Snows' World Trip

Welcome to the exploits of the senior Snows as they undertook their midlife crisis wanderings around this insignificant speck of matter called 'Earth'.
If you can be bothered to read the information you will be entertained with the most boring crap... I mean interesting anecdotes that we found during our travels into distant lands and listening to anoraks in internet café’s.


The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Earth (my humble apologies Douglas)

Start point!

Friday 10th June 2005 (start day -2)
Last day at work before the holiday, my hair is shorter now than at any time since the ‘skinhead’ era and I have a good send off, so thanks to everyone for all your good wishes.
We receive some bad news, that my mum's ill and in hospital. We are not sure what is wrong but decide to drive down tonight and throw a few things into a bag and drive down to Bath.

Saturday 11th June (start day -1)
Arrived in Bath at nearly 1am and very tired. We just crashed into bed at mum's house wondering what the night would bring.
We awake quite early and I phone the hospital to find out how mum's operation went. She is awake and appears to be feeling well after recovering from the anesthetic. Liz and I walk over to the Royal United Hospital. Mum is very well considering and we spend most of the day with her. We have a difficult decision to make but in the end after lots of phone calls we will continue with our holiday. Mum has lots of friends around her and many thanks go to Lyn for looking after the cat and Winnie and all the Church folk.
We drive back up to Leeds and arrive about 11.30pm very tired!

Sunday 12th June
Lot to do today, packing, emails, phone calls etc. I think we are ready.
Phoned the hospital and mums ok.

Tim Whitley arrives in his taxi at 11.50am to take us to Manchester Airport - we are not in any way prepared for our trip! But backpacks are at least zipped up...
Flight to Madrid is fine and actually arrives early. We now have to negotiate the Metro and buy a ticket using some Spanish.. eek! No problem and after a few changes arrive at the Metropol Hostel in the heart of Madrid on the Gran Via. We have a private room with bath and balcony - this is the life!


Monday 13th June
Oh dear got no socks packed for later Liz discovers. Breakfast is included and we leave a 9.30 for the airport. Packs a bit heavy Phil says Liz! I say you should have left the washing machine behind.
The filght to Lima is an hour late taking off and I text Jenny to check on mum - all seams ok so lets hope, she is having lots of visitors.
Its a long flight ...but start to get into the holiday mood with some wine and music and I start to sing, well whine, at least Liz is laughing or is it crying? Liz is being eyed up by a couple of Peruvian men so we might be in for some accomodation tonight - I may have to start an auction - oops! Ill blame the wine! whose in chage of this log says Liz?
Flight lands at 18.00 hours local time just after dark and we negociate immigration control etc. Outside it is pandemonium and we are accosted by dozens of taxi drivers - now I know how lady Di felt with the paparazzi. One is very patient and appars to be good value 10 dollars to the city and he speeks English. His name is Jesus and he drives us around the city showing us the sights and then sorts out our bus to Huraraz which is a lot cheeper than expected. 45 Soles each for an Exective sleeper coach about 7 pounds each so he gets a tip!
Coach leaves at 22.30 and we try to sleep.

Tuesday 14th June
Journey takes 7 hours and we arrive about 5am. One of the staff takes us to the Imperio Hostel which costs 25 Soles (3.5 pounds per night) clean bed but no loo paper or towels!
We are now at 3080m and apart from jet lag and snatches at sleeping our heads dont appear too woozy; just need to rehydrate. Excuse to find tea drinks whilst we decide what to book. Tomorrow we opt to squeeze in a 4 day trek - Santa Cruz - in the Huascaran National Park a bit of a challenge so soon but what the heck, well be more than ready for the Inca trail next week. In the afternoon we go for a walk up into the hills and I take some video and some shots of the mountains. I go on the internet and then we have supper - not sure what we order but 1/2 a chicken arrives! Liz ate all her salad but i`m too scared! We also book our bus back to Lima for Sunday.
We pack for the morning trek then get some sleep.

Wednesday 15th June
Alarm wakes us at 6am and we get some breakfast across the road. Shyla is our guids and we climb abord an overcrowed bus as it crams in more and more for the jouney to Caras with a lunitic driver where we arrive at 9am. Now the really scary ride up to Cashapampa in a taxi with 6 people and no tread on the tyres. We have one blow-out on the way but how he could drive at 30kph on rocky roads I dont know. We dont look down as its a very long way...Cashapampa at 11am where the 2 donkeys are loaded up and off we go with the ´arrieros' muleteer Tito through the Santa Cruz valley rising from 2900m to our first campsite at Llamacorral at 3750m. This takes us 3 hours 45 mins and lots of drink! We make camp. Few other campers but all we hear is the rushing water, cows, donkeys and a cockerel. Supper at 6pm seems huge and nothing left but to count the stars - 2 shooting ones, spend a penny in the bushes and hit the hay by 7pm. Well that was for me Liz . Phil didnt sleep much after 10pm was it the dark, no book at bedtime or the 5mm thick mattress on the rough ground!

Thursday 16th June
Light at 6am -must be time to get up after 11hours! Eliz remembers Andreas op today. Loads of pancakes at breakfast. Donkey drivers have to hunt for their beasts way up the mountain side before we can pack up. We head up the valley as Shyla gives us a head start. By the time they catch up we have reached a shallow lake -Ichiccocha. Valley is full of wild smelling lupins. we see a large bird of prey and then realise why - dead donkey on the track! Later we meet with people from sheffield & leeds on their way down! stop for lunch at 4300m and get to next campsite at 4250m- bit of an effort breathing now. Supper at 6pm and then head for bed as its dark at 6pm.















Friday 17th June
Neither of us get any sleep- Phil trouble breathing - Eliz whoppa tummy explosion! Glad when light comes- now its really frosty- got to -5C overnight. Brief breakfast and we set of ahead to reach the pass 4760m just 2 hours later. Eliz not at all good now - close to tears with the headche and effort. Finally reach camp, climbing down again, at 4pm.

Saturday 18th June
Rained overnight and really cold this am. Wait for ever for sun to come up and warm - 8.30 am. Our trail is cut short by 1 hour due to feeling lousy. Manage to get on board a bus that finally takes us back to Huaraz. Very crowded- over a pass 4767m- very scary close to the edge stuff! National park fees were due near the end but fellow Israelis kick up about paying which delays us for at least an hour- they pay eventually when Phil tells them 'what for'. On our return we are upgraded to room with towels and loo paper!
Phil is chuffed by the demand for his video footage from the tour operator and guide.

Sunday 19th June
Catch bus to Lima. Lovely good meal at roadside cafe en route. We share a taxi with a seasoned aussie back packer who not only haggles the fare but where she wants to stay the night. We are glad to be released from the disgruntled driver!. Out to supper with 3 of the aussies we will now be travelling with for 18 days.

Monday 20th June
Take a bath - oomm!
Meet with Phil's brother finally and fill in time until our tour brief and departure to Pisco. On arrival we can try local drink -pisco sour (like brandy sour)

Tuesday 21st June
Today we visit the Ballestas Islands to see the birds and sealions with bonus of dolphins. Next we visit a distillery to see Pisco sour being produced and we try some samples......
Oasis near Ica for lunch - raw fish - mistake but quite nice and entertained by tribute comic of Tommy Cooper! Next were the Nasca lines and watch the winter soltsice with moon in opposition! finally reach Nasca for a rest.





Wednsday 22nd June
A trip around Nasca today with pottery and gold production but this time no samples were avaiable and then back to the hotel for a swim in the cold water. Back in Nasca we chat to a lad who gave my sandles a good polish then a lovely evening meal of rice and fish served in a cauldron (this time it was cooked!) but could have kept an army fed for a day..
Overnight bus to Arequipa at 11.30pm.

Thursday 23rd June
Still some way from Arequipa when wake up in bus, finally arrive 9.30 and transfer to beautiful but cold hotel. Can´t seem to down load pda, but do burn cd of pickies. Visit monastrey- phil intrigued as its for nuns! Eliz goes to museum re famous Juanita inca mummy found in 1995.

Friday 24th June
Today free of money belt- eliz looks more comely/ un pregnant! Travel to Colca valley, passing volcanos, alpacas, llamas, vicunas. With pass at 4900m Aussies are popping pills and potions.
drop down to Chivray for lunch and nite. try alpaca meat- yum. Told of imminent strike that may wipe out our trip to Lake Titicaca. 5 of us try hot springs for a dip - really good as air temp is soo cold.

Saturday 25th June
Up at 5am and soon we r watching ¨morris dancers¨ peruvian style. Some good pics of llamas with locals dressed up. then 4 the real mission -spotting condors - we capture some really good fly bys - phils video just has to be seen!
On are return to Arequipa we learn strike is off and titicaca is now on! Still not able to down load pda will have to type all by hand as we can!!

Sunday 26th June
Travel to puno on coast - still really cold but hotel gives out hot water bottles

Monday 27th June
real excitement of tricycle taxi ride to docks, going over railway lines etc ouch! boat ride to 2 floating islands - really unique! Land on Amantani and join our local ¨family¨ 4 the nite stay.
Phil plays a game of 5 aside with the locals. Watch sunset on the hill top before a dance at the village hall, dressed in local costumes.

Tuesday 28th June
Warm bowl of water awaits us for washing as we wake and then into the kitchen for breakfast. No Guinea Pigs in the house but cooking is very basic.
Say goodby to our host family and depart the island for another called Taquile where all the women have to walk 2 yards behind their husbands but the downside is that the men do all the knitting! Then head back to Puno by boat.

Wednesday 29th June
Yet another early start and bus ride (getting a bit fed up with busses!) to Cusco via several sites such as Sican an old Inca town. Arive Cusco late afternoon very tired and hassled by all the street traiders.

Thursday 30th June
Rest day in Cusco (at last) but visit various museums and take a trip to the old Inca site that sounds like ´sexywoman´! Millie our guide finds out its our wedding anniversary and brings us a bottle of port and we have a party with a block of cake we had bought for our lunch. we have a bad evening meal - not sure how someone can mess up a pizza - but they did!

Friday 1st July
Awake at 5 am but Phil not feeling well and reluctantly resorts to taking anti diarrohea tablets!
After a quick breakfast we catch the bus the a place called Km 82. Trek starts at 9.30am and is a gental walk along the valley passing an Inca site called Llactaptan. Lunch at Ollaytan Tampa and we have an eating tent with tables and chairs! what a difference from our last trek! this is the life! We finish the days trek at Huayllabamba at 3000m. Cheryl one of the group has not been well for a few days and now my brother Greg is starting to suffer with a stomach bug!

Saturday 2nd July
Today and tomorrow are the hardest days of the trek. We are up at 6am and given a bowl of hot water to wash with and some soap and small towel along with a cup of coca tea - I could get used to this luxury. Greg is felling very ill but after chatting to the guides he decides to continue. Boris and Vlad´ the guides help Greg. Liz and I go on ahead of the group to reach the first pass 4215m and await the rest of the party. We then walk down 1200m to the next lunch/campsite at Pacamayo at 3600m. We are all famished and so late by this point that we have lunch at 5pm and then supper at 7.30pm.

Sunday 3rd July
Up as normal at 6am and depart at 7.30, this is the longest day at 16km and crossing two passes. This is also the best day to see the cloud forrest and birds (but no Bears!). We have lunch at the second pass and await Greg who is still being helped along by Boris and Vlad´. It is now getting late and we have to decend 1000m in almost continous steep steps which takes it out of my knees as I´m carring Gregs day pack as well as my own. It´s just getting dark as we reach the campsite and Greg is still far from getting down the mountain so 12 porters are sent up to assit. Greg is eventually stretchered into camp and a doctor is on hand to check him out. Long day and and we await to see if Greg can continue the trek tomorrow.

Monday 4th July
An early start today at 4am! Greg has recovered enough to continue slowly to Machu Picchu during the day. Joy stays with Greg but the rest of us break camp at 5.30 while it is still dark and we are at the Sun Gate in plenty of time to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu - what a site it is - and clear which is unusual. We then continue down to the site and have a tour from Boris but its by now getting very hot and I think everyone just wants a drink and rest for a bit! We retire the a cafeteria for a rest and then Greg and Joy arrive and he is now looking a lot better.
Liz has had a snicker bar and is fired up with energy so manages to climb Winapicchu in 30 minuets flat but I decide I´ve had enough of treking and just take Greg on a shortened tour of Machu Picchu.
We finally leave and decend to Agas Calientes (if thats the correct spelling!) in a bus and await the train/bus trip back to Cusco. Liz is still full of life so she does some washing and I go to bed!

Tuesday 5th July
Last full day with the Aussies but I think we all need a break from each other so head off doing different things. We search for a new adventure and book.... a jungle trip! can´t cope with another trek at this stage! It will be near the Brazilian / Bolivian borders. book flight to Lima for 13th. then get more cultural and visit churches - see a picture of last supper where guinea pig is the favoured centre piece and also a dark skinned Jesus being crucified. Amazing amount of catholicism and andean (Inca) assimilation!

Wednesday 6th July
Goodbye to aussies as they leave at 6am EEEk we are going solo again and leave the comfort of hotel life. We load the full packs and head up hill to the hostel and then have to wait for a free room as ours has been kept by a poorly packer needing an immediate toilet! we end up with a room just able to fit a double bed , no window, mirror no nothing! well the balcony above the rooms is a good consolation! We bravely hunt for the bus station - like a dirt yard where antiquated buses load up- and buy tickets in our limited spanish - for Tambomachay. Few inca sites to visit while we walk back to Cusco (Phil manages to survive without a map by navigating by the sun! but we still take the expected detour and miss some of the itinenary) Then we brave our ´matrimonial bedroom¨ after a fantastic Chicken curry, banoffe pie and beer at 10pm and sleep really soundly

Thursday 7th July
We move to a luxurious room with a window, funiture and toilet but no comment on shower yet. American breakfast and then brave the street sellers. Visit market - live and dead frogs and various meats but no guinea pigs, exotic fruits and some strange powders! Phil gets his boots cleaned for 1 soles about 15 pence. Find out by email that John has got a ´First Class Honours Degree´!!! we send our congrats! Sit in warm cafe for 3 hours over coffee and lovely food celebrating then hit the hay while we are still warm.

Friday 8th July
After late breakfast we visit the church De Santa Domingo which includes an amazing inca site called Coricancha. Buy our first souvenir tee shirts for the jungle trek tomorrow.
Trqavel office for evening briefing and meet our guide Jose and find there are only 4 other people going on this trip and they are all Brits. Our guide knows his stuff, he has a PHD in Biology! Back to the hostel for some last minute packing changes and an early night.

Saturday 9th July
We are awake before the alarm goes off at 5.30 and get down to the travel office before 6am start. We meat the others on our trip and a huge truck arrives to take us on the first part of the journey. Travelling to the start of the jungle takes 12 hours but is only 120 miles with very rough roads and high passes. We drop down to Paucartambo an old Spanish colonial town then over another pass to the Manu National Park. First we see cloud forest and then start dropping into the jungel propper stopping to view a bird called the Cock of the Rock! Arrive at the first nights lodge in Pillcopata just before 7pm

Sunday 10th July
No Sunday lie in as we are awoken at 6am for breakfast and a walk, the only animal we see appart from some birds is a very flat and dead snake on the road. We see various Herons, Egrets and Vultures. We then drive to Atalaya where we transfre to a river boat on the Alto Madre de Dios. The forrest is still technically cloud forest as we still have some way to go down stream through rapids to get to the rain forest. We see many birds then stop at some hot springs for a bath - first one for some time! even if it is in a river...... There are a few dead frogs to avoid as they were to daft to realise the water was hot.. We reluctantly continue down stream to Boca Manu then up another river to our second lodge at Tambo Bonanza. Off for a walk in the jungle and see a small blue snake but its harmless...then a night walk after dinner - I supose its so that we are nice and fat for any hungry animals who fancy a snak. View some very large spiders and hear some monkeys and a bamboo rat but dont see them - maybe they are watching us? Climb into our mosquito nets and listen to the jungle noises - fantastic!

Monday 11th July
Just been eaten by a large snake - no it was just a dream so have a cold shower (no such thing as a hot one) . Breakfast is a bit late as the cook has to throw a Raccoon out of the eating hut - not sure how much he had eaten! We travel to a native village called Diamante to have a look around but there appears to be the daily festival of the rising sun so everyone is pissed! The bunting is made of old vhs vidio tape. A drunk local (they all appear to be) shows us some spears and bows and arrows. I have a go and manage to hit a banana target as well as he could so he asks me to join the tribe but as the beer quota was not included I decline. I also tasted some local brew made by chewing plant leaves and spitting the resultant mess into a pot to ferment - I must admit I prefer John Smiths.
We travel on down stream to the confluence of two rivers then up the Rio Manus to a ranger station for another walk. Next stop is a campsite called Charro next to an oxbow lake that is a breeding ground for mosquitos - so are we the food? Another night hike but this time in a canoe on the oxbow lake (why cant the mosquitos fly to the campsite for a feed?). We see the red eyes of a Cayman but cant see the rest of it so we send off one of the guide to catch it which he duly does. It is only 18 inches long but it has some teeth! Back to the food hut where there is a large tarantula up in the roof looking down on us eating - ummm?

Tuesday 12th July
Our last day in the jungle and I counted at least 200 mosquito bites on Liz - maybe it is a good time to leave. Another feeding trip on the oxbow lake and we see some monkeys as well as many birds then off to the 'airport' at Boca Manu where parking is no problem as there are several moring spots and only two boats and no red lines etc. The only flight of the day lands to pick us up. It must be at least 50 years old and is call a Twin Otter. I'm hoping its in at least as good condition as me.... Well 45 mins later we are back in Cusco after flying at 15,500ft according the altimeter I can see in the cockpit.
Back to the hostel for our last night in Peru.

Wednesday 13th July
Another early start as we have to be at the airport for5.30 but our lunatic taxi driver has no problem in exceeding the speed of light on the way through Cuscos streets. Pay another departure tax and then have to wait 1 hour just to get our passports stamped! Depart Cusco for Lima then transfer to another aircraft and pay yet another departure tax for Quito in Equador. We catch the local bus into Quito and have no problem finding our next hostel the Charles Darwin. Wow this is the life hot drinks when you want and cable tv! loo paper and soap as well!!
We are a bit peckish so risk the street sellers for an evening BBQ meal - hopefully not to suffer the consequences!

Thursday 14th July
Day visiting the old town and lots of churches - all the gold and ornate carvings leave me cold and oppressed . The belching bus exhausts are choking at 3000 meters. They have a good trolly bus service though. We need to sort out what we do after the Galapagos trip but I want to climb volcanos and Liz wants to visit other places....

Friday 15th July
We spend the day visting travel agents and discussing options then work out a tour of the southern half of the country for a week - a patchwork of bus and train connections and hostels so not sure it will work.... but we email a few hostels and hope for the best. Almost loose Liz as she gets on a trolly bus but the doors close before I make it and I wave goodbye! She is waiting for me at the next stop - dam Im not going climbing after all.

Saturday 16th July
My birthday and we head off to the airport to catch a flight to the Galapagos Islands. We are given seat numbers but there are more passengers than seats! luckily no one else is in ours! I think some of the locals are turfed off so we are on our way. We land at San Cristobal airport and meet the rest of the boat trip group. The boat is small as there are only 10 passengers but we are given the only cabin on deck level all the others are below deck and are even smaller than our cabin.

We spent 7 days in the Galapagos Islands starting on San Cristobel Island, snorkeling the first afternoon then an overnight sea crossing to Espanola Island – rough seas. Make our first wet landing on the beach where lots of Sea Lions and Marine Iguanas also Mocking Birds, Turtles, Lava Lizards and colourful crabs. Later on another part we get our 1st sight of beautiful blue footed boobie birds!!,albatross and hawks.
Then head out to Floreana Is with the fellow passengers preferring to stay right above the deck to keep out of engines fumes and survive the sea motion!
Next day – 18th head for Bahia Post Office – 1st set up informally for whalers to arrange for letters to be taken to other locations . We pick up a card to take to NZealand and another to take home to York!
Phil was raring to go snorkeling again but Eliz chickened out with the cold and rougher sea. Flamingos and ducks next seen on a salt lake. We even spot a penguin in the open sea adrift from its mates further north – funny how you can see creatures of different temperatures in the same location – its to do with the varying currents around the Is. Also managed (just) to spot sting rays and a shark. Then we headed to Santa Cruz Is
Cormorants follow us along with albatross and even a few dolphins.
19th we wake for a pre breakfast stroll at Cerro Dragon and see the gruesome looking land iguanas emerging from sand burrows. Soon on to North Seymour and see frigate birds with amazing grossly inflated balloon throats- all part of the males attracting a mate (reds the colour that’s supposed to work boys). Lots more blue footed boobies (our favourite) swallow tailed gulls with luminous red rings around their eyes to gain attraction at night!. Much later we are both in the water snorkeling and Phil has real fun with the lions!
We then set sail for Peurto Baquerizo Moreno harbour 11and half hours in rough seas with a head wind so we don´t eat until midnight as we arrive. The other families are a bit wretched and face flooded cabins from non working bilges!! Aren`t we the lucky ones in the deck cabin!
20th the ‘3 day passengers’ leave and we take on some mixed people but don´t let on about the journeys so far. Head out to Isla Lobos is and swim with the lions -this is so good! See several of the famed Darwin finches and more of the favourite birds and then get to Plaza Is where the sea is calm and we also get a chance to hit the town for a while before a night sailing.
21st now in South Plaza for a dry landing where the sea lions are much livelier than before – we have to be careful not to get in their way and particularly not disturb the territorial males! We learn how the Old ones have to move out of the colony to their equivalent of old peoples homes but without the nursing care!
We set sail for Santa Fe for yet more s lions and now several reef sharks, more land iguanas and then get to do some further snorkeling. The excitement reaches a peak when Phil takes on a really playful lion and gets the consequence- a substantial bite to his left hand – now he is the hero of the boat and dines on the tale for days- I can say that now because it is healing really well so no worries!! My real excitement was swimming with some large sea turtles – they are so graceful.
Finally we set sail for Santa Cruz Is – Porta Ayord and hit the town once more – its really hard to walk on land after so much time at sea – this takes just about 4 days to wear off as it happens!
22nd disembark to visit Charles Darwin centre – wonderful work displayed to rescue this unique location after the ravages of earlier use as prison islands, slaughtering of wild life etc and home to the giant tortoises. We become beach lovers for the afternoon at Tortuga bay. Then its the homeward run to San Cristobel that night – rough sea once more.
23rd Take in the Visitor’s centre and then pack to get to the airport where chaos reigns and we end up on a much later flight to Quito.
Here ends our Galapagos trip – it will have lasting memories and we hope to keep in contact with some fellow travelers.

We panic to find our way correctly to the bus terminal and just about manage to get on board a last bus out heading for Banos. We arrange to be dropped off just outside the centre of Latacunga and find our way to the Hotel Cotopaxi at 10pm. We are too shattered to find food and hit the bed covers with great relief!

Sunday 24th July
Catch bus to Sigchoc and wander around the market and take in some local brew in the pub with some locals...Then catch a ramshackle old bus to Chugchilian (the only one of the day). We get off at the Black Sheep Inn a very Eco place with sawdust toilets and veggie food.

Monday 25th July
Fired up on muesli we set off for Laguna Quilotoa a beautiful volcanic lake on the back of a pickup truck. Very windy and dusty but even more wind as we get to the top (and thats not from us). After a long trek back to the Black Sheep we deserve the hot shower and do mountains of washing by hand (not in the stream) before more fart food. Lovely crowd of people but the place is a bit over the top and suffocating so we will head out tomorrow...

Tuesday 26th July
Another powerful breakfast and a dusty truck ride out to catch the bus from Zimbuhua to Latacunga and then another bus to Ambato and finally to Banos for mid afternoon. Our Hostel Plantas Y Blanco is lovely with a roof terrace. We walk up a mountain road for a view of the two but its cloudy and come back down when we get to the cloud base. Off to the hot baths for a dip in the thermal waters and Phil contemplates climbing Cotopaxi...

Wednesday 27th July
Its pouring with rain so in stead of doing another walk we catch the bus towards Riobamba and get off at a small road under Chimbarazo for a the hostel Estacion (an old railway station).
The mountain guide Rodrigues shows us some slides of the local volcanos and we agree to go on a trek with him the next day (with 7 Spaniards and 2 from the USA).

Thursday 28th July
We get a lift to the start of the walk at 3900m and then start climbing Chimborazo up to the ice fields where 2 local old men cut ice from the glacier to sell in Riobamba.

This is at 4800m and takes them all day to cut, pack in straw and load onto donkeys for the return down the mountain. Phil wants to reach 5000m and so 4 of us set off up a very dangerous rocky scree slope with boulders from 1mm to several meters in size and all loose... We make it to 5000m and then have to climb back down. A total of 1100m ascent and descent.
We are so tired but have to keep moving to reach Riobamba and buy train tickets for the next days adventure.

Friday 29th July
Up at 5.30 to grab a roof space on top of the train going to the ´Devils Nose´ We set off at 7am and have a very bumpy ride for 7 hours that travels down a steep incline and two switchbacks - very scary as while we are travelling the weight of the train and the vibrations cause mini rock falls and we bump over several stones.... And we paid for this trip!
We chill out for lunch before getting the bus to Cuenca and a 2k walk to the Hostel Macondo and the showers are cold!

Saturday 30th July
Discover the hostel is overrun with loud USA people and we escape to view the town, phone Mum and find out that John has a job but not sure with whom yet then catch up on emails before seeing the sites. Visit museum of pre columbian artifacts, flower market etc.

Sunday 31st July
We head out to catch the bus to Cajas National Park but just miss it so end up walking round the town and updating the blog and emails etc. Splash out on some wine and supper.

Monday 1st August
Make it to Cajas National Park this time but it starts to rain profusely just after we start our walk so we get very wet below jacket line! We loose the path in the mist but head downhill and reach the road after 3.5 hours in the rain! Catchthe bus back to Cuenca and spend the next ? hours drying out our feet boots and socks looking a real sorry sight in the town square! Opt to cafe hop to keep warm until we walk to the bus station for the night bus back to Quito.

Tuesday 2nd August
Arrive in Quito rather tired after an interrupted nights travel, and failed to meet up with Joanna (a friends sister) so check into Hotel Othello and get some kip. Wandered around the parks and also reconfirmed our flights to Brazil then finish off the day with a Chinese meal.

Wednesday 3rd August
Today we head north to Otalava on the 10.30 bus - with another lunatic driver! This time we have not pre-booked any accommodation so we have a look round first, eventually book into the Riviera Sucre. Chat with several guests and are invited to share a meal with a Dutch couple Pierre and Ellen.

Thursday 4th August
Find a bus (yes yet another bus!) to take us to Cotacachi and a taxi to the lake. This is an old volcanic crater lake and we take a walk around the rim. Decide to stop at a hostel on the way and a very talkative German host sells us very expensive but delicious apple pie and a real pot of tea with milk!!! When we have finished the walk there is no transport available so after a wait we start to walk again down to the village - not sure how far it is, I think it is 10Km but the 'mile posts' say 19Km and its about 3.30pm - ummmm! Liz starts to get desperate after about 3Km but we just keep going until we flag down passing truck. It was only 10Km but we get to the village in plenty of time to catch the bus back to Otavalo. I've got a nice ulcer on the top of one of my toes due to the wet boots and socks on the previous walk in Cajas!

Friday 5th August
We pack up again as we are leaving Ecuador today. Buy our first souvener today bargaining down a vendor from $15 to $10 for a rug - now we have to carry it! Catch the bus back to Quito and get the driver to drop us as close to the Airport as possible so we only have about a miles walk downhill. The flight to Santiago via Guayaquil leaves at 10pm.

Saturday 6th August
Land Santiago about 5am then wait for the next flight to Rio via San Palo. We finally land in Rio about 1.30pm. We have no Brazilian money so have a problem getting the bus driver to accept US$ but he does in the end and I get a reasonable exchange rate! We head for Copacabana and check into Angrense Hotel. Go to the beach in the evening for a walk and then had a meal - our first sample of paying for our food by weight using self service.

Sunday 7th August
We sleep in until 9am! than wander down for breakfast where we meet a couple called Rebecca and Rohan and we agree to meet them later in the day to visit Sugar Loaf. We head into town to have a look round but aware of the risks we hide the camera in my pocket. We visit the old Parliment building then see a Henry Moore exhibition which is really good. Head back to the Hotel to discover that Rebecca had been mugged in town and robbed of her camera. We have to leave them with the tourist police and we head off to Sugar Loaf. We take the Metro and then walk to the cable car station and get up to the top before it gets too dark. After the return trip we dont know where the bus home departs from and get a bit concerned about our safety. Find the bus and get back in one piece. Another self service meal was needed, this time in a Pizza parlour!

Monday 8th August
Today we take a bus and 'Cog Train' up to Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer) for views over the city, statue is fabulous then off to the bus station to buy our tickets to Iguazu. Raining tonight as we exit yet another 'eat as much as you like' place specialising in roasted meats yummmm!

Tuesday 9th August
Last day for beach, shopping and Rio before the 16.30 bus out of town. After we miss one bus to the station we are concerned that we would not get there in time and also nearly got off at the wrong bus station! (they both have the same name!). With 10 minutes to spare so all is well and we have a luxury bus awaiting us for the 23 hour journey. We stop around 7pm in a service station and after we get off the bus moves off! We panic a bit until it stops at a fuel pump!

Wednesday 10th August
Breakfast served in the coach - very confusing as we had to get our own supper last night! Reach Foz do Iguazu and the Brazilian and Argentine customs posts and after all tha bags are checked we arrive in Puero Iguazu as we want to say on the Argentine side of the boarder! Now to find a Hostal and we wander around for some time but a lot are full - eventually get a room at Hostal Rioselva for 8 pounds per night. We then head off to the tourist info office and book a trip to the falls on the Brazilian side for tomorrow. Then book our bus to Buenos Aires for two day time. We then celebrate our organisation with a meal and bottle of wine!

Thursday 11th august

Eliz has been allowed to write this (as I did the G Is) so changing the tone!!

After the rigmarol of getting through border controls we went back to Brazil to view the falls which was a great way to get a fantastic overview and great wow factor! The tour allowed for a pig out eat all you can buffet of lovely food which took an hour out from view spotting, then on to what is thought to be one of the biggest dams between Brazil and Paraguay (& Phil says it is the biggest!) Anything more couldn't match with what we had seen and we got back tired but full of the beauty of the day. it was really great to have been befriended by a young Argentian couple who kept us company for much of the travel time, they even helped us out in the one brief moment we had mobile phone signal for Argentina to make a call and book our next 4 nights in B. Aires.

Friday 12th August

We got up smart and ready to take in all we can of the Argie falls - lots of trails to walk and camera at the ready- actually got red hot as it is sooo fantastic! Managed to stay reasonably drydespite being close to the thundering water drops. What was just so cool were rainbows - some almost complete rounds and you could see the ends of them - they also moved as the wind took the sray. It was difficult to do them justice on the still camera but Phil has captured it well on video.

We needed to watch the time as we have booked a coach to take us overnight to Buenos Aires leaving at 5.45pm. We head back in good time and when we board the coach it bodes for a good nights sleep.....

Saturday 13th August

The sleep would have been execellent if the guy in front didn't snore - I thought Phil was bad at times ....

On arrival Phil has to rise to the challenge of a new public transport system and enjoys finding the metro route to our hotel (one recommended by Jen from last summer) All is well here and we soon do an about turn to site see. First stop lunch and lots of coffee catch up time at Liberia de las madres - a cafe raising funds for 'lost children'. The hotel is very close to the Congresso building and becomes a focus for the next 4 days. The tall grandiose buildings along the very wide - some 12 lanes roads give the city elegance - european style. The cost of things is rediculously cheap relative to a european capitol city or Leeds yet alone Brazil - wonderful cafe con leche for just over 50p! We should be a bit tired by 6pm and try to rest up but can't even dose (must be the coffee) so its hit the Tango scene for supper. Most places only warm up at 9 ish so we roll up to the area for the shows at 9.30 and soon get seated near the small stage where we are served our steak and chips , bottle of plonk and eat our way into the performance that starts at 11pm. The compere asks where people are from and as the only english present we get a round of applause - the Malvinas are all forgotten!! Can't believe its past 12.30 when we leave and yes we don't get a taxi - we walk home and hit the hay at 1.30am.

Sunday 14th August

Today we lie in till 10am - musn't miss breakfast!

We are a bit tired but mean to 'do' the parks on bikes but can't find them for hire. Feet will have to do but they are tired. Find a really cordon bleu resturant for lunch at 2.30 and after 2 hours of eating and watching the antics of dressed up clowns entertain children as its their special day, we discover they have internet. I try Phil's patience a little spending a long time returning a detailed mail to Jen and Steve, but then he discovers John on messenger and that hes booked flights to NZealand so thats another 30-60 mins and we are both very happy!! Now we have the stamina to take in an art gallery (well worth it with some well known painters - Reuben, Monet etc Phil even spots a H Moore sculpture) Its now turning really cold and windy and we start to head back reaching the hotel at 9.30.

Monday 15th August

A bank holiday so not sure what will be open. With directions to catch the 68 bus we hope to make La Boca the tango and caminito area. Well... theres no 68 but is a 168. 2 bus rides later and we WALK to the places the map says! We did pay an unscheduled stop to a grandiose cemetry full with family mausoleums. Another meat indulgence for lunch watching tango activity- this time I am volunteered to take to the floor but thankfully only to pose in an artistic fashion with an Hombre , Phil has the same experience and a kiss from the lady to boot before we leave to amble around the galleries and caminitos. Phil has designs to follow the dock shoreline around for some more sights but I give this up for a lark and dive into a coffee house AGAIN! We get to the hotel a bit earlier and I cannot face going out again so as much as I am hooked into internetting I leave Phil to it . He comes back with a strange tale of a dutch guy in a sorry state- he had been robbed earlier and was still finding his way round the tourist polce and embassy. Phil was quite put off his stroke as the robbery happened in an internet cafe. He gave the guy some money for a fare to the embassy having told him where to go. I meanwhile was watching 'Mission Impossble'. That night I felt strangely disturbed running both story lines together - hope I don't become abandoned somewhere- I must stick to Phil extra well (don't know how as we are pretty well joined at the hip already)

Tuesday 16th August

Last proper day in B.A Need to confirm flights, post cards etc and still find time for coffee. Have a lovely tour of Teatro Colon -of international repute acoustically etc. The tour included going deep down to see where the costumes, and scenery are made and where rehearsals are done. Lunch today is at an Uruguay cafe - really cheap- 4 pounds including a rare chance for some hot tea to drink. phil is delighted with opportunity to buy the latest Harry Potter book for only 12 pounds (we were actually looking for a lonely planet guide of New Zealand!)

Can't fit much more in of the city and after seeing a look a like Big Ben retire to catch up on this log. Here endeth my epistle contribution - bye

Wednesday 17th August

We have to pack again today as we are leaving Argentina and this time we get a taxi to the airport! The flight is at miday and and we land in Santiago at approx 1pm. We inadvertently smuggle two oranges into the country so before we get arrested we eat the evidence. Having had enough of taxis we catch the bus into downtown Santiago and then the Metro to the Hotel Foresta. This is a very plush place and we have a huge room with a sofa, coffee table and tv etc - this is the life!! Out for a walk in the park opposite and then head for the bus station to book tickets to La Serena in two days time. Meet a chap called Scott in the bus station who was very helpful and got us a discount on our tickets! - hes a bit manic really trying to change from running a non-lucrative hostel to operating a tourist agency!Back into town for supper and bed.

Thursday 18th August

Have a long lie in then breakfast on the 7th floor with panaramic views and music! Elizabeth wants to rest so I go for a walk up the Parque Metropolitano - I walk up the road rather than take the Funicular so several hours later I make it to the top - but take the Funicular back down after a celebration ice cream. Back to the hotel and we go out for a late lunch and take in an art gallery then head back to the hotel.

Friday 19th August

We have another lie in - I think we are getting to like this luxury - then reluctantly pack our bags and take them to the bus station luggage store. We now have the whole day to kill in Santiago so wander around the central areas, presidential palace, churches etc. Head back to the bus station late evening and await our bus...One interesting Chilean keeps us chatting in the Catherdral as he wants to relive times in London and practice his english we are talking so much we are bustled out of the church by an official.

Saturday 20th August

We board the bus at 00.15 (which has reclining seats) and the overnight journey north takes 8+ hours arriving in La Serena around 8.30am. The Hostal El Punto is very welcoming and we have some breakfast there before the room is available. We take a walk down to the coast and phone my Mother (Jen and Steve are staying as well). Check up on all the news and gossip and then go to the bus station again (no this is not a bus station fettish!) to buy tickets to Calama for 2 days time. We are very tired so after a pizza we head back to the hostal.

Sunday 21st

Up about 10 and have a big breakfast then decide to head off to Coquimbo for the day but as we cant find the correct bus we catch one to Ovalle! After a look around we head back to La Serena to do serious internet business - house insurance etc! Tonights meal is mixed grill with complimentary pisco sour and 1/2 bottle of wine which has the hoped for effect- our mood needs lifting as we really are not wanting to wait much more befor e discovering NZ

Monday 22nd

Would you belive it we wake to pouring rain - it only rains about 4 times a year here too- good topic of conversation with ...the bus driver as we head out to Coquimbo. This is a real fishing port with loads of deep and other types of fish in various forms for sale. Our stomachs are't ready for servings by the quay so we wander to the rocky headland where there is the finishing touches to a feurte (fort) and has an old 150lb gun made by W A Armstrong in 1856. The rocks and shoreline are full with pelicans and co habilting in places with sealions. We came inland to find a pleasant town square and stopped for a drink and then a set meal in a small cafe not knowing what we had ordered but more interested in the display of pirate history and the notorious English buccaneers. By the way it was soup and local fish!! Our bus scheduled for 16.30 finally arrives at 17.45 and for one moment we were advised it had left without us !! - not so. Not a bad bus but when the films finished the snoring started - next time I will remember ear plugs!

Tuesday 23rd August

At Calama we have to work out how to get to S. P Atacama ( we purchased tickets that were cheaper not goig direct so we have caused the extra work!), but thats okay we are seasoned travellers now and picking up to newly arrived Irish people wanting the same connection we find ourselves on the 11.30 to S.P.Atacama. It takes a lot of ingenuity and eventually luck to find the hostal that is not shown accurately on the map. We are a bit crabby too not yet used to bus sleep overs. A late lunch and look round booking a trip tommorrow sort us out.

Wednesday 24th August
Today we have the luxury of a purchased tour for a whole day which meant being picked up at 7am. We waited in the cold morning with a fellow hosteller Rui from Brazil who felt the cold all the more as he's used to Rio temperatures! Along with some Italians, French Swiss and one Chilean we head off with our guide and driver to Puente Toconao. This is the edge of the desert under the mountains for breakfast and to view the church then out onto the salt pan where we see the salt formations and some flamingos. Onto Scoaire for lunch and view the local saint's (St Bartholamew) day blessing (I got water sprayed on me as part of the priestly activities!) and procession.The music was like competing school bands practicing! Then onto the higher land at 4200m to view Laguna Miscanti and Laguna Miniques (named after the local volcanos). We travel back to Toconao and walk through the Valle de Jerez. Back to San Pedro de Atacama by 7pm and have supper with Rui, Sue and Michael. A really lovely day, feeling relaxed informed and able to share some lovely chats. I'm sure it was Phil's wonderful charm, that 2 Italian girls took a shine to, who then asked us to join them for a meal the following evening.

Thursday 25th August
We have a bit of a lie in then walk into town to get some bread and cheese for breakfast then head to the Pulman office and book our trip back to Santiago for 26/27th. There was a slight panic about the cash needed to pay, as we understood there would not be a bank machine here- but there is so we can go on eating!! With more money we then rent bikes. Cycle to Pukara de Quitor an old ruin that was once the town. Visit Cueva del Diablo then head up towards Quebrada del Diabio on a rough track but don't find the road so head back to town for lunch. We buy some things from the local shop and take them back to the hostal. After lunch I go online and book some accommodation in Santiago then we relax for an hour. About 4pm we cycle out of town to the Cordillera de la Sal and into the Valle de la Muerte. Rough track and we have to walk up one hill due to the amount of sand. We get back just before sunset after quite a hard days cycling. Eliz' back has started playing up again over the last 3 days and the bike results in a seized position. At the hostal with posture adjustments it starts to ease. Quick rest, wash and change then out to meet the Italian girls, taking the bikes back at the same time (ooch the saddle!). We meet in the square and Rui also joins us. Go to a local restuarant for a meal and a nice chat.

Friday 26th August
We pack with Phil voluteering to pack heavier items in his bag, and spend most of the morning sorting out car hire in New Zealand and updating the blogsite. Say goodbye to Rui and then have to walk quickly to the bus stop for the 12 o'clock bus to Calama. Reach Calama about 1.15 and I look for a LAN office but find a good place to eat instead so we stuff ourselves before catching the 2.30pm Pullman cama coach to Santiago. The journey is mostly through desert until we reach Antofagsta a big city on the coast at 5.15pm. We stop in the bus station until 6pm to pick up more passengers and food. As we leave I notice a sign saying 1380km to Santiago as we head into the night watching two films and having a light supper. Nobody snored on this trip!

Saturday 27th August
We awake to rain and are supplied breakfast finally reaching the Santiago central bus terminal about 11.30am. We decide to reconfirm our flight before going to the hostal so take the Metro and walk in the rain to the LAN office. Luckily we do, because the office closes at 12.45. The flight is ok for Monday night and we reserve our seats then head off for a coffee real bliss after 24 hr travelling. Walk back to the Metro and travel several stops then walk to the hostal Bellavista. Check in and there is a big lounge and widescreen tv. This is a good hostel to chill and use the internet (but it is not working due to the rain?!). Our double room is in another building from the main area and we can choose how much mixing we wish. Tea and coffee is on tap - a real dream to be able to help ourselves. Chatting with others we can learn a lot about NZ and also hear of trips to Venezuala. and Chile's mountains. We're quite surprised how we are still all right by 7pm- must be getting used to the long bus sleeps, but we do need to eat. We also notice we can suss out the Santiago resturants a bit better and make a good choice- Phil really enjoys a conger fish dish. I worry though that he has lost a lot of weight - he thinks its all from the waist and thats okay!!

Sunday 28th August
Lie in as its still raining and then Elizabeth does some washing before we walk to the main building for breakfast. The internet is still down but as the machines are new and use Windows XP I manage to download the PDA data for the first time! It stops raining for about an hour so we go for a walk then buy some food to prepare ourselves - the first time this holiday - then head back to the hostal as its raining again. Chat to several people while we cook and eat our tea and then watch a film. Off to bed about 10.30.

Monday 29th August
Up about 8.30 and start to pack then decide to have breakfast and check if the internet is working. We spend the whole day in the hostal as its cold and for a time in the afternoon it rains ice. Its good to chat to several other brits and swap travel stories and pass on tips. We go out for supper at 7pm just around the corner then back to the hostal by 8 to pick up our bags. Say goodbye and leave at 8.15, walk to the Metro station then catch a bus to the airport arriving at 9.15. Check in and board flight LA801 at 10.45. We take off early and settle in for a 12 1/2 hour flight.

Tuesday 30th August
Does not exist for more than 3 or 4 hours and we are asleep for most of it.

Over to a new continent!

Wednesday 31st August
The flight lands early in New Zealand at 3.45am and we have our boots checked before we can get through customs. We wait until 6am to collect the car then drive to One Tree Hill Park for a walk. Head off to Sandringham to visit Cousin Brenda but she was not in. Went to a Chinese cake shop for lunch - yummy! Down to sea shore and lay on beach for couple of hours, even manage to sleep. After a coffee we drive to the Auckland City Hotel and check in. I want to sort out the stills camera charging so venture downtown walking. Eventually someone tests the charger - its ok (so something wrong with the camera). Go into a Asian food hall and have an Indian curry then back to the hotel.

Thursday 1st September
Officially the first day of spring. We awake quite early and try to find a weather forecast on the tv. Head down to the attached café for breakfast. Check out about 8am and drive to meet cousin Brenda. We need to pick up John so leave at 11.15 thinking he would take 45 minutes to get through customs and passport control but he phones us at 11.20! wonderful to get face to face with another Snow at 11.30! – lots of catching up chat to do whilst we head immediately out of Auckland down highway 1 to Rotorua. Check into Hostal Crash Palace where we get a 3 bed room. Just time to visit local park with areas of steam pools and walk around shoreline of Rotarura Lake before dark. Fish n chip supper before John needs to crash out and very soon after so do we!

Friday 2nd September
We go to the local supermarket to get some food and spend about 1 hour trying to work out what foods to buy- haven’t had to for nearly 3 months!. Head back to the hostal for an excellent breakfast and then drive to the local Maori village called Te Whakarewarewa for a tour, see the geyser, a traditional dance and walk around the hot pools then have a packed lunch. Park up by the Blue and Green Lakes and walk round the Blue Lake. Drive back passed Lake Okareka into Rotorua and then up Mount Ngongotaha for a view over the city. Back to the hostal time for a quick dip in the hot pool before supper is cooked on the barby. Watch a bit of a Doctor Who series and John goes out for a bit of a session!

Saturday 3rd September
We give fellow hostaler a lift to the geyser at Waiotapu Thermal area. We get in free as we are a bit late for the start of its hours activity'! Head onto Tarpu and after spending some time in the tourist information choosing post cards we have a cup of coffee. the ferry gets booked to the South Island and we go for a walk to Huka falls. Onto Turangi and the Extreme Backpackers Hotel where we cook a meal and watch New Zealand v Australia Rugby match on the tv. Book tomorrow for the Mount Tongariro Crossing!

Sunday 4th September
Up at 6.15 for an early breakfast then go next door to the climbing centre for 7am. We get some gear and find that there are 6 others doing the walk. Leave Turangi at 7.45 and head up towards the National Park but turn off on the Mangatepopo Road. Start the walk at 8.45 up the Mangatepopo valley then climb to the South Crater where we put on crampons and use ice axes to climb to the ridge over Central Crater and Red Crater. There is steam coming out of the ridge, its another thermal vent. Slide down the snow into Central crater where we have lunch. Walk to and back from Emerald Lake then head out of Central Crater around the flank of North Crater. Down to Keretahi Hut where we have a break then down through the woods to the road head where the bus is waiting at 4.45. Back to Turangi for a rest and fish and chip supper from the local take away! We are all knackered but very pleased with ourselves, even liz is a little grumpy!!

Monday 5th September
John wants to go skiing so after we pack and leave the hostal we head for the Whakapapa ski area. Pick up some skis and poles for John and we leave him at the bottom of the lifts. We head back to the village of Whakapapa and book for our 2 nights in Wellington. We then discuss options for the next two weeks over a hot drink. We decide to go for a walk to Taranaki falls rather than spend time in a sauna despite some aches from yesterday. Get back to the ski area car park and wait for John. We leave at 4.30 to drive to Lower Hutt near Wellington and with two stops for groceries and fuel we arrive at 9pm.This holiday park has a strange feel after hostels. Late supper of pizza and hit the sack very tired. John finds the thin blankets from our back packs not warm enough by morning.

Tuesday 6th September
Head into Wellington about 10.30 and check out where the ferry departs from for tomorrows crossing. John drops us off near the Te Papa museum and we walk around the city Lambton Quay, The Beehive, Parliament, the new St Paul's Cathedral and then the Old Cathedral. Head off towards Mount Victoria and buy some video tapes and a cleaning tape, pick up some lunch and climb up the hill. From the top of Mount Victoria we can see the city but it is overcast and a bit windy! Head back down and go into the Te Papa Museum for 3 hours. Walk to where John picks us up and then drive back to the accommodation in Lower Hutt. Pick up some food to cook. Liz and I have a bottle of wine between us.

Wednesday 7th September
Awake at 7 to an overcast day and pack but don't manage to leave the accommodation until 8.10 for a 15 minute journey and then get held up in traffic so instead of arriving at 8.15 we get there at 8.30. They don't let us on the ferry leaving at 8.45 and initially say we have to pay again! I get in a private paddy and leave Eliz to communicate, ending up with a 18 dollar admin fee and a sail on the 2pm ferry. I get the car back out of the pound and we drive up to Titahi bay then do some shopping for a rain coat for John eventually getting one!. Get an early lunch in which I get a small Chinese set meal and pile up the plate! Book accommodation in Picton by phone. Back to Wellington and need some fuel but can’t get the self service to work with my credit card. Another driver uses her card for me and I give her the money then back to the ferry buy 1pm (we are not going to be late again). This time the ferry is late and we leave at 3pm. Arrive Picton at 7 and pick up another hire car then 200 yards up the road is the Villa Hostal. We have 6 bed room to ourselves and are given apple crumble and ice cream! John cooks us some supper, spaghetti with cheese and bacon. Due to the weather forecast we decide to stay another night and do a day walk along the Queen Charlotte Track (part of Marlborough Sound) Perhaps missing the earlier ferry was not so bad as the next day turns out to be a treat!

Thursday 8th September
Up at 7 for the free breakfast and then get organised for the day walk. Walk down to the jetty and board a fast motor taxi that takes us via several small hamlets to Ship Cove where we disembark. There is a monument to Captain James Cook who visited this place 5 times. We initially walk to some water falls (Darby falls) then back to Ship Cove before starting the Queen Charlotte Track walk at 10.45 climbing over a ridge to Resolution Bay then onto Tawa Cove. We walk a total of 15km to Furneaux Lodge arriving at 2.45. Just time for a pint and then the water taxi picks us up at 3pm returning to Picton about 4.15. Go shopping for booz and meat, after some Ozzies suggest sharing a joint of lamb! Back to the hostal to cook and drink some beer and wine- really cool!

Friday 9th September
Slowly come to with John lying in until 8.30. Ozzies are going the same way but leave an hour before us. We have some breakfast and depart at 9.45 getting some petrol across the road. Drive via the Queen Charlotte scenic drive route to Havelock then south to Renwick then west. Stop at Lyell an old mining town for an hour, lunch and have a walk to the cemetery and along the 'dray' road. Bypass Westport on route 69 and 7 to Greymouth then south through Hokitika where we get some food and decide to continue (changing drivers) onto Franz Josef for the night. The fuel is getting low and there are no open filling stations so Phil takes care to drive frugally managing to reach Franz Josef on an almost empty tank at 6.45pm. We stop at the YHA which is very plush with Liz and I having an en suite room but John is relegated to the dormitory! He’s happy not to be sharing a room with parents and we use this as the norm from then on. As its late we go out for supper to the 'Alice May' a very lively pub/restaurant and the meals are very large but just manage to finish them! John is told no one manages to finish the spare ribs plate he has just demolished!

Saturday 10th September
Use today to catch up and relax as the hostal is very plush. Book glacier walk and climbing for tomorrow. Found a lovely internet café set in an old bus, but can’t download the pda ( but do find patch for battery charging problem). Stay in for evening meal which John cooks.

Sunday 11th September
Up at 7 for an 8.10 start at the glacier trek company. John heads off slightly earlier for the ice climbing. Liz and I get kitted out with special boots and crampons. We travel by bus to the nearest car park and then have a further 3km to walk to the glacier. The view is stupendous with ice towers and cliffs stretching away.

We climb about 1/2 way up the tongue then get to a crevasse that is too big to cross. We follow the guide who has to cut a path and we do get stuck for a time. Lunch is eaten on the edge of the ice sheet and then we have to climb back down. It has been a tiring day! See John just as he is finishing the ice climbing. After we get back to the hostal Liz and I have a sauna then we go out for a meal to Alice May.

Monday 12th September
We leave Franz Josef about 10.15 in sunshine and drive to Fox Glacier where Liz & I walk round Lake Matheson with Mount Cook reflected in the lake (see below!) then we drive up to the glacier. Drive onto Hasst town for some lunch where John takes over the driving to Queenstown arriving about 4pm. We look for a hostal checking out several before plumping for the YHA which we book for three nights and we have a twin room. Elizabeth goes out shopping and we eat in. Watch a couple of films then I phone Mum about midnight to catch up on events.

Tuesday 13th September
Up quite late to another beautiful sunny day and have breakfast about 9.30 then spend some time investigating what activities to do. Get chatting to a Canadian called Derek and we all go out site seeing. Drive up towards ski area for a view of the area then to the AJ Hacket Bungy Bridge to watch several people doing the ‘bungy jump’. Travel onto Arrowtown an old gold mining town where we wander around shopping for presents and have lunch. Drive to the Shottover River and watch the jet boats going up and down the river. Back to the hostal for 5. Dangerously we let John go off to ‘shop’ and he returns with tales of lovely skis to buy amongst other things. The snow supply (white stuff as well as our bank balance) is really low, yet the skiing is still a probability tomorrow. The day is rounded off by finding a good Indian for supper and an invitation to watch Pool competition after down loading this in a 1st class internet facility.

Wednesday 14th September
John samples the depleting snow fields while we head into town with Derek to search for local walk maps. With just enough time before D's flight theres 4 hours to climb Ben Lomen, all of 936 m, for some fantastic views of montains vallies and lakes.
Both treated ourselves to much needed haircuts before sharing a supper with John.

Thursday 15th September
Said goodbye to John at 10 am to drive to Te Anau inorder to organise a trip from Milford
Sound. Lovely hostel and town which makes us plan 2 nights away- will John mind?! Eliz finds a new top to buy - feels so good to do even though keeping to the blue theme!
Local cinema purpose built to show film of Fjord is recommended, but at 10 dollars each for 32 mins Phil is very sceptical. Owner invites us to sample and pay if we think its worth it (how embarassing!). Its well worth it!

Friday 16th September
Off to Milford Sound today. Milford Road has lot of history of its construction and the avalanche and bad weather dangers are very obvious, the mountains go up almost vertically.Stop off at 'chasm' waterfalls on the way. At Milford its wet but plenty more to come as the boat sails to the Tasman sea. Boat commentary by the pilot gave details of the journey pointing out Bowen and Stirling Falls; another fall (Fairey) 163m long and only made by today's down pour we get close up to. Dale point is the place for turning back its really cats and dogs now. At Harrison cove is the newish under water observatory - execellent, able to see / photograph undisturbed fish and coral that beyond the fjord would have to be very deep (the light filters, made by the fresh water,on top of the seawater mean deep life are only 6m down). Rain turned to sleet on the higher ground on the road back, but by the end we got to bright sunshine.The only disappointment of the day was having to take our booked buffet lunch at 11.15 am.

Saturday 17th September
We oversleep and Liz wakes me at 7.30. We finally leave the hostal at 8.15 and drive to Queenstown arriving just after 10 to pick up John.
The plan is to find an overnight stop before Christchurch. We drive via lake Tekapo stopping at Geraldine for a meal break but not able to find hostal that is open. So on to Christchurch by 6.30. Two hostals at full and finally check in to YHA. Today is national election voting day and the day ends listening to incoming results.

Sunday 18th September
We don't get up until 9 and then have to wait until 10 to see any news of the election, Labour look like forming a coalition government.
Weather holds promise of rain/snow (John's rain/snow dance?); its better to see out the last 4 days of NZ here. Liz goes out while John & I watch a film. John & I go for a walk and pick up a burger then catch the tram using some tickets supplied by the YHA - very interesting! We all get to visit Botanic gardens - interesting to see in the hothouses the plants we have seen on our travels. Eliz watched a fun street entertainer -walking/jumping on broken glass and other 'arty' delights (better than Burger King). Snow storm is forecast and that signals a substantial food shop.

Monday 19th September
Wake to snow falling heavily, and whilst taking the tram find that its brought half of the town to standstill. Driving to port of Lyttleton there little or no snow but strong cold winds. Using a scenic return route some roads are closed. Its hard to plan for tommorrow - weather predicts more snow which whilst eventually providing more ski potential could make the 1-2 hourdrive hazardous!

Tuesday 20th September
John gives ski time a miss. Its bitterly cold the precipitation generally changing to rain. A scan at the All Black merchandise finds shirts cheaper on internet or even at home for the latest gear as demanded of true followers, so no purchases. Before a farewell John meal (Japanese venue) we fit in a Cinema slot to see 'Charlie and Chocolate Factory'. It doesn't take long to sort out the packing for John to take home, and then over bottles of beer we settle back in the YHA with about 10 others to watch 'Matrix'.

Wednesday 21st September
Alarms set for 7am, we drive John to the airport for his flight home via Auckland and Kuala Lumpa. Hope he makes the connection as his flight to Auckland was switched to 1 hour later.
We readjust over the next few hours to couple mode, and are helped by a jolly few hours on a city coach tour and a guided visit of the Cathedral. The later was a personable insight into the early pioneer settlers to Canterbury area - the guide actually met one of them!
The weather gets better and better and makes for great drive around Banks peninsula; 2 days before the scenic roads had been impassable, today it was an impromptu playground for snowboarders, and wonderful sun enhanced vistas.
After supper our thoughts dwell on plans for Australia and we work out a skeleton timetable for the North East coast.

Thursday 22nd September
Today's the day we leave New Zealand and after packing we spend some time checking Australian bus fares and timetables on the internet. Drive out to the airport and drop off the hire car, then check in for our flight to Brisbane. The plane takes off on time and we make good progress across to Oz arriving 1/2 hour early only then to get held up at passport control and immigration. We bed back to bus routines of old and purchase Greyhound 2000 km passes and shuttle ride into the city and the YHA before exiting the airport. Hostel facilities feel a bit basic - a stroll into the bars area in the centre is preferable! Telephone Lynn and receive a lovely invitation to a bbq tomorrow!

Friday 23rd September
Bit more fired up after sleep and hostel breakfast in the sunshine in the hostel to walk to the South Bank Parklands with its Nepalese pagoda and man made beach pools then to the City Botanic Gardens for a mid morning drink. Pick up a toastie for lunch and catch the City Tours bus, which includes a commentary. Drop off at Brisbane Cathedral for the 2pm tour, which coincides with a funeral! Catch the bus again at 2.45 to complete the city tour then head back to the hostel.
Lynn and daughter Chloe picked us at 4.30 and drove to Induroopully - suberb 7 km out -via Mt Coot-tha lookout. Along with husband Rob its a lovely chill at home time before we were dropped back in the city for another night at the YHA.

Saturday 24th September

Off to a bad start with Greyhound - bus pick up 40 mins late! We get to Noosa 1 hour late and the YHA is only 100 yards away from the bus stop. Its an old (well about 100 years) wooden building but very comfortable - pity we are not staying longer. The Noosa National Park is just behind the hostel so we pick up a big bread roll and head off through the park to Alexandria bay for some skinny dipping (glad nobody knows us here!) and sun bathing. Back to the hostel for a welcome evening drink and chat then have dinner on the patio with live music - this is the life! With lots of hostel help booking activities for the next few days we go to bed happy.

Sunday 25th September

Still waking up N Zealand time, but its great to hear bird sounds - the hostel is set in 2 acres of trees. At breakfast green/red/yellow parakeets compete for the jam containers. Easy close up filming of their tongue action! Going to Laguna bay we can learn from the students the art of surfing - the surf is gentle. Back to the hostel to collect our bags then await greyhound bus. We travel up to Hervey Bay stopping for a lunch break on the way. We are collected by the YHA van luckily as its a 5mile walk otherwise! This YHA is more like a motel but does reasonable meals so we have dinner there. I phone Greg from a callbox but it does not work properly - now I know why so many call boxes are damaged! Check for emails then listen to the frogs in the pond before heading off to bed - the walls are paper-thin.

Monday 26th September

Wake up early to the dawn chorus then get some breakfast before the bus arrives at 8am to take us to the Fraser Island ferry. The crossing is very smooth and we land about 10 where a large bus (made from a MAN truck chassis) takes us through the forest (the whole island is made of sand). The 'roads' are just sand tracks and several vehicles get stuck even with 4-wheel drive. The driver 'Steve' gives us a running commentary about the hazards found on the island - deadly snakes, spiders, dingos and sharks and stinging weed in the sea! Reach the Eurong Beach Resort for lunch then head north along the beach to a stopping point for a dune walk to Lake Wabby. Luckily the fish were friendly and feeding off you was a pleasant experience as they only eat the dead flesh! We spend 2 hours swimming but get very few nibbles. Back to the bus for a return to Eurong Beach Resort for a buffet evening meal and a night of en-suite luxury.

Tuesday 27th September

Elizabeth's birthday! We have to be up at 6.15 in time for a breakfast then the truck is waiting for us for a 7.30 start. We head up the beach very fast and make the rocky outcrop of Indian Head by 8.30 glimpsing several whales on the way. Climb the hill and see a shark, turtle, stingray, a shoal of fish being eaten by the shark and then more whales. Head back down the beach seeing a pair of Sea Eagles and then have a flight over the island in a 7 seater aircraft - too short!; manage to spot mum with baby whale, see sand blows and forests snaked with little tracks, lakes etc- this island is very unique, the way the sand filters all the rain to make for some really clear creeks and lakes. Post lunch we are taken to lake Mackenzie where the sand is 98% silica and so really white. As suggested we use it as a body rub and hair conditioner and feel like queens of Sheba! Unfortunately one newly wed lost his wedding ring as the skin is made so silky. Exit comes all too quickly, but at least we make it back to phone Jen from the YHA, before shes out to uni; we exchange happy birthdays. We tuck into a jug of beer as a celebration and await the transfer bus to the bus station. We almost miss the coach, as the YHA don't leave enough time to get us to the bus stop. Now for and 11 hour overnight journey to Airle Beach. The coach is not very comfortable with only slightly reclining seats.

Wednesday 28th September

Awake just before 6am for a breakfast stop then reach Airlie Beach on time at 9.20. By some small miracle the sleep actually took part in phases! We head for the boat operator who we have booked with, ask for a cup of tea before sorting out the final arrangements. The YHA is across the way and recommended for quieter than average 'put up' in this back packer oasis of revellers so most of our gear gets stored here. Surprisingly with it we fill time before the 1.30 departure with a takeaway breakfast by the beach and a walk around town. The yacht can't get into the harbour at low tide, as it needs a 4m clearance so we are ferried out to it in a tender. The Eureka II is a Sydney 60 racing yacht and there is a mixed group of 13 people on the trip, Mexican, Columbian, Irish, Scottish, German plus 4 crew - Glen the skipper and Willow, Alex & Rubin crew. We set sail about 2 and head out under power until the wind picks up then the huge sails are raised. We sail to Hook Passage between Hood and Whitsunday Island and moor between the islands for the night. Go for a swim wearing 'glamorous' 'stinger suits' - protection against the killer stings from box jellyfish (someone is still in hospital a week after being stung!). The swimming has made us hungry so brake out the wine and demolish all our supper, then chat for a few hours and do some star and Milky Way watching before heading to our cabin by 10pm! There is limited water so showers are a matter of wet - soap - rinse with about 1lt of water (hardly worth the bother!) Go to sleep to the sound of water lapping around the boat

Thursday 29th September

Depart Hook Passage before we get up but under power as there is still no wind. Good breakfast then reach Tonge Bay on Whitsunday Island where we bump into Alison & Philip (from the Peru jungle trip!) and walk to White Haven Beach chatting about what we have been doing for the last 2 months. Spend an hour or so on the beach -absolutely beautiful -then walk back to the pickup point. We then sail over to Border Island for lunch and snorkelling. Swim with a shark, turtle, lots of fish and types of coral. Head back through Hook Passage. We drop anchor in Nar inlet on Hook Island and see some aboriginal cave painting then after supper we watch the flashing specks of light from the plankton and listen to the fish swirling about and jumping under the starlight - need to pinch ourselves - its all real

Friday 30th September
The water is still as mill pond at 8am breakfast. We drop anchor in a bay on the west coast of Hook Island and go in for a snorkel but the water is cloudy and there are jellyfish - lucky we are wearing our 'stinger suits'. I see one small saucer shaped one and several ones that looked like two rings joined together, the edges looked like moving rainbows - I didn't touch them! The cruise is all too soon over as we head back into Airle Beach harbour around midday. Arrange to meet up with the other people from the cruise in the evening.
Check into the YHA hostal then get a bite to eat. We have a good long shower and read for several hours then head off to meet the people from the sailing trip in a bar. Spend the evening drinking and chatting - this Ozie beer must be very weak! Say goodbye to and get back to the accommodation just before midnight.

Saturday 1st October

Spend most of the day reading and lazing around. After lunch we walk to the lagoon to sunbathe. Cheep day as we eat in as well and so laid back that we get to the internet cafe too late.

Sunday 2nd October

Moving on day again so we repack our bags and leave then in the garage at the YHA. Catch the bus towards Shute Harbour and get off next to the Conway National Park entrance. Walk up to mount Rooper for a view over the Whitsunday islands and see Brush Turkeys, Orange footed Scrubfowl and a thin green snake about 2ft long (could be a Whitsunday Whip Snake). Have lunch at Swamp Bay (looks better than it sounds) then walk back to the bus stop - about 5 miles in all – the temperature is rising. Arrive back in Airle beach about 3 for a well deserved ice cream. Cook tea then get our bags out of the luggage store (it shuts at 7pm) before heading off to the internet café for a coffee and to catch up on emails and fill in time before the coach. Bus departs at 8.30 for the overnight journey to Cairns.

Monday 3rd October
We don't sleep on the overnight trip; maybe it was the coffee or could be the many stops! Arrive about 6.30 in Cairns and walk around then get some breakfast near the harbour. Cairns feels very warm as the morning passes and we not that fit to wander much with back packs so before too long we plump for a taxi to the airport for our 2pm flight to Melbourne. Another good Qantas flight arriving on time and Greg meets us. We drive to Eltham where Joy has prepared a lovely welcome meal and Paul joins us. Luxury sleep in comfy bed!

Tuesday 4th October
In the morning I phone Gordon Parsons my old boss at Rolls Royce (going back 24 years!) and organise to meet up at 1pm. We decide to go for a cycle along the Yara River then go into a travel agent to get some details for Ayres Rock. Back to the house and spend a couple of hours chatting to Gordon - agree to meet up on Thursday then Liz & I rush to meet Joy from work at Eltham High School. Joy takes us for a walk around the park areas then we go for a drive around Kangaroo Ground etc. After tea Greg and Joy graciously look through a selection of our cd photos before bed.

Wednesday 5th October
Spend most of the day working out our itinerary for Ayers Rock visit. Book a flight to Alice Springs, accommodation and two excursions online. By way of reaction the computer then blows a fuse (I think!) and there are no fuses in plugs over here - must be the internal fuse! I do a bit of work on the front windows to appease conscience!

Thursday 6th October
Gordon and Janet treat us to a day of wonderful lunch & supper, chatter and drive to the Dandenong mountains. Despite the chill we stroll along forest walks to see tree ferns, a Super Lyre bird and spend time amongst a feast of Cockatoos, Rosellas, and Galahs.

Friday 7th October
View the video tapes all morning in preparation for tonight's social. Make a 2 hour trip to travel to Greensborough to do some shopping. BBQ in evening as reunion of Peru travellers. We all reveled in sharing photos and phil's video was a real hit - reliving the Inca trek.

Saturday 8th October
Drive out to Marysville to view the Steavensons falls but its raining so head to the village for lunch then visit the Sugarloaf reservoir to see some kangaroos. Still raining heavily when we get back. Lovely Indian meal in evening in Eltham.

Sunday 9th October
Early start to join a bush walk at Warrandyte to Blue Tongue Bend. Weather behaved well and made for a lovely jaunt; introduced to varieties of orchids, just missed seeing a wallaby, but saw evidence of echidnas and wombats. Bird sounds and sightings were fabulous. The day rounded off with a 20yr anniversary celebration held by the Diamond Valley Bush Walking Club - lots of nibbles, cake and drinks to accompany the conversations. Get an invitation for a meal at Peter & Cath's.

Monday 10th October
Take the train into Melbourne for the first time and walk around Fitzroy Gardens and take a look at 'Cooks Cottage' which is actually his parents’ house. Wander through the NGV and over Princess Bridge to the Botanical Gardens. We have a snack and drink then go to the huge Shrine of Remembrance. Catch the Tram to St Kildas, walk along the beach and just have time to get a fish & chip snack before heading back by tram and train. As we are now running late we arrange to be picked up near where Paul lives. Guided tour of Paul's home and meet the 'Grand Bunnies' as Joy calls the rabbits.

Paul guides us through a Korean menu and we partake of a varied and spicy meal with chop sticks and the now familiar BYO bottle of wine.

Tuesday 11th October
Bit jaded this morning - not used to the packed social agenda and? fighting a bug. After a few home tasks we make the train to Melbourne once more, catch a quick glimpse of the impressive State Library before meeting Paul, our expert on Asian food, for lunch. Time seemed short after this especially following an hour in an internet, but we managed to buy sandals and hat and walk by the old GPO and view the old 'Shot Tower' in Melbourne Central Station.
Back home we got ready for supper with friends of Snows - Cliff and Ricky.

Wednesday 12th October

Greg took the day off to take the rellies out on the Ocean Road. Stopped off at Cathedral rocks, Torquay (Norfolk trees), Apollo Bay and finally several sites to view the 12 Apostles (lime and sand stone formations) - I prefer the alterative name of 'Sow and Piglets'. Final outward point, before heading home on the inland route, was Loch Ard Gorge - so named after the shipwreck of that name in 1878 when 2 survived and got ashore to the cave. Head inland for the homeward journey with Phil driving until we reach Geelong where we stop for something to eat and for fuel. Back through Melbourne to Eltham reaching it at 9.30. Well earned sleep!

Thursday 13th October

The day starts off ok with some washing and boot cleaning then we take to the bikes for a journey down the Yara river trail towards Melbourne. Get a bit lost in a Park then get a puncture! Have to push the bike for several miles to the nearest railway station at Rosanna then catch the train back to Eltham. Liz goes off shopping and I push the bike home. I head back towards the shopping area but can't find Liz and then use Joy's car to search for her. Liz had got a bit lost loaded down with shopping and pushing her bike! Well earned rest and a cup of tea required for two grumpy tired people! After tea we pack our bags for the weekend away and load them into Gregs car. Friday 14th October Trip into Melbourne by train to visit the Museum of Moving Image in Federation Square called 'White Noise', the National Gallery of Victoria and the Ian Potter gallery, take the tram to Queen Vic Market then take the train to Dandenong (south east of centre) to meet Greg from work. Then commences our 1st experience of a bush walk expedition; drive down to Wilson's Promontory and camp for the night. We see kangaroos and a wombat on the way. Set up camp in the dark at Tidal River using car lights - not bad considering we are novices!

Saturday 15th October

Need to pay park entrance fees then after packing away the tents we drive to Telegraph Saddle car park. Loaded down with all the necessary gear and food we walk over Windy Saddle to Refuge Cove via Sealers Cove, this is a 300 metre decent and a long boardwalk. Catch sight of a 3ft Tiger Snake and Echidna. We have to wade across the river at Sealers Cove to walk to Refuge Cove where we camp overnight. 16.6k for the day with all our gear so we are a bit tired. Greg cooks us our evening meal of noodles and tuna with custard and flapjack for afters he even brought a small quantity of wine! Quite a few people at the camp site but all is quiet by 9pm - they must also be tired.

Sunday 16th October
We decide not to go for an early pre-high tide crossing at Sealers cove and instead walk without packs up to Kersops Peak and back and see the southerly lighthouse - 5.2k round trip. Pack up the camping gear and start our walk back to Sealers Cove where we have lunch then wade across the tidal river and head back to Telegraph Saddle car park reaching it at 3.45; its a long drag for much of the way and we all feel the effort. Eliz developed some lovely toe blisters to show for it! Total distance of 21.8k for the day and 38k in total. Drive to Tidal River camp site for a shower then head off to Phillip Island to stay overnight in Woollamai - seaside home of friends Elaine and Graham. Before we leave the National Park we manage to see an Emu. Just missed the Motor Cycle Grand Prix (deliberately!) so all traffic is coming towards us.

Monday 17th October
Look around Phillip Island, first calling at a nearby surfing beach, then drive to see the Penguin nesting areas at Nobbies, on to a Koala reserve. We don't see any Koalas but do see a Swamp Wallaby. Head to the north of the island to Cowes (lots of places are named after the Isle of Wight). Greg drives us back to Eltham for a rest and evening meal Joy has prepared. Tuesday 18th October
Time to do some washing and sort out the camping gear then take a trip into Eltham for various items. Can't get what we want so I take the train to Greensborough and eventually get a dvd of the Black Adder series as a pressy. Out in the evening to Peter and Kath's for a lovely meal. Peter's son was also staying he is an Astro Physicist!

Wednesday 19th October Peter picks us up at 8.30 and drives us to Kinglake National Park for an organised walk led by Ching, lots of people 24 in all! Gentle walk to the top of Sugarloaf Hill for lunch then see an Echidna and this time get some pictures of its face. Back to Jo & Peter's for 'cream tea' - not had one of those for a few years! Peter drops us back at Greg & Joy's and we pack, just get all the items in the pack! Out to an Italian restaurant for a meal to say our goodbyes in style. Phone Mum for a chat also Jen but she is out. John we understand is in London this week- lucky guy as we later learn he got to see Jack Dee chairing 'Have I Got News 4 U Thursday 20th October Up by 6 this morning already packed and say goodbye to Greg as he heads off to work. We phone Jen but she is out then try to contact John but can't reach him either so text him. Joy drives us to the airport at 7 and after goodbyes we check in for the 8.35 Qantas flight to Alice Springs. A welcome breakfast is served and the film is Charlie and Chocolate Factory! Good views out of the window at the semi barren landscape. Land at 11.00 local time (1/2 hour difference to Melbourne) and await the free bus to Annies Place hostel. As we are taken to the hostel we see the Ghan train leaving Alice heading south. After checking into the hostel we walk into the town visiting the original 'outback' (Flynn) hospital and the river Todd with water running! - usually very dry but there has been storm rains up to 4 days ago and locals are celebrating the fill with playing with dogs/wading in the water. At 5pm we join a large group from the hostel doing a tour of Alice. Got a real sense of the social development of the outback from a humorous Aussie. See a grave yard - site of aboriginal painter Damatijariti, flying doctor service, the telegraph station, Alice's 'Spring' and up to Anzac hill to watch the sun set and drink a 'tinnie'. Back to the hostel for 7.15 and dinner.

Friday 21st October
Getting into the swing of hostel life once more-finding the ropes for making brekkie at 7am so to be ready for the off on a West MacDonnell range tour. Lovely tour guide who took us out west along the Damatjira Drive. Visit Simpsons Gap and see a Rock Wallaby. On to Albert Damatijira painter location where he painted the picture 'ghost gums', then onto Standley Chasm see long nose dragon lizard and have snacks, Heavitree range lookout, Hargrave lookout , Ochre Pits, Ormiston Gorge for lunch, Glen Helen for a swim, mount Sonder lookout then returning along the highway and Ellery Creek Big Hole for another swim and see a Dingo . The recent rainstorms have apparently made for a different landscape, if anything enhancing the 'red centre' scenery. Phil skinny dipped- (in his underwear once) twice so the video will have a bit of interest! Back to the hostel at 6.45 - must update the blogsite before we head off camping tomorrow but can't link the pda again! Another supper in the hostel good price $5 each! Watch NZ play Ozies at rugby league on TV (ozies won just!)

Saturday 22nd October

Up at 5.45 for an early breakfast then load up the mini bus; there are 22 of us and Dale is our driver/tour guide. We head off down the Stuart Highway at 6.45. Stop at Stuart's Well Camel Safaris for a tandem camel ride - very bumpy! Off again at 8.15 down the Stuart Highway then west along the Lasseter Highway stopping at Mount Ebeneza roadhouse for fuel and see some wild camels in the bush. Arrive Kings Canyon about 12.30 and walk the rim - spectacular! stop at 'Garden of Eden oasis' for a swim and climb the rocks to look out over the head of the canyon. Walk round the second half and see the 'lost city' dome shape hills. Drink loads of water in the heat. Depart the car park at 5 heading back along the Ernest Giles highway. It's now getting dark and we see a Wedge Tailed Eagle, a lone Kangaroo and wild horse. Reach Curton Springs about 7.30 after a stop to view the lightning over Mount Connor. Set up camp and light a fire, have supper about 10pm. Dale showed us the techniques of going to the toilet in the bush! Unroll the swag bags and settle down for sleep about 11pm. Loads of stars and lightning flashes send us off to sleep.

Sunday 23rd October
Don't sleep particularly well as its too hot in the sleeping and swag bags so most of the night I sleep on top of both, luckily it doesn't rain and no Scorpions bite me. Dale wakes us at 5.45 as its getting light. Lots of tired people trying to co-ordinate and have breakfast. Finally packed and away by 7. Head to the Olgas passing Ayres Rock on the way. Do a 7.5k walk through the Olgas finishing about 11.30 - very hot and need plenty of water. Lunch in the picnic site. Drive to Ayres Rock visitor’s center for a look round then do a walk along the bottom of the rock. Off to the viewpoint for sunset and our evening meal. Then off to our campsite with another group (lots of games including mooning, jokes etc) off to bed about 11.15 - will be up at 4.30 tomorrow!

Monday 24th October
We are awoken at 4.45 and have to quickly pack away the sleeping bags and swags. Drive to the National Park and see the sun rise on Ayres Rock. Breakfast at the view point then go to the main car park. Elizabeth and I decide to climb the rock but I only get about 1/2 way up as the wind is too strong and it begins to spook me. Elizabeth gets some great pictures from the top. I walk the base then we leave the National Park and are dropped off at the Ayres Rock Resort while the rest of the group heads back to Alice. Well earned wash and change (and a shave for me!). Lunch is a kangaroo wrap then board a transfer bus to Ayres Rock Airport for our 2.45 flight to Perth on a Qantas Link flight. Another old aircraft a Boeing 717-200 reg VH_NXF I wonder how old this one is! On the wrong side of the aircraft to see Ayres Rock see some salt lakes and plenty of the arid central areas. Land 4.45 local time, its raining, now need to find a place to sleep tonight and then get the local transfer bus into town. We book into Central Backpacks then head off to get some food. It takes ages to cook the Pizza but it tastes good to two tired people.

Tuesday 25th October

What a day! We find out that we need to get a visa for India and head to the Indian Consulate where we are told that it takes 10 days to process a visa application. We are not going to be in any one place for that amount of time! We try to phone the Indian Consulate in Singapore to check how long the application takes there but can't get through or leave a voice message! Decision time do we cancel our stop in India? We decide to stay longer in South East Asia and get our tickets changed to suit. We also try to arrange a tour in Laos / Vietnam etc through STA travel but the tours appear to be booked up.... The agent will contact us tomorrow if he finds anything... All we do today is to take the free bus around Perth and visit the London Court (shopping area)

Wednesday 26th October
8.45am On the river ferry to Freemantle able to see most of sights before it rains. Catch the CAT free bus for tour of town. Even do a little souvenir shopping! Call into STA for info on several tours - over lunch we decide to book one to Laos and Hanoi. Witness the firing of the daily 1pm cannon at the Round House just before boarding the whale trip. Fantastic experience seeing male and female so close to the boat for 20 mins. Great photography! Back to Perth by train then we prepare to leave Oz - lots to do.

Over to the next continent!

Thursday 27th October
Catch shuttle bus to airport 8.30am and have straight forward flight to Singapore. Its hot and humid. Phil is a whiz getting the MRT sussed and we arrive at hostel not too frazzled, just all the road works making the walking difficult to negotiate at times. Hostel is on 4th- 7th floors of "Catholic Centre" with our room on 5th. Its central, near to Raffles and some cheaper food haunts! (smoked duck yummy) We enjoy the night lights and some really swish fountains especially 'Fountain of Wealth' in Suntec centre. Get caught in very heavy rain storm - make note to get an umbrella!

Friday 28th October
Lots to explore. Mostly in Chinatown - Heritage museum, open air theatre, stalls, Siri Mariamman temple and Jamae mosque - can't work out the Hindu ceremony but given a good guide to Muslim worship in the latter. Ate in a Chinese street bar for lunch and treated ourselves to coffee and cheesecake by the river in the evening.

Saturday 29th October
After lot of deliberation over when to arrange visas for Vietnam (will do it in B K) we decide to travel to Kuala Lumpa tomorrow so organise rail tickets. Visit the 'Battle Box' in Fort Canning- site of bunker 1938+ with simulation of Japanese capture in 1942, history of Singapore museum - lot about Raffles, Chinatown and WW11. Take lunch in a smart Thai restaurant by the river and give tongues a real ride in spice! Tried to capture Phil’s watering eyes but photo doesn't do justice! Get to talk to John on MSN messenger.

Sunday 30th October
With just our day packs we travel on 1.05pm train and buy some carry on food - good choice Phil - at the station. Border crossing is straight forward and the journey smooth; did not pack for the over efficient air con! Hard to see hotel amongst all the evening bazzar stalls. Minimalist service in hotel but serves our need. Don't feel much like more than quick scan of very busy bazzar before turning in.

Monday 31st October
Try and find our stomachs for meat and noodles for breakfast washed down with sweet carnation milk laced coffee! Hit the Petronas Towers as torrential rain falls and find Diagonals' suite on 63rd floor, clouded in mist. Phil gets back in touch with the strange world of work, meeting Adeline and emailing some colleagues. That's enough of that- back to the serious stuff of touring. Get local bus out to Batu caves - made into Hindu shrines traveling there by bus. Japanese tourists want my picture - may be because I say my name is David Beckam. Back to KL and find the Lake Gardens to walk through but humidity remains high. See a mock up of Stonehenge amongst other exhibits at the planetarium but just missed closing time so can't enter. Finished off our visit by finding a meal near the LRT station in time to take the 21.30 train back to Singapore.

Tuesday 1st November
Horrible night sleep for Eliz -poor recliners and cold aircon. Still the life of a backpacker must go on and decide to stay awake back in Singapore by a day at the zoo. Not bad- the highlight being the walk through the rain forest, where we come close up to fruit bats, tree kangaroos, sloth and lovely butterflies and birds. The wild show was entertaining and we got to see the sea lions in a different way! Managed to get a real host of insect bites to pay for the day. Crash out back at hostel by 4pm and then summon the energy to take a drink at Raffles Hotel and dinner in AIOW Japanese restaurant.

Wednesday 2nd November
Pack yet again and take the MRT to the airport for fight to Bangkok arriving 4pm and manage through the gauntlet touts to find a shuttle bus to town. Problem then of orienting ourselves from the drop off to where we hope to stay as most signs are only in Thai. Arrive on the right street sometime later after going round in a circle and the 3rd stop finds a vacancy.

Thursday 3rd November
Started the day leaving our passports with Vietnamese consulate - Phil had a near coronary re the fee of 2500 bhat. Catch a river cruise and stop off at the Wat Pho to see the enormous lying Buddha and then at Maharaj Pier to visit Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaco (temple of the Emerald Buddha). Feel a bit braver with the street food produce - probably because hunger gave the impetus then head home for rest - the heat and humidity is really draining. Then disaster struck with IT gremlins....... Crap day! I lost all the data on the pda memory card when I was trying to down load to the blogsite - the files became corrupted. All picture references, costs and recent log data - I am gutted. I had not backed up the data after I had restructured the files as I had problems with memory space (not mine this time!). I did not sleep well or much at all thinking how stupid I had been.

Friday 4th November
Phil feels low re yesterday's gremlins and is hard pushed to pick up. Helped a little by a trip to a railway station where we are able to arrange our travels for next 6 days. Feel like seasoned travelers when we come across 2 guys from Leeds on their 3rd day of a year ahead making travel plans! After a walk through a park to the Vietnam embassy the visas are ready and all ok - so we do get through the day with some celebration!

Saturday 5th November
Alarm goes off at 6.00 - not used to this now! Awaiting pickup at 6.30 but it doesn't arrive until 7.15 (normal Thai timekeeping). Minibus takes us to Kanchanaburi in 3 hours with 4 cockneys and two Thai women. Arrive at the WWll cemetery about 10.30 and spend some time looking around the 14,000 grave stones. On into the Jeath museum and a look at some of the few artifacts that still survive of Kwai bridge. Catch the train along the 'Death Railway' to Nam Toc station about an hour’s journey. The track is not in very good condition and I think its about to jump off the rails a few times. Onto a houseboat at Pakseng Pier for lunch and then by truck up to 'Hellfire Pass'. We only have an hour before the museum closes and so we have a look in the museum and then take a walk along the cutting. Its very moving and as its so late in the day we are by ourselves. Truck takes us to Sai Yok water fall and I go in for a bath and use it as an opportunity to wash my trousers! Back to the houseboat for supper and then take journey upstream in a speed boat to our accommodation which is a houseboat on the river. Thai massage for an hour for 200bht approx 2.80 pounds!- absolutely fabulous.

Sunday 6th November
Up at 7 for 7.15 departures upstream to sukuo elephant camp. We ride female elephant 70 years old down to the river for a wash. Back to sleep boat for breakfast then back up for jungle ride on Sak Keaw male 22 year old elephant. The driver thinks Phil will make a good driver too but won't want to swap places. Drift down stream to Nam Toc on a bamboo raft, sharing it with an Oz couple with their 11month old who had us awake for some the previous night! Lunch then minibus bus back to Bangkok reaching it at 6.15 just in time to buy rail tickets, pick up the flight tickets, buy some food and catch the 6.30 train to Ayutthaya in third class with no guaranteed seats - and Liz bought them! We get shifted about as people get on and off with defined seat numbers. The train pulls in on time with the 3rd class carriage unable to get as far in as the platform. We use a river taxi to get on to the island and arrive at a posh hotel by 8.30pm. Maybe posh but the ordered tea gets sent back in disgrace!

Monday 7th November
The fabulous air con and relative luxury makes us sleep in and then added treat they serve choice of cornflakes for brekkie as well as the traditional Thai food. Need to learn some of the region's history at the Ayutthaya Historical Centre followed by a mammoth sight see of umpteen Wats- Wat Phra Ram, Wihaan Phra Mongkhon Bophit, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, also Royal palace, Wat Thammikarat, Wat Ratburana, Wat Phra Mahathat - phew - we are Wat'ed out!. On the way home Eliz drops in to have a haircut and Phil later finds a barber - both really shorn for a fraction of costs at home!
Freshen up with a swim and tea at the hotel. Its al fresco Thai meal just off the street for supper and pop for 2 for less than one pound!. We have now the frame of mind to shop a little, such is the desperation of living with our limited wardrobe but its taken very slowly! Onto the internet and manage to link up with John & Jen through MSN, what with phone calls to them as well we don’t get to bed until 1am.

Tuesday 8th November
Alarm set for 8 and after a big breakfast we check out. Catch the ferry off the island and await the 9.50 train which arrives only 20 minutes late. Only just managed to squeeze our baggage onto the overhead racks. I nod off and Eliz is reading so we nearly miss getting off the train at Phitsanulok station. As we don't have a map for this city we get a tricycle to the YHA hostel - the driver is a bit hot by the time we get there. After checking in we walk to the local Buddha casting manufactures to look round then catch the local number 8 bus which takes us near to Wat Yai. We see a very beautiful statue of Buddha then walk back along the river seeing lots of joggers, masseurs, and loads of people doing open air aerobics as its getting dark. We decide to walk back to the hostel and stop in an internet café to try to book the YHA in Chaing Mai. (next day we cancel this as our friends - Rydes- have been able to book a room at their hotel).

Wednesday 9th November
Was dreading the day thinking of the sultry heat (33 c) and so many Wats to get in! But the day turned out differently -managed journey to Sukhothai Historical City smoothly with a taxi from the YHA after breakfast to the bus station and as we arrived there is the bus waiting to take us via Sukothai new town to the historical area. Arrive about 2 hours later around 11. We decide to hire some bikes - the coolest way to make a tour of the city. In no time we are Wat'ed out seeing amongst others Mahathat, Sar Sri, Trapang Nogen etc. In need of lunch by 1pm so stop and have rice and noodle dishes at the roadside. Off for part 2 outside the city 'dykes' visiting Wat Chang Lam with lots of elephant statues then cycle out north via Wat Phra Paitabag into the country side - great way of seeing the countryside. Drop our bikes back and pop back to the roadside 'cafe' for coffees hot and iced. Await the bus and catch the 4.30 bus back straight to Phitsanulok. Phil happy to catch a tuk tuk home.
After a cool dousing with showers we actually feel properly like something to eat and go all out to avoid a street meal. BBQ fish choice with Phil inadvertently ordering a 2nd fish and managing it well (the place had more 'dolly birds' serving than customers and they were so useless they could not even pour a drink).

Thursday 10th November

Now 'only' 1 month before we head back to dear old blighty! This is a traveling day and also we make it a relaxing day. We need to be out of the room by 11 so after packing we sit and read in the cool room. There are lots of mosquito about in the YHA grounds which is a ramshackle place with old 'junk' lying around everywhere but the staff are very friendly and most of the animal life is benign! Get the resident taxi to take us to the railway station to await the 13.50 train but it doesn't arrive until about 2.30. This time we have seats on the right hand side and so don't get the sun. First 1 and half hours we travel through paddy fields then we start to head up into more hilly terrain and the train slows struggling up the incline.
Met by John and Joy at Chiang Mai station - lovely to have such a welcome. So much to chat about over hotel (very plush Chiang Mai Garden hotel) supper.

Friday 11th November
Comfortable nights sleep in until breakfast at 8 am. Weather feels more comfortable for an explore of the town with Joy and John; we major on the markets (flowers, friut and veg, fish and many carnivore varieties). Eliz buys a skirt and some scarves, Phil makes tentative enquiries about flights from Hanoi for later. After a lunch stop where J&J continue to impress us with their Thai skills, and a bit of retail theropy, we are left to explore further on our own and what do we do?- no not more Wats but yes - the internet where the 'pda' download is possible, hooray!! Catch a tuk tuk back to the hotel and get ready for a party in the evening to celebrate Carol and Dves wedding anniversary and their daughters birthday. We have lovely hospitality, food, drink, and stimulating chats.
After we return we stay up with J&J drinking and chatting until about 1.30am.

Saturday 12th November
After breakfast we head out in the pickup truck taking it in turns to go inside the cab with John the driver. A few miles north to the ? National Park we see Tad Mok Falls, Saun Bua Maesa Orchid farm where we have lunch and the Mae Sa Waterfalls numbered 1-10, there not bad but not spectacular. Head back arriving just before 6pm before the mozzies get ambitious. Try to use the internet in the hotel but its dreadful. Off into town for supper and we see all the illuminations are ready for the full moon festival on 16th. Supper in a very good restaurant called Palm Beer Garden (very hot curry) and then a walk around the night market- Joy thinks a lesson in bargaining a good idea!

Sunday 13th November
Leisurely morning packing and chatting over breakfast with J&J then go into town to check on flights for Vietnam then to a foodhall near the airport for lunch. Get to the airport in plenty of time but find our 3.15pm flight has been cancelled - eventually we are booked onto the 5.50 flight.Eventually we say our goodbyes to J&J and go to the departure lounge. When we get to the old MD-82 aircraft we find our seats are already taken - luckily there are two other seats at the back! This old tin bucket manages to fly us safely to Bangkok then we spend about 30 minutes waiting to get off the plane! I'm not happy!! Catch the airport bus into Bangkok and ask the driver to drop us near to the Bangkok City Inn hotel. He gets confused and directs us the wrong way, several taxis and tuk tuk drivers try to get us in their vehicles but we manage on our own! Check in a bit later than we thought we would but meet up with some of the people from the tour we have booked including Beam our tour guide for Thailand. Go out for supper on the roadside of noodles and seafood. Get to bed after watching BBC world service news - catching up on world affairs.

Monday 14th November
We are up for breakfast at 8.15 and we are herded by Beam first into a boat to travel along a Bangkok 'canal' and then catch a local bus to the Palace. As we have already visited it we decide to do our own thing!-well so we think (we are now in 'tourist' mode rather than 'looking after ourselves' mode); from a series of events that we later reflect on we now believe we were enticed into a 'jewellry scam' albeit a good natured one (that had we not revoked the credit card sale we probably would have still purchased a ring at a reasonable price). Because the whole exercise involved tuk tuk rides and suggested visits we did get to see Wat Intharavihan and big standing Buddha Laung Pho To and the Teak Palace. We felt that uneasy with high pressure sell and begin to suspect the 'airline pilot' tuk tuk driver and a helpful local of a sophisticated con so that when we return to the gem store we test the gems and when passed up to the deputy and then the real manager we got a cancellation of credit card and the option to take it up when we return to Bangkok in 3 weeks. Probably the shop is genuine with just a few people getting a cut of the trade. Off to have a coffee then ask for directions back to the hotel. We can catch the canal boat back so walk to the wharf and as we climb aboard the waitress from the coffee shop arrived with our Lonely Planet guide we had left in the shop! Very pleased and thankful as the boat heads off along the canal. Back at the hotel by 4pm and get some food from the street sellers. Beam gets taxis for the transfer through the rush hour traffic to the Railway Station and we catch the 7.30pm night sleeper back to Chaing Mai....

Tuesday 15th November
Reasonable nights sleep with full length beds and are awoken about 7.30 for breakfast which is delivered to our own 'cubicle'. As seems normal the train is an hour late...getting in at 10.30 and transfer to the Chaing Mai Travel Lodge using one of the red minibuses. Nice room even has aircon and a tv! We decide not to go with the others to see the elephants and walk into town visiting the internet café we used a few days ago. Update the blogsite then catch a tuk tuk back to the hotel for 3pm expecting to meat the rest of the group. As they had been delayed we wander off to get some late lunch not bad for 40bht for two meals with water works out at 56 pence! Meet up with the rest of the party and we take a song taew (type of tiny bus) up a steep hill to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and then have to climb several 100 steps where we watch the sun set and look round. I and several phalangs (thats a polite name for westerners) were invited into one temple for a buddhist blessing, whilest this was going on a mobile phone started ringing - it was the monks! I got the impression that as his answer was short and curt it was 'don't call me at work!' We head back to town after dark. We arranged to meet Joy & John at the Palm Beer Garden for supper which meant another goodbye...

Wednesday 16th November
Up for 6 am departure to catch a 3 hour bus trip to Chiang Rai and then another bus taking 1 and half hours to Thai boarder town called Chiang Khong . We are handed over to a Lao tour leader, Si, who with his assistant make it feel as though he’s making a meal of a task simplfying the process of border visas. However it all works to the good so that, following a good lunch and a ferry crossing over the Mekong (border) to Laos border town of Houay Xai and our next guest house, we pick up passports with visas issued - cost 1500 baht (22pounds) each.
We have time to wander around the town before dark and visit a temple with an active buddha school (Jom Khao Manilat), cross a rickety bridge and find a place to drink lemon tea where we are able to exchange baht money. On our return we feel brave enough to investigate and negotiate a massage at a strange looking red cross house - a type of venue suggested by 'Gecko' literature as it supports a good cause. I think it is not as good as the Thai massage only half a job! Only 3 pound 30 pence for the two of us so maybe not so bad! Loy Krathong festival is going on over the river in Thailand with lanterns floating down the river and rising into the air. Some fireworks going off (well they sound like them!) Suffering the onset of a cold we retire to bed early after noodle soups.

Thursday 17th November
Up for 7 and have breakfast in the hostel then a song taew takes us about 1 mile to the landing stage. We must be 'booked out' of the local district as we are heading downstream. The Mekong is quite wide and very muddy with lots of rocks and small rapids. We see lots of other boats as we travel down the river with Lao on one side and Thailand on the other. The river now heads into Lao proper and we see a boat full of Chinese motor scooters heading downstream costing about $650 each, also a boat full of soldiers and boats with Teak logs. Ben and I decide to have some Lao beer so the 6 hour journey goes very easily! The rest of the group wait for the monty python jokes and 'other references'. We arrive at Pek Beng at 2pm but don't succeed with a meal till nearly 5pm - spring rolls and sticky rice were worth the 1 and half hour wait and very filling. The rooms are not ready as the cleaning lady is off having a baby but it must be a quick labour as the rooms are ready about a hour later - childbirth here must be quicker than cooking meals.
Si takes us on a stroll to the local temple - Wat Jom Ken where monks are busy chanting. He tells us about the monks' daily schedule - no food from a 2nd meal at 10.30am till 8am next day, and about their geographical restriction to the temple grounds. We think of John at this time and his graduation ceremony. As it gets dark we enjoy the candle lighting particularly from a restaurant - there has only been electricity for 2 years and only a few buildings have generators. The power is only on for a few hours in the evening. At bed time we have a huge mosquito net. The 'ensuite bathroom' does not have a useable tap but does come with the usual sluice hose with cold water.....

Friday 18th November
Awake about 7 and try to switch on the light but then realise there is no power - why have lights in the daytime! we decide to walk into town for breakfast as the service might be a bit quicker. Meet up with Ben and we frequent the same restaurant we used last night. We swap ideas about how we will die today hitting a rock or something during our journey downstream! All meet up a bit nervously at 9am on the shoreline and board the fast boats. These are six seater torpedos with 1600cc engines attached! We are in a boat with some luggage in the first two seats then Ben and Patty then us. Not sure what speed we are doing but it could be 50 to 60 mph....we have life jackets, ear plugs and crash helmets - is this good or bad news? After two hours of wave bounce and rock avoidance we reach a small village - phew! Ear drum and numb bum rest with a walk through the village escorted by hordes of children selling hand made wrist bands for 5000 kip each (about 30 pench) so we buy some. These people were originally a hill tribe- Ahomb, who have moved to the river side, one of the benefits is that they are near the health care facilities in Luang Prabang. Travel a bit further down the Mekong to a village that makes its own 'whisky' - it tastes more like Saki - well I suppose it would, being made of rice!. The rest of the village is a 'loom' theme park as every house has one and they all sell very similar products.... - I start to smell a rat but at least our hard currency is going to the village folk. Move onto the village of Tham Ting for lunch then cross the river to some limestone caves with Buddha images then another hslf hour boat ride to Luang Prabang where we unload some 'helpers' who snatch our bags to carry them up the bank then demand 10000kip get short shift from us! A song taew takes us to our next abode Souansavan Guest House. I have now lost faith in our tour guide as he requests $2 each from us so that he can provide sticky rice in the morning for us to give to the Monks - $2 should buy about 20kg - they must be very hungry Monks! (me with my sceptical head on again thinks we are being ripped of). Not bad rooms all with resident geckos of course but the shower again seems to be a problem as this one is a dribble of scalding water even if the control is switched to off! Can't find our travel sink plug - is this the first thing we have lost?! -no we eventually find it! We are very thirsty so head off into town to visit the night market and get some food. Find an Indian restaurant and the 7 of us pile in. Lots of beer and currys later we try to work out the bill using 3 different currencies (all of US$25 in total) then stumble out and wander around before we return to the accommodation at about 11.15.

Saturday 19th November
Alarm goes off at 5.40 groan! Patty dosn't make it - late night we think! We all walk up to the end of the road and are given pots of sticky rice (cooked by Si's wife) - the monks and novices pass by and we place a small quantity of rice in each of their bowls - I’m not sure I would want to eat food that had been handled by a dozen people. Eliz and I decide to head back to bed at this point and get up again about 8.30. We now find out they don't serve breakfast at this lodge - groan! - so we only have 20 mins to nip up the road to find somewhere that serves tea and bagguettes. Si our guide arrives about 9 (with his brother the taxi driver) and we climb into the taxi for a tour of the city (most people have lost any confidence in our tour guide). First we visit the Royal Palace Museum and then then to the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers - the Nam Khan river comes from Lao only. We visit Wat Xieng Thong and a Kings funeral chariot made of teak and on wheels with Si giving a long explanation of some of the tree of life mosaic then have lunch nearby as we are all very hungry. Head out to some waterfalls after picking up some bathers from the lodge. We reach the Kuang Si Falls after a 30k dirt track ride, the falls are quite dramatic as they cascade over limestone formats - we go into the pool at the bottom for a swim - Ben decides to jump in but forgets to take his money belt off - so very wet passport etc is the outcome! We return to Luang Prabang in the dark. We meet our new guide Unkham who is much more experienced and speaks much better english. Into the town for supper and more Beerlao then off to bed.

Sunday 20th November
As we are already packed we don't need to get up very early, after another baguette and tea breakfast we meet outside the rooms for 8.30 start but Jacqeueline does not arrive until 9.15! So late getaway. Unkham has forgotten his phone so we need to go back anyway! Off along the notorious highway 13 this has only just started to be used again after bandit attacks by hill tribe people a number of years ago. The tour we are on is only the second one not to use the domestic flight between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng for the last 5 years! We pass through Xieng Ngeun and Phu Khun rising up a steady gradiant at 11.30 we arrive at Kiokaccham to pick some snacks. We stop several times to take in the view and local hill tribe children apear as if from nowhere to look at us. Even Unkham can't understand them as they speak a different language from most Lao people. The road in places is very pot holed and uneven after frequent mud and rock falls. After passing through Kasi and many hill tribe villages the scenery becomes very dramatic with huge greenery covered limestone peaks stick up like teeth out of the earth. Stop for lunch at Ban Jiang then the terraine is flatter for the drive into Vang Vieng but how we only managed to 'wing' one chicken with all the hundreds of small children, water buffalo, goats, pigs, ducks, bicycles, mopeds, busses, trucks etc running / driving all over the road i'm not sure. Our driver also at times seemed to have a death wish.... Well we made it to Vang Vieng, which is quiet a large town but totally chaotic with the main street a cross between a 'wild west' set and 'apocolypse now'! The road is just rubble, a digger had just broken a water main and had also itself broken down, all the buildings appear to be either just built or in the process of being demolished. The Sisavang Guesthouse appears to be one of the 'new' buildings so lets hope they don't decide to drive a digger through it for fun.....
We walk down to the river with several people from our group and cross using a rickety bridge made of sticks and planks of wood then buy some drinks and sit and chat in a shady hut. We meet up with most of the others for a meal then I have a 1 hour foot massage.

Monday 21st November
Out for breakfast next door then we meet Unkham for a tuk tuk trip to the local limestone caves which were used by the people to hide from various 'invaders', french, americans, russians, chinese and that is only in the last 60 years! After lunch we get some truck tyre inner-tubes and float down the river for an hour - great fun trying to stand on it, but being carefull not to fall in and drink the water... Late in the afternoon we walk to the market for a look round. Not much on offer (some porcupine legs, a squirrel etc). Head back into town and grab some supper and a few Beerlao's. Notice a few army types with automatic weapons - umm!

Tuesday 22nd November
Up at 5.45 this morning as we have to catch the local bus to Vientiane. The bus station appears to be the biggest carpark i've even seen, but its an old US airstrip they used during the Vietnam war. A few more army types with guns about - head off on the bus along route 13. Its a good road and after a couple of hours we reach Phon Hong where we stop so people can get refreshments. Lots of locals with chicken or rats on sticks trying to sell their produce through the bus windows - umm - I think we will pass on that!
We arrive in the capital and get to the guesthouse by 11am. Phils pleased to have a double bed once more. We eat an early lunch and then walk to Wat Si Saket and Haw Pha Kaew - the latter first built in 1566, destroyed by Siam invaders and restored c/o french several centuries later. The history of Laos is full of invaders and 'friendly' overseers the Soviets being the last. The current socialist party flies the hammer and sickle flag throughout the capital. French influence is giving way to english signs, but the city's Patuxai is a 'Arch de Triumphe' look a like. A street seller sold some delicious lao coffee- looks like engine oil, tasting the best with condensed milk, sounds bad but isn't!
The evening meal was a group affair to say cheerio to the 1st of several members leaving the tour.

Wednesday 23rd November
We allowed ourselves a bit of a lie in today so up about 7.30 and a 'splurg' western style breakfast including reading some english language newspapers - I like the piece about Blair Force One being 'shot down' by Gordon B.... Decide to explore more of Vientiane and walk to Pha That Luang about 2 miles from where we are staying. Stop off at the Morning Market (actualy goes on all day) and buy a teeshirt and bag then try to change some Thai Bhat into US$ - silly mistake! Pha That Luang is a huge golden Stupa which we view from all angles before trying to walk passed the Parliament Building - another silly mistake as we get whistled at by a guard and told to go away with hand gestures... Retracing our steps passed the Patuxai and into the market again looking for food - none found so we end up at the street vendor we stopped at yesterday, for another fix of coffee. We sustain ourselves on some bananas and head off to the National History Museum (ex French Governors residence and ex Revolutionary Museum).Some good exibits but in the end being indoctrinated with all the socialist governments patriotic works and hero worship - bit cynical I know but when the only country named for winning WWII is the USSR I tend to switch off...... Back to the lodge for a rest after being turfed out of the museum 10 minutes before closing time (obviously the workers are not that patriotic).

Thursday 24th November
Lie in this morning and leisurely breakfast at the local 'western style' bakery called 'Joma' - must admit its good to start the day with chocolate croissant and coffee. Back to the lodge to finish packing and climb aboard a minibus that will take us to the border town of Lac Sao - we have opted for this rather than the local bus.... Stop at Pak Kading for lunch, Mekong river getting bigger as we follow it downstream. We now head away from the river and turn off highway 13 onto 8A heading east. A green pickup overtakes us then a couple of minutes later we reach a scene of carnage as its been involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle - no ambulances here and its a long way to any hospital... Nothing we can do. We continue up into the spikey limestone hills passing lots of small villages and children going to and from school. These people's are mostly armist so worship / appease the spirits, that they build little houses for, by offering food at the full moon - not sure what the spirits live on between times!? Cross a big Soviet built bridge and look at the aluminum canoos they have made out of US Airforce drop tanks...... Reach Lac Sao which was a Viet Cong stronghold and a no-go area - all seems calm at present.... Natives seem friendly (no AK47's visible) as we walk around the market but as its 5.30 its getting dark. For our evening meal we go to the 'Only Restaurant' (and it is virtually the only one in town).

Friday 25th November
Tea and bread rolls for brekkie then I nip over to the market to see if I can get a bag of coffee - found some - 15,000 kip for 1kg about 80p. No other takers from our group so don't get any. Our minibus is loaded and we wind our way up to the border - road is not bad in places. We reach the Lao passport control - see a chap running up a side street with a full size refrigerator strapped to his back - some smuggling me thinks! It takes about 1 hour to get through the border including the Vietnam checks to make sure we don't have 'bird flu' (cluk cluk.....) and are not 'oblivious' whatever that means! Wind our way down the mountain and see immediately the houses are different from Lao - no open ground floors. Loads of school children going to and from school by bicycle - as there are so many children they have two shifts morning and afternoon. Cassava roots cut and drying on road edge (some are crushed by wheels, not sure if this makes it more valuable) which makes Tapioca - drive along Ho Chi Min trail (now a two lane highway and no big bomb holes).
People use the road to sit on and our driver is on his horn constantly.
Vinh at approx 1pm and we are allowed several 'day' rooms in a hotel - we are all very hungry and eat in the hotel. Lesley, Alvin, Eliz and I wander around the town - lots of people smiling and shouting 'hello'. They are so friendly I nearly get dragged on board a local bus. Stop off at a local pub for a beer where some lunatic wants to talk to us (may be there a natural affinaty) then wander back to the hotel - we all have aching jaws as we've been smiling and laughing so much. Biggest humour from a newspaper sales cyclist playing, through a mega phone powered by a strapped on battery, a high pitched castrated chineese sound to sell his wares. Off to a restaurant for supper then walk to the railway station to board the north bound train. 3 tiered bunks and 6 to a compartment - we have the bottom two rows of bunks and locals the upper ones. Depart on time at 8.10 after being checked several times. Notice that there are big padlocks on the carriage doors - umm! About half an hour into the journey the train lurches heavily and then the brakes come on. Guards check the wheels are still on the track - turns out (so we are told) that the train hit a water buffalo.

Saturday 26th November
Not too bad a trip but awake by 4am as the train has reached Hanoi. We alight the train after a bit of a scramble to pack up sleeping bag etc. Traffic on exit from the station is chaotic even at that time in the morning, taxi ride to a hotel. All 8 of us find a space in one twin hotel room to sleep another hour or so which identified the snorers in the group (no guessing who one is)... Get up a second time today and have some breakfast then out for a tour of Hanoi. First stop is the infamous Hanoi Hilton where various people have been imprisoned/executed (the winners write the history books..) etc over the last 100 years, then on to Uncle Ho's mausoleum (its odd that he wanted to be cremated and yet he is now embalmed in a massive structure) and the simple home he used during the US war until his death. Briefly looked at the 'one pillar pagoda' Next on the list is the temple of literature - sort of university of confuscionism. Now in need of refreshment so stop off at a rooftop restaurant for lunch. We walk back to the hotel to check in and organise our room then Eliz and I head off to the Thang Puppet Theatre -a water puppet show which is very good. Just time to take in the Hoan Kiem Lake before weriness overtakes us and we have a half hour nap! Out to a local resturant for very good Vietnamise (last) supper and bed...

Sunday 27th November
Today as a group we take an additional post tour trip to Halong Bay with an execellent guide. Splash out on a large silk thread picture when we stop at a sheltered workshop at Bac Ninh. Journey of 4 hours including the stop to get to Halong Bay and the roads are as chaotic as normal including seeing a woman fall off the back of a motorcycle! The harbour area looks as chaotic as the roads; boat jockeying for position and barging each other out of the way. We have a boat to ourselves (just the 8 of us) and after we have surrendered our passports and they've been checked, we are allowed to leave port. Sail through wonderful limestone rocks, all shapes and sizes then have lunch whilst drifting on the sea. Reach an island that has a huge cave called Hang Sung Sot and take a tour through it with our guide - it is a very large cave! Off to another island called Ti Top to climb up many steps to a lookout point at the top to catch the sun set. Back to the boat and we move away from the islands to drop anchor for the night. Excellent evening meal even with the cockrocks... There are lots of boats mored around us with their lights on, even so we can see the limestone rocks as dark shadows. Only a few stars visible as there is still a light sea fog. We all play cards with some beers then off to bed about 11 as we think the generator will switch off and the lights will fail.

Monday 28th November
Daylight is a vague affair with the sea mist even more dense. Breakfast is at 8am and we then up anchor for a few minutes journey to a beach on one of the islands. Several of the group swim but we are put off by the cleanliness of the sea.....! Back to Halong Bay Harbour by 10.30 then a long minibus trip back to Hanoi with a stop at the sheltered workshop outlet again; we understand the workers are made up of civilian casualties of the 'american' war (agent orange has passed on genetic deformities). We are dropped off at the Hotel at just after 3 - Cuong has managed to obtain the train tickets for tonight - yipie. We say goodbye to Alvin, Lesley, David and Georgeja. Eliz and I head off to walk around the old town for a couple of hours. We must be mad or suicidal - bikes rule the right of way even on the pavements which if they don't have moving or stationary bikes on them they are overtaken by 'stalls' and street sellers everywhere- great!
By 6pm we are waiting with a new group of people (as well as Ben and Paty) for taxi to railway and get on board for a 7pm dep. We share a cabin with old vietnamese couple, but spend the rest of the night as interlopers of a Gecko tour drinking Vietnamese 'wine', beer in picnic fashion.

Tuesday 29th November
Potential for comfortable night but Phil has indigestion and Eliz woken early by the oblutions of our companions!
Coming south the weather is damp.
We are up as we cross the old 'demilitarised zone' and arrive in Hue about 8am. After a taxi ride to the L'indochine hotel - very luxurious with a bath and working plumbing! Over the road for breakfast and then a boat trip on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda then on upstream to where we swap the boat for motorcycles. Visit Tomb of Tu Duc and a hilltop giving a good view of the river (including some US pillboxes left over from the war). Back into town on the bikes for lunch in the same café per breakfast. Ride on the bikes out first to Tu Hieu pagoda, then into the country side seeing lots of children shouting 'hello' and slapping our hands as we pass them, then visit an old covered bridge with its own fortune teller who looks older than the bridge but speaks english - what luck (or is it good fortune).... Back into town by 5.30 to generously tip and say goodbye to the bikes' drivers at the hotel. This was a lovely 'pick me up' experience for 2 rather jaded travellers and another opportunity to talk to locals about their lives. We all go to what we would call a 'medieval banquet' in the evening and guess who gets to be the Emperor and this wife. We are all dressed up and Eliz and I are set up on a platform with a punkawhala each! Good evening with 10 courses!

Wednesday 30th November
We almost oversleep as we have to be ready by 8 to go on a visit to the Citadel. After waking at 7.30 we go for brekkie in the hotel. I'm not feeling that great with the runs and legs aching - not sure what it is but could be they were trying to bump off the emperor! We opt to walk over the Perfume River bridge to the Citadel - a huge palace come fort built about 150 years ago during the feudal times and variously destroyed by the French invasion and the USA / VC during the 1970's. Back to the hotel by 11 to get our bags and check out by 12. We have a bit of lunch then board a bus for Hoi An some 3 hours away. We pass the 'marble mountains' - they look more like the limestone spikes in Halong Bay than mountains. They don't quarry them anymore as they would totally disappear! Pass through Danang and arrive at our plush hotel about 5.30. I'm not feeling too good still but go out for supper in a 'locals' resturant - very good but not sure what it will do to me....Hoi An appears to be the clothing meca of Vietnam as we walk down the streets lined with clothes shops. Eliz and I head back early to the hotel.

Thursday 1st December
Phil knows the route to the bathroom well, but wakes feeling better after taking some herbal medicine. Eliz is up at 6.30 on a mission to phone Jen/John but nothing open till 8. Eventually speak to a sleepy Jen and then spend much of the day on a tour of this quaint town; mixture of Chinese and Japanese influence seen on the old Japanese covered bridge and in the old houses and their accompanying temples (to do with chinese style ancestor worship). The market was chocka with stalls many really colourful; the meat produce was less 'squeamish making' than some! The dock area was used in the filming of 'Quiet American' - Michael Caine movie.
We feel more up to the business of clothes and feet measuring today - tailoring being Hoi An's trade mark. Phil really splashed out and chose chic sandals and slip on shoes - a first. With both clothes and footwear we are able to return for adjustments, once they are made, tomorrow. Also manage to phone Mum today. Taking care of both our tummies we leave eating until late evening and receive no adverse effects! Bump into Ben and Patty on our way to hotel and spend an hour or so together by way of goodbyes; the 'Geckos' proper go off tomorrow.

Friday 2nd December
Not sure of the profile of the tour we have booked ourselves on today but, like the old cronies that we are, we visit some old 3rd - 13th c relics (Charma dynasties) at My Son, about 1 hour by bus. Huge amounts were subject to heavy bombardment in the 'Nam' war and it really is evident with lots of bomb craters - basically, the USA delberatly blew the place to pieces! - a lot of international rescue input is now commencing. The return trip is partly by river boat where we manage a make shift cooked lunch as well as stopping off at a boat builders and carpenter yard on a river island. Finally we are dropped at Hoi An dock area. The return to 100% health is not complete and we nearly loose our cool with ardent bysellers as we attempt to shop. We and the trades people do survive and we are able to collect most of our made up orders and a bag to pack them in before some supper. The footwear alterations have to wait to be mastered tomorrow as tonight the craftsman is busy watching his national football team beat Malaysia on TV. The town witnesses some extreme revelling by flag waving motorbikers hurtling around town after the match and we watched a policeman put a pushbike out of action by deliberately crushing it to avoid any further mischief by the owner. Off to bed after another attempt with the internet but do get to see 2 pictures of John's graduation.

Saturday 3rd December
We are the only guests in this huge hotel and all the staff to wait on us.... A dip in the pool to start the day then after breakfast we pack but this time we have loads of space. As we leave in a taxi it starts to pour down. Arrive Danang Airport just before midday and check in for our Pacific Airlines flight to Ho Chi Minh city. Not a bad flight but how 2 stewardess managed to fill an hour supplying a pot of water to everyone and clearing up again I’m not sure. Land at 2.45 and collect our bags - we now have a 4 hour wait for the next flight. Walk over to the international terminal and Eliz sees that there are several Vietnam Airways flights to Siem Reap so we check to see if we can swap. Yep and we are now on the 15.40 flight. Only just make it through passport control and onto the plane in time. Good flight with a snack and we land at 16.30. Taxi into town and end up at the Sidney Ankor hotel. -Phil sucessfully bargains 1 dollar of the room tariff. Its so hot, humid and we feel vulnerable to mosquitos that we opt for aircon. Over supper we quiz fellow guests about how things work here; checking the internet for flights we resolve to research the bus to the border in another 2 days. Meanwhile we have a tuk tuk booked for sunrise tomorrow.

Sunday 4th December
Up quite easily at 4.45am and ready for the off at 5. Sunrise observation with many lined up sightsers at Ankgor Wat, followed by a relatively expensive 'breakfast' nearby, all the time surrounded by child sellers. Everything costs 1 dollar and they will tell you the capital of Madagascar or England if you buy from them! I think Tesco's got the idea buy 2 get 3rd free here. Went on to Angkor Thom via South Gate for Bayon - really graceful Buddha heads here, terrace of elephants, terrace of Leper King, Phimeanakas, then out through the Victory Gate to Thommanon, Ta Keo and Ta Prohm (tomb raider setting fame and great for atmospheric photos). The day was mixed with heat, humidity, torrential showers, thunder and lightening, and we got through the 13 hour outing with food and drink stops, informative conversations with tuk driver Pun and local guide and the ever present invites to buy from 1 dollar sellers.
After all that we downed tea and supper from 6.30 onwards before washing of the days grime and necessary heavy duty DEET..

Monday 5th December
Today for the sake of the log as reference notes we visit Prasat Kravan, Banteay Kdei, Srah Srang, Pre Rup, Banteay, East Mebon, Baray of Preah Khan and Preah Khan returning through Angkor Thom and passed Angkor Wat. The day was dominated by some very heavy rain from midday until well past our return at 6pm. Our driver's tuk is fitted with covers but he would only have a cape and so we stopped off for a fun 2 hours at a stall for lunch etc. We made the acquaintance of a delightful 8 year old girl who, through smiles, trade talk and the most charming humerous personality, beguiled us to finaly part with a dollar for some ornaments we simply didn't know we wanted! She caught the attention of traders and customers alike whilst with us, and we were able to capture a video clip of her. Her english, largely learnt from tourists, was so good so that together with her manner its hard to credit her age. Pun our tuk tuk driver asked if we wanted to partake of a fun evening of traditional dance with dinner for $12 each - we politely declined not mentioning it was too expensive; we haven't been that stingy as throughout today we have bought, tipped and given lots of dollars and Riels, because its natural to sympathise with Cambodians for their recent past and ongoing economical struggles. Only one road accident witnessed today when two cyclists collided so a good day for S.E.A's R.T.A's...

Tuesday 6th December
We don't seem to sleep very well and are up before the alarm goes off at 6.15. We are already packed and waiting for the bus by 6.30. With no arrival we end up having some breakfast. The heap of a bus arrives at 7.45. Eventually leave Siem Reap at 8 the road being quite good for the first few miles. It becomes a rutted dirt track and the 'bus' has trouble getting into gear and its exhaust leaves something to be desired! First problem is a car that’s overturned into a ditch at the side of the road (many people trying to push it out). Next a bridge is down and we have to wait about half an hour for the 'bus' to wade through the ditch. Another stop 'for the bus driver to have a rest' people not happy - they want to get onto the border. 2.30 we reach Poi Pet and queue to exit Cambodia then walk over the river bridge and queue to enter Thailand finally reaching the bus pickup at 4. We are sorted into a second group of travellers going to Thailand and as luck would have it a large new airconditioned bus turns up - what luxury! The difference between Cambodia and Thailand is stark. We have changed from wood framed huts on stilts with woven bamboo walls to moderate affluence and concrete houses with doors and windows. We have also lost the big signs asking people to hand in their AK47's, hand-granades etc (obviously shooting each other is not cool anymore) you have to feel sorry for the Cambodians as there were poor farms all along the road but also land mine signs every 200 meters saying don't dig! Lovely to see all the topiary animals again. Arrive in Bangkok at 8.30 at ThanonKhon San and walk along the busy street to find a hostel for the night. Kawan hostel is just down a side street and the rooms are adequate even if they have board like mattress! we are in need of some refreshments so head out into the backpackers paradise of Thanon Khao San. Supper of green curry then while i'm looking for a telephone box a tuk tuk driver offers to take me to a nice massage parlour and shows me some pictures, I decline saying my wife would not be too happy and all three of us have a laugh when Eliz arrives. We decide to sort out our packs for the flight tomorrow as we are too tired - so bed by 11.30.

Wednesday 7th December
We get up when the alarm goes off at 7.30 but have only slept on and off since 5.30. We are still unsure what our baggage allowance is so stuff all the heavy items into our small day packs then weigh the main packs 39.5kg.... Off to the airport bus pickup for some brekkie and then board the transfer bus. Loads of bunting, flags and portraits of the king congratulating him on his birthday (which was on monday). We check in at 9.15 and get an earlier flight - 10.00 so have to be smart about it. We are delayed some 15 minutes by military transports - several Hercules transport aircraft are lined up ready to take off. Good smooth flight on a Cathay Airbus aircraft and land about 1.15. And the temperature is 15 degrees!brew!! We decide to go for a degree of luxury and book into the Metropole Hotel with a free transfer. Not to bad except for the constant drilling sound between 2 and 5 (that's pm not am!) and that the swimming pool is not in use - something to do with 'winter' and 'open air' me thinks. Out to have a look round the local market and shopping areas in the evening and I buy a pair of badminton shoes. Not one western face to be seen all evening!

Thursday 8th December
Sort of lie in as no need toget up for anything specific and we are an hour forward in anycase. Luxury of a kettle and we have morning brew in bed! We grab another hot drink at a booth as we wait to bord a ferry to Lamma island via Hong Kong island. The temperature reaches 20 as the sun shines - just as well as we need an aclimatation to the cold. With so much fresh seafood on display we settle for lobster and mussels with rice etc washed down with Chinese beer.
Returning to HK Island we bus it to the Peak, the temperature dropping as we reach sun set. Views of the harbour and opposite coast lines are reward indeed. Theres a light show scheduled on Kowloon which we see mostly from the ferry back. Its a lovely bus ride to the hotel, the lights all the more bold with Xmas themes.

Friday 9th December
We have a bit of a lie in and eventually wander down the road for breakfast at 10. Catch the bus to the ferry terminal and the boat to Hong Kong Island as we did yesterday. We go up the 'worlds longest escalater' (actually its just lots of individual ones strung together) not very exciting really. Wander through the Botanical Gardens and then catch the tram towards 'Western'. Not sure where it is as our tourist map does not show it so end up going to the end of the line and then walking back past loads of 'food' shops. Stop off for a cake and cup of tea. The waiter tells us how intelligent he is having to remember all the orders, well there are 6 tables.... He also tells us (and shows us a plaque written in Chinese) that the shop won an award for tea making from Liptons. Well our tea was so strong I needed to use a pheumatic drill (which was digging up the road just outside the shop) to break the surface - even after watering it down by 90% it was still too strong and we could still taste it for the rest of the day. I think I know what the award must have been bestowed for.... More shops selling everything from lizards on sticks to grubs and fungus of all descriptions. I'm tired of all these shops so we catch the tram eastwards to North Point. The ferry back to Kowloon doesn't take us to where we expect so I plead ignorance and we get a free trip back to the island and then another to where we wanted to go - to Hung Hom! Wander through the brightly lit streets have some supper then catch the bus back to the hotel.

Saturday 10th December
Our last day! Its a leisurely pack up time before checking out at midday. Leaving our luggage we walk down town for brunch and a massage for Phil. 45 min session with a blind 'acupuncture masseuse' and it hurt a lot!. I'm in a complete daze for most of the day now feeling completely knacked, weak and as though I’m drunk . We wander / stagger round the park and then go to the Space Museum, Eliz watches a film about climbing Killamanjaro and I go into the museum. Eliz is now inspired to climb the mountain so we know where our next holiday will be. I grudgingly agree to go to Starbucks for an hour reading local papers. Start to walk back to the hotel and look for a reasonably priced restaurant - end up in a Malay/Chinese place. We have left it a bit late to walk back and there is no 'no 7' bus - some fast walking through crowds is not good on the digestion and as we run out of time I hail a taxi. We arrive right on 8 and the transfer bus has not yet arrived! Ahhh! It eventually turns up at 8.30 and the journey to the airport only takes 45 mins. I try for an upgrade but no luck but do check our luggage through to Manchester Airport - board the BA flight at 11 for a 11.35 takeoff.

Sunday 11th December
We land at 4.32 exactly (this is the earliest time any flights are allowed to land at Heathrow) so we are the first flight in today. As we have no bags to pick up we are first through the process and out of customs but the first poster I see is - guess what! An SAP advertisement!. We now have to wait until 7.45 for our flight to Manchester so we buy a sunday news paper and big cup of british tea... Flight to Manchester is only half an hour and I think this makes a grand total of 26 flights in all..... Jen and Steve have been waiting for us and we get a lovely welcome home.
Rest of the day is spent catching up with some of the home events as John joins us, Ian and Hannah call by and Rosie the cat stays close and refamiliarises herself with us.

THE END (of part one?...)