinos (gambling is illegal even though Dubai famously hosts the world’s most lucrative racehorse). But you will see sensational architecture. Burj Al Arab overlooks reclaimed land that has been fashioned into sensational palm tree shapes. The Beckhams reportedly have a home here.
The city became home to the largest theme park in the world. They are expecting over four million visitors over the year. Every day it can host up to 30,000 adventures and offer several zones over 1.5 million square feet: Lost Valley.
The brilliant skylines show off modern and Moorish architecture, modern shopping malls galore – one with its own ski – and away from all this there is still the souq where you can haggle for something oriental. The weather here is extremely hot and the best time to visit is from November to March.
Sydney
It’s about fun in the sun right now down under and affluent Sydney as a good place as any to be. It is on Australia’s south-east coast on the Tasman Sea with a well-recognized shimmering harbor and an iconic opera house. And that’s without considering made-for-surfing beaches such as Bondi and Manly, the lively nightlife, shopping, and myriad of festivals and galleries.
The city is built on hills around Sydney harbor and further in is the metropolitan area dotted with several national parks as well as the Royal Botanic Gardens. Life is outdoors and sporty and you could be tempted to jog, surf, or cycle with the locals as they go about their daily routines.