Shons
Shons travels Joined: July 17th 2008
Logged in: January 24th 2012
Logged in: January 24th 2012
14 month round the world trip which, at the moment, will cover London to Aqaba overland, Morocco, Southern Africa, India, Thailand (bring on the cats and dogs!), Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, San Francisco and Canada... phew.
Will be updated on a regular (ish!) basis.
Dec '08 update - some changes...I will now be spending Christmas in Goa / Kerala and New Year in Nepal. Cats & Dogs in Thailand was cancelled, instead I will be in Bangkok for two weeks then head to Phnom Penh in Cambodia on 1 Feb to work in a bear sanctuary for 4 weeks!!!
Aug '09 - can't believe I've been on the road for a year! Few days left in NZ then meet Ali in San Fran and overland Canada from Vancouver to Toronto...
Cheers,
Shons x
Travel Blog Posts
Well, that's me two weeks into the next chapter of my life....my time out travelling is but a distant memory. I've been pretty rubbish keeping in touch (no Facebook or Googlemail access at work, laptop still at home and need to change mobile tarriff) so hence this blog. Arrived on Guernsey (aka the Rock) 26 Feb - it was sunny and looking it's best. Popped into the office to see my new colleagues in the flesh as we'd only had one telephone interview and one video conf interview, so both sides were keen to meet each other. Invited to join the Quiz team that night. Behaved myself, had lots of wine and staggered back to B&B about 1am! Agency had put me in touch with an Irish guy, Gary who had relocated here about a year ... read more
SAN FRANCISCO!!! Had a fab time in San Fran. Met up with my travel bud Ali (from the first trip London to Aqaba!) and had a drunken time - quel supris!! We explored San Francisco downtown, Fisherman's Wharf, the hilarious seals at Pier 39, rode on a street car, had an AMAZING time in Sonoma and Napa Valley wine tasting and an awesome two nights camping in Yosemite. Looked at El Capitan (the ultimate challenge for climbers) in AWE. Some day... Next stop Vancouver :)... read more
Well, the North Island has been just as hectic as the South. There's just sooooo much to do in this picturesque, clean and friendly country. As I'm "leaving...on a jet plane..." yet again in a matter of hours, here's a quick summary of my North Island travels and some pics: Wellington - the capital city, explore Te Papa, the wonderful NZ museum covering all things Maori. There's great displays of Maori taraonga (treasures), a marae (meeting place) and I learn about the Creation involving Ranginui (Father Sky) and Papatuanuku (Mother Earth). However, there's also loads of other exhibitions so I learn about the Scots in New Zealand (!), see a colossal squid, reconstruction of an earthquake and an F1 exhibition, fab for a rev head like me... Palmerston North - spend a lovely week with the ... read more
Ice tunnel in Franz Josef
Phew - New Zealand is proving to be just as hectic as Australia. I only had two weeks in the South Island but managed to pack lots in by travelling with the Magic Bus. Loads of sightseeing and activities, mostly involving blue skies, crisp blue ice and snow. A brief summary: Christchurch - v English wee city, pretty church and the trams trundling passed Tranz Alpine train - Christchurch to Greymouth, wet in the East coast...dry by the time we arrived in the West coast...typical NZ weather Greymouth - visited THE attraction, a tour of Monteiths brewery with LOTS of tastings Franz Josef - really got to know this glacier. Did a heli-hike AND a full day trek including iceclimbing for the first time. This will be my main memory of the South Island. Amazing experiences ... read more
Sydney skyline
14 Jul - greetings from New Zealand. Only been here a few days but lovin this country...despite the cold, brrrrrrr. Had an AWESOME 3 hours yesterday when I went heli-hiking on the Franz Josef glacier. Superb weather - blue skies, great snowy mountains and glistening ice like I've never seen before. An amazing experience riding on a helicopter, landing on the ice then hiking for two hours through the ice wearing crampons, exploring ice caves and tunnels. Anyway, to rewind...since my last blog, the rest of my time in the land down under was fantastic. Hectic but v enjoyable. Had a wonderful three days sailing round the Whitsundays on Solway Lass, a tall ship. Whitehaven beach was spectacular, with white sands and blue, clear waters that are truly as impressive as they look in the photos. ... read more
The wee man
Some photos of wee Ewan Binskin...born on 8 July. Visited Leigh, Darren and the wee man the day before I left the country :) ... read more
"It's not even possible to say quite where the outback is. To Australians anything vaguely rural is "the bush". At some indeterminate point "the bush" becomes "the outback". Push on for another 2,000 miles or so and eventually you come to the bush again, and then a city, and then the sea. And that's Australia." 22 Jun - the above quote from Bill Bryson in his book Down Under is so appropriate about my adventures here in Australia! G'day from Oz. Hope you are all well. I haven't been in touch for AGES as it's soooo hectic here in Australia. There is just so much to see and do...here's a brief run down about what I've been up to in this amazing country: New South Wales, NSW: Sydney - fantastic time with Leigh, Darren and ... read more
On top of the world!
13 May - g'day, greetings from Oz! I arrived in Sydney last Friday. I'm having a wonderful time here and loving staying with my mates Leigh and Darren (and Surf the dog) in their fab bungalow with scrummy home cooking thanks to Leigh. They stay in Dee Why so I'm experiencing beach living in the suburbs and could really get used to it... I've explored some great places here in North Sydney - Dee Why, Manly, Curl Curl and Cremorne. Just one full day in Sydney so far, and that was today. It's a superb 'commute' on the Sydney Ferry from Manly to Sydney Harbour. Visited Sydney Opera House this morning and then did the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb... what an AMAZING experience. After getting all kitted out in a fetching jump suit, harnessed up and ... read more
Riverside in Bangkok
Well, as per the name of my blog...I've done it. Bellshill to Bangkok, after 9 months of travelling through 22 countries I've arrived in Bangkok. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And now for the Beyond... Catch a flight to Oz in 5 hours and 10 minutes...not that I'm counting, or desperate to leave Asia :) ... read more
