stuartsfrasers Blog on RealTravel

Matheran journal: India: Matheran- It's a jungle out there

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:03:09 GMT

By the time we got cleaned up and ready to leave it was 10 am. The horse riding guides, touts and porters were out in force looking for work. Because I was at the front I was the main target. The first guy would ask me if I wanted a horse ride and the guy behind him would ask as well just encase I had changed my mind in the few seconds it took me to say no.

Despite the touts Matheran was a really nice peaceful place. No traffic noise and no blaring horns. We headed out to Garbut point which offered a fantastic view. Kathryn and Lynne turned back and Stuart and I dropped down the cliff, ...

Gorakhpur journal: India: Gorakhpur> Katmandu

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:01:41 GMT

Stepping out into the heat and noise of Gorakhpur was a bit of a shock. We fended off the touts and made our way to the bus station and got straight onto a bus for the 3 1/2 hour journey to the border at Sunauli. It was a hot, bumpy and very dusty ride.

The wind was very strong and it was really picking up the dust. The village we arrived in was even windier and dustier. We initially missed Indian Immigration and almost arrived in Nepal without having officially left India. Doubling back we completed the required paperwork in the baking heat and crossed over the border.

Nepal ...

Jaipur journal: India: Jaipur

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:51:35 GMT

Despite our initial frustration with our hotel it actually turned out to be one of the nicest places we had stayed. We took a walk around town today. An Indian lassie who thought I had come to Jaipur by myself offered to show me around town then a jewellery merchant tried to lure us into his store by showing us the view from his roof top. I went by myself, got a great view and didn't buy anything.

We tried to find the minaret in the middle of town. It's easy to spot but the entrance is hidden on a back street and is unmarked. By the time we got there it was closing. The jewellery ...

Agra journal: India: Agra- Here at last!

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:49:04 GMT

We arrived in Agra last night at 3 am. That means that the train we expected to take 14 hours actually took 28 hours. We got to our hotel at 3:30 am only to find it all shut up. We tried ringing the bell but got we got no response. I was resigned to sleeping on the street for a couple of hours but Lynne kept trying and we eventually got into our room after 4:00 am. The hotel had given away the two cheap rooms we had booked and only had one expensive room left. That meant that Stuart K and I had to sleep on the floor. We couldn't get the fan to work either. We stayed at the Hotel Sheela, it has ...

Jalgaon journal: India: Jalgaon- Forced to move

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:46:06 GMT

Last night I felt even worse. I was cold and shivery, even with a blanket and down jacket over me. I also had stomach cramps which kept me awake. Today I had to leave the convenient toilet of our hotel room as we were checking out so we could catch a train for Agra around 11:40 pm. I still wasn't eating and although I had started to take immodium it didn't seem to be working. We spent much of the day going for drinks at different restaurants in the hope that they would have a toilet. Most didn't. We also sat in our hotel for a while, killing time until our train.

Jalgaon journal: India: Jalgaon- Confined to quarters

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:06:08 GMT

Last night stuart K and I both had Tandoori chicken for dinner. Lynne also tried a bit of mine. Stuart K and I have both been suffering ever since. I seem to be the worst affected. I've been to the toilet more often and my face is red and blotchy. Stuart and I were apparently the same shade of green this morning though. I didn't leave the hotel all day. All I have eaten in a bag of crisps.

Aurangabad journal: India: Aurangabad> Ajanta> Jalgaon

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:58:34 GMT

We took a local bus to Ajanta. we thought we would have to put our bags on the roof but no one asked us to. Instead we squeezed our way to the back of the bus where we occupied 11 seats. as the journey progressed, and more people got on, we had to squeeze into a smaller and smaller area. buses seem to drive a lot faster than taxis. I think that it's because the drivers don't have to pay for the fuel. The ride was surprisingly comfortable. The bus was moving fast so there was lots of air to keep us cool. Unfortunately it was also incredibly bumpy. Maharashtra is apparently notorious for its ...

Aurangabad journal: India: Aurangabad

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:55:06 GMT

We were swamped by touts as soon as we arrived at Aurangabad even though it was only 6:40 am. We checked into the Tourist Home Hotel. We got a 4 bed room with attached bathroom for only R300. It was supposed to be R400 but the guy knocked the price down because we were standing outside discussing what to do. I can't haggle but I'm learning some tricks. Foreigners get overcharged for everything. Even if you want something, pretend indifference, walk away and the price will drop.

We hadn't planned to go to Ellora until the following day but the guy who ran the tour company from the hotel ...

Matheran journal: India: Mumbai> Neral> Matheran- Hill Station

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:49:53 GMT

Mumbai's description in the guide book sounded to be big, busy and not very interesting so we planned to move on as quickly as possible. Lynne found Matheran which sounded like a great place for a gentle and relaxed introduction to India.

We got up early to catch a train to Neral. It was our first experience of using the trains in India and it proved quite straight forward. It was a very long walk to the end of the train where 1st class was. The train left and arrived on schedule. We arrived in Neral where we had to change to a toy rain. The entire carriage tipped when Lynne climbed ...

Mumbai (Bombay) journal: India: Mumbai- Rags and Riches

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:47:53 GMT

We had our taxi tour today and despite some previous misgivings about being overcharged we thought it was worthwhile. Our driver took us all over the city and pointed out everything from prostitutes to ear cleaners. One of the most interesting places was Mani Bhavan which served as the home of Ghandi when he was in Mumbai. None of the places we went to charged an entry fee and although we were taken to a couple of stores our driver and the salesmen didn't expect us to buy anything. Even if they did try to make a sale. The last two stops of our tour seemed designed to highlight the contrast of ...

Mumbai (Bombay) journal: India: Mumbai

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:45:59 GMT

Well that is the end of our first day in India. We arrived at 11:30 am local time and walked straight through immigration with no trouble and no questions asked. We exchanged some money to Ruppies, or rands as Lynne insists upon calling them. Stuart and Kathryn had Scottish notes and the guy refused to exchange them. We took a prepaid taxi to the Victoria terminal. It was a long, seemingly endless journey into the city but we had a big comfortable air conditioned people carrier. Apart from a glimpse of the city and it's shanty towns from the air this was our first opportunity to see what India ...

Auckland journal: New Zealand: Auckland

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:02:06 GMT

Arriving in Auckland I had a long walk with way to many bags to reach my hostel. Conveniently though my route took me past the main post office so I could pick up my contract for my job in Korea and the other documents I needed. On the way I heard a host of horns blaring from behind me. I was thinking to my self that I really was back in the big city now and not really appreciating the noise along with all the slow, inconsiderate people getting in my way. My mood improved somewhat when I turned to see that the blaring horns came from a convoy of Kosovans celebrating there recent declaration of ...

Tongariro National Park journal: New Zealand: Tongariro Northern Circuit

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:05:29 GMT

I was dropped off along with 150 other people on 3 buses at around 7:20am. I got myself ready as quickly as possible and rushed off to get ahead of the main crowd. If I had hung around a bit I would have met a friend I had made in Melbourne. She was in the bus behind me but I didn't know that at the time.

It was a lovely morning with a clear blue sky but it was very chilly. We were in the shadow of the volcanoes and the air was very sharp. Hat and gloves wouldn't have gone amiss. The first section to Soda Springs was flat and easy. I was able to keep up with the fastest day walkers ...

Tauranga journal: New Zealand: Tauranga

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:26:42 GMT

I ended up coming to Tauranga purely because I could get here for $1 on Naked bus and it was on the way to Thames. It turned out to be very nice. The town centre is on a peninsula surrounded by the sea and manages to remain lively on midweek evening unlike smaller towns in New Zealand. I went for a pub meal on the shore and the area was full of people eating and drinking outside.

Thames journal: Lovely hostel but could do with a change of policy

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:14:18 GMT

The dorm room I was in had 10 beds but it was big and very well designed. Loads of space to store your stuff under high, solid, wooden bunks. There is a lovely garden and it is a nice place to chill out. It is a very nice hostel but it is the only place I have stayed where you are forced to leave at the checkout time of 10am. They will let you continue to use the facilities if you pay an extra $10 but you can't even sit in the lounge otherwise. My bus wasn't until 1:30 but I wasn't going to pay for half a nights accommodation to sit on a chair. Intercity do a free shuttle to the bus station at ...

Thames journal: New Zealand: Thames

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:07:34 GMT

It is a long way from the bus station to the Sunkist YHA in Thames. The gateway backpackers looked very tempting right across from the bus but Lynne had told me that sunkist was very nice. I found out when I arrived that I could have had a free lift if I had phoned them but too late for that.

Glenorchy journal: New Zealand: Rees-Dart Track- Dart Hut to Cascade Saddle and back to Dart Hut

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:34:52 GMT

We managed to leave for our trip to cascade saddle at 8:30am. It was another beautiful day. We crossed back across the river and worked our way briefly through some forest before coming out in a valley. We had a couple of deepish streams to jump across and I only just made it across with dry feet. It was then mainly a very level easy walk along the valley floor. We had a small scramble to clear a rock bluff and then more easy walking. The scenery had very quickly become spectacular. Rocky, snow covered peaks rose up on either side of us. Small glaciers hung of their sides. A mountain on the ...

Glenorchy journal: New Zealand: Rees-Dart Track- Dailey's Hut to China-man's Flats

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:44:57 GMT

Yet another great weather day and a very short walk down to Chinaman's Flats for the bus at 2 Most of the walk was through forest and occasional grassy clearings. There were still good mountain view when you broke out of the trees. There were a couple of short steep climbs to get up and over rocky bluffs that edged the river which was now quite big.

I was walking fast again while everyone else had slowed down for their last day. Only Murray and another couple who always set off very early reached the car park before me but there were a surprising number of other people about. The shelter ...

Glenorchy journal: New Zealand: Rees-Dart Track- Dart Hut to Dailey's Hut

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:17:16 GMT

Lynne and I were lazy again and were the last people to leave the hut. It was another great day. The start of the walk was supposedly a walk down the valley through the forest. While my altimeter told me we had lost 300m I felt as if we had been climbing half the time.

Reaching the end of the trees we came to a cyanide warning sign. They are trying to kill off all the opposums and using poisoned bait. Coming out of the trees we arrived in a lovely alpine meadow that followed the river down the valley. Above on either side were suitably alpine style mountains with lots of rock, snow and ...

Glenorchy journal: New Zealand: Rees-Dart Track- Dart Hut to Cascade Saddle and back to Dart Hut

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:00:01 GMT

Glenorchy journal: New Zealand: Rees-Dart Track- Dart Hut to Cascade Saddle and back to Dart Hut

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:51:31 GMT

Glenorchy journal: New Zealand: Rees-Dart Track- Shelter Rock Hut to Dart Hut

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:32:25 GMT

We aimed at an early start to try to reach the next hut early enough to find a bed. Lynne and I aren't very good at early starts so most people left before us. A group of seven and a family of 4 were still behind us though and we soon caught an other family of 4 on the trail. The walk up the valley was quite straight forward. We then caught the German couple and passed them. It wasn't much of a climb up the Rees saddle but the views were great as was the weather. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Lots of people were relaxing on the saddle. We joined them briefly but we had already eaten ...

Glenorchy journal: New Zealand: Rees-Dart Track- Muddy Creek to Shelter Rock Hut

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:39:58 GMT

Our first day of walking was, as forecast, wet and cloudy. It had rained all night but it wasn't as bad out as I had feared. We were supposed to be picked up by Buckley's Transport and taken to Glenorchy where we would change buses. The driver forgot to pick us up so his wife had to come and run us out us out to Glenorchy. We made it in time and climbed onto the bus with the people we would be walking with for the next 5 days.

Lynne and I were the last to leave the car park as the weather didn't exactly inspire enthusiasm. I decided not to bother with waterproofs and just walk in shorts ...

Lake Tekapo journal: New Zealand: Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook and Christchurch

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:20:05 GMT

The drive up to lake Tekapo was incredibly straight. I felt as if I was only turning the wheel every 5 minutes. The town of Lake Tekapo is small and touristy. We had tried to stay here the previous night but everything was booked up. The lake itself was a very nice bright blue with snow capped mountains in the distance. We took the steep road up to the observatory which had even better views and very strong winds. The drive up to Mount Cook village was also surprisingly straight. We started to get views of Mount Cook itself. It was partially shrouded with cloud but it was moving so fast that ...

Timaru journal: New Zealand: Timaru

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:16:58 GMT

It was a damp start in Dunedin so we didn't hang around and drove straight out of town. We stopped and had lunch in the Last Stop. I can't remember which town it was in but I had a very good Thai Red Curry. It didn't take long to reach Timaru and we soon discovered that there wasn't a great deal to do. There was a fair on at the beach but that didn't appeal so we were left with a very quite afternoon. We should have spent the morning in Dunedin as there was still a lot there that I hadn't seen.

Dunedin journal: New Zealand: Dunedin

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:02:02 GMT

It was raining on the afternoon we arrived so we were reluctant do very much, especially since our accommodation was so nice. We were staying in the Euro Motel at our parents expense. It was more of an apartment than a motel. We went out for a Thai meal and that was about it.

The next day Lynne and I tried to sort out our walking plans. The DOC office was closed but we worked out more or less what we want to do and when. I then met up with Yuko who I had worked with in Blenheim. We had some dinner and then met up with the family to celebrate Hogmanay.

At the centre of Dunedin there ...

Owaka journal: New Zealand: Owaka

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:20:38 GMT

We drove down from Te Anau with a stop off at Gore for me to have a telephone interview for a job in Korea. We then headed down to Nugget Point with a stop off at a beach where Lynne scared a sea lion. It would be a very pleasant place to chill out if you liked beach walks. There are nice sandy beaches with rocky cliffs and headlands and bright clear water. The lighthouse at nugget point is also very scenic. We struggled to see any penguins due to the large numbers of people wandering around on the beach. We did eventually spot one making a break for the sea. The hostel at Owaka was very nice ...

Blenheim journal: New Zealand: Blenheim- Bud Rubbing

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 23:39:01 GMT

I took the Naked Bus up from Christchurch and the bus driver very kindly dropped me off directly across from my hostel even though he was only supposed to stop at the station. I had a ton of food on top of all my other stuff so that saved me a lot of effort.

I checked into the hostel and when the guy asked me how long I was staying I said I didn't know because I was looking for work. His reply was ok you start tomorrow. That is by far the easiest job I have ever gotten. Over the past few days I have begun to see why.

The hostel is split in two with one building devoted to long term ...

Cradle Mountain journal: Australia: Cradle Mountain- Tasmania

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:29:52 GMT

Since we spent the night before in Devenport Lynne had to drive us for an hour and a half to get to Cradle Mountain. The one advantage was that an ecidna walked across the road in front of us. Lynne stopped the car in the middle of the road to ensure that it didn't get run over. I would have pulled over myself but it let me get a picture and it was the first one I had seen.

By the time we left the Dove lake car park it was 11:20 which was a lot later than we had planned to start. It was a beautiful day however and I was happy to do a bit of jogging along the easy sections of path, after ...

Deloraine journal: Australia: Deloraine- Tasmania

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:29:08 GMT

After coming down off Cradle Mountain we refused to stay in the YHA that had been so unhelpful the night before. Lynne drove us to Deloraine where we were greeted by the old, eccentric, but very friendly Scottish couple who run the YHA there. We were the only guests.

Hobart journal: Australia: Back in Hobart-Tasmania

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:23:56 GMT

A straight forward bus journey from Launceston back to Hobart and an afternoon repacking for the flight to Sydney.There was no one else in my dorm so I had lots of space to spread my stuff out. I thought about going back for one last Cascade Stout but I was tired and had to be up early for my flight.

Launceston journal: Australian: Launceston- Tasmania

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:02:27 GMT

We drove straight from Deloraine to Launceston and went to the Backpackers Hostel. We couldn't check in until later in the day but we had a look around. It is a really nice hostel, one of the best I have stayed in. We got a big nice twin room for not much more than a dorm room.

Launceston is also very nice. There are lots of old buildings with gardens and parks. Something else I really liked was the

Cataract Gorge. A whole network of paths start from right inside the city and lead up along either side of the gorge for a fair distance. Part way up is the basin which has two cafes, a ...

Sydney journal: Australia: Sydney again

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:29:26 GMT

As the evening and the train journey from Katoomba progressed the weather became better and better. I really should have checked the weather forecast. After getting back to Sydney I got washed up and went out looking for food. There is an area near the YHA railway that is known as China town but the vast majority of the people there are Korean. I found a Korean restaurant and was encouraged to see that I was the only person there who wasn't Korean. The food was great and I have been 3 times in 4 days (see the review above).

I spent a lot of time in Sydney preparing my CV for New Zealand. I ...

Christchurch journal: New Zealand: Christchurch

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:21:20 GMT

I had a bit of a panic last night when the guy at the check in desk said that I wouldn't be allowed to enter NZ without an onward flight ticket. After talking to him for a while he suddenly realised that I had a working holiday visa and said "oh that's ok then, you should have told me that before". He hadn't asked what kind of visa I had! He still wasn't certain but thought that it was ok. When I arrived in NZ I was asked again if I had an onward ticket and mentioning the working holiday visa again got me off the hook. Another problem I encountered though was that I hadn't printed off ...

Derwent Bridge journal: Australia: Lake St Clair

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:04:10 GMT

The weather on our drive up from Hobart was great with clear blue skies but still a slight chill in the air. We stopped at a few places for food on the way before ending up at lake St Clair. We had planned to make just a brief stop here before continuing on to Strahan but the weather was great, the lake beautiful and the mountains too much of a temptation. We checked into the Derwent Bridge Hotel where they have budget single cabins for only $25. The food at the hotel is excellent. I had two great Lamb shanks with veg.

The mountain that we had decided to climb the following day was ...

Hobart journal: Australia: Hobart

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:56:58 GMT

We didn't get into our hostel in Hobart until after midnight due to the daylight savings time difference. The following day we didn't manage to get too much done. We went out for lunch at a nice cafe then spent the afternoon getting quotes from all the car rental firms. All of them were charging $35 a day except Hetrz who were a couple of dollars cheaper.

I went for a walk in the early evening to the harbour. I ended up getting completely soaked by a really heavy downpour and had to take shelter in a pub. Lynne had bought some food to cook for dinner and we had a chat with the other ...

Sydney journal: The most authentic Korean food I have had outside of Korea

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:54:32 GMT

The menu is huge, the food is fantastic, you get a jug of water, a bowl of rice and 5 side dished with your meal, including radish and cabbage kimchi. It is always packed full of Koreans which is a great sign. It is also cheaper than a lot of the places in the area.

Katoomba journal: Australia: Katoomba- The Blue Mountains

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:34:07 GMT

I got one of the 3 day train and bus passes to take my up to Katoomba. It is really easy to get to as there are trains around once an hour and they only take 2 hours to get there. The bus part of the ticket was a bit of a wast for me. It takes you around the view points and other points of interest in Katoomba but they are all within walking distance of each other. Taking a bus between different view points seems to rather defeat the purpose of heading to the mountains.

When I reached Katoomba I realised that I had made a major mistake. I hadn't checked the weather forecast before I ...

Sydney journal: Australia: Sydney

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 05:30:15 GMT

I flew into Sydney this morning and checked into the YHA Railway Hostel. It's in a nice building but so are the other two hostels I have seen here- The YHA Central and the Wakeup.

I went out for breakfast and got a great deal out the front of the station. An absolutely huge cooked breakfast with a cappachino for $7 from a newly opened cafe.

In the afternoon the YHA were running a free guided walking tour of the city. I went along as much to meet people as anything else but our guide was a local and he was able to point out things we would have missed by ourselves.

I was ...

Devenport journal: Australia: Devenport- Tasmania

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 06:01:17 GMT

We took a drive up to the North coast in not very great weather. It rained quite a bit and the wind was still strong. We stopped briefly in Burnie before driving out to Stanley. Stanley has some very nice tea shops. We only tried one but had a nice lunch that wasn't completely over priced. We then climbed the Nut which requires climbing a surprisingly steep ramp. The wind was fierce and my glasses felt as if they were going to go flying. There was also a lot of cloud around and a little rain but the views were still great from the top.

Before leaving Stanley we called up the Cradle Mountain ...

Warrnambool journal: Australia: Warrnambool and the Great Ocean Road

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 21:28:29 GMT

After leaving the Grampian we drove down to Warrnambool where we stayed in a very nice hostel near the beach. It was another early start the next day with our first stop of the day just up the road. The scenery all along the coast was fantastic.

Naracoorte journal: Australia: Naracoorte- Going South- Adelaide to Melbourne

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 21:15:35 GMT

I saw the brochure for the Going South tour and thought it looked quite good. It included adventure caving and it looked like there was at least a bit of walking in the Grampian's which I wouldn't get to do otherwise.

Steve and I were picked up from the YHA in the morning. I climbed on board the bus and heard one of two girls ask if there was anyone on the tour who was their age. I was less offended when I found out they were only 16. They were German and attending high school in Adelaide. This group turned out to have a very diverse range of ages. That afternoon we picked up two English ...

Strahan journal: Australia: Strahan

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 00:00:34 GMT

After getting down from Mount Ruffus Lynne drove us to Strahan. We passed through Queenstown on the way. I wouldn't believe Lonely Planet when it says that it's a better place to stay than Strahan. The mountains that surround it are nice but they have been badly scared by the mining in the area and many of the buildings look in need of repair.

We were planning on staying at the budget cabins in Strahan but they were being renovated so we were upgraded to the seaside cabins. It cost $70 for a huge cabin with 4 bunks in one room, a queen size in another, a big well equipped kitchen/lounge ...

Melbourne journal: Australia: Melbourne

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 23:04:07 GMT

I had liked Adelaide and felt there were things that I had left undone there. The tour I wanted to take to Melbourne only left on Thursdays and Mondays. I didn't want to have to wait through the weekend so went before I was really ready to. This somehow resulted in me not entirely looking forward to Melbourne which I expected to be a big anonymous and expensive city.

This wasn't really helped by the YHA Metro which isn't a patch on the one in Adelaide. It is more expensive, there is less space and the staff have a bit of a strange attitude at times. The atmosphere in general just isn't ...

Adelaide journal: Australia: Adelaide

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:23:49 GMT

A brief return to Adelaide where we met up with Indy, James and Shenaide again. I left for Melbourne on the Tuesday while Lynne was going on a tour to Kangaroo Island. I didn't really fancy it but she has said since said that it was great and her pictures look really good.

Melbourne journal: Lots of Science

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 01:23:38 GMT

I ended up coming here two afternoons in a row because I didn't manage to see everything the first time around. On my first visit my YHA membership got me free access. The second time around I only got a 10% discount. If it hadn't been free the first time then I doubt I would have gone back but it is definitely worth at least one visit.

I especially enjoyed the Science and Life Gallery, the Evolution Gallery and the Mind and Body Gallery. There was lots of biology involved and it proved a good refresher for me and a reminder that I will have to do a bit of study if I'm going to train as ...

Quorn journal: Australia: Flinders Range

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:07:15 GMT

Up in Alice we had spoken to a travel agent about visiting the Flinder's range. He told us about a company and recommended a tour that he thought would be suitable for us. We emphasised that we wanted to do lots of walking and he assured us that the first day was a big day of walking and we would be worn out by the end of it. He was lying. He didn't have a clue how much walking was involved and we ended up on a 4x4 tour of the area. The really annoying thing is that if we had spoken to the tour operator himself then he would have been able to take us on exactly the kind of trip we wanted. ...

Glen Helen journal: Australia: Western Macdonels- Larapinta Trail Sections 11 and 12- Mount Saunder

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 02:50:08 GMT

We hired a car for $300 for 4 days from Hertz and Lynne drove us out to Glen Helen Campsite. We had some breakfast and arranged for a pick up from Redbank Gorge in 3 days time. If we had been a bit earlier then we would have been better to take a lift out to redbank and walk back to Glen Helen but it seemed too late to climb Mount Saunder.

As it was we were starting out on section 11 of the Larapinta trail at midday. The signs said that we had 16.9km of walking ahead of us and it would take 8 hours of walking time without rest stops. That would mean arriving well after dark. ...

Adelaide journal: Australia: Adelaide

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 03:37:12 GMT

After having a great tour down from Alice we arrived in Adelaide. Most of the group ended up staying in the YHA which is really nice and has great facilities. Darwin and the Northern Territories reminded me of Inverness and the Highlands. Not because of the scenery or the weather but by the friendly small town atmosphere and the feeling of isolation from big population areas. Adelaide on the other hand is more like Glasgow but not quite so lively. It's bigger and more cosmopolitan with a mix of modern tower blocks and traditional stone buildings, museums art galleries and the University. There ...

Alice Springs journal: Australia: Back in Alice

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 03:33:01 GMT

After having breakfast at Glen Helen we headed up to Ormiston Gorge. We were both feeling very lethargic and probably didn't make the most of the rest of the Western MacDonnells.

Ormiston Gorge was nice but the large school group that had been at the camp site had made it here before us so it was fairly busy. It was a hot sunny day and all I wanted to do was stay out of the sun. Lynne spent 10 minutes putting on suncream so she could go for a swim. She then spent 5 minutes trying to edge her way into the water. It looked lice she was doing the birdie dance. You can see the video on my ...

Alice Springs journal: Nice friendly place to hang out in Alice

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 03:25:04 GMT

This is a nice friendly place to hang out. Contrary to what Lonely Planet claims the kitchen is big, bigger than every other hostel I have stayed in in Australia. It is just off the main street and has pretty good facilities.

Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park journal: A great 4-6 day (66km) bush walk

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:57:32 GMT

We were booked on the first ferry across the gorge at 9am. This is a bit late in the day considering how hot it gets. There were people milling around everywhere, all going on different trips. We heard the crew of our boat count us off as ferry passengers instead of cruise passengers so we presumed they knew where to drop us off. I didn't take much notice to start with as I was busy putting on my boots, then I go sucked into the not very inspiring tour commentary. I didn't know where we were supposed to be dropped off and just went with the flow.

About 10 minutes after getting on board ...

Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park journal: Get close to the water and the crocs

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:50:08 GMT

There are lots of boat trips running up Katherine Gorge but don't bother with them. You will be packed onto a big boat with a crowd of strangers and be ferried up and down as fast as possible. I don't know how much the boat trips are but hiring a twin canoe for a day costs around $75 which seems quite reasonable. Single Kayaks work out more expensive.

Although there are lots of boat trips you don't see the boats very often and they pass you quickly. There aren't a huge number of other canoeists about so you get lots of peace and quiet.

We were a bit late getting our canoes. We ...

Darwin journal: Litchfield National Park

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:46:49 GMT

The trip we did to Litchfield was great. Not very much in the way of exertion in the great outdoors more a combination of sightseeing in amongst a 12 hour stand up comedy routine. Our guide Joey was nuts and had a constant stream of jokes, props, gags and persona's that he ran through to keep us entertained. He said that his recent tour groups had been very quite and mainly slept on the bus so I think he enjoyed our responsiveness and went the extra mile. It probably also helped that one of the Australians on the tour was actually a professional stand up comedian and he filled in whenever our ...

Alice Springs journal: A must see just outside Alice Springs

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 06:30:30 GMT

It is a bit far out of town so before returning our hire car we stopped of here. We arrived at 3 and went straight to the excellent air-conditioned cafe. They have some very nice food and it is a welcome escape from the heat.

After refreshments we went straight to the 3:30 falconry display. It is a lot different from any other falconry I have seen before. It is held in an outdoor theater. One woman does the talking and starts to give information about different desert landscapes and the birds that live there. As she mentions each bird they appear in the sky as if by coincidence. They ...

Alice Springs journal: Australia: Alice Springs

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:37:05 GMT

We took the greyhound from Katherine to Alice and it was fine. We got into town around nine and checked into the YHA which turned out to be quite nice. It had a much nicer more mixed bunch of people compared to Melaleuca in Darwin. The guy who runs it is a bit nuts and very friendly, common personality traits in Australia it seems. We made a lot of friends while staying in Alice and it was a bit sad leaving and saying goodbye to everyone.

One of the good things about Alice is that it actually gets relatively cold at nights. It is a nice little town that seems to have a whole lot ...

Coober Pedy journal: Australia: Coober Pedy (Alice to Adelaide with Adventure Tours)

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:56:52 GMT

When we were trying to decide how to travel from Alice to Adelaide we found out that Adventure tours did a 2 day trip stopping in Coober Pedy for just $120. Accommodation was included and it was a lot cheaper than the Greyhound bus or some of the other companies doing the same trip who charged around $200.

I have been enjoying my tours in Australia so it seemed like a great deal and a chance to meet some more people before arriving in Adelaide. I was waiting for a catch since it was so much cheaper than everything else but there wasn't one and we had a great time.

Our guide was ...

Katherine journal: Relaxed, friendly, slightly rundown

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 21:20:59 GMT

This place does have a slightly rundown neglected air about it but I liked it a lot better than the slick and modern hostel we stayed at in Darwin. The dorms are bigger but a lot quieter and the place has a much nicer atmosphere. It is also the only realistic budget option in town.

Katherine journal: Australia: Katherine

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 21:13:41 GMT

We took a greyhound bus down frown Darwin and it was fine. Lot's of room as it was half empty and it stopped every few hours for food and toilet. We had a hot walk to the hostel. It seems to have moved a block from where it is marked on the LP map.

The town itself doesn't have much to offer. It's a small place with limited eating and drinking options but there was loads of work advertised for backpackers on the surrounding ranches.

More importantly for us the town gives access to Nitmiluk National Park and Katherine Gorge. There is a booking office in town for all the activities on ...

Bangkok journal: Thailand: Bangkok

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:45:22 GMT

We took the bus from Siem Reap Which broke down after an hour. Fortunately the engine didn't seem to be affected so the A/C still worked. After and hour and a half a replacement showed up. The A/C didn't work very well and there was less room. The road from Siem Reap to the border crosses some of the flattest countryside I have ever seen which should be ideal for flat straight roads. Unfortunately the local airlines have been bribing officials to delay any road improvements and it's a dirt track all the way and very bumpy.

Once at the border we had quite a bit of walking about and ...

Darwin journal: Australia: Darwin

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:44:42 GMT

Our flight landed at 6am but by the time we got into town it was nearly 7. We couldn't check in until 12 so we had a long wait until we could finally get into a bed. We had some breakfast across the road and then went for a walk along the waterfront. It was lovely and cool at that time of the morning and the park was full of people walking and running. In the first hour I saw 8 types of bird that I have never seen before.

It happened to be high tide so when we reached Aquascene Lynne went in to feed the fish while I slept on a park bench. She said it was very good. She waded into the sea ...

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) journal: The Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:21:30 GMT

The name has changed but the content hasn't. This museum is well worth a look but may disturb the squeamish. The original name was an accurate reflection of the contents both from its one sided perspective and its disturbing subject matter.

Hoi An journal: Cham (Angkor style) ruins

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 03:50:37 GMT

As for all of these tours the price varied greatly but I don't really see in this case where there is room for a difference in quality.

We were picked up at our hotel and driven to the ruins. Our guide did a lot of talking, some of it was a bit odd. He also tried to convince everyone that they should take the boat back. It cost extra and includes lunch but we didn't have time to do it even if we had wanted to.

Once at the sight we got out of the bus and transfered to a number of jeeps. I did my best to avoid the rest of the tour group so I could try and see things without a crowd. ...

Hoi An journal: Vietnam: Hoi An

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 03:45:07 GMT

Vietnam is turning out to be very diverse. Hoi An is a lot different from the other places we have been to. The centre of town has traffic restrictions which prevent cars and seem to limit motorbikes. It makes it very pleasant to wander around the old part of town. The area is full of good restaurants and shops as well as historic attractions. You are supposed to pay an entrance fee to get into the old town which then gives you access to your choice of sights. I still haven't found the ticket stall and have wandered up and down the streets. We haven't had a lot of time in Hoi An and I'm a bit ...

Hue journal: Stop and Go Cafe

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 03:36:31 GMT

As we were so short of time we didn't stop in Dong Ha on our way south and continued straight through to Hue. This meant that to get to the DMZ on the following day we had a lot of back tracking to do. We had heard that the minibus tours weren't very good and just rushed you around the countryside without giving you time to really see anything. We talked to a couple of tour companies and felt that what we had been told was right. The guy in the Mandarin Cafe was completely disinterested and barely looked up from his newspaper.

We didn't want to take a motorcycle tour but didn't have ...

Hue journal: Vietnam: Hue

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 02:37:47 GMT

After lots of flooding canceled every train for days we were eventually forced to take the bus from Hanoi to Hue. We got picked up from our hotel at around 7pm and got dropped off the next day around 10am. The bus was air conditioned but it didn't really work and it stayed too hot for me. As a result I didn't get much sleep.

We were met in Hue by a crowd of touts so headed for a drink to escape. Lynne went off to look for digs and came back an hour later. She had seen lots of places that would be suitable but couldn't remember which places they were or where to find them. She seemed to ...

Bali journal: Indonesia: Bali- Airport

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 06:48:25 GMT

Another really short flight put us in Bali. We had a four hour wait before catching our flight to Darwin. We had coped fine with the long wait in Jakarta but by now we were very fed up, tired and restless. We walked up and down the airport and could find nothing to occupy us. It was a great relief to get on the plane at 1am.

Jakarta journal: Indonesia: Jakarta Airport

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 03:59:16 GMT

To get the cheapest flights to Darwin we ended up taking a really awkward group of flights. We picked up our bags from the hostel at 11pm and headed out to the airport. Our flight was supposed to leave at 2:30 am but was delayed until 3:00. We arrived at Jakarta at 6:30 where the airline tried adding us to a waiting list to get us onto an earlier flight but it didn't work out.

We didn't want to pay for a visa to leave the airport and then pay for transport and a hotel room so we were stuck in the airport 7:00 pm that night. We took a walk around and couldn't find much to do especially ...

Dien Bien Phu journal: Dien Bien Phu Museum, A1 Hill and the Bunker Headquarters

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:18:12 GMT

We went to the museum first which is quite small. The ticket collector was late to arrive so someone else let me in and told us we could pay on the way out. She was very friendly and keen to practice her English. She explained a few things to us and left us to look around. There was a video showing film footage from the battle but the woman couldn't get it to work so we missed it.

Lynne gave up at this point. It was a really hot clear sunny day and moving out of the shade wasn't fun. I headed to A1 hill and struggled my way around. Many of the bunkers and trenches have been rebuilt with ...

Dien Bien Phu journal: Vietnam: Dien Bien Phu

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:15:15 GMT

The border crossing from Laos to Vietnam at Dien Bien Phu has only just opened. If I had know before then I would have liked to come in there. Instead we ended up traveling down from Sapa but this was only once we had discovered how cheap the flights from Dien Bien Phu were to Hanoi. We asked a few people about tickets but they all said that we could book the day before and it would be fine.

It was a nine hour bus ride from Sapa to Dien Bien Phu but it went over the Tram Ton Pass which is supposed to have some of the best mountain scenery in Vietnam. We had seen the cold cloudy side when ...

Hanoi journal: One of the best hostel I have stayed in

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:09:27 GMT

This is probably the best place I have stayed in Asia. It has definitely been the most fun. It is owned by a couple of Australians and run by them and a large group of Vietnamese staff. They are a very friendly and helpful bunch and most of them knew my name by the time I left.

There is a lot of effort made to ensure that people have an opportunity to meet each other. There is a roof top bar that is open until 10pm every night with a happy hour from 5-6. There are barbecues 3 or 4 times a week and a free keg of lager every Sunday. The early closing helps to ensure that things ...

Hanoi journal: Heaven for pickpockets! Watch your wallets

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:05:26 GMT

A rather bizarre and morbid tourist attraction that of course appealed to me. Entry is free but the biggest problem about visiting here is that you have to get up in the morning and get in the gate by around 10:15- 10:30 at the latest.

A long stately procession of visitors winds it way around the grounds and into the mausoleum. We tried to join the end of the queue but a security guard insisted that we skip ahead and hand our cameras into the locker room. Cameras aren't allowed into the mausoleum. While everything else was run in an organised manner the queue to hand your camera in ...

Hanoi journal: Good food and friendly staff

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 07:37:38 GMT

This became one of our favourite restaurants. The food was tasty, varied and not too expensive. The staff were also all very nice and ever so slightly ccrazy

Hanoi journal: The most interesting Museum I visited in Hanoi

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:24:02 GMT

This prison was originally built by the French to hold Vietnamese who resisted French rule and was then used by the Vietnamese to hold American prisoners, mainly pilots or air crew.

The museum is housed inside the old prison and does a good job of showing the harsh conditions under which the Vietnamese were held and tries to show that the Americans were given better treatment. I think that the Americans probably were treated better but so many other museum that I have visited have failed to be impartial you tend to presume a bit of propaganda at play.

In general most museums in ...

Hanoi journal: War wreckage sculpture

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 02:38:58 GMT

We arrived not long before lunch time so we didn't have a lot of time to see around. Most of the displays I saw had little English translation so were of little interest. I missed an entire building and don't know what was in it. The most interesting parts are the Hexagonal Flag Tower and the sculptures that have been produced from military wreckage.

Hanoi journal: Currently only partially open

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 02:32:39 GMT

Only part of the museum is open at the moment so you can get around it very quickly. The parts of the museum The first section I saw showed the role of women in the American war. My favourite picture was of a huge American soldier who had been take captive being escorted by the tiniest little Vietnamese woman.

Hanoi journal: Vietnam: Hanoi

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 02:26:18 GMT

We arrived at the southern bus station and took a very expensive taxi ride into town. As we wandered around looking for a hotel we were constantly being followed by touts trying to take us to different hotels. We couldn't avoid them and in the end we went into a restaurant to escape for a late lunch. We picked a good place as it turned out to be a micro brewery that actually brewed real beer and not lager.

The old town has narrow little streets. The pavements are blocked with parked motorbikes and the streets are full of racing motorbikes. Crossing the road takes a very different ...

Bangkok journal: Bad location, very poor value for money!

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 08:14:28 GMT

On previous visits to Bangkok we had stayed at the New Siam Guest House in Banglamphu. We really liked it but found it too expensive. After really enjoying the Hanoi Backpackers Hostel and receiving a recommendation for Soi 1 from two Irish people we though we would give it a go.

The staff here are friendly but the place is full of signs telling you what you aren't allowed to do and how you will be punished if you don't comply. The bathrooms are clean and the rooms have air con but the bunks are falling apart. Every time the person below me turned over I was shaken around. There is no ...

Siem Reap journal: Upstairs in the Temple Bar every night

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 04:58:10 GMT

Very impressive costumes and varied dances. Very good way to see what the dances are all about as you can eat your dinner and leave if you don't like it. I did and would recommend giving it a go. I was even more impressed when I realised how young the dancers were.

Siem Reap journal: Angkor Archaeological Park

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 04:48:46 GMT

Angkor Wat: Not being very quick to get out of our beds we didn't make it to Angkor Wat until 11:30am. It seems to be a good time to visit as it was quite quiet. It is surrounded by a huge square moat that is so wide it made Angkor look like an island in a lake. An ornate bridge leads across the moat and up to outer wall. The wall has an internal gallery and if you head down in either direction you will be able to get a view of all five of the temples towers. A long walk way then leads between two small libraries and up to the temple itself. Inside a gallery with bas-relief walls lead all ...

Siem Reap journal: Angkor Archaeeological Park

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:44:29 GMT

Lynne only wanted to do one day of temple visiting and due to her hangover it meant that my first day was by myself and we would go to see the main temples together the following day. I really didn't know where to start. All I knew was that I had to leave the ''best stuff' till the next day.

With the help of the guy from my guest house and a very good free guide called "Siam Reap Angkor Visitors Guide" I came up with a plan. There are two traditional routes for seeing the temples the Grand Tour Circuit and the Small Tour Circuit. I thought that the Grand Tour went to more temples but it ...

Siem Reap journal: Cambodia: Siem Reap

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 20:32:29 GMT

Our bus ride was quicker than expected. We left late and arrived early. It only took about 5 hours. The bus had tonnes of leg room but the A/C wasn't very good. We were dropped off at the bus station 3km outside of town and were immediately surrounded by tuk-tuk drivers who wanted to take us to different hotels. I was glad we had booked a hotel because they offered a free pick up and once we found our driver we were left alone by everyone else.

The outskirts of town were quite dusty and looked fairly poor but we crossed a river and suddenly arrived in the plusher part of town with ...

Phnom Penh journal: The prison where victims were held before being taken to the killing fields

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 08:11:41 GMT

The buildings here were once a high school but under the rule of the Khmer Rouge they were turned into the largest prison and torture centre in Cambodia. More than 17,000 men, women and children were held here during their rule but when the Vietnamese liberated Phnom Penh only seven people were left alive. The other captives had mainly ended up at the killing fields of Choeung Ek where they had been executed.

When we first got here we went straight to the movie room for the 3pm showing of the documentary "Bophana". The sound quality wasn't great so it would be a good idea to sit near the ...

Phnom Penh journal: Disturbing must see

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:59:34 GMT

Choeung Ek was an extermination camp used by the Khmer Rouge to execute around 17,000 men, women and children. The bodies were buried in mass graves amongst a longan orchard. Many of the bodies have been exhumed and their skulls are displayed behind glass panels in a memorial stupa. The bottom level of the display contain the clothing of some of the victims.

As you wander around the site information boards provide some details of what happened in each location. Between the trees the pits from which the bodies were excavated can still be seen. Tattered pieces of clothing also stick out of ...

Phnom Penh journal: A good base from which to explore the city

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:41:10 GMT

We ended up staying here because this is where our bus dropped us of and we couldn't be bothered to walk to one of the areas with lots of guest houses.

This turned out to be a good thing as although the guest house is away from the main crowd it is very close to the National Museum and the Royal Palace. Toul Sleng Museum is also within walking distance if you don't mind walking.

The guest house can arrange all manner of tours and bus tickets but we did things ourselves. They have a large, busy restaurant with big tables that help to make things a bit sociable.

Phnom Penh journal: Thai style palace and temple

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:18:02 GMT

It was fairly expensive at CR25,000 but it was probably worth it as you gain access to both complexes with one ticket.

The buildings are all very beautiful in the Thai style. Parts of the palace complex are restricted but you can get into the throne room. The silver tiles on the floor of the Silver Pagoda are mainly covered by carpets to protect them but you can hear them creaking and crunching beneath your feet.

Phnom Penh journal: Cambodia: Phnom Penh

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 03:59:15 GMT

We took a direct bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh for $10 and I reckon it's pretty good value. I think we went with Brother's Cafe. We were in a half empty and nicely cold air conditioned bus. When we reached the border we had to leave the bus and carry our bags through Vietnamese Immigration. We then got back on the bus and driven through to the Cambodian Border. Our bus crew collected our passports, $20 visa fee and $5 for themselves. The immigration guy checked us off against our passports and then we got back on the bus and taken to a small restaurant for lunch. By the time we got back on the ...

Phnom Penh journal: A gore free museum

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 22:01:50 GMT

This is a very nice little museum that only takes about an hour to wander around. It is located in an attractive building surrounding a garden full of ponds. The displays feature a range of sculptures, statues and pottery.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) journal: Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:30:41 GMT

Our flight to Saigon was delayed by about an hour. I was really hungry and the flight crew didn't have any sandwiches left. They had also taken so long to serve everyone that by the time they reached me they weren't allowed to give me any noodles as we were starting to descend.

Once out of the airport the taxi drivers seemed surprisingly polite and actually accepted it when you said you didn't want a taxi. We went to take a local bus which is only VD3,000 each but the ticket collector wanted to charge us for 4 tickets. One for each of us and one for each bag, even though the bags were ...

Hanoi journal: Vietnam: Hanoi

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:02:20 GMT

After picking up our bags we headed down to Hanoi Backpackers Hostel where we had booked dorm beds. The Bamboo Hotel where we had stayed before was nice but our room was plagued by rats.

Hanoi journal: Real Beer Not Lager!

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:58:36 GMT

Finding this place was a real delight. It's a bar with a micro-brewery and restaurant. They brew a Red Belgian Beer that isn't too far off a Scottish ale. It's the first real beer I have drunk since leaving the UK and a very nice change from lager.

It's air conditioned, the back wall is lined with mash tuns and it smells of hops and mash. They also do a very nice pork schnitzel.

Cat Ba journal: Vietnam: Halong Bay

Sat, 18 Aug 2007 06:17:36 GMT

It took a long time to find a tour that suited us. We must have been to at least a dozen different tour companies and were given quotes from around $50 up to $400 for a private tour with just the three of us. Many of them were very similar and we struggled to find a tour that we wanted at a price we could afford. The problem was that we wanted to do a full days kayaking and this seemed to really push the price up. Most tours had only half a day and we wanted as much kayaking as possible.

We eventually settled on ODC Travel who were our final last desperate attempt to find something we ...

Hoi An journal: Nice hotel but more expensive than some

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:26:11 GMT

Lynne went to find digs again and decided it was time for some luxury. We checked into the Thanh Xuan Hotel which had a swimming pool. The staff were very nice and it cost us $22 a night.

Sapa journal: A damp trip to the top of Vietnam

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:13:40 GMT

As usual we talked to a lot of people before we committed to a tour company and were given a whole range of itineraries and prices. The first guy we spoke to said that no one was climbing the mountain at this time of year as it was so wet. He also quoted a price of $120 each which was way too much. As we went around we found cheaper and cheaper prices. The last stop at the Friendly Cafe was close to the cheapest at $50 but had the best itinerary.

Normally I prefer to climb mountains by myself but in this case I think it makes a lot more sense to go with a guide. The bottom section of the ...

Sapa journal: Vietnam: Sapa

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:14:40 GMT

We caught the 10pm train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. We were traveling in hard sleeper class. It's air conditioned with 6 beds per compartment. It wasn't the cleanest or most comfortable sleeper train I have ever been on but I slept well enough. After getting of the train in Lao Cai we took a minibus to Sapa for VD25,000 each.

The weather was great! it was cool, damp and foggy. It was a wonderful change from the hot, sunny weather that I have had to endure for most of the last 5 months. It made me think of home.

Once in Sapa we went for a coffee and the girls had a look around for a ...