1 . Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is a hot­spot travel destination, and it's easy to see why with its beautiful beaches and busy city life.

Why it's a great choice: Australia as a whole is considered a safe destination for international travel, and because of that, many solo travelers go there. As an English­speaking country, you won't be faced with any language barriers. Melbourne is easy to get around because you can walk or bike practically anywhere!

Thailand

Thailand is great for solo travelers—perhaps because it is one of the Buddhist mindsets, which promote equality among the sexes.

Why it's a great choice: Thailand is known for its friendly atmosphere, and as a travel hot­spot, there are plenty of chances to meet other like­minded travelers. Well known for being very cheap, especially in the north. A good choice if you want to get away on a budget. Thailand has a lot to offer, from the party­central Bangkok to beautiful beaches and tropical(热带)jungle.

Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong is a great place to relax for solo travelers as it is full of “Zen moments,” such as beautiful gardens and Tai Chi classes.

Why it's a great choice: Hong Kong is regarded as one of the safest cities in the world. If you're not well­traveled, or perhaps a bit tired of things like language barriers, Hong Kong is a great place to start, as it mixes both Eastern and Western at the same time.

Bali, Indonesia

Bali is a spiritual place with yoga, spas, healthy food and beaches. The combination of friendly people and splendidly visual culture has made Bali Indonesia number one tourist attraction.

Why it's so great: You won't be the only solo traveler in Bali. Everyone is known for being extremely friendly and you're sure to meet some amazing characters along the way. As a Hindu island, Bali is the perfect place for a relaxing and spiritual retreat(静修). The Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud is fantastic—if you like monkeys, anyway.

2 . Often a nickname is a shortened form of a person’s name and it can also be a descriptive name for a place. Many American cities have nicknames. They can help build up an identity, spread pride among citizens and build their unity.

Los Angeles has several nicknames. One is simply the city’s initials, L. A. It is also called the City of Angels because Los Angeles means “the angels” in Spanish. Los Angeles often has warm, sunny weather, so another nickname is the City of Flowers and Sunshine. Los Angeles is sometimes called the Big Orange because of the fruit that grows in that city’s warm climate.

The American movie industries are based in Los Angeles. So it is not surprising that it is called the Entertainment Capital of the World. Many films are made in Hollywood. Millions of people visit the area. No trip to Los Angeles is perfect without seeing the word “Hollywood” spelled out in huge letters on a hillside. Many movie stars live here. The city is sometimes called Tinseltown. It comes from the shiny, bright and often unreal nature of Hollywood and the movie industry.

Another nickname for Los Angeles is La-la Land, using the first letters of Los and Angeles. This means a place that is fun and not serious and maybe even out of touch with reality. A good place for watching unusual-looking people is Venice. A system of waterways designed after the Italian city of Venice has been built there. Many people love Los Angeles for its warm weather, beautiful mountains and beaches and movie stars.

On the whole, Los Angeles is glowingly attractive just for its rich nicknames.

4 . My husband, our children and I have had wonderful camping experiences over the past ten years.

Some of our _______ are funny, especially from the early years when our children were little. Once, we _______ along Chalk Creek. I was _______ that our 15-month-old boy would fall into the creek (小溪). I tied a rope around his waist to keep him near to our spot. That lasted about ten minutes. He was _______, and his crying let the whole campground know it. So _______ tying him up, I just kept a close eye on him. It _______ — he didn’t end up in the creek. My three-year-old, however, did.

Another time, we rented a boat in Vallecito Lake. The sky was clear when we _______, but storms move in fast in the mountains, and this one quickly _______ our peaceful morning trip. The _______ picked up and thunder rolled. My husband stopped fishing to ____________ the motor. Nothing. He tried again. No ____________. We were stuck in the middle of the lake with a dead motor. As we all sat there ____________, a fisherman pulled up, threw us a rope and towed (拖) us back. We were ____________.

Now, every year when my husband pulls our camper out of the garage, we are filled with a sense of ____________, wondering what camping fun and ____________ we will experience next.

5 . Reach for the stars at the Euro Space Center.

Find out everything you need to know about space —from the origins of the universe (宇宙) to the possible future space exploration. Lighting, sound and special effects help to bring your space journey to life. Throughout your tour, our specially-trained guides will answer your questions and provide you with any information you require.

Begin your tour with our exhibition about the planets, and then move on to the Space Laboratory to see some of the experiments carried out in space. Visit our international space station, where you can climb into our full-size space shuttle (太空船) model and experience life on board as an astronaut.

You will know all about space by now and to help you further, our Space Center astronauts will tell you about how young people train as astronauts in our own training school. Finally, you can watch our amazing space shows in our IMAX cinema, which will help you understand everything you have learned during your visit better.

Outside we have an outdoor exhibition including a giant solar system, full-size rocket models and outdoor games. Don't worry if it rains —much of this is under cover.

After that, why not visit our restaurant Resto Space for food and drink on a space theme? And don't forget our Space Shop, offering you a huge range of gifts to take home.

The Euro Space Center is open every day except Mondays. Opening times are 10 am—5 pm. For entrance fees, call our booking service at 3261-650133. You can e-mail us for up-to-date entry information at info@eurospacecenter.be.

6 . Some Sightseeing Tours

Tour A: Bath & Stonehenge, £39

It includes entrance fees to the ancient Roman bathrooms and Stonehenge. Visit the city with over 2,000 years of history and Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and the Costume Museum. Stonehenge is one of the world’s most famous monuments dating back over 4,000 years.

Tour B: Oxford & Stratford, £36

It includes entrance fees to the University St Mary’s Church Tower and Anne Hathaway’s house. Oxford: It includes a guided tour of England’s oldest university city and colleges. Look over the “city of dreaming spires (尖顶)” from St Mary’s Church Tower. Stratford: It includes a guided tour exploring much of the Shakespeare wonder.

Tour C: Windsor Castle & Hampton Court, £37

It includes entrance fees to Hampton Court Palace, a guided tour of Windsor and Hampton Court, Henry Ⅷ’s favourite palace. Free time to visit Windsor Castle (entrance fees not included). With 500 years of history, Hampton Court was once the home of four kings and one queen. Now this former royal palace is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. Visit the palace and its various historic gardens, which include the famous maze (迷宫) where it is easy to get lost!

Tour D: Cambridge, £33

It includes entrance fees to the Tower of Saint Mary the Great. It also includes a guided tour of Cambridge, the famous university town, and the gardens of the 18th century.