TravelStream™ news feed for member tom-cresswell on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/tom-cresswell en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 22 May 2009 22:22:17 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/3/1243043760/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/3/1243043760/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/3/1243043760/tpod.html Fri, 22 May 2009 22:22:17 -0400 Sydney side, upside downunder

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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Hi all,I know it's been ages since I last wrote but we've been getting settled in Sydney. After a great summer in the Sunshine Coast, QLD, learning to surf and generally enjoying the sun, we headed to Brisbane to begin to make our way down to Melbourne, where I had been accepted for a PhD. I had also applied for a PhD in Sydney and had a call to come and have a chat just before we were about to beek a car for Melbourne, so Becky and I jumped in a car and headed for Sydney (about 100 kms from Brisbane) and I met with my potential supervisor at the Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation(CSIRO) at Lucas Heights, south west Sydney.I ended up going for the PhD in Sydney, although I am enrolled at RMIT University in Melbourne, who were kind enough to waive my fees (which are crazy for an international student) and who are paying me a stipend to live on. Becky and I moved to the south Sydney suburb of Cronulla, which is about 30 mins to the airport and we're only a block away from the beach. We are renting a lovely top floor, 2 bed appartment with a balcony overlooking the sea. Just to the south of us is the Royal National Park (see this travel blog's main picture), which has a beautiful cliff-top walk for miles down the coast.The PhD I'm working on with CSIRO is a commercial project investigating the sources and bioaccumulation of trace metals in a river system in Papua New Guinea, which receives tailings/waste from a gold mine in the highlands. It is an amazingly interesting project and hopefully I should get to go up to the mine at least once a year to collect samples, starting this August. It is a three and a half year PhD, although I have a visa and funding for four years if I need it.Becky is doing really well and has two jobs; one in a restaurant and another in a ski/snowboard shop for the winter. She is looking into heading back to Uni to study renewable energy engineering and she can't wait to get stuck in soon.It has been great to be able to settle somewhere and know that we're going to be in one place for longer than 6 months! Sydney is great (although it has been getting pretty cold here!) and we're really enjoying having our own place. Now that we are settled, you are more than welcome to come and stay so if you're ever in Sydney, let me know and we;ll come pick you up!!!Lots of love,Tomxxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1232411340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1232411340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1232411340/tpod.html Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:21:51 -0500 Return to the Southern Hemisphere and Aotearoa

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Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Hi all,Since I wrote last we have been living and working in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, a beautiful part of the east coast of Australia. Apart from the sub-tropical rain storms, it´s been hot t-shirt and short weather every day for the last 3 months here. We've been getting into the surfing (when there is swell that is not too big and not too small!!), which is amazing in the 25 deg C seawater.I've been working at EB Games (a computer game store - I know, I am a big geek!) for the summer, which has been busy but enjoyable and good to earn some money; much more than we were earning in Queenstown. Becky has been working at Dick Smith electronics (similar to Currys or Dixons in the UK) and has been getting on well there and Joe is working as a 2nd chef in a couple of restaurants and doing really well. The three of us lived in a great backpackers called Cotton Tree Backpackers, near Maroochydore, where we've stayed for about 4 weeks on and off and met some lovely fellow travellers.We had Christmas and New Year with Dad and Sophie who are here in Mooloolaba, which was great to have a family Christmas on the other side of the world. Becky and I have now finished work and are flying up to Cairns this weekend to have a week of diving on the Barrier Reef. Becky is going to do her Open Water course with 2 days in the pool and class room and three days living aboard a boat on the reef. I´ll jump on the boat when Becky gets on board and have three days doing an Advanced Adventurer (we're diving with SSI not PADI) course on the liveaboard boat. We'll then have another day on the boat with another 4 dives, where we'll be able to dive together on the reef.We´ll then fly back to Brisbane at the beginning of February and then make our way down to Melbourne where I've been awarded a full Postgraduate Research Scholarship for 4 years at RMIT University to study a PhD. The project is to investigate the heavy metal pollution from a gold mine in Papua New Guinea, analysing the samples in the labs of CSIRO Sydney, Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world. I've been considering a PhD since finishing my MSc in 2005 and after the last 4 years of travelling I'm definitely ready to get involved in some more research. Both Becky and I are looking forward to settling somewhere for the next few years and are really excited about living in Melbourne.If you happen to be near Melbourne in the future, let me know and it would be great to catch up. I'll keep you updated and send some pics of where we end up in Melbourne.Lots of love,Tom xxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1224640980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1224640980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1224640980/tpod.html Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:04:53 -0400 Return to the Southern Hemisphere and Aotearoa

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Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Hi all,I realised the other day that it has been over 6 months since I wrote a blog so I thought it was about time to put keys to screen and let you know what we've been up to. Becky and I flew into New Zealand in April and spent nearly a month on Shambhala and sailed with Amy to Auckland from the Bay of Islands and picked up Helen (both friends from last winter season working in Queenstown) and then sailed back up to the Bay of Islands via Great Barrier Island and the Poor Nights Island (one of the best dive spots in the world). The weather for sailing wasn't great with strong gusts and some squalls but we all had a great time, especially walking up to the summit of Hirikamata on Great Barrier Island (one of the few remaining places in NZ where animals like possums haven't been introduced, therefore enabling the native bush to flourish).After we put Shambhala to bed on her mooring, the four of us drove to the Tongariro National Park, where Helen, Becky and I walked the Tongariro Crossing in a good time (nearly 3 hours less than the recommended time!). We then drove to Welington and headed for the South Island, where we stopped off in Christchurch to stay with sailing friends Ken and Sue in their beautiful home in Lytleton.The four of us continued to Queenstown and got ourselves organised with accommodation and started work back at Coronet Peak. The mountain was hardly open for a week when a spell of warm weather forced the mountain to close for a week and a half. We finally re-opened and got into the swing of the season and back into snowboarding every day (Becky and I taking full advantage of our new boards and bindings). The season was good on the whole, with decent snow for most of the winter, enabling us to progress our snowboarding and have some great days at other mountains in the area. We also got the chance to go heli-boarding (squeezing into a helicopter which takes you to the top of a mountain with no one else and you have fresh powder to ride all day!). That was one of the best snowboarding experiences I've ever had and can highly recommend it.After a great winter, Becky and I said goodbye to beautiful Queenstown and headed for Christchurch, where we stayed for a couple of days with Ken and Sue, before flying into Sydney and splashing out by staying in a central hotel for 3 nights. We had a great time in Sydney and although we weren't there for long, got to see Darling Harbour and the awesome Sydney Aquarium, the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, the Botanical Gardens and the beautiful suburb of Manly Beach.We then relocated a six-berth camper van (luxury with a shower and a toilet on-board, it was much like being on a yacht - and just as tricky to manoeuvre sometimes!) form Sydney to Brisbane, where we have now finally stopped and are enjoying the sun and the city. My brother Joe flies into Brisbane in a week and then the three of us are heading north a couple of hours to the Sunshine Coast and Mooloolaba, where we'll surf and I'll be getting a bit of work as a skipper or sailing instructor. Dad and Sophie arrive aboard Shambhala into Mooloolaba next month so it'll be great to see them and hang out on the boat with the family for Christmas in the sun (it's a hard life but you just have to make sacrifices sometimes!).I hope you are well and if you are over in this part of the world, send me an email and we'll meet up. If not, take care and come out see us!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1217301300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1217301300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1217301300/tpod.html Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:16:58 -0400 Return to the Southern Hemisphere and Aotearoa

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Queenstown, New Zealand

Hi all,I haven't written an entry in ages so I thought it was time to update you on what I've been up to in the last couple of months.The winter ski season started well with a good snow base on Coronet Peak. After only a week and a half of the mountain being open, we had a few days of rain and warm weather, which washed most of the snow away and closed the mountain for a week and a half. That bummed us all out as we couldn't ride (snowboard) or earn any money so we all lay low and spent as little money as we could. The company we work for, NZSKI, put on a week of cheap activities for us including a trip to Milford Sound, which Becky and I had planned on doing anyway. The Sound is beautiful; a glacial fjord with stunning peaks and waterfalls (have a look at the pics). We also had a trip to the Routeburn walk, which was stunning as usual.We were then back to work and riding everyday. All the new staff in rentals are great and make work a lot of fun. We've had a couple of days to other mountains including The Remarkables, Cardrona and Snowpark. My riding has progressed since last season especially spending the day at Snowpark, which is not a usual resort as it has just park features (jumps, boxes and rails). I'm now hitting more park features and pushing myself further.The best snowboarding so far was yesterday when Becky and I went heliboarding with 3 mates. We were picked up in Qeenstown and driven to an airstrip in Glenorchy and prepped on helicopter and avalanche safety before being picked up by a helicopter and dropped at the top of a mountain to ride down through virgin powder. It was an amazing day with two runs then lunch was provided on a snow table and another two runs after lunch. It was undoubtedly some of the best snowboarding I have ever had and would recommend it to anyone who can ski or ride intermediate terrain.We have another two months of work at Coronet Peak before flying to Sydney on the 1st of October. Becky and I received our 12 month working holiday visas recently so we'll be able to get work when we arrive in the country. We're planning on spending the summer (October to January) around Brisbane, where we can get some much needed sunshine. We may try and get up to Cairns for Christmas as Dad and Sophie are panning on being there on Shambhala. I've applied for PhDs in Melbourne and Sydney and am waiting on replies from them before I apply for funding. I'm really interested in the project in Melbourne and Becky and I are looking forward to moving there for a few years and settling for a while.I hope you are all well and let me know if you're going to be anywhere we are and I'd love to meet up.Lots of love,Tom xxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1210896000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1210896000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1210896000/tpod.html Thu, 15 May 2008 20:42:16 -0400 Return to the Southern Hemisphere and Aotearoa

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Queenstown, New Zealand

Hi all,   I've not been too good at updating this bog so I thought I'd fill you in on what's been going on over the last 6 weeks since leaving the UK.    Becky and I arrived in Auckland on the 3rd April and set about finding a car (after a much needed sleep to get over the 30 odd hour flight from London!) and managed to pick up a wagon (estate) from the backpacker's car market in Auckland.   We then picked up Amy and drove to the Bay of Islands, where we jumped aboard Shambhala and spent week cleaning and getting a new fuel injector for the engine.  We finally set sail for Auckland and had a pretty rough time on the way, stopping at several anchorages trying to find shelter from the gales!  The three of us eventually made it down to Auckland in time to pick Helen up, who had just flown in from the UK.   With four on board, we sailed Shambhala around the Hauraki Gulf, stopping at Waihiki Island for a great walk in the sun, which finished with a wine tasting at one of Waihiki's many vineyards.  We then sailed to the northern end of the Corromandel Peninsula for a night and then on to the Great Barrier Island , an amazing island, full of native bush and kauri trees.   The four of us walked for a day up to the summit of Hirikimata, the highest point on the island, which was an amazing walk through the island, finishing off with some spectacular kauri dams. .  I managed to get the wetsuit on and jump in the water to scrape barnacles and oysters off the propeller!! We left Great Barrier Island after 3 days and sailed through the night to Tutakaka, where we stayed in the marina for 2 nights to ride out the weather.  We had a short motor to the Poor Nights Islands, a marine reserve that is in the top dive sites in the world.  We snorkelled from the yacht and were fortunate enough to see loads of fish and a turtle!  Unfortunately I don't have an underwater camera so no pics!   After leaving the Poor Nights, we sailed back to the Bay of Islands and back to Opua, where we left the yacht and had a day trip in the car to the Kauri forest near Oponoi.  We then packed up the car and drove to Auckland and had lunch with Dad and Sophie, who had just arrived from the UK.  After loading all our gear into the car (4 full snowboard bags, 4 full rucksacks, a suitcase, 4 daypacks, food and the kitchen sink!!) we left Auckland and drove to National Park, a small town on the western side of the Tongariro National Park.  Helen, Becky and I set off on the next day to walk the Tongariro Crossing, part of which I had walked with Tom Deacon last year (you'll probably remember the videos of us running down Mt Ngarahoe).  This time there was snow at the top so we were equipped with crampons (which we didn't end up using).  The walk was amazing and we managed to do a 7-8 hour walk in just over 5 hours, which we were all very pleased with! The four of us then jumped back in the car, after having to call the AA to sort out the clutch, which had leaked all its fluid, and drove to Wellington to catch the ferry to Picton.  The next day we drove to Christchurch where I treated myself to some new snowboarding gear (thanks to a tax return!) as I spent the whole of the last winter season in my sailing gear!  We stayed the night in Lytleton with Ken and Sue, who as always, were very accommodating.  After a very nice evening in Lytleton, we drove to Queenstown and met up with guys from last season.  After a few days, Becky, Helen, Gemma (a good friend of Helen's from the UK) and I moved into a warm house close to town and on the bus route to work up the mountain - perfect!    Whilst waiting to start work, Becky, Helen, Gemma and I had a day climbing at Wye Creek , which was my first experience of outdoor climbing, and I loved it! I started work on the mountain yesterday, which was great to be back working on the Peak.  The base building at Coronet Peak has been completely rebuilt and as such, is still a building site.  We are now all just waiting for more snow and for the mountain to open on the 7th of June so we can get back on our snowboards.   I'll try and keep a bit more up to date with the Travelpod now that we are settled in Queenstown and I'd love to hear what you are up to...send me an e-mail and a few pics.   Lots of love   Tom xxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1207057080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1207057080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/2/1207057080/tpod.html Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:45:38 -0400 Return to the Southern Hemisphere and Aotearoa

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Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Hi all,Well its that time again when I'm heading back to NZ with Beccy after 5 months in the UK.  We've been living with my mum in Portsmouth where Beccy has been working for a local cosmetics factory and I've been selling tea over the internet (awesome tea - try it at www.allabouttea.co.uk).  We're flying back to Auckland where we'll meet up with Amy, who will then travel with us up to the Bay of Islands.  We're then going to jump on Shambhala and sail to Auckland to pick up Helen, then see some of the islands in the Hauraki Gulf. After a month on the boat, we're planning on driving south, back to Queenstown, where we'll be working for another season at Coronet peak (bring on the snow!).  Armed with new snowboards, we can't wait for our third winter in a row (only after this next month of sun though!).If you'll be in any of the same places we're heading, let me know and it'll be great to catch up.  If not, fly out and see us!!!I hope you enjoy this next blog as much as the last.  I'll try and keep you updated with pics, movies and stories of our adventures.Lots of loveTom xxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1198614180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1198614180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1198614180/tpod.html Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:30:35 -0500 Ecuador to New Zealand and beyond, sailing the South Pacific

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Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Hi all,Just a quick one to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year.  I have had a great day at home with the family in Portsmouth, UK and am heading down to Devon for New Year to meet up with some very good friends...I can't wait.Becky and I are still heading back to New Zealand on the first of April and are delivering two yachts from NZ to Tonga in April.  If you are in that part of the world next April, let me know as it will be great to meet up.Merry Christmas and lots of love to you all,Tom xxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1195640040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1195640040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1195640040/tpod.html Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:35:44 -0500 Ecuador to New Zealand and beyond, sailing the South Pacific

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Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Hi all,Well, after 22 months away, I'm finally back in good old Blighty and Portsmouth (Pompey).  Becky and I had a great last couple of weeks in New Zealand, spending time on Shambhala in the Bay of Islands, where we took some friends from Queenstown out for a few days and I did a bit of teaching. It was then the mammoth 30 hours of flying to get to the other side of the world, which was actually OK on Emirates - I'd recommend them.Once back, we had a few days in Pompey before flying to Dublin to meet Becky's family and friends, which was great.  We had a half day out sailing (it was cold!) and did some nice walking. We then returned to Pompey and hired a car for £38 for 4 days (I know, cheap!!!) and drove down to Cornwall to see Dad, Sophie, Joe, Grace, Lydia, Jenny and Sam (all family).The first night there we went to Lydia's school dance show, which she stole by being a legendary contemporary dancer!  Becky and I spent a day at the Eden Project, which as always was awesome (see the new pics).  We also had a day walking on Bodmin moor and it was great to be back in the Cornish countryside.  On our way back to Pompey we stopped off in Exeter and met up with Tom, Lucy, Penny and Dan, which was great to see them after such a long time.We're now back in Pompey and I'm looking for work while Becky has already started!  I've applied for a few jobs so it shouldn't be long before I'm back on the job.  Our plan is to stay here and bank as much money as we can before heading back to NZ in April to deliver two yachts up to Tonga.I will try my best to get around to all those of you who are in the UK before I go again to share a pint or two of some great British beer (ahhhhhh....how I've missed a proper pint!).Thanks to all of you who have been following this little journal for the last two years and I hope you've enjoyed it, and hope even more that it has inspired you to get out there and see this amazing planet and it's wonderful people.Lots of loveTom xxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1192663320/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1192663320/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1192663320/tpod.html Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:43:44 -0400 Ecuador to New Zealand and beyond, sailing the South Pacific

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Paihia, New Zealand

Hi all,Sorry its been such a long time since I've written but I'm about to give you a quick catch up.The season slowed down towards the end of september as the snpw slowly started to melt.  Coronet Peak closed nearly 3 weeks ago (3 days before some of the best snow we had all season!!!) so Becky and I worked for a few days to help pack up the rental department for the summer, whilst getting in a sneaky couple of powder runs down the main slopes!!!We left Queenstown two weeks ago in a hired camper van with all the works...fridge, stove, sink, portable dvd player and when we plugged the van into power at a campsite; toaster, heater, microwave and heated towel rail!!!We drove accross to the west coast and up to Fox Glacier, which we spent a day doing a guided hike on the glacier...absolutely awesome!  A great experience and one I'd highly recommend.  We then continued up the west coast unitl the Abel Tasman National Park, where we hired a double sea kayak for the day and paddled for a few hours into the park, left the boat on the beach for the ferry to pick up and walked back to the campsite through the park's beautiful coastpath.  We had top paddle against about 20kts, which was pretty tough, but I can imagine spending a few days staying at the DOC huts or camping in the park would be stunning.We then raced up to Auckland, where we dropped the van off and jumped on a bus up to the Bay of Islands.  We jumped on Shambhala and I was back at work the next day teaching a two day learn to sail course.  Joe and tow freinds he worked with in Queenstown arrived on Sunday and on Monday we slipped the mooring and sailed out to the islands, where we've just spent a great 3 days, sailing and walking and eating like kings.There's going to be a bit more work with the sailing school, helping get the yachts ready for the summer before Becky and I head back down to Auckland on the 30th and will be back in the sunny shores of the UK on the 2nd!!!  So if you're in/around the UK, I can't wait to see you (and I'm going to try my hardest to get round to all of you!).Missing you all and lots of love,Tom xxx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1186809720/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1186809720/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-cresswell/travel-2006/1186809720/tpod.html Sat, 11 Aug 2007 01:52:51 -0400 Ecuador to New Zealand and beyond, sailing the South Pacific

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Queenstown, New Zealand

Hi all,I've not written an entry for ages as I've not done much new.  I've been working and snowboarding and thats about it.  A very good freind from Plymouth, Sarah, has been town for the last couple of weeks and its been great catching up with her and snowboarding together.  Other than that its been early mornings catching the bus to head up the mountain and work another day in rentals, getting out for a few runs in my lunch hour most days.It was Beccy and Joe's birthdays yesterday so the three of us jumped in the car, after a much needed lie in, and headed to Snowpark, a hill dedicated to park features such as jumps, boxes and rails and watched the Burton Open Slopestyle.  This was an international event where some of the top snowboarders in the world threw themselves down the run, hitting boxes and huge kickers (jumps), some of them pulling off double back-flips and sliding down the rails with a plank of wood strapped to their feet!  It was great to watch and Joe and I got in a couple of runs on the more tame slopes.We then headed to Wanaka and went to Puzzling World, which is an indoor attraction based on optical illusions and holligrams (see pics of Beccy and Joe in the slanting room!).  It was worth the visit although onece you've been, you've done it!  Beccy and I were supposed to be working today but its too warm and has been raining all day, which meant that Coronet Peak was closed due a lot of the snow at the bottom of the hill being washed away!  So we've spent the day getting up late, tidying the appartment and meeting a few guys from work for a pub lunch; how a Saturday should be spent, I hear you say!We're all praying for snow here so that we can get back to the riding and back to work as if the mountain's closed, we don't get paid!  I'm missing you all and I hope you're well.Lots of loveTom xxx
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