Welcome to the Jungle

Between the Blue Mountains and the Great Ocen Road we stopped thrice:

Canberra: The Nations Capital, very boring, very very boring. We hired some bikes and visited the Parliment building and then did a 30km lakeside bike ride. This was alot of fun. The nightlife was very dull and we decide another day was not required.

After another 300km the next day we stopped at Albury. This had the shitest YHA we had yet seen. It was a 7kmk drive to town. It did have a swimming pool but it was very cold. Despite all this, the town was actually good fun. Watch Hot Fuzz at the cinema then we went to an English themed pub and then an Irish one. Dan sung Karioki, Friday Im in Love by The Cure.

Stopped in Geelong, 60km south of Melbourne as we wanted to start the Great Ocean Road a fresh the next day. Geelong was not a nice place, there was no one else staying at our hostel above an Irish Pub. We heared it was a Prison Town that everyone in Melbouren looks down apon. Decided to Support the Geelong Cats as the AFL season started that weekend.

We have just completed the first leg of the great ocean road and find ourseleves in Apollo Bay.

The highlight of the drive was the Koalas. Dans had taken his shorts of to mend the drawstring, when we rounded a corner to see many stopped cars and tourists photographing the fury beasts. I stooped quickly to get some photos exposing the half naked Daniel to the hords of Japanesse Grannies.

Probably stop here for 2 nights, having done over 2500km in the last 12 days, we need a rest.

Apollo Bay Beach:

Rocked up in Katoomba yesturday. Approximatley 1000m above sea level. The climate is just like Home. Went out last night for dinner and the town was dead. But we are not here to party, its all about the scenery. Just got back from a good walk and got some great photos…

Dan was on top form today and did not winge. And thats true. One day in Melbourne, we went to Nando’s. They had run out of Hot sauce. Dan went nuts. I thought he was going to have a heart attack or hurt someone. OUr poor waiter was nearly in tears.

Dan’s Drinking on tour has been impressive. He normally sticks to the Hahn Light, but last night had 2 cans of Tooheys New. He also is wearing the pink flipflops I found him. Careful with his money and not the last bit fashion aware. Bish Bash Bosh. One day last weak we tried to buy some pies from an 8-year-old baker. She did not sell pies. Dan had to steal some surgar for his tea. When he went into the McDs at Lakes Entrance there were no other customers. He felt guilty and bought a burger. Which was lucky because he had not got his pie.

It has beem raining all day providing me with an excellent chance to write some stuff down.

Daniel has just left the internet cafe as no computer would work for him. It does not matter as he has been online 3 times today and its only 3pm. He is getting angry. He often gets angry, im trying to get the boy to relax. Anyway, after the Grand prix we spent a day in StKIlda and hired a car. Tuesday and have made our way north. Currently in Manly nuresing a hangover after Dan’s 25th Birthday celebrations last night.

Spent yesturday on manly Beach, Dan had to wear a T-shirt as he got very burnt the day before on Bondi Beach. He blames me for not telling him to put cream on every 5 minutes. Any chance of slimming down has vanished since Howard arrived. The day at Bondi stated with a bacon and egg bap, curry buffet for lunch, when we got back to the hostel there was a free BBQ and then a kebab at 2am.

 We met a couple of English Lads who were Mock the Week Fans and new of Russel. This stopped Dan from complaining for at least 30 minutes.

Stayed in Sydney for 2 days. The nightclub was too noisy on the first night, apperently, and everyone in it was a phoney, bandwagoner with no morals, apperently. Went down to the Harbour on the second night, which was a spectacular sight with the bridge and opera house.

The drive up here was good fun. The roads are so empty and the views are amazeing.

 Our Ford Falcon can really fly, and it runs on Gas making it very economical. Stopped off twice on the way up. Lakes entrance and Batemans Bay, both towns were very small and quite. The highlight would have to have been a guy doing Thai Chi in the common room of the YHA, that was herb overload for Howard. we are going to travel back to melbourne tomorrow, taking the inland highway, hopefully stopping somewhere in the mountains. I let Dan drive the car sometimes, but not in the city.

7 days down in oz. Howard is settleing slowely. He is a hard man to please. Hired a car today, off to Sydney with a few stops on the way. What an adventure! You’d never guess , Dan has a famous comedian brother. He does not really like to talk about it and never spends 2 hours a day on related websites. If you are lucky he might tell you the odd story about Russel.

Do you want to pat my beard? No worries mate.

Sat in an internet cafe somewhere in Singapore. Hope everyone reading this is well, Spring must be on its way, putting a smile on your faces. Thank you for all the comments, even the ones I don’t allow on - my Grandparents read this. You know who you are! Maybe I should put them up to shame you!

Got here at 5 and have spent the eveing cruiseing the CBD. Pretty much the same as KL.

Not real travelling, I miss my 25p beers. First day in KL was ace, so nice to be in civilsation, but now its a bit dull. You dont get the same traveller scenes here, if you do its much more scatterd and no one can afford to do anything any way. The Internet is so quick you cant even waste 2 hours in there waiting for pages to load. Ill take a boat trip of the harbour tomorrow and maybe go to the cinema again, avoiding the temping shops.

On Tuesday morning I wake up in Australia. Game On!

Song Lyric of the Week

I never meant to be so bad to you
One thing I said that I would never do
One look from you and I would fall from grace
And that would wipe this smile right from my faceDo you remember when we used to dance
And incidence arose from circumstance
One thing lead to another we were young
And we would scream together songs unsung

Do you deliver beans and liver?

Where was I? I do believe I was in Nah Trang when I left you last. Did some snorkling there which was very good. I then left the gang I was travelling with and went to Mui Ne on my own. It was very nice there, I spent 2 days reading and relaxing on the beach. Wanted to do some Kite surfing as it was one of the coolest things I’d ever seen. But far to expensive and would take many many hours to be any good.

I reunited with some of the chaps and went to HCMC(Saigon) for 3 days. It was nice to be back in a Big city. We went to the war museum and the CuChi Tunnels. Crawling trough those tunnles scared me stupid!

Got the Bus to Phnom Penh and sent 2 days there. Drunk lots of Anchor Beer and my freind Sam lost his passport. He is still there trying to sort it out at great expense. Went to the killing Fields and a shooting range. Spent a days budget on ammo for an Ak47 and a K54 Takarov.

Not really my cup of tea but its got to be done. My knowledge of the Viet Nam war and genocide in Cambodia has improved. All nasty stuff but some really interesting days out.

Now in Siem Reap. Last night we bumped into Francois and enjoyed many a beer. Did the Ankor temples today.

They really were special. I had got fed up of poeple banging on about all the other temples in others towns like Chang Mai or Hoi Ann. As I pointed out, at the end of the day they were all nothing special in comparison to Salisbury Cathedral. Then I went to Ankor, these temples were awsome! Planning a bike ride to a crocodile farm tomorrow. Then, on Wednesday I leave for KL!

Song Lyric of the week: 

Do you know what you want? you dont know for sure
You dont feel right, you cant find a cure
And youre gettin less than what youre lookin forYou dont have money or a fancy car
And youre tired of wishin on a falling star
You gotta put your faith in a loud guitar

Edit: Pictures from the crocodile farm and my hire bike when the pedal fell off.