Since my last report from Chang Mai my new travel companion and I have moved north through Thailand up to Chang Rai and then over into Chang Khong. Both places had a less than touristy feel and people seemed to have our best interests at hand. It was a great way to end the last part of my journey in Thailand. Even with the inversion and all the smoke from the slash and burn style of crop production here in Laos we enjoyed the extent of our views and bus rides through the country side.
Bright and early and with weary confusion we made our way across the Mekong river from Chang Khong, Thailand into Laos. After boarding the 40 odd foot long boat complete with wooden benches with a sit up straight attitude and leg room for a tiny elf we began to notice that the boat was not only approaching capacity, but also exceeding it at a rapid pace. All of a sudden a boat of similar characteristics next to us began shuffling miscellaneous objects around and people literally started jumping ship to get some space on the new boat. Believe it or not i was one of them! With plastic chairs and leg room we rejoiced in our decision. Now six hours on a boat is a long time in general, but on the Mekong it is a really long time. This would be our fate for the next two days. Our stop over, half way to Luang Pragbong, was a bit hectic with the baggage situation, but we got a good night sleep for another repeat day. The water is quite low at the moment and people living in remote villages could be seen gathering green mossy stuff off the rocks in the river, clams, and fishes. Mountains rose and fell along the way and granite faces dotted sandy shores. Navigating rocks and even a few rapids our 7 hour day landed us in Luang Prabong with a sore ass and a few new friends.
Just a short stroll through the town after dropping our packs and we could tell that the vibe was not quite like we expected. I am talking upscale accommodation, food, and designer clothing stores. Monks a plenty walked purposefully everywhere and actually dominated an Internet shop across from a temple near our Guesthouse. Streets remain uncrowded almost all day with the mad rush coming from kids on bikes once school was out. In true form our crew from the boat met at a pub to celebrate Saint Patric's day. Our boat actually filled the entire bar and once it closed around 12 the 5 or so Irish in the group were not done partying. So we all joined forces and made our way by tuk tuk to the nearest bowling alley... You read this entry right...Bowling Alley! Settled out of town a ways and in the middle of a dirt field we arrived at a fully modernized alley complete with a giant rubber chicken that flashed on the overhead TV, informing you that indeed you did miss all of the pins. I mean this never really happened to me :), but um i know people it did happen to. Needless to say we were all shocked and could not stop laughing about the strange anomaly. Everyone had a blast and St. Patty would be proud. Up early to the sound of monks beating drums, symbols, and chanting in the Wat behind our guesthouse our solid crew of 7 got underway to a local waterfall. Unannounced to us the ride took 40 mins or so and in the back of a tuk tuk on alternating road conditions proved quite long. We reaped the benefits when we discovered not only bear rehabilitation center, but a Bahgera! Who was at about arms length behind a chain link fence. Close encounter indeed! Only in South East Asia. The jungle was lush and we arrived at a pristine pool of aqua blue water being fed by a nice 10 foot by 15 foot waterfall. Serenity, i think so. With only a handful of people around i could hardly get my big toe into the water fast enough. Fresh cold pure water welcomed my body with a friendly zing and some long awaited goose bumps. As i lay floating on my back staring up into the canopy of the trees i felt at peace. Finally i was back in my element...water! We hiked up the trail all the way to the source, stooping at each level of course. Without inversion the view would have been amazing instead it was great. Now refreshed and revitalized we moved back to town luckily for us we got a flat in our 2 outta four of our tires on the way back to town and had to sit around for about an hour for a spare. Between the 2 tuk tuk's only one had a spare while the other carried a spare flat. Not so use full when it comes to needing a new tire :) Back on the road felt like we were gonna loose a gearbox on a decently graded hill, but somehow we made it home.
With a special street market going on we decided to meet and eat on the street and head again to our favorite place in town. The bowling alley. Its so nice to enjoy some of the comforts of home along the way and there really has been no better way since arriving here in SEA. Another night of erect pins and excess fun we prepared ourselves for an overnight trip in a mini bus. Destination: Vang Vien
Up through mountains down through valleys we passed many hill tribes and Lao people shuffling and bustling doing various daily tasks. Scenery filled all the windows of the bus and you could feel the contentment in the air. Arriving at night we check our riverside elevated bamboo bungalows for spiders and snakes and moved in. All 8 of us had bungalows within throwing of each other. The town was hustling and bustling with locals and our day of stay extended into about 5. At 3 dollars each a night it was quite an attractive location. One night awoken by screams the girls next door wanted me to come wrangle a mouse for them. Unfortunately for them i left my Wrangler shirt was dirty and i politely shouted them the sad news. We spent two days floating the river, which during low season can be cause for quite a sore butt. Bars dot the banks and real people in with zip lines and giant rope swings the likes of which i had never been witness. Oh yes I got on those baby's and it was quite a thrill let me tell you! Nights were quiet due to our semi removed location to the town center, but fun none the less. Oh by the way the pace here is slow way slow. Like really really slow.
Skipping through Vientiane our now 7 person crew has arrived in Pakse after a 16 hour adventure. Headed south in a couple and will keep y'all posted!
Happy, Healthy, and Hot i send my love to you all and hope all is well on the home front.
I would like to thank everyone for all they have done for my good friend JM and ask you to please continue to keep my good friend JM in your thoughts and prayers so her recovery can be quick and full!
Christopher
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Some pictures of the adventure
Me and D at the Grand Palace... Amazing
Ko Lanta Haven
Unkown
trying to look as tuff as the statue. did it work?
taking a break. check out the details on these dudes!
If you want to check out all the pics just set up an account at flickr.com and add me as your friend. My username is surffari2323
much love and peace
Ko Lanta Haven
Unkown
trying to look as tuff as the statue. did it work?
taking a break. check out the details on these dudes!
If you want to check out all the pics just set up an account at flickr.com and add me as your friend. My username is surffari2323
much love and peace
cont...a true story (read other entry first)
The morning after is just as great as the night before. After searching for a new locale to rest our heads for the coming night we decided to have it out with the woman behind the all too intimidating counter. At 600 baht a night it was not cheap for a bamboo shack! We decided to go for 300 at the most. After our explanation that mice inhabited the room the wall and our bed she was willing to knock off 100 baht for us. What a sweet lady! Our conversation dragged on for about 5 mins and i finally had to take the reigns. I looked at the woman square in the eyes and said, "I am not exactly sure if you understand what i am saying, THERE ARE MICE LIVING IN OUR MATTRESS, we will give you either nothing or 300 baht." She shot me and Danny a devious look and croaked, "300 baht good for you, okay." After giving her a good amount of money for a shack that should be condemned she mutters, "good luck...." Needless to say the remainder of our time on the island was spent watching out for her and her thugs and making light of the crazy happenings.
We trekked around most of the island and found some incredible stalactite type rock formations dripping from the overhanging of these giant mountains. Some had caves that went about 50 feet back into them and displayed nearly no support of the millions of pounds of brown matter above. Nature seems to laugh at the laws that have been created by man and makes about in her own fabulous way, seemingly defying all acts to classify her grand beauty. Standing under these huge overhanging structures of rock dwarf you as a human.
A secret trail up and through a mountainous area can be located by the crafty traveller. This secret spot holds the reward of lagoon which few who have visited ever see. You make a little scramble up the face of a semi steep mountain and end up at the top in the midst of trees and bushes. Following a small pathway cut through the brush we eventually ended up in a little canyon surrounded on all sides by cliffs. Jurassic park comes to mind and the sense of anothers staring gaze is unavoidable. Huge trees shoot up from the fertile floor and ancient vines spill out over all the rock faces. Dead silence looms in the air and a misty earthen fragrance is palatable. Fallen trees bring nutrients and shelter to small ferns and who knows what species of prehistoric animal. Everything is lush ancient and unspoiled. The light is slipping and we stand at the top of about4 20ft shear drops before we can reach the lagoon. You can just see it through a crack between 2 of the mountains. Too dangerous and not enough light. We would never see this place, but i will never forget it!
Our cove consisted of 2 beaches. The poor backpacker beach and the wealthy family beach. It was a bit cleaner and boasted a pool for their guests. A large rocky point separated the two and the other side could only be reached on low tide across slippery rocks. I must say the it was quite nice to lounge in the pool and pretend. Plus the lounge chairs were a bonus! Somehow we pulled our stunt off and never got caught. Sunsets are a major event on islands in the south. Ton Sai was no exception. As the enormous sun sunk into its watery grave D and I joined in a soccer game with the locals. I found out that it had been way too long since strenuous exercise. I have found that soccer (football) is the universal sport and i made a cool connection with all the locals playing their game in their environment!
It was time to head to a new destination in search of new adventures. What we found was neither! Phi Phi island was hit very hard by the tsunami just several years ago. If no pictures of the island displayed the state of the island after the water hit you would never know anything had happened. Overly developed falls short of this tourist hot spot. So many stores and places to stay i could hardly wrap my head around the situation. Hustle bustle and no time for peace and relaxation. Apparently this is the hip place for younger kids from Scandinavia to visit and visit they did. With way too much happening on the island we got off it on a cruise around to the different islands. Our vein attempt to escape was thwarted by huge speed boats and fast snapping tourists. I mean crap the lagoon from the film "The Beach," is not a lagoon at all. In fact it is a cove with the most tourist covered beach i have seen since arriving in Thailand. Got some okay snorkeling on the trip and met a few people, but our destinations were far too worn by people. Sad, but true Thailand needs to adopt some kind of development plan and start protecting not just the national parks, but also the islands set up for tourism. Eco is not on the mind of most proprietors $$$ is all that matters. We had a definite lull here and we discussed on several occasions downtrodden feelings about the tourism and destruction of these spots.
D went off to Phuket to sort out his visa and i headed south to a little place called Ko Lanta. Hooked up with some friends and landed a great spot on the beach for cheap. Now this was my kind of place. After spending such a long time with adults and kids my age we ran into a rather large pocket of children staying at our place. The pool sat right at the edge of the beach and like tadpoles the various kids swam all day with ever enduring life-force. Maybe a situation that would have annoyed at another time was quite a comforting situation for me. I bathed in the rays of the sun most days and enjoyed the clear water of the ocean. The pool was cool to and i turned a little German dude on to surfing and surfing lingo. I could see a lot of myself in him that i believe i was like as a tyke. There he was all of 7 or 8 trying to surf his little raft and speaking to me with incredible english!!! We are far behind in the scheme of teaching our children a new language and i have come to believe it is imperative in a child's development. It is a life treasure that can enhance a child's life from the very start. I spent some great alone time at the secluded end of the beach and got reconnected with the chill pace of life. A local bar keep befriended us and even entertained our tongues with Cobra and Monkey Brain alcohol. What an experience! Raw to the core and totally unexpected, all six of us could hardly believe it. I met a cool father of about 60 chillin at the bar and he offered this little life tidbit: "Life is like a pendulum. At one end you are a child and you seek fun and freedom with great passion and joy. As the pendulum of life continues you move toward uncertainty and try to balance your life and decide what you want to do. Eventually you reach the end of the swing and life is focused on money and family. You go to work and make every sacrifice you can to make the family happy. The pendulum begins to return to its starting point and once again confusion sets in on what to do now that the kids are gone and work is almost done. Finally you return to a state of happiness and do whatever you want for fun." He explained that he was at that point in his life and he seemed very sure and happy with his situation. Quite a neat experience.
Once again sunsets held center stage and people gathered on the beach to witness the completion of each day. Then came the long relaxed conversations and nights watching the moon fill the sky sparkle on the water and also eventually disappear behind a curtain of water. Ko Lanta has been my favorite part of Thailand so far and its relax vibe and kind friendly people will forever hold a place in my heart. I truly felt as though i made a connection with the locals here and can come back and have friends down the line.
After an overland trip across several ferries and a long drawn out bus ride i was back in Bangkok. I met Danny for his last night and he took off back for England. Since then i have continued to discover the multi faceted place that is Bangkok. Picked up my visa for India and hooked up visa for Laos. I am really pumped up and ready to see some more sights. Met up with Chris and a few of his buddies and hung out for a week or so. Not too much to report there.
Chris's dad suggested the night train to Chang Mai and so i hopped on the puppy and here i sit. Chang Mai is about 7 degrees cooler and much more chill paced and less congested with people. After one night here i feel great and cant tell for sure when i am headed up north and then into Laos. I met a dude named Seth from Denver and he's just at the end of 9 months of travelling so i am picking his brain and we are splitting the cost of a cheap, but okay guesthouse. He have hit several temples here so far and i have seen the largest golden Buddha to date. We even stumbled upon an ancient maybe 1500 year old temple housing large Buddha's facing all four directions at the very top. The front half of Elephants line the mid part of the temple and symbolically hold up this amazing sight. It was rocked by an earthquake a long time ago and is still under restoration. There is a large pulley system maybe 60ft plus all the way to the tip of this shrine and you can bless the temple with a pail full of water, which i did. We chatted with monks and helped them with their English for a while and once again i feel immersed in the Thai culture and way of life. My travels north should prove joyous and primitive....
Much love and thoughts to everyone taking time out to read this puppy. I am extremely sorry it has taken me so long to update. None the less here it is hope you enjoyed!!!
If everyone could please say a prayer for my very special friend JM that would help her recovery. She was just in a serious car accident and could use all the extra energy and thoughts you have to offer!!!
Thank you all so much for continued support and love, miss you all!
christopher
We trekked around most of the island and found some incredible stalactite type rock formations dripping from the overhanging of these giant mountains. Some had caves that went about 50 feet back into them and displayed nearly no support of the millions of pounds of brown matter above. Nature seems to laugh at the laws that have been created by man and makes about in her own fabulous way, seemingly defying all acts to classify her grand beauty. Standing under these huge overhanging structures of rock dwarf you as a human.
A secret trail up and through a mountainous area can be located by the crafty traveller. This secret spot holds the reward of lagoon which few who have visited ever see. You make a little scramble up the face of a semi steep mountain and end up at the top in the midst of trees and bushes. Following a small pathway cut through the brush we eventually ended up in a little canyon surrounded on all sides by cliffs. Jurassic park comes to mind and the sense of anothers staring gaze is unavoidable. Huge trees shoot up from the fertile floor and ancient vines spill out over all the rock faces. Dead silence looms in the air and a misty earthen fragrance is palatable. Fallen trees bring nutrients and shelter to small ferns and who knows what species of prehistoric animal. Everything is lush ancient and unspoiled. The light is slipping and we stand at the top of about4 20ft shear drops before we can reach the lagoon. You can just see it through a crack between 2 of the mountains. Too dangerous and not enough light. We would never see this place, but i will never forget it!
Our cove consisted of 2 beaches. The poor backpacker beach and the wealthy family beach. It was a bit cleaner and boasted a pool for their guests. A large rocky point separated the two and the other side could only be reached on low tide across slippery rocks. I must say the it was quite nice to lounge in the pool and pretend. Plus the lounge chairs were a bonus! Somehow we pulled our stunt off and never got caught. Sunsets are a major event on islands in the south. Ton Sai was no exception. As the enormous sun sunk into its watery grave D and I joined in a soccer game with the locals. I found out that it had been way too long since strenuous exercise. I have found that soccer (football) is the universal sport and i made a cool connection with all the locals playing their game in their environment!
It was time to head to a new destination in search of new adventures. What we found was neither! Phi Phi island was hit very hard by the tsunami just several years ago. If no pictures of the island displayed the state of the island after the water hit you would never know anything had happened. Overly developed falls short of this tourist hot spot. So many stores and places to stay i could hardly wrap my head around the situation. Hustle bustle and no time for peace and relaxation. Apparently this is the hip place for younger kids from Scandinavia to visit and visit they did. With way too much happening on the island we got off it on a cruise around to the different islands. Our vein attempt to escape was thwarted by huge speed boats and fast snapping tourists. I mean crap the lagoon from the film "The Beach," is not a lagoon at all. In fact it is a cove with the most tourist covered beach i have seen since arriving in Thailand. Got some okay snorkeling on the trip and met a few people, but our destinations were far too worn by people. Sad, but true Thailand needs to adopt some kind of development plan and start protecting not just the national parks, but also the islands set up for tourism. Eco is not on the mind of most proprietors $$$ is all that matters. We had a definite lull here and we discussed on several occasions downtrodden feelings about the tourism and destruction of these spots.
D went off to Phuket to sort out his visa and i headed south to a little place called Ko Lanta. Hooked up with some friends and landed a great spot on the beach for cheap. Now this was my kind of place. After spending such a long time with adults and kids my age we ran into a rather large pocket of children staying at our place. The pool sat right at the edge of the beach and like tadpoles the various kids swam all day with ever enduring life-force. Maybe a situation that would have annoyed at another time was quite a comforting situation for me. I bathed in the rays of the sun most days and enjoyed the clear water of the ocean. The pool was cool to and i turned a little German dude on to surfing and surfing lingo. I could see a lot of myself in him that i believe i was like as a tyke. There he was all of 7 or 8 trying to surf his little raft and speaking to me with incredible english!!! We are far behind in the scheme of teaching our children a new language and i have come to believe it is imperative in a child's development. It is a life treasure that can enhance a child's life from the very start. I spent some great alone time at the secluded end of the beach and got reconnected with the chill pace of life. A local bar keep befriended us and even entertained our tongues with Cobra and Monkey Brain alcohol. What an experience! Raw to the core and totally unexpected, all six of us could hardly believe it. I met a cool father of about 60 chillin at the bar and he offered this little life tidbit: "Life is like a pendulum. At one end you are a child and you seek fun and freedom with great passion and joy. As the pendulum of life continues you move toward uncertainty and try to balance your life and decide what you want to do. Eventually you reach the end of the swing and life is focused on money and family. You go to work and make every sacrifice you can to make the family happy. The pendulum begins to return to its starting point and once again confusion sets in on what to do now that the kids are gone and work is almost done. Finally you return to a state of happiness and do whatever you want for fun." He explained that he was at that point in his life and he seemed very sure and happy with his situation. Quite a neat experience.
Once again sunsets held center stage and people gathered on the beach to witness the completion of each day. Then came the long relaxed conversations and nights watching the moon fill the sky sparkle on the water and also eventually disappear behind a curtain of water. Ko Lanta has been my favorite part of Thailand so far and its relax vibe and kind friendly people will forever hold a place in my heart. I truly felt as though i made a connection with the locals here and can come back and have friends down the line.
After an overland trip across several ferries and a long drawn out bus ride i was back in Bangkok. I met Danny for his last night and he took off back for England. Since then i have continued to discover the multi faceted place that is Bangkok. Picked up my visa for India and hooked up visa for Laos. I am really pumped up and ready to see some more sights. Met up with Chris and a few of his buddies and hung out for a week or so. Not too much to report there.
Chris's dad suggested the night train to Chang Mai and so i hopped on the puppy and here i sit. Chang Mai is about 7 degrees cooler and much more chill paced and less congested with people. After one night here i feel great and cant tell for sure when i am headed up north and then into Laos. I met a dude named Seth from Denver and he's just at the end of 9 months of travelling so i am picking his brain and we are splitting the cost of a cheap, but okay guesthouse. He have hit several temples here so far and i have seen the largest golden Buddha to date. We even stumbled upon an ancient maybe 1500 year old temple housing large Buddha's facing all four directions at the very top. The front half of Elephants line the mid part of the temple and symbolically hold up this amazing sight. It was rocked by an earthquake a long time ago and is still under restoration. There is a large pulley system maybe 60ft plus all the way to the tip of this shrine and you can bless the temple with a pail full of water, which i did. We chatted with monks and helped them with their English for a while and once again i feel immersed in the Thai culture and way of life. My travels north should prove joyous and primitive....
Much love and thoughts to everyone taking time out to read this puppy. I am extremely sorry it has taken me so long to update. None the less here it is hope you enjoyed!!!
If everyone could please say a prayer for my very special friend JM that would help her recovery. She was just in a serious car accident and could use all the extra energy and thoughts you have to offer!!!
Thank you all so much for continued support and love, miss you all!
christopher
Friday, March 09, 2007
a true story
A rather cool airline trip across many miles of Australian airspace i landed in a new place. Thailand to be correct. From the moment i hit the tarmac i was itching with pleasure. The lack of diversity in OZ had come too much and i was ready for a cultural experience. I stepped off the plane into this unknown 3rd world country and was not greeted be cows or a ramshackle terminal. Quite the contrary! Back to the future describes this ultramodern mega structure that took many years and millions upon millions to build. Sterile A/C and all glass wall were the last i expected to greet me.
I picked up a dude on the plane who had been travelling for way too long! With a school backpack dreads and fire juggling sticks he needed a shower. None the less he would share a cab to Kao San on the other side of town. Many miles over brandy new highway no traffic and the city lights off in the distance i thought to myself, "this is not what i figured i was in store for," oh was i wrong. Arriving smack dab in the middle of tourist central in the middle of the night with a giant bag no place to stay and noticing NO VACANCY signs everywhere my new travel friend and i were less than enthusiastic. After a small panic attack i finally met up with Chris Souza my bro nicks friend and we hung out for a bit. It was late so he threw me in a cab to his buddies place which consisted of a wild confusing (for me at least) ride to a beautiful home in the middle of the city, but at the same time far removed with a large gate, A/C and Internet. Oh internet the most beloved connection back to the states it was quite a sight. Like being stuck in the middle of a dessert then coming upon a fridge filled with Evian and chocolate ice cream. I stayed with him and chris for about a week and they slowly introduced me to Bangkok as they had come to know it.
Bangkok is kina like a mish mash wish wash dish dash if that makes sense. Tuk tuk's and taxis drive around town with recless abandon with white knuckle passengers. Scooters wizz in an out of the previous with even less fear of injury. All while enjoying the sweet smell of pollution literally ozzing from the tailpipes of everything with wheels. At any one moment a million smeels linger in the air to be absorbed into the olfactory. BBQ chicken floats to the right nostril and an American cookout comes to mind while simultaneously the most putrid stagnant poopy grudge smell enters into the left. It is truly the city of extremes. You can buy anything under the sun here. Geez the other day i almost bought a SWAT team jacket, but that seemed a bit over the top. Little stalls exist wherever you turn and someone always seems to have something to sell you! Constant traffic noises fill the eardrums and coughing is not uncommon so to step into a completely sterile freezing cold place is amazing. This is no more relevant than at the various malls in downtown area. HOLY COW. I have honestly been through the nicest most upscale shopping areas ever and a Ferrari dealership on the 4th floor about sums it up. Public transport is amazing and most of the time very cheap!
Danny was coming to meet and travel with me so it was back to Kao San to prep for the departure. Little did i know i would run into a couple friends who have kept coming into my life since OZ. There they were walking 10 feet in front of me!!!weird. After finally meeting Dan we all hung out for a few days and saw the Grand Palace. This is a must see in Bangkok to be sure. The immense buildings are so caulk full of detail i dont know where to begin. Gold adorned almost every square inch of one's exterior while tiny little murals decorated about 20 yards of wall! Rooftops poked into the sky with mythical symbols and dragonlike forms. Gold leaf shown brightly in the mid days sun and we were all awe struck by the whole thing. It was the essence of what many can do when one goal is pursued. The highlight of course was the Emerald Buddha. Once covered in plaster it was not until the golden Emerald under the plaster was discovered that it was stolen...i think by burmese....not sure...but it did and up back in Thailand and is displayed on a 20 foot pedestal in all its glory. Sporting an outfit that is changed with each new season by the king it holds an important place in many thai's identity. I could not believe the size of the interior of his house and all the golden offerings and huge statues that surrounded this small maybe 3 by 3ft relic. Being a huge tourist attraction it was so cool to enter into this room with so much diversity and have everyone showing their utmost respect! A pin drop could be heard and an eerie peace and serenity permeated every sole in the place! Heavy.
Leaving Bangkok brought with it a huge sigh of relief. It was island time baby. After a plane, bus, ferry ride Danny and i landed in Ko Phangan (the home of the full moon party). Once on the main drag of the island i turned to Danny with an eyebrow raised. It seemed that teleportation had landed us smack dab in the middle of Scandanavia! Wild Wild kids everywhere drunk and crazy. Bars lined the beaches and blasted out techno music until the wee hours of the morning and i could tell that we had hit tourist paradise...or so i thought... After 2 days i was ready too leave. Chill and mellow are not good descriptives of the atmosphere. The water was not the cleanest and the full moon party is the only real thing that kept us there. Ran into some more old friends one of whom was John the man more affectionately known as Peaches! We got little scooters and did some adventures into the mountains and around the country. Checking out the rural life and trying to reach a magical beach on the other side of the island. Our luck ran out when the road ended...Everyday life was spent sleeping in and enjoying the very elusive A/C. Oh ya toilets dont generally fluch unless u make it happen. Most bathrooms come complete with a large bucket of water and a tiny bowl to fight your evil leavings behind. After a big job.............. Well enough about that. One solitary hostel sits on the remote point of the island and proved to be a cool place to chill and get away from everything. Finally Full moon time. Hype does not begin to describe the build up to the this party. Everyone is talking about it and almost no one knows quite what to expect. Me and the boys decide to get a late start on it seeing as though it goes on until about 11 the next morn...this would prove a good decision. Set in a cove there it was a throng of people covering the entire beach like a huge undulating blanket. We soaked up the wild scene from a bar on a cliff at one end of the cove. About 20 different bars were set up and vendors on the beach were selling buckets. Buckets = a small bottle of rum or whiskey, soda, and red bull. We steered clear due to all the crazy reports of hangovers reported by sweeds. Each bar blasted different genre's of music and we danced our way up and down the beach several times. Barely missed sunrise with my pass out time of 5. A valiant effort though if i may say so myself.
We escaped the touristy tourists by heading to Ko Samui. Or so we thought. At Lamai beach we set up camp and did absolutely nothing for a week solid. Bananna/ Coconut shakes got us through the days and books + ipod movies got us through the nights. To be honest we did get out one day and saw the sights from our scooters. A few waterfalls were okay, but nothing like NZ. We met a french woman who makes Rum. Although i did not have any....i was driving hello! It was the best smelling alco i have ever smelled. Every island/ large town has temples and we saw some cool ones on this particular island. Zooming around wind in the face we came across a temple and proceeded through the gates. Customs required covered shoulders, toes and knees when entering these holy places and we had all three so we were in. We sat quietly with a giant Buddha, got a sneak peak into the secret hall of Buddhas (a very errie bone chilling silent powerfilled room of concrete statues). Including a laying buddha stretching over 20f t and about 5 feet tall on its side. Although the highlight was the embalmed Buddha. A very famous monk died about 10 or so years ago and it was his wish to be embalmed while in the customary lotus position. A powerful site with hair still intact, teeth shining from behind shrunken lips, and arms like a dried prune. Very real and very emotionally charged!!! To end the day on a happy note we visited a couple rock formations in the exact likeness of the male and female sexy parts. Grandmother and Grandfather rock's as they were affecitonately known. This island had quite a beautiful beach and huge Granite boulders everywhere. My fav part had to be the beach break and body surfing. I mean these waves were absolutely pounding me into the sand. I scored some much needed time with the ocean and her raw power. I was great fun doing it with the britts cause they had no idea and would almost always end up getting worked really bad. At the end of the week it was go time and a new adventure and another island awaited.
Ton Sai near Krabi is where we ended up. A rock climbing paradise cove surrounded on three sides by enormous limestone cliffs. I have never seen rock shoot so straight up directly out of the water it was rad. With a tip from Souza we got a bamboo bungalo at a place called Viking bar and bungalow. There is nothing viking about this place! After a brief inspection we took the bungalow and headed out for ocean and exploration. We stayed out till about 12 and wandered home. D hit the lights and saw a giant spider run under our bed. A plan must be made and i layed it out. "okay you pull the bed from the wall really quick and i will shine the flashlight on the enormous spider" wham he pulls the bed from the wall and holy shit, there it was the biggest meanest deadliest looking cute little mouse smiling at me from a hole in our bamboo wall. What a relief! Yeah that is until i noticed a large round hole in the side of our box spring!!! That's right there were mice making their home in our bed!mice! Totally freaked out and disgusted we finally got to bed. Well we got into bed at least. Up all night we listened to the various scratches at the walls.
to be continued tomorrow
I picked up a dude on the plane who had been travelling for way too long! With a school backpack dreads and fire juggling sticks he needed a shower. None the less he would share a cab to Kao San on the other side of town. Many miles over brandy new highway no traffic and the city lights off in the distance i thought to myself, "this is not what i figured i was in store for," oh was i wrong. Arriving smack dab in the middle of tourist central in the middle of the night with a giant bag no place to stay and noticing NO VACANCY signs everywhere my new travel friend and i were less than enthusiastic. After a small panic attack i finally met up with Chris Souza my bro nicks friend and we hung out for a bit. It was late so he threw me in a cab to his buddies place which consisted of a wild confusing (for me at least) ride to a beautiful home in the middle of the city, but at the same time far removed with a large gate, A/C and Internet. Oh internet the most beloved connection back to the states it was quite a sight. Like being stuck in the middle of a dessert then coming upon a fridge filled with Evian and chocolate ice cream. I stayed with him and chris for about a week and they slowly introduced me to Bangkok as they had come to know it.
Bangkok is kina like a mish mash wish wash dish dash if that makes sense. Tuk tuk's and taxis drive around town with recless abandon with white knuckle passengers. Scooters wizz in an out of the previous with even less fear of injury. All while enjoying the sweet smell of pollution literally ozzing from the tailpipes of everything with wheels. At any one moment a million smeels linger in the air to be absorbed into the olfactory. BBQ chicken floats to the right nostril and an American cookout comes to mind while simultaneously the most putrid stagnant poopy grudge smell enters into the left. It is truly the city of extremes. You can buy anything under the sun here. Geez the other day i almost bought a SWAT team jacket, but that seemed a bit over the top. Little stalls exist wherever you turn and someone always seems to have something to sell you! Constant traffic noises fill the eardrums and coughing is not uncommon so to step into a completely sterile freezing cold place is amazing. This is no more relevant than at the various malls in downtown area. HOLY COW. I have honestly been through the nicest most upscale shopping areas ever and a Ferrari dealership on the 4th floor about sums it up. Public transport is amazing and most of the time very cheap!
Danny was coming to meet and travel with me so it was back to Kao San to prep for the departure. Little did i know i would run into a couple friends who have kept coming into my life since OZ. There they were walking 10 feet in front of me!!!weird. After finally meeting Dan we all hung out for a few days and saw the Grand Palace. This is a must see in Bangkok to be sure. The immense buildings are so caulk full of detail i dont know where to begin. Gold adorned almost every square inch of one's exterior while tiny little murals decorated about 20 yards of wall! Rooftops poked into the sky with mythical symbols and dragonlike forms. Gold leaf shown brightly in the mid days sun and we were all awe struck by the whole thing. It was the essence of what many can do when one goal is pursued. The highlight of course was the Emerald Buddha. Once covered in plaster it was not until the golden Emerald under the plaster was discovered that it was stolen...i think by burmese....not sure...but it did and up back in Thailand and is displayed on a 20 foot pedestal in all its glory. Sporting an outfit that is changed with each new season by the king it holds an important place in many thai's identity. I could not believe the size of the interior of his house and all the golden offerings and huge statues that surrounded this small maybe 3 by 3ft relic. Being a huge tourist attraction it was so cool to enter into this room with so much diversity and have everyone showing their utmost respect! A pin drop could be heard and an eerie peace and serenity permeated every sole in the place! Heavy.
Leaving Bangkok brought with it a huge sigh of relief. It was island time baby. After a plane, bus, ferry ride Danny and i landed in Ko Phangan (the home of the full moon party). Once on the main drag of the island i turned to Danny with an eyebrow raised. It seemed that teleportation had landed us smack dab in the middle of Scandanavia! Wild Wild kids everywhere drunk and crazy. Bars lined the beaches and blasted out techno music until the wee hours of the morning and i could tell that we had hit tourist paradise...or so i thought... After 2 days i was ready too leave. Chill and mellow are not good descriptives of the atmosphere. The water was not the cleanest and the full moon party is the only real thing that kept us there. Ran into some more old friends one of whom was John the man more affectionately known as Peaches! We got little scooters and did some adventures into the mountains and around the country. Checking out the rural life and trying to reach a magical beach on the other side of the island. Our luck ran out when the road ended...Everyday life was spent sleeping in and enjoying the very elusive A/C. Oh ya toilets dont generally fluch unless u make it happen. Most bathrooms come complete with a large bucket of water and a tiny bowl to fight your evil leavings behind. After a big job.............. Well enough about that. One solitary hostel sits on the remote point of the island and proved to be a cool place to chill and get away from everything. Finally Full moon time. Hype does not begin to describe the build up to the this party. Everyone is talking about it and almost no one knows quite what to expect. Me and the boys decide to get a late start on it seeing as though it goes on until about 11 the next morn...this would prove a good decision. Set in a cove there it was a throng of people covering the entire beach like a huge undulating blanket. We soaked up the wild scene from a bar on a cliff at one end of the cove. About 20 different bars were set up and vendors on the beach were selling buckets. Buckets = a small bottle of rum or whiskey, soda, and red bull. We steered clear due to all the crazy reports of hangovers reported by sweeds. Each bar blasted different genre's of music and we danced our way up and down the beach several times. Barely missed sunrise with my pass out time of 5. A valiant effort though if i may say so myself.
We escaped the touristy tourists by heading to Ko Samui. Or so we thought. At Lamai beach we set up camp and did absolutely nothing for a week solid. Bananna/ Coconut shakes got us through the days and books + ipod movies got us through the nights. To be honest we did get out one day and saw the sights from our scooters. A few waterfalls were okay, but nothing like NZ. We met a french woman who makes Rum. Although i did not have any....i was driving hello! It was the best smelling alco i have ever smelled. Every island/ large town has temples and we saw some cool ones on this particular island. Zooming around wind in the face we came across a temple and proceeded through the gates. Customs required covered shoulders, toes and knees when entering these holy places and we had all three so we were in. We sat quietly with a giant Buddha, got a sneak peak into the secret hall of Buddhas (a very errie bone chilling silent powerfilled room of concrete statues). Including a laying buddha stretching over 20f t and about 5 feet tall on its side. Although the highlight was the embalmed Buddha. A very famous monk died about 10 or so years ago and it was his wish to be embalmed while in the customary lotus position. A powerful site with hair still intact, teeth shining from behind shrunken lips, and arms like a dried prune. Very real and very emotionally charged!!! To end the day on a happy note we visited a couple rock formations in the exact likeness of the male and female sexy parts. Grandmother and Grandfather rock's as they were affecitonately known. This island had quite a beautiful beach and huge Granite boulders everywhere. My fav part had to be the beach break and body surfing. I mean these waves were absolutely pounding me into the sand. I scored some much needed time with the ocean and her raw power. I was great fun doing it with the britts cause they had no idea and would almost always end up getting worked really bad. At the end of the week it was go time and a new adventure and another island awaited.
Ton Sai near Krabi is where we ended up. A rock climbing paradise cove surrounded on three sides by enormous limestone cliffs. I have never seen rock shoot so straight up directly out of the water it was rad. With a tip from Souza we got a bamboo bungalo at a place called Viking bar and bungalow. There is nothing viking about this place! After a brief inspection we took the bungalow and headed out for ocean and exploration. We stayed out till about 12 and wandered home. D hit the lights and saw a giant spider run under our bed. A plan must be made and i layed it out. "okay you pull the bed from the wall really quick and i will shine the flashlight on the enormous spider" wham he pulls the bed from the wall and holy shit, there it was the biggest meanest deadliest looking cute little mouse smiling at me from a hole in our bamboo wall. What a relief! Yeah that is until i noticed a large round hole in the side of our box spring!!! That's right there were mice making their home in our bed!mice! Totally freaked out and disgusted we finally got to bed. Well we got into bed at least. Up all night we listened to the various scratches at the walls.
to be continued tomorrow
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Melbourne!!!! New POST!
Finally the day has come and here i am writing a new blog as you can well see!
I will dig all the way back into my files and present the deatails of the entirety of the remainder of my time spent here in Aus.
From Byron bay i was due to head south although i felt a little place called coollangatta pulling me northward. For good reason too...surf. This is were pro's from around the world flock to partake in several world class breaks. With a full load and on a hunch from a Russian woman working in a breadshop i lugged my ragged bones about 6 blocks. Upon arrival i was more than shocked to find out that the place had no dorm beds and would cost about 40 US a night. I bargained and wiggled my way into a deal with the man at the front desk and he let me stay for about 20 US. Pretty cool if i may say so myself. Jumped in room and got board ready and basically ran to the point where Duranbah surf break resides. The day was coming to a sleepy yet brilliantly colorful end with pinks, yellows and reds as i rubbed shoulders with sponsered surfers out in the water. There were many breaks and i had one of the best sessions of right hand breaking surf ever. I don't know if it was good wave withdrawl that guided me or some unseen force, but i do know i had an amazing session. My accomodation was plush and sterile. Hardwood floors covered the giant dining room and a walk in fridge was a nice feature. No people were really staying here and it was more of a chance encounter to spot a human. I rested really well the first night and made my way around the corner to check out another famous break Snapper Rocks. A right hand point break that looked machine made. Waves would break close to the rocks on the point and the water would suck out and just dump as the waves broke. Some truly brave kids were out there just getting tossed everytime, by way of the lip throwing over. I ran home grabbed my gear and lathered up with tons o lotion since it was a cloudless day and swealtering hot. Paddled out and caught a few good ones, but nothing like the day before. I did have the distinguished pleasure of sharing the ocean with a famous professional surfer, Mick Fanning. Australia's favorite poster boy! He totally ripped an i was just happy to be out there with a seat that defies a front row view. I spent 2 more days surfing at D-Bah scoring great waves, relaxing and recovering from my time at Byron.
Jumped on a plane down to New Castle. A touristy city with a nice little beach in the middle of town. I was here for about 3 days. Not much to metion though, just kinda wanderd around the city. Nice to see, but nothing notable.
Caught a train down to Gosford to meet up with Danny and John the dudes from England who i spent the first part of my trip travelling with. Dan's Uncle lives there and i was invited for Christmas! What a cool deal to be almost on the other side of the planet and have a family to share Christmas with. I gotta give big thanks to the Lenan family for their generosity. Arrived 23 and revelled in the fact that i was actually staying in a HOUSE! A little mat on the floor of a family room never appeared so inviting! Dinner was planned for the following day and i caught up with my compadres. Phil, D's uncle, is into home brewing so we had plenty to talk about and he was amazed at our brewing process. He purchases a premade beer kit which you basically add water to and allow for fermentation. Anyway guests began to arrive on Christmas Eve and everyone was very kind and made me feel right at home. With three cousins, a girlfriend, Grandpa, and house cat it was quite the full house. A meditteranean themed meal filled my longing stomach. Although i have been eating well on the trip this was truly the first MOM made meal i had eaten since departing. During the gifts i even got a wrapped up candy bar. Totally thoughtful and cool to be acknowledged as family by complete strangers! Discussing travels and life we drank and ate into the night and i had a fabulous time. Slept great and woke to a day full of promis...Christmas Day!
I don't think there is a more holy way to spend the day than going to a rave of sorts, so that is what me and the boys did. Sydney was completely booked up and i was lucky enough to score a place with a few friends in an apartment right in the middle of town. The rave was quite fun and i danced for hours just laughing and having a great time. D and i tried to outdo eachother on the floor so i entailed the use of patented back spin on the middle of the dance floor. The next day i was at Bondi all day with the boys and enjoyed this little cove of a beach which happened to be pumping with huge close out waves that were not surfable. Even playing in the ocean was a test of strength watermanship and endurance. I have never felt a current or wave intensity this close to shore anywhere. Had some great body surfing waves and fun in the ocean despite its severity. I could hardly believe how many people lined the beach apparently this was the place to be seen. My next adventure was a ferry ride through the harbor to Manly beach. This was reall the first time i got a great view of the Opera House and the famous bridge. It was quite surreal to say the least and the architecture did not disapoint. The suburbs spread out like lichens and line the many banks of the plentiful bays and inlets. I would recommend a ferry ride to anyone who ever goes to Sydney. It is only from this vantage point that one can truly take in the magnificentness of the city.
New Years was nutz. Me and some friends made camp across from the Opera House and enjoyed watching the people pass by and watching people slowly become more lucid and rambunctuous. The energy mounted and we made our way to a geat vantage point on top of roof. Never has there been a more overobard fireworks display, ever. Amazing falls short. It was so cool giant shells exploeded with great awe inspiring precision and colorful spit. Fireworks from the top of high-rises were just one more element that set the show off. The buzz of the crowed and the energy pumping from the fireworks truly set my new year of with a blaze! Throngs of people about a million lined every nook and cranny of the surrounding area. And the mass exodus was unimaginable. Our exhaustion of the day put us to sleep somewhat early and exitedly fell asleep.
Another 2 weeks or so were spent wandering around the giant city taking in the people smells and atmosphere that can only be found in a giant city like this one.
I am ready to leave and city life behind i am ready for Thailand.
here in Melbourne for 2 days and i am off to Thailand. Awesome!
will make a great effort to post more often.
Lots of love and peace!
I will dig all the way back into my files and present the deatails of the entirety of the remainder of my time spent here in Aus.
From Byron bay i was due to head south although i felt a little place called coollangatta pulling me northward. For good reason too...surf. This is were pro's from around the world flock to partake in several world class breaks. With a full load and on a hunch from a Russian woman working in a breadshop i lugged my ragged bones about 6 blocks. Upon arrival i was more than shocked to find out that the place had no dorm beds and would cost about 40 US a night. I bargained and wiggled my way into a deal with the man at the front desk and he let me stay for about 20 US. Pretty cool if i may say so myself. Jumped in room and got board ready and basically ran to the point where Duranbah surf break resides. The day was coming to a sleepy yet brilliantly colorful end with pinks, yellows and reds as i rubbed shoulders with sponsered surfers out in the water. There were many breaks and i had one of the best sessions of right hand breaking surf ever. I don't know if it was good wave withdrawl that guided me or some unseen force, but i do know i had an amazing session. My accomodation was plush and sterile. Hardwood floors covered the giant dining room and a walk in fridge was a nice feature. No people were really staying here and it was more of a chance encounter to spot a human. I rested really well the first night and made my way around the corner to check out another famous break Snapper Rocks. A right hand point break that looked machine made. Waves would break close to the rocks on the point and the water would suck out and just dump as the waves broke. Some truly brave kids were out there just getting tossed everytime, by way of the lip throwing over. I ran home grabbed my gear and lathered up with tons o lotion since it was a cloudless day and swealtering hot. Paddled out and caught a few good ones, but nothing like the day before. I did have the distinguished pleasure of sharing the ocean with a famous professional surfer, Mick Fanning. Australia's favorite poster boy! He totally ripped an i was just happy to be out there with a seat that defies a front row view. I spent 2 more days surfing at D-Bah scoring great waves, relaxing and recovering from my time at Byron.
Jumped on a plane down to New Castle. A touristy city with a nice little beach in the middle of town. I was here for about 3 days. Not much to metion though, just kinda wanderd around the city. Nice to see, but nothing notable.
Caught a train down to Gosford to meet up with Danny and John the dudes from England who i spent the first part of my trip travelling with. Dan's Uncle lives there and i was invited for Christmas! What a cool deal to be almost on the other side of the planet and have a family to share Christmas with. I gotta give big thanks to the Lenan family for their generosity. Arrived 23 and revelled in the fact that i was actually staying in a HOUSE! A little mat on the floor of a family room never appeared so inviting! Dinner was planned for the following day and i caught up with my compadres. Phil, D's uncle, is into home brewing so we had plenty to talk about and he was amazed at our brewing process. He purchases a premade beer kit which you basically add water to and allow for fermentation. Anyway guests began to arrive on Christmas Eve and everyone was very kind and made me feel right at home. With three cousins, a girlfriend, Grandpa, and house cat it was quite the full house. A meditteranean themed meal filled my longing stomach. Although i have been eating well on the trip this was truly the first MOM made meal i had eaten since departing. During the gifts i even got a wrapped up candy bar. Totally thoughtful and cool to be acknowledged as family by complete strangers! Discussing travels and life we drank and ate into the night and i had a fabulous time. Slept great and woke to a day full of promis...Christmas Day!
I don't think there is a more holy way to spend the day than going to a rave of sorts, so that is what me and the boys did. Sydney was completely booked up and i was lucky enough to score a place with a few friends in an apartment right in the middle of town. The rave was quite fun and i danced for hours just laughing and having a great time. D and i tried to outdo eachother on the floor so i entailed the use of patented back spin on the middle of the dance floor. The next day i was at Bondi all day with the boys and enjoyed this little cove of a beach which happened to be pumping with huge close out waves that were not surfable. Even playing in the ocean was a test of strength watermanship and endurance. I have never felt a current or wave intensity this close to shore anywhere. Had some great body surfing waves and fun in the ocean despite its severity. I could hardly believe how many people lined the beach apparently this was the place to be seen. My next adventure was a ferry ride through the harbor to Manly beach. This was reall the first time i got a great view of the Opera House and the famous bridge. It was quite surreal to say the least and the architecture did not disapoint. The suburbs spread out like lichens and line the many banks of the plentiful bays and inlets. I would recommend a ferry ride to anyone who ever goes to Sydney. It is only from this vantage point that one can truly take in the magnificentness of the city.
New Years was nutz. Me and some friends made camp across from the Opera House and enjoyed watching the people pass by and watching people slowly become more lucid and rambunctuous. The energy mounted and we made our way to a geat vantage point on top of roof. Never has there been a more overobard fireworks display, ever. Amazing falls short. It was so cool giant shells exploeded with great awe inspiring precision and colorful spit. Fireworks from the top of high-rises were just one more element that set the show off. The buzz of the crowed and the energy pumping from the fireworks truly set my new year of with a blaze! Throngs of people about a million lined every nook and cranny of the surrounding area. And the mass exodus was unimaginable. Our exhaustion of the day put us to sleep somewhat early and exitedly fell asleep.
Another 2 weeks or so were spent wandering around the giant city taking in the people smells and atmosphere that can only be found in a giant city like this one.
I am ready to leave and city life behind i am ready for Thailand.
here in Melbourne for 2 days and i am off to Thailand. Awesome!
will make a great effort to post more often.
Lots of love and peace!
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Crap, Crap, Crap! A good hour was spent creating a masterful blog the other day and when i went to spell check the thing it decided to delete itself...poo! Anyway sorry for the delay. i was so bummed that i could hardly bare to look at a comp until this very day.
I had no idea that i had not writtin on this thing for so long. It is so easy for me to get caught up in the moment of this travel situation. I will now attempt to recount the rest of my time in NZ and introduce you all to my new locale.
From the moment our drive began in the South Island we could all tell this place was different. Houses and development are few and very far between. This provides the thirsty traveler with serene scenery. Amazingly i remember quite clearly the many vineyards which dotted the landscape and the little 3 shop towns we drove through. We decided to travel down the west coast due to suggestion. Westport was our first stop. Feeling a bit ragged from our escapades in Wellington we hit the deck hard and rose in the morn to find a sunny sky and a perfect day for driving. South we set, winding our way through mountainous reserves and plush plots of land. We made our lunch at a true place of beauty. Not sure of the name, but the pristine nature of the spot is unforgettable. A lake stretched out in front of us and split a mountain range in the distance. Water is so cool in that sense beacause it has no rules or regards for anything in its way. Our bare feet felt the coolness of the earth through a pebble covered beach. Did i mention it is even colder here than the north island? A small dock shoots out over the water and looks quite lonesome and seldom used. J and i decided to take on this freezing cold lake of pure clear water. Video evidence will show that we sprinted to the end with fierce dedication. I broke the crisp surface and felt my entire body shocked into an unadulturated awarness of the life singing in my viens. Quickly back to the dock and stragiht into a towel, truly a neat experience in a distant place. The foliage that greeted us along both sides of every road seemed much more vivid for the rest of the day.
Although long, our drive landed us in Franz Joseph. Home of the fastest moving glacier in the world. As the sun decended behind the tree line rain began to fall and would not stop falling for any notable period of time for about two days. Determined to get on the glacier we looked into a hike and were told to show up when the weather permitted. On the 3rd day we did just that and the darn tour was booked. Being a crafty devil a had an alternate route planned out. A 7 hour hike would take up right up next to the glacier and we would get as close as we could without actually being on the chunk of ice. Hopes high and hiking gear in effect we set off to find the trail. CLOSED is how the trail sign read, but we were not going to let that stop us. Trekking off we enjoyed a reflection pool of the mountains and glacier. Plants a plenty lined the path like ancient protectors. We crossed a suspension bridge over the torrent deep gray glacial runoff. Falling into this water would be truly deadly. The bridge trembled under our combined weight and we could feel the fragility of our lives. 45 mins into the darn thing we hit another sign...CLOSED to the point. We were headed that way and since we made it this far with not a one prob we pushed on. Plentiful rains created countless streams over, under and through our path. Tiny waterfalls spoke with subtle beauty as the water lazily rushed to find its bigger brother at the bottom of the ravine. If a plant did not occupy a piece of land moss did! Every shade of green radiated from all around. Rocks were slippery and many close calls kept us savy to the trails many interesting twists and turns. I thought of Uncle Steve and Aunt Donna a lot while on the trail. Hi ya if your reading this. Every trail i have been on in the US has been pretty clear, safe and obvious. These three facts did not hold true to this particular trail. In fact it was as though this trail may not have been here a few weeks prior. We stepped through many falls and streams, doggy walked rocky outcroppings, slipped our way through wet foliage and hunted exposed roots to steady ourselves at every turn. After another 45 mins or so of hiking we discoved the routes closer. Stairs which had once clung to the side of a sheer cliff face had been eradicated by part of the cliff above. Without warning the cliff must have just gave up its hold on the rest of itself. Even after much discussion there was no way to pass. The trail continued at ground level on the other side however. Mission time we decided. We got as close to the river which at this point looked more like numerous veins as we could. Blazing a trail down to the dry river bed pieces was humbling. My mind drifted into the past when Native Americans and others around the world must have and still continue to blaze trails through dense vegetation just like this all the time. We hopped like frogs over the tiny streams often wetting our gear even further and made our way back onto the trail. Tedious hours later we reached the point and were immediately struck with amazement. Ice ascended into the heavens as far as the mountains precipice. Sun shone through the scattered clouds and rarefracted off the ice awakening its many beautiful colors. Craggs and crevices were huge and falls dotted the mountains on the south side of this huge cube. Massive rock slides stained parts of the pristine white with rubble. Little creates moved at a turtles pace along this sculpture of mother nature. Happy with our view and money saved we all carved our names into a lone picnic table. Our rubber legs and sore feet guided our stumble ever so uncertainly down the mountain. Straight back to hostel for food shower and warm up by the roaring fire in the properties bar. Back on the road, off to Queenstown.
Driving in the night i could feel myself longingly staring out the window at the blank canvas of night. So much beauty was out there staring back at me yet it would go unseen until daybreak. Bummed, but excited to reach the destination pushed us onward. Sleepies in our eyes and totally unaware of our landscape we arose to find the coolest little town. Mountains rose up on all sides of a pristine lake. One set of peaks was jagged to a point comparable to a stegasaurus. Little dabbs of snow lived on their last lflakes praying for the sun not to come out. We must have spent about 5 nights here due to the scenery and incredible night life. Our funky small hostel attracted many promoters from the various bars in town. Drink specials every nights and packed clubs and dance floors. People watching was the thing to do and we had plenty of it in the hustle bustle of this town. Located in the middle of nowhere the rest of the world kinda evaporated. Winter would bring snow and i could picture myself living here for a season, no problem. We would have stayed longer if not for our flights. Christchurch here we come.
A giant city was all Christchurch really was. Dissapointed we left ourselves time to experience this place we gritted it out. Prepping the car to be returned was fun and entailed all of the following:
hand wash, vacum, polishing and buffing of roof provided by bribbed car wash employees (the roof was bad b/c of my board bag), superglue of antenna on roof which had been broke by board bag, superglue of a piece of panneling on inside of trunk which broke somehow. We were all positive that somewhere in between the e brake pulls on dirt roads and beaches broke something, but the return was smooth and without incident. What a reliable and fun asset that blue nissian beauty was to our travels.
Australia!
Made it. To Brisbane flew my plane and i was harassed by the customs peeps cause i had no accomodation booked. After looking through all my stuff i caught a train into the city. I was lucky the dude at the hostel was a surfer cause availability was only one night, but he extedned it for me. 3 nights here was plenty. Too much city too little nature, escpecially after NZ. A botanical garden was my only solice. Got reading done and watched cricket, a rather boring sport.
Surfers paradise came next. I did not picture to be a grouping of 100's of sky rises all the way to the waters edge, but it was. My hostel was a bit sketchy and was not up to the standards i had enjoyed in NZ. Luckily just as i arrived 2 German guys were going surfing and they had a car. Had a good sess at a super crowded spot and it reminded me of the crowds in SD during summer. Nights were fun and the hostel hosted trips out to the city and i had some fun. Surfed every day with the Germans and made the most of it. Everyone i spoke to told me about Byron Bay so i got a seat on a bus down here.
Here i sit on this comp in Byron bay my total stay here has been about 3 weeks. I bought a tent and have been camping for about 2. Staying at the Arts Factory is like being lost in a cloud. Tucked away outside the city in the middle of a jungle it is mostly inhabited by people of imagination and alternative lifestyles. My time is spent much like a record plays. Sleep, eat, surf, beach, read, eat, volleyball, trek through the jungle, ping pong, eat, maybe go out, and chat with friends. Each day is much like this intinerary. Everyone is so friendly and no one is a stranger especially between some in the camp site who have been here for months on end. You fall into a time warp here, everything is so easy and mellow. I have made some close friends and met people who truly brightened my traveling experience. You may think i would have more to say about 3 weeks of time, but i really don't.
i am now quite exhausted from typing. i truly hope you all enjoyed this one. i will be much more on top of this site in the future.
Christmas is here and i have a very short list. $$$$. Funds are evaporating from my bank account like water in the Gobi desert at the hight of summer. If you think i have been a good boy and could help me out on my trip fund that would be so AWESOME!!! My dad has promised to put anything you send him into my account so i can stay travelling. Thank you so much!
In case your not sure of address:
Russ Harrison
1913 Americana Ct.
Modesto, CA 95357
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!
Much love and peace, Chris
Here are some photos hopefully:
NZ, Raglan
NZ, Cathedral Point... i think
Fiji, Bounty Island with Englanders Danny on left and John on right
Fiji, Sunset at Coconut Bay, can you find me?
I had no idea that i had not writtin on this thing for so long. It is so easy for me to get caught up in the moment of this travel situation. I will now attempt to recount the rest of my time in NZ and introduce you all to my new locale.
From the moment our drive began in the South Island we could all tell this place was different. Houses and development are few and very far between. This provides the thirsty traveler with serene scenery. Amazingly i remember quite clearly the many vineyards which dotted the landscape and the little 3 shop towns we drove through. We decided to travel down the west coast due to suggestion. Westport was our first stop. Feeling a bit ragged from our escapades in Wellington we hit the deck hard and rose in the morn to find a sunny sky and a perfect day for driving. South we set, winding our way through mountainous reserves and plush plots of land. We made our lunch at a true place of beauty. Not sure of the name, but the pristine nature of the spot is unforgettable. A lake stretched out in front of us and split a mountain range in the distance. Water is so cool in that sense beacause it has no rules or regards for anything in its way. Our bare feet felt the coolness of the earth through a pebble covered beach. Did i mention it is even colder here than the north island? A small dock shoots out over the water and looks quite lonesome and seldom used. J and i decided to take on this freezing cold lake of pure clear water. Video evidence will show that we sprinted to the end with fierce dedication. I broke the crisp surface and felt my entire body shocked into an unadulturated awarness of the life singing in my viens. Quickly back to the dock and stragiht into a towel, truly a neat experience in a distant place. The foliage that greeted us along both sides of every road seemed much more vivid for the rest of the day.
Although long, our drive landed us in Franz Joseph. Home of the fastest moving glacier in the world. As the sun decended behind the tree line rain began to fall and would not stop falling for any notable period of time for about two days. Determined to get on the glacier we looked into a hike and were told to show up when the weather permitted. On the 3rd day we did just that and the darn tour was booked. Being a crafty devil a had an alternate route planned out. A 7 hour hike would take up right up next to the glacier and we would get as close as we could without actually being on the chunk of ice. Hopes high and hiking gear in effect we set off to find the trail. CLOSED is how the trail sign read, but we were not going to let that stop us. Trekking off we enjoyed a reflection pool of the mountains and glacier. Plants a plenty lined the path like ancient protectors. We crossed a suspension bridge over the torrent deep gray glacial runoff. Falling into this water would be truly deadly. The bridge trembled under our combined weight and we could feel the fragility of our lives. 45 mins into the darn thing we hit another sign...CLOSED to the point. We were headed that way and since we made it this far with not a one prob we pushed on. Plentiful rains created countless streams over, under and through our path. Tiny waterfalls spoke with subtle beauty as the water lazily rushed to find its bigger brother at the bottom of the ravine. If a plant did not occupy a piece of land moss did! Every shade of green radiated from all around. Rocks were slippery and many close calls kept us savy to the trails many interesting twists and turns. I thought of Uncle Steve and Aunt Donna a lot while on the trail. Hi ya if your reading this. Every trail i have been on in the US has been pretty clear, safe and obvious. These three facts did not hold true to this particular trail. In fact it was as though this trail may not have been here a few weeks prior. We stepped through many falls and streams, doggy walked rocky outcroppings, slipped our way through wet foliage and hunted exposed roots to steady ourselves at every turn. After another 45 mins or so of hiking we discoved the routes closer. Stairs which had once clung to the side of a sheer cliff face had been eradicated by part of the cliff above. Without warning the cliff must have just gave up its hold on the rest of itself. Even after much discussion there was no way to pass. The trail continued at ground level on the other side however. Mission time we decided. We got as close to the river which at this point looked more like numerous veins as we could. Blazing a trail down to the dry river bed pieces was humbling. My mind drifted into the past when Native Americans and others around the world must have and still continue to blaze trails through dense vegetation just like this all the time. We hopped like frogs over the tiny streams often wetting our gear even further and made our way back onto the trail. Tedious hours later we reached the point and were immediately struck with amazement. Ice ascended into the heavens as far as the mountains precipice. Sun shone through the scattered clouds and rarefracted off the ice awakening its many beautiful colors. Craggs and crevices were huge and falls dotted the mountains on the south side of this huge cube. Massive rock slides stained parts of the pristine white with rubble. Little creates moved at a turtles pace along this sculpture of mother nature. Happy with our view and money saved we all carved our names into a lone picnic table. Our rubber legs and sore feet guided our stumble ever so uncertainly down the mountain. Straight back to hostel for food shower and warm up by the roaring fire in the properties bar. Back on the road, off to Queenstown.
Driving in the night i could feel myself longingly staring out the window at the blank canvas of night. So much beauty was out there staring back at me yet it would go unseen until daybreak. Bummed, but excited to reach the destination pushed us onward. Sleepies in our eyes and totally unaware of our landscape we arose to find the coolest little town. Mountains rose up on all sides of a pristine lake. One set of peaks was jagged to a point comparable to a stegasaurus. Little dabbs of snow lived on their last lflakes praying for the sun not to come out. We must have spent about 5 nights here due to the scenery and incredible night life. Our funky small hostel attracted many promoters from the various bars in town. Drink specials every nights and packed clubs and dance floors. People watching was the thing to do and we had plenty of it in the hustle bustle of this town. Located in the middle of nowhere the rest of the world kinda evaporated. Winter would bring snow and i could picture myself living here for a season, no problem. We would have stayed longer if not for our flights. Christchurch here we come.
A giant city was all Christchurch really was. Dissapointed we left ourselves time to experience this place we gritted it out. Prepping the car to be returned was fun and entailed all of the following:
hand wash, vacum, polishing and buffing of roof provided by bribbed car wash employees (the roof was bad b/c of my board bag), superglue of antenna on roof which had been broke by board bag, superglue of a piece of panneling on inside of trunk which broke somehow. We were all positive that somewhere in between the e brake pulls on dirt roads and beaches broke something, but the return was smooth and without incident. What a reliable and fun asset that blue nissian beauty was to our travels.
Australia!
Made it. To Brisbane flew my plane and i was harassed by the customs peeps cause i had no accomodation booked. After looking through all my stuff i caught a train into the city. I was lucky the dude at the hostel was a surfer cause availability was only one night, but he extedned it for me. 3 nights here was plenty. Too much city too little nature, escpecially after NZ. A botanical garden was my only solice. Got reading done and watched cricket, a rather boring sport.
Surfers paradise came next. I did not picture to be a grouping of 100's of sky rises all the way to the waters edge, but it was. My hostel was a bit sketchy and was not up to the standards i had enjoyed in NZ. Luckily just as i arrived 2 German guys were going surfing and they had a car. Had a good sess at a super crowded spot and it reminded me of the crowds in SD during summer. Nights were fun and the hostel hosted trips out to the city and i had some fun. Surfed every day with the Germans and made the most of it. Everyone i spoke to told me about Byron Bay so i got a seat on a bus down here.
Here i sit on this comp in Byron bay my total stay here has been about 3 weeks. I bought a tent and have been camping for about 2. Staying at the Arts Factory is like being lost in a cloud. Tucked away outside the city in the middle of a jungle it is mostly inhabited by people of imagination and alternative lifestyles. My time is spent much like a record plays. Sleep, eat, surf, beach, read, eat, volleyball, trek through the jungle, ping pong, eat, maybe go out, and chat with friends. Each day is much like this intinerary. Everyone is so friendly and no one is a stranger especially between some in the camp site who have been here for months on end. You fall into a time warp here, everything is so easy and mellow. I have made some close friends and met people who truly brightened my traveling experience. You may think i would have more to say about 3 weeks of time, but i really don't.
i am now quite exhausted from typing. i truly hope you all enjoyed this one. i will be much more on top of this site in the future.
Christmas is here and i have a very short list. $$$$. Funds are evaporating from my bank account like water in the Gobi desert at the hight of summer. If you think i have been a good boy and could help me out on my trip fund that would be so AWESOME!!! My dad has promised to put anything you send him into my account so i can stay travelling. Thank you so much!
In case your not sure of address:
Russ Harrison
1913 Americana Ct.
Modesto, CA 95357
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!
Much love and peace, Chris
Here are some photos hopefully:
NZ, Raglan
NZ, Cathedral Point... i think
Fiji, Bounty Island with Englanders Danny on left and John on right
Fiji, Sunset at Coconut Bay, can you find me?
Friday, November 17, 2006
I am in QUEENSTOWN
hello everyone,
let me start by saying that i miss you all and it is cool to hear from ya whenever you get a chance. let me know if there is anything you were wondering that i might be leaving out
Halloween came and went with nothing real crazy to report. Except that is for the waves. As a matter of fact we were a bit late to the party cuz i was surfing. I am not exaggerating when i say this was the coolest spot i have ever surfed. with a ride that lasted about 100+ yrds i could barely contain myself. the large crowed was well behaved and i got about 5 outside waves. these things were peeling of this left point like a peel off an apple. perfect evertime and holding up so amazing rides were a dime a dozen. at the end of the ride you merely hop out jog up the coast and jump off the point back into the lineup! talk about the ultimate lazyboy of surfing.
We fell so head over heels for this place we spent aout 5 nights there. Although the waves never amounted to the beauty they were the first day i was still able to get some solid surf. i had fun giving all the surf rookies how inhabited this place pointers and actually paddling out with a couple of them. it was fun to think back to a time when i was at the begining of my surf adventure. The people, sunsets and our cookery combined to create a laid back and stellar visit to this removed from the hussle chunk of land.
From Raglan we made our way across the country once again to a place which is home to an artificial reef. how cool is that? when the sweel is right the reeef actually makes a perfect A frame and waves can be enjoyed by all. We stayed here for two nights and the swell hid from sight. Mt. Monganui was the place and there is a cool Mt. at the point of this hustle bustle town which is surrounded by water on three sides. We made our way to the top and enjoyed beautiful panorama views of the countryside. Most of our time was spent hiberanting seeing as though the weather was a bit testy.
The chicken clucked and we struggled outta bed around 9 to get on the road to a famously active place of stinky sulfur. Rotorua. As a matter of fact in the middle of the town sat a park with boiling mud pools and sulfer shooters. We went to a hot springs park and enjoyed the gagging smell of too much sulfer. were talking rotten eggs times 1000. I saw several really cool gysers and sulfer formations. crazy to think were the actual power and heat behind the push is coming from! Back in the car we headed further southeast to Gisborne.
this was a for sure surf spot. although our voyage was not for sure. after spending 1 hr 30 min on a dirt road we were stunned to find our path blocked by a crazy landslide which had taken out the entire road and a big digger which must have been doing work. that night was spent in this interesting little motorcamp. not cool. early rise and off to Gisborne. with scenic drives abound we followed through a gorge and capitalized on a waterfall right on the highway. i jumped out the car and into this hypothermia inspiring water. so neat and different. Gisborne was cool and 3 days stay awarded no surf. Off to Wellington.
Our last stop on the North Island was super neato gang. a cool hip city greeted us with neat trendy shops and an entire pedestrian only street lined with all walks of life and cafe's uncountable. enjoyed the night life for a few nights and kicked around the city doing extensive people watching. i even caught a show featuring some of the neatest band i have seen in a long time. i will provide a list if i can remember the names. after our time it was an early morning a sleepy ferry rided and and eye opening new island to feast on...
let me start by saying that i miss you all and it is cool to hear from ya whenever you get a chance. let me know if there is anything you were wondering that i might be leaving out
Halloween came and went with nothing real crazy to report. Except that is for the waves. As a matter of fact we were a bit late to the party cuz i was surfing. I am not exaggerating when i say this was the coolest spot i have ever surfed. with a ride that lasted about 100+ yrds i could barely contain myself. the large crowed was well behaved and i got about 5 outside waves. these things were peeling of this left point like a peel off an apple. perfect evertime and holding up so amazing rides were a dime a dozen. at the end of the ride you merely hop out jog up the coast and jump off the point back into the lineup! talk about the ultimate lazyboy of surfing.
We fell so head over heels for this place we spent aout 5 nights there. Although the waves never amounted to the beauty they were the first day i was still able to get some solid surf. i had fun giving all the surf rookies how inhabited this place pointers and actually paddling out with a couple of them. it was fun to think back to a time when i was at the begining of my surf adventure. The people, sunsets and our cookery combined to create a laid back and stellar visit to this removed from the hussle chunk of land.
From Raglan we made our way across the country once again to a place which is home to an artificial reef. how cool is that? when the sweel is right the reeef actually makes a perfect A frame and waves can be enjoyed by all. We stayed here for two nights and the swell hid from sight. Mt. Monganui was the place and there is a cool Mt. at the point of this hustle bustle town which is surrounded by water on three sides. We made our way to the top and enjoyed beautiful panorama views of the countryside. Most of our time was spent hiberanting seeing as though the weather was a bit testy.
The chicken clucked and we struggled outta bed around 9 to get on the road to a famously active place of stinky sulfur. Rotorua. As a matter of fact in the middle of the town sat a park with boiling mud pools and sulfer shooters. We went to a hot springs park and enjoyed the gagging smell of too much sulfer. were talking rotten eggs times 1000. I saw several really cool gysers and sulfer formations. crazy to think were the actual power and heat behind the push is coming from! Back in the car we headed further southeast to Gisborne.
this was a for sure surf spot. although our voyage was not for sure. after spending 1 hr 30 min on a dirt road we were stunned to find our path blocked by a crazy landslide which had taken out the entire road and a big digger which must have been doing work. that night was spent in this interesting little motorcamp. not cool. early rise and off to Gisborne. with scenic drives abound we followed through a gorge and capitalized on a waterfall right on the highway. i jumped out the car and into this hypothermia inspiring water. so neat and different. Gisborne was cool and 3 days stay awarded no surf. Off to Wellington.
Our last stop on the North Island was super neato gang. a cool hip city greeted us with neat trendy shops and an entire pedestrian only street lined with all walks of life and cafe's uncountable. enjoyed the night life for a few nights and kicked around the city doing extensive people watching. i even caught a show featuring some of the neatest band i have seen in a long time. i will provide a list if i can remember the names. after our time it was an early morning a sleepy ferry rided and and eye opening new island to feast on...
Thursday, November 09, 2006
New Z Walk(drive)about
Sorry for the long delay everyone it has been a bit of a travelling circus over the past week or so.
Right in Auckland we rented and as my last post suggested we rented a car and drove to piahia. Something like that. It is on the East coast near the bay of islands. We found out where the bus with all the travellers would stop and headed to the pi pi patch. We got there late due to a cool mountainous drive with many twists and turns. Of course the scenery did not let us down. We chilled in the bar connected to hostel and took an early bed. Woke up around 7 for a mission to end all missions. we decided to scour the coastline for surf. With my handy little surf guide in tow we set off around 8. we probably drove for 6 hours dwon small country roads into small sleepy towns only to find small sleepy surf. There seemed to be an alert out that we were coming and the surf ran off to play a practicle joke on us. Dirt roads back roads, whatever we were on them. Pines lined the beach and bays of beauty greeted us at every turn.
Finally at the end of the line we found a spot with beautiful waves that were all of 2 ft. Danny got out there along with me and we both caught some lackluster waves. Stoaked to get any waves at all. The night came and went and we were up and on our way once again.
We were set for a rigorus drive all of about 6 hours up to the west coast just below 90 mile beach to a place called Ahipara. A small sleepy beach town with a point break that was pumped up to have a 250+ yard left. Somehow we arranged our trip around both the outgoing and incoming swell and only had flat waves. Our accomodation and conversations with the owner Trevor and his wife Linda were way cool. two old timers from NZ. He even gave us a bottle of his hommade wine made from a strange fruit that i am not sure how to spell. 3 nights in this secluded beach dorm 50 ft from the ocean was super special. Not to mention our 4 wheel driving excursion up around the point and into the dunes. just wide open beach with no one around pushing 70 km/hr on these cool quads doing some fun stuff and soaking in the seclusion and beautiful oceananic scenery.
Soon we were on to Whitianga. A small sleepy town about 6 hours away and once again on the opposite side of the coast. Rain saturated my surfboard and i have to admit that our spirits were dampend by a drizzle lifeless hostel in the middle of what felt like no where. The host pointed us to another place in town that woudl be full the next night with the bus of kids so we headed over and enjoyed yet another beautiful backpacker's with new facilities all the way around. Friendly staff and cool kids arrived the next day. The owner of the place liked us and offered us a ride in his steel hulled boat we accepted and took off. in 1 foot solid chop we set out at what seemed to be a breakneck or should i say break back pace. i was in the co pilot seat and would feel my body compacting upon itself every time the boat shot up and smacked down on the water. At on point we were actually fully out of the water rudder and all. Maybe 1 foot out to be exact. What a thrilling ride. We took us to see what Cpt. Cook called Shakespeare point cause it apparently used to have the profile of the man back in the day. We also saw the biggest tourist attraction from the boat which saved us a 45 min hike which was Cathedral cove. A huge 25ft tall 35 ft wide and 60ft tunnel through sheer rock . U could actually walk through it and i felt truley in awe at the magnitude and precision of mother nature's hand. Night was fun out in the quite town and we got to bed for yet another journey.
Our whole idea was to be in a cool place for halloween. We made it so and like Scottie pushed our little car to warp speed. about 100 km/hr. due to boards on roof. after about 7 hours in the car we arrived at a cool sweet incredably awesome place...RAGLAN. far and away the best spot yet. We scored a spot at this hostel situated on a bay and filled with happy go lucky travellers from all parts of the globe. Brainstorming with the brits for costume ideas was quite funny and i landed on a ninja idea for myself.
time is up on my comp, but i will continue when i get a chance. hopefully later on tonight!
Right in Auckland we rented and as my last post suggested we rented a car and drove to piahia. Something like that. It is on the East coast near the bay of islands. We found out where the bus with all the travellers would stop and headed to the pi pi patch. We got there late due to a cool mountainous drive with many twists and turns. Of course the scenery did not let us down. We chilled in the bar connected to hostel and took an early bed. Woke up around 7 for a mission to end all missions. we decided to scour the coastline for surf. With my handy little surf guide in tow we set off around 8. we probably drove for 6 hours dwon small country roads into small sleepy towns only to find small sleepy surf. There seemed to be an alert out that we were coming and the surf ran off to play a practicle joke on us. Dirt roads back roads, whatever we were on them. Pines lined the beach and bays of beauty greeted us at every turn.
Finally at the end of the line we found a spot with beautiful waves that were all of 2 ft. Danny got out there along with me and we both caught some lackluster waves. Stoaked to get any waves at all. The night came and went and we were up and on our way once again.
We were set for a rigorus drive all of about 6 hours up to the west coast just below 90 mile beach to a place called Ahipara. A small sleepy beach town with a point break that was pumped up to have a 250+ yard left. Somehow we arranged our trip around both the outgoing and incoming swell and only had flat waves. Our accomodation and conversations with the owner Trevor and his wife Linda were way cool. two old timers from NZ. He even gave us a bottle of his hommade wine made from a strange fruit that i am not sure how to spell. 3 nights in this secluded beach dorm 50 ft from the ocean was super special. Not to mention our 4 wheel driving excursion up around the point and into the dunes. just wide open beach with no one around pushing 70 km/hr on these cool quads doing some fun stuff and soaking in the seclusion and beautiful oceananic scenery.
Soon we were on to Whitianga. A small sleepy town about 6 hours away and once again on the opposite side of the coast. Rain saturated my surfboard and i have to admit that our spirits were dampend by a drizzle lifeless hostel in the middle of what felt like no where. The host pointed us to another place in town that woudl be full the next night with the bus of kids so we headed over and enjoyed yet another beautiful backpacker's with new facilities all the way around. Friendly staff and cool kids arrived the next day. The owner of the place liked us and offered us a ride in his steel hulled boat we accepted and took off. in 1 foot solid chop we set out at what seemed to be a breakneck or should i say break back pace. i was in the co pilot seat and would feel my body compacting upon itself every time the boat shot up and smacked down on the water. At on point we were actually fully out of the water rudder and all. Maybe 1 foot out to be exact. What a thrilling ride. We took us to see what Cpt. Cook called Shakespeare point cause it apparently used to have the profile of the man back in the day. We also saw the biggest tourist attraction from the boat which saved us a 45 min hike which was Cathedral cove. A huge 25ft tall 35 ft wide and 60ft tunnel through sheer rock . U could actually walk through it and i felt truley in awe at the magnitude and precision of mother nature's hand. Night was fun out in the quite town and we got to bed for yet another journey.
Our whole idea was to be in a cool place for halloween. We made it so and like Scottie pushed our little car to warp speed. about 100 km/hr. due to boards on roof. after about 7 hours in the car we arrived at a cool sweet incredably awesome place...RAGLAN. far and away the best spot yet. We scored a spot at this hostel situated on a bay and filled with happy go lucky travellers from all parts of the globe. Brainstorming with the brits for costume ideas was quite funny and i landed on a ninja idea for myself.
time is up on my comp, but i will continue when i get a chance. hopefully later on tonight!
Monday, October 23, 2006
Auckland, NZ
hey all it is i the travelling bum updating you once again on my adventures.
Upon landing in NZ on Wed we new where we were headed, Base Backpackers in the heart of Auckland. I am still with the boys from England. Our hostel actually got us so excited that we have dubed it a solid hotel! Complete with restaurant, club, cooking facilities and an observation deck on the 7th floor with spa. The view from this deck afforded views of the bay and shipping yard plus a great look at the famous Sky Tower, Aucklands version of the Space Neetle. Our first night was spent hanging out and not really doing a whole lot. Well except for going out on the town for a bit. Due to an Oscar the Grouch we requested a room change the next day and were moved into a room with more upbeat peeps. Actually a whole room full 7 of us in all.
Thursday was just a kick around the city. We spent about 3 hours in a cafe on the main queen street. After drinking instant coffee all week in Fiji i indulged in several latte's. A definite treat. We hit some of the cool book shops and i picked up a surf guide for the entire country. The city is really interesting and full of different people. I was surprised to find such an enormus Japanese population. Walking the streets was sort of like being in San Fran and LA at the same time, minus the dirt and excessive beggars. Not to From our room at the "hotel" we spotted a long white bus deal which appeared to be serving food. Our hunch was confirmed as we wolfed down tasty burgers. We attended the club attached to the hostel and had a great time.
Fri was another repeat of Thursday.
On Saturday we decided to be a bit more productive and look into renting or buying a car to get around the islands. Although we never really made any arrangements we got a lot of research out of the way. The night took a very interesting turn. We had been hearing some talk of a very hip bar which was totally made from ice. The minus 5 degree bar to be exact. After dawning our huge coats and gloves we were escorted into this giant freezer and found ourselves breathing fog and admiring the various ice sculptures which adorned the room. Everything from the bar to our glasses were made from ice. We enjoyed a cocktail and i chomped into mine when i was finished. This was a one off place that was fantastic and a totally cool experience. Dan and i even got a bit silly and tried to see who could last the longest without our jacket on. We are both fine, I think i won though. We all went out in the viaduct, a trendy strip chaulk full of nightclubs and fine dining. Super long night with tons of fun.
Sunday was another chill day that we spent kicking around and not doing a whole lot.
Today we went out to a couple of car buying shops that are set up specifically for backpackers. Almost all the cars appeared to be on their last legs and none fell into our target price range. We decided that the risk in buying the car was not worth it so we plan to rent a vehicle and head up the coast to pahia tomorrow!
Evything is going great, I am healthy and enjoying a relaxed time here!
hope everyone is great and enjoying life!
Upon landing in NZ on Wed we new where we were headed, Base Backpackers in the heart of Auckland. I am still with the boys from England. Our hostel actually got us so excited that we have dubed it a solid hotel! Complete with restaurant, club, cooking facilities and an observation deck on the 7th floor with spa. The view from this deck afforded views of the bay and shipping yard plus a great look at the famous Sky Tower, Aucklands version of the Space Neetle. Our first night was spent hanging out and not really doing a whole lot. Well except for going out on the town for a bit. Due to an Oscar the Grouch we requested a room change the next day and were moved into a room with more upbeat peeps. Actually a whole room full 7 of us in all.
Thursday was just a kick around the city. We spent about 3 hours in a cafe on the main queen street. After drinking instant coffee all week in Fiji i indulged in several latte's. A definite treat. We hit some of the cool book shops and i picked up a surf guide for the entire country. The city is really interesting and full of different people. I was surprised to find such an enormus Japanese population. Walking the streets was sort of like being in San Fran and LA at the same time, minus the dirt and excessive beggars. Not to From our room at the "hotel" we spotted a long white bus deal which appeared to be serving food. Our hunch was confirmed as we wolfed down tasty burgers. We attended the club attached to the hostel and had a great time.
Fri was another repeat of Thursday.
On Saturday we decided to be a bit more productive and look into renting or buying a car to get around the islands. Although we never really made any arrangements we got a lot of research out of the way. The night took a very interesting turn. We had been hearing some talk of a very hip bar which was totally made from ice. The minus 5 degree bar to be exact. After dawning our huge coats and gloves we were escorted into this giant freezer and found ourselves breathing fog and admiring the various ice sculptures which adorned the room. Everything from the bar to our glasses were made from ice. We enjoyed a cocktail and i chomped into mine when i was finished. This was a one off place that was fantastic and a totally cool experience. Dan and i even got a bit silly and tried to see who could last the longest without our jacket on. We are both fine, I think i won though. We all went out in the viaduct, a trendy strip chaulk full of nightclubs and fine dining. Super long night with tons of fun.
Sunday was another chill day that we spent kicking around and not doing a whole lot.
Today we went out to a couple of car buying shops that are set up specifically for backpackers. Almost all the cars appeared to be on their last legs and none fell into our target price range. We decided that the risk in buying the car was not worth it so we plan to rent a vehicle and head up the coast to pahia tomorrow!
Evything is going great, I am healthy and enjoying a relaxed time here!
hope everyone is great and enjoying life!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
I'm Back
I have finally landed back in a place where i can give everyone this amazing update. here we go... After arriving in Singatoka by way of a 4 hour bus ride from Nandi we were directed toward our destination "club masa" by a little girl in the village. We, John, and Danny from England and I found ourselves in the middle of no where with amazing sand dunes towering skyward about 1/2 a mile away. Our guide was a bit off and our accomadtion was a room with 8 beds and a shady cast of hosts. Marijuana filtered in through the back window and the vibe was totally bizarre. Some surfers told us that club masa was uninhabitable becuase a film was being shot there, but we should try to get on as extras. We hiked throught the dunes to a rather large encampment at the only dip in the sand dunes. It was surreal to see an actual film set and walk through it so simply. Although we were denied due to overbookings of extra's we were directed toward a different place to stay. Shipwrek! And it was exactly that. A metal fence surrounded the delapidated compound and a coca cola was all that reminded us of civilization. We settled into a metal shack and were given 3 foam pads to place on the concrete floor. After chatting up a few bodyboarders from South Africa and enjoying our hosts "down home" cooking (actually quite tasty) we hit the hay for a 5 am surf sess. John, Dan and I crested the dunes around 6 and soaked in the spectacualar view provided by mother nature. We were all buzzing and tirpping out on the fact that we had arrived at the only beach break in the entire island. My mind was clear and i could feel the blood coursing through my veins in anticipation of the waves. Neither of the boys surf, but had a go with my 6'4". The waves were pretty much perfect. Waist to chest high clean lefts and rights which bowled up on the inside section. i was only joined by two beginner Aussies after about an hour into the sess and had no prob's. As they shouted from the shoulder of the wave of the morning i lost all connection to the land and felt myself drop into a perfect head high left which rode on for some distance. We hiked back and i paddled out with the body boarders for an afternoon sess into solid double over head surf. attempts to surf were fruitless in that the waves would suck backward after breaking and suck the lip of the waves up suddenly. The next morn brought the best waves of my whole fiji experience. Solid offshore winds and double overhead sets met Atti (bodyboarder) and i the next morn. i rode solidly on my 6'4" and pulled into a crazy barrel, but caught the lip on the head halfway through it. Getting barrelled is indescribable so i will not attempt.
The crew continued on to Suva on another grueling bus ride of about 3 hours. We had an excellent stay there, which consisted of frequenting a local nightclub, trekking throught the jungle and swinging from big ropes into refreshingly cold spring water!
Our bus back to Nadi was arduous, but our route along the coast allowed for great views of the ocean and the surrounding villages. We booked a trip up to the Yasawa Islands and spent the night on Sunday in Nandi in a crappy little hostel place.
Monday came too early and jumped on board a giant cat and took a crystal blue water island viewing ride for 6 hours. While aboard i met a self proclaimed master and his 2 students from Australlia. He was cool and showed me some moves. We talked at length about his Tai Chi background and the premise of his teachings which mostly realted back to Taoism. Due to my studies in college we ckicked and i felt as though i had met a life long teahcer. My trip had just taken a strange, but pleasant twist. Our first night was at Mel Bravo and we were joined by the kung fo crew. Overall our stay was a bit lacklaster due to the not so white beaches and dry host. The food was weird and just a bit sketchy. One day we hiked over the island for an hour and a half and landed in paradise. White sandy beaches, lined with plams on one side and crystal clear blue water on the other. It was so hot it was straight into the water with us. Dawning our snorkel gear proved intellegent and our reef viewing experience began 10 ft from shore. We saw hundreds of beautiful fish and healthy colorful coral which stretched out for about 200 yards. Later the Master showed us different techniques and stretches. We met some cool folks and actually 3 guys from san diego showed up and i knew them! CRAZY!
After three days on Mel Bravo we were ready to leave and headed toward Coconut Bay on Naviti. Beauty with our dorms on the beach, volleyball, snorkelling and dancing. I also had the opportunity to take part in a kava ceremony in a hut on the floor. The sunset that night was amazing and a rainbow fromed right onto the island about 20o yards from us as rain drizzled from the sky.
Manta Ray came next at the south island of Naviti. I will cut to the chase and say that we swam with two enormous manta's and enjoyed upper class accomodations.
Beachcomber was next and was rather uneventful yer relaxing.
Last stop was Bounty were Love Island was filmed. The snorkeling was mind boggling.
Out of time post again soon!
The crew continued on to Suva on another grueling bus ride of about 3 hours. We had an excellent stay there, which consisted of frequenting a local nightclub, trekking throught the jungle and swinging from big ropes into refreshingly cold spring water!
Our bus back to Nadi was arduous, but our route along the coast allowed for great views of the ocean and the surrounding villages. We booked a trip up to the Yasawa Islands and spent the night on Sunday in Nandi in a crappy little hostel place.
Monday came too early and jumped on board a giant cat and took a crystal blue water island viewing ride for 6 hours. While aboard i met a self proclaimed master and his 2 students from Australlia. He was cool and showed me some moves. We talked at length about his Tai Chi background and the premise of his teachings which mostly realted back to Taoism. Due to my studies in college we ckicked and i felt as though i had met a life long teahcer. My trip had just taken a strange, but pleasant twist. Our first night was at Mel Bravo and we were joined by the kung fo crew. Overall our stay was a bit lacklaster due to the not so white beaches and dry host. The food was weird and just a bit sketchy. One day we hiked over the island for an hour and a half and landed in paradise. White sandy beaches, lined with plams on one side and crystal clear blue water on the other. It was so hot it was straight into the water with us. Dawning our snorkel gear proved intellegent and our reef viewing experience began 10 ft from shore. We saw hundreds of beautiful fish and healthy colorful coral which stretched out for about 200 yards. Later the Master showed us different techniques and stretches. We met some cool folks and actually 3 guys from san diego showed up and i knew them! CRAZY!
After three days on Mel Bravo we were ready to leave and headed toward Coconut Bay on Naviti. Beauty with our dorms on the beach, volleyball, snorkelling and dancing. I also had the opportunity to take part in a kava ceremony in a hut on the floor. The sunset that night was amazing and a rainbow fromed right onto the island about 20o yards from us as rain drizzled from the sky.
Manta Ray came next at the south island of Naviti. I will cut to the chase and say that we swam with two enormous manta's and enjoyed upper class accomodations.
Beachcomber was next and was rather uneventful yer relaxing.
Last stop was Bounty were Love Island was filmed. The snorkeling was mind boggling.
Out of time post again soon!
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
FIJI
Oh my goodness!
Fiji this is actually the very first chance i have had to post anything. Thee plane ride was totally smooth all the way through and luckily i met a coouple dudes frrom enlganad in the line wwaiting for the pplane. while wating arounnd in LAAX theey told me of the pplace they were stayiing and that it came highlyy reccomended. so affter flying to the airrport we hopped into a cab aand headed out to our hostel. now wheen we told the dirveer tthe naame of our acccoomodation he said oh all tthe way out in the jungle...we were like ya wee guess. so we drove off for a half hour and eended up in the middle of no where and were all qquite suurprrised. needdless to say our check in time wwas 12 but we werwe there 5 hours early. the people were soo nice they let us check iin earlly and eaat breakfast. i mean this place was a real life rersort type of place. im talking pool views of mounttains, lush green aas farr as the eye could see and the mosst lovely workers. i mean theese people would ddo just aabouut anything to make sure we were all taken care of. the foood was aamazing and wee all haad a great time.. lasst night ii even drank a bitt of kava with the reest of the poeple sttaying at the place. ii am at the airport riight now with tthe ddudes from england and we are headedd down to the south weest coaast tto a ttown called Singatoka. hopefully wwe will stay and actually geet somme surf there at Cllub masa. TThen wwe should be off to annother place to the east caled waaidroka. anyway ii am safe and everything is awesome i aam so totally chilled out itt is great. by thee way a night at the hostel was only 15 buks! and beeer only 2.50 : )
hoope all is well and much love to everyyone!
Fiji this is actually the very first chance i have had to post anything. Thee plane ride was totally smooth all the way through and luckily i met a coouple dudes frrom enlganad in the line wwaiting for the pplane. while wating arounnd in LAAX theey told me of the pplace they were stayiing and that it came highlyy reccomended. so affter flying to the airrport we hopped into a cab aand headed out to our hostel. now wheen we told the dirveer tthe naame of our acccoomodation he said oh all tthe way out in the jungle...we were like ya wee guess. so we drove off for a half hour and eended up in the middle of no where and were all qquite suurprrised. needdless to say our check in time wwas 12 but we werwe there 5 hours early. the people were soo nice they let us check iin earlly and eaat breakfast. i mean this place was a real life rersort type of place. im talking pool views of mounttains, lush green aas farr as the eye could see and the mosst lovely workers. i mean theese people would ddo just aabouut anything to make sure we were all taken care of. the foood was aamazing and wee all haad a great time.. lasst night ii even drank a bitt of kava with the reest of the poeple sttaying at the place. ii am at the airport riight now with tthe ddudes from england and we are headedd down to the south weest coaast tto a ttown called Singatoka. hopefully wwe will stay and actually geet somme surf there at Cllub masa. TThen wwe should be off to annother place to the east caled waaidroka. anyway ii am safe and everything is awesome i aam so totally chilled out itt is great. by thee way a night at the hostel was only 15 buks! and beeer only 2.50 : )
hoope all is well and much love to everyyone!
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