Apr 2007

Didn't really know what to expect when I rocked up to get on the Kiwi Experience big Green Bus! A bit apprehensive about what I thought was gonna be meeting new people one day and then losing them the next when they spend a different amount of time in a place than you do. I must have been lucky! From the first day I got chatting to a couple of people, stuck with them for maybe the first week until they went off to do a different route. Anyway I'm getting ahead of myself! Firstly lets talk about the Bay of Islands trip. My first day! Dolphin swimming was one of the activities offered, but nah, not for me! I thought i'd face my fear of being splattered in the face by huge amounts of sea water and head out on the 2.5 hour Excitor Boat trip. I was told just before heading out that it was 2 - 3 metre waves out there and that it was gonna be a rough one! Apparently the best conditions to be heading out in. It was awesome, 45 knots over these huge waves. Losing your stomach before smashing back down into another oncoming wave. It was such a buzz.Got drenched but it was worth it. Didn't make it out to the Hole in the rock which is the whole idea of the trip. It was just too rough to go out to sea that far. But we had a hell of a thrill ride all the same.

Down the North island it is. Not much to say until maybe Taupo. This is where I met a great group of friends that I would continue travelling with well on down into the South island. Went out that night for St Patricks day. Had a laugh and gave Nick the american an Aftershock! He swilled it in his mouth for 3 mins, fairplay him. But lost all feeling in his gums and tongue for the next day and a half. Serves him right! Nick was a great guy though. Different as you'd generally expect from an American. He was always up for a laugh and he was always the loudest on the bus, asking the driver to stop at every oversized object that he saw. Such as the Giant Carrot he wanted a photo of! From this point on our Driver Lauren named him "Dora the Explorer" Quite fitting we all felt!

Who else? The two Danish guys. The only phrase I managed to learn in Danish from them in the whole 2 weeks that I was travelling with them was Slik Mine Boller, which in English means Lick my balls. Thats gonna be handy! But suprisingly got used quite a few times when the Danish guys (simon and Kristian) got a little too cocky for their own good! Great lads though!

Then there was the 2 english girls and an ex Irish (now english - much better) girl. They took all the abuse I gave them quite happily, except Jennie who I quite often heard the term "Too Far Jules" from! Had a laugh with them.

So that was the group. Together all the way down to Queenstown, where we lost the 3 girls. So just down to the lads then. Lost Nick one stop later in Christchurch and it was just me and the two Danish guys. Finally I was being outnumbered! Stuck with them all the way up to Auckland where I am now.

Things along the way. Well lots of Bungying, none involving me ofcourse! Some Sky diving, once again, not involving me! And some Luging which was great fun and involved me! Lots of spectacular scenery! Lots of silly photos as you can see from my slideshow! A great time all round. Oh and drinking from Teapots!

I'm sure i've missed loads of things out but hey, it was just so action packed into 4 weeks, I'm not sure I knew what the hell was going on even at the time!

Onto USA next! Can't wait!

Well, what can I say, fell in love even more with Melbourne and St Kilda! This is the place in my whole 12 month trip that I stayed the longest! in total about 10 weeks! I feel as though I got a taste of living there this time! Something that I would quite happily do. Its so more chilled out than Sydney but still a great atmosphere. You gotta love that cafe culture!

What did I do in my last stint in Oz? Well, Did Great Ocean Road again, visited Philip Island where the Motorbikes race and ofcourse saw the famous Penguins plodding up the beach to find shelter for the night! Quite an experience. I also went to a couple of places that most backpackers wouldn't get the chance to see. All good times!

Spent a fair bit of time with Velvet. She showed me how to have fun, in Frankston of all places! We got on pretty well and she is meeting me in the States for the 2 weeks that I am there!

Saw a Melbourne Storm rugby game. Bought a cap and had it signed by a few players. Apparently its now worth quite a bit more than the $25 i spent on it!

Won some money at the casino! Looking good for Vegas! I'm gonna win back all the money i've spent on this trip, in other words a hell of a lot! Not gonna happen, but we can all dream!

And off to New Zealand it was! My last night in Oz wasn't all that good. A night in Sydney airport was not quite how I saw it being. But as I cancelled another flight it was cheaper for me to fly straight from Melbourne to Sydney as late as possible and then not bother with a hostel, just sleep it out in the airport. Then catch my 8am flight in the morning! Those seats really aren't comfortable, wouldn't recommend that plan!

Oz, the most incredible country, so diverse. If you haven't been - Go! I can not speak highly enough about this country! Having said that my experiences are a lot down to the loads of great people that I have met a long the way!

And remember, travelling is not about the destination, its the journey that counts!