Rainforest Retreats

Well we have had a busy (and sadly now cheap) past few days. After leaving the aptly named Sanctuary hotel in the Mission Beach rain forest, where we spent an enjoyable few days reading and listening to the sounds of the jungle (couldn’t do much else as while we were there they received 300mm of rain in three days!), we moved northwards to Port Douglas. This is one of the few places in Australia where I have been before, and it was just as beautiful as I remember. It is a lovely little town which acts as the gateway to the Daintree Rain-forest (one of the last remaining rain-forests in Australia) and also for the outer Great Barrier Reef. It is an upmarket resort with the likes of Bill Clinton and Keifer Sutherland being regular visitors. For backpackers, though there is still plenty to do. The thing that every visitor must do when they come here, is visit the Mossman River Gorge located in the Daintree Rain-forest. It is this beautiful river that has carved its way through the jungle leaving huge boulders scattered all along the sea bed. It is safe to have a swim and marvel at the cool water and stunning scenery that surrounds you, in a place that could have been carved out of the same mold as Eden. It really is that great. And if you are a silly 19 year old, you can climb the rocks and jump into the place where the water squeezes between two rocks in a rapid, and giggle manically as it propels you down the river. After going there once (where Mark didn’t actually go in) we decided to go back the next day. After driving with an Irish and Canadian girl we met in the hostel and who had expressed and interest in going, we arrived back at the gorge. However this time we wanted to go one step further, so pulling the bodyboard from the roof (where it had remained inactive for a month of so) we went back to the rapid part. Here in front of a audience of 10 people looking down from the lookout (all of whom were secretly hoping for a bit of injury) I jumped in and rode the actual rapid/waterfall on the board. After whacking my legs on submerged rocks and swallowing a good deal of water, I resurfaced (possibly to a few disappointed sighs from the crowd) and did it again. It was great fun. Emboldened by my “success” Dave gave it a go. Sadly he let go of the board and succeeded in defying the laws of gravity by becoming submerged and up to his hair and not moving for 5 seconds. He neither surfaced or went with the current. It was hilarious. So after this bit of hugely immature fun, we went off on the 2 km rain-forest scenic walk which takes you all around surrounding areas of forest. On this walk you can see lizards, intricate fig trees woven with vines, walk across a rickety rope bridge and sit in amazement at the little creek that comes out of the dense forest into a pool of sunlight. Sorry for the silky and cheesy language but it really is one of those few places in the world that really and truly takes your breathe away. Sadly it also suffers from “photos can’t do it justice” syndrome, so the only way is to see it first hand yourself. Also the added bonus is there aren’t any cocodiles there so its safe! Hurrah!

Last night we went to the famous Cane Toad racing at the Iron bar, something I had wanted to do 3 and a half years ago but due to time couldn’t. This is a great event and entry only costs $5. For this you get to see people scrabble around for cane toads as women shriek when they come too near. So still with the girls from the hostel we headed down. The first two races were down to luck, if your raffle ticket was pulled out you got to race one of the six toads. The odds of you being pulled out of the hat are slim on a Saturday night (roughly 100 people there and only 12 get to race). However in the third race you get to auction a toad, so everyone has a fair chance to get involved. After unsuccessfully bidding for three toads (all bought by a parent who obviously wanted to win the prizes and gave the toads to his kids), it looked like we were going to miss out. However the five of us managed to get our hands on a pink clothed toad we affectionately named Big Gay Al, for the princely sum of $20. With a bar tab bill of $30 and a bottle of champagne at stake we had to win. The race goes like this. The person racing the toad stands up at the front (our “jockey” was me, who had to stand up with all self-indulgent parent’s kids looking like a sad English fool, but there where two other adults there so it wasn’t too bad) and gets given a whip. By a whip they mean one of those blow out horn things you get at kids parties. The idea is to persuade your toad off the centre table by blowing it with the horn thing. When it hops off you have to grab it and put it in a bucket. The first to do so wins. Oh and did I mention that before you can race you have to kiss the toad? Well you do and I had to do it twice for being English much to the amusement of all the Aussies. Quite. So as we all stood hunched over the table with the crowd waiting with baited breathe you could feel the tension. Then the bucket was lifted and pandemonium ensued. Which didn’t extend to my toad which sat there looking bemused. So I attacked it with vigour, fetching it a few hefty blows on the face with my paper whistle/horn. Nothing. It wasn’t the last left on the table but nearly. So summouning all my power I blew it once and hit it in the eye. That did it and Big Gay Al turned tail and bounced off the table. On the floor it was a piece of cake as my freakishly big hands made short work of picking it up and dumping it in the bucket. We had won! It was a glorious victory! It will go down in the annuls of history as on a par with Troy and Gettysburg as one of the greatest triumphs of all time. Or something like that. So our syndicate had won the booze. We also won a cap but being the gentlemen I am I gave it to one of the kids who I had successfully vanquished. I don’t think I was too popular though, but when you are a backpacker you can’t afford to let booze pass! It really was a great laugh, and for $9 definitely worth going to. When else do you get to see me kissing toads…… Flushed with our success we proceeded to get very drunk downstairs, which explains my fuzzy head today.

Port Douglas is one of those places I can see myself always coming back to. It has small town charm, a superb rain-forest fringed beach named Four-mile beach (which due to its flatness is perfect beach cricket territory), and a good nightlife. Whether a backpacker on a small budget or a hipster looking for luxury it really has it all. Best things are the beach, Mossman, On the Inlet waterfront seafood restaurant (bucket of prawns and a beer for $18 anyone?), the Sunday Markets, Cane Toad racing, the Courtyard Hotel (where I angered Dad by texting him informing him of my whereabouts in one of his favourite places drinking his favourite beer; Leffe. Hasn’t spoken to me since…..) and the great shopping. A must on anyones travel itinerary.

So after this we are off to Cape Tribulation for two nights then back south to our last port of call, Cairns. Here we will sell the car, party with school friends who are thereat the same time, and say goodbye to Australia. Also I will be going on a 3 day/ 2 night liveaboard dive trip on the reef, which will be great, it has 11 dives including two night dives. The other guys will be amusing themselves with skydiving and bungee jumping. Who said the trip was nearly over?

Jack xxx

Moped Madness on Magnetic

         After the ten day drinking binge that was Airlie Beach we continued our march northwards towards Townsville. After spending a quiet night in Townsville in a vain attempt to let our livers recover, we headed to the ferry terminal in order to travel over to Magnetic Island. This is an Island roughly comparable in size to Great Keppel though with two thousand permanent residents living on it. It is much more well known then Great Keppel island and the dynamics of it are rather strange. Half is given over to large luxury resorts and the other half is very much backpacker orientated. Unable to get in at the party central Base backpackers we went one bay over to Travellers Resort Backpackers located in Picnic Bay. For $20 (about 8 pounds) a night we stayed in a lovely little place with a great owner who is only too happy to give advice about the island.

The first afternoon was spent scoping out the area and lying by the beach soaking in the incredible heat. In the evening it was bar time of course! The next day upon the recommendation of the hostel owner me and Mark hired scooters to get from one end of the 9km road to the other.  Needless to say it was great fun. With a top speed of only 60kmph, they still made you feel like you were going a million miles an hour. So me and Mark spent an enjoyable day discovering all the nooks and crannies on the island. For only $40 for 24 hours it is definitely worth doing as it really gives you the freedom to explore everything. However it also does mean that you run the risk of ending up in a ditch or nearly killing diners outside cafes both of which I came very close to doing…..

The next day due to the heat I was up at 5:30 (!) to watch the sun come up so in the dawn I sped along on my scooter to a great point and watched the sun come up over the sea. It was truly a special moment. Afterwards I got Mark up at 8am with a small amount of grumbling, and we both hopped on our beasts and rode to a laybay near to a place called Radical Bay. Here we embarked on a walk we had wanted top do the previous day but abandoned due to the sheer heat, which was to take us to one of the highest points on the island. We decided upon this not just for the view but because along the way there were meant to be Koalas aplenty and also buildings left over from WWII when the island was used as an outpost to guard against the Japanese. While the Koalas were conspicuous by their absent, the ruins were there plain to see. While most of the barracks had been removed leaving only foundations, near the summit the gun emplacements, ammo stores and command post were still standing. So after 45 minutes we arrived at the top and were greeted by a wonderful view over most of the island. You could certainly tell why this spot was chosen as it commanded views both over the Coral Sea and back towards Townsville. It certainly was worth the walk in the increasing heat to stand at a point not only with a fantastic view but also a lot of history.

After this very rewarding walk we had to return our scooters which was a hard thing to do as the bug had certainly bitten me hard. It was a great experience roaring around the twisty coastal roads of Magnetic Island. I say roaring with a touch of artistic license. Anyway after missing the bus back to the hostel and having to wait 1 and 1/2 hours for the next one, we rejoined Dave and went and had a solid 9 holes at the Magnetic Island golf club. For only $20 we hacked and sliced our way around the lovely little course. After the first hole (around 8 shots each) we quickly gave up the idea of actually keeping score and just relaxed. My drives were very admirable, Dave’s short game was on form and Mark just pulled the odd demon shot out with no pattern emerging. After this we definitely needed a beer as the heat had taken its hold, so we retired to the bar for the night. Magnetic Island is certainly a must on any travelers schedule as there is plenty to do and the locals are extremely friendly.

So now me and Mark are currently in Mission Beach. While there is almost nothing to do here when the weather is like it is (rainy and misty)  we are staying in one of the best places of all time. A little outside the village it is located in the dense rain forest. We are in a cabin that is only made of mesh walls. So at night you have all the sounds of the forest surrounding you. It is truly a fantastic experience and the beds are very very comfortable. however the odd bug does creep in and make noises uncomfortably close to your head. It is a very unique and relaxing experience. Also within 2 hours of arriving we saw the areas resident Cassowary which are strange almost prehistoric looking creatures. We were very fortunate to see this remarkable creature as the Mission beach area only has a population of about 50 and the animal is on the verge of extinction! We have two more nights here while Dave meets up with Jack and John in Cairns before we head up to Cairns. Unfortunately we only have about a week and a half of traveling around before we have to take up residence in Cairns to try and sell the car. Better make the most of it!

Jack xxxx

Roaming Fraser Island

So here is the post on Fraser island that you have all been waiting for. I claim full responsibility for not writing about it earlier, but in my defense I have been struggling to find the words for the best part of our trip to date.
The lowdown on Fraser Island – Its the largest sand island in the world, and they say that every grain of sand on the South East coast of Australia ends up at its shores. This ensures that the place is truly huge, with enough lakes, rock formations and wildlife to make a Geographer or Biologist begin to drool at the prospect of stepping off the boat and exploring.

We were staying at a place called Hervey Bay which is the largest town on the coast nearest to the island, and is therefore overrun itself with every travel company and backpackers organisation, trying to offer the best 4 by 4 adventures to Fraser.
In our case “Koalas” was our choice. It also served as our accommodation for the ensuing days both before and after our trip. With its own on-site bar, swimming pool and not to shabby rooms, we had everything we could want. Though it is the only place we have stayed in that you both have to ask for and leave a deposit for sheets! So on principle we all slept in our sleeping bags for the duration.
Now once you sign up for the trip there are a number of things that have to take place before the company let you roam free with their 4 by 4′s for 3 days. First of all there are forms to be signed which means you are responsible for any damages that are incurred on the vehicle. Then a meeting has to be sat through where the notion of losing your deposit (which is $50 per person)on the car by doing any number of things, is carefully and willfully tattooed on the souls of all present. After such formality’s and threats, the rather eccentric man heading our meeting showed us on a map where we should go and also where we should camp. Other aspects of the meeting were taken up by explanations of why swimming in the sea is a very, very bad idea (needless to say there are a lot of sharks). Also the presence of dingos and what one should do if approached by said animal. The briefing video shown was of particular interest here as it contained two girls demonstrating the correct position to be in, with your hands folded in a cross over your chest and then backing away slowly from a bemused dingo. This was of course greeted with laughter from the collective, and was quickly rebuked by the eccentric man, who said waving a stick and shouting was probably a better way to scare off a wild dog.
So after all of this and meeting our group of 8 for the first time, all of us trekked down to the local supermarket and bought enough food to last us for the next few days. More importantly we also made a trip to the bottle shop (or off license to all those back home) to stock up on beer and some cheap wine aptly nick-named “goon” (for the record – its disgusting).
The next morning at the ungodly time of 6:30 we all congregated outside our respective cars and after packing away all our things were ready and willing to get the trip started.
Once driving to the ferry and displaying our right to be there, we were away and watched the island gradually getting bigger over 30 minutes.
After disembarking we all settled in for a long spate of driving (left to our three designated drivers, as Jack and Mark were under the required age of 21), that would take us from the West side of the island at Wangoolba Creek Ferry, to Eli Creek on the East side. It was our aim to go up and do the North East side first and then come back down to the lakes that are situated in the middle-South of the island.

Eli Creek -
A fantastic creek which runs down from the lush green forest to the ocean. Its steady current proved powerful enough so I and the rest of our gang could lie on our backs and be carried along. For this reason we all had a fantastic time here, especially as Jack was in the process of trying out his new under water camera (ooooooo!). Only thing is it might have been nice to have timed it when less backpackers were there, and attempt to get the cool waters more to ourselves. However everyone was laughing and joking, their only worry being whether to wade directly up the creek or to use the wooden walkway to the side. Really fantastic start to our trip, and if you get to see our photos of it you’ll understand why.

Maheno Shipwreck -
This, the only man made attraction on Fraser, was a quick stop off for us on our way up North. It is literally just a big rusted ship run aground on the beach, not even one with a very interesting back story either. It was a pleasure steamer due to be scrapped before it broke loose from its towing boat and was run ashore and left for the barnacles and the backpackers. Not worth more than about 5 minutes of looking and a couple of photos.

Indian Head -
The farthest place that we could drive on the island, as “Koalas” strongly advised against going any further, plus we tried and our car got stuck in the sand (touche Koalas!). It consists of a huge outcrop of rock that looks out onto the ocean to the East and the beaches running North to South. Fantastic views, made the short uphill walk completely worthwhile The place is also a breeding ground for Tiger sharks, and you can actually look down at the sharp drop below and see their predatory swimming from afar.

Champagne pools -
A longer walk up from Indian head along the beach took us about 30 minutes and brought us to the most amazing rock formation I’ve seen. Its a series of pools protected by the rocks that separate the pools and tourists from the sea. The namesake is due to the unique way that the waves crash on the rocks and send the water bubbling and bursting through the small holes and cracks caused by years of erosion – thus making a champagne-esque effect. So as you can expect we lounged around in the pools and took many a group photo, while the bubbles foamed around us with every big wave.

Lake Wabby -
The deepest lake on the island, and a firm favorite with us. However this was a bit of a trek, through the woods of Fraser, but definately worth it. The only thing that angers me and Jack about Wabby, is that our eccentric Koalas man had told us that if you take the lid off your eskis
(the plastic containers for our food etc.), then you can ride them down the steep sand slopes at lake Wabby and into the water. Rubbish! Me, Jack and our Irish friend Aidan tried for ages to make the trip down the slope on our bums and all that was gained was sinking into the sand, cursing and getting sweaty. sigh! My personal vendetta against this aside, we had an awesome time there, swimming in the sun.

Lake Mackenzie -
The biggest and best lake on the island. Its huge body of water is about as crystal clear as you could ever hope for. groups have gone to Fraser island and raced to Mackenzie first thing, and spent the rest of their time there. Sadly, we only had about half an hour to take in its sparkling beauty as our time was up on Fraser and we had spent too long at Lake Wabby. For the next time I go i think i will take the nothing but Mackenzie option above. Still, with the waters shimmering in front of us and the cameras snapping away we lounged, and sat and laughed without a care in the world.

All i have left to say about Fraser is to quote the native Butchulla people in their original naming of the island as ‘K’gari’, which in English roughly translates as paradise……

dave

p.s – it is Baz Luhrmann Jack and he also did strictly ballroom and Moulin Rouge (although he doesn’t don’t talk about those two as much)

Backpacker Mecca

That seems to be where we are at the moment. Six days into our ten day stay at the legendary Airlie Beach (just a few 100km south of Townsville) we are beginning to see why. It is a wide, open lagoon perfect for harbouring one’s yacht , which is what many people seem to do. Looking at the house prices it seems there is a balance between the big money market, (catered for by large apartments set into the rolling, green, rain forest-covered hills and expensive restaurants) and the smelly, cheap and dirty backpacker market (catered for by cheap, dank backpacker accommodation and cheap eateries offering backpacker specials.) Luckily the two markets don’t seem to clash, but I can only imagine Mr. Jones in his $3 million pad overlooking the azure ocean isn’t too enamored with scruffy backpackers fouling up his little piece of paradise.

The reason for the popularity of Airlie Beach lies in its proximity to the Whitsunday Islands. For those of you who haven’t heard of these islands, they are a group of 74 white sandy beaches, a few of them with resorts on them. Think Great Keppel Island, but actually discovered! For example South Molle Island is a backpackers island with cheap accommodation and too many bars, whereas Hamilton Island is where Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman are staying while they film in nearby Bowen (more about that later). Oh and George Harrison had a quiet little mansion on the island. So as you can see it caters for everyone.Because of this there is a turf war fought on the main street of Airlie over the tour market. You can do pretty much anything from the full on 3 day 2 night sail adventure to day cruises. You can even do an extreme dive whatever the hell that is! Airlie is much like any other town in Australia, a small fishing town, yet this one has been discovered for its potential and transformed. While many residents may bemoan the influx, if it weren’t for the tourism this town would go the same way as the other towns along the coast that are far from commercial centers. Namely it would die on its feet. However with the Whitsunday Islands in close proximity this will never happen!

Everyone has assured me that the harbour is a spectacular sight at this time of year with the water resembling a blanket of crushed Emeralds. However, thus far the weather has been more Brighton Beach then Airlie Beach. It has rained for the past five days only breaking today. So the water has resembled the cast iron grey of a bunker as opposed to some tropical paradise. So the days have been spent reading many books and scowling at the locals as they dance in the rain with their buckets praising good for the luxury of rain. That is the flaw sadly with Airlie Beach. Home to only three thousand locals, if it rains there is seriously bugger all to do. “No dramas, then mate” as they say out here just read a lot. And drunk far too much then is good for us. The days have just followed the same pattern.Grab a good read, hunker down out of the rain in a comfy spot, then when the rain breaks go for a wander, shelter in a bar when it breaks again and begin on the beers. At 3 in the afternoon. Again “no dramas”. Excepting when it gets to 9pm and you reached the stage that should only be reserved for birthday and Christmas Eve. Then you know you’re in trouble the next morning. Sadly it has reached the point where I know resemble Keith Richards. A shaking, stumbling mess. Well when in Rome……

Since we have been here we have met some wonderful, colourful and downright mad people. Our room on the first night was classic. A lovely English girl and a mad Irish couple of girls one sporing a black eye. Needless to say we went out with them partying. It was pretty messy. I got shouted at by a mad girl and chased from the club. Until this day I still have no idea why she did it. We have also down the inevitable karaoke here and visited a beach party. When the website decides to behave  pictures up to illustrate my point! The weirdest experience has to be the one on Saturday Night. I was swaying slightly clutching a beer at roughly 8pm (been a particularly horrific day) when a bloke walked past me I thought I recognized from back home in Salcombe. However due to my rapidly deteriorating state and the sheer ridiculousness of it, I didn’t believe. However I circled him until there was no doubt. Shouting his name, the look on our faces must have been priceless when we realised the sheer m,magnitude of what had happened. Imagine a small town in Salcombe where he is a pivotal local, one of the finest. Last I had heard he was studying in Leeds at university, which was only eight months ago. Now I learn he lives on the Gold Coast with his girlfriend and is only in Airlie on a short break for 3 days. The timings involved are absolutely mad. Not for the first time this trip, do I think we are being watched. Anyway thanks to him and his antics we had three very good nights. That is the wonderful thing with this trip, something new gets thrown up everytime…. Next stop my birthday in 2 days time, which if the past few nights are anything to go by, is going to hurt.

Jack xxxxx

P.s. Bowen is a small rural town which has been invaded by Baz someone or other (director from Romeo + Juliet) and the two actors. They have transformed the town into a film set resembling an outback frontier town for the epic movie Australia (Epic film, crap title). Seeing a working set was a great experience and we took loads of photos while being chatted to amiably by a security guard who was a cross between Crocodile Dundee and Father Christmas. The film is about the bombing of Darwin (Capital of the Northern Territories) by the Japanese in WWII.

Great Keppel Island

Well, after the brilliant Fraser Island (which somebody will be doing a post on very soon), we decided to head up to a town slightly inland called Rockhampton with a population around 60000.  It’s one of the few large towns before we hit Cairnes and so we decided to stop off there.  Rockhampton proudly calls itself ‘the beef capital of Australia’ and with good reason; it’s full of cows and cowboys.  It’s a large town but curiously it always feels empty, and the nightlife consisted of a bar with $10 steaks for dinner and Karaoke (honestly, we don’t deliberately seek out Karaoke bars, they just seem to find us!). 

Anyhow, the main reason we stopped off in Rockhampton was so that we could us it as a base to get to ‘Great Keppel Island’.  Keppel is one of the largest of a number of small islands about 15km off the coast.  So, we drove to the ferry terminal in Yeppoon (about 30km from Rockhampton) and boarded the boat, not really knowing what to expect.   As soon as we reached Keppel, we decided that we liked it.  The ferry pulled up directly on to the beach and we were met by a 4×4 which took all our bags to where we were staying – Great Keppel Island Holiday Village.  When we arrived at the holiday village (which is actually a YHA Hostel) we were checked in and told all about the place.  They had a ‘no noise’ policy after 9:30 and the power was cut in the middle of the night to save on costs, noise and pollution – they run off diesel generators you see.  We were also informed that they recycled their own water (as do most places on the island) and although it was safe to shower with, it probably wasn’t a good idea to drink it as it tasted awful. 

Anyhow, we dropped off our bags and headed straight to the beach with our snorkels.  It was awesome – the water was warm and crystal clear and the rocks at the side off the beach were surrounded by reef and it teemed with marine life.  Millions of fish in all shapes, sizes and impossibly bright colours, as well as turtles, stingrays and pretty much everything else you could think of.  Thankfully, the Tiger Sharks that surround the area didn’t come in this far to the shore, so we were quite safe (although safety in Australian waters is a relative concept!).  After a thoroughly satisfying day looking at all the beautiful fish, we headed back to our hostel to take a shower and head out for some food and drink.  We found one of the two bars on the island and ordered some food and beers.  Since everything has to be shipped in fresh from the mainland, food was more expensive here than elsewhere, but by UK standards it was still pretty cheap….oh, and it was delicious as well!  We walked back to our room and by this time, I most confess that we had forgotten the “shut-up-after-9:30-rule” and were making a little too much noise.  We were told to be quiet and I think we may have slightly annoyed the manager, Jeff.

Anyhow, the next morning we tried to find him to apologise for being so loud, but he was nowhere to be found.  So, we did the logical thing.  We headed down to the beach to do more snorkeling!  This was another fine day of swimming, sunbathing and just being the sort of layed-back, lazy people that a gap year allows us to be.  In the evening we ate at the same place as the night previous, but headed down to the bigger of the two bars – the Wreck Bar.  This was a fine place with live music, but unfortunately there was only about 5 people in there….maybe it would pick up at the weekend we thought.  So, we headed off for an early night. 

Eventually, in the following days Jeff was found on reception and received his apology, which he took very well.  We decided that we liked Jeff and he received ‘top bloke’ status.  We asked about his ‘motorised canoe adventure’ and he jumped at the chance to take us out (it means he gets to play on the water for two hours, so he’s always keen to take people out!).  What this adventure consists of is going out on a large canoe that has floats on the side and being dragged along by the canoe over the reef whilst snorkeling.  You also get to see all the smaller islands surrounding Keppel.  Honestly it was the best $30 we have ever spent.  We saw thousands of fish, a couple of stingrays, some turtels….in fact we saw everything but Tiger Sharks (frankly, I can live without seeing them whilst I’m being dragged along, unamred and helpless behind a canoe).  If you ever do get a chance to visit Keppel (and you should, since not many backpackers seem to know about the tropical paradise it offers), then Jeff’s canoe adventure is a must.

We were originally booked in to Keppel for three nights, but we liked it so much that we wanted to stay longer.  Unfortunately, the holiday village was full, but Keppel Haven next door were able to offer us our own cabin with bathroom for just a little more money.  So, we booked into Keppel Haven for the next two nights.  There was a wedding on the island this weekend, so the luxury resort on the island was fully booked out.  The advantage of this was that the nightlife was bound to pick up a little bit.  The Wreck Bar had more live music (the same blokes as before playing the same songs – we learnt from our new friend Jeff that they were on a six week contract to play every day!).  But, in their defence they were pretty good.  The wedding had finished and so everyone was in party spirit – we bought Jeff beer and had a fantastic night partying and getting to know people.  We retuned to our room at around 2:30am (again, I fear we may have made a little too much noise) and promptly fell straight asleep.  The next day was our last night on the island, but we decided to take it easy as we were still dead from the night before, and we were low on funds.  We retired to bed at around 9:00 and read our books (hardcore, aren’t we?).  Jack and Dave fell asleep pretty quickly, but about an hour later I was being savaged by giant ants that were coming in under the door and using my bed as a sort of meeting place to plan their next attack.  Having defended my bed for over an hour and killing many of their number, I turned on the light to find about 10 ants on my bed and just as many on the floors and walls. I could take it no longer and fled to the beach and slept in a hammock.  A worker looked at me as if I were a hopeless drunk and said ‘hard night eh?’, to which I replied that I was sober and had been attacked by giant killer ants. He gave me a funny look and then we parted company.  I awoke about 6:00am and watched the sun rise….which was nice.  As I sit here typing, my ant bites have reached really quite respectable levels of itchiness and annoyance…but it was worth it as Keppel is such an awesome place and should be an essential stop off on anyone’s trip.

-Mark-

Thrills and Spills in Surfers

    Once again sorry about the slowness of the posting, there should be two more following this one on quickly. We spent 6 days with family friends Eliot and Maxine, in their beautiful home just outside of Surfers Paradise. We were only going to stay four days but at their insistence, coupled with the fact there was so much to do, we stayed longer. Upon arrival we settled in to our own two bedroom flat that was to be our accommodation for the next few days, (complete with widescreen television and pool table) and then asked Eliot what the best things to do were. He instantly recommended Sea World as a good place to visit, as there are 5 or so theme parks situated around Surfers Paradise all with huge rides. However as we arrived late on the 15th we decided just to hit the beach and check out the surf that the area is reknowed for and named after. It proved to be true, the surf was very good, but sadly a touch to big for me so I forwent the surf.

    Next day we rose fairly early to go to Sea World, and drove off in the car. For $100 dollars we gained entry to Sea World and over the next two days we could go to either Wet n’ Wild Waterpark or the Warner Brothers Movie World theme park. In sea world we went on all the rides which included a trippy, Bermuda triangle/alien invasion log flume, a decent if slightly small rollercoaster and the rocking pirate ship. We also went on the few water rides they had. Most importantly we viewed the polar bears, dugongs and many other marine life exhibits. The highlight however was the excellent Dolphin show, which included flips, synchronised displays and best of all the surfing of the dolphins by the trainers. I did get some very decent photos, but you will find out later on why they are not viewable. All in all it was a very enjoyable day. We returned to the flat to watch some tv on our huge screen and fish out the back of our hosts property.

    The next day Eliot had very kindly booked and paid for all of us to go on a fishing excursion in our own tinny boat. So we got up bright and early, clambered into the small boat with a small 5hp engine and drove off across the Surfer Paradise inlet waterways with a little difficulty. We drift-fished along the inlet waterways for an hour and a bit without too much success. Then we decided to moor the boat up, cross the sand peninsula and fish the ocean. So we tied the boat to a tree and trekked across the peninsula for about 15 minutes until we reached the sea. Here we had about 20 km of beach entirely to ourselves which was simply wonderful. After an hour of fishing I had caught a big Bream, which Eliot pronounced to be one of the best he had seen in a long while! Dave also caught two small Dart fishes. Mark of course was fishless. We headed back to the boat, with me feeling very smug. The smugness disappeared when we discovered our boat was now high and try on the mangrove mud. So with the four of us huffing and puffing we managed to push the boat back into the water and drive off. However this was easier said then done, because the tide had gone out hugely leaving incredibly shallow parts all over the water system. This meant every five minutes for half an hour I was hopping out of the boat to drag it off yet another mud bank. This was not my idea of fun, wading through thick, knee deep mud heaving three grown men in a small aluminium boat. However after a while we were free and progressing smoothly. We wetted a line for a touch longer with much the same result as before, and so decided to explore the hideously expensive looking properties all around us. These places were sickenly big and beautiful. Still I know where I’m going to live when I am older, jokes! We returned tired, a touch sunburnt, but very happy.

       

The next day we headed off to Movie World to experience all  the fun at the fair! The theme park was dominated by the impressive sight of a red and blue, huge roller-coaster with impressively large loops and all the shizbang! However upon arrival we discovered it was temporarily closed. However we went on the Lethal Weapon ride which was like starring in the movie, you felt bruised and battered after coming off it! Then we went on the straight up and down batman ride which left your stomach many matres below you. Dave did not enjoy this ride, with good reason. Throughout the day we amused ourselves on all the rides the place had to offer, including the now opened superman roller-coaster which propelled you at a frightening 100km in two seconds upwards. However towards the end of the day I manged to lose my fantastic camera. How I have no idea, we narrowed it down to being in one of two places but of course it was in neither. Hence from Surfers there are no photos unfortunately. In the evening we cooked a barbecue for our hosts including my wonderful Bream!

      The next two days were taken up with relaxing at the beach and finally surfing the big waves at surfers. For me it was also taken up with filing my insurance claim for my camera. Boo hiss! On our last evening with Eliot and Maxine we were treated to cooked, fresh mud crab. These me and Eliot caught in pots out the back of their property. They are truly a delicacy and one can understand why they cost so much in the shops! All in all we had a truly fantastic time with our generous hosts. They made us feel extremely welcome and invited us openly into their homes. Thank you very much.  

After Surfers we headed off to Caloundra which was interesting……..

Jack xxxxxxx

Familiar Faces in Brisbane

Good afternoon all, its Dave posting for the first time in a long while. i think jack and mark hid my thesaurus or something but now it has been found you can all once more be bored with more ramblings of a happy man.
So the oztripping team through the wonders of the internet managed to get in touch with Sam Woodcock , Adam Eisenstadt and Ed “too tall to function” Langford – all three friends from school. They gave us the dates that they would be in Brisbane so, being the crazy rogues that we are changed our plans to go to surfers paradise and instead skipped straight ahead to the capital of Queensland. The journey was rough and arduous and when we reached the town it was almost 11 o’clock in the morning (it only took about an hour and a half). Eager for accommodation we headed up towards the YHA which is a ten minutes walk from the centre of Brisbane, and finding the building was in the process of being repaired, turned on our heels and strolled down to the next building on the backpackers strip.
having paid and unloaded our stuff from the car, we had a little stroll round the place called simply, city backpackers. It proved from the inside to be a quite extraordinarily weird construction, the kind of thing you see in cartoons. The main building is flanked by two others and these all feed into the others with stair cases everywhere and 2 balconies and a pool kind of sharply jutting out from the kitchen area/t.v lounge area, which was on the second floor. However despite its strange architectural – at first confusing layout, we loved it. It had everything that a backpacker could want including a bar on the bottom floor which served the many happy travellers who flooded through its doors.
At about 7 that tuesday evening we ventured out to find food, (although the hostel does have a BBQ running every night from 6 o’clock – further adding to its list of backpackers heaven). Finding a nice bistro/bar we settled down to some steak with the most powerful pepper sauce in all the land. There was also a quiz on which we partook in and failed to quite brilliant levels, enjoying ourselves with frustration throughout. Then we played pool and drank a couple of beers until we decided to call it a night, realising that tomorrow might be a large one.
During the day on Wednesday the time passed uneventfully as we waited to meet up with the others that evening. So we headed down and on jacks rough but 90% accurate sense of direction, found our destination, the Z bar. After much hugging and huge smiles all round there was food to be ordered and stories to be told (god this has lapsed into a lord of the rings chapter, with companions round the campfire hasn’t it?). So we heard about how amazing Alice Springs was, about how terrible Singapore was and about how Fraser island is the best place in OZ. It is always great to see old mates and the night passed into a haze of stories, jokes, dancing (damn right i can dance) and alcohol. The next evening we invited the guys to join us at the Brisbane casino and try and break the bank. Unfortunately ed couldn’t make it, he was seeing his sisters boyfriend who is now living in Australia after losing herself to the country and the people while on her own gap year (don’t think i haven’t thought about it myself – just haven’t met the right guy yet). So with Sam and Adam in tow we played a bit of roulette and watched some of the other gamblers lose more in one hand than I earnt to go on this 6 months trip. Surprisingly 3 our of our number came out with more money than they went in with. Only me and adam were not smiling as broadly, with me losing only $10 to my compulsory red 7 bet (i mean if i bet on anything else that’s the one time it would come up). Adam however bet $50 and lost, which is a lot of money to a backpacker i can assure you. sigh!
We retired to a different but very good bar after this, and spent more hours talking and generally catching up. Ed joined us at just the right point to watch the wet t-shirt competition that took place at the bar every week. Now you may all ask what exactly this entails but i cannot honestly tell you as i was sitting at the bar facing the other way drinking a coke!
The next day was an important one in the oztripping calendar, as it was time to play cricket with more than just the three of us. With eight of us in total including two of Ed’s friends from the bar, we had a good 3 hours playing cricket in the sun drenched botanical gardens of Brisbane. The appeals were loud and constant, the bowling bouncy and the batting a slog- fest. Mark has to be noted for the most spectacular catch of the day where he panicked after realising he’d moved to far ahead of the ball as it fell to earth, and readjusted in time to perform a spine-twisting left hand catch that sparked wild celebrations.
Exhausted and dusty we moped off the “pitch” and after getting some internet moved onto our separate resting places.
That friday night, Jack and Mark headed off to the valley which is a part of Brisbane, to go and catch a live band of which jack knew the lead singer. Not in the mood for live music and realising that i had only 2 more nights with sam ed and adam, went off to their place for chicken snitzel and beer. We then moved up to their dorm room after eating and spent ages talking about everything and anything, to the extent that these girls also sitting there that the guys knew vaguely, became annoyed by our lack of including them in our ramblings. After they left and we finished our beer, there was much dancing to be had downstairs. So the night passed eventfully and brilliantly.
In the morning Jack and Mark told me they had a great time and that the intended band had been impressive, while they reclined on comfy sofas. This day passed uneventfully and we all said good bye to Sam ed and adam that evening as both they and us were off the next day. It was a bit sad to see them go as i know if we’d all been travelling together for longer we’d have some great stories to tell but having said that three is a great travelling number and both our groups were proving as such.
My parting thoughts about Brisbane are that it is exellent in the evenings but during the day we struggled to find things to occupy our time. Jack went into the Brisbane museum and said he was really very unimpressed. Now people may scream in distain at me but please do prove me wrong and visit Brisbane, during the day but certainly during the night.

Dave

Easter in Byron and Tweed Heads

     Well we spent Easter weekend in Byron Bay and Tweed Heads, Byron being a backpacker mecca! This was however a big mistake. We drove into Byron expecting crowds as it is such a sought after destination. However we were unprepared for the 30,000 people that were to arrive in Byron for the East Coast Blues and Roots festival. Finding no accommodation, we set up our 12 pound tent in the only campsite that had room, and sat back and waited. On the first night we were still unprepared for what was to come, thinking that the festival was just a small thing. However upon our return from the beach next day (the surf was small, but a hell of a lot of fun) we saw the dozen or so tents had swelled to a hundred odd. However if we were expecting Reading style camping we were disappointed, the festival is much more of a hippy fest including acoustic guitars and lots of strange smelling cigarettes. As we were there over Easter Weekend we were expecting a blowout  of huge proportions in the pub.  Once again we were sorely disappointed.  The Australians do not know how to party properly, as all the bars on Good Friday, turned away hundreds of people, and hundreds of dollars of business to shut up at 10pm! That’s right 10 in the evening on a popular night during the height of their season. At no other point in Byron’s season will 30,000 people descend on the town. It just doesn’t make any sense to us, it really doesn’t.

As the weather was pretty poor in Byron we decided to catch a film, 300 to be exact. While waiting for it to come on, guess who walked in? Yep that’s right, ‘Stalker’ Tom.  Of all the showings (4 that day) he came to this one, which only had 40 or so people in it. Simply incredible. Anyway Byron is a must for anybody’s Australian itinerary, with epic beaches, a nightlife that is kicking (according to most people, and outside of Easter) and a really laid-back vibe that isn’t manufactured. Go there!

After spending two disastrous nights in Byron in our tent, (it leaked and two poles broke so it ended up looking like the Somme) we decided it was time to buy a new one. However being Easter Weekend we thought we would have to make do we a makeweight tent, not much better then the one previously. However upon arrival in Tweed Heads we went into the first camping shop and almost bought a decent 40 pound 4 man tent. However upon adventuring round the chaotic inside of the camping warehouse we discovered a more expensive, but infinitely better tent. So now we are camping in a double layered (our first had one layer), giant, 10 man tent. We can stand up in it, and spread our crap everywhere so from now on we will be mainly camping in our mansion. Tweed Heads itself suffered from the same curse as Byron, namely a chronic work shy attitude over Easter so every night saw us back in the tent drinking our own beers at 9pm. At Tweeds they have decent surf and decent snorkeling, so it’s definitely worth checking out for a day or two.

Now we are in Brisbane where we are meeting up with Ed, Sam and Adam for some laughs, so expect some interesting posts coming along the pipeline. For those of you knowledgeable about Australian geography, no we haven’t bypassed Surfers, after Brisbane we will be heading back south, to fill in the gaps down along the Gold Coast.

All my love

Jack xxx

Coffs Harbour

After Jack’s mammoth drive to Armidale the day previous, we decided that our first day in Coffs should be a relaxed affair.  We decided to head down to the beach as it was a glorious day and lovely and hot.  However, our car (Zoe) had different ideas.  As soon as we entered the car park for the beach, the car’s steering went heavy and there was one of those expensive sounding grinding noises coming from under the bonnet.  We turned her off and lifted the bonnet not knowing what we’d find…..luckily it was just a split power steering hose.  So we abandoned our beach idea and headed off to a Mitsubishi dealer in order to find spare parts.  However, it was a Saturday and in their infinite wisdom, Mitsubishi had decided that it was a good idea to close at 12:00 on Saturday  (I mean to say, it’s not as if anyone needs spare parts on a weekend, is it?).  Depressed, we decided to head down to Supercheap Auto and Repco (like Halfords back home, but without the incompetence).  The nice chaps down at Supercheap let us borrow their tools for free and those lovely people down at Repco gave us some free replacement hose!  Full marks to Supercheap and Repco!  By now the day was over, we were covered in oil and the sun had gone in, so we decided to retire to our Motel Formule 1 then head out for a few beers.  Motel Formule 1 had all the atmosphere and character of a hospital, but to its credit, it was nice and cheap and the rooms were immaculate.

The second day in Coffs was overcast and pretty cold (well, by Aussie standards) so it was decided that we’d head down to the Horse Races at the local track.  Admission was just $10 (4 pounds) and for that you get a whole day’s entertainment and 8 races in which to lose your money.  It was at the races that we met ‘Stalker Tom’.  ‘Stalker Tom’ is a man whom we met in Melbourne….and then again in Phillip Island….then in Manly….and then here as well!  We didn’t actually plan to meet him at any of these places and we’re pretty sure he’s some sort of stalker who’s secretly following us around.  Anyhow, we decided which horses to bet on according to which ones had the funniest names (always a sound way of doing things)  and I struck lucky, winning $35 on the first race, which effectively paid for my betting for the rest of the day.  Jack wasn’t so fortunate, but we still had an awesome day out for less than 25 quid (including beer).

So, we came to our final day in Coffs before we were due to move on.  It was lovely and sunny once again, so we decided to head down to the beach once more (hopefully we’d make it further than the parking lot this time).  As soon as we came onto the beach a dog came up to us with a stick in its mouth. Being the nice sort of people we are, we threw it for him.  Big mistake.  The dog kept bringing it back to us and lying right by us looking sorry for itself until we threw it for him again.  We spoke to some locals as there was no owner in sight, and apparently ‘Beach Dog’ (as we creatively dubbed him) escapes every single day, comes down to the beach with his stick and gets people to play with him.  When those people get tired of throwing the stick, he simply moves along the beach to the next group of people, and the cycle continues.  Smart dog if you ask me. 

Anyhow, by now it was getting cooler and Dave’s bus back from Armidale had just arrived, so we headed back to the motel to get freshened up before going out.  We headed out for a healthy Kebab (it had lettuce in it, so that counts as healthy) and then headed down to the Plantation Hotel.  We stayed there for about 30 minutes, realised it was full of people who took the quiz night far too seriously, then headed off to the Coast Hotel to finish off the night (which is really nice by the way and cost $4 million to renovate) .  Here we met ‘Stalker Tom’ once again and had a few beers with him and his mate.  Tom leaves Oz in 3/4 weeks, but we’re pretty sure we’ll see him around now we’re camping in Byron Bay…

Surf, Nobbies and Mountains

       Sorry for the delay in posting, not sure what came over us. Well we have left Sydney and headed Northwards, to where we are currently now, which is a place called Coffs Harbour. Upon leaving Collaroy we didn’t immediately go North but headed back towards Sydney in order to head West up into the famous Blue Mountains. After the drive, Mark probably wishes we haven’t. Confusing road layouts (an ever present plague wherever you go in Australia) coupled with traffic lights that turned instantly red whenever we approached conspired to make a 2 hour journey closer to four, in intense heat. Also when we finally escaped the clutches of the terrifying suburban road system, one of our tyres blew. Spectacularly. Shredded rubber everywhere. So we had a twenty minute delay while I changed that (burning my hand several times on the scorchingly hot wheel nuts). So we finally arrived weary and fed up of our car to the town of Katoomba or the Capital of the Blue Mountains. Whereupon we found that almost everywhere accommodation wise was taken. So we ended up in an average standard Motel which cost a lot. However that didn’t dampen our spirits one jot. What did however was the mist, rain and freezing cold. For our entire stay in the Blue Mountains (only two nights) it was miserably cold, so much so that once we had seen everything the next day, we went to a cafe and drank hot chocolates in front of a fire! Very pleasant but not very Australian. However while in the mountains, we saw the world famous Three Sisters from two different points, also took a trip on the very enjoyable Scenic railway which holds the world record for the steepest railway in the world and also journeyed along the rainforest boardwalk in the valley of the mountains. All in all a very nice time was had by all, although it was a shame about the weather because in the sun the mountains do turn blue as the sun shines through the vapour given off by the Eucalyptus trees.

      After the mountains we continued our journey North, heading to Newcastle, about 150km North of Sydney. Here we stayed for three nights which is longer then we were going to stay, but the car needed a new tyre so we thought we would service it while we were there (it was 8,000km past its next due service). Newcastle is a strange place, as first impressions are you have driven into the town out of Children of Men. Its very industrial and parts are very run down. However when you see past the peeling shop fronts and boarded up windows, you can see that Newcastle is actually very nice. The restaurants are very good value, the bars of a high standard, and the beaches top quality. A storm had been brewing in the Tasman sea which meant the surf was huge and mental over the three days we were there. It was the most perfect swell I have ever seen and peaking at six foot. While I did paddle out into the monsters, at Newcastle beach, my standard of surfing was such that I couldn’t get any of the waves they were just too big. As the lifeguard also happily told me while berating me for not having any common sense by going out in the first place. So after being admonished thoroughly we went round the corner to Nobbies Beach where it was smaller (a mere five foot) and we could actually swim (at Newcastle the currents and shifting sandbanks meant there was no swimming). At Nobbies the swimming was great diving under monsters and trying to body surf them. If one of these grabbed a hold of you it tossed you around like a rag doll. While not scary it did make you appreciate the awesome power of the sea. Here I did go out bodyboarding (or boogie boarding, depending on what you call it) and caught some rippers, definitely the best waves of my life, clean, left-handers breaking regularly, it was in fact heaven. After visiting a small nightclub on the last night (student night apparently, though don’t let them fool you, there are no students) the next day we headed North again, roughly 200km to Port Macquarie.

        We didn’t stay here long as Dave wanted to get to Armidale the next day to visit a family friend from which Coffs Harbour would be closer. In Port Macquarie, we just chilled on the beach, played a game of cricket and had a few bevvies in the evening. Very civilised in my opinion. So the next day we headed about 250km North to Coffs Harbour. Upon arriving we were told that there was no public transport to Armidale on a Friday. The next bus there was Sunday (that well known travelling day) and to get a train you had to go via Sydney or Brisbane (both 500km South and North respectively). So being the gallant person I am, I offered to drive him. Thinking it was 130-150km away we embarked happily. However it was 190km away, and much driving later (and many angry outbursts at caravans) we arrived in Armidale. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as we first thought it was as the first impression was of run down bungalows. However they soon gave way to a pleasant little town nestled in England like hills. However it is no where near the coast, and why anyone would spend a gap year teaching in a school there is beyond me. Surely there are schools by the coast? Ah well. So after driving a total of 650 km and racking up seven hours of driving time yesterday I returned to Coffs at 7:00pm a flopped onto the bed exhausted. Still went out for a couple of beers in the evening. It is a gap year after all……

Jack xxxx     

Chilling in Collaroy

       We we left the seediness and excitement of Kings Cross behind and headed out to Collaroy where we stayed for a week. Collaroy is one of the Northern beaches, a lot more laid back then Manly but only 15 minutes north of it. Definitely worth checking out, has two very good bars (during the week $9 meals at the Surf Rock Hotel) and it is possible to get into the city by public transport. The beach here is really close to the YHA and it is good. While Manly is probably a better beach, Collaroy is devoid of the crowds. The week we spent in Collaroy was very cheap and very relaxed. Most of the time was spent on the beach. However during our stay in the YHA (which has everything, bbq, pool, two tvs, kitchen and pool tables) we were rudely awoken at 5am and 7am on two consecutive nights by the fire alarm going off. What was worse was the fact that both times it was the same bloody idiot, however we neve found out what room he was in unfortunately…….

     It was while we were at Manly that Dave caught the surf bug. Now all he can think of doing (of course along with me) is of grabbing the body board and heading out into the surf. Last few days the surf was excellent, however it was during one of these sessions (yesterday in fact) that I got stung by a bluebottle Jellyfish. This was one of the most alarming experiences of my life. Not surprising, as the lifeguards had warned this would happen, but it felt like an electric wasp sting. About 8 inches of electric wasp sting. It ruined a very good final surf session and for the next hour or two my arm went from tingling absolute pain, to numbness, to absolutely nothing! See pictures for my sting! Bluebottles are little blue (surprise!) jellyfish about the size of a watch face, which have 2-3 inch tendrils that sting instantly on touch. However the one that stung me had to have about 8 inches of tendrils. Still it didn’t ruin what was a very successful day.

      During the week we also went and had a delicious meal with Mr Patrick Gallagher, the gentlemen who generously sponsored us the three thousand pounds. We had an absolutely wonderful evening, and he and his wife made us feel very welcome. It was on the way back from our delicious meal, that we took the night ferry from Circular Quay to Manly, which makes a brilliant view even better! 

     In Collaroy, right next door to the YHA is a cafe called Sessionz. Here they do brilliant, cheap breakfasts, in a wonderful surf cafe surrounding with two of the best people working there. There was Loki the owner who always had a smile and time to ask how you were doing, and Dawn one of the friendliest and nicest girls I’ve ever met. We had a good time with her down at Manly as well. (We managed to hang with her for a couple of hours between her three jobs and acting classes, she is a literal workaholic!) I could easily have lived at the Sessionz cafe as it had the perfect feel for a cafe, and basically summed up the laid back lifestyle of Collaroy. This beach suburb is a perfect base for anyone who wants to chill, surf and soak up a city atmosphere on a chilled out beach! It would have been great to stay there longer (as most of the clientele of the YHA seem to do, some live there for months) but the rest of the journey was calling. So now we are currently in the Blue Mountains in a town called Katooma where we will take in the wondrous scenery of the mountains before heading to Newcastle and then onwards and upwards!

Editorial: The Gap Year

     Having been away from blighty for two and a half months, I think it is time to reflect on our gap year and gap years in general. For us the gap year has been about relaxation, seeing the world, and living in a foreign country. It has been a privilege to travel the world, I know that, many people can’t afford the time or costs associated with travel and I realise how lucky I was to be able to live the dream. For it is a dream, being able to travel Australia the way we are, seeing it at our leisure, hitting spots other people won’t see, in other words experiencing the other Australia, the one obscured by the tourist hot-spots. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved the tourist hot-spots, some of our great memories come from the beaches of Sydney, the nightlife of Melbourne and the quietness of Canberra. However it is the splendid isolation and tranquility of Jervis Bay, the surf and penguins of Philip Island and the small town beauty of Eden and Batemans that will stay on in my memory for longer.

        I am excited about going to university, but what better way to heighten the university experience ( and make you more appealing to the girls) then take a gap year. Step out of the humdrum of life for a little while and breathe in the world. It has so much to offer in ways of sights, tastes and experiences that given the opportunity, the gap year is the way. The timeframe between school and university is once in a lifetime, it is a time warp where there is no detrimental effect to your life later down the road by taking a year to yourself. If you take a year off travelling later in life the consequences of doing so can be costly. Therefore the school-university gap year was the only option for me. 

     It really is the life, beaches untouched by human interference, azure water of twenty degree plus in warmth, friendly people always willing to give advice, beautiful forests and mountains, and wonderful cities with their hectic nightlife. Everything is available to you, you just have to take it and savour it. That’s what I’m trying to do…..

The Cross

Well, we’re just about to leave for a week at Collaroy Beach on the outskirts of Sydney, but before we do I thought I’d update you on how we spent this last week in the city centre.   We arrived at Eva’s Backpackers in ’The Cross’ (Sydney’s Red Light District) exhausted after a long drive.  We checked in and asked whether the hostel had a car park.  It didn’t, although we were informed that we could park in one of the multi-story car parks “for around $25 a day”.  Being the cheap, tight-fisted sort of people that we are, paying this much a day for parking was out of the question.  So, Jack and I left Dave with the bags at the hostel and set about trying to find some free parking.  This turned out to be much harder than expected (not helped by the fact that we had no map and no idea where we were going).  Some two hours later we returned to the hostel having parked about 45 minutes away in the middle of nowhere on a residential street……but at least it was free!

We decided that it was time for a trip into the city centre to see the famous sights such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.  It’s well worth taking one of the public transport ferries around the harbour, as they’re really cheap and you get a lovely view of all the attractions from the water.   Most of the sites that are worth going to visit are in the Circular Quay area, including The Bridge, Opera House and the immaculately maintained Botanical Gardens, where you can just spent a few hours relaxing and listening to the thousands of bats that hang in the trees above your head.  Later that evening, we headed back to our hostel along ‘Strip Club Alley’, where all of the strip clubs invite you in for a free drink and “to take a look”.  They didn’t seem to get the hint that we really didn’t want to go in, althought it was particularly amusing to see a group of scared looking Japanese teenagers be dragged into one of the seedier venues by an especially enthusiastic ’salesman’.  

The next day, we had been invited to a BBQ by a George, a girl who Jack knew and who’s Dad is an old boy of the school.  Delighted at the prospect of free food, we set off to Pennant Hills on the outskirts.  The BBQ was awesome and we got to meet loads of lovely people, including George’s brother Alex, with whom we played Xbox long into the night, before all collapsing exhaused on the lounge floor at 3am….good times.

By now we were all pretty tired, so we decided that it was high time for a beach day (we hadn’t been in the ocean for days and we were starting to get withdrawal symptoms).  This is the beautiful thing about Australia – even in their biggest city, you’re still only 30 minutes away by ferry from some fantastic beaches.  So we met up with George once again and spent the entire day lazing around on the beach doing absolutely nothing in 30 degree heats getting suntanned (it’s a damn hard life being on a Gap Year you know).  We also purchased another bodyboard here, as the previous one had snapped last week on a particularly large wave.  I’m still convinced that we’re entitled to a refund, despite the fact that we binned the board, lost the receipt, are 1000 miles from where we purchased it, and the company who made it have gone out of business.

Exhausted from all that sunbathing and BBQing, we decided that we should have a more relaxed day, and since the movie ‘Hot Fuzz’ had just been released, we decided to go and see that at the cinema.  It was awesome and had pretty much everything you could want from a movie; guns, senseless violence, comedy, gore, car chases, etc.  On the off chance you haven’t already seen it back in the UK, then we highly recommend it.

So we came to the final day of our week in the city and decided to go up the AMP Tower, where you can get a brilliant view of the whole city.  It costs $24 dollars and that included a ticket to ‘Oztrek’, a simulator ride at the top of the tower that showcases all that Australia has to offer.  It’s definitely worth doing and a good way to spend a couple of hours.  In the evening, we decided that it was important we visited the ‘Lowenbrau Keller’, the most authentic Bavarian Beer Hall in Sydney apparently.  Lowenbrau did not dissappoint – beer was served in litre tankards that required two hands to hold steady, there was an Oompha band playing and all of the waiters/waitresses were in traditional German dress…oh, and the beer and food were fantastic as well.  If you’re ever in Sydney, then it’s well worth a visit (it’s in the fashionable ‘Rocks’ area just off Circular Quay).  Not cheap, but it’s definitely worth it. 

So we’ve just collected the car from the middle of nowhere (we thought it may well have been stolen/clamped/towed away/covered in parking tickets but thankfully it was untouched) and are about to leave for a week on the beach at Collaroy – more updates soon!

-Mark-

hole in one

Jervis bay was part of our effort to kill a few days before we got to sydney and we had heard it was “quite pretty” from a couple who had been camping next to us in Eden. Not knowing what, if anything to expect (as usual, the oztripping team goes in under the radar without any preconcepsions). we arrived at a toll booth where a national park employee with lavish surfer hair told us that it was $10 to get a 48 hour pass to the wonders beyond. Not realising that it was soley camping pre-arriving we turned the car round and went in search of a motel/hostel to stow our stuff and then go and give surfer man our ten dollars.
eventually found a place that was in our price range (not many triple rooms available in the Jervis Bay area, that come under a hundred dollars.), which was located in Huskinson or “husky” as the locals call it ; a town situated about 10 minutes drive up the coast from the national park itself.
On the advice of our motel owner we set out newly armed with a map of the Bay. So once we got into the park there was only one place that we were heading, and this was the “hole in the wall”. A catchy name, not as i incisted to the guys as deriving from the butch cassidy film, but rather due to an outcropping rock formation just off the beach which used to have an erotion caused hole in it. Now after more time this has developed into a fully fledged break in the wall.
- On the other hand i like to think that Butch and Sundance probably would have made it there and named it such if it weren’t for those damn Bolivian army rifles.
Aside from its namesake, this was the most beautiful beach we’ve been to. Only a short walk from the road down a dirt track your eyes are meeted by the grass and dirt beneath your feet swiftly and abruptly turning to sand. Sand which stretches white and gold for miles, as the coastline of the bay snakes and curves indescriminatly out of sight. The green of the sub-tropical trees which run right alongside, make it about as picturesque as they come. You can keep your commercial – can’t see the sand for sunbathers – beaches, for the next 2 days we had this place pretty much to ourselves. The snorkelling was particularly fantastic and much exitement expressed through stupid mouth’s-filled- with snorkel noises ensued whenever one of us spotted something particularly worthy of the others attension.
special mention goes to the humungous ray, which Jack and Mark saw but which i, despite hearing the burbling noises, coulod not get to in time. Seeing about 20 dolphins swimming further out to sea was also fantastic, and in childish mindset we all started swimming as fast as we could in the hope that they would gift us with coming inland. Alas they were just passing through but it was still awesome to see them jumping out of the water, even if i didn’t get within 50 yards of one.
Closer into the rocks, the smaller fish were everywhere and again Jack was on the receiving end of the best sight of the 2 days in the water. A huge school of mackeral which decided to swim all around Jack as he gazed in wonderous disbelief. – the bastard!!!
Aside from the hole in the wall, we experienced the main pub in Husky, which served us 2 good meals over 2 good nights. Although the second one was not as it advertised “beef curry” but rather rice with beef casserole, but for $9 and a beer i wasn’t storming the kitchen.
The only other thing to say about Jervis Bay, apart form it being one of the best places we’ve been to. Is that under no circumstance should you go running at 8 in the morning without a drink in your hand. It gets very hot very quickly even at the tail end of their summer, believe me.

thats your all for now, as we move on to Sydney and the delights that should be found in KIngs Cross (the red light district of the city). Now don’t take that too literally family and anyone else reading this, the oztripping team is made up of stern moral fibre. I mean after all we’re from Berkhamsted Collegiate School…..

thanks for reading
dave x

Cultural Canberra

Well as you know we dropped by the capital of Australia to do a touch of sightseeing and to see our friend Marcus who is working there. We arrived in the middle of the afternoon, and proceeded to a youth hostel. We stayed for the four days in a really modern YHA in the centre of Canberra, and recommend any people who are going to visit Canberra to stay in the Canberra Centre Backpackers. The only problem was that it was hit hard by the storm, as the whole of Canberra was, and suffered extensive storm damage. This rendered some of the facilities inoperable. The extent of the storm was not realised until we walked around Canberra and saw how many shops were shut, and the lumps of ice that were still on the streets due to the massive hailstorm. Having parked and located the YHA we waited until the evening, whereupon Marcus was going to show us the delights of Canberra’s student nightlife. We had a great time, but it did seem to be limited to a bar called Mooseheads (where the aim seemed to be to drink the most foul drink of all time, rum and coke in my case, drink as many ans humanly possible and pay for the pleasure of doing it). Then after this debacle everyone heads out clubbing. The first club, above Mooseheads was really good, but the second, Academy, was terrible. It was between these two clubs that we somehow lost Dave and Marcus and so after observing the people in Academy totally fail to have a good time, we headed back to the hostel.

The next day we awoke to find Dave had not returned to the hostel, so after hanging around for an hour or two, we drove off to the ANZAC War Memorial. This is a free museum, and is definitely worth going to. If you are to only do one thing in Canberra, I say make it this. It is beautifully done, with an eternal flame in a pool, and the roll of honour stretching either side of you. It also has a beautiful chapel for the tomb of the unknown soldier. After this it is worth getting one of the free guided tours that operate here. They show you around the museum and tell you lots of interesting facts and stories about the artifacts. If you like me, knew little of Gallipoli, then this is the place to learn more. After this cultural experience, we went in search of Dave but after failing to locate him (he had walked back) me and Mark proceeded to the Film and Sound Archives which were on our way back. Here we watched ‘Skeletons in our Closet’ a collection of the most politically incorrect adverts and newsreels of all time. It was so hilarious we brought Marcus and Dave back to watch it the next day. I thought society had gone down hill since the 1940s, but its progressed so much! In the evening, we only had a quiet one as we were all a touch delicate after Thursday.

The following day, Saturday, was activities day. Using our guide that listed free institutions, we proceeded to the National Museum of Australia. Here we learnt about Aborigines, the founding of Australia and many more things beside. Again worth a visit, if only to see the wonderfully bizarre design of the building and the Garden of Dreams. After this we went to the Telstra Tower, which is a huge telecommunications mast sitting atop one of the many surrounding hills. For $6 you get the most amazing views of Canberra and the surrounding area, as you can probably see from the pictures. The panorama is simply breathtaking. After taking in as much culture as Canberra could provide (good for the soul!) we went to a local Rugby match. Don’t go! The fans are terrible (despite the Brumbies, having what is described as the best support in the league), the team isn’t very good and the whole thing is sterile. I am very happy I went, but if you are used to sport in England, this will be very alien to you. They don’t sing, or spur their team on when they are losing. The capacity crowd was around 25,000, the attendance for one of the best opponents they can face, was 15,000. They only play about 10 home games, and there is no other Rugby team in the area, so for the attendance to be this low is inexcusable. A big shame as Australian sport is the best in the world, but they cannot take losing. The evening was passed sitting outside a pub, drinking and having good conversation. A triumph. Sunday was much more relaxing with a couple of sights taken in like Parliament House and Old Parliament house, which are worth investigation and are again free. In the evening the place shut down so we got a meal, said our goodbyes to Marcus, who was an invaluable guide, and bedded down for the night.

We then headed off to Batemans Bay which is almost directly due East of Canberra but by the coast. After experiencing wonderful weather in Canberra we were looking forward to some beach, sea and surf. What we got was drizzle. And quite a bit of it. So our time here has been spent fishing once more! And once more we have done badly. The bites were huge but none of the buggers took the hook. Australian fish in my opinion are the cleverest in the world. Last night however we had a really good time. After eating in the Soldiers Club (these are in most towns of any decent size, and are either RNL clubs or other names such as Fishing Clubs or Soldiers clubs. They are big complexes where you can eat and drink for very good prices. We have done this a couple of times and while you won’t find anybody below fifty drinking here, the meals are top notch!) we headed to the bar. Although we missed the quiz, we did bump into two great guys and a great bar-girl called Abi. Abi was off to Harvard in a couple of months, and I had a very interesting conversation with her about Politics. Here she certainly knew here stuff. Hopefully she hasn’t been fired after I kept her away from her job for some time discussing the fate of the world. She also gave us some great tips on Sydney, and I gave her this web site address, so thanks again Abi. Also thanks to Trent and Paul who after a lot of drinking gave me a t-shirt and a couple of their cards to remember them by, including a first aid card which I hope Paul doesn’t need. Thanks guys!

Anyway its off Northwards to Jervis Bay next and the weather is good so I hope to be on the beach in a matter of hours.

Jack xxxx

Riders in the Storm

    The last few days have seen us leave beautiful Victoria, and head northwards into New South Wales. Currently in the Australian capital of Canberra catching up with Marcus and seeing the sights of the Australian Capital Territory. On route here we stopped off at a few places, out of Mallacoota. First up was Eden, which was a short hop over the state border. On route we went to the Greencape Lighthouse, down a horribly uneven dirt road. Zoe, our car, was certainly not impressed, and at times the suspension gave definite signs of wanting to give out at any moment. However the 2 hour round trip drive was certainly worth it. The views along the cape were magnificent, with lush forests gently sloping down onto pristine beaches and azure inlet waterways. The rock formations on the cape were rough and craggy, with pounding waves hitting them. There were pieces of shipwreck stuck in the rocks, as testament to the awesome power the waves on this coast possess. Coupled with a group of seals basking and playing in the surf, made for a very memorable moment. So after this we headed on up to Eden, where we arrived and checked into a cheap and cheerful Motel. The rest of the day was spent lying on the beach catching the last of the days rays and admiring more seals and the odd dolphin at play. After a night of quiet drinking in the Fishermans Co-operative (!) we retired to bed. The next day broke with the fury of the heavens. The rain was torrential. It pounded down all day, steaming the car up and causing the roof to leak minorly. After visiting the $6 Killer Whale Museum (which documents the past history of Eden’s whaling fleet, and the help they obtained from Old Tom and his pod of Killer Whales, who helped round up the whales for the whalers) we drove on to Merimbula.

     This was very close to Eden, and so due to the weather we went to see Rocky Balboa. Don’t see it. It’s not worth two hours of your life. However after the abortion of a film, we went outside to discover that the weather had cleared. So I decided to actually do some exercise. So getting horribly carried away I returned to the motel an hour and a half later after having run 12km. I am still suffering now. My calves were not happy with this treatment. However I needed to do it, and once the pains and strains have subsided I shall go for another run around Canberra. Yay! Another thing about Merimbula is that it is one of the few places you can actually drink up till midnight. Though not past of course. Merimbula was a very pretty little town, which had we had more time and better weather we could have enjoyed further.

    It was then on to Cooma. This is nestled in the Snowy Mountains and in the winter becomes a popular ski resort. It is certainly an experience strolling around in boardies, past snowboard hire shops! Here we had a seven bed, family room all to ourselves for a tenner each it was wonderful. As we were driving down through the mountains, we could see on the horizon the most terrific storm clouds building up, and as we watched we could see forked lightning streaking across the sky. Of course we were heading directly for it. As we drove into Cooma the lightning had got closer, and the thunder rolls were increasing in frequency and magnitude. So having identified where we wanted to stay at the Information Office (but of course), we sped there, threw our bags into the room, and the instant we had done so the heavens opened up. If we thought the Eden shower was bad, it was nothing compared to this. The thunder claps were the loudest I have ever heard, and the experience of hearing and watching forked lightning hit the church steeple 100 metres away was one I won’t forget. The sheer exhilaration of being in the centre of this awe inspiring display was a fantastic experience. However it did knock all power out in the town for the rest of the day, right into the evening, which made lunch difficult. We got round this by heading to the Snowy Mountains Hydro Education Centre. A barrel of laughs if ever I heard one. Being free we wasted nothing by going there, and actually it surprised us with its informative and yes, interesting displays about the construction of the most important engineering works and hydro-electrical the world has ever seen. Agin the night was spent in a locals bar, (the hip bar was closed because of storm damage, as were a lot of other places) and it wasn’t anything write home about.

      Now we are in Canberra, where we arrived yesterday, and after a wild night (at last, thank god) we are feeling the worst for wear. However, the Canberra post will contain more about that. Just to keep you wanting more…..

Jack xxxxxx

oztripping.com

Fish Crazy in Gippsland!

    Well as you can probably see from the gallery, the last couple of days have been given over to the pursuit of fish. After our previous few disastrous(and at times life-threatening) attempts at fishing we decided to really get our act together in the home land of Rex Hunt’s fishing pal Taj ‘Bushy’ Busch; Gippsland. First port of call was Lakes Entrance, a popular (retiree) destination, situated where the Gippsland Lakes run into the sea. Here there was a large fishing fraternity, and we decided to join in. So we armed ourselves with three types of bait and on our first full day headed down to the jetty opposite our Motel. (We stayed in a motel because we needed Sky to catch the Champions League matches) After about six hours of toiling away under the hot sun we had only two fish to show for our endeavours, both falling to Jack’s cunning. A little flathead (good eating) and a Juvenile Snapper (if we had killed it, it would have been horribly under the legal size).

   So after waking up nice and early to catch the Liverpool – Barcelona game, we went on down to a new spot for some more fishing. The day was sunny and hot (as per usual) and we opted for another jetty, but this time nearer the sea mouth. About four hours later we had caught three crabs (Jack) and one tiny unidentifiably small fish (Dave).  All our bait had been stolen by the plague of small fish, and Mark, whose line was devoid of nibbles, was contemplating suicide and/or dynamite fishing in order to exact revenge. All in all Lakes entrance was not kind to us fish wise. It was also another marvellous example of how not to run late night businesses. Although the average age of people was approaching sixty, we confidently stepped out the first night at eight pm, expecting a hearty meal as one thing the town did not lack was eateries. Come half eight we were in Subway. Every single, restaurant was closing down, and unable to accommodate three people for a meal. Just after eight. So after our Subway sandwich we headed to the bar, to be told we could have one half pint. Eventually we went to an off-licence, bought six beers, and went back to our motel to watch crap television and have a couple of beers. Next day we leftthe motel at six in order to actually get a meal.

    Our next fishing tour spot was Mallacoota, (via a pointless diversion to Marlo, all that it contained was where the Snowy River met the sea, which we knew about from around 50km out of town). Here we opted to camp, which was a good decision. We paid $30 a night (roughly 12 pounds) for a waterfront camp spot. Waking up in the morning to the sunrise over the hills, across the water, while you listen to the water gently lapping the sea wall a few feet away is a truly special experience. Here we gathered our bait and first tried the rock at the headland point about a minute walk away. After an hour or two we had a fish to report on, a nice Leatherhead caught by Dave. So flushed with this, we retired for the night ready to carry on again the next day. Again we headed into town full of thoughts for a lovely meal, only to be told at ten past eight that the kitchen had closed in one of the three restaurants. Their opening time? 6pm – 8pm. On a Friday. In the season. Wonderful. So we went to the upmarket restaurant where at 8:15pm we were told we would have to order quickly. Do these guys not like money? Seriously this town is described as Victoria’s remotest town, and its best kept secret. No wonder its remote if the people are live in the Victorian times where people ate early and then retired ot the parlour for a game of backgammon. The season for a place like this is not long. In our campsite there are probably a thousand people staying there. Why would you close early? Why would you only open for two hours at lunch, and two hours at dinner? The season lasts probably five months. According to my guide book the low season population is 850, which swells to 8,000 during the high season. Yet the opening times do not alter. And this is a problem that plagues most towns along our travels. Getting a meal past half eight is nigh on impossible, and thirsty past ten during the week? Forget it.

    Anyway we got a good fishing tip, and headed a few kms west to Betka River. Here the real fishing started. As did the rain. However this did not dampen our spirits, and using blue bait and prawns we began getting some hearty nibbles almost instantly. After a while of soggy fishing, I managed to pull in a good sized Flathead. Taking heart the other two began casting furiously and it wasn’t long before Dave hauled two nice Bream ashore. It was at this point Mark got out the Land Rover magazine, a sure sign he had given up. After half an hour of sulky reading he pulled his bait up, to discover a tiny Pufferfish hanging on. In his words the ‘slug of the sea’. It was tiny, and poisonous to touch due to its swelling spines. so I snipped the line and watch it float, not swim away. Soon after I hauled a Bream ashore. Mark was inconsolable.

    Anyway after fishing ourselves out the last few days we are heading off to Eden in New South Wales, leaving Victoria behind. In Eden we are hoping to get Mark some therapy, as he is beginning to see fishing swimming across his dreams all evading and laughing at his hooks. Its tragic.

Jack xxxx

Postscript:  It was during our time in Lakes Entrance that we heard the tragic and deeply saddening news about the loss of Robert Jones’ brother. We would just like to say that over the past week, Rob and his family have been at the forefront of our thoughts. I would just like to say that, although I only met Stephen once, he seemed a fantastic person, and everyone who knew him only spoke highly of him. His untimely death is a terrible event. All of our thoughts are with my best friend Rob, who I love dearly, and his family, and we only wish we could be there with him during this terrible time.

Phillip Island feat Little Penguins

We have just spent the last three nights in a terrific island called Phillip Island. Roughly 110 km from Melbourne it is joined to the mainland by a bridge and therefore very easy to get to. The journey to Phillip Island was one of the worst I have ever driven. Searingly hot, stuck in slow moving traffic, and once again failing to understand the bizarre road systems and mapping of Melbourne. Because we arrived late and at the start of one of the busiest weekends on the island in the year (island swim and triathlon) we couldn’t stay anywhere in the main town of Cowes so we settled for a little motel in a little town called Newhaven. It was a nice motel, but pretty standard, although it was always about 10 degrees hotter in the room then outside. While on the island we did a variety of things. The first full day was given over to lying on the beach at Woolami which is a fantastic beach. It has some of the best surf I have ever seen and some of the most powerful waves I have ever felt. It was here, between surfing and wallowing in the sea that me and Dave invented ultimate wave ball. You stand near the biggest waves and as the waves are about to crash over your partners head, throw a tennis ball to him. The aim is to catch the ball simply enough, but when you have a 5 foot wave crashing on your head, it’s hilarious. Many faceplants and people being swept away ensued. In the evening we tried to go to this curry restaurant. It was shut at 8:30 on a Saturday night in the high season. Says a lot about their work ethic really. So we went to San Remo (off Phillip Island the other side of the bridge) and had a lovely, and of course cheap bistro meal.

The next day was blazing hot again, but we went to see what the island offered. So at the information point (these are incredible in Australia, they have maps, accommodation information and activities you can do. There is one in every major tourist town, and I wholly recommend going there first before doing anything) we booked up for the Koala sanctuary and the famous Penguin Parade in the evening. First to the Koala sanctuary where you can see them in their natural habitat (always sleeping) and really close up as well, as you take a boardwalk into the treetops. For roughly 4 pounds, it is worth doing.

Then we tried to go to another beach, Smith’s Beach, but being a Sunday it was rammed, we couldn’t even get a parking space. So it was back to Woolamai, where the waves were twice as powerful as before. It was magical watching Mark being bowled over so he was left floundering in the shallows with the seven year olds roaring in surprise. The day was pretty much the same as the one before, excellent. In the evening as the clouds darkened and it began to drizzle we went to the Penguin Parade. This is where the world’s smallest penguin, the originally named Phillips Penguin, wander their way from the sea up the beach to their burrows. You sit in stands, or on the beach (as we did) and watch as they come up the beach. The only problem is that their are no pictures or video footage to be taken (which to the 2000 or so Japanese was almost sacrilege) and they come up the beach into the glare of football stadium floodlights. Its a shame no video was allowed as they emit no light and are certainly not as detrimental to the penguins health as 3000 people sitting on their habitats or the glare of sunlight bright lights. However it is a good show and I think many people would enjoy it, as it is only about $17.

All in all Phillips Island is certainly a trip worth making, with excellent eating, attractions and sandy beaches. Go there!

Once again I cannot upload photos but once I can they will be up like a flash!]

Jack x x x

Pint on punt

This is the greatest place to stay in Melbourne.
A bold statement considering we only stayed in this pub and there are obviously more luxurious abodes in the city. However in terms of staff, price and drinking this was our perfect stay.
oztripping checklist
- about 25 rooms above a pub
- 4 sharing dorm rooms for $20 a night (8 pounds)
- $6 meals for all the backpackers staying at the pub.
- live music 4 nights out of 7
- Free breakfast for backpackers staying upstairs, if you can get up early enough to take advantage.
- weekly quiz, karaoke
- about 12 beers on tap, which is a lot as most Aussie pubs have 4.
- wicked, friendly staff. If any of you do go there get to know John, who was an absolute legend. If you look up the Punt then and mention our names he may well give you a beer (or curse you for knowing us). Reason for legend status are clear. he allowed us to stay there well after closing time. (once until 5:30 in the morning. which the effects of can be seen on our forum where John has since posted his feelings towards the 3 pommes that didn’t let him sleep).
- Mike as well is another staff highlight. A guy who has been travelling all around Europe and Asia after living in Nottignham all his life, but who has ended up working at the punt for 4 days since we started satying there in fact. i feel honored that we have seen the fledgling shifts of such a character, a man who hates karaoke, abhors most drunk and lairy people and is always always cynical – well good place to work then Mike.
- Another special mention goes to Fred Negro, resident loony and bar hand at the Pint on Punt.
He is undoubtedly crazy, and has earned notoriety for his local cartoon strip which appears in one of those free city entertainment papers (London has a couple). Its graphic, its random and completely without taste, but it is very funny if you can work out whats going on (although i doubt even Fred knows that at times). The strips can be seen adorning the walls of the pub and the staff there are only really welcomed into the fold when they appear in its hallowed contents.
- So I command all of you who are going to Melbourne, just to go onto punt road and ask directions to it (it really is quite a well known drinking hole). i want to make sure that all of those i know from school go there, to form some common ground in our comparative stories, once we get back home.

Dave

Part Two: Melbourne

As you can see, this post is going to focus on all the stuff that we’ve done during our week in Melbourne. However, before I go onto the main content of the post, I think I should tell you a little about the internet cafe we’re currently sitting in. This is an internet gaming cafe, which supposedly means that you can play games such as Battlefield and Counterstrike whilst enjoying some light refreshments. The reality though is that it’s full of people (who I can only assume have no jobs) who play Counterstrike for ten hours straight, scream whenever they shoot somebody and then eventually collapse from eye strain/sheer exhaustion and have to go to the ‘recovery area’ where they instantly fall asleep (they bring duvets/sleeping bags with them). These are not normal people.

Well, now that I’ve got that out the way I can give you some tips on where to visit and what to do in Melbourne. We stayed in a place on Punt Road called the ‘Pint On Punt’ which is superb value at around $20 a night per person and is full of friendly, interesting people (but Dave’s going to tell you all about that in Part Three). We spent our first day here listening to the live music they have and recovering from the triumphant cricket victory the day before. After having a wander around the city, it was decided that we should visit The Crown Casino (or The Crown Entertainment Complex, as the owners would prefer we referred to it). This was for a period of time the largest Casino in the entire world, and to this day it still has the (somewhat dubious) honour of being the largest Casino in the Southern Hemisphere. It is truly massive and has at least ten restaurants, bars, video game areas, eye-wateringly expensive shops, cinema complex as well as the massive casino area itself. After a quick McDonalds (us Oztripping boys are really classy you know) and a drink in the bar, we decided to go onto the Casino floor. Jack and Dave went off to the 2c pokie machines. The 2c machines are actually a huge con, as you still have to put in a $1, but you do get 50 whole goes to lose your money, I suppose. Dave broke even with the machines whilst Jack lost everything (by ‘everything’ I mean $2). Personally, I didn’t bother with the pokie machines as they’re boring and are mostly played by pensioners and the unemployable. So, we decided to move onto the roulette tables. Jack placed a couple of bets at the $2.50 table on 17 black and Dave on 7 red. Neither won unfortunately. I then decided I’d purchase $5 of chips (I really like to live on the edge) and placed them all on black, and won. I then placed my $5 winnings on black for a second time and won again. Quite content with my $10 profit, I decided to call it quits and cash my chips. We hardly spent anything in the Casino, but it was interesting to note that people were putting down $500 chips on one spin of the roulette wheel and seemed equally emotionless whether they won or lost. All in all, the casino is well worth a visit, even if you don’t actually plan on gambling.

The next day was spent trying to find Ramsey Street (where Neighbours is set for those that don’t know) and we failed spectacularly; but I’ll leave Dave to write about that when he’s got over the emotional trauma. The following day it was decided that we should head back to the Aquarium that was opposite the Casino. Admission is around $24 (or $16 with valid student I.D) and it’s well worth the money. The aquarium is full of hundreds of different species, most of which are native to Australia. The highlight of the day was seeing the sharks and stingrays being fed by the divers. The 200lb stingrays have learnt that, in order to get fed, they simply have to bully the much smaller divers by crashing into them and sitting on their head. One diver was attacked by three stingray simultaneously whilst the other was left alone….stingrays are evil. At the end of the Aquarium there is a simulator ride of what it’s like to be on a submarine dive (but, aside from being set underwater, it has absolutely no similarities with diving whatsoever). Whilst queuing up, Dave and I laughed at the fact that the violent simulator ride had warnings stating that it was ‘not suitable for guide dogs’. The simulator’s a bit of fun to go on at the end of the day, and you shouldn’t have to wait more than ten minutes of so for your ride.

The next day we were all pretty knackered (we’d been up in the Pint On Punt’s bar talking the the legendary ‘John the Barman’ until 5:30 in the morning) so it was agreed that this should be a beach day (just to make you really jealous it was around 35 degrees and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky). It’s quite surreal to have a beach just ten minutes’ walk from your hostel in the middle of the city and despite receiving the warning that “you’re more likely to tread on a used syringe than some sand” the beach was actually very nice. We sunned ourselves all day long and played a bit of beach cricket before heading back to the hostel to get ready to go clubbing (it was our last night in Melbourne after all). The Oztripping success rate when it comes to clubbing is diabolical, considering every club we have visited has either shut down or been closed. We got recommendations to visit the ‘Metro’ club from some nice chap in the bar and so we headed off. We reached Metro and it was (naturally) closed. Disbelieving and incredibly annoyed, we wondered around aimlessly for half an hour or so before we accidentally stumbled upon a club called ‘Billboard’. We paid our $10 admission and headed in. Billboard as a club is pretty standard and plays lots of different types of music (most of which is actually speeded up pop songs). It wasn’t the greatest club ever, but it was a great way to end off what had been a terrific week in Melbourne.

—-Mark—-

Part One: Recap

This is just a little recap of where we have been so far, so that if anyone is travelling along this way we can hopefully give a little bit of guidance and advice.

Places Visited: Adelaide – 7 days, Robe – 2 days, Mount Gambier – 1 day, Portland – 1 day, Port Fairy – 2 days, Warnambool – 1 day Lorne – 4 days, Torquay – 2 days, Geelong – 1 day.

All of this places are where we stayed overnight along the Adelaide – Melbourne route. We took the scenic and most enjoyable route, as having the car gave us the flexibility to do the best route, not necessarily the quickest route. Were you to go inland from Adelaide to Melbourne it would take you only a day of straight driving, but to make the most of South Australia and Western Victoria we highly recommend you have a couple of days. While we took two weeks to do it, you could easily do it well in 4/5 days.

Robe – This was a gorgeous little seaside resort which in high season (just preceding our arrival) is apparently very busy. As it was when we arrived on the Friday (26th January – Australia Day) it was packed but luckily we got one of the few camping spots left. We do advise camping as there are many camping parks in Robe all with the usual services and many close to both the beach and the centre of town. Sadly the weather was pretty terrible when we were here, but for the few hours after our arrival when the sun was shining it made the sea an incredible azure colour. The beach at Robe is wonderful and very popular. Entertainment is focused around pubs, and the best of the two big ones is the Robe Hotel out towards one end of the town, where we spent a good and beer fuelled Australia Day. Robe is good for seafood, people looking for a laid back town and is only 5 hours drive outside of Adelaide.

Mount Gambier – Definitely worth stopping at, but not necessarily staying in. Has the tranquil Blue Lake which is worth a visit in summer time when the waters turn the brightest blue. More commercial then Robe, here we stayed at the Mount Gambier Hotel which was luxurious for the price we paid. The only spot we stopped off that wasn’t by the sea. A nice place but probably only worth stopping off at on the way through.

Portland and Warnambool – These two occupy one paragraph because they are very much akin. Both on the sea (but of course) here we stayed in motels which for the price aren’t great but they have all the mod-cons for about $100 which between three isn’t terrible. It was in Portland I bought my board and stabbed myself in the leg so definitely worth a mention. I would recommend staying in one or the other, but not both. With hindsight we perhaps should have stayed in one for two nights and really done the place justice.

Port Fairy – Here we stayed in the YHA which is very nice. Has good amenities (laundry, internet, pool table, good kitchen etc) and is close to the centre of town. I love Port Fairy but anyone seeking a wild night out, bypass it. Its a very sleepy port town, with crashing surf, and calm inlets. While there are a few good bars, (mainly located in hotels) its more relaxed and good for talking or thinking more then anything. Sadly JD’s Surf cafe has closed down which really is a tragedy as it was where I first heard Jack Johnson and it had the perfect atmosphere to chill out in.

Lorne – Here we camped and had a really good time. Sadly however this place is completely devoid of evening entertainment, only providing one bar to drink in which is dank and not very nice (Lorne Hotel). Eating here is fantastic, and the beach wonderful with excellent beginners surf. Camping here is a must, the best by the information centre from which you can hear the surf on the beach as it is only about 50 metres away. The Cockatoos are damn annoying but worth putting up with. Also have a BBQ at the public barbies and stay up til the sun sets over the water talking and drinking as it is a magical experience. On the way we also visited the Otway Skywalk experience and Twelve Apostles both of which are musts. It is around Lorne that the best coastline is to be found.

Torquay – Again devoid of bars (the only one is a little out of town and not very good) but what it lacks in these it makes up for in beaches of which there are plenty suiting every taste. Recommend stopping here on your way into/ just out of Melbourne. Also has all the big Surf outlet stores (Billabong, Rip Curl, Quiksilver, Reef, Roxy etc) as well as the excellent Surf Museum, located in the information centre. If you want to surf big waves, learn to surf or just if you appreciate the derring-do of surfers come to Torquay. It house some of the best breaks in Australia led by the best point break in Australia (Bells Beach). I really enjoyed this place.

Geelong – Not really to my taste but better entertainment wise. Much more commercial then anything else, it is in extremely close proximity to Melbourne and if you like a bit of nightlife come here. Probably slightly redundant though as it is so close to Melbourne its just worth going there or just pass straight through on the way to the Great Ocean Road. Not much for tourists (unless you like Wool, for which there is an entire museum dedicated to it.)

So that concluded our summing up for the trip so, as you can tell we are having a ball so we hope we can help others do likewise. Pictures will be coming (I have 75 to put up) just as soon as I find somewhere I can do it.

Jack xxxxxxxx

Barmy Army!

      Well before we get onto the real issue of the post, namely the valiant and magnificent victory of Flintoff & Co over Australia in the Commonwealth Series Frist Final (minus Loye, Strauss and Joyce who should left out of the celebrations) we have to tell about the preceding days events. In Torquay we didn’t do a great deal unfortunately as a combination of poor weather and prevailing winds meant there was no decent weather or waves. We headed to Bells Beach, one of the foremost big wave breaks in the world to see if anything was happening, and it wasn’t. So we went to Jan Juc where there was a bit more activity but not a lot more. However we did stand on the clifftop and wonder what the hell this lone bodyboarder was doing trying to catch mediocre waves over a rocky outcrop. After marvelling at the foolhardiness of this man we went to the may surf outlet stores that dot the main high street. Sadly even though Torquay is a major surf town with many people stopping off here on the way from the city to the Great Ocean Road, its number of bars is terrible. There is one, an average, run of the mill place with a pool table, some sports screens and of course a gambling area (by far the most popular aspect of the bar). The Australians see themselves as the worlds big drinkers, yet they drink thimbles of beer and only have one pub per 20,000 people. In England you can’t find a settlement, no matter the size, that doesn’t have at least two!

However it was in Torquay that we heard that the First Final of the Cricket was to be held in Melbourne on the day we were to arrive there, so when we arrived in Geelong (a large city, that is almost a suburb of Melbourne) we went straight to the information centre and booked up our tickets. We got General Admission tickest for a mere $35 which is about 15 pounds. A real bargain! And it garanteed us 50% of our money back if the game was less then 25 overs, so even if we failed dismally (always a prospect with England) we get some compensation. In Geelong we stayed in our most gamble happy place yet, a hotel named Jokers on Ryrie. Here was a mini-casino with slot machines galore and as we entered the hotel (11:30am) there were many people happily wasting their cash in a cacophony of garish lights and loud jingles! Come evening the overbearing noises emitting from Las Geelong was too much so we went in search of refreshment. Having walked for about half an hour in search of two guide book recommended places, (both of course shut) we stumbled back to the hotel to ask for bar advice. Having been recommended to a place we went there, a really nice pub called the Bended Elbow. As if to reward me for the huge roundabout walk we had just embarked on, I discovered they had Leffe on tap, a fantsatic tipple which perked me up no end. However we had no sooner found a seat when some music blared into life. It couldn’t be! Not again! Yes folks we had walked straight into a karaoke night! So after a beer me and Dave signed up for Wonderwall and sat back an awaited our turn. Little did we know it was much bigger over here then expected, helped by the fact that you could gamble on the karaoke. Its free to enter, but if you sing a song you get a raffle ticket which enters you for a $2500 jackpot. The gambling ran even deeper, as behind the bar you could enter another raffle if you bought certain designated drinks. However never fear, apparently Australia does not have a gambling problem, we have been reliably informed. After an hour or so of waiting we were treated to a wonderful musical experience. Pro Mark II! A gntlemen of about 60 (in a 20 something pub) sang some of his faboulous old time classics to wild applause. I later learnt that this gentlemen was called Ted and was an English expat. Sterling work! Sadly he did not win the karaoke, and neither did we (the pub emptied somewhat after our rendition of Wonderwall….)

   The next day dawned hot and sunny and there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation in the car as we drove to Melbourne. After driving round Melbourne for a while trying to find Punt road we came to our hostel and checked in. Then we made our way on the excellent train system to Richmond and to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Walking to the stadium we bought an England flag and applied the Blue Zinc to our noses, in true cricket style, and took our seats. After a while we noticed that there were no England fans in our vicinity, and having spotted a few we made our way over to them. This was the best move we made all day, for we sat behind, the drunkest, loudest and agriest cricket fan we could have found, whose sole mission it seemed, was to anger as many Aussies as possible, something he was obscenely good at. After and hour or two of trying to make us sing and only receiving systematic abuse from the Australians (“Sit Down”, “5-0″ and “You’re a W****r” being a few choice favourites he looked on the verge of giving up, when gloriously the Knights arrived. Literally. Four or five cricket fans clas in fake mail shirts and masks appeared in the distance, heralded not by the trumpets of old but a chorus of boos they camp, spotted our standard (our england flag) and rallied to us. Amongst these were one or two Aussies but on the most part they were English. Now Angry, drunk bloke was delighted and soon all manner of songs were booming from our small sector, many of which we joined in heartily. At this point the game wasn;t going so well for the aussies and one thing they do not like is losing! Soon the friendly banter became much meaner (mainly from three drunk rednecks down the front who seemed incapable of anything intelligent to say without swearing). At 3-15 the English fans were quietened somewhat which the Aussies delighted in striking up again. However as soon as we came back into it, and the Army struck up again they got really annoyed. In particular one bloke shouted for us to be quiet which was the worst thing he could have done! The Knights turned and verbally charged, enraging this guy to such a point he stormed off. His only argument was that we were singing and it was spoiling his enjoment. It was pathetic to watch as many in the crowd agreed with him. However it only annoyed him when the English were soing it, he had no problem when twice the number of Australians were doing it. All in all the Australians do not like to lose.

 Jack

Perhaps the only negative aspect of the entire day was the policing and crowd control.  Cricket is not normally a game that requires a great deal of security, so we were surprised to see the MCG packed out with Victoria State Police (or the Gestapo, as they were soon dubbed).  Maybe the Australian cricket fans got more roudy than others?  Maybe they were expecting trouble?  Nope.  The job of the police was to crush the soul of anyone who looked as if they were having too much fun and escort them out of the ground.  The police definition of ‘too much fun’ appears to include: chanting a bit too loudly, starting a Mexican Wave (health and safety risk apparently; if you’re too malco-ordinated to do a Mexican Wave without injuring yourself, then quite frankly you deserve to die), throwing an inflatable beach ball around the crowd, taking too long to sit down in your seat after returning from the restrooms, downing your small plastic cup of beer too quickly, or anything else that the police felt like kicking you out for.  Over the course of the day, hundreds of fans must have been evicted and every time the police came to lead them away, it was accompanied with chants of “Bullsh*t…..Bullsh*t”  from the ever more frustrated crowd.  You did feel slightly sorry for the police, as they were obviously just as annoyed as we were that they had to chuck people out for trivial matters and they were only doing what they had been told.  However, the chief of police/security should be fired (into the ocean, with a large catapult) for doing such a lousy job.

Mark

WOW! marks got a whole bunch of anger about that hasn’t he. starting to think that we should have spent that allen and unwin grant money on a therapist, lol or a padded room!
Anyways in a brief overview of the match, which will no doubt be made redundant by the 10 o’clock news or the back page of any broudsheet in sight. The Aussie captain Ricky Ponting stepped up alongside our own Freddie Flintoff and the ineviably coin toss took place. As fate would have its day the Australians decided to bat first, in the hope of putting up a huge score which we meager ashes- losing Poms could never recreate. From the first few overs it did look to be just that way as Mathew Hayden smashed the ball around the park with reckless distain for our fast bowlers. Then suddenly we were all on our feet as Gilchrist was caught by Flintoff, giving us an early wicket and a chance to do some real damage to the aussies. However this small victory was short lived as the partnership of Hayden and Ponting put on 138 runs for no loss of wicket. but after this it was all downhill and the Australian team which had been on 170-1 was now on 252 all out.
So now it was our turn, to test our might against the daunting bowling of Mcgrath, Lee, Hodge etc………..and it didn’t really go very well at first. With my first live cricket match also being the first time i’ve seen a 1 wicket for 1 run total on a scoreboard. So there we sat watching England throw it away as has been done so many times in the past over a variety of different sports (all of which we invented). When Collingwood stepped in and saved the day and the match. It was him and Ian Bell that stepped up and stopped the tide of wickets which were flowing the Australian way, and put on a partnership of 133 runs. After this it was time for the English fans to turn and look at each other all saying the same thing “we might actually do it now”. So to cut it short we had to get 105 off 103 balls, then 31 off 29, then 25 off 18. We all held our breath and couldn’t belive it as Collingwood got two 4′s in one over (each boundary was greeted like a goal in football by now) and it came down to 1 run off 4 balls and BAM the bat was flashing in the air and the legs were pumping and all of us were screaming and shouting. I remember hugging the guys in front of us and going crazy as a t.v camera came over and was instantly swamped by English flags and bodies. But the one thing that accompanied all of this commotion and dug at the hearts of all the fleeing Aussie supporters was this song – WE ARE THE ARMY! THE BARMY ARMY! AND WE ARE MENTAL! AND WE ARE MAD! WE ARE THE LOYALIST, CRICKET SUPPORTERS, THAT THE WORLD HAS EVER HAD!…WE ARE THE ARMY! THE BARMY ARMY! AND WE ARE MENTAL! AND WE ARE MAD! WE ARE THE LOYALIST, CRICKET SUPPORTERS, THAT THE WORLD HAS EVER HAD!…

dave

The Swingy Thing In The Sky…

After some rather disappointing weather, things in Lorne started to brighten up a bit. The temperature hit around 32 centigrade and so we spent much of our time on the beach in the sunshine. Unfortunately, Dave burnt horribly on his back despite generous applications of sun lotion and now every time we go around a corner or over a bump in the car, it’s accompanied with angry mumbles and gestures from Dave. Still, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Lorne and were sad to leave. Lorne is a great place to stay for a couple of days, and we had some fantastic meals for very reasonable prices. The only criticism we could come up with is the fact that there is almost nothing to do at night. The Lorne Hotel Bar is basically the only place to go in the evening and enjoy a couple of drinks and play some pool….or maybe even play ‘Stacker’. ‘Stacker’ is a sick, twisted version of the classic ‘Tetris’ and has been designed to be highly addictive and to empty your wallet. I applaud the makers of ‘Stacker’ for being so deliciously evil. One hapless chap fed the machine with at least $20 (the prize you win could be bought for around $15!) and still won nothing. One thing we’ve noticed is the fact that almost every pub, bar, hotel or restaurant in Australia is full of fruit machines and virtual horse racing. I read a statistic in one of my books that says the average Australian will spend $2000 in a year on gambling….and it’s easy to see how.

So we left Lorne and decided to pay a visit to ‘Otway Fly Treetop Walk’ or ‘Swingy Thing In The Sky’ as I decided to call it after repeatedly forgetting its correct name. The Treetop walk is where you are suspended on a sort of metal bridge/walkway 25 metres in the sky, so you can walk in the tree canopies and get a brilliant view of all around you. Admission is about $20 (8 pounds) and it’s well worth doing and takes around an hour to complete. The highlight was climbing the giant tower which takes you to 47 metres about the ground. It’s only when you’re up there that you realise just how much a giant tree actually sways in the breeze. Anyhow, we got some great photos and will be uploading them as soon as we can to the Gallery. Even if you have a fear of heights then it’s still certainly worth doing as even Dave (who confesses to not being great with heights) said that he loved it and didn’t feel at all scared.

So we continued our journey and we’re currently in a place called Torquay which is meant to have some of the world’s best surf breaks. We managed to get a brilliant apartment with three beds and a lounge, DVD player, TV, etc for $200 for two nights. That works out at just 13 pounds per person per night. One thing we’ve learnt is that as soon as you reach a town, you should go straight to the tourist information office (every town seems to have one) and ask where they recommend you stay for the budget you have. We were meant to pay $250 for the two nights, but the bloke at tourist info said that we should be able to get it down to $200 (which we did). Wind and cloud has unfortunately descended over Torquay today, which rules out sitting on the beach and being fried to a crisp…but there’s plenty more time for that!

Best wishes,

Mark.

The Great Crusade

The last few days have been a bit of a whirlwind you could say. We spent Thursday in a town called Warnambool where we spent an enjoyable if somewhat quiet time. On the Friday however we got back into the car and did a longer stint of driving down the Great Ocean Road to a lovely seaside town which went by the name of Lorne. On the way we stopped off and the majestic and world famous Twelve Apostles which thanks to the now blazing sunshine were shown off in all their beauty. However sadly due to erosion and whatnot one of them had fallen into the sea since the last time I had visited a mere three years previously. Also due to the heat it seemed as though every fly in Australia had descended to the Twelve Apostle site to wreck as much havoc as possible. So much indeed that when I stopped to have a photo taken I was swamped almost instantly by about ten of them!

After this stop off we swapped drivers and continued on our way, halting for lunch in the picturesque village of Wye River. Here we had a delicious lunch in the sleepy surroundings of one of the Great Ocean Road’s best kept secrets. Then it was down the windy, twisty, caravan infested road to Lorne where we are currently camping for four days. It was here that at Seven O’Clock in the evening I received a call from my Dad asking if we were in Melbourne yet, whereupon I responded no, we weren’t going to be there for another week. He then proceeded to explain that if we were close we could go to a Roger Waters concert (Lead singer of Pink Floyd for those of you who should no better). So being big Floyd fans we had a look to see if it was plausible on our map. It wasn’t. So we did it anyway. We had one hour to travel 160km, find the venue (which wasn’t on any of our maps) and watch one of the greats of the music world perform. Grabbing a disbelieving Mark and a non-plussed Dave (been in the shower so missed the conversation) we threw everything into the tent, spun the car around and raced off. However the first leg of the journey was round the twistiest parts of the Great Ocean Road, and so speeds we not high (though higher then they should have been). Much tyre squealing and protests from Mark later, as well as some very fast overtaking of slow road users, we had some straight road to open the throttle a bit. The time was going well, Roger had only just gone on stage and Melbourne was in reach. However we still had the minor technicality of not knowing where the hell we were going in a major City. Also the fact that the Melbourne traffic light system was dead set against us going anywhere quickly, meant we were at the Telstra Dome at half eight with still no sign of the Rod Laver Arena and no signposts whatsoever (a plague that inhabits the whole of Melbourne). So I stopped the car jumped out and accosted four girls on the street and hurriedly explained that I wasn’t a mad rapist I just needed to know where the Rod Laver Arena was. While they knew what street it was on (we were fairly close), finding it seemed almost impossible until we asked at a petrol station. Being now quarter past Nine we were still able to see the entire second half of the show. It turns out that we were in the right area and could now find it with ease. It turns out that the arena is in the same complex as the venue for the Australian Open and the MCG, both of which had absolutely no signposts either, which for two of the biggest sports venues in the world is quite simply absurd! So we managed to race there, park up and dive inside to catch one of the best live musicians of all time. We also saw such classics as Money, Another Brick in the Wall and Comfortably Numb. All in all a trip definitely worth doing, though physically exhausting, especially after getting back at half two in the morning.

So we are still in Lorne and the weather is yet again temperamental, more so then the English Summer! Yesterday after being woken up prematurely by a combination of the exotic yet horrible sounding Cockatoos which sound like a pigeon with a razor-blade down its throat and next doors horribly pretentious young child, we decided to head to the beach. Whereupon it clouded over, so we went into town to have a look around, whereupon the sun broke free and we fried. So back to the beach we went with all the equipment necessary, whereupon it clouded over and threatened to rain. So after an hour we gave up (did go for swim though!) and went back to the campsite which after we reached blazed into a glorious evening. So we went for a barbeque and lo and behold it stayed fine. So we enjoyed a lovely barbie overlooking the sea while we conversed with a wonderful bloke called Steve late into the evening.

All in all the last few days have been a bit of a giggle! More adventures sure to come, with the invitation of going spear fishing open to us! (however considering our horrible luck with fishing so far adding spears to the equation may be pushing it too far!)

Jack xxxx

Surfin’ Safari

To get over the disappointment of Durham and Bristol rejecting me within a few of days of each other, I went out and bought the only essential piece of kit on the whole trip, a surfboard. I went out in the town of Portland and decided upon a second hand tri-finned, 7’0″ short-board for my travels. It cost me about 100 pounds with bag and leash, but it certainly made me forget all about those universities and all I could now think of was testing out this bad boy. Later in the day though I fell victim to the second fishing injury. We were all out on a rock groyne in the Portland harbour, watching the seals play in the water, having a beer and wetting a line. After an hour of this I decided to change from the synthetic bait we had been using to a spinning lure. I had attached the spinner and was walking up the rod to change the weight, when in the two steps it would have taken me I stumbled and plunged to the knife I was holding into my leg. While it hurt like an absolute b*****d it was not very serious and so after hobbling back to the motel and a quick first aid trip later I was absolutely fine.

So after Portland, (in which it is almost impossible to get a drink in after 9:30) we headed to the first place on the tour I had been to before Port Fairy, which is currently where we are. Yesterday it was raining (of course) so we did very little but wandered about the town. Today the sun is shining brightly so we decided to go to the beach and give Jessica (my board) a decent run out. So we loaded up our woodies (boards), cranked up the beach boys and headed out to East Beach which is recommended by my surf guide and a local in the pub a previous night. On first inspection the surf looked good if a little frothy, but I donned my wetsuit picked up Jessica and dove in. The waves weren’t good, and a lot frothy. There was a nasty little current which 80% of the time sent to back to shore but every now and again attempted to drag you under and out to sea, so much so that at one point I was hit by a wave going out to sea! Never have I experienced that before! so after half an hour fruitless battle I gave it up as a lost cause with the waves slow and lacking in any power, certainly not worth drowning yourself for when Bells Beach and Jan Juc await further up the coast! Having a really chilled out time here in Port Fairy however much to my dismay the brilliant JD’s Surf Cafe, the place that introduced me to Jack Johnson and the Waifs back in 2003 had gone, sold up taking the memory of a surfing lifestyle with it.

So altogether now, c’mon babe lets go Surfin’, Surfin’ Safari, up the coast.

Jack xxx

we’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name

As the title suggests the last few days have been devoted to driving and stopping off around the Southern coast of Australia. In the hope that we can make it to Melbourne before the newly bought Zoe (thats the name of the car by the way), decides to break down on us. 

So we left Adelaide with some difficulty on the Friday, as our map looked good at the start but then managed to spread over three pages to cover Adelaide with a different scale for each page. So yours truly as map reader for the day had to muddle through with all the common sense that a dave posseses. after this little hiccup and a few curses from all we left “the graveyard of Australia” as our taxi driver ferrying us from the airport had called it. This descripton was a bit more than harsh and i think we all enjoyed our time there, but were also itching for the great ocean road and the various stop off points on the way to Melbourne.

The destination was Robe, which is a reasonably big town, right on the coast. The journey took most of the day and the landscape changed little as we drove merrily along long straight roads. The only real event on the way was stopping off at Salt Creek which consisted of only a petrol station and….not much else really. While this wouldn’t seem out of place in Australia where the driving distances are simply vast at times, I did find it quite funny that there was a “Welcome to Salt Creek sign”, followed (a few hundred yards down) by a “Thank you for driving safely in Salt Creek” sign. As if anyone ever noticed they were in the place in the first instance! Anyway that digression aside we arrived in Robe and made our way to the first of three existing camp sites and were told that they were full (it being Australia day weekend and all). But we did manage to get into the next one we visited, which we were grateful to see, was right on the beach. We then proceeded to set up our 4 man tent, with some intense difficulty, with 100 mph winds blowing out to sea and using all their remaining strength to sabotage our mission. Success did follow and after a few hours of sitting about and watching the world go by, we cooked up some spaghetti bolognese and then went off to see what the town itself could offer us in terms of drinking and Australia day fun. In the end we decided to take the advice of the campers next to us and walked up to the Robe hotel. This place it turned out was actually very big, with a full restaurant and bar. So we settled in, played a bit of pool and then later were happy to see a live band start tuning up in the corner. So on Jacks insistence we moved closer to the front, which was not as easy as it sounds. The bar was pretty much rammed by about 10 o’clock and we had to battle our way to a table. Once  there we listened to three local boys run through a quality live set of covers. All in all it was a very good evening especially when a guy who we called Gudjohnsson, due to his similar appearance to the football player, continually decided to flex his drunk imaginative muscles and pick up chairs for no other reason but to show everyone that he could. He also collapsed on top of his long suffering girlfreind (all 6ft 7 inches of him), bringing both of them to the floor in a chaotic drunken piece of genius. Apart from this there were people bringing in crazy Aussie outifits and waving flags and we all got the impression that they were either very proud of their country or they just wanted an excuse to get fuelled up on booze, or maybe both. Either way I was happy to be a part of it.

The next day was mainly spent trying and failing to go fishing with mine and marks, new and very cheap rods. As it turns out fishing is not meant to be done off these rocks and the seaweed and cracks meant that me and Jack both lost out weights and hooks, while i don’t think Mark ever cast his line (a shrewd move if ever there was one). The worst part of the day came after this when i was climbing like a happy child over all the rocks in sight, not realising that the grip on my trainers really was rubbish. So one second i’m putting a foot up to go a bit higher, the next i’ve slipped and gashed open huge cuts on both arms. Now anyone who has seen me on Duke of Edinurgh will know that i am not the most graceful of blokes and this proved no exception. So after wiping the blood off and putting bandages and plasters on it was time for some much needed nutrition. Where better to get this but at the local chip shop! So after me and Jack ate Flake (its Dogfish with a fancy name) and Mark (ever the adventurer) had a hot dog and chips. We returned to the Robe hotel after depositing the little remains of our dinner in the bin. Sadly it was a bit boring compared to the Friday but we still had a good time, drinking and laughing.

On the Sunday we left Robe and headed for Mount Gambier which was a bit further down the coast and sadly a bit inland as well. Our day and night here was relaxed as ever and we went and saw one of the best things of the trip so far, the Blue Lake. This really was one of the most beautiful things i’ve ever seen, and as the cryptic namer of this body of water suggests it really is blue. So blue in fact that you just couldn’t think it was a normal lake, rather one a god had painted in perfect oils especially for us mortals. Now I might sound like an idiot but when we were standing on one of the look out points dotted around the 3 km or so drive around the lake, i just didn’t want to blink in case its colour dimmed even a little.

Anyways after this we went and saw the second of the three craters just outside Mt. Gambier, this time from a much higher vantage point. The Tower at the top of the hill overlooking the expanse of flat around the area, costs $2 to go up (which Jack paid and took pictures from) or you could just stay at the bottom and enjoy it just as much. The walk is the only problem with this, as you can’t take your car all the way up because it really is just too steep, so in the heat we trapsed up and realised our fitness was as questionable as the grip on my trainers.  

Fraid i have to leave this now as a Librarian in our new town of choice, Portland, is giving me the evil eye. However i can tell you quickly that we are all well and that there will be an update to follow this one as soon as is humanly possible.

dave  

      

 

 

Tripping Starts

We have the keys to our new (very old) station Wagon and I have taken it on a few test drives. Everything seems very smooth, a little too smooth if you ask me. Today we have been buying supplies for our trip such as oil, coolant, steering fluid, roof rack (surprisingly well fitted by me, if a touch unorthodox) chairs and other camping supplies. With these on board all that remains is to check out tomorrow and hit the road with the first leg measuring about 300 km to the sleepy town of Robe (population 820) where we really hope we can find a place to stay. However with our earlier then usual start we should have plenty of time. And so it is we say farewell to Adelaide, a relaxed, but beautiful city full of greenery and very nice people always willing to help out. We also say farewell to one of the best hostels any of us have ever stayed in the Adelaide Central YHA. Clean yet buzzing this hostel has everything a backpacker could hope for at very reasonable prices.

So anyway it is onwards towards the big adventure! Next major port of call is Melbourne in two weeks time so we have plenty of time to really explore the Great Ocean Road and all its majestic beauty!
All my love Jack xxxxxxx

Car hunting and Beach Tasting

No we aren’t dead, the unusual site inactivity is due to nothing much happening for the first few days, then almost everything happening at once! The first full day in Australia dawned very grey and very wet but because all we were doing was looking at vans that didn’t bother us too much. What did bother us were the number of notices on the board that were out of date so after about half an hour the ten or so campers dwindled to only three, one of which sold within hours of us seeing it. So we arranged viewing times with the remaining few and our enthusiasm for a camper quickly dwindled when we realised that three tall lads were going to be very snug in a camper for five months. Therefore after a day spent looking at campers we realised we were going to have to look for something else. So on to the Station Wagons, which are basically Estate cars. The prices for these are somewhat cheaper around 1000 UK Pounds, and so we organised viewings. First up were two Mitsubishi Magnas, and after seeing the first one we knew our search was over. This car is automatic, has air conditioning, was in exceptional nick, and came with camping gear. However we saw the second car which was much older, much cheaper and also an LPG car which means it runs on gas. What we thought was a foregone conclusion turned out to be a difficult decision as he explained that the car could run from Adelaide to Sydney on $95! However after a long hard think, we went for the first one simply because not being mechanics, LPG was an unknown quantity and more to go wrong. So tomorrow we will be picking up our Mitsubishi Magna ’93 for $2500 or 1000 Pounds exactly. That equates to 333 Pounds each, a real bargain seeing as we went for a top end car! So now Oztripping can get well and truly underway as of Friday!

So having got the car aspect out of the way for the moment we decided to go to the beach, when finally the weather broke into a glorious affair. So dragging ourselves out of the hostel fairly late as the night before we stayed up til 4:30 am to watch Arsenal’s magnificent yet late win over Manchester United, we went in search of the tram that would take us to Glenelg the beach-side suburb of Adelaide. After thirty minutes of pleasant views of Adelaide outside the CBD we arrived and stepped out. The smell that hit me was like nectar. Long had I waited to breath in the heady aroma of the salt air, and all tiredness forgotten I felt elated. This was what it was all about! So we headed to the beach where we stayed, swimming, playing football and just chilling until sunset. Let me tell you it was well worth the wait, it was one of the most stunning sunsets I have ever seen, as you can probably tell from the photos. We just stood in the shallows watching the orange rays of the sun disappear from view, with even the wildlife in the form of two Pelicans coming to enjoy the spectacle. There was silence on the beach and a definite air of tranquility as you visibly watched the sun touch then sink gently over the horizon, a truly magical moment and one that will stay with me for a long while.

After a truly special day, we awoke this morning at an ungodly hour (8:00) for our organised tour of Barossa Valley in the Adelaide Hills. We were picked up from the hostel by Ross in the minibus and transported to pick up a few others before we drove off into the hills. Now this trip was the brainchild of Marcus and surprisingly we went along. Not so surprising when you find out that the tour was of the Barossa Valley that is famous the world over for Jacob’s Creek, Wolf Blass and Penfold’s. Yes, it was a wine tasting tour. In all we visited four different wineries which were Vinecrest, Wolf Blass and two private small time wineries. In each we tasted about eight different wines and so by the end were feeling extremely sleepy. It was very informative and of course tasty, but we could definitely taste the differences and the individual characteristics of each wine and between the wineries. During this tour we also went to the Whispering Wall which is a dam at a reservoir which if you have one person stand at one end and the other at the other end 140metres away and whisper you can hear each other talking. To have a conversation with someone 140 metres away is a truly electric experience. At lunch I also introduced Marcus and Mark to the delights of Kangaroo, though sadly I still have painful bits of it caught in my teeth. I think Dave wussed out because he still loves Skippy secretly. Having got back from that only an hour ago, I feel another sleep coming on after the delicious yet heavy lunch and the vast quantities of fine wine we have consumed. Anyway updates will resume as normal.

Jack xxxxxx

In Oz at last!

Well finally we are in Adelaide, though not without its difficulties. All three of us are in firm agreement that it was the worst flight of all time, especially so for me! We got to the airport about two hours before we could check in, as with all our luggage we could not get on the MTR during rush hour. So there was a lot of waiting around at the airport. Check in was smooth and everything went well until we got on the plane. I would like at this point to just say that this is not a reflection on Singapore Airlines, just people in general. As we sat down and waited to take off, the Royal Choir of Babies begun practicing, and due to the late hour of the flight (midnight) this did not help our tempers. This lasted until the food was served! Now I had been struggling for the last day and a half with headaches and stomach pains, and as of such hadn’t eaten much, so I thought it prudent to try and eat what was served. Worst mistake of the trip so far. I managed half a bread roll and a potato before i was clutching the pillow to my face desperately trying not to think of food. Halfway through this, the family in front all put down their chairs adding to my claustrophobia. Now the girl in front of me was about five years old and didn’t need the extra room in anyway, but due to my weakened state I found no energy to complain. While in front of Mark the Father of this party decided to trampoline on his seat, bouncing up and down as he wriggled and turned, causing Mark to flip him the birdie which I’m sure the mother of this brood saw. Anyway as this charade unfolded I was gradually losing control and duly I did, forcing Mark out of seat, I ran to the toilet only to be confronted with the drinks trolley, which I nimbly sidestepped before bursting into a cubicle to throw up everywhere. I emerged about half an hour later to a shocked Mark and a concerned Dave. However after that I felt a bit better and fell asleep. The rest of the journey was only excited by the odd strike up of the Royals Choir of Babies. We landed in Adelaide, and sure enough, yep, it has begun to rain. Looks like its going to take something to shake off the Singapore Curse. I believe my illness was due to dodgy food, but I can’t think what was, so obviously the food isn’t quite as good as I made out. Anyway we have arrived in the YHA and everything seems to be OK for the moment, there are plenty of campers on the notice board which we will be checking out shortly (ie tomorrow)

So thanks for now and hopefully I will feel better tomorrow.

Jack xxx

The Lion City that Purrs

        Well due to a horrible mix up on our part we will still be in Singapore tomorrow, as we got one day ahead of ourselves. Everything is fine, we still have our hostel booked up for tonight just we got packed up ready to go, only for Mark to check our flight times and realise we are flying out on Thursday, not Wednesday as everyone had previously thought. Unfortunately due to this mix-up we crammed everything we had to do in Singapore into the last week, and so are sadly left with nothing to do today.

        The weather has taken a turn for the better with the sun blazing down on us which is a good thing. Yesterday we went to Raffles Hotel for a famous Singapore Sling, which was delicious and we highly recommend to anyone travelling out here. It was extremely relaxing to sit in a Colonial style building chilling out under the overhead ceiling fans with a refreshing (if somewhat outlandish) pink cocktail.

       So now as we near the end of our time in Singapore, we can reflect on what has been a great time.

       Good Things About Singapore.

1) The wonderfully diverse mix of people to the industrious residents and bustling street life of Little India to the friendly and exotic feel of Chinatown.

2) The zoo and Night Safari, for us one of the highlights of the trip – a must see for any visitor. Very easy to get to, MTR then bus 138 from outside the Station.

3) The price and quality of food. For around $3-4 (about 1 quid or so) you can get a large Chinese or Indian meal from one of the hawker stalls.

4) The friendly nature of the people, always willing to help and offer advice, but without being over the top like many in places such as America can be.

5) The Mass Transit Railway or MTR which offers quick, easy and above all cheap transport to most parts of the Island you wish to go to. Get an E-Z Link card when you arrive which acts much like the UK Oyster card. It is extremely easy to top-up again.

6) The fact it seemed to hate Mark the most out of anyone. His food was forgotten or unedible, he fell over spectacularly twice on wet tiles (to mine and Dave’s joy) and its general bullying of him.

7) The climate which was warm all the time!

8) Little India! It began to feel like home.

9) The safety you felt walking the streets whatever time of night in whatever part of the city. At no point did we seem like intruding foreigners or felt intimidated in any way, a major plus!

10) The Raffles Hotel which is an authentic colonial style building and well worth a visit.

11) Botanical Gardens. Bit of a walk to get to, but beautifully landscaped, perfect to grab a book and a cool drink and to relax in.  

     Bad Things About Singapore

1) The Rain! Only in the last two days has it stopped raining. And when it rains it seriously rains making doing anything outside impossible. I know we visited in the rainy season so for many fellow travellers hopefully this will not be a problem.

2) We found that a week in Singapore is too long! 4-5 days would probably suffice as in all honesty there is not huge amounts for tourists to do.

3) Orchard Road. This for me eptomises everything that is wrong with globalisation and western tourism. Its completely fine for a days shopping, perfect for you girls who want to get a bargain. But don’t tell me its authentic Singapore, because its not. If you want real value, go to Chinatown where the shopping is almost as good, but the buildings are colonial era next to real chinese architecture. Not like the hotels on Orcahrd road where a Mirage is situated in a faux-Chinese building.

4) Alcohol prices. Unless you scout around (we got a good deal on Tiger beer for $5 dollars we had a large bottle each) prices are London prices around 3 quid for a pint of beer. The Singapore Sling is also $21 in Raffles, but cheaper elsewhere.

 

     Ultimately the question we asked each other last night was; Would we come back to Singapore?

Tthe answer was from all of us was that we would like to return, but couldn’t see ourselves doing so. Once you’ve spent a week in the Lion City you manage to see pretty much all this cat has to offer.

     So after a great time here, we are off for the Gap Year proper, the Oztripping part if you will. If you have any questions on Singapore or Australia when we get there don’t hesitate to post on the forum or on facebook.

Onwards and Upwards,

Jack xxx

Animals vs man

Monday as the title may suggest was zoo day, and what a day it was. We began with the usual visit to the MRT and the journey to a bus station which in turn took us to the Singapore Zoo. Now as any regular readers will have seen, the oztripping trio have not been blessed with clear skys and sunny days, and today was nothing if not a glorious day to begin with (notice the word begin here). So I wear my full attire, sunglasses, baseball cap, shorts and ill-advised black top in celebration of the glorious rays beating down upon all of us. However when we got to the zoo and excitedly got our tickets and like children had some pre-animal inspecting ice cream, and Jack was mid-way through scoop, he pointed out that it was once again raining on Singapore.  - God the English like to complain about weather don’t we. - luckily the downpour let off after about 10 minutes and we began the tour of the park.

Now the first thing i have to say about the Singapore zoo is that it is considered one of the best in the world. This is due to the large range of species (including a polar bear in Asia?) but mainly because of the wonderful areas which are given to each different animal. The tropical nature of this area of the world obviously makes it easier to create authenticity and a feeling of really being in nature, despite of course being in a controlled environment, with fences, panes of glass and moates. This theme extends to the pathways, which are all hemmed in on either side by ferns, tall trees and all kind of lush tropical foliage. It really does make all the difference, seeing the Indian tigers surrounded by a much more natural terrain, was infinitly better than say, Whipsnade.

On a less general note we went first to the otters, who were playing with each other quite happily, while one of their number attempted to steal food from a bear-like ainmal which was also in the same enclosure. The swipe that followed was dodged and we moved on wishing the two enemies farewell. Next up was the “Great rift valley of Ethiopia”, or “the place where baboons be found” as i like to think of it. luckily we came to this part of the zoo at feeding time, and the visitors are allowed for $2 to dispense provided fruits to the baboons. So me and Jack leap into the fray for fruit and start chucking bananas left right and indeed centre. We all left the baboons feeling we knew some of the characters within the tribe now, with three sticking out the most. The wise and grey haired baboon who always caught the food directly in his mouth, and the one that did backflips to gain attention and thefore food, and lastly the small one that dropped everything that was thrown his way and i think went away hungry (awww!!). Now we moved on and saw the elephants, which was pretty standard although one refused to sit down for its handler and i had visions of an enraged charge at the pathway, but alas no such exitment. Jack did manage to film a free roaming monkey in mid-leap as it is allowed to jump around the park at will without any discernable agenda (either that or it was looking for the exit sign). We continued on past the manatees – by the way there really is nothing more tranquil than watching a manatee in mid-underwater glide, try it some time it is immensly relaxing -  and all the way up to the fragile forrest which is an indoor exhibit that houses butterflies, a tree kangeroo, some very big fruit bats, a sloth, and most importantly the Asian spotted duck. This was certainly one of the highlights as it was very well laid out with unobtrusive walkways, a wooden raised stage to see out from and animals everywhere.

Cat country was our next port of call and we awed at the hunting dogs, the cougars and mountain lions (much smaller than African). The real lions were up in a massive outdoor enclosure and there were 5, that we could see, one male and four females. We did get very lucky at this point as the whole pride came up to whre we were standing and it was beautiful to see them all together. However this awe insipiring view of the king of the jungle was somehow tarnished by the male mounting one of the females, who was not impressed. I personally think he was only doing it to prove he still had it in him to the watching visitors - as he was quite an old lion.

So we finished the first portion of our animal orientated day and moved on to a quite meal at the main office (KFC or pizza – definately a tourist point for the Amercians methinks). Now it was time for the night safari, which is owned by the same company but is a completly different zoo mainly as you could probably deduce as it is seen in the dark. It became obvious as we entered that the place was rammed full of people, and we would find it much harder to appreciate the quiet wonder that nature can provide, with the loud background noise of tourists. But we endured the crowds and got on the first available tram, which you have to pay extra for but takes you round the park and even to areas you can’t get to on foot. A man up front was giving a running commentary on the various animals, and it was quite amazing to witness some of the animals at night but with several inescapable drawbacks. not all the animals are nocturnal, so they were either sleeping in sight or out of sight, either way doing nothing. Secondly even if the animals are doing something you cannot see them unless they are directly under the lights that only cover a small section of the enclosures.

So we left the tram at the first available stop in favour of hopefully getting some peace and quiet to view the animals. this was certainly better as we could almost lose ourselves in the jungle when alone, but this illusion was shattered when loud families containing small children roamed near. I don’t want to sound like a grouchy old man at 19, but if your looking at some bats hanging fixed upside down while they are eating and your close enough to touch them, you don’t want some stupid idiots who haven’t seen the no flash photography allowed signs and clearly have no appreciation of the wonder that nature + silence can hold, to walk in! Sorry just had to get that out the way. But aside from this it was very good and the whole thing the zoo and the night safari cost about 12 pounds each including use of the trams on both sites. The advice I would give if you do want to go is to try and stay away from the big groups of other tourists, and to also apreciate that the night safari does come off as rather staged and very much geared towards children and the more conventional “stay on Orchard Road” tourist.

Anyways i’m off to plan the next days events as we only have 2 more days left in Singapore before we get the real trip underway in OZ.

love to all

dave.               

 

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

   Well it wasn’t bloody, but then again it was not quite as actionpacked as the other days have been. By that I mean we didn’t end up in some seedy bar! We did however in the morning, (which was difficult after the karaoke festivities) get up and go see some culture. Yes the oztripping boys are not all about eating, drinking and partying, we do have a soul!

    So clutching the bible thats is the Lonely Planet guide we headed off down Serangoon Road in search of the four temples that we knew lay in that direction. First up was the Hindu Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. Now Sunday contrary to our prior beliefs was probably the busiest day on the streets thus far. As of such the Temple was extremely busy with worshippers, and considering we saw in a five minute period not one Westerner go in, we decided it would be disrespectful to go around gawking and taking photos when people were trying to worship in peace. This was also the case at the larger Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple further along. This building was if possible even busier then its neighbour. However from the outside we were able to appreciate the beauty of the building, watch as worshippers carefully washed their bare feet before going in and also marvel at the diversity and number of Hindu gods which were represented all along the roof of the Temple. It was a humbling experience to see the sheer number of people to whom religion is still a serious part of their life.

          We walked a little further to the last two Temples on our tour, two Buddhist Temples right opposite each other. The first was Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple or the Temple of 1000 Lights. This we did go into, after removing our shoes. What greeted us first was a devout Chinese Teenager saying his prayers in front of a small gold Idol, waving incense and muttering prayers under his breath. Even though this Temple was quieter then the first two, as with the Hindu Temples before, the sight of someone praying in this manner, different to how prayers are given in England, was an enlightening and pleasurable sight. Now comes the big(!) part, the three-hundred tonne, fifty foot high statue of the Lord Buddha occupying most of the Temple. While me and Dave marvelled at the grandeur of this Statue all Mark could think about (being the practical chap he is) is how they got it into the Temple. In the gallery you can see the statue in full as words cannot do it justice. However in the spirit of travel writing I will do my best. It was a massive statue of the Buddha (however not as you can see of the small fat laughing man) clothed in a yellow robe with its right hand outstretched and its left tucked behind the right. Next to it a sign said visitors are not allowed to touch the Buddha. Its gaze was almost one of compassion and foresight, very apt in such a spiritual religion. After we had gazed in awe at this statue we composed ourselves and went across the road to the other Taoist, Buddhist Temple. This was a much more ornate building, with golden staues of dragons adorning the roof. This Temple we had all to ourselves and so we were able to appreciate the beauty fully and look at the items essential to Buddhiasm in detail. We were also surprised to discover in this Temple a Cockatoo chained to a perch, which looked extremely angry with life. Mark again believed this bird was out to get him, something he has proclaimed of almost everything in Singapore thus far (the slippery tiles which he has fallen on twice, the birds, any food seller and the weather). This cultural tour was extremely enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone as it is not often you can see such diversity in such a positive light. After this we made our way to the complete opposite end of the cultural spectrum, the Mecca of Western values, yes you guessed it, to Orchard Road.

    Luckily we weren’t here long (though long enough to get soaked of course), Mark was on the hunt for a Camera. After haggling and lying his way around ten camera shops he finally found one where upon he swindled the owner out of his hard earned cash in order to secure the bargain.

       Being Sunday, many bar are shut, so we retired to the nearest Pub to our Hostel, The Prince of Wales where upon we whiled away the evening (and the best part of five hours) playing Uno and devising the Hyper-Mega Superbowl game which is much to complicated to explain. To the Hostel we collapsed intent on visiting the Zoo in the morning. A very successful, if not quieter day.    

 Having a grand time,

Jack

The Karaoke Bar….

Well, yesterday it actually stopped raining for the first time in three days (as I write this post it’s currently tipping it down again but, nevermind). To celebrate this unusual dry spell, we decided that we should take a trip down to Orchard Road, Singapore’s main shopping street and one of the most affluent areas. We didn’t really like it. It’s full of McDonalds and Starbucks and is really no different to any other street in any other city. There’s no Asian culture there to speak of, and seems to have been almost completely Westernised. However, if you fancy picking up a cheap digital camera, then Orchard Road is the place to go, with prices being roughly 80% of what they are in the UK.

Next, we decided to head to the Botanical Gardens, which is free admission. The gardens are brilliantly maintained and immaculate throughout (as are most things in Singapore). There’s a Bonsai Garden as well as a rainforest trail. We wanted to visit the National Orchid Garden, but decided that we were too cheap to pay the $5 admission charge. I tried to convince the man at the ticket office that my YHA card was indeed a form of ‘valid student ID’ so that we could get in for $1, but sadly, I failed miserably. Considering the mammoth walk back home to Little India, we thought it wise to get a Taxi. Taxis are dead cheap in Singapore and air-conditioned, and a ten minute trip cost us about 50p each!

We headed back to the hotel for an afternoon snooze and then it was decided that we should head to ‘Centro’, which is widely renowned as being the second best club in Singapore after Zouk. On the way, we came across a nice little restaurant named ‘The Banana Leaf Apolo’, so called because food is served on giant banana leaves as opposed to plates. After about 20 minutes of waiting and getting ever more frustrated about the fact that nobody had brought us any beer, a man appeared. We asked him for some menus and reluctantly he agreed to bring us them. The man disappeared and was never seen again, and we still had no menu. By now the beer-thirst was overpowering, so Jack finally found us a couple of menus. We waited another 20 minutes or so for somebody to take our order, and eventually a man with a note pad appeared. He took our order and wrote it all down and even read back what he had written. Jack ordered some sort of Coconut Chicken, whilst Dave and I plumped for Chicken Tikka. I have no idea what we ate in the end, but Jack got some form of red-chicken-like-stuff, Dave got his Chicken Tikka, and I got nothing. They totally forgot to even cook my meal, and so whilst Jack and Dave ate their chicken-stuff, I contemplated suicide. 25 minutes later, my meal finally appeared. It was absolutely nothing like I ordered, but, hell, by now I just didn’t care. In the Banana Leaf’s defence, the food they brought us was fantastic, so I recommend you go there. Just don’t expect to get what you order.

So it was off to Centro. We took the MRT train system and then walked all the way to Centro. Except that Centro no longer exists. It’s been replaced by Babyface, and you need to be 23 to get in there. Dejected, we decided to cut our losses and go to a bar. Whilst wondering around Chinatown, we stumbled upon a Karaoke Bar. Desperate for beer, we headed in. It was a small, dark room full of 50 year old drunk Chinamen singing very loudly and hugging each other. We ordered our beers and the hostess brought them over to us, along with a song book. Despite loud protests and reminding her of the fact that we were all terrible, terrible singers, she insisted we sang. Dave chose ‘American Pie’ and sang it surprisingly well considering it was the full version and lasted at least 7 minutes. Jack then chose Wham’s ‘Wake Me Up’. Throughout the song, he hit the sort of notes that a nine year old eunuch could only dream of. The Chinamen were stunned. We finished off our set, with Wonderwall, which received a rapturous applause, before the Chinese man hugged me once again.

Now stepped up ‘Pro’. ‘Pro’ is so utterly fantastic that he deserves his own paragraph. We dubbed him ‘Pro’ as he is a wisely old Chinese man who sings western songs incredibly well. ‘Pro’ nailed every song he tried, and the crowd went wild. We all have much to learn from ‘Pro’ I think, and I may well build some sort of shrine to him in our hotel room.

So, all in all a fantastic day. Even though Centro the club had closed down, I’m pretty sure we had more fun in that Karaoke Bar than any club could ever had provided….

- Mark

mixing it up in chinatown

So it was my turn to update the website and tell anyone and everyone reading this about our 4th day of the gap year.    it started out slow, and very very wet and we had to walk in the dripping rain to the MRT (which is the singapore version of the London underground, except impecably tidier). The rain stopped long enough for us to make our way to the hillside ex-fort Canning. Which now only consists of a network of paths which guide you round the site, showing archaelogical digs and assorted turrets and cannons. The main part (at least from my point of view) is really the gardens which now inhabit the hill as the steps that we entered by, take you up into an entirely lush and tropical set of well planned, well developed botanical gardens. We preceeded to made our way to the spice garden and i was foolish enough to try a freshly grown chilli, which despite my efforts to not look like it hurt – did in fact burn my throat. Then after a quick trip to the coke machine we all stopped at a bench and looked surrrealy out, past the hanging vines and quite impressive canopy of leaves, onto the huge sprawling skyscrapers which towered directly in front of our eyes. It was a surreal experience to say the least and we all had to admit that we almost forgotten we were in such a large matropolis city for that 40 minutes or so that nature had consumed our attention.

Then just like a scene in Vietnam from forrest gump, the sky opened and the whole world’s water supply seemed to be chanelled into this little corner of the world. Luckily we had all stopped for a sneaky beer on the riverside, which although outside was protected by canopies. So as the gods showed their fury, we sat and played cards till it became clear that we would have to make a dash for it. The running was quick and as i could hear chariots of fire in my head, both me and jack reached the otherside of the bridge and under shelter. As we stopped to catch our breath, it became apparent we were one short and it took another 2 or 3 minutes till Mark came gloriously striding into view, not a care in the world and no attempt at quickened pace.

The rest of the day passed into mediocrity until the evening, when we managed to find out that restaurants don’t let you in past 9:30 to eat. This forced us to eat at one of the many food courts that populate china town, and we hungrily collected our food from the side stalls and sat down. Unfortunatly i don’t think they have heard of hot surfaces where we went and the food although mascarading as hot was all very cold. So while me and Jack ate it anyway, mark went onto our next bar of the trip, with an empty stomach.

So now i move on to talking about the best of this days events and probably of the trip so far. Yes thats right the oztripping trio went to a gay bar (hold the jokes we have already made all of them to each other). We first thought of the idea when looking in the gay and lesbian section of Jacks lonely planet guide to Singapore (our bible by the way – can’t write enough praise for its pages). The backstage bar as it is called was close and apparently home to a balcony and “lively company”. So we made our way through the rain again and arrived wet and thirsty at one of Singapores premier gay hotspots. Now i know what some of you may be thinking but aside from the fact that we were 3 straight guys in a room full of not so straight men, and i was chatted up in the toilets, it really is a great bar. The service was great, as 3 beers quickly made it to our table (on the balcony of course) whenever we were running low. Also the staff there were awesome and, both the guys who served us, gave great advice about the city.

So we left the backstage and left behind a great bar and also Marks intense discomfort at being there. This had surely been another gay, i mean great day.

Here in the Lion City

Well we are off and running. Currently into our third full day of our Gap Year which sees us in the Little India quarter of Singapore. Before we had been in Hong Kong, which unfortunately due to time constraints we couldn’t do justice. However we did have a lovely cantonese meal for about a tenner (including two beers) and I was chased down the street by four Indian men desperatly trying to get me to go to one of their restaurants, all because I made the mistake of accepting a flyer form one of them. In Hong Kong within an hour of arriving we could have blown all our gap year money on tailored (fake) Armani suits, (fake) Rolex watches and other authentic (fake) Hong Kong merchandise.

One of the things that has struck us about both Hong Kong and Singapore is the ease of travel. Both have superb public transport systems facilitating easy travel between the airport and the city centres, much better then in the United Kingdom! 

Staying at the clean, and comfortable Madras Hotel, it is a whole world away from what we have experienced before. Last night we heard the call to Prayer form a nearby Mosque before we headed out into the street to find dinner. The street was full of noise (and sadly rain!) as well as the heady aromas eminating from the various Hawker stalls selling spices and fruits. We then headed to the Madras New Woodlands, just around the corner for dinner, which for the princely sum of four pounds each, we savoured some of the finest indian food any of us had ever tasted. After this explosion of flavour, we went in search of a beer, as Indian restaurants do not serve alcohol for religious reasons. We went to the Prince of Wales Hostel (very Singaporean we felt) and sat outside an awning in 30 degree heat listening to the rain pour around us playing cards long into the night. At that moment the trip really felt alive. This was living, two of my best friends with me, good beer (which cost as much as our meal for one round!) cards, new sights and smells and the warmth not only of the weather but the warmth of knowing what we are doing feels right.

 

Miss you all

Jack xxxx

The Final Countdown!

God’s it is close now!

Two days left until our flight to Hong Kong. Just got back from Snowboarding in Saint Gervais and happy to report my fear of injuring myself never materialised which is good news indeed. As I write this my room is a mess with clothes everywhere due to the fact that packing is ongoing and proceeding in a fairly catastrophic manner! Ah well!

Other good news is that we will be taking out a digital camera, so hopefully we will be able to video the Oztripping diaries as well as record them on our website.

Speaking solely for myself, I can say my emotions are all over the place. Sadness at leaving my family, friends and girlfriend, apprehension at the six months to come and what lays in wait for us but most importantly overwhelming excitement at the prospect of living in an exotic place with my two best friends and the unknown adventure to come. I would never have swapped this feeling for going to University first as god knows if I will ever be able to experience these wonderful yet dizzying emotions again. It is without a doubt the most exciting prospect I have ever experienced.

Cheers for now

Jack

xxxxxxxxxxxx

19 Days Left….

Well there are only 19 days left until we jet off on our dream Gap Year, and loose ends are being tied up across the board. As well as this the toughest moments are coming up, namely the goodbyes to family, friends and girlfriends. We care deeply about everyone, and personally I can say I will miss everyone terribly.

Currency has been ordered, equipment is being checked off and many other preparations are being undertaken. Documents are being located, photocopied, and stored. The anticipation is rife, the scent of adventure pugent in the air. Last shifts for all of us are being finished, goodbyes are being said, the final touches being out on our trip to ensure it will be as fantastic as we want it to be.

Sadly there has been two thing that have gone awry. One is that we lost the Ashes and so the ribbing that we will be receiving will be immense. Secondly and most unfortunately, Dave failed his driving test and so will not be driving round Australia. This is a blow, but gallantly (and under extreme pressure) he has agreed to be our gopher. That is he is getting nearly all the beers, map reading and doing other unpleasant jobs for me and Mark. Hurrah. Updates after the Christmas period will be coming thick and fast so no worries.

My Australian mobile number is 0406737705 by the way but not sure about dialling code.

Merry Christmas

Jack xxxx

Getting there…

Flights booked (we’re taking the rather obscure route of: LHR to Hong-Kong.  Hong-Kong to Singapore.  Singapore to Adelaide), but at least it’s all booked up!  We’ve all applied for our tourist Visas now as well.

One small step for Jack, one Giant leap for Oztripping……

I am pleased to advise that JACK CHRISTOPHER ORGAN has been granted a Subclass 676 Tourist visa.

These fantastic words were received at 11pm on Sunday 25th September bringing us closer to the trip of a lifetime. This 6 month visa gives me permission for a fantastic gap year in Australia. Thank you Australian Government of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs! Being the first, this paves the way for the other two to get their Visa’s, as now we know which one to get and that it is an accessible Visa. The trip is taking shape………
Love,

Jack xxxxxxxxxx

Progress!

With grant cheques in the post, planning has begun in earnest. I have managed to book up the first of our hostels, YHA Adelaide Central for a week. This is the first base, and from where we will be organising car purchase and generally getting ourselves set for the big adventure ahead. Also in the pipeline are flights which will be booked up shortly and our hotel in Singapore. Hopefully here we will be staying in the Madras hotel in the Little India quarter. Being close to Chinatown we will have a massive selection of fine dining to chose from, and as all of us love cantonese and indian food, we should be spoilt for choice. Check it out at http://www.madrassingapore.com. Basic, but clean, cheap and central.

Keep checking back,

Jack

To the Start

Well the exam results are in and the holidays are drawing to a close. All of us are back from various places, Mark from a trip round Europe, Jack from a six week marathon holiday in Salcombe and Dave from spending time with his friends back home. Now it is time to start preparing properly for the trip of a lifetime. I have done this by resuming my old job at Caffe Uno in Berkhamsted where I will be starting on Monday 4th September. The others are in the process of finding jobs as wek speak. We will also be meeting up as frequently as possible to start the planning properly, filling in the gaps so to speak. We have, however, made one decision that we can confirm. The two places either side of Australia that we will be visiting are going to be Singapore and Thailand. More of this will come later on and the updates will start to come thick and fast as various developments along the way are made. Stay tuned.

Jack

Woooooo!!!

Well, today is a good day.  By ‘good’, I actually mean it’s one of the best days ever for the three of us.  We had an inteview with Allen and Unwin, and they have kindly agreed to give each of us £1000 to help fund our way across Australia.  That’s £3000 between the three of us!  This means we can spend some of the money on the car/flights/general equipment, as well as having enough left over to buy a second hand laptop so that we can update the site when we’re away from the Youth Hostels.  Huzzah!

Big thanks to Allen and Unwin, and look out for updates to the main site very soon.*

*Very soon is anything from 2 days to 3 weeks, depending on how difficult the updates are to put in place!

-Mark

Development is the key……

Updates on this site are like London buses; you wait ages for one and they all come at once. Well we have been busy. As of today (the 1st of March), we have submitted a proposal for a £2,500 grant that we hope to secure to enhance our trip. Finally I got round to helping Mark with the site, writing Mark’s profile, doing something with the plan page and putting spangly pictures on the front page as well as choosing the text background colour. Hopefully it is now more aesthetically pleasing to everyone. Anyway keep posting on the forum and enjoy experiencing the way the site and the trip is starting to unfold before your eyes…….It will be epic!

Welcome…

The diary section will form the main area of our our site where you can track where we’ve visited and what we’ve been doing. The advantage of using the blogging software is that we can post from any computer with an internet connection, and need not worry about screwing up the site….huzzah!

Also, be sure to check out our home page, as well as the forums and picture galleries using the orange links on the right.