http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Jo-on-an-adventure/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Jo on an adventure en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:36:18 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:36:18 +0000 You couldn't really call it backpacking not as I've known it but the last week of my travels spent in one of my favourite cities was a fantastic way to end the adventure.After flying from Halifax with my parents I left them at JFK where they were staying at a nearby hotel before flying home the next day and headed into Manhattan. My hostel was well located on West 60th street near Central http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/blog-414777.html The first day in Toronto I was EXHAUSTED. Totally wiped out. This was exacerbated by a bad night's sleep on the final night in the RV wonderfully located as we were at a campsite by a train track and then a long day of flying from Albuquerque via Chicago to Toronto. All I managed to do on day 1 of 2 was catch up with my life laundry finances eeek blog grocery shopping etc. Day 2 was http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Nova-Scotia/Halifax/blog-409938.html I left a fairly chilly and wet San Francisco and arrived in a warm and wet Albuquerque unseasonal weather was following me at least in the short term.But it was soooo nice to be met at the airport by Jessie a friend from home her gorgeous baby girl Livia who I hadn't met yet she turned 4 months while we were on the trip and her mum Lynda. Lynda was kind enough to put me up at her place in http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/blog-407318.html Its been rather liberating to be out of touch for a while although it was slightly scary to discover how reliant one becomes on modern technology. I've logged on to lots of lovely messages from friends and I'm desperate to reply to all straight away but first things first the blog. Road trip details to follow shortly but first San FranciscoThe train ride I was all set for 11 hours from Lo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/San-Francisco/blog-407292.html After a week of relaxation and calm in Fiji a week in LA totally shook up the senses. This was a place I'd been to before but I was 11 and all I really remember of it is Disneyland and Universal Studios. So I was looking forward to getting to know the place.Which is really not very easy to do especially in a week. I hadn't quite registered the vastness of the place until I started trying to get http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/Santa-Monica/blog-400649.html It seems a long time ago now but back in Wellington I was looked after brilliantly again by Janina and her housemates. There wasn't much sightseeing this time I mainly made plans and bookings for the US which took up quite alot of my time. There was a party though at the house for Sharon's birthday and I took in another play at the tiny Bats Theatre a modern adaptation of Hedda Gabler no http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/Naviti-Island/blog-398530.html I'm back in Wellington now after Queenstown I stopped in Christchurch Kaikoura Blenheim and Picton before heading back over the Strait to the north island.The days have been relatively uneventful apart from highlights listed below filled mainly with forward planning for next stages of the trip and taking exploratory walks around the various towns. Weather wise things have taken a turn it http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington/blog-394195.html I think it was the day after my last blog that I set off on the Routeburn track one of New Zealand's Great Walks and it certainly was. Walking becomes an expensive activity once you've paid for a bed in the huts en route transport tofrom the beginningend of the walk hiring of rucksack and cooking gear etc etc. And I thought it was free It was all worth it though.Day 1 I was picked up f http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Queenstown/blog-390805.html On the bus for the Abel Tasman National Park the weather deteriorated somewhat and by the time we reached our home for the next few nights the very outdoorsy and pretty basic Old MacDonald's Farm in Marahau things were pretty grey and drizzly. Thankfully by the morning things were a bit brighter. Myself and Lucie a Liverpudlian from the Stray bus took a water taxi up the coast passing the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Queenstown/blog-386344.html Its hard to follow a day where you jump out of a plane but actually the following day I did the most fantastic walk called the Tongariro National Crossing considered by many to be the best day walk in New Zealand. The walk passes over live volcanic craters and between 3 mountains including Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe known as Mount Doom by Lord of the Rings geeks. Ahem I mean fans http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Nelson-Region/Nelson/blog-382377.html No I can't quite believe I did it either. And I didn't mention I was thinking about doing a skydive just in case I wimped outSorry about the photo quality I'm having problems with this PC. I'll try to put some better ones up soon but this'll do in the meantime.In fact 3 years ago when I came to New Zealand it wasn't even a consideration but this time I thought why not Why should other peopl http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Taupo/blog-379775.html People don't really rave about Auckland but there are lots of great places to go if you know where to look. Tourist information is somewhat lacking.I climbed a couple of extinct volcanic mountains Mount Eden and Rangitoto Island formed from a volcanic eruption just 600 years ago and with probably the best views of Auckland at the top although I couldn't recreate that with my camera. Almos http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Rotorua/blog-379181.html I don't think Australia and I were destined to live happily ever after. I had some wonderful times there met some very warm and lovely people and saw some beautiful sights but I also found the east coast pretty samey the weather extreme and somehow I don't feel we were well suited.As I mentioned in the last post I've been to New Zealand before so knew to some degree what to expect when I ar http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-376303.html Australia has shown its true wild and woolly colours in the last couple of weeks. News of the horrendous bushfires in Victoria has been told around the world and meanwhile weeks of heavy rain followed by Cyclone Ellie caused heavy flooding in Queensland. Not to mention 3 shark attacks in the Sydney area within a week. All this certainly strikes it home that this is a country of extremes with man http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/Kings-Cross/blog-374075.html My final day in Brisvegas was a very satisfying sortout day which sounds dull but if you know me well you'll know the pleasure I get from sorting things out writing lists etc. I went to see Slumdog Millionaire great film and good way to escape the humidity for a couple of hours. I also took a ride on the Citycat ferry and ran into Martha and Laurent who I'd met by design in Sydney.Th http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Gladstone/blog-370481.html I'm meltingOr at the very least sweltering. The last few days have been very humid and warm leaving me with very little energy to do much at all. I can break a sweat by just sitting still reading.I've just arrived back in Brisbane after a few days on Straddie or North Stradbroke Island to give it its full name. Its an island about 30 minutes by ferry from the mainland with a population of a http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/blog-366236.html PHOTOS now uploaded...Along with several thousand other people I watched the Sydney fireworks on New Years Eve. We were at a great spot not too heaving because its a bit hidden away and not many people know about it and while you can't see the opera house we had a wonderful view of the bridge and obviously the massive fireworks overhead. Plus we didn't have to sit there all day I turned u http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Bellingen/blog-361296.html My last couple of days in Melbourne were as planned fairly relaxed. I spent time wandering around the St Kilda area taking in a promenade pier a beach volleyball tournament Luna Park etc and then just relaxing in my hostel.And fairly early on Sunday 21st I set off with 2 random Brits Linzi and Tom to head for Sydney in a campervan stopping in Canberra. As it turned out we drove throug http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-358087.html Last Saturday Melbourne had its heaviest rainfall all year so I was pleased to be here for that.You're not short of things to do here though rain or not and alot of them are free which is marvellous for a traveller on a budget. That rainy day and the day after I amused myself at the Ian Potter gallery a tour of the Parliament building a carol service back at St Paul's much better singing http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/St-Kilda/blog-355478.html Its definitely become chillier recently and a couple of days ago there was a day of rain I was promised nonstop sunshine in Australia...anyway Melbourne is a great city I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I arrived here last Friday after a few final days in the west I signed up for the Southern curl tour in a bid to see as much of the country south of Perth as I could in the short time availa http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-353276.html