Civ Eng Reunion

The Civ Eng reunion was a good laugh, reminiscing about the nonsense we got up to in Edinburgh. I've such a bad memory so it was good and bad to be reminded of a few things.

We all meet up out at the Coogee Bay Hotel which was the first time we saw one of the eastern suburb's famous beaches not that we saw it properly it was more a glimpse as we got off the bus and walked the two meters into the hotel.



Big Willie couldn't make it which was a pity. We started in CBH and after several rounds of jugs we sensibly went for some food in Ranwick (12euro a head - eating out in Sydney is ridiculously cheap) and on to a proper Aussie local (bookie beside the bar) to finish. Great night.

Some more photos here.

When it rains it pours

Well last week was postitively miserable here. It rained all week and when it rains here it tens to rain! Everyone we met keep joking that we'd brought the Irish weather with us. We weren't finding it funny, we were feeling pretty down, the job hunting wasn't going to well and we couldn't even go outside. We even sat in over the weekend to conserver our precious euro.

With a break in the weather on Monday we also had a break on the job front. Sal has started in a salad bar across the road from the apartment. It looks like a quiet little cafe from the outside but its turned out to be one of the busiest in Sydney. It's not her ideal job and its very hard work but she's just glad to get working.

I've a couple of job interviews tomorrow so fingers crossed I'll get sorted by the weekend. This weekend is a mini Heriot Watt Civ Eng reunion in the Coogee beach Hotel, Colin, Chris Cuthbert, Big Willy Dorethy, Kenneth Anderson and Me. It should be a laugh hopefully I'll have a new job to celebrate too.

Sunny Sydney

We arrived in Sydney from Fiji expecting some restbite from the heat only to arrive on the hottest October day in 150 years. It was 37C! Not the nicest weather to be running around trying to get stuff sorted. Thank God that was a one off and the heat has abated to the mid twenties.

We got ourselves a very swanky pad in the city centre. Fully furnished which right down to a selection of DVD's for the DVD player which isn't the norm here most pads come unfurnished but we're not complaining. Its got that show house look about it plus it has a gym and swimming pool. We're sharing with Derek a Corkonian we meet in Russell NZ.

All we need now are jobs to pay for it all. I should be able to find some contract work easily enough, well, so everyone keeps telling me. Sal has it a bit harder. She has to get approved before she can teach and that can take a bit of time. She's a bit apprehensive about what she'll end up doing till then and doesn't really want to be doing nothing!

So far so good, it been quite a soft landing a lot of it due to Colin and Claire help and connections.

Bounty Island - Fiji

After an over night on the mainland which was well needed,ordering from menus and hot showers become luxury's after a week on the islands, we arrived on Bounty Island. We stayed here for 5 days. Bounty in comparison to the earlier resorts was luxury. It had hot showers, dvds and the food was amazing.



You can walk around Bounty in 20 mins so its exactly what you expect from a Fijian Island. We walked, swam, snorkeled, eat well and generally chilled out for the next few days.

Kuata - Fiji

When we got to this island we found out sals bag had gone awhol.We did get it back the next day but it was a bit of a scare. To make things worse they had over booked and we ended up in the Dorm instead of a double room. This didn't really bother us but because I snore, esp after some beers, its a problem for everone else. So I ended up sleeping out on the beach in a hammock which was quite cool. Got to see a really nice sun rise. But as I was dropping off to sleep a english guy who obviously couldn't see in the dark tried to get into the hammock with me. He got a shock when I said "hello". He'd just fallen and seriously cut his leg but assured me he was fine as he had half a bottle of vodka in him. He hopped into the next hammock and we had a Waltons moment before we both started a blissful soring session.

He was gone in the morning and I didn't see him again but a week later, on another island, we bumped into an English couple who meet him since and his gash had got quite infected and he had told them about some irish guy he met on the beach that night who was kicked out of the dorm for snoring!!

Korovou - Fiji

Korovou was more of the same but a bit more civilised. The accommodation and food was getting better. Korovou had a huge beach side deck on which we ate our meals as the sun set over the cove. There was more Meka and Kava drinking and even a fire dancing show which was different.

The second day I went snorkeling with Manta Ray which was truly amazing. The Manta Ray are huge and if you are brave enough you can ride their backs. Did some reef snorkeling after the Ray which I hadn't done before and I'm now hooked on. You can swim for hours and still see fish you haven't seen before.



Four of us sat up till 5.30am drinking and playing cards with two of the locals. We played presidents and assholes which is a great game but needless to say I never made president even though everyone else did. It wasn't helped by the Fiji Bitter, Jim Beam and some home grown. I think the last hand took about an hour to play. At one stage I thought I was playing the game under water and expected to see Nemo swim between us. Memorable night.

I'm a shithead

After dinner each night the Fijians put on some music and would ask everyone up to dance and while this was really nice of them, all we wanted to do was chill so one way to avoid dancing was to play cards. Some of us were playing shithead and I mentioned doing a forfiet who ever is the shithead. I suggested that the looser ask a Fijian up to dance. As soon as I suggested it I knew I was going to loose. Its happened me before: Princess St, run, nearly naked. I ended up being the shithead and had to do my own forfiet. At this stage the dance area was totally empty. So in front of about 80 people I asked one of the Fijian girls for a dance. As soon as I asked her my heart sank as she was absolutly delighted to be asked to dance(the Fijians love to dance). I felt really quilty that it took a dare to get me to ask a Fijian to dance. As punishment the CD player stopped for what felt like and eternity just as we started danceing. There I was with the Fijian girl standing like a pleb in frount of the whole resort while they struggled to fix the CD player. They eventually fixed it and I got the dance out of the way but it felt like I was in one of those bad films where the jock does something for a dare then falls in love with the girl who in turn finds out about the dare and breaks it off and he spends the rest of the film trying to win her back. I don't think the Fijian girl found out but what a shit head.

Yasawa Islands - Sunrise - Fiji

The Yasawa islands are a group of Islands to the North West of Nadi. Basically the further north and away from the main island you go the more rustic things get. So unbeknownst to us we started on one of the most northern islands.

The resort was called Sunrise and it really was rustic. The accommodation was a very drafty bure(straw hut) which Sal just didn't enjoy staying in for fear of inscets. With spiders the size of my hands I felt her pain. The showers were cold and one set didn't even have heads so it was just a slow trickle from a pipe in the roof.



But this was all part of the charm of the place and it was great to know you weren't in some serille touristy resort. We were actually living with and like the Fijians.

The food was interesting but the portions were tiny. Put it this way no food was left on anyone's plates by the end of a meal. If you didn't like something someone else ate it. I ate a Danish girls whole lunch one day because she felt sick. Waste not want not and all that.

But apart from this, which wasn't really a problem because we all could do with loosing a bit of weight, the welcome we got here was amazing. We were literally welcomed into their family. The Sunrise people where the most friendly of all the islanders we meet. Dutchy was the main man, who could remember everyones name where they came from which was no mean feet.

Because Sunrise is so remote and we were all part of one big (starving) family we got to know some great people most of them just starting their Fiji experience too and what happened was we ended up traveling down the islands towards the mainland together which was great craic.We'd meet people from Sunrise on the ferry and on every other island we stayed on.

About 20mins from Sunrise is the Blue Lagoon beach where the film of the same name with Brooke Shields was shot. It has to be the nicest beach we saw. Just amazing white sandy beach fringed with palms and the deepest blue water.

Apart from Blue Lagoon there wasn't much else to see or do but the Fijian lads kept us entertained with coconut tree climbing, crab racing, fishing, Fiji lesson and of course Kava drinking.

Kava is what the Fijians like to drink and by all accounts drink it every night. Its made from a plant root and is added to water in a big tea bag and hand squeezed. Its looks like muddy water and tastes pretty bad. Its doesn't get you drunk more numbs the body but a have enough of it and you'll sleep like a baby.

We were lucky enough to join the Sunrise Kava drinking ceremony one night. Which was immense, this wasn't any show put on for tourists this was just what the do at the end of the day. While the Kava was dished out they just sang, practicing the Bula (Welcome) song and other Mecka (a dance) songs. It was really cool thing to experience. Sal and Claire kept wetting themselves because its kind of rude to say no when offered Kava but the guy giving them the bowl had his big dirty green nail in it.

Arrived in Fiji

We topped off a great six weeks in NZ with a fabulous dinner in the revolving resturaunt at the top of the Skytour in Auckland (Highest building in the southern hemisphere). I totally recomend doing it. The meal was really resanonable and included the entry fee to the tower. We got to see the sun set over the harbour and all the lights come on accross the city which was quite a sight. We traveled back accross the bay by ferry to get back to the camper.

We've just arrived in Fiji and first impression are great. Its cloudy and hot, we're hoping it'll be sunnier out from the mainland. We head to the islands in the morning.

Sal has just been attacked by a monster frog in the shower...happy days ahead.

Auckland

We've just spent the final couple of days in Auckland before heading for Fiji. It's great to be in a proper city again. Unfortunately we didn't get to see the match. Only one pub in NZ was showing it and it was going to be too expensive and awkward to get to it. Hard luck Mayo...we were praying for you! Going for a nice meal tonight and then up early for the flight to Fiji.

We're really looking forward to the sun at this stage but a bit apprehensive about what to expect from Fiji. Possibly no electricity, phone coverage or internet for the next two weeks. Think of the film Castaway and thats what we reckon its going to be like. Will Sal survive with out a mobile and hair straightner. If not, no doubt Alan gets the blame... ;)

Bye bye camper van, we will miss you.

Paddy in Paihia

After the caves we buzzed up north to meet Paddy who Alan used to work with, picking up our Fiji tickets en route in Hamilton. We spent a night in wild camping just north of Auckland in an area equivalent to Dalky, the neighbor's weren't too happy when they woke up and found their view of the beach blocked by the Travellers. Lovely place though. Off we went and met Paddy in the Bay of Islands which is a fab place. It was great catching up Paddy and comparing stories. We'd a few beers and headed out and had the largest burgers ever. Went in search of another pub but like so many other towns everything was closed or close to it. But you can't stop the Irish when they are thirsty so we found a cute wee bar tacked on the side of a hostel and finished our night there. We felt at home when a fight between a local stag do and some other locals broke out. Unlike Dublin there were no bouncers to break it up so it was a bit of a saloon style fight. Only the English and Irish stayed on to watch, the other tourist all fled.

The following day we met a friend of Paddy's just by chance on a ferry to a place called Russel. We spent a great day with him in Russel, eating and more eating and we're going to meet up with him in Sydney where he's just left for.

Black Water Rafting in Waitoma Caves

This was just amazing and one of the highlights of the trip. You get totally suited up in wetsuits, minerhats and inner rubber tubes. You climb down into some caves which are pitch dark and which have an icy river running through them. So you crawl, walk, climb, swim and float through the cave system. Jumping off waterfalls and switching the headlamps off when you get to the glowworm cave which light up the ceiling of the cave like stars at night. We did this with about eight other people and the craic in the caves was great. Again this ended with a hot shower and complimentary soup and bagels (yummy). We met a couple from Wicklow too, who'll be in Sydney when we are there which was cool.

White water rafting in Taupo

Taupo is a attractive lakeside tourist town near the Tongariro National Park which has an active volcano. We stayed here for two nights and had a amazing day rafting on the Tongariro river. We woke up and the sun was shining so we decided to do the rafting. We were both a bit aprehensive about what to expect but it turned out to be exactly what you expect. We spent two hours (12km) on the Tongariro river which is cut gorge like through Tongariro National Park with a good dose of both rapids and time to see the wildlife. The water was alpine cold so every time we got a wave of it in the face you knew about it. Soup and brown bread, provided, topped off a great day.

Smellyville (Rotorua)

We smelt Rotorua before we got there. Its the thermal capital of NZ and has lots of hot springs, bubbling mud pools and geysers every thing you'd expect for a volcanic area plus the smell of rotten eggs. The first thing we did was have a well earned spa and massage. For about 30 euro you get an hour in outdoor hotpools (36-40 degrees) then a half hour massage or a facial which Sal went for. Then back into the hotpools. It was total luxury for the price and they treat you like royalty.

As it was the weekend we hit the town expecting a lively nightlife being such a tourist town but yet again bar a couple of pubs it was very quite. We met some NZ guys in the Pig and Whistle Pub which was a good laugh.

There is so much to do around Rotorua if you can afford it, I ended up doing a Zorb, just for the sheer "you can't do it anywhere else" of it. We wanted to do a dry Zorb which is getting strapped into a huge plastic ball and rolling down a hill but they were only doing wet ones which is when they throw a couple of buckets of water into the ball with you. Normally the water is luke warm but some Swedish asked for cold water. Needless to say I had a warm one. It was a good laugh.

East Coast of North Island

After a good night out in Wellington, we made our way northwards to a nice and chilled campsite in Palmerstown North. We didn't do much here except chill and went for a swim and a long spa. Hastings and Napier next. Not much to report except the wonderful National Aquarium in Napier which was well worth the visit.

We wild camped on the seafront of a very small city called Gisbourne, where Cook first landed on New Zealand. This was a cute wee town but like so many towns in NZ it was a virtual ghost town after dark. We went to see The Village in the local multiplex on the main st. It was run by a friendly old lady, who seemed to own half the town and kept a Doberman behind her desk (she tried to get Sal to pet it - no chance, this was scarier than the film for Sal) and listens to the police scanner for entertainment. Needless to say we were two of four people watching the film which made it all the more scary. We then had to head back to our lonesome camper beside the sea. Aaaah.

We survived and the sun came out the next day. We went for a walk on the fab beach, had a Home and Away moment and then played some tennis.

Wino's in Blenheim

We decided to leave the south island on a high note so went on a wine tour of the Blemhiem region before getting on the six o'clock ferry to Wellington.

We imagined we would see some vines and get to see the whole wine making process so imagine our horror in the first winery when we were given seven different wines to try. We knew we'd try some wine but we thought that would be at the end and not at 10 in the morning.

We soon got into the swing of things and by the third or fourth winery we were experts at picking out oaked wines. We got dropped back to the ferry at four and by six we were starting to get hangovers. Great craic and because it is off peak we were the only people on the tour so we got some "extra" attention and judging by our hangovers we got extra wine too.

New Abode

We are officially part of the traveling community now. We picked up the camper van on Tuesday from Christchurch and have made steady progress northwards, we are now in Wellington.

The campervan is everything we expected of it. Its absolutely amazing how much they squeeze into it. Of course Lord and Lady muck have splashed out on a "Deluxe" four berth version when most couples make do with a smaller two berth. So we could be back at Christmas at the rate we are spending our money.

Of course the campervan doesn't come with a TV and when we asked the rep about hiring one, her jaw nearly hit the floor and said most people come to NZ for the sites. But it gets dark at six so what sites can you see then. Anyway we popped in to a pawn shop in C'church and picked up a portable for 25 euro, no doubt stolen or something.

We spent the first two nights in the campervan in camp sites which was cool, literally but last night we decided to "wild camp" which is when you camp at the side of the road. Most "wild camping" happens out in the wilderness but not us, Wellington city centre did the job. We woke up to fantastic views of the bay and rush hour traffic rushing by it was great.

Glacier Walking

Had a great day on the glacier, 8hr almost constantly hiking but it was worth it for the unearthly experience. We even saw a small avalanche which was had the erriest thunder like sound. There is always one of the group who falls into a glacial puddle (2ft deep of icy water) and that was poor Sal but the thought of a hot shower and a pint beside a roaring fire kept her going. We had that pint later and last orders was at 10pm, can you believe it and that was Saturday night.

In Christchurch at the moment, we're picking up the long awaited Campervan in the morning...can't wait...

West Coast - Rainforests and Glaciers

We eventually left the Queenstown region and crossed the Alps into the West Coast and what a difference a mountain range makes! Its about a couple of degrees hotter which is heavenly after the cold and wet of our last day in Queenstown plus we've being traveling trough the most amazing rainforest covered valleys. Which is yet another country NZ now looks like. So far NZ looks like Canada, Ireland, and now Brazil!! (Mind you we haven't being to Brazil or Canada so its just what our we think they might look like)

Stayed in Haast last night,in a very nice hostel(Wilderness Backpackers, very clean and friendly if a bit unhomely).We went for a walk on what must be a ten mile long deserted beach watched the sun set over the Tasman Sea, which mightn't sound much but we haven't seen the sun set since we got here, there has always been a mountain in the way.

In Franz Josef tonight (Glow Worm Hostel,absolutely brilliant,very cosy,free soup and spa.) An eight hour round glacier climb in the morning!!! Hope we'll survive. We'd a hot spa tonight soften up those muscles before the climb ;-)

TV

TV is such a novelty for us at the moment. There was no TV in the first hostel which we stayed in for the first week. So when it absolutely poured down all day on Wednesday we sat down to some good auld telly, and good auld telly it really is. Between reruns of Corrie and The Bold and the Beautiful NZ TV makes pretty poor viewing but we lapped it up like the TV addicts we are but I had to laugh when I caught Sal watching Maori News in Maori.It wasn't as if she was just watching it for a split second while flicking she watched it for a good ten or fifteen minutes before I pointed out to her what she was watching. Bliss ...

We stayed in the Southern Laughter Hostel, which has a great atmosphere, free soup & spa and is very central.