I've recently returned from Debre Birhan, Ethiopia – a small town about three hours outside of Addis Ababa – where I was leading a team of 12 volunteers as we built houses with the local community. It was my second trip to Ethiopia and my fifth trip as a volunteer to Africa with Habitat for Humanity.

We’ve pulled together a quick guide from some of the top cities in Europe targeted for the layover or short stay travellers. In this post, we’ll look at Madrid, the capital of Spain and a city that contains one of the busiest airports (Barajas Airport) in Europe.

Along the beautiful Indian Ocean in Eastern Africa, lies Tanzania. With some of the most incredible beaches in the world, a wealth of natural wonders and a diverse array of wildlife, many flock to holiday here year-round.

When Brendan decided he would get out of the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur he found that the Batu caves to be just the sanctuary of peace and quiet he was after.My partner and I recently travelled throughout Malaysia and Singapore for a number of weeks. Besides undertaking the usual tourist activities such as the Petronas Towers, market shopping, Universal studios and Marina Bay Sands, we decided that we needed to take part in a cultural activity and that we would attend the Batu Caves on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

It was a few years ago when my travelling companion, Trevor, and I went to Africa. We wanted to experience it all over there - the people, Victoria Falls, the food, but most of all, we wanted to do a genuine African animal safari!

Lara’s family trips to Kioloa are always memorable, this week she shares with us what makes these holidays great – sun, sand, bush and family, just to name a few.Since I have been four I have been to a place called Kioloa. Kioloa is three hours away from home. We drive there each Easter and sometimes Christmas for a relaxing holiday.

We asked a kiwi in our office to give us a New Zealander's perspective on ANZAC Day... Was it celebrated differently in New Zealand? This is what Dominic had to say.ANZAC day in New Zealand is celebrated much the same as it is in Australia but with a few differences. At the end of the day we did fight together and you can’t have ANZAC without NZ. We join nations on this day to remember the sacrifice our grandfathers made for these two great countries, so maybe the old ‘Eastern Australia’ joke isn’t quite as bad on this one day of the year.

Michaela’s family holiday to Italy was filled with history, culture and lots of delicious Italian food. Here she shares with us some of her experiences, and advises getting off the tourist track to experience the real Italy.

This week we hear from Waldo who shares his adventures in Rome. From the Colosseum to the Pantheon and everywhere in between, Waldo experienced the wonders of ancient Rome which he recounts here with a candid account of the sights to see.

Richard and his family headed to Bali earlier this year to enjoy a sun filled family holiday. Staying a week in Seminyak and a week at Nusa Dua Club Med, Richard recounts the best part of the holiday as the people of Bali.