Fun Loving Criminal

Ola! Some serious recapping to do here, you will be pleased to note. Firstly, I forgot to mention how Orla and I met. I was just returning from my walk along Lake Tekapo, when I bumped into Jill chatting to this girl outside. AS I sat down, she says "Ola!" I looked at her a bit puzzled, wondering why she'd said that and thought immediately that Jill must have told her that I was going to S America. So I put up my hand in a salute and said "Ola!" back. She looked at me like I was completely weird and then said, "no my NAME IS ORLA!!!" Well I did laugh, but was genuinely surprised that no-one else had ever mistaken her introduction as a Spanish greeting. We then got drunk and consolidated our new ... read more

So I gratefully left Wellington and shook off my boredom and got the ferry to the south island. I have to say that arriving through the Marlborough sounds was breathtaking. We arrived at Picton then caught the coach to Nelson where I stayed for 3 days. On the way in I went quad biking and on the skywire, which is a 4 seater chair attached to a line across the rainforest and you freefall pretty much right the way across forwards, then backwards at approx 90km/hr! Its awesome and i went on it 4 times for the one price. Bargain and I have to thank Leigh our guide for that, as I cheekily asked to go again and again! I had booked in at Paradiso hostel and this is a word of warning...DO NOT STAY HERE ... read more

OK, im on catch up as now Im actually in New Zealand, so lets see now, where was I....oh yes....MARDI GRAS!!!! WUHU! The Rocky horror picture show was amazing and i cant believe i havent seen it before, either the show or the film...but I can honetly say that I now feel complete! very funny, very alternative and very sexy. you cant get better than that! Margaret Cho was also very very funny and im glad we went with my suggestion to get tickets to her show which was a sell out. highly recommend her. I also visited the Powerhouse museum which was very alrge and very interesting as covered virtually all areas of interest from history to fashion. So next up was the Twisted zoo walk with the Nuns of Perpetual Indulgence, at Toronga zoo ... read more

First, a few facts - I can nearly get all my hair into a ponytail; I'm hungover; I'm a parade official for the Mardi Gras parade on the 2nd March 2008, so look out for me!; I hate vodaphone, they are crap; my MP3 player broke on me again, but is now working after "rebuilding" itself, unnervingly; I sunbathed for the fist time since I left the UK today; I will have a surprise for you all as of next week..with a picture as proof (you'll never guess!). Secondly, I received an email from Steve, the zookeeper who I got chatting to at Adelaide Zoo (cf previous blog). How random, but how lovely! he was searching for tiger pics and came up with my blog, of all things! (it makes me wonder what other searches are ... read more

I'm now in Cairns and finally get a chance to scribe another blog before I head off very early tomorrow for 3 days to the outer reef for my advanced diving course. cant wait! So, arriving in Airlie Beach, it was spitting with rain, but not to be put off, i went to check in at Koalas hostel and found that my shared room smelt of urine. lovely. I did however have a bottom bunk, so kind of a result. i decided to go for a wander instead and breathe deeply while I had the chance. Lovely cooked breakfast after my tiring journey and checked in at Oz experience for the sailing on the Kiana the next day. Basically, there was little else to do here. It was still spitting and there are no activities whatsoever ... read more