I have arrived home safe and sound after a long trip I ma back on my English numbers. mobile 07928010807 or home 01327260287. talk to you all soon

I’m coming home, I’m coming home. So I have said all the goodbye’s had all the hugs enjoyed the last dinner with my buddies, had the last breakfast with my Kiwi family. Now in the posh hotel awaiting flight. My van has not sold despite the best ever for sale sign.
For Sale
This pile of s---t
As is, where is, if it still is.
Comes complete with open air toilet, campfire, natural air conditioning, and numerous extras too few to mention. Thankfully the little old pommie owner (AKA peg leg) has been deported on medical grounds.
Has never been raced or rallied (the van) and given it’s thirty+ years (again the van) it is surprisingly (the van) well it is just plain surprising. It is fitted out as a double bed on wheels and is more suited for this use when stationery (the van). Having travelled 300,000+K’s makes this a very dodgey buy, but who knows there may be another pom out there somewhere........!
To view, touch or experience (the van) call 0800 get-a-life.
This note was placed on the window bye Cyril who now has the joy of trying to see it. You never know it might just go
(no-where).
I will be back on my English mobile as of Tuesday which I was going to write here ********** but I don’t know it. So good luck in finding it. Remember that as I lost my phone I lost your phone number too. Love to all and see most of you soon.

I am being taken to see the consultant down in Alex. My new found parents ( the owners of the backpackers, who have been looking after me) are taken me along with the dog.
Ok so I have not been healed by the hands of god. I have not even been healed by the hands of the physio. The MRI did not show I was being a wimp and need to toughen up. It showed.
• Undisplaced tear of the medial meniscus (surgery)?
• Rupture of the ACL with some increased T2 signal around it (surgery)?
• Extensive bone oedema consistent with bone bruising in the femoral condyles
• Partial tear of the medial collateral ligament
• On the transverse scan there is some T2 signal within the patella, consistent with some bone bruising here also.
But it’s ok the lateral collateral ligament is in one bit. ? The consultant’s words were “well done, you did the lot”. So out the window goes all hope of continuing travelling.
After my insurance spoke with the Dr they have relented and are sending me home. I have to pay £700 for a cattle class seat but they get the fun of picking up the £3500 upgrade cost. So I am getting to be posh for once. So I will be getting home on Tuesday. Not sure where I will be staying because my house is rented so waiting to see if someone will move out. If not I will be knocking on doors. I guess that’s it for this blog. See you all soon I guess.

Ok you might think I have totally lost the plot but I haven’t. I went into the sushi bar in the maul because they make good smithies. I order a mixed berry. As usual I am asked about my injury. I give the usual explanation of having an argument with a rock up at Cardies. I then go over to my table when I am approached by a young girl who sits down opposite me. She tells me how she believes in the healing of God and asks if she can say a prayer for me. I am stunned and unsure what to say I guessed that if I said yes she would leave me alone and pray for me later. I was wrong she moved and sat down next to me and holds me knee and starts to pray out loud. This whole serial experience lasts for about 5 minutes all the time I am unsure where to look or what to do. When she is finished she looks at me expectedly. I guess she wants me to getup run about and claim a miracle has happened. It did not It’s still broken.
Friday. Had physio this morning then meet up with Matt. Matt broke his ankle 8 months ago and has been on crutches since he was with his mate who broke his ankle 7weeks ago so he too is on crutches. So the 3 cripples hobble down the road to the cafe for lunch. We stent the afternoon taking the mickey out of each other before Matt had to go to physio and his mate had to go to have his plaster changed. I then met up with some people from the lodge and we watched Amazing Grace at the cinema. The cinema is really old fashioned and filled with sofas and lounge chairs so it’s just like home really. The film was kina odd but it was good to do something different. Have an appointment to see another specialist on Monday so fingers crossed he will give us some good news.
Ok so I have still not been healed by the hands of god. So I am having to work really hard in physio to improve things. I thought after my years working in hospital I would have understood the meaning of rehabilitation but it sure has been an awakening over the last few weeks. The whole process of learning to walk again with an unstable knee is really intense. It’s harder than any climb I have ever worked on. It takes all my concentration just to stand on it. My hands go white from gripping the crutches so tight and I hold my breath until I am standing on my right leg again, however all the hard work is paying off slowly. I now have a lot more movement I can almost straighten my knee now. It still will not bend mush and has a tendency to swell up if I do too much but am working on it as I have little else to do. I am also building up the amount I can weight it so I should be able to ditch the crutches soon cause they are driving me nuts.
Friday.
Sean decide he didn’t like being my slave any more so decided to have his own little accident. He wanted to go one better than me so decided to bang his head on a rock. This resorted in him having a free helicopter trip to Christchurch hospital and 4 hours surgery. He is now the happy owner of 8 pins, 2 plates and a 15cm cut with blue stitches and a collection of shiny staples. He definitely wins the damage contest. This left me not only worrying about Sean but also how I was going to get to my hospital appointment 3 hours away. My concern for Sean never left me but the trip to hospital was easily taken care of. I am staying in the Albert Town lodge which is run by Rachael and Cyril they are a very friendly couple who have spent a lot of time looking after us all. They kindly offered to drive me. I felt a little guilty about this as it’s a long trip to take in a day but had few other options and they were insistent. Everyone has shown huge amount of support offering lifts to Christchurch and free accommodation and so on, this support has often come from people who don’t even know us. Many people have even been to the hospital to see Sean and support him.
The weekend is filled with texts from Carol and Orla (they are staying I Christchurch with Sean). We transfer information through many messages which works well. I spend Friday night over at the house with Cyril and Rachael drinking a little red wine and talking utter rubbish. This helps keep me sane. The support has been amazing from everyone. Including our 73 year old crazy lady who at 73 is very spritely and is still skiing but has the habit of talking at you rather than with you. You also have the pleasure of hearing the same stories a minimum of 7 times each day. When I told Sean she was coming to visit him. His reply was “shit no I am mentally unstable at the moment, I am on the 3rd floor of this building and will hold you fully responsible for anything I might do to myself, ha, ha”. Not bad from someone who has had major surgery. Bless her, she has a heart of gold.
Monday.
We venture out on the 7 ½ hour trip to Invercargill to see the Dr. We have a really pleasant drive down enjoying the views and talking about friend, family, farming and mush more. I see the doctor for a total of 20 minutes. The specialist didn’t say a lot other than he wanted me to have an urgent MRI. We get back into the car and talk more rubbish on the drive home this include politics and religion. It was like one of those drunken conversations where you try to put the world to rights. Yet no matter how hard you try it doesn’t work. We stopped at a coffee shop which had the best quote ever. “If you think you’re too small to make a difference try sleeping with a mosquito”. Which we both thought was very amusing. We arrived back home feeling pretty fed up of sitting down.
Tuesday.
I was sitting in the kitchen talking with Rachael when my phone goes. It’s the hospital in Dunedin wanting me for an MRI at 3:45 today. I mean I know he said urgent but that was fast. Before I hang up the phone Rachael is on the land line trying to find be a lift. I get a lift with their friend ken that is going to see his daughter. So another 4 hours in the car. I am in and out within the hour. Rachael has arranged for me to stay with a friend of hers for the evening. So I have a change of scenery and some great company plus the added bones of a 3 year old to play with. I am amazed again at the support I have receive in the last few days, I mean these people don’t even know me and yet they invite me into their house feed me and give me the most comfortable bed ever. I am then driven into town where I wonder about for a while until the bus comes to take me back to Wanaka another 4 hours travelling. Rachael picks me up from town then feeds me dinner and more wine. Orla arrives back from Christchurch with the update on Sean. He is said to be doing well and should be coming out of hospital one Monday when his parents get here.
The next few days are spent chilling out. Reading in the sunshine, taking small walks and talking more rubbish. Orla and I decided to go out Friday night for a few drinks. We spent the evening in &bar drinking red wine and playing pool with 2 guys I had bet earlier in the week. We have a great night (the first night I have been out since I hurt my knee). We then decide we have to hitch home. (I’m not up for the 5k walk home) we get to the main road and within moments a car comes so I put my thumb out. The car pulls over and we notice it’s a police car. We both look at each other with the expression of dam it were about to be told off. Instead the driver get out asks us where were going says “we can’t have someone on crutches hitching get in we’ll take you home”. SWEET!! Taken home by the local bobby.

Saturday
the sun is shinning and all is feeling better. the sun just makes such a happy difference.

Saturday. Had a great morning on the hill with Chris. Spent time doing loads of jumps and rails. All was sweet. After lunch decided to spend some time on the runs. I lasted 2 runs before hitting a rock and falling over. I tried to walk down but there was no hope. A French ski instructor alerted ski patrol. I was they placed in the sleigh and taken down to flatter ground where I was transferred into the snow mobile. Another call care in for a 10 year old boy with a suspected fractured leg. So I wait in the sledge while George is immobilised and placed in another snow mobile. We are both taken down the hill. We are both assed my doctors placed in plaster and taken back to Wanaka by ambulance. (Myself and Chris had hitched up so had no other way of getting down. Chris rode with Georges family.) George turned out to be the luck one. Only sustained bruises and walked out the medical centre 2 hours later. I on the other hand have a grade 3 (3 being the worst) sprain to my left knee plus tears to both my ligaments and tendons. 6 weeks off my feet minimum. Ski and climbing season is over for this year. Not a happy camper. Spent the night with Chris and Neal who looked after me very well.
Neal is taken a rest day to be my slave for the day. We spent the day in coffee shops talking rubbish and reading papers. I went to see the phisio at 2pm who said the same as the doctor. Wasted the rest of the afternoon moaning. 6 weeks without any sports is not a pleasing thought as I do little else. We all headed to the Cow for dinner. The best pizza ever. Then back to Carol’s for carrot cake. Which was really nice. I spend the night in my van on their drive as I am not allowed to drive, as yet.
Monday. Chris takes the day off and we spend the day in the toy and car museum followed by the war museum. It was a pleasant day. Meet up will all th gang again in the coffee shop there is now 10 of us in the group. I went to phisio again I was told my leg is too fat to tell the total damage. He is adamant that I am looking at 6 weeks minimum off my feet. Will be seeing him again Friday when he hops some of the swelling has gone down. Not sure what I am going to do as yet in regards of staying here or coming home. I have been told that I can’t travel for 10 days so have some time to think about it and made a decision. At least while I am here I am getting some of the best physio in the world.
Wednesday. I have bought a new phone. The number is the same as before so hope no one has deleted it.
Sunday.
Have spent the last few days chilling in coffee shops and peoples houses. 4 out of seven of us have picked up the world’s worst cold/chest infection so no one is keen to do much of anything so I am not alone on the lazy stakes. I have given in and moved out of the van. With the knee and the chest it was just too hard so I am now in Albert Town Lodge. It’s very nice. Still having daily phisio which seems to be doing little but sure it’s doing tones. I am seeing a specialist tomorrow about possible surgery. If that turns out to be the case I will have to come home. Will keep everyone posted.

Monday. I have seen the doctor and things are still inconclusive. The MCL is torn but will heal on its own in 8 weeks. The rest is undecided still due to swelling. He has ordered me a brace so I will be able to weight bare some. Am seeing him again on Friday. He will them refer me for MRI. So still no further forward really. Got antibiotics for a chest infection too, so the cold should subside soon.
Other that that the sun is shining and Wanaka is looking beautiful. We have been able to spend time chilling out but the lake feeding the ducks which is cool. Have been too busy to take many pictures over the last few weeks but will try to take some soon. As I only managed 6 days on the mountain before I caned myself the mountain pictures are very minimal. Unfortunately Chris didn’t take any pictures of me being rescued so you can’t laughter at them but I am sure you can use your imagination. My camera was in my pocket at the time and has managed to survive the fall a hell of a lot better than me. Have to go the power is about to die. I forgot the power cables.
Neal left the group this morning he is flying to Thailand for 3 weeks hard cranking. We all wish him luck.

Its Monday again.
We have all just about recovered from the flu and chest infections. We even managed to get out of bed before midday. Sean holds the record for laziness with a 3pm lye in. He only got up because we had to mover rooms. We have done very little over the last week that has not involved seeping, watching TV and sitting in coffee shops, as we have just been too crook. But we are now looking forward to being fit and healthy.
I am still seeing the physio every other day. This is still a pain in the knee. I have now been referred to another specialist for an MRI. It still looks like the ACL has snapped and no longer attached to my knee. This is why it flops around hopelessly, which is a cool part trick. I now have a very trendy brace which hold it in place and allow me to weight bare some. So hoping to get off the crutches some time soon. other than that not a lot else to talk about. We have been sharing our time between Tangos coffee shop where we get cheap drinks, to puzzling world where the drinks are rubbish but we get to play with puzzles all day for free, then we have Kia coffee shop which is nice and comfortable but the staff are grumpy.

16th August
Ok really sorry to those of you who have been following my blog and have found big gapes over the last few weeks. As NZ has been a big pain in the ass my motivation has dropped off. Not sure why Wanaka has been the place to lose all my belongs but it has. I will be getting a new phone really soon honest. (They are expensive here so I am looking o buy a second hand one). It will be the same number as before so hope no one has deleted it. I am back now and promise to stop moaning and write more often. I am going to try and fill in a few gaps for you all.
Simon came to visit. (I worked with Simon while I was at Swalcliffe) he arrived on 6th for a flying visit. So our aim was to fill in as much as possible. We started off with a few beers in the “Hard rock” pub. Monday night is bingo night. So at 20c a game and loads of crap prizes. It’s anything but serious. Many people are dressed up as old ladies this includes the boys. We have a few in our group and we win a collection of rubbish but the best being bubbles. Which we get distracted with and fill the pub with bubbles. Many of the bubbles head for people’s beers. When fun ends after 10 games we head home. I insist Simon spends the night by the river in the van. After calling me crazy he agrees and goes to bed fully dressed and with a hot water bottle. In the morning we are blessed with a great view of the river and mountains. Simon has his morning shower in the river while I laugh at him and take lose of pictures he never gets deeper than his ankles. I cook eggs and beans on toast. We eat a good breakfast while Simon continues to call me crazy for living in the van. We spend the rest of his trip using posh Motels and restaurants. We head into town to organise the next few days. The plan is to drive to Dunedin over on the east coast. So Simon can see the sights, which were very impressive. We spend the night in a Motel. Have drinks in various pubs and clubs. I catch up on the gossip of Swalcliffe which is really nice after 7 months away. Dunedin is a really nice Town with loads of nice buildings it has a very pleasant atmosphere. A really enjoyable day.
Up early and drive to Queenstown. The plan for the afternoon is a speed boat trip down the river followed by a helicopter trip up the mountain then 5 runs on the louge then a gondolier back down to Queenstown. 4 hours of fun. We had a great day and took loads of pictures. We then drove back to Wanaka. Stayed in another Motel. Had a great meal out before chilling out on the sofa watching some bad film.
Up early for a drive up the west coast. We stop at a few viewing areas and marvel at the views. We then got a flat tire which is quickly fixed at truck and track. Simon got a speeding fine. The rain then comes down so our views are kept to a minimum which is a shame. We walk to Fox glacier where we get totally soaked but had a great time. We then drove on a bit to Franz glacier where we got even wetter. We walked along the river bed to the base of the glacier and took loads more pictures wishing the sun to come out but it refused. So sorry the pictures are not of the usual quality. Then we headed to Greymouth. Where we went for dinner in the Chinese. We walked two feet in the door then turned round and walked straight back out because it smelt so bad and looked really bad. We walked up the road to the Indian and eat there. We drove about the town the largest on the west coast. There was nothing to see or do. It really was the back end of nowhere and not worth the visit. I enjoyed the last night of comfort and enjoyed talking with a mate from home.
Simon was to drive back to Christchurch over Arthur’s pass and I was to hitch back to Wanaka. We had a great few day together and it was sad to see him off. I got a lift within minutes by Luke who just happened to be going to Wanaka. So we spent 7 hours driving through the rain chatting with him. I picked the van up with its 2 new tires and fixed muffler. It now drives like a real van. I meet back up with the Irish crew before heading to bed by the river.
We head up the mountain. The rain has given us 30cm’s of fluffy snow so I enjoy my day’s boarding. Falling over in the fluffy stuff doesn’t hurt. We are all done by 4 and head off the hill. Nine of us meet back at Carols for dinner a great night had by all.
No idea what I did this day but guess I had fun
14th I find my skis at last I am very happy to see them and to see the back of snowboarding. I also have nice warm cloths. Party time.
A great day on the mountain. I could keep up with everyone and only fell over 4 times the whole day rather than 4 times every minute. We were all tired when we came down at 4. Spent some time wondering around town before heading to bed. Wanaka is no bigger than where I live but we manage to spend hours wondering about and wasting time there. Am so happy to get my skis back and my winter cloths.
Thursday 16th
Everyone is on a rest day so I go climbing to Nugget boulders. Over the last few weeks I have been chatting with Rich who works at the climbing wall so he is to become my personal guide to climbing in Wanaka. This is topped off with the fact his girlfriend works in Tango coffee shop so we get free hot chocolate and lunch when we get back. Get to spend the rest of the evening catching up on emails and stuff. So sorry again for the delay and will try not to get so far behind.
Up early and off to the mountain for a morning skiing. The snow is pretty pore now with loads of stones coming through so we ski till lunch. Then hitch back down the hill. (My van is not able to get up the hill it’s too steep). We then head to the climbing wall for a training session. We have to make the most of this because the building and the land has been sold but not the business so the wall will be closing as off 1st September. We climb for a few hours and encourage the kids club to believe in their ability. We then headed back to Chris and Neal’s place where Chris cooked dinner. I then headed off to a new parking spot by the river for a night’s sleep.
Was planning to go up the hill but work up feeling lazy. So I rolled over and went back to slept and didn’t venture back out of my van till 10am. The best thing about lazing around in the morning is that it’s so much warmer and you don’t have to de-ice the inside windows. I have pancakes for breakfast. Spend the afternoon in the internet cafe waiting or my mates to come off the hill so we can go swimming (indoors).

have lost my mobile phone so will grt a new one soon hold tight and i will be in touch

sorry have been hopeless have arrived in NZ and been beating myself up on a snow board. my skies have not arrived and my boarding skills are a little rusty so that sucks. ill write a real entry soon.
Wanaka.
It is now the 31st of July and I can’t remember what day I got here or what I have done on what day oops. So I will just have to give you a quick low down. I have meet back up with the Iris crew. We now have Neal staying in the Wanaka backpacker, Chris and Sean staying in the Albert town lodge, Carole in staying on Kingston Street and I am living in my van. We are all trying to kill ourselves on the snow of Cardrona. I am winning on the falling front. I spend more time on my ass than on my feet. Sean is close behind with his impressive face plants.
I have bought a cool van. It has a double bed a small kitchen with a top quality stove. It even has a food cupboard and some small shelf for junk. After living in a one man tent it’s a palace. So all very exciting.
Not a lot else hope it’s filled in a few of the gaps.

NZ is becoming a total pain in the ass. First had trouble getting into the country because I didn’t have an exit flight so I had to book one at the airport which coast me loads of money. Then I lost my jacket somewhere which really annoyed me them I realised it had my MP3 player in It so I was well pissed. A very expensive mistake. Now the shipping company has lost my skis so its coasting me a small fortune phoning the world and his wife to find them. This is topped off with having to pay $45 a day to hire a snowboard. I can’t board for Jack and have spent most of my time on my butt.

The van will be really cool if it wasn’t for the fact the cooker is leaking it has a whole in the muffler and need 4 new tires. Girls really should not by cars. When it is all working it will be meg cool. I have been sleeping in it for the last week which is nice cause you wake up in some beautiful places.

Anyway enough moaning. please note the new number but Don’t delete the old one because I might be back in OZ for Christmas and will be using it again.

Have just got a phone call from customs guess what more forms to fill in what fun. Better go and collect them from the fax machine in the other internet cafe.

love to everyone.

People keep moaning at me about my spelling so I am now advertising for an official proof reader. The pay is nothing and the office is nonexistent but if you feel you have the skills to take on this challenge please apply to Julie-Ann at yann@travellingstyles.com if no one takes up this appointment people will just have to stop moaning.

Saturday 14/07/07
A hellishly noise place people all running about like noise hyperactive ferrites at 6am. Kids shouting and screaming about having to wear sun cream. I drag myself out of my tent feeling pretty grumpy and tired its 7am and dark cold and windy. I walk to the shelter and eat breakfast in a grump. I then take a stroll down to the beach. Within minutes i get talking to someone and walk for an hour or so with Scotty. We have a swim in the pretty blue sea. We don’t stay in very long cause its bloody freezing but it’s refreshing. We waste the rest of the day walking swimming and talking utter rubbish. Scotty is keen on the idea of travelling and talks loads about his plans and how he has become board of the beech. It’s good to see sun and sand after 5 months of clouds and rocks. I have been carrying sun cream around with me and this is the first day i have needed it. I head back to my tent and have a much better night’s sleep.
Sunday
Monkey Mia is renowned for the dolphins, so i thought i better get up early to see them. I drag myself out for sun rise over the ocean which is very pretty. There are no clouds to obscure the view so all you see is the bright ball rise from the deep blue sea. I play hacki sack with someone while the dolphins swim up and down the beach. I could not have been in a more beautiful place, it’s just a shame i have to share it with the 200 other people who have come for the dolphin feeding. I watch the first feed of the day with the others looking in amazement as 7 dolphins swim within feet of us. We are then all unshed out of the water while some lucky people are called into the water and offer a dolphin a fish. I am not the chosen one. Dam it. I then watch the next feed followed by the next. All three feeds are over by 10am. The dolphins here are wild animals that have been coming into the bay for many years they were feed originally feed by the fisherman. As tourism has increased in the area so has the aggressiveness of these animals so they are now under sever behaviour monitor programs. During the wait for the feeding we are given the following information.
Some 30 years ago bottlenose dolphins began visiting shark bay. By 1964 at least 1 was accepting hand held fish. Today as many as 7dolphins come into the shallows bay of monkey Mia. Nicky is the eldest at 24 years old. Puck is 23, piccolo is 6, kiya is 2. Surprise is the youngest of the adult female dolphin who visits the beach she has raised shock 5, sparkly 1. We only feed the female ones because the males become aggressive. The female’s calves do not get introduced into the feeding program until they become four. This is because we want them to learn to fish for them self. Then we slowly introduce them into the feeding program first they will only be feed by the ranger. During this time they are monitored by the researchers. We are told all the names and ages and whose baby is whose and which ones are grandmothers. We are also informed about the sexual habits. This talk goes for half an hour while more and more people arrive. I did not get to feed one of the dolphins but it was cool to see them close up.
I spent the rest of the day playing hacki, volleyball and generally loitering about. Spent time talking with Scotty, who is still talking about travelling but i get the feeling he is the kinda person who is going to spend his live talking about it without actually doing anything about it, because he is too settled in his comfort zone.
Monday 16/07/07
Up for sun set again, another wonderful experience. Watched the dolphin feeding again got to feed one at the second feed. I meet Andre one of the volunteers working with the dolphins, so he picked me out of the crowed of 50 people. I was so excited as I walked out to within inches of Piccolo. I then went for a walk down the beach till there was no longer people and did a little sun bathing till i got boarded which took no time at all. I headed back to camp I then score a lift to the hot tub at Francois Peron National park an old homestead about 30k’s out of the resort. The hot tub is one of the most popular features of the park. I went with Walter and his 2 young boys Dan and Taylor. We all got very excited when we sore an echidna crossing the road. So we pulled over and took a few pictures. Once we arrived at the spar it looked unimpressive a small man made tub filled with hot bore water which was once essential to the survival of Peron station. It’s controlled and flows at 5 litres per second and at 40-degrees Celsius, very warm and really relaxing. The overflowing water fills a watering hole that provides great drinking ground for emus, euros, birds and other native wildlife within the area. We were lucky enough to see an emu. A nice way to spend the afternoon.
Tuesday
I watch the dolphins some more still in ore. Then walk down the beach in the opersit direction from the previous days. After about 20 minutes and round a few corners i come to a deserted bay with 3 dolphins swimming about. I am so excited to see them so close and without millions of people. I walk into the water up to my knees and walk along the beach with them less that 6 feet away I walk for a few minutes. During this time I am getting more and more excited until i can’t contain myself any longer i have to go in the water to play. There is no one about which is good because i don’t have my swimming stuff with me so i go skinny dipping. They come within inches of me at I am so tempted to touch them but resist. I watch them swim up and down fishing. I spend ages in the water with my heart pounding with excitement. I keep expecting the rangers to come round in a boat and tell me off but there is still no one about. The water is freezing at only 14. Then the dolphins leave i find it hard to exit the water because i have lost all feeling in my legs, but I am so happy with the morning i can’t stop grinning from one ear to the next.
I headed back to camp and as I have got talking to more and more people it is easy to be kept entertained it is a collection of families with varies aged kids. So I now play hacki with Walter and his son James, Rich with Dan and Taylor, Paddy have 4 kids who we see very little of. There is other whose names I don’t know we vary out time between cards hacki and volley ball. I return to the beach to watch the sun set before returning back to camp to cook. The camp site they have a gas bar-b-q so I can turn my potatoes and sweet potatoes in to chips which make a refreshing change.
Wednesday 18/07/07
Was planning to get up for sun set but when my phone started playing the Automatics I could not persuade myself to get out of bed so I turned off the alarm rolled over and started snoring. I left my tent about 8 when the sun was beaming in rise the temperature inside to 110 and making longer lie in impossible. I walk down the beach and this morning Take tones of pictures of the dolphins and nearly as many of the pelicans. I then head into Denham with Walter and his boys. We go visit the 1800’s church made from shell block taken from Hamelin Pool Block Quarry. Looked really cool. We took a few pictures then did a little food shopping before heading back to camp.
Thursday
I go to the beech again watch the dolphins some more I am still not boarded with watching these amazing creatures. I get to feed one of the dolphins again. It’s such a small act but it’s so amazing, to be that close to such a huge and graceful animal. When you squat down and give it a fish it gave me such a buzz and a massive pleasure I had the added pleasure of being asked to wait before I feed Nicky so rather than being in the water for a few seconds I was there for a minute. I was grinning from ear to ear all over again. Thanks to some Spanish volunteer I didn’t even know. I don’t care what I do for the rest of the day I am happy as can be.
The rain is coming in this morning. So a collection of us sit in the shelter playing card and chilling out. The rain is in for the day so not a chance of going to the beach for one last picture. I chill out and go through the many photos I have taken over the last 6 days. I leave tomorrow at 4am.
Friday
It’s rained all night. I get up at 3:10am and pack up my stuff so I catch the bus at 4am. There are 2 other getting the same bus so we wearily pack up with little conversation. We walk to the bus with 1 minute to spare, it is waiting for us. We drive to the Overlander picking up people on the way. 6am we learn the greyhound bus is running 2 hours late so we watch some movie on the laptop while waiting. The bus is 3 hours late. I board the bus with 44 others. The rest of the day is spent sitting. I arrive into Perth at 7pm picked up my Matt then we head off to a music quiz night. Our team the Sex Pistols come n at 9th place. With free rink all night it was not a pleasant end to the day. Once back at the house it’s off to bed.

Nothing to do so sit in the sun and read my book till the bus comes to take me to the airport. The plane is delayed by 2 hours so I hang about the airport for 4 hours before we take flight. Which gives the opportunity to start and complete my book (a birthday present from Sandy) I arrive in Perth and check into the Exclusive backpackers (don’t be fooled by the name, it was nothing special). I had the joy of sharing a room with 14 guys who came in drunk at 3am then left for work drunk at 6am, so not much sleep had. The plus side being i meet Peter. A 50 year old NZ miner who had come to WA for work. He is a really interesting man with loads of story to tell.
Saturday
I get hold of Matt and Gill (people i climbed with at the Arapiles). So I head for breakfast with Matt. We come back to his house and meet his mate Dan. We spend the day doing boy shopping which involved visiting many DIY shops and mush talking about DIY projects. We then do to the butcher where Dan buys half a goat (a rather large leg really) which is to become tonight’s dinner. We head back to the house where the boys ponder for ages before they do some DIY this involves putting two coast of varnish on a book case/bed head they started building months ago. The rest of the evening involves drinking and eating.
Sunday 08/07/07
We get up early with the plan of going climbing. Just to make a change it’s raining so we go the gym. Where we boulder for a few happy hours before heading to town for coffee. I get chatting to one of the guys working in the shop and discuss possible plans/lift to the local climbing. (Its miles away from anywhere and a real pain in the ass to get too so fingers crossed he will get back to me in a few days. I have no idea what we did the rest of the day.
Monday
I adventure to the coffee shop to use their internet i draw a map as i go writing down the street. I write the names as i pass the street signs, as the last thing i want is to get lost in the big city. I feel a bit of an idiot as i stop at each road sign to rotate my map and write the next street name. (I am staying in north Perth where they have not got tourists information as yet). Once safely in the coffee (which turned out to be straight down the road no turn off so no real need for the map). I can excess their internet or free as long as I drink coffee. So I pick the comfy seat and go though the many e-mails that have built up over the last week. It’s cool to get mails from home keeping me in touch with the real world. I happily waste 3 hours this way when my phone rings and makes me jump. It’s Neal the dreadlocked ferial from the climbing shop, asking if i want to go climbing. What a silly question I always want to go climbing. We plan to meet back at the house in 45 minutes. Which gives me time to nip to the shop and get some munch then walk back. He get their before me and rings to ask where i am i lie and tell him i am half way there, the truth is i was still in the shop trying to decide whether to buy cheese or chicken to go with my bread or do i want rice cakes. I have to make a quick decision and go for pre baked cheese rolls. (Which later turns out to be a bad choice they are really dry and tasteless).
We have a fun drive through the city and onto some country roads. We turn left under the power lines and follow the service road for 2 Km then turn left. Sounds easy, yeah right. The road becomes less of a road the grass becomes longer the rocks become bigger. Neal’s mum’s car is taken a battering. Then we get the road blocks. Trees have fallen in our path so we get out (which is a relief after being bettered about for what seemed like hours). We move the obstruction with some moaning and groaning, just to find bigger and better road block. We shift this one with more moaned and groaning. Only to hit out three tree block. This time we discuss getting out the chain saw to solve the problem. Dam we forgot to pack it. We then discussed using the saw on my leather man. We were defeated we had no choice but to turn back a very sad day. We suffer another hour of bone shacking till we return to the country road. Refusing to be beaten we decided to bush whack to Mt Cook. Which is always fun. We get to the top in time to watch the sun set. Very impressive it was to. Bush whacking downhill is always easier. Once safely down we have a celebratory roll before heading back to Perth.
I am sure Matt and Jill l not take offence at this next paragraph. They are lovely people they have let me stay in their nice house and given me the most comfortable bed ever but they are totally hopeless on the food front. They live on a diet of cheese, chocolate and beer. So we head to the climbing gym for a few hours before eating the previously mentioned food.
Tuesday
I am having a day in the city. The plan is to meet up with Peter (a guy who i met when staying in the backpacker on Friday). The aim is to see the best sights Perth has to offer. So after breakfast we go to the Perth mint opened in June 1899 as a branch of British Royal mint to refine gold being produced by the rushes to Western Australia’s goldfields region. We wonder about looking at tones of tacky expensive jewellery and amazing coin collection including the first coin produced at the Perth Mint. Then we embarking on the 20 minute tour and demonstration in the Gold pour/melting house. Regular gold pours are conducted in the original melting house which began operating in 1899 and only ceased operations in 1990 when refining was moved. In 91 years of operation, 2,596 tonnes of cold – most of the gold ever mined in WA went through this room. Might sound boring but it was really cool. We got to watch $100,000 worth of cold being melted down and turned into large gold bullion. A very interesting demo that took only minutes but really knowledgeable. We then got to lift a 400 oz gold bar worth $200,000. Which was enclosed in a case with a small hole for your hand. The bar then had a steal frame around it so it would only more ¾ inch in any direction. Then we go to stand on some scales and find out how much we were worth in gold. I am worth approximately 2 ½ million. The plan was then to go to the museum so we walk to the other end of Hay Street but for some reason we decide we have gone the wrong way so we walk back again, before realising we were right in the first place. The reason for this confusion being a poor ability to read a map, complicated buy the poor map with 2 keys listing places of interests. One key was for accommodation the other was tourist attractions. The two keys used the same numbers which were identical on the map so when we got to number eight it turned out to be a motel not the museum at this point we gave up. Instead we went to Freemantle, which is Western Australians chief port. It is also renowned for little creature’s brewery. It was really neat to watch the process of beer making while sitting on sofas. You could see all the hop vats and piping. You could see all the magical works of the brewery and the pumps. This followed by a walk along the docks. We finished off the evening with a very pleasant Thai curry a very enjoyable meal and far better for me that chocolate. A great day with the added plus that Peter refused to let me pay for anything his argument being that he earns $105,000 a year and i am a dirt bag (fare argument i guess).
Wednesday
My dreadlocked friend phones again so we are off to climb again. We take a leisurely drive out of the city down a few small roads that were all sealed the parked on the side of the road before walking the 4 minute walk to the rocks. Where we wounded about climbing a few routes it was tuff going and very hard on the fingers. Everything looks pretty and very tranquil. We enjoy a few easy routes before we pick something harder. A small finger crack that traverses right, there are no foot holds just some dodge smears. So we spent awhile getting spat out before we succeed but the payback was sore tips. We enjoyed ourselves till our fingers will take it no longer then we head back for chocolate and beer. Another fun filled day in Perth.
Thursday
I take another little walk to the coffee shop to sort out booking a bus to monkey Mia. I then head to the shop as i have promised to cook Thai green curry for dinner. I am so use to walking about north Perth now i forget to look while i walk home and realise i have walked 20 minutes in the wrong direction. So i have to about turn. Not really impressed as i have all the shopping. Will pay then off to another bouldering area with Neal. Where we spend hours walking up and down hills looking for goo climbs we have some success but were not overly impressed so we kept looking with determination. We did find some quality rocks about 3k’s away from the road but by this time we were kind of tired and sore but we kept going with sheer determination. Once the power was gone we went for a walk further down the track to check out the views. Very nice. Home again to cook. I must have cooked 30 Thai curries since i have been travelling yet i still have an issue with the curry past. Once again it’s too dam hot. So i add a little sugar and some extra milk to dilute the heat. We enjoy curry with only a few small glasses of water to wash it down with. It tasted pretty good after a week of chocolate and cheese.
Friday
You would think after all the travelling i have done i would be used to it but i still get stressed the bight before i move on. After poor night’s sleep i give in and get up at 6am. Pack up and re-pack 3 times. I have read that Monkey Mia is really expensive so i decided to buy all my shopping for the trip yesterday. Seemed like a god idea until i packed it all up with my other stuff and weighed it. I now have a 30kg backpack and a 10kg small pack. The hour walk to the bus stop should be fun. I really think i should re think the whole scrooge bag think and take a taxi. I moan to myself the majority of the 2k walk to the bus stop but i get there in plenty of time. Only took ½ hour so all is sweet. I now have a fun filled trip up north. Once again i get to sit next to the hyperactive kid who insists on talking utter rubbish hour upon hour i try sleeping but she is persistent. 12 or more hours are going to be very painful. I get the feeling i was just the same as a kid and now pity the people who sat next to me when i was on a train to Scotland every summer. I make it to Overlander without killing her and change bus to Monkey Mia. Patients are pretty fraught now and all i want to do is go to bed and lie down and sleep. As the bells are ringing out midnight i am arguing with the tent which is definitely winning the battle. (Mine has gone back to the shop because it keeps leaking) i evencialy find my head torch and i win the war. I crash within minutes.

3rd July (Photo's now in photo album)

Up at 6am so Sandy can drop me at the airport before she goes to work. I arrive at Ayres rock early afternoon and take the bus to the resort. I have a heart attack when I have to pay $30 to pitch me tent. I wonder about the resort and moan to myself how expensive everything is. They know they have the monopoly here and are making the most of it. I find out the bus to the rock s $45. Its only 20k away. So I refuse to pay it and decide I will walk their in the morning. I walk to one of the view point to watch the sun set over the rock. This is supposed to be amazing, however it is really cloudy and trying to rain. We have a few really large drops of rain but then it gives up. The sun set is really unimpressive. The 5 of us now have the fun of walking back to our accommodation in the dark. Not one of us bright sparks has brought a torch. I head back to my tent and have cereal for breakfast because they don’t sell the fuel for my stove.
Wednesday
I started the walk to the rock at sun set. (The camp was so noisy they was no chance of sleeping in). I walked about for 2 hours when got a lift with 2 Dutch guys who were trying to make a documentary about the aboriginal community. I wondered about the rock in ore while deliberating whether to climb or not. It’s bizarre cause every where there is signs asking you not to climb the mount but they have it set up for you to climb (they have chains to help you pull yourself up and thousands of people climb everyday) after debating with myself I decided I would be pissed off if I didn’t so off I go. It was like climbing a motorway, it even had the white centre lines to show you the way. The top was really impressive. The surface looks like pictures of the moon. It was lunch time 'ish when I summated which was really good timing because I pretty much had the place to myself. The millions of people seemed to have fallen away. So I had my own little moon walk. Took fare to many pictures (most of which are rubbish) I then wondered back down before the crowds returned. It was a very pleasant scramble but pretty dam step and gutsy for a tourist walk. I wondered about some more. Then walked to the cultural centre to be educated. I watched the most boring documentary ever then headed back to camp. Got a lift with an aboriginal guy who filled me in on the local community and the resent bad press that they have been receiving. (Not sure if it has reached the English news but they were under major scrutiny for child abuse allegations. The government has despatched arm troops into the community to solve the problem).
Thursday 5th July
A big thank you to all of those who sent birthday wishes. I was impressed with how many of you did. I got a lift to a different rock this morning. A couple from the west coast who were camping next to me. We headed to the Ulgas to do the valley of the winds walk a 6.7k trek between the boulders. Then we did the Walap Gorge walk this one was short at 2.6k and very flat. So we cruised this. We then headed back to the rock to take some pictures of the aboriginal art work. we head back to camp and enjoy a glass or two of wine.

I have left the city Nowra for Brisbane. After suffering 14 days of rain out of 18 I decided to head north to warmer climates. I arrived at the airport at 11pm to showery skies. I am beginning to think i am jinxed where weather is concerned. Was picked up my Sandy and headed back to her flat in northern suburbs.
Tuesday 19th June. The weather is cold and gray so we head to the sea life centre and watch the fishes. Had a great day with the dolphins and sharks before heading for stake and chips and hogs breath.
Wednesday. Spent a very unexciting day wondering about the city doing the dull stuff and searching for a hacki sack. Brisbane is having the coldest weather since 1938. Down as low as 13. Looked at booking diving at Truck (dad’s dream diving destination) all looking pretty expensive at over $3000 so not sure if I will be doing this. I guess the fact that I have left it till the last minute to book has not helped the price. Have sent a few e-mails to a number of different dive shops in the hope I can get the price do a little if not then I might head west and do some diving there you never know i might get to dive with the dolphins at shark bay. Which is my dream.
Thursday we are off to Steve Irwin’s zoo. A great day wondering about looking at Koalas, alligators, tortoise, snakes, wombats, iguanas, cassowaries, birds of prey, Tasmanian devils, camels, emus and elephants. It was all very exciting. We left at 4pm and returned to the city for dinner and drinks.
Friday spent the day chilling at the house doing all the dull stuff. Have sorted flights to Alice Springs for the 3rd July. Also booked flights to Perth for the 7th July. I now have an entire clean wardrobe now which also very exciting.
Saturday off to frog buttress to climb for the first time in 6 days. Just too really annoy me it’s raining. So we drove about and looked at the sights. We ended up at St Mary’s church in Warwick all very surreal. The other end of the world and I was home. So took loads of pictures in Warwick. Then off to frog and caught up with Dan and Jay. They are still very fun guys will be nice to spend some time with them again. We headed home for bangers and mash.

will be off line for a few days so hold tight

Have been really shit at writing up stuff so now (8th July) I have totally no idea what i did on which day. I have climbed some and walked some and eaten pasta. Spent time in the library reading books because it’s raining again. I don’t think I did anything else exciting. Just the normal stuff.
Drove back to Sandy’s house to do the washing before heading to bed. Up early to fly.

We have come to the city crag of Nowra just south of Sydney and Wollongong. with a population of 25000 its pretty bi. To make a change we will be paying to Camp and worrying about thieves and juvenile delinquents running around the camp. Just like being back at work. There is loads of climbing all over the city. Some crags are hidden in residential estates some are on sea cliffs. One area you climb in a caves directly under peoples gardens and you can hear the hovering (a sound I have not heard in months). One advantage of the city living is access to amenities. So looking forward to the new adventure. We are also near the beach.

Tuesday. Another day of rest. So we chill at the camp which is on the edge of a lake. We spend hours playing hack sack which we are actually getting the hang of. We have managed 2 and a half hacki’s, which considering we could not pass it between two of us a few weeks ago says something. We do still get in such a state of giggles that our sides hurt and we have to stop and compose our selves. Chris and I are the least effective at controlling ourselves which is nothing unusual. We are definitely the children in the group. We make our way to the beach and for the first time since the great Ocean road I truly believe I am in Oz’s. The sun is shining and we are on a beautiful beach with silver sand and blue sea, the sky is even blue today. We spend more time playing haci it really has become an obsession on our rest days. Due to our late morning and slow moans it not long before we watch the sun set. We take a romantic walk along the beach while watching the sky become red, pink and yellow. (Ok just too clear t up there was no romance really). We reluctantly head back to camp where we enjoy another shower. The simple things in live can give so much pleasure when you have spent months being a dirt bag. We are joined my more climbers who are living the dirt bag life styles. We spend the evening watching climbing movies on Neal’s computer the aim to give us inspiration and motivation for the projects to come. So in the middle of a field in a barn you have 10 climbers standing around a 13inch laptop watching hard grit. (An English climbing film we even get a fire going to stave off the frost that seems insistent on sneaking in on us. We have a large barn like building which we are allowed to use in the evening as long as we don’t leave any stuff in it. This is the first camp site that I have actually had to pay for. The owners don’t appear to like climbers but they tolerate us for $8 a day. They supply us hot showers and a sink with to water to do our dishes in. They have plug sockets around the barn which we are suppose to pay an extra $2 a day for. We also get a collection of steal tables and benches to do our cooking. We manage to waste the evening nicely.
Wednesday. Another slow morning. Filled with stretching, chilling and some skipping. I have got pretty skilled at this so we have moved it p a notch or two. Chris and I are trying to skip together for 10 skips then 20 and so me. If Chris is anything to go by I don’t think boys spent much time skipping in the play ground. We spend the entire day hanging about the camp amusing ourselves with this stuff and by reading a few pages of our books. We share r lunch with the peacock that comes to join us with 12 of its mates. We then decide to do something useful so we spend an hour walking up and down the hill searching for fire wood all very exciting. We watch the sun going down over the lake another amazingly impressive display of nature at its best. Dinner is 4 potato soup followed by tacos made with sausages rather than mince they were free food again. Another enjoyable relaxing day, which even includes some sun shine. I forgot to mention we are camping next to the animal park (Zoo) so we are woken every morning at 6 by the dingo’s they are hellishly noisy. The nights are disturbed by the wombats that keep banging about your tents. Then if you’re really unlucky to get to hear the creaking of parrots for hours every morning. A lot to be said for living in the city hay.
Thursday it’s raining again yippee. For a country that’s supposed to be in severe drought we have encountered so much rain. While in Natimuk we had 55mm of rain on that faithful weekend where I drank to mush. Now we have had 85mm of rain here how can that be? We are also told it is going to rain for the next 3 to 4 days how English a wet bank holiday weekend. But we go to the beech anyway. We look at the seat and toy with the idea of going body boarding but we but Neal give it a miss he manages about to waves then gives in. I still haven’t made it into the sea. We walk about and take in the sights. when you do the shopping remember never go when you’re hungry because all that happens is you come home with loads of junk food and nothing useful. Back at the ranch the 4 of us argue about the day and how many rest days we have all had. At it turns out 4 of use have no clue what the day is, we have to use the calendar on one of the mobile phones to work it out thank god for technology.
Friday. Were going climbing. Off to lot 33. A huge bouldering area covered in gravity. We are a whole 5 minutes from the main road and a 2 minute walk from the car. Which is kind of cool as its pouring again or maybe its still. We aim to kill ourselves in a few hours which shouldn’t be hard as its overhanging and mean. We try and take loads of arty shots in-between our individual boulder problems. We don’t last long before the skin on tips is worn out again, Nail is struggling the most in this area. We head back to camp feeling utterly used. Shaun decided not to come bouldering with us he went off with Ryan. Another evening freezing our butt off in the barn.

I will be moving again soon so will be out of touch for a little while. Hold tight for the next instalment.