Queenstown

Around the World Trip: New Zealand, South Island

I’m already on my last day in NZ. Could have done with a couple more weeks, but it’s getting cold now so I’m looking forward to Fiji next. NZ has been as picturesque as I had been told but unfortunately I’ve had to miss out on some of it due to time and money constraints. I will miss the amusing Kiwi habits of ending every sentence with “Eh?” pronouncing ‘I’ and ‘E’ the wrong way round, saying “Choice”, “Sweet as…” and “Too easy” (meaning “Okay – that’s good”) plus being every bloke’s “Bro” as I didn’t realise that I had relatives here.

So, the south island exploits… I continued south with a couple of Yorkshire lads, both called Dave, that I had been travelling with on the ‘Magic’ bus since Rotorua. They had saved enough money working overtime down the pits to treat themselves to a holiday (just kidding). The Magic bus network is a backpackers’ bus service that takes you to places of interest that you wanted to go to, didn’t know you wanted to go to or definitely didn’t want to go to, thus creating long trips out of supposedly short ones, especially seeing as the bus keeps stopping for a ‘break’ every 45 minutes.

Continue reading →

The Skytower, Auckland

Around the World Trip: New Zealand, North Island

Lake McKenzie - Fraser Island

Around the World Trip: East Coast Oz (part 2)

In my last post I had just ditched the Irish bloke (only joking Paul) and I was looking forward to an adventure-packed last couple of weeks in Oz. I headed up to Hervey Bay in readiness for a trip to Fraser Island the next day. Didn’t think much of HB and my hostel was in the middle of nowhere (1 1/2 hours walk to centre!), so I was glad to only be there for one night. When I arrived I headed down to the beach and, relaxing with a deep sigh, wondered what FI would be like as I gazed out to sea, past the drainage outlet pipes, listening to the hypnotic sound of the breaking waves, and gurgling of passing drain water…

FI (the world’s largest sand island) is one place that has to been seen to be believed. It has rainforest, sand dunes, stunning clear lakes, long beaches and plentiful wildlife. You can swim there too, if you don’t mind seeing jellyfish and man-eating sharks from the bottom of the ocean as you are dragged down in the undertow. Continue reading →

Around the World Trip: East Coast Oz (part 1)

Wednesday 16th February

My last post left me flying to Australia with high hopes but not really knowing what to expect. What I have seen so far makes me love this country! For a start, being in a similar culture is a relief after failing to blend in to surroundings somewhat in Thailand due to the obvious physical limitations! Also the people have been friendly and the scenery stunning (not just on Bondi Beach!).

On arrival in Sydney I had just missed a rain shower (yes! – still no rain since early January) and guess what? My hostel was both well situated and a decent place to stay! At last. So after struggling to really meet people in Thailand, it was the other extreme and motormouth time as I repeated the same things to countless numbers of people whilst forgetting everything they said, before burning myself out and crashing out in my bunk! Continue reading →

A Singapore Sling cocktail

Around the World Trip: Singapore

Despite the many hassles, I was sad to leave Thailand, so as I went to the airport and paid the departure tax (work that one out – if you don’t pay you can’t leave?!), I left a little piece of my heart, and a layer of skin (post sunburn) in the land of smiling faces.

The short flight to Singapore was pretty empty, so I could stretch out and enjoy the spectacular views of the hundreds of ships passing through the straits as we came in to land. Hotel Orchid 81 was the place of residence for Stewie JT 29, a hotel that holds the world record for the smallest rooms… probably. Following the common theme of my stay in Asia, the hotel was not close to anything, although the public transport system is efficient and cheap so it was no big deal this time… except that my hotel was in Geylang (the red light district). Continue reading →

Tsunami damage in Krabi

Around the World Trip: Thailand (part 4)

Last post, I’d just spent my first night in Lamai. The second day and night passed quietly. The resort is mainly for older couples, plus it does seem to be affected by people cancelling their holiday to Thailand – a complete over-reaction seeing as the tsunami hit the other coast! On my final day I decided to try a Thai massage that, for those who don’t know, basically involves the masseur twisting, contorting and stretching the victim’s body (who at this point is trying to remember where he has put his insurance details), plus occasionally kneeing or elbowing at various strategic points and sometimes cupping the balls (not sure if she meant that!). Probably should have gone for the safe bet of oil massage instead. Continue reading →

The steps up to Doi Sethup temple

Around the World Trip: Thailand (part 3)

So after the trip to Chiang Rai etc. the day before (I forgot to mention, the guide’s name was Ping Pong!), I had one thing left to do in Chiang Mai – visit the Doi Suthep temple, halfway up a mountain 10km outside of town. So despite having a dodgy stomach (I’m surprised it took this long!) I haggled a reasonable price with a taxi driver and began the journey along the winding roads. I’d heard good things about this place, otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered in the heat and with my ‘condition’.

Upon arrival I was met with the sight of 300+ steps to the top and wondered if I could make it. But being told that the toilet was at the top was like a carrot to a donkey Continue reading →