TRAVEL

Around the World Tour 2005

An shortened version with Filly & Grahame

June30th.

Tubalar Belle Virgin Airlines,Boeing 747-480

We flew to New York today on our 5 month,around the world tour.We stayed at the "Comfort Inn Midtown" for a five day visit.our first port of call was the Port Authority to book tickets on the Greyhound to Washington ,for July 5th.

Over the next few days we visited the Empire state Building,Grand Central Station,U.N.Building,Central Park,Ground Zero,Times Square,Broadway,etc.

July 5th USA.

We Travel to Washington DC today.Stay here for five days at Adams Inn,a lovely little Guest house/Backpackers,just a few miles out from the centre.Spend the next 5days walking around Washington seeing the Capital city,with its abundant Memorials and Museums,and Galleries.A very interesting city to walk around and well worth the visit! Took the overnight bus to Niagara Falls on the Sunday,see Video Clipand had a few sightseeing days here, then flew to Los Angeles from near by Buffalo airport.

July 12th

Hired a car from Los Angeles on arrival,had to make our way to Alambra area,north of L.A,bit of a nightmare journey that took us about 3hrs to get there,as we got lost several times.Arrived at the Motel at 10pm!!.The next 15days we are takeing a circular tour,motoring to Palm Springs,Grand Canyon,Bryce Canyon,Las Vegas,Death Valley,Yosemite National Park,San Francisco and back along the coast road to Los Angeles.This was a very enjoyable trip,with some fantastic scenery,we would like to see some more of this country perhaps on another occasion.Unfortunately one of us has suffered dehydration,due to not taking suffient water and has had to take medication.

July 30th FIJI

Arrived Fiji for a five day stop over ,crashed out at Tubakula Beachon the Coral Coastvideo.Visited a local traditional village for a Lovo(Fijian feast) evening,which was very pleasant.Have managed to relax and recuperate these last few days and we are now fit and well!.Did not see much of the island will have to make an effort in the future to come back.

August 4th NEW ZEALAND

Arrived Aukland New Zealand, for a five week stay.Hired a car for a tour of North & South Islands,Whangararie was the first stop,north of Auckland.We did quite a comprehensive tour ,considering the time limit we had.Here are some of the towns we saw Kawakawawith their Quirky toilets,Opononi,Thames,Rotoruawell known for their Geysers and Hot Springs,and Wellington,in the North.On the way to New Plymouth,we stopped to see the thousands of glowworms hanging from the roof of the Waitemo caves.

Greymouth,Fox Glacier,andQueenstown,Christchurch, were just a few towns in the South Island.The South Island is much more mountainous,and the area around Milford Sound is quite unique,with beautiful mountain scenery with deep Fiords.We even saw Dolphins and Seals!!.At Dunedin on the South Coast,at Tainoa Head,there is a small Albatross Colony, where one can see also Shags and Penguins.We did`nt realise how big an Albatros was untill we saw them!.Video clip of Bungy Jumping at Kawarau Bridge near Queenstowwn. What a great Country to be brought up in .

Sept 8th Australia

Arrived in Brisbane Australia,for a weeks visit,Stay at a Motel in Highgate Hill,not too far out from the center.The City is modern like Perth and the travel network is fantatic,clean,modern,fast and cheap.A vibrant modern little City.We fly to Darwin for five days today September 14th,staying at a backpackers hostel,basic but clean.Went to Mindal beach market one evening,teeming with people,craft stalls,food of all nationality`s cooked here,entertainers,music,dancing,a brilliant night,we even saw the sun set on the beach!. Went to Kakadu National Park,and Nourlangi Rock,(here there are several Aborigini paintings,some are over a thousand years old),and Yellow Water Billabong;another facinating day.

Sept 20th

Flew to Perth today,hired a car again to see some parts of Western Australia,from Perth to remote Exmouth in the North West of the State.Also York and Wave Rock to the South East.We were here in the Summer a few years ago,and it was hot & dry and dusty.Now the countryside has transformed itself and is blosoming with flowers,a realy good time of the year to visit.As you travel north you become aware of the vast distance between towns here.Saw several Emus as we went further North,visited Denham,Carnovon,and Exmouth,we were thinking of going further to Broome, but have not enough time on this occasion to visit.Tried to go whale watching here in Exmouth,but the weather was too rough for travelling in a boat,but we did see through the binoculars,several from the shore.

September 30th

Make our way back South today,and travel inland a bit to get to York & Wave Rock ,which is East of Perth.After several days we have arrived and taken lots of pictures of the area.The countryside is still full of allsorts of wildflowers!.

October 13th Thailand

Flew to Thailand today,only three weeks here,and 5days in Bangkok.weather a little unsettled,rain about midday for a short while,then sunny.The traffic here is noisy and busy,with Tuttuts scurring along everywhere!.Very interesting temples (Wats)here,hundreds of them,a vibrant city.

October 15th

We took a trip to Kwai today to see the Bridge over the river Kwai,and War Cemetery, and the surrounding countryside,a really great day!.

October 18th

Left Bangkok for Phucket this morning for two weeks.Staying at the Old Phuket Hotel,Karen Beach.(www.theoldphuket.com).Took a trip to" Phang Nga" (James Bond Island)where they filmed the "Man with the Golden Gun".The island is out to sea and is accessable only by long tailed boats,which have an outboard motor on the back and moves through the water quite quickly.Unfortunately on the reverse journey it teamed down with rain and we were drenched,but still a great day!!.It surprised us how they have coped with the Tsunami here in Karen Beach,there is a lot of building going on,and the town is very tidy.

Leave Bangkok today for two day stopover in Singapore.Will have to make a point of returning to Thailand as we found it to be a friendly country with lovely people.

Singapore is one of the cleanest cities we have seen,it has a very modern buisness centre towering over the older houses below.Went to the "Little Indian"area this evening for a curry, as the Dephivale Festival is being celebrated,teaming with people,another great night.

November 6th South Africa

Duke one of the older Elephants that frequent the area

Arrived at Johanesburg airport early this morning,staying for a few days in Pretoria,at a guest House before adventuring on a short Safari at Kruger National Park.

November 9th

We were collected from the guest house early this morning for our safari trip to the Kruger.It has taken us all day,passing from the Higher Velt to the Lower Velt,the main roads are good with lots of motorways.We then had an amazing four days seeing various wild animals in their natural habitat.Short video clip of Ape with babyClick Here.The only disappoinment was that the lions were rather elusive!!.

November 13th

Departed Pretoria on the daily sleeper train to Capetown,journey time 29hrs.Arrived in Capetown on the following afternoon,after having a great train journey.

November 14th to 25th

In Capetown to November 26th ,where we have done quite a lot of walking.Have visited Robben Island ,Penquin colony at Robins island short video clip Table Mountain,Cape Point,and various vineyards,to mention a few.!One hears a lot of bad things about personal security in this country,but if you are careful,it is no more dangerous than anywhere else in the world!.Although we have only seen a small part of it,this country is quite stunning,the people although poor,are friendly,and helpful.

November 26th.

Well it is back to reality day ,we have flown back to a cold and miserable Heathrow,its twelve midnight and we are waiting in a freezing shelter for the bus to take us home.

Fortunately we have the warm memories of an exciting adventure that has taken us around the world,and meeting people in their lands.

TOP