No longer living in New Zealand, because I've quit my job, put my life in a storage unit, and am spending 2009 travelling round the world.

<selfishmode>Sorry, having way too much fun to write a blog.</selfishmode>

my travels in 2009...

Hong Kong: Auckland to Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific 118, February 1.
Six days around Hong Kong (and Macau).

Japan: Hong Kong to Osaka, Japan Air Lines 702, February 7.
Three nights in Osaka, 4 nights at K's House in Kyoto. Also got to Himeji, Nara.

Vietnam: Kyoto/Osaka to Hanoi, Japan Air Lines 755, February 14.
Nine days in Hanoi and the north. 3-day Halong bay tour with the real Kangaroo cafe. Sapa on my own, in hard class on the slow trains. <--- The best time I've had on Vietnam trains. Crowded and dirty, but, well, full of real life.
Heading south through Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang. Sleepers on the train. <--- Worst time on the trains. Compartments full of businessmen with briefcases, most of whom snore loudly.
Dalat, HCMC, Vung Tau.

Cambodia: HCMC to Phnom Penh by bus, March 10.
Really innovative and original itinerary through Cambodia (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap).

Malaysia: Siem Reap to Kuala Lumpur, Air Asia 847, March 19.
Kuala Lumpur. Taman Negara. Kota Bharu. Perhentian Islands. Penang.

Thailand: Arrive in Hat Yai by bus, April 1. Krabi. Railay. Ko Phi Phi. Phuket. Bangkok. Thailand was the worst country I visited in SE Asia. Beached whales in bikinis in Phuket. Obnoxious frat boys passing off as backpackers on Khaosan Road. "Riots in Bangkok" says the BBC. Is that the redshirts, or the dickhead tourists on Khaosan Road at Songkran?

Jordan: Bangkok to Amman, Royal Jordanian 181, April 13. Blown away by this amazing city... A great introduction to the middle east. Also Petra (of course), Dana, Dead Sea, a few other little places.

Eastern Europe: Amman to Istanbul, Royal Jordanian 165, April 20. On to Bulgaria (Plovdiv, Sofia), Serbia (Nis, Belgrade), Bosnia and Herzgovina (Sarajevo, Mostar) and on to Dubrovnik. So far by bus and train. Then, ferries up the Croatian coast (Hvar Island, Split, Rijeka). Slovenia (Ljubljana, Bled), and on to Venice. The usual too many places, not enough time.

Britain: Venice to London, British Airways 2583, May 15. It's cold, murky, windy, raining every day. What else do you expect in London?

Ireland: London to Cork, Aer Lingus 715, May 20. Blarney (I admit). Killarney. Ring of Kerry. "Scored" Carrauntoohil. Galway. Connemara National Park in the fog. Sligo. Derry/Londonderry. Giant's Causeway and Antrim Coast. Belfast.

Scotland: Ferry from Belfast to Stranraer (June 2). Glasgow. Fort William. Ben Nevis (weather ranging from sunny to light snow). Mallaig. Inverness. Stornoway (outer Hebrides). Aberdeen. Dundee. Stirling. Edinburgh.

England: Train from Edinbugh to Newcastle (June 16). York. Manchester. Edale (Peak District). Birmingham. Bath. Cheddar Gorge. Weston Super Mare. Bideford. Lundy Island. Plymouth. Exeter. Torquay. Back to London.

Spain: London to Madrid, British Airways 2464, July 4. Around Madrid. Alcala de Henares. Cercedilla.

Peru: Madrid to Lima, Ibera 6651, July 9. Upgraded to business class. Thanks to the Iberia check-in staff! Lima, Paracas, Nazca, Cuzco, Inca Trail, Puno.

Bolivia: (July 29) Copacabana, La Paz, Rurrenabaque, Trinidad, Santa Cruz.

Chile: Santa Cruz to Santiago, LAN 967, August 13. Santiago, Valparaiso, Pucon, Puerto Varas, Puero Montt, Valdivia, Chillan. Running around trying to escape the rain, mostly unsuccessful.

Argentina: Santiago to Buenos Aires, LAN 4631, August 27. In BA for three days. Gorgeous weather.

Uruguay: Colonia del Sacramento, Montevideo, Punte del Este. Rain caught up with me again, curtailing my plans a bit.

Brazil: Porto Alegre, Florianopolis and Santa Catarina Island, Curitiba, Foz do Iguacu. Mixed weather.

Argentina: (again). Puerto Iguazu. Now the weather's cleared up, and all that recent rain is pouring over the falls! Beauty! Then bus back to BA, fly to El Calafate, Perito Moreno Glacier, El Chalten.

Chile: (again). Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, Punta Arenas. Cold and windy, but some clear days.

Argentina: (third time). Ushuaia for four days, then fly back to BA.

Too soon, I'm just about to head home...
Sydney for a few days.
Back to NZ.... October.

Well, this year has been so much fun, that I'm planning for 2010... more travel. Already promised to visit a friend in Israel, thinking about where else...

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