The day now referred to as ‘Black Saturday’ was an extremely windy, hot and humid day in the middle of our Australian summer which posed a great risk to those living in bushland. There was already a fire ban in place in most of the country, with people in country areas urged to be particularly careful. However, no-one would have been able to predict that deliberately lit fires would pop up in country Victoria destroying land, houses and causing over 200 people to perish. At its most fierce, the fires reached over 150 km/h (95mph), striking farmland and houses with little notice. Families barely had time to react, let alone enforce their fire plans and had to leave animals, possessions and homes behind.

Now fast forward to nearly a month later – fires have only now just been contained and those that were lucky enough to escape are returning to rebuild their lives. In Melbourne an event called Stand As One is a fundraiser organised by Shayne from Hooded Ink after his father lost everything – including his best friend – in the fires. You can read his full story here.

Stand As One is being held at the Prince Bandroom on the 15^th of March and will be featuring performances by an array of names in the Aussie hip hop scene such as: Delta & DJ Staen1, Illzilla, Low Budget, Justice & Kaos, Reason feat Lotus & Bid, Motley, Surreal & Fevapres feat DJ Cargo, Poloclub, Fraksha, Scotty Hinds, Murky, Depths & Diem, Tjimba & The Yung Warriors, Briggs, Pang Productions Crew (Mata & Must, J Waters, 1/6, Urban Monk and Blunted Monk), Class A & DJ Bogues, Fluent Form, Jules feat DJ Sizzle, DJ sets from M-Phazes, Jase, Doc Felix.

Sponsored by Hooded Ink, Beat Broker, Etnies, Obese Records, Ozhiphop.com, Buddums Presents, Shogun and This Is It, this event is one not to be missed. The best thing about it? 100% of the proceeds will be going to the bushfire victims.

If you are in Melbourne, head on down next Sunday 7:30pm for an amazing night for a worthwhile cause.
For more information about the Victorian bushfires head here.

To donate directly, head to the Red Cross website here.

Got a few vacation days left to use before the end of the year? Think international! Leave the laptop at home, pack your carry on bag and your passport, and jet-set to your nearest international city for a whirlwind long weekend. Do-able in a carry on? Of course! Adhere to the 3-1-1 carry on guidelines for liquids and you’re fine. Don’t spend a lot of money on a grand hotel. Weekenders are all about getting out and exploring the city.

New York to London, England
Leaving Thursday, returning Sunday
$300+ USD
Average air time is between 7 and 10 hours.

Do-able in a carry on? You bet! Adhere to the 3-1-1 carry on guidelines for liquids and you’re fine. London weather can be cold and rainy in fall, so be sure to wear a good raincoat and carry a compact umbrella. A long pashmina can double as a scarf during the day and a shoulder wrap at night. Wear comfortable shoes and plan to do plenty of walking. London’s public transportation system is excellent, so purchase a 3 Day London Pass with Travel Pass for unlimited access to London’s city transportation as well as tons of attractions like the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, the Globe Theatre, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Queen’s Gallery and more.

London Image

Check out the other 2 stops after the jump . . .

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