Round the World Trip 16th January – 29th March 2002
Day 1&2 Wednesday/Thursday 16th & 17th January
Leave London Heathrow on BA 019 at 10.55am the flight leaves on time, do the food, film food and film then and arrive at Bangkok 05.10am local time. We get picked up at the airport by Thamnoon, (Les’s Driver when he is working out there). After a long wait getting through customs we arrive at the Business Inn Hotel. recommended by John (cheap) it matches up to what we expect, cheap and cheerful at £9.00 per night. We freshen up and unpack enough clothes for a couple of days Thamnoon returns for 8.30am and we are taken straight out for a long day sightseeing.
The first stop is the floating market, this is there pretty much for the tourists lots of colour and bustle, they don’t understand why we don’t want to buy anything, perhaps if they’d seen how crammed our rucksacks were they might understand.
We sleep in the car on the way to the crocodile wrestling (not really what we wanted to see), more sleep on the way to the Rose Gardens not much in the way of roses! The cultural show is very good, the Elephant show is a bit sad, really - the logging element shows how elephants worked originally, but the dancing well.
Then more sleep on the 3-hour drive back to the hotel most of it stood still in traffic. We shower and change then out for a meal at the Business Inn restaurant 620baht including drinks (£10.00). We then stroll around Sukhumvit Rd and the side streets checking out all the street trader stalls selling counterfeit goods CD’s, Rolex watches, Levi’s, Louise Vitton bags, Weapons etc you name it you can buy it here, We find an open square behind the hotel and sit down and listen to the band playing. There are lots of older men with gorgeous young Thai girls on their arms. Some tables with Thai women only, hookers eyeing up prospects. We have a pitcher of beer and a glass of wine, finally go to bed about 11.00pm totally knackered.
Day 3 Friday 18th January
Arise late, around 9.30 am. we have a free day today as Thamnoon is driving Les’s boss around, we go to several travel agents across the road from the hotel. Meet our first boy/girl in one of them (Scaree) looks like an attractive girl from the rear when it turns around it is definitely a bloke. Checked out prices for getting to Koh Samet and Koh Chang, which can only be by bus or train. Went out for breakfast, and another quick read about Koh Chang and Koh Samet they are still malarial regions. We have already talked ourselves out of going to Koh Samui and Koh Phan Pnang (John’s recommendation) purely on the basis of them sounding too commercial and pricey, so we now decide to go to Krabi. Unfortunately, all flights are booked for tomorrow so we decide to go by train, which is an 11-hour overnight journey. Complete with sleeping accommodation price is 800 baht each, the same price as a cheap hotel. They only run overnight which gets you to Surat Thani, from here we can if we want get a bus and ferry to Koh Samui or a bus to Krabi.
Once this was all settled we take a ride on the sky train to Siam Square for a wander around the shops. Everything is here Boots, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Dunkin Donuts. Find somewhere for a snack. decide we ought to buy a map of Bangkok, as the place is so vast you cannot really orientate yourself the scenes around Siam Square are amazing with all the skyscrapers and futuristic buildings. Elevated roadways going in all directions and the sky train sweeping through above all of this and down below the main traffic routes all at a standstill. We wander around a bit more before we head back to Sukhumvit Road, decide we ought to buy a map of Bangkok, as the place is so vast you cannot really orientate yourself. Amazing scenes around Siam Square, with all the skyscrapers and futuristic buildings elevated roadways going in all directions and the sky train sweeping through above all of this and down below the main traffic routes all at a standstill.
We head back to hotel, for a shower and change, downstairs to hotel restaurant and evening meal of fish curry for me and dry chicken curry for Jude. After eating we take the sky train to Silom Road for a wander up and down Pat Pong where all the go go bars and exotic dancers are. We have a beer in a bar and then back to Sukhumvit Road for another beer and check out the go go bars there. Too noisy for us so we go back to the square with music in, the band playing are doing all Beatles songs and doing them very well, we have another drink and then bed.
Day 4 Saturday 19th January
We wake up early at 6.45. shower and pack, then down for breakfast at 7.30 am. Thamnoon is already waiting outside to take us to the Grand Palace. He drops us off at 8.30 am, the traffic not too bad and we arrange to meet at 11.30am. The crowds are absolutely pouring in and it’s very hot. We watch what seems to be a changing of the guard ceremony then we wander around all the very ornate buildings lots of gold and burning josh sticks.
From here we go down the road to the Bangkok Museum, spend about 2 hours wandering around the various displays and finish with a meal in their café Jude chicken noodle soup (20 baht about 3p) and me spicy stir fried noodles (25 baht about 4p) we know how to live! and it was very good, exceptional value. Thamnoon picks us up at 2.00 pm and takes us on to Uwmeers Palace (Teak Palace). Have a tour around the grounds on a toy train, then into the theatre to watch some traditional dancing, very good, Thamnoon arranged for us to get our photos taken with the dancers in their traditional costumes (I think they find my stomach quite amusing). From here Thamnoon takes us to Bangkok Station we arrive at 5.00 pm.
The train is not till 7.15 pm. but Thamnoon say’s you have to allow plenty of time for traffic, as you never know how bad it’s going to be. We sit around reading the lonely planet it says you have to be aware of razorblade pickpockets apparently they discreetly slash your back pocket and remove your wallet. The train departs at 7.20 pm to arrive in Surat Thani at 8.45 am next day. Jude retires to sleeping compartment at 9.00 pm with stomach cramps. I sit next to a Swiss couple that were just coming to the end of 9 months travelling taking in America, Australia, New Zealand and they were finishing up 2 days at Bangkok and 1 week in Koh Samui. They decided it was about time they got back home to earn some money instead of just spending it. I stay up reading until 10.00 pm. Then retire only to wake up at 4.00 am with stomach cramps, and dash to the loo exploding at both ends. The train is extremely hot and don’t really go back to sleep to scared as I have to keep dashing to the loo. Jude got up at 7.00-ish feeling absolutely shit; she has been up all night with stomach cramps and diarrhoea. We decide that when we get off the train we will hole up for the day till we are feeling better.
Day 5 Sunday 20th January
We arrive in Surat-Thani at 6 am to a scene of absolute chaos off the train, people offer to take you to everywhere. Sit in a bar watching all the madness, hawkers trying to get people onto different buses for Koh Samui, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, etc. While sat in the bar having coffee I have a look at prospective accommodation upstairs (ugh! and that’s me saying that so Jude definitely wont like it) we decide to take a chance and go on to Krabi on the coach which has a loo. Lonely Planet says the journey takes 5-6 hours by coach, and 4 hours by bus, the coach company says it will take 2 hours – actually takes 2.5 hours. The bus seems to have a suspect gearbox (will we make it?). We arrive at Krabi at 11.00 am and book a room at the KR Mansions. Book this at central booking area, which can book for you and arrange collection of you. The word ‘Mansions is slightly suspect but what can you expect for £5 per night? Both really laid up for the rest of the day and can’t face food (okay so the cheap food at the museum was not such a good thing). We eventually surface and go up to the KR Mansions Rooftop Bar, which has really nice views over Krabi we have a couple of soft drinks then go back to Bed at 8.00 pm. We manage to sleep right through. I am feeling better – I am now hungry and things have firmed up a bit. Not eaten for 36 hours. Jude is still not very good – she is till not eating and has diarrhoea and is very weak.
Day 6 Monday 21st January
We get up about 9.00 am have breakfast – buffet which is assorted fresh fruit, cereals, fruit juice, omelette or scrambled egg etc. Jude is feeling slightly better so after the ritual email to Marie and whomever, we decide to take a boat to Railay Beach from Krabi Harbour. This takes about 45 minutes on a wooden longtail boat with a 7 litre supercharged V eight motor resting in a pivot frame on the rear and normally driven by a deranged mad dog Ninja Thai the driver on the journey over is not so bad.
We arrive at Railay looking at a fairly deserted mangrove beach. Jump into sea to get to dry land, boats everywhere, and scenery around was amazing – lots of rock towers jutting upward dotted with spread-eagled climbers. Behind the beach is a Bussage Housing Estate of beach huts. We wandered through this to come out on the other side on a palm fringed white-sanded paradise beach, which was quite crowded but nowhere near Benidorm or Ibiza more like Swells Hill against Stroud. Anyway we spend the afternoon here chilling, swimming and getting sunburnt.
At 5.00pm we decide to head back for Krabi to the hotel wading out to get on a longtail boat and as we set off we realise that we have the mad nutter bastard driver. Anyone remotely catching up with him and he has to blow them away. Jude is not happy as we practically take off when crossing other peoples bow waves. We got back in record-breaking 35 minutes. Jude can’t wait to get off, fortunately there’s a jetty this time (What no leaping from boat to harbour!). We walk back up to hotel and shower and change. I decide I need to cash travellers cheque so wander back down town but nowhere is open. Find a general store that is open and try to cash one here but do a signature nothing like the one at the top of the traveller’s cheque. Understandably they won’t cash it – have to use cash. Walk back up to hotel (it is just starting to rain). We have a quick beer then down to the downstairs restaurant to eat. Jude loves Thai food but has to have chicken and chips (dodgy tummy). We then buy tickets for boat to Koh Lanta and accommodation (300 bahts) for double room (£5.00) we also buy tickets for boat from Koh Lanta – Koh Phi Phi and back to Krabi.
Day 7 Tuesday 22nd January
We get up at 8.00 am shower and down for buffet breakfast. Check out and speak to tour operator about getting a coach and sleeper train to Bangkok to leave on the 27th and arrive in Bangkok early on the 28th January so we have time to get across Bangkok for the flight at 17.20 to Sydney. This arranged we then wait for the coach to take us to the ferry port, which doesn’t arrive so the tour operator bungs us in the back of his pickup and takes us down there. Usual chaos and eventually get on the boat which is supposed to leave at 10.30am but doesn’t leave till 11.00am. Supposed to take 1.5 hours but actually takes 2 hours, the boat has to stop en-route to throw some people over board that are staying on a smaller island and they swim ashore (no not really they have to jump down into a much smaller boat).
We eventually arrive at Koh Lanta to the usual scene of organised chaos at the port, we find our accommodation representative (ha ha!) who bungs us all in the back of a pick up and takes us on a 15 minute mad dog ride on rough road. Airborne at least 3 times (me Jude and the pick up) Chat to Canadian couple and 2 young daughters. They have been travelling since October and are going till March they look tired. We are shown to our accommodation, which is a wooden beach hut complete with veranda and garden. The beach 50 yards away, which is a lovely white sandy beach although not as fine sand as Railay. It is really quiet about 1 person or couple every 100 yards.
Swim, sunbathe and read, swim, sunbathe and read. Order lunch Chilli prawns, consisting of steam rice, 3 prawns, 20 red and green chillies (halved) and a few onions. It was fearsome hot. Jude had club sandwich (she is still not 100% after dodgy tummy), which is a plateful of sandwiches enough for 2 people. Back to the beach, swim, sunbathe and read. We then go back to hut – shower. Jude sleeps yet again. When she wakes up we go down to the beach bar for evening meal. Jude has pizza and I decide not to eat – just have liquid. Two Australian blokes and an English girl take over the atmosphere at the bar with their own CD’s and antics. The barman lights fire on the beach and performs an impromptu cabaret – fire juggling and walking on the fire (very quickly). We sit next to and chat to an English mother and daughter. The daughter is on her way to Brisbane to do a university swap for 1 year and mother and she are on holiday for 3 weeks. They give Jude some Hua Sei to settle her stomach, we retire at 11.00 pm.
Day 8 Wednesday 23rd January
I wake at 8.00 am, Jude dead to the world so I sit outside reading till Jude eventually gets up at 9.30 am. We wander over for breakfast at the Sports & Social Club (ha ha). Jude has banana pancake (very nice) – I try the American breakfast, which is OK, we check out when ferries sail for Koh Phi Phi. Then its deck chairs at 10 paces till lunch (garlic bread).
Lounge around some more and chill out, the day goes swim, lounge, swim, lounge, shower, I have a Thai massage on the beach while Jude watches (kinky bitch!). We have another lassi while watching the volleyball match on the beach, then watch the sun set over the sea. We go back to hut for shower and then out for the evening meal. I have Siggling (the Thai translation) fish and Jude has green chicken curry (her stomach is settling at last). We decide to have an early night (all this sunbathing is very tiring) bed at 9.30 pm but not before campsite rep has talked us into pre-booking accommodation on Phi Phi. We get the usual story that it is very busy and expensive for Thailand at the moment, the Lonely Planet agrees so we book into what I think is a very expensive room at 1600 baht per night (fan not air con). We are told the boat sails at 8.00 am and 1.00 pm. We opt for the later boat then retire.
Day 9 Thursday 24th January
We wake up at 7.30 am by knock on door. ‘Papa, you ready’ ‘Uh what, boat is at 1.0 clock’ ‘No boat is at 8.00’ ‘Fuck! give us 5 minutes) a rapid pack, throw everything in rucksack and leave 10 minutes later rattling down the road in the back of a pick up. 1.5 hr ferry ride to Phi Phi. We wait at ferry pick up point but no lift to hotel appears, starting to worry that we may have been striped, I go to the information point, they phone the hotel and lift appears 15 minutes later (Honda 90 step through with a sidecar. (Apparently there are no cars on the island). We wind our way down partly paved narrow alleyways full of people, Internet cafes, shops, dive centres, (Krabi for Climbing, Phi Phi Don for Diving). This made me think that if I were in Peter’s position I would be out here like a shot working as a dive instructor. The lift takes about 15 minutes to get to the resort. We have to admit that this place is much more orderly than the Koh Lanta. The cabins in our resort are dotted around on the hillside overlooking the beautiful bay guess where our cabin is? Yes, right at the top of the steps. Hike to the top of the steps (which are in really bad order). Good size room, king-size bed, patio, deckchairs and breakfast included.
We unpack and off down to the beach, we walk along the beach trying to find a shady spot (it is relentlessly hot) we eventually find a sort of spot the beach is not particularly good for swimming. You can walk half a mile out in it and still only up to my knees! We wander through town and look at the beach on the other side of the island, which is better but smaller and noisier as the boats arrive on Phi Phi here. We find an internet café and email home and then find Mama Resto (recommended by Lonely Planet) for meal later on in the evening. Wander through town, and then back on the other beach near our resort, which is better and easier on our feet). Climb up to our room and attend to first major sunburn of holiday. Shower and off out for a meal. We try to confirm our onward flights, first place we ask says there is no need and the other can’t do this until the morning. Had a great meal at Mama Resto’s, I had muscles followed by sweet and sour prawns and Jude had spring rolls followed by curry. Jude is made up as wine is on the menu (Albeit a bit expensive but what the hell) we wander back thro the town to the room get out the crampons and ropes for the final ascent, into the room to treat all the bites we have collected thro the day.
Day 10 Friday 25th January
We get up at 8.30am. have breakfast in the resort and down to town to try and confirm the flights. We are told once again that we don’t need to. Sort out a boat trip to do a bit of snorkelling at Mayer Beach on Phi Phi Ley, which is where The Beach was filmed. There is an amazing amount of fish of all colours, absolutely unbelievable the coral is not particularly spectacular, but as hundreds of boats come here daily this is not really surprising. Go on the beach for 10 minutes and then on to next snorkelling place, Sama Cove. Again the colour of the sea is absolutely spectacular. Coral in this area is much better with more colours on rocks and plants. Fish are still very abundant. I see small shark, moray eel, huge brain like rocks, zig zag clam type things that close up when you go near them
We go on around the island past Viking Cave, which has historic paintings on its walls inside. The locals climb inside the cave to collect the swift’s nests, a Chinese delicacy which sells for 2000 US Dollars per kilo! We arrive back to Phi Phi Don for lunch at Garlic 1992. Jude orders fried chicken and vegetables and I order beef in oyster sauce, which is absolutely superb. Back to the cabin for shower and read then out at 6.30pm. for the daily email ritual and then a drink in (yes you’ve guessed it) The Irish Pub – and no they didn’t have Guinness on. They did play a lot of U2 records and the whole place was painted green. We ate at a sort of Thai beach restaurant. I had soup followed by crab (very messy) and Jude had pancake rolls followed by Thai coconut curry. Meal was not as nice as Mama Restos. We stopped off at a small bar on the way back to room. Meet a couple out here for 2.5 weeks. chat about places we have been. She wants to go to Nepal but changes her mind after I tell her there is no beach there, the bar girl introduces us to a couple of Thai games. One involves dice and the other a big lump of tree trunk, nails and a hammer, the first one to knock the nail in using the thin end of the hammerhead is the winner. We then retire to bed having drunk far too much.
Day 11 Saturday 26th January
We get up at 7.00 am for final pack of the rucksacks, and then go down for our free breakfast. Can’t get a lift to the pier so we have to walk and luggage is delivered there. Apparently there are too many people leaving and we can’t fit in the sidecar. We get on the boat to Krabi at 9.00am and go back to K R Mansions book a room and shower then off around the town. Jude has a mini spend (tie dye suit). We lunch on the floating restaurant (despite the smell) eat fish cakes and prawn cakes but one dish between the two of us would have been enough. Watch mud skipper things in the mud by the river. They drag themselves along by their front fins and chase crabs and try and frighten each other off by opening their jaws. A troop of monkeys comes by on the other side of the riverbank. We have our meal that night on the roof top bar. A band is playing in the field over the park. Not U2 unfortunately but a band from Bangkok who have their own TV programme. Meet a couple just come in from Phuket who thought it was crap but they loved Chiang Mai they did a day cookery course they live near Burford.
Day 12 Sunday 27th January
We get up for breakfast at 8.45 after packing, the bus to Surat-Thani is at 4.00 pm we think. So we decide to catch the local Song Theuw to Oa Nam Beach. Had a very interesting ride stood on the back step of the bus holding on to the roof rack. Oa Nam Beach is about 20 miles away through some really interesting countryside rugged rocky outcrops jutting up everywhere. We are not entirely convinced that we were on the right bus to get to the Oa Nam beach but what the hell. We arrive at huge beach and find a nice shady spot to sit and read. Later we wander around the place and realise we are the only Europeans here so maybe we are not where we think we are the beach is very shallow into the sea and you have to walk about ½ mile and are then still only knee deep.
We head back to Krabi and get on the same bus and this time it is not so full. We talk to a lad who is staying here but he is going back tomorrow. He flew down from Bangkok for £85.00. Get back to Krabi and walk up to KR Mansions and have shower and wait for pick-up to appear. From then on it is absolute madness. Pick up takes us to travel agents in Krabi and wait there for a good while for bus to Surat-Thani. Eventually arrive at Surat-Thani at 7.00 pm. Have a long wait at Surat-Thani as the only train they can get us on is the 10.25 pm getting into Bangkok at 11.10 am. We think the man at KR Mansions did not actually book our seats on the train just took our money and booked us in on the day. We spend the evening in a bar/café by the station talking to various people and the staff – end up all quite friendly. Sit next to an old Danish guy with a younger Thai woman, who is definitely not happy being with him. Eventually get on the train and this time we are not ill (Hurrah!) and go straight to sleep.
Day 13 Monday 28th January
We arrive in Bangkok at 11.20 am and go to Information desk to find out how to get to the airport, they say there is a train to the airport station at 11.45 am which gets in at 12.33 am so off we go we have plenty of time to check in baggage, send a couple of e-mails and sit around waiting for boarding. Board plane around 4.15 pm for 5.10 pm take off but the plane misses its take of slot because 16 people have not boarded yet, they eventually got on 1.25 hours late. Settle in and have excellent meal of peppered steak. Jude has Thai fishcakes (bugger!) and we watch film then fall asleep and wake up for 5.00 am breakfast, wish I could do that on all long haul flights. We land 20 minutes later than scheduled we go through customs and baggage collection and then over to Domestic flight departures where we have a 30-minute wait to board our onward flight to Adelaide.
Day 14 Tuesday 29th January
On the flight in and out of Sydney we were hoping to see Sydney Harbour unfortunately we don’t, the flight to Adelaide is 2 hours and as we land we see Andy peering through railings. After travelling so long it is great to see him. Ride in car for ¾ hour up to Adelaide Hills. The bungalow is very modern, the garden a nightmare, although Bridgit is working on it. Andy and Bridget go shopping and we chill for an hour – this is most needed, although we do not sleep just feel our way gently into Australia (which Jude love’s already!). When Andy and Bridget come back we have a gentle tour of locality, shops, library, etc. We meet Jeanette a neighbour who had a brown snake (very dangerous) in her garden last week (Yuk!). That night we have meal in local pub, which is superb, I try kangaroo! Catch up with Andy and Bridget and Andy educates us about pokies and various other religions of the Australians who I now think are hooked on gambling. Saw free flying kookaburras. Manage to stay awake till 9.30 and then bed at last!
Day 15 Wednesday 30th January
We get up late at 9.30 am. Have leisurely breakfast and then down into Adelaide. Walk along riverbank and then hire some bicycles for an hour or two and just take along the cycle tracks. It is a beautiful city set in a kind of square and surrounded by water and parkland it seems very well thought out. We then have a sandwich lunch by the river. Apparently it’s my turn to drive back to Brigands II. Andy and Bridget are going out this evening to play petanque (boulles). We have a lovely meal cooked by Brigit, which was salmon in a lemon sauce. We go out for drive while they go of to their Petanque, eventually we come back into Bridgewater to try to find out where Andy and Bridgit are. Andy has given us duff information (maybe he’s trying to tell us something), when we eventually get there they have left, apparently Jeanette got really cold. We get back to Brigands II and they are sat there supping coffee trying to get warm. Andy watched Mick Jagger and wouldn’t talk to us. He then sent us to bed after a very nice day.
Day 16 Thursday 31st January
Get up at 8.30 am. and sort breakfast. Bridgit and Andy get up eventually we sort out the coach for Coober Pedy and Alice springs but don’t have any luck changing flight. We get ready for a beach day, I drive to the wine growing area of Maclaren Vale but most places seem to be shut, we see our first billabong on way there. Visited Hardy’s wine tasting – which was very good, then go off to another wine tasting in hills, and have lunch there, this was very definitely nouveau cuisine food. Jude wouldn’t let anybody touch hers because we all had weird stuff. The views from the restaurant were absolutely amazing. We go down to Maplins Beach, Adelaide. This is the only metropolitan nudist beach, the nudist area being at one end of the beach which is on the Fleurieu peninsula. It is very windy but we have quick swim and we end up chasing the brolley across the beach. We collect a few stones and shells for Brigands II veranda. We stop for an ice cream. at Moana beach then back to Brigands II for steak and salad. Had a good evening, Andy as usual drank more than was good for him. (There’s a thing)
Day 17 Friday 1st February
Andy and Bridgit have some tree surgeons coming round to chop down some dead trees they chop them down and shove the bits in the back truck which eats it leaving just sawdust after watching this we start gardening. The ground is awful, very hard and the garden very steep you have to watch out for hopper ants. When we finish gardening Andy drops us off in Adelaide so that we can change some traveller cheques and the flight to Cairns, that done I buy a sun hat and we do the open topped bus tour of Adelaide. Weather is absolutely baking hot my feet hurt. Go down to the Café Street and ring Andy to come and pick us up. They have got a card from John and Alan rings up from the west coast of Australia. We have dinner of chicken and vegetables, have early-ish night Jude has bad dreams.
Day 18 Saturday 2nd February
Get up reasonably early have breakfast and out for another stint in the garden again. Construct the Stephens steps logs are now in position and backfill with soil. The weather is windy, cold and wet are we in England? Jude is getting a toothache this is a bit worrying. We take a drive out to National Motor Museum at Birdwood an interesting collection of old cars and bikes. Did another wine tasting and tried some chilli cheese not sure about that. We then go back to Brigands II chill out for an hour or two before going down to Aldgate Pasta House for a meal. After the meal we go on to Mount Lofty to watch the firework display which is in Adelaide at the concert in the park where there is a rock concert going on. The weather is unusually very cold for Australia and we have had to dig out the coats to watch the fireworks This was a bit disappointing firework-wise (to far away to get the full effect) but the view over Adelaide was amazing – all very flat and stretching for miles and miles. We are sure fireworks would have been spectacular at the concert. When the fireworks are over we go back to Bridgewater Pub for a couple of beers then back to the Brigands II and watch end of film before retiring.
Day 19 Sunday 3rd February
Can’t believe it but we lie in till after 10.00 am. Andy is off for a golf lesson and drops us off for a walk in the wilderness. We wander through a National Park for around 2 hours and then back to Brigands 11. Knackered and hungry we eat prawn ring for lunch – Jude has chicken sandwich and egg sandwich. Afternoon sees trip up to Hahndorf. We wander up the main street shopping. This is a heavily germanised colony. In the evening we go to Warrawong Earth Sanctuary. I did not know there were so many types of hopping animals like kangaroos. Evening was very interesting and informative. Have a very nice meal after. I have fish soup and roo meat. Jude has potato wedges (for 4 I think). We look out into the garden and see Rainbow Lorikeets, Sulphur Crested White Parakeets, Ruffous Bettong, Red Necked Pademelom, Western Grey Kangaroo, Red Kangaroo, Ring Tailed Possum, Brush tail Possum, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Long Nosed Potoroo. We hear a koala bear but no sighting of the duck billed platypus. It was a very enjoyable evening. Jude had toothache.
Day 20 Monday 4th February
Up early for a change – at 8.30 am. Down town to email and search for bags or repair kit had no success with bags, so back to Brigands II for bacon sarnie. We manage to get Jude an appointment to go to the dentist at 1.30 (she hates the dentists). She is told tooth needs to come out, maybe could get away with dressing or root canal work. Jude wimped out of all of it and got very upset. Andy and Bridgit take us to Glenorg seaside resort they have stayed here before and they also went there on New Years Eve very pretty. Have an ice cream on the sea front and then off to McCaffertys coach station ready for the coach to Coober Pedy. Bridgit has made us a packed lunch/supper whatever rolls and fruit and biscuits. We have been very touched by their excellent roles as hosts to us. Sad to leave them but feel like adventure is now beginning.
Day 21 Tuesday 5th February
The overnight coach is not too bad slept fairly well we eventually arrive at Coober Pedy at 5.30am. Had coffee at coach station and then find Opal Hotel/Motel next door with shared bathroom for 40$ not bad room so we book in for the one night, we go to bed and sleep, eventually getting up at 9.00 am.
We wander out to Ouma Opal Museum. It is quite interesting, but we realise Coober Pedy is absolutely god-forsaken, all heat and desolation. We see lots of businesses for sale it gets hotter and hotter. We go to Radekas (underground motel and 48$) where we would have liked to stay and we book a tour for 1.00pm. The tour is really interesting the guide is an Arid Location Consultant, basically he finds locations for film sets for film companies.
There are 4,000 people living here what! 42 nationalities and 60% live underground, Apparently one underground house has 30 bedrooms, some even have indoor swimming pools. The reason for living underground is outside the temperature varies from 0 degrees to 50 degrees and underground the temperature varies from 25 degrees +/- 2 degrees. We looked at various underground houses – there are so many more than you think They clear rock from the front sloping away they make a rain gully on the top and down both sides, then they use mining equipment to excavate the hole the first room is kitchen, then dining room, then the lounge and bedrooms they then leave house for 3 weeks to see if any cracks appear and then they’re in.
The next stop is the opal mines. First a small bore then bigger with pile of stones next to hole. Noodling is a pastime for some people this involves sifting through piles that are stacked next to holes in the hope of finding an opal that has been missed. The holes go down to 25m and accessed by ladder quite a few people die or get injured falling in these holes. No big companies have prospected here and found opals it is all done by independent concerns. It is fly ridden and almost unbearably hot now, we drive on out into the desert and see The Breakaways, which are cliff like rock formations rising up from desert (which is basically a sunken sea bed), the rainfall here is approx. 5 inches a year. We see kangaroo caves where kangaroos go in to try and escape the heat. Parts of the film Mad Max was made here Yeh Yeh We then go off to see the dingo fence, which goes from New South Wales to Southern Australia twice as long as the Great Wall of China and has sheep one side and cattle the other. Kangaroos jump into it in the night and kill themselves.
We head of back towards Coober Pedy and stop off at a golf course with no grass just a small patch of astro turf to tee off from they have to use fluorescent golf balls as the lizards steal white balls thinking they are eggs. We then return to Coober Pedy stopping briefly at Jungle Bills underground house he is a German who settled out here 50 years ago to prospect now he’s a tourist attraction, the last stop is an open cast opal mine and do a bit of prospecting then back to Coober Pedy to the room for shower and change. We go out for a meal at Traces Greek Restaurant, which has backpackers special for 10$, the cost of beers and wines come to the same! We then go back to hotel bar for a couple of beers and back to the room and pack ready for the early bus to Alice Springs.
Day 22 Wednesday 6th February
We get up at 5.30 am to be over at bus depot for 6.35 am departure to Alice Springs. We go out through an area of opal mines, which seem to go on forever.
Once beyond the Opal mines the countryside looks very green, almost lush, apparently the rainfall has been unusually high this year. We don’t see any kangaroos but lots of birds by roadside. We stop and eat at Brigit’s breakfast bar with the obligatory souvenir shop then off again eventually we arrive at the Alice. Ozzies backpacker rep is waiting at the bus station and as they have a good write up in Lonely Planet we plump for their hostel a nice little place they have pet kangaroos and a central courtyard with barbeque and a small swimming pool, all for 34$ we settle in the room. We take a walk up to town over the Todd River which is dried up, apparently they have a regatta with a slight difference here every year, because the river is dried up most of the year they use boats that have no bottom in them and run down the riverbed the event had to be cancelled one year because the river was in flood. It is very very hot now so we sit in the shade and have a burger and a drink, we are frying in the heat. There seem to be a lot of drunken aboriginals around the town and when you pass them they certainly don’t smell very pleasant. We go back to Ozzies and organise the trip to Uluru then back to the room and fall asleep and miss out on evening meal. We meet Neil from Holland who is staying here until March (working) and we have a drink of wine and chat with him till late in the night, we sleep very well.
Day 23 Thursday 7th February
Up reasonably early for free breakfast of cereals, toast and coffee and chat to a couple of twitchers from Bedford, Jude has bit of tummy bug but Imodium sorts it out fairly quickly. Once she’s sure of that we wander in to town and use Internet in library. Then off on the Alice Shuttle the first stop is at the actual Alice Springs, which is a really pleasant spot, at the Telegraph Post.
We take pictures from Anzac Hill with panoramic views all around Alice, then visit the Reptile Farm and finally onto the Date Gardens, where we see baby kangaroo’s (aahh!) loads of birds and a horse in rugs to stop sunburn! have some date cake and tea. The driver picks us up and actually drops us of at Ozzies, have some Quiche, fruit salad and yoghurt for dinner and spend the evening with Neil and Alan (the ozzie builder) getting drunk (Neil has a new bike). The stars are out of this world in this place so clear so many, Alan seems to know a thing or two about the stars and he turns out all the lights in the courtyard and we all lay on the picnic benches for a guided tour of the sky !Excellent!
Day 24 Friday 8th February
Picked up early at 6.20 am by David (very Australian, wiry, tanned and very funny). It is a long boring drive up to Uluru, knackeringly long, at one point Dave stands up and shouts look and points so everybody looks and he says absolutely nothing we stop of halfway there for refreshments at a camel farm. We arrived at the campsite just before 1.00 pm and had a lunch of rolls, salad, cheese, eggs etc. and then went off to the Olga’s where we did a walk to a viewpoint, very dodgy and at times scary (for Jude) but did it! The view at the end was staggering and worth Jude being scared and getting back to the coach was quite exciting.
We then went to Uluru Dave tells us some of the aboriginal myths and legends the rock is a storybook! We parked up at a suitable viewpoint to watch the sunset, which was a disaster it was a washout and actually rained. After which we headed back to camp for a BBQ of sausages and lamp chops and salad, washed down with copious amounts of wine. It was an enjoyable evening everybody retired early the accommodation is a tent with camp beds we have to get up at 4.45 am to go see the sunrise at Uluru. Jude had an awful nights sleep, really noisy people behind and I apparently snored my socks off! (It’s the wine that does it)
Day 25 Saturday 9th February
We were allowed to get up later as there will be no sunrise, what a blow! We walked the six miles or so around the base of the rock which was very interesting, we keep meeting up with three German guys from our party who are taking pictures of each other at various places around the rock holding up signs (who knows), there is a track off leading to a lovely waterhole just near the base of the rock and we were enjoying the peace and serenity of the moment until a coach load of people arrived! we quickly left.
The rock was not open today for people to walk up because of the wet and since the rock was given back to the Aboriginals to manage they don’t like people to climb it at all so they don’t need much of an excuse to close it. A lot of people have been killed on the rock, the most recent being a Japanese tourist whose hat blew of and he tried to catch it and fell off. We drive around the rock again for a photo call – Dave rolled the coach – it was so funny! (What he actually did was got the guy with the video to sit in the front of the bus filming and when he screamed the video guy rolled the camera giving the effect of the coach rolling).
We then visited the Culture Centre, which was quite good. We had tea and banana cake and left for camp. The tents needed sweeping out of the red dust. Lunch was the same as yesterday and then off on the long trip back. This was broken up as Dave dropped us off and a big coach took us a good way home. The Japanese tourists tried to leg it but Dave went after them (at speed). We were taken on the coach to Lassiters Corner and then by another coach on the Stuart Highway. We slept a lot coach dropped us at Ozzies, which is feeling more and more like home. We walked down the road to the supermarket and got some food – did a BBQ of kangaroo steak and vegetables, followed by strawberries and yoghurt. Yum! We spent the evening with a German couple who went to Kings Creek. Bridget told us ‘Track’ is a great book to read written by Robin Davidson (about a girl with camels in the desert).
Day 26 Sunday 10th February
We wake up leisurely and have usual breakfast of cereals, toast and coffee Arrange courtesy bus for Desert Park. Picked up at 10 am this is a lovely park, well into conservation of the area and wildlife. Unfortunately, it is very hot and there is much walking to do in the park and much to see. We had plate of wedges for lunch (one portion enough for 2 people) then go back to town on the courtesy bus. Jude’s feet are absolutely killing her. We email at Melanpis then we have to get a taxi back to Ozzies, as Jude is too knackered for walking. At Ozzies we chill out for an hour or two with Neil, James, Bridget and Martin. Bridget is working in Sri Lanka and is German. She is the breadwinner and he is along for the ride. He is into motorbikes. At 8 pm Neil has organised a BBQ (7.5$) and we eat roo, chicken and burgers attended by above and Mark from Canada who is on his gap year had a very good night; lots of wine passed our lips. We all went to bed about 11pm and we sadly say goodbye to Neil who has become a good friend. We leave him the food we have left in the fridge.
Day 27 Monday 11th February
Pack our bags and ready for flight to Cairns at 2.15pm. Breakfast as usual. We walk into town to see if we can change the flight in New Zealand. We find out this is not really practical and decide to buy an extra flight from Christchurch to Auckland on the 13th March which will save us a lot of driving in the North of the South Island and the south of the North Island giving us less time driving where there is not much to see. We change the car hire to suit (We need to get a book on New Zealand) then we wander about the centre of Alice and buy a pair of sunglasses for me as mine have disintegrated and buy a sensible bag. For Jude, then it is back to Ozzies to wait for shuttle to the airport (12.40pm)
At the airport we meet the 3 Germans who are into photography and the two French girls who were on the Uluru trip. The flight to Cairns is on a BA146 and we sat under wings. Bill is always interested in what happens to the wings during take off and landing. We collect our luggage and are pleased that the foot on Jude’s bag is still attached. We go over to accommodation selection stand and decide on Caravellas but they only have dorms available so go to Castaways who have a double for 40$ including evening meal. They come and pick us up. Our room is only ok just a bed & not much room around it– not as good as Ozzies. We can have air con operated by coin slot 1$ for 3 hours and boy do we need it. It is absolutely impossible to sleep without this on. We cannot believe how hot and sticky it is.
We bung bags in room and realise we are directly under the flight path for the airport and they are only 500 Ft above us. We dive straight onto a courtesy bus for town which is included in the price of accommodation as is a free meal at the Woodshed in town. We are not expecting much and we do not get much (Spaghetti Bolognese or beef stroganoff, we eat and run – it is definitely not our kind of place. We decide Cairns is definitely a young person’s town. End up in an Irish Pub and have 3 pints Guinness. The pub is very lively and noisy. We get the bus back to Castaways, shower and bed. A hot sticky night!
Day 28 Tuesday 12th February
This is a lazy day, which is much needed. We go into Cairns town for breakfast and check up on our rental camper, which looks ok. Then we go back to Castaways and laze in pool all afternoon.
We have a free wine and cheese buffet at 6.45 pm which is ok but a boy comes and literally bins it all at 7.15 pm including full jug of wine and biscuits etc. Weird! We meet Sharon and talk to her she is here for 5 months but her travelling friend has gone back to the UK when she found out she is pregnant but the boy involved does not want to know. The problem is Sharon is now going out with him. We go over to the Cock and Bull pub and Bill has 2 pints of Caffreys, on the way home we have fish and chips.
We spend the evening talking to Jo (Jorgen) and Rita both German and share a few beers. Jo has 3 months off every year he was an engineer but is now a sports physio. This change of career happened due to failing eye site. Jo is going on to Sydney and Thailand and Rita is going on to Darwin and the west. They are friends who share a bed for economic reasons they are not an item. Another sticky night in bed!
Day 29 Wednesday 13th February
Up early for breakfast at 7.40 am the pick up actually arrives at 8.00 which takes us to the train station, we catch the 8.30 am train up to Kuranda which climbs up 1 metre every 50 metres up into the rain forest, Kuranda means little flower. We go over many bridges (line was built by hand and there are lots of bridges over ravines, all of wooden construction). Tunnels are in abundance too. The scenery is absolutely staggering as we rise up. The River Barron runs alongside us we stop at Stoney Creek Falls station for a photo opportunity Barron Falls would be spectacular if the river was in full flow.
The next stop is at Kuranda where we transfer to the Sky Rail (Gondola type of cable car and we are now above the rainforest canopy. With stops by Barron Falls and Red Peak Station we end up down at Caravonica Terminal. From here we go back up to Kurunda on the bus. We have 1.25 hours free time for lunch and we have pie and chips and Ozzie Burger, both of which are excellent. We meet up with Jo and Rita who are doing the same trip as us but without the train and sky rail. The place is full of markets and shops and is very touristy, there is also a crashed plane by the side of the markets. Free time over we get back on the bus and on to Mareeba Cultural and Heritage Museum.
We then drive through Mareeba, Tolga, Atherton and the Farmlands. We stop at a tropical fruit farm and also stop at an absolutely amazing giant curtain fig tree.
Next we go on to Yungaburar, which is an historic township, and on to Lake Barrine, which is a lake in a volcanic crater it is so beautiful here. We walk part of the way round the lake, which is like a nature trail. We see the twin Kauri Pines and also see several Boyd’s Rainforest Dragons on trees we are able to get very close to take pictures.
We return to Castaways in absolute pouring rain (well it is the wet season!) We go into town on the 6.30 pm shuttle to the Woodshed for free meal and this evening we upgrade the meal with Jo who is on his own (Rita has a headache). Jude has chicken parmignia and me haddock. Meal is better for being upgrades by 3.5 $ each. We share several jugs of beers with Jo. Jude sticks with white wine, Sharon appears, this woman can talk for England. While watching the video in the pub we start to talk music and discover Jo is New Model Army fan! big time! We get the 8.45 pm bus back to Castaways and share more beer with Jo, Sharon, Jude and myself. I fall asleep. Sharon looks across to see somebody going into her room – male. Is outraged, She goes over to challenge him and finds out that the management have let him have the room so she has to share with a complete stranger, oh well.
Day 30 Thursday 14th February
Wake up slightly hung over – Jude ok (smart ass), we pack the bags and are ready for 9.30 am pick up to camper rental place, they eventually arrive at 10.30 am after a phone call. Run through the paperwork, part with the money (ouch) and run through the vehicle, we decide to go north first to Port Douglas and have a wander around, then we go up to viewpoint overlooking the bay. The rainforest is one side and picturesque beach views the other side, complete with box jellyfish nets. The beaches are all empty.
We decide to take the mountain road back down south via Malloy, Mareeba and Atherton. The aircon does not seem to be working right and we keep checking temperature. Jude takes over driving just before Mareeba and on leaving town we see our first wild kangaroo runs across the road in front of us in torrential rain. Something is not quite right with the camper I think Jude has broken it. There is a funny whirring noise and then warning lights all come on. We kept going till we could find somewhere to pull over. Steam is now coming out of everywhere. We search out the phone to phone the rescue service but guess what? The phone battery runs out. Jude goes over to a nearby house (we are so lucky there was one) and calls the recovery company. They say they will get somebody out. One hour later they arrive. Apparently the fan belt has gone (so it was not Jude’s fault) and the mechanic has to haul the camper onto the back of his wagon. He says it is too late to get parts today, so he will park us up outside their garage and hook us up to a power supply (good oh, say’s I no hook up fees).
We set up the bedding in the camper and then go round to RSL for a cheap meal Bill has mixed grill and fish for Jude. There is an excellent salad bar but not particularly cheap at 23$ for two of us, the pub was cheaper. Drinks in RSL however were cheap. Why does Andy keep telling so many lies? After RSL we go back to the camper but it is only 7.20 pm so too early for bed. Jude is not keen to go back to another pub. Eventually out of boredom we decide to try the local pub.
On walking in we are both thinking ‘oh dear, seems quite rough, we order a beer and a wine and sit quietly drinking when all of a sudden some bloke walks up to a chap sat at the bar and breaks a pool cue across his head and then runs out of the door letting out what sounds like a war cry. Next minute three blokes run out the door and go after him. The victim has blood pouring out of his head. The manager takes him into a side room to clean up his head. Ten minutes later he reappears grabs his cigarettes and stuff, picks up a bar stool and throws it across the bar room and then he storms out. We decide we liked the RSL better; you can’t beat the old folks, have a beer in RSL and then retire at 9.30pm to the sweatiest night ever. (So maybe we will buy a fan for 12$)
Distance in the camper to date 150km
Day 31 Friday 15th February
We rise at 6.00 am and it is cooler outside the camper than in it. The toilet facilities (which are gross) are in the 24-hour garage across the road, we wander into town then we have breakfast. The garage staff start arriving at 7.30 am and start on van at 8.30 am. We have coffee in café and go back to check at 10.00 am, not ready. More coffee. Back at 12.00 am and still not ready. We have a lunch at the RSL and are finally ready to leave at 2.00 pm.
We head off through Atherton by now it is absolutely pouring down with rain we drive down from the Tablelands to Innisfall, eventually stopping at Mission Beach at 5.30pm the aircon still seems suspect. We set up camp and then walk down to the beach in the pouring rain it rains all evening and night, we stop off at the shop to buy some food for the Barbie, the campsite is deserted apart from hundreds of cane toads and the paths are running with water. The grass is under water and the only things having a good time are the cane toads. We cook the barbie under cover, play cards, drink beer and go to bed at 10.00pm. We sleep better as it is not so sticky. Mission Beach would probably be ok if the weather was nice.
Distance in the camper to date 300km
Day 32 Saturday 16th February
We wake up early at 6.00 am and guess what – it is still full on raining, there are cane toads everywhere. Apparently, Townsville, which is the next town we are heading for, is cut off by floods, we find out later that the area from Ingham to Townsville and beyond is very flooded and several places are only passable with care. We decide to press on and see how we go as we get past Ingham the road and flooding doesn’t seem to bad. We manage to get through to Airlie Beach stopping of to look at Bowen but it is not as nice as the postcards pictures we have seen. We find Airlie Cove Camp Site just out of town (bus service into town) and set up camp. We check water level in the camper as aircon is failing again It seems ok. We decide to eat in town and I will book a trip out to the reef, we have a nice meal me – prawns on rice and Jude a steak burger it is a nice, lively town we enjoy the meal and a bit of people watching. We book trip for me out to Barrier Reef and Whitehaven Beach on the Whitsunday Islands on the Reef Jet, then home on the bus to bed.
Distance in the camper to date 770km
Day 33 Sunday 17th February
Today Jude is staying on the campsite while I go out to the Great Barrier Reef, I have to get up at 6.30 am for 7.30 pick up at bus stop. The boat ride takes about 1 hour stopping at Daydream Island to pick up more people at the Novatel, and then on around to the Whitsunday Island. We stop for 1 hour on Whitehaven Beach which has absolutely brilliant white sand do a bit of snorkelling but there is nothing here to see. One of the instructors brings ashore scuba diving kit for people to try out I have to give it a go and decide that when we get to the reef I will try diving.
We leave Whitehaven Beach and head out to the reef. The captain announces that he has to check the weather after we pass the next 2 islands as weather report is not good the sea is already pretty rough He does so and decides we cannot go to the Barrier Reef so we have to be content with a fringe island reef we have a briefing on diving. First stop Hoor Island, Luncheon Bay. We are taken by inflatable to shallows to put on kit and do 4 basic safety skills
Equalising
Recovering air mouth piece and clearing
Clearing mask of water
Swapping mouth pieces
We have ½ hour dive but saw nothing exciting saw lots of colourful fish the visibility is not that good nice coral
Next the boat takes us around to Blue Pearl Bay were we wait around for the 2nd introductory dive with Abbie (UK), Carl (USA) which is a ½ hour dive. Superb coral but again nothing exciting, the other group see a turtle. The boat takes us back to the harbour and I take the courtesy bus back to campsite.
Jude’s day – Fed hordes of rainbow lorikeets in morning, read books and played patience, met some Swiss girls and had coffee with them and walked around the campsite. We have our evening meal cooked in the communal kitchen, marinated steak, onions, beans and mash and talk to an older Dutch and German couple travelling together, a French/Aussie group and an English couple who are very young (isn’t everybody except us). They are having a year out after both finishing University. He – Business Studies, She – Travel.
Day 34 Monday 18th February
We get up at 6 am having been bitten to death by mosquitoes and spent most of the night scratching bites have a quick breakfast of toast and cereals, then set off at 8 am for Yepoon the weather once we left Airlie Beach dries up, nice blue skies with a few fluffy white clouds, We stop at Mackay to buy a fan, hang the expense! (30 A$). The second stop of the day is at Clairview, which has a lovely beach with trees growing in the sea the next stop is God knows where and then on into Yepoon. Eventually find Cool Water Caravan Park, which is nice peaceful place. Swim in Saltwater pool, cook burger on barbeque have a couple of beers and then bed. We have the first decent nights sleep for a while since we have been in the camper.
Distance in the camper to date 1251km
Day 35 Tuesday 19th February
Get up and have breakfast there is an Emu wandering around the campsite. We go for a walk around the gardens and grounds see a sizable lizard about 12” then see a bigger lizard about 2ft long talk to an Australian guy who says there are some really big lizards around but we don’t see any. This is definitely the best campsite yet, nice pool, nice toilets/shower and nice kitchen facilities. We set off for Hervey Bay with the intention of calling into Gladstone. (Which is a bit industrial but has a nice beach).
We stop for lunch in a roadhouse and meet a Yorkshire couple who have hired a camper from Cairns to Melbourne but cannot sleep in it because of the heat so they are staying at motels, the camper costs 85$ a day and the motels cost 50-85$ a day. They tell us that 1770 is supposed to be really nice so we read up on it in the Lonely Planet and it does sound ok, we then decide to have a look. It is much further than we thought and quite a lot of the route is unmade road. We check out a campsite but it is really basic and then check out the beach, which is beautiful but absolutely deserted, so we decide not to stop and to press on to Bundaberg.
We get to Bundaberg at 5.30 pm and cannot find the campsite we are looking for, we ring for directions and they send us in completely the wrong direction. We eventually find another campsite and book in, we ask about the turtle rookery, which we had hoped to go, and see but we are too late (we shouldn’t have gone to 1770). We have a quick shower and out for birthday meal at Across the Waves, Sports & Social Club. I try a seafood stone grill (cook it yourself) of prawns, scallops, fillet of fish and calamari’s with salad. We go back to the campsite and have a couple of beers, a game of cards and bed. Happy birthday to me!
Distance in the camper to date 1656km
Day 36 Wednesday 20th February
We wake at 6 am and decide to move on to Hervey Bay, shame about the turtles. We check out Childer for an hour, get some cash and a steak and kidney pie. Bought some bite soother from chemist for Jude, then on to Hervey Bay and find Fraser Lodge Caravan Park which is very nice, we park up and lock up and then into the pool for a chill. Read paper, in pool and Jacuzzi. We dry off and go into town for lunch. Me – wedges (always too much and too salty – even for me) and Jude – burger with everything. Have a couple of thick shakes. It is much too filling. We meet the Dutch people from Airlie Beach site. Book day trip to Frazer Island 85$ each. Jude sleeps in the van and I finish reading paper outside in a nice shady spot. About 7 pm thousands of fruit bats fly over. Apparently this happens every day at the same time. Sky is literally full as far as the eye can see with fruit bats about 12-18” wingspan. Ring Jo and Wayne and then back to camper. Play cards, drink beer and bed at 11pm.
Distance in the camper to date 1750km
Day 37 Thursday 21st February
Breakfast early for the tour of Frazer Island we are taken to the ferry port and take a 45 minute boat ride to the island, first stop is the holiday complex for buffet lunch very nice. Frazer Island is the largest sand island in the world. The Islands Satnay trees were totally destroyed by logging operations for 100 years till 1991 and will take 1000 years minimum to recover the rain forest. We are taken around the island in 4 wheeled drive buses on deeply rutted sandy tracks then out on to a 20mile long beach we stop part way along at Ely Creek (Lazy River), then further along is the Maheno shipwreck which was blown ashore in a storm while it was being towed back to Japan for salvage, next stop is the cathedral cliffs 25 mts of coloured sand cliffs.
The island is the only place in Australia with pure Dingo’s but as usual people are messing it up by feeding them so they become to familiar and there have been dingo attacks and in some cases children have been taken. We then head of inland a bit and go for a 45 minute walk to Lake Birabeen. The trees have lots of squiggly markings in the bark were Signature moths lay eggs. When we arrive at the lake we have a nice cooling swim. Finally a short walk to were the bus has been brought which then takes us back to the port 45-minute boat – Quick Cat to the mainland. We have a meal around corner from the campsite. Superb meal – me, veal and prawn in a creamy garlic soup – Jude, duck with noodles and very sweet Chinese sauce. Early to bed.
Distance in the camper to date 1850km
Day 38 Friday 22nd February
Up early and have a quick breakfast then set off for Noosa Head. As we get near to Noosa Head we drive past the campsite where we plan to stay and on into Noosa Head National Park. We take a very hot walk up around the headland (mad dogs and Englishmen and all that) we see our first Koala bear up in the trees. We walk back down to the camper and drive back through town. It is a busy little place and a seems a bit up market, we walk through a park to the riverbank and back into town for lunch I have an excellent sea food chowder and Jude has bread and dips. After lunch the sea looks very swimmable huge crashing waves. I have a crash about in the waves and a bit of body surfing then sit on the beach drying of and watching a guy with a big kite and a surf board scooting at great pace across the bay doing summersaults, tricks and gawd knows what else, very impressive. Back to van and change and out to the campsite. We stop off and shop at Woolworth’s and a bottle shop get 2 nice steaks, salad, wine and nibbles, we have a swim in the pool then back to the camper I realise I have lost my glasses and set about emptying the camper in search of them but they are lost !bugger! We cook our steaks in the camp kitchen, eat drink, play cards and go to bed.
Distance in the camper to date 1929km
Day 39 Saturday 23rd February
Up whenever have a light breakfast then set of for Brisbane. Arrive at the Caravan Park at Asprey, which is about 12km outside Brisbane. We settle in then wander out of the campsite and across the main road to get a bus into Brisbane City Centre. Grab a couple of city guides and go into city hall and up to the clock tower. The lifts are wonderful, old solid oak panels we have to change lifts to get to the top the 2nd lift is an old cage with generator which takes us right to top above clock for a viewing station over the city. We go back to ground floor and I see there is a photography exhibition on, I don’t know why but I want to go in (not my sort of thing normally) but inside is an excellent exhibition of black and white pictures which always increase the dramatic impact with brief notes of modern conflicts such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, Indonesia, East Timor, Philippines, Nicaragua, Australia, England (Miners Strike) America (Civil Rights, Vietnam War) China (Tienaman Square) Russia, Hiroshima. John Pilger, – Phillip Jones, Griffith, David Munro, Eric Piper, Mick Durney, Steve Cox, Perry Tweedie. Jude is sat down on a bench patiently waiting for me but I get totally lost in it! Wow! We then go on to the tour around the city starting at City Hall and do a full circuit. We walk to the riverside from the post office and then take a boat to the South bank area and here we meet the 2 French girls we met in Uluru! Apparently they camped on Frazer Island and their tent was attacked by Dingo’s
The South bank is an area with lots of lakes, market stalls, inland beach and pool created with real sand. From here we go back on the bus to China Town and wander around for an hour and then go into a bar for a beer and here we meet Norman a computer programmer and Clair a Yatch Skipper both English who are actually in a camper next door to us at the campsite, They have been in Australia for four years working and are now travelling for 6 month eventually ending up back home in the Isle of Man we have a couple of beers with them, then go over the road to enjoy an excellent Chinese meal, I have sweet corn and chicken soup starter and muscles in ginger and black bean sauce to follow, Jude has pancake rolls and sizzling chicken Scheshwan style, suitably fed we catch a bus back to the city centre (should be easy). We try to find the bus stop for the 320 bus to Asprey and are sent to Adelaide St then back to Queen St. Depot and then back to Adelaide Street and again back to Queen Street. We finally end up in Adelaide Street at bus stop 21. If we had been sent there to start with we could have caught the 10.15 bus but now have to wait for the 11.15. The driver kindly drops us by the gate of the campsite (that wouldn’t happen in England. We get to bed late for us at 12.15pm.
Distance in the camper to date 2037km
Day 40 Sunday 24th February
Late to rise 8.30 am and off into Brisbane and flash around the exhibition again. Then go in to the town information office and down to rent bikes. We tour around the Botanical Garden and then ride along the riverside trying to get to the university to see the garden there which is supposed to be excellent (Garden what garden?).
We take a boat back to town and cross the river on footbridge to the south bank area for lunch. I have scallops, prawns, calamari’s and chips and Jude has fish and chips. We then get a boat back across the river to the Botanical Gardens and meet a couple from Northampton who have had loads of bad luck, they bought a camper for £1000 and spent £800 on the gearbox, radiator and clutch. The guy had trapped nerves behind his knees. He also fell and sprained his ankle and ripped a toenail off. So they had to rest in Coffs Harbour for a month. He was a tree surgeon and she was a till supervisor. They were now looking for work. We then did more cycling around the Botanical Gardens and then returned the bikes.
We wandered into a mad internet café with over 100 machines, only 1 email machine they are all gaming, we send and check a couple of e-mails and then into Thomas Cooks to cash some travellers cheques. We then sit in an outside bar and watch the world go by over a couple of beers before catching the bus back to the campsite where there is only one small shop open. We get breakfast for the morning but there is no meat for dinner tonight. Try a Shell Garage and find pack of 4 burgers. Back to the camper but don’t really feel hungry so sit outside reading. We meet a lady from Canada, born in Durham she immigrated to Canada 46 years ago, she still has a Jordy accent, and she travels a lot and spends 3 months in Australia every year. Norman and Clair pop around with tips on what to do and see on the way to Sydney they also tell us what we can do in Sydney. Say goodbye to them – they are a really nice couple. Bed at 10.30pm
Day 41 Monday 25th February
Up early at 6.30 am. Breakfast and away at 8.00 am on our way to Sydney, we stop off at Surfers Paradise (Benidorm) for coffee and then down to the Pacific Highway to Byron Bay this is a cool place lots of far out people left over from the hippy days Man!! Nice beach, nice town, a nice place.
We have lunch here, a massive bowl of chicken and vegetable soup for me and chips for Jude. We chill for an hour and then get back on to the Pacific Highway and on to Coffs Harbour where we plan to stop, we drive around the town and into the harbour which is not at all how we imagined it to be not overly impressed, maybe we missed something. Have passed some campsites on the way into Coffs Harbour we decide not to go back but to press on towards Port Macquarie.
We find a campsite just out of town so decide to stop the site is mainly a permanent mobile home site with a wooded touring park behind it. We drive around the site and pick our spot. Next thing we see a guy coming over to us, a huge bloke and he’s definitely on a mission, he looks like one of the blokes in the bar in the outback in Crocodile Dundee, right he says get yourselves settled in and then over to mine for food, grog and hospitality, I don’t think we have a choice so we settle into the site and go over to his permanently sited caravan.
Gary and Shirley have lived here for a couple of years. In the space of one year he lost both parents, a brother and he had quadruple bypass surgery and Shirley had a brain tumour removed. Her speech is impaired and she is thin and stooped. he is huge. They went to the caravan for a weeks rest after all the above events and never went back home. Apparently we are their 81st visitors (victims) this year. Shirley loves wild animals; he was a championship sheep sheerer. They fed us on cheese, salami and crisps and watered us on home made beer and red wine got quite drunk. They have no children just a basket full of cuddly toys and dolls a bit scary they all have names. Gary is full on he gets a little bit confrontational as the beer flows, time to go we decide, see you in the morning Ya Pommie Bastards says Gary and I’m sure we will.
Distance in the camper to date 2444km
Day 42 Tuesday 26th February
Sure enough just sorting out breakfast in the camper when there is a knock on the door, you’ll never guess its Gary delivering a mango for us for breakfast. We join them for coffee and Gary gives us directions for Dangar Falls. We say our goodbye’s (he was certainly a character) and we set off towards Port Macquarie. Turning up into the hills to Bellingen and then on to Dorrigo to Dangar Falls.
We walk to the viewpoint at the top of the falls and take pictures, and then walk on along the footpath, which takes you around and down to the bottom of the fall for more pictures. We walk back up to the camper and then head back towards Pacific Highway stopping off briefly at the Rainforest Skywalk all 75 metres of it and have a coffee. There is a walk to another waterfall here but it is 2 hours out and 2 hours back and we do not have the time. So we get back onto the Pacific Highway and down to Port Macquarie.
We find a campsite in a nice little spot right on the seafront. We park up and wander into the town to check email, have a snack and a drink and then back to camp site for a swim, and check out the phone to ring home. We go back to the camper for a sit down and a read. Jude sleeps again. (She has slept most of the way down the Pacific Highway). When she eventually wakes we shower and walk into town for a meal out. I have an excellent seafood dish with allsorts in it, nice Jude has fishcakes, pancake rolls, yellow curry and sweet potato. Bring your own drink.
Day 43 Wednesday 27th February
Up bright and early, set off for the last leg in the camper to Sydney via Gloucester and Stroud. Lovely countryside here, rolling green lush hills and valleys just like England. Every little hilltop has a view for miles. We stop in Stroud for breakfast and a wander around it is very pretty.
Bowl on through Newcastle and then stop at La Mancha Cara-Park campsite in Berowra which is on the outskirts of Sydney, we book in and then drive van to the railway station 2miles down the road and take a 45 minute train journey to the Circular Quay at last Sydney Harbour and the Opera House, Sydney is beautiful.
We get a ferry to Manly beach lovely views of the bridge and Opera House. We see people walking on top of the bridge, which you can pay an exorbitant price to do. At Manly we stroll through the town to the beach and chill for a while, nice beach – surfing. Looks like a good place to be, we get back on the ferry then on a train to Central Station and go off to eat in Kings cross area. Jude’s feet are killing her so not too far. Back to station and take the train through a now lit up Sydney (beautiful) to Berowra. The tickets keep playing up. Back in the camper for the last night in it, thank goodness we’ve had enough now
Distance in the camper to date 2988km
Day 44 Thursday 28th February
Up early and have a quick breakfast and then clean up camper ready to return. The trip into Sydney is a nightmare with the traffic. We stop and fill up with gas and petrol and then on over the Sydney Harbour bridge and eventually find return place for camper after driving round in circles for ½ an hour, the traffic is crazy. We sort out the refund for the cost of the repairs then we wander around Kings Cross for a while, we don’t like the look of Kings Cross so decide to go to Claire’s recommended place of Coogee Bay.
We go by taxi to Esrom Hotel, which is too expensive (95$). (All backpacker’s places are full). We wander towards town and find Coogee Bay Guest House (still expensive at 80$) but decide to live with the cost for a couple of days. We take a wander around Coogee, which seems a very nice place, nice beach. We have lunch in a restaurant called A Fish Called Coogee and then a beer at Coogee Palace Hotel in the upstairs bar with the veranda looking out over the bay. We wander back up the hill to the room for a snooze. Wake up shower and change then its time to go out for a beer and evening meal. We eat at Mille Lire and have superb meal pasta and prawns for me, Jude has a very nice pizza. Home to bed. This is the first time we have been able to unpack the rucksacks properly for 3 weeks, discover we have lost the clock. This is our first decent bed and room of the trip. Wow!
Total distance in the camper 3011km
Day 45 Friday 1st March
We get up fairly early and catch a bus into the Circular Quay, then on to Darling Harbour via ferry under Sydney Harbour Bridge.
We have a breakfast at the Aquarium Café and then into Aquarium. This has an excellent walk-through tank with huge sharks and manta rays and just about every fish imaginable. From here we take the toy train to excellent Chinese Garden of Friendship, here it is very quiet and peaceful and the gardens and ponds with their huge Koi carp are beautiful. We relax for an hour or so finishing of with a nice cup of China tea, and then on to the Harbour Shopping Centre to get some cash not spend it. Walk back to the Aquarium over the bridge and get views of Veritas office (Ade’s South Pacific Office). Then back to the ferry and the Circular Quay and bus back to Coogee. We have a couple of beers in Coogee Palace Hotel on the balcony bar (happy hour). Then into town stopping at the offy all the restaurants in Coogee are BYO. We eat at Ronato’s Mediterranean restaurant. I have liver in balsamic vinegar starter (lovely) and seafood mornay, for main Jude has garlic bread and Yellow Fin Tuna. Little bit expensive but very nice, home to bed.
Day 46 Saturday 2nd March
We arise naturally and walk into town for breakfast and then decide to walk to Bondi Beach along the coastal path, we pass lots of nice little bays. Clovelly is a quite interesting bay formed by a narrow inlet coming inland quite a bit. The sides are made up of concrete with a pool into the one side, which naturally fills up with seawater, there are steps built into the sea in the deeper water and a nice little beach at the end of the inlet. We only manage to walk to Bronte bay, as Jude’s feet are hurting, so we try to catch a bus to Bondi. We ask the driver to tell us where to get off but he forgets and we end up nearly in town. The landlady told us in the morning about a nice market in Paddington and by good fortune the bus just happens to stop there so we get off there and wander around for an hour. We manage to work out which bus we need to get back to Bondi Junction and change to bus to Bondi Beach. Bondi Beach is very busy but it is a lovely beach and we sunbathe and swim for about 2 hours before heading back on a bus to Bondi Junction, here we have a drink and a pancake – Jude has a soup. Then another bus back to Coogee, Jude gets off at the Coogee Guest House and I stay on into town for a beer. Meet Jude at Coogee Palace Hotel Balcony bar where a Jazz band is playing. Go into town to eat at the Flavour of North Indian – 2-meat curries and 1 vegetable curry on a plate and 4 poppadoms $14.20 total, great value. Then its back to the room Jude sleeps while I pack ready for New Zealand in the morning set the alarm for 5.45 in the morning and bed.
Day 47 Sunday 3rd March
Wake up naturally at 6.00 am good job really because we wanted to get up at 5.45 am but I had set the alarm clock 12 hours out! We have a taxi arranged to take us to the airport. The flight departure is 9.25 am Sydney time into Christchurch at 2.15 pm. New Zealand time we get picked up at airport by the car hire people and taken their office to sort out the paperwork and pick up the car. We decide not to stop in Christchurch but to head straight on for Queenstown not enough time to do all we want in New Zealand. We travel down the coast road (Where is everybody) to Fairlie for the first stop at Fairlie Gateway Top 10 Holiday Park and book into a 5 bedded cabin for 38 dollars, settle in shower and change We walk up the road to the Old Library the temperature drops a bit in the evening, have a couple of beers and a light meal in the Old Library Café. Beer and back to bed.
Day 48 Monday 4th March
Up at 8.30 am and shower, Jude is reluctant to get up eventually manage to drag her out of bed and out by 9.30 am for breakfast at the Wild Olive Café. Eggs, bacon, tomato and toast. We meet an older English couple from Manchester, they have had 1 night stop in Hong Kong, 3 nights in Fiji, 2 weeks in New Zealand (north and South) 2 weeks in Australia, 1in Melbourne and 1in Sydney to visit her sister and attend wedding, 1 night in Singapore on the return, 5 weeks total. We though this was a bit of a rush and they admitted they were tiring already. We set off on road to Christchurch, driving past Lake Tekapo which is a strange bluey green colour apparently caused by the silt coming down from the hills. Stop at Lake Pukaki viewing point this is the same colour as Lake Tekepo.
The next stop is the Kawaro Suspension Bridge, which was the first ever-commercial bungee jump, complete with a viewing platform. You can elect to be dunked in the river or not (just head and shoulders, shades of the Fosters advert) 99$ including T-shirt, Video extra. I decide I haven’t got the balls anymore (not sure I ever did really), anyway they would not let me do it with my neck (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).
We reach Queenstown and find campsite and settle in there then go into Queenstown and stop on way to look and see jet boat ride down the river but does not look that exciting so don’t bother (89$). Next stop we take a look at the Rocket Bungee, two people sit in a round metal frame on bungies between two towers and then the cage is pulled down 40 ft and released upwards (up to 5G experienced.) shame about the neck. Carry on into town and wander around we look at the trips to Milford Sound but it is a very long trip by road so we consider a flight, that is I consider a flight, we wander round some more and settle on a Thai Restaurant (not the best we’ve ever had) then more wandering around, this place is definitely a thrill seekers paradise you name it you can do it here. I book a flight to Milford Sound in a light aircraft for tomorrow. Then we go back to campsite and write up notes and have an early night. Jude is cold again.
Day 49 Tuesday 5th March
Arise leisurely at 9 am and shower etc. Pack bags and ring airport at 9.30 to see is weather is ok for flight to Milford Sound the Answer is ring back at 11 am. So we go into Queenstown for breakfast, I have hash browns, mushrooms and plum sauce (different! and nice); Jude has egg, beans, sausage and toast. We go into Internet café to check email and there are 4 messages from Marie, Alan and Shirley. I ring the airport again for weather, ok the flight is on we head out to airport. There are 2 Americans and me plus the pilot the aircraft is a Cessna we have a bumpy take off and fly up over the mountains up to Milford Sound, going over ski areas (out of season but peaks are covered in snow. What a brilliant flight and a superb way to see it I’m glad I did not do the 2 hour boat cruise on the sound it would have been boring after this. The pilot uses lift from some of the slopes we follow the Sound right along to the Tasman sea.
We then return to Queenstown via a different route taking in the view of Sutherland Falls which drops 2000 feet out of Lake Quin to the forest below, at about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way down are 2 rocky outcrops where water spray shows rainbow colours. We land back at Queenstown with spectacular views of the lakes and town. The landing is interesting as there is a slight crosswind. I leave the airport and walk back to Jude and the car. We go into town for the ride up the gondola to viewpoint, Jude doesn’t come again it is spectacular at the top as the weather is unusually good. There are paracenders doing tandem rides, to the bottom and a chairlift to the top of a concrete luge run on wheels. There is a steady course and a mad dog course but it doesn’t look that exciting so I give it a miss.
I go back down the Gondola to Jude and we set of to Wanaka. Passing Kirawa Suspension Bridge and bungee we pass lots of wineries between Queenstown and Campbell, also deer farms one with a white deer there is nothing much to see after that. We pass through Wanaka to Pleasant Lodge Holiday Park, Wanaka and surrounding area with lake and the hills is beautiful. We book in and settle into the lodge, This site is much better that the last one, Jude sleeps – it’s hard work sitting in a car doing nothing I have a couple of beers and read, so when Jude wakes she has to drive into town to eat, we find an Indian restaurant and have different meal – Lamb and Spinach curry and Chicken Tikka Masala very nice then we watch the sun set over lake. Back to cabin and write up the notes, Jude plays solitaire then we ring Marie, have a game of cards and off to bed.
Day 50 Wednesday 6th March
We get up, pack up and drive into Wanaka for breakfast on the shore of the lake, which is expensive, and we eat far too much. We set of for Franz Joseph stopping just out of town at Puzzle World. They have a 3 dimensional maze where we take ½ an hour to find the 4 corners and then ¼ of an hour to get back out again. We then go inside to the hologram room and then onto the weird room. This room looks normal from outside but when you come in top door you have to duck to get in through door (even Jude and I!) but you look like a giant and your head nearly touches ceiling, walk to the other door and look tiny. The next room fools the senses, when you first enter the floor appears to slope up, once inside it feels horizontal and you have to walk on angle but you feel like you are upright Strange!
Put ball on one end of the billiard table which appears to be sloping uphill and the ball rolls uphill, stand on ladder fixed to a wall but you have to lean out away from the wall when climbing it, sit on a chair lift which appears to slide up hill and water which appears to run uphill weird but interesting. We leave here at about 1.30 for long drive to Franz Joseph pleasant drive through staggering scenery that’s about all you can say really. We stop of close by to see the Fox’s Glacier all around the car park are lots of Kia Parrots These are big chunky parrots that like the cold climate. We walk up the footpath to a reasonable viewpoint.
Then back down to the car and on to Franz Joseph Glacier. Again we park up and walk up to observation point. Both glaciers we were lucky to have fine day for viewing, blue skies with a few clouds around. We get back to the car and drive into town and Top 10 campsite, which is fully booked we try several motels/lodges with no joy. It is now 7.30 pm so we have left it a bit late. Luckily we find the Bushland Court Hotel, which has 1 room due to a coach party being 1 couple short. The only problem 79$ as opposed to 35$ what the heck I nights luxury never hurt anyone (just don’t want Jude getting too used to it). We have a nice self-contained room with ensuite, TV, coffee and tea making facilities and alarm clock. We walk into town after a shower, to get something to eat at Beeches Restaurant. Garlic bread to share. Jude has Chicken with Brie and almonds in a honey and mustard sauce, which is excellent. I have fish of the day in creamy sauce, which is also excellent but cost $73. All in all an expensive day really, better start economising. We finish the meal and walk home to bed on account of the fact that I can’t keep my eyes open The bed is not the most comfortable but sleep comes quick, only to be woken equally as quick when the dam alarm clock goes off at 6 am it must have been set by the previous occupant, Bugger! I just got used to turning the phone off on a night because of unwanted messages or calls
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Day 51 Thursday 7th March
Up at 8.30 am. Crumpets, coffee and cereals for breakfast. We are thinking of investing in cutlery and plates for breakfast. We get on the road by 10 am heading for Greymouth; we stop in Hokitika for coffee and go to the aquarium to watch the giant eels being fed by a man actually in the giant tank with them. The Eels are up to 60 years old and 6’long all the ones in the tank are females, in the normal scheme of things the female eels go out to sea to spawn and then they die. We leave Hokitika and get back on the road to Greymouth, arriving at 3 pm. We pull in to the Greymouth Seaside Top 10 campsite, back to usual standard of shared facilities. We drive the mile or so into Greymouth for a wander around. Then have a late lunch in Ankle Biters Café. Seafood, chowder and chicken satay and mozzarella pannins. Nice. Get some cash and buy a paper, we then go back to the residence and sit outside and read paper. Cover to cover! 2 mini buses full of teenage schoolgirls arrive and move in next door to disturb the peace. We drive down the road and get some Fish and chips for tea 6.75$ to make up for yesterdays expensive meal, play cards then bed.
Day 52 Friday 8th March
Up quite early and head of to Hanmer Springs. We travel on some great biking roads the area is obviously known for this as there a lot of bikes around – many old British bikes as well as modern and of course a few pretenders on Harleys. The scenery not as good as it has been, but ok. Stop for a coffee at Springs Junction, we meet 2 English couples going around the opposite way to us. Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Honolulu, New Zealand, Australia (Cairns and Melbourne), Singapore. We drive on into Hanmer Springs, park up and wander around the town and have lunch, then drive back down to Mountain View Top Ten Site they have no cabins only a static caravan. Everywhere seems to be full up around here so we take the caravan, settle in the drive back into Hanmer and go to the Thermal Reserve we have a lazy afternoon lounging around in thermal pools, the various pools are at different degrees of warmth and smell, cold to hot, no smell to strong smell of sulphur. Suitably relaxed we go back to the caravan to read and relax some more. Shower and change and then walk back to town for a meal, we settle on Keith’s Place to eat in, Jude has garlic bread and chicken kebabs and I have mussels and salad with vinegar – very nice, and then Pan fried fish of the day. It is an excellent meal the service was very slow but who’s going anywhere, back home to bed and read.
Day 53 Saturday 9th March
We set of for Kiakora (whale watching hopefully) with the intention of taking the mountain road but unfortunately we miss the turning and end up sticking to the main road. As we near Kiakora we pass Goose Bay where we can see hundreds of dolphins swimming so we pull into a lay-by to watch, we carry on to Kiakora and try to book into the Top Ten site but it is fully booked, try next site which is also fully booked we go to the Tourist Information Office to see about accommodation and manage to get into a site in another static caravan. This one is better than last night’s and the site itself is nice with tidy cared for gardens a stream and open fields beyond. We settle in then go to the whale watching centre and book a trip for 4 pm, all the morning boats have been cancelled, apparently the boats don’t go out unless they are pretty much guaranteed to see whales, the 12.15 boat has gone out so fingers crossed. We go into town for lunch of fish and chips and wander around and try to book swimming with dolphins – but this is fully booked until 16th March. We can go swimming with seals but this does not seem quite so good so don’t bother. We meet an English couple that have travelled for 36 hours for a 2-week holiday in New Zealand. We go back down to the Whale Watching Centre to check if it is on. All sailings for the rest of the day are off bugger! We drive out to seal colony peninsula. The tide is in (it is better when it is out); the Seals can be seen though. We pop over to the supermarket for a few provisions and then back to the caravan for a read and a rest. Shower and change, then we go over the road to the Mussel Boys Restaurant. Yes you’ve guessed – for mussels! Jude has fish of the day pan-fried, I have mussels, 16 big mothers flat open and grilled with a combination of 4 sauces, tomato and chilli, garlic and wine, cheese and mushroom or garlic and lemon delicious! Back to caravan for a couple of beers, thrash Jude, at cards that is (Second day in a row). Bed
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Day 54 Sunday 10th March
We get up latish, it’s a bit of a grey day, I think probably the first in New Zealand go over to the camp kitchen and have breakfast of cereals, toast, jam and yoghurt. We meet a guy from Christchurch who has been coming here for 20 years and seen the place change from a tiny fishing village to what is now a very large village. He comes up here to fish; he catches crabs over on the seal colony to use as bait. Breakfast over and we go down to the Whale Watch Centre to check the sailing for 11 am but it is cancelled and put off till 12.45. So we go back to the caravan, Jude does a bit of washing and I read for a while then we have a game of chess and a cup of coffee. I go back to Whale Watch Centre Jude stays at the caravan, all systems go for the whale watching so we have to watch a safety video, all the previous sailings this morning have sighted whales they offer a partial guarantee that if we don’t see whales we get 80% refund which is very fair. The whales are on the 12 mile limit we board a bus to take us to the harbour and then on to the high-speed boat which takes us out to the area where the whales are.
One boat is already there. When we first stop there are 6 sperm whales around. They can be spotted up to 2 miles away not by their body mass but by their spout hole jets, they surface for up to 10 minutes to take air and then they can stay submerged for up to 40 minutes. Some are up to 23 metres long you quickly know the characteristic body movements when they are about to dive. When they do dive the last thing you see is their tail fin fully out of the water. I am not sure my camera does this justice I could do with a bigger zoom lens. In all we see about 20-25 whales in about half an hour, you do not see the full body lengths when they are on the surface but it is still a staggering sight. As we are returning to the harbour we come across a pod of dusky dolphins which are swimming, diving and leaping all around the boat what a sight, my camera runs out of film and by the time I change my film but it is all over. The boat docks and we get coach back to the Centre. Drive back to the caravan where Jude is fed up of playing solitaire. Have cup of coffee and then out for meal. Nice pizza and bread and a couple of pints at backpackers restaurant at very reasonable prices 30$ total or £10.00. Back to caravan and have a game of cards. We watch Lost World (Jurassic Park 2), There TV is worse than the UK for adverts. Early to bed, it’s raining heavily outside.
Day 55 Monday 11th March
We wake up to rain in the morning have breakfast and set of for Christchurch, we stop for a coffee and use the payphone ring mum (Happy Mothers Day), Jude’s mum not in so we stop at Cheviot and try Jude’s mum again, mission accomplished. On to Christchurch and more by good luck than skilful navigating manage to drive straight to Meadow Park Top 10 campsite. The only cabin left is in the middle of a playground its only for 2 nights it will do, it is a massive room, 2 double beds and a pair of bunk beds and 1 single bed, very dingy lighting about 10 watt bulbs I think. The last caravan was much more cheerful. At least the rain has stopped; we settle in and then take the bus into town for a wander. Into the museum where there is an Antarctic Exhibition a Maori life styles exhibition, a Colonists exhibition, and a birds plus much more. We both have sore feet and are tired, we sit by fountain in Botanical gardens and rest for 20 minutes then go back to Cathedral Square. We stop on the way for a beer and a bit of people watching, then we go into an internet place but the first one is full of gaming machines and is bedlam, the second one has over 100 machines and we have to queue for a machine absolutely mad, we have E-mails from Marie and Shirley (her first one from home). We catch No 4 bus back to Meadow Park, see what we can get to eat, we fancy an Indian meal the site offers discount at Maharaja on sit down only and take away meals 20% off so we have a take away as we have crockery at cabin. We have a couple of games of cards and then bed.
Day 56 Tuesday 12th March
Up naturally and breakfast at camp kitchen, which is very busy, drive out to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Jude goes in and looks while I find a shady spot and read a book outside. When Jude comes out we drive to New Brighton to look at pier (non-event). Then onto Port Hills Summit where we take the gondola to the top for fantastic views overlooking Christchurch and in the hazy distance the Southern Alps. We can see New Brighton Pier in the distance in front of us and in the other direction Lake Ellesmere, the harbour of Lyttleton and Banks Peninsula formed by a sunken volcano crater.
We have a nice lunch of seafood salad and chips for 2. Back down in gondola. You can mountain bike down if you like I don’t think so! We drive back into the centre of Christchurch and wander around, then hop on the circular shuttle bus which is free get off at Cathedral Square and walk down to Oxford Terrace for a beer and a bit of people watching. Back to Cathedral Square and check email and then back to car park and out to campsite. Lounge around and read etc then drive down to the restaurant area for take away Chinese $23 much too much (£8.00). Back to the lodge to eat and then play a bit of cards have beer and then Jude goes to bed while I pack for the morning.
Day 57 Wednesday 13th March
Up early, let’s see what we can lose this time. We fill the car up and drive down to the rental car place. Drop off car and sort the paperwork they take us to the airport the driver is talking away and nearly runs into the back of the car in front I nearly join him in the front seat. The flight from Christchurch to Auckland is over in no time and we wait at the airport for car rental people to pick us up. They take us to the office sort out the paperwork and hand us the keys for a nice little Nissan Micra. We set of straight away to Rotorua which is about 230km the drive takes about 31/2hrs drive around the town which is a very busy place, we eventually find a campsite but they only have a bungalow for $80, so take that a real bungalow, Living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. We walk back into town and wander around the town and the thermal springs, the smell of sulphur is everywhere.
We end up back at the cottage, shower and drive into town to eat at a nice Italian Restaurant we have Brochetta and then Jude has a Chicken Paradiso and I have Fettuccini Royal, back to cottage, watch television and plan tomorrow as there is lots to see here.
Day 58 Thursday 14th March
Up at 7.30 am and wander around the cottage naked because we can (not a pretty sight). Breakfast of teacakes and fresh fruit and coffee. Out by 9 am to Waitopu Geyser, which goes off at 10.15 daily. This is because they have learned how to activate it with washing powder.
After the geyser we walk around the thermal gardens, lake and terracing.
We then go onto Wianongu Volcanic Valley where there is a really nice walk down through the valley (2 hours). Various thermal activities (mud pools, lagoons, springs, streams etc.).
A good day so far but then rain stops play, at least it wasn’t when we were walking, we decide to find the other campsite which is up in the hills by a lake and then see what happens with the weather. The campsite has nothing in terms of restaurants around it so we decide to go around the side of lake Rotorua to see if we can find a couple of waterfalls but without any luck but we do find a place doing white water rafting and luckily just in time to see 3 rafts go over the falls, wow it looks really exciting.
After watching this for ½ an hour we go back into Rotorua to buy breakfast provisions and have evening meal. We find a quite big Chinese restaurant most people in there are Chinese and they have some sort of entertainment going on traditional dancers and Musicians. I have chicken and sweet corn soup and beef with ginger and spring onions (excellent). Jude has pancake rolls and beef with vegetables and cashew nuts excellent. We go back to the room and have a couple of beers and play cards, speak to the couple next door who are Swedish and are on a one-year trip. New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Vietnam. Their 1st month is over. Bed.
Day 59 Friday 15th March
Up early, the weather is not so good again the Blue Lake is still grey/black. We have a breakfast of crumpets, fruit and coffee. We pack the rucksacks and drive into Rotorua. Have a wander around the town, check the email, 3 from Louise, 1 from Stuart and 1 from Marie, reply to Louse and Marie and try to logon to Bank Account but unsuccessful. Then we drive out to the Sky Rail for viewpoint over lake. Have 3 goes on Luge. 1st go must be scenic route by law. 2nd go intermediate and corner on 2 wheels. 3rd go advanced. Mad dog, airborne twice. Loads of quick banks, S bends and 2 fast sections. Watch girls on mad dog swing. They are strapped into 3 seats and winched up till they are hanging in their seat straps and then they have to release the lever and drop 2 metres before swinging right out over the drop. The weather is not so good again after brightening up so we decide to set off back for Auckland and have a day (Saturday) in town. We stop about 5kl out of town to watch people on a crazy roller ball ride huge inflated double skin ball about 8ft diameter which you get inside (with or without water inside) then they just roll you along a ramp and of the end and down a 200ft long slope mad. We set of again stopping for lunch after a couple of hours, I have a genuine Cornish pasty and Jude has a quiche. Then on to Auckland on the motorway to try and find a campsite, unsuccessfully so we go on into Auckland, passing the Sky tower and over the harbour bridge, there are literally thousands of boats in the marina.
Eventually we get a room in Top 10 Campsite North Auckland. They have room for 1 night only but can swap us to another tomorrow (Saturday) so we can be ready for the trip to the airport early Sunday. We settle in and read for an hour then walk up the road to eat at Pizza Hut by camp entrance this is by no means a peaceful meal kids running amuck everywhere so we eat and run back to apartment for a game of cards, a couple of beers and out to phone Marie and then back to bed shattered.
Day 60 Saturday 16th March
Up much later than we wanted to be, catch the 10.45 bus into Auckland, which drops us, right by the sky tower, which is very impressive, we take the lift to the first observation deck for some staggering view outside. We are not actually outside but it seems like it we are in a outer walkway which is nearly all glass with glass floor tiles which are apparently 200mm thick to see through it’s a weird sensation when you walk over them looking down at the traffic below 190 metres, dizzy or what, its ok once you get used to it, Jude is trying not to look down out or any way. If you want you can jump off the top 192 metres it is not a bungee jump but a controlled descent rather. You are strapped by the feet on in a harness like a freefall parachute scary or what I go on up to top Sky Deck which is 6 floors higher, Jude makes here excuses and leaves. If you really want you can pay for the privilege of climbing the final mast section no thanks (even scarier). I meet Jude back down at the bottom and we go for a coffee and mega muffin, and then out to find the shuttle bus for a city tour.
We eventually find bus stop and do the tour and get off at museum. This is a superb building on a hilltop which can be seen from the tower we spend an hour around here and then back on bus to ferry port were we take a ferry to Devonport for wander around, time for a bit of people watching and a couple of beers in a nice little bar playing jazz music. A band is setting up Jude thinks it is a gay bar the barman is definitely raving, the band starts to play acoustic guitar and bongos nice sound some great unplugged Nirvana. We decide it is getting enjoyable and dangerous to stay the beers going down to well so go back down to the port and get on the ferry to Auckland where we have a nice Chinese meal. Then get the bus back to campsite and pack ready for the airport in the morning, we play cards for a while and then bed. I get woken at 4am by phone message. Cannot really get back to sleep properly.
Day 61 Sunday 17th March
Up when alarm goes off at 6 am (okay so I did go back to sleep) and shower. Do the final pack and off to return car at 7am, just as we get to rental company at 7.45 am I catch something on the radio about daylight saving. On arrival at rental place it is totally deserted. Yeah you’ve guessed it we are an hour early so we drive to the only place that’s open McDonalds for coffee (yeh I know I said I would never go in them) even the coffee was disgusting. We ask guy behind the counter if our clock is right and he says no, we were supposed to put it back 1 hour (daylight saving) last night, winter in New Zealand bugger. We go back to the rental place they are there now there sort out the paperwork and they drop us off at airport at 8 am but the flight is 11.05 am. Wait, wait wait, we have an uneventful flight to Fiji which looks beautiful around the coast as we come in to land. at 2.10pm. Collect luggage and clear customs at 3.30 pm. I try to change the last of traveller’s cheques while Jude speaks to travel agent about accommodations, which seems very expensive. I somehow get a bad feeling about booking things at the airport. We finally settle for 3 days on Coral Coast in the Hotel Casablanca and 4 days on Mana Island.
The Casablanca is a room with own facilities $55 per day. Mana is a room with shared facilities $77 per day including all food. I need to get some cash (now the saga begins). Down to airport ATM (temporarily out of order). Travel agent sorts out taxi to take me to next ATM for $3 (again temporarily out of order), then try another same again so we give up and go back to airport bank Starting to worry now the bank is now open so I try and use my cash card there, after queuing for 15 minutes I am told I need my passport which Jude has so back to travel agents for passport and then back to bank finally and got the money this took all of 3 hours, but its not over yet I go back to the travel agents she says a taxi to resort $50 but the bus is $16 which we opt for The travel agent puts us on pavement for the bus and says she will join us as the bus is for her as well. The bus drives straight past us we are approached by several taxi drivers (almost tempted now). Finally take a taxi to the bus station and get a mini bus for $20 to hotel door we arrive in dark, absolutely knackered, pissed off. Pay for accommodation and go to room here’s a welcome surprise; it is a big room with lounge, kitchen, bathroom and balcony, excellent. We dump the bags and go down to restaurant/bar. Another pleasant surprise, cheap food and after eating it find it is excellent food. I have chilli chicken and Jude fish and chips. The owner is very friendly, he is Egyptian from Sydney and she is Fijian. We can here the sound of waves close by and it’s a lovely starry night. Go to bed and hope that it is as good as it seems.
Day 62 Monday 18th March
Wake up and look out of the window Wow!
We walk along the road to the Bedarra Hotel, which is slightly more upmarket than the Casablanca, try the breakfast there not bad but a bit pricey. We wander along the beach and into the Outrigger Resort (very plush). Nice gardens and pool probably most people who stay here fly halfway round the world to be in Fiji but never leave the resort to see the real Fiji, we are getting some suspicious looks from some of the staff maybe we’re slightly on the scruffy side for their liking what the hell. We use the email facilities there and wander back through the gardens and along the beach to Casablanca. We walk up to the main road and catch the bus into Sigatoka for a mooch around and have lunch at Le Café. Wander around the town and market then get a taxi back to Casablanca. Lounge around and read before showering and down to the restaurant for the evening meal of mutton chow mien for me and Jude has sweet and sour fish. We have a couple of beers and spend an enjoyable evening talking to a couple of Australian families who are staying at the Outrigger Resort who say that for them package deals to stay there are very cheap, but they eat and drink elsewhere as it is cheaper. Not a very busy day I think we are starting to tire of all the rushing around; we have a reasonably early night to bed.
Day 63 Tuesday 19th March
We wake up early to very heavy rain and dark grey skies; the rain stops fairly early so we walk along to the Bedarra for breakfast. The we start to walk towards town and we get picked up by a taxi ($2 into town). We check out the buses to get to the port in the morning for the boat to Mana but can’t figure them out, We wander around the market again Jude makes the mistake of showing an interest in some trinkets and I think we get stung and not by bees! We go around to Le Café and have beer, then take taxi back to Casablanca we get a price of the taxi driver to take us down to the airport the price doesn’t seem to bad so we have his phone number to ring him later. Up to the room for a quick change into swimming costumes and down to pool a read and swim. Back to room and play cards before showering and down to eat at 7 pm I have fish and chips and Jude has a pizza. We meet Billie she is English born of Indian parents and Richard they have just come from Mana Island where we are going next they have horror stories to tell of grotty rooms and poor food I wish they hadn’t told us really but they don’t know we are going there. We have drinks back at their room quite a riotous night. They travelled from Heathrow on the same day as we did their route, Mumbai, Goa, Australia (East Coast), New Zealand then 2 weeks in Fiji and 3 weeks in Honolulu (they are thinking of getting married there). They both work with computers (contracting). We eventually get to bed very late at 1.30 am.
Day 64 Wednesday 20th March
Up early, shower and pack, the Taxi arrives at 8 am and it is 1.5 hours to Nadi Airport when we arrive the travel agent is not there should we worry? She appears at 10.30 am and we take the prepaid taxi to boat terminal which was 3 times the cost of the journey we had just had and half the distance (striped again). The boat leaves at 12 am and the 1st stop is South sea Island, the 2nd stop is Castaway and Mololu where smaller boats come out to pick up people staying there the Islands are tiny you could walk around Castaway in 5 minutes but they are beautiful pure white sands and clear blue seas, Wow.
The 3rd stop is Mana, are home for 4 days, (I Wish we hadn’t been scared off about the place).
As we arrive at the island the skies open up and the rain really lashes down, you can hardly see the island as we are docking at the rickety pier we get soaked walking the 200ft to the backpackers resort. The place seems to be like Billie and Richard said loads of youngsters. We get a room but with no lock on the door, we do have a choice of beds thou. Not the best place we have stayed, we have lunch as soon as we got there and the rain continues for a couple of hours. Everybody is playing cards, Yangtze, dice etc they are all very young and we feel ancient. They all seem to have formed their own little cliques and we begin to feel like we are invisible. The evening meal is soup and fish, potatoes and green beans. The price for room is 77 dollars including 3 meals a day, a Buffet breakfast and lunch and a proper evening meal. After the evening meal we speak to Mama Suzie the manager about the room saying we are not very happy so she says she has somebody moving out of a bungalow in the village tomorrow and she will move us into there. There are no shops or bars on the island so they have a captive audience but beer prices are not too bad considering. The island has 1 big expensive Japanese resort and 2 backpacker places, The backpacker places are owned by 2 brothers who are apparently very competitive, the one we are in is lacking in any entertainment but we are right next to the other one so we can see their entertainment. Right outside the backpackers is a big steel fence to keep us out of the posh resort. We are not allowed in there at all. Everything closes in there at 11 pm. So the younger people staying at the posh resort come over to backpackers for the social life. Drinks are served until nobody wants anymore. Despite the room both slept well.
Day 65 Thursday 21st March
We get up early at 8 am the weather is glorious go in for breakfast. Fresh fruit, cereals, pancakes and donuts. I hire snorkelling gear for the day - $8. We walk along the beach till we come to the airstrip then go around the perimeter to the other side of the island to sunset beach, swim and snorkel. The current is very strong at one point I have difficulty in getting back to the shore. Apparently you need to go right out to get to the coral reef. I decide it is not worth the risk without flippers. I try again farther down the beach but water here is very murky.
We go back to backpackers for lunch. Sort out with Mama Suzie about moving to the bungalow and move in, this is more like it a semi detached bungalow with attached loo and shower nice double bed tables chairs and loungers made up or what.
We go back up to the backpackers, Sean is there with 2 new people Brendan and a girl, they are going snorkelling on the other beach I tag along with them. We have to hike over the hills and down on to the beach, then scrabble over rocks to get in. Straight into some amazing coral reef, fishes of all sizes and colours wow! We swim out to reef edge where it drops away 50 feet at least the visibility is superb crystal clear right to the bottom, I see small manta ray (About 30”-36” span). Snorkel for over 2 hours, with the visibility as it is there is no point in diving; you can see as much snorkelling. We get out scrabbling in over reef (carefully) onto beach in Japanese resort. We take a short cut through resort, dodging security people we get caught just as we are going to go out the side gate and they make us walk back up to the main gate and back along the beach.
We shower in our new facility then lounge around and read and then out for dinner. We are in the gang now play Yangtze and dice game 1 and 5 with Sean, Brendan, girl? Claire and James. Next-door backpackers have fire dancers, we carry on games and drinking too much beer, apparently I had a restless night according to Jude that’s putting it mildly!
Day 66 Friday 22nd March
Time is marching on – 1 week today and we are home. We go up to the backpackers for breakfast and then back to the bungalow and vegetate for most of the day. Read, lazed, slept and played cards. On evening we played dice, met Sarah from the States who has been over to Oz and New Zealand for 3 months but is now on the run back home. There is a limbo competition going on next-door, Sarah joins in and almost wins. The kids embark on a serious drinking game no sir I don’t want to get involved in that so Sarah teaches us a card game called shithead. All in all a good night not too much beer I sleep better.
Day 67 Saturday 23rd March
Up and off to breakfast, I go snorkelling with Sarah, the backpackers gear is not to good so we rent the snorkelling gear from resort, after much ado we finally sort it and go off to North Beach to snorkel on the way over Jude finds the thinnest dog in the world – don’t know how it could be alive, here we go she wants to take it home. Jude lazes around on the beach, sunbathing and reading. While we are snorkelling I see a huge Manta Ray just as we come up to the edge of the reef it comes up of the sandy bottom and swims away from us. We go back for lunch and afterwards I go out snorkelling again with Sarah and Harry who is a cool – skateboarder travelling with his skateboard and girlfriend, we see more Manta Rays. Jude comes over to feed thinnest dog in the world some Ritz biscuits.
Fantastic sunset, we have Curry for dinner and play shithead again; Jude has 3 G & T’s. We feel very sad and have mixed feelings about leaving here tomorrow. The last night is very hot and sticky.
Day 68 Sunday 24th March
Jude’s new friend the skinny dog slept outside the bungalow all night we are leaving today at lunchtime for the flight to Honolulu. The sea is like a millpond and the sun is blisteringly hot. Everyone is going on island hopping trip today. Boat is far too small for Jude to even consider it. We lounge around in shade, reading all morning. Then we go up for lunch and a beer, talk to Richard is a freelance photographer so I guess this is a business trip and Chris graphic designer taking 3 months off. The island hoppers come back and we say our goodbyes and get on the boat with Chris back to the mainland. We checked before that the taxi we pre-paid for would be there and we are assured it will. The boat stops off to pick people up on Beachcomber Island, Treasure Island and Southsea Island. All are tiny islands. Get into harbour at Denarve Resort, guess what, no taxi so we have to take another taxi which we share with Chris who is in the same situation. The driver gives us a receipt so we can try and claim it back from the travel company (some chance). Chris’s travel agent is not there or ours. So we decide to try later when a plane comes in. We check in the luggage and Chris manages to get on our flight as he is going to Honolulu as well but he is supposed to be on a later flight.
Sit in café and have sea food chowder and Jude a beef burger we finish that and look around to see smoke pouring out of the air con unit and then sparks and flames in it we decide it might be better to go outside. People are just sat down eating and drinking watching like it is some kind of show a crowd gathers outside watching. (People still inside). Lots of manager’s come and look at it nobody knows what to do eventually, somebody turns off the electrics to the unit and blasts it with an extinguisher. Then in comes top banana fireman who evacuates the place. Next thing the area where you go through to departures is heaving with Fijians, apparently a group of Fijian boys are off to join the British army and it’s a big sending of ceremony. Our flight is delayed by 1 hour to 12 pm. Into departures, board and off we strike lucky with superb seats, the front row behind the first class section, loads of legroom. 6-hour flight. When breakfast comes around (just before Honolulu) they tell us that the people who are flying onto Vancouver can’t have their omelette because there was a small fire in the oven, which has contaminated the food but we will be compensated when we land in Vancouver.
At Honolulu we had to get off the plane and go through customs but must be as quick as possible (only 1 hour to clear customs and re-board plane). We get to departures and see only 2 X-ray machines working and the queue is 300 yards long and we have no chance so we cheekily have to walk down to the front and jump the queue we explain to an American lady who is not best pleased, she understands our predicament and she lets us in. We board the same plane again and get on as quick as possible so that they can’t double book our good seats.
We have a pretty rough flight to Vancouver they actually stopped serving food at one point. Next we get an announcement asking for any doctor or nurse on board to make themselves known to the cabin crew. There is somebody lying out in gangway at back, after disembarking we find out that he had actually died during the flight.
We actually land in Vancouver time and date wise before we took of from Fiji. We collect our luggage and compensation voucher for $20 each but we must use it today at the airport and for food only. Book hotel for $80 a night in downtown Vancouver. Then we have a meal at the airport for $6 + the voucher. We take a taxi to the hotel and as we are checking into the hotel I realise I have left my hand luggage with the tickets, and passports, camera etc in back of taxi shit! Luckily the hotel reception remember which taxi company it was and manage to track it down but I have to pay for another taxi to bring it back. Straight to bed what a day!
Day 68 Monday 25th March
We get up reasonably early and have the Continental breakfast in hotel, which is in with the price. Then go out for a wander and get onto the sky train, which goes right out of town and then comes back to the harbour front. Then we walk to the sky tower, which is not quite as impressive as Auckland take the lift to the top the views would be spectacular if it wasn’t so grey. We go back down and head back to hotel, stopping in at an internet café to check email and move some money between accounts and pay some bills we grab a slice of pizza for lunch. 9.3 cents+ tax a slice = 50p. The bus arrives for the Vancouver City Highlights tour we have booked which takes us through the Arts district, Chinatown, Gastown, Robson Street, Stanley Park, Prospect point.
Then on to English Bay, Queen Elizabeth Park, Shaughnessy Estates and Granville Island. We get back to the hotel at 6 pm, Jude sleeps and I read (only 60 pages left Lord of the Rings The Two Towers). Out to Maloney’s Pub for couple of pints of Guinness and spicy chicken strips and chicken fajitas, which are excellent. Back to hotel – Jude to bed and me reading. (Only 40 pages to go). Bed. Noisy neighbours wake up Jude at 2am, I don’t hear a thing.
Day 70 Tuesday 26th March
Get up late and nearly miss breakfast, we sort out some laundry. We had intended to go to Grouse Mountain but the weather is wet so we cancel tour, as we will not see anything from the top of Grouse Mountain. Do some washing in the hotel laundry, and then go out for a walkabout downtown to Robson Street and then back to Canada Place for lunch Chinese Jude has sesame chicken and rice and veg ($5 - £3 very cheap). I have sweet and sour chicken, peppered beef and rice (less than £3). After lunch we wander down Gastown and mooch about for the afternoon. Then go back to the hotel Check e-mail on the way pick up a couple of beers and some wine from booze shop and a take out pizza, back to the room for tele and play shithead. Early to bed.
Day 71 Wednesday 27th March
Up reasonably early have breakfast, then walk down to Gastown and catch the trolley bus tour, which is a hop on hop off service. It is very miserable cold and wet today, we stop at the aquarium. Belugas whales, seals, large marine tanks and tropical rain forest dome which was excellent. We come out to catch trolley and it is now pissing down now and very cold. We wait ¾ hour for the next trolley bus. The next stop we get off at is China Town, which is nothing special, it is very Chinese, back on the trolley to Gastown and walk back to the hotel. Half pack our bags and out over to Maloney’s for cheese bread and chicken strips (Cajun) and Fajitas (beef). Then back to hotel to watch a film (Total Recall) and then bed.
Day 72 Thursday 28th March
This is it the last day, we go downstairs for breakfast and then back up to the room for the final pack and check out. We leave the luggage at hotel and walk down to Canada Place and get a ferry to the North shore and then take bus on to Capilano Suspension Bridge which was built in 1989 spanning the Capilano Canyon which is wide enough for a Jumbo Jet to fly up the bridge is 450ft wide and 230ft above the river I walk across to the other side Jude says no way.
We have a cup of coffee and then catch the bus back to the North shore where we have an excellent meal. Mushroom caps with crab and 3 cheeses (superb). Jude fish and chips and I have a fish stew excellent. We get back on to the ferry and then walk up to town for a coffee in Blenz then back to hotel, collect the bags and take a taxi to the airport.
Day 73 Friday 29th March
Uneventful flight home