Blogs from Oceania - page 7788

So, I said I would not make any promises and here I am a little over three weeks later, feels like much longer. I spent the following few days doing the cultural touristy stuff since I was on my own, I hit the State Library, The Botanical Gardens, Museum of South Australia and Aboriginal Art Museum, some definitely more interesting than others but each definitely worth a look, some fascinating art. The Botanical Gardens were beautiful and I found myself there almost every afternoon until the rest of the crew arrived. I had the chance to spend some time with people from all over the world, with roommates from Hong Kong, Germany, Sweden and France. I spent most of my time with two guys from England one who was a worker at the hostel and one ... read more

It is just a couple of hours left for me here on the north-eastern coast of Australia. I am currently sitting in the internet cafe of Gilligan's Backpackers Resort in Cairns. This is probably the flashiest backpacker's place I have been to so far. Very good and clean rooms, well trained staff etc. Still it somehow feels wrong. I think it is because I'm a bit old fashioned and have this image of backpacking being a bit filthy thing. But as anyone travelling around Australia can probably tell, backpacking is moving to the next level: backpackers appear with Samsonite suitcases and beautycases, pulling their luggage on trolleys behind them - still a minority but probably being a harbinger of the next backpacking generation. What else is there to tell about Cairns? From my point of view ... read more

For the first time in this trip we didn't feel sad to leave somewhere, Rotorua was a nice place and we did see some amazing things but the smell was too much and the hostel too noisy, we didn't sleep well during our stay, anyway onwards and upwards, our Southwards in our case as we hit the road to Taupo. We leave early as we've planned a stop half way to visit Wai-O-Tapu park, a Thermal Wonderland as it markets itself. Wai-O-Tapu (sacred waters) is New Zealands most colourful and diverse volcanic area, it's full of stunning geothermal activity and colours of every tint in pools, lakes, craters, steam vents and thermal terraces. I was really impressed by this place but Fiona wasn't to bothered by it, she liked it all and that but that pungent ... read more

Enjoy!... read more

Dick says for me to warn you that it takes a long time for us to upload pictures to the Blog, so if you go to our latest entry and find no pics, try again later and see if some are there. They may not show up right away. We have rejoined our ship today in Papeete on the big island of Tahiti, after spending the last two days on Bora Bora. I know we've said this before, but Bora Bora and its sister islands must surely be the most beautiful place on earth. Each one a green tropical paradise surrounded by green, turquoise and deep blue waters. The Bora Bora Nui Resort that we went to was just unbelievable. Dick and I both agreed we had never seen anything to rival it in beauty and ... read more