31st January, Bula Bula!

After a hard night of trying to sleep early (after a few ‘goodbye’ beers with A couple of canadians) it never really happnned and only really got 1 hours sleep, I  finally made it to Nadi, Fiji. No probs at immigration and welcomed by local fujians singing songs as you pass immigration which was great – made it feel like even more of a holiday…

Got to the hostel fine, and there was no sign odf any military coup’s going on. I loved it from the word go as its sooo good to get back to palm trees, dirt track roads and glorious sunshine. Hostel was good, swimming pool etc. Got chatting to a lonely German girl and we decided to brave it into the main town where it was a little like the khaosan road (bangkok) and all the selling etc. We got dragged into a ‘village shop’ by this camp fujian guy. Maria the German girl thought it would be funny to pretend to be on our honeymoon so when we got the shop we had this whole ceromony drinking what’s called Cava and clapping alot. Makes your mouth go numb and really mellows you out. They then tried to sell us various sculptures and have our names engraved on them and also various trinkets for our ‘house’…  Yep I know I’m a fast mover…! It was an experience I can tell you.

Me and the ‘Wife’, Marie.

The day was spent by the pool and made a big group of friends for a meal and a few drinks in the evening. It was an absoloute shambles. We all went to Nando’s and as most were young brits (about 15 of us) all had a few trying to make food orders and drinks was a nightmare. We had the whole restaUrant to ourselves and the manager had to come down….

I was told it would be better to bring your own booze to the islands  but it was already too late for me so I made negotiaitions with a guy from London to buy his a 1/2 litre of Vodka for fJ$20 thinking it would last 3 days.

Sealing the deal…Bargain.

30th January, last day

Finally had a chance to update the site. There are a fair few pics but not as many as I would like to put up, I will be doing a seperate page for more shinanigans in Newzealand when I get back which is only about a month and a half from now. Its all very sad. Scroll down and enjoy, I know I did!

The Pictures look pretty distorted as I re-sized them, your probably better of clicking on the images for a proper pic.

30th January, Burst pipe

Back in Auckland and I just feel like sleeping. Been wondering around the city in the blistering sunshine. GOt back to cook some beans on toast and the bloody toaster is broken. Then the bloody kitchen starts to get flooded. Anyway, I’m actually feeling ready to get outta here and on to fiji now. No disrespect to NZ – I’ve had a an awesome time here and I’ll miss the ’sweet as bro’ and the spectacular views. I’ll be back to explore the rest of the south island next trip just like oz.

No pics here as i havn’t had a chance to go through them – Apologies!

January 26th, whooa there…

 

In Wellington Harbourside enjoying some beers on arrival.  

Just been chilling out and finally had a day off the booze. Hopefully get another day off too but who knows. It’s pretty relaxed here and not as ‘concrete’ as Auckland. Finally had an indian meal which was amazing, big group of us for final goodbyes for our short-lived friendships. Blair, this canadian kid (18) was bigging up how hot he loved his curries and said to the owner it wasn’t hot enough. So he brought out the chilli and he had about 3 extra tablespoons on. I tried a little speck on my little finger – it still hurts a little now. He was in tears. It was hilarious. Bet he had fun in the morning….

So just waiting for laundry then a big hearty meal of beans on toast. Its great backing packing again. I fly out on wednesday to Fiji but hearing loads of different stories about not being able to get into the country because of this military coup thing but really need to check out what the official situation is really. My flight is like 720am, I might have to do another all nighter just like when I was in cairns….

I was strangely awoken at about 430am this morning, thought there was an earthquake (as they do get them here) but no. I was on the top bunk and thic canadian guy below obviously got lucky. There was no way I could sleep through it I felt like cheering at the end…

 

Me and Ellie, Fun with Cannons…

Graham (funnily enough from Maidenhead!), More fun with Cannons – You can never have enough fun!

“I can see the Pub from here…!”

More Camp action. Not my fault…

‘Madam the Matron whiplash’ (Val) and Ellie.

Ellie doing her ‘Hello my names jay jay’ Whilst squashing my cheeks. What is it and my cheeks. Apparently they are very ’squashable’.

A very gay building indeed in Wellington.

 

Getting attacked by something out of ‘War of the Worlds’. It was the last thing I saw before I blacked out…

23rd January, The Crossing

Our tour bus ‘pip’.

So after a hefty nght out again dancing to the medley of’Grease lightning’and knocking back shots of god knows what, had a relaxing day just chilling and lying in. Got some ludicrously pirced moisturiser for about $45 – yes my face started to peel alittle! got a haircut and realised I’d left my hiking/walking shoes on the last stray bus along with my sleeping bag. So I had to write those off and shopf for another pair of ‘merrels’ $240 later. If I got my shit together I could have done that sky dive instead.

Amazing. Finally had a day off from the booze, and a couple  us went to the lake Taupo for a late swim watchinbg this comet and trying to warm up in the freezing cold lake. All ready for this tongoraro crossing, which takes about 7hours and is suppossed to be pretty exhausting – but after the Hua-shan in in Xian – ‘physically and psychologically challanging’ so this should be a stroll. Giddy up! Next stop the national park so ‘ll chill0ut and spend a couple of days there I there I think, bit of tranquility.

Too much laughter and a foot:
So very dissapointingly the weather turned for the worst and and wentr for a smaller walk around some water falls and did a quick point and click sesh of the location where they filmed golam’s fish
scene.

Anyway, instead went straight to the hostel in the National park which is amazing. In the middle of pretty much nowhere. So at the moment just sat by the fire and immediate laughter ensued involving a girl called val’s foot. I’m not even going to bother, Beat her at geeky chess though.

The spot where they filmed Golam playing with that fish.

  

(Click to enlarge)Various pics on the shorter walk, I forget the place but it would have been a lot better if there was clearer skies.

Night out on the beer express – get those thumbs out…

Me and Aoefa an Irish lass(effa), Extreme ‘yager’ bombs – first introduced to me in Sydney. Now my favorite shot.

The Hostel lounge area at national park. It was by far the best complete with log fire in the centre and not busy at all.

‘Baron Von Larss’. He looks like a younger version of that bad guy in Ghostbusters II. There;s something not quite right with eyebrows like that…

23rd January, Extreme!

Its been a great couple of days and Currently in Taipo. Yesterday was extreme. From Raglan went to the Waitomo caves to do some caving involving abseiling down short waterfalls and a couple of huge drops and some ‘vietnam way’ on the floor crawling though tiny holes. Later that afternoon was some ‘zorbing’ – involving getting into a big hollow ball filled with water down a hill. It was a good ‘icebreaker’ as I did it with two other girls who had just joined our ‘party-bus’. So lots of rolling around on top of each other…

Again a backpacker bar oozing with drunk people but funilly mostly locals knocking back cheap drink and more people getting to know each other more intimately.

Couple of funny stories about geography with ‘team america’. ” So what’s the captial of Germany?” asks one guy. ” uhh, Prague?!”
“Alright hows about ‘n’wasy one. Whats the capital of England”. After a short pause, ” Oh, oh I know this one! Umm, er…. Give us the first letter……Is it erm, Dublin?”. ” So have you been to Madrid, do you know where that is?”. No puase this time. “Isn’t that somewhere in India?. Team ameerica (as we coined them) where hilarious. two girls from California. I thought my geography was bad!…
This morning just took it easy and did a ‘cultural tour’ through a maori village this morning. Others went white water rafting but it looked no way as extreme as my experience in cairns in 2 man boats as oppossed to the 6 man here – my shoulder is still not 100%…

We all had to say goodbye to borat which was very touching, but picked up this canadian guy and his gnome companion which he had stolen from a neighbours yard and taking pictures of it around the world before returning it… We’ve got a right bunch.

Booked in for 2 days so taking it easy tommorow and doing this hardcore trek for 7 hours – some crossing but that should be a laff and a good bit of excercise and of course a great photo (thumb) opportunity. Right i’m off to the bar to sort out some kai (food).

The extreme caving/abseiling group. Check out the thumbs.

Extreme at the Waitomo caves -’Haggas Honking caves’

Zorbing just after the caves. See background. Check out Borat – ‘He likes’!

Wiping ourselves off. So much fun. Like I said great ‘icebreaker’…

Kiaora! Newzealand, Auckland 19th January

What a rush! So good to get back in the backpacking thing again. Got to auckland airport all in good time and good form considering the night before and intending to go out for ‘a couple’. Al ‘the machine’ came out and persuaded us to go to scruffies….

Anywho at customs got asked about what I was doing in NZ which caught me of gaurd and I basically said I was backpacking. Then she asked me for specifics, and I was like ‘ I dunno really’. Which I didn’t. So after she finally stamped my passport through I headed for a bookshop and got the classic lonely planet.

Got to the city after about an hour an a half (stuck in traffic) and find out at the hostel called base (no clue where it was. Mike recommended it before I left – Giddy up!) and found out there was no accomodation anywhere as there was a huge music festival ‘big day out’ going on. I was able to get a room for the night so quickly thought I’d better get outta here. So in the space of about 10mins (before the tour shop closed) I managed to book a tour round pretty much of the north island with a 750am (2 hours ahead from oz) pickup. I felt pretty smug considering I’d sorted it all out in about 20mins.

I spent the evening down the harbourside viaduct with this girl called pip from christchurch who I had just met in the dorm having a few glasses of wine and admiring the boats at the harbour. Which doesn’t really compare to Darling or circular quay but its all good nonetheless. Went to hostel bar and watch crazy backpackers dance to ‘MC hammer’. My memory slipped at the bar as the barmen asks ‘ What can i get you?’ I reply with ‘Hi, yeah, Give me something really Aussie.’ forgetting I was in newzealand. He didn’t look best pleased but I guess he knew what I meant. Pip found it hilarious. You had to be there….

So next morning I jumped on the backpackers tour bus and headed north east to a place called Hahei. Nice little campsite resorty place. Amazing beaches and the scenery is great. Its good to get out hte city and concrete. Auckland was a bit to city like for me. I just slept on the beach for a few hours and headed back for a barbie with the rest of the backpackers. We are getting on very well, funny bunch of europeans, canadians and americans, oh and not forgetting the Brits. And a guy who looks exactly like borat which has us in stitches all the time.

At a place called Raglan now after a 4-5 hour bus trip, broken up of course, to surfers paradise.

Like I said its great being a backpacker again, and its great to be meeting loads of new people again and getting some more Thumb pictures.

(To the team back in sydney – Miss you all guys! I bet your all missing the A221’s & A214’s… I ‘m sure your coping without me and hopefully giving your liver a bit of a rest….Giddy up!)

Just outside of Auckland. Nice view…

The Cows are loving it too! I’m sure she’s giving me the eye!

Getting back to nature.

Amazing views of the beach just outside Hahei.

Some of the group. Part of team america on the right of the girl in red.

 

The world map in cards. Refer to the ‘Team america’ story of bad geography.

16th January, New years & time to move on…

So that’s my lot in sydney. Its been a whale of a time. Its been good to settle down and really get to know the place rather than fly in for a few days and and just skim the surface. What can I say to some it up…?

The last 6 months have flown by and seem a bit of a blur – hmmm… I wonder why?!! Been good to get some freelance experiance here but not too much as it was getting all a bit much for a couple of months. Its been good meeting so many different people from all kind of background. I’ve never been asked ‘are you gay?’ as many times as here but it happens to any guy here.

Here’s a strange thing. It has taken me well over an hour to pack my stuff. I recall in thailand i had no problems. Its not as if I have bought any thing, okay, about 3 new shirts but thats it. I don’t get it, it really is bulging and wieighs a ton! Oh well back to a filthy backpacker – Love it!

I am looking foward to moving on now, sorted my tickets for Cancun and flights in the states but I am really looking foward to a change of pace, more sight seeing, meeting more crazy people whom always seem to be irish and more dangerous activities….

Had a farewel lunch today with Mike, Steve and Susie. Ate far too much but havn’t needed to eat again! Ever! But alas, meeting up with a few people tonight for a farewell drink. Just an orange juice for me. My liver can’t take it anymore…

Hopefully there’ll be more exciting stories of courage and bravery as oppossed going to work & going out. There really hasn’t been many funny stories of late but I guess thats the city for you. Still sad though, especially wondering around today at the first few places I went to when I got here on the 10th of August.

Onwards and upwards….

Here’s a couple of shots of the fireworks on NY. Went to our friends Mirna’s appartment just over the brisge on the north side and later before it all kicked off, walked down to her flatmate’s work where they had a barbie, terrace and nice views of the fireworks. I dropped my obligatory (plastic) glass of moet at 12am – all too exciting…! We then had to fight the crowds to get back. I’ve never seen soo many people but i guess its just like london at new years.

My last time by the harbour. Had the day off so we decided to enjoy the good weather. Typical though, just as I am leaving the weather has been awesome. Apparently its going to be about 37 tommorow. Oh well. Here’s to sydney!

Xmas Festivities!

Xmas has finally come and gone. Its the day after boxing day and I am still feeling shattered from the last few days. The run up to xmas was good, started getting a bit more xmassy in the streets, bit more of the music playing throughout and artificial trees in most places so it wasn’t all the that bad.

So the run up started with more beaching and chilling on the beach – photos directly below show Steve’s rather unorthodox approach to reverse parking – not even inside the bay. Anway had to be there really as with most things.

Xmas festivities at work so that was all good, a nice half an hours break after break…

A night out with Jen, Matt and co’. Good to get the thumbs out again, didn’t even have to prompt matt.

Our work xmas do at a bowles club somewhere, bit of a rubbish venue as there was no music but the bowles was different and there was a free bar so…

Not really going to go into the t-shirts but the theme was P. We came as a spec as in 20p – process colour full page. Geeky I know, but we did one a token prize. it went down well and I got a reindeer full of toffees.

Mike as Mr. bean, never really worked out what mine was suppossed to be.

Matt and Jen’s minature xmas tree and decorations. Was a good effort.

Xmas morning after afew drinks the night befor still feeling the pain, but onto the buck fizz and pancakes. Me sporting my secret santa water pistols…

Then off to the main meal after a feeling a little drunk again and after the obligatory ‘a christmas carol’ on the box. Awesome meal, probably the best feed this year!  They had this huge apartment complete with a jacuzzi and balcony on the side.

Say no more….

Here we are at bondi again for, very surreal, it was like being in a greek island, difference being people wearing santa hats or reindeer ears.

Looking pretty packed. Beautiful day too. I was a little dubious and worried the day before as it was raining hardcore the day before as I was doing my late xmas eve shop for a few things.

The ‘arty shot’.

Had to sit drink in the park just off the beach as they were doing bag checks as no alcohol is allowed anywhere. Got asked by the police not drink in the park and played ignorant. They didn’t do much, we just continued on. They where pretty lax but I guess its part of their job though. Just didn’t show any lables and drank out of plastic cups.

And it all starts here. Bottles and bottles of it. Plus there was more spirits in the kitchen too. I knew it was going to end up messy…

So much space at this apartment but on the floor?!

Vodka jelly. I was he only one that could tame its powers… Or not. I was just getting involved.

Who would have thought hula would have been this much fun. Yep it was all go from here….

Long exposure shot time. You can just about make out me as the ghostly image holding a lantern

Game over, 4am.

Boxing day. Woke feeling very bad indeed. But after matt whipping up some bacon sarnies, I was good to roll on through to a Mexican party nearer the city in surrey hills

They all had the full on mo – notice jen’s bottle started getting involved too.

So after more drinking, pin the tail on the donkey and smashing the ‘piniada’ or whatever you call it I soldiered through.

Very very, different to what I am used to back home in the winter months. It was surreal in the sun but that’s the whole point in coming all this way. I certainly enjoyed! Till new years….

Sunday, Monday, Happy days…

Another two weeks and again its more of the same. Need I say more. Being in a pseudo-holiday mood all the time makes me feel good especially as time is running out here. Everybody wants me to stay get some kind of sponsorship which actually sounds like a good idea now. I did get offered some a while back as an 3d animator for a company but turned it down as I had only been here about two weeks – I should have snapped it up….

Its all good though and it is going to be sad when I finally depart as I have managed to cobble together a good set of friends here and still able to ‘live it up’ as it were and still save a bit of cash.

After an afternoon drinking at paddington I decided not to go out into the city and went back to Mike’s flat for ‘mo’ drinks. I was pretty drunkat this stage and completely forgot about my sprained ankle which was really painful to walk on for about a week…. Only because I didn’t give it a rest. Anywho, dancing in the kitchen ensued and lots of air guitar with mops…

Here’s Coleen holding a rather rare ‘hoffmeister’ (as in david hasslehoff)vintage. She’s a new flat mate replacing Holly. She came over for an flat ‘interview’ at the pub and decided to stay.

On the right we have my ‘good-bye’ drink, chartreuse. No idea what it was but it was bloody strong.

Before and afterwards…. Then some rather dodgy ’salsa’ dancing ensued which did no good for my ankle. I really couldn’t walk on it at all the next day.

Oh and more ‘mop-props’ .

Met up with Jenny and Matt from the good old days of art college in Bondi last night. Strange didn’t expect to see the sunrise again this week especially as I didn’t get back till 6:30 in the morning the previous night after talking to some girls from NZ who dragged (if that’s the right word) me and mike upto a club in kings cross – that was supposed to be a quiete one too… Like I said i’m technically still on holiday.

Jen, Matt, Lisa (I think). Good to be with some brits again.

Its starting to get better here in terms of the xmas thing. Still no lights but loadsa plastic xmas trees dotted everywhere so its a start. Still planning on the bondi beach on xmas day though….