London does pubs and pints famously well but you can increasingly add rooftop bars to the superlatives list, too.

True, summer lasts only about two weeks here but that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm for an alfresco cocktail or two -- most of these spots are open year-round with outdoor heaters and cozy blankets if you want to leave the sheltered inside space.

These 10 panoramic places will be among the best perches in town for New Year revels. Read more...

Published in CNNTravel.com. Copyright CNN. Photo: Queen of Hoxton.

The Barmy Army is celebrating 20 years of singing, sledging Aussies and supporting England’s cricket team. LARA BRUNT caught up with co-founder PAUL BURNHAM who is in Australia for the current Ashes series.

How did the Barmy Army begin?
The Barmy Army started on the 1994-95 Ashes tour in Australia. The Aussie media called us ‘barmy’ because we were supporting a tour that was losing and ‘army’ because there was a lot of us. Everybody that was there together went to the next [England] tour in South Africa.

Now, 20 years on, we’ve got 40,000 followers on Twitter, nearly 50,000 on Facebook and nearly 30,000 members. It’s been something that’s evolved over time and it’s just about supporting the England cricket team in a positive way.

How many fans have you got travelling with you for this series?
We’ve got 700 over the five tests. Obviously, it’s lot more expensive than it used to be, but the passion for watching England abroad will always be there so people will find the money.

We’re seeing a lot of new tourists coming here who have obviously saved up for the trip, as opposed to people who are probably still recovering from how expensive it was three years’ ago [when England last toured Australia for the 2010-11 Ashes series].

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Published in Australian Times. Copyright Lara Brunt. Photo by Prescott Pym.

Want to get away this summer? Here are five of the best bargain holiday destinations for Australians heading overseas in 2014.

While the Aussie dollar isn’t as strong as it was at the start of 2013, an overseas jaunt can still be more affordable than holidaying at home. Here’s where you should head for the best bargain holiday destinations for Australians heading overseas in 2014.

INDIA
Colourful, chaotic and super cheap, thanks to the stumbling rupee. Air India started direct flights to Oz earlier this year, making it even easier to visit this vast and varied country. The well-trodden Golden Triangle route in the country’s northwest is perfect for first-timers. Start in the capital Delhi with its teeming bazaars and magnificent monuments. Then head to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal and massive Mughal fort, before finishing in the pink city of Jaipur. All three cities are connected by good road and rail links.

Where to stay: Intrepid has an 8-day Golden Triangle Overview tour from $725pp.

When to go: November to mid-February when temperatures are a pleasant 20-25°C.

How to get there: Air India flies daily to Delhi from Sydney and Melbourne.

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Published in The New Daily. Copyright The New Daily.