After leaving the Bogan Balaton and the history of hermit dwelling monks, geysers and medieval settlements, it was a long day on the train over to Slovenia. This took 2 border checks, the first being when you enter Croatia from Hungary and the 2nd being exiting Croatia and entering Slovenia. At each checkpoint you are checked by an officla of the country left and then one from where you are going to, then the customs person (if you carry liquor or smokes), then finally the ticket person.......and this subsequently results in lengthy delays of 30 mins or more. Luckily they must [View Full Entry]

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I finally got to Budapest on the international train from Kosice for Saturday evening (Kosice is a fairly average stop on the route southwards from Poprad Tatry (Slovakia). Being reservation free train, I was duly awarded the tourist treatment and paid a reservation fee accordingly to the train ticket lady, fortunately only a measly 2 euros but needless nonetheless! The skies shone in Budapest and after being lulled to sleep through the rocking carriage for 3 hours, I had to mak plans to get off and decide how on earth to find what I thought was Weiss Guest House. Now in [View Full Entry]

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Last I left Trencin in western Slovakia and took the train to Tatranska Lomnica, just north of Poprad Tatry, the centre for excursions into Tatras mountain region. It is shoulder season now, as high season is their winter time, and I could just imagine it being a lovely winter wonderland with racoons climbing trees and snow capped fir and pine trees about to topple with the weight of the snow. The train travel from Trencin was lovely, through Mala Fatra national park (towns of Vrutky, Martin) and passing many lakes and narrow gorges akin to going from Paeroa to Tauranga alongside [View Full Entry]

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Dobra dan from Trencin, northern Slovakia! What a tiring but exciting 96 hours it has been since leaving Auckland..... Firstly, it was an early start for a 9am flight from Auckland to Seoul on Monday September 7th. Now I had doubts booking with a cheaper airline back in january (befor fares really went low and lower again), but I have to say they were very good on service and food, if the antiquity of the airplanes leaves a little wanting......... In contrast to Air NZ's transtasman service, it was lighter on the entertainment facilities but considerably better in the polite Asian [View Full Entry]

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From the wet foggy climes of Mount Gambier to Western Victorian towns of Casterton and Coleraine, it was a straight and clear drive on the Saturday morning. Once you hit Casterton and climb high above the town you realise it is indeed a hole, out of which the countryside becomes rolling and scenic. Lots of cows and sheep grazing in the lush fields, which have clearly seen recent rain, ran scared as I streaked past at only 100kph, the official speed limit in Victoria - beware the hidden mobile speed cameras!! After a brief stop in Hamilton to stretch the legs [View Full Entry]

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The time came for me to head off Friday afternoon not soon enough - I have been awaiting and saving for this trip for the past 6 weeks, having arranged it all in June one wet depressing Mt Gambier day! After a quick taxi ride to the airport, I flew out on the 12.45pm flight to Adelaide on REX, regional express airways. They hold a monolpoly at Mt Gambier, so it's REX or a long walk/ drive/ expensive bus ride from the big smoke. Adelaide airport was warm and dry, a stark cry from the forecast wet and windy given 30 [View Full Entry]

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Another chance to see Australia arose when i was able to take some leave early on Friday afternoon and head east to the 'big smoke'. The buses out of Mt Gambier leave twice daily, once at 8.15am and then again at 2.25pm, eventually connecting with a train at either Warnambool (coastal scenic route) or inland to Ballarat. The inland bus route to Ballarat takes in lovely pastures in western Victoria, rolling countryside and small traffic-free roads worthy of some good cycling I'm sure. Hamilton, Victoria, is a base for visiting the Grampians in the southwestern corner, and similar sized to Mt [View Full Entry]

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It was my fortune this week that a friendly work colleague asked me out of the blue whether I would be interested in house-sitting for her, and care for 2 teenage cats and 2 chooks??? Of Course! And it has been a real taste of home not living beside the main highway and in front of a smelly paper/ pulp mill. I had the best nights sleep in a while ever, and am enjoying wandering around the elaborate rambling cottage garden complete with Lime tree, apples, oranges, one tree I cannot figure out but seems like a sort of pomegranate, a [View Full Entry]

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All aborad for the great 4WD adventure! Well, I must be worthy of an upgrade again, thanks to the friendly people at AVIS Mt Gambier. In a flight of excitement and desperation to exit the confines of this small city, I arranged car hire late on Friday afternoon to pick up on Sunday. Timing it right, I would use it to commute to work Monday morning, expectant of rainy climes that are known in these parts at this time of year. Some patient told me that Mt Gambier had one third of it's rainfall on Tuesday June 30th, last week. And [View Full Entry]

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What an academic and physical week it has been.... First it was a conference for half a day on responding to challenging situations with families, set at the International hotel in Mt Gambier and a great chance to network with other health people. I even made a contact for the local English home tutoring and migrant services, which i intend to follow up on this week. Another means to meet people! But the academia did not stop there, no, but extended to a quiz night held at the St mary's centre at Boandik lodge. This is an elderly care facility which [View Full Entry]

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