http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/ambersadventure/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from ambersadventure en-us Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:20:24 +0000 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:20:24 +0000 So this is it my last travel blog Nearly six months later and here I am sitting at my parents' house in Winnipeg with nothing more than a few souvenirs a LOT of photos and fantastic memories. It's a bit hard to reconcile starting real life again after such a phenomenal experience but I suppose in time I'll be readjusted.Our flight back was fine although we were stuck at the very back of http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/blog-300517.html So we've now arrived back in London and I think I'm in utter shock that we're going to be in Canada tomorrow afternoon... not sure how I can be in shock about it since that's been the plan for months and months but I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. On the one hand it seems like yesterday that we left the UK and on the other hand seems like a lifetime ago.We crossed the border f http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/blog-299052.html We're in Arusha at the moment just hanging around the town waiting to cross the border into Kenya. The past week has absolutely flown by and I think we're all a bit shellshocked that today is our last official today together. That said every one of us is going to the Masai Mara on Sunday for three days so although we won't be with our crew we'll still be together for a couple of days. It's s http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/blog-295184.html We've got about another hour left on Zanzibar before we return to Dar Es Salaam and I think we all could have easily stayed on for a few more days at least. Zanzibar is gorgeous the water is incredibly blue and clear and the weather has been fantastic since we arrived. We did a really good tour of the old Stone Town on the day we arrived and went to someone's house for a traditional Zanzibar http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/Nungwi/blog-293056.html Just a quick note to say that wersquore now on Zanzibar after spending the last week and a half travelling through Zambia and Malawi. Irsquoll do a full update hopefully tomorrow sometime as wersquore currently in Stone Town on the island but head up north to the beaches later this afternoon for some lazing around. Malawi was awesome absolutely gorgeous scenery lovely people and wers http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/Zanzibar-City/blog-291849.html The past few days have been fairly relaxing. We were able to take it easy while most of the others were at the Okavango Delta and it was nice to be able to sleep in beyond 5am for a couple of days. We left the Delta on Wednesday and drove for ages and ages before we reached the town of Kasane which is on the border between Botswana and Zimbabwe. As soon as we got off the truck we split into two http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-287203.html We arrived in Botswana on Saturday afternoon. The border crossing was considerably faster and less annoying than into Namibia where the customs officers acted as though we were inconveniencing them plus most of them fled on their lunch breaks as soon as we arrived. Botswana is an interesting place with one of the most stable legitimate goverments and strongest economies in Africa. We're curre http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Maun/blog-285371.html We've now arrived in Swakopmund a reasonably largish town in Namibia after nearly a full week's camping. Camping has been okay especially considering I've never camped in my life but we're staying in a lodge this weekend which is pretty nice in comparison ha.I'm quite impressed with the trip so far. It's very organized and our trip leader Kat has been doing this job for four years and ha http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Namibia/Swakopmund/blog-282109.html Yesterday morning I woke up wide awake at 3am. This is normal for me at the moment still going through the final paces of jet lag but this time it was different. I felt like I had razor blades in my throat and within an hour or two had developed serious shivering chills and cold sweats. A flu Excellent timing two days before our overland trip.I spent the morning in bed and managed to dr http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-279609.html We've been enjoying a few leisurely days in Cape Town attempting to finish picking up a few things e.g. pillows and mosquito repellent for our overland trip. I'm still feeling a bit jet lagged on the mend but I was awake at 3am for what seemed like ages last night so I feel a bit sleepy now. Trying to press through to a reasonable time tonight and hopefully things should be normal again in http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-279023.html Well we're here after a loooooooooong painfully long day of travelling arrived in Cape Town right on time last night. Our flight left Sydney at a fairly reasonable time on Monday morning but after fourteen hours we were pretty beat when we touched down in Johannesburg. Customs was quick though and we had to recheck our bags for the connection into Cape Town.I did something rather embarras http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-278271.html So our last day in New Zealand has crept up and tomorrow we're off to Australia for the weekend and then onto South Africa on Monday. We've had a really great time here and a BIG THANKS to everyone who was able to meet up and to those whose homes we invaded as well as to Peter and Kathy for putting us up for the past few weeks.We had a rather touristy weekend. On Thursday we drove out to Ka http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Hamilton/blog-276413.html So we're now back in Hamilton at Paul's parents' place after a very busy weekend in Auckland. We drove up on Thursday and met up with Juls for dinner we were staying with her and her husband Chris in their lovely home on one of the bays off the waterfront. Friday was busy busy as I met up with some of my old friends for drinks and then joined Paul and some of his friends afterwards. Chris and http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Hamilton/blog-273304.html We're leaving for Auckland in the next couple of hours where we'll be spending the weekend at Chris and Juls' place and catching up with them and other friends. I've already got a date to meet up with some old friends from when I worked here on Friday night and I think we're pretty well booked up for every meal until we leave there on Monday Should be nice to see everyone and hear what they've http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Hamilton/blog-271644.html ... for a lovely engagement party. We had a really nice time around forty people turned up last night and there was a great barbecue and lots of food of course. The highlight of the evening was a cake we didn't know existed featuring a giant photo of our giant heads. Hilarious I'll post photos sometime while we're still in NZ. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Hamilton/blog-270374.html So I've not entered a blog for awhile. This is because we've been quite busy and our internet usage has been a bit limited. We're now staying with Paul's parents in Hamilton but their internet connection is slooooooooooow so we've now headed to an internet cafe to prevent hogging up their phone line.Let's see where did I last leave off... guess we would have been in Nelson which was enjoyable http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Hamilton/blog-269435.html We're now in Nelson which is quite a nice easily walkable town although the weather has been a bit gray and rainy over the past few days. Fortunately we're staying at a fantastic hostel right in the centre of everything so it's easy enough to walk on the covered walkways as needed. Our hostel is called Accents on the Park and is really really nice. It looks about brand new is absolutely spo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Nelson-Region/Nelson/blog-266870.html Meant to add this link to my site earlier it's Sarina's website for her reusable diaper business And there are a few photos of little Maia as a baby on there too.httpwww.nudeyrudey.co.nz So if you're interested in cloth nappies contact Sarina I'm shameless on her behalf. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Motueka/blog-266156.html What a funny name.We've been doing a lot of driving over the past few days we're now at just about the top of the west coast of the South Island. We've clocked over 1000km so far and today we've got the day off driving which is nice. Funny how lazing around exhausts you.So after we left Christchurch and wee Maia we arrived in Greymouth and then onto Fox Glacier for our glacier hike. Now I'm http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Motueka/blog-266153.html Or In Zid as the locals would say including my dear Paul.My internet time is about to run out and has been a bit limited since we've been here so this shall be brief. We arrived in Christchurch a few days ago and had fun hanging out with Paul's friend Sarina husband Aaron and aDORABLE 22month old daughter Maia. She was lovely so so cute and funny and we enjoyed chasing her around. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Fox-Glacier/blog-265312.html