Set off from Greymouth early as it was Sunday and everywhere was closed!! Drove through more rainforest. Passed through Wakefield and Richmond untill we reached the northern shores of the ssouth island. The beaches are long and white with prominades running paralelle, made it look like sunset strip in LA, loads of joggers and roller bladers. Speedo and bikini's gallaw!!!!!
Arrived in Nelson which is a great town, canny big and has a good atmosphere to it.
We both had a love relationship with our hostel. It was dirty, noisy, too many people there to use any facilities and full of trendies who thought they were right on!!!!! I wouldnt have minded hitting a few of them from behind with a rather large stick!!!!!! But on the other side of the coin there were some canny folk and we had some decent crack with some Canadians and Americans and this English hippy who lived on a river boat!!!!!
Had a walk round Nelson and then back to chill out at the hostel. Sat round the pool as it was pretty warm. They've got a magic bus that sits in the garden to chat in!!!!
Found the best pub in the world, The Sprig and Fern, just down the road from the hostel. It was a TAsman brewery pub and had all there beers on tap. There was about 20 beers, stout, porters, brown ales, bitters, pale ales, wheat beers and they were proper nice beers as well!! Stayed there till they closed. Got free scones off of the bar maid for breakfast tomorrow!!!!!
Thursday 26 March 2009
Wednesday 25 March 2009
FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER
Chewbacka and her friend got up before the sun this morning to catch the Kiwi-bus, doesnt sound like fun by all accounts of it!!!!!!
We booked on a guided trek up F.Josef glacier today. We were out for about 5 hours and with about 2 1/2 hours on the ice. Walking up to it, passed the public barriers, it looks big but when you got up to the face of the thing its just incredible. Not only because its so so big but that it is there at all as at the face it was about 15 degrees c and in summer it gets to 30 degrees. The surrounding rainforest either side of the glacier gets 5 meters of rain a year, which I thought was a heck of a lot of precipitation but at the summit of the glacier it gets 50 meters. Obviously this all falls as snow and thats what feeds the glacier and ables it to exist so close to sea level and not to completely melt away in summer.
Our guide, Pick Axe John, reckons it moves about 2-4 meters a day, somedays it advances but mostly it retreats, which I thought was a lot but had to believe him as he's the one that goes up first thing each morning to carve out new steps as the glacier moves so much - its like its alive man, breathing its way up and down the valley.
We strapped on our crampons and climbed the ice, we did a big loop of the glacier. Back in the valley, from a distance, we saw we'd hardly climbed any height at all, its that big.
Back in the village we jumped in the car and drove to Greymouth. Got here canny late but managed to check in ok. Its called Noahs Ark, all the rooms are named after animals. We got Elephants, Ive never seen so many pictures and status of elephants all in one place - felt like I was in a stampeed!!!!
We booked on a guided trek up F.Josef glacier today. We were out for about 5 hours and with about 2 1/2 hours on the ice. Walking up to it, passed the public barriers, it looks big but when you got up to the face of the thing its just incredible. Not only because its so so big but that it is there at all as at the face it was about 15 degrees c and in summer it gets to 30 degrees. The surrounding rainforest either side of the glacier gets 5 meters of rain a year, which I thought was a heck of a lot of precipitation but at the summit of the glacier it gets 50 meters. Obviously this all falls as snow and thats what feeds the glacier and ables it to exist so close to sea level and not to completely melt away in summer.
Our guide, Pick Axe John, reckons it moves about 2-4 meters a day, somedays it advances but mostly it retreats, which I thought was a lot but had to believe him as he's the one that goes up first thing each morning to carve out new steps as the glacier moves so much - its like its alive man, breathing its way up and down the valley.
We strapped on our crampons and climbed the ice, we did a big loop of the glacier. Back in the valley, from a distance, we saw we'd hardly climbed any height at all, its that big.
Back in the village we jumped in the car and drove to Greymouth. Got here canny late but managed to check in ok. Its called Noahs Ark, all the rooms are named after animals. We got Elephants, Ive never seen so many pictures and status of elephants all in one place - felt like I was in a stampeed!!!!
QUEENSTOWN - FRANZ JOSEF
Longest and best drive so far today, left Queenstown no sign of Hiedi!! Stopped at Wanaka en route, nowt much there and headed straight for Franz Josef. Drove passed tonnes of vinyards, loads of them, they must take a canny bit of looking after!!!! Passed a cliff that they'd just blasted to prevent falling rocks. Drove through the Alps, across Haast pass and into the rainforest.
Now get this right, the west coast gets 5 meters of rain a year!! Now thats mad isnt it? London gets 600mm so here thats 5000mm. So what you get is proper lush rainforest.
Drove along the coast and stopped and saw stacks of pebbles balancing on top of each other, about 6-7 high, hundreds of them, so we built one and set off again.
Stopped at Fox glacier and walked as close to the terminal face as we could. Its honestly huge, the face its self is massive, I reckon Empire State size easily. Then it snakes its way up the valley that it has created for its self. It wasnt as blue and clear as Id imagined, I had imagined looking at a Foxes Glacier Mint but it was pretty dirty from all the top soil that gets blown from the surrounding mountains.
Checked into our hostel in F.Josef by a young Roy Keane look a like, even had the grey beard. We're in a shared dorm with two girls from Cambridge, the Ginger one snored all night like an angry bear. She was on top of me so I had to keep shaking the bunk and each time she woke up she went from angry bear to Chewbacka!!!!
Now get this right, the west coast gets 5 meters of rain a year!! Now thats mad isnt it? London gets 600mm so here thats 5000mm. So what you get is proper lush rainforest.
Drove along the coast and stopped and saw stacks of pebbles balancing on top of each other, about 6-7 high, hundreds of them, so we built one and set off again.
Stopped at Fox glacier and walked as close to the terminal face as we could. Its honestly huge, the face its self is massive, I reckon Empire State size easily. Then it snakes its way up the valley that it has created for its self. It wasnt as blue and clear as Id imagined, I had imagined looking at a Foxes Glacier Mint but it was pretty dirty from all the top soil that gets blown from the surrounding mountains.
Checked into our hostel in F.Josef by a young Roy Keane look a like, even had the grey beard. We're in a shared dorm with two girls from Cambridge, the Ginger one snored all night like an angry bear. She was on top of me so I had to keep shaking the bunk and each time she woke up she went from angry bear to Chewbacka!!!!
Sunday 22 March 2009
QUEENSTOWN AND CELEBRITY FANS
Went jet boating on Shotover river. Got picked up in town in a mini bus which took us about an hour out of town to Skippers Canyon. This ride was proper scary, gravel roads with a 200m drop on one side. Rental cars are banned from driving on Skippers road as its that dangerous. It was well worth it to see the views. The driver told us all about the gold rush and the history of the area. He pointed out Mordor or the mountain used as Mordor in that film. I didnt recognise it from the film because they've taken down the massive CGI gates that the Hobbits sneek through!!!!!
Got to the Jet boat and had about 40 minutes up and then back down a stretch of the river, which is only 4 inch in some places but the boats can still motor over it. It was proper mad!!! The driver stopped and showed us another place they filmed which was cool as I could recognise it. After we went up to the original Bungy bridge, which is now closed as its not high enough!!!! Drove back in a massive 4x4 Tank called Thunderbird 1.
Went up the Gondola to the peak, had a razz on the luge go-carts down the track which was well good!!!
Went for a drink that turned into a few which turned into a kebab which turned into another night on the Guiness. Ended up in this Irish bar with an open mic night. I had a bash and they let me do 5 songs, I played a few Oasis and Jam tunes with bongo player and a ginger Bez, he just stood behind me dancing and playing a tambourine. Celebrity guest included none other than Sienna Miller, she was in the crowd and going mad for town called mallace!!!!!! Im havin' that like!!!!!!!!!!!
Got to the Jet boat and had about 40 minutes up and then back down a stretch of the river, which is only 4 inch in some places but the boats can still motor over it. It was proper mad!!! The driver stopped and showed us another place they filmed which was cool as I could recognise it. After we went up to the original Bungy bridge, which is now closed as its not high enough!!!! Drove back in a massive 4x4 Tank called Thunderbird 1.
Went up the Gondola to the peak, had a razz on the luge go-carts down the track which was well good!!!
Went for a drink that turned into a few which turned into a kebab which turned into another night on the Guiness. Ended up in this Irish bar with an open mic night. I had a bash and they let me do 5 songs, I played a few Oasis and Jam tunes with bongo player and a ginger Bez, he just stood behind me dancing and playing a tambourine. Celebrity guest included none other than Sienna Miller, she was in the crowd and going mad for town called mallace!!!!!! Im havin' that like!!!!!!!!!!!
TE ANAU - QUEENSTOWN
Packed the car up and waited for Heidi to show, we've agreed to take her to Queenstown, She seems to be making her travel plans around us as she gets a free lift places. But we'll see how it goes. I tried to educate her on the finer points of British culture: Oasis B-sides, Russel Brand, Mighty Boosh, Ricky Gervais and the tribal warfare of North-eastern football. I played her a Russel Brand podcast and as fate would have it, it had to be the show where Russel talks about Hitler throughout the hour long show, putting on a dodgy German accent and says some close to the bone Germanic insults. She seemed to like it though, specifically when he took some herbal Viagra on air and then convinced Trigger off of Fools and Horses to take some as well!!!!!!
Its canny difficult to have any banter with her, Im starting to see where the German sense of humour rumours come from.
Had Ipod on shuffle and a Peril tune came on, so I asked her if she'd ever heard of The Peril, turns out she'd never heard of the North Easts finest band. I told her that the Peril were one of the biggest bands in Britain and spent about 15 minutes telling her facts and figures about The Perils back catalogue and how their lead guitarist got dramatically sacked for his lack of commitment to the band. The Peril has its first German fan I reckon!!!!!!
The drive was mint, passed the Devils staircase and Lake Wakatipu. Finally arrived in Queenstown, really busy town with load of backpackers, in fact probably makes up 80% of the towns population. The whole town revolves around adventure sports: Jet boating, sky diving, bungy jumping, gorge swings, anything you want to do to make your adrenal glands throw up!!!!
Heather wants to go Jet Boating which looks mental!!!
Dropped Heidi off at the hostel she wanted to stay at and waited for about 1/2 an hour till she'd checked in then went and found ours.
Its canny difficult to have any banter with her, Im starting to see where the German sense of humour rumours come from.
Had Ipod on shuffle and a Peril tune came on, so I asked her if she'd ever heard of The Peril, turns out she'd never heard of the North Easts finest band. I told her that the Peril were one of the biggest bands in Britain and spent about 15 minutes telling her facts and figures about The Perils back catalogue and how their lead guitarist got dramatically sacked for his lack of commitment to the band. The Peril has its first German fan I reckon!!!!!!
The drive was mint, passed the Devils staircase and Lake Wakatipu. Finally arrived in Queenstown, really busy town with load of backpackers, in fact probably makes up 80% of the towns population. The whole town revolves around adventure sports: Jet boating, sky diving, bungy jumping, gorge swings, anything you want to do to make your adrenal glands throw up!!!!
Heather wants to go Jet Boating which looks mental!!!
Dropped Heidi off at the hostel she wanted to stay at and waited for about 1/2 an hour till she'd checked in then went and found ours.
MILFORD SOUND, ST PADDY AND A WONTONG
Drove to Milford Sound with Heidi on board.
Canny drive today, starting to enjoy driving now. I was honestly starting to worry that every town was going to be like the east coast, beautiful but devoid of human life. Worried that Id have memories of New Zealand as just having wonderful countryside but no character (on writing this we're in the north of the south Island and New Zealand I can happily say is amazing and full of character and good quality crack)
Back to Milford Sound, the road in stops at what looks like a dead end blocked by massive mountains then you drive through a tunnel dug straight through the mountain. We'd booked on a boat trip down the fiord to the sea and back again. It was an awesome thing to do. You sail on salt water at sea level and either side of the 1km wide fiord are mountains reaching over 2000m above you, some vertical cliff walls stretching to the sky. Makes you feel canny small and insignificant in the grand scheme!!!
I'm sure in Scotland, and Walshy will correct me if Im wrong, the Munro's are 1000m about sea level and these are over 2000m the biggest being 2723m. Mental man!!!
Wontong incident
Back in Te Anau we went out for Paddy's night, caned the black stuff and had a bit of a jig!! Heidi joined us for some drunken Anglo-German chat!!!!1
We orderd a basket of mixed fried pub food and I accidentally swallowed a crispy wontong whole!!!! It took about 20 minutes to scrape down me throat. It was agony man!!!! I can understand how those mountains felt when the glaciers scrapped rocks and boulders across them all those years ago. Finally the fascist wontong arrived in me stomach, whole still, and Im sure it plugged me stomach hole up because all the Guiness kept back filling me stomach. Needless to say I had the last laugh, it dissloved and I had it right off dot com!!!!!!!!
Canny drive today, starting to enjoy driving now. I was honestly starting to worry that every town was going to be like the east coast, beautiful but devoid of human life. Worried that Id have memories of New Zealand as just having wonderful countryside but no character (on writing this we're in the north of the south Island and New Zealand I can happily say is amazing and full of character and good quality crack)
Back to Milford Sound, the road in stops at what looks like a dead end blocked by massive mountains then you drive through a tunnel dug straight through the mountain. We'd booked on a boat trip down the fiord to the sea and back again. It was an awesome thing to do. You sail on salt water at sea level and either side of the 1km wide fiord are mountains reaching over 2000m above you, some vertical cliff walls stretching to the sky. Makes you feel canny small and insignificant in the grand scheme!!!
I'm sure in Scotland, and Walshy will correct me if Im wrong, the Munro's are 1000m about sea level and these are over 2000m the biggest being 2723m. Mental man!!!
Wontong incident
Back in Te Anau we went out for Paddy's night, caned the black stuff and had a bit of a jig!! Heidi joined us for some drunken Anglo-German chat!!!!1
We orderd a basket of mixed fried pub food and I accidentally swallowed a crispy wontong whole!!!! It took about 20 minutes to scrape down me throat. It was agony man!!!! I can understand how those mountains felt when the glaciers scrapped rocks and boulders across them all those years ago. Finally the fascist wontong arrived in me stomach, whole still, and Im sure it plugged me stomach hole up because all the Guiness kept back filling me stomach. Needless to say I had the last laugh, it dissloved and I had it right off dot com!!!!!!!!
INVERCARGILL - TE ANAU
HALF A WORLD AWAY
Arrived at Te Anau to beautiful weather and a beautiful place. Checked into hostel, we've started phoning ahead a day in advance as we were running into problems just turning up!!
Canny little town, there's people here, which is a relief, I was starting to think there'd been a nuclear holocaust and we'd were the only to survive.
Paid $2 to look in on a Trout observatory, it made me feel a bit sad for the Trout. You went underground to basically a big tank full of maybe 100 fish upto about 15lb, so big big fish, most had fins missing and all had scars all over them. The poor fish were far too overcrowded, no way to care for trout. If anyone had been around I think I'd have said me piece but it was a coin opperated turnstile. Shame!!! Best way is to give them plenty of space to live in before sticking a dirty great hook in their gobs!!!!!!!!
Warmed up tina pasta bake for the third day in a row and had a knock on the door from a German girl, travelling alone, called Bee, the name Heidi has stuck as I thought she was Swedish. Anyway she was trying to cadge a life to Milford Sound tomorrow, so we agreed to take her!!
The block we're in has two rooms and a kitchen and a bathroom. The walls are paper thin so we were kept entertained throughout the night with extreme toilet noises from our neighbours!!!!
Arrived at Te Anau to beautiful weather and a beautiful place. Checked into hostel, we've started phoning ahead a day in advance as we were running into problems just turning up!!
Canny little town, there's people here, which is a relief, I was starting to think there'd been a nuclear holocaust and we'd were the only to survive.
Paid $2 to look in on a Trout observatory, it made me feel a bit sad for the Trout. You went underground to basically a big tank full of maybe 100 fish upto about 15lb, so big big fish, most had fins missing and all had scars all over them. The poor fish were far too overcrowded, no way to care for trout. If anyone had been around I think I'd have said me piece but it was a coin opperated turnstile. Shame!!! Best way is to give them plenty of space to live in before sticking a dirty great hook in their gobs!!!!!!!!
Warmed up tina pasta bake for the third day in a row and had a knock on the door from a German girl, travelling alone, called Bee, the name Heidi has stuck as I thought she was Swedish. Anyway she was trying to cadge a life to Milford Sound tomorrow, so we agreed to take her!!
The block we're in has two rooms and a kitchen and a bathroom. The walls are paper thin so we were kept entertained throughout the night with extreme toilet noises from our neighbours!!!!
DUNEDIN - INVERCARGILL
286km
Set of on the road again. Another day another town!!!!!! Another long slog of a drive today. Stopped about half way at a place called Nugget Point. A light house and nuggets of rocks sticking out of the sea. I think thats why they call it nugget point!!!
Drove the scenic route to Invercargill, beautiful scenery but bit of a long drive.
Driving is becoming a bit of a chore, we're driving about 4-5hours a day and pass maybe a dozen cars on the road. The scenery is amazing and if you have to drive for that long each day then thats the back drop you want to be looking at. The thing is, the destinations aren't all that!!!!! Every town we've been to since Christchurch have been proper one horse towns, each holding on dearly to the word town, I'd call them big empty villages or settlements. Not far from Queens town, probably 3 days or so, so hopefull see some other human beings soon.
Set of on the road again. Another day another town!!!!!! Another long slog of a drive today. Stopped about half way at a place called Nugget Point. A light house and nuggets of rocks sticking out of the sea. I think thats why they call it nugget point!!!
Drove the scenic route to Invercargill, beautiful scenery but bit of a long drive.
Driving is becoming a bit of a chore, we're driving about 4-5hours a day and pass maybe a dozen cars on the road. The scenery is amazing and if you have to drive for that long each day then thats the back drop you want to be looking at. The thing is, the destinations aren't all that!!!!! Every town we've been to since Christchurch have been proper one horse towns, each holding on dearly to the word town, I'd call them big empty villages or settlements. Not far from Queens town, probably 3 days or so, so hopefull see some other human beings soon.
OAMARU - DUNEDIN
119km
Stopped en route at Moeraki to see the Moeraki stones, massive 2m diameter spherical stones. They were weird, they're just there all together, about 30 of them, all in one part of the beach but no where else. I reckon there's a conspiracy going on, like St Cuthberts beads on Holy Island, they can only be found on one beach. Someone put them there I reckon, I guess we'll never know the real agenda until the Lizard Kings eventually reveal themselves.
Dunedin is a bit busier, its a student town so we found a bit more life here.
Stopped en route at Moeraki to see the Moeraki stones, massive 2m diameter spherical stones. They were weird, they're just there all together, about 30 of them, all in one part of the beach but no where else. I reckon there's a conspiracy going on, like St Cuthberts beads on Holy Island, they can only be found on one beach. Someone put them there I reckon, I guess we'll never know the real agenda until the Lizard Kings eventually reveal themselves.
Dunedin is a bit busier, its a student town so we found a bit more life here.
LAKE TAKE A POO - OAMARU
Tekapo - Mt Cook
Drove round more windy roads with stunning mountains as a back drop. Still feels unreal, like a picture someone has just drawn on the sky. stopped at the fist sight of Mount Cook, with weird blue Lake Pukai. Carried on up the 50km one way road to Mt Cook village. We had to play an impromtue game of chicken with the fuel tank. We should have filled up earlier but thought there would be fuel pumps in Cook village. There wasnt!!!! So we had a sliver of the fuel gauge to play with and about 75km to the next town.
Mount Cook
There's not much in the village apart from a hotel and a track that takes you as near to the glacier and mount Cook as possible. We walked for about an hour to the foot of Mt Cook, which is massive, over 3000m.
Mount Cook - Twizel
Twizel has a petrol station and one Horse, thats it!!!!!!
Twizel - Oamaru
Long Slog of a drive to Oamaru, got there late afternoon and nothing was open, it was like a ghost town. We did, however, manage to see some blue penguins come in to shore, after a days fishing, we watched them for about an hour or two and saw about 30 of the little fella's come in.
(326km today)
Drove round more windy roads with stunning mountains as a back drop. Still feels unreal, like a picture someone has just drawn on the sky. stopped at the fist sight of Mount Cook, with weird blue Lake Pukai. Carried on up the 50km one way road to Mt Cook village. We had to play an impromtue game of chicken with the fuel tank. We should have filled up earlier but thought there would be fuel pumps in Cook village. There wasnt!!!! So we had a sliver of the fuel gauge to play with and about 75km to the next town.
Mount Cook
There's not much in the village apart from a hotel and a track that takes you as near to the glacier and mount Cook as possible. We walked for about an hour to the foot of Mt Cook, which is massive, over 3000m.
Mount Cook - Twizel
Twizel has a petrol station and one Horse, thats it!!!!!!
Twizel - Oamaru
Long Slog of a drive to Oamaru, got there late afternoon and nothing was open, it was like a ghost town. We did, however, manage to see some blue penguins come in to shore, after a days fishing, we watched them for about an hour or two and saw about 30 of the little fella's come in.
(326km today)
Friday 13 March 2009
CHRISTCHURCH - LAKE TEKAPO
304km
First official day on the road. Gonna aim for Lake Tekapo, if we dont reach it in time we'll aim for Geraldine.
Christchurch - Geraldine
Long straight roads that rip through the Canerbury plains, flat countryside curbed in the west by massive jaggered snow capped Alps.
Reached Geraldine in a couple of hours so we stopped for a bit and carried on to Lake Tekapo.
In Geraldine theres a fella whose made a replica of the Bayeux Tapestry using pieces of spring stell broken from knitting machines. He's even finshed the last 1/4 thats missing form the original in a way he thinks the story happend.
Geraldine - Lake Tekapo
Windy roads now and rolling hills like you see on the M6 going north towards the lakes. Looks a bit like the Yorkshire dales countryside here but greener. The grass is the greenest green Ive ever seen, grass like in the Teletubbies, Its so green it doesnt look real.
Passed Mt Sunday which was the location for Edoras in LOTR's
Fourth hostel in Lake Tekapo had some room to stay. Walked round the lake, which is an erie turquoise colour, its glacial melt water and is full of microscopic rock particals that give it its vibrant blue colour. Bluest blue Ive ever seen. The colours in NZ are inreal madn, it makes the scenery look like a cartoon its so perfect!!!!
First official day on the road. Gonna aim for Lake Tekapo, if we dont reach it in time we'll aim for Geraldine.
Christchurch - Geraldine
Long straight roads that rip through the Canerbury plains, flat countryside curbed in the west by massive jaggered snow capped Alps.
Reached Geraldine in a couple of hours so we stopped for a bit and carried on to Lake Tekapo.
In Geraldine theres a fella whose made a replica of the Bayeux Tapestry using pieces of spring stell broken from knitting machines. He's even finshed the last 1/4 thats missing form the original in a way he thinks the story happend.
Geraldine - Lake Tekapo
Windy roads now and rolling hills like you see on the M6 going north towards the lakes. Looks a bit like the Yorkshire dales countryside here but greener. The grass is the greenest green Ive ever seen, grass like in the Teletubbies, Its so green it doesnt look real.
Passed Mt Sunday which was the location for Edoras in LOTR's
Fourth hostel in Lake Tekapo had some room to stay. Walked round the lake, which is an erie turquoise colour, its glacial melt water and is full of microscopic rock particals that give it its vibrant blue colour. Bluest blue Ive ever seen. The colours in NZ are inreal madn, it makes the scenery look like a cartoon its so perfect!!!!
CHRISTCHURCH
Had a hang over lie in. Found a coffee shop and planned the next 2 1/2 weeks in the south island. We've got a rough idea of the route we're gonna take but we'll take it a day at a time and see what happens.
Christchurch is a lovely city, its canny small, even though its the biggest City in the South Island it has a small town feel. The buildings are olde worlde. Its canny cold here at the moment so good job we didnt get shot of all our China clothes, could have done with me thermals but they're in Hong Kong. I could easily see me self living in Christchurch,
FLIGHT TO NEW ZEALAND
Up before the sun came up to catch a train to the airport. Got to Christchurch early afternoon. More sniffer dogs and a sniffer machine. I got stopped for a random explosives search. They had this probe that could detect explosives that they wiped all over me - was a bit weird!!
Picked up the hire car - Silver Nissan Sunny!! Super Sallon tha knaa's!!!
Drove into Christchurch and found hostel. Picked up some leaflets about NZ and this next month should be so good, there's so much to see: Mount Cook, Alpine Glaciers, Crystal clear lakes, beaches, Skiing resorts, salmon farms, Whale watching, penguin colonies, Dolphin watching, Star gazing, Bunjee jumping, Jet Boating, Vinyards, Lord of the Rings stuff, absolutely loads.
Had a wander round Christchurch, found a pub which had live music on and drank a load of Guiness all afternoon and evening - Nice one!!!!
Picked up the hire car - Silver Nissan Sunny!! Super Sallon tha knaa's!!!
Drove into Christchurch and found hostel. Picked up some leaflets about NZ and this next month should be so good, there's so much to see: Mount Cook, Alpine Glaciers, Crystal clear lakes, beaches, Skiing resorts, salmon farms, Whale watching, penguin colonies, Dolphin watching, Star gazing, Bunjee jumping, Jet Boating, Vinyards, Lord of the Rings stuff, absolutely loads.
Had a wander round Christchurch, found a pub which had live music on and drank a load of Guiness all afternoon and evening - Nice one!!!!
BRIDGE CLIMB
Woke up to rain and cloudy skies. Perfect weatehr for climbing the bridge eh!!!
After safety breifing and all that we set off up the bridges arches. Thankfully by this time the sky cleared and we had a good view over the harbour.
Berny, our guide, gave us pak a maks and told us they were parachutes and we may have to use them and these little kids were papping themselves.
Got some class views from the top, couldnt take a camera up there so photos below are from one of the towers.
One of the lads in our group proposed to his girlfriend at the top - What a gay!!!!
Walking down the streets a guy from some charity was stopping people trying to sign them up, he stops us and says ' Are you from the north of England' stunned I asked him how he knew and he reckons he can tell where people are from by how they look as he meets so many people from all over the world. He thought I looked like I was from Manchester - he must have mistook me for Sir Noel of Gallagher - I was having that like!! - spent the rest of the afternoon swaggering round town!!!!
In the evening we got the train down to the pier and had some food and drinkls and saw the harbour all lit up which was very nice!!
Few strange things about Ozzy Pubs:
After safety breifing and all that we set off up the bridges arches. Thankfully by this time the sky cleared and we had a good view over the harbour.
Berny, our guide, gave us pak a maks and told us they were parachutes and we may have to use them and these little kids were papping themselves.
Got some class views from the top, couldnt take a camera up there so photos below are from one of the towers.
One of the lads in our group proposed to his girlfriend at the top - What a gay!!!!
Walking down the streets a guy from some charity was stopping people trying to sign them up, he stops us and says ' Are you from the north of England' stunned I asked him how he knew and he reckons he can tell where people are from by how they look as he meets so many people from all over the world. He thought I looked like I was from Manchester - he must have mistook me for Sir Noel of Gallagher - I was having that like!! - spent the rest of the afternoon swaggering round town!!!!
In the evening we got the train down to the pier and had some food and drinkls and saw the harbour all lit up which was very nice!!
Few strange things about Ozzy Pubs:
1. All the pubs have bookies inside them so the barman doubles up as a booky.
2. The pubs sell a lot of off licence booze in cliche brown paper bags for people to take away.
3. Saw a barman actually washing some money, just the coins, proper soap and water job then toweled it dry - new meaning to money laundering!!!
4. Pints are smaller than pints back home, so I guess theyre not pints, think they are 500ml but makes you feel bigger than you actually are when drinking them.
BONDI
Had a well deserved lie in the day. Chance to recover from all the walking around and big gay fun from last night.
Got on a city sight open topped bus from central station. Two routes Sydney and Bondi. Stayed on the city loop all the way round and saw some things we'd missed yesterday. Then got on the Bondi beach loop.
As we got on the heavens opened.
Bondi is world famous for its surfing apparently, its a huge beach enclosed in a bay of cliffs that force the sea to produce massive waves.
Had a wander round for a few hours then we had to go and wait for the bus back into the city.
The thing was, there was limited buses back to Sydney and loads of people wanting to get back. The buses are all open topped and it was hoying it down so we stood for about 40 mins in the rain to make sure we could a) get a bus back and b) get on the lower deck out of the rain.
The rain politics worked as we and the other daft sods who chose to get soaked got on the lower deck and the cocky dry folk who were seeking shelter ended up on top deck.
Moral of the story: everyone gets wet eventually!!!!!
Got on a city sight open topped bus from central station. Two routes Sydney and Bondi. Stayed on the city loop all the way round and saw some things we'd missed yesterday. Then got on the Bondi beach loop.
As we got on the heavens opened.
Bondi is world famous for its surfing apparently, its a huge beach enclosed in a bay of cliffs that force the sea to produce massive waves.
Had a wander round for a few hours then we had to go and wait for the bus back into the city.
The thing was, there was limited buses back to Sydney and loads of people wanting to get back. The buses are all open topped and it was hoying it down so we stood for about 40 mins in the rain to make sure we could a) get a bus back and b) get on the lower deck out of the rain.
The rain politics worked as we and the other daft sods who chose to get soaked got on the lower deck and the cocky dry folk who were seeking shelter ended up on top deck.
Moral of the story: everyone gets wet eventually!!!!!
Thursday 12 March 2009
SYDNEY
What a cracking couple of days in Sydney!!! Got up canny early to start exploring the city. Walked from the hostel through Hyde park, through the botanical gardens, down to a point where you can see the bridge and opera house. Walked up to the Opera house and then got a ferry to Manly.
Walked up the beach at Manly which was rammed with weekend ozzy's surfing, playing volley ball and sunbathing. The beaches here are amazing with massive waves.
Back to Sydney harbour and walked around the rock which is a area of markets and quant little buildings. Had a few pints in a german pub.
Walked back to Hyde park in the evening and spent a few hours watching the Mardi Gras celebrations.
Sydney is an awesome city, theres so much going on, the sights are amazing, the people are really friendly and the weather is incredible. I reckon every one should move over here to live. They reckon 1/3 of Sydneys population were born overseas.
It really is a proper mint place to be, you see the bridge and opera house on tele and in photo's but actually being here feels unreal. I have to keep checking myself and remind me self that Im in Sydney and not dreaming!!!!!
Pintage in the German bar.
Manly beach
Opera House
Harbour Bridge
Opera House again
Bridge AND Opera House
Walked up the beach at Manly which was rammed with weekend ozzy's surfing, playing volley ball and sunbathing. The beaches here are amazing with massive waves.
Back to Sydney harbour and walked around the rock which is a area of markets and quant little buildings. Had a few pints in a german pub.
Walked back to Hyde park in the evening and spent a few hours watching the Mardi Gras celebrations.
Sydney is an awesome city, theres so much going on, the sights are amazing, the people are really friendly and the weather is incredible. I reckon every one should move over here to live. They reckon 1/3 of Sydneys population were born overseas.
It really is a proper mint place to be, you see the bridge and opera house on tele and in photo's but actually being here feels unreal. I have to keep checking myself and remind me self that Im in Sydney and not dreaming!!!!!
Pintage in the German bar.
Manly beach
Opera House
Harbour Bridge
Opera House again
Bridge AND Opera House
Sunday 8 March 2009
EVERYONE SHOULD MOVE TO SYDNEY
Arrived at Sydney airport in the evening. After passport control, while waiting for your bags, you're constantly being sniffed at by sniffer dogs looking for illegal stuff. Not drugs but food, soil and wood!! I guess stuff thats likely to have savage effects on their ego system!
Got a double deckered train to central station and checked into the hostel, which is well cool. A bit shabbier than most we've stayed in but its rammed with backpackers and has a great bustling atmosphere.
Already noticing the price increase of everything here - no more cheap living now we've left Asia!!
First impressions of Sydney are fantastic. The city is wonderful even in the dark. Looking forward to seeing the city tomorrow.
There are load of tourists here from all over Oz as its the Mardi Gras tomorrow so it should be a good gay day tomorrow!!!
Get yer gay out for the lads!!!!!!
Heathers found somewhere to work!!
Got a double deckered train to central station and checked into the hostel, which is well cool. A bit shabbier than most we've stayed in but its rammed with backpackers and has a great bustling atmosphere.
Already noticing the price increase of everything here - no more cheap living now we've left Asia!!
First impressions of Sydney are fantastic. The city is wonderful even in the dark. Looking forward to seeing the city tomorrow.
There are load of tourists here from all over Oz as its the Mardi Gras tomorrow so it should be a good gay day tomorrow!!!
Get yer gay out for the lads!!!!!!
Heathers found somewhere to work!!
SINGA - BORE
Singapore is a bit uninspiring! Theres very little to see and do, no atmosphere to the city and I'd go as far as saying a little bit dull!!
We wondered around looking for the sights of Singapore. We found the Singapore eye, walked around the Singapore sky line for a bit. There doesnt seem to be anyone here!! Its like that film 28 days later where that chap wakes up in London and its deserted!!! Maybe thats whats to blame for the lack of any atmosphere. A lot of the shopping malls are underground so maybe everyone is down there having it and we're up top like a couple of fairies!!
Had a few coffees (see Im writing about having coffee, theres thats much to do here!!) had a look at a few markets. Went to China town - which was the highlight. A bit of crack was being had by the Chinese!
Back to the hostel - watched a DVD. Off to OZ tomorrow. Its not sad to turn our heals to Singapore!!
BUS BUS BUS
Went to the bus station in KL to catch our bus to Singapore. The bus station is weird. There are dozens of stair wells in a row that lead down to the bus platforms, exhaust fumes pouring out of them.
Bus was at 11:30am so we got there at 11:00am, got our platform and were down there at no later than 11:05am. Met a guy there who'd been there since 9:00am - not looking good! At 12:00pm Heather went to check with our bus company where the bus was. The wifey says we must have mussed it!!!! (no bus had been to our platform in the hour we'd been there) After a load of excuses we were sold to another bus company (sold like football players but with no signing on fee) who set off at 1:30pm.
After 6 hours on a bus we arrived at Singapore where we had to disembark the bus and go through customs twice, once out of Malaysia and once into Singapore. There was a lad from Africa on our bus that had to go to a seperate room in the Singapore passport control. He never made it back on our bus before we pulled away. Either he was an internationally wanted man or the bus driver had just got bored and drove off!! Hope he managed to get to where he wanted to go as it was another hour on the bus to get into Singapore city.
Taxi to Hostel - had a walk round little India
Bus was at 11:30am so we got there at 11:00am, got our platform and were down there at no later than 11:05am. Met a guy there who'd been there since 9:00am - not looking good! At 12:00pm Heather went to check with our bus company where the bus was. The wifey says we must have mussed it!!!! (no bus had been to our platform in the hour we'd been there) After a load of excuses we were sold to another bus company (sold like football players but with no signing on fee) who set off at 1:30pm.
After 6 hours on a bus we arrived at Singapore where we had to disembark the bus and go through customs twice, once out of Malaysia and once into Singapore. There was a lad from Africa on our bus that had to go to a seperate room in the Singapore passport control. He never made it back on our bus before we pulled away. Either he was an internationally wanted man or the bus driver had just got bored and drove off!! Hope he managed to get to where he wanted to go as it was another hour on the bus to get into Singapore city.
Taxi to Hostel - had a walk round little India
UP A HEIGHT
I woke up early and left Heather a bed, she's not feeling to well, think it may have been the curry last night. I walked to the Patrona's Towers to cue for tickets to go up to the viewing platform. Got tickets for 12:45pm. I walked in to town with all the commuters, going to work, which was pretty cool, pretended I was a Malaysian on me way to work.
We both went up the towers in the afternoon - quality!!
Heather chilled out at the hostel for most of the afternoon and I roamed around the city pretending it was my city and that I lived there and this was just a normal day for me!!
Aw no Ive only spent half a day by me sel and Ive gone all daffy like Andy!!!!
KL is really a wonderful city, it has a feel of London, everything seems close by, as the skyrail is so good. You can be at one side of the city one minute and then youre at the other side in the blink of an eye. Makes seeing the city very convenient.
Its absolutely roasting here, not hot hot but warm hot!!!! The air is so dense and makes you sweat all the time. By about 4 pm it rains like no bodies buisness. It happened every day we were there for!! Its great as it cools the air down.
We both went up the towers in the afternoon - quality!!
Heather chilled out at the hostel for most of the afternoon and I roamed around the city pretending it was my city and that I lived there and this was just a normal day for me!!
Aw no Ive only spent half a day by me sel and Ive gone all daffy like Andy!!!!
KL is really a wonderful city, it has a feel of London, everything seems close by, as the skyrail is so good. You can be at one side of the city one minute and then youre at the other side in the blink of an eye. Makes seeing the city very convenient.
Its absolutely roasting here, not hot hot but warm hot!!!! The air is so dense and makes you sweat all the time. By about 4 pm it rains like no bodies buisness. It happened every day we were there for!! Its great as it cools the air down.
KUALA LUMPUR STICK IT UP YOUR JUMPA!!!
Explored KL until late afternoon of the first day there. We saw the old colonial cricket pitch in the middle of the city and the tallest flag poll in the world. There's a lot of old colony buildings here. Weird to think the British just decided to move here and start a British way of life in a foreign country, wonder what the locals thought of it. By the by Malaysia is left with a fantastic city with a wonderful atmosphere.
Heather met a guy in the hostel, Andy, he's in his mid thirties and wants to find somewhere in the world to live that is better than England!!!!, he's been here for over a week so therefore a Guru on life in KL, I thought. We went for a curry with him in the evening, canny lad but turns out he's a bit of a bore and loves to moan on!!!! I guess thats what traveling alone does to you, he'd been on his own for 6 months and not had much conversation. Felt a bit sorry for him but when you get conversation dont winge on about the fact that you cant find anyone to talk to just talk!!!!! He's also not seen or done anything in KL so I taken away his Guru status!!!
Left Andy to lick his wounds that a life on the road had given him and went to see the Patrona Towers all lit up. They look awesome at night!!
Went for a drink at an Irish bar - 6 pund for a pint of bitter - I tell you what it made me bitter, supped up and went to find an off licence!
Back at the hostel we drank and talked with some other backpackers for a few hours. There is some strange folk about!!! One lad who sort of lives in Bali whose also from Germany (!!!) is a surfing instructor and was in KL to renew his visa for Bali. I know thats not strange but he was!!
He liked to use the F word alot and tell lots of stories about his exploits in Bali. He had a mate called Patrick who was German who looked like an albino with a tan!! Now he was strange and also liked the F word! I can start to see why Andy is going a bit mental having to talk to people like this!!! Anyway canny crack!!!!!
Heather met a guy in the hostel, Andy, he's in his mid thirties and wants to find somewhere in the world to live that is better than England!!!!, he's been here for over a week so therefore a Guru on life in KL, I thought. We went for a curry with him in the evening, canny lad but turns out he's a bit of a bore and loves to moan on!!!! I guess thats what traveling alone does to you, he'd been on his own for 6 months and not had much conversation. Felt a bit sorry for him but when you get conversation dont winge on about the fact that you cant find anyone to talk to just talk!!!!! He's also not seen or done anything in KL so I taken away his Guru status!!!
Left Andy to lick his wounds that a life on the road had given him and went to see the Patrona Towers all lit up. They look awesome at night!!
Went for a drink at an Irish bar - 6 pund for a pint of bitter - I tell you what it made me bitter, supped up and went to find an off licence!
Back at the hostel we drank and talked with some other backpackers for a few hours. There is some strange folk about!!! One lad who sort of lives in Bali whose also from Germany (!!!) is a surfing instructor and was in KL to renew his visa for Bali. I know thats not strange but he was!!
He liked to use the F word alot and tell lots of stories about his exploits in Bali. He had a mate called Patrick who was German who looked like an albino with a tan!! Now he was strange and also liked the F word! I can start to see why Andy is going a bit mental having to talk to people like this!!! Anyway canny crack!!!!!
CAR CRASH
Got a taxi from the airport to K L centre in the pouring rain. The taxi fella was another Penfold look-a-like. First thing - the taxi's headlights didnt work. Second thing - the taxi's speedometer didnt work. I only noticed because he was bombing along a soaking wet road, aquaplaning awrl awa the place when I saw we were travelling at zero miles an hour. Great stuff!!!!!!
It eventually had to happen, he aquaplaned going far too fast, lost control and the taxi skidded nose first into the barrier. He kept saying 'no control, no control' and staring at his steering wheel - Stupid arse!!! Didnt they teach him at taxi driver school that you dont go hell for leather over 3 inches of water - you're going to skid my friend, no matter how clever you think you are!!!!! What a TIT!!!!
Thankfully no injuries.
He then drops us off about half a mile away from where we wanted to be.
So hear we are, the two of us in Kuala Lumpur, in the pouring rain, soaking wet, laiden down with our backpacks, flip flops slipping off our feet and havent the foggiest clue where we are!!!!!
Eventually found the hostel in the early hours. There's a lot of backpackers here which is good, there's a few communal rooms so looking forward to meeting some other travellers. Not tonight though as Im wet, exhausted and still getting over our near death experience!!!!!!!
It eventually had to happen, he aquaplaned going far too fast, lost control and the taxi skidded nose first into the barrier. He kept saying 'no control, no control' and staring at his steering wheel - Stupid arse!!! Didnt they teach him at taxi driver school that you dont go hell for leather over 3 inches of water - you're going to skid my friend, no matter how clever you think you are!!!!! What a TIT!!!!
Thankfully no injuries.
He then drops us off about half a mile away from where we wanted to be.
So hear we are, the two of us in Kuala Lumpur, in the pouring rain, soaking wet, laiden down with our backpacks, flip flops slipping off our feet and havent the foggiest clue where we are!!!!!
Eventually found the hostel in the early hours. There's a lot of backpackers here which is good, there's a few communal rooms so looking forward to meeting some other travellers. Not tonight though as Im wet, exhausted and still getting over our near death experience!!!!!!!
GOOD BYE THAILAND
Had a few more days back on Koh Samui, one of which I spend hoying me guts up. Dont know what was up, I hadnt eaten owt bad but I was sick for about 14 hours and it was the most violent I'd ever vommed!! I reckon Id had too much sun!!!
Anyway, nowt really to report on time spent round the pool, on the beach and generally chilling out. Did watch a film called 'Kenny' about this Ozzy portaloo engineer, it was a bit like The Office as in it was a fake documentry thing. Very funny though!!!
Starting to get itchy feet now.
Got the tiniest plane Ive ever seen to Kuala Lumpur, it looked like it was made out of Macarno!!! It had 4 propellers and about 20 seats, it got us there in one piece anyhow!!!!
Anyway, nowt really to report on time spent round the pool, on the beach and generally chilling out. Did watch a film called 'Kenny' about this Ozzy portaloo engineer, it was a bit like The Office as in it was a fake documentry thing. Very funny though!!!
Starting to get itchy feet now.
Got the tiniest plane Ive ever seen to Kuala Lumpur, it looked like it was made out of Macarno!!! It had 4 propellers and about 20 seats, it got us there in one piece anyhow!!!!
PLASTIC KOH PHANGNAN
The full moon party!!! this whole town seems to exist entirely for this lunar event. No one seems to have told the local that its not full moon every night!! Every night the local vampires are out, dozens of them in rows trying to sell you buckets of cocktails, juggling fire on the beach with only a hand full of people watching, flashing neon signs trying to temp the tourists on the beach in to their bars. Radio friendly dance music blaring out to half a dozen punters making a half effort to show that they are officially 'having it' The problem is that there is no where near enough people about to create even a tiny bit of an atmosphere. In fact its pretty quiet!!
I'm sure this would be the place to be on that one night of the month but for the other 30 days it feels like the islanders are trying to create the party atmosphere every night and failing to pull it off. In fact Im not sure that this would be the place to be, as the whole thing seems contrived and fake and Im certain it wouldnt feel like the spontaneous party that happened on this beach nearly 20 years ago in the 1980's. It just ends up looking a bit sad and pathetic. A bit plastic!!
The bars end up getting people in by showing back to back films on massive screens - mostly showing The Beach. So on one hand you've got the bars trying to get you in the party mood with all the glitter and flashy lights and loud music and one the other hand you've got the bars who've accepted that its not full moon and its not 1985 and sedated their punters by making them watch a film which silences the bar.
The island has invented black moon, half moon, toenail shaped moon, whatever moon parties on the success of the full moon party. I dont want to sound cynical but thats how it makes you feel here, FORCED FUN!!!!
Unless it is actually Full Moon and you like a bit of prescribed revelry stay away from Sunrise beach!!!
I'm sure this would be the place to be on that one night of the month but for the other 30 days it feels like the islanders are trying to create the party atmosphere every night and failing to pull it off. In fact Im not sure that this would be the place to be, as the whole thing seems contrived and fake and Im certain it wouldnt feel like the spontaneous party that happened on this beach nearly 20 years ago in the 1980's. It just ends up looking a bit sad and pathetic. A bit plastic!!
The bars end up getting people in by showing back to back films on massive screens - mostly showing The Beach. So on one hand you've got the bars trying to get you in the party mood with all the glitter and flashy lights and loud music and one the other hand you've got the bars who've accepted that its not full moon and its not 1985 and sedated their punters by making them watch a film which silences the bar.
The island has invented black moon, half moon, toenail shaped moon, whatever moon parties on the success of the full moon party. I dont want to sound cynical but thats how it makes you feel here, FORCED FUN!!!!
Unless it is actually Full Moon and you like a bit of prescribed revelry stay away from Sunrise beach!!!
THE BEACH - KOH PHANGAN
We had three days on Koh Phangan, the party island!!! Every full moon they have massive full moon parties on Hat Rin sunrise beach. We missed the full moon by two weeks and missed the black moon party by 2 days. Hat Rin is all set up for these parties and from getting off the ferry thats all you heard about.
The place we found to stay is on the sunset beach of Hat Rin up on blue hill. When we checked in there wasnt a soul about, we were shown a few rooms then the chap ( Alex) offered us a villa, yes a villa for the same price we would have paid for a room, 12 quid. So we got an awesome view overlooking the sea from high up on the hillside and Koh Samui, a massive room and a balcony that stretches two sides of the villa. Mental!!! There's also one of them eternity pools, where the pool is on the edge of the hill and the water in the pool, full to the brim, pours over the side like you see on the tele in them mansions in L.A. Its proper cool that!!!
I guess you can see why they call it sunset beach!!
Late afternoon in the sea about a mile out there are fisherman actually wading chest deep in the sea fishing with rod and line. Their boat is there also so I guess rod and line is more efficient or ethical than trawler fishing. Thats what I like to see, proper fishing!!!
The place we found to stay is on the sunset beach of Hat Rin up on blue hill. When we checked in there wasnt a soul about, we were shown a few rooms then the chap ( Alex) offered us a villa, yes a villa for the same price we would have paid for a room, 12 quid. So we got an awesome view overlooking the sea from high up on the hillside and Koh Samui, a massive room and a balcony that stretches two sides of the villa. Mental!!! There's also one of them eternity pools, where the pool is on the edge of the hill and the water in the pool, full to the brim, pours over the side like you see on the tele in them mansions in L.A. Its proper cool that!!!
I guess you can see why they call it sunset beach!!
Late afternoon in the sea about a mile out there are fisherman actually wading chest deep in the sea fishing with rod and line. Their boat is there also so I guess rod and line is more efficient or ethical than trawler fishing. Thats what I like to see, proper fishing!!!
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