Time at home

After a 15 hour+ journey, it was nice to be met by friendly faces at Newcastle Airport as Lucy's Mum & Dad came to pick me up... treated me to a nice lunch and introduced me to the new dog - Rosie!

1st stop was home to see my brother and sister, and Spot! And then on to my Mum's place in Castleford, to see her and fiancee - Dave. Can't believe it's 2 years since I was last home. Had a lovely time visiting various sights around Castleford... ate far too much...and also had one or two local beers. Seems that there is a LOT of places offering 2 for 1 meals at the moment...not sure whether that is a sign of the recession, or just the way that things are heading generally? Shame near enough everything comes with chips!

Back home for a couple of days - visited the crematorium to pay respects to my grandad, then watched 'Traitor' at the cinema with my sister (decent movie - we were the only ones in the cinema!) before visiting my Nan in the home. She has really aged in the intervening 2 years... and memory is proving difficult - at various times she thought I was her nephew, her husband, her son, and her grandson.

The following day we went for a drive - Castleton (where my Grandad is from) was the 1st stop, a lovely little village in the North Yorks Moors... followed by a couple of hours in Whitby (excellent fish and chips, and a walk up to the Abbey - there really is 199 steps!)... almost had an accident on the way to Robin Hoods Bay (where we couldn't see anything anyway!) and then finished up at Roseberry Topping. Weather wasn't great by the coast, but as soon as we came inland a little, it was a truly gorgeous day, and the Topping looked as wonderful as ever.

Saturday I headed to the park with our niece and nephews... it's amazing how much they have grown up in the 2 years I have been away... took some lovely photos - they seemed to have a nice time. On the evening I headed to a friends house for beers, and a 'colliery' night out in Easington... some decent live music in the Mason's Arms, then a bar brawl in the Village... before back to the house for more beers... a 6am finish meant I was feeling more than a little ropey on the Sunday! Fortunately, an afternoon snooze meant that I was full recuperated in time for a dinner with Lucy's Auntie Pam, Uncle Paul and Mam & Dad... lovely food... but huge portions! I had haddock rarebit for starter, followed by the largest steak and kidney pudding I have ever seen! Almost had to be rolled back to the car...

Now it's time to pack up my belongings...again... say my goodbyes... give Spot a last stroke (I'm probably going to miss him the most!) and head down to London. Have enjoyed been home, but I'm pleased to be moving on, and more assured that Lucy & I have made the right decision in deciding to stay in Australia.

Post-MBA US Tour

Following the completion of my MBA, I decided to visit a few US cities before heading home. First stop was New Orleans...a city I had wanted to visit ever since I had watched Roger Moore as Bond in Live and Let Die. I wasn’t disappointed...the buildings in the French Quarter were beautiful, the street music was awesome, and the people were really friendly too. I met up with my friend Sarah – who I met in Vegas a few years back – and we stayed in a lovely old Hotel that at one point served as a hospital for confederate soldiers...and is now haunted! Had a fantastic meal the 1st night, before loading up on hand-grenades (bright green drink in a tall plastic glass), beers, and absinthe (served the traditional way)...and listening to some cool music along the way. Have to admit that I ended up a bit the worse for wear and succumbed to my usual tactic of skinny-dipping in the hotel pool...at least I thought it was a pool, the next morning it looked more like a pond! Checked out a couple of areas for nightlife – Bourbon Street is the one everyone knows about, and it was full of cheap drinks, neon lights, and sleazy clubs....so of course I enjoyed it!? Frenchman Street was more typically local, and much smaller...managed to find a place called DBA which had a wide range of beers, and a really good act – Shannon McNally (Irish name, southern accent, native American look) – and found a comfortable seat to chill out. Think New Orleans would be a really cool place to go for a stag-do, as well as somewhere to just enjoy the music and chill.

An early flight (painfully early) took me to Savannah, on the east coast...you may have heard of this place having watched Gone with the Wind? Or Forrest Gump (it’s where he sits waiting for a bus and tells his story). A quaint little place, set around a series of squares – each with a monument, some lovely flowers, and often some live music....and bizarrely the ashes of the person who the square is named for are often buried beneath the square too! Pretty small town, and I had to work hard to think of things to do to keep me occupied for 18 hours, and it also seemed to have as many trolley buses doing tours as it did cars in the street! I did stumble across a little shack selling BBQ though, and had an awesome pulled pork sandwich!

I have quickly realised that it is not possible to travel on a budget in the US....outside of the major cities, very few hostels exist, and whilst train travel can be relatively inexpensive way of getting around (at least with an ISIC card), the stations are often located in hard-to-get-to places, with no linking public transport and so you have to pay $20 each way to get to the station! Very annoying! However, my frustration at this led to one of the highlights so far....I decided to walk the 5 miles to the Amtrak station, out into the countryside, and a large owl flew right past my head – wing-span as wide as my arm-span....beautiful. Seconds after, the owl was chasing a hare...superb to watch.

A 2hr train ride, complete with attendant who called everyone “love” (thought I was in Yorkshire) and “babe” took me to Charleston...site of the 1st battle in the US civil war. A similar place to Savannah – lots of large, beautiful homes to look at, but not an awful lot to keep you busy. I walked around the entire town within a couple of hours (including frequent stops) ....and I went the long-way! The hostel is pretty cool though, and at least it is forcing me to relax somewhat, and it’s also warm which is a bonus after the Chicago winter! Oh – I also saw a group of people break-dancing in a nearby park...some leaps and twists I don’t think I could ever do. Amusingly, 3 little kids started to join in dancing at the side...very cute. And if you ever make it to this part of the world, make sure to pack khakis, a navy blazer, and perhaps a bow-tie....it seems to be the uniform in these parts! Spent my 2nd day here chilling in the main square, watching the world go by, wishing Lucy was with me, but enjoying the bikini clad girls, some live music, a few beautiful dogs (and two ferrets!) been walked, and the sunshine.... fortunately I managed just minor sunburn after 5 hours out....

After arriving at the station ridiculously early, and engaging in a somewhat strange conversation with the station attendant (only 2 trains per day go through there - so I understand how he may be going slightly insane!) I took the overnight train to Washington - managed to get quite a lot of sleep, even if it was often interrupted very broken - and arrived in a much colder climate...quite a shock after Charleston!Dropped my bag at the hotel, and embarked on a whistle stop tour of the major sights - the White House, Washington/Lincoln/Jefferson/FDR memorials, and the Smithsonian before checking out Capitol Hill. Got back to the hostel to find a free performance from a local singer-songwriter called KuKu - he was very good, mixing African music with soul. Amusingly, with all the turmoil in the world today, the only protesters outside the Capitol were protesting against circumcision! The best city yet for the budget traveller, as the hostel is well equipped, there is lots of stuff to do for free - and the public transport is actually quite convenient for a change. Definitely feels as though I am back into civilization after my trip south.

Next stop was a brief sojourn to Baltimore, where I found a charming, yet obviously industrial place. Wandered around the inner harbour, saw yet another aquarium (every town seems to have one!) and appreciated the windswept view from Federal Hill. Got a spot of lunch from one of the local markets, and sat by the harbour to watch the world go by. People here were amongst the friendliest I have met on my trip to date....wonder if that continues as I near New York! Highlight of the day was the World Trade Center....complete with a viewing gallery entitled Top of the World.... it's actually just 20 stories or so high!?!? Very amusing! Although it does happen to be the tallest pentagonal building in the world....

Another quick train journey brought me to Philadelphia, and it's impressive 30th Street Station. 1st impressions were of a city with lots of old buildings, some cool looking bars, and great food (I'm a big fan of the cheese steaks!). The hostel is pretty cool too - bright green and orange in the common room - and friendly staff (something that was missing from the 1st couple of places). Spent much of the day walking around the historical sites - Independence Hall, the Pennsylvanian Congress Hall that housed the 1st US Congree building, and of course the Liberty Bell. So much to see in this compact city... I did want to go and re-create the famous scene from Rocky and run up the steps to the art gallery, but the wet weather wasn't really conducive to that, so I settled for an early finish, a hoagie (sub-sandwich) washed down by a root beer!

New York was my final stop - reached by yet another train journey. Spent the night with Evren and Cusack in their luxury pad - and Jon came along too. Had a nice meal at a place called Bread, visited some cool bars, and drank far too much vodka.... then woke up the next day to find my flight had been moved forward 24hrs and so I had missed it! Managed to book myself on another flight (expensive - ouch) via Dublin.... and had one of the world's cheapest yum-cha feedings to make me feel better ($35 for 4 people!). Very hung-over as I headed to the airport...but at least I was on the way home - and one step closer to seeing Lucy again!

Interesting facts I have learnt on the trip: A mammal is defined as an animal with hair, mothers producing milk, and (this one I did not know) they all have a bone in the middle ear. The term 'green room' (back room in a TV studio / theatre) originates from Shakespearean times.... they used to fill the room with shrubs, plants, etc as it was thought that moisture was helpful to the actor's voices.

Bit of a strange experience, and probably not as enjoyable as I had hoped - think a variety of reasons for this; the American reliance on cars (and the therefore non-existent public-transport links) looking forward to seeing my friends and family in the UK, an eagerness to get back on with the job search, and most of all, a desire to see Lucy back in Oz. Strangely enough it is the non-planned parts of the trip I have found most inspiring - the owl chasing down a hare, chilling in a Charleston square and watching people break dance, arriving at the Washington hostel for an impromptu musical performance....

Bye Chicago

My time in Chicago has come to an end...can't believe just how quickly the 10 weeks has gone. Had a fun, and interesting time - met plenty of interesting people, undertook some fascinating courses, and saw a lot of this wonderful city. Now it's on to New Orleans, and then working my way up the east coast before flying back to the UK from New York... looking forward to seeing more of the US, visiting friends and family in the UK, and getting back to Lucy in Oz. Will keep you posted!

Chicago - a dwindling light....

Coming right down to my last days in Chicago. I've had a fantastic time, met some interesting people, and most importantly I've learnt a lot....couldn't really ask for more. Have completed my final assignments, and just one exam to go - seems to have passed so quickly. Highlights of my final few weeks have included the Winter Formal, a panel discussion on the financial crisis, and my first trip to Canada - taking in Niagara Falls on the way (and avoiding Detroit on the way back... if the Lonely Planet says its grim there has to be something wrong with the place!).

The Winter Formal was held at the Knickerbocker Hotel, downtown Chicago. Decked in my tuxedo, I had the 'pleasure' of my 1st trip on a US school-bus in order to get there. Driver got lost and had to radio for help...not a great start! However, the room was pretty impressive (if a little over the top decor wise), music much better than I had feared, and the free drinks flowed (although I resorted to ordering 3 at a time to beat the queue). For just about the 1st time during my time in Chicago I couldn't remember much about the end of the evening, turns out I had done my usual thing of borrowing someones camera and taking lots of snaps...and apparently I did make it to the after-party! Met some interesting people - a group from 'the south' who shared their Jack Daniels and told me to head south for the best girls, a guy who looked like OddJob, a black guy who looked like a short Marvin Hagler (at least he did at the time), and two real tall blokes who made me look short...all good fun. Not sure I can say the same about my gut the next day!

The panel discussion on the financial crisis was another highlight. Present were Charlie Evans (Chicago Fed), John Cochrane (Finance prof. not the lawyer in the OJ case), Leo Melamed (CME Chairman), some Economics professor who looked like Dr. Death, and an Asia lady as mediator who was both pointless and tedious. Things got off to a slow start with the 'mediator' droning on, and on... almost like a senator trying to get their time in the lime-light during Senate debates. However, once the panel started ignoring her, and getting on with a real discussion it really came to life (apart from when Dr. Death slurped his way into the conversation). Favourite comments came from Cochrane: "Let em Fail!! There I'm done with GM", and Leo: "the previous administration saw the light at the end of the tunnel..... it was a locomotive coming toward them!".

On my penultimate weekend in Chicago, I jumped in a van with my fellow AGSMers, and drove up to the very impressive Niagara Falls, via the student town of Ann Arbor, and then on to Toronto.... my 1st fleeting visit to Canada! Ann Arbor was a cool little place, with plenty of bars, restaurants, and chocolate shops!? Ended up having my 1st curry in the US...very good, but the service was abysmal. Washed it down with a couple of the local beers. On to Niagara...to get very wet, and see plenty of mist, but not an awful lot else! And then by the time we got back to the postcard shop it had closed!? Niagara itself was a bit like a small Blackpool, but with a waterfall...very cheesy. On to Toronto, where we met up with another AGSMer and his wife... enjoyed more great local beer, and had a nice meal. Ended up back in a down-trodden bar, complete with karaoke, talking to a Mexican cook, an American musician, and a Canadian carpenter...very amusing evening. Sunday morning we had a look around Toronto...somewhat underwhelming. And then back in the van for a 2nd attempt at Niagara Falls - and we were much more successful this time! Damn cold though...and still a little misty. The sheer scale of the Falls was just breath-taking...not sure it was really worth the 9 hour drive though!

Now back in Chicago...want to avoid getting in a car for a while as tired of that! Got a few more lectures, one exam, and one take-home to do and I'll be finished. Looking forward to the travelling...and of course to getting back to Oz to see Lucy.

Almost done...

Can't believe that Week 8 is upon me, and I only have another 2 weeks (+ 1 exam) to go before I've finished my MBA. Then I have the fun of looking for a job in what must be the most difficult employment market in decades....joy! Still, at least I'll be able to enjoy a brief tour of USA's east coast, the UK, and Thailand before I get back to Sydney - and even then I'll have the beach to enjoy whilst I job search... guess it's not too much to complain about!

So pleased that I've spent my final session in Chicago. The school has surpassed even the high expectation I had prior to arrival, and the learning experience has been top class. In addition, the city of Chicago - whilst damn cold temperature wise - has proved to be a great place to spend some time. Whilst there isn't an awful lot of the standard tourist attractions to visit - the 'blob' remains my favourite - the live music, and bar scene is really good....and it's so easy to get talking to people.

As well as checking out some of the places in Chicago, I've just spend 3 nights in Vegas. Stayed at the HardRock... although the early time of year, and the refurbishment meant no pool party, which was a bit of a disappointment. Friday night we had drinks on the strip, and then enjoyed a table at Pure...before finishing off with a bit of lapdancing. Saturday night checked out the various places in the Palms, and then more lapdancing. Sunday was more of the same, but ended up at Body English, after one of the best steaks I have ever had. Have to admit that I am starting to feel old...really struggle to do the 3 nights in a row - but at least I made it, unlike some of the younger team members! And in all honesty, Vegas has lost it's sparkle a little for me - maybe it's the recession reducing the numbers, maybe it's the reduction in service levels (unless you are waving $100 bills around) or maybe it's just the fact that I don't really like (in fact I hate) RnB music and that seems to be the music of choice.... still I can't complain about the fantastic cleavages on display!? Who could get tired of that!?!? All in all, I think I'd prefer a weekend of checking out live music venues in Chicago or New Orleans to another Vegas trip...and would be quite happy if I didn't go there again for quite a while.

This weekend I have the Winter Formal to attend on Saturday - so I get to wear a tux - and then I'm hoping to power through my remaining assignments so that I can enjoy the final week. Here's hoping!

Have a good one!

P.S. Forgot to mention that I've attended a Bulls game and a Blackhawks game since my last update. The Bulls are struggling this year, and the stadium was half empty - best entertainment of the first 3 periods was actually during the time-outs. The final period saw the Bulls come back from 10 points down to tie with 3 secs to go...and they still managed to lose...bit of an anti-climax. Blackhawks game was much better - a sell-out (not sure how the attendance was only 1,000 more than the Bulls game?) - and they played really well, winning 6-2, and it's turning out to be a good year for them. The NHL game was much more lively, the atmosphere more upbeat (more like a soccer game), and there was plenty of punch-ups too!

Sweet Home Chicago

So, at the moment I'm in Chicago - studying at the University of Chicago's Booth Business School (formerly GSB). It's the last session of my MBA, and so I get to spend a quarter in Chicago. The first time I have been back in Chicago since I completed the Arthur Andersen training programme way back in 1999.... that seems like an age ago now.

How's it going? Well, the business school is really first class. The facilities are superb (although with so many students they still get stretched), the lecturers engaging, and the courses I am studying are interesting. Additionally, the other exchange students are cool too. Couldn't really ask for any more - apart from maybe some warmer weather!? Since I arrived on Jan 1st it hasn't been above 0c!?! The lowest was something around -30c... not comfortable! Unfortunately, this has meant that I haven't got to see as much of the city as I would have like - it's no fun walking around in sub-zero weather. However, what I have seen has really impressed me. There's lots of museums and galleries, plenty of sport to watch, and the nightlife is excellent - with a lot of live music to choose from.

Since I got here I've managed to catch The Killers (awesome - the new album translates to stage very well) and Buddy Guy (a legend on the Blues scene), and will be heading to the theatre to watch the Monty Python musical - Spamalot - this weekend...should be fun. And hopefully heading to the top of the Hancock Tower for a drink to celebrate Bradley's birthday.... whilst Sunday brings the Super Bowl - I'm going to go for the underdogs, Arizona.

Amazing that I'm almost through the 4th week (of a 10 week term), and whilst it's been a good experience so far, I really am missing Lucy. It's fun experiencing new things, heading to concerts, etc... but it would be much better if Lucy was here, and I'm sure she'd appreciate Chicago.

Guess I'll leave it on that bitter-sweet note and hope to update again soon.

It's been a while....

....almost a year in fact since I last updated my blog. A variety of things have prevented me from keeping it up to date - school work, looking for a job, arranging my international exchange, chilling in the sun....and most of all spending time with Lucy.

I'm going to attempt to update sporadically from now......so hopefully I think of something interesting to write.

Wish me luck!

Cairns & The Great Barrier Reef

Finally got to the end of my 1st session at AGSM - seems to have dragged on a bit towards the end - and completed my 1st set of exams. All seem to have gone ok, so I guess that I'll hear some positive news on 6th June. I decided to head north, to Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef to enjoy a bit of a vacation - unfortunately Lucy couldn't come due to work commitments. Here's the run-down on my 4 night trip:

Tuesday: Manage to find a cheap & easy way to get to the airport - bonus - and the check-in is painless (I don't even get asked for ID). Flight is an easy 3 hours and upon arrival in Cairns I can immediately feel the change in humidity - even if it is winter! Get picked up by the guys at Calypso Inn (my home for the next few days) and then go for a walk along the promenade into town. Surprised to find that the nearest beach is several kilometers away and all that Cairns has is a a lot of mud - and you can't even go on that due to the risk of crocs! There is a 'lagoon' in the centre of town that acts as a mecca for the sun-worshippers, but to me it just looks like a big paddling pool. Walk around town, visit the museum & regional gallery (neither are particularly interesting) before grabbing a bite to eat in the night market. Decide to save my beer legs and so head to the cinema to watch 21 - not bad, but thought the book (Bringing Down the House) was somewhat better.

Wednesday: An early start to the day as I'm off on a sailboat to tour some of the Great Barrier Reef - my principal reason for been 3,000km away from home! A sailboat - Ocean Free - takes me out to a mooring spot off Green Island and I jump in for a snorkel.... absolutely amazing. It seems like another world is in existence just below the waterline. Decide to do an introductory scuba dive, and that is an awesome experience too - I can see why people get hooked on this stuff - felt like I was walking in space! Meet a guy from Manchester called Steve - he's on the 1st leg of a 5 month tour of Asia / Australia - strike up a bit of conversation & arrange to meet up for beers later in the evening. Have a slow sail back to Cairns - glorious day.
Find myself waiting for the start of the 1st Origin game on a table with an older lesbian couple, and two 18-yr old English lads who have just arrived in Australia (they look about 12!). Very strange conversation.... and I'm somewhat relieved when the game starts, and then Steve arrives to share a few beers. NSW put up a great display & are worthy winners - atmosphere in the bar is electric & I've had a couple of jugs of beer - a great start to the evening!
Decide to go on an organized pub-crawl - $15 gets me entry to a number of places & a free drink in each - well worth it. Start off at the Bohemia Resort (where some drunken bloke buys me a Jaeger Bomber.... dangerous... and I meet someone with "Fuck You" tattooed on his arm.... nice) before heading into the main town to Gilligans (giant back-packer resort...they should cut down on the RnB though), PJ O'Briens (a Coyote Ugly dance-off on the bar.... nice... and snakebites for $6.... better!), Woolshed (literally decked out like a woolshed - probably the best venue of the night) and Cadance (a real pikey place... avoid). By now it's getting on for 3am, and the kick-off in the CL is approaching.... head to the Casino in the hope that it will be open 24hrs.... unfortunately, it must be the only casino in Australia that shuts at 2am.... so it's home to bed. Top night!

Thursday: Sleep through the alarm call for the CL kick-off and so resolve to not find out the result & watch a replay later in the day. Fair to say I've got a rough head today. Meet up with Steve again to watch the CL in PJ O'Briens... have some bar food that looks better than it tastes and settle down to watch what proves to be a good game (certainly compared to other finals I've seen). Pleased Utd win, as I really can't stand Chelsea. Just wonder what drugs ESPN are on in picking their commentary team - never trust an American to come up with good sports coverage.
Sun seems to have come out whilst we've been sat in the dark and dingy bar, so have a slow walk back to the Calypso. Have a very amusing dinner - listening to 2 young girls from Dover tell an American girl about the UK. They rave about the best restaurant - Toby Carvery!?! - and how many roast potatoes their friend can eat. They talk about eurotunnel & it's distant rival eurostar (which apparently takes 11 hours to get from London to Paris). And finally after reeling off a massive list of all the places they have visited (most of europe, USA, Canada & Thailand) they give Tenerife as their favourite destination. I'm almost choking on my food with laughter.....

Friday: Had planned to take the scenic railway out to Kuranda, but the weather is distinctly overcast and the few showers that drench me as I walk into town put me off the idea. Instead, I enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then shelter from the rain by watching 'Gone Baby Gone'.... not a bad effort from Ben Affleck & his brother is looking more like him as he gets older. Spend much of the afternoon reading & chilling out at the Calypso, before the showers relent and I can make it out for a walk along the promenade. Have some great Mexican food for dinner (gorge myself on the $9 all you can eat menu!) and then watch the Manly v St. George game before heading to bed.... my 6am flight tomorrow means that I have to be up at 4.30am to get to the airport in time.... ouch!

I guess to summarize - I had a really good time. The Calypso is a great place to stay if you're looking for 'backpacker style' accommodation, and the staff are really friendly & helpful. Cairns itself is really set-up for back-packers, lots of places to drink beer & party, etc.... but there really isn't that much else to do.... The Great Barrier Reef is of course the major (perhaps only reason) to make it to Cairns.... and that truly is amazing.

Going bananas, Mardi Gras, another late night & V Festival

As March comes to an end, I thought it appropriate to give another update on our life in Sydney. March was another exciting month as summer drew to a close & the sun finally paid us a visit - we're enjoying a real 'Indian Summer'. The month got off to a great start with the annual Mardi Gras Parade. Lucy & I met up with a few friends & tucked into a few beers whilst watching the many floats proceed past - we managed to secure a good viewing spot this year & bought a couple of plastic stools for Lucy to stand on! The black rats (Bundi & coke in a can) slipped down too easily, whilst a couple of middle-aged ladies from Queensland did their best to take me home with them - but fortunately resisted and ended up having a bit of a late one with more friends in the 'Macquarie Hotel' (surprisingly good place with it's own micro-brewery).

During the next week, I managed to secure the post of President of the Finance Society - the 1st time I've ever actually ran for any elected post, so a good win ratio for me then! I'm looking forward to the challenge of elected office for the next year - I just hope that I can do something that makes a difference & don't let the course-load prevent me from doing a good job.

Had a great night in Newtown. Watched Hughesy go bananas and that was excellent - he's one of the best Aussie comedians out there & he even makes me laugh by just standing there as his face is crazy! Particularly enjoyed the gags about blokes throwing kebabs at his house - except it wasn't his house! Followed that with a lovely African meal washed down with a massive plate of ice-cream in Slice 'n Ice. Most make an effort to get back to Newtown as it's a vibrant place to spend some time & the Enmore Theatre (where we caught Hughesy) is a great venue.

The following weekend we went to see Jack Johnson play a concert in Centennial Park and he put on a good show. For me, it brought back memories of our wedding day & the first dance. A couple of weeks later and we were back at Centennial Park for the V Festival - a beautiful day, really well organized & some great music. Highlights for me - apart from the free inflatable drinks tray - were Roisin Murphy (ex Moloko) & Queens of the Stone Age. Smashing Pumpkins weren't bad either & there was a bizarre performance by The Rakes (aussie version) - the lead singer is as mad as a hatter! But Duran Duran were absolutely terrible - and I don't mind a bit of cheese - Simon Le Bon sounded so flat I thought I'd have to scrape him off the floor.

Also during March, we had a fleeting visit from Liz & Andrew. Managed to pack in a lot of the Sydney highlights - Lady Macquarie's Chair, Botanical Gardens, Opera House, etc and had a lovely meal at a place called Ripples (overlooking the harbour). Unfortunately, the night took a turn for the worse when I decided I'd had enough of the Opera Bar and ended up with friends in the Cross - drinking teapots filled with spirits until the early hours. Home at 5.30am, up at 7.00am for breakfast - still drunk! The dip in the ocean at Freshwater did me the world of good though! The trip rounded off with a BBQ at Coogee & then a bit of time at Bondi the next morning - the weather really is glorious at the moment. Bit of a change from the UK where snow hit over Easter!

A short & sweet visit, Queen's in town & Lucy's Birthday

February was a bit of an action packed month that saw Lucy & I very busy. Highlights were Lucy's birthday - I cooked a breakfast and we had a lovely day together. The day after we attended a bird-watching breakfast at Centennial Park that Lucy enjoyed - it's amazing how much wildlife there is in and around where we live. Afterwards, we headed into CBD for the annual Chinese New Year Parade - slightly bizarre - and some great Yum Cha in Chinatown.

The following weekend, Lucy headed to 'Surf School' with Keith (I was supposed to go but had a badly sprained ankle - 5-a-side!) and seemed to have a great time. Even managing to stand up on the board a few times before the arrival of 'bluebottles' (the jellyfish & not the fly version!) brought a premature end to the day. Word of advice to anyone surfing for the 1st time - wear a wet-suit with long legs! We followed that with a night-out on The Rocks with a few friends.... steak at Philip's Foote, followed by a few too many beers at Lowenbrau - needless to say Captain Spank paid me a visit overnight!
Other highlights were the visit to Sydney of the two Queen's - Victoria & Elizabeth - and it wasn't even Mardi Gras! Of course, I'm referring to the cruise liners. Victoria was particularly impressive - it seemed as though an apartment block had floated into town!

Enjoyed a great comedy night at The Fringe in Paddington - all 3 of the acts were good (a big change from the last event we had attended in Manly's boat-shed) and the food wasn't too bad either. Certainly a good place to go for a Monday night, and it was packed. Poor guy sat at the front was an airline pilot & he got picked on mercilessly. Also went to University of Sydney to listen to a talk by Tim Harford - an economist - on 'The Logic of Life'. An interesting chat on how economics can be used to explain everyday things such as crime, smoking & even marriage. Unfortunately, the rain we had put paid to our attempts to visit the open air cinema - but then there's always next year! We did enjoy a cracking performance of 12th Night down at Coogee - together with Jackie & Dickie George and a picnic!

Highlight of the month though had to be the all too short visit from Keith - an old friend of Lucy's. He came out to Oz to work, but due to ethical reasons he decided it wasn't for him and so he headed back to the UK (about 10 kilos lighter!) after a brief vacation. Best bit of it for me was his first day - we did the Coogee to Bondi walk (a 3 hr roundtrip walk is a great idea when you've just got off a 24 hour flight!) and ended up in the Palace - a bar (that was supposed to be a shopping centre) overlooking Coogee Beach. After spending ages convincing Keith that we didn't get sharks that often & so it was safe to swim / surf we turned around to find helicopters, speedboats, etc zooming around looking for sharks & the loudspeaker warning everyone to get out of the water! Very amusing! And I'm still not sure how I managed to convince him to take my place on the surf trip! Come back soon mate!

Australia Day '08

26th January brought along our 2nd Australia Day – and another glorious day of sunshine. Having had a long & tiring week we decided against making it to the Aborigine ceremony that starts the day (will aim to make it one year!) and made it to the CBD for the passing of the ‘ship-parade’. Amazed by the crowds we wandered around the Rocks, stopping at times to sample the live music on offer and particularly enjoying ‘The Bottleman’ – a guy who plays a wide range of tunes on a selection of beer bottles (although the end of his session was drowned out by fighter jets flying overhead).

Most disappointing aspect of the day was the fact that the Museums charged $5 each - rather than the free entry of last year. A real shame as it is the only day of the year with free entry (unlike London which has free entry throughout the year) and I see it as a great way of encouraging people to experience some culture & history.

Making our way up Macquarie Street we passed a huge selection of vintage cars – although it seemed Lucy was most taken by the caravans – and popped into the Royal Mint (one of Sydney’s oldest buildings). Our original aim was to make it to the Triple J countdown in the domain, but the size of the queue put us off somewhat and so we wandered through the grounds of the hospital and ended up in the RBA building viewing an amusing 60’s video of it’s creation. Interesting to see the Sydney skyline of the 60’s, the half-built Opera House and a building that was seen then as a ‘grand & modern’ building but would now be considered a bit of a ‘concrete monstrosity’.

We ended up spending much of the afternoon taking in the live music provided by the ABC stage in Hyde Park. Sampled a couple of Bluetongue Ginger Beers, caught some sun & listened to a wide selection of music – jazz, samba & Australian Indie! – before heading over to Darling Harbour for the end of day fireworks celebrations.

If I was amazed at the number of people in Circular Quay earlier in the day, I was dumbfounded by the mass of people in Darling Harbour. We fought our way through to the bar in Tumbalong Park and had a drink with Arjun (from my MBA course) and his wife (Kiran) before heading back to watch the firework display – impressive but not on the same scale as NYE. We then had the misfortune of struggling through the throng of people in order to leave the harbour and make it for a drink somewhere. After close to 45 mins of struggle we eventually made it to the Shelburne Hotel for a drink or two.

Lucy & I then headed off to Hyde Park Barracks to enjoy a DJ session from Moodyman. Whilst the music was top notch – if a little more ‘retro’ than I expected – it was becoming a struggle to stay awake. A long day in the sun after a long week at Uni was taking its toll and the beers weren’t helping! Decided to leave around 1am and try our luck at the Spiegel Tent….where unfortunately we found it’s fame had spread and the length of the queue clinched our decision to head home. Whilst not quite living up to the standards of our 1st Australia Day in 2007 it was still an excellent day, one that really brings out the best in the Australian psyche – I only wish we could have a similar day of national pride & reflection in England.

Becoming a student again

Well, I’ve just completed my first couple of weeks back at Uni – as part of my MBA - and I have to admit that I’m pleasantly surprised with the way things have gone so far. Having had the obvious concerns about leaving the workplace and returning back to study I have been relieved with the pace of things at the AGSM.

Whilst I do still harbour some anxieties - my biggest fear, that of turning-up to find a class full of people with whom I had little / nothing in common has proved to be far from the case. Most importantly, the “make-up” of the group has impressed me with a strong contingent from Australia, UK, India & North America. However, I feel the male:female ratio (currently 6:1) could be improved somewhat.

There is plenty of hard-work to come but so far we have had a gentle introduction. The first week (“O-week”) brought a series of presentations on the course structure, an introduction to the campus & city and plenty of ‘networking’ opportunities – otherwise known as beer drinking! Unfortunately, the City Challenge (a treasure hunt around the CBD) was timed to coincide with the wettest day of the year so far – not the most pleasurable experience.

Week 2 – the start of our Foundations of Management - has brought a number of sessions on reflective practice and although I would admit to not been the most reflective or self-aware person on the planet I have thoroughly enjoyed the week and hope to put some of my learning into practice during the rest of my career. Most enjoyable was a session where the group came together to ‘make music’ – West African music at that. Awesome.

The next couple of weeks bring more focus on general management skills before we start the first of our core modules in Economics, Accounting, and Organisational Behaviour. Looking forward to it all.

Also pleased to report that I passed Level I of the CFA professional exams – encouraging since my study period was spent travelling around NZ & SE Asia and only 39% of people passed!

Festive Season '07 / '08

Having had a superb time in the run up to Xmas – sorting out a new place to live & spending some time travelling around Australia – we looked forward to the Festive Season with relish.

Christmas Day was spent with Mike & Roxy (who we met in Thailand) and their friend Kenny. First, we headed to Bronte to spend a ‘traditional’ Aussie Xmas at the beach – launching our celebrations with a glass of wine and some snacks. Plenty of people dressed as Santa, some crashed out on the beach and even a few adults partaking in the mini-railway! Thankfully, the police were keeping a low profile and not stopping people from enjoying a festive drink. For lunch, we headed to Kenny’s place in Bondi – wading past the people streaming from the Catholic church in their gaelic football shirts! A mighty feast with plenty of ‘pop’ to wash it down awaited us & we had a really good day. Interesting that as we walked home 99% of the people we met were Irish! I sometimes wonder how many people there would be in Ireland should everyone return home!

On Boxing Day we headed into the CBD to watch the start of the Sydney – Hobart yacht race. An impressive sight, but we had unfortunately taken the wrong option in heading to Lady Macquarie’s chair as the start was more towards the mouth of the harbour. We made it back to our apartment just in time to catch the main-field cruise past Coogee. Spent the afternoon driving to Canberra – on our way to Melbourne – and stopped over in a campsite on the outskirts of the City. Had a lovely Thai meal in a place we’ve visited a couple of times before & still amazed at how quiet the City is on an evening.

Drove the remaining 600km+ to Melbourne on the 27th and arrived at the hostel around 3pm – plenty of time to make an initial excursion into the CBD. First impressions of Melbourne were of a more ‘European’ feel than Sydney – prompted by the style of buildings and the trams circulating. I liked the place immediately. Caught the tail-end of the day’s play in the cricket on a big-screen in the funky designed Federation Square. And then watched a documentary – Wattstax- accompanied by some awesome music.

The 28th brought an early start – breakfast by the river, then a walk around the Botanical Gardens before a stroll over to the MCG. What an impressive stadium! Lacking the historical architecture of the member’s pavilions at the SCG, but a truly modern stadium with a 90,000+ capacity. A crowd of 35,000 managed to generate a decent amount of noise & I would love to go back there for the AFL Grand Final when it is full to the brink. Had a lovely day sat in the sun – but worried at some points about getting burnt – fortunately we were ok despite the 40 degree heat. Had lunch in the nearby area of Richmond & after the game met up with Simon (who we had met in Thailand) and had a few drinks and an amazingly hot bowl of Thai noodles!

Pleased to get a good-nights sleep after a day sat in the baking sun, we made another early start on the 29th on our main day of sight-seeing. First stop was the Victoria Markets and then after a look at the museum of immigration – I’m fascinated by the story of immigration and what causes a person to ‘up-sticks’ and move half-way around the world – we conducted a walking tour of the City. Most disappointing aspect of the day was Captain Cook’s Cottage – uprooted from his home (near my birth-place) and shipped brick by brick to Melbourne. It’s not even certain that he lived there & I didn’t appreciate having to pay $5 to look around a small cottage! With the heat getting back up towards the 40’s we had a walk along Brunswick St – checking out some of the many interesting stores & scoping out places for the evening before having a lovely glass of home-made lemonade. Had a cool down and shower before heading back out to the Brunswick St area – surprised by how few people were around & how many places closed for the Xmas break – we found a lovely little tapas place for dinner, complete with a full-range of Mountain Goat beer & live music. Followed that up with a few drinks on Brunswick St – impressed by the character of the bars & the drummer situated outside the bar! – before the tram-journey home.

Managed to drive the full 900km+ back to Sydney in one 10 hour stint. I was sorry to leave Melbourne behind, but I’m sure it’s a place I will spend more time in at some point.

NYE was the next real point of interest & we spent that at Taronga Zoo. The $100 tickets gave us access to fantastic views of the Harbour, some great live entertainment (Lucy & I were even up and jiving at a few points), a sample of animals to view and the opportunity to bring our own food & wine rather than paying the extortionate prices in the CBD’s bars. It was hard to take ourselves away from the Vanilla Ice show in Coogee, but we coped! The views from the zoo were superb, everything well organized (apart from animal access) and the fireworks themselves just amazing!

Our next major point of call was the SCG for the opening day of the Australia v India Test. An easy journey from our new home in Randwick and another glorious day in the sun. The only disappointment for me was not having the opportunity to see Tendulkar bat, however, I was greatly encouraged by the reception he did receive as I watched on TV. He really is ‘the little master’ and it will be a sad day when he leaves the game. A few drinks with Sanchia & friends on the way home (yet another person we met in Thailand!) and a great end to the Festive Season ’07!

Voyage of discovery - SE Asia

As I did with my travels around NZ, I kept a travel journal throughout my time in SE Asia. My original intention was to recount that virtually word for word – as I did with NZ – but I’ve come to the conclusion that may be a little long-winded. I’ve therefore decided to summarize our travels around SE Asia.

Singapore

Our travels started on October 12th when we flew from Sydney to Singapore. Immediately struck by how charming the people are - the immigration desk even offered us a boiled sweet! Arriving around 10pm we were still shocked by just how humid it was – felt like walking through a warm shower as we left the airport! We spent a couple of excellent days staying in Little India – as it was Diwhali the whole place was lit up by bright lights - really enjoyed the food (especially the vegetarian options). Had our first experience of a cold shower – but it was much needed refreshment if I’m honest! Not sure what to make of the ‘Merlion’ that is Singapore’s emblem – think the tourist board must have taken a LOT of drugs when thinking that one up!

Malaysia

A nine-hour train journey had us in Kuala Lumpur – of particular note was the Madonna tracks playing in the immigration area! – and another place we were pleasantly surprised by. Stayed in the non-descript area of Chow Kit, but the Hotel Cosmopolitan proved to be a great base – the rooms decent & the owner friendly and helpful. The mighty Petronas Towers dominate the city & we spent a lot of time staring up at them! Spend a lot of time walking around the city – enjoying the Bird Park, the War Memorial, Merdeka Square, etc & the spectacular views from atop the KL Tower – help us to put our walks into perspective. Amused by the Malaysian version of Steve Irwin who gives us a tour of the grounds (and makes a little girl cry).

With Lucy practically in tears due to the lack of toilet we board a bus for the 10-hour overnight journey to Kota Bharu – a sleepy town that is the sailing point for our trip to the Perintian Islands. Get to Kecil to find that the beach is closed! Walk through the jungle to find another beach is only just open – but the views are spectacular and the water is crystal clear. It’s also nice to find somewhere that is not developed – electricity only on for 4-5 hours on a night! Disappointed to find that our mosquito net has several holes in it, but relieved to find we only get a few bites. More amusing is the frogs bathing in the toilet water! End up running low on funds on an island without an ATM so have to decide against the snorkelling (which we hear is fantastic) and somehow make it back to the mainland on a vastly overcrowded boat. Little did we know it’s the last we’ll see of the sun for quite some time.

Thailand

Experience my physical border crossing – although almost miss having my passport been stamped until I notice a friendly Malaysian lady knocking on a window! Stroll across into Thailand and purchase a train ticket for our journey north. The ticket guy asks if we want a “seat ticket” which I take to mean the options are “bed” or “seat”. As we board the train it transpires that the choice is actually to sit or STAND for the 9-18 hr journey. We get to experience our first 3rd class train journey and whilst the seats are stiff (no padding), the conditions are cramped and there is no air-con (apart from the window) we enjoy the journey – the people are so friendly and the food is superb!

Eventually make it to Surat Thani around midnight & say goodbye to our travelling companions who have another 9 hours to go before they hit Bangkok. Check into the only hotel in town – the Queen Hotel – it’s extremely cheap and the room comes complete with several friends (a cockroach under the pillow, an ant crawling through my hair) and a fan that sounded like it was about to fly off and behead us. Woken by the smell (it was BAD) and so no hanging around for us as we continued our journey to Ko Samui. Arrived on the island to find the rain had started and it is fair to say that the roads were not fully prepared for the downpour. Checked into the excellent Matlang Resort and started to pray for sunshine! Turns out Ko Samui is a bit like Magaluf in Thailand – not something that I particularly enjoy – but we did have a great time, meeting several great people (including Mike, Roxy & Simon) – found some great places to eat & a couple of interesting bars. Watched England lose the RWC Final on a night that made me sick to be an Englishman – the crowd in the bar were just sickening. Had an alcohol fuelled night out on our final day – went well until we hit the tequila and went downhill rapidly after that.

A choppy 2hr boat ride (Lucy not feeling great!) had us in Ko Phangan where we stayed in the excellent Phangan Rainbow – complete with a range of lovely dogs! Loved the Amsterdam Bar (complete with ‘shroom cocktails), almost died in quicksand (scary!) and had our first experience of a “Friends” bar – literally played episode after episode of Friends. Best of all was the Full Moon Party – the reason we had hung around for so long – a cross between ‘spring break’ & the rave season from Matrix 2! Had a couple of buckets of Sangsom (Thai rum) & M150 (similar to red bull) that literally blew my mind – reckon the M150 must contain amphetamine…. Managed to fall asleep on the beach and miss the sunrise, but worst of all was the feeling ill for the next 3 days! Note to self: stay away from buckets of booze, especially those containing M150!

As luck would have it, the day we left the islands the sun came out – just our luck! – and everyone on the boat got sunburnt! Another overnight bus journey had us in the manic city that is Bangkok. A hustling, bustling city with perhaps the worst traffic of any city that I have visited. Decided on a night of luxury & checked into the Banyan Tree – our first hot shower of the trip! – and made good use of the rooftop pool & bar before enjoying a dinner at the bizarre ‘Bed Supper Club’. Loved the way that every conceivable place along the Ko San Road was turned into a bar – garage forecourts, pavements, VW campervans, even the back of a pushbike!

Leaving Bangkok was much more trouble than it was worth and a train-strike coupled with awful traffic & terrible directions meant that a 90min journey to Ayathuya took a total of 7 hours! Even when we made it to Thailand’s former capital we were dropped off at the wrong place, which wasn’t too helpful in a town of very few English speakers! Eventually found a place to stay – hosted by a lovely family but home to a dog that barked throughout the night & meant little / no sleep for the two of us. The city itself had lots of temples to explore, but with Angkor in mind we deliberately restricted ourselves to visiting only a few and then enjoying the sun a little.

A super luxury VIP bus – complete with toilet! – took us to the walled city of Chiang Mai. Again rain prevented us from doing a few things we wanted to do but we managed to find a cool bar – THC – with superb views of the city. Unfortunately, following our excellent day of cooking with the Happy Garden School, I was taken ill and was confined to bed for 3 days. It’s fair to say that I saw a lot more of our bathroom & a lot less of the city than I had hoped to. At one point I was hallucinating so vividly that I thought a sniper was trying to shoot me from across the street – and spent the night squirming in the bed to avoid the laser sight! Fortunately, I did get to see some of the impressive night market and sample plenty of the local cuisine. Would love to go back to the region to partake in the treks.

Laos

The friendly & efficient airport in Chiang Mai was our departure point as we boarded a small propeller plane for our flight to Luang Prabang. So many people had told us good things about Laos that we worried whether it could possibly live up to expectations. Let me tell you, the northern part of the country provides possibly the most dramatic scenery I have witnessed – certainly up there with New Zealand. Enjoyed watching the sun setting over the city before taking a trip around the night markets. Spent a lot of time just chilling and taking in the pleasant atmosphere – a relief after manic Bangkok & 3 days in a bed! Interesting that no beggars around – well apart from one guy who seemed to change his outfit 3 times a day, including one dodgy Hawaiian shirt! – due to the welfare state in what is still a communist country. Amusing to see the people carrying around baguettes (it’s a former French colony) and we became big fans of the local delicacy (small baguette with laughing cow cheese & salad!). Good to see that there is also now more than one ATM in the country!

One of the twistier road journeys I have experienced (rivals Skipper’s Canyon in NZ) took us through the mountains to Vang Vieng. Thought we had got off the bus in the wrong place as we were met by a deserted runway. Luckily, this was not the case & after a night of ‘Friends’ watching in a local bar we were up bright and early for a day of ‘tubing’. To the uninitiated, this involves travelling down the river in a rubber tube – basically the inner tube of a tractor tyre (I’m not sure who had the idea!?). We were told that without stopping the journey should take 90min – so it was with some surprise that we could still see the start 2hrs into the journey! The problem was that every 50 yards there was a bar pumping out music, offering bottles of Beer Lao (really good!) and a go on a rope-swing! How could we resist? Ended up completing the journey several beers to the worse and in complete darkness! An excellent experience and a must for anyone travelling through the region.

Not wanting to have another day of boozing it up on the river (we met a few people who went tubing every day for a fortnight!) we continued our journey south to Vientiane – the capital of Laos. A bit of a non-descript place if I’m honest but we enjoyed a stroll around the city and a couple of chilled out nights – sipping beers & watching pirated DVDs. Possibly the most interesting fact about the place was that the main monument – a Laos version of the Arc D’Triumphe – was built using cement the US had given for the building of a runway!

Cambodia

Following a very confusing spell at the airport in Vientiane – the international flight we were on left from the domestic terminal – a bumpy landing (the steward pretended to be worried) had us in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. Found the ‘Tat Guesthouse’ a very friendly place to stay & the family were helpful and accommodating. Had an emotional and thought-provoking time at the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek – replete with a tower of human bones & some bones still sticking out of the ground – followed by a view of Tuol Sleng prison (14,000 entered and only 12 lived). Just amazes me that human’s can do such things to each other. A really emotional day – and we just had to turn down the opportunity to blow-up a cow with a bazooka.

Phnom Penh houses several excellent examples of colonial architecture – some of which have been left to rot in the past few years – but the streets & river are in real need of a clean-up as they are litter strewn & people think nothing of urinating in the street (a bit like London on a Friday night!)….a real shame.

Decided against taking the boat to Battambang & instead headed straight for Siem Reap – home to the Temples of Angkor. Lots of bars & restaurants, all charging premium tourist prices. Our favourite was the ‘Dead Fish Tower’ – a multi-layered bar / restaurant serving great set-meals (Amok – a light curry was particularly good) and home to a crocodile farm!! No visit to Siem Reap would be complete without a viewing of the extensive temples & with help from our tuk-tuk driver – Sien – we had a fantastic 3 days of touring (although at times I felt ‘templed out’). Particular favourites were Ta Prohm (tree growing through the temple walls), Bayon (with it’s multi-faced towers), the gates of Angkor Thom (envisaged what it could have been like all those years ago with elephants walking through the crowds) and of course the wonderful Angkor Wat.

Thailand

Almost had a heart attack when asked to ride on the back of a moped with my backpack – the tuk-tuk drivers made the joke that it was a good way to get to Bangkok (500km away!). Fortunately, I made it on to the bus early so that I could secure a seat with some leg-room – I say ‘some’ because the rest of the seats were literally 30cm apart – ‘Ouch’! One of the bumpiest journeys I have ever experienced had us back in Bangkok around nightfall.

A couple of days of exploration of this thriving metropolis were more than enough – the sheer throng of humanity was too much at times. Didn’t get to see the pool on top of our accommodation – Rambuttri Village Inn – but we had a great room & spent plenty of time roaming the relaxed Rambuttri Soi with the occasional venture into the busy Ko Sahn Road.

Sad to say goodbye to SE Asia, but it’s good to be back in Australia.

I think it’s fair to say that Lucy & I had a superb time in SE Asia. Saw some wonderful sights, had some ‘interesting’ travel experiences and sampled some awesome food & beer. Most importantly, we met some fantastic people and it is that which made our journey complete. In particular, the native people we met were friendly and often willing to give all they had – even if they had nothing.

Favourite food: Kow Pat Krabang / Papaya Salad / Fish Amok

Favourite beer: Beer Lao (enjoyed the odd Chiang Haze)

Best Activity: Tubing

Most thought provoking place: Tuol Sleng Prison

Best thing about trip: The people / Spending time with Lucy!

NZ Odyssey Part 2 - South Island

Thursday 27th September

An unsociably early 6am start has us at the Bluebridge Ferry Terminal by 7am. It’s time to say goodbye to North Island & Wellington gives us a rainy farewell. Board the impressively large ferry for the 3hr / 90km crossing & find our way into the packed café for a cooked breakfast (served with canned spaghetti in place of beans!). Unfortunately, once we leave the safety of the harbour we hit the choppy water of the Cook Straits & Lucy turns a shade of pale before spending the rest of the journey feeling ill. I console myself with Lindsay Lohan & the new-ish Herbie movie. Fortunately, by the time I’ve been subjected to 15min of the absurdly bad ‘Bride & Prejudice’ the weather has improved & we’ve started to pass through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. The South Island is like a different world – the scenery more majestic, more dramatic & there is a sudden change in the weather (it’s now blue skies & bright sun). Arrive in Picton & it’s straight on to Nelson, hoping to complete the 150km journey in time for the tour of Mac’s brewery – unfortunately it’s closed! Whilst I wouldn’t quite call it bikini (or mankini) weather it’s very pleasant and we sit in the sun for a while enjoying a drink and a bowl of chips. Have a walk around the surrounding area, which contains a variety of fun-filled activities – mini golf, waterslide, bumper boats, sack slide & even a model railway. Spend the night at Old MacDonald’s Farm near to Abel Tasman National Park…drive past a variety of llamas & alpacas and are greeted by a lovely black cat with white socks.

Friday 28th September

Taken by tractor (the driver is a double of the guy on local billboards running for Mayor) to our pick-up point & then a boat speeds us into the Abel Tasman National Park – to Torrent Bay via Anchorage Bay. The sun is shining brightly as we set off on our 14km walk back & the clear day gives impressive views across Tasman Bay. A relatively gentle 4hrs later we are back at the entrance of the park – only a slippery walk to Cleopatra’s Pool & a steep (not official) climb from a beach form any sort of obstacle. The area is undoubtedly beautiful, but it does also remind me of the National Park near our home in Sydney & makes me think how lucky we are to live there! Fortunately, we avoid Sandfly Bay & my legs are saved from another mauling. Would like to come back sometime and kayak along the coast or perhaps do the whole 3-4 day coastal walk. We have lunch a short-distance away at Jester’s – a weirdly wonderful place complete with a small dell of plastic mushrooms, plastic tigers, an old boot to live in & friendly eels to feed! The food isn’t bad either – salted fish sandwich for me & a lovely tomato soup for Lucy. Hit the road again with the intention of making the west coast. Darkness descends quickly and I’m sure we are missing things as we head to Westport & then spend the night at Constant Bay. Since it’s dark we don’t appreciate the view, but we do appreciate the toilet & a chance to stay for free – hit the hay with the sound of the ocean in the distance.

Saturday 29th September

Take in some of the fantastic coastal views from Constant Bay before heading to Foulwind (named by Cook for the fierce winds rather than bad smell!!) to take a look at the seal colony. It’s amazing how high up the rocks some of the seals of climbed. Spend 10 mins deciding whether I’d rather be a seal or a penguin (I chose seal) then drive to Pancake Rocks for a view of the interesting formation. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong time of day for the blue hole to be functioning & we’ve also stumbled across the place with the most number of tourists so far. What a glorious journey it is along this stretch of road – ocean, road & then almost immediately the steep slopes that mark the start of the Southern Alps. By 2pm we’re in Greymouth for the tour of Monteith’s Brewery. By 2.40pm we’ve finished the tour & are pulling pints behind the staff bar – needless to say we are hammered in no time and so effectively stuck in Greymouth for the afternoon. Attempt to get a carvery – they aren’t serving, attempt to enter the Museum – it’s shut, the one-screen cinema is showing nothing of interest and the shops are shut…. That means we need to head to the pub to sober up! Tuck into sausages, salad & some grim veg patties at the Railway Hotel before heading back to the van & having sobered up (a bit) head south to Lake Mahinaupua.

Sunday 30th September

Fierce wind & rain whipping around as we wake – unsurprisingly we’re reluctant to get out of the van. End up clambering around inside the van to get ready – takes longer but it’s worth it! The rain really puts a dampener on things today & so we give Hokitika & Ross a miss and instead head for Franz Josef (the nearby glacier is named for the one-time Austrian Emperor). Decide to stay dry & head to the YHA for the night – time to do some washing, reading and preparation for our walk up the glacier. Watch the NRL Grand Final – and it’s almost as one-sided as the previous days AFL final – with the Melbourne Storm running out convincing winners against Manly (my team). Go to bed hoping for better weather.

Monday 1st October

It’s still raining and I’m starting to think that walking the glacier is not the greatest idea I’ve ever come up with! Stock up with sausage rolls & peanut slabs and after picking up some waterproof gear & crampons (called Talons these days) make for the face of the Franz Josef glacier. The view is stunning and it’s impressive that ice can create such valleys, whilst the lines that mark the glacier levels in 1750 & 1900 show just how far the ice moves. The rain of the past few days (it rains 250 days a year here) has produced some spectacular waterfalls but also created some torrents on the approach to the glacier. Walking on the ice is a little easier than I expected – the talons help! – but the water in my boots that fast becomes cold on the ice proves painful and I do start to wonder how I was going to get back down! At one stage my feet are so cold they feel as though they are burning – not a pleasant experience! After changing into dry socks & having a lovely hot shower we drive the 20km to Fox Glacier – not as impressive as Franz Josef – and then onwards along the West Coast. The break in the rain doesn’t last long and we are soon driving into dark clouds and a heavy downpour. Stop briefly to take a picture of the stunning view from Knight’s Lookout – rock formations in the ocean – before reaching our final destination for the day at Lake Paringa. Lucy is perturbed by the sign that read, “In heavy rain, lake can reach this point” and spends the whole night worrying about been washed away by the lake. A restless night!

Tuesday 2nd October

Not feeling the best after a poor night’s sleep – not helped by the constant pattering of rain, the rattling of the number plate in the wind or Lucy nudging me to ask about the Lake flooding. It’s still raining so don’t bother stopping on our way to Wanaka – however, the scenery is dramatic as we travel through the Haast Pass. Not much going on in the sleepy town of Wanaka and so we head to Queenstown via the insightful New Zealand Fighter Pilot Museum (they also have Airfix models). Arriving in Queenstown the view is spectacular despite the mist & rain clouds and we pass through town to spend the night in a lay-by along Glenorchy Road (surely one of the most beautiful roads in the world).

Wednesday 3rd October

It’s COLD!! Get dressed quickly and layer up – Lucy has SIX! – before heading for the Lake Sylvan Trail. Almost don’t make it as we end up in a ditch whilst doing a u-turn, but Lucy comes up with the winning idea of using mats for traction and we pull clear. Eventually get to the start of the track, cross a swinging bridge and find the trail is waterlogged – so a wasted journey! At least the sun is shining as we head back to Queenstown and as ever the beauty of the lakes amazes me as we drive along Glenorchy Rd. Feed a couple of birds with seeds from my hand as we eventually reach the start of a viable track at Queenstown Hill. Surprised by the steepness of the trail, but the hard work is worth it as we are awarded with more stunning views of the surrounding area. At one point we walk into a wooded area and the temperature drops so much so quickly that the cold grips the heart and makes me think of death – a bit of a relief when we hit the sunshine once more. Go up the extra steep 15min climb to the summit and are rewarded with fantastic views of Queenstown, Franklin, Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding areas. If anything the journey down is tougher on me as it jars my knee, but we make the most of the views and stop at the ‘Basket of Dreams’ before meeting a friend on the way down. This ‘friend’ is a lovely tabby cat who catches our attention from an age away – running towards us for a pet! Arrowtown and its Chinese settlement is our next stop. ‘Dorothy Browns’ cinema is an interesting, if expensive experience and we settle down to watch the amusing ‘Eagle vs. Shark’ – enjoying a cheese board during the interval – even the miserable staff do not put a dampener on the evening. Back to Queenstown for a fish supper – bought from Aggy’s fish shed by the lakefront – consisting of prawns, mussels, squid, cod, scallops & chips washed down with L+P. Park up for the night by the lake, but the strong winds almost lift the van from the floor and I struggle to sleep.

Thursday 4th October

Surprised to find that the van is still in one-piece when we wake. Less surprising is the fact that it is raining again! Change our DVDs, spend some time in a net-café and have brekkie washed down with a bowl of hot chocolate before hitting the road for Invercargill. Lots of rain on the journey although it did relent a touch by the time we arrived at the Southland Museum & Art Gallery – which houses Henry the Tuatara reptile, a display of quilts & some random Maori artefacts. Start on the ‘heritage walk’ but decide against it just in time to arrive back at Podracer when the shower starts. Find that somehow the battery is flat and the call to the AA (located just over the road) costs the princely sum of $80. In an effort to charge the battery a little we do the 50km round-trip to Bluff (NZ’s oldest European settlement) where we view the windswept landscape before spending the night in a Top 10 campsite – it’s nice to have a hot shower again!

Friday 5th October

Another hot shower to start the day – fantastic! Having abandoned plans to head across to Stewart Island we go through the centre of Invercargill and head along the Southern Scenic Route (which isn’t that scenic unless you’re into sheep!). Pass the time listening to Ross Noble goes global – very amusing – and the Chris Evans’ podcast. Find some glow-worms in a disused rail tunnel near Milton – the dark 400m tunnel we need to pass through to get them worries Lucy but it is an interesting sight (directions given by a kind old lady in the nearby information centre). We’re soon in the Scottish settled City of Dunedin (Celtic for Edinburgh) and after working our way through the one-way system, dodging a student street race and heading past several frat houses we make it to the campsite – complete with very annoying school hockey team. Go into town for a drink and find a bar within the Octagon (centre of town) that serves a wide selection of Monteith’s – lovely! Couple of pints & then back to camp for a showing of A Fish Called Wanda – still amusing after all this time.

Saturday 6th October

Hung-over for the first time in an age – don’t miss that feeling – but beans on toast with sausages acts as a quick cure & the hot shower finishes the job. It’s raining again so we decide on a drive along the Otago Peninsular to Taioroa Head – perhaps one of the most scenic drives brings us to a wildlife reserve teeming with birds & fur seals. Enjoy an afternoon in the peaceful botanical gardens, and are pleasantly surprised by the layout & the impressive aviary. Catch Jamie Foxx & Jennifer Garner in The Kingdom – an action movie that I thought presented a couple of interesting issues. Amazing that there are over 5000 Princes in Saudi Arabia, all living in palatial residences. All those petro-dollars are sucked up by the few rich, leaving many poor & disenfranchised. What happens when the oil runs out? Whilst I’m intrigued by the Middle East and it’s history it certainly is not a place I want to live in anytime soon. Spend the night in a freebie campsite aka rest area 40km north of Dunedin. Have to mention the ‘Undy 500’ – an annual event that sees students from the University of Canterbury (Christchurch) buy a car for under $500, kit it out & then drive down to Otago University (Dunedin) for a week of drink & debauchery…..superb!

Sunday 7th October

A good night’s sleep is ended by the call of nature & the departure of a Maui campervan. Takes an age to get Lucy out of bed, but we’re on the road by 8.30am, listening to commentary of the NZ v France RWC 1/4 Final. Delighted to find England beat Australia in the earlier game & as the sun is shining we pull into a rest area close to the ocean & Shag Point to have breakfast and listen to the end of the commentary. The nation seems to be plunged into despair as the French come back to win 20-18 (helped by some ‘interesting’ referee decisions). Next weekend it’s England v France in the semis – totally unexpected! We head to Oamaru via the fascinating Maraki boulders (just how do they occur?) and arrive in time for the tour of the Opera House. Oamaru is described as one of NZ’s more alluring and undersold provincial cities and I have to agree – it’s a charming little place with some interesting building, an air of Victorian grandeur and some of the ship-owners play up to the Victoriana image. Most bizarre image of the trip was stepping outside of a toilet to find two men in Victorian rig-out peddling down the street on Penny Farthings! Had lunch in the Criterion Hotel – also decked out in Victoriana – and sink a couple of beers. The hoggart (a 1yr old sheep, so not lamb & not mutton) was simply delicious. Buy some supplies for dinner from the local award-winning Whitestone Cheese Company – before walking along the sea front for 10 yards prior to been blown along a side street! Jumping back into Podracer we head to Bushy Beach to spot some Yellow Eyed Penguins – rare and on a windy day I think we are lucky to see the 3 we did! – and then to the Blue Penguin Colony (plenty of those to see!!!). Entrance up $5 in a year so that’s inflation for you – but still worthwhile to see the little fellas make their way up the beach – even get to see a very amusing penguin fight!

Monday 8th October

After spending our last night in Podracer we sleep-in and it’s 9.30am before we are on the road to Christchurch. Abandon plans to check out the Banks Peninsular (Cook only made 2 errors in charting NZ – one was naming Banks Peninsular an island, the other making Stewart Island a peninsular) as it’s raining again. Arrive in Christchurch too early to check into hostel and so park up & dodge the rain by having a very pleasant lunch in Cathedral Junction – great looking sausage rolls but I plump for a delicious chicken ‘flute’ washed down with hot chocolate. Check into Base backpackers – in a lovely old building by the cathedral – and get an interesting attic room with views of the city. Empty our belongings out of Podracer and then it’s time to say goodbye! Almost sad to say goodbye to our home of the past month and it’s going to be strange not having the option to pull over and sleep where we stand. Almost makes me wish for a housebus…. Almost! Have dinner at Dux de Lux – housed within the former University grounds – and enjoy a sample tray of the own-brewed beers. Amazing how quiet the place is compared to when we were here in January, but then again that was a weekend and not a Monday night! Nice to be back in a warm bed, but do have a few thoughts about our time in Podracer as I drift to sleep.

Tuesday 9th October

Awake at 3am – Lucy is nervous that we’ll miss our 4am alarm call. Struggle to get any more zzzz’s and drag myself into shower. Not sure why I booked such an early flight back to Sydney! Into the shuttle at 4.30am & checked through by very friendly staff. It’s going to be a shame to say goodbye to NZ – especially as it’s stopped raining – but I’m sure we’ll be back at some point and we do have the next leg of our journey to look forward to!