http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Steve-And-Pea/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Steve And Pea en-us Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:02:36 +0000 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:02:36 +0000 So leaving Malaysia behind us we flew north to Bangkok the last stop before homeWe got the bus out of the airport and eventually got to our stop near the hotel. As we started walking with all our bags the hotel wasn't as close to the stop as we had first envisioned. Eventually we saw a hotel that looked like our one so went in to find out it was the sister hotel Never fear though they phoned http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-313932.html Arriving back in Kuala Lumpur it seemed that Malaysia still had a few spanners to throw into the works this time in the form of giving me stomach trouble again yes it was like going back to the early days in Bolivia but this time I think it was worse I hardly had time to sit down in between my visits to the toilet even though I didn't eat for 2 days something kept coming out Steve was very http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/blog-310487.html Firstly i'd just like to say Happy Birthday to my Dad so... Happy Birthday DadWe have been in Borneo for the last couple of weeks and it has been very hot and being peak season also very busy which was a bit unexpected. Malaysian Borneo is made up of 2 states Sarawack and Sabah. We started in Sarawack in the main city called Kuching. We had a look round on the first day and managed to buy o http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Sarawak/blog-304995.html Stepping off the plane in Singapore it felt like we were walking into a sauna We grabbed our luggage and made our way to our hotel we had found it hard to find a hotel when we were looking so we were not sure what to expect but actually the room was ok. It did have a bit of a musty smell and the wallpaper was coming off the walls but it was fairly clean and safe which were the main things We w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Singapore/blog-299455.html Arriving in Broome we were both wearing all the clothing we could so we wouldn't get done for extra baggage on the flight. This was a splendid idea when we were in Freemantle 3000k's south but when we stepped off the plane into 30 degree heat the 3 jumpers trousers thick socks and hiking boots seemed a bit foolish As it was a certain someones birthday we had ditched the tent for a few days and http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Broome/blog-295246.html We picked up our new hire car now officially named Charlene and left Perth in a downpour of rain hoping that as we drove north the sun would come out. We drove for roughly 7 hours that day without stopping and had so much scenery to see on the way there was a bush and another bush and many many more...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Eventually we arrived in Kalbarri where we were going to spend a couple of ni http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/blog-290680.html Leaving the tropical but wet Whitsundays behind us we flew 2445 km south to Melbourne where we caught up with our buddy Michelle She let us stay in her flat for a week which was a welcome relief from the tent and hostels. After dropping our bags at the flat we went straight out for some drinks and a catch up. Having not eaten much after a few beers we were well away and I awoke in the morning http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Perth/blog-284952.html Arriving in Airlie Beach we arrived at our campsite just in time for the rain to begin. We decided to wait a bit before putting our tent up which paid off as it cleared up and we could sort it all out whilst staying dry It wasn't quite the weather we were expecting from the Whitsunday Islands but we had faith it would blow over soon enough. That night we decided that since we still hadn't seen an http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Whitsundays/South-Molle-Island/blog-282679.html Stepping off the plane in Cairns it was clear we were in the tropics it was scorching and very humid. We checked into our deluxe room at our hostel and I made myself comfortable on the hammock Not before long though Steve was dragging me off to go and investigate our transport options to Cape Tribulation. Cairns was a nice enough town we enjoyed lounging by the lagoon no swimming in the sea du http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/blog-279155.html G'day ya flamin galasExpecting cold weather when we landed in Sydney we were greeted by blue skies and niceness. On the bus ride into Sydney it was clear the quiet towns of NZ were well behind us. NZ has a total population of 4 million people and Sydney has more people than that We were staying in the Kings cross area which truth be told is fairly similar to the Kings cross area of London so m http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-276095.html Well NZ is almost done and dusted. The last few weeks have been spent travelling up the east coast of the South Island to Christchurch.After Stewart Is we headed up to Dunedin where unfortunately we landed ourselves a flat tyre. But looking to secure my place in the McLaren team I had it changed in about 20 minutes lightning We were staying out on the Otago peninsula and it was a wee bit we http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Christchurch/blog-272968.html After visiting the Milford Sound we wanted to visit its larger neighbour the Doubtful Sound so we booked ourselves on an overnight cruise. We met our skipper and fellow travellers all two of them and set off across lake Manapouri on a speed boat. This took us about 40 minutes before boarding a bus for another 40 minutes to cross Wilmott Pass before finally reaching the Sound where we climbed aboa http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Southland/blog-266849.html Awaking with my nuts hiding somewhere deep inside my chest my toe escaped outside the tiny duvet and almost dropped off it was clear it was bloody freezing outside and Rodders is not too well insulated. Both absolutley freezing we got up and put on all the layers we had before heading to the kitchen which was nice and warm. After a bit of breakfast and a thorough defrosting we headed off to the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Milford-Sound/blog-264172.html As we made our way down the west coast the first thing we came across was the Pancake Rocks these were rocks that had layered very thinly on top of each other that looked like guess what...pancakes They were really cool and the sea around them was very rough that water kept blowing up through blow holes which was quite a sight too. Next on the agenda were the glaciers Franz Josef and Fox. Whe http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Glaciers/blog-261833.html Arriving in the South Island first on the list was wine tasting The Malborough region is covered with vinyards just waiting to be sampled so naturally we had to oblige Our tour took in about 5 wineries all giving lots and lots of tastings Pauline was nearly on the floor after the first winery gave us about 8 wines to sampleFully loaded up on wine for a while we headed north to the Abel Tasm http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Nelson-Region/blog-259380.html After an adventurous morning of jumping out of planes we headed to WaiOTapu thermal area a much calmer environment Here we saw lots of craters and mud pools that were a variety of different colours due to the minerals in the rocks there were green red orange blue and black all were very impressive if not a little smellyThe following day we drove down to the coast stopping at Himatangi b http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington-Region/Wellington/blog-256808.html At 9.00am this morning we jumped out of a plane at 12000ft. What a wake up call It was absolutely fantastic and a real adrenalin rush once we got past the initial 'oh my god what the hell are we doing' phase.I was first on the plane which inevitably meant last out so had to watch the plane empty before my eyes before it was my turn to throw myself out. Pauline was last in which fortunately http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Taupo/blog-253255.html At last we are getting some sunshine again After a week of some rather dubious weather it is back on track... but only justAfter our successful carvings we headed back up north on the Coromandel Peninsula and went right up to the tip staying in a really nice and extremely remote campsite in Port Jackson. Our site was right on the beach and as the weather was being kind it was beautiful. The foll http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/blog-252905.html You will be glad to know that Rodders is fixed and back on the road It turned out we had a leak in the water hose that provides the engine coolant a little hole in the exhaust and a busted tyre. It was all quite minor though the mechanic had it all done in an hour and it onlt cost us forty quid thats including labour and tax bonusBack on the road we headed for Waipoa forest where all the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/blog-249785.html Well here we are in a civilised english speaking fish and chip eating toilet roll flushing down the toilet country Yee HaaAfter around 30 hours on planes waiting in airports more planes more airports buses and many other interesting things associated with globe trotting we landed in Auckland New Zealand at 4 in the morning having lost a day and not knowing up from down. Once our tent http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-247736.html