How long is it since I have updated this blog? Eons, and I have missed you - and I am sure you have all missed me ... but did any of you get me a publishing deal? No you bloody didn't, so be very grateful I am back! Well, what can I tell you - greyer, wiser (possibly), wider (definitely). In the years since I have last been here, I have held down two jobs ... yes, it surprised me too! I have also joined the local sea kayaking club. I love the sea - I swim in it regularly (in [View Full Entry]

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Of all the flights I have purchased in the past eleven months, none have been as disastrous as my trip to Newquay, thanks to Ryanair Don'tgetyou there. Sorry it has been so long since I updated my blog, but I returned home unexpectedly early and have spent the last three months in France with my mum. On Tuesday 19th I flew from Limoges to Stansted, intending to catch the evening flight to Newquay to spend a few days with my dad. Next week, unfortunately, I have to return to the world of work (gizzajob?), so was catching up with Dad before [View Full Entry]

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FJ Glacier and Wanaka [View Full Entry]

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Hokitika I arrived in Hokitika on a Friday at about 2. By 3 I had seen everything Hokitika had to offer - and had 30 minutes to spare for a cup of tea. However my next wwoofing destination was a bus ride away and the bus only stops once a day. With hindsight I would have just used the 40 minute lunch break during the bus journey to see Hokitika and then carried on to Ross. Well with true hindsight I would have just stayed on to the glaciers and avoided one of the strangest weeks of my life. Hokitika is [View Full Entry]

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Arriving in Nelson Tramping and kayaking in Abel T \visiting pancake rocks in Punakaiki [View Full Entry]

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Wellington Howard and Wendy, whom I met in Cape Tribulation all those months ago, met me at Wellington bus station. It was lovely to see them again, and so nice to have a room to myself, to have normal conversations and home cooking as opposed to my backpacker cooking. Wendy and I went and helped her son move apartments so I got a sneak preview of downtown Wellington. Tim kept on asking me if I am ok to carry stuff, everyone does this and it worries me that I must look pathetically weak, which I probably am, but I carry 25 [View Full Entry]

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I am very slowly creeping nearer to the bottom of the North Island. I am very, very quickly hurtling to the bottom of my bank account. Auckland I was planning to leave Auckland about 2 days after I got there, but a long weekend was coming up and it was a chance to spend time with Sharlene - because it could be years before I see her again. So whilst she and Jodi slaved away at work, I lounged about the city and continued to bludge off them. I walked to Auckland Domain which is a very pleasant park area. When [View Full Entry]

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Hello All Long time no blog. I would like to pretend that I have been to busy partying - but that would be a lie. I have been far too busy shovelling pony pooh. Sometimes duck and horse pooh as well. Ponies pooh more prolifically than horses, but less messily. They are also most fussy about not eating where they have poohed, and who can blame them, but this does mean the grass in the poop areas grows very long - making it harder to scoop. And you all thought I could teach you nothing! Pooh aside, you will be pleased [View Full Entry]

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Firstly apologies for the gaps in my blog - but I don't always get time to give you all the attention you deserve. As I attempt to catch up it seemed odd to be writing about Australia when I am now in New Zealand, so I thought I would get up to speed on NZ and then backtrack to Melbourne and my trip from Sydney to Melbourne. I have uploaded the photos - and my written diary is up to date so at some stage my drivel will find its way to the keyboard. In the meantime - here is now. [View Full Entry]

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This is a very brief rundown of my trip to Melbourne - but at least it finally updates the gaps in my blogs. I arrived in Melbourne with Ursula in our little hire car. Actually it was a lot bigger than we had expected to hire - so we were very relieved to return it with no dents or bumps. Melbourne is very confusing to drive around, so we returned the car the morning we arrived and spent our week in Melbourne walking. They do have public transport - but I could never actually work out which tram / bus was [View Full Entry]

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