http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/asiaandbeyond/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from asiaandbeyond en-us Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:05:49 BST Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:05:49 BST Two weeks ago we begun our trip around New Zealand's South Island with the Kiwi Experience leaving Christchurch behind after a great experience watching the All Blacks beat well thrash England.Things didn't start well as we were soon greated by our driver for the first section of the tripGinny. Ginny was a lovely girl who decided to welcome us all on to the 'fuck truck' telling us that we http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Kaikoura/blog-296280.html On Saturday night we were lucky enough to go and see England play the All Blacks in Christchurch for the second game of the Iveco Series. England had lost the first match in Auckland a week before and had made six changes to the team in a bid to turn around the series and end it in a draw. We properly got into the spirit of things going to Base Backpackers before the game having a couple of dri http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Christchurch/blog-290142.html After leaving Brisbane we went on to Byron Bay finally leaving Queesnland for New South Wales. Byron has the reputation for a being a hippy hideout when back in the 70s it was transformed from a little town into a early backpacker haven. There is an awesome beach which seems to stretch for miles and we did a walk that went up the cliffs up to the lighthouse which gave us great views across t http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Christchurch/blog-290135.html NOTE PUBLISHED NEW PHOTOSWe've been in Australia for just over 2 weeks now and its flown by. After close to 2 months in Asia getting here was a welcome relief. It's so easy to get caught up in the ozzie mentality the laidback lifestyle and the all round good vibe.We're working from the top down Cairns to Melbourne. We flew to Cairns from Singapore and met Jess from China tour and who wen http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/Fortitude-Valley/blog-284621.html There's no real excuse why the blog hasn't been updated for three weeks so I won't make one. There's a lot to cram in so things may be quite briefLast time you heard from us we were in Bangkok about to head for Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. After visits to the Grand Palace and various 'Wat's we too an overnight bus up to the second largest city in Thailand and to be honest it was ju http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Thailand/South/Ao-Nang/blog-276909.html Krabi Thailand. The Thai province most affected by the Tsunami of Boxing Day 2004. Its taken Thailand a while to recover from the disaster to come to terms with the people they have lost and to regain its positoin as the number one tourist destination in Southeast Asia. Signs for Evacuation Routes line the beachfront at Ao Nang Railay and Phi Phi the worst affected area clearly posted to get http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Thailand/South/Ao-Nang/blog-276905.html Right get a hot drink ready because this one may be a long one but it's definitely worth readingAfter Kuala Lumpur we made the bus journey over to the port for the Perhentian Islands arriving at Long Beach to rain We settled in our basic huts right next to the beach and set up camp with a coffee and a book because the rain was there to stay. The next day was also a wash out.On the third day http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Thailand/Central/Bangkok/blog-270810.html On Monday the Olympic Torch passed through Kuala Lumpur starting off at the iconic Medaka Square in the Colonial district of the city. We were there It was bloody hot and the five of us didnt stop sweating through all of it plus the Malaysians were mental when anything was happening I was almost floored by a sweeping tide of people LOADS of times.Anyway here are the photos tonight we're of http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Malaysia/Selangor/Kuala-Lumpur/blog-268848.html A lot of the cities in China proved to be a bit of a disappointment for us really. Beijing and Shanghai especially didn't live up to what we had in our imagination oriental flair lanterns lining the streets noodles in street carts ... a lot of that was missing and the city as a major world city lacked something and felt a bit awkward.Stepping into Hong Kong though we were struck by familiarity http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Malaysia/Selangor/Kuala-Lumpur/blog-268481.html Hellooooo everyoneSo after Shanghai it was on to the south of China. The journey itself was a daunting task 22 hours on a train lovely. It started ok to be honest train stations in the past in China have been pretty shocking very busy and overcrowded dirty and unorganised. This one however was nothing like it it was more like a shiny new airport complete with glass dome over the top of it http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/China/Yangshuo/blog-264978.html Hi guysJust quickly letting you know at the moment we're in Shanghai not much to tell you apart from we've seen the skyscrapers and soaked up the atmosphere. Apart from having a wander there's not much else to do here. Tomorrow we leave to go to Yangshuo which is in the south of China where we spend a week in a more countryside area which should be really cool. I think all of our group are r http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-263551.html NOTE THIS IS AN ARTICLE TO PRACTICE MY JOURNALISM WHILST I'M TRAVELLING I'LL BE DOING THEM THROUGHOUT THE TRIP ITS NOT SO MUCH A ACCOUNT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING MORE JUST SOMETHING FOR ME TO DO ON LONG TRIPS AND IM PUBLISHING THEM IN CASE YOU FANCY READING THEM. CHEERS RICH.The Chinese really are trying hard. With four months to go until the curtain goes up on the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-263547.html HelloSorry it has taken so long to add my first entry but here it is anyway.We started in Beijing ... but I'll go back a bit because the stories really start on the plane Sitting in a three myself Claire and a Chinese girl we thought we'd watch a film make the most of the food and then get some shut eye ready for the start of our adventure. Nonononono The little Chinese girl wasn't http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/China/Shaanxi/Xi--an/blog-262636.html Hello Welcome to my blog for my travels around the world.At the end of March I am embarking on a 45 month trip to China Thailand Australia New Zealand Fiji and New York and this is where I'll be posting my photos and telling you of what we're getting up to Right now myself and Claire are just gearing up for THURSDAY thats the day we leave ... excited and packing and re packing and pa http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/West-Sussex/Chichester/blog-258641.html