Welcome to the Jungle

After an action packed week I find myself in San Fran. We did so much over the last couple of days. Highlights being the Grand Canyon at sun rise, partying on a bus-limo in vegas, hiking in Yosemite and riding the tram in ‘cisco. I cant get any photos up, but ill be home soon.

The night before i left LA i met someone I knew for the first time in 7 months. Ian Wands (uni mate i have not seen for 3 years) was at my hostel! crazy days.

Im off to NY tomorrow so I reckon i must be heading home soon?????

LA has proven to be better than expected. You dont get the same traveller scene as you would in Aus or NZ. But that has helped me cut down on the drink. Im staying in Santa Monica. Went to Six Flags Magic Mountain the other day.

That was pretty good, lots of queing but the best rollercoasters! Driving there and back was quite an adventure. A hire car was cheaper than a coach.

Played some beach volleyball yesturday and then hired a bicycle today and cruised up to Malibu and down to Venice.

Shopping is provong very tempting. Everything is so cheap and the pound remains very strong againts the dollar.

Off to San Fran via the grand canyon, Vegas and Yosemite on Monday. Off now to have another crack at the all you can eat BBQ at the hostel. And the weather is great!…

See you all soon….

 Bula! 

A week in Rarotonga has disapeared! I did not even do much. I guess the relaxed Island lifstyle got the better of me. The Cook Islands really was awesome, such a small place yet a country all of its own! I can’t remember who reconmended it, I know Huber did, but maybe Gemdog aswell, anyway, thank you for telling me! After being in Fiji (only 1 night so far) I can appriciate how absolutelly tiny the Cooks was. It is a proper tropical isalnd. With its own crazy money (trianglular coins and $3 notes), laid back attitude and beautiful scenery, truley a great place to stop on your way home.

One of the best bits was hiering a motorbike - the only way to have freedome to get about the island. A complete circuit only takes 30mins! you have to get a Cook Islands driving Licence, just a way for the govenment to make money, but its a nice sovenier. I enjoyed cruising the island on my Yamaha YBR 125. I was the only one at the hostel to get a bike with gears and a helmet!

Other than rideing my bike and relaxing at the hostel i did manage to go to church (awesome singing and a great buffet afterwards), a local village rugby match (awfull standard but terrific passion) and an Island night featuring Drums and dancing. 

Off on an Isalnd tour of Fiji tomorrow for one week, ill report back next weekend.

Still sufering with a terrible cold, I took the stray bus to Milford sound, it snowed alot and took us ages to get out.

We then got stuck in Invercargill. There was really not alot to do there. We went bowling, I won for England and I got my highest ever score of 185. The roads were clearded and we headed back to Queenstown. My cold had cleared up but a still have a cough which annoys people in my dorms. Yesturday I did the long bus ride to Christchurch. Just relaxing here and organiseing myself brfore the cook islands -  I leave on Friday evening and arrieve Friday morning - back of the net!

Christchurch is apparently the most English place in the world outside of England. Having had a bit of a walk this morning I would have to agree. Its still very cold here. Its confusing as Wimbeldon is on the tele, yet people are drinking mulled wine in the bars.

Bring on the sun! 

Caught myself a bit of a cold, First time on the whole trip ive been ill. Not bad really. Spent most the day in bed, looking Forward to getting back on the Bus tomorrow. Queenstown really is one of the coolest places ive ever been, but you need alot of money and to be fighting fit. I completed the Thrillogy of Bungy Jumps yesturday. It was brill, the 134m Nevis Jump was so much better than the one i did of the bridge…

And then the ledge bungy over Queenstown at night was amazing in a different way - you can take a running jump! No photos of this as it was dark and im not paying for the offical ones.

Spent the First 5 days with old ‘Nam Buddies Matt, Jon and Sam. We did a road trip to Waitomo to do some caveing and the grew beards for Jons birthday on the Saturday.

We watched the All Blacks play france and shaved our beards into cool Moustaches. Unfortunately we were unable to find the sombreos and ponchos for our inteded mexican themed night. we keep the moustaches anyway.

I left the gang, shaved my ‘tach and caught a STRAY bus around the country. The sceneary had been awsome. Its very cold, ay, I had to buy a gilet from warehouse. Raff on my bus bought the same gilet as it was 2 for $18. Everyone takes the piss now when we both wear them.

We went to Waitomo and I did some more caeving, ay.

White water rafting next in smelly Rotorua. We did not buy any photos so this ones off their website.

Moved on to the south Island, It just gets more extreme and beautiful and cold!

Went Ice climbing on Franz Josef Glacier…

Went extreme yesturday. 15′000ft Sky Dive over lake wanaka in the morning…

and in the afternoon I did the 1st part of the Thrillogy bungy jump…

I celebrated with a nice pot of tea…

Relaxing In Queenstown for a few days, ay. Beer with Francois tonight, that Frenchman gets everywhere. Have 2 more bungys to do and probably some canoen swings. Then Im off around the south bit before heading to Christchurch and flying to The Cook Island next week, pretty sweat ay?

Sorry I have not updated this page in a while, ay. Have been really busy travelling the length of the country, seeing some amazing sites and doing extreme stuff, ay. Ill get some photos up here soon. Hope everyone is well. Im in Queenstown now and its bloody cold, ay. Spending alot of money, still have a bit left, anyone got a job for me when I get back? Here is a photo to keep you all amused….

After a cool 80 days in Aus, I am finally moving on. Off to NZ tomorrow morning. Queensland has been pretty rad. Have done all the stuff I wanted: Fraiser Island, Whitsunday Sailing, The Great Barrier Reef. All pretty awsome but not quite as special as WA. Too touristy, too busy, too many Irish, not enough biscuits.

 Did manage a bit of a Brisbane reunion with old friends from Nam. Matt, Jon, Sam and the one and only Francois.

Fraiser Island was very nice but I was unfortunatly stuck on a bus. I wish I had done the self drive and camping option. Still, lake Mckanzie was beautiful and I got some good photos from a airplane ride.

The highlight of Queensland was definately staying at the Cattle Station in Billoela. Although I cant ride a horse due to some gaylord alergy, we did do loads of cool Cowboy stuff, eat steak for every meal and went to a rodeo which was brill.

Sailing the Whitsundays was excellent. Unfortunatelly my tour scedual ment I could not stay long in the cool places like Airlie Beach (think Lakes Entrance, Dan) and Magnetic Beach (home of the best hostel ive seen so far). We did go a small croc farm which was far better value than Crocidylus Park and Austraila Zoo. Not only did they have the biggest croc in captivity (Gregory, 5.2m 1200kg). but you could get realy close, there were wild kangaroos and loads of snakes and $2 croc kebabs.

I went snorkleing on the great Barrier reef today, it really was great. So much more impressive than all the other reefs ive seen. My camera did not work so no pics im afraid.

Why do they have a stupid coco monkey?

 Arhh! I lost my 50baht flipflops that had done me so well. I was scrambeling over rocks, trying to get back to my hostel before it got to dark and i lost one in a deep rock pool. I left the other one as bare feet provided better purchase on the slippery rocks. Basiclly, as long as you apply the same rules as you do to tree climbing ( 3points of contact at all times, elbows and kness dont count) you cant go far wrong. 

 Dont know if you have heard, but Channel 5 have bouhgt the rights to Neigbourghs!! That will be particully upsetting for my mother who cannot get CH5.

Im looking foward to some english weather, cheaper prices and smaller distances in NZ. Im grpwing a novelty beard for a mates Birthday on Saturday, after that i will be getting some sort of bus around the whole country, finishing in Christchurch. Any reconmendations, please let me know.

My oz mobile number will aslo be out of use from wednesday morning.

enjoy june

Song Lyric of the week:

Your cruel device
Your blood, like ice
One look could kill
My pain, your thrill

Random BWS 1994 -1999 pupil of the week: Josh Start

Random Chamberlain Hall 2001-02 resident: Carl Huber

Highlight of Austraila: Scrabble Unscrippted at the Melbourne comedy Festival.

Coolest person Ive met in Austraila: Darren, Blue Mountains.

Favorite City: Melbourne

Favorite state: WA

Favorite AFL team: Geelong Cats

Favorite NRL team: Melbourne Storm

Best Hostel: 1: Base, Magnetic Island 2: YHA, Katoomba 3: Gilligans Cairns - obviously the house in apollo bay was best, but ive kept it out of the list for being too dam good.

Worst Hostel: Hotel Oslo, St Kilda

Herbiest experience: Tai Chi guy in Lakes entrance

Best night out: The Gaff, Sydney
 

Second day in Brisbane and im allready missing WA and the Territory. I guess when it comes to country Vs city, country always wins in my book. Plus the weaher is shite. Never mind though, im off to Surfers Paradise for the weekend before comencing a grand tour upto Cairns on Monday. Just got myself a ticket for the All Blacks Vs France on 2nd June in Aukland, so my Days in Oz are numbered!

 Best things about Aus:

1: Drive through bottle shops, why did we don’t use them Dan???

2: Road Trains, the biggest one i saw had 4 trailers and a total of 22 axels (82 wheeler)

3: Triva on the inside of beer bottle tops. Two of my favorite things combined in one simple package.

4: crocodiles - awseome

5: Chocolate Milk- its everywhere, they love the stuff.

Theres loads more cool stuff, this is just a short list of the things that make me smile. Hopefully the sun comes out and the waves are good for the weekend. Ill shall be calling Kes for surfing tips! Rock and/or Roll!!

 Song lyric of the week this week comes courtesy of Mr Carl Huber: anoying im sure you will agree

Iny meany macker racker high dee domernacker,

umer racker roomer racker, om pom push,

Beep diddly owten dowten bowdo scadutan dowtan,

kumalar kumalar kumalar vista,

owe no no, no no la vista!

anoying im sure you will agree

The best of Broome…

Been here (Darwin) for over a week now. Not doing much, reesting after the big tour up the West Coast. Bored now but flying to Brisbane tomorrow. Hopefully meet up with friends from Nam and travel up to Cairnes taking in the best of Queensland.

Sounds like everyone has enjoyed the good weather back home. Just found out Saints have made the playoffs, don’t know my chances of finding a pub with any of the games on!

Nice to know I have not been forgotten…

Song lyric of the week:

Hey, man Im alive Im takin each day and night at a time
Im feelin like a monday but someday Ill be saturday night