Blogs from Oceania - page 6574

Hello again! (can you tell Laura and I are taking it in turns to catch you all up?!!) Well after another brief stop in Auckland we hopped on another Big Mean Green Machine (you do not want to know what other names the kiwi buses have!) and a new driver who was suitably crazy and funny, called Dave, otherwise known as cuddles. We had a stop at the top of Mount Eden for some lovely views of the city before heading to Cathedral cove which is only accessible by foot. There were dolphins swimming in the cove and some of the boys went for a dip despite it being bloody freezing! After a chilled hour on the beach we headed to the town of Whitianga (pronounced Fitianga in Maori) in Mercury Bay to a very ... read more

Dec 29. More boats arrive. 'Mercury' shoot for tomorrow's edition. 13 degrees. Finally cleared in arvo. Kelp gull, black wings, white markings, red on tip of lower bill. Sun finally appeared. Dec 30. Long day spruik. Many, many supporters. One lady got a flag for caravan. She'd sold the old rig and needed new sticker too. 'Mercury' article b/w. Salamanca market stallholders good. Dec 31. Another day spruik wharf very successful. New Years Eve. Four different harrassments in twenty minutes. I retired to pub. Later multiple police. Walked near guy who'd harassed me earlier and he went off. Police ordered him to leave the area. Nice having police on my side for a change. Jan 1. Scarlett robin, black with red breast, white wing bars. Female paler. Sorel markets at RSL. Hostile crowd selling old stuff. ... read more

We took an overnight train from Sydney to Melbourne yesterday and checked into Lord Lodge backpackers. Then we went and bought some grocieries and made dinner here at the hostel. At dinner, we met some fun backpackers staying here as well and went out to the casino with them to see the hostel owner play in an OACIS cover band. Today we went to the Queen Victoria market to get some groceries. Tomorrow we take a day trip out to see the Fairy Penguins. I don't know where the time is going, but it seems to be flying by! ... read more

Hello and Happy New Year!!! First I have to apologise for the shocking lack of blogging, we have been so busy since we arrived here in New Zealand with xmas, new year and general Kiwi Experience bus shinanigans!!! We spent our first 3 days in Auckland where we wandered around feeling very jet lagged and completely shocked by how expensive (compares to SA) and bloody cold it was! By cold I don't mean Sheffield in December cold of course, but still pretty chilly after South America! We treated ourself at the Base hostel in Auckland and stayed in the Sanctuary level. No smelly boys, a free fluffly white towel (not so white now!), aveda hair products, hair driers and did I mention no smelly boys on the whole flor?! Oh and free champagne in the ... read more

There was no need to dream of a white Christmas - Melbourne has just had the coldest Christmas on record. It was 35 degrees when we arrived from Tassie, but by noon on Christmas Day hailstones were pounding the city centre and those with more money than sense at the Barmy Army BBQ near the MCG - our own plans were a little out of sync with the weather too, as we tucked into our prawn and salmon salad. The overseas tour of the OP squad came through with the tickets for Days 2, 3 and 4 of the Test Match and we met up with Graham for coffee and cake on Acland Street, before dragging his poor wife round the streets of Melbourne in search of a suitable drinking venue that matched our requirements i.e. ... read more