Well, I'm writing this last post from the airport in Sydney. Our flight boards in about 20 minutes and before you know it we will back home in sunny Southern California. Nothing too eventful happened in the last couple days, we just explored the city and took it easy. Our skydive got canceled because of wind, so our 5th and final try at it failed as well, Megan and I think its a sign.
Well we should be making our way to the gate so I shall leave you with one last farewell from down under, say see you soon, and g'day...
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
Back in Oz
First and foremost I want to thank the faithful few who still are reading this blog, I know it has been a long and windy trip, and I have fallen behind a few times, but it was always my intention to keep this here site as up-to-date as I possibly could. The adventure is almost at an end, we fly out this Friday, the 20th. I dont know if its felt as fast to you all as it has to us, but fear not, we have a few more adventures coming up!!! Tomorrow morning, at about 9am, I will be waving to you all from 14000 ft (A little goodbye gift I treated myself too)!!!
Just to recap, the last two days in New Zealand, in Christchurch, were calm, uneventful, recovery days that were sorely needed by all of us! We had to say goodbye to three girls we met at the beginning of the trip, it was a sad night, but thats the way it goes in traveling. On the 12th the three of us had flights, but Megan and I had a later flight then Laura did, so we went to the airport with Laura, dropped off our bags, and headed to the the Antarctic Center. The highlight was the simulated antarctic storm, which wasn't that bad, I mean I was wearing shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt, but I guess it was cold for others (Megan was wrapped up like a Christmas present). Thats about all we did in Christchurch, like I said, it was a nice relaxing couple of days.
I shall post at least once more before returning home... so don't give up on me yet!
Just to recap, the last two days in New Zealand, in Christchurch, were calm, uneventful, recovery days that were sorely needed by all of us! We had to say goodbye to three girls we met at the beginning of the trip, it was a sad night, but thats the way it goes in traveling. On the 12th the three of us had flights, but Megan and I had a later flight then Laura did, so we went to the airport with Laura, dropped off our bags, and headed to the the Antarctic Center. The highlight was the simulated antarctic storm, which wasn't that bad, I mean I was wearing shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt, but I guess it was cold for others (Megan was wrapped up like a Christmas present). Thats about all we did in Christchurch, like I said, it was a nice relaxing couple of days.
I shall post at least once more before returning home... so don't give up on me yet!
Sunday, July 8, 2007
The Southern Island
As my last post ended... first stop in this next leg of the journey was Nelson. Nelson is not a very big place, but it is the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park and is surrounded by various wineries, so we naturally spent a few days here. On the new bus we randomly met up with someone we met in Australia while we were on Kangaroo Island, it was a good surprise! So the first full day we were there we decided to do a 4 and a half hour hike through the park, which was beautiful, and a 2 and a half hour kayak back to Nelson. It was quite cold and Megan looked like she was going to ball up into the fetal position at any point and rock back and forth until she either warmed up or passed out. The next day Kerry, our friend from Roo Island, rented a car to go wine tasting and took Megan, Laura, Sam, and Chris with her (I woke up with a headache and figured drinking a lot of wine would most likely be counterproductive). One of the nights the Nelson basketball team won their league championship and we happened to go to the same club they did to celebrate. So that night I got to shake hands with the starting lineup, hug the MVP and say congratulations, and kiss the trophy for good luck!
We left Nelson and headed to Westport with Sam and Chris, Kerry stayed to drink more vino. The weather wasn't very nice in Westport so we were not able to do all to much., Sam and I wanted to go quad-biking, but that didn't happen. We may have lost friends we made on our first bus, but we picked two new ones up pretty quickly... the joys of traveling.
From Westport we headed to Lake Mahinapua to a little hostel attached to a pub in between the lake and the sea on the west coast. The pub is owned by an 84 year old man named Les, who has the distinction of being the oldest pub owner in all of New Zealand. At the pub, the Kiwi bus has a party, since the Kiwi bus is the only visitors to Les' establishment. The party is themed, and the them of ours was a "P"-Party, we all had to be dressed up as something that started with the letter "P". Laura dressed up as Pink (and bore a remarkable resemblence), Megan was a Post-It (she covered her jean skirt with psot-its, wore a yellow t-shirt, and let everybody write notes on her), and I was a putting green (I didn't win the competition, but I got honorable mention and a free jug of beer, so I couldn't be any happier).
From the lake we made our way to the Franz Josef glacier, which is the fastest moving glacier in the world. We had a free day there too so we did a full day glacier hike which covered about 9kms up, down, and around in all directions. It was amazing up on the ice! Its considered a wet/warm glacier because it is nestled in amongst the rain forest, so the contrast between the blue ice and the greenery in the back ground made for an amazing day.
We left Franz Josef and headed to Wanaka, which is a small, quiet town with a population of around 6000 people. It's a ski town in winter and a great fishing spot in the summer (I was told). Plus it is only about an hours drive from Queenstown so many people stay here to avoid the crowds. Though it is usually a quiet place not know for its nightlife, we got in on the Fourth of July, and even though we were traveling with about 10 Brits, we managed to find a club having a 4th party and joined into the festivities!
We are now in Queenstown, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been in in my life. I know I might throw that around a lot, but in the case here, I mean it! Its a ski village with little shops and cafes with a backdrop of snow-covered mountains and beautiful blue lakes. This would be enough to get me to move here for a year or two, but what puts the icing on the cake is the nightlife. At four in the morning it might as well be a Saturday afternoon in a Texan Walmart. Megan and Laura are on the slopes today and I figured it would be a prefect day to catch up with this here blog.
We leave for Christchurch in the morning, will be there for two nights and head to Sydney on the 12th for the final leg of this adventure. I will see you all soon and make you sit through thousands of pictures!!!
We left Nelson and headed to Westport with Sam and Chris, Kerry stayed to drink more vino. The weather wasn't very nice in Westport so we were not able to do all to much., Sam and I wanted to go quad-biking, but that didn't happen. We may have lost friends we made on our first bus, but we picked two new ones up pretty quickly... the joys of traveling.
From Westport we headed to Lake Mahinapua to a little hostel attached to a pub in between the lake and the sea on the west coast. The pub is owned by an 84 year old man named Les, who has the distinction of being the oldest pub owner in all of New Zealand. At the pub, the Kiwi bus has a party, since the Kiwi bus is the only visitors to Les' establishment. The party is themed, and the them of ours was a "P"-Party, we all had to be dressed up as something that started with the letter "P". Laura dressed up as Pink (and bore a remarkable resemblence), Megan was a Post-It (she covered her jean skirt with psot-its, wore a yellow t-shirt, and let everybody write notes on her), and I was a putting green (I didn't win the competition, but I got honorable mention and a free jug of beer, so I couldn't be any happier).
From the lake we made our way to the Franz Josef glacier, which is the fastest moving glacier in the world. We had a free day there too so we did a full day glacier hike which covered about 9kms up, down, and around in all directions. It was amazing up on the ice! Its considered a wet/warm glacier because it is nestled in amongst the rain forest, so the contrast between the blue ice and the greenery in the back ground made for an amazing day.
We left Franz Josef and headed to Wanaka, which is a small, quiet town with a population of around 6000 people. It's a ski town in winter and a great fishing spot in the summer (I was told). Plus it is only about an hours drive from Queenstown so many people stay here to avoid the crowds. Though it is usually a quiet place not know for its nightlife, we got in on the Fourth of July, and even though we were traveling with about 10 Brits, we managed to find a club having a 4th party and joined into the festivities!
We are now in Queenstown, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been in in my life. I know I might throw that around a lot, but in the case here, I mean it! Its a ski village with little shops and cafes with a backdrop of snow-covered mountains and beautiful blue lakes. This would be enough to get me to move here for a year or two, but what puts the icing on the cake is the nightlife. At four in the morning it might as well be a Saturday afternoon in a Texan Walmart. Megan and Laura are on the slopes today and I figured it would be a prefect day to catch up with this here blog.
We leave for Christchurch in the morning, will be there for two nights and head to Sydney on the 12th for the final leg of this adventure. I will see you all soon and make you sit through thousands of pictures!!!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
The Rest of the North Island
So it has been too long since my last post, I know, I know, but we have been doing so much that I haven't had enough time to tie my shoes, let alone go on the internet.
I left you in Taupo as I recall, which were two uneventful days due to weather, but the nights were a different story... but we won't get into that. All I'll say is that the Holy Cow never saw it come'n!
From Taupo we drove to River Valley, which is a little, secluded lodge in the middle of no where. There I played a round of golf at their little pitch and putt that made the Los Feliz course look like Pebble Beach. Megan and Laura rode horses along the river, I was going to, but it had been a while since I cursed the golf gods, I thought it was time to rekindle our old relationship. I came in third, but I came within half a meter of hitting a sheep, which I thought was way more satisfying.
From River Valley we headed to Wellington, the capital city of the Kiwis. We stayed here for two nights, though the first was filled with mixed emotions, half the bus we had become mates with over the past week and a half were leaving the next morning. We stayed out way to late, drank way to much, and parted ways only fitting for the traveling companions. We explored the city the next day... after sleeping in and taking aspirin of course.
Wellington was our last stop in the North Island and the second morning we were on the ferry to start our South Island expedition!
First stop: Nelson...
I left you in Taupo as I recall, which were two uneventful days due to weather, but the nights were a different story... but we won't get into that. All I'll say is that the Holy Cow never saw it come'n!
From Taupo we drove to River Valley, which is a little, secluded lodge in the middle of no where. There I played a round of golf at their little pitch and putt that made the Los Feliz course look like Pebble Beach. Megan and Laura rode horses along the river, I was going to, but it had been a while since I cursed the golf gods, I thought it was time to rekindle our old relationship. I came in third, but I came within half a meter of hitting a sheep, which I thought was way more satisfying.
From River Valley we headed to Wellington, the capital city of the Kiwis. We stayed here for two nights, though the first was filled with mixed emotions, half the bus we had become mates with over the past week and a half were leaving the next morning. We stayed out way to late, drank way to much, and parted ways only fitting for the traveling companions. We explored the city the next day... after sleeping in and taking aspirin of course.
Wellington was our last stop in the North Island and the second morning we were on the ferry to start our South Island expedition!
First stop: Nelson...
Friday, June 22, 2007
Auckland to Taupo
I promised a run down of Auckland, and I do not want to disappoint, so:
1) The city is small, but is big enough to know its a city. Megan and I walked it a few times and again with Laura and we still managed to find new areas to explore.
2) The food is good (nothing like the italian place in Hobart, but then again, not to many places can measure up to that). We found a good Ramen place and a cafe that can fry up some pretty mean bananas.
3) The amount of people out on the weekends exceeds anything I have ever seen before! When I got up at 4 am to pick Laura up at the airport there were more people out then there was at 10 pm the night before! It really was quite a site.
So the hop-on-hop-off bus tour we are on is insane! We have the option to do so many things and partake in so many activities its nuts!
From Auckland we headed to Mercury Bay where we got to dig our own thermal hot pools on the beach. The water was so hot that it turned the bum of an English girl on our trip the color of a ripe tomato (though I cant laugh too hard because my calfs an back were about the same color).
We were then shipped to Rotorua where we got to go ZORBING!!!!!!!!!!! So for those of you who did not google it as I asked, basically what zorbing is a smaller beach ball filled with hot water and people inside a bigger beach ball. The smaller ball is held in the middle of the bigger one with strings. To get into it you have to take a running dive head first straight into the middle of the small ball. You are then zipped up and told to run at one side of the ball (which faces down the hill). You proceed to roll down the hill, boucing around the ball, giggling like a little school girl! The three of us were in one... and Laura got the bright idea to try and stand up and run... which simply ended in her landing straight on my gut as I was trying not to swallow water... but it was totally worth it!!! That night we got to do a whole Mauri culture dinner and a show type thing which I do have to say was one of the most interesting things I have ever seen. We got to learn about the culture and eat lots and lots of food. I would not trade this day for anything!
From Rotorua we headed to Waitomo where we got to go Black Water Rafting. We repelled 50 meters down into a cave, took a zipline even further in, jumped into freezing water, and climbed up two waterfalls to get out. I have never in my life done something so amazing (I do not want to sound redundent, but I'm still at a lose for words)! That was this morning and I still havent recovered.
We are now in Taupo. We got in around 4 this afternoon so we havent done anything yet, but I think we are staying here for 2 days, so I'm sure there will be something!!!
Hope all is well! Cheers!
(Pictures and USB ports are hard to come by... sorry!!!)
1) The city is small, but is big enough to know its a city. Megan and I walked it a few times and again with Laura and we still managed to find new areas to explore.
2) The food is good (nothing like the italian place in Hobart, but then again, not to many places can measure up to that). We found a good Ramen place and a cafe that can fry up some pretty mean bananas.
3) The amount of people out on the weekends exceeds anything I have ever seen before! When I got up at 4 am to pick Laura up at the airport there were more people out then there was at 10 pm the night before! It really was quite a site.
So the hop-on-hop-off bus tour we are on is insane! We have the option to do so many things and partake in so many activities its nuts!
From Auckland we headed to Mercury Bay where we got to dig our own thermal hot pools on the beach. The water was so hot that it turned the bum of an English girl on our trip the color of a ripe tomato (though I cant laugh too hard because my calfs an back were about the same color).
We were then shipped to Rotorua where we got to go ZORBING!!!!!!!!!!! So for those of you who did not google it as I asked, basically what zorbing is a smaller beach ball filled with hot water and people inside a bigger beach ball. The smaller ball is held in the middle of the bigger one with strings. To get into it you have to take a running dive head first straight into the middle of the small ball. You are then zipped up and told to run at one side of the ball (which faces down the hill). You proceed to roll down the hill, boucing around the ball, giggling like a little school girl! The three of us were in one... and Laura got the bright idea to try and stand up and run... which simply ended in her landing straight on my gut as I was trying not to swallow water... but it was totally worth it!!! That night we got to do a whole Mauri culture dinner and a show type thing which I do have to say was one of the most interesting things I have ever seen. We got to learn about the culture and eat lots and lots of food. I would not trade this day for anything!
From Rotorua we headed to Waitomo where we got to go Black Water Rafting. We repelled 50 meters down into a cave, took a zipline even further in, jumped into freezing water, and climbed up two waterfalls to get out. I have never in my life done something so amazing (I do not want to sound redundent, but I'm still at a lose for words)! That was this morning and I still havent recovered.
We are now in Taupo. We got in around 4 this afternoon so we havent done anything yet, but I think we are staying here for 2 days, so I'm sure there will be something!!!
Hope all is well! Cheers!
(Pictures and USB ports are hard to come by... sorry!!!)
Monday, June 18, 2007
Kiwi Itinerary
This will again, sorry to say, be a short post. The bus that will take us south picks us up in 6 minutes, but I wanted to let you all know some of the activities we have planned (and by planned I mean picked up pamphlets and said, "Oh, that looks fun!"):
1) Black Water Rafting
2) Zorbing (Google it!)
3) Glowworm Caves
4) Tongariro Crossing [17 KM hike (oneway) to the top of Mount Doom]
5) Skydiving (?)
6) Jet Boating
7) Canyon Swinging
8) Peddling for change on the streets
Hopefully the next hostel has internet access so we can add some Auckland pictures and I can discribe the city a little more. Until then...
1) Black Water Rafting
2) Zorbing (Google it!)
3) Glowworm Caves
4) Tongariro Crossing [17 KM hike (oneway) to the top of Mount Doom]
5) Skydiving (?)
6) Jet Boating
7) Canyon Swinging
8) Peddling for change on the streets
Hopefully the next hostel has internet access so we can add some Auckland pictures and I can discribe the city a little more. Until then...
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
New Zealand!!!
We made it to New Zealand!!! We are currently in Auckland and plan to head up to the north to play around for a little while... well until Laura arrives and we get to start our move to the south. We have alot of exploring to do and will report back as soon as we find something interesting to report on. We just wanted to let ya'll know that we made it here safe and sound! Over and out...
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Great Ocean Road
Ok, well since Uncle Skip doesn't appriciate the brilliance that is my writting... I will simply list the places Megan and I saw on our Great Ocean Road adventures:
Our Car:
Flagstaff Hill
Cheeseworld!!!
Bay of Islands
Bay of Martyrs
The Grotto
London Bridge
The Arch
Blowhole
Thunder Cave
Lock Ard Gorge
Twelve Apostles
Otway Tree Top Walk (but it was closed when we got there)
Castle Cove
Port Arlington
Well... we have to get up in 7 hours (3am here) to make it to the airport on time to catch our plane to Auckland, so the next time I post it will be from another country!!!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
And she speaks....
Well we are nearing the end of our jounrey here in Australia (we leave for the land of Kiwis on Wednesday), so I thought I would jott down a few of my thoughts on each of the cities that we have been to. I figured you all have only been privy to Ben's point of view, so changing it up a bit would be nice. Anyways Im too lazy to post pictures, and you already get the gist of it from Ben...well here we go in 3...2...1...
Brisbane, Queensland:
Hostel:The first hostel we stayed in, Valley Veranda would have been very nice had it not been for a room mix up, and a sewagey shower. The next hostel, Palace Backpackers was amazing! It was right in the center of town and had a great staff.
The City: The city itself was nice, although it took time to grow on me.
Highlight: the Australian Zoo, they actually let me touch the animals.
Surfer's Paradise:
Hostel: The Islander, nice and we had our own bathroom and shower which is a big plus, great location.
The City: The city is one big tourist resort, very young and very hip. The beach was beautiful, with alot of beautiful people on it, the water on the this side of the Pacific is nicer.
Highlight: Leaving Surfer's for the Hinterlands. Tree top walking is fun, plus rainforests kick ass ( i know my vocab is off the highest quality).
Hobart, Tasmania:
Hostel: Hobart Hostel, great hostel, very small, felt like we were staying at a friend's place.
The City: I absolutely fell in love with the city, it was green and beautiful and never rained during the day, only at night. The only problem was that the city shut down once the sun fell, which was around 4:30...seriously...no one in the streets after 4:30...I think they have a problem with vampires.
Highlight: Our tour to Port Arthur which took us through parts of Tasmania that we otherwise would not have been able to see. Plus there were ruins...i like ruins...therefore i like Port Arthur. And our tour guide was amazing, very personable.
Adelaide, South Australia:
Hostel: Backpack Oz, I thought that Hobart Hostel was great, this one was even better. Everyone would come down to the commons room, which was like one big living room and watch TV or movies together. It had a very homely atmosphere, with alot of young interesting people from all over the world.
The City: The city was perfect, not too small yet not too big, and green! I like green. It rained on us alot, but it wasn't too bad. Adelaide Univeristy is beautiful, and so are the botanical gardens.
Highlight: Making friends and the hostel, and the Barossa Valley Winery Tour. Mom, Dad i got you a bottle of wine....all I have to do is not drink it...
Kangaroo Island, South Australia:
Hostel: Old Farm house converted into bedrooms, kitchen, and living room. Greatest thing ever!
The Island: The Island is absolutely beautiful, so much wild life and beautiful scenery. We got to see some amazing coastlines, crazy rock formations, the Australian Sea Lion, the New Zealand Fur Seal, the Little Penguin, wallabies, kangaroos, and tons of very pretty birds. We also got to go on hikes, explore caves, and just have an all-around good time.
The Highlighht: The whole trip was just one big highlight, but I think the best part was the people we got to experience this with. Our tour guide was so much fun, more like a friend, same with other people on our tour. Since we got to spend three days with them, they became more like friends rather then just people yet another tour. Oh yeah and the food was amazing.
The Great Ocean Road Trip:
Yes, we rented a car, we had some trouble getting out of the city, but once Ben started driving all was better. I never quite got the hang of driving on the other side of the road, and I continually turned on the windshield wipers rather the the turn signal.
Hostel: Nope for three days and two nights there was no hostel, just our car.
The City: We passed through lots of cities, Flagstaff Hill which was a recreation of an 1800s maritime village, tons of crazy rock formations, and beach side towns. Too many to list.
The Highlight: Actually making it to Melbourne in one piece, it was an adventure and quite a fun one too.
Melbourne, Victoria:
Hostel: Urban Central, its big, and new which is nice, but just mostly big.
The City: The city is crazy, it reminds me alot of New York. I'd like to catch a rugby or football match so we will see. We kind of just want to take the next couple of days to just relax since the next leg of our trip is going to be a busy one.
Well, that is it for now, sorry if it was a reiteration of what Ben has already said. We are happy and healthy and excited for the next country. Ok im running out of time...byes!
Brisbane, Queensland:
Hostel:The first hostel we stayed in, Valley Veranda would have been very nice had it not been for a room mix up, and a sewagey shower. The next hostel, Palace Backpackers was amazing! It was right in the center of town and had a great staff.
The City: The city itself was nice, although it took time to grow on me.
Highlight: the Australian Zoo, they actually let me touch the animals.
Surfer's Paradise:
Hostel: The Islander, nice and we had our own bathroom and shower which is a big plus, great location.
The City: The city is one big tourist resort, very young and very hip. The beach was beautiful, with alot of beautiful people on it, the water on the this side of the Pacific is nicer.
Highlight: Leaving Surfer's for the Hinterlands. Tree top walking is fun, plus rainforests kick ass ( i know my vocab is off the highest quality).
Hobart, Tasmania:
Hostel: Hobart Hostel, great hostel, very small, felt like we were staying at a friend's place.
The City: I absolutely fell in love with the city, it was green and beautiful and never rained during the day, only at night. The only problem was that the city shut down once the sun fell, which was around 4:30...seriously...no one in the streets after 4:30...I think they have a problem with vampires.
Highlight: Our tour to Port Arthur which took us through parts of Tasmania that we otherwise would not have been able to see. Plus there were ruins...i like ruins...therefore i like Port Arthur. And our tour guide was amazing, very personable.
Adelaide, South Australia:
Hostel: Backpack Oz, I thought that Hobart Hostel was great, this one was even better. Everyone would come down to the commons room, which was like one big living room and watch TV or movies together. It had a very homely atmosphere, with alot of young interesting people from all over the world.
The City: The city was perfect, not too small yet not too big, and green! I like green. It rained on us alot, but it wasn't too bad. Adelaide Univeristy is beautiful, and so are the botanical gardens.
Highlight: Making friends and the hostel, and the Barossa Valley Winery Tour. Mom, Dad i got you a bottle of wine....all I have to do is not drink it...
Kangaroo Island, South Australia:
Hostel: Old Farm house converted into bedrooms, kitchen, and living room. Greatest thing ever!
The Island: The Island is absolutely beautiful, so much wild life and beautiful scenery. We got to see some amazing coastlines, crazy rock formations, the Australian Sea Lion, the New Zealand Fur Seal, the Little Penguin, wallabies, kangaroos, and tons of very pretty birds. We also got to go on hikes, explore caves, and just have an all-around good time.
The Highlighht: The whole trip was just one big highlight, but I think the best part was the people we got to experience this with. Our tour guide was so much fun, more like a friend, same with other people on our tour. Since we got to spend three days with them, they became more like friends rather then just people yet another tour. Oh yeah and the food was amazing.
The Great Ocean Road Trip:
Yes, we rented a car, we had some trouble getting out of the city, but once Ben started driving all was better. I never quite got the hang of driving on the other side of the road, and I continually turned on the windshield wipers rather the the turn signal.
Hostel: Nope for three days and two nights there was no hostel, just our car.
The City: We passed through lots of cities, Flagstaff Hill which was a recreation of an 1800s maritime village, tons of crazy rock formations, and beach side towns. Too many to list.
The Highlight: Actually making it to Melbourne in one piece, it was an adventure and quite a fun one too.
Melbourne, Victoria:
Hostel: Urban Central, its big, and new which is nice, but just mostly big.
The City: The city is crazy, it reminds me alot of New York. I'd like to catch a rugby or football match so we will see. We kind of just want to take the next couple of days to just relax since the next leg of our trip is going to be a busy one.
Well, that is it for now, sorry if it was a reiteration of what Ben has already said. We are happy and healthy and excited for the next country. Ok im running out of time...byes!
South Australia Pictures!
This is the University of Adelaide... I want to take some classes there!
Here are some Barossa Valley and wine tasting pictures...
Here are some pictures of the Botanical Gardens we got stuck in:
This was a weird "fountain-type" thing that warrented a picture... with my feet...
Here are some Barossa Valley and wine tasting pictures...
Vinecrest was the best winery we went too!
And in the Barossa Valley is the biggest rocking horse in the world:
And a picture of the valley itself:
And now... Kangaroo Island... the highlight of the trip so far:
On our way to the boat...
On the boat...
On the island we saw a sea lion colonies, roos and wallabies, and some Remarkable Rocks:
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Adelaide and Kangaroo Island
Ok Folks, for those who havn't given up on us yet, here is a brand new stink'n post!
Right now we are in a hostel in Adelaide, trying to figure out how to make it back to Melbourne... we might rent a camper!!! So what has happened since the last post... let me try and remember:
So from Tassie we flew to Melbourne and arrived at 7:10AM... before anything was open. We grabed as many flyers as we could and tried to figure out where to go. We knew that we wanted to end up in Adelaide, but had no idea how to get there. We walked over to the international terminal and talked to the information booth there, got some numbers, and called a few train companies to get an idea on how much and how long. We were told that we had missed the last train/coach for the day and would have to wait till the next morning. We went online to try and see if we could be reserve a seat f0r the morning train and saw that there was one train leaving in half an hour which the lady on the telephone decided not to tell us about... so we ran! We ran to the airport shuttle... waited for what seemed like the longest 20 minutes of my life on the shuttle... then ran up to the train platform to see our train steaming off... Long story short we ended up taking an overnight Greyhound to Adelaide (worst idea ever!).
I would like to say that our little adventure ended there... but oh no, that would be to easy. We got into Adelaide at 5:00 am the next morning... with no place to stay... and nothing open... Again, we grabed as many flyers as we could and started figuring out where to stay. We called about 4 hostels until one picked up. They had a room! And picked us up! Not only that, they didnt charge us for that night and let us check in and sleep right away! So it was a crazy 36 hours... but it was a happy ending.
We love Adelaide! Its so green... yet its also a city... its fun to explore. We spent two days just walking around and finding interesting places. The Botanical Gardens were pretty cool, though we had to see it in stages, hiding under big trees as the heavens opened and closed. We did a day tour of the Barossa Valley and got to taste wines at four different wineries... though three before lunch had Megan "very happy". And I do not know if you are checking this Brenda, but the Shirazes are amazing! The best Shiraz we tasted was from a small winery, Vinecrest, and I bought a bottle. They also had a Soft and Sweet Shiraz which was very good, Megan got a bottle of that. And for lunch I had kangaroo! I thought it was really good, but Megan didnt like it. She didnt like the sauce either, so if I order it again it might be different.
The past three days we have been at Kangaroo Island camping in a farm...there was no cell service and obviousle no internet access. The island was so cool and the guide was very knowledable and entertaining. We got to see alot of wild life... most of which ran across the street in front of the 4WD. We saw seals and penguins... I got close to one, but people were watching so I couldn't take it with me... maybe in NZ.
So now I have to get back to trying to figure out how to get back to Melbourne... wish us luck!!!
P.S. This hostel doesnt have USB ports for pictures, so the will be added in Melbourne... once we get there...
Right now we are in a hostel in Adelaide, trying to figure out how to make it back to Melbourne... we might rent a camper!!! So what has happened since the last post... let me try and remember:
So from Tassie we flew to Melbourne and arrived at 7:10AM... before anything was open. We grabed as many flyers as we could and tried to figure out where to go. We knew that we wanted to end up in Adelaide, but had no idea how to get there. We walked over to the international terminal and talked to the information booth there, got some numbers, and called a few train companies to get an idea on how much and how long. We were told that we had missed the last train/coach for the day and would have to wait till the next morning. We went online to try and see if we could be reserve a seat f0r the morning train and saw that there was one train leaving in half an hour which the lady on the telephone decided not to tell us about... so we ran! We ran to the airport shuttle... waited for what seemed like the longest 20 minutes of my life on the shuttle... then ran up to the train platform to see our train steaming off... Long story short we ended up taking an overnight Greyhound to Adelaide (worst idea ever!).
I would like to say that our little adventure ended there... but oh no, that would be to easy. We got into Adelaide at 5:00 am the next morning... with no place to stay... and nothing open... Again, we grabed as many flyers as we could and started figuring out where to stay. We called about 4 hostels until one picked up. They had a room! And picked us up! Not only that, they didnt charge us for that night and let us check in and sleep right away! So it was a crazy 36 hours... but it was a happy ending.
We love Adelaide! Its so green... yet its also a city... its fun to explore. We spent two days just walking around and finding interesting places. The Botanical Gardens were pretty cool, though we had to see it in stages, hiding under big trees as the heavens opened and closed. We did a day tour of the Barossa Valley and got to taste wines at four different wineries... though three before lunch had Megan "very happy". And I do not know if you are checking this Brenda, but the Shirazes are amazing! The best Shiraz we tasted was from a small winery, Vinecrest, and I bought a bottle. They also had a Soft and Sweet Shiraz which was very good, Megan got a bottle of that. And for lunch I had kangaroo! I thought it was really good, but Megan didnt like it. She didnt like the sauce either, so if I order it again it might be different.
The past three days we have been at Kangaroo Island camping in a farm...there was no cell service and obviousle no internet access. The island was so cool and the guide was very knowledable and entertaining. We got to see alot of wild life... most of which ran across the street in front of the 4WD. We saw seals and penguins... I got close to one, but people were watching so I couldn't take it with me... maybe in NZ.
So now I have to get back to trying to figure out how to get back to Melbourne... wish us luck!!!
P.S. This hostel doesnt have USB ports for pictures, so the will be added in Melbourne... once we get there...
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Tassie and Pictures!!!
Ok, so Megan and I have come to the conclusion that Tasmania is one of the sweetest places in the world! Today is our last day here, so we're pretty bummed, but we've done a lot!
The first day here we went to another brewery (the picture on the left), the Cascade Brewery. It was real interesting to hear their take on beer and how they make it. They have a real good amber ale and a great stout. I've come to the conclusion that I'm a stout man, I love the darker, roasted beers.
Yesterday we took a tour to Port Arthur and Richmond. Both places were interesting. Richmond is one of the oldest towns in Australia and looks like an old English village (They have a good bakery!). They have the oldest bridge in Oz also, built in about 1823.
Our tour guide, Mark. was the best I've ever had in my life! He knew more then a person should! We found out this is because when his kid was a baby he had nothing to do at night, so he's read the Lonely Planet books from cover to cover. thats a picture of him down next to the bridge.
Port Arthur was amazing too! This is one of the oldest penitentiaries in Australia and was where the worst of the worst were sent. It was hard to believe that it was such a bad place to be... its beautiful there now!
Ok, well here are some pictures that I promised people. I took some pictures of metal sculptures for you Skip:
And for you Megan, a surfer on the Gold Coast at Surfer's Paradise:
We have to be ready at 4:45am tomorrow and head to the airport... so I shall talk to y'all later!!!
The first day here we went to another brewery (the picture on the left), the Cascade Brewery. It was real interesting to hear their take on beer and how they make it. They have a real good amber ale and a great stout. I've come to the conclusion that I'm a stout man, I love the darker, roasted beers.
Yesterday we took a tour to Port Arthur and Richmond. Both places were interesting. Richmond is one of the oldest towns in Australia and looks like an old English village (They have a good bakery!). They have the oldest bridge in Oz also, built in about 1823.
Our tour guide, Mark. was the best I've ever had in my life! He knew more then a person should! We found out this is because when his kid was a baby he had nothing to do at night, so he's read the Lonely Planet books from cover to cover. thats a picture of him down next to the bridge.
Port Arthur was amazing too! This is one of the oldest penitentiaries in Australia and was where the worst of the worst were sent. It was hard to believe that it was such a bad place to be... its beautiful there now!
Ok, well here are some pictures that I promised people. I took some pictures of metal sculptures for you Skip:
And for you Megan, a surfer on the Gold Coast at Surfer's Paradise:
We have to be ready at 4:45am tomorrow and head to the airport... so I shall talk to y'all later!!!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Ok... Sorry...
Ok... so this Internet Cafe is expenisve... and isn't letting me add pictures... so give me till tomorrow... and I'll try to get some up! Sorry!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise
I put my feet in the Pacific Ocean!!! Can you believe it?!?
...yea, it was about as exciting as it sounds, but I did get to stare at some very attractive Aussies, which was definitely worth the time I spent turning pink in the sun. The beaches here at Surfers Paradise are pretty nice: dark blue water, waves the size of me, and did I mention the gorgeous Aussies?
We pretty much just laid out at the beach yesterday and explored the very busy, very tourist-oriented boardwalk they have. We found a Mexican restaurant, and I'd been craving enchiladas ever since I learned about the echidnas at the Australia Zoo (the words are too similar if you ask me, and naturally my brain is going to jump toward the one involved with food). After dinner we got gelato... because nothing goes together better than Mexican and gelato!
Today we took a tour of the Hinterland and the rain forest region of the Gold Coast. We first stopped at an alpaca farm (another animal I have to try and steal) and then went to Lamington National Park and did a tree top walk up in the rain forest canopy. One of the trees had a ladder bolted into it and at the top a small observation deck (barely big enough for me, let alone Megan and I). The views up at the top were amazing! After that, the tour took up to a few more interesting places, a little town in which we ate too much fudge and washed it down tasting different wines, and a small waterfall (getting to which helped up burn off the fudge).
And I am sorry I have no pictures, but I left my camera cord up in the room, and do not have enough time to go get it... I promise more tomorrow!
We leave for Hobart in the morning, so the next post will be in Tassie!
...yea, it was about as exciting as it sounds, but I did get to stare at some very attractive Aussies, which was definitely worth the time I spent turning pink in the sun. The beaches here at Surfers Paradise are pretty nice: dark blue water, waves the size of me, and did I mention the gorgeous Aussies?
We pretty much just laid out at the beach yesterday and explored the very busy, very tourist-oriented boardwalk they have. We found a Mexican restaurant, and I'd been craving enchiladas ever since I learned about the echidnas at the Australia Zoo (the words are too similar if you ask me, and naturally my brain is going to jump toward the one involved with food). After dinner we got gelato... because nothing goes together better than Mexican and gelato!
Today we took a tour of the Hinterland and the rain forest region of the Gold Coast. We first stopped at an alpaca farm (another animal I have to try and steal) and then went to Lamington National Park and did a tree top walk up in the rain forest canopy. One of the trees had a ladder bolted into it and at the top a small observation deck (barely big enough for me, let alone Megan and I). The views up at the top were amazing! After that, the tour took up to a few more interesting places, a little town in which we ate too much fudge and washed it down tasting different wines, and a small waterfall (getting to which helped up burn off the fudge).
And I am sorry I have no pictures, but I left my camera cord up in the room, and do not have enough time to go get it... I promise more tomorrow!
We leave for Hobart in the morning, so the next post will be in Tassie!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Koala Sanctuary and XXXX Brewery & Alehouse
So on our last full day here in Brisbane we decided that we needed to cuddle some koalas and drink Queensland's finest.
Lone Pine is the worlds first and largest koala sanctuary. They are pretty famous as well with pictures of numerous celebrities who have held their koalas (Oh, and Mark, they had the original picture of the Pope holding the koala that you keep in your wallet... I thought that was pretty funny).
The koala we got to hold was named Dudley... he was an old fella. Because I took pictures of Megan and she took pictures of me, I only have pictures of her with Dudley... but she has a lot of me with our little friend.
After Lone Pine, we had a tour of the famous XXXX Brewery, serving Queensland's finest with Queensland's finest since the 1800's. The tour talked about beer wars between the states in the early 19th Century and was really interesting. The tour let out into the Alehouse, where we got to sample four beers! So last night our dinner consisted of potato wedges and beer... I think this has been a very good trip so far!!!
Right after I post this we are going to checkout and head down to the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise (So Megan, I will try and see what I can do about your gift...).
Thanks for sticking with me after the few days of nothing, I'll try and get better... G'DAY!
The koala we got to hold was named Dudley... he was an old fella. Because I took pictures of Megan and she took pictures of me, I only have pictures of her with Dudley... but she has a lot of me with our little friend.
Right after I post this we are going to checkout and head down to the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise (So Megan, I will try and see what I can do about your gift...).
Thanks for sticking with me after the few days of nothing, I'll try and get better... G'DAY!
Australia Zoo
To try and organize what we've done so far, I'm breaking up the days in three separate posts...
OK, so on Thursday here (Weds for people back in the states), we went to the Australian Zoo!!! (Home of the Croc Hunter!). It was sweeeeeeeeeeeet! Not only did we get to see a lot of animals native to Oz, we got to feed them too! We made friends with different Roos! The one you see here was quite lazy... so we got along immediately.
Megan made friends with some Roos as well, though when she tried to name them, her
creative genius left her... Lets see there was Little Roo, Big Roo, and Old Roo (though that was quickly changed to Yoda because he looked old and wise.)
Though the Roos were probably the highlight of the trip, the other animals were cool as well... I now want a wombat.
Megan made friends with some Roos as well, though when she tried to name them, her
Though the Roos were probably the highlight of the trip, the other animals were cool as well... I now want a wombat.
Finally Posting in Brisbane!!!
The customs line in the Brisbane airport was fairly long, but it moved pretty quickly. We made it through without any problems and were able to keep the cookies that we did not finish on the flight.
We found our way to the hostel, with a little help from an information desk, dropped off our bags and went for a walk around the city. We some how stumbled upon the Roma Street Parkland, which has a huge garden and an even bigger lake. We hung out there for a while and walked around taking pictures of the flowers and tropical plants.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Itinerary
Well I cant think of anything better for the first post then the itinerary. Not only does it set the tone for the whole entire trip... now I dont have to try and remember exact times when people ask! So, without further ado, the important stuff:
Monday, May 21
Depart: Los Angeles 11:20 pm
Wednesday, May 23
Arrive: Brisbane 6:05 am
Monday, May 28
Depart: Brisbane 12:15 pm
Arrive: Hobart 4:10 pm
Friday, June 1
Depart: Hobart 6:05 am
Arrive: Melbourne 7:15 am
Wednesday, June 13
Depart: Melbourne 7:15 am
Arrive: Auckland 12:45 pm
Saturday, July 7
Depart: Christchurch 6:05 pm
Arrive: Sydney 7:25 pm
Friday, July 13
Departs: Sydney 9:05 am
Arrives: Los Angeles 6:05 am
Monday, May 21
Depart: Los Angeles 11:20 pm
Wednesday, May 23
Arrive: Brisbane 6:05 am
Monday, May 28
Depart: Brisbane 12:15 pm
Arrive: Hobart 4:10 pm
Friday, June 1
Depart: Hobart 6:05 am
Arrive: Melbourne 7:15 am
Wednesday, June 13
Depart: Melbourne 7:15 am
Arrive: Auckland 12:45 pm
Saturday, July 7
Depart: Christchurch 6:05 pm
Arrive: Sydney 7:25 pm
Friday, July 13
Departs: Sydney 9:05 am
Arrives: Los Angeles 6:05 am
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