http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/KristiMartin/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from KristiMartin en-us Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:49:17 +0000 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:49:17 +0000 We were quietly chuffed to leave Bosnia by something approaching a normal border crossing However it was not without incident as we discovered we had to pay a ten euro ecotax and we had no euro however after much umming and ahhhing we were allowed to pay with pounds only after the Montenegrins had confirmed it was actually real currency we were trying to give them and then they even gave us http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Montenegro/blog-437892.html The train from Lesce Bled to Zagreb unfortunately ran about an hour or so late which meant that once again we wondered if wersquod be in time for our flight to Split echorsquos of our mad race for our flight in Bucharest ringing in our heads. The train finally arrived and we settled in for the 3 hour journey through to Zagreb stopping enroute for the general passport checking and stampi http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Croatia/blog-437866.html Our entry into Bosnia from Croatia was unusual to say the least. We had a road map of the general area and we were happily heading to Metrovic to cross the border. We reached an isolated little check point just 2 guys in uniform waving through a steady line of traffic on a dusty disused road and asked where the Bosnian border was the guy just pointed and grumbled ldquoBosnia.rdquo So we d http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina/blog-418380.html We were definitely excited to be leaving behind the London ldquosummerrdquo and get a real summer abroad in Europe First stop was Ljubljana in Slovenia where we landed mid morning. We had a few hours to kill before our train departed to Lake Bled so we put our bags in storage at Ljubljana train station 2 Euros for a HUGE locker bargain and headed into the capital city. We were instan http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Slovenia/blog-418378.html For Kristi's birthday this year I took her to Oslo the Capital city of Norway for a weekend break Kristi had no idea where I was taking her all she knew was that on Friday she had to meet me at Liverpool Street station at 12.30pm so we could take the train out to Stansted airport. I emailed her a series of misleading clues throughout the week hints suggested everywhere from Somalia to Iraq http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/Ostlandet/Oslo/blog-415706.html We touched down in Bucharest and immediately noticed the heat It was lovely a dry 27degrees and not a cloud in the sky Once we cleared customs we found the bus we needed to the city and hopped on some random guy who spoke no English helped us with our tickets and stowing our packs we assumed he worked for the bus people... until we got to our stop and he helped us off again and then wanted http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Romania/Transilvania/blog-404163.html We arrived in Malta not really knowing what to expect we had heard a lot about the tiny island nation but had no real conception of what it would actually be like. After some incredible views Malta is actually 3 Islands Malta Gozo and Comino from the plane as we flew in our first impression was ... WIND It was crazily windy as soon as we hopped off the plane in the first 23 days we expe http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Malta/Malta/blog-399928.html Hi all Time for a long overdue blog As most of you know we left Asia to arrive in London in mid January greeted by ridiculously grim weather Although on the plus side not long after arriving we did get to enjoy a lsquoSnow Dayrsquo Londonrsquos heaviest snowfall in something like 20 years. The city pretty much shut down schools were closed Martin was stoked and transport ca http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/London-City/blog-397665.html Now wersquove been saying all along that Lao people were awesome so friendly and accommodating that the local people become a real highlight of Laos as a country. But nothing is quite as good an example as this ishellip.. on arriving at Vientiane we hoped out of the minivan grabbing our bags then trying to read a map to see exactly where we were in relation to our booked hotel. The miniv http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vientiane/blog-362965.html Vang Vieng is not big enough for an airport so the only way to get there is by bus we chose the most expensive option ha ha expensive being about 30NZD to get there hoping it would be the most comfortable. The ldquoVIPrdquo bus was not the most comfortable way wersquove ever travelled though with seats with no leg room and so forthhellip. And the road was incredibly windy. Donrsquo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vang-Vieng/blog-362964.html We arrived into Luang Prabang about 4pm our plane had propellers Gosh and went straight to the place we were staying. Thong Bay Guest house pronounced Tong Bayhellip nothing to do with gstrings or jandals When we stepped onto the balcony of our bungalow we were stunned with how beautiful the surroundings were. Our bungalow was about 10 mins out of town and the balcony which soon bec http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-360225.html Well we arrived home in NZ less than 12 months ago. Ready to stay put for a while bought another house etchellip. then decided we wanted to travel some more So just 11 months after setting down in NZ and after 6 very hectic months spent renovating our house from top to bottom yes floors ceilings roof a few walls and all interior finishings completely stripped and replaced completed http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-360224.html Wow we can barely believe it we are back in hellip. NEW ZEALAND After visiting 36 countries in 6 different continents wersquove clocked up a shocking 43 flights flown just over 151 hours and spent roughly 96 hours hanging at airports around the world Wersquove crossed 19 land borders traveled by plane bus train overland trucks 4wd ferry on foot by flippers camels horses in http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/blog-237721.html We arrived into Salta about 10pm at night after a long day on the bus. It was definitely a great drive though great scenery and driving down the last few mountains literally through the clouds was quite unique After dumping our gear at the hotel we went for a wander down town to find some food before we crashed out. Wandering around the streets at 11pm the streets were really busy load http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/blog-237430.html After leaving the laughable Bolivian Immigration Centre we drove for about 35minutes to the Chilean Immigration. This was quite amazing as we had been driving in Chile for only 5 minutes before we came to a pristine tarseal road I donrsquot think we even saw one in Bolivia along with this change in roads came an unexpected change in temperature it almost immediately went from about 10 de http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/blog-235276.html Arrived in La Paz Bolivia in pretty bad shape were both absolutely exhausted We left Lima on a 9pm flight to Santiago then had 4hrs at the Santiago Airport to kill before our next flight at 6.50am. Very grim indeed Bunny managed to doze for a while but I didnrsquot manage a wink Soon enough we were on our plane to La Paz but we were in for another little treat firsthellip the plan http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/blog-232648.html Well our first night in Peru was really excitinghelliphellip ahemhellip.. it consisted of a late flight from Quito to Lima after paying US80 bucks at Quito for an unexpected departure tax ouch a 10 min taxi ride to a hotel near Lima airport for a whole 3 hours sleep an argument with the hotel over free transfers as we were told they were free then they tried to charge for them solv http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/blog-231767.html The next morning we left early for our tour around the Amazon Banos and Cotopaxi on the way we stopped at some hot springs but Kristi and I were not really keen on swimming as it was damned cold and pretty miserable weather We did go on a wee hike around the springrsquos area which was quite cool as we found out about some of the local flora and fauna etc.The next stop was the town of Tena http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/blog-231133.html We arrived in Quito at about 10pm and were stunned at how fast the immigration and baggage claim services are we were through customs with visas and had our bags in about 510minutes max no exaggeration it was outstanding In no time at all we were being driven back to the Amazon Inn by a really nice Ecuadorian named Daniel who works at the inn. The guesthouse exceeded our expectations it http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/blog-229135.html At the end of our cruise having eaten our way through an atrocious amount of food on board we then practically ROLLED down the gangway and out to the taxi ranks for our trip to South BeachFrom the cruise terminal we took a taxi to ldquoSoberdquo for our lsquosecondrsquo stay in Miami. Unfortunately it started raining pretty much straight away damn Olga So we lazed about for the afte http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Miami-Beach/blog-228393.html