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John's year off...
a travel blog by
johnnoble
One whole year of travelling...starts Sept 1st 2008. 5 months in N.America (Canada, & E&W coasts of the US), then Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, N.Zealand, East coast of Australia, 3 months in S.E Asia.
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Fiji finished...then NEW ZEALAND!
Auckland
,
New Zealand
After our 7 day excursion to the Yasawa islands, we headed back to the mainland & chilled for a couple of days at a Nadi resort hostel - which is basically a dorm bed at a proper resort. Expensive, but very nice! Whislt there we were treated to some traditional Fijian fire dancing displays...
We also met up with a lovely German couple, Graham & Evie, who we had met on one of the Yasawa islands. It was great to catch up with them again
We left Nadi to head north to Lautoka - where we hoped to meet up with one of Smally's work colleagues, whilst also catching some Rugby. We were unlucky on both accounts, Smalls could not get hold of his friend & we were literally days late for the Rugby - as the season had just finished with 7's internationals. We didn't like Lautoka much, as it was pretty desolate. Nothing interesting to do, so we caught the bus back to Nadi the following day & changed our flights for NZ. We decided we had done all we wanted to do in Fiji, so we wanted a few additional days in NZ. We were also getting a bit fed up with "Fiji time" - which is the response/excuse given for lateness or lack of schedule...the country really is that laid back!
We arrived in Auckland & immediately checked into a downtown hostel in Auckland. After which we went on the hunt for a good car rental deal. After a couple of hours we had bartered a bargain rental, & were in the pub enjoying a cold beer (congratulating ourselves on our success!). This was the first of many beers over the next two days, as all we really did in Auckland was drink with other back packers - as the city is heaving with them! Excellent fun
We collected our car (once we had sobered up, of course), & headed off North of Auckland - destined for the Bay of Islands. Along the way we stopped off at many locations to soak up some of the beautiful scenery that NZ has to offer; including Whangerei falls (the most photographed water fall in all of NZ, apparently)
Also along the way we stopped off at "Sheep World" - it is not difficult to see why...I had never seen a luminous pink sheep before! Have you???
We spent one full day in the Bay of Islands on a 65ft yacht, called "Gungha II." The scenery continued to amaze us as we sailed out to see amongst the some 140 odd islands they have off of NZ's NE coastline. Whilst sailing along we were treated to some company from the local bottlenose Dolphins, who loved to swim alongside the yacht.
When we stopped in one of the island bays for lunch there was time for a walk up the mountain, some snorkelling, & some diving off of the front of the yacht...great fun!
Whilst sailing back, I couldn't resist..."I am king of the World!!!" ;-)
We both had a go at some sailing (aka - pulling ropes, winding cranks & folding sails) during the day, & thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. There were some lovely people on board too, which made the day that much better. Our Canadian captain was a character too!
That evening we drove to Whangerei, still stopping occasionally to appreciate the views...
Now THAT is an impressive sunset piccy!!! ;-)
On our way from Whangerei to Hamilton, we stopped off to go hobbit spotting:
It was really interesting to see the site where Hobbiton was created for the films, especially Bag End (in which I am crouched) & the party tree. The whole site has been stripped down, as the film studio would not let the farmers keep the land as it was in the movies. It is a shame, although only a small amount of imagination is required to picture yourself walking around the Shire :-)
After our hobbit experience we drove inland to Hamilton, where we to visit to Zoo. We had heard it was good, & it was cheap, so it had to be done! Unfortunately we were visiting on a very hot day, so most of the animals were shading themselves - leaving little to see (including the Tigers & Cheetahs...gutted). It was still a nice little Zoo
That night we arrived in Rotorua, which is notable not only for it's stunning scenery (as is most of NZ), but also for its large Sulphur works...anyone like the smell of rotten egg? If so, this is the place for you! Apart from the smell, it is another clean & attractive Kiwi city. We are both beginning to wonder if this place has anything bad to offer?!? We had travelled to Rotorua with one activity in mind...White Water Rafting!!
Our rafting included many rapids, plus a 1m, a 2.5m & a 7m waterfall! 7m is the biggest commercially used waterfall in the world. It was a LOT of fun & we would both do it again & again. Luckily ours was the only raft to capsize (after having been fully submerged) when going over the 7m fall - sending Smalls & one Irish girl off down river, whilst I somehow managed to hang on. The pictures tell their own story...
(Smalls is the helmet at the bottom of the picture)
At the end of the rafting we got the opportunity to play about in a eddie on a rapid, which we were all very keen to do! We went back again & again until we were told the fun was up. An excellent morning's fun! :-)
After our morning of Rafting it was time to move on, rapidly again, to our next destination; Taupo. Taupo is based by a very large lake, & beside some incredible mountains (which were also used for Lord of the Rings). We wanted to hike across the mountain pass, as Gandalf & co. did, but the bad weather closed the track & prevented us. Maybe next time.
We did manage find a FREE campsite, located very close to the Huka Falls, which was thanks to a hint from our German friends (Graham & Evie) who were both there too! That evening we had campfire out on the rocks by the river & caught up, it was very enjoyable indeed! What a location to make a campfire, eh? Brilliant.
Our lovely Tent, nicknamed "Davina," with "Annabelle" our hire car, at the Huka Falls free campsite.
The following day Graham & Evie came along with us to watch Smalls & I throw ourselves off a platform, with an elastic band tied to our ankles, located 47m above the Huka river. It was Smalls' first bungee experience, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I thought the setting, & jumping face first, made this time more enjoyable than my last - which was jumping from a crane over the smelly Thames (I also knew what to expect, so was able to take the experience in fully). Graham kindly recorded both of our jumps on my camera, although unfortunately I cannot share that with you via this Blog. There will be a lucky few who get to see them upon our return to the UK. You can appreciate the activity from the fantastic photo below...
After saying our goodbyes to Graham & Evie over Sushi, Smalls & I went to enjoy some mini golf (which the "pro golfer" Smalls won, of course!), then we headed for the lava fields - aka, the "Moon Craters." It is clear to see why this area has such a name, we were only a little surprised at the amount of vegetation that was thriving there! We were lucky enough to see a mini erruption in the Mud pools, & there were plenty of lava craters to enjoy (although we decided not to get too close)
So far New Zealand has blown us both away, & we have only been here a week. Many people have told us that the South Island is even more impressive, if that could be possible I am eagerly anticipating seeing it! We still have many other activities planned before heading south, so there will be more photostacked blogs for all to enjoy...I just wish more of you could appreciate this place first hand! It truly is awesome.
written by
johnnoble
on March 5, 2009
from
Auckland
,
New Zealand
from the travel blog:
John's year off...
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New Zealand part II
Wellington
,
New Zealand
From Taupo we headed West along the "World's Forgotten Highway" - which is aptly named...there really is nothing but rolling hills for miles and miles; it was quite incredible. It made for some very windy driving along roads that were falling apart over cliffs, or had corroded down to one lane in places!
We were heading West to meet up with a friend I had made earlier in my travels (in Canada), Nerissa (pic below). It was great to see her again & to see her home town of New Plymouth. New Plymouth is a small coastal town, but it has a very lively night life. We saw most of the bars along the highstreet, many thanks to our guide Nerissa ;-)
After a couple of nights in New Plymouth it was time to move again, to our final destination on the North island - Wellington. We were staying with Smalls' friend Jo, & her family, just a short drive from the city centre. The city is a beautiful place, as a lot of the houses are spread throughout the hills on the coast, & the centre itself is very clean & tidy. There appears to be a large student population there too. Jo's family were very hospitable & made us feel very welcomed. On our second day there it was my Birthday (26 - I made it!), so I decided the schedule for the day. Being the mature adult that I am, I decided that our only option was the ZOO!
I was very chuffed to actually see a Kiwi bird (the feathered kind!), because they are nocturnal they are very tough to catch at night. I especially liked the view out across Wellington from the Chimp enclosure, pic above. The weather held out for us, so it was very enjoyable. After the Zoo we played on the swings outside (& why not, eh? Only 26!), then we went to a Brewery for lunch (as I say, it was my choice!). That evening Small, Jo & I went out to an Irish bar to see some live music.
After which we went on to some more bars for more celebratory drinks. As it was a Tuesday night the number of open establishments was limited, & they were pretty deserted, but the three of us had a great laugh & stumbled into our beds at 4am. A good day.
The next day we said our goodbyes & caught (just - we were very close to missing it) our Ferry to the South island. There were some 7m swells on the crossing, so very rough, but I am pleased to say that neither Smalls nor I were ill as a result!
Our first stop was the Northern town of Blenheim, which is in Malborough county...WINE country! :-) On our first full day we hired a tandem bike (which is easier to ride than one would expect - even after all the vino) then cycled around 7 vineyards in 5 & 1/2 hrs. The region is renouned for its whites, although there were some lovely reds on offer too! We both had our fill of free samples, & purchased a bottle each of our favourites before heading back to the tent to pass out. A throughly enjoyable day (how jealous is my Dad right now reading/seeing this) ;-)
We went through Nelson on our way to Abel Tasman (Abel Tasman is the national park located on the Northern tip of the south island). Our overnight stay in Nelson was long enough to check out the small town, & enjoy some drinks with the locals. The night ended in everyone being turfed out of the bar during half time of the Liverpool v Man U match, with Liv leading 2-1 at the break...I was not impressed. The result pleased me the next day though ;-)
When we arrived in Marahau, which is the last town before the Abel Tasman national park, we found a campsite & then booked our Kayak adventure. we hired a tandem (again) kayak for 3 days & 2 nights, meaning we would be camping along the coast in the National park. Needless to say, as a Kiwi National park, the place blew us away. I dont think I can beat the pictures for explanation...
The walks into the park from the coast were equally impressive, as you can see...
On our first night we used our disposable BBQ to cook our Beef sausages. Smalls did an excellent job, although we did manage to smoke out the entire campsite...very amusing!
During in our paddles we went out to a seal colony & were lucky enough to catch a few just chilling...
Our time in the national park was excellent, & I would strongly recommend the excursion to anyone heading to NZ. No real Kayaking experience is necessary, especially if you get weather as good as we did! The only real drawback to the whole trip was the number of Sandflies. Those who have been to NZ will fully appreciate their mention, as they are vicious. Not only do they leave you with a mosquito-esque itchy swell, they quite often remove a small amount of skin = drawing blood. Not nice...DEATH to them ALL!
I am not going to sign off with a sunset piccy this time, so you will have to make do with the evening view from the shore of Mosquito bay - the location of our second campsite. I hope that all is well back in the UK, & I would like to give a special thank you to all (you know who you are) for your kind Birthday wishes ;-)
written by
johnnoble
on March 19, 2009
from
Wellington
,
New Zealand
from the travel blog:
John's year off...
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New Zealand concludes...
Christchurch
,
New Zealand
Having finished our canoeing exploits in the Abel Tasman National Park, we embarked on a killer drive down the West coast to lake Wanaka. We managed just over 500km before it started to get too much, & too dark, so we stayed in a campsite just outside of Franz Josef. I am very glad that we did, because when we set off the next day we had time to check out the nearby Glacier...which was incredible
Global warming has a lot to answer for, as this Glacier has retreated hundreds of metres in the past three decades! After we had finished staring in awe at this marvel, it was time to move onto Fox Glacier - which was equally spectacular...
The drive to Wanaka was, as usual, amazing. What did truly take our breath away was our first view of lake Wanaka
...and then lake Hawea...
I would strongly recommend this drive, as it was one of the most awe inspiring journeys of my life. It was so incredible that we had to stop at the end of lake Wanaka & refresh with a pint. Beer tastes even better with a view like this...
The next day we decided that we had to see more of this scenery, so we headed off to find a decent walking track that would offer us the views that we craved (I now believe that it is possible to get addicted to scenery!). We managed this in the form of the 6km round trip hiking trail, past lake Diamond (pic below), that reached one of the peaks along the south end of Wanaka.
The climb was incredibly steep in places, but our endeavour was well worth it. Once more I shall just let the pictures tell the story...
If you are going to be visiting New Zealand at any point, you MUST visit Lake Wanaka. It is a big thing to say, but it is the most impressive place in NZ - in my opinion.
After all that scenery & steep walking, we decided to go for some more light hearted entertainment, in the form of PUZZLE WORLD!!! They had the world's biggest outdoor maze, which was a lot harder than expected. Apparently people have spent a whole day in there trying to find the towers in all four corners...we gave up having found three - mainly because we found the exit again, & we had had enough of the walking!
Inside the puzzle world there was plenty of mind bending activities/displays, with many optical illusions. I will try to give you some idea with the following pictures...
The last picture is the "false perspective room." The principles employed here are how film makers achieved many of the hobbit shots in LOTR. Fact.
On our last day in Wanaka it was time to fulfill a dream of mine since I was 16 years old...
Oh YES, people, Smalls & John are sky diving fools!
I wish that there were words that could explain the feeling of sky diving...only, there aren't! My expression (left) should explain how I felt afterwards - I could have gone up again & again all day! The views across the mountain ranges & the two lakes was breath taking too - as if jumping out of a plane wasn't enough! We were incredibly lucky with the weather, as all of the clouds cleared literally minutes before we went up. Had we been an hour earlier we would have seen only clouds, then fields. Lucky boys! Both Smalls & I got our jumps recorded on DVD handycam, so some of you will be lucky enough to see those upon our return to the real world. If you have ever considered doing it, don't put it off any longer - I would be addicted to this if I could afford to be!!!
After our jumps we made the short journey to Queenstown, which is another stunning NZ town...
We met a couple of lovely Scottish girls at our hostel (no tent for us that night!), Kirsteen & Laura, who accompanied us out on the town...we felt we deserved a few (?!?!) drinks to congratulate ourselves on our earlier flights ;-)
We clearly had a good time! I have never seen Smalls so enthusiastic when it comes to lazers?!? Nothing to do with a strong mix of adrenalin & alcohol, of course! :-)
Our stay in Queenstown was brief, as we had been tipped off about Milford Sound as a "must see" in NZ. Milford Sound is one of the Fiordlands on the West coast of NZ, more glacier constructed scenery - although due to the watery nature of it it is only accessible by boat - so we took a cruise. I have to say that we weren't disappointed...
We saw more Dolphins & Seals whilst out on the cruise - something we are both, ashamedly, becoming rather blaze about! The only negative element of the excursion to Milford Sound was the high concentration of dreaded sand flies (pic below)...DEATH to them ALL...
We have been told that they are an essential part of the fagile ecosystem in NZ. I personally believe that they ARE the ecosystem - there as SO many of them in places & they are pure evil.
Our whistle stop tour took us from Milford Sound, on the mid-West coast, down to the national parks on the South West and along the South coast to Invercargill...the most southern city in NZ. It is a beautiful place, incredibly tidy with many amazing parks. We walked around a few, which included an excellent array of NZ birds in the Avery, & a very impressive Rose garden. In fact, all of the gardens were stunning.
Later that day I went for a walk from our campsite to the nearby beach, which was well worth the short 4km round trip...
After Invercargill it was time to move onto Dunedin. At this point I would like to add that Mr Christopher Small was pulled over on the Highway for speeding - 125kmph, when the speed limit is 100kmph! Disgraceful. After much fluttering of eyelids by Mr Small, the nice policeman sent us on our way with words of warning - but thankfully no fine. Tut tut tut.
Dunedin is the biggest of the cities in the south of the island, with a 20% student population. We milled around the place but there wasn't a lot to do there, so we kept our stay to the one night. We did visit the aquarium though, which although small, was actually quite good. Have you ever seen a pig fish before? They are found exclusively off of the South coast of NZ. It's an unfortunate name, but quite fitting...
Our last stop in NZ was Christchurch, which is a very big city (for NZ standards, although not as big as Auckland). Yet again, it is a lovely place. The city sprawls out, & it is very green & tidy. The architecture is the nicest that we have seen throughout the country - which has a heavy British influence. We timed our visit perfectly, as we were finally able to catch a live game of Rugby. We saw the Canterbury Crusaders vs the Western Stormers (who are a South African team), in the Super 14's - which is the professional Union league. The prematch entertainment was enjoyable...
The game was poor, finishing 11-7 to the Crusaders, but we enjoyed keeping hydrated on Tui beer & chatting with the fans around us - which included a large group of graduates who were on a pub golf outing. Not wanting to appear rude, we couldn't help but accept their offer to join them after the game. Needless to say that too many, random, drinks were consumed in a very short amount of time & neither of us made it to bed before 5am...good times ;-)
New Zealand has been incredibly good to us. We have had an amazing time touring the whole of the North & the South islands. No matter what anyone says when comparing the two, all I would advise is that all of it is incredible & needs to be visited. If you had to pin me down, I would have to choose Lake Wanaka as my favourite destination...a truly stunning place. After completing this entry it will be time to return Annabelle (our car), which will be a traumatic ordeal, then board our plane to Oz - where one Mr Andrew Dicks will be joining our adventures! It will be great to see him & no doubt he will add to the mischief/chaos that we will be getting into. I am also looking forward to catching up with some Aussies friends that I have made in my N.American travels.
Thank you New Zealand & bravo!!! :-)
written by
johnnoble
on March 26, 2009
from
Christchurch
,
New Zealand
from the travel blog:
John's year off...
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G'day mate...welcome to Oz!
Melbourne
,
Australia
Having been thoroughly spoilt by New Zealand, Australia has a lot to live up to. Our first destination was Melbourne, on the South East coast, where we were due to meet up with Dixy. Thankfully, after a long & nervy wait in the airport, it turns out he remembered his passport & arrived without incident...let's hope that's a sign of things to come!
That night we checked into a hostel in the south of the city, in a "trendy" area known as St Kilda. It is full of bars & cafes, running along the beach. We arrived on the day of the Aussie GP (which an Englishman won!), too late to watch the race - but early enough to enjoy the parties in the bars!
The next day we walked to the centre of the city, navigating ourselves & soaking the place up.
We went to the Telstra stadium, which is now known as the Etihad (new sponsorship).
It is not the biggest stadium I've ever been to, capacity of about 55,000, but it was very modern & plush all the same. The stadium has a retractable roof - enabling it to be used all year round for Cricket, Soccer (?!?), Rugga & Aussie rules - as well as concerts. We went on the tour, which was cheap & informative. We even got to go down to pitchside...
That night we stayed in the hostel & enjoyed some cheap wine ($12 a bottle), whilst getting involved with the open mic night...at least Smalls did!
After an excellent reception, we decided to head down to the beach after the bar, with some new friends, to continue the drinking & singing. An excellent & cheap night!
After three days of enjoying Melbourne we were very excited to collect our new vessel for the next 7&1/2 weeks. We hired a "spaceship," which Dixy named "Belinda."
As soon as we had collected our beauty, we headed off on one of the world's most attractive coastal roads - known as the "Great Ocean Road." Our first stop was at "Bells Beach" - which is a well known surfer's hangout, & the destination of the Rip Curl surf competition. This is also the location where Johnny Utar chased down Bodie in Point Break..."he's not coming back in" (if you don't get it, watch it).
After watching some of the surfers we headed on further along the coast, stopping occasionally to enjoy some of the amazing sights.
I am expecting all of you eighties children to remember this next reference/point of interest..."have you ever, ever felt like this, when strange things happen, are you going round the twist?"
Split point lighthouse was the central focus of a kids TV show called "Going Round the Twist" - I know my bros & I were big fans. The views from there were beautiful, as they are pretty much all the way along the coast!
We decided to stop off & explore a rainforest along the way, known as Otway Fly. They have a walkway loop, which includes a suspended section through the tops of the trees. It is very impressive, & the diversity of life is also huge - although we only saw the green stationary kind...
After our rainforest adventure we drove on to one of Australia's most photographed landscapes...the Twelve Apostles. There aren't actually twelve of them, if you want to get picky, but these rock formations just off of the coast are nonetheless incredibly impressive. Needless to say there were many many asians, taking many many photos ;-)
Our next stop after the Great Ocean Road was Adelaide. We had been warned that it was a bit on the lame side, as there was nothing to do there. We, on the otherhand, disagree strongly. The city is very clean, & not too big, with plenty of lovely parks, cafes & bars! Our first night out was excellent fun, as everyone was so friendly!
We arrived on the Rugby sevens weekend, so there wasn't even campsite availability. Therefore, we decided to stay in the public parking at the botanic gardens, as it was free & we had Belinda (our campervan). On our second evening we were on our way back to the Botanic gardens, from the campsite where we had snuck in for our free showers, when Dixy screamed about something on the windscreen. It took me a few seconds to realise what the excitement was about, but when I did my jaw dropped open...the BIGGEST spider I have ever seen outside of captivity. A "Huntsman" - not the most venomous, but still not one to be bitten by! After a week in the country, we had the sudden realisation that these creepy crawly killers were for real. Eye opener.
Needless to say, we are all now checking our shoes, the sunvisor, our tent & van religiously. Noneone wants a kiss from these spiders!!!
On the Saturday in Adelaide we bought tickets to the Rugby Sevens event at the Oval, which were a steal at $29 each for the day.
The Rugby went on from 12-6.30pm, with England playing twice. First beating Portugal a convincing 33-0, then drawing to Samoa 24-24 which saw us through to the playoffs stage the following day. As you'd expect the day was excellent, with plenty of beers & punters dressed in all kinds of crazy costumes! The atmosphere was brilliant. We continued the party that night in town, by checking out some more of the bars.
We throroughly enjoyed Adelaide, & would strongly recommend it to anyone coming to Oz. It is a bit of a drive from Melbourne, but anywhere in Oz is a bit of a drive from anywhere else (it really is BIG). Our next stop was the Barossa Valley vineyards, about an hour North of Adelaide. Obviously, we were there to test the locals vineyards out - which are renound for their reds. Smalls & Dixy were especially pleased, as a headcold kept me off of the vino & made me the designated driver for the day. I didn't mind, as it was an excellent day all the same.
We visited the Wolf Brass, Penfolds & Jacob's Creek (pictured above) amongst others. They were all very good, & the boys enjoyed their Merlots & Shiraz's!
The next day, Dixy decided it was time to try out his new clippers by giving his head a trim. He wasn't the only one...
Yes people, senior Smalls has given up on growing a mop - instead going for a look of the slaphead variety!! It is less effort, apparently. Have no fear, I shall not be joining them - my skin head days are long gone!
We are making our way back to Melbourne this weekend to watch some AFL & go to an all day Dance/Trance event, but that is for the next entry. I will leave you with the typical Aussie landscape that we are going to getting a LOT of whilst driving across & up the country...
...monotonous!
written by
johnnoble
on April 8, 2009
from
Melbourne
,
Australia
from the travel blog:
John's year off...
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On the way to Sydney...
Sydney
,
Australia
Well, a lot has happened since my last blog entry so be prepared for a mini marathon!
When we arrived back in Melbourne we checked into a different hostel in St Kilda, & went out on the bars with a group of people we met there. It was a good evening, largely fuelled by "goon" - which is the Aussie term for a box of cheap wine (roughly $10 for 5litres...pretty cheap!)
The next evening we headed out to the MCG to watch an Aussie Rules Football game between Collingwood & Geelong.
Collingwood were the home team (there are many teams from the Melbourne catchment area) & the favourites going into the game. In true British fashion, both Dixy & I backed Geelong, whilst Smalls decided to attempt a stint on the glory wagon with the Collingwood lads. Sadly, for Smalls, Geelong came out winners 125 - 96...which is a bit of a pasting! ;-) The game itself was very entertaining, & the rules aren't that complex...because there aren't many! The game itself lasts two hours, with four quarters of 30mins - so very good value for money at $20 a ticket! It was worth that alone to see the inside of the MCG - which is a very impressive stadium indeed.
The next day was time to dance...
We caught the train & bus to a race circuit on the outskirts of Melbourne, to attend the Trance day event known as "Trance Energy." Dixy was especially psyched up for this, as not only is it his bag a number of his favourite DJs were playing. I myself have been getting to more of these events in recent years, but it is safe to say that it really isn't Smalls' thing - although we all had an excellent day reaching for the lasers!
Marco V on the main stage
...dixy thoroughly enjoying Marco's set
The second stage...
...Judge Jules playing on said stage
The other DJs that we saw were Sander Van Doorn & John Askew, amongst others. I suspect that for a number of readers this is erroneous information, although it will be relevant to a few!
After our second stint in Melbourne, it was time to see some of the South East corner of Oz. We made our way to Phillip island, which is a holiday getaway & nature reserve (in the most part). Whilst we were there we visited the Little Penguin colony, although didn't hang around until sunset to watch them swarming in from the sea. Then we set off for the Koala reserve. Here is an Aussie sight that many people swoon over...
It has to be said that although they look very stupid & lazy (which they are), the Koalas are very cute.
We then made our way up the East coast, heading towards Canberra (Oz's capital), but taking in the National Parks & Reserves along the way. We stopped at a number of small seaside towns along the way, including Eden, Bateman's Bay & Ulladulla. All were very picturesque. You have all been treated to some spectacular piccies of sunsets on this blog, but here is something a little different...a sunRISE picture at Bateman's Bay
The other highlights of these few days included a Kangaroo beach, called Pebbly beach...
As we arrived during the midday heat, unfortunately the Kangas weren't in the mood for showing off on the beach. Nonetheless it was a beautiful place. After the beach we checked into a campsite in Ulladulla, where I left the lads to go on a bit of an exploration to the nearby Mountain ranges (surprise surprise, neither Smalls nor Dixy were intested in seeing a bit of the real Australia!). I went on a 5.5km walk up Pigeon Mountain, which was incredibly steep (a grade 4 track - 5 being the toughest) - but incredibly rewarding. The final few hundred yards of climbing was especially perilous, as you can see from the ladders I had to climb up the wind swept rock face!
The views from the top were fantastic though...
We arrived in Canberra to find out exactly why we had been warned off of it as a destination to visit...there really is nothing there (apart from office blocks & a few memorials) & it has a very sterile feel to it. Hard to explain. However, we were there for the night & made the best of it by checking into a lively hostel & then hitting the town that evening (after the standard bottles of vino). Below you will see the art work on Smalls' guitar, which was the work of many at the hostel, followed by the view of the dancefloor at the club we went to. A good night was had by all!
We were going to check out the Australia museum the next day, before heading to Sydney, although our hangovers prevented that excursion!
We arrived in Sydney late in the day & headed to the East of the city & a place called Kings Cross - which we had been advised was the most lively area of the city to go out in. We felt obliged to check it out for ourselves. We then made the error of checking into the first hostel we saw, as it was located above the Subway station & had more of a prison vibe to it than that of a hostel one (it wasn't very nice).
Thankfully we only had to sleep there, as we spent the evening & night checking out the bars etc. It is a very lively place, but also very sketchy & dirty. You have to visit it to truly appreciate it...it is pretty much Sydney's red light district.
We checked out the next day & headed to Chinatown in the South of the city. This time we got it right with a decent hostel (it was clean!), with an Irish bar literally around the corner - which was showing the FA Cup final between Arsenal & Chelsea. As I have missed nearly all of the action this season, an evening/night of footy & a few pints was very welcomed...even if the Chelski scummers won!
The next day we headed to the Circular Quay, which is where the Sydney Opera house & the Harbour bridge are located.
We went there to meet up with Becky (Smalls' sister) & Adam (Becca's Husband), who had both kindly invited us to stay with them for the week - despite the fact that they had only moved into their flat two days earlier! Their flat was very impressive, with an even more impressive view of Sydney!
We had an excellent week in Sydney with Adam & Becky. We managed to fit in a lot of recouperation, along with plenty of sightseeing & evening excursions. I shall try to summarise as best I can...
We went to the Sydney Aquarium, which was pretty impressive. The best part of it was the walkways through the tanks. There was plenty of marine diversity to keep us entertained, including some sharks of course!
Afterwards we went to a Bavarian restaurant in the Harbour for dinner. Why would we have been drawn there, do you think???
The view of the Opera house at night is quite a sight...
We visited the Taronga Zoo, located on the other side of the Harbour to the city & the Opera house. It was a very pretty Zoo, with many exhibits to keep us entertained - including many animals native to Australia (shock). We got to see Oz's most venomous snake - the "Fierce Snake"
We also saw more of the most popular cute critters...
And some Giraffes with one hell of a view from their enclosure...
I particularly enjoyed seeing the vast numbers of spiders amongst the trees as we walked around the Zoo...I don't think Becky was as keen or as impressed as me though! :-)
As we left the Zoo we were just in time for a sunset opportunity of the city...very nice...
Our sightseeing also included a day excursion to one place in Australia that any true English man would NEED to visit...
Sydney Olympic park, & the ANZ Stadium (formerly the Telstra), was the venue of one particularly enjoyable sporting event of recent years (apart from the Sydney 2000 Olympics, of course)...
That's right. We had to get a piccy in our England shirts, with the flag, with Johnny's posts in the background...happy days! :-)
Whilst at the Olympic park we also had time to play some Mini Golf at the Golf centre, & check out the Aquatic centre. I was especially impressed with these facilities, & it reminded me how much I miss the opportunity to swim regularly, although there will be plenty of time for that at the end of my travels!
I don't miss the sight of a slave driver (aka Coach) at the end of the pool though!
That evening we visited the State Theatre in the centre of the city, to see Mr Steve Coogan - aka, Alan "AHA" Partridge!
The whole show was very funny & I would recommend it to all (maybe not the kiddies perhaps!). Afterwards we met up with Adam & Becky & went for some drinks in the financial district - which was very nice, as one would imagine!
We had an amazing time in Sydney, as it has so much to offer. We could have done a whole lot more, but we don't have endless amounts of cash or time unfortunately. Next time round we will have to visit Manly & Bondi beaches (sadly, we had a good 4/5 days of poor weather which prevented these excursions) & take a tour of the Opera house. We cannot thank Adam & Becky enough for their kind hospitality - they made us feel very welcomed & were excellent fun to be around. I wish them all the best with their upcoming year (or two?!) in Sydney, which they will no doubt enjoy thoroughly - if our week's experience is anything to go by. If any of you are thinking of visiting Australia, Sydney is a must visit...a great city!
written by
johnnoble
on April 24, 2009
from
Sydney
,
Australia
from the travel blog:
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Wow...wow...wow...
Katoomba
,
Australia
Prepare yourself for a photo loaded entry. As many, many more acomplished writers have quoted before me...a picture says a thousand words...
We entered a National Park area, a couple of hours West of Sydney, called the Blue Mountains. The area is known as the blue mountains due to the mist that forms as a result of the vapours evaporating from the eucalyptus trees. The whole place was spectacular, although the drop in temperature (coming from Sydney) was very noticable!
On our first full day in the Mountains, in a town called Katoomba, I was unable to persuade my travelling companions to join me on a 12km hike down into the valleys & the rainforests. I went down the Great Stairway, which was quite precaurious, & through the jungle like rainforest. It was spectacular - so much diversity in such a (relatively) small area...
Echo Point - the "Three Sisters" rock formations
View across the valleys
The Great Stairway down, & some of the obstacles faced
Leura Forest
More trails
Leura Falls
The town itself wasn't much to write home about, as the area is treated as a getaway destination - so very tourist driven. We managed to get by drinking beer & playing pool in the local during the evenings.
The next day I WAS able to persuade Mr Small to join me on my next hiking excursion - although I feel I have a big task ever persuading Mr Dicks to do the same! The destination for the day was down into the Valleys again, to find Wentworth Falls.
The way down & a recent rock fall
The walk was a little challenging in places (aka - steep), although Smalls & I agreed that it was well worth the effort, as the scenery was fantastic! I have finally found a place in Oz that can compete with NZ for natural beauty. I hope there are many more.
I don't know what the caves are like in NZ (sadly we didnt get round to that one), but I can vouch for the jaw-dropping spectacle that is the Jenolan Caves. Dixy took the van & headed off to Sydney (to be there for the Man U champs league game - which wasnt on in the Mountains), so Smalls & I got the coach up to the caves. The entry to the cave visitor centre was a good omen for things to come...
We signed up for the two tour package, giving us a guided tour through two of the more popular (and impressive) caves. First off was the "Lucas" Cave.
These caves were formed between 350-400 million years ago!
Many of the caves remain untouched, because any damage to these natural structures certainly can't be rectified in our life times! It is illegal to remove any rock or crystal from the caves, & rightly so if it means protecting these stunning views for many to enjoy...
Our second tour took us into a smaller, but even more impressive cave - known as the "Orient".
The colour variation is brilliant
These staligtites are the model for the caves' marketing pieces
I especially liked the folds, as I have not seen them as big or as colourful as these
Some of the tour guides have given some of the formations names over the years. The one below is known as the "lone actor."
"Praying man" (they aren't the most poetic or inventive geologists!)
The ceiling of the tallest chamber (35m) was impressive too
I cannot apologise for overdoing it on the piccies front...I would obviously recommend this outing to all!
After our chilly, but exhilarating, three day stint in the Blue Mountains it was time to get back to the coast & the warm weather! Our next destination was a little place called Tumbi Umbi (I love that name), to catch up with an Aussie pal of mine from my time in Canadia land...Nathan
On our first night at his folks house, Alan & Gail's, we got stuck into some of Alan tasty home brew beers & played darts long into the night. I didnt know Nathan owned a dart board until this visit - in all the time I have known him it has never showed! ;-)
The next day we decided to clear our heads with a dip in the sea at Shelly Beach...not a bad place to have within a ten minute drive of home!
Afterwards we dropped Nathan off at Uni & headed for Australia's Reptile Park! AWESOME!
We were lucky enough to see the largest Python in captivity in the Southern Hemisphere - he was over 7m & weighed a lot!
There were plenty of spiders to see there - none that could bother us though
It wasn't just creepy crawlies & reptiles though...
The talks by the staff were very good, & there were some brave kiddies in the audience!
The next day was match day. Nathan plays for his local AFL team, the "Bombers," so we headed down to the club to support for the day. I had hoped to get a game (regardless of not knowing what I am doing) although decided against it - I still have another 3months of travelling & didn't feel like gambling it away! Next time...
Nathan's game was very entertaining, as it was close right up until the last few minutes. Nathan had a solid performance (from what I could tell), although as a full-back he doesn't get much of the glory opportunities.
As with English sports, in Australia it is customary to go out & get throroughly plastered afterwards...so we did. Otherwise it wouldn't have been sport, right? ;-)
We managed to catch up some more friends from Canada & all drank far too much! There aren't a lot of bars in the area, so we stayed at one from 7pm-3am (mainly because it was tipping it down outside).
On our last day with Nathan we got ourselves down to the beach again. I tried to convince Smalls to get out on the board, but her preferred merely to pose with it (one day...). We then set off for a town called The Entrance to get food & watch the Pelicans getting fed
View of "The Entrance" - which is the point the sea feeds the massive salt water lake = hence the name!
We then headed out to Nora's Head to see the lighthouse, & take in the nice views...
On our way back to Nathan's I captured another sunset for all to enjoy...
After a thoroughly enjoyable three days with Nathan & his incredibly hospitable (& very friendly) family, it was time to push on. Time is getting tighter to fit the remainder of the East coast in before we fly out to Asia, so we set off for a little town called Nimbin.
Nimbin is Australia's answer to Amsterdam - it's that simple. Far from being plush, the town is rickety & thrown together out of anything earth friendly, giving the place a very hippy vibe (or is that due to the Marijuana in the air?)
The museum was "interesting"...
The place reminded me a lot of the hippy commune Smalls & I visited in Hawaii - although the hippies appeared to be a lot crustier here!
Next stop for us is Byron Bay & Surfer's Paradise, which are two party towns located on the Beach. Should be good! Hopefully we won't encounter too many more problems on the way...
I am signing off with something a little different from a sunset this time - although a nonetheless enjoyable sight
written by
johnnoble
on May 6, 2009
from
Katoomba
,
Australia
from the travel blog:
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More Aussie adventures
Cairns
,
Australia
I must warn all that this entry is going to make quite a lot of you MORE jealous...& rightly so.
After our brief visit to Nimbin we set off for Byron Bay. For those of you that haven't heard of it, it is a small (but popular) Surfing town South of Brisbane. It is very geared towards tourists, & reminded me a lot of Whistler (just sunny & surfing, not skiing!). We spent a couple of days there on the beach & out on the town. As we were there midweek there wasnt a great deal going on. We also saw the most rain since we have been travelling!
Next stop was Surfer's Paradise, which is a small city that is able to boast to being home to some of Oz's most attractive beaches.
We not only enjoyed the beaches, we tasted the nightlife too - which reminded me of some Spanish/Greek tourist spots that have been over run with young drinkers. The atmosphere around the place was good, including the hostel that we were staying. More goon was consumed (cheap boxed wine) over cards (aka drinking games) with our Norwegian & English room mates.
Whilst we were in Surfers we finally got the opportunity to visit one of Australia's best water parks, called "Wet N Wild." It had some pretty impressive slides & the weather was perfect for it.
After we had pickled our livers (not for the first time) in Surfers it was time to move onto Beerwah - the home of Australia Zoo. Australia Zoo was made famous by the late Steve Irwin, who was admired the world over for his passion for animals (& quite frankly he was a bit of a nutter too!). The Zoo is beautifully kept & they have all of the native Australian animals you could want to see. I am sure you don't need these pictures explaining...
In the centre of the Zoo they have a purpose built stadium (the Crocosium) for live animal shows. There were the usual birds & reptiles, although everyone was clearly waiting for the Croc feeding. It wasn't a disappointment!
Australia Zoo was a definite must do attraction & one we all thoroughly enjoyed.
The next day I drove Smalls & Dixy back to Brisbane & dropped them off, before heading West to the Glass Mountains National Park. I was taking another excursion to explore some more of Australia's more remote & stunning locations, & going on more treks too.
Yet again some of the trails were quite challenging, although always worth it in order to see these landscapes.
One of the things that has really impressed me about the Aussie outback is how evident nature's ability to regenerate is. The picture below is of an area of land that was badly burnt in recent fires, although the seeds from the trees can survive extreme heats & begin to flourish within days of the fires being extinguished. This is evident from the green growing out of burnt wood!
After my day of trekking I drove back to Brisbane, picked up the boys, then we were off again & heading North to Hervey Bay. Hervey isn't a great draw itself, although it is one of the most popular connection points to Fraser Island - which is an entirely sand based island.
We booked a three day/two nights self guided tour, costing a little over $200. There were four groups of nine, each responsible for their own 4x4 vehicle. We were blessed with an amazing group of people...team England!
Right from the moment we were put together we all got on famously. We were clearly the most organised of all the groups, & the envy of the others too (as a result of which we enjoyed many smug moments). Whislt we were travelling in the cars as a nine we would all camp together & socialise as we stopped off at the sightseeing venues throughout the day. This itinerary was planned out for us, so we just had to keep to a schedule (because of the tides) & read a map.
The first stop of the day was lake MacKensie, which was quite simply stunning...
Lots of sunbathing was undertaken by all, so I began to get restless (I am definitely not a lounger type of guy), resulting in me deciding to swim across the width of the lake. The water was the purest I have ever swam in, & the temperature was perfect too - refreshing but not cold. Only when I had reached halfway did I decide that maybe sunbathing could have an appeal, however I manned up & pushed on. There was much of the same beauty on the other side, but I didnt stay for long - cramping up is not an option when you have to swim the whole way back. I was very happy, & exhausted, when I crawled up the beach on the home shore. Well worth it though. Tom (a member of team England) & Dixy then decided to have a race...could Tommy swim to the other side before Dixy could run round the whole lake. Neither man appreciated the size of the task until they were underway, yet they both completed the task in good time - with Tom the champ! Very entertaining for all.
After the lake we drove along the beaches to Eurong Beach, to set up camp for the night. Yet again, in the true spirit of the term teamwork, everyone pitched in & cooked a fantastic meal of Burgers, Sausages & beans...everyone else seemed to be trying to heat up their hot plates whilst we were enjoying post dinner drinks...smug, smug, smug :-)
Smalls donned Sadie's hat (which he was strangely attached to) & began to entertain the campsite with his one man rock show. Lots of beer & goon was consumed & everyone had an excellent night.
The next day we were up early & on our way North to Indian Heads, a rock formation at the most Northernly accessible point of the island. Yet again we were all very impressed by the views on offer.
Before we left there was time for a quick team photo...
Next on the itinerary was Maheno Ship wreck. This vessel sank & washed ashore in the 1930's, which goes to show how resiliant steel is! It was well worth stopping for.
Just as we were about to set off we saw a sight we had been hoping for, but weren't guaranteed...
A more expensive means of travelling around the island. You do have to keep your eyes peeled when driving along, because otherwise you may have a plane land on your vehicle!
Tom & Dixy performing their acrobatics display to the delight of all...
We then set up camp at Eli Creek. The Creek is formed by a natural spring water feed from the hills, & it flows directly into the sea - creating a lazy river (for our enjoyment).
I was able to get a great shot of a Golden Orb spider which was loitering at our campsite. This spider isn't deadly, but nor is it pleasant!
One of the most prominent Australian wildlife on the island were the Dingos. We had been warned to watch out for them as they have attacked humans in the past, although they were nothing but quizical with us (thankfully). There were many of them sniffing around the campsite at night. The authorities seem to take their threat very seriously, as you can see from the information signs...
After our dip & sunbathing it was time for dinner again. Spag Bol. Yet again we put the other groups to shame with our efficiency! ;-) After dinner it was time for more beer, more goon, & more Smally & his Guitar (named "G-Diddy"...it is a 3/4 size).
Somehow, & I mean SOMEHOW, I managed to drag my backside out of bed at 6am in order to catch the sunrise. Hands up all those who think I considered the effort worth the reward?!?
Sleepily we made our way to the parking spot at Lake Wabby, then undertook the mile or so hike to the lake itself. Yet again, more beauty...
After a few hours of messing around on the vast sand dunes & generally chilling out, it was time to head back to the barge. We arrived back at Hervey Bay in awe of the weekend we had spent together, & the strong friendships that we had established amongst a fantastic bunch of people. We were incredibly lucky with the weather, so even a few clouds on the last morning couldnt ruin the experience. We all got back to the hostel & enjoyed one last night together at the bar, before heading our separate ways in the morning.
If any of you every visit Australia, Fraser Island is a must. I can safely say that it was one of the best weekends of my life...I am a lucky boy ;-)
Next (& sadly, last) stop in Australia was Cairns. We drove 1500km in two days to get there, in which I pulled off the longest driving stint of my life - 8hours, then checked into party central...a backpackers called Giligan's. It is like a proper hotel resort, although aimed purely at backpackers. Needless to say the place is absolutely heaving with people looking to socialise (aka - damage their livers), so we had to do our best to fit in...
Those of you familiar with the drinking game "King Beer" will understand why I am stood on the chair, those of you who don't will have to play it with us someday! We played with a group of hilarious Dutch lads, & then hit the club downstairs. Needless to say it was a hazy & late night! Cairns itself is a party place...everyone goes to the Lagoon/Beach during the day, then drinks on their patios in the evening, before hitting the bars/clubs for the night. Whislt it is enjoyable pasttime, I for one am glad that it can't go on forever!
Smalls & I did make some constructive use of our time in Cairns by booking a snorkelling excursion to the Great Barrier Reef. We set sail at 8am & were at Green Island after two smooth hours accross the ocean. Our group was good & our crew were lovely people - so we were lucky again!
The coral immediately surrounding the island isn't too impressive, as it has been bleached/damaged by the number of tourists that frequent it. Therefore I decided to swim out the other side of the boat for a few hundred metres & was rewarded the further I went (until I was called back by our captain). It was clear to see how much healthier the ocean bed was the further from the island I got, as the vibrance & variety of colours of coral got more & more impressive. Sadly though, the area we were in could not have come close to the Blue Lagoon in the Yasawa islands (Fiji) - where we were surrounded by literally thousands of fish. However, I did get the thrill of chasing an Octopus under some rocks, only to let him out (by backing off), then chasing him under again! Great fun! He kept it up longer that me though, as I got bored after ten minutes.
After lunch we got a lift onto the island, which is sand based & home to little other than a 5star resort & a Croc/Turtle sanctuary. What makes this place special is that it is home to the world's largest salt water Croc (in captivity), called Cassius, & measures a whopping 5.5m long the last time he was measured (weighing an incredible 1000kgs!) :-O
We also saw one of his buddies, White (5m), being fed at very close quarters...phenomenal creatures...
Just so that all can appreciate how amazing the weather has been during our stay in Australia, especially the further North we have got, I had to include the final picture. It is hard to believe that we are actually in "Winter" - when temperatures in Cairns over the past four days has averaged 35oC...who's jealous of those Aussies then?!?
As I write this my washing should be about finished, so I am going to go & pack for the final quarter of my year's adventure...three months travelling around Asia, starting with meeting up with one Daniel Clayton Spencer (is a legend) in Singapore tomorrow...bring it on! :-)
written by
johnnoble
on May 21, 2009
from
Cairns
,
Australia
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Asia begins...
Singapore
,
Singapore
So, it is true what they say, no one is perfect (I have held off admitting to that for SO long). On the morning of our departure from Oz Smally & I got up at 9.15 & got ready to catch a bus to the airport, at 10am. Dixy had left for Singapore the day before & we were due to meet up with him, & Spencer, that evening. As we were getting ready (with good time to spare - or so we thought), Smalls decided to check out itinerary...only to find out that we had been working to the time of our connecting flight (in Brisbane) - our flight left Cairns at 10:05am!!! We got a taxi to the airport for 10am, although that clearly was too late. Therefore we paid $150 to get on the next flight, via Darwin, to Singapore. A costly error, but a mistake neither of us will be making again in an hurry.
It was excellent to see Dan again; we all caught up over a few pints & a curry in Little India, which was good. After which we played some pool & then watched the last day of the premiership season (chuckling at Newcastle's fate, of course)...it was just like old times - just a few miles off our usual destination.
Singapore is one of the CLEANEST cities I have ever visited. It is illegal to sell chewing gum here, so the pavements are clean, & heavy fines are incurred for anyone brave enough to spit or throw their ciggy butts on the ground. The weather is varied, although always hot. The above picture shows the rains decending, although within 30mins of this all of the streets will be dry, due to how warm the place is - & consequently muggy!
On our one full day as a foursome, we decided to check out all that Santosa island had to offer. It is a small island off the south coast of SIngapore, & therefore was a strategic focal point in defending Asia from attack in all previous military conflicts. We visited the Siloso fort, which was built by the empire back in the 1800s. It is incredible to think how anyone was able to work in the temperatures that we were experiencing, but they did! The place was facinating & informative, & I would recommend it.
It was then time to check out the Siloso beach...
Although largely manmade (as with the majority of the island attractions), it was very nice. Smalls didn't agree with the marine life...Jellyfish 1, Smally 0.
Some of the wildlife inhabitants of the island include the very naughty monkeys who watch the picnic area from the trees opposite &/or above. When they see the opportunity they swoop down, en masse, to see what scraps/full meals they can snatch from tourists...they are very successful most of the time too! Fair play to them - I would if I felt I could get away with it! ;-)
We went on the island's dry luge track, which was a lot of fun, although due to the competitive nature of it all there was no time for photos. Dan will remember this epic clash for years, eh mate?! ;-)
Another activity that we had paid for was the Segway machines (left). There was a specially closed circuit through the trees by the beach, which was great fun. They are a little tricky to get going quickly, although once you have the hang of it they are great fun!
After we had done sweating out litres all day (it was SO hot) we got some refreshments & headed to the Aquarium for the Dolphin show. I have to say that it was more than a little disappointing...definitely not worth 15pounds for the priviledge! Also, you cannot appreciate from the picture below, but the Dolphins appeared to have some form of skin complaint - being covered in red blotches?!?
The next day we had enough time for a visit to Raffles hotel, before splitting up - with Dan going to Thailand & us to Malaysia. Visiting the Raffles "Long Bar" for a "Singapore Slinger" is a must (according to many guide books)...so we did!
The other alternative is afternoon tea. We didn't have the time for that - so we had to make do with the morning cocktails! ;-)
Having said our goodbyes to Dan (for the time being, at least...will there be a return on this adventure for him?!?), we made our way to the bus station. We had a pleasant surprise when we found out that we were on a luxury coach, complete with ondemand TV screens & lazy boy reclining chairs...very nice for next to nothing (about twenty pounds). I wish I could say that the crossing of my first boarder in Asia was dull & uneventful, although then that would make me a liar.
Can you spot the problem with the green departure stamp in my passport? I was blissfully unaware of the Sinaporian error, however the lovely Malaysian immigration officers noticed - much to their delight. They continued to tell me how much of a problem this would be throughout my time in Asia, unless I went back across the bridge to rectify the stamp issue in Singapore (not an option, as my bus was heading North to Kuala Lumpur). The head immigration officer then took me aside & politely informed me that if I was to "help him" he would in turn "help me" (aka - $$$ in return for a stamp & passage into the country). I paid the requested bribe of $50 (about 25pounds), & was on my way. A lesson to anyone travelling anywhere, make sure you evaluate the work of the "trained" border staff, or it could be to your cost!!!
written by
johnnoble
on May 27, 2009
from
Singapore
,
Singapore
from the travel blog:
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Malaysia...
Kuala Lumpur
,
Malaysia
Having made it into the country, our first stop was Kuala Lumpur. I have to be completely honest here & tell all that I was not particularly impressed - although I think that the cleanliness & statue of Singapore may be solely responsible for this. Kuala Lumpur was dirty, expensive, & very very muggy. A dirty muggy that I will no doubt become accustomed to in my time in the larger cities in Asia.
We were staying in Chow Kit, in the North of the city, which is close to China Town (pictured). Chow Kit is renowned for its markets, in which all of the stalls appeared to be selling the same cheapy goods - none of which grasped my interests. The place is very dirty, but as mentioned. in comparison to Singapore. When I mentioned that Malaysia was expensive I was, of course, referring to the price of alcohol. Try six to eight pounds a pint expensive :-O As Malaysia is a Muslim country (in the majority) alcohol is not top of the bill for the general public. Tourists can located watering holes, although they will pay the price. Therefore we decided to keep the drinking to a minimum, & spoil ourselves for the Champions League final. Dixy enjoyed the first 10mins of the match, I enjoyed the result the most ;-)
The most impressive sight in Kuala Lumpur, in my opinion, is the Petronas towers. They clearly dominate the skyline & have a glorious metallic glow to them from all angles. Unfortunately we did not get the opportunity (aka - make the effort) to go up & cross the bridge between the towers. We were far more focussed on visiting an island on the North West coast of Malaysia, recommended to us by a lovely English couple we had met, called Langkawi.
Langkawi is a Malaysian tax haven - meaning cheap beer! :-) We checked into a hostel on the West coast of the island that was located close to the luxury resorts & the white sandy beaches, costing us a whopping four pounds a night!! The beer from the hostel fridge was 55p a (coke sized) can, with a self serve honesty policy. Great start. On our first day we settled into the hostel & beaches, had a wonderful seafood soup feast, & played drinking games with our new buddies Phil (German) & Lucas (Polish).
The next day we all hired scooters (six pounds for the day & less than a pound for a whole tank of petrol), & then proceeded to check out the island. On our thirty minute drive to the island's waterfalls we saw lots of buffalo, monkeys & a salamander lizard...pretty cool.
The waterfall was nice, but the rocks were quite precariously slipperly. We all decided to refresh ourselves by getting in & sliding down into the pools below. All was well & good until we discovered that we were all covered in tiny leeches - after which none of us were too keen to go again!
We scootered around checking out more of the island & its beaches, before we decided it was time to head up the islands biggest peak. The drive up was excellent, as the roads were incredibly windy & we saw only one other car in the 13000m climb.
We decided that it would be rude not to get a piccy of the most notorious "Motorcycle Gang" on Langkawi. The views from the top were incredible. It was nearly possible to see the whole island from up there.
That night we played more drinking games at the hostel, including a lovely couple that we met from Jersey, before heading to the local club & get our groove on!
The next day was spent recovering, before Lucas & I made the effort (later in the PM) to explore the areas of the island we had missed the previous day. I was glad that we did.
We stopped off at a temple of worship & went in to get a better look. I had read the guides & done my homework, so I remembered to take off my shoes before entering (it is very disrespectful not to). I was amazed at the intricate detail of each column & beam in the temple, which was a lot more colourful than any religious relic that you would expect to find in Europe. I am certain that this will be the first of my many visits to such religious temples throughout Asia.
Next stop was the Book Village, located in the centre of the island. Unfortunately we were too late to get into any of the libraries, although we were able to appreciate the peaceful surroundings of the jungle & stream of the location. This is, according to the guide books, the largest collection of English texts in Malaysia. I would like to have had a nosey around & see what they had to offer.
The drive back to the hostel that evening was nothing short of spectacular.
As the sun began to set, I became envious of anyone wearing glasses or a visor - as the bugs begin their suicidal mission of throwing themselves at our headlights. I get the feeling that the majority missed, mostly hitting my eyes or my face. A small price to pay when you are treated to magnificent scenes such as this...
I would strongly recommend Langkawi to all visiting Malaysia, not merely because it is beautiful & cheap, but because the atmosphere there is great. The locals are very friendly & there is no pressure to buy or do anything. Very refreshing.
On our last day on the island we decided to put ourselves through the ordeal of enjoying some of the luxury resort's facilities (for free)...such a tough life!
Upon leaving Langkawi the boys & I went our separate ways - them to Thailand & me to the jungle! I decided that I should check out one of the oldest jungles in the world, Teman Nagara in central Malaysia, which is reportedly 130 million years young. First off I had to take a ferry & then a bus all the way back to Kuala Lumpur, before heading back up to the mid/east of Malaysia, because the bus&train routes are fairly limited. I caught an early morning bus from KL, then a boat up the river from a town about 100kms south of the park.
The boat ride took 3 hours, although there was some stunning scenery to enjoy. I had also met some good people on the bus, a Canadian (Nick) & a couple Aussies (Garth & Kristy), so I was in good company. The town of Kuala Tahan is located on the opposite side of the river from the park, which is where we were staying - providing easy access to the park/jungle. The town is a mix of wooden chalets, old buildings & small shacks. All along the river there are floating restaurants, which in order to access you have to literally "walk the plank" from the shore (a nice touch, I thought). We had dinner at one of the floating restaurants, local cusine costing less than three pounds for a full meal, then set off across the river for a night time jungle walk.
The night time is the best time to see the abundance of wildlife in the jungle, as the majority of its inhabitants are nocturnal (or just sensible enough to stay underground during the crazy daytime heat). On our 2km round trip we saw scorpions, spiders, lots of ants (big ones!), fire flies, a sloth, some deer, centipede, &my personal favourite - a deermouse (it is a large mouse that looks like a deer). It was an enjoyable experience, costing all of two pounds - which is also exactly what a bed in the town's hostel cost for the night...I am liking Asia more & more.
The next day the four of us were up early & in the jungle by 8.30am, with a day of exploration planned. We mapped out a 12km round trip, which would give us a good look at what the park had to offer.
On our way to our canopy walk we came across some massive bamboo plants. I have never seen bamboo this big! As it grows so quickly, & is strong when bound together in construction, it is a very handy product of the jungle for the locals. Not long after we passed this both Garth & I felt some sharp stings. I had heard/seen nothing. Then I looked ahead & saw a hornet/jungle bee nest on the side of the track. Needless to say we ran pretty fast past it!
The jungle canopy walk is the world's longest suspended jungle/forrestry walkway, measuring just under 500m in length. It consists of 13 separate walkways & 12 platforms. The whole walkway is suspended about one hundred feet up into the jungle canopy, giving some excellent views enjoyed by the monkeys on a daily basis.
After our walk in the skies it was time to climb the Teresek Mountain. It is not the tallest peak in the park, but it was certainly steep enough to work up one hell of a sweat in those steamy jungle conditions. The views of the park from the top are nothing short of spectacular...some views no cameras can convey effectively enough.
That's me - not Tarzan (in case anyone is confused). The amazing amount of twisted vines offered up a number of opportunities to immitate the king of the swingers...great fun! We made our way up steam to the lookout point, then went for a swim in the river to cool off. Well deserved. I managed to avoid the leeches this time, although Nick wasn't as lucky!
I will finish with a couple of my favourite images from the park. A true jungle in every imaginable way & a thoroughly worthwhile excursion! Next stop Thailand.
written by
johnnoble
on June 4, 2009
from
Kuala Lumpur
,
Malaysia
from the travel blog:
John's year off...
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Thai islands....
Bangkok
,
Thailand
I must begin this entry by making clear to all that travelling isn't always exotic & exciting. I spent the best part of two days getting out of Malaysia & making it to Koh Samui, in order to meet up with the boys again. Asian transport is slow & overcrowded - I spent my night on my overnight train sat in one of the doorways! Not a comfortable way to travel. Worth it though, because after the overnight boat the next day I arrived on the beautiful Thai island of Koh Samui.
As the boys had already been there for three days, they had had enough of the local bars & beaches, the plan was to move onto Koh Phangan the next morning. Therefore, I made the most of my one day there by hiring a scooter (with Smalls) & zipping around the place sightseeing.
Our first stop was some famous rock formations on the south of the island...Grandfather & Grandmother rocks. We weren't that impressed by Grandmother (a crack inbetween two boulders), although our imagination was inspired by Grandfather (a new Facebook profile for Mr Small perhaps???)
As we were making our way to one of the temples, I spotted a sign for the Tiger Sanctuary. So off we went. We didn't have a look around the place (tight for time), so we paid our six pounds to have our photos taken with this beautiful beast. It was a little daunting being so close to such a huge animal (that, given the motivation, could kill us), but we were in the cage long enough to get a few excellent snaps.
Next on the whirlwind tour was the "Mummified Monk".
This fellow has been mummified (aka - embalmed/treated) & preserved in a glass box at one of the bigger temples on the island. The Monk himself decided, in his golden years, that he would like to contribute to the monks' cause after his death - & so the concept of a tourist attraction was born. He is wearing glasses for a very good reason - I don't think that eye balls keep that well! ;-) The accompanying temple, to the crusty monk, is pictured below. All of the temples are very ornate, decorative & sacred affairs. Pretty impressive.
I have now seen more waterfalls in the past ten months than most average people would probably expect to see in a lifetime. However, I like them so they will continue to be on my radar when they are available to see. Unfortunately there wasn't time for a dip, which did look inviting - especially due to the heat & humidity!
Our four hour circuit tour of the whole island finished with a sunset visit to the "Big Buddha." Naming it must have taken many a great mind many a costly hour?!?! It was, as described, BIG.
The next day we caught the boat over to Koh Phangan...
We checked into a resort, situated about four miles from the main port town & beaches. We were meeting up with Tom & Jordan, a couple of lads from Reading that Smalls & DIxy met in Koh Samui. The resort cost us eight pounds a night (each) for a A/C room with TV/DVD, & one excellent view of the ocean & Koh Samui in the distance. Not bad, eh?
We had arrived on the island just in time for Koh Phangan's "Full Moon Party."
This, quite simply, is a HUGE party on the beach - attended by thousands of travellers & party goers. It is quite a sight to behold...
Luminous body paints seem to be high on the agenda for most. Even if you aren't wearing any when you arrive, chances are that won't be the case for long. There are lots of bars & stands that are selling beers etc along the beach, although the unique aspect to the drinks here are the buckets. You literally purchase a small sand castle-esque bucket from the bar & they fill it with liquor & a mixer. I went for red bull, predominantly, which is actually loaded with amphetamins - meaning I was elated drunk for most of the night.
We all enjoyed the atmosphere, as well as one or two of the previously mentioned buckets!
Having gone to bed after sunrise, the next day was a total write off. We chilled by the pool & recharges the batteries. The next evening we went down to the beach & were shocked by how few people were out to party. It appears that the nights leading up to the full moon are busy, then everyone moves on to other destinations.
We did find a busier bar - which was surrounded by people watching drunks attempt to jump over a rope on fire (skipping), or through a ring of fire. Needless to say we weren't going to do anything as stupid as that...that is...until we had had sufficient courage (aka - buckets). I can't pin point exactly when it happened, but I finally fell victim to my own stupidity, as I woke up the next morning in excrutiating pain. My shoulder was agony. I got a taxi to the hospital, got the okay after an x-ray, then got loaded on painkillers. I took my prescription of pills, my sling, & what was left of my pride, & went back to bed. The admittance report from the hospital makes amusing reading though..."John woke up with big pain in right shoulder. He does not know what happened to him last night." Not my proudest moment - but I did make it over 9 months without incident :-)
written by
johnnoble
on June 11, 2009
from
Bangkok
,
Thailand
from the travel blog:
John's year off...
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