Before my poor, little, overused brain goes bad I better share with you few details about my Chinese adventure...

I let you guys, a long while ago in Brisbane, so let's recap from there.

Early rise  to go catch the plane to Sydney from where I'll fly to Hong kong: 24kg backpack on the back, another 10kg in the front bag and as many clothes as I could wear are my gear for the trip. To be fully in line with the meaning of adventure I choose not to buy any guide nor a dictionary, after all I've been travelling for the past 8 months, I trust myself I can manage it ( what a fool.........)

Again deserved praise for the australian airports and efficiency, it's really like taking a bus, hassle free. Having said this, we suffered an 1 and a half delay...Now I know pretty well all the duty free shops of the airport.

After 8,30 hours, a chat with the chap sitting next to me and 2 and a half movies, the usual meals, we landed in a rainy Hong Kong.

Immigration procedures and then onto the city via subway, following the instructions I downloaded from the net to reach my hostel.  Out of the subway I was supposed to get a bus, that I couldn't find, and there I faced the truth: we are not in an English speaking country so it's damn hard to get some information out from the locals. Then at the end an helpful guy told us ( I was with the guy from the plane) to get on a bus and told the driver where we were supposed to go.

I booked in Kowloon, the vibrant commercial and touristic area, and as soon I got off the bus I found my self among a whole huge amount of people going everywhere with tons of lights all around: welcome to the city jungle! The confusion and the noise is pretty striking.

Next task to find the hostel, after a short walk I found the building and then onto the 13th floor ( I'm not supersticious!) where I booked in a 4 bed dorm. Little detail: I booked a place with a certain name, but when i got there there was a big sign with a different name, and then on the wall a series of printouts with other ones. The place was only one, it was all a marketing technique of the ownwers to improve their exposure, part of the heritage of the famous chinese sense for trade. I must admit it works, as many people I spoke to stayed in the same place, the infamous 13th floor. The lady owner is a great caracter.

The room was ok, big enough for 4 people and the bags, but not all at the same time....if u know what I mean....The toilets were like the one u find on the boats: all in one square meter, I let u picture it! My room mates: a young scottish couple on their way to Australia.

On the streets you feel right away u are in one of the world capital of shopping: shops (billions of them) all over tha place filled with all sorts of stuff, beyond ur imagination, opened 'till late at nite and tourists stopped every few steps by some eager seller. 

One other key feature is the smog, caused by the cars and trucks, that run like crazy across town: one morning I witnessed 3 firefighter trucks with the sirens off stuck for over 5 minutes in the traffic as none of the cars moved. I wonder what happened to the building on fire....  In all this"mess" the pedestrian is definately an endangered species, that walks at its own risk: on this subject I can claim a sore foot after a car ran over it.... 

 As all the people I started with the sightseeing: The Peak, where because of the fog I couldn't see much, then the old town, the avenue of stars (the chinese version of Hollywood), and I followed all the walks on the tourist brochure, I really don't know how much I walked, but my "tyres" were pretty torn.

The real activity to do in Hong Kong though, is shopping: you have markets, shops, malls, outlets open almost non-stop. I went on the worst shopping spree of my life, and around me I could see the tourists doing the same. Every nite I was comparing with my room mates the bargains of the day and exchanging info on the best places to shop. I would suggest as a modern chinese torture: walking around Hong Kong with loads of cash and credit cards and not to buy anything! Trust me, even if u don't need anything u will end up buying something, they are good sellers and the prices are so low...

Other things to remember: u will get lost at some stage....After 6 full days of walking around I still managed to find new roads I didn't see the previous days. Fast food are everywhere, I think after the States, China is the biggest market. You can find all sort of dried food, from fruit to sea horse, ready to eat and light to carry. You will also spend lots of time waiting for the elevators, and you will notice that all the buildings have air-conditioning apparatus hanging out of the window....a pretty nice view ! The other thing that struck me was the horse racecourse in the middle of all the skyscrapers, almost like Central park in NY. 

Postato da: grecofla alle 17:16 | link | comments |
china part 1

Well let's start with an outback flies count: 10.5 millions ....I didn't invest in a fly-net and I deeply regretted it. The question that arises is: what the heck do the flies do when there are no tourist to bother?

The trip started with an early wake at 4,30 am to get ready and meet the lovely bunch for the outback adventure, 22 people for the first 2 days then only 14 for the remaining part to Adelaide.

After fewstops for the usual calls of nature we reached King's Canyon, home of the first big challenge: 2  hours hike in the scorching sun, 42 degrees in the shade and around 48 in the sun.....with the company of the flies....a very tempting situation that we couldn't miss .  Thanks to our well trained bodies mission accomplished with no damages. Despite the age,  we definately can manage all weather conditions.

First night camping, definately better than Fraser, with all facilities and huts instead of tents, but most of the group decided to sleep outside under the stars, a tourist must do. Again early rise at 4,30 to go catch the sunrise at Ayers Rock, with the other hundreds tourists: people all over the road, elbowing each other, and it is low season....

The morning, 7 am (.....), continues with a walk around the Rock (the climbing is possible, but in repect of the aborigenal people we decided not to do it), and then back to camp for lunch and a chill afternoon in the freezing water pool. Next, the sunset at the Rock, with again loads of tourists sipping champagne, watching the landscape. Night at camp, again outside and early rise at 5 to get on the road for Coober Peedy, capital of the Opals.

Due to the weather conditions (50 degress, sand storms, etc) in Coober people live underground, in dug outs. The place is famous for the Opals and some movies shot here, such as Mad Max and Pitch Black. The town is only 60 years old....we are in a young country after all..

Today we get to sleep in.....5,30..and on the road again to reach Flinder's Range and our next camp grround. Tonite a dorm. We all (6 of us in our room) managed to over sleep (no alarm clock set)  and we were waken by Dave, our guide, at 6,20 to have breakfast and head to Wilpena for the hike before the sun got too strong. Definately a hard climb, but again we survived. After lunch on the raod to reach a place in the middle of nowhere.....I can't remember the name....ah Paralchina. Chill out afternoon in the pool.

Last bit of road towards Adelaide, with a stop in a winery or some tasting, and after 6 days we reached our destination, back to society, with cars, shops, people, ....and hopefully some sleep......(I was wrong here as we managed to go to bed at 5 am.....)

One more day in Adelaide, mostly to recover from the trip ,and then plane bound to Melbourne.

Keep u posted

Postato da: grecofla alle 01:06 | link | comments |

Here we go again.

Let's recap the last few days: we left Hervey bay with a very comfortable overnite bus, where we didn't manage to get any sleep, to get to Arlie Beach. We arrived at 6 am, so we had to wait until 8 for the reception to open and give us a highly awaited bunk bed . From here we will depart for a sailing trip of 3 days ( well almost...) around the Whitsundays island, ome of the highlight of the australian east coast.

We left the following day in the afternoon on the sail boat Samurai (http://www.sailing-whitsundays.com/products/listings/l0074.html) with other 15 people and 4 member of the crew. To mention "team Ireland" ( 2 girls and a guy) who boarded with 60 cans of beer and 8 liters of wine for 2 nights. (FYI they easili managed to finish it, fair play ). On the boat we were a bit like sardines, but after all we are at sea, so what the heck could we expect? with one toilet as one managed to break after 2 hours from departure...

We ate plenty of food and then some people managed to give it back to sea while we were sailing on some rough waters....The best part was the snorkelling and then I managed to do 2 scuba dives, at 5 and 10 meters , that made me think about doing the PADI open water course. The other amazing thing was Whitehaven beach (check the pictures!). After 2 days with no shower we got back to Arlie Beach.

The following day bus tyo Townswille, the biggest cuty on the coast, but it seems like a ghost town: no people around at all, just empty streets and shops. I suppose the temperature above 30 degrees and the over 50% humidity didn't help....Nothing to mention besides the huge kitchen in the hostel and that we found in the room the same people we shared the dorm with in Arlie beach.

Next stop Magnetic Island, just 30 min by ferry from Townswille: we arrived around 12 and decided straight away to hire the bikes to tour the island....Sun, hills, being out of shape made the afternoon almost a torture: we actually wondered as we saw no people on bikes, jusy mopeds and cars...As usual we opted for the best option. Not happy with the biking we adventure for an hike in search for the Koalas that supposely live on the island: 2 hours and not a single sight, just liters of sweat.

We made it back to the hostel at 6, in very poor conditions, which I think helped in my decision to sign for the Padi diving course.  3 days starting every morning at 9 until late afternoon ( the first day we finished at 6, the second at 7, and the last at 5...) of practice and theory in the pool and in the ocean. http://www.magnetic-island.com.au/dive-sites.html

I experienced the whitsundays so I was pretty relaxed but in the first dive, during the floating exercise to check if u have to many weights, I sunk like a stone, drinking liters of nasty salty water. It wasn't as fun as I expected . Then we were literally swimming among jelly fish, so we kept looking souspiciouly around. Unfortunately the visibility wasn't very high, and that led on the second day, to us following the wrong instructor and mingling with the wrong group . The best dive was the last, on saturday morning, after we all passed the exam on the friday: we went around a ship wreck . Then time to change and get on the ferry and then on the bus to get to Cairns. Ah, I almost forgot: water temperature between 29 and 32 degrees. Dig it?

I just spent a nite in Cairns ( Ken was there for 2 days as he didn't do the dive course) and then in the morning we took the plane to Alice Springs, for the outback discovery.  First strange thing: the time zone, we had to move back the watch by 30 minutes....I'm still wondering....Then average temperature 40 degrees, no wonder it's low season. And then flies all over the place, if u weren't wearing pants they would be right up ur arse....very annoying, but u can survive with a face net. We have been told that in Ayers Rock will be worse, we can't wait.

Last nite we delighted ourselves with a platter with Kangaroo, Emu, Camel and Crocodile meat: u always hear that corc tastes like chicken, but let me tell you...it's true, and all the rest taste like beef....but it has to be done. To mention the price, it was 60 dollars but then we bargained for the cheap option for the poors (us) and we managed with 35 dollars each.

Tomorrow we leave for a Safari that will take us to Ayers Rock, then Coober Pedy all the way to Adelaide. Departure time 5 am....I better go to sleep...

http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/oceania/aucaps.htm

 

  

 

 

 

Postato da: grecofla alle 09:44 | link | comments |

After couple days in Sydney I head north to Gold coast by plane, also here they have a low fare airline.

They are very efficient and they check in people until 15 minutes before the flight.

I stayed one night in Surfer's Paradise, a line of concrete building along the coast with a huge beach and vawes for the daring surfers. Definately nothing special but the usual must see on the tourist trail.

Next stop Brisbane, where I re-join Ken. The city is definately quieter than Sydney , and to be honest it doesn't have much to see, but it has a good vibe. As in Sydney at night you can see many huge bats flying on top of your head.

The 26th is Australia day and as all the major city there are free events organised and the fireworks at nite ( I could have done better with less money )

North again to Noosa: on the bus we were only 4 people, I kind of get the feeling the place is not that fun....We get at the bus stop and we have to walk for 1km with the backpacks that despite the boxes sent home are still damn heavy and the sun 'surely doesn't help.

After one night in the vibrant town we move on to hervey Bay, base for the Fraser island discovery.

We arrive at the hostel check in and head for food as we were starving. We then should have a meeting to meet the group that we'll go with to Fraser with the 4WD. We get at the meeting at 4 (that we thought was the right time) and everybody was sitting at the table ans stared at us. I looked at the watch and said, jez we are only 1 minute late....and the guy quickly replied: we started at 3 ! How to get urself notice straightaway , and start in the best way with a group...

The following morning the last briefing b4 departing for our self safari of the Fraser Island. The lecture given by a very entertaining caracter, a 70 years old local: " every year loads of people die or gets injured on Fraser because of lack of responsibility driving the4WD,....and u backpackers take all our beds in hospital....Beware of the Island"...We got the message and only 2of us at the end wanted to drive: Ryan and myself. ( in fairness the self safari tours will be stopped in July due to the high amount of accidents.)

We get tio the island by ferry with all the other groups and after 5 minutes in the road a Japanese family got stuck in the sand, generating a big gridlock...a promising start!

After 15/20 minutes they finally anage to drive away and right in the same spot another Jeep is stuck....this is gonna be a long adventure...

We had no problem driving through and we then followed the itinerary given by our company: go to lake Mckenziestay there 10 minutes, then go to the beach, drive north,.....just like a trasure hunt. We had a very old map with a huge hole in the middle and few "instructions".....but we managed to get to our first camp site. As soon as we pulled in the ranger gave us the lecture on the Dingo ( no, not bingo, ur favorite game that u play at least twice a week...), a wild dog that we easily encounter on the island wandering around for food. 

Ken and myself were obviously the oldest of the group ( backpackers age is between 19 and 25...) and we found out we were also the slowest at setting up the tent, a not very nice sight ...:)The night waspretty painful as I had no mattress and in the tent it was roasting.

The second night camping waseven worse, no water nor facilities (for ur number 1 or 2, go away with a showel and dig ur hole..), just a beach in the middle of nowhere...and we didn't have any powerful light, just torches.....back to basicsasthe cave men.

We had a very good time and the group (check picture) was great fun, loads of drinks, jokes, sandwiches and sun burnt

We had ome more night in Hervey bay and then last nite we took an overnight bus, our old frind, to reach Arlie Beach from where we'll head for our sailing adventure.

NB: check latest picture on the album

http://www.motime.com/mediablog/grecofla/album/all

Postato da: grecofla alle 22:17 | link | comments |

Well I must say that Fiji it's an incredible place.

When I first arrived in Nadi I found my self back to Central and South America: crappy roads, heat, mosquitos and not much around. The hotel was in the middle of nowhere.

Thank god the following morning I took the boat for the island. I stayed 2 nights in the Mamaluca islands, and 2  nights in Naviti.

All the island we went through are just like a postcard. The othet thing was that it was low season, so I found my self sleeping on my own in a 35 beds dorm and walking and swimming alone in a empty beach. To kill sometime I tried to emulate Tom Hanks in Cast Away: do u remember when he tries to open the coconuts. I suppose we all laughed at that part: well let me tell u, it's a pretty hard thing to do when u have no tools. It took me around 45 minutes to open one, and I used a stone....Try this at home and let me know ur time

fter a week it was time to head back to Auckland where I was supposed to spend the nite at the airport and then head to Sydney. Luckily I managed to get on a earlier plane and made it to sydney in the evening.

First glance at Sydney: amazing town. Tonite I even met a girl that used to work with me in Dublin when I was sitting on my own in the middle of the park at a free concert with around 50000 people...The world is too little for me !

Postato da: grecofla alle 12:38 | link | comments |

After couple months of break here we are again on the road,....or better, on the plane!

Ken left yesterday for Australia, and I'm off to Fiji tomorrow: I needed a vacation after all the hard work of the last months....I will find, beach huts, cold water and.....

In January we managed to go up north to the famous Bay of Island to start and get re accustomed to the hostel life: a dorm ( the size of my room in the apartment) with 7 beds,  full with people and backpacks, the old good travelling life .

Highlights of the trip up north was the sand surfing, the only problem was to walk back up the sand dunes, no lifts, and let me tell u, it's pretty damn hard to walk uphill in the sand...

We were on the bus again and at one stage we forgot one passanger...Do u know that sensation: " I know there was somebody sitting here, oh well he/she might have changed seat, and so nobody tells the driver....You damn idiot, the person ihas been left behind! "....And at the end we managed to miss our bus, as we were back late from the cruise around the island. Luckily we managed to get on another bus almost straight away.

Last sunday I also tried the infamous water sledging, an adrenaline rush activity in the river, where u r on ur own with ur sledge going with the flow, which is pretty strong....I managed to get smashed against the rocks, drink liters of water, and have my upper body muscle sore for 2 days...and the best part is that I paid for all that! Again, the older, the wiser...

I better go pack now.

 Ciao

 

PS(for the ones who know her): yesterday I met Ughetta and Eamon and we had a fun evening out.

 

 

 

Postato da: grecofla alle 09:02 | link | comments (1) |
on the road again, trip goes on

Some food for your eyes from our latest trip up north

(this time I'll spare the words....)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flavioandken/

 

 

Postato da: grecofla alle 21:40 | link | comments |

Happy new Year !

Welcome to 2006

the

(R)Evolution!

Life is a journey: make sure u have the right ticket!

Postato da: grecofla alle 14:41 | link | comments |

Here we go, boxing day: the long digestion after the Christmas feast and the official start of the winter ( or summer, depending where u are) sales....the recipe for a quiet thrilling day .

But le me give you some details about our cave adventure: after a 2,5h drive from Auckland we arrived in Waitomo a beautiful landscape of green hills that hides around 900 caves underground (as the guide says....). We picked the cheapest tour ( I know, but hey we r unemployed after all...) http://www.waitomo.co.nz/tumutumu.html.

There are about 12 of us with 2 local guides. After a short drive we get to the "departure gate", where we get out gear: helmet with light, full body wet suit and gum boots....I don't know why but at this stage I have the slight feeling that we are going to get wet....(my usual acute 6th sense!). To top my intuition the guide says: " guys since it has been raining last nite, and still is, the cave is flooded, so get ready ....", damn what happened to the luck of the Irish?

Well we then head underground....pitch black, withouth the lights it would be a nightmare....the water is freezing cold and running fast....Inside on the top we can see the famous glow worms, it looks like a sky filled with stars..pretty cool...

The tour, around 2 hours, run pretty smoothly, between rock formations, mud and obviuosly liters of water. At one stage the guide decided to direct us through a pretty small path, but after I got stuck there trying to get through the rocks for few minutes (, first my helmet was stuck between 2 rocks, then it was the turn of my wet suit....and I thought I lost weight...) he smartely said to the rest of the group to go around....We then had to go underwater and flow with the current ( a so called pin ball, I wonder why....), at the end we were pretty damn cold and tired.....definately getting old.....A MUST DO!

Afterwards we headed to the Coromandel peninsula. We stayed in Waihi, in a hotel with pub, betting shop, restaurant, etc...basically the town money sucker ! On the way a sign struck me: " Please return my bike, ph 0000", straight and open communication....

The waether wasn't very nice, windy and with heavy showers every 15 minutes, so we quickly drove around the peninsula and we went back to Auckland.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Postato da: grecofla alle 01:10 | link | comments (2) |

And here we go, one week to Christmas....amazing.

As they say, it only seems yesterday when I was doing whatever I was doing one year ago...., definately I was not thinking about being on the other side of the world soaking in the sun.....

To tell you the truth it's pretty hard to sink in the Christmas mood when everybody around you ( and you as well, since u don't wanna look weird with the woolly jumper that grandma made for you) are wearing t-shirts, shorts and sandals, and it's damn bright from early in the morning until 9 pm.  Christmas, for all the people from the northern emisphere and, as all the movies show us, it's made by cold weather, possibly snow, dark afternoons, christmas lights.... We are definately in another world, but we don't complain !

 

The common thing is the Christmas shopping, even here the race for the gifts is fierce with ads with heavy  discounts all over town....The consumer animal has reached all the corners of the Globe...

In the meanwhile in town some blokes decided to have some fun : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10360490

I'll keep you posted in our attempt this week to approach Christmas day in a traditional way....for now we only planned a tour to www.waitomo.co.nz

 

PS: today is pissing rain....so don't envy us 2 much!

 

 

Postato da: grecofla alle 22:00 | link | comments (1) |

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