TravelStream™ news feed for member jamesadby on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/jamesadby en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:05:03 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1208750100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1208750100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1208750100/tpod.html Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:05:03 -0400 Ohh arhh

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Hong Kong, China

Hi all,

Last blog so as usual, make yourselves comfy. Please have English Breakfast tea, wine gums and salt n vinegar crisps at the ready for my return. Yum Yum.

So from my brief stop in Bangkok, it was the over night train to Chiang Mai where we slept on bunk style beds in the cabins after a few beers in the 'bar carriage' arriving at Chiang Mai some 13 hours later. The first night in Chiang Mai consisted of watching Thai kick boxing followed by karaoke from the transvestite bar staff (and a few overly drunk English twats) surrounding the fighting ring. Entertaining it was.

The following days was spend learning to cook Thai food which was a great day and was stuffed by the end of the day ready for the 3 day trek starting the following morning through the mountains, rivers and waterfalls surrounding Chiang Mai. To say we were roughing it would be very polite so a whole day was required to wash and sleep when we finally returned to town 3 days later. Just glad we didn't have to eat the bugs and ant larvae that the guides were clearly enjoying.

Next day was the Flight Of The Gibbon, a 3 hour zip wire and abseiling tour through the rain forests, 120mtrs above ground. Very cool if a little tame for a bungy champion! haha

Night bus to the boarder of Thailand and Laos was the start of my worst ever journey. Following the all nighter bus journey, we were then stuck on a boat for 2 days, albeit through the beautiful scenery of the Mekong River. We had a laugh on the boat but the seats were so uncomfortable for those with meter long legs and after the third crash (yes i said THIRD!) and a small explosion in the engine room which soon turned to fire, we finally abandoned our shoddy ship. Sitting at the river bank waiting for another boat for two hours we were being warned that we may have to sleep on the banks until sunrise. Luckily our replacement boat arrived with sufficient daylight to get to Luang Prabang before sunset. To finish it off, it was getting dark and our replacement boat crashed into another parked boat sending a few people to the ground and leaving a gapping whole in the parked boat...i'm thinking the driver was either permanently drunk or stoned.

Luang Prabang in Laos is such a lovely place with many French influences and tourists. It also had an interesting way of making a little extra money by tourists paying in US$ and giving change in Kip, meanwhile we are converting to Bhat to compared with Thailand prices. Very confusing but still so cheap.

Next stop was Vang Vieng which i travelled to on my own so immediately booked myself on a tour the same day to get involved. Kayaking, mountain biking and caving turned out to be a great day, meeting more new friends that i would stick with for the few days in Laos and was pleased to met the first nice Canadian person i've met on my travels. So the following day was the main attraction of Laos for backpackers, no not the bars continuously playing friends on repeat, but the rubber tubing down the Mekong River.

Now i was skeptical about this in the same way i was skeptical about the Full Moon Party but what a great day it turned out to be. We all got our tubes, 12 people on a tuk tuk made for 6 and 12 truck wheel inner tubes drove us to the 'launch point'. From here, we floated a few hundred meters to the first bar on the banks of the river, consuming fruit shakes as it was still breakfast time and cooking in the baking sun, amazing views and a place for of people all having done the same things you have done in the last few months. Then a zip wire into the river to cool down and then to the rubber ring to float to the next bar. This continued for the whole day and was one of the cheapest funniest experiences of my trip.

Oh, i have a very funny story about an experience on a 'squatter' style toilet which all went a bit wrong and i wont elaborate on the detail unless requested. Lets just say my target practice wasn't the best that day...too much information i know.

On to the Capital, Vientiane meeting another group of French and Welsh for an amazing Italian meal (in the restaurant for 5 hours!) following by a game of bowling with super slippery shoes which meant you had not choice but to follow the bowling ball down the isle!

After visiting the slightly disappointing grand palace, we hit the best hotel in town and paid for exclusive use of the luxury swimming pools facilities. Hard life this backpacking lark!

Now to Cambodia, Phnom Penh and the killing fields. I wont go into detail but this place touches your heart and makes disturbed reading, especially as Kumar Rouge was around as little as 30 years ago. Sick, just sick.

We finished the day sitting by the lake watching the sunset exchanging travel stories and the usual UK/Oz banter with a couple of Aussies. Siem Reap and Ankor Wat followed for the next couple of days with the funniest part of this blog.

Amy, one of the Aussies asked for coffee with milk and what does the waiter say?????? Would you like sweet milk or breast milk!!!! no joke. Surprisingly she opted for the sweet stuff but the coffee clearly didn't go down too well. That evening was another surprise to see another friend i first met in New Zealand and then in the Malaysian rain forest and now here in Siem Reap.

The next day was the painful journey back to Bangkok along mud tracks.

So returning to Bangkok for the second time in my travels, i had a sudden feeling of contentedness. Sitting at the bar after a very long day in Humid, hot and polluted Bangkok, resting quietly at a outside table of a bar overlooking the infamous Khao San Road, listening to two Thai locals confidently strumming away at the strings of their guitars to the sound of 'King of the Road', US country style. Attracting many white tourists, the two entertainers received seldom applause from the miserable sods necking bottles of Changs.

The hazy polluted sky turned pink, daylight turned to darkness and the artificial lights illuminated. This beautiful night was the first i had spent along since Chiang Mai more or less 3 weeks prior and the alone time was much appreciated. I felt like that night summarized this whole travelling experience lark:
1. Two Thai's playing American country music in an Irish bar
2. Sky turns a beautiful pink a polluted smog cloud.
3. A Thai 'lady' walks passed strutting her high heels, fake boobs and Adam's apple.
4. A rat scurrying through some rubbish next to a table for two being served a chicken dish that would have be tasted by at least 50 flies prior to arriving at the table. But guaranteed the food would taste great.
5. My stomach shoots with pain and cramps slightly, meaning that the tummy bug is back for the 3rd time. The food really was lovely!
6. Sewers release a stench only available to those visiting Asia.
I bump into some travel buddies i previously met in Cambodia only to frustratingly having to say the final good bye two hours later.
These summaries travelling. Times you have are difficult, hard, painful, stressful and very different to being at home. The feeling however of witnessing and experiencing such different and amazing things make all the pain so worth while and on the contrary, somethings it was very easy, painless, relaxing, fun, exciting and exhilarating beyond expectation, sometimes very familiar to home too.

So now i've landed in Hong Kong and met with Paulo and haven't slept much since. Hong Kong is a place of money, beautiful restaurants and bars, all brand spanking new, which chance hands on a month basis only for another new bar / restaurant to emerge in its place. This place is a 24 hour city and it's a crime to sleep and miss out!

Since arriving in Laos, i've had second wind and really not sure if i want to come home but lack of funds and work means there isn't really a choice.

Today is a Monday and i'll mainly be recovering from the full on weekend and mentally preparing myself for the highest bungy in the world on Macau Island. 233mtrs, yes if you think of the 100mtrs you ran in Athletics, its nearly 2.5 times longer! a long long scary way but what better way to finish off the 6 months roller coaster?

So that's it, the last of the lengthy boring blogs. Now i hope you have been reading carefully as you will be tested.

Really looking forward to see all my peoples. Hope all are well. Back to reality.... x
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1206266460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1206266460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1206266460/tpod.html Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:49:38 -0400 Ohh arhh

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Bangkok, Thailand

Hi all,

How are we?

So, it's that time again to get comfy for another mission of an update.

From Perth i headed to Indonesia, including Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands. Initially disappointing Bali turned out to be a winner once i met another bunch looking to enjoy themselves. It's amazing how the people you met affect how you feel about a place you visit. Problem Nr 1 - my bank had stopped my card so i was stuck with borrowing money off people i had only known for a couple of hours, not a good situation but all was sorted thanks to a little help from mum.

My first meal in Asia and i spent a whooping 75p on a wonderful 'special' which included all sorted of Asian food, really really good. I enjoyed it so much, i ended up paying for everyone on my table (once i got my card sorted of course!) So four of us stuffed ourselves and had plenty of beers for around a fiver! Naturally a great night out followed.

Ashley and I decided to get cultured after feeling a little guilty about the alcohol consumed the two previous nights and headed to Lombok and the Gili Islands. This was a well worthwhile trip and met up with a group of Cornish peeps and decided to erm, go to the bar again. So much for the culture! Still one of the girls had her own apartment with private swimming pool so we all went back to hers for midnight skinny dipping...well in underwear anyway!

The next morning we all watched film (yet another which hadn't been released in the cinema yet) complete with subtitles added by some Indonesian fellow. All the subtitles were completely different to the words being spoken, so funny, you had to be there to see some of the things they had come up with!

Dinner number two i got selfish and decided to only buy my myself dinner but i decided that i'll have two full dinners and very nice they both were too. The food really is great here and think i've found the best fish restuarnt ever!

After a couple of days on the Gili's, Ash and I headed back to Kuta, Bali for another bungy jump. Unfortunately the rope rapped around my ankle nearly breaking my foot but i managed to release it in time so no harm done. However, the Danish guy went next and ended up with two black eyes because he hit the water too hard! Not quite so safety conscious in Asia it seems! Dvds were a must in Bali, 35 of them for a fiver. Just hope customs don't mind : )

On to Singapore and the bloody rain. The weather was rubbish here and in Malaysia following a recent Monsoon. After searching the whole of Singapore for somewhere to lay my head, i found a 26 bed dorm room (not good after the fantastic cheap accomodation in Indonesia) Laying there trying to get to sleep and the bed was continuously moving, i checked the bunk below me and no-one was in it!? I took me a whole 10 minutes to realize that my heart beat was gently shaking the bed! enough to keep me awake anyway. The next night i was sick of rice so Burger King it was, lets just say i saw my whopper (burger) a couple of hours later and wasn't in a good way at all. The city is amazing though, very clean, modern and loads of culture and shopping. Very nice place indeed.

Next stop Kuala Lumpur via train. Really great traveling through Malaysia on train seeing the vast jungle. KL itself was good, in a third world kinda way. It's rough and dirty but a real atmosphere and fantastic food. Its safe to say that i'll be a couple of stone heavier by the time i get home as 4 or 5 meals a day will take its toll, as will the Singha's, Bintang's and Chang's (beers if you wasn't sure!) There is a wealthy part of town aswell where the financial centre including the huge twin towers. Over all, thumbs up for KL.

Now for the bus and river boat to Taman Negara, a mass of jungle where i braved the creaky canopy walk, night and daytime treks and a trip in a long boat down the river and rapids. This place is impressive but the noise from the animals was unreal, especially at sunrise and set, we couldn't hear each other talking at the river restaurant it was so load. We also met some locals that live in the jungle in huts and was offered to stay the night and help them hunt for monkeys for their dinner that evening, i thought wow that could be an amazing opportunity but er i didn't fancy roughing it with these people that potentially eat humans!

Here i bumped into a friend i met in New Zealand. It's such a good feeling when you see someone you reconised, especially in the middle of nowhere.

Back at the hotel, i treated myself to a pack of Garibaldi type biscuits and sat at a picnic table admiring the monkeys as they approached. Perfect photo opportunity i thought grabbing my camera out my bag. Me thinking these monkeys are mightily friendly and tame only to realise too late that they tricked me into taking my overpriced Garibaldi's! Those monkeys moved so fast, they got my biscuits but i got my photos. Fair deal i suppose.

The weather was still poor and i was now heading to the Perhentian Islands, North Malaysia to do my diving course. But the weather was just too bad and the crossing was closed so we headed straight for the border town between Malaysia and Thailand. We stopped for a cup of tea with a difference...just add custard! Yep, sub your milk and sugar for custard for the best cup of tea! Actually, i found out a few weeks later that it is sweetened condensed milk, but still, just like custard. Try it!

On to Krabi by bus, i was the only non-Thai on the bus and had to sit through 8 hours of karaoke videos! A few at the front started singing along but luckily even they got fed up with it after a couple of hours. Then on to Phi Phi Island where i got that real bad tummy bug which rendered me useless for 4 days. Still, i managed a boat day trip to amazing Bamboo Island and Monkey Bay, also the Beach from The Beach, etc, etc.

Phuket was the next stop, amazing beaches, monkeys and elephants. Got my first Thai haircut, well not a Thai haircut, just a hair cut by a Thai if that makes sense!? Then across to Ko Samui and Ko Tao for a few more drinks and finally my diving course. I had been looking to do my diving course since Fiji so was great to finally get it out the way. Only trouble is, i'm heading inland now and probably wont use it again.

Had a great couple of days in Tao, met a nice group of French, Dutch and Swedish peeps that made it worthwhile. The resort was fantastic, as was the food and the diving was great too.

So thats the update, hope you're not too bored. Am in Bangkok at the moment and getting the night train to Chiang Mai tonight. Not long left now, only 5 weeks but have to say i'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again.

See you all very soon x
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1203130080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1203130080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1203130080/tpod.html Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:37:46 -0500 Ohh arhh

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Perth, Australia

Hi all, sorry it's been so long.

TAUPO
Taupo, where i wrote my last blog entry seems an age ago now. So much has happened, so many stories to tell you so make your self comfy! this could take a while!

My last day in Taupo was successful with the Tongario Crossing, a huge lengthy top rated trek in NZ across a volcano that's due to erupt any moment. Amazing place and a long long day but well worth it.

After the trek, we treated ourselves to a fine restaurant called Pizza Hut. Only joking, but we did have pizza....in a restaurant. Anyways, we were all sat at the table, admiring our bottle, yes bottle of fine wine (instead of the usual cheap box of wine otherwise known as Goon - Silver pillow to the Indigenous locals) when i started to feel a bit giddy. I just assumed dehydration from the trek and a little wine had sent me a bit wobbly. Well, it turns out i was experiencing a 6.8 Richter scale earth quake!! Luckily the epicentre was a couple hundred kms away and my pizza got eaten without added concrete dust.

So the next day, i enjoyed a mini airplane flight to Auckland in order to catch my flight to Melbourne. This flight was the best value 'extreme sport' i did in New Zealand! A little 20 seater plane, where the pilot, yes the pilot does the safety briefing. "and wrap it round like sooo, and tie a little knot to the side." Anyway, lets just say turbulence in a 20 seater is a whole different story and i was pleased to live another day and was understandably skeptical about getting on a jumbo the very next morning.

MELBOURNE
Next stop Melbourne and no visit is complete without a Neighbours tour on Chrimbo eve. Yes, even if you do choose it over the Great Ocean Road!! (there was a reason, the weather was a bit, you know, rubbish and we decided to get wet in Ramsey Street rather than the coast) Any of you would have done the same surely!?

So the bus takes us to Edinsborough High School of the first stop and when the tourist guide said don't expect to much, he wasn't joking. It turns out to be a Language school for illegal immigrants or something along those lines. "Keep your bags close to you and don't give change to the locals." What a great day this was turning out to be.

In the evening, i was very excited about meeting Libby, my first TV sweet heart, only to met her dad instead 'Dr Carl Kennedy'. Anyway, he was really funny and made the night a good one. Him and his band started playing typical well known songs by the Killers, etc which everyone had to scream along to, including Kate and I.

CHRISTMAS
Christmas day was hangover day. But we did manage to get ourselves to Phillip Island on another over priced tour to witness hundreds of penguins parade from the sea to their nests just behind the beach. These things were very cute and only about 30cm tall and made Christmas day for us. Christmas dinner was a disappointment though, two very cheap sausages (i assume made from dingos or similar) wrapped in a slice of the cheapest 'Farmstores' type bread (or dough). To finish it off, everyone knows you need Heinz ketchup, surely that is basic, but no we was treated to some kind off tomato syrup. yum yum!

Blimey this really is going to be a long one, sorry peeps.

Next stop Canberra. Gov't buildings, not much to see and nothing to do.

Next Stop Sydney. Everything to see and everything to do.

SYDNEY
The first view you get of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge is something you never forget. You see it on tele and in magazines but it's just something else. So grand and huge and beautiful. That was a special moment.

So after spending a day or so at the beaches including the famous Bondi Beach, we climbed the Harbour Bridge. On New Year's Eve we settled within meters of the Opera House to see the fireworks which really were amazing, albeit, after waiting for 8 hours or so to beat the queues.

Then a personal achievement arrived in the form of finishing my first ever book, yes right to the very last page! I have read many a book in my 28 years but never have i been so dedicated to get to the end. I'm now just finishing my third book and can honestly say, i really do not see the appeal of reading books. Yes it's a story and yes there are funny and even exiting parts but generally, 350 pages is a lot of reading for three lol's! So i've decided i'm a cinema man, films are definitely the way to go. Anyway......

One day we catched a ferry to a pretty little bay on the outskirts of Sydney called Watsons Bay. They had a nice small little swimmers section which was all netted off to stop those stingers and sharks. So after bathing for most of the day, we realised that most people were heading through the high street and not necessarily coming to the small beach that we were on. We decided to investigate. We walked through the high street and came to the proper beach. Blimey, this beach was huge! The surf was 20ft high and people were not allowed in the water because of the dangerous surf and rips. This would explain why we were the only 20 somethings in the 'family' beach where our day started out. Silly billies.

We headed to Blue mountains, saw some koalas and kangaroos. Spent a day at the Horse races. Met up with Nina (Friend from Bromley who is also travelling) for some crazy dance moves and met up with Dave, a chap i met in the legendary Taupo, NZ.

I'd arranged to meet Dave in Sydney and to travel up the east coast to Cairns with him. He's a 30 year old ex Marketing Manager at Amazon.com and comes from Reading. Great guy, really good company and we got on so well.

I was time to say good bye to Kate and we had a nice meal at Darling Harbour, a beautiful part of Sydney and discussed our relationship at length. I wont bore you all with the detail but it was clear something was not right over the 2/3 weeks we had spent together and she left with us both feeling miserable. We then decided to break up very soon after.

So now i was on the camera Nr 3! yes cameras do not like sand, cameras do not like go-karts, cameras do not like soft cases, cameras do not like water and they don't like being dropped from more than meter! Learn from my mistakes and save yourselves a fortune.

As we travelled up the coast (Dave and I) we met a girl from New York, Nicole. She was pretty and there was an attraction between us but this was the funny bit : ) We went on a tandem sea kayak together and had to get over the surf to where to dolphins were. Now if any of you have been on the ferry across the English Channel to France, you know what i'm talking about. Nicole, being all sweet, face of make up running all over her face decided to get sea sick and coated out bright yellow kayak with a multi-coloured rough render....carrots and all. Poor thing.

Then on the way in, we were told to 'catch a wave' like surfers do. Now we waited and waited and the instructor shouted "paddle, paddle now!" so we really gave it some and caught this huge wave, another 20ft at least but we paddled a little too hard and got flipped not side ways, but back to front! I was launched from my kayak as was Nicole and luckily my landing spot was just past hers. Just before i was submerged, she was screaming and i could hear people shout on the beach. Then with the spin of that wave i was stuck under water for a few seconds having no idea what way was up! Turns out the instructor reckoned that it was the worst 'wipe out' he had seen from a kayak! Funny days.

On the beach, Nicole, in a total mess after that and still felling rough. I brushed her hair away from her neck to see if she was ok except one hair got left behind, so i tried again, ditto. That hair, the 2 inch monster was attached to her chin, poor thing. No i know we all have hairs in places we shouldn't but there was no excuse for this one, even if you are travelling!! : ) I'd like to formally apologise to Nicole for this but it really is worth the laugh i hope you agree.

EAST COAST TO CAIRNS
Onwards and upwards, Dave and I headed up the East coast towards Brisbane and then to Cairns stopping a various places on route.

FRASER ISLAND AND WHITSUNDAYS
Fraser Island is the next talking point. I turned out to become a bit of a legend on this 3 days 4 x 4 trip. There was 2 groups of 8, consisting of mostly English, Swedes and a few others.



Why did i become a legend, we i used my brother's ability to make people laugh with the most stupid tricks and joke ever.

1. What do you call a miserable pig? Saddam. Please tell me you get it. Stuff of legends or Christmas crackers?

2. Then the pretend attack in the lake! sooo funny and works every time, just go underwater, scream a little and wake around like your life depends on it.

3. A bit crude i know but i got a laugh. One of the girls was complaining about always getting sand in places you don't want to get sand. So i asked her have you ever read the book, Sex on the Beach by the Author Sandy Flaps. Everyone was in stitches even if i do say so myself.

4. No so funny but everyone else laughed at my expense. Whilst in the lake, i was playing fetch with the lads with a tennis ball and i was getting progressively further out into the lake and they threw the ball further and further (gits) only for me to realise that leaches preferred the deeper water and my feet were getting sucked on left, right and centre, so i quickly came to shallow waters to the find little fish nibbling on my feet. Now there was a reason for this. Because of the rubbish hostels, i had picked up Athlete's foot (or fungal growth as we liked to call it) and my feet were flaking away as they do, so the little fishes was actually eating my feet! talk about turning the food chain around! I'm pleased to say that the foot thing has cleared now.

5. No, i didn't lower myself to using the two cows in a field joke.

6. Savage, was our new word. Named after the condoms called 'Savage Bliss'. Really romantic that one, bloody Ozys. We even found a machine that had been modified by the locals and read (see photos on Facebook) "New and Exciting, Arouse your lover's ass with Savage Bliss" I think the original read passion not ass. So funny.

7. The group decided that Dave should have a nickname and the best of the bunch was Camp David (as we were camping as well) and Daffyd (from little Britain).

Something that i do like about Oz, is that everyone is so upfront and say exactly what they thing is the most straightforward way possible. With the cricket scandal between Oz and Indian a few weeks ago, the head line on the newspaper read "Turbonated". Politically correct? They really couldn't give a *.

So driving around Fraser Island, a sand island in a 4 x 4 with 8 people. I stalled at the first soft sand i hit and proceeded to dig deeper and deeper into the hole. Once we were on our way (When one of the Swede's stared to drive) we were motoring really quickly. The biggest rule giving to us by the hire company was stay away from salt water, or a $1000 fine. So being very careful as Swede's are we are travelling at 100km/hr on a beach as the tide goes out. Except for one wave which completely swamped the car in salt water. Next rule from the hire company, don't try to wash the salt off, we will notice, or a $1000 fine. So what do we do, Swede gets the idea to drive into a lake! Well, ok, slight exaggeration there but we went though the fresh water stream (to wash the engine) and then it rained for an hour sorting (get it?? salting) the car out and no fines for us. The other group did get fined though. Yep a $1000 but the Irish lad done a bit of negotiating and managed to get away with giving the inspector 6 bottles of beer!! How the bugger!!?? so that cost about er $24! Luck of the Irish, he'd make a good surveyor.

Sailing 3 days on the Whitsunday Islands was a bit of a sober affair compared to Fraser Island. Very much amid couples seeking a quiet relax affair except for the "drinking out of a snorkel with a funnel attached to the top" competition. Not a proud moment but you gotta join in eh.

One highlight was that i wanted to try out scuba diving. Now i was the only non qualified one, everyone else had their PADI open water under their belt except for me. So rather than doing a separate trip just for me, i ended up joining the others after 3 minutes of training and going 15mtrs under water! Had a couple of hairy moments but i'm still here writing this.

By this stage, Dave and I were fed up with 14 hour bus journeys and our last one got us to Magnetic Island, a dive. (not scuba dive). So we decided to play 'silly buggers'. We spent the day taking silly photos of each other in different poses. It didn't kill the whole day but thankfully got rid of half of it.



CAIRNS
Lots of indigenous people here which was interesting, generally they are poor and looked down on by the Ozys walking the streets, but we still had a laugh. We were running as the rain poured one night and came to a junction, i held my hand out in front of Dave as if a car was coming and shuffled my feet as you do. And i laughed, Dave completely fell for it and filled his pants as he thought he was going to get run over.

The best thing about Cairns is the Barrier Reef. I thought it was going to be one of those things that is over rated but it really is special. To think that it is bigger than the UK aswell..Amazing. Oh, shark encounter! i nearly forgot, most of you have heard but a 5ft shark that looks just like jaws came swimming past leaving me filling my pants, or 'boardies'. Also lots of turtles which were really cool.



So, end of an era, Dave was left behind and i was moving on to Perth so we had one last night out in Cairns in the Watershed. Only i stood Dave up and danced the night away with a Swedish girl. Sorry Dave. Although i am making up for it, Dave is planning on proposing to his girlfriend next week when they come to Perth so we have been organising ways to get it sorted. I'll be his wing man and sort out the strawberrys and champagne, etc all at the right place at the right time.

You think you're bored of reading this yet? Its taken me 3 hours so far to type the bloody thing.

PERTH
So in Perth i met up with another friend Sonal who i met in New Zealand. We decided to hire a car and go camping around the South West of Oz, down to Margeret River and across to Albany. This was a great week, we saw more dolphins, when wine, cheese and chocolate tasting, visited lake caves, climbed the tallest tree in the Kerri forest (60mtrs high) using metal rods resined into the tree. Yes some were loose! Witnessed a kangaroo crossing the road as we were driving, witnessed several kangaroos that tried to cross the road, but were not quite quick enough. Amazing sunsets, amazing coastlines, rocks that look like dogs, elephants and natural bridges,etc.



We then climbed up Mount Bluff Knoll in the Stirling ranges, got a speeding ticket (Sonal not me, haha) then returned to Freemantle, near Perth. I spent the evening swimming in the sea watching the sunset and dolphins came and swam with me. That has to be one of the highlights and didn't cost a dollar.



So, i'm back in Perth now for one more week and leave for Bali on the 23rd (early) and hopefully plan to do my scuba diving training in Bali.

Am having a great time still, so many experiences of a lifetime all crammed into a few months. Unreal.

Has been hard going recently as have struggled to get accommodation sorted as its so busy here, but am all up to speed again now.

Hope you've enjoyed the read, sorry for the length.

Until next time....














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Lake Taupo, New Zealand

Hi all,

Guess what i've been up to!?

Well rather than just giving you an essay, here's the hit list:

1. Trekking on Franz Josef glacier
2. Hang gliding
3. Mount Cook
4. Seal watching
5. Lovely long weekend with thee girly
6. More lugeing
7. Zorbing
8. Maori Village
9. Learning the haka dance...then performing it!
10. Absailing into 50m craters
11. Zip lining in pitch black caves
12. Watching the glow worms
13. Swimming in underground caves (sooo much better than it sounds)
14. erm sky dive from 12,000ft! (sorry mum)
15. erm bungy (sorry again mum, i am alive though)

That is more or less it. Hope its not too disappointing.

Have been going for 7 weeks now and the last week just makes all others seem tame. Have meet some really great people and had to say more good byes this morning : (

Hope you all got to see the photos on facebook. For those that haven't, here's a couple.



Sorry to be brief...seem to not have any time to do anything but all the time to do everything.

Merry Christmas everyone! next stop Melbourne xx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1196051520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1196051520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1196051520/tpod.html Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:01:29 -0500 Ohh arhh

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Wellington, New Zealand

Hi all,

So i left Fiji for a bit of Zealand, not really on the ball at all. Fiji was a fantastic experience and i was concerned that NZ might struggle to compare so I got on the plane feeling generally tired and with a distinct lack of motivation for the next stage of my travels.

On arrival at Auckland, i mainly had nowhere booked to sleep and really had no idea where to go (which immigration were not impressed with) then guess who steps in front of moi, Katy (good move, very good move!!) who whisked me away to a lovely hotel in Central Wellington for a couple of nights.

We spent the weekend with a day trip to Waiheke Island, spot of kayaking in the harbour and a (successful) visit to the casino. Weather was perfect so all in all, it was a fab w/e.

On the Monday we flew to Wellington where Kate is working and stayed with her distant family for the week. The location of their place was stunning so would have happily just stayed at the house looking at the views all day long.

Managed to bring myself to do some 'wind assisted' walking, bike riding and generally nosing around town. Then we headed off Friday afternoon to Palmerston North then Hawkes Bay with a group of Kate's work friends, more bike riding (which my bum wasn't happy about this time round) and wine tasting, etc.

Bit of good news, the cheaper the wine, the better it tastes according to my taste buds so, err, cheers!

Today, i have crossed over the water to the south Island and the views are all too familiar now. This place is stunning, no doubt about it, everywhere and anywhere you look. I've decided to settle in Nelson for a couple of days before heading off down the west coast of the south Island on Wednesday.

So time to stop penny pinching and get on with what people come to New Zealand for. Hopefully I'll be paragliding over the Abel Tasmin National Park tomorrow.

Thats all folks, until next week. Oh, 32 degrees, clear blue sky if you're wondering. xx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1195173420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1195173420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1195173420/tpod.html Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:55:14 -0500 Ohh arhh

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Nadi, Fiji

BULA! the most over used word ever! lol

right i'll get to the point as have 15 minutes.....

Fiji is fantastic.

Next blog will be from New Zealand. Bye bye x



Only joking but have only got 15 minutes so here goes....
Been in Fiji for about a week and had a ball. I went on the "Fiji Experience' which is basically a tour around the main island of Viti Levu. Meet up with 15 other travelers, all mainly from England and when to some seriously remote / poor places which all have their unique character and charm, including the people. The tour lasted 4 days and basically we when to the best Fijian beech, had BBQ played volley ball, etc then straight to a traditional village. Now this was a real village...not one of those set up especially for tourists and they change the village for each ground of travelers. I was really surprised at how poor some of the areas here are, i didn't expect this in Fiji but tin shacks are common in the villages, yet the people are still so happy and friendly.

On the 2nd day, we when into the forests / mountains for a trek (albeit in an hungover condition) and walked the river. After about 4 hours, we reached the main Navau river and all hopped on to some rubber tubes down river for half and hour to a long boat station, then got the boat to civilization, not before jumping around waterfalls into the river! Fantastic day!!

Day 3 was another village visit, an Cava ceremony with the chief of 5 local villages, some bilibili rafting and a school visit and yesterday we when to the hot natural springs and mud pools.Today is my final day in Fiji so am chilling at the pool with the guys form the trip and a beer. Really does beat work.

Tomorrow i head for Auckland in New Zealand for round 4.

Sorry for the lack of photos, i have loads but these places wont let you add them on, will send a few soon hopefully.

So thats all from Fiji. Missing you guys and hope all is well.

BULA BULA x
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1194407700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1194407700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1194407700/tpod.html Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:12:02 -0500 Ohh arhh

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Los Angeles, California, United States

Hey all, you ready for an update? Apologies in advance though......im very tired.

So touched down yesterday in LA. Was pre-advised that this place was a bit shabby so glad that my hopes weren't high, this place is real shabby.

Still, in an effort to make the most of a bad situation, i took myself to Universal Studios for the day which was pretty good actually. Saw loads of film stuff including, and yes this needs a big American round of applause....The Three Amigos set!! haha

Also unfortunaly had to get up and 'perform' in one of the shows which basically involved me screaming in front of 250 people! interesting....

Then some chap started chatting me up and gave me a VIP 'front of queue' ticket, so i told the ticket and ran!

Have since seen the Hollywood sign (not great), stars on the pavements (not great), handprints infront of Chinese theatre (not great) and thats about it. Gonna go to another theme park tomorrow just to spend the day and get me to Fiji which i cannot wait for, so i will stop now and save the lenthy blog for then.

Cheers all oh and 'have a nice day'
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1194038640/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1194038640/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1194038640/tpod.html Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:52:47 -0400 Ohh arhh

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New York City, New York, United States

Hey all,
So, day 3 in NYC and am feeling shattered...this city really takes it out of you!
I arrived on Wednesday after good flight and did what i do best...walk. Think Forest Gump, slow him down a notch and there i am. Now some of you are aware of my long distance walking habbits others not quite so but in 3 days, i reckon i've clocked 25 miles. (For those of you who are not awake, i have walked from Bromley to Bexleyheath and from Bluewater to Bexleyheath, just dont ask why i did it coz im not too sure myself)
Anyway, i checked in to my King Suite (with 11 other people) and after my first walk, was well ready for an early night. At 10pm, i was obviously the first one to go to bed and being a hostel novice i had to think long and hard about what i was supposed to wear. Simple i hear you say!? I opted for a nice pair of shorts and woke up in the morning feeling like my selection was a good one. The ony annoying thing was that everyone came back at different times throughout the night, which makes it a bugger to try to sleep.
So my first attempt at climbing a bunk bed for the first time in err 20 years wasn't the best. It just so happened that my body weight was more than the bed and it decided to tip over on top of me (ok, slightly exagerated but im trying to keep you lot interested) so just aswell no-one was in the room!
Arh, big McDonalds portions.....doesnt exist, its a myth and i am disappointed. Lots of fruit stalls though which is great.
Yesterday i went up to the top of the Rockofella centre, walked around Central Park, went to madison Sq gardens, done 5th Avenue, Macys, etc and generally walked for England or New York depending on how you look at it. Met up with an Oz bloke who lives in the bed below me and had a few beers, met up with a couple of Canadians he meet up with the day before and went to watch a jazz band play til the wee hours which was all good fun.
Today i went to central park again and went on the ice rink, went to Brooklyn this morning and walked back over to Manhattan.
So i only have two days to go and the NYC marathon is on Sunday (not participating as a result of injuries from walking toooo much!) so plan is to go Guggenhiem art gallery and Museum of Modern Art, Boat trip around the statute, etc, Tour of the baseball stadium, wall st and a few more beers.
All feels abit strange looking at tourist attractions on my own but i've got 180+ days to get used to it so not too concerned.
So to summarise, im alive and surviving at the moment....jsut bring on the beach in Fiji. Next stop LA.


]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1193762700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1193762700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesadby/roundworld-2007/1193762700/tpod.html Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:01:44 -0400 Ohh arhh

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London, United Kingdom

Hey ho, here i go....

Its only taken me, hmmm, 10 months to finally get everything sorted and to actually begin this journey but i tell you what, me thinks it might be worth it!

So one last final good bye, thank you for all your good luck messages and for coming to my leaving drinks / meals. It's been great catching up with everyone before i go. Thank you.

So for the next 6 months the route is this:

New York
Los Angeles
Figi
New Zealand
Australia East Coast (Melbourne to Caines)
Australia West Coast (Perth to National Park)
Bali
Malaysia
Thailand
Laos
Cambodia
Vietnam
Hong Kong
Home

Sounds good!!?? well compared to long dark winters, work 5 days a week and freezing temperatures anything sounds good eh.

If at any moment you feel slightly jealous of my plans, just remember that i'll be sleeping in a room so small, that when I put the key in, i'll probably brake the window. Not only that, but i'll be sharing it with 11 other people. Still jealous?? didn't think so. : )

Anyway, i'll try to keep you all informed of my whereabouts and what i'm up to by using this blog site and promise to try and not be too boring!

Wish me luck and laew phob gan mai.

James x




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