http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Lozzle/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Lozzle en-us Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:46:37 UTC Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:46:37 UTC Ahhhh Nelson Lakes. You only have to look at the photos to realise why we love it here We stayed at the camping ground preparing for a cold night and marveled at the lake with the jetty with mountains as the backdrop.The only thing that killed the moment was sandflies. They are unforgiving and everywhereEverywhere you look there are ducks baby ducks and more ducks. You actually don't http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Nelson-Lakes-National-Park/blog-339723.html Marlborough Sound is a stunning place at the North of the South Island. The Queen Charlotte track is a quoting from The Beatles long and winding road with stunning coastal views. Kean cyclists were huffing and puffing up and down the hills whilst me and Oz just whipped past them in our awesome wagon. A lot easierWe managed to take loads of photos and the water wasn't just blue but turquoi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Marlborough/Queen-Charlotte-Sounds/blog-339536.html The Catlins is an area in the South of New Zealand full of scenic drives sheep penguins sea lions seals and waterfulls.Our first night in the Catlins we arrived at Curio Bay at a little backpackers by the sea. No tv just a radio and a fire real bliss. We wondered out to the Petrified Forest which is 180 million years old and saw yellow eyed penguins coming in from the sea. They came o http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Curio-Bay---/blog-339534.html We arrived in Dunedin which is supposed to be similar to a Scottish town and first of all checked into a haunted hostel as you do There were log books of the ghost sightings and even posters in our room telling us to report any activity. Of course I was too chicken to read any of the log books just in case all the ghosts happen to have been spotted in our room The whole time we were there I http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Dunedin/blog-339482.html After spending hours carefully packing up the van so that everything fitted in just right we were waved off by our flatmates and left Queenstown to start our tour of the South Island. Within one hour our van had broken down. Not only had it broken down but it was steaming smoking and hissing. We sat by the roadside puzzled at how our temperature gauge had risen so dramatically considering http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Milford-Sound/blog-335261.html We hired a car sorry Rocky you would never had made it and decided to take a trip to another Ski resort higher up in the South Island called Mt Hutt. We left the house at 5am to begin the 5 hour drive through windy country roads and then opening out to long straight stretches.When we arrived in Methven we checked into our hostel. It was a lovely cozy hostel with huge couches and a big fire http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Methven/blog-326118.html Here are some pictures from a drive we took just half an hour from our house. Mountains lakes and all scenic views. Not a bad place to live eh http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Glenorchy/blog-321102.html Here are some snowboarding shots to prove that I am actually doing it. There are also some ones of the world championship half pipe. These clearly aren't me.I go too fast for the camera..... http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Wanaka/blog-321097.html On our way to Lake Wanaka we stopped at PuzzlingWorld. This is basically a puzzle museum which has big hollograms and pictures on the walls which follow you around. Very strange having Beethoven watching you. There is also a slanting room which makes you feel like you are falling over when you are standing upright. They also show you the tricks used in Lord of the Rings to make one object app http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Wanaka/blog-321087.html Decided to have a mini break and head to the Glaciers as Spring has finally kicked in and the weather is absolutely beauitful.Woke up in the morning ready to start the drive and the weather had turned from beautiful clear and sunny to cloudy raining and vile. May as well be in England looking out of your carival at the rain.As our housemates began making a fire and dragging their duvets onto http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Franz-Josef/blog-319191.html Sydney is exactly the same as when I left it a few years ago. This time the sun isnrsquot shining quite as much but the Opera House is still sitting next to the Harbor Bridge and tourists are still packed around it. Business men walk around with shirts and sunglasses and there are aboriginal crowd pleases playing the didgeridoo and doing traditional dancing on the streets. Kings Cross the G http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-309557.html What can I say about the Great Barrier Reef No surprises why this is one of the 7 wonders of the world. I got on my dive boat in the morning and did two morning dives. The water was so clear and I could see all around me for what seemed like miles. Very strange to qualify back in march and then they just literally give you a map of the reef and tell you not to get lost whilst booting you int http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Great-Barrier-Reef/blog-308867.html The Whitsundays are truly gorgeous. I set sail on the Prima sail boat with 11 other people. The boat was err cosy but it had everything we needed. I befriended the Captain and he let me steer the boat and showed me how the sailing works and how to navigate. In between this I managed to sunbathe well burn on the deck and look out and the blue sea. Within minutes of getting out of the harb http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Whitsundays/blog-308861.html Arrived into Hervey Bay ready for my Fraser Island trip. I met my group who I would be spending the next three days with in the bar. We were given a briefing on what to do if we came across the wild dingos which was apparently just stand there and how we operate the four wheeled drives.We then had to get up at 6.00 in the morning to pack up the truck which took a lot of patience and many coff http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Hervey-Bay/Fraser-Island/blog-308853.html I ended up completely bypassing Surfers Paradise. It looked horrible. Fill of high risers macdonalds and dingy bars. Not what I imagined at all so kept on the coach and headed for Brisbane.I met an Irish girl from my room and then headed to see Natasja who I met in Auckland. We jumped onto the City Cat ferry and took a tour of the river around Brisbane and checked out several places. Brisb http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/Central-Business-District/blog-303819.html After Oz waved me off at 7 in the morning in Queenstown I hopped onto a coach heading for Christchurch which would take me to the airport and into Australia. The coach took about 11 hours and kept stopping constantly. By the time I got to my dorm in Christchurch I couldnrsquot sleep and ended up staying up all night to catch my flight. Luckily for me I was entertained as an ageing rock st http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Byron-Bay/blog-303773.html Right at the heart of Queenstown is a gondola which takes you right to the top of a hill for amazing views of the town. The cable cart swings into action and climbs to the top passing sheep bungy jumps and luging glorified gokarts which uses gravity instead of a gas pedal.At the top the views are brilliant and you can see people paragliding in the distance you can also watch the bungy jumps http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Queenstown/blog-298188.html The snow gods have arrived and Queenstown is covered in snow. Down came the blizzards mountains closed cars gone off the roads and huge gail force winds. Perfect opportunity to make snowmen and have multiple snowball fights. Never have the neigbours come together before and all in the pretence of friendly banter right up until a snowballs start pelting away.Let it snow let it snow let it http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Queenstown/blog-295476.html Have arrived in Queenstown after days and days of driving. Queenstown is amazing. Loads of boarder type people milling around shops selling mulled wine by the bucket and of course the Mountains. After finding our feet in our new home we can see The Remarkables just across the lake. Everyday I become more and more like the local MET office and find myself measuring the snow on the peaks of t http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Queenstown/blog-289104.html After finally leaving Auckland with some paychecks in our pocket we set off for the South Island. We hit Lake Taupo after 45 hours of driving and got out of the car to have lunch. It suddenly hit us how much the temperature had dropped and we werenrsquot even in the South Island yet. We could see a Mountain range in the distance and as we got back into the car we slowly got closer and c http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/blog-288265.html