Travel adventures by Tracey and Joe
In and around World
We decided that it was about time we followed our dream and travelled the world before it got to late. eventually we chose a route that took in Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and finished with South America, which is still being planned on our route.
We hope to be away for nine months in total, so be patient as the story unfolds, and we hope you enjoy reading about our travels, however painful the puns get(from Joe).
see all our friends and family in September
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler joe and tracey
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1
heathrow to khao sok
In order to reach Khao Sok direct it meant us flying from Heathrow, on an 11 hour flight, taxiing from Bangkok airport to Bangkok train station, ho... Continue reading »
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2
last days in thailand
From Khao Sok it was a two hour drive to Phuket Island, and our resort of Nai Yang beach just near the airport. It was 35 degrees and the driver wa... Continue reading »
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3
day at the doctors
Flying into Sydney we were both now concerned about Tracey's leg, which had swollen to twice its size, with a blister on her shin, which we hoped w... Continue reading »
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4
kings cross-as exotic as it sounds
Got the bus from Coogee to Sydney central, hopping off about half a mile from our hostel. We took a while to get there in the heat, passing through... Continue reading »
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5
misty mountains-misty memory
We got the train to Katoomba in the blue mountains, and the views along the way were superb. It was a short walk from the station to our hostel, an... Continue reading »
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6
for one night only
We took the very scenic train back to Sydney in the morning, and sat opposite a couple who looked around 60 years old. The bloke opposite started a... Continue reading »
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7
christmas and new year in the summer
Woke with the inevitable hang over on the 23rd, and checked out at 0830 hrs and straight to the bus stop for the coach. After 6 hours arrived at Al... Continue reading »
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8
blue days
It was a tearful goobye as we left the Moffats in Wodonga and boarded our train to Melbourne. We arrived at our hostel that was described as a quie... Continue reading »
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9
small in comparison
We were met at Hobart airport by Mez's friend Mellisa, who is also a teacher, a music teacher. Mellisa was very nice and helpfully drove us into Ho... Continue reading »
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10
One night in Heaven????
Well it was two nights, and not really heaven either, but we arrived really late on Wednesday Morning, getting to the hostel about 0100 hours. As w... Continue reading »
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11
planes, boats and automobiles
After the mix up over the plane times, we were glad to finally take off at 1135 hours, for the short flight to Cairns. We landed and as we exited t... Continue reading »
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12
duck-billed back
After picking up supplies, we headed inland towards the Atherton Tablelands, and the town of Yungaburra, where, we had read, there was a platypus v... Continue reading »
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13
Beware!! Cassowaries Crossing
We drove for about half an hour before following the signs to the curtain fig tree, which was even more impressive than the cathedral fig. It was f... Continue reading »
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14
Wallaman falls, no he doesn't!!
After picking up Luke, our hitcher, we drove for around 4 hours, and found out that Luke was on the way to Magnetic Island for a full moon party on... Continue reading »
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15
No luck for Wazza!!
We drove all day along the Bruce Highway, before turning off towards Finch Hatton Gorge about 1500 hours. We drove down a side road to the gorge fo... Continue reading »
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16
not just rum you know
Our day started with avery long drive to Bundaberg, famous for its rum and ginger beer. We drove past field after field of sugar cane, and a huge s... Continue reading »
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17
The Ibiza of Oz
We had a shower at turtle sands campsite, the first for two days, then set off for Noosa, another beach town with apparently scenic walks.
Wh... Continue reading »
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18
CRIKEY!!!
We carried on the drive along the coastal roads, and turned off for Beerwah, which is the home of Australia Zoo on Steve Irwin way, the zoo made fa... Continue reading »
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19
blazing saddles
We arrived in Christchurch around 1330 hours, as it is 3 hours ahead of Brisbane, and got a bus into the centre. The bus stop was about 100 metres... Continue reading »
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20
Hectors choice
We got to the Wicked office by using the free bus service, but nearly missed our stop before stumbling out the doors, an event that could have been... Continue reading »
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21
A bit of R and R
The drive from Akaroa to Hanmer took around 4 hours with a short stop for sausage sandwiches for lunch. We arrived around 1600 hrs and booked into... Continue reading »
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22
Sperm Whales
After a very wet journey we arrived in Kaikoura around 1500 hrs, we donned our waterproofs and headed into town for a look around. We picked up a m... Continue reading »
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23
a tasty time
After a short coastal drive, which was amazing, we arrived at Blenhiem and continued in land to Renwick, where we sort advice from the local inform... Continue reading »
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24
Old Mother Hubbard
After a short walk on the beach we drove on from Nelson and made our way towards the far North West of the South Island. We stopped... Continue reading »
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25
Sea stops play
We made our way back to Takaka and stopped for fuel, ice, and essentials as there are no shops in the Abel Tasman National Park campsite of Totaran... Continue reading »
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26
Au revoir PK
On the way to Mapua we made a detour from the top of Takaka Hill back into Abel Tasman NP and to Harwoods Hole. It was a 30 min walk to the hole wh... Continue reading »
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27
Cold night on the lake
The drive South to Saint Arnaud, on the Northern shore of Lake Rotoiti, was scenic and pleasant, but not as scenic as we were used to in New Zealan... Continue reading »
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28
The names Bond, Jane Bond...
We drove along the Highway towards Murchison, which followed the Buller River the whole way, Lake Rotoiti being its source. We had planned to stop... Continue reading »
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29
Giants Goal Posts
The drive North from Westport is another scenic ride, taking you across flat pasture land with the Tasman sea on your Left, and distant mountains t... Continue reading »
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30
When waterproofs fail
On our way South from Karamea we stopped at Cape Foulwind, near Westport, for a short walk to the seal colony on the rocks beneath. It was quite a... Continue reading »
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31
Cheeky Clowns
On Monday 3rd March 2008, we headed inland along the valley floor and on to Arthurs pass. It is nearly 1000 metres above sea level in the Southern... Continue reading »
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32
Not the Hilton
We then drove back down the Alps towards the west again, and arrived in Blackball around 12. Blackball is an old gold and coal mining town with a popu... Continue reading » -
33
Not the home of the mint
On our way to Franz Josef we stopped for lunch at Lake Ianthe, which would have been peaceful and picturesque, except for a group of Americans shou... Continue reading »
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34
Jane Bond in 'You Only Jet Twice'
We drove to Wanaka from Haast through winding country roads, over the hills and down into the dry grasslands of Otago. Wanaka is a small town on th... Continue reading »
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35
Sounds like a Fjord to me
Once at te Anau we picked up some esentials and booked a cruise on the Milford Sound. We then drove up to Milford Lodge via the Homer Tunnel, which... Continue reading »
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36
a Break for Saint Patricks day....
It was late when we arrived in Te Anau and we were aching from the hard walk earlier, so chilled out in the camp site on the Lake. On Monday we wen... Continue reading »
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37
Search for the Kakapo
Wednesday morning we drove to Bluff with nothing booked for Stewart Island, having phoned around trying to get a place to stay. We had already book... Continue reading »
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38
Yellow Eyed Fun
We drove along the coast to Curio Bay, and walked to the beach where there are fossilised trees from the dinosaur era in the rocks along the beach.... Continue reading »
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39
Aoraki
On the morning of the 24th we drove inland to Aoraki Mount Cook village, and turned off up a gravel road to a viewpoint for Mount Cook and the Tasman... Continue reading » -
40
Adios Wicked
On the Wednesday we drove to Christchurch and booked into a campsite East of the centre. On the Thursday we drove out to Littleton a town on the Ba... Continue reading »
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41
Rain, Rain Go Away
We checked in at the camp site in Upper Hutt, and set the van up getting used to it all. On the Monday it was still raining lightly, so spent the d... Continue reading »
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42
Art Deco Town
From Wellington it was a long and winding road over the hills up Highway 2, as far as Pukaha Mount Bruce, an inland bird sanctuary with a predator... Continue reading »
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43
The Long And Winding Road
The drive to Lake Waikaremoana inland was one of the most deserted and bumpy rides so far. Lots of forest and the road runs alongside a river for t... Continue reading »
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44
Deliverance???
On Sunday we drove to Mahia beach on the East coast. The beach is long and calm as it is sheltered from the Pacific, and we took a walk along the b... Continue reading »
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45
Mount Maunganui
We drove on to Mount Maunganui, which is a town based around the Southern end of a 250 metre 'Mount' which is one of New Zealands many scenic volca... Continue reading »
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46
Giants of the forest
On Friday we drove onto the Coromandel Peninsula, and up the East coast to Opoutere, a tiny village on the coast. The campsite was unoccupied when... Continue reading »
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47
Champagne pools
We drove from Coromandel to Thames to pick up some shopping, and probably should have put petrol in the van. As we got to within 100 kms of Rotorua... Continue reading »
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48
Crater lake
We arrived in Taupo and it was still raining so read for the first evening. On the second day it stopped rainning at last, and we went into town for a... Continue reading » -
49
Lava flows and ski resorts mix
We drove South from Taupo, around the Eastern edge of the lake, then turned West at the northern end of Tongoriro National Park, and headed for the... Continue reading »
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50
The Forgotten Highway
From Tongoriro we drove a few miles South to a turn off and followed the Wanganui River road for around 100 Kms. The Wanganui River is the longest... Continue reading »
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51
Glowing Reception
We arrived at Waitomo Caves and booked into the camp site, which was opposite the Visitor centre, and went and booked the tour at Waitomo Caves. I(... Continue reading »
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52
Super 14's in Hamilton
We arrived at Hamilton around lunch time, and, with kick off at 1935 hrs, we relaxed for a while. Tracey gave me (Joe) a lift into town around 1830... Continue reading »
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53
Graham Reels ´em in
We drove out of Hamilton heading for friends in Dargaville, but we stopped half way at Goat Island camp site. Goat Island is a marine reserve just... Continue reading »
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54
Goodbye Budget
We checked into the Top10 holiday park, about 15 kms from Auckland centre and not far from the Airport, on the Saturday. We spent the weekend washing... Continue reading » -
55
Buenas Tardes Chile
The 12 hour flight from Auckland started at 2100 hrs on May 5th and landed at 1730 hours on May 5th??? The time zone thing was messing with our hea... Continue reading »
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56
Puerto Montt Here we..........Don´t Come
We got to Santiago bus station armed with two one way tickets to Puerto Montt in the Lake District, 1000 km South of Santiago, to find that most bu... Continue reading »
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57
The Best Laid Plans....
The bus arrived about on time, and we piled on. The seats were big and comfy, and it was a cool cloudy day. We arrived at border control Chile... Continue reading »
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58
ice ice baby
We met Liz and Dave outside our hospidaje, jumped in a taxi and headed for the bus station. Our bus was on time, 17.15, off we headed for the first... Continue reading »
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59
Anyone for steak
We arrived in Buenos Aires around 1500 hrs and got a taxi to our hotel, Maipu, and checked in. We had TV in the room and over the next six days chi... Continue reading »
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60
Iguazu Falls....
The bus pulled into Puerto I. station at about 1000 hrs, and got our transfer to the residencia a short ride away. After checking out our room, we... Continue reading »
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61
Hi Ho Silver
The bus journey to Salta was our longest to date at 23 hours, and we arrived at 1000 hrs not quite fresh as a daisy. We were greeted by loads of ho... Continue reading »
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62
Demonstration=town closed
We got off the icy bus at 0700 hours at La Quaica, a small border town, and it was freezing. We huddled with the locals for a while in the bus stat... Continue reading »
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63
Close to death on a bus, then mugged...
Finally the buses were running out of Tupiza, and we got under way on Thursday evening, thinking we would sleep til La Paz. This ideal was shattere... Continue reading »
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64
Rock of the Puma
We got on a 12 seater mini bus with 15 others, and were underway towards Lake Titicaca (guess what it means?) sat squashed up next to locals who kn... Continue reading »
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65
Chilling with the Incas
On arriving in Cusco we realised that there was a festival going on and most hotels were fully booked. Luckily a local travel agent was there to me... Continue reading »
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66
Caiman, capucchin and tamarins
Puerto Maldonado is the main town in the Amazon jungle area of the Rio Madre De Dios, in South East Peru right on the border with Brazil, and... Continue reading »
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67
Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Following a few days travelling and a short stop over in Cuzco, we arrived in Brazil via Lima, flying in to Sao Paulo. We got a bus from Sao Paulo... Continue reading »
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68
wolves of the river
When we arrived at Cuiaba we were met by Joel Souza, the owner of the company we had booked our Pantanla trip with. He took us to our hot... Continue reading »
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