Advantages: Highly inventive. Amazing.
Disadvantages: None.

...Since 1995, Richard Devine has been tearing down and then reshuffling sound. He is a master of the experimental genre, alongside Joseph Fraioli, a.k.a Datach'i. Since his fist Ep (Lip Switch, Warp Records / Schematic), Richard has always incorporated an aggressiveness to his compositions, not as destructive as his fellow musician and friend Aaron Funk (Venetian Snares), but with more of an operatic power behind the corrosive facade. Devine's compositions are unique: he considers sound as a living architectural entity, and tends to shape music that defies the amount of detail most artists put into their arrangements. Cautella was released in 2005 under Sublight Records. It contains 14 tracks, which amount to 55 minutes approx. The inlay and cover art are breathtaking, sculpted by digital artists Keepadding. Helix Stair Helve... Read review

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Advantages: Everything
Disadvantages: Babysong

...The man has done it again, Devin Townsend is a genius. It's official. As probably the most prolific rock artist around at the moment, Townsend has created an album that while it still has his trademark sound, is musically much more diverse than his last offering "Accelerated Evolution". The production is stunning and allows the thickly layered music to become completely absorbed by the listener. Synchestra oddly begins with a frankly brilliant acoustic number called "Let It Roll" which doesnt take long before it transforms into Townsends wall of noise approach. "Hypergeek" is almost an extension of the first track and starts to hint at the quirkiness that will rear its head futher on in the album. Then comes the first OH MY GOD track. A wonderful piece of work on any level called "Triumph". Its even got a hoe-down in the middle... Read review

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Advantages: Awesome place/great photo opportunities!
Disadvantages: I was jet lagged when we saw it!

...Last Summer I was lucky enough to go on a world rugby tour to Australia and New Zealand, it was an amazing trip and I am going to review each section of the trip, to let you know how fantastic it was! I will try not to do it in a blog style and hopefully tell you what the places were actually like, how good/bad parts of the trip were rather than simply 'how great the trip was'. Then hopefully if you are planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand you might find something in my review that you would like to do or a place which you want to see. I will put up lots of pictures as well so you get a feel for the places I'm reviewing. Basically our tour consisted of flying to Sydney for 3 days, then to New Zealand for 9 days, then back to Brisbane in Australia for a final few luxurious rugby free days and finally home. A lot of flying... Read review

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Advantages: Weather, Scenery, Culture
Disadvantages: Too far from UK!

...As I lived and worked in Sydney for two years, I thought I would share my experiences with you. I first went to Sydney in November 1997, but unfortunately this was only for a few days as I was on a three week assignment in Brisbane. However, less than six months later, I got the opportunity to move to Sydney in the course of my job. A Little Bit of Australian History --------------------------------------- Well, as we all know, in the beginning, the only residents of Australia were Aborigines. However, European man started to explore and everyone wanted to find the Great Land they had heard about. A Dutch Captain, William Jansz landed in 1606, but he figured there was nothing to be had there. However, exploration still continued and in 1642 Abel Tasman was in the area. He discovered Van Diemens Land, or what we now call... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent City, Clean streets, Great Transport, Loads to do
Disadvantages: Changable and Blustery in Winter, A Bit too far from Ireland

...I stayed in Sydney for over 10 months in 2003 and the hardest thing I had to do was to leave the place. Sydney is an amazing city, with so much to do you will never get bored. From the Harbour area to the beaches of Bondi - theres something for everyone. When we arrived we did the usual tourist trips, Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Trips on the Harbour Ferries, Centrepoint Tower but as time went on we found a hidden Sydney. These are areas or items in Sydney which are not on the usual tourist trail. Places like Suzannah Place in the Rocks which documents early life around 1830, and how the working classes lived. It is a living museum. Other areas of interest included Balmain, Manly, Paddington and Potts Point. We were lucky enough to be there for the New Years Eve fireworks and they are as amazing as people say. However if you... Read review

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Advantages: Great Tourist Attractions, Nice Beaches, Hot, Cheaper in some places than the UK
Disadvantages: Long Flight, Not easy to get around

...Since I was a teenager I had always wanted to tour Australia, and finally as I hit 18 I booked my first visit to Sydney. From the minute I stepped on Emirates Airlines I was satisfied. It was a fabulous, unforgettable experience. I flew from London Heathrow to Sydney and spent three weeks staying in Hotel InterContinental Sydney, which was probably the most expensive but luxiourus hotel I have ever stayed in. I spent the first two or three days relaxing at the hotel, going to it's gym, the pool and having a look around the city. We spent the time looking at the tourist attractions, including The Sydney Opera House, where we dined and watch a production, which was absoultey spectacular, we did a Captain Cook Dinner cruise around the Sydney harbour which had a tasty menu, which we enjoyed and ofcourse I could not leave Sydney without... Read review

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Advantages: Superb service, good facilties, excellent food, reasonable prices
Disadvantages: Not in the city, I was there on business

...When I knew I could go to Australia, my next mission was to find somewhere to stay. I tried Expedia, last minute, and the other usual culprits, but as I knew nothing of Australia's Geography, I was very much in the dark about what to chose. The University I visited was in a Sydney Suburb called North Ryde, and it was Google that came up trumps directing me to the four vacation outlets in the area. Only problem was, being that far away from away from home, firstly I wanted High Speed Internet Access and an indoor, or outdoor heated pool. The Stamford Grand North Ryde came up trumps on both accounts, but in endeavouring to keep my travel budget down and having forked out nearly £700 for a flight, all the agent websites were way too expensive. So I did what I quite often do and tried to dig out the chains website, who unwaveringly... Read review

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Advantages: Great city opera house
Disadvantages: expensive

...Sydney General Before I went to Australia I had this image in my head of the Sydney Opera and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this was the first thing I thought about when I thought of Australia, so the first thing I did when I arrived was drive down to see it for myself! I was so excited, I almost had to pinch myself as it all felt like a dream but I really was in Australia at last. Standing by the Opera House was a dream come true; it really is a remarkable site and one I will not forget for a very long time. The structure and design is fascinating and I spent a good while walking around it all. The view of the Harbour Bridge opposite is startling it is so huge if you look closely you can make out the small figures of the brave climbing over the top of it. The thing I love about Sydney the most is its beaches, with so many... Read review

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Advantages: Great views over the city
Disadvantages: Not cheap

...Sydney CBD is quite densely populated with lots of tall buildings, so to get any sort of view you really need some height. Sydney Tower provides this quite nicely in the form of an observation deck at 819 feet (250m) up. The tower stretches a total of 1000 feet (304m) with the space above the people deck occupied by a 162 000 litre water tank that steadies the building on windy days and topped off with an antenna. A popular attraction for tourists, the tower has 3 main sections: 1. THE TOWER ITSELF You can go up the tower, which is good. Not much point in spending $25 million US and 6 years building something that tall if you can't charge people for going up it. Tickets are on the high side of moderately priced: adults cost $23.50 (~ 10GBP) and kids, students and seniors between $14 and $17.50 (~ 6 GBP - 8 GBP) but this price... Read review

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Advantages: Fantstic views, sense of real achievement
Disadvantages: Quite pricy, need to book

...One of the biggest tourist attractions in Sydney is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There it stands at the Quay Side all majestic and quite frankly massive. You can walk over the bridge as a pedestrian to get to the other side of the harbour. However why would you want to do that when you could climb the bridge!!!!!!! I am not frightened of heights (I mean I have done a parachute jump for gods sake) but even to me this looked quite daunting. Its 136 metres above sea level and is one of the largest bridges in the world. There is a company called Bridge Climb that have based themselves there and basically they give you training and then you climb the bridge. The Bridgeclimb is a totally professional affair and it costs $155 dollars (about 70 pound at the current exchange rate) to do it monday to friday or $175 dollars... Read review

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