http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/LISASTU/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from LISASTU en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:28:37 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:28:37 +0000 We're home now arrived on Friday 27th Feb 2009 slightly longer journey home than expected but we got here safe and sound after being away for 353 days and visiting 13 countries and 3 Continents.We have enjoyed every minute and wish we could do it all over again never say neverWe have met some great people along the way heard lots of funny stories and it will stay with us foreverThank you t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Hertfordshire/Stevenage/blog-375251.html A little update of what we have been up to in NZ.Stu Simon SteveSimons dad and Wayne Sys friend from work went on a 3 day2night hike around Tongariro National Park Whakapapa Village Ski area for the North Island they said the hike was excellant but challanging at times poor Stus feet proved this they were covered all over the bottom and heels of both feet they stayed in huts which ha http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/East-Coast/Gisborne/blog-365937.html We arrived onthe 2nd Jan 2009 taxi waiting and straight to myLisa's sisters in Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty.We have about 2months in NZ we are planning to hire a car for a week to travel around and see some more of NZ which we didnt have time to do when we last came 3years back we may go away with Bonnie Sy and kiddies or just sit a enjoy the time we have left.Stu has been feeding the Chic http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Bay-of-Plenty/Tauranga/blog-360813.html We arrived safely in Sydney but my backpack didnt Stu was happy he got his but mine was being flown to Melbourne then to Sydney by 0730 Christmas Eve I was glad to see it againOur friend Mark picked us up from the airport we're staying at his girlfriends flat in Manly ideal location right next to the beach.Christmas Eve We had a look around Manly town and then we hit the supermarket for s http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/Manly/blog-358150.html 2nd Dec 21st Dec 2008Our last mileage chart we are about 2000 kms out but we think its because we took lots of scenic routes which arent onthe map plus I was map readingForster Port Macquaire 136kmP Mac Yamba 385kmYamba Surfers Via Byron Bay 168kmSurfers Wet n WildCampsite 20kmWet n Wild Brisbane 45kmBrisbane Landsborough 80kmLandsbrgh Mudjimba 40kmMudj Noosa 40kmNoos http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cairns/Cairns-City/blog-356505.html We were recommended this small towncampground and it was great we drove down past pineapple platations into a lovely campsite. We descided to chill out for 2nights. It was right on the sea front no swimming Salties with a lovely pool and large ponds around the site.Again we didnt do alot apart from sunbathe read listen to the Cricketborning and go swimming in the big tropical swimming http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cairns/Cairns-City/blog-356487.html We went on to Airlie Beach and booked our day trip to the Whitsundays for the next morning.In 1770 Captain James Cook sailed through the Whitsunday Islands and marvelled at the many bays and inlets that were a sanctuary for his weary sailors who until then had experienced nothing but raging seas and rough weather. Little did he know that these islands were the remains of coastal range which sunm http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Airlie-Beach/blog-354856.html We arrived in Noosa and we planned to have a day on Fraser Island we would of liked to have done a couple of days with camping but time is running out and fast.The weather was good clear skies and nice and hot just how we like itThe campsite was pretty busy but we had a good shady spot and right next to the inlet so we sat by the water for the afternoon. The next day we were up early for a 4x http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Noosa/blog-354851.html We arrived in Surfers late afternoon so we found a good campsite close enough to the town and beaches. Now the weather had changed again from sunny to cloudy and dark clouds ready to have down pour any minuteWe had a walk to the beach Main Beach across the road then we went for a drink or two in a nice bar. I noticed someone walk past me that i really thought i knew..... and its was TIMM http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Surfers-Paradise/blog-352596.html We drove to Newcastle to stay with some friends Holly Pete and Little Matilda the weather was rainy and non stop for most of it but we had a great time met some of their friends and had a BBQ. Holly did a grand tour of Newcastle by car due to the rain. We all travelled up to Nelson Bay for the day Stu and I stayed up there and the weather was great not a cloud in the sky thats what we al http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Byron-Bay/blog-352582.html Just a quick update on the mileage we are currently doing much shorter distances now.Adelaide Port Elliott via Christies BeachVictor Harbour 120kmP.Elliott Robe 318kmRobe Port Fairy 356kmP.Fairy Anglesea 271kmAnglesea Melbourne 129kmMel Lavington 294kmLavington Snowy Mountains 329kmS.Mountains Canberra 235kmCanberra Cowra 292kmCowra Blackheath 218kmBlackheath Kato http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/South-Australia/Adelaide/Glenelg/blog-352579.html We arrived in Canberra in the rain and wind we only stayed in Canberra campsite just outside for one night the site wasnt that nice and once you see a city theres not much else we wanted to do.But we visited the Telstra Tower Sky tower for some good views of the city and surrounds went to the Anac Parade memorials for all the wars the Aussies have been involved with really interesting t http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Australian-Capital-Territory/Canberra/blog-349432.html We arrived in Adelaide and stayed here for 2nights met two English couples from Enfield and Berkshire had a good night chatting and playing cards and drinking our box wine classy with them.The 2nd day we headed to the city by public bus went to the main shopping street bought some new tops oh i miss shopping and primark we walked to Adelaide Cricket Ground walked along park of the Torre http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/South-Australia/Adelaide/Glenelg/blog-346740.html We drove to Kings Canyon and stayed at the only campsite around this area we were warned to keep all clothing items off the lines because of the Dingo's we saw a couple of them really skinny dogs quite scary looking really children have to be kept away there is still stories of a baby being taken my a Dingo a few years back no one knows if this is true but not worth the risk.We descided to http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/King-s-Canyon/blog-344229.html Mileage updateDarwin Litchfield 215kmsLitchfield Mataranka 398kmsMataranka Wycliffe Well 694kmsW.Well Alice Springs 382kmsAlice Kings Canyon 472kmsKings Ayres Rock 302kmsAyres The Olgas Ayres Rock 96kmsAyres Rock Coober Pedy 733kmsCoober Pedy Port Augusta 532kmsPort Augusta Barossa Valley via Clare Valley Scenic Drive 290kmsBarossa Valley Adelaide 107kmsThe distances http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/South-Australia/Adelaide/Glenelg/blog-344219.html We enjoyed our Fish N Chips in Darwin they were quite yummy Really liked Darwin. On the way out of Darwin we had to stop at a department store and buy a fan we cant take this heat anymore and I am too scared to have a door open all night incase of spiders get me inthe night. Its been a life saver well worth 24We left Darwin and went to Litchfield National Park only a short drive there http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Alice-Springs/blog-340684.html Oz is a big old country so driving anywhere takes time... hopefully this will give you an idea of what we have travelled so far between placesPerth to Guilderton 120km Guilderton to Geraldton 373kmGeraldton to Denham 405kmDenham to Coral Bay 557kmCoral Bay to Exmouth 146kmEx to Roebourne http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-340682.html We crossed over the border for NT we had to change our watches onwards 1hr 30mins.We headed for a place called Katherine Gorge created by the Katherine River 12 Gorges in total this place was lovely you feel like your inthe middle of nowhere but your only 30k from the town Katherine. The campsite was nice with a big pool and a snack vanOnce the sun went down Wallabys came alive and they wer http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/blog-338776.html Hello everyoneWe have arrived in OZ and its great we landed in Perth coming from the heat and humidity to freezing cold wet and windy Perth Not good when you only have shorts and vest tops to wear out but gave me a good reason to hit the city with Leah and get a top and shoes so we could go out that night.Warren and Leah friends from home moved out here back in Feb and have now got a 4ye http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Perth/blog-338767.html We arrived in Bali from Java we caught the ferry across Stu did a bit of bargaining for our transport to Lovina North of Bali as it was about 100kms away from the port our drivers take us to two motorbikes we were on these things for 1hr 15mins our poor bums were killing us when we arrived just a couple of scary moments but it was a good job it was darkIt was our 3rd time lucky for accom http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-329626.html