Well I'm finally home my dears! and having been off -line since I returned, unable to get this out. I spent a final week in Boston, USA, with another dear and distant relative, mainly resting and recovering from the long journies of the past few months. Taking up my mother's hobby of connecting with relatives, feels very positive, and fun to make connections with those in distant parts. We did take an interesting ferry ride round the harbour for a historical tour, really fascinating to learn about the Boston Tea Party, and the place where the Revolution and break away from [View Full Entry]

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Howdy folks..... Yesterday I left Canada and moved into the great US of A....so here's the remainder of the Canada story: correcting my previous entry, of course I was in the western side last time I wrote! I completed my islands trip, staying with more wonderful 5W members as I went, and using a little hitching on safe islands to get about. It can be done on public transport, takes quite a lot of research and I mainly did use buses and ferries of course. I got up to Campbell River, as intended on Vancouver Island, a place where most folk [View Full Entry]

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Hallo from East coast Canada; After a gentle week staying at my 2nd cousin's house in west Vancouver, I'm now exploring some of the Gulf Islands off Vancouver Island. It was wonderful to be able to relax in a family home after my 13+ hour flight from Auckland. That's the longest flight I'll ever do I think, and still very sad that I had to fly, when I nearly had a place booked on a freight vessel: heyho. I did get to see 2 movies tho! I had so enjoyed my last few days on the coromandel peninsula, and had visited [View Full Entry]

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Hiya; I'm pleased the photos worked, getting to grips with all this techie stuff! So, The Magic Bus swept me from Pahia on the east coast of the Northland to the Hokianga harbour region on the west; from the tiny village of Rawene across the harbour by dear old ferry to Kohukohu, where I was collected by my next hostel host, Phil. We called into the village for a few locally grown supplies briefly before heading the 6km back to the Tree House hostel, where I had a cabin all to myself, wonderful after sharing a 7-bed dorm for 4 days [View Full Entry]

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Halllo again. I've really enjoyed moving at my own pace for the past few days; visiting friends: one highlight was seeing 2 old flatmates from Oxford, maybe 35 yrs since we last met!!! And now back to staying in hostels, I have moved up to Paihia in the Northlands, warm sun, lovely beaches. another fab dolphin cruise, this time to watch them play in the bay, along with a baby one! they came really close, and played around our boat for ages. (I put this down to me whistling, apparently they relate to that best, so I did lots). We were [View Full Entry]

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Hi there folks; this is my 2nd attempt at this blog, yesterdays disappeared, so now I have no photos with me to try, and will see what I can remember of the past 2 and half weeks in the South Island. We (the tour) arrived at Picton after a picturesque ferry ride through Marlborough Sound, calm waters and sunshine. Even a craft market to greet us in Picton before boarding our new coach, which took us along the north coast a fair way to Motueka. Here we stayed in a holiday park, enough room to place top bunk mattresses on the [View Full Entry]

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I reached Auckland last Saturday, and we have been blessed with all sorts of (mainly warm) weather here in NZ since then. On my first day I met up with Gaby, my travel companion, and another friend, and off we set on a ferry for a nearby island, and beach afternoon. I love to do that, arrive in a big city and immediately escape to somewhere nearby, from which to be able to look back. I'm now with my 5W tour group of 39 - 37 women and 2 husbands! how brave those men are. It is a huge group, and [View Full Entry]

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Well, unexpected stuff in Australia; I so enjoyed seeing some bush, lots of eucalypts and strange bird-noises (bell bird, parrots) v. loud in the tall trees. A generous distant cousin, Richard took me to a very special place, up high on a ridge, where our ancestors would have taken timber for the sawmill. We found some old caves and I was easily transported to another time, just sat and drank in the wonderful atmosphere for quite some time. No wonder the aborignal peoples have such a strong sense of spirit, it was tangible there. Returning to Sydney, I had to buy [View Full Entry]

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Hi y'all, Our last morning in Quy Nhon after taking last min. photos, I spotted a gathering with music, near to the v. poor fishing area, had to investigate: they were most welcoming, people dressed in white, gathered round an altar, v. traditional-looking triple drums, a sort of trumpet, amazing music, can't describe: just felt really so authentic. only after a cup of green tea and tries at talking in sign language did I realise I had gate-crashed a funeral! whoops, still they seemed v. pleased to see me. I fled rather embarressed when I saw tear-stained womens faces appearing from [View Full Entry]

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We are on our last days at the fishing/seaside town of Quy Nhon, little mentioned on the tourist trail, and yet so rich and full. thanks to Lonely Planet for the suggestion. I've completely got over my difficulty with Vietnam, and am now loving it, and full of admiration at how people here are so resourceful, and manage their lives best they possibly can. Nothing is wasted, everything is sorted and recycled, and used. I think what happened is the poverty and dirt showed me the very dark side, the shadow, and I was scared of it. How would I manage [View Full Entry]

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