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Friday 20 August 2010
Wednesday 23 September 2009
07th December 2006
Hello and welcome to the last of the 2006 letters from the moon. This is it, My last letter and I am not writing anymore this year even though I have 3 more days here and I am going on the tranzAlpine Railway tomorrow (one of the most scenic if the most scenic in the world) and well I can only tell you if the weather is like today (mid 20's, blue skies and beautifully clear then wow what a journey, you will know when the photos eventually get put onto ringo and they will by next weekend I promise).
So where we were we in the continuing adventures of a life not yet lived.
I was in Queenstown, the party capital of the South Island and I was there for about 3 days. After driving up from Te Aneu I checked in at the Deco Backpackers and stayed there. The view from the garden was of the lakes and you could the speed / fast boats and the steamer coming in and out of the quay. And with no clouds and lots of sun it was a beautiful place.
I spent Friday there shopping, reading, drinking beer and watching England crash out of the first Test. So that was fun.
On Saturday fully rested and slightly hungover I went off to do so extreme silly stuff. My first piece of excitment of the day was something called River Surfing. This involves surfing through grade 3 rapids on a boogie board (half a surfboard) and not drowning or letting the currents take you under, into rocks or into whirpools. It is as scary as it sounds, well it scared the living daylights out me, maybe because I dont like water that much as I am not a very strong swimmer. I got suited up and then led down a steep cliff to the edge of the river where you have to dive in and then the fun starts as you immediately with out much training get swept down stream into the rapids. Rapids which normally are easy to get through in a raft but at eye level, no. It was 6km of sheer fright and I survived although I did not want to do the next run. As well I was dead and one of the guides helped me out to the shore.......
In the Afternoon I went Quad biking and that was simply awesome especially again as I have done that before. we went out to private farm land and tore it up! I got covered in mud and eventually the instructors quad broke down so I helped recover it and drove their machines which we 400cc instead of 250cc and wow they flew. It was a cool couple of hours and a chance to get over near death!
Sunday morning I went Canyon Swinging. Now this is a thrill. You get strapped to a rope and then dangle over a 100 metre sheer rock face and then you have to jump (not fall) jump off and fall 60m then you swing out 200m over the canyon. Awesome and really a top rush better than the bungy.
I did 2 leaps of faith, the first was backwards and the second was jumping off sideways both of them were the max scare. TheDVDs of me are ace!
So that was extreme done with!
I drove to the lake resort of Wanaka next following the good advice of my long lost friend (well I see her 1 a year if lucky and thats about it) and she was bang on the money as I am now a huge lets all go back to Wanaka Fan.
I stayed in a great backpackers with views of the lake the mountains and you could sit and stare at them for hours and I probably did.
I got talking to some aussiesa and a crazed canadian and we all went walking in the evening to the top of mount iron to watch the sunset and that was cool. After that we all drank beer and the boss of the place joined us.
I went mountain biking the next day around the lake for about 4 hours in bright sunshine, with crystal clear waters, flowers, and the mountains everywhere.I really enjoyed my time there it was great.
I have always wanted to go Heli Hiking on a glacier since I got to NZ and so I left the next day for Fox Glacier and that was a great journey another one except the rain and the winds and low clouds made driving a little dull and for 4.5 hours quite a long time.
Fox Glacier is a small place full of buses and hotels and helicopter flights signs. The day I get there horizontal rain, no flights and no hiking.
I decide to go to the Beach which is 20km east and walk around it. The beach is grey with grey sand and angry grey waves crashing in, truly marvellous. There was a penguin on the beach with a broken foot and I think someone took it away to be looked after.
I walk around the beach and to a hole in the rock carved out by some miners and that was good. On return to the car, I discover that the thing wont start (no I never left my lights on) and so I end up pushing it around the car park trying to push start it. No that never happens. So I sit there and look at the rain for a bit. Bit bored and not wanting to walk to the nearest house (15km away). I sit and eventually so locals turn up and hooray jump leads so they get the car going and I drive off, get back to the hostel and spend the evening drying out.
The next day it had stopped raining well horizontally and so I go to the office to check for the flights but they are cancelled til midday so i go and eat and not much else.
At midday we have horizontal rain and winds so no flying nothing. So I go the base of th blue ice glacier and walk the 20 mins to see it and take a photo and get the most wet cold and damp unreal.
Giving up I go to the pub and drink for the rest of the day, there is simply nothing else to do.
I am booked to fly the next morning, but purple lightening, more heavy rain and wind all night and still the next day makes me leave fox and head out, back to wanaka for some partying with the guys back at the hostel. This time the journey back is awe inspiring as the clouds have lifted and the Haast pass is full of waterfalls and there is snow on the mountains, trees and the road which is kind of fun.
Wanaka surrounded in snow is even better as all the mountains come alive. The owner of the hostel has gone snowboarding for the day so I make myself at home and spend a quiet afternoon not doing much. Friday was the same to be fair. Not doing much.
Friday night we all went out (20 of us at least all from every country) and drank to stupid oclock in the morning and danced.
On the way back we all dived into a hot pool run by a local hotel. There were about 10 of us stay staring at the milky way at 3am, it was cold out side in the pool lovely.
I had a hangover that was nice. So about 4 of us went and walked up Rocky Mountain which took about 5 hours. It was a great tramp and has great views of the mountains and the glaciers.
We drank Saturday night and partied through til 5 it was a great night even when I had to jump in the lake (7 degrees never been colder trust me ) I had to jump our team lost Balderdash..........
I drove for 6 hours the next day to Christchurch as it was time to go and move on and see more of the country. The journey was ok Christchurch was well i dont know, i went to the local pak n save got some food and then crashed out for the evening.
The next day I drove to picton. Picton is where the ferry comes in from Wellington and no one ever stays there so I did and it was cool.
I went on the Queen Charlotte trail and tramped for 15 km which was amazing, the trail was great going around the coast and the forests.
Yesterday I went Whale Watching at Kai Kura. What a beautiful place that is. I recommend everyone goes there.
My whale watching involded getting in an aeroplane and flying out to see and then flying over a sperm whale, about 18ft in length. Talk about feeling contented. I was thrilled to see one, and the total size of it was massive. But what a sight. I also saw a pod of dusky dolphins, about 400 of them flying through the sea as well. It was incredible.
And that dear reader is where I leave my tails of derring do and really shouldnt.
I should really end on the fact that last night from the hostel veranda we watched the moon rise over the horizon and the sea was a golden colour, the southern cross was gleaming and the milkyway passed over the roof of the place. A fitting way to end my last moon story of 2006.
There we go. Thats yer lot.
It has been my absolute pleasure writing down pretty much all the legal experiences I have had since March and I have had the most incredible time and met the most adorable and wonderful people through my travels all around the world and you know who you are so you can sit and have a smug moment.
To everyone at home in the UK chill and thanks for travelling with me, I enjoyed driving the bus, maybe too much!!!
So Happy Christmans and have the best new year and make it happen whatever whereever and with who ever.
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Luke
So where we were we in the continuing adventures of a life not yet lived.
I was in Queenstown, the party capital of the South Island and I was there for about 3 days. After driving up from Te Aneu I checked in at the Deco Backpackers and stayed there. The view from the garden was of the lakes and you could the speed / fast boats and the steamer coming in and out of the quay. And with no clouds and lots of sun it was a beautiful place.
I spent Friday there shopping, reading, drinking beer and watching England crash out of the first Test. So that was fun.
On Saturday fully rested and slightly hungover I went off to do so extreme silly stuff. My first piece of excitment of the day was something called River Surfing. This involves surfing through grade 3 rapids on a boogie board (half a surfboard) and not drowning or letting the currents take you under, into rocks or into whirpools. It is as scary as it sounds, well it scared the living daylights out me, maybe because I dont like water that much as I am not a very strong swimmer. I got suited up and then led down a steep cliff to the edge of the river where you have to dive in and then the fun starts as you immediately with out much training get swept down stream into the rapids. Rapids which normally are easy to get through in a raft but at eye level, no. It was 6km of sheer fright and I survived although I did not want to do the next run. As well I was dead and one of the guides helped me out to the shore.......
In the Afternoon I went Quad biking and that was simply awesome especially again as I have done that before. we went out to private farm land and tore it up! I got covered in mud and eventually the instructors quad broke down so I helped recover it and drove their machines which we 400cc instead of 250cc and wow they flew. It was a cool couple of hours and a chance to get over near death!
Sunday morning I went Canyon Swinging. Now this is a thrill. You get strapped to a rope and then dangle over a 100 metre sheer rock face and then you have to jump (not fall) jump off and fall 60m then you swing out 200m over the canyon. Awesome and really a top rush better than the bungy.
I did 2 leaps of faith, the first was backwards and the second was jumping off sideways both of them were the max scare. TheDVDs of me are ace!
So that was extreme done with!
I drove to the lake resort of Wanaka next following the good advice of my long lost friend (well I see her 1 a year if lucky and thats about it) and she was bang on the money as I am now a huge lets all go back to Wanaka Fan.
I stayed in a great backpackers with views of the lake the mountains and you could sit and stare at them for hours and I probably did.
I got talking to some aussiesa and a crazed canadian and we all went walking in the evening to the top of mount iron to watch the sunset and that was cool. After that we all drank beer and the boss of the place joined us.
I went mountain biking the next day around the lake for about 4 hours in bright sunshine, with crystal clear waters, flowers, and the mountains everywhere.I really enjoyed my time there it was great.
I have always wanted to go Heli Hiking on a glacier since I got to NZ and so I left the next day for Fox Glacier and that was a great journey another one except the rain and the winds and low clouds made driving a little dull and for 4.5 hours quite a long time.
Fox Glacier is a small place full of buses and hotels and helicopter flights signs. The day I get there horizontal rain, no flights and no hiking.
I decide to go to the Beach which is 20km east and walk around it. The beach is grey with grey sand and angry grey waves crashing in, truly marvellous. There was a penguin on the beach with a broken foot and I think someone took it away to be looked after.
I walk around the beach and to a hole in the rock carved out by some miners and that was good. On return to the car, I discover that the thing wont start (no I never left my lights on) and so I end up pushing it around the car park trying to push start it. No that never happens. So I sit there and look at the rain for a bit. Bit bored and not wanting to walk to the nearest house (15km away). I sit and eventually so locals turn up and hooray jump leads so they get the car going and I drive off, get back to the hostel and spend the evening drying out.
The next day it had stopped raining well horizontally and so I go to the office to check for the flights but they are cancelled til midday so i go and eat and not much else.
At midday we have horizontal rain and winds so no flying nothing. So I go the base of th blue ice glacier and walk the 20 mins to see it and take a photo and get the most wet cold and damp unreal.
Giving up I go to the pub and drink for the rest of the day, there is simply nothing else to do.
I am booked to fly the next morning, but purple lightening, more heavy rain and wind all night and still the next day makes me leave fox and head out, back to wanaka for some partying with the guys back at the hostel. This time the journey back is awe inspiring as the clouds have lifted and the Haast pass is full of waterfalls and there is snow on the mountains, trees and the road which is kind of fun.
Wanaka surrounded in snow is even better as all the mountains come alive. The owner of the hostel has gone snowboarding for the day so I make myself at home and spend a quiet afternoon not doing much. Friday was the same to be fair. Not doing much.
Friday night we all went out (20 of us at least all from every country) and drank to stupid oclock in the morning and danced.
On the way back we all dived into a hot pool run by a local hotel. There were about 10 of us stay staring at the milky way at 3am, it was cold out side in the pool lovely.
I had a hangover that was nice. So about 4 of us went and walked up Rocky Mountain which took about 5 hours. It was a great tramp and has great views of the mountains and the glaciers.
We drank Saturday night and partied through til 5 it was a great night even when I had to jump in the lake (7 degrees never been colder trust me ) I had to jump our team lost Balderdash..........
I drove for 6 hours the next day to Christchurch as it was time to go and move on and see more of the country. The journey was ok Christchurch was well i dont know, i went to the local pak n save got some food and then crashed out for the evening.
The next day I drove to picton. Picton is where the ferry comes in from Wellington and no one ever stays there so I did and it was cool.
I went on the Queen Charlotte trail and tramped for 15 km which was amazing, the trail was great going around the coast and the forests.
Yesterday I went Whale Watching at Kai Kura. What a beautiful place that is. I recommend everyone goes there.
My whale watching involded getting in an aeroplane and flying out to see and then flying over a sperm whale, about 18ft in length. Talk about feeling contented. I was thrilled to see one, and the total size of it was massive. But what a sight. I also saw a pod of dusky dolphins, about 400 of them flying through the sea as well. It was incredible.
And that dear reader is where I leave my tails of derring do and really shouldnt.
I should really end on the fact that last night from the hostel veranda we watched the moon rise over the horizon and the sea was a golden colour, the southern cross was gleaming and the milkyway passed over the roof of the place. A fitting way to end my last moon story of 2006.
There we go. Thats yer lot.
It has been my absolute pleasure writing down pretty much all the legal experiences I have had since March and I have had the most incredible time and met the most adorable and wonderful people through my travels all around the world and you know who you are so you can sit and have a smug moment.
To everyone at home in the UK chill and thanks for travelling with me, I enjoyed driving the bus, maybe too much!!!
So Happy Christmans and have the best new year and make it happen whatever whereever and with who ever.
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Luke
24th November 2006
Hello Again
It is that time of the week where I need to make you all envy me and my travels and trips around the globe. I always enjoy writing these emails as it is nice to tell the world what I am doing and it is always nice for the world to tell me what they are doing as well travelling can be a bit tiresome and just because I see and visit and experience so many different things dont think I am not interested in what everyone else is also doing and sometimes a little communication from you guys goes a long way......... So thank you to those that do email me as your emails and notes really do make me smile and help me through my busy days.
Well thats enough of that. I am I think on a road trip interwoven with as many boat trips I can muster and that so far has been many. New Zealand is all about the water and the mountains. This country may not be the biggest but it is very tall in many parts of it.
I am in Queenstown. In an internet cafe which is just that nothing else which is nice. Yesterday I was in shorts today I am in jumpers tomorrow I am in the mud but thats tomorrow.
I should really get on with this but I have all day today not doing a thing, well maybe a Starbucks and so bird watching and go and chat up some germans as there are more of them here than Kiwis and I not talking little brown birds.
When I last emailed you I had pretty much just got to Wellington and I had really had 0 sleep on the way down from Auckland. I was meeting Tony and his friend for a few days before I venture south so it was good to catch up with him and meet his Kiwi Friend Julian.
We do coffee and see some sights and then visit some sights in the capital so that was good. In the afternoon we went to see some of Julians friends in the city and that was good to meet some really NZ people.
A few beers as expected and that was the first day spent in Wellington the next day was spent looking at the museum Te Papa and then we went on a free air flight from Masterton to Wellington which was really good and we flew through a valle and then over the sea and then into Wellington. A great flight.
Then a meal and that was Wellington in 2 days. The next day was a flight to Christchurch and then I picked up my Green Toyota Corrolla 1.3 4 speed car which was the cheapest heap I could find so that was cool
I was given directions to Oarmaru via Twizel so I follow the instructions and well to be fair it was the best journey I have ever taken on road. Imagine long straight roads, snow capped mountains in front and valleys and plains all around then add a clear blue sky and lots of sun and you have the most picturesque journey ever. It was jaw droppingly awesome, some pretty it even shut me up.
Oarmaru is a town between Christchurch and Dunedin and it has many many Victorian buildings all in excellent shape, steam trains, real trains and not much else and it was my first real 1 horse town in the south.
I stayed there a while and visited the Moraki Boulders, which are large stone balls in the sand and very odd, the limestone elephant rocks in the middle of nowhere ( a phrase to be used a lot I think as I spent a lot of time there) and these are made famous from the film the lion, the witch and the wardrobe.
Saw Mauri cave drawings as well so very exciting.
Oamaru is also known for its colonies of rare Blue penguins and the yellow eyed penguins but I only saw the yellow as I did not want spend 3 hours in the dark and cold waiting for them although I was told it was worth the wait, the yellow penguins were good enough.
I moved from there to Dunedin (Dunedin is Gaelic for Edinborough) and the city is laid out as per the Scottish capital and the buildings equally impressive.
I spend about 2 nights there and then move on, but not before visiting the Albatross colony, seeing Albatross, yellow eyed penguins, blue penguins, seal lions, fur seals, other birds and lots of trees and plants. The wildlife around the area is really amazing and the excursion was cool.
The next day I moved into the Catlins and I spent my time in Surat Bay where I could see Sea lions from my Chair. The Catlins is the south east of the south island is full of golden sand and bays and coves. My first day there was spent by the open fire as it was really raining and it was nice to relax. The next day I spent as much time as possible visiting the sights, of Kaka Bay, Nugget Bay and the Lighthouse, Cannibal Bay, False Island, several Waterfalls and then a good walk along Surat Beach stepping over the sealions. All the places I visited were amazingly beautiful and I wont go on about them as well this will be a huge email anyway.
I moved onto to a tiny place called Niagra and this is just short of Curio bay where there is a petrified forest on the beach from about 50 million years ago and despite the horizontal rain was worth visiting that’s for sure. The rain this day was terrific and I still got around to see more waterfalls and bays but eventually gave up and spent the rest of the day in the 3 bedroomed house that was my place of stay for the night and played draughts and drank beer with another English guy. Not the most exciting night but considering we never heard or saw a car from 6pm till the morning I would say it was hetic!!!!!
The south Island is huge and there are not many people living there. 4 million people live in NZ and 1.4 million of them live in Auckland, so you do the math!!!
Then to Invercargill and the route to Stewart Island. Invercargill is a nice place to visit but not for long. I visit Bluff to find out about the ferry to Stewart Island and then well apart from go to the cinema to see the Departed with some Germans that was it really.
Stewart Island is NZ 3rd largest island. And well it is an island and there are about 30 buildings, including 3 places to eat, a church, hotel, shop and hostel.
The best thing about the Island was the ferry trip which is 1 hour on crashing through the waves and been hit by 6 m swells, it was kinda fun watching people being sick for the journey and the crew said it was not that rough!
The lodge was ok I guess, so that was nice. I was there with a german girl Claudia (not the same one from Malaysia and no Lucy I never). Our first place to visit was Ulva Island which was a taxi boat ride across a bay. The island is totally forested and that was cool. We tramp about the woods and see all the local bird life from big parrots and pidgeons to robins and a flightless bird called the Weta which spent most of its time trying to steal my food.
The island was a good place to see how the forest used to look and here birds in their native environment so that was good.
The next day I watched the Kiwis stuff the French again and that was good to see. I then caught a water taxi to Whalers base which was a trip around the island to visit an old whaling station and not much else. I was left there for 2 hours on my own and there was not another soul nor a bird. It was the most quiet place I have ever been.
I stayed 2 nights in Stewart Island, Claudia only 1 as she had stuff to do back in Invercargill.
So I went to the pub and joined in the quiz night, read a book and that was about it.
The ferry journey back from the island was terrific as the swell was about 8m and on all sides and the ferry got well lashed and the waves were crashing over the front and sides and we all got tossed about for an hour, top fun.
The plan today was to pick up Claudia and then drive to Te Aneau and then for me to go on to Milford sound. So that is what we did, driving the southern coast road as we went and it was ok. Bit fed up with bays of golden sand and impressive mountains so I wont mention them for now!!!
We did go caving at Clifden caves. We got a map from the local information centre, got our west gear on, torches out and then went head first into some caves with any concern whether they were flooded or safe.
It was an amazing experience with the caves covered in glow worms and we had to wade through ice cold cave water with our trousers rolled up and carrying our boots and socks as the water was really deep. The adventure lasted about an hour and we went in total about 300m but we had to crawl, climb, jump, use ladders and scrabble about in the pitch black during the whole of the time.
My journey to Milford Sound was amazing. Another beautiful evening. A 2 hour drive from Te Aneau and well even better than my journey from Christchurch that’s for sure. Heading toward Milford you have to go through the Homer tunnel, which is 1200m long, not lit nor paved but it does go down hill and was an experience as once through it you are in a different world and that was the approach to Milford Sound.
There is an airport at Milford Sound and about 10 other buildings, A pub, 2 hostels and the wharf buildings which you need to go through to get a boat, other than that nothing. I stayed in the lodge. It was ok but not great.
The sunset was cool.
The next day the trip through the sound was wow. And whilst I never had the rain and so no waterfalls it was just great to travel through. I suggest you look it up on google earth and then get some appreciation of it as I cant really describe it. I can tell you it was huge and also cold and it harbours seals and leopard seals were there as were the rare crested fjord penguins.
I went to the observatory as well which is a very large steel tube with windows and you could see all that lives in the sound swimming. Also they have black and white coral which is normally only seen at 80m deep but the sound allows it to go at a higher level so that was good.
That was Milford Sound. Fantastic. The journey back also fantastic with lots more photos and the day was again close to excellent.
I stayed in Te Anaeu which is a lake side town and a starting point for lots of famous walks like the keppler track.
I saw a film in a cinema called Shadowlands and it is a 35 minute film shot by a local helicopter pilot of the fjords and the place is truly isolated, desolate and wonderous. The rest of the night was spent drinking beer and doing the washing!!!
The next day I went on another cruise this time to Doubtful sound. Another Sound but different. The trip involved a boat across Lake Manapori and then a bus to Deep Cove and then the trip.
The weather was changing rapidly so luckily I had all my cold weather gear on.
We went to the power station 800m into the mountain. It was great. All we saw was darkness in the tunnel and then the viewing showed us 7 blue bits of metal which were the ends of the turbines and that was it, almost interesting but only almost.
The bus driver was rubbish as well as he struggled to change gear and get the bus going.
But Doubtful sound was completely different from Mliford in that the channel was wider and the fjords less steep and more rolling and that was about it really. It was bloody cold I can tell you that. When I get my photos on ringo you will see.
I enjoyed Doubtful for the quiet and the peace and the beauty. The trip was organized and I felt that is was more like a production line with us being pushed from here to there and not really given the time to enjoy which was a shame. But I guess I have been lucky to visit most places at my leisure and so not hurried and that was the difference.
And so that is where I am. I am now in Queenstown and I am here for a few days before heading north.
This is a long email but it could be longer as I have seen so much and done so much and traveled so far but I have had to reduce the content.
Christmas is almost upon us and over here it is quite strange, it can be really hot and then you walk into a shop and see a Christmas tree. All the shops have the decorations and stuff for sale. This is my first Christmas where I am not working so I am going to enjoy it.
There will be maybe one more letter this year and if demand dictates a few next year but I am not sure as I am moving on to other things but it hey that’s up to you.
So enjoy where ever you are and what ever you are doing.
Catch you all later
Luke
13th November 2006
Well I have finally decided to write another email to you as well I climbed up Mount Cargill for spectacular views of the penninsula around Dunedin (look it up, a clue its in New Zealand) but the cloud was covering too fast so I parked the car in the hostel car park and wandered into the scottish city of New Zealand (yes really) and walked into Mcdonalds Cyber Cafe, Big mac and email there is a novelty. Actually its also a McCafe as well where they are doing lattes and muffins, the big macs are further down. There is no end of their ways to make money.
So thats that then. Here I am in Dunedin, South Island New Zealand, its late Sunday night for you and midday here on a blustery 20 degree kind of a day.
I have travelled many kilometres across NZ and to be fair, it can be all same same, but the South Island is all its cracked up to be, sheep, mountains, tourquoise blue lakes and penguins, but that will have to wait for another day, let me tell you about the rest of my trip south and all my most excellent adventures.
Before I start, is there anyone out there wanting to make money, as I feel some of my photos are good enough to sell so if you want a 30 -40% cut and do all the work ie framing and selling, I will do the other bit of travelling and taking photos and having to cope with all the stress that will bring me. Open to offers......
So after a very long 8 hour trip from the northlands to the small port of Whatagai on the bay of plenty we crash out at the Cats Pyjamas lodge, nice and quiet, not far from the town centre and 2 mins to the coast. I think that is where I sent you my last email and that was a long time ago so that means this will be a long one, so I best get on with it!!!!
I had my first bath on Halloween actually. My first bath was in the sand at hot water beach. Hot water beach is a curious place. It is a surfing beach mainly but at low tide you can dig a hole in the sand where the sand is hot to feel and then lie in hot water bubbling up from the ground. Getting there for 7.45 we are not alone but the beach is empty. Sinking into the water was amazing, with the pacific crashing 5 metres away and you just lying there warming from nature. Eventually I dash into the cold sea and swim and then plunge back into the pool to warm up before we leave. A great way to start the day. We then crack on for 5 hours across the bay of Plenty and through town and village to get to our next stop Whakatane. This is like the last place but worse as no decent bars but we are there only to go to white island. So we find a hostel, eat and then wander around the coast and the bay and eventually get to Ohope beach where you can surf, the sand is black and the waves crashing in at about 3 metres. It was a lovely beach.
November 1 was beautiful cloudless day and when you eventually see the photos you will agree and a great day to visit an active volcano that is White Island. White Island is 2 hours in a boat each way so we had a lovely journey out especially as to add to the sea mammal list Whales were sighted and photographed, not sure which kind, but whales never the less and that was purley spectacular, we followed them for about 30 mins before getting to the Volcano.
We have to wear a yellow hard hat and are equipped with gas mask to visit this volcano as it is active, constantly bubbling and shaking so it does not get any more real than this. We have to go by dinghy to get to the landing post which is an old pier built by sulpur miners in the 30's. One on the island and wearing all the warm weather clothes I have as it is cold and hot at the same time, we get the safety speech. In the event of a landslide get to higher ground, in the event of an earthquake stay still, in the event of an eruption get to somewhere to hide behind and hope the rocks miss you! and in the event of a sulphuric/hydrochloric gas attack, death mainly so that was nice.
We wander in and well for all those who have been in live volcanoes before then you know what I am talking about. WOW. Steaming vents, sulphur holes, the strangest coloured rocks, streams, waters, reds, blues, oranges, greens, blacks, blues. Red hot steam billowing out, poisonous gasses, acid streams, craters, holes, mud and sheer cliffs all around the crater. A feast for the eyes, which meant and I mean no offense Japanese Tourist moment as I take about 200 photos of the place (edit them out to about 199) and just generally be amazed by the whiole thing. We stay on the volcano for about 2 hours and then leave for the journey back. I should point out that the smell also smelt like a room full of rugby players after a good curry due to the hydrogen sulphide smell (rotten eggs) but you get used to it.
We get back to Whakatane get the car and then travel to Rotura and stay at the funky green voyager backpackers place oppposite a fiood market and this is still so far the best place I have stayed in over here. We are joined at tea by some others, a pom, dutch guy, girl from USA and some swiss people so the table talk was rather interesting that night.
The next day was a washing and reading cant be arsed day so that is what we did. A quick trip round the town and then nothing. In the evening I went drinking with the American girl and got drunk and got back about 3am so that was great great fun.
However not that great when I woke up and had to go trekking (tramping) all day. We head out to a place called Wai O Tapu where it is a collection of geo thermal activities, geysers, mud pools, hot water springs and true to its word it was a magical mystical place and for the time we were there, it was a very strange world to walk around, steam clouds and green lakes, bright blue lakes, red rocks etc. My words cant do it justice my photos do. We then head up to the Lady Knox Geyser and this where every day you sit in a big semi circle and watch nature push water 30m sky wards after a man pours washing powder into the hole to set the chain reaction going. Very touristy and not really very exciting to be fair.
We then leave this place and head to a valley called the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, one of the youngest geo thermic areas in the world and in photographic memory as the whole place changed shape in the the early 1900s and was captured on camera so it is still changing and living today.
It is about a 5km tramp to a lake and back and we start and it is a very impressive place especailly Inferno crater where the steam rises off hot water lake like ghoslty appraritons and that was so surreal and strange. We carry on past hot water streams and blow holes, mud pools, etc. I go off tramping over mount haszard and leave annette to walk on her own for a few hours (she did not want too, but now she has done fox glaicer so thats ok) and eventually we meet up again for the last leg to the lake.
Sandflies are worse than mosquitos. I got bitten 55 times. They drew blood and my scars are still healing so thats all lovely. The mind was better as we had a lovely boat ride around it and then we walked back up the valley to the car. Then to finish the living earth day we went to the mud pools where hot mud pools explode and plop about making rude noises and smelling like rotten eggs. To be fair, Rotorua smells like that as well but you actually get used to the smell as it is just part of the day.
A drive round the lakes and the area before supper finished that day off.
White water rafting is fun. Rafting over 7m high water falls is very fun and so that is what we did next. We went rafting for the morning and it was 50 minutes of high adrenaline excitement and was ace. I actually fell out of the raft as we hit the bottom of the 7m waterfall and had to swim for it to get back to the raft as the water was fast flowing but hey its all fun. The photos are truly amazing again!!! Hydro Zorbing is fun and as wet. Hydro Zorbing is where you get into a large ball or orb, which is full of hot water and then you get pushed down a hill on a zig zag course getting sloshed around inside and laughing all the way, that is also a good way to spend the afternoon. The best way mind is to walk into a bungy jumping centre give money to a smiling (cos she knows your brickin it) woman and then empty your pockets and then get your legs tied together, get into a little platform and then go 43m into the air, smile at a man with a camera and then fall out of the platform into the unknown. That has to be the most wow still smiling moment of my life as the feeling of certain death, the free fall for a few seconds and then the bouncing up and down on the bungy is awesome really something. I am now a big fan of bungy and when I get to Queenstown I will bungy there. It is such a rush.
We got very drunk that nice celebrating my jump!!
Driving to the West coast was a sobering experience as it was long and boring but Raglan is a pleasant enough place with beautiful bays, amazing coast and some of the best surfting in the world. Kyaking is also good when its free and so when we get there we go up the river eventually in a canoe thing for about 2 hours.
That was raglan really. We stayed one night as we had to head back to Auckland. Auckland like the last time was oh so ok and not very good. We sent a load of stuff home by post so that was good and that was about it. Annette was leaving to go to Christchurch and I was getting the night bus to Wellington to meet good old Big Boy himself Mr Tony Nye who was also and about in NZ.
And that is nearly the north Island complete.
The night bus was horrible but cheap and another journey completed I get to the countries capital Wellington. This is where this part of the adventure ends.
I really should leave it there as I am off Albatross watching soon and so need to get my oh christ its cold clothes on (the wind comes from the Antartic and that is cold, believe me) but that aside its all good.
So take care and be safe, christmas is coming, well it is in NZ and that is truly bizarre.
Thats your lot
ciao
Luke
So thats that then. Here I am in Dunedin, South Island New Zealand, its late Sunday night for you and midday here on a blustery 20 degree kind of a day.
I have travelled many kilometres across NZ and to be fair, it can be all same same, but the South Island is all its cracked up to be, sheep, mountains, tourquoise blue lakes and penguins, but that will have to wait for another day, let me tell you about the rest of my trip south and all my most excellent adventures.
Before I start, is there anyone out there wanting to make money, as I feel some of my photos are good enough to sell so if you want a 30 -40% cut and do all the work ie framing and selling, I will do the other bit of travelling and taking photos and having to cope with all the stress that will bring me. Open to offers......
So after a very long 8 hour trip from the northlands to the small port of Whatagai on the bay of plenty we crash out at the Cats Pyjamas lodge, nice and quiet, not far from the town centre and 2 mins to the coast. I think that is where I sent you my last email and that was a long time ago so that means this will be a long one, so I best get on with it!!!!
I had my first bath on Halloween actually. My first bath was in the sand at hot water beach. Hot water beach is a curious place. It is a surfing beach mainly but at low tide you can dig a hole in the sand where the sand is hot to feel and then lie in hot water bubbling up from the ground. Getting there for 7.45 we are not alone but the beach is empty. Sinking into the water was amazing, with the pacific crashing 5 metres away and you just lying there warming from nature. Eventually I dash into the cold sea and swim and then plunge back into the pool to warm up before we leave. A great way to start the day. We then crack on for 5 hours across the bay of Plenty and through town and village to get to our next stop Whakatane. This is like the last place but worse as no decent bars but we are there only to go to white island. So we find a hostel, eat and then wander around the coast and the bay and eventually get to Ohope beach where you can surf, the sand is black and the waves crashing in at about 3 metres. It was a lovely beach.
November 1 was beautiful cloudless day and when you eventually see the photos you will agree and a great day to visit an active volcano that is White Island. White Island is 2 hours in a boat each way so we had a lovely journey out especially as to add to the sea mammal list Whales were sighted and photographed, not sure which kind, but whales never the less and that was purley spectacular, we followed them for about 30 mins before getting to the Volcano.
We have to wear a yellow hard hat and are equipped with gas mask to visit this volcano as it is active, constantly bubbling and shaking so it does not get any more real than this. We have to go by dinghy to get to the landing post which is an old pier built by sulpur miners in the 30's. One on the island and wearing all the warm weather clothes I have as it is cold and hot at the same time, we get the safety speech. In the event of a landslide get to higher ground, in the event of an earthquake stay still, in the event of an eruption get to somewhere to hide behind and hope the rocks miss you! and in the event of a sulphuric/hydrochloric gas attack, death mainly so that was nice.
We wander in and well for all those who have been in live volcanoes before then you know what I am talking about. WOW. Steaming vents, sulphur holes, the strangest coloured rocks, streams, waters, reds, blues, oranges, greens, blacks, blues. Red hot steam billowing out, poisonous gasses, acid streams, craters, holes, mud and sheer cliffs all around the crater. A feast for the eyes, which meant and I mean no offense Japanese Tourist moment as I take about 200 photos of the place (edit them out to about 199) and just generally be amazed by the whiole thing. We stay on the volcano for about 2 hours and then leave for the journey back. I should point out that the smell also smelt like a room full of rugby players after a good curry due to the hydrogen sulphide smell (rotten eggs) but you get used to it.
We get back to Whakatane get the car and then travel to Rotura and stay at the funky green voyager backpackers place oppposite a fiood market and this is still so far the best place I have stayed in over here. We are joined at tea by some others, a pom, dutch guy, girl from USA and some swiss people so the table talk was rather interesting that night.
The next day was a washing and reading cant be arsed day so that is what we did. A quick trip round the town and then nothing. In the evening I went drinking with the American girl and got drunk and got back about 3am so that was great great fun.
However not that great when I woke up and had to go trekking (tramping) all day. We head out to a place called Wai O Tapu where it is a collection of geo thermal activities, geysers, mud pools, hot water springs and true to its word it was a magical mystical place and for the time we were there, it was a very strange world to walk around, steam clouds and green lakes, bright blue lakes, red rocks etc. My words cant do it justice my photos do. We then head up to the Lady Knox Geyser and this where every day you sit in a big semi circle and watch nature push water 30m sky wards after a man pours washing powder into the hole to set the chain reaction going. Very touristy and not really very exciting to be fair.
We then leave this place and head to a valley called the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, one of the youngest geo thermic areas in the world and in photographic memory as the whole place changed shape in the the early 1900s and was captured on camera so it is still changing and living today.
It is about a 5km tramp to a lake and back and we start and it is a very impressive place especailly Inferno crater where the steam rises off hot water lake like ghoslty appraritons and that was so surreal and strange. We carry on past hot water streams and blow holes, mud pools, etc. I go off tramping over mount haszard and leave annette to walk on her own for a few hours (she did not want too, but now she has done fox glaicer so thats ok) and eventually we meet up again for the last leg to the lake.
Sandflies are worse than mosquitos. I got bitten 55 times. They drew blood and my scars are still healing so thats all lovely. The mind was better as we had a lovely boat ride around it and then we walked back up the valley to the car. Then to finish the living earth day we went to the mud pools where hot mud pools explode and plop about making rude noises and smelling like rotten eggs. To be fair, Rotorua smells like that as well but you actually get used to the smell as it is just part of the day.
A drive round the lakes and the area before supper finished that day off.
White water rafting is fun. Rafting over 7m high water falls is very fun and so that is what we did next. We went rafting for the morning and it was 50 minutes of high adrenaline excitement and was ace. I actually fell out of the raft as we hit the bottom of the 7m waterfall and had to swim for it to get back to the raft as the water was fast flowing but hey its all fun. The photos are truly amazing again!!! Hydro Zorbing is fun and as wet. Hydro Zorbing is where you get into a large ball or orb, which is full of hot water and then you get pushed down a hill on a zig zag course getting sloshed around inside and laughing all the way, that is also a good way to spend the afternoon. The best way mind is to walk into a bungy jumping centre give money to a smiling (cos she knows your brickin it) woman and then empty your pockets and then get your legs tied together, get into a little platform and then go 43m into the air, smile at a man with a camera and then fall out of the platform into the unknown. That has to be the most wow still smiling moment of my life as the feeling of certain death, the free fall for a few seconds and then the bouncing up and down on the bungy is awesome really something. I am now a big fan of bungy and when I get to Queenstown I will bungy there. It is such a rush.
We got very drunk that nice celebrating my jump!!
Driving to the West coast was a sobering experience as it was long and boring but Raglan is a pleasant enough place with beautiful bays, amazing coast and some of the best surfting in the world. Kyaking is also good when its free and so when we get there we go up the river eventually in a canoe thing for about 2 hours.
That was raglan really. We stayed one night as we had to head back to Auckland. Auckland like the last time was oh so ok and not very good. We sent a load of stuff home by post so that was good and that was about it. Annette was leaving to go to Christchurch and I was getting the night bus to Wellington to meet good old Big Boy himself Mr Tony Nye who was also and about in NZ.
And that is nearly the north Island complete.
The night bus was horrible but cheap and another journey completed I get to the countries capital Wellington. This is where this part of the adventure ends.
I really should leave it there as I am off Albatross watching soon and so need to get my oh christ its cold clothes on (the wind comes from the Antartic and that is cold, believe me) but that aside its all good.
So take care and be safe, christmas is coming, well it is in NZ and that is truly bizarre.
Thats your lot
ciao
Luke
30th October 2009
Well here we go again and this trip can only be described as fantastic. I am in the Sports Bar in Whitianga on the East coast of the North Island of New Zealand. I have been here an hour! The sports bar is great. To the right are the fruit machines (pokeys) and in front is the betting shop. To the left is the Bar, behind me is the kitchen and in front of me is a pint of Lion Red and the keyboard, email in a pub amazing.
So now you know where I typed this message from. I have been on quite a journey. I have seen and experienced so much so far, seems a shame I have to work next year!!!
So I am travelling with Annette (yes a girl, no I am not ok...) and I have known her since I was 18 and we are here for different reasons and I aint telling you what they are, they might come out as I type they might not.
We left London on the 18th and flew to LA via Air New Zealand (this will be a very long email, they dont start serving food for another hour and apart from drinking there is absolutely nothing to do in this 1 horse by the sea town) and the flight was great, a little bumpy but great.
Before I go on lets all wish Sharon a happy birthday, 35 ha ha (just for you x) any way, we get to LA and after finger prints and pictures we get outside to get a shared bus to Mid Wilshire. It took only 40 mins to get through immigration and get our bags and then from LAX to our hotel 2.5 hours. We get to the Ramada Mid Wilshire at 10pm!!!! Whats that all about. The hotel is a hotel. Next to the hotel is a Korean wine bar and Karaoke bar, so drop bags, drink and sit and listen. The Korean people blast out and murder any song they can which is nice and then after 10 hours flying and 6 bottles of hieneken I get up bang out a few songs and then got to sleep for 6 hours.
The first day in LA we get on the bus to go to Santa Monica. Not as scary as first thought, $3 all day any bus, metro anywhere and so we go. Santa Monica Pier is just up from the wierd, tacky and wonderful Venice Beach and it is hot, sunny, the ocean is cold and the weirdos of LA are just waking up!!! The area is great, a long beach walk and the sands are golden and empty, the people are unassuming and there were plenty of police around to make you feel safe. Muscle beach was a bit of a let down although Venice beach does live up to its reputation as a strange and hippy place with lots of street performers, aritists, strange shops and murials on the walls. When I can be bothered I will post the photos on ringo, but as I already have taken 900 then I am not sure when I will have time, but trust me they are all amazing esp the dolphins but thats to come.
We spend most of the day there and we find the british bar drink guiness and have cheese and pickle sandwiches which were great. Getting back to the hotel took about 2 hours and we went through Sunset Boulvard, past the Tar Pits down through beverly hills and the like so that was fun if a little uninteresting as the city is full of cars and not people and that is a shame but there you go.
We are staying in the heart of Korea Town and thats fine by me and near by is the Famous Wiltern Theatre which used to be owned by the Warner Brothers, nearly got destroyed in the recent riots there but is still standing. This night The Pogues were in town and for 30 quid we could go and see them. WOW that was some performance, Saun Macgowan was completely drunk and kept slurring, drinking and staggering all over the stage but the music was great and the atmosphere was absolutely electric. It was a great performace and a top night out.
The next day we went Down town on the metro subway and saw the Disney hall, some other big buildings and not much else really. It again was devoid of people and so you had to get everywhere by car or bus. We then moved up to Hollywood and walked the streets paved with stars of music and film. The most interesting bit about Hollywood was the shop windows as Halloween was coming and so they had all the costumes etc in the windows. The Chinese theatre area was ok except the rubbish looking film stars stood about to have photos with, A crap looking Gandalf, Zorro yeah right and wait to you see the photo of Chewy.... The pavement around the theatre has foot and hand prints of all the stars so thats nice.
Moving on we went to Universal Studios for the rest of the day and did the rides. We did the Mummy returns, Jurrasic Park, Backdraft and then to the Terminator show which was great until the fire alarm went off and we had to leave the show half way through. There wasa traditional Irish bar opp in the london area of the studios and so we had a beer and then when it reopened did the show again and it was great. I managed to get in the show by stealing the lines of one of the actors so I got some abuse which is always welcome.!!!
Shrek 4d and the Back to Future rides were also good.
Our final day was spent at Long Beach. This involved a 2 hr metro journey from the hotel to the coast going through Compton, Pico and the like where all the gangs and trouble apparently comes from but we saw none of it.
Long beach is beautiful, the Queen Mary is there, a russian sub, the aqaurium and lots of boats and we saw it all despite only having 3 hours there.
But it was a good way to spend the day.
We head back to the hotel and then leave to go to LAX on the same metro we went to Long Beach, check in and then wait for 6 hours to catch the flight to Auckland. Thats a long time. Esp as there is absolutely noting to do there in the international departure lounge.
The flight to NZ is 14 hours, We leave on Sat night and get there Monday am, I dont know why but we do. For all those in the UK I am 12 hours ahead.
Its raining in NZ when land, cold and wet and also a bank holiday and so the most populated area of the whole country is deserted. We are staying in a hotel and thats nice.
All I manage to do on my first day in Auckland is drink 6 pints of guiness and by 6pm I am asleep to the world and then I wake the next morning at about 7am, still jet lag over.
We do the harbour tour, hire a car (173 pounds for 14 days thats not bad, mind the car has done 220000 kms and is covered in knocks and dents but hey its a car) and thats about it. A few drinks in the evening.
The next day we leave to go north to Whangarei in the northlands. We stop on the way up at the Waipo caves to see glowworms. Trouble is the cave is in the middle of nowhere, you have to cross fields then enter the cave, cross the river twice and then try to not get lost. Well as it was free it was cool and the glow worms were great.
Getting to the Backpackers Hostel in Whangarei was cool. Even better when we found out they had an all you can drink for 10 bucks night and the town got involved as well. Wow thats a place to party!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I did and what a hangover the next day!!
The strangest thing was that I met 2 lads from England who lived at Chew Valley and used to drink in the Railway in Clutton which I did in my younger days and so we had a lot to chat about and got very drunk. I never made it to my dorm that night I passed out in the TV room
The next day we headed north to The Bay of Islands and for anyone who has heard of it, it is as pretty as they say and the views, the islands and the like are great. We stay at the Mousetrap hostel with views of the bay and it is really beautiful.
We get on our first trip around the bay and get on the Mack Attack a fast jet boat which goes out to the famous hole in the rock place and through it and stuff. This was a great trip and we saw loads of dolphins in the bays and they swim and dive around in front of you. That was truly awesome.
The next day we go on a full day tour of the bay of Islands and also some dolphin and sea mammal watching. WOW I have never seen so many creatures anywhere ever. We saw 3 lots of Dolphins. The first pod were swimming around and under the boat and that was spectactular. The second pod I can only describe as WOW WOW WOW. We had headed far out to the South Pacific on our way to South America and there were about 200 common dolphins fishing and then they took off and it was the best thing. They were all diving in and out the water in groups all round the boat and we followed them for about 20 minutes and to be fair I cant describe it to you. I have movie footage which is amazing and once I learn how to send 25mb of footage I will send it. But it truly was the best sight ever.
After that excitement a few penguins swimming were cool, fur seals asleep around the hole in the rock were good. We then got dropped off on an island for lunch that was nice and then we carried on with the tour. We had the opportunity to swim with dolphins if any could be found without young but they werent so I never swam with any.
Our 3rd pod were resting and then woke up and splashed around. The best thing was when we left them, some the dolphines followed in the wake and they were jumping through it and that was again amazing and I got some pictures.
Have you had enough yet as I have so much more to tell you about........
The next day we got a bus to go to Cape Reigna and the 90 mile beach, Sand Tobogganing and see the Mighty Kauri Trees.
90 mile beach is a highway where buses can go at speed through the incoming tide and through quicksand and it was an amazing trip. the waves were crashing about 3m high and the tide was coming in as we sped through down the beach, we then turned up a fresh water stream through some buried old cars that got stuck and through into Sand Dunes, Laurence of Arabia would have been proud of. We then went sand boarding down them for a while which was different and if you like the taste of sand a meal as well.
On to the Cape, where you can post post cards, take photos of the most northern dirt of NZ and of a lighthouse and signpost. I am 18000 nautical kms away from the UK.
You can also see where the Tasman sea and the Pacific hit and that was cool.
On the way back we stop in a forest to see the mighty Kauri Pines which are like the redwoods of California only better and they are huge and tall.
That was the tour. The driver sang mauri songs, told crap jokes and the bus was full of fat aussies and germans but it was ok.
Yesterday we left the bay of Islands and headed to The Kauri forests on the West side of the northlands. It rained. It rained all day so I never nothing except drive to an offy, buy beer and sit in the Forestry Lodge hut drinking. I did pop outside to do some star gazing and take photos of possums but that was about it.
And there we go that was my first 10 days or so. The weather is like England, changeable, It is cheap the lager is great, the food tops and the people fine. The hostels good my car goes and thats all.
I am off to sit in pools of hot water tomorrow on a beach and then onward to White Island for more fun and adventures.
I love travelling I really do. This is so much fun.
Take care and be safe and look out for more photos and stories.
Luke
So now you know where I typed this message from. I have been on quite a journey. I have seen and experienced so much so far, seems a shame I have to work next year!!!
So I am travelling with Annette (yes a girl, no I am not ok...) and I have known her since I was 18 and we are here for different reasons and I aint telling you what they are, they might come out as I type they might not.
We left London on the 18th and flew to LA via Air New Zealand (this will be a very long email, they dont start serving food for another hour and apart from drinking there is absolutely nothing to do in this 1 horse by the sea town) and the flight was great, a little bumpy but great.
Before I go on lets all wish Sharon a happy birthday, 35 ha ha (just for you x) any way, we get to LA and after finger prints and pictures we get outside to get a shared bus to Mid Wilshire. It took only 40 mins to get through immigration and get our bags and then from LAX to our hotel 2.5 hours. We get to the Ramada Mid Wilshire at 10pm!!!! Whats that all about. The hotel is a hotel. Next to the hotel is a Korean wine bar and Karaoke bar, so drop bags, drink and sit and listen. The Korean people blast out and murder any song they can which is nice and then after 10 hours flying and 6 bottles of hieneken I get up bang out a few songs and then got to sleep for 6 hours.
The first day in LA we get on the bus to go to Santa Monica. Not as scary as first thought, $3 all day any bus, metro anywhere and so we go. Santa Monica Pier is just up from the wierd, tacky and wonderful Venice Beach and it is hot, sunny, the ocean is cold and the weirdos of LA are just waking up!!! The area is great, a long beach walk and the sands are golden and empty, the people are unassuming and there were plenty of police around to make you feel safe. Muscle beach was a bit of a let down although Venice beach does live up to its reputation as a strange and hippy place with lots of street performers, aritists, strange shops and murials on the walls. When I can be bothered I will post the photos on ringo, but as I already have taken 900 then I am not sure when I will have time, but trust me they are all amazing esp the dolphins but thats to come.
We spend most of the day there and we find the british bar drink guiness and have cheese and pickle sandwiches which were great. Getting back to the hotel took about 2 hours and we went through Sunset Boulvard, past the Tar Pits down through beverly hills and the like so that was fun if a little uninteresting as the city is full of cars and not people and that is a shame but there you go.
We are staying in the heart of Korea Town and thats fine by me and near by is the Famous Wiltern Theatre which used to be owned by the Warner Brothers, nearly got destroyed in the recent riots there but is still standing. This night The Pogues were in town and for 30 quid we could go and see them. WOW that was some performance, Saun Macgowan was completely drunk and kept slurring, drinking and staggering all over the stage but the music was great and the atmosphere was absolutely electric. It was a great performace and a top night out.
The next day we went Down town on the metro subway and saw the Disney hall, some other big buildings and not much else really. It again was devoid of people and so you had to get everywhere by car or bus. We then moved up to Hollywood and walked the streets paved with stars of music and film. The most interesting bit about Hollywood was the shop windows as Halloween was coming and so they had all the costumes etc in the windows. The Chinese theatre area was ok except the rubbish looking film stars stood about to have photos with, A crap looking Gandalf, Zorro yeah right and wait to you see the photo of Chewy.... The pavement around the theatre has foot and hand prints of all the stars so thats nice.
Moving on we went to Universal Studios for the rest of the day and did the rides. We did the Mummy returns, Jurrasic Park, Backdraft and then to the Terminator show which was great until the fire alarm went off and we had to leave the show half way through. There wasa traditional Irish bar opp in the london area of the studios and so we had a beer and then when it reopened did the show again and it was great. I managed to get in the show by stealing the lines of one of the actors so I got some abuse which is always welcome.!!!
Shrek 4d and the Back to Future rides were also good.
Our final day was spent at Long Beach. This involved a 2 hr metro journey from the hotel to the coast going through Compton, Pico and the like where all the gangs and trouble apparently comes from but we saw none of it.
Long beach is beautiful, the Queen Mary is there, a russian sub, the aqaurium and lots of boats and we saw it all despite only having 3 hours there.
But it was a good way to spend the day.
We head back to the hotel and then leave to go to LAX on the same metro we went to Long Beach, check in and then wait for 6 hours to catch the flight to Auckland. Thats a long time. Esp as there is absolutely noting to do there in the international departure lounge.
The flight to NZ is 14 hours, We leave on Sat night and get there Monday am, I dont know why but we do. For all those in the UK I am 12 hours ahead.
Its raining in NZ when land, cold and wet and also a bank holiday and so the most populated area of the whole country is deserted. We are staying in a hotel and thats nice.
All I manage to do on my first day in Auckland is drink 6 pints of guiness and by 6pm I am asleep to the world and then I wake the next morning at about 7am, still jet lag over.
We do the harbour tour, hire a car (173 pounds for 14 days thats not bad, mind the car has done 220000 kms and is covered in knocks and dents but hey its a car) and thats about it. A few drinks in the evening.
The next day we leave to go north to Whangarei in the northlands. We stop on the way up at the Waipo caves to see glowworms. Trouble is the cave is in the middle of nowhere, you have to cross fields then enter the cave, cross the river twice and then try to not get lost. Well as it was free it was cool and the glow worms were great.
Getting to the Backpackers Hostel in Whangarei was cool. Even better when we found out they had an all you can drink for 10 bucks night and the town got involved as well. Wow thats a place to party!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I did and what a hangover the next day!!
The strangest thing was that I met 2 lads from England who lived at Chew Valley and used to drink in the Railway in Clutton which I did in my younger days and so we had a lot to chat about and got very drunk. I never made it to my dorm that night I passed out in the TV room
The next day we headed north to The Bay of Islands and for anyone who has heard of it, it is as pretty as they say and the views, the islands and the like are great. We stay at the Mousetrap hostel with views of the bay and it is really beautiful.
We get on our first trip around the bay and get on the Mack Attack a fast jet boat which goes out to the famous hole in the rock place and through it and stuff. This was a great trip and we saw loads of dolphins in the bays and they swim and dive around in front of you. That was truly awesome.
The next day we go on a full day tour of the bay of Islands and also some dolphin and sea mammal watching. WOW I have never seen so many creatures anywhere ever. We saw 3 lots of Dolphins. The first pod were swimming around and under the boat and that was spectactular. The second pod I can only describe as WOW WOW WOW. We had headed far out to the South Pacific on our way to South America and there were about 200 common dolphins fishing and then they took off and it was the best thing. They were all diving in and out the water in groups all round the boat and we followed them for about 20 minutes and to be fair I cant describe it to you. I have movie footage which is amazing and once I learn how to send 25mb of footage I will send it. But it truly was the best sight ever.
After that excitement a few penguins swimming were cool, fur seals asleep around the hole in the rock were good. We then got dropped off on an island for lunch that was nice and then we carried on with the tour. We had the opportunity to swim with dolphins if any could be found without young but they werent so I never swam with any.
Our 3rd pod were resting and then woke up and splashed around. The best thing was when we left them, some the dolphines followed in the wake and they were jumping through it and that was again amazing and I got some pictures.
Have you had enough yet as I have so much more to tell you about........
The next day we got a bus to go to Cape Reigna and the 90 mile beach, Sand Tobogganing and see the Mighty Kauri Trees.
90 mile beach is a highway where buses can go at speed through the incoming tide and through quicksand and it was an amazing trip. the waves were crashing about 3m high and the tide was coming in as we sped through down the beach, we then turned up a fresh water stream through some buried old cars that got stuck and through into Sand Dunes, Laurence of Arabia would have been proud of. We then went sand boarding down them for a while which was different and if you like the taste of sand a meal as well.
On to the Cape, where you can post post cards, take photos of the most northern dirt of NZ and of a lighthouse and signpost. I am 18000 nautical kms away from the UK.
You can also see where the Tasman sea and the Pacific hit and that was cool.
On the way back we stop in a forest to see the mighty Kauri Pines which are like the redwoods of California only better and they are huge and tall.
That was the tour. The driver sang mauri songs, told crap jokes and the bus was full of fat aussies and germans but it was ok.
Yesterday we left the bay of Islands and headed to The Kauri forests on the West side of the northlands. It rained. It rained all day so I never nothing except drive to an offy, buy beer and sit in the Forestry Lodge hut drinking. I did pop outside to do some star gazing and take photos of possums but that was about it.
And there we go that was my first 10 days or so. The weather is like England, changeable, It is cheap the lager is great, the food tops and the people fine. The hostels good my car goes and thats all.
I am off to sit in pools of hot water tomorrow on a beach and then onward to White Island for more fun and adventures.
I love travelling I really do. This is so much fun.
Take care and be safe and look out for more photos and stories.
Luke
18th September 2006
Hi Guys,
Its about time I sent this as I have been putting it off as I am having too much fun to sit and type for an hour, but I have just travelled by taxi, plane, bus, express bus and another bus to Melaka in the west island and so I am having a rest for a bit before I go out to a hawker for tea and then wander around the city for a while.
So I hope you have all seen the abridged version which was easy as it took minutes to conjure up. I have been through some stuff out here and I am having simply the most amazing time and I can say that this place whilst more expensive than Thailand has more to offer and is easier to get round.
I left the UK 2 weeks ago and the flight with Malaysian air was great. 18 films to choose from including latest releases, 50 cds to listen to, games, maps and puzzles. The flight was on time and I could have wine or beer but no spirit. The only draw back was the food as if you never had the fish for the evening meal you had it for breakfast, funny lot but hey it was ok.
I got to KL and then to China Town. I was staying at Wheelers Guest house, 4.5 quid a room with fan, shared toilets and that was good. They had a roof top bar, tv, internet and a fridge full of beer. I stayed there for 5 nights and every night was different.
I had trouble adjusting to the time zone on the first night and I was up from 5am , considering I arrived 6pm the night before I had no idea where I was or what the day was but that is something that happens more and more !!!
I visited the lake and the bird gardens the first full day I was there. The covered bird gardens are apparently the biggest in the world and it was ok, I was there for about 2 hours, sweating and dying of heat as it was very hot and humid in KL. I saw monkeys in the trees in the gardens around the lakes and it was a good way to spend my first day there. It was a long walk but worth it. I ate in a hawker stall where I have spicey fish and dried smoked fish with rice and it was ok and I was hungry. The walk was about 30 mins from the guest house.
China town in KL (Kuala Lumpur) is amazing, lots of little streets, hindu temples and markets selling watches, wallets, t-shirts and there are huge malls with star bucks on every floor, mcd every where and so so so many buses. Crossing roads involves walking out into the traffic and playing frogger with it and hopefully getting to the other side.
I went for a siesta about 6pm that evening and woke up at 1am then sat on the internet for a few hours then went back to sleep til 10am. Breakfast in the guest house was also truly great - egg and chips........ scrambled eggs, the best coffee and good chat with everyone else. I hooked up with another english guy and a swiss girl and we went to the batu caves. This is a sacred hindu temple in caves and you need to climb 272 steps to go in and aviod carrying plastic bags as the monkeys there steal them and run away, always fun to watch it happen to other people.
Inside the caves are shrines and statues and the most amazing heat it was like being broiled. But for 80p bus fare only it was a good way to spend the day. The evening was spent drinking cheap malaysian whiskey and then going clubbing at the beach club where I fell in love with tequilla and me and Klaudia the swiss girl managed to get very drunk. At 3am the place shuts and we get a taxi driver to take us else where. We end up ina drum and bass club where if you sat still you vibrated across the floor in time with the drum and bass. It was so loud. It hurt.
We left at 4 and go back about 5am after staggering through the city.
The next day it rained alot and so I ended up not doing much, sleeping and drinking before going clubbing again with Klaudia. She had a novel way to make money and that was by taking a polaroid camera with her and getting people to pay for photos of themselves out with girfriends and wives etc. She made about 100 quid that night and still we got very drunk and we ended up sitting in the enterance to the guest house drinking chang lager til 9am.
Sunday pretty much never happened as well we were asleep.
On Monday I left to go to Sandakan and to go jungle trekking which seemed like a good idea the time. I flew air asia to Sandakan and then taxi to Uncle Tans dorm in the village of gum gum. Borneo is a great place. The dorm was empty except some aussies and an english girl who also was going into the jungle.
The next day we went to Sepikot Orang Utan research centre and watch the primates eat food and swing through the jungle it was an amazing thing to do. Oh they also did live sex show for us as well, how nice and wild. Big Boy I have photos of that one. I am working on the rest!!!!!!!!11
The feeding lasts about 45 mins and then I went through a trail to the bird tower, except I never got there, the heat and humidity got to me and I must of lost 4lb in sweat just walking through the jungle there so I was dead excited about the 3 day trek which was coming.
Our journey to the jungle involved a 2 hour bus ride, then a 45 minute fast boat up the river kinabatangan where we stopped to see birds and lizards and crocodiles and many different sorts of monkeys on the way to the huts.
Huts. Thats all they were. Uncle Tans jungle trek was a simple and basic affair. 3 days trekking and living in filth and 2 nights fighting mosis and smelling the toilets.
There was no electricity except 7- 11pm. No fresh water, you showered from water pumped from the river. The washrooms were dark and smelly. I mean the worst smell ever. The french toilets had to be avoided at all costs and you left dirtier than going there. The huts slept 5 people. Each of us were given a blanket, materess and a mosi net. The food was noodles or rice and fish and chicken and water melon
The jungle was muddy and I mean upto your knees in mud. It was truly a wild adventure.
Still the night trek to see a 6ft long wild python, owls and lizards and kingfishers was amazing, probocis monkeys (which are the most amazing looking monkey ever) looped tail macaque monkeys and others.
The day treks we saw monkeys, hornbills, mud, trees, crocodiles, flying lizards, 5 m long monitor lizards. I did not do the night trek as my hiking shoes were almost damp instead of wet and I had alreay ruined my flip flops wading into a mud flat to take photos of monitor lizards which I never go any decent shots of anyway.
I also got a stomach bug. So french toilets, bad food, no showers, sweat, heat, mud really added up to a great experience. I urge you all to do it.
We got back to gum gum by the friday and then I took the express bus, the shits and all to Kota Kinabalu Sabahs capital (Sabah is part of malaysian borneo, confused good)
Look borneo up on a map
That had to be the worst journey ever. Bubbling guts, od on immodium, rain, fog, ice cold air con bumpy journey I was so ill. getting to KK I ran off the bus got by rucksack and got a hotel where I stayed for the night to well recover, wash and empty........ It was nice as the karakoe bar sang my ship will go on as I well anyway......
The next feeling better and able to jump tall buildings I went to a lodge in KK called backpackers or Lucys. There was a Burger King there so that was ace, to replace lost fats and the like. I met the danish people who cared for me on the bus and had a chat so that was good.
I spend the afternoon asleep as I had walked around the city in 40 mins.
In the evening I drank with an english girl called Monica and we got very drunk as normal and a good time was had by all. no I did not.
Sunbathing the next day and snorkelling just off KK on the island on Manukan and it was an spectacular island and the snorkelling was great except the jellyfish stings and then the sand flies. The rain was coming up the South China Sea and we watched the rain drift into KK from the island and that was a cool thing to do.
Last night was spent saying goodbye to the Danish guys and Monica.
And that is pretty much it really, shorter and sweeter and concise.
My next adventues still await and I am still planning whats next all I know is that by this time tomorrow I am in KL.
Keep smiling and be safe. Dont eat spicey squid curry in the jungle.
Luke
22nd August 2006
Well guys here we go again, another instalment of the adventures of a life not yet lived.
I have just returned from another breath taking and exhillerating trip around Thailand.
Yes Thailand, why there again? Well its friendlier, cheaper, hotter, happier, easier and all round great fun to go there than a week in spain.
That’s Why
Some hellos. Lincy, Lotus, Julie and Ted (hi hope you ok), Andrea, Angela – get this to the girls.
I also send my love to Judy and I hope you get well soon. Big Boy make sure she get this and then well you were there so you don’t need to read any more.
I left the UK on the best day possible, the day that the government decided to ban all hand luggage and create chaos for the travelling man.
I actually enjoyed it, it was great fun there were queues and queues and hot fed up people but what can you do and the fact that it made standing about at Heathrow actually quite pleasant it self was a blessing.
Tony and I had the opportunity to sit and drink and eat whilst admist scenes of calamity and noise with our clear plastic bags and very little else!!!
And getting frisked by women before departures is always a great way to start the trip.
The flight same same to Bangkok (bkk) and we arrived with about 50 mins to spare before our next flight to Chiang Mai left (cm). So that was good. Bkk airport is always far too big far too long and never well signed so when get off the jumbo onto the bus into the transit area there are no staff no signs and so we run about eventually finding the checkin. After much hilarity from the girls there about our plastic bags we get on a bus and driven all the way round the airport to our plane which was 3 metres away from the jumbo we arrived on. So that was a waste of time energy and sweat.
I will make several comments about the weather I think but luckily most of us were in the UK for the heat wave so you can appreciate the heat in Thailand, except it was about 35 degrees and 99% humidity all the time so mmmmmmmm nice.
The flight to CM was rather typical and when we get there, immigration was a doddle and then we had to collect our bags. With a 50 minute window the odds of getting the bags off one plane onto another I suppose were pretty slim but this is hindsight. At the time everything was possible until in international arrivals 2 hot English blokes and one lady all from the Uk (the plastic bags gave us away) stood waiting for something that was not coming, our bags. The nice man at the lost bag control said they may be in CM that very evening and gave me a nice piece of yellow paper and promised to deliver to the guest house on their arrival. That was great as we did not know the address but did phone him later with it.
So Chiang Mai. Always good often great. It felt so good to come back, happy faces, easy going cheap food and beer and heat. Big rain and lots of hustle. Noi’s guest house as ever was a delight to see and the staff welcomed us back with great big smiles and gin. Our rooms the same as before and so it was like coming home.
We met our friend Paul who was out there already and we hit the bars full on with 3 different stories to tell. I tell mine, they tell theres. We all had fun. We were offered some Cambodia whiskey which is a little bit like tequilia with the worm, except this lot put large snakes, spides and scorpions in it to give it a kick. So no, did not fancy that. The 5 long island ice teas we all had were enough and the vodkas and the singhas.
Good to be back.
I ended up at spiceys. Good old Spiceys. Not changed a bit. Drunk Farang, Drunk Thai. I retired from the night at about 4.30am and after dodging the prostitutes and the lady boys I slept.
I had no intention of creating a long letter from the moon as well what can you do in 9 days. Well I did a lot. An awful lot. I met so really great people, some very beautiful people and some new friends. I seen more of the country and experienced more of its culture. I did bars, the clubs, the karaoke and the sight seeing. All great fun.
Saturday was the Queens Birthday or Mothers Day. This meant the bars were closed. So we ate and drank in a restaurant with Paul and his girlfriend and then came back. I managed to find a lock in and left the others to sleep and I stayed there till about 4am drinking Samsung and redbull. That fun and cheap
Sunday was spent with hangover and feeling hot and drained. 2 days in drank a fair bit and that was good. The night bizarre we had already visited to buy shirts and stuff as the bags never arrived on time Friday (they were at the guesthouse by 11pm Friday night so not all bad).
I met my good friend Sandra on Sunday in Starbucks, it was good to meet up and catch up. We went to the Sunday market and met her friends for food in the temple, which consisted of deep fried prawns, stir fry chicken, bbq pork, noodles, thai salad, red ant omelettes, sticky rice and the like. Tony and his friend Lotus joined us for food and a chat. Lotus by the way is a very nice girl and great to friend to us both.
Afterwards Tony went off to look at paintings and I went with Sandra to another bar and drank with her friends a while until they went off and then we decided to meet up with Tony and go clubbing.
I like clubbing in Thailand. Where we go there are little western presence and there is live music and lots of it. We went to a bar called Well Out and drank and then to the new trendy club called Horizon and for 1200 baht (£4) a bottle of Chivas regal and your own personal barman. Trouble is when you start drinking a bottle at midnight it takes a while to disappear. At 4am the bar shut. So we got driven back by the girls and we staggered off to sleep.
In Thailand, they have a different outlook on life. The people think nothing of drinking heavily and then driving. It’s the way it is. In fact you would not know they are hammered until they fall out of the car!!!! So you put up with it and ignore it. I wore my seat belt though.
Monday, Was a great day. Rain and heat. We went elephant trekking and White water rafting.We were supposed to go trekking in the mountains but we were still pissed at 10am the elephants never really made us sober up so we ate biscuits and told our guide, nah we sit and wait to go rafting.
White water rafting is wow.It rocks, It sobers you up. Alton Towers log flume has nothing on this. We paddled our way through deep fast moving river water squeezed through the rocks and crashed into water and got drenched for about 45 mins it was fantastic. We were planning to do this again in the week but time was against us and that means the next time we are going again. Lincy, your coming too.
Sandra and I went to Chiang Rai on Tuesday on the spur of the moment decision. Chiang Rai is a a northern city 4 hours away from CM and it was a great place. Good markets and the hotel rooms we each had were great. She taught me a lot about Thai food and the spicier the better now. We trawled the markets and found little and watched the countries prime minister give a speech to the townsfolk while we were there.
The next day she drove further north to MaeSi the border town with Burma. I have walked on Burmese soil although not for long as I did not have my passport with me which if I knew that was what I was going to do then I would have brought it along. We did some shopping and endured the heat.
Then down to the golden triangle, where you can see Burma, China and Laos all from one spot and that was really good to see. There were lots of monuments and statues (see photos) and the heat was very dry and very very hot.
I had a great time away from CM and it was a great experience to see more of the countryside and to spend time with real Thai people.
Wednesday night I ended up drinking with some English guys who work out there and we shot some pool and did a load of bars before staggering home again at 4am.
Chop Chop Cook Cook was Thursdays agenda. Tony, Paul and Me went cooking. We attended the Chocolate school of Thai cookery and it was great fun. I learnt to cook with gas and a wok. From scratch and also how make several dishes.
So I am now able to cook spring rolls, Thai green curry (ace), stir fry chicken with basil, Pappaya Salad, Stir Fried Noodles with Prawn and fried bananas. The food was amazing and the course was a fun day out and a great laugh
Leaving the course I got a call from the lads I met the night before to see if I wanted a beer. I did and so by 5am in the morning and lot of alcohol later I returned to my room a little worse for wear but another great night. I met his friend and his Laos girlfriend Pu who was drop dead pretty, Steves girlfriend Duum who was very pretty and an accountant and we did the usual drinking buckets and lager and all very ow my liver hurts routine.
Tony wakes me at 10.30 telling me I am out with him off to buy some jewellery for mother and getting picked up in 30 mins. I am wrecked, grey and tired. But I got up and had some Tea and my hangover cure arrived.
Tony had arranged for a lift through lotus to gems gallery, it’s a big place sells gems.
We are met by a woman called Lincy who took us to a van where a Ming from Hong Kong and her aunt jin were waiting.
We then drove to the temple on the mountains overlooking CM and this is called Do Sothep and it is a very buddist shrine for the whole of the country. It is amazing. Gold Wat, white elephants and many many people there being blessed and praying. We had to walk about the site with out footwear and it was a very peaceful and tranquil place. Both myself and Tony got blessed and then we got a friendship bracelet blessed by the monks and then did the sticks. The sticks are when you shake a tin of sticks which all have a number on them, when the stick falls out, you get a number and then take the corresponding prophecy. It is really cool and we had good luck. The views from the temple also were very good as you could see for miles and you could see CM and the street where we were staying.
After the Temple we went to the Kings Summer residence which was further up the mountain and shrouded in cloud. Tony and I had to put on fishermans trousers as we were incorrectly dressed to go and that was ok. Jin met some school girls from a town 100km from CM and introduced them to me and big boy and they had never seen Westerners before let alone speak to them. Just think, me an ambassador for the western world, how exciting… We spoke to them and they laughed. We gave them our email addresses and they screamed with happiness it really was an amazing experience one that I wont forget for a long time. Me and Tony have now been invited to their school which I know I will go and visit when I next return that’s for sure.
Heading back to CM we stop at a place to eat and have Thai food which is now totally easy to eat the spicier the better. The thai people really think that us farang cannot do spicey but as I am eat colmans mustard from the pot, eat dry hot horseradish, I can give them a run for their money even if it does make me cry!!!!
Then to Gems gallery where I get some rings for mother, a topaz one and a ruby one. I get a jade Buddha for which I am very pleased with.
We get dropped back to the guest house as we were getting picked up for another night out on the oh la la. Lotus comes and gets us and then we get Lincy and head out in the rain.
It rains. Not this rubbish drizzle we get here but big heavy fast warm rain. In an hour most of the streets were flooded and it continued to rain heavily for hours. We headed to the good view restaurant for a meal and live music. We met Paul there as well. The music was good if not a little loud. We ordered Samsung and lots of food. I had my first taste of Japanese food and good it was too, I now like raw fish (sushi for those that don’t know) and the thai was good as well. Then to another bar for more whiskey. Then I had to sing and I had promised Lincy, Lotus and Tony a treat so we went Karaoke. Wow I love it and I can Brittney very well!!!! And loved it. We drank too much, they ripped us off but I did not care cos everyone happy and that’s always good.
We left about 2 and I got dropped at spicey where I remained for about 3 mins then headed home and stopped for food at Daves burger bar and then to Cherry bar where I chatted to an English guy, a kiwi and a neo nazi german American (all life in Chiang Mai) everyone happy and the conversation was very bizarre then next thing a tuk tuk arrives and out spills a fight!!!! So not having this I go as I am not there for that and then stepping over the lady boys fighting as well amongst themselves for a reason I dare not ask I get back. Another top day.
Saturday was spent writing my journal, eating and reading and generally taking it easy and that was good and I met up with Steve and Dum the like later in the day and we had some drinks, Tony met up later and we had a good last night, saying goodbye not always a good thing but the doors always open.
Sunday I said goodbye to Sandra and spent the afternoon chilling with Tony and mentally preparing to leave.
You know I have never been waved off before, it was good. I like that. Promise you will do that for me.....
We said see you soon to Thailand and came home Monday am.
I spent 10 days in Thailand. I met so many good people and had a completely different experience from the time before. Those that were there with me deserve a big thank you and for those that read this, no I not think anymore. Look forward and enjoy the memories of the past for what they are memories. A well respected monk once wrote ‘we are all brothers and sisters on an amazing journey through a constantly changing universe. Sometimes we feel pain. Sometimes we are happy.’
That’s it, the letter from the moon. This time I saw the whole of it. I will return.
My final thoughts to all.
May we all meet again, free from all suffering and laugh together at the past.
Luke
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