A very wet Te Anau & Milford Sound

Saturday 16th May 2009

I leave Queenstown and I'm still thinking about the Bungy jump, the thought of doing another one is appealing but I reckon I'd be just as frightened. As I leave its chucking it down with ran, I arrive in Te Anau 3hrs later and its still chucking it down. So far I've been lucky enough with the weather but this is the worse I've seen it. Te Anau is a village by any standards but its that cloudy and wet you can't see from one end of the village to the other...and I'm planning on going to see Milford Sound!!! I've been told its just as good to see the place in the wet as it is when things are fine as there are no end of water falls, I'll just have to go and see for myself. The journey down to Milford from Te Anau is meant to be one of the most scenic road trips but with the weather the way it is hard to believe it. Even when I arrive in Milford it hasn't let up but once we get out on the water its like it doesn't matter anymore. Sure enough there are no end of water falls coming down from all the surrounding hills and the majority of them are all snow capped. The two hour journey doesn't seem all that bad after all.

Bungy time....!!! Queenstown

Thursday 14th May 2009

Before going on to Queenstown I make a stop in a place called Wanaka...this place has now surpassed Napier in what I reckon is one of the nicest towns. Lakes & snow capped mountains everywhere...its a definite must see!
As for Queenstown well its must be New Zealand's ultimate party town. Its got the feel of a European Ski resort and just like them there are no end of pubs. Along with all this its the place to do your Bungy, Skydive, Shotover Jet, River Surffing...the list goes on, they are adrenalin junkys over here. Two of these I really wanted to do, the Shotover Jet & the Nevis Bungy jump. Now I was all that bothered about doing a bungy until I met a few others who had done on and all they could say was it was the craziest thing they ever did. They said if you only ever do one then you have to do the Nevis jump...134meters high and 8.5 seconds of fall...it sounds terrifying. Anyway I convinced myself to do it and the night before it I could hardly sleep The thought of walking out on to the edge and just free falling was actually causing my feet to tingle. So the next morning I get up we take the 40minute bus journey out to the site. When we arrive the bus driver points out where we will be jumping from and to be honest it looks worse then I thought...the nerves were not good let me tell you that. Anyway I don't think I need to say a lot more about it other than watch the clip of me below. Keep an eye on my left hand...all I wanted to do is hold onto something as I walked out and as a result I nearly grabbed the bungy steward by his nuts! I never experienced anything so frightening in my life....

You got to do this, and if you do make sure it's the Nevis one or something that is as high as it...much much much more fun. I still get a buz just looking back at the video clip.
As for the Shotover Jet, well after doing the bungy this just felt low key...still fun though especially when they do the 360 spin!

Franz Josef Glacier

Tuesday 12th May 2009

Leaving Nelson I make the super long journey to the Franz Josef Glacier taking a couple of stops on the way in Wesport & The Pancake rocks. I book onto one of the full day trips up the Franz Josef. It's a fair old climb up and certainly cold when the wind starts to blow.The guides seem to be well used to the cold, dressed in short sleeve tops and some are even in shorts. Its a fair contrast to how they tell us to dress, 3-4 layers + water proof jacket & trousers...they are crazy.

Picton, Nelson, Abel Tasman

Friday 8th May 2009

I arrive into Picton after doing what must be one of the most scenic ferry crossings. In Picton I manage to meetup with a former work colleague and his wife who are also over here travelling. He and his wife lived in New Zealand for almost two years so it was great to catch up and get some travel tips. My first real stop in the South Island is the Abel Tasman which is a National Park on the North-West corner. Its well know for its trekking, or as the Kiwi's call it tramping, it also has a seal colony and generally gets a few visiting dolphins. Although the forecast is not great we end up having a few fine days and with the clear sky's you can see the snow capped mountains in the distance.The beaches around this neck of the woods are second to none, everything just seems to be super clean. One thing you really notice in New Zealand is how clean the water is in the lakes & rivers...they've got that ice blue colour about them.

The Seege in Nelson!

Thursday 8th May 2009

The trip down to Napier I am sure is nice but with all the rain I could see next to nothing. As for Napier well its probably one of the nicest towns I've been in in New Zealand so far. The town itself is pretty cool with all its art deco features but around the outskirts there are no end of winery's and orchards which look fantastic. On the morning that I am leaving there seems to be no end of police cars around the city centre and as I drive to Wellington more & more police cars seem to be making their way there. Its only later listening to the radio that I find out what has been going on. Two police officers went to do a drugs search and one of the guys in the house opened fire and killed one of the police officers. There ended up been a seege for over 50hrs, it was all over the news for the next few days, mad stuff.

Activity central, Rotorua

Tuesday 5th May 2009

From Corremandel I venture South to Rotorua which seems to be the activity centre of the North Island. Zorbing, The Luge, Skydiving, Thermal Springs, Traditional Maori Culture even a display of sheep shearing & milking cows...! There are no end of things you could do here, that's providing you've got the money & sheep shearing & milking cows is your thing? Saying that I did go to see the sheep shearing...you can take the man from the bog but ya can't take...I remember in Auckland thinking about how cold the van might get at night, well on my last night in Rotorua we have some frost and I can't remember the number of times I woke up cold. My feet & nose must have been close to falling off. Time to invest in a sleeping bag, might even have to get some thermals...well, we'll see how goes. Tapau is the next stop but not for long, my main reason for going here is to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. I make a short stop in Taupo to see the Hakka falls and later that evening I travel south to Tongariro. Listing to the radio on the way the forecast is not looking good for the the next few days. When I arrive in the camp site I find out the company who do the tours for the crossing have canceled for the next three days due to the weather...sh*t! With my days limited I decide the following morning to travel East to see Napier before going to Wellington to catch my ferry to the South Island. I'll have to see if I can do the Alpine Crossing on my return journey to Auckland.

Corremandel Peninsula

Saturday May 2nd 2009

My first destination is a place called Corremandel. On the day I am setting off its poring with rain so things don't look too promising but once I get off the main highway the fantastic sights compensate. The hills & the farms are like the stuff you see in post cards, things are looking up.I arrive in Corremandel about 5.00pm so there isn't much time to do a lot other than get a camp site and set the van up for the night. The following morning I set off on a trip across the Corremandel Peninsula to Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach...the sun is out at last. It seems every corner you take on the road is a photo opportunity, there are no end of scenic look outs...its early days yet so I end up stopping in have a peek at most, not sure how long I'll continue doing that! Well NZ has so far lived up to my expectations, you have to see the place to see what all the hype is all about...certainly worth it so far.

Auckland, New Zealand

Thursday April 30th 2009

I arrive into Auckland on what seems to me to be a really cool evening. Well considering I've been living in 29+ degrees for the last few weeks adjusting to the mid teens might take a little getting used to! I've given myself 25 days to get around the North & South Island so my thinking before I arrived is that I might just get myself a camper van. I'm fairly excited about it all, the thought of been able to go where you want & when you want is very appealing and not alone that I'd even get a double bed to myself...that's what sold it to me ;-)
The camper van comes equipped with none less than a fridge/sink/gas cooker/cooking utensils/bed linen/portable DVD player/blow heater and of course a must have on every trip to NZ a Hot Water bottle!? Can you believe it? You couldn't get these luxuries in a Hotel never mind a Hostel! Happy days. Before I leave Auckland I manage to meet up with a couple of Uni mates who moved out here just over a year ago, Graeme & Sharon (back of the hand to ya Bailey! ;-)) Its great to catch up with a few familiar faces plus their tips on where to go in NZ were a great help. Also I must not forget the collection of movies & tv series Graeme has supplied me just to keep me entertained for what he says while be some cold dark nights in the back of the camper van, it can't get that cold can it???

Sleepy Cairns!

Thursday April 23rd 2009

Although Cairns is a city it ranks high as one of the sleepiest places in Aus I've seen so far, that's in daylight hours anyhow. Everything seems to change once night time comes and the place then comes to life. If there is only one place you get to go out in then head for the Wool Shed, saying its mad would be putting it lightly!
I've been talked into doing the white water rafting by my Aussie mate, I didn't need much convincing but the thought of getting sucked into one of those rapids was a little worrying. My confidence wasn't made any better when my mate tells me, "ya a couple of people have died on the Tully river over the last year while rafting!" Apparently they got sucked into the rapids and somehow got stuck, so my first question is how do you go about not getting stuck? Well he says there is not a lot you can do, just don't panic if it does happen and hope that one of the guides manages to get you! Great, I can't wait :-0

It seems as if the rafting is a bit hit with the Japanese. There are about 6 on the trip and for two of the couples the rafting is part of their honeymoon. Its funny to watch, the Japanese men are really keen on it but the women are almost white with fear, what on earth were they thinking when they signed up for this I don't know. Any I manage to survive the day without swallowing too much water...its well worth doing for the adrenalin rush!
On the Friday, Saturday and Sunday my Aussie mate has came to Cairns and he has agreed to show me around. He grew up on a farm just out side of Cairns in a place called Atherton. Our luck is in weather wise, clear blue sky's & 29+ degrees most days. We end up staying in his mum & dads place for the few days which is great and best of all my mate has a speed boat. After doing a few sights around Cairns & Atherton we end we up spending a good part of the Saturday and Sunday out on the speed boat water skiing & tubing...you can't beat that for a life style. On my second from last day I end up meeting a couple from Liverpool who I'd originally met in Thailand, it was great to catch up on all they had got up to since then over a FEW Schooners.
No trip to Cairns would be complete without seeing the Great Barrier Reef so on my final day in I take a trip out to have a look. I was hoping to do some diving but I was still recovering from an ear infection for the last dive so snorkeling it is. We end up going to what they call the outer Reef which is just some Reef sights a little further out than most. As we pull up close to the reef its an amazing sight and you can start to see all the different sections of Reef. Now this may sound bad but I have to admit it wasn't as good as what I was expecting, yes it was colourful but not really how they make it out to be in the pictures...hard pleased eh? Anyway it was a great way to finish off the trip in Australia, next stop Auckland, New Zealand.

The Sunshine coast...Brisbane

April Wednesday 15th 2009

When I was in Coffs Harbour I had planned to go to Byron Bay but with the Blues Festival on it was impossible to get accommodation. With time running out I decided to head for Brisbane. Luckily for me an Aussie guy who I house shared with in Cambridge, David, is living there and he has offered me a room to stay, can't refuse that, a double bed and a room all to myself...makes a change to staying in hostels! Not alone that he has a snooker table, a swimming pool and he has even offered me the use of his car...a 3.5ltr V6 Mitsubishi, happy days!
A trip to Brisbane wouldn't be complete without a visit to Australia Zoo. Some of you may know of it, if not then you will definitely know its owner, Steve Irwin. Since the crazy Croc fighter passed away the place is now run by his wife & two children. His daughter Bindi now seems to be taking off where he left, shes really outspoken, she even has her own tv show. I have to say although the Zoo is small enough by some standards it probably one of the best I've been to. The highlight of the place is the Crocodile & Snake show the put on. Here they tempt & tease the Crocs with bait as they swim through a pool of water then eventually throwing them the bait. When the Croc's get the bait they don't mess around, its dragged into the water and they do their usual cork screw as if killing it, its impressive to watch. Even Bindi gets in on the act.On the Sunday Dave has lined me up for some surf lessons from his nephew down in Surfers Paradise. Now it looks easy but ask anyone who has tried they will tell you how hard it is. Its not just the difficulty of getting up on the board its also having to contend with the currents, getting out to the waves is hard enough! Anyway after several attempts I manage to get up on the board and catch a wave for all of 5 seconds. After several more attempts, suffering a few cuts and bruises we decide to call it a day after a 3hrs...I'm wrecked at the end of it!
For the next couple of days I decide to take the car down to Byron to see what all the fuss is. Its a sleepy little town packed with hippies, surfers...and wannabe surfers! It's a surf by day & party by night place. Just about an 1hrs drive from Byron is a place called Nimbin. This the ultimate hippy town/village, you have to see the place to believe it. Before I venture back to Brisbane I decide to take a trip out there for the day and its like stepping back in time. The people, the shops, the dealers...the smell make this place feel like you are in a different world altogether. Its certainly worth a look but just remember to catch the bus out of there or you could end up spending a week there without knowing it. With my time in OZ soon coming to an end I decide to go straight to Cairns for my last week.
My Aussie mate Dave, who I was staying with in Brisbane, is originally from there and he plans to come up for a weekend to show me around. He has convinced me to do some white water rafting down the Tully river which looks mad! Have a look at the clip below.

Coffs Harbour

Monday 6th April 2009

When I arrive into Coffs the sun is shining and its hard to believe this place was flooded just a few days back. The hostel I am staying at, Aussietel Backpackers (great place would highly recommend it), seems to have taken a bit of a hit, it got flooded out and all the carpets in the rooms had to be ripped up...it might not have been the best time to come to Coffs I'm thinking. Luckily enough over the next few days the weather kind of holds up and the dive course goes ahead. With the open water course we get to do 4 dives around the Solitary Islands just off the coast of Coffs. The Islands are National Marine parks so there is loads of aquatic life and along with this its the point where the warmer currents from the North meet the cooler currents from the South so the mix of aquatic life you get couldn't be any better. Throughout our 4 dives we get to see turtles, grey nurse sharks, sting rays, nemos and no end of other colourful fish, every dive is a new experience! After doing the Open Water course I decide to stay in Coffs a little longer to do the Advanced diving. I've taken a bit of a liking to it.

Back to Sydney

Wednesday 1st April 2009

Well its back to Sydney to do a little wine tasting in the Hunter Valley. Jane got me this voucher for my 30th which seems to have a little bit of everything, cheese tasting, a wine tasting tour of 4-5 wineries, lunch and finish the day off at a small chocolate shop. Its not a bad change from living off Pasta & Goon ;-) Its an early start on the wine, we make it to the first winery at 11am. By the time you've paid a visit to 2 or 3 you are starting to feel the effects and as the day goes on every wine seems to taste the same as the other.
When I was in Melbourne I saw a fantastic offer for a Padi Open Water dive course for $290. The chances of getting anything close to this price else where in Aus is pretty slim so I decided to book it up. The course is in a place called Coffs Harbour about a 8hr drive from Sydney. Two days before I set off to Coffs Harbour I read in the paper is been declared a disaster zone due to flooding...not what I wanted to hear.

Melbourne...the city of sport!

Wednesday 25th March 2009

The day before we reach Melbourne I realise the Australian Grand Prix is on this coming weekend. It would be a killer to miss something like this and its probably the only time I'll go to one so I decide to get a ticket. For $99 you get entrance to the Grand Prix and a concert from The Who...its a steal! The only down side to the Grand Prix is that every hostel in town has increased their prices, its painful paying out for accommodation after spending the last few nights in tents for next to nothing.
While travelling around Aus you ask people about what places to go and visit. When talking about cities some say Perth a few Sydney but almost everyone else says Melbourne, what the is so good about it? Well it seems to be the home of sport in Aus, Arts and Events. There seems to be no end of stuff going on in the place. Fair enough it doesn't have the beach's that Sydney has or what's on the west coast but if you are looking to keep yourself entertained then its the place to be. As for the sport well there are no end of games taking place. When I arrive it is the start of the AFL and in the space of three days they have something like 5 games in the city centre stadiums. I manage to catch a repeat of the grand final, Hawthorns V's Geelon on a Friday night. It seems to be a big night out for all involved (70,000 people attending) with plenty of banter from both sets of fans.
On the Saturday morning we manage to catch a Ferrari press conference in the centre of town. Its hard to believe the number of Brazilians here for the race and they go mad at the sight of Massa...I was lucky enough to get a pick. Early Sunday morning I set off for the Grand Prix. I arrive at the park for about 11am and even then the place is filling up...the race doesn't start until 5pm. Between then and 5 there are a load of other races taking place, Super cars, V8's, Mini's, Super Mini's the list goes on. The noise from the cars is unbelievable but its nothing compared to the formula 1, you almost have to ware ear plugs...without them its painful. Watching the cars going around the track isn't all that easy either. They move so fast its hard to keep track, you just got to watch them coming from a distance...tuning your head as they pass you'll just miss them!
On my final couple of days in Melbourne I mange to catch up with a few Aussies that were living in the UK who have now moved back, Ness & Karl. When I met Ness for a few drinks she had just completed her 100Km walk/run for charity. How the hell she was fit to stand I don't know but been her usual self she was hopping around as mad as ever. As for Karl well let me tell you lads he's gone well soft since he left the GAA team in Cambridge, sitting on his backside soaking up all the sun Melbourne has to offer. He even had the cheek to say he doesn't miss Lynch's training sessions!

Adelaide

Friday 20th March 2009

After two days travelling we finally pull into Adelaide. When we arrive at the hostel I realise I was lucky to have booked up some accommodation before I left Perth. They have a massive weekend ahead, the Fringe Festival & the Clipsol 500 Car Racing is in town. For a place that doesn't have a reputation for a lively city its awash with people. The Fringe Festival certainly keeps us entertained for a few evenings with its mad selection of shows. The picture below is from what was known as The Freaky Animal Show...you just couldn't even imagine some of the stuff there. As for the Clipsol 500 its draws its own crowd of people, petrol heads from all over Australia. The noise from the cars can be heard all over the city as they race around the track. After two days of sitting on a train and almost 4-months of not doing any exercise I decide one evening to go out for a run, I'm feeling adventurous! About 10mins into it I realise how unfit I have got, my legs are getting stiff & my chest is starting to get tight...never thought running would actually be this hard. I manage to get out for almost an hour, plenty of stops in between, and fair enough it did get a little easier but I was seriously tired at the end of it. On my final day in Adelaide I decide to do a little wine tasting. Some of the areas in this region for its vineyards so myself and a dutch guy(Jasper) who I met on the train from Perth decide to take a day out and do some wine sampling...its fee, which I think was the big seller! Its only in the first winery I find out that Jasper is a chef and has done several courses on wine tasting, as for me well I know the difference between Red & White so I give him a few tips of my own! It turns out to be a great day, well how could it not, travelling around the countryside sampling wine not bad eh. The plan after Adelaide was to make my way to Melbourne via The Great Ocean Road and luckily enough there are a couple of people who have transport that are looking for others to share the journey expenses. It turns out there are 7 of us in total travelling in two cars, 3 Irish(Myself, Chris & Ryana), 1-Dutch(Jasper), 1-English(Ollie), 1-French(Elise) & 1-German(Hubertus)...its a bit of a mix! Luckily enough the guys who owe the cars have tents & all the cooking facilities you could need, its a great setup. We set off on convoy early Monday morning and plan to travel as far as we can so the last two days we can spend time checking out the main sights but we have a slight hick-up on route. Some how ;-) Ryana manages to let her van run out of fuel but we were lucky in that we were only 10k from a station. On the second day of the trip we finally make it onto the Ocean road and at last we get a chance to see some of the sights.

Across the Nullarbor

Wednesday 18th March 2009

So this is the day, the trip across the Nullarbor! I'd spoke to a few people about the trip during my last few days in Perth and got mixed reviews about it all. One person loved it and a few others were a little unsure, having good & bad experiences. I'd been warned to bring plenty of food & drink to keep me tide over for the two days so I stock up before I go. There are two classes of transport on the Indian Pacific, Red Kangaroo Class(for all the riff raf) and Gold Class which seems to be occupied by OAPs (paying no less then $1500). Checking in for the trip is like checking in for a flight, you have to be there 1hr before and your luggage gets checked into a hold. Before we board we get a welcome from the crew of the train and as we take our seats I realise that I am one of the lucky few to have two seats to myself, bonus! The trip turns out to be far easier than what I expected, I end up bumping into a few backpackers and locals which makes the couple of days pass relatively quickly. The dining cart on the train is like a little café, the food ain't bad plus they serve booze...this is a lugary trip! About 10hrs outside of Perth we stop off in a place called Kalgoorlie. I am sure most people have seen some documentaries about this place. Its a big mining town which seems to draw, mostly men, from all over to work in the pits. At night they all seem to pack the bars which are served by women dressed in what they call skimpies (women in underware). Anyway we have 4-hrs to kill in this place and arriving at 10pm there is only one thing you can really do, go check out the bars! Its fair to say we got a few stairs walking and you do get that feeling of not wanting to miss the train out of here! If you do miss it, you have to wait 4-days until the next one...that's if you are still alive ;-)
Further on up the line we stop in a place called Cook for a fuel refill. It has a population of 4,mad! Its hard to believe anything exists out it's so far from any form of life. As for the scenery on the trip, well it was pretty consistent...have a look at the video below. This pretty much all we saw for over a day, the rest was mad up the odd tree appearing now and then.

Perth

Thursday March 12th 2009

Its a early start and a very close shave to missing my flight. My flight it due to depart at 6.05am and the first train to the Airport is at 5.02am, but its only a 15 min journey to the airport station so I should still make it 30mins before the gate closes, no sweat. Anyway all seems to be going to plan and I manage to catch the train but at 5am in the morning I think the brain has yet to kick in. I end up getting off at the stop before the domestic airport, why I don't yet know, and just as the train doors close I realise this...sh*t sh*t sh*t! I make my way up stairs to the see if I can get a taxi and the lady behind the ticket sales says, "Not at this time in the morning, you'll have to get the next train at 5.29am". Jayus this is going to be tight. It's only a couple of mins down the track so there is still a chance I might just get it. At this point I'm just thinking, right I'll either have to fork out for another flight or I'm just going to have to knock the West Coast on the head. At 5.29 the train arrives and like clock work it arrives 5.31am at the airport. From there its a mad charge up two flights of stairs and in doing so I realise any fitness I ever had has been well and truly lost. I get to the check in desk just after 5.35am out of breath and probably looking like I am in a state of panic... "Is there any chance of checking in for Perth?" "Ya, no problem at all mate", it was music to my ears. Flying in on the plane to Perth is a pretty baron sight. Coming closer to the city you start to notice how big the place is, the suburbs stretch for miles outside of the city, then again all houses seem to bungalows. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Perth, I always thought of it as a big mining community, bars full with mine works and a real isolated feel about it...arriving into the centre you could be anywhere. It has the same feel as any other city but certainly things move a little slower here, its hard to believe that this is the most isolated city in the World! Just outside the city centre, walking distance, they have one of the best National Parks I’ve seen so far. How they can keep a park looking so good under such extreme weather is pretty impressive. Another plus for it is that its on a hill which over looks the city giving fantastic views day & night. One great thing about the National Parks here is that most of them have a BBQ facility provided. Anyone can rock up and use them and they all run on gas supplied from the mains, how good is that...get some food & beers in and head to the park from a barbie!!!
Just south of Perth is the city of Fremantle. I decide to go there for a day and for one check out Fremantle Prison. The prison was built by convict labours from the UK & Ireland and operated from 1855 to 1991. The tour guide we have is a old boy originally from Dublin and like most Dubs was seriously witty. If you’ve ever seen documentaries of today's prisons well this is so far from it. Its was seriously basic when you considering it was still open in 1991! The town of Fremantle is quite different to Perth, its full of historic buildings, pubs & cafes. Its seems even more relaxed than Perth...that’s pretty laid back. Fremantle also has quite a few micro brewery's which generally have a bar and restaurant on site. The beer and what they call Ale are second to none. The Ale they have couldn’t be any more different to what they have in the UK, it tastes similar but is served ice cold & is carbonated, its has to be tried.
The first couple of days around Perh temperatures are pretty reasonable, high 20''s but on the third and fourth days it jumps to a different level, 39 degrees, and this is its Autumn time!
My plan after Perth is to travel across the Nullarbor to Adelaide and the easiest way to do this is to take the Indian Pacific which will take almost two days. It only goes twice a week, Wednesday & Sundays so I book in for the following Wednesday. A couple of days before I leave Perth I end up bumping into someone from home. I'd no idea this fella had moved out to Australia so it was a bit of a shock when I saw him walking up the high street, you can travel this far away from home and still see the same faces!!!

Sunny Sydney...well kind of

Sydney 8th March 2008

When the plain is arriving into Sydney airport the sun is starting to rise, there is a sharp glow of red from the sun and that coupled with the landscape below makes a fantastic sight. We arrive at the airport just before 7am, I'm pretty shattered, just spent the entire night watching as many films as I could fit in...wanted to get my monies worth from Virgin Airways. Once I get off the flight you notice the temperature difference from Hong Kong, its a real pleasant 24degrees...like a "good" summers day back home! The place I am staying at, WakeUp, is about 20mins walk from Sydney Harbour Bridge & the Sydney Opera House so its a good location for the main sights. When I arrive at the hostel the first thing I notice is that everyone staying here seems to be really really young, not alone that when you walk up the street and pass several other backpackers hostels it seems to be the exact same thing. I'm certainly starting to feel my age. After checking in and getting a shower I venture down to the Harbour front to view the bridge & the opera house and as I venture through the city you start to think to yourself, this place is just like a city in England! OK, I am sure most Aussies wouldn't agree but for the Brits I bet it must just feel like home for them...except the weather is better. Although the weather isn't all that bad this time of year most of the pictures I get of the Harbour Bridge & Opera House show black clouds in the distance, they are not the usual images you associate when you see pictures of these places. All in all they are fantastic sights and I guess something that everyone whats to see when they travel to Sydney. The plan for the next few days so to see most of Sydney's sights and hopefully make a trip out to some of the local beaches. I'm also hoping to see the Blue Mountains, just north west of Sydney, before I catch a flight to Perth on the west coast. This city seems to have no end of places to see, it certainly feels like you could easily spend a week or so lazily travelling around the city & the outskirts seeing different places. In the centre it has some really nice areas, Darling Harbour, The Rocks, of course around the Bridge & Opera House & the huge Botanical gardens, then further out you can venture to the many coastal areas of Manly, Watsons Bay, Bondi Beach, Coogee Beach & many others.Speaking of Coogee beach, just before I arrived in Sydeny there was a piece on the news about an incident that occurred in one of its local restaurants, Coogee Bay Restaurant. The story goes that a member of staff got pretty p*ssed off with some people eating at the restaurant. So when the people sat in for their desert they found human (or dog) feces in it...I guess the waiter thought they would never notice??? Anyway there was a big fuss about it all, naturaly enough, so when I went out to Coogee beach surprise surprise there was no one eating at the Coogee Bay Restaurant. As I walk along the beach there are the usual signs about what not to do on the beach but there is one that stands out. Its a notice to people with dogs, the sign goes, "If your dog makes a poo then put in in the bin!" but some one was pretty quick off the mark and followed it on with, "Or just give it to Coogee Bay Restaurant"...classic.Before I set off to Perth I managed to do a trip out to the Blue Mountains and the Three Sisters. Unfortunately the day is dull and overcast so the pictures didn't come out great, its a nice sight but nothing to write home about. On the trip out there our bus driver & guide has told us his exhaust is half falling off so he has to drive a little steady on the way. At our first stop he checks the exhaust which is dangling down from the rear and he seems to do some minor repairs. As he comes back he passes me and ask "Do you know anything about repairs mate?" and I kind of look at him saying yes & no to which he responds "Ah ya couldn't come and have a look at this could ya?". So we venture to the back of the bus for a look at the damage and its comical. The exhaust has fallen down but our guide has tied it back up again with nothing other than a old fleece jacket!!! Hemmmmmm, that might get a little hot, I tell him, and I reckon there is a more than fair chance its going to go up in flames 5 mins down the road, "Ahh ya think mate?". You have to laugh. In the end we manage to strap it up with a couple of old fan belts that were lying around on the bus and on we go. The make shift repairs last the day and fair play to the guide he insists on me only paying half price for the tour, not bad eh.

The neon lights of Hong Kong

Hong Kong Wednesday 4th March 2009

Well its a small world, the first person I meet in Hong Kong is from Cambridge above all places! He has just arrived from Heathrow and is spending a night here before going to New Zealand. I've booked into a hostel in the centre for something like 10pound. Sturth, the English guy has reserved a hotel but that's going to cost about 50notes so he decides to check out the hostel. When we arrive they say they haven't a bed available for him but will put a matteres on the ground if he is willing to take that. He's not bothered so he takes it. The lady shows us to the room we are staying in and its tiny, not alone that we are sharing with three others, a single man and a couple. The beds are are so tight together you can role from one to the next, no joke. As for the bathroom well thats a similar story, I think the size of the bath says it all...then again I guess we were lucky to even get one!By the time we get the room sorted its about 7.30 pm and generally at this stage in Asia the evening is dark. As we venture out the main door you are immediately hit by a blast of light...the streets are littered with neon lights like you wouldn't believe, even the sky is bright from them! The place we are staying is know as Kowlong which is the other side of the harbour to Hong Kong island. As you venture down to the harbour front you can see all the lights from the island. Its impressive, every electronics manufacture seems to have their sign glowing the distance and at about 8pm every evening a light show is put on. This is where the lights of most of the buildings on the island flash in sequence with some music they play, its very surreal but well worth a watch.
One thing I am greatful for when I get to Hong Kong is that they have some decent pubs and and after been pretty much dry going through Malaysia & Singapore I think I deserve a drink. So on the first night we venture to a pub around the corner from where we are staying, Ned Kellys Last Stand. My luck is in, they even serve Guinness (I later find out so does ever other place in Hong Kong). I haven't had a pint of Guinness since I left for the trip so I'm salvating at the mouth for this one, that is until I get the bill...6.70 a pint!!! To be honest in the end it was worth though.I have to say Hong Kong is defenately worth a visit, certainly for a couple of days anyhow if not just to see the city & all its lights. Hong Island part of it seems to be where all the business is contucted but along with that there are more bars & clubs over there than you could imagine. Also on the island side you can take a train to the peak of Victoria Hill to get some stunning views of the City...you won't believe the number of high rises. Another thing about Hong Kong is its not a bad place for choice of food, Chinese, Thai, Jappanise so with a few pound in my pocket that I needed to us I decide to treat myself to some fantastic Sushi followed by a few pints of Guinnes & some Jazz...not a bad way to finish my trip in Asia ;-)

Singapore is a "Fine" city!

Singapore Sunday 1st March 2009

It was a 4hr journey to Singapore from Melaka and as soon as we rock up it starts to chuck it down from the heavens. Worst off all its not the main bus station they stop at, its a small place just outside of the centre which has a tiny bus shelter just big enough for everyone on the bus. The down poor is like no other I've seen, thunder & lightening to match!!! It takes an age to get a cab, due to the down poor everyone seems to be hired. After an 1hr or so I manage to get one with two Americans and we make our way to the Little India part of Singapore. When we arrive the place is buzzing the taxi can hardly move through the crowds, I wasn't expecting this in Singapore. After getting out of the taxi I need to go to a cash Point and when I finally make it to one there is a que of about 15+ people...no joke, you'd think this was the only ATM they had here. When I arrive at the Hostel I ask the guy what's with the masses of people, he just tells me its a Sunday, it's the workers day off and everyone meets up with their friends for a chat. About an hour later when I venture out for some food the crowds most have doubled and sure enough if you stand back and watch them they are standing in groups chatting to one another. When I get chatting to someone else about this later he says its a regular Sunday occurrence in the Indian community and next Sunday will be even bigger he says...its pay day! Well Singapore certainly lives up to its reputation of been one of the most advanced places in Asia...it's certainly the cleanest any how. Its got a great bus & MRT system, getting around the place could not get any easier. It's got shopping centres that I would say outdo by far anything that is in Europe. On the down side there are a couple of things, its cost (compared to other Asian Countries) and that it is so strict. As for its cost, well coming from Thailand, Cambodia etc you certainly notice it. One nights accommodation would pay for 3 nights in most other Asian countries. What you can and can't do in this country is probably to much to list, it has its good and bad points but leaves the place feeling very sterile...not a whole lot of character. Singapore is kind of worth a visit but you'd be hard pressed to spend much more than a few days here. The main places of interest seem to be China Town & Little India with their usual Temples & Pagodas and not forgetting their market stalls. They are also developing a theme park just off the main land called Sentosa Island. Its like a mini version of the islands that are been developed out in Dubai, lots of beach side areas, some with beach huts and others with massive hotel complexes...to be honest it's worth a look but bring the cheque book!

Malaysia

Malaysia Saturday 21st February 2009

As you are driving across the border into Malaysia the first thing you notice is almost everyone drives a Proton...gone are the Mazda's & Toyota's that were promenant in Thailand, shoddy looking Protons are the order of the day. I guess been a Malaysian built car you can't expect them to drive around in much else. My frist stop in Malaysia is Penang, a small little island linked to the main land by a 13.5km bridge. I end up staying in Little India, George Town the main town on Penang. Little did I know Malaysia would have such a big Indian community and as a result you have no end of Indian resturants to choose from. I can't remember the last time I had an Indian so when I arrive the first thing I do is get some cash and go search for some grub. For about RM6 (just over a pound) you can get a great feed the only thing is you have to pay almost double that for a drink!!! Drinking is a pricy game over here in Malaysia (well compared to other Asian countries)

On reading the Lonely planet before coming to Malaysia they made the comment that Malaysias economy is run by the Indians but the country is goverened by the Malaysias. Arriving into Penang you can certainly see this is true. The Indians seem to dominate the place and do most of the day to day work like cab/bus drivers, builders etc. The Little India section in Penang always seems to be alive with activity. The smell of spices & food been cooked waft through the air and along with this you have the Indian music & Bollywood films blaring out from every street corner.

After spending a day or so around Penang you certainly start notice the difference between here and the other Asian countries that I've been in so far. For one there is very little bartering (bar the markets), buying bus tickets, trips, accommodation etc are generally a fixed prices. The people are very helpful also (not that they weren't in other countries, its a little different here) also they speak very good English. For any first time traveler I'd say Malaysia is certainly an easy place to start, good transport, they speak good English, its a friendly place and above all its got some great food.

TBU

Monday 23th February 2009

Its a 6am start to get to the Cameron Highlands and it takes about 4hrs to get there. The journey is straight forward enough but the last hour is where you get to see some fantastic sights as the bus makes its way up the mountain range. I end up staying in a place called Fathers Guest House which is on a hill over looking the town of Tanah Rata. The dorm rooms are set out in the style of military bunkers with 20 of us to a room. There is certainly a change in temperature up here, the highs are about 22 degrees and then in the evenings it drops to lowish teens, which you really notice after getting used to some of the temperatures around the mainland. The Cameron Highlands is renound for its ability to grow many different types of crops (Tea & Strawberries been the most popular) due to its climate, along with this the place is a get away retreat for many Malays from the hustle & bustle of the city's & the extremely humid conditions. Many tourist tend to come here for the trekking and for the scenery. As for the trekking well there is no end of it to be done, you could easily spend a week here just doing the 14 or so routes they have laid out.

TBU

Wednesday 25th February 2009

Kuala Lumpur

Friday 27th February 2009

Melaka

One entertaining week in Thailand!

Back in Thailand, Wednesday 18th February 2009

I arrive back in Thailand with the plan on traveling to some of the Islands I didn't manage to get to when I was out here first. My plan is to go to Krabi, Koh Lanta & Koh Lepi. It feels good been back even though I only spend the afternoon in Bangkok before I grab a over night bus to Karbi. When I arrive in Krabi and pick up my ruck sack something seems to be a miss. First the zip on my big, which is locked, is in a different position to usual and the bag seems a little shuffled around. I don't pay much notice to it until later and then think to myself has someone gotten into my bag? When I open it up I can certainly see someone has been through it. I generally keep some money & a cash card in this bag as a backup. The first thing I notice is the wallet is sitting on top of my cloths, not buried at the bottom where I had put it. When I check the wallet the cash I had in it is gone but thank god the cash card it still there. For some reason who ever took the money left the card, maybe it was just too much hassle, I'm kind of grateful even though I've had about 60 quid taken. The only place I can think this could have happened is while my bag was on the bus to Krabi, well there is nothing I can do about it now.First stop on Karbi is a beach called Ton Sai. Its a nice little spot but a mission and a half to get to...well if you chose to go the hard way for the sake of a pound or two. First of all you get a long-tail boat to Raliay beach which is West of the island and then from there you can either get another long tail boat to Ton Sai or clime over a hill/rocks to make it. I chose the climb, and at 1pm in the afternoon let me tell you it was the wrong idea...sometimes its worth paying a couple of pound for a little less pain. The climb is not all that bad but with a back pack and a day-pack strapped to you is a fair old task! By the time I get there I am like a drowned rat...with sweat. As soon as I get checked in it's straight into the sea to cool off. Ton Sai is a really nice place, laid back and has a good vibe about it. I stay a couple of nights there before moving on to Koh Lanta which is just an hours journey on the ferry. When I arrive in Koh Lanta I am starting to think my luck is running out on this traveling lark. I end up having a bit of a run in with a tuk-tuk driver over payment for a moto taxi from the pier to one of the beaches. Its a common enough thing, the tuk-tuk driver stops mid way through the journey and says that the fee we agreed on isn't enough and requests more. It gets a little heated and I just tell the guy to bring me back to the pier and I'll get another taxi if he doesn't want to take me. On the way back I notice a place advertising rooms for 200 baht and I ask him to leave me off here. When I grab my bags he wants payment, I've no intention of paying the fella which I tell him and I then start walking to the guest house. As I'm walking to the guest house the tuk-tuk driver comes after me demanding payment, lots of shouting at this stage, from us both. An American guy who is passing stops and asks whats up, he's with a Thai lady. I tell him my version of the story and his Thai friend speaks to the Tuk-Tuk driver. After the Thai lady has spoken to the driver she says I'd do best to stay away from this guy and suggests that I go back to the pier and pick up another taxi. At this point the Tuk-Tuk driver picks up a lump of wood and starts shouting something in Thai. Both myself and the American guy are now thinking this fella is going to go nuts. The American guy is a big block of a man and turns to me and says, "I think we should bust this fellas balls, he's a good for nothing Thai!" (it was like something you'd hear in the movies...I had to laugh but the last thing you need is to have a fight out here) At this stage I'm thinking we best try and settle this and lucky enough the Thai lady talks to the driver and somewhat settles him. In the end I pay him 50baht (1 pound) for the trip from the pier to where he had taken me, he wants more but no way is it worth anymore than what I give him so in the end he ventures off, none too impressed. After all that I go in search of a different guest house, just in case this guy decides to come back...might be best to avoid any more confrontations. I find a really nice place right on the beach front and when I check in its time for a well earned beer, thats enough entertainment for one day!The couple of days I spend on Koh Lanta turn out to be fantastic. The guest house I am staying at is run by a really nice family who'd seem to do anything to help you out and the location is super. In the few days that I am there I venture south of the island to see some of the other beaches along the coast line and on my last day there I hire a bike to goto the National Park. When I hire the bike from the Guest House I have to give them my passport for security (at this point I make a mental note...make sure you get it back!!!???) Anyway I spend most of the day in the National Park and the surrounding areas. The following morning I hand the keys of the bike back to the owner of the guest house before I grab the bus to Hat Yai. After travelling in the bus for a few hours I then realise I've left my passport with the guest house! Shit, shit, shit! Before we get to Hat Yai there is a stop off in a place called Trang so I get out of the bus and call the guest house. They have the passport and suggest that they send it on the next bus to Trang so I can pick it up, all I got to do is wait for it. Its a bit of a risk sending it on a bus, who knows what will happen to it in transit, but I decide to take it rather than have to go the entire way back. Eventually the passport does arrive but the guy driving the bus who brought it wants payment? All I can do is laugh at him and ask whats the price. Its next to nothing, 80baht (1.60). When I ask him whats with the fee his response is, security of transport i.e. To line my pocket, I was just glad to get my passport back.Well it was an eventful week back in Thailand, all my Irish luck must have been used up early on in the trip...you can't help but laugh looking back on it though.

A few weeks later looking back on this you realise how tight you can get about your money when you are travelling around Asia. Things are very cheep, a good meal is about 50 baht and a bottle of beer the same so after a while you end up thinking 40-50 baht is loads of money when in reality its nothing to us westerners. The 50baht for the boat trip to Ton Sai, 50baht for the tuk-tuk driver and 80baht for the Passport all came to about 3.60...and look at all the hassle it caused...comical!

Laid back Laos

Sunday 8th Feberuary 2009

What a journey!!! I was booked to go on the 10am bus direct to Vientiane but there was no space left when I arrived, every bus was full to the brim. The travel agent I booked it with said I'd have to wait for the 5pm bus which he assures me there will be room on?!. The only thing about this service is that the bus goes half way back to Hanoi, where I just came from, so as to cross the border!!! The new border crossing is at a place called Vinn plus there is a change of bus on route. I set off at 5pm, more like 6pm, and we make our way to Vinn where I change to catch another bus to Vientiane. I arrive in Vinn at about 1.30am and the bus for Vientiane arrives about 2am. When it arrives I'm starting to think this is going to be another journey similar to the one to Sapa...it looks loaded. All the seats are taken, in some cases there are 3 in a two person seat. Along the length of the isle they have put 3-4 wooden plank seats for the rest of us to sit, its crazy, we are all straggling one another on these planks of wood just to try and fit in...and this is the way its going to be for the next 15hrs!!! We stop at some unknown spot close to the border at 4 in the morning. We wait here until the border opens at 8am. At the border it's the same old same old. Any tourists traveling across get charge double the going rate. Some of the people on the bus try to kick up some fuss but officials at the border just get a little more hostile and in the end its easier just to pay up and get done with it. We set off again and some 9 hrs later I finally reach Vientiane...I don't think my ass has ever hurt so much, 15hrs on a wooden plank, a dare ya to try it! A shower, food & sleep is about all I can do when I arrive. The following morning I hire a bike and see some of the sights around the City. It's so laid back compared to any other city I've visited in Asia. No horns from cars for one! People seem to be in no rush what so ever, its a real chill out place which is surprising considering its the capital of Laos...some may say not, it is Laos after all! One thing that's good about the place is its food and of course Laos beer...good stuff! The food certainly seems to be a lot more like the Thai dishes...spicy.

Tuesday 10th February 2009

Vang Vieng is one weird place. You can either spend your time there tubing, caving or sitting in a restaurant watching continuous episodes of Friends & The Simpons...hard to believe people come all this way just to tune in to this but they do and you wouldn't believe how much business these places get. As for the Tubing and the Caving well they are very different activities. The Tubing is just one big session cruising down the Nam Xong river. It can get messy I'll say that, the number of people coming off the river with injuries is keeping the local A&E in business. As for the caving well thats a little more civilised but fun none the less. There are no end of caves, some are well worth a look and as for the others, well they are just an excuse for some young kid to charge to go into a 10ft black hole! The way it seems to work is who ever owns the land that leads to the cave charges the entrance fee. I'd swear that some young kids just dug some holes and classified them as caves just to get a few pound...they are on the ball. One thing is for sure when you enter these caves make sure you bring a torch & the battery's don't run out, when you get well into some of them there isn't a hint of light.

Friday 13th February 2009

Next stop in Laos is Luang Phrabang. It's a historic old city and a really nice place to spend a day or two but that is certainly enough. The worse thing about traveling to so many different countries that border one another is that you tend to encounter the same activities over and over again. So if you haven't already done the Elephant riding, bamboo rafting, mountain biking, caving, Temples, Pagodas...etc etc then sure enough you could kill a few more days. So as much as it was nice to see this historic place it did seem to be the same old same old. After a couple of days I decide I best book a flight out of Laos back to Bangkok so I can continue my trip to Malaysia & Singapore and for the couple of days before it I decide to head a little further up north of Laos. My bus ticket is booked for the following morning at 9am. Now, when you spend some time in Laos you will come to notice that pretty nothing runs on time. So the next morning when I'm expecting to be picked up at 8.30am and there is no sign of it happening I decide not to worry. When it is 9.10am and there is still no sign I think its about time to make a call. When I call the travel agency they say they have totally forgotten but send someone down to pick me up in the hope of catching this 9am bus. By the time we get to the station the bus is long gone and the guys response is, "I think you get the bus tomorrow OK!", no shit sherlock. Anyway at this point I'm thinking this only leaves me with a day up North so I decide to knock this trip on the head and bring my flight forward to the following morning. Again I am due to be picked up this time at 6am and its a similar story. When there is no sign of the pickup at 6.15am I decide to get a taxi myself...don't fancy missing another trip!