Our first week in Melbourne has been full of local tours, lots of walking, and exploring Melbourne's culture. Unforunatley the weather down here has been far cooler than our expectation! We are planning to move up to Sydney sooner than originally planned so we can start to work and enjoy that beach life that we came across the world for. (Sometimes i feel like were walking down Brighton beach, with our fish & chips! Ha!). The Great Ocean Road campervan tour Sam, Ed & I are planning to do once the weather brightens up, is what's really keeping us here.
When Sam & I first arrived we got over our jet lag pretty quickly. We forced ourselves to stay up til 7pm and then slept for a solid 12 hours (best thing we could have done!). Our favourite place to grab a bite to eat here is Leroy's on Acland Street. It's actually the first place we ate when we arrived too! They give you English Breakfast Tea in the style of a chemistry set, and put avacado with nearly everything on the menu! (That's not unusual here, the food is league's ahead of England. Healthy but tasty, and generous portions).
We've explored most of St Kilda now, but i would say our favourite day out was to Elwood Beach on the 06/10/2016. Best weather we've seen so far here, got to around 26 degrees. You can really tell there is a hole in the o-zone layer, we burnt within an hour just from our walk to Elwood Beach. On the way we came acoss Point Ormond the most beautiful viewing spot where you could see the city skyline in the distance from the beach. Melbourne suprised me in how clean the city is and how accesbile it is to get everywhere. Our walk there was along a footpath that took you through parks, harbours, beachfront and beautiful bush.
On our second day of exploring Melbourne we went into the CBD (Central Business District) and visited Sam's much awaited dream of seeing the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). The ground was overwhelming in size. We did a tour in the afternoon, and saw them laying the wickets for the season ahead.
The MCG is also home to The Bulldogs Football Team, and the Australian Football final. The final was the weekend before we arrived, and they let everyone on the pitch for a masssive piss up after the game! Gutted we missed it!
That morning we headed to the NGV (National Gallery Victoria) to see some Art. Sam wasn't so keen! Ha! I have to say it is the biggest Art Gallery i have ever been too! They really do everything in full measures here in Australia. We both started to get exhausted as the Art went on.. and on.. and on! That's when we headed to the MCG. What a day!
We woke up early this morning to collect our campervan from Chris at Access Car Rentals. We thought we got a bargain, but realised our discount wasn't because we'd made a friend of him, but because it had a broken headlight (which we re-attached with medical tape on our 4th day!) broken internal lights, broken gas bottle (which meant no stove! Sam set his hand on fire once we finally got it working) & the drivers seatbelt was broken too! It was comical to say the least, but it was our home for the next 5 days and we loved it.
On our first day Sam Ed & I set out, with Lorne being our first destination and set up camp for the night. Typically it rained the whole night! We parked up next to a swampy river and crocodiles were the first things that came to mind! It was also on our first night that we discovered the gas bottle didn't work... Thank god for google! I discovered how to cook pasta in the microwave!
On the second day we set out to Apollo Bay, en route we passed Erskine Falls. Now i say passed... You pull up in a car park and walk 2km up the steepest paths into the mountain. On the Great Ocean Road waterfalls dont become a miss, we encountered 3 along the way; 1. Erskine Falls, 2. Sheoak Falls, 3. Triplet Falls. All of them surrounded by beautiful prehistoric rainforest. The waterfalls just got more extreme and beautiful as the journey went on. We only went to three, but from looking at the map there must be over 15! We thought 5 days was more than enough, little did we know how much there was to do on the Great Ocean Road.
Day 3 and we leave base from Marengo (just on from Apollo Bay), this was a big day for driving and walking! We explored more rainforest walks, and Wreck Beach, before pulling up in Port Campbell for the night. We were supposed to be staying in Princetown, which made more sense on the map, but we turned up and it looked like a scene from Wolf Creek, so thought we best move on! Ha! We had an early dinner in Port Campbell and set up camp (our favourite campsite). From this campsite we parked up behind a sandy estry and walked out to the beach to watch the pink sunset (life is bliss!).
On day 4 we retraced our steps back to the Twelve Apostles (only 2km back). It was a beautiful day with clear skies, perfect day for a helicopter trip we thought! Going up in the helicopter to view the Twelve Apostles was the highlight of the Great Ocean Road for me. The views were stunning, the company even better and the pilot was so informative, telling us tales that had happened over time there. After we safely landed we set our to sights to the Apostles to get a better gauge on the size, and also took a trip to Loch Ard Gorge. It was a paradise beach, secluded and beatuiful. It was the location of a shipwreck that had 57 passengers but only 2 survied. For the rest of the drive we headed up to the Grampians, driving through them and panicking about where we were to stay for the night as we hit 100km of National Park and nothing around. Everyone put on a brave face and night started to fall and then we found the coolest campsite of all! The Campsite of Halls Gap. We were situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, lakes, kangaroos and cockatoo's!
On our final day we were supposed to do some of the walks in the Grampians but the rainfall was the heaviest i'd seen in Australia and there were landslides only days before so thought, best not! We didn't leave dissapointed though! Driving through the scenic road was enough to see this amazing National Park. We headed home and were releived when we hit our comfy matress at Nomads, St Kilda, Melbourne.
Our first two weeks in Sydney have been full of luxury and great weather! We landed and headed to the suburb of Balgowlah. We met Natalie and Ryan our hosts, with their 2 boys Dexter & James, who are lovely. Staying in the Granny Flat (with full access to pool and the jacuzzi!), became our second home very quickly. Beautiful beaches have become second nature and sushi for lunch is our favourite!
We spent our first day in the city and made our way to Circular Quay to see the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Our first day was actually pretty mental, we did a whole lot of hot city sweating and exploring, walking to Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Sydney Sealife, and then finished off the day in Bondi to meet friends, Doron & Dom. Now if thats not a day full of sight seeing i don't know what is!
After seeing the main attrctions in the city, we started to stay local and explore the scene in Manly & the Northern Beaches of the harbour. I believe Manly to be the most liveable place in the world. It's a ferry away from the lively city, has all the shops, bars, resturants you want, Manly Grill being the best resutrant so far (the ribs are unbelievable! Dad i wish you could taste them!). Best of all it has the most beautiul beaches in Sydney. Shelley Beach has become our most reagually visited. We have been going snorkelling on a daily basis as soon as the weather got above 25 degrees, Shelley Beach is great for snorkelling as theres so much marine life!
Sam & I have both actively been looking for work after our first week here, and Sam of course had no problem being a Carpenter! I however am still on the search, but things are looking up as i have my first interview on Wednesday the 09/11/16.
For a weekend in december Sam & I decided to head up to the Blue Mountains, at this point in our trip we are both working and have bought a VW Golf, so thought we would treat ourselves to a weekend away and make good use of the car! After driving for 2 hours out west we made it to the Blue Mountains. Our first destination was Echo Point, Katoomba where we saw the 3 sisters 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and 'Gunnedoo', the unusual rock formation, who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone. From the Echo Point lookout we had an incredible view out over the bright blue that radiates over the mountinous horizon.
From there we descended down the Giant Stairway which takes you down to look up at the 3 sisters. This Giant Stairway is the story of Australia. Steep, trecherous, scary and unstable walking tracks that make you think you will fall and die, or be killed by a snake or spider. Australia's National Parks are beautiul, probably some of the most beautiful places i've ever seen, but they come with a cost of dehydration and forceful workouts.
After Echo Point we had lunch in Lorne, and headed to Scenic World. In my eyes this is the best way to see the Blue Mountains. The walking tracks go on for days in the Blue Mountains, it's just not possible! Scenic world has the best of these walks, the steepest train in the world which takes your down to the forest floor and cable cars that take you from cliff to cliff with stunning views of waterfalls. We had so much fun there. We got the cable car from Scenic World to to Prince Henry's lookout and we decided walk back. This took us down to be level with Katoomba Falls.
After speaking to guides of the Blue Montains they advised us that Jenolan Caves is a great place to go. We didn't think this would take long but it was a further 2 hour drive (this is a theme that runs with Australia, people and maps lie to you about distance!). The Caves are located in a deep crevas in the moutains. The drive down the winding mountain was worrying in our car, but we believed in him. We made it safely but hadn't seen civilisation for over an hour, and were told there also wasn't anything for another hour after the Caves. The only thing there was a creepy old hotel that had no mobile reception or wifi. At least we made it in time for bed and the breakfast was delicious!
Jenolan Caves are the oldest caves in the world, they're over 340 million years old. There is constantly cave divers and researchers there which was cool to see. In the morning we did the Ribbon Walk where we saw all different types of beautiful crystal formations, as well as stalagmites, stalactites and helectites. To break for lunch we took a walk round the Blue Lake, which it's bright turquoise colour comes from all the minerals in the caves (never thought i would get to see something like this in real life!). Remarkable. In the afternoon we did another cave walk in the Diamond Cave before heading home. Our drive home was suspect after the car started to smell like burning and made funny sounds. We have now hired a campervan to drive the East Coast, i'm not sure the Golf will make it!
We have now moved on from Sydney. It has become my favourite city in the world, winning me over with it's versitile scenery, beautiful beaches (so many, even i couldn't see them all in 4 months!), the beautiful team i got to work with at Oscar Wylee, and of course the food! Manly Grill to be exact.
One of the highlights of our time in Manly was getting a visit from Grant and Max. When you can share your experience with someone else and watch them enjoy it too, it really makes it special, even if Max did have to fight the spiders in her toilet on a nightly basis! Watching Grant dominate in the paddle boarding, and Sam fight back in their surfing lesson was just too funny to watch. Such an amazing time with them, thank you for everything, see you in 9 months!
Although our time in Sydney was amazing, spending Christmas day on Coogee Beach with Bill & Ellie, watching the fireworks over the Harbour Bridge and chilling on the beach, on Australia Day with our picnic and 6 bottles of wine later! Our time here has come to an end, we are now ready to head up the East Coast.
Upon leaving Sydney we collected our campervan which is home for the next 6 weeks. We have been driving up the East Coast for just over a week now, and I've already managed to smash one of our windows. Typical Lucy. Nothing that a bit of waterproof sheet and cloth tape can't fix!
Regardless we've managed to make it up to Yamba, NSW. Sam and I were hoping to do some surfing lessons here, but a storm has rolled in leaving us with torrential rain, lightening and thunder for a few days. Boring! This last week we had beautiful weather though so I can't be too disappointed.
Our first couple of nights were spent at Cessnock Showground. We explored the Hunter Valley doing a Cheese & Wine Tour with 'Two Fat Blokes', such a laugh! We're supposed to be on a budget but ended up coming home with 3 bottles of wine, 2 blocks of cheese & some crackers for dinner! The following day we headed up to Newcastle, past Lake Macquarie and spent the night at One Mile Beach, Port Stephens. Port Stephens is a beautiful place. We climbed Mt Tomaree and saw landscape that I never thought I'd see in the flesh!
In the following days we've travelled to Forster, where I saw wild Dolphins coming in to the bay to feed at sunset. Visited the sick Koalas at the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie & the abandoned prison of Trial Bay Goal, where a couple of loose Kangaroos were chilling. I think I was more interested in the Kangaroos than the prison! Since then we have relaxed at Nambucca, a peaceful beachside town & explored the Dorrigo National Park, it's rainforests and waterfalls.
Our next stop is Ballina with Byron Bay to follow, and all the things to see in between. Weather permitting we're looking to get a few surf lessons under our belts. Can't wait!
Travelling North from Ballina we stopped in Lennox Head. We didn't know what to expect as people told us it's the next Byron Bay. It was a beautiful seaside town but had nothing on Byron Bay. Byron Bay is one crazy town.
Coming this far North from Sydney we have definitely noticed a climate change, it has got hotter (even though we're coming into autumn now), it's humid and the mosquitos are getting more and more uncontrollable. As well as the climate change the weird Australian wildlife is increasing. We have seen the Blue Bottle jellyfish covering beaches, and I was also stung by a jellyfish! I guess it was an experience (not one I'd like to relive though!)
I loved the Northern Beaches of Sydney, but Byron Bay is putting up a fight for being my favourite place in Australia. It's home to the best fashion that has ever walked this earth (not from the hippies!). It's home to surfing, and some of the most famous places to surf in the world (great free entertainment for hours!), and the home of Cheeky Monkey's.
As if we hadn't seen enough hippies in Byron we then decided go inland to Nimbin, a town painted in red, yellow and green. After one final blowout in Byron we headed up to Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise & Brisbane.
It was nice to see a city again for the first time after leaving Sydney. At home I wouldn't usually say that, but Australia's countryside involves long drives before you come across civilisation. Gold Coast was nice, sunny & modern, but Brisbane was my favourite. We sat out in Brisbane with Bill & Ellie drinking goon on the Southbank river (which I thought actually looked a lot like London's Southbank!). It was awesome to see them again, and can't wait for another reunion in Bristol when we get home.
To say goodbye to Brisbane we drove up to Mt Coot-Tha lookout before heading to the Glass House Mountains in Beerwah. The Glass House Mountains were named by James Cook in 1770, and formed from lava, which filled small vents and solidified into hard rocks. Millions of years of erosion have removed the surrounding exteriors of the volcanic cones leaving the magnificent landscape. As the volcanic mountains cooled, vertical columns formed. They were a real natural beauty.
After spending the night in Beerwah we headed to Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. I haven't felt that much like a kid in a long time. We got there bright and early for the doors to open to watch all the shows. We saw a blind Siberian Tiger swim and play in water. Watched the Otters get up to their usual mischief and the bit Sam was waiting for... THE CROCS!
Steve Irwin was known for his Crocodile Hunting, taking crocodiles out of the Northern Territory & North Queensland, where they had been endangering humans, or are in danger of being shot by human, and taking them into his sanctuary that is Australia Zoo. It was amazing to see how much work he put into this animal sanctuary and how well it has been kept as a memorial by all the workers there, and his remaining family (who were there the day after us, damn!).
We drove to the Sunshine Coast of Queensland which is much a reflection of Gold Coast with a more relaxing atmosphere. It has a beautiful coastline and was happy to spend the night and day mooching around Maloolaba & Maroochydore. After our night in the Sunshine Coast we bypassed much awaited Noosa to head north to the Fraser Coast prior to visiting Fraser Island as our tour left from Noosa.
On the Fraser Coast we spent time in Tin Can Bay where you can get in the water and hand feed the Dolphins. Tin Can Bay had a beautiful walk that you can do around the Bay with a single pub that welcomed us on our return! We then headed to Rainbow Beach, which you can get to by row boat from Tin Can Bay in 10minutes but is a 30min drive! This is where we discovered Carlo Sand Blow, a beach on top of a mountain. Apparently there is only 3 in the world! We were also able to scout out the southern tip of Fraser in anticipation.
Hervey Bay was our last stop on Fraser Coast before heading back down to Noosa to do our Fraser Tag- Along Tour. Hervey Bay was great for swimming and full of kind generous people. Noosa stole my heart with it's Coastal Walk and Fairy Pools, it was like something out of a David Attenborough documentary!
I think our favourite part of Noosa was bumping into Ryan & Sian. Living in Edenbridge and having many mutual friends, to bump into someone on the other side of the world is crazy to say the least! We sat down and caught up until the heavens decided to open and we had to make a mad dash for the van, before getting drenched! We all managed to all get on the same Fraser Island Tour and spent that night in the Nomads Noosa hostel - Worst night sleep I've ever had!
Finally the much anticipated Fraser Island was upon us and we couldn't wait! To explore the largest sand island in the world, we had 4 Land Cruisers in our convoy. Obviously Car 2 (our car) was the best. We woke up at 6am ready to get the coach to Rainbow Beach where we would pick up our 4x4. This wasn't easy to say the least, due to the flooding of hostel rooms and racket the night before. Made us miss our campervan!
DAY 1: Sian, Ryan, Sam & I all managed to get in the same car and we drove up to Inskip Point to get the barge over to Fraser Island. Getting off the barge was the whole groups first experience of driving on sand, it was like nothing else. The closest thing Tony (our ozzy guide) could describe it to, is deep fluffy snow, and even then sand is more unpredictable. We drove about 60km on the highway/ beach to get to our camp and have lunch.
In the afternoon we headed to Lake Mackenzie, this required some serious off-roading through the Jurassic like jungle to the centre of Fraser Island. Lake Mackenzie is like nothing else in the world. It is a fresh water lake that formed like a puddle from rainwater. It has white silica sand which you can brush your teeth with its so pure, and piercing blue water, that is so fresh you could drink it (if you weren't worried about people weeing!). It surprised us with it's size and being 8 meters deep, that is one big puddle. I wish i could go there everyday for the rest of my life.
DAY 2: After an early rise we drove along the beach to Indian Head. This is where an Aboriginal settlement previously lived until Captain James Cook discovered Fraser Island. From Indian Head you could see back over the Island and lookout for sharks in the marine sanctuary below. In the afternoon we went to Champagne Pools and got roughed up by the waves. A storm was definitely brewing. In the afternoon the weather cleared up when we saw Moheno Shipwreck and Eli Creek. Eli Creek was an amazing freshwater lazy river that flowed out to the beach and into the sea. We floated down it with rainwater that came down around 1000 years ago.
That evening we came back to our tipi's and took shelter from a tropical storm above. I've never heard thunder claps so loud, however Tony assured us the storm would pass, so we played Beer Pong in the meantime. We were in hysterics when Sam & Ryan actually won the tournament! So intense. Free drinks for everyone! After the Beer Pong, the skies had cleared. Tony grabbed a 4x4, a cooler and some ice, and we headed down to the beach for a beach party. We had a near full moon, and with nothing around other than sand and sea it was so bright we even saw a Dingo.
DAY 3: On our final day we had great weather which made me so sad to think I might never go to Fraser Island again. We had our last swim in Lake Birrabeen and said our final farewells to the great friends we made there. We could not have had a better group of people, it was so much fun. We made it without getting stuck once!
Following Fraser Island we were on a deadline to get 13 hours north of Noosa to get on our Whitsundays adventure tour with Wings. This drive wasn't the easiest for Sam, due to heavy rain slowing us down. We did this journey over 3 days stopping off in 1770, Rockhampton and Mackay, before arriving in Airlie Beach. 1770 is a beautiful small town where Captain James Cook first landed in Australia. It is said the Aboriginal people have cursed the Whitsundays after Captain James Cook came over.
When we first drove into Airlie Beach I was astounded by its beauty. As the last few days has been mainly highway, away from the coast and with miserable weather, Airlie Beach blew me away. Travelling so far north in a short amount of time took us over the Tropic of Capricorn border. We were surprised how much North Queensland is like a different country as it's so wild and tropical, but also very humid and swarming with midges (sand flies)! The sea is now not only clear but also a bright turquoise colour, with an abundance of wildlife (including Irukandji & the Box Jellyfish).
DAY 1: We woke up with some beautiful sunshine and positive thoughts for our sailing trip ahead. After meeting our new group, crew and skipper for the next few days we headed to Langford Island for our first snorkel. It took us just under 3 hours to get there, and it was a real luxury. We got kitted up with our stinger suits, snorkels, flippers and got straight in. Exploring the underwater universe of the Great Barrier Reef was beautiful, the fish were tropical and the coral was so colourful.
At Langford Island we swam with turtles, I'd wave at them and they'd come swimming towards me. I love a friendly giant! After Langford Island we headed up to Blue Pearl Bay where again we saw beautiful coral that the Parrot fish were chomping on and got slapped in the face by fish. On our first night at sea we had a dry period were we all sat out on the front of the catamaran watching the skies where we saw the clearest shooting stars. They also have blue lights in the water at the back of the boat that attract fish, they were so mesmerising you could watch them for hours!
DAY 2: The sea has got increasingly choppy and more than a few members of our group were coming down with sea sickness. We headed to Manta Ray Bay where we got to meet George the famous Maori Wrasse of the Whitsunday Islands. George was the biggest fish I've ever been in the water with, but incredibly beautiful with all his Maori markings. We then headed to Tounge Bay home to more turtles, manatees and a feeding ground for sharks. However we are yet to see a shark in the wild.
We hiked up to Hill Inlet Lookout to see the sweeping sands of Whitehaven Beach. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side, but at least it wasn't raining, yet... We played Frisbee on Whitehaven Beach before heading back to the boat just in time as the rain hit hard. We weren't able to moor until around 8:30pm due to the skipper trying his best to find a calm spot for everyone to sleep. The weather calmed and we got our drink on for our final night on the boat. What great people we have met again! Looking forward to going home and Matt & Tim showing us a good nigh out in Brighton. Wish we could've spent longer with them.
DAY 3: On our final day we had one last snorkel at Caves Cove, but the visibility wasn't great. It wasn't long until the wind picked up and us snorkelers started to drift with the wind. The skipper got us all in from the water and we headed back to land. Little did we know a cyclone was on the way. Which explains a lot of this bad weather we're having! Sam has already started to stock up on cans of beans! We have a long next few days ahead of us. Wish us luck!
After getting back to Airlie Beach from the Whitsundays and knowing that Cyclone Debbie was heading straight for us, we decided to head as far North as possible. At this point she was due to hit Townsville on Monday evening. After listening to the advice of the locals, we wanted Debbie to hit as soon as possible, as the longer a Cyclone spends over sea the more strength she gets.
On Saturday morning we set off for Townsville, this was a long drive, over 4 hours. We stopped off along the way for some tomato soup, then continued our drive to Townsville. Townsville is where you get the ferry over to Magnetic Island. Magnetic Island is an adventure capital of Australia, where you hire little Barbie cars and explore all the natural beauty it has to offer. Unfortunately it didn't look like there was any guarantees that the ferry wouldn't be cancelled the following day, due to the weather out at sea being worse than inland at this time. This is one part of our trip that we had to say good bye too. But what can you do when a natural disaster hits!
Cyclones are completely unpredictable, you never know if they are going to change direction, head north or south and what disruption they will bring with them. On Sunday we had made it up to Cairns after another 5 hour drive, stopping off in Cardwell on the way. Cardwell was previously destroyed by Cyclone Yasi and had only managed to get back to normal within the last 2 years. Cardwell was the first time I had seen a beware of Crocodiles sign. Scary! When it comes to Saltwater Crocodiles you must stay at least 4 meters away from the waters edge.
After Cardwell we stopped off at Josephine Falls. The weather was lovely from Debbie sucking all the clouds away. Josephine Falls is one of the places in North Queensland you can swim without being at threat from the most dangerous Jellyfish and Crocodiles in the world. It's a fresh water waterfall that was so grand, I'd never seen anything like it. The water was clear and cool. The rocks are smooth from erosion so you can use the rock face as a water slide. It was so powerful and hard to climb! (But we did it!)
We made it up to Cairns that evening and got our final update on the Cyclone. Debbie was moving South-West, thank-fully Cairns had been taken out of the 'watch zone', and she was now going to hit late Tuesday morning. We were thankful we had managed to escape Debbie, and it was unlikely that she would start heading North, so we headed further North on Monday up to The Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation.
Seeing the Daintree Rainforest was one of the things I had most looked forward to when coming to Australia. To be able to visit the oldest rainforest in the world, and see mother nature at her finest is one of the most beautiful things I've experienced.
One thing that surprised me about the Daintree & Cape Tribulation is how beautiful the drive is to get there. You drive along the Captain Cook Highway hugging the coast line and mountain range the whole way, looking over the turquoise sea and secluded beaches. This brought back memories for Sam & I of the Great Ocean Road, our first real adventure. A nice reminiscent a couple weeks before we leave Australia. The Captain Cook highway takes you up to the Daintree River crossing, where you board a vehicle barge. This river looked the most crocodile infested of them all!
Once you make it to the Rainforest the temperature cools as you are covered by the canopy. We did various boardwalks on the forest floor, and through the mangroves. My favourite was the Dubuji Walk which took us through the mangroves and various crocodile infested ponds, it's scary, but full of excitement all the same. We saw hundreds of flying foxes nesting in the trees above, they have become one of my favourite Australian animals as you feel like Batman is coming.
Cape Tribulation is as far north on the East Coast you can go without needing a 4x4 so this was our last stop. Another beautiful beach and fantastic lookout of where the Rainforest meets the Reef. We spent the night and met a German couple who had lived in New Zealand for the last 2 years, they gave us tips on where to go, we couldn't be more excited! Before leaving the Daintree we did a 23 metre incline, to see atop the Rainforest canopy, then headed back towards civilisation, mobile phone signal and Port Douglas.
If anyone was ever going on holiday to Australia, Port Douglas is the place I'd recommend to stay. It has a beautiful town, home to the top resorts, stunning sunsets, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Rainforest. We spent a couple of nights here before heading back down to Cairns. Unfortunately we couldn't do the dive in Cairns we were hoping to do, but we snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsundays and figured we could make up for the dive in Thailand!
Well it's down to our last few days in Australia and I couldn't be happier that we're spending them in Brisbane. For me Brisbane is like a combination of Melbourne & Sydney. It has the relaxed vibe and good coffee of Melbourne, and the Sydney swag. Sydney is still my favourite city though!
We landed at night time in Brisbane, and woke up the following day to our 3 year anniversary. We treated ourselves to bacon sandwiches and doughnuts for breakfast, then headed into the city to explore.
Australia has been amazing, I plan to come back again one day as this country has so much to offer that even 6 months isn't long enough to see it all! However 6 months is a long time to spend in a country that isn't your home, so we are excited to move on to New Zealand. Bring on Middle Earth!
We began our New Zealand journey landing in Auckland and exploring the city. What can I say? Auckland is just another city (not the reason we came here!). After picking up our campervan the following day we headed North to explore the Northlands. To brace oourselves for the cold weather ahead we bought some new jumpers, coats and pj's. This was needed straight away as we'd managed to attract another Cyclone (yes really); Cyclone Cook had come over from the Pacific Islands and was bringing a lot of rain and floods. This however has now calmed, and we have beautiful clear skies and above 20. But that does feel chilly after Oz!
Our first night Freedom Camping (free camping) was in Whangarei, we parked up next to calm bay and watched the sunset over the lush green hills. I thought England was the most stereotypical of a green countryside, but it doesn't even compare to the endless rolling green hills here in the Northlands of New Zealand. New Zealand doesn't look big on a map, and wherever you plan to drive, doesn't seem far, but the roads are windy, and constantly winding
uphill or downhill, through forests or hills. This also isn't great when petrol is 2 dollars a litre (ouch!). The beauty is worth every penny though, and your never short of 360 degree stunning views.
We drove to Lake Ilwa on the West Coast and thought we'd never find anything like Lake McKenzie from Fraser Island again, but we had. A fresh water lake, with hardly anyone there, white sand and water so clear it reflects the blue off the sky. Being British we bared all and plunged into the freezing cold lake and swam out to a pontoon to relax in the sunshine. Later that day we drove up to the Waipoua Forest and saw Tane Mahuta, the Lord of the Forest and the biggest Kukai tree in the world. The tree isn't the biggest in height but in circumfrence, 16 people could hold hands round the trunk.
The following day we headed up to Cape Reinga, the most northly point of New Zealand where the Tasman and Pacific Sea meet. This was cool as you could really see the opposing currents crashing into one another. We also visited Russel the countries first Captital. In Russel we headed up to Cape Tepineka to do a hike which took us to lookout over The Bay of Islands which holds 144 islands. Tonight we have found ourselves back at our first pit stop of Whangarie, where we ate our dinner by the bay, watching people fish, and the sun go down before we head off to Coromandel tomorrow (thats if it's not too flooded from Cyclone Cook!).
It's such a contrast coming to New Zealand after being in Australia for 6 months, there is just so much to do here, I feel 6 weeks is only just enough! We've been busy and on the move everyday. After exploring the Northlands we headed west towards the Coromandel Peninsula. Unfortunately the west coast road was closed after Cyclone Cook left behind flooding and land slips, but luckily everything we wanted to see is on the east coast.
That evening we headed straight up to Cathedral Cove to park a top the mountain, and spend the night. The view here is amazing, we sat up until the sun went down and the temperature dropped. In the night we made sure to look up at the stars and I'm certain you can see the Milky Way from New Zealand. A huge stretch of clustered stars with a haze that runs through it, and hangs over the night sky. Every night from then on (more so in remote areas) we would look up and can see it again. The next morning we headed out for our walk to Cathedral Cove a beautiful coastal walk that takes you through forests and to bays. When we arrived at Cathedral Cove it was paradise. A natural rock formation that you could walk through at low tide to another beach. Waves were crashing against massive boulders emerging from the sea, and spring waterfalls that trickle down the cliffs onto the beach, act as a beach shower.
The following day we headed down into the North Island mainland and went to the town of Matamata, the home of Hobbiton. Doing things like this is what dreams are made of for me. It's so much fun to be able to live out a childhood movie. It's a real town, and I wish I lived there! Learning about the filming of Lord of the Rings & Hobbiton was amazing, but I don't think anything will beat the look on Sams face when he found out we could have a beer at the Green Dragon in the Shire, and what a beautiful pub it is!
Before heading over to Rotorua we headed west to the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves. It turns out Glow Worms are just bio-luminescent maggots, gross! I don't think I'll ever forget the first moment we drove into Rotorua, I thought the town was on fire! Rotorua is so geo-thermally active there was steam coming from the drains, peoples back gardens, hot pools of water, and a strong smell of sulphur! I knew New Zealand had volcanoes, but didn't realise how active it was here. You forget how alive the earth really is until your reminded with a raw image of it. New Zealand is actually known as 'The Shaky Isles' from the amount of plate activity they have here. To see some of it in action we headed to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Area where there are hot pools reaching above 100 degrees, in luminescent colours of green, yellow, blue and orange. Such a bizarre thing to experience, really feels like your on another planet, or on the Moon or Mars. There's geysers and mud pools galore, a must do if you love to see nature at work!
We wanted to make sure we experienced some Maori culture while being in New Zealand, even if it was only to see the Haka! In Te Puia the Maori were extremely friendly. We learnt all about the arrival of the Maori to New Zealand from the Pacific's, their traditions and practices and their Haka was unforgettable. Their tribal land was based over an active area so we also witnessed Pohutu Geyser erupt, reaching heights up to 30 metres. Sam and I have started to have enough of the smell of Sulphur, so we have headed down to Taupo for our last leg of the North, before heading to the South Island.
I'm not sure if I'll ever know why we decided to do the Tongariro Crossing, but sometimes you do things you wouldn't normally do if you only have one chance. We decided to go on a 19.4km, 6-8 hour hike up an active volcano, up Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings. It's a once in a lifetime thing, and the views were incredible, but our bodies are paying for it now! Never the less I couldn't be more proud of Sam & I for doing it, definitely one of the better achievements of my life.
On every other walk we've been on in either Australia or New Zealand there's been clear guided pathway or maybe even a boardwalk, but that was rare on the Tongariro Crossing. Regardless I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a walk, challenge, self satisfaction or great views. We woke up on Friday 21st of April at 5am and headed to Tongariro National Park, home to Mt. Tongariro, Mt Ruapehu & Mt Ngauruhoe. We parked up and got the shuttle bus to the start of the walk. There were many signs in the first hour or so recommending to turn back if you weren't prepared, but stupidly we continued!
The walk started off pleasant enough, an hour or so across the flat terrain, but then the incline began. The ascent was an absolute killer for me, every time we turned a new corner the track just kept going, regular breaks to recharge my little legs were essential. There is no way two Hobbits made it. Sam was amazing on the ascent, I don't think I could've done it without him, firstly because of vertigo, and of course moral support (he wouldn't of made it down without me though!). There were moments of relief where the terrain straightened out again, but then there was the moment that I wished I had walking boots rather than Nike trainers. The last incline before we reached the Red Crater was on loose steep gravel, which was followed by chains bolted onto rocks to hold onto, to stop the slipping (trust me you did not want to fall, it was a long way down!). We got to the Red Crater and the view of Mt Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom) and surrounding landscape was just incredible. We had our final climb to reach the highest point of our trek 1886m, only took us 4 hours!
We stopped here for lunch for an hour despite the smell of sulphur, but there was no escaping it! We had an amazing view over the Emerald Lakes & Blue Lake. The best part of lunch however was the entertainment, we perched up on a large rock an watched hundreds of people attempt the steep descent off the highest point. In this instance the soft gravel was your friend, so many people went arse over tit, hilarious! At least we were able develop tactics. I took the lead surfing the black sand down, making sure to look only at the ground at not either side as it was a long way down. After controlling the momentum for half an hour we ended up at the Emerald Lakes, I'm sure you can imagine what they looked like. We continued the walk up past the Blue Lake. The view across to Mt Doom and the Red Crater from the Blue Lake were the best.
We were passed the hardest part of the walk (or so I thought), now just the winding descending pathway, taking us towards the forest. Unfortunately Sam pulled his hip muscle on the descent, so now the easy part became the hard part. It was a long and painful descent taking us around 2 hours to get down, Sam was not seeing the funny side at this point and is still suffering! None the less all the aches, pains and blisters on the soles of my feet were worth every minute.
We have spent the last few days relaxing lakeside in Taupo. It's a big lake, larger than Singapore! Beers and red wine have been our medicine. We mustered up some energy this morning and walked around the powerful Huka Falls, which passes 200,000 litres of water per second. We sat and watched the ducks and black swans fight over bread in the afternoon, the sea planes take off and the parasailers float high in the sky. Down to Wellington tomorrow, looking forward to seeing the fur seals and penguins of the South Island!
On Anzac Day, 25th of April, we got the Interislander Ferry across to the South Island from Wellington to Picton. It took around 3 hours and what a beautiful day for it. We passed through the Marlborough Sounds of the South Island and it was just beautiful, with islands of rolling green hills and large fisheries, and water blue as anything. Bit disappointed we didn't see any dolphins though!
We arrived in Picton and contemplated what our plan would be. We met a man who owns a vineyard in Marlborough, who told us all about the bike tours we could do in the wine region. However we have decided to try and do that on our way back through, so we don't get too merry and spend all our money on wine! I wouldn't put it passed us as we already managed it in the Hunter Valley. So we headed in the opposite direction towards Nelson. This did however take us through the vineyards and how amazing they look in Autumn. All the grape plants dying off for the end of the season, starting to turn from green to yellow to orange, and the trees a deep red. It's been a while since I've seen Autumnal colours so this is something I won't forget.
Following this we headed to one of Nelson's Great Lakes, Lake Rotiti. It was very picturesque and typical of South Island, New Zealand. Only down side is we couldn't have a swim! The water was freezing, but it was nice have lunch, watch the ducks bathe and skim stones. The water in the lakes in New Zealand is so clear as most of them have been formed from Glaciers. After Lake Rotiti we headed south down the West Coast, visiting a seal colony in Cape Foulwind. Seeing the seal colonies and probably been the thing I've most been looking forward to in the South Island. It's just after mating season so all the cubs have been born and they are so cute! Can't wait to see more the further south we go. We spent a night by the beach in Greymouth (which is a very grey town indeed), and then headed to the Pancake Rocks.
We also went to visit the Franz Josef & Fox Glacier. It was a cool experience to walk through a valley that was not too long ago filled with ice. Only within the last 100 years, the ice has melted and receded thousands of meters. I believe it is natural in this area, due to the earth gradually warming, but it's crazy how fast the ice has melted, these valleys and glaciers are enormous! Unfortunately there wasn't much left of the Glaciers to see, but what we did probably won't be around for much longer, so we felt very fortunate.
Today we have arrived in Wanaka, the autumnal colours, snow on the mountains and reflections in Lake Wanaka are beautiful. I can see us spending a few days here!
It's towns like Wanaka & Queenstown that steal your heart when you come to New Zealand. We met so many people in Australia who said Queenstown is their favourite place in the world, and I can see why.
We were really looking forward to Wanaka, I had heard how beautiful it was, and it really lived up to the expectations. We had a rainy day whilst in Wanaka so headed to Puzzling World, which was absolutely hilarious. It's a big house filled with different illusions in each room. One room had a 15 degree tilt which gave the illusion that everything in the room had a gravitational pull of upwards. Very confusing but left us in fits of laughter. It made you feel so dizzy, did the job better than a glass of wine!
It's so refreshing to see autumn colours again, I could swear it's October not May! Feels very weird. With the seasons changing however, the temperature has dropped. We have started waking up to ice on the inside of the van. Although a walk does warm you up, we didn't fancy the ambitious Roy's Peak after Tongariro Crossing, and there's so many walks you can do around Wanaka Lake. One afternoon we went on an afternoon stroll past the Wanaka Tree and up to Rippon Vineyard. By chance we arrived just in time for some wine tasting. The wine was beautiful, but the location of this vineyard was even more so. I didn't think places with a view as beautiful as this were real!
After being ladies of luxury for a few days, relaxing in the picturesque Wanaka, we headed to 'The Adrenaline Capital of the World' - Queenstown. I really wanted to book something exciting for us to do, considering the location, so I booked a Zipwire, 130m long and travelling at 60km/h. Little did I know I had booked it at Kawarau Bridge the home of Bungy. Founded by A J Hackett, the first original Bungy location in the world. The founders came up with the idea after travelling to Vanuatu, watching the tribesman do it off of bamboo scaffolds. It was such great entertainment and had to be the most beautiful location for it. Sam just had to do it! NUTTER! To have a perfect finish to a perfect day full of excitement we took a walk around the Queenstown Gardens, went to the pub, then headed straight to 'Fergburger'. Remember this name if you are ever travelling to New Zealand. They are the best burgers, ever. The Ferg family is also home to the best bakery in the world in my opinion. People queue at all times of day for the burgers, pies and pastries. I had an unforgettable sausage roll experience. Could not rate Fergburger & Fergbaker any higher!
On our last morning in Queenstown we walked up Queenstown Hill, 907m. What a beautiful view from the top, a perfect way to say goodbye to Queenstown. Hopefully not for too long though! I was sad to leave both Wanaka & Queenstown, you could easily spend weeks there. I have no doubt in my mind that I will be back though. I'm not done with Queenstown yet!
Every time we spoke to someone about Milford Sound, we were reminded not to just go in and out for the cruise, but to make sure we do the walks of the Fiordland National Park. Of course we were looking forward to our boat trip, but we had a long 2 hour drive to get there through Fiordland.
Along the Milford Highway there are many places to stop and gander at the enormous valleys formed from glaciers, and lookout over the mountain range, but our first stop were the Mirror Lakes. They were more ponds than lakes, but were beautiful none the less. I've seen landscape reflections all over New Zealand now, but they're usually down to lucky timing and lighting. The reflections you get in the Mirror Lakes are there 24/7, and I've never seen a reflection so clear as the water is so still. Just beautiful.
Our next stop was to The Chasm, a series of powerful waterfalls that really make you appreciate how much rainfall the Fiordland got. An average of 180 days a year, making for a very damp, mossy and green rainforest. The waterfalls at The Chasm had eroded through the rocks to create cool patterns and formations. The most powerful waterfalls we've seen so far, definitely belong to New Zealand.
In the afternoon it was time to get ready for our cruise with Mitre Peak. We had heard of them through word of mouth and I'm so glad we went with them. Such a private small boat, that get close to, and under the waterfalls! Unfortunately it's not summer so we couldn't take full advantage of that. They quickly corrected us with the name of 'Milford Sound', as it's not actually a 'sound' at all, it's a 'fiord'. At the end of the last ice age the entire of the Milford Sound was a glacier, leading up to the Tasman Sea. Naturally it melted over time leaving the crevasses and valleys you see today, this is what makes it a fiord. Reminiscence of the glaciers are evident in the piercing blue lakes throughout the National Park and New Zealand.
The rainfall in the area is so heavy that the waterfalls pour gallons of rainwater into the sea each day. Close to land the water looks black from being stained, by the foliage of the surrounding forest. About 3 meters of the rainwater sits on top of the salt water of the Tasman Sea. The further we went out to the opening of the ocean, the seawater turned blue, unpolluted. The highlight of the cruise was being able to see a large family of Bottlenose Dolphins play next to the boat. In Australia I was so happy to see dolphins for the first time in the wild but never in a family of this size, and they are so much bigger! Our boat took us next to a New Zealand Fur Seal Colony so we could watch them laze on the rocks.
The following day on our way out of the National Park we were determined to find a swing bridge. We went to the one that crosses the Hollyford river. What a mistake that was for someone with vertigo. The other one was at the start of the Kepler Track, much bigger and higher, but it felt much safer when Sam decided to jump to purposely scare me! Funny end to our couple days spent in the Fiordland National Park & Milford Sound.
After Milford Sound we headed south to Invercargill, Bluff, and then hugged the Catlins Coast across the southern border. In Bluff we had a great lookout over the southern tip of New Zealand and to Stuart Island. Unfortunately no Bluff oysters for me though! Bluff is the furthest away from home we will be on our trip at 18,9533km.
I was excited to embark on the Catlins Coast, as we have been told about the amazing wildlife encounters you experience. Our first stop was Waipapa Point where we got to see a Seal (which are in abundance in New Zealand), but also a Seal Lion! The Sea Lion was huge lazing around on the beach and covering himself in sand. The Seal was more active as we watched him surfing the waves. After an afternoon of great entertainment we headed on towards the Curio Bay, a spot infamous for spotting the Hector Dolphin and more Seal Lions. Unfortunately it was not the day for us, we didn't see anymore but were still able to admire what a beautiful, but fierce, stretch of coastline it is. We spent our last night along the Catlins Coast in Brighton. Sam instantly felt at home here. Brighton has a beautiful beach, we went down late at night and heard the Yellow-Eyed Penguins squawking amongst the bush and rocks. The Yellow-Eyed Penguin is apparently the rarest Penguin in the world, and I really wanted to see one, but I didn't want to disturb them after dark either!
To finish off our last coastal trip in New Zealand we went to the town of Oamaru. The people here were extremely friendly, and their town was, interesting. Oamaru has adopted the Steampunk style, which is Victorian themed, however set in the future? You should look it up it's hard to explain. The town has some beautiful old Victorian buildings, and some quirky second hand bookshops filled with old literature.
Now to head back inland again to Central South Island and spend time at Lake Pukaki & Lake Tekapo.
So we're heading inland again, and in the direction of Queenstown & Wanaka. It was tempting to just drive all the way there and spend the rest of our money on Ferg Burg's and beer. But no we have persevered past that point to Lake Pukaki. On the way there we passed the Elephant rocks, and beautiful limestone cliffs where much of the Narnia filming took place. It was what I had imagined Scotland to look like, not that I've been, but I'd like to change that when I get home. We were told about the beauty of Lake Pukaki & Lake Tekapo from some friends we met in Australia, it lived up to it's beauty! The glacier waters of these lakes is bright turquoise, and so clear. The water collects from the melting glaciers up at Mt Cook. Lake Pukaki is the best view point for Mt Cook, especially on a clear day.
These lakes are also famous for their fresh water alpine salmon. I was just dying to try some, so after seeing the sights we headed to Lake Tekapo and hired a fishing rod. Our first day fishing I learned how to tie a fisherman's knot, and cast a line. I still don't know how to fish though as we were unsuccessful, and Sam snapped the line losing both our hooks. We got back at it however the next morning with new hooks, and some fresh bait. We didn't get any bites of our left over steak fat, so tried some shrimp. It seems the fish are as fickle as me, they took the shrimp strait away. Unfortunately it was trout, not salmon and we couldn't keep him on the line anyway! Useless fisherman.
It's popular to go to the observatory here in Tekapo, as it's a well known stargazing spot. No lights shine into the sky in this area for miles. Luckily we got here for a new moon, however it meant the observatory was booked out. We were still able to stargaze though, and we realised that the night sky is actually pretty active! Satellites swooping, stars burning bright as they fall into the atmosphere, the clearest view of the milky way and shooting stars. It has inspired me to one day own a telescope!
Nature is a wonderful thing, but can also be pretty devastating. We visited Christchurch after the lakes and saw how the 2011 earthquake has left the city in ruins. It's been taking Christchurch a long time to rebuild. Buildings are still in pieces, almost any structure made out of brick was inhabitable, and the front of the Cathedral is still missing. 185 people died during this earthquake, and seeing the damage 6 years later I'm surprised there wasn't more. It is great to see how the city is rebuilding however, they put in the RE:Start Mall, which is an outside mall made with shipping containers, filled with boutique shops and great food. Sam and I sampled the pizza and it was up there with the best! During out visit to Christchurch we also went on a scenic drive along Banks Peninsula to the old French town of Aakora.
Before heading north and back up to Auckland to hand the campervan back, we spent the morning relaxing at Hanmer Springs, our last proper activity before leaving New Zealand. We spent hours lazing around, relaxing and treating ourselves before the long drive ahead. Although the smell of the sulphur pools isn't my favourite, my skin feels super soft now.
Touring New Zealand & Australia in a campervan has been amazing, and I wouldn't change the way we've done it for the world, but I can't wait to get out of this campervan. Sleeping in a van for 3 months is longer than anyone needs to. It's definitely the best way to see the countries, but I miss having my own toilet, shower, and bed. Living like this has definitely made me appreciate the little things about home we take granted for everyday.
On our way back to get the ferry in Picton, I just couldn't miss the wine tasting in my favourite wine region in the world; (I'm only young, but it's what I love right now, and that's what matters) Marlborough, New Zealand. We went to a few different vineyards, Giesen did the best Merlot, but the best all round without a doubt was Hunter's, their wine was unbelievable. We couldn't not purchase 6 bottles of wine (talk about ruining that travellers budget we were on!). It wasn't just 1 wine that won us over, it was several, it was hard to choose. Hunter's wine from Marlborough is just incredible, go on Laithwate's website right now and order either the Savioungon Blanc 2016, Riesling (my preferred) for white, or Pinot Noir 2012 for red.
Although the view of the Marlborough Sounds is beautiful from the ferry, we weren't looking forward to the 3 hour journey after hearing that there was a 4 metre swell on the Cook Strait. The journey felt apocalyptic, but not as scary as hearing air raid sirens go off at 11pm a couple evenings later. Visiting a country that constantly reminds you of its volcanic activity, earthquakes, tsunami's, flooding and cyclones, hearing those sirens go off in Te Kauwhata on our way back up to Auckland airport, was scary. After calling the police to be safe, turns out its the alarm sounded when needing voluntary fire service (completely the wrong noise in my opinion, felt like I was in the Blitz!).
After a stressful last few days of bombing it north, we finally dropped the camper back and make it to the hotel. It feels like luxury. All I can say is that I'm fully prepared for holiday mode in Bali with Dad & Marcia. I can't wait for the exotic food, beautiful scenery, change in culture and the best company!
Our first taste of Indonesia begins in Bali. After travelling westernised countries for the last 8 months I knew the culture would be different, but we really have been thrown in the deep end. This became evident with our trip from the airport, the roads are carnage (you would not ride a moped here!). The roads clearly weren't built for cars, and although many people still do ride mopeds, the combination is a nightmare, however we made it to Seminyak and were reunited with Dad & Marcia. I was lucky to be surprised with the arrival of Lewis & Karon (my cousins). It's so nice to be able to be able to explore the island, and see family for the first time since Grant & Max came to Sydney, especially around the time of my birthday
Seminyak town is mental, there is so much to see I didn't know where to look. This was overwhelming in comparison to Australia and New Zealand, but there is method to the madness. Everything flows smoothly (apart from the traffic, of course).
After relaxing round the pool for our first couple days, finding our feet, getting to know the area and tasting the Balinese cuisine we headed out to explore more of the island. Our first stop was Tanah Lot temple, a temple by the sea. It was built as a shrine to worship the Balinese sea gods (in Bali 80% of the people are Hindu). After experiencing some of the Hindu culture in Sri Lanka I loved seeing all the statues of gods again. Tanah Lot Temple was no doubt a picturesque typical Balinese landmark.
On our way back to Seminyak we stopped off in Canggu. Our driver said this is what Seminyak used to be like 10 years ago (not so crazy). Canggu is also a popular destination for the Australians as Echo Beach is a beautiful surfing spot. We couldn't help ourselves but to sit back at Echo Beach Club, enjoy a few beers and watch the late afternoon surfing.
To explore the island further we headed to Ubud for the day, the cultural heart of Bali. All the locals tell us that Ubud is their favourite place, as it's more natural and shows the authentic side to Bali, undisturbed and traditional. The more we headed inland the traffic eased off and the beautiful houses begin. The artwork and creativity seen all over Bali especially in this cultural centre is amazing. We headed to an art gallery for part of the day, which was a highlight for me seeing the traditional vs. Modern styles of painting. Also the dynamic landscapes that had been painted, on huge scales took a serious amount of dedication, patience and skill.
In the morning we headed to a Temple to watch the Barong & Keris dance a traditional Balinese performance which represents the fight between, the Barong (good spirit), and Rangda (bad spirit). The performance was great fun, with bold costumes and make up. It was great to learn more about few, of the many, Hindu gods.
As Ubud is known for being the creative hub of Bali, our guide took us to a silver shop. All of the craftsmanship for wood, silver and gold takes place in Ubud. The silver jewellery was delicate and beautiful, unfortunately even though I found a ring, the largest size did not fit my sausage fingers!
My favourite part of our time in Bali so far has been the visit to the Gunung Kawi Temple. After passing through markets you descend down 300 steps to this hidden ancient world surrounded by rice fields. The steps are wonky, and cobbles uneven but it adds to the character of this hidden oasis. Again the craftsmanship is overwhelming as shrine rock carvings tower over you, and the wood carvings on the roofs have such intricate detail. Being in the tropics is something I will never get bored of, although the heat can be unpleasant and humid, the natural beauty in the dense rain forest, waterfalls, streams and moss covered stone carvings just looks so magical. Undoubtedly however the best part of the day was seeing Sam, Lewis and Dad walk around in Sarongs with large umbrellas (in case of a monsoon), they looked like Jedi's! Very entertaining.
To finish off the day we went to the Monkey Forest Temple, where the monkeys run wild. One jumped up on dad and sad hello for a little while. I was slightly more weary in case they wanted my sunglasses. Again it was another beautiful temple (which you aren't short of in Bali), but this one was definitely ran by the natives. We walked under the cooling canopy of the forest, and it felt risky. I was concerned about the monkeys above, and I had every right to be. Moments later Marcia and I both got showered with Monkey Poo. That ended that day quickly!
Before saying farewell to Lewis and Karon, we spent some time down at Seminyak Beach. There's nothing I love more than listening to the ocean, with the sand between my toes and wind in my hair. The best days of your life, truly are spent at the beach.
I know my dad has been really looking forward to going surfing and after a couple days hard graft, he got it! I had to admire his courage and determination (or ignorance), not to have lessons and be self taught, but it didn't take long, and I'm proud to see him vertical on the board! We celebrated that evening listening to the Beach Boys, splashing around in the pool.
Nusa Dua is famous for it's private white beaches, snorkelling, and resort life. Although it was beautiful it made us grateful for staying in Seminyak, as we had the culture. We spent our Sunday at Sundays Beach Club. What a place! Made me feel like a celebrity! We relaxed on bean bags on the sand, enjoyed a few beers, and the highlight of my day was of course the chocolate, peanut butter and banana milkshake. Delicious.
In the evening we headed to Uluwatu temple to watch the sunset. The monkeys here were very naughty. We watched them steal a young girls shoe, and the people had to bargain for it! Brilliant. The view of the sunset over the ocean, whilst we were up on the cliff was beautiful. We watched a cultural fire dance that evening overlooking the sea, and it was incredible, a lot of fun too.
Since Uluwatu we have continued to spend our afternoons at the beach, as Sam and Dad continue to improve on the waves.
On birthday eve we spent the day enjoying Seminyak town and the beach. Dad and Sam went surfing in the afternoon, although the waves were a bit suspect. We then drank in a beach bar as the sun went down and met our new puppy friends, Bintang & Chaing. I would take them home in a heartbeat if I could.
I later found out all this was a delay tactic to keep me away from the villa, while the hotel (Peppers) decorated it with birthday banners, balloons, and set up the BBQ for the night, with our own chef. This was Sams treat for my birthday, and he couldn't of done anything better. We enjoyed the evening tucking in to some amazing Indonesian inspired lobsters, prawns, snapper and crab. We had a late night swim and messed around popping the balloons in the pool after many rum and cokes, before heading to bed.
On my birthday we relaxed. What a better way to spend your birthday than to just enjoy Bali. Everyone at home helped make my birthday extra special by sending out cards and birthday messages too. That evening we went to one of our favourite restaurants Kultur. It had authentic (my favourite) Indonesian food. Nothing too fancy, just good grub.
The following day (birthday Boxing Day) we headed over to Nusa Lembongan. An island with great snorkelling and diving. The coral here was beautiful bright colours, and the water on the surface looked emerald green. I wasn't too confident about doing the dive, but hey ho, only here once! We got in the water and I loved every minute of it. The dive was so much fun, made me feel like an ocean explorer. Sam of course took like a fish to water, jumped straight in and controlled all his own equipment diving down to 12m. After the first dive a smaller boat came and picked us up to take us onto land. The community on Lembongan is small, and unspoilt which I expect Bali was once like. We met a new puppy friend here, Rendang we called him. He was gorgeous and loved Dad. Unfortunately you do see a lot of strays here in Indonesia, but they seem to get along. I just wish I could take them all home! After a stroll along the beach we headed back to the boat for our second dive of the day. This time I was more confident, and both Sam and I can't wait to do some more diving around Asia.
Our last full day in Seminyak was spent shopping. Seminyak Flea Market has some beautiful dresses made by the Balinese women (also lots of tat, but you just have to pick your stall). We then went to Sangsaka in the evening for our final meal with Dad and Marcia, and what a send off it was for Indonesian cuisine. The food was amazing but the company even better. I wish that night never had to end.
After leaving Seminyak we spent a night in Padang Bai, a small Balinese fishing village on the east coast. Unfortunately the docks were filled with litter. It was still a beautiful part of Bali, but had nothing on what we had to come.
The following morning we got our fast boast (Mahi Mahi Dewata) over to Gili Trawangan with a stop off in Lombok. We sat on the sun roof and enjoyed the sights, luckily the Lombok strait was kind to us and wasn't too rough. It was nice to pull up to Lombok and see how desolate the island is, maybe it's just the side we saw, but it looked like pure jungle. The boat pulled up on the beach and we walked to our home for the next 5 days, the Gili Smile Beach Bunglow. We spent our first night having dinner and sipping Bintang at a restaurant on the sand (they all are).
My favourite thing about Gili T so far (other than it being absolute paradise) has to be that there is no motorised vehicles on the island. But there's also no need, you can cycle round the island in an hour. On our first full day we headed out on our bikes to do a loop of the island, get our bearings and pick our spot for sunset that evening. For the afternoon we relaxed at the beach outside our bungalow, and watched the turtles swim in the shallows coming up for air. Beautiful creatures. We also visited the turtle sanctuary where they house baby turtles waiting to be released into the ocean. The view from the beach on Gili T is just stunning, you glance over the turquoise ocean to Gili Meno, and down the beach to the right you have the stunning view of Lombok. Thankfully so far Lombok has been pulling all the weather in, so we have glorious sunshine on Gili T.
We watched the sunset from Pandawa Beach Club, and certainly had a prime spot, sitting on our beanbags, to watch the sun go down. We cycled back in the dark, which I hated as you couldn't see the many pot holes! We ate dinner on the beach (something I will never get tired of) and planned our next day on Gili T.
We hired out some snorkels that morning, and went free diving where we saw the turtles the day before. Unfortunately we didn't see any, but luckily we have swam with them previously on the Great Barrier Reef. We still saw loads of colourful fish (parrot fish still being my favourite) and swam in between the coral. Most of the coral here was dead however, so has lost its vibrant colour. The most interesting part about snorkelling around Turtle Beach on Gili T however is the big shelf under the sea. Once you swim out about 100 metres the coral reef just drops into the deep blue sea, it made me nervous though, as I thought about the story of Nemo.
The rest of the time we mostly explored different parts of the island (on foot this time, as the bikes hurt our bums so much!), shopped in the small markets and dabbled in the different bars and restaurants, Egoiste being our favourite. Gili T is known for being a party island in places but only Sam and I would make the mistake of coming here during in Ramadan (Gili T is part of Lombok so is Muslim). The island was still lively however, and great fun. For a small island there certainly is a lot to do! Would 100% come back to Gili T, and Bali (of course).
Our final few days in Bali were spent doing what we do best, bumming it on the beach. We stayed in Legian, which doesn't have the style of Seminyak, but it was the perfect place to say goodbye to Bali. If I could, I'd go back in a heartbeat. Bangkok opened my eyes to how good we had it there. The simple island life, who needs anything else?
For our first night in Bangkok we went to a Above Eleven, (a roof top bar) to try and take in the immense size of the city. We enjoyed a couple of mojitos each and watched the sun set behind the sky scrapers. It was a great bar/ restaurant with an awesome view to start off our night before heading to Soi Cowboy. Turns out Soi Cowboy is a really good night out. The best bit about it? The half price beer of course! You've got to see the madness of Bangkok while you're here.
Our first night proved to be the best, but unfortunately the rest of our time in Bangkok wasn't. It was evident we were back to spending city prices. Tax not included, and 10% service charge on your bill, and for what? You'll be lucky to get a smile. We were shocked and worried that this is what the Thai people would be like (we were wrong of course), that's just Bangkok for you. I hope no one ever judges Thailand on what they experience in Bangkok, it's best to get out the city.
Taking this advice from the people who know Sam and I best, we headed to the floating markets of Damnoen Saduak. This was great fun, cruising through the maze like river systems, watching the local people make their trades of fresh produce for the day, and also flogging the tourist crap. If you want to buy something they either pull you up next to their long boat, or their little shack off the side of the river. It's so nice to see the people using and respecting the traditional ways, a complete contrast to Bangkok.
I'm glad we got to see the mental streets of Bangkok, but I don't think we'll be going back!
What a breath of fresh air it is here in Chiang Mai. I knew from the moment we landed, seeing the lush forest stretching over the mountains, the cute Thai houses, golden temples and Buddhist monks roaming the streets, that I would fall in love with this peaceful part of Thailand. When we were welcomed by hosts, we immediately felt better about the people.
Unfortunately Sam caught the flu in Bangkok, we weren't surprised with the amount of pollution and smog. I then caught the flu from him a couple days later, so our first few days in Chiang Mai were a bit of a right off really. We mostly explored the Old Town on foot trying out the local food. We hired a moped for the day to head up into the mountains towards the Doi Suthep Temple. Getting on the back of a moped is definitely one of the better things I've done here, it's so fun, and you feel so free. Especially when you're weaving in and out of the chaotic traffic of South East Asia, there are no lanes! Sam took to it like a champ though. The ride out of the Old Town and into the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park up to Doi Suthep Temple is one of the more beautiful drives I've been on. Climbing the mountain doing hairpin bends through the jungle was beautiful and calming as we cruised along. The view over Chiang Mai City went on for miles and Doi Suthep Temple at the top was beautiful. As with any temple though it doesn't come without it's many steps (no pain no gain!).
Exploring the Old Town by foot we headed to two of the more popular temples, Wat Prah Singh & Wat Chedi Luang. The sheer size of them was overwhelming, with the gold glistening in the sun, and the vibrant colours glowing. The temples in Chiang Mai really are architectural works of art. In the Buddhist religion Buddha always has to be positioned above waist height, as a sign of respect, and any monument of only Buddha's head is seen as disrespectful (so paying for those tacky bracelets with Buddha's head on, isn't actually cool!). Luckily when we got to Wat Prah Singh we were just in time for the morning Buddhist prayer.
I think we both preferred Wat Chedi Luang as a temple though. For Sam, it had a male only worship house (peace and quiet for him). I also love the old stone monument that looked like it had been made out of the same bricks that make up the wall and gates around the Old Town.
Zabb-E-Lee Cooking School took Sam and I in for the day to learn how to cook some of the more popular Thai dishes. We had our pick from a menu containing one appetiser, a soup, stir fry, curry paste, curry and mango sticky rice (delicious!). Between us we cooked Spring Rolls, Tom Yum, Pad Thai, Chicken with Cashew, Panang Curry & Green Curry.
We met our group in the morning, and Bow our instructor took us round the local food market (Somphet Market). She explained all the essential herbs and ingredients they use in Thai cuisine, and what we would be using in our dishes. Although I heard of and used most of them before, in England we don't get to see them in the their fresh form. Kaffir limes look like angry limes, and raw turmeric is apparently really good for sunburn or insect bites. It's great to have an insight to how the Thai people use them as medicine or a natural remedy. We definitely saw some vegetables however that I have never seen in my life.
Sam and I have both learned to love Thai food since we've been here. All the ingredients they use are fresh and seasonal. It's light, healthy and prepared quickly. We learnt that in Thai cuisine it's not a worry if your food comes surprisingly quickly, there's no microwaves in the kitchens here. The woks get seriously hot, and Thai dishes take no more than 10 minutes to cook. With Thai cooking it's all in the preparation.
What surprised me most on our cooking course is how much depth of flavour you can get with only a short time over the heat. In England we tend to let all our dishes stew and reduce for flavour, but it's the complete opposite here. The way the ingredients are used and balanced creates the perfect flavour. The flavour of the curry surprised me the most! I'm not sure how many tips we'll remember, but they gave us a recipe book, and I can't wait to give it go when I'm home.
Spending a day with the Karon Hill Tribe at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, is one of the best things I have ever done. It is truly fulfilling your bucket list dreams.
We trekked through the jungle and up into the mountains, across rivers that the tribe had built giant bamboo bridges over, these bridges scared the hell out of me! Finally once we had got up into the hills, there were the elephants wandering around the village. We dressed into the Karon hill tribes clothing, while we were given a briefing. Turns out elephants are super cheeky, trying to walk into buildings and steal food. One of the young males had to wear a collar, so the tribe knew where he was if they got a call from neighbouring village. These elephants are able to roam completely freely, the Karon hill tribe just watch over them so they don't get into trouble with the other villagers nearby. All the elephants here are rescued so they have already had human relations most of their lives, so are used to being fed and human interaction.
We started off feeding the elephants bananas, sugar cane and the leaves. You had to hold the food behind your back otherwise their trunk would sneak behind you and steal all of it. Elephants are massive but they truly are the most gentle of giants, they approach you so softly, there is nothing to be scared of. We then headed down the mountain to a massive mud bath where the elephants rolled around on their backs and you help coat them for sun cream. It was so slippery everyone was falling over. You did have to watch out for the elephants legs though, when their rolling around. Make sure to stay by their backs.
Afterwards we headed down to a fresh running stream, and threw water at the elephants to wash and cool them down. They loved rolling around and being cooled down from the fresh water. We also appreciated the freshness as it was so hot that day. The stream even had a natural slide carved out of the rock. It was lovely to see how the elephants weren't made to do any of these things either, once the elephants are done they stroll off. They are friendly and happy to spend time with you (because we fed them in the beginning), but to animals that's what relationships with humans start with.
We had heard many great things about Pai so thought we'd head there for a few days to see what all the fuss is about. I have to say it has been one of my favourite places so far. Despite the journey there from Chiang Mai consisting of 762 hairpin bends that wind through the mountains, and the crazy Thai drivers who take you there, it's worth every minute just to escape to the true countryside of Thailand.
The small town of Pai reminded us of Byron Bay, full of quirky little restaurants, clothing shops and hippies. You could wander the streets and find some great cheap eats and lovely people. On our second day we hired a moped from a Vespa store, unfortunately they didn't have a Vespa powerful enough to carry both of us, but the owner had a Union Jack helmet for Sam which he was over the moon with! As Pai is out in the countryside, we visited the Pai Canyon which was awesome but more for adrenaline seekers, rubbish for people scared of heights (me). We also rode out to waterfalls, and a land split. At the land split there was a lovely man who gave us some Rosella juice (delicious) and offered us fruit and snacks to take with us.
We also went out to the strawberry farm which has a beautiful view, a lovely stop on the way to the Bridge over the River Kwai. The best part about Pai was just how quiet it was, and how fun it was to explore through the little villages and baron areas. It really feels like you're in rural Thailand when spending time in the north. The landscape is beautiful, and truly deserves it's name 'The Land of Smiles'.
We were both sad to leave the north of Thailand, it was the best place to start our adventure here, as you really feel like your in the heart of the culture. Chiang Mai will always hold a special place in my heart, whether it's because of the people, the amazing things we did there, the beauty of the Old Town as it's littered with temples, or just because it was the first place we visited in Thailand, I don't know. But I would say it is essential to your itinerary when travelling Thailand.
We flew south to the island of Phuket and stayed in Patong, the party central. If there's one thing that Patong is good for, it's a night out. During the day Bangla Road isn't the most attractive street, but at night it lights up and the music roars. We spent an evening drinking in bars with cheesy music, and challenging the locals at bar games. Sam actually got beaten by a 60 year old Thai woman, at the German bar game, where the winner sinks a nail into the wood the fastest (mentally using the wrong end of the hammer head). The night markets were also a highlight for me, it had a buzzing atmosphere and delicious fresh food. Street vendors were stir frying, sizzling meat kebabs on the gill, preparing pancakes and Thai ice cream rolls. The best part was watching people pick out a fresh fish that had been caught that day, for them to BBQ on the spot.
We got the ferry from Phuket over to the first paradise island on our list, Phi Phi Don. Approaching the Phi Phi Islands was exactly what I had expected when coming to Thailand. Limestone cliffs piercing the turquoise ocean, and long tail boats lining the beaches offering you taxi to neighbouring islands. Like Gili T, Phi Phi has no motorised vehicles, so you can walk into the main town in Tonsai Bay or get a water taxi to other beaches and small villages around the island. We spent most of our time exploring Tonsai Village as their was so much to do and see in the area. Fire dancers would parade on the beaches at night, and in the day the shopping is heavenly (food was pretty good too!).
My favourite day in the Phi Phi islands had to be the day trip we did to Maya Bay on Phi Phi Le, famous from 'The Beach' with Leonardo Di Caprio. We met some friends on honeymoon from New York and got a speedboat for the day, with two other Brazilians guys. We went to various snorkelling spots and to the Viking Cave which is protected by the local people who live there and never leave. Finally it was time to go to Maya Bay, it was low tide so the boat dropped us round the other side of the island. We then walked through the caves and over a cliff edge by rope ladder, before going through the jungle to 'The Beach'. Other than it being filled with tourists, it is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The beach it self is huge so it's not hard to get away from people if you want to enjoy it privately. After splashing around in the shallows our driver took us to a secluded beach enclosed by land, only accessible by going through a tight space in the cliffs. It scared the hell out of me as he raced towards it. To end the perfect day everyone enjoyed a beer on the boat as we watched the sunset over the horizon.
Our week in Koh Lanta was perfect, and it is a place that has left an impression on me. Our time there was unforgettable and full of great memories, and that is what travelling is all about to me. Visiting Koh Lanta in 'Green Season' (wet season) made for a lack of tourists which meant a lack of atmosphere, but it's not something that bothers us as a lot of Thailand has been over run with tourist culture, which makes it hard to experience traditional Thai living. Koh Lanta is the first place since Chiang Mai where I feel like I am exploring a different world.
Most people don't know about Koh Lanta or heard of it, but it was recommend to Sam and I by multiple local people whilst in Chiang Mai. They said we would be able to see the true relaxed Thai culture, and that's exactly what we got. We hope to go back in high season as the island isn't over developed, only local restaurants are here. We just hope to see even more of what the island has to offer.
In Koh Lanta it is essential to have the means to explore, our favourite method is of course by moped. The roads aren't exactly the same as home, but they'll do! We spent our first couple of days exploring our local town Saladan, a small fishing village where restaurants built on stilts look over the ocean, and a traditional Thai village can be found. The food at the restaurants here is just delicious, fresh tasting and authentic. You don't have to ask for your food Thai style here, the heat blew my head off! They love a birds eye.
We also visited Lanta's Animal Welfare Centre which was set up by a lady from Norway who came to Koh Lanta in the era of dirt roads, over 10 years ago. She was shocked by the living condition of the local animals (mostly cats and dogs). She sold her house in Norway and moved to Koh Lanta to do something about it. The progress and what they have achieved here is incredible, I hope they will always get the support they need. All the workers including vets are volunteers, and they an have adoption programme available to people all over the world. Koh Lanta's Animal Welfare helps a majority of the Krabi Province, contributing to the local people as a veterinary service and 24/7 helpline. To reduce the population of stray animals they sterilize pets and strays. These services are completely voluntary and a god send to the country, it surprises me that they don't get support from Government. However they still need support to help build a new cat house, and an x-ray machine to end their commute to Trang, I am confident that they will continue to raise awareness and get support. We had a welcoming experience there taking the dogs for a walk nearly everyday and cuddling with the kittens.
We met Natalia and Amadeusz a couple from New York honeymooning in Phi Phi, and they decided to join us in Koh Lanta. We spent one day exploring the jungle on Koh Lanta, visiting the Bat Cave and Khlong Chuk Waterfall. This was one sweaty trek through the jungle but refreshingly rewarded at the end. We spent another day attempting some sea fishing and Massaman came along for the fun, but was as equally disappointed as us when we had nothing to BBQ that evening! Meeting them was a joy and we hope to visit them in New York (hopefully in the not too distant future). If I spoke about all the beautiful beaches and stunning view points in Koh Lanta I could be here for hours. There is so much to see from the Old Town, to nearby islands where you can take your moped on a long tail boat to explore.
In Krabi we are staying in the beachside resort town of Ao Nang. The nightlife is rich here, the walking streets light up with night markets, and laid back bars line streets. Ao Nang is definitely tourist friendly, but that doesn't mean you cant find the traditional Thai cuisine or culture.
On our first day we headed out of town on a '7 Island Sunset Boat Trip', the weather was perfect for it. We spent the day stopping at various small islands dotted off the coast of Krabi in the Andaman Sea. We snorkelled outside Poda Island and Chicken Island, the shoals of tropical fish were amazing but the visibility was poor due to it being 'Green Season' (wet season). Poda Island was my favourite stop. The water was glistening in the sun, the sand was one of the whitest I've seen, long tail boats lined the beaches and we just relaxed their admiring the beautiful landscape. Chicken Island is aptly named after a rock formation that protrudes and looks like a chickens head. Hilarious.
In the evening we headed over to Railay Beach for a BBQ while we watched the sunset. The sand was so soft on Railay Beach, and the ocean emerald green rather than blue. Railay Beach is beautiful as it's so remote and only accessible by boat. Dramatic limestone cliffs hang over restaurants of high class hotels, and there's caves to explore at the ends of the beach. We had a great day exploring the islands off the coast of Krabi and it all ended very excitedly with a fire dance (the guy was like a Jedi!).
For the following days spent in Ao Nang. We went to the local Ao Nang market, which was absolutely huge! We have been to a few markets in Thailand so far, but this was like everyone and their mums had turned up for the car boot sale of the year! Obviously it's pretty standard in Thai culture to have a weekly market to get your fresh vegetables, meat and fish. It's also a pretty cool place to discover new creative street food ideas people have come up with, like the 'Pizza Cone'. Sam said it was delicious. I indulged in some Thai desserts, which are just like the banana bread muffins and jam roly poly's we have at home, but they steam the cake mix, and it is so soft and light.
We have also been out and explored the area by moped to find some neighbouring beaches to Ao Nang, and also some more restaurants! Unfortunately the Thai cuisine on Ao Nang beach has been tarnished by the 'Indi-Thai' restaurants. There is a huge Indian population in Krabi, but it hasn't done them any favours when it comes to the cuisine. We headed west to Nopparat Thara Beach which is more peaceful with beautiful ocean view, and has some amazing restaurants. We ate at Potjawan twice after I had tried their succulent steamed white snapper, which had been caught fresh.
Before coming to Koh Tao we had already been told how it was one of the best and most affordable places to dive, or snorkel in Thailand. When we arrived this was evident by the amount of dive schools they had here. We had heard amazing things from people who had been recently snorkelling, and diving around the island, so decided it was definitely something we wanted to do. In fact we ended up doing our 'PADI Open Water Course'.
Staying in Chalok Baan Kao Bay has made Koh Tao for me, what a beautiful place it is. It was here that we wondered down the beach and found Sunshine Divers. Doing our Open Water Course was an amazing decision, that has been made unforgettable and so much fun with our instructor Mark. We felt so lucky to have him all to ourselves! Was just like going diving with a mate. Having a 1-1 instructor just meant that he had more time to make our dives that much better. In our Open Water Course we had 4 dives to complete in 2 days. For the first 10 minutes of each dive we would show we were capable of doing standard equipment manoeuvres, then the fun dive would begin, and we started to explore the underwater kingdom in Koh Tao.
On our first dive in Hin Wong Bay we had amazing visibility and the sea was so warm (30 degrees). I could see why people come from all over the world to dive in Koh Tao. Our second dive (my favourite) was at Lighthouse Bay. Lighthouse Bay has been adopted by Sunshine Divers, which allows them to look after the bay. The coral here was amazing, it was so healthy and colourful. This was a shallow dive, taking us no more than 12m. Both bays are on the sheltered side of the island, so the visibility was crystal clear. On the second day, on our third and fourth dive we headed across to Hin Pee Wee & White Rock. I immediately felt out of my depth (literally). The sea was rough, and jumping off the boat is the hardest bit in my opinion! Never the less we both passed our Open Water Course after completing our skills, and finishing the homework (much to Sams demise!).
By this point we really had got the bug, and wanted to progress with our ability underwater. It's so hard to explain to people how amazing it feels to be down there and exploring, and when you know how to control your own gear and learn how it all works, it's even better. So we decided to extend our stay here in Koh Tao, and complete our Advanced Course. This meant we needed to complete another 5 dives. Two of which were a compulsorily deep dive at 30m, and a navigation dive. Our navigation dive was at Shark Island, and I managed to lose the map half way, which made finding our way back to the boat that little bit harder. Silly. Our deep dive was a wreck dive at the HTMS Sattakut. Our visibility dropped to below 2m once we hit a thermocline at 20m deep. Once we started to explore the wreck, and see the effects depth had on colour on pressure I was easily amused, but losing visibility was one of the most daunting parts of the dive for me.
We went on to complete a night dive, something I wasn't too keen on doing, but was very proud of myself afterwards. Exploring the coral reef with a torch in hand was exciting, pointing the light into every nook and cranny, seeing what we could find. Sam, Mark & I switched off our torches to see the bioluminescent plankton. It looked like we were casting magic spells. Completing Peak Performance Buoyancy was probably the most helpful of all the training, learning to control your breathing to send you upside down, through hoops and swim backwards in fins. It was on this dive that we saw gobies in the sand keeping lookout, while shrimps cleaned their homes. Very amusing. The buoyancy training also helped when it came to me doing Underwater Photography. Something that was a lot harder than I thought it would be! Hopefully I will have the chance to practice in future.
Doing such a concentrated amount of diving in 4 days has exhausted us both, but it is so worth it. Ben another instructor on our boat said something most inspirational; '71% of earth is water, and only 29% land'. Being able to dive allows you to explore more of our amazing planet than we ever could on land.
When we first arrived in Koh Pha Ngan after a week full of diving in Koh Tao, we were exhausted! That didn't matter though, as we checked in to our beachfront bungalow, we could step out onto the sand, and jump into a hammock, that was shaded by massive canopy providing trees. We were based up in Thong Nai Pan Yai, a beautiful northern stretch of coastline that we had almost to ourselves. We immediately felt at home at The Candle Hut Resort, as we were welcomed by a pack of 5 dogs no older than 8 months old. They were looked after well by the hotel, and they were definitely pleased when Sam and I came to stay, as the pack of pups had some playmates.
Thong Nai Pan Yai & Noi, are two secluded beaches in the north of Koh Pha Ngan. Thong Nai Pan Noi being the smaller beach, had more of a town feel, with bamboo cocktail bars, traditional Thai restaurants and the high end resorts. Our town out on the main road was a bit more baron, as most of the restaurants and hotels, line the beach so you have dinner on the sand. But our town did have a little street food ally filled with Thai women, making you 80 baht curries, roti pancakes, chicken baguettes, fresh fruit salads and fruit juices. We ate dinner there twice, and it was filled with people and a great atmosphere every night.
We relaxed on the beach nearly every morning before heading out to explore the island. We took out a moped, and I have to say these were the some of the best roads to explore in Thailand. You climb up into the forest as you reach the centre of the island, and the roads are always empty other than in the port town Thong Sala. We checked out all the towns across Pha Ngan, including the Full Moon Party town, Haad Rin. But my favourite other than Thong Nai Pan, was actually in the north west near Chaloklum and Haad Salad. It reminded me more of Chalok Bay in Koh Tao. We also rode through the National Parks and checked out some of the local waterfalls. They were beautiful and looked refreshing, but even I thought people had to be crazy to be swimming in them.
We decided to put our new diving certification to use and booked a couple dives over to Sail Rock. In season it's supposed to be a common hang out for Whale Sharks, as well as being a beautiful coral garden, with underwater chimneys to explore. It took us an hour and half to get over there and Sam and I were super excited. We jumped in the water after the boat dropped us off, and the dive master looked down to find thousands of Jellyfish. I thought he was joking but I was too scared to look down, I shouted across to Sam, who tried to calm me down and tell me there wasn't, but the dive master quickly told him to look down. Sam said he'd never seen anything like it. We soon started to get stung as we were only wearing short wetsuits, and I just wanted to get out the water. It looked like the scene from Finding Nemo. 3 German lads on our boat who had also completed their Open Water in Koh Tao decided to continue with the fun dives, and fight their way through the Jellyfish bloom. The stings themselves weren't too painful. But when they got back on the boat I had never seen anything like it. Their arms and legs were swollen and red with lashes (which later turned super itchy).
Overall I loved Koh Pha Ngan, there was so much to do on and off the island as it's situated right between Koh Tao and Koh Samui. We explored freely there, and found every town had a different vibe which stopped you getting bored of being in one place. But one thing that is essential in Koh Pha Ngan (in fact the most of Thailand), is a moped!
Our introduction to Koh Samui started with the Ring Road that takes you round the island. It is complete chaos, but made us realise how successful Samui is, the ultimate tourist hub of Thailand. It has everything from resorts to beautiful beaches, and jungle to explore. I guess Samui in comparison to the other islands in Thailand has become so popular as it's the only one, other than Phuket, you can fly too. It may not be as wild or back country, but instead seems to have it all.
We got a moped straight away, Samui is too big (and taxi's are expensive) to explore without one. We headed up to Big Buddha which gave us stunning views over to Pha Ngan. The temple itself was beautiful, and we were fortunate enough that a monk offered to bless Sam and I, and our relationship. Lets hope it works! We then took the long coastal road home through Chaweng. Riding through Chaweng seemed like being back in Patong, Phuket. Not our favourite place on our trip. Still it seems good for shopping and cheap eats, I'm sure we'll be back. Staying on Silver Beach (Crystal Bay), near Lamai, has become a perfect oasis to come home to each day. The small cove style beach is stunning, with soft white sand and a perfect location. We have also managed to find a beautiful restaurant just minutes walk away from our doorstep, with a romantic setting of only 7 tables. 'Romantic Bamboo' is owned by two Italian brothers who have both married Thai women and the food is just fantastic, but they are booked nearly every night! Both Thai and Italian cuisine are made with only the freshest ingredients, and taste delicious.
On our second day here we began exploring Samui's countryside and what a different place it is! We took an inland route and headed towards the Secret Buddha Garden, and then to the Wang Sao Thong Waterfall. This is when we realised how big Koh Samui is, and that it may take some time to explore. But you can't always be full of energy, especially in the heat. Samui has been the hottest destination in Thailand, a swimming pool is essential!
We also took the inland shortcut to Mae Nam which was rewarded with stunning views of island, especially at dusk on our way to Fisherman's Village for the Friday night markets. I love a market, and I have to say this is the god of all markets! We even found some fun for Sam, who went to each cocktail stand comparing mojitos. This market was absolutely mental, and one of the most fun experiences on our trip, striving to get a good deal through haggling is great entertainment. Thank god we'd saved ourselves and not had dinner, as we tried some delicious street food, from potato tornado's to chicken kebabs.
I think the thing that has surprised me the most about Koh Sa. Koh mui, is how many people holiday here, compared to the rest of Thailand. In Koh Tao and Pha Ngan, two places I expected to be heaving were just so relaxed, and almost had that private island feel to them. The beaches are virtually always empty and there's so much to explore, without any hassle, hussle or bussle. The Thai also don't seem to sick of us tourists yet there either, but I'm sure that day will come soon. However the madness of Koh Samui is so enticing, there is never a dull moment. There's markets all weekend, people are always on the move, as the island is ever changing and an exciting place to be, Koh Samui really does seem to have it all.