Rebecca & Stephen's Trip

Last Days...

2007-07-18T11:24:00.000Z

We booked a flight from Luang Prabang (quite possibly the smallest airport on the planet, even smaller than Easter Island!) to Bangkok in Thailand.
Our final 5 days were spent preparing for our journey home to suprise both our families. Bangkok was a frantic place to end our travels with people constantly trying to rip us off with offers of 5 baht tuk-tuk rides and dodgy silk suits! It was good to chill out in cafes though and watch free film after film in the many bars.
Our taxi ride to Bangkok airport was with a driver whose multi-tasking abilities were quite amazing. I have never seen anyone drive, adjust radio, text, take glasses on and off (to text) and drink all at the same time!
After 12 hours, finally landing at Heathrow, our captain announced that it was "grey and raining" - we smiled at one another and realised that we were finally home.

Enjoying our last meal of the trip

We are home!

2007-07-10T13:38:00.000Z

Most of you should now know that we are home. We suprised both our families two weeks ago (the main reason for the blog going silent!) and it was lovely to see them all again. Thank you to Kate, Nicola and Shona for organising everything and keeping it secret!
We are working on some blog posts to round up the trip. Keep checking and we will have them done soon...

Alms Giving-Luang Prabang.

2007-06-17T11:00:00.000Z

Every morning at 6am the monks in Luang Prabang undertake Alms Giving. People line up, kneeling along the main road and the monks accept gifts of food, usually sticky rice.

"Buddhism, alms or almsgiving is the respect given by a lay Buddhist to a Buddhist monk. The monk will then pray for the giver's family or requested others. It is not charity as presumed by Western interpreters. It is closer to a symbolic connection to the spiritual and to show humbleness and respect in the presence of normal society. The visible presence of monks is a stabilizing influence. The act of alms giving assists in connecting the human to the monk and what he represents"-Wikipeida.

NB: All posts are not written by Stephen but Rebecca-as if taking credit for my pictures wasn't enough!

Trekking in the hills of Northern Laos

2007-06-17T10:26:00.000Z

The day after the Elephant Camp we set off for a 10km walk. This does not sound far but Laos is quite mountainous and did we tell you all how hot it is out here? La, our guide, took us into the hills, which took us through different villages and introduced us to three tribes who live in Laos. During the day we also experienced three different languages, which caused us great confusion. Our guide, La, was from Vientiane province and was from the Hmong tribe. He shared many stories with us about how these tribes live and it was interesting to hear him speak Hmong. It sounds very similar to Chinese. It was an amazing day and interesting to see people living as they would have done a hundred years ago.

The beautiful mountains in Northern Laos-Luang Prabang province.

Trekking towards the mountains.

Walking through a corn field.

A Laos style house.

After two hours we reached our first village. Here Khmu people live. They originate from the Khmer people in Cambodia. This man was making a bamboo basket which can take anywhere from three to seven days. We had a drink at the chief's house who was planting aubergine with his grandson, wearing Boca Juniors shorts...not quite how I imagined a chief. The chief is chosen by the villagers and they can choose to accept or decline. It does not run in the family but is decided on a person's merit.

We stopped at this woman's hut. She lived there with her husband, her family and two children. She is from the Khmu Tribe. When married the man goes to live with her family, which differs from many other cultures in Asia. She brought her two month old baby out to see us. She gave birth here, in the middle of nowhere, with help from some local woman. Not a doctor in sight.

We arrived at the Hmong Village two hours after the first village. Hmong people usually live higher in the mountains. The people here were very shy but very hospitable. We sat at a man's house and the children played around us. It was humbling to see how happy they were, despite having very little. As we walked around we noticed they had no water pump. Most villages we had been through had access to clean water. These people filter it with rice but it does not clean it completely. La told us that the government decide where they will put the water pumps. This village missed out! They don't need any interference from the outside world but surely they have the right to clean drinking water

This boy was brave enough to have a go with Stephen's camera and took a nice shot of Stephen.

Two more hours walking and we arrived at the bottom of the mountains to this Laos community village. As we arrived the heavens opened and we took refuge in a kind lady's house. The children were running around squealing with delight wearing nothing but plastic carrier bags on their heads-to keep their hair dry?

Wet and very happy!

Two teenagers look bored as the rain falls.

Stephen wading through the flooded areas to get to the boat.

Heading back to camp along the Nam Khan river which feeds into the Mekong. This man is fishing with a net; a common sight along the river.

Elephant Camp

2007-06-17T10:09:00.000Z

There are lots of opportunites to do activities in and around Luang Prabang. After much deliberation we decided to visit the Elephant Camp and do a trek the next day. We chose these activities because the company employ many people from a local village and some of the profits go to this village to help with schooling and health care. We were to spend the day with Mahouts, who are people who train elephants. We naively thought that the elephants would have a lot of freedom as the company spoke of how the elephants had been rescued from logging. It was indeed true that the elephants were better treated than when they were subjected to logging but still they are tied up when not moving and they carry tourists everyday. I personally did not enjoy riding an elephant ( and you are probably wondering why we did but as I said, we thought we were making a good choice) and felt very guilty the whole time. It is, however, a catch-22 situation. If you don't rescue these elephants, they will be subjected to logging which abuses not only them but the environment. It is impossible to let them go as they are domesticated and will be caught by someone else. Man and elephant compete for space in Laos and it appears that man is winning. However, as tourists we do not help as we are creating a demand for elephant riding! We also had to remember that the livelyhood of many families was reliant on this camp and the elephants. Laos was once called lan Xang which means 'Land of a Million Elephants'. It would be lovely to see these amazing creatures roaming wild again but this seems bleak at present. We have no answer to how to better this situation but in hindsight we would rather find alternative ways in supporting the local communities.

Stephen stood in the poo!

Washing the elephants.

Luang Prabang, Laos

2007-06-17T09:42:00.000Z

The city of Luang Prabang in northern Laos is the key draw for most visitors to the country. It has a stunning location on the banks of the Mekong River surrounded by lush green mountains and jungle. It has been awarded UNESCO status and as such is visually gorgeous.

We walked to the top of Phu Si, which looks over Luang Prabang. We headed up to watch the sun set and suddenly this storm descended upon us. We got very wet!

At the top of Phu Si before the storm came.

Funeral Chariot at Wat Xieng Thong temple.

Storm descending.

A mosaic at Wat Xieng Thong temple. The temple is from the 16th Century. This is the first time we had seen this style in Asia.

Protection from the sun and rain!

The Hmong Market in Luang Prabang. The goods are made by the Hmong people, a tribe who live in the mountains of Laos and are originally from South China ( before the Laos border was created) Many Hmong people also live in America as they fled Laos during Communism. It still is communist, though not as strict. However, many Hmong people will not return until it is democratic.

The bus journey from hell

2007-06-17T09:37:00.000Z

The bus journey from Vientiane to Luang Prabang only takes 9 hours although it has to be the worst overland journey we have travelled. The scenery was stunning although I didn't see any of it as I felt like I was on the brink of vomiting the whole time. This stunning photo is credited to Rebecca.

Vientiane, Laos

2007-06-17T09:17:00.000Z

It is just a quick flight from Phnom Penh to Vientiane. The capital city of Laos has to be the quietest, most laid back we have visited. Our taxi (we were not even offered a tuk-tuk!) was air-conditioned...real luxury. We spent a few days relaxing, seeing the sights (not many in a city of 200,000 people) and eating the excellent baguettes and coffee - remnants of this once French colony.

Early morning sunrise over a temple

Us at the Pha That Luang, the golden Stupa behind us appears on all the national currency

Rebecca at the Laos version of the Arc de Triomphe - Patuxai

Rebecca cycles through the main street of Vientiane. They seem to have a passion for roadworks only us brits can match!

A view from the Arc de Triomphe

People enjoy an evening stroll along the banks of the Mekong River

Stephen and his 25p rented bike. Yes, it is too small AGAIN.

New Angkor Slideshow

2007-06-09T04:31:00.000Z

I have just added a new multimedia presentation including images and sound from Angkor in Northern Cambodia. Just click on the link above. Remember to have your sound turned on as well!

Stay Another Day

2007-06-08T10:29:00.001Z

We wish we could but we have to leave Cambodia. We hope the blog has not become too intense recently. We do hope that we have managed to convey all the positives in Cambodia. On our last two days we decided to do a spot of shopping. We visited the Russian Market ( so named as the Russians were the only major foreign tourists here in the Eighties) and then using a booklet called 'Stay Another Day' which promotes sustainable tourism:
www.stay-another-day.org or www.sustainabletravelinternational.org
During our travels we had found out so often that we had stayed in a hotel or eaten at a restaurant owned by a foreigner, therefore not giving money back to the local people. Using this book we visited a handicraft shop called Nyemo (www.business.nyemo.com) which sold products made by local women who had been abandoned by their husband (tragically through AIDs or simply finding a new wife) This left them with no skills and children to provide for. This charity trains the women in skills such as weaving and their children are educated or looked after in the day care centre. After shopping we were given the opportunity to visit the workshops where the women work and see the children at school. Its just a shame we discovered this book so late into our travels.

We made arrangements to visit The Cambodia Trust: www.cambodiatrust.org.uk. This charity provides prosthetics for people who have lost a limb. During the war many mines were placed around Cambodia but no map was drawn up to show where they are. Many people have lost their limbs, particulary farmers and children. As we have travelled around Cambodia we have seen many amputees, many who beg because they are provided no social security and people will not employ them. This charity provides people with free prosthetics or orthotics (for people who have polio etc), allowing them to find work or for the children, play football. We were shown around by a lovely man who had lost his limb and had been trained by the school on how to make prosthetics. He showed us how they were made and then another very friendly man showed us around the school. Through scholarships they take in a mix of Cambodians and foreign asian students on a three year course training them how to make prosthetics and orthotics so they can take this skill to their own communities. As we walked around the hospital we saw people being fitted with prosthetics and having physio. We also saw a few children with huge smiles on their faces ( of course-this is Cambodia! ) It is an amazing charity but still their tools are rudimentary compared to what we have in the UK. Have a look at the website if you get a chance.

Well our time here has come to an end and we are off to Laos. It has been an amazing two weeks. We are astounded by the resillience and friendly nature of the people despite their recent history and current corrupt government. I think we both would like to return to Cambodia again- it is a place that is hard to forget.

A final wave goodbye.

The Killing Fields

2007-06-08T10:23:00.000Z

After interrogation and torture at S-21 people were taken in a large cart 15km out of the city. Here they were murdered by the Khmer Rouge. On discovering this site in 1979, thousands of skulls were found. I first heard about the 'Killing Fields' when I was eight years old watching Blue Peter. We didn't stay for long... we had a choice.

The memorial to the victims. You can see all the mounds where the people were found.

Tuol Sleng- Former Khmer Rouge S-21 Prison.

2007-06-08T10:21:00.000Z

Ponhea Yat used to be one of the largest high schools in Phnom Penh, but in 1975, after expelling all the people from Phnom Penh,the Khmer Rouge turned it into a prison, where innocent people were interrogated and tortured. The only evidence of the school was the building itself. Classrooms were turned into interrogation, torture rooms and cells. The playground was also the scene of torture rather than children playing. We hired a guide and she took us around the school building, showing us the rooms and cells. People would first be interrogated; accused of colluding with the CIA or having killed a Khmer Rouge soldier. Many of these people were teachers, doctors, professors, artists-people Pol Pot wanted to remove from the country. If they did not 'confess' they were tortured for up to two months. Their cells were tiny and they were shackled to short pieces of iron bar. From 1975-1979 20,000 people were tortured here and then murdered at the 'Killing Fields' 15km from the city. Some people did not make it this far and died from the horrific torture. When the Khmer Rouge were 'defeated' only seven people were found alive at the prison.

Tuol Sleng-A former high school.

Barb wire surrounded the prison to stop people escaping and to stop people from trying to commit suicide.

Rules translated. This is what people had to adhere to when under interrogation.

A torture room.

A cell.

When brought to the prison, a photograph was taken of each person. In this room we saw countless faces, men, women and children! We also saw photos of the Khmer Rouge, many of them young girls and boys. All horrific to see but the worst was the images of dead people who had been tortured.

Phnom Penh

2007-06-08T09:39:00.000Z

Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia and it needs health warnings before entering. So far in Cambodia we have seen lots of motos but few cars. Phnom Penh has the lot with few rules! Innocently traversing the 'Pedestrian Crossing' we discovered that no one will stop. The skill it appears is to walk slowly and then people, cars, cows, tuk-tuks will go around you! I wasn't great at this skill but the local children were. Still, there are still far too many traffic accidents here.
The city has some very pretty parts especially along the Tonle Sap where families come to sit at night and have a picnic. Like many cities and so many places in Cambodia, there is a lot of poverty. There are many street children who become vunerable to drug abuse and abduction. We ate at a few restaurants that put money into getting these children off the streets.

The palace.

View of the Tonle Sap-early morning.

Slums in Phnom Penh. The reality of city life for many people.

Cooking Khmer Style

2007-06-08T09:20:00.000Z

Stephen and I decided to take a Cambodian cooking class one morning. This involved choosing three dishes to cook, buying the items at the local market and somehow throwing them all together to make a tasty dish! The trip to the market was an experience. So far on our travels I have walked through the meat and fish sections of markets very quickly. This time we paused, selected and took our time ( to my senses dismay!) Our chef selected a LIVE fish and we watched the woman batter it and skin it. Fortunately our chicken was already dead but the woman was cleaning out intestines for soup! The Cambodians do eat everything, from the eyes to the bladder. This may be because they know what it is like to go without. It certainly shows you how sheltered we are when we pick our ready packed chicken off the shelf at Tescos. People here also like to eat a variety of critters and bugs. We have seen all sorts being sold by market vendors but we weren't brave enough to try. It is a while since I tried an ant in the Amazon! Anyway, back to the cooking lesson. Stephen shocked the whole group by chopping lemonglass with his cleaver like a pro! I have never seen this skill before and I live with him! The morning was huge fun. Unfortunately, our chef Stephen may be good with a meat cleaver but he isn't so good with cameras! He deleted all the photographic evidence!

Teaching at the Temple.

2007-06-06T12:41:00.000Z

Cambodia has been full of twists and turns and not just on those motos! We met two really nice girls on the boat to Battambang, Sherie and Lisa. Stephen ran into them the next day and they had told him that they had been looking around the local temple and a buddhist monk had come up to them and asked if they would help in his English class. I joined them later and we were met with shy young adults who gradually plucked up the courage to ask us questions. Stephen and I visited the temple everyday until we left Battambang and I was the given the opportunity to teach. It was a lot of the fun and very memorable particularly when a young monk is playing your game with such enthusiasm that he is shouting out in english from the back of the room. Aok Sam Eath, the monk we became friends with, teaches monks and children from all over the area. His classes are much cheaper and his dream is to open his own NGO where he can teach English to children in rural areas and hopefully get the assistance from foreign teachers.

Aok and Rebecca playing a game ...not much teaching going on!

Rebecca, Aok and Stephen.

Day Two.

2007-06-06T12:12:00.000Z

Back on the Motos we headed out to Phnom Sapcon- a temple on the top of a large hill surrounded by a small village. After a sweaty walk to the top we saw the 'Killing Caves'. This was an area the Khmer Rouge would bring the people in order to kill them. Mony shared many stories about this time and of his own personal experiences. Every person you see here who are in their late twenties and onwards are survivors. Mony himself was separated from his parents during this time and like all the people, was forced to work all day in the beating sun on the fields. For this they received a tiny amount of rice gruel and some days there would be less food, depending on whether the Khmer Rouge had spent big on arms! He tried to visit his mum one day and on his return he was spotted as an enemy...he was eleven years old! They attempted to shell him but amazingly he survived and made it back to camp! He did not find his parents for twenty years and even now he sees them rarely as they live in Phnom Penh. His story reflects so many people's.

Day two begins.

Killing Cave. Here people were taken and hit over the head to then fall into the cave. Thousands of people were murdered here.

The shrine in the cave to bring peace to the victims.

Rainy season.

Two children wave to us as we pass on our motos.

View from the temple.

After this we took an alternative trip back to Battambang...on the bamboo train. Whilst waiting for the train to be erected we chatted to a cambodian man who had lived in London in the sixties and he could still remember his address. The bamboo train is used by locals ( and tourists like us! ). It runs along a railway line which was built by the French. Only one train travels along here a week. Yes, I checked that it wasn't this particular day but we did meet other people along the way!

Preparing the bamboo train.

Loading up.

Stephen's feet and the wind in his ...hair?

We met another train along the way and they kindly dismantled their train to then put it back together again after we had passed.

This boy made his jump into the water once we were as close as possible.

Mony, Kip, Stephen and Rebecca. We had an amazing two days out thanks to these two.

Battambang and two easy riders! Day one.

2007-06-06T11:37:00.000Z

Battambang is a very sleepy town and this suited us after the faster pace in Siem Reap. People stop to take the time and chat to you here so we had many a conversation. We took two day trips out on the back of a small motorbike known as 'motos' here. This gave us the opportunity to see more of rural Cambodia and hear the amazing, and at times heart rendering stories of our moto drivers.

On our first day, Mony and Ket took us to see how people live in the rural parts of Battambang and visit a few temples along the way. The first stop was made at a carpenters. During the horrific period of the Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge Regime, many artists who had knowledge of Cambodia's arts were murdered. They believed in order to start Cambodia from year zero they had to rid the country of all its history including the people who held such talent. The man who owned this shop managed to survive and he is now training boys in the style of Angkor so Cambodia can retain and pass on its wonderful artistic history. Unfortunately, there are no photos as there was little light.

The flat fields of rural Battambang province.

We visited a rice factory and watched this woman sift all the bad bits out of the rice with a straw.

A woman makes rice wraps which are then left out to dry. These are used for spring rolls etc.

Dried fish. Smell was pungent but not as bad as fresh fish in the heat. This is mashed up and used in a lot of cambodian food, particulary Prahoc which is a fish paste that they use in cooking and also eat whole as a snack- an acquired taste!

A very large Buddah!

Buddhist monks shading from the heat.

A quick, tasty snack. This is sticky rice sweetened and placed in bamboo.

During the time of the Khmer Rouge over 2 million people were systematically murdered between the time of 1975-79. Everywhere you go there are stark reminders of this genocide. Cambodia became a killing field during this time and every person in this wonderful country has their own harrowing story.

This memorial was almost finished when we arrived. The lower part shows how they arrived to 'free' Phnom Penh in April 1975 and then ordered all the people out of the city. The capital became a ghost town during this regime. The pictures above show some of the torture methods used. You can see how they would place them near a makeshift grave before killing them with a blow to the head. Next to this a man is torturing a victim and a man is suspended from a rope until he becomes unconscious to then be dipped into foul smelling water to awaken him. This would go on for hours.

This is part of the memorial. Men, women and children. Each of them with a family and history, murdered by the Khmer Rouge.

Boat Trip- Siem Reap to Battambang.

2007-06-06T11:16:00.001Z

We left Siem Reap and headed on another dusty road to pick up our speedboat to Battambang (pronounced BattambOng!) As you can imagine it was not the speedboat printed on our ticket but an old, long boat. We were all crammed into the boat (and we picked a few locals up along the way!) We were told five hours so we knew that it would take a long time but we didn't bargain for nine hours! After twenty minutes we were already stuck and had to get the help of a house boat, which was passing, to push us on. This houseboat was literally moving house...grandma was in the kitchen cooking and the children were playing. We travelled through many floating villages and saw people washing, fishing and a lot of children splashing about and greeting us with enthusiastic hellos! Nine hours went quite quickly as the scenery was fascinating and the people, as ever, made you remember not to moan and put a smile on your face!

Moving house!

Children on a river boat.

A shop on the boat.

A woman cooking on her boat.

Children waving to us.

A pensive moment...

Ancient Angkor.

2007-05-28T13:31:00.001Z

We spent three days around Angkor and this wasn't enough. The amount of temples and sheer beauty of them leaves you worn-out after a few hours ( the humidty does not help! ) We hired Krahn to drive us to and around the temples for a few days. A fantastic person and put simply, typical of all people we have met in Cambodia. Angkor is the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire and temples were built from the 9th Century to the 13th Century. Each temple reflects the period in which it was built and the King who was ruling. At this time Hinduism was the major religon, reflected in the bas-reliefs on the temple walls. Buddhism was later introduced. The Khmers are proud of Angkor and are pleased to see it gain so much international attention, instead of being a country known for its recent brutal history. Angkor is a remarkable achievement and it is breathtaking to walk around these temples and understand why the Khmers ( cambodian people ) are so justly proud.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat. The largest religious building in the world.

Entrance into Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat is a large expression of religious symbolism. It is supposed to be a representation of the Hindu Universe and the towers you see in the picture above, represent the mountains which surround Mount Meru, home of the gods.

One of the many bas-reliefs in Angkor Wat.

Inscription on the wall at Angkor Wat, written in either Sanskrit or Khmer. I have no idea which!

Walking around Bayon. This is part of Angkor Thom, once one of the largest cities and thought to have been the capital until the 17th Century.

Faces of the gods.

A monk at the temple. Most men in Cambodia must serve at least two weeks as a monk. We have seen few older monks. This is possibly due to the mass murder inflicted on them during the brutal rule of Pol Pot between 1976-1979.

A nun at the temple. This woman made our day...look at that smile and it is easy to see why! She showed us how to pray to the Buddah and repeated 'Good Luck' in Khmer, which we can now say! An absolute delight and one of the many reasons why we love Cambodia.

A nun at a shrine.

Sitting beneath the roots of an old silk-cotton tree. These trees are slowly destroying the temples.

We witnessed a lot of restoration during our time at Angkor. This man is restoring the temple at Chao Say Tevoda. A lot of the restoration is supported by foreign groups. Angkor is not owned by the government but a Vietnamese business man who also owns a lot of the big hotels near to Angkor. This means that the Cambodian people do not own their own heritage.

A woman smiles for Stephen...she sold us some tasty bananas!

Profile of a lady who sold us tasty mango and pineapple!

Ta Prohm. This has deliberately been left in a (monitored) state of disrepair after the French 'discovered' Angkor in the late 19th Century. Despite Europeans believing it had remained undiscovered for hundreds of years, the Khmers always knew it was there. This temple has a mystery about it due to its state of apparent neglect.

Stephen stands beside the roots of a silk-cotton tree which is slowly swallowing the temple.

Cycling past a gateway into Angkor Thom. Many people live around Angkor and many travel around by bike.

Sunrise at Srah Srang. This small baray has retained its water for more than nine centuries.

Children at Srah Srang having a rare quiet moment. There are children everywhere selling a variety of things. They are very persistent. At times it can become tiring when trying to enjoying the serenity of the temples but we have to remember that these children are only doing what they can to support their families. Many of them do attend school and then work around these hours. This was taken at around 5am on a Sunday morning! School is not free and families must pay half the fees. As a result many families can not afford to give their children an education.

This little boy sold us water. A very persuasive salesman. How do you say no to that smile?

Rebecca, Krahn and Stephen. Krahn took us around the temples for three days and kept smiling despite the 4:30am starts for sunrise.

Siem Reap

2007-05-28T13:13:00.000Z

Siem Reap is the gateway to Cambodia's biggest tourist attraction; Angkor Wat. As a result it has seen a big boom in recent years and there are hotels being built rapidly. The atmosphere here is very friendly interspersed with persistent Tuk- Tuk drivers. The poverty in Cambodia is clear here with many children and adults begging. Some children sell books and postcards and many of the landmine victims sell books too. This is a way for them to be self-sufficient as they receive no support from the government and due to being amputees are often refused jobs. Despite all this, the Cambodian people never fail to flash a winning smile. This place has definitely had a big impact on us both.

Street in Siem Reap

Eating at the local market. Not bad for 50p!

Market in Siem Reap

Cambodian silks, which are sold everywhere, blowing in the wind.

A range of fresh produce sold at the market. You can also buy all sorts of fried bugs if you fancy!

A Tuk-tuk driver sleeping mid-afternoon. It is very hot and humid here. The storms which often occur in the afternoon bring a little relief.

Bangkok to Cambodia-How much to cross a border?

2007-05-28T07:02:00.000Z

We arrived in South East Asia on the 21st of May and were thrown into the chaos and pollution of Bangkok. Bit of a shock after the slow pace of the Outback and wasn't quite the same as we had remembered it when we were here seven years ago, ie we liked it then! We stayed two nights ( one in a nicer hotel to ease us into the next stage of our travels) and prepared ourselves for the Thailand-Cambodian border. Up very early next morning we managed to find a taxi driver who didn't want to take us to the airport or keep the meter running from the last person and headed to the train station. The train journey which lasted almost six hours cost us £1 and was cleaner than British Rail. Before the train left I searched for a toilet ( these are the necessities when travelling!) and on not finding one, we drank little for the whole journey. On leaving the train I spotted a toliet...spotless too...damn! The train journey was an interesting affair with people boarding the train and selling drinks to dried fish. Taking a deep breath we felt ready to face the onslaught.

Grabbed a tuk-tuk which first picked up a random man trying to sell us a ticket to Siem Reap, getting rid of him, the driver then stopped at a 'visa' point six Km from the border-don't think so! We told him to keep going. He finally dropped us off at another 'visa' point where lots of men tried to convince us to buy their visa! We ended up walking the last little bit and very slowly all the foreigners attracted each other and we stuck together in a group. Finally getting to the right immigration office, we were told that we would have to pay $20 plus 1000 baht. Interestingly enough there is a big sign which states that foreign visas cost $20. He told us this sign was "out of date" . On refusing to pay him extra money we were told the visa could take three days so I stupidly told him I would sleep here. Bizarrly he left us alone and we got our visas in fifteen minutes. We had actually survived the corrupt border officials! Sadly for Cambodia this is what many travellers first experience unless you are flying. This leads to the next part of the story. We then had to try and get a taxi that was going to take us to the right place and not extort too much money from us( again! ) We ended up sharing with a thai lady and her chinese partner who was not allowed across the border and was having to head back to Siem Reap to fly to Bangkok. The road to Siem Reap is approximately 150Km from the border but it took four hours! This was due to the excessive dust, potholes, cows, big trucks...and water. Rainy season starts in May and the Mekong River expands filling into the Tonle Sap, the largest lake in SE Asia. This then floods across this part of Cambodia which look like a floodland. This is great for Cambodians as it means more freshwater fish but not for the roads. Exhausted yet? We were and finally we arrived in Siem Reap. There are no photos for your enjoyment...are you surprised?

Hong Kong

2007-05-20T15:25:00.000Z

A very brief stopover (two nights) took us to Hong Kong and a nice comfy hotel treat. We were greeted with an amber monsoon warning on landing and it stayed that way. We hadn't seen that much rain since Tahiti! The city is frantic to say the least. We met up with a friend, Mandy who we met in Argentina for coffee and a catch up. On our last night we went to the harbour to watch the nightly light show over all the skyscrapers in the city.

A typical Hong Kong street

Wind and Rain!

Lots of rain

Signs in Chinese and English - the handover was ten years ago this summer

Bruce Lee finally meets his match!

Lights over Hong Kong Island

Tokyo again

2007-05-20T15:20:00.000Z

We travelled back to Tokyo overnight by bus. It was a fraction of the price of the bullet train and also saved us a night's accomodation. Annoyingly, I managed to forget my watch on the bus, but fortunately we were in Japan and it was returned to me later in the day via a string of people! How about that for honest human nature. On our last night we met up with Kiyoshi for a final meal and some more excellent Japanese beer.

Another good night out with Kiyoshi

Exploring more of Kyoto

2007-05-20T15:06:00.000Z

We explored Kyoto further, but 4 days just isn't enough to see everything the city has to offer. It was fun to travel by bike on the last day there. Rules don't apply for peddle power - you can go on the pavement or road, in any direction you like!

The Golden Pavillion, which is one of Kyoto's highlights.

Exploring the city by bike (yes, it is too small)

A zen garden looking from inside the temple

Temple of Bamboo in the Bamboo Forest

A night out at a yakitori restaurant

Fields and mountains on the outskirts of Kyoto

The amazing Fushimiinari-taisha Shrine, with 4kms of walkways covered in red gates!

They go on and on...

Nobuyuki and Rika.

2007-05-16T10:01:00.000Z

A highlight of our visit to Kyoto! We were reunited with Nobuyuki and met his lovely girlfriend Rika. Nobuyuki came and worked at Stourport High School for a few months and spent a lot of time at Windmill Middle School. He took us out for a lovely meal last night and we had a fantastic time! Thank you to both of you for a lovely evening. Nobuyuki and Rika are getting married next April and they are a fantastic couple. Lots of luck to both of you and we hope to see you in England next year!

Gion.

2007-05-16T09:48:00.000Z

The district of Gion is famed for the Geisha. This was our first stop in Kyoto and we were lucky to see over five Geisha as they dash between buildings or slip into taxis. They are extremely beautiful and if you ignore all the tourists like us trying to get a glimpse you can imagine the streets of Gion hundreds of years ago. There are thought to be around 1000 Geisha left in Japan and most are in Kyoto. Traditionally Geisha would start training very young. Now they start training after they have finished High School. They are trained in a variety of Japanese arts including dance and tea ceremony. They always wear a Kimono which changes colour and style according to the season or event. Almost like moving art, the Geisha's make-up is elaborate, recognisable by their white faces and deep red lips. The photo above of a Geisha entering a building is one of my favourite photos of the trip.

A Maiko- The last stage of training before she becomes a Geisha.

Kyoto.

2007-05-16T09:28:00.000Z

This has been a long time coming. We have wanted to visit the ancient capital of Japan for a very long time. It has not disappointed.Kyoto dates back to the 8th Century where it was Japan's capital until 1868. Intertwined with the modern city streets you can find temples of various size and splendor( there are over 2000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines) It was originally on the list for the atomic bomb but was removed due to the 'beauty of the city'. Tragically the beautiful cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima were hit. It is Kyoto's fortune that it was removed from the list ( how can people's lives be decided by a list! ) as it has kept its historical beauty and mystery. Many a time we have got lost and stumbled across a beautiful temple, garden or Geisha!

We took the Hikari bullet train to Kyoto. Its maximum speed is 300km!

Cleansing before entering a Buddhist Temple.

Rebecca in front of a Shinto shrine.

Ginkakuji Temple-The silver pavillion. A Zen temple established in 1482.

A lantern in the streets of Kyoto.

Tokyo

2007-05-16T08:19:00.000Z

We were fortunate to meet up with Kiyoshi who used to work in England with Stephen. It was great to see him and he helped us find our way around Tokyo and showed us some of the sights. Tokyo is huge and is separated by districts each one with its own distinct theme. Thanks Kiyoshi...we hope to see you again before we leave Japan. Just an additional note: You`ll see the photo to the right taken by oneself! It was stressful taking a photo of two photographers at night on a busy street in Tokyo.

We were lucky to see a parade in Tokyo. A woman in Yukata. Traditional cotton dress similar to a Kimono.

A cheeky shot at the parade.

The area of Akihabara. Famous for its electrical goods and manga.

The Imperial Palace. It is difficult to see much of the palace as the Emperor resides here. It became the home for the Imperial Court in the late 19th Century after a move from Kyoto.

The Asakusa are of Tokyo where we stayed. One of the oldest areas in Tokyo.

The Senso-ji Buddhist Temple in Asakusa. The oldest temple in Tokyo.

Girls in the area, popular for its eccentric clothes shops. At times you can see the Harajuku girls famed for their outlandish outfits.These are not Harajuku girls but they posed nicely.

Back in Japan.

2007-05-16T08:08:00.000Z

Konnichiwa! It has been seven years since I first arrived in Japan and our second visit has been fantastic. It is so good to be back in this wonderful country. Just stepping out into the street everyday is a stimulating experience. As we only have a week here we have only visited Tokyo and Kyoto as I did not get to visit them when I was first here (I was far away from the bright lights and big city living near a rice field)Tokyo is an amazing city, particulary at night where all the lights are practically blinding. Yet it is a city that has held onto its history not only though its temples but also the people. We have seen women in kimonos walking next to girls in the latest designer clothers talking on their very high -tec mobiles. Anyway, as I am sure you know, I could talk about this country for ages so I better stop. Enjoy the photos. He has been busy again...

Perth, Australia

2007-05-14T13:13:00.000Z

Our final stop in Australia was Perth, where we met up with Mum and Kate again. They were even kind enough to let us scruffy backpackers share their palace of a room! It was good to catch up with their travels across Australia and fill them in on our outback experience.

Our final night in Oz

Outback-Day Eight

2007-05-13T09:17:00.000Z

Our final day was spent travelling to Alice Springs with a few stops along the way. Alice Springs itself is much greener than we had imagined and was founded as part of the telegraph line built across the country to connect it to the rest of the world.
As a fitting end to a great trip, we all met up for dinner at 'Bojangles Saloon' - a real outback pub. We were lucky to have met such a great bunch of people, who turned into good friends in just a week. Pete's passion and knowledge of his country was truly inspiring and fascinating and without doubt the highlight of Australia for us.

The end!

View of Alice Springs

A female red kangaroo (which are actually grey)

An emu

Rebecca, Rebecca and Abi

All the lads (in mens' clothes)

Aurelien, Pierre and Christoph

Christoph demonstrates that 'Beer is good for you' - although maybe not 5 jugs!

Aurelien with Rebecca and Rebecca

Outback-Day Seven

2007-05-13T09:06:00.000Z

An amazing sunrise at Uluru. The light was as if there was a bulb inside the rock itself. Something I will never forget. The day then took us to King's Canyon where we hiked the Rim Walk. Up and around the canyon we went, cooling off at the 'Garden of Eden' pool. In a tribute to the Aussie film, 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' the men in the group were forced into wearing women's clothes for part of the walk to cross a sacred women's area (the girls and Pete lied to us) As you can see, some felt more comfortable than others (his name is James by the way!)

Sunrise at Uluru

A dingo

Had we mentioned the flies?!

King's Canyon

Queens

Outback-Day Six

2007-05-13T08:45:00.000Z

Up early after a good night camping in our swags (tough waterproof and padded sleeping bags for sleeping under the stars) A fantastic day spent first of all hiking around the Olgas, an amazing range of sandstone rock. We then visited the Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Uluru to learn more of the importance and sacred significance of the rock to the local people before taking a walk around it's base. During the walk we saw many of the sacred places, caves, rock art and features of this true wonder of the world. It seems outrageous that people are still allowed to climb onto Uluru itself (and you are asked not to) Especially as these people would not even consider walking up and down on a church alter.

Rebecca sleeps well in her swag

Us and our guide Pete at Uluru

A view of the Olgas at sunrise

All the group at Uluru

Hiking around the Olgas

The burnt orange sandstone of the Olgas

Pushing the truck to get it started!

Outback-Day Five

2007-05-13T08:24:00.000Z

We left our underground bunkhouse before light to catch sunrise over the Breakaways - location for films such as "Mad Max 3" Then we drove for over 700 kms and into the Northern Territory to get to Uluru (Ayers Rock) for sunset. On the way we stopped at the Aboriginal community of Indulkana, where we visited an arts centre. Uluru is amazing, it stands in the middle of a huge flat plain and is colossal, changing colour as the day goes on.

Sunrise at the Breakaways

The 'Crazy German' (as no-one is sure of his name) who has been travelling around Australia with his two camels for the past 5 years!

Toilet stop on the Stuart highway

One of the many huge roadtrains that travel through the outback from Darwin to Adelaide

A 'Thorny Devil' - spotted on the side of the road by our guide 'Eagle Eyes' Pete

Outback-Day Four

2007-05-11T09:30:00.000Z

The landscape became semi-desert and very flat, giving us a view of this beautiful area for miles. We arrived at Coober Pedy. A mining town which produces 70% of the world's opal. We were shown underground mines and homes as temperatures can reach beyond 40 celcius! Coober Pedy means White Man's Burrow after the Aboriginees saw the white man desperately burrowing for his fortune. We had the opportunity to dig for opal but no luck! We slept in a bunkhouse that had been
converted in an old mine.

Early morning and the flies are out- even brushing my teeth was a struggle and a few flies were consumed.

William's Creek-a busy place!

Coober Pedy

The Golf Club, which has an affiliation with St Andrews in Scotland.

Stephen hunting for his fortune.

Underground church.There are over 40 nationalities in Coober Pedy and many religions are practised.

A mock-up of an underground house in Coober Pedy.

Outback-Day Three

2007-05-11T09:12:00.000Z

Early rise and we were off on our bikes to cycle through the Parachilna Gorge. We then stopped off for our last coffee as we headed further towards the Oonadatta Track. We stopped of to meet 'Talc Alf' -an intriguing and eccentric character who lives at the end of the tarmac before it turns to dirt. He spends his time writing to the government, supporting Aboriginal rights and creating sculptures from Soap Stone ( from which we derive talc! ) Stopping off in Marree we saw its old Ghan railway station and a few of us bought fly nets...the flies we already getting bad and we were quite away from the Northern Territory. We took the truck onto the Oonadatta track following the trail of the old Ghan. Along the dusty route we saw Lake Eyre, which has almost dried up and covers the same area as the Uk, Germany and France put together. Camp was at William's Creek with a population of eight people!

Two Rebeccas on bikes.

Most of the group and their bikes.

Fly nets...practical and stylish. Rebecca, Bex and Abi.

Sculpture park in the middle of the Outback.

The Dingo Fence-over 5000km long. Created to protect the farmer's cattle from Australia's wild dog.

The Station at Maree.

Talc Alf with an aboriginal boomerang and kangaroo foot.

Talc Alf and his sculptures

Warnings before approaching the Oonadatta Track.

The whole group on the Oonadatta Track.

Camp at William's Creek.

Outback-Day Two

2007-05-11T09:06:00.000Z

Day Two took us into Wilpena Pound.After a challenging walk we were met with great views. The roads became dirtier as we headed to Blinman; an old mining town. We then camped at Angorichina- we were getting our first taste of a remote place in the Outback.

Wilpena Pound

Walking to the top to look over Wilpena Pound

.
A brown snake-the third deadliest in the world ...unfortuantely for the snake it had been run over!

Outback-Day One

2007-05-11T09:02:00.000Z

Day one took us through the Clare Valley for a spot of wine tasting. We then headed into the Flinders Ranges, stopping off at Quorn. A busy town in its past as it was a main stop for the original Ghan. Now, as the Ghan has been rebuilt, it is a sleepy place with a lot of pubs!

Quorn Station

The Outback-Adelaide to Alice Springs.

2007-05-11T08:58:00.000Z

We spent 8 days travelling from Adelaide to Alice springs; 2800km though arid mountain ranges, semi-desert and the Red Centre. Stephen took over 1000 photos. Fortunately for all of you we have a flight to catch for Japan in a couple of hours so there will be more visual than blurb! I've managed to write about four days so you have the rest to look forward to...

Comment Problems?

2007-04-30T09:46:00.000Z

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Blue Mountains

2007-04-28T09:46:00.000Z

The blue mountains are a two hour train ride west of Sydney. Unfortunately the weather was not great again for our day, although the cloud did clear for us to see some of the amazing panorama from the town of Katoomba.

View across to the Blue Mountains

Rebecca and the rocky formation known as the 'Three Sisters'

Katoomba Falls

Mum and Kate

The view looking down the steepest railway in the world, which decends at 52 degrees

The view looking back up!

Exploring Sydney

2007-04-28T09:27:00.000Z

Our first week in Sydney did not reward us with great weather, although the four of us really enjoyed exploring the city. The harbour is a fantastic spectacle, especially when the sun does shine!

Blue skies

One of many spider webs we nearly walked into in Manly - urgh!

The Sydney Harbour Bridge - 75 years old this year

The Rocks - old buildings and cobbled streets

Sunny Manly

Anzac Day, Sydney

2007-04-28T09:11:00.000Z

'ANZAC Day is commemorated by Australia and New Zealand on 25 April every year to remember members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I...They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stale-mate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war' - www.wikipedia.com
It is a public holiday and throughout the country there are services and events attended by masses of people. We were fortunate enough to see the march through the streets of Sydney by Veterans, Schoolchildren and many more. It was a very moving occasion but lovely to see so many families spending the day together and remembering how lucky we are.

A Surprise in Sydney!

2007-04-28T08:58:00.000Z

We flew from Adelaide to Sydney to meet my Mum (Stephen). As we were waiting for her in the reception of her hotel, a person walked over to us looking very similar to my sister, Kate - it was Kate! What a surprise, we had no idea...they (and a few others) has kept it a secret for months. A great way to start our time in Sydney and now with a guide who had lived here for a year!

All of us at Circular Quay

The excellent two hour walk from Coogee to Bondi

Adelaide, South Australia

2007-04-28T08:18:00.000Z

After a week on the road with Hound Dog, we handed back the keys and checked into a very nice, chilled out and CLEAN hostel. Adelaide is a laid back city with nice parks to walk around. The university area felt just like being in Oxford or Cambridge.

The main CBD

University area

Blog Updates

2007-04-21T10:33:00.001Z

Have a look at the side bar to the right of the blog page. We have added some new links to blogs and websites. 'Walking the Wall' is about a couple who are currently walking the whole length of the Great Wall of China. Also have a look at the link to some multimedia slide shows. This multimedia format allows photographers to combine audio with their still images. We really like the initial commentary on 'Palestinian Taxi', wherby he talks of how taxi drivers can be ambassadors for their country. Of the few negative experiences we have had travelling, a few have been in taxis. 'Preserving Tibet' is from a New York Times journalist speaking of how mass tourism is affecting Tibet. We'll add more as we find them (you can tell we have had a bit more time on our hands in Adelaide!) and you can let us know of any interesting blogs you have found.

Final days in the van

2007-04-21T06:33:00.000Z

Our last few days with Hound Dog took us through some varied country. Here is a selection of photos...

Last night's sleep on the road, nice curtains!

Vineyards and that deep red soil

Rebecca enjoys a german beer in the town of Handorf - the oldest german community in Australia

Autumn colours in Handorf

A classic aussie symbol, the Ute (complete with 'roo-bar')

Rebecca got up early to get this shot of pelicans at Meningie

South Australia

2007-04-21T06:18:00.000Z

Crossing into South Australia from the state of Victoria, we gradually made our way north to Adelaide. There is a serious drought in Australia at the moment and no region displays this better than South Australia. Dried up river beds, failing crops and severe water resrictions are abundant. It really makes you realise what a precious resource water is and how much we take it for granted.

Entering South Australia

A dusty river bed

Dried up waterfall

Port Fairy

2007-04-20T08:11:00.000Z

The tiny town of Port Fairy is lovely. It was settled in 1835 by whalers and sealers. Nearby, Griffiths Island is a nature reserve and on a walk around early in the morning we saw several wallabies.

The picturesque port area

Rebecca finds a familiar name...

and another!

The lighthouse on Griffiths Island

The Great Ocean Road

2007-04-20T07:47:00.000Z

Leaving Anglesey, you officially start the Great Ocean Road. Amazing views of the coastline confront you at nearly every bend in the cliff hugging road. We free camped one night at Johanna Beach which had the biggest waves I have ever seen, very popular with surfers. A recommended walk through the rainforest at Melba Gully was also excellent.

The Twelve Apostles, although they are only all visible from the air

A typical view along the road

Dinner time at camp!

A surfer rides the waves at Johanna Beach

Taking a walk though Melba Gully

Melbourne to Anglesey

2007-04-20T07:30:00.000Z

On the road with Hound Dog, our faithful Toyota Hiace van with about 580,000 kms on the clock (those zeros are correct!) we left Melbourne. We visited Torquay and Bells Beach, where there was a big surfing competition going on. Rebecca was very dissapointed not to see Kelly Slater so we carried on to Anglesey where we set up camp for the night.

Rebecca and Hound Dog get a good view of Anglesey Beach

One of the resident kangaroos of Anglesey Golf Club jumps across a green - not sure if they have any special rules for the ball hitting them!

A surfer walks along as the sun goes down at Bells Beach

Travel Warning

2007-04-20T07:22:00.000Z

We don't often give out warnings, in fact I'm not sure we ever have before on the blog. But this is important. Do not, on any account, ever, even if you are desperate, stay at The Nunnery Hostel in Melbourne, Australia. It is filthy, not even dirty. Pictures speak louder than words...

Yes, they are brown mens underpants - worn.

Pilgrimage to Ramsay Street.

2007-04-20T05:39:00.001Z

For those of you who are my age you may understand that any trip to Australia must include this pilgrimage. It was a true pilgrimage too, as we were unable to get onto any tour so we grabbed the map for Melbourne's suburb and set out on our way to find the past homes of Charlene, Scott, Helen Daniels and Jim Robinson! We were acually the only people there ( is that lucky or slighly sad?) and a very kind man allowed us to walk up the street and take pictures. I smiled for hours afterwards. Reminding me of my childhood and right through to my university days, Neighbours kept me ( and lots of you!) company many a day. You may mock but I feel complete now! At least my Mum will be excited to see these photos.

This isn't right!

That's better and how realistic the sign looks!

Whose house was this all those years ago? Mum- you can guess this one!

Melbourne, Australia

2007-04-19T10:55:00.000Z

Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city with a european edge. We spent a week enjoying the museums, galleries and parks as well as the many excellent cafes! Also, the annual comedy festival was on, so we caught a couple of shows which were very good. We particularly liked the area of Fitzroy where we spent a lot of time including two good meals with a friend of our friend Naomi, Liz.

A view of the downtown area of Melbourne complete with trams which take you anywhere

Looking from the Yarra River back towards the city

Traditional houses mix in with modern buildings across the city

The huge skeleton of a blue whale at Melbourne Museum

Atomica Cafe - some of the best coffee we have tasted! (does a good breakfast as well)

Dinner with Liz

Introducing Hound Dog

2007-04-14T10:44:00.000Z

We will be updating the blog as soon as we get to Adelaide as we are struggling to find internet or a good enough connection to upload all of our photos. We are currently travelling the Great Ocean Road (and beyond) in Hound Dog and we thought you may want to see a picture of our camper. Incidentally you can hire these campers in the UK now - wickedcampers.com

New Features on Stephen's Website

2007-04-11T03:38:00.000Z

Stephen has added a slideshow of images from South America to his website. Click on the direct link below to view.

A Portrait of the Andes

Cairns to Brisbane: 2000km in 4 days!

2007-04-03T09:28:00.000Z

Why? I hear you all cry…we wondered ourselves but when you are on a budget... We found a great deal whereby you relocate a camper van for a company. You only have to pay Aus$5 a day and they also give you a substantial petrol allowance. The catch? We have to drive 1705 kilometres in 4 days ( 3 nights) . This meant we were driving for most of the day. We did, however, have a lot of fun, seeing some of the more rural parts of Queensland and being greeted by the odd 'G’day mate’ and overtaken by those great Utes ( pronounced Yewt). At one point we drove for 600km, without seeing a town or village Unfortunately for all those neighbours fans from when it was popular, we didn’t see Doug Willis in his Ute-slight disappointment there. Nevermind, we are off to Melbourne tommorow, so we have more of a chance of seeing those ‘Neighbours’. Lots of photos below...a long blog post to reflect the long journey. Shame you don't have a great country music channel to accompany you like we did!

Meet Kylie...She may have been cheap, but she is all class.

Long distance Clara

First night's camp in Rollinghurst, near Townsville.

Dinner in Kylie

Loooong road on the second day.

Crop spraying the sugar cane; a frequent landscape in Queensland and one of their major exports.

Dusty landscape on the second day.

Dusk on the long road between Mackay and Rockhampton...not much else for 600km

Coffee break and rest for Kylie.

We stumbled across this outdoor museum that had recreated an Australian village from the late 19th Century.

Stephen in a jail cell from the village. I had enough of his singing with Kylie! Apparently it once housed a prisoner originally from London.

We didn't see any koalas...they are good at camouflage and don't tend to hang around yellow signs!

Rockhampton or 'Rocky' as the locals call it...still 600km from Brisbane on our third day.

Tropic of Capricorn running through Rockhampton.

Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation

2007-04-01T13:55:00.000Z

After seeing the greatest reef in the world, we took a trip to see the oldest tropical rainforest in the world; The Daintree Rainforest - a World Heritage Area. To be classified a World Heritage Area it has to tick one of four boxes. The Daintree is unusual as it ticks all four. We had a fantastic guide who taught us a lot about the flora and fauna of the surrounding area. We took a trip on the Daintree River to spot Crocs in the wild and we were lucky to see three. Crocodiles are territorial so the rangers know where they hang out and as a result they have all been named. Crocodiles are amazing; having survived dinosaurs simply because they buried their eggs unlike the dinosaurs who relied on the heat of the sun, they only have one predator; humans. They were nearly extinct due to hunting in Australia, but this is now of the past and Crocodiles are flourishing in the rivers and sometimes the seas of Australia.

The Daintree River seen through a gap in the rain forest

A cleverly disguised stick insect

The canetoad, which can be poisonous if eaten by other animals

This crocodile has been on the river bank for about 3 months now...not doing much else!

Someone needs a good dentist

A view of the sweltering rain forest

A golden orb spider - much bigger in real life!

Cape Tribulation Beach

It's Box Jellyfish season, so vinegar is the first thing to be appled if stung - not put on your chips!

The Great Barrier Reef

2007-04-01T12:39:00.000Z

As we flew from Brisbane to Cairns, we were lucky to see the reef from the plane. A truly amazing sight; in the middle of the dark blue ocean you can see spots of brilliant turquoise, with the white of the surf bouncing off the Reef. It is the only living thing visible from space. It stretches from the Torres Strait down the coast of Queensland; stopping just south of the Tropic of Capricorn. It is the biggest reef system in the world, encompassing 2600 separate reefs. It is 2000 km in length and at its broadest; 80 Km.
We headed off early to the Outer Barrier Reef on a day trip from Cairns. It took two hours to get there, and fortunately Stephen and I had taken travel sickness pills as it was rough journey until we reached the Reef. We were offered a taster Scuba Dive for 10 minutes to see how we felt and then if we wanted (and were willing to part with more cash) we could go down. I was very uncertain as diving is one thing I am wary of doing; Stephen on the other hand was much keener. If you are going to do a dive, the best place is here. Having spent 10 minutes practising the breathing and equalising and ignoring the fast rate of my heart beat, we went down. It was breathtaking (not too much though - that could have been problematic!) It is as if someone has taken a paintbrush with a a kaleidoscope of colours and painted the fish. The coral itself ranges in colour and texture. Our instructor showed us what we could touch. At one point we touched some coral that was softer than any man-made material I had ever felt.
After our dive, we went further to a reef called Paradise Reef and this time we had a go at snorkeling. Again we witnessed a variety of fish and coral but we could not get as close. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world; I hate to be greedy as we have seen so much already, but we hope to get the opportunity to see the Reef again. Absolutely fantastic experience.

**PHOTOGRAPHERS NOTE: I apologise in advance for the quality of the underwater pictures, which is due to a combination of bottled oxygen, panic and a rubbish disposable camera**

The latest in dive wear!

Preparing to dive

Rebecca makes her way down

A real life Nemo!

Coral and fish

Noosa, the Ginger Factory and a Giant Pineapple

2007-04-01T12:35:00.000Z

Naomi and Tim took us out on a day trip to Noosa; a stunning beach on the Sunshine Coast and yes - the sun did shine...a lot! We went swimming. The water is much warmer than New Zealand. It is strange to be swimming around, whilst helicopters fly above checking for sharks. After Noosa they indulged us and took us to the Giant Pineapple. Apparently as you travel round Australia 'big things' are a common site. Since the pineapple we have also seen a big mango, shark and cow.

Rebecca and a very big pineapple

Rebecca and Naomi enjoy some "Strawberry Blonde" beer

Noosa - another fantastic beach!

Brisbane Art Museum

2007-04-01T12:32:00.000Z

The Brisbane Art Museum is a fantastic space. We popped into it a few times whilst in Brisbane and it is free; always a bonus for people on a budget! We walked into this room uncertain of what to expect and were impressed. It is by a Japanese artist Yayoi Kasuma. All around us were mirrors, and below water, which reflected the multi-coloured globes and U.V strips. As you can see it gives a strange perspective, as if the room never ends.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane

2007-03-21T10:56:00.000Z

We travelled out of the city to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where we got to see lots of native Australian animals. Some are pictured below but others we saw were freshwater crocodiles, wombats, dingoes, emus, snakes and lizards. The kangaroos and koalas were definately the highlights, we hope to see some in the wild on our drive down the east coast...

A sleepy koala dozes in a tree

Rebecca feeds a kangaroo

A wallaby bounces past us

A day at the beach on the Gold Coast

2007-03-21T10:49:00.000Z

The four of us hired a car and drove to Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast. The beaches are beautiful and the water lovely and warm. The high rises you see in the background of the photo are not a city though, but the huge residential development that dominates this stretch of coastline.

Burleigh Heads beach

Brisbane, Australia

2007-03-21T10:39:00.000Z

Another country! We are staying with friends Naomi and Tim while we are in the Brisbane area (you will remember them from our time in Bariloche, Argentina) They have a great apartment overlooking the river and the city.
Brisbane is a really nice modern city situated near the southern coast of the state of Queensland. It has many skyscrapers and high rise buildings but is also very green with lots of parks. People here are fitness mad with running and cycle tracks everywhere. The weather is much, much hotter than New Zealand and the humidity is high as well, so we are trying to have early starts to the day and beat the heat!

Naomi cooks our first Australian BBQ

The artificial beach on the South Bank of Brisbane - absolutely packed with people at the weekends

The view from our bedroom window - what a view!

Tamaki Maori Village

2007-03-17T00:41:00.000Z

A wet and windy evening took us to Tamaki Maori Village. It was a great evening which started with a Powhiri (formal welcome dance). For visitors entering such sacred places, it is customary for the host tribe to send out a challenge of peace. The warriors go through intimidatory gestures and movements until a peace offering is given and accepted. We then were treated to a concert of song and dance in the Wharenui (Big House) before sitting down for a Hangi feast. The Hangi (earth oven) is a traditional cooking method where food is buried under the earth for hours to cook on hot rocks. The buffet was plentiful and very tasty!
What a great way to end our time in New Zealand, especially to spend it with good friends Sandra and Paul.

Maori warriors perform the Powhiri

Rotorua, New Zealand

2007-03-17T00:25:00.000Z

Our final stop in New Zealand was Rotorua. With friends Sandra and Paul we visited Wai-O-Tapu (Sacred Waters), an area of thermal activity including craters, boiling mud pools and geysers - and not to mention that constant 'rotten egg' smell! The many fantastic colours we saw are due to the different mineral elements. The water is very hot - temperatures of up to 300 degrees celsius have been recorded.

Rebecca and Stephen with Sandra and Paul

Steam rises from the vibrantly coloured Champagne Pool

The Lady Knox Geyser blows out water up to 15m high

Crossing the Primrose Terrace

Walking along the Champagane Pool

Back in Wellington

2007-03-16T21:10:00.000Z

After crossing back to the North Island, we stayed for a weekend with Dave and Tash again. They have been wonderful hosts during our time in the city and we had a great couple of days with them.

Our final lunch in Wellington with Dave and Tash at 'Chocolate Fish' - a must for anyone visiting!

Stephen and a gorgeous red head

Leaving Dave, Tash and Rosy the cat

Abel Tasman Park

2007-03-07T01:59:00.000Z

After a few relaxed days, we had to keep on moving and headed to Kaiteriteri Beach. This was to be our base for the Abel Tasman National Park. We took a water taxi to the north of the park, Awaroa. The beach here was amazing and as it was high tide we got to see the beautiful lagoons that form...paradise. Before we headed off on our hike, we had lunch at Awaroa Lodge. It was a necessity (honestly!) as it reduced the amount of food we would have to carry for the two days. We bunked that night in one of the lodges that the Department of Conservation provide around NZ. We met two lovely America girls, Megan and Rye ( Hello if you are reading) who were doing the full track walk over five days. The next morning we met our kayak guide and headed back along the National Park's coasts in our kayaks. It was nice and relaxed, stopping off at one of the many beautiful beaches along the way. The sand is a colour we had never seen before; it reminded me Bird's custard powder! It is caused by the granite cliffs in the park, which when mixed with the salt water cause a rusting effect. The water changed colour throughout the day and depending on the beach, ranging from deep blues to light greens. Ho-hum, are you ready for some more pictures of this amazing country...?

What a tough walk!

Lunch at Awaroa Lodge-Beer before a hike!

Sharing bunks at the hut.

Stephen and Rebecca kayaking again. Watch for us on the river Severn next!

Can anyone help us with adjectives for this place?

Golden Bay

2007-03-07T01:52:00.000Z

We took a few days to chill out (what have you been doing all year, I hear you all cry?!) and spent some time in the North of the South Island. Golden Bay is an area full of beautiful beaches and very cool, relaxed towns, such as Takaka. Takaka was very alternative; anything goes.

Shame we had left...Stephen could have taken part!

Arts in Takaka. A very nice place to visit.

South Island West Coast

2007-03-02T00:19:00.000Z

After a fantastic week in Fiordland, we were on the road again, heading north along the West Coast, to the Abel Tasman National Park. It is a shame we had to do the West Coast in three days( which meant a lot of driving ) but we are actually running out of time in NZ, despite being here for nearly seven weeks. The West Coast is a stunning mix of rainforest and surf-battered coast line. Not many people live here, perhaps due to the dramatic weather it can experience.

We had time out from the beauty and visited puzzling world, where we were lost in a maze for nearly two hours!

Introducing Janelle-our little hire car who is transporting us around.

The Fox glacier

Franz-Josef glacier. Which is the better glacier- Franz or Fox?

The cheeky Kea- a very intelligent parrott, which will attack the rubber on your car.

A weka- a rare flightless bird. We are yet to see a KIWI!

The Pancake rocks at Punakaki. These are over 35 million years old, formed from the marine life on the bottom of the ocean but scientists are uncertain as to why they have created the pancake shapes.

Pancake rocks.

The longest swingbridge in NZ, stretching over the Buller Gorge.

The stunning west coast of the south island

And again!

The fern. A symbol frequently used in NZ, particularly for sports teams.

The Te Waikoropupu Springs in Pohara-apparently the clearest in the world.

Doubtful Sound

2007-02-23T04:44:00.000Z

The Doubtful Sound is much larger than the Milford Sound but it is harder to access. No people live in the area and there are few roads. We had decided to do a two day kayaking trip to the Sound, so we could experience somewhere more remote. There were eight of us including the guide and his friend. It took us a few hours to get to the Sound, crossing Lake Manapouri and then on another road before we got to the Sound. After giving us the opportunity to practise paddling in our seakayaks, with the great help from Ben-our guide, we started our adventure. There are three distinct arms in the Sound. We headed up Halls Arm. Problems can occur on the Sound, due to few places to stop and dramatic weather changes. I think this was probably the safest place for us amateurs to kayak. The water in the Sound is unusual in that it contains two distinct layers of water that do not mix. The top few meters is fresh water, fed from the high inflows from the surrounding mountains. Below this is a layer of cold, heavy, saline water from the sea. Twice a day the tide flows out of the Sound into the Tasman Sea. We kayaked for five hours. It was amazing to be somewhere so remote and quiet. It rained for much of the day, which created a mist across the water-very mysterious. The rain allowed us to see the Doubtful Sound at one of its best-the rainforest looked lush and there were many waterfalls. That night we camped on the Sound in a small inlet beside a stream. Before setting off the next morning we were lucky enough to see one of the most southernmost pods of bottlenosed dolphins. As we set of kayaking, we followed these dolphins, watching them swim gracefully and jump! We kayaked for a few hours and very reluctantly returned back to Deep Cove to begin our journey back to Te Anau( where we were all staying)There is a hydroelectric power station at the Cove, which was built in the Sixties. It discharges water( used to run the turbines ) and research is currently going on to see what damage it may be causing. It was the building of this power station which caused the New Zealanders to become more active in protecting their environment. Despite the power station, once we got further into the Sound, it gave us the opportunity to experience a place that is relatively untouched-a difficult task nowadays.

We had an amazing time-highlight of the trip so far. The group we were with were great and a big thanks to Ben, our guide, who showed us this stunning and magical place. If you want to find out more about the Sounds and some of the research going on with the dolphins, go to www.wikipedia.org and type in the relevant key words. You will now discover where I get most of my facts!

Kayaking on the Sound

Rebecca kayaking

Stephen kayaking-do you like our hats?

One of the many beautiful reflections in the Sound

Camp-loads of sandflies so an insect tent was a necessity! I am still itching as I write this...

Wind was up so we got to sail.

View of the Doubtful Sound from the only accessible road.

Milford Sound

2007-02-23T04:15:00.000Z

The Milford Sound is in the South West of New Zealand, in one of its more remote parts, yet it is one of its most popular tourist destinations. As we knew there would be a lot of people come midday we got up early and drove the two hour Milford Road to get an early morning boat cruise. The Sound is stunning. It is surrounded by sheer granite rock faces which can reach up to 1200m high. Rainforest cling to these cliffs and due to the high rainfall ( it is one of the wettest places in the world,with over 200 days of rain a year) there is no top soil, so often and with no warning there will be a tree avalanche. We were lucky with the weather and had a dry sunny day, which allowed us to see the height of the cliffs around us. In addition to this luck, we saw not only seals and bottle nosed dolphins but also one penguin-the rare yellow eyed fiordland penguin. Milford Sound is named after Milford Haven in Wales, and the Cleddau River which flows into it is similarly named for its Welsh namesake. It is accurately called a fiord(or fjord). A Sound is caused by river flow and fiord is caused by glaciar movement. On discovering it, James Cook thought it was a 'Sound' and although this name has remained, the area it is in is called Fiordland.

One of the most beautiful places so far on our trip...

Falls at the Sound

Reflection of a granite cliff

The Mitre Peak.

Canyon Swing, Queenstown

2007-02-17T22:59:00.000Z

Rebecca decided to do the 'Highest Swing in the World.' The Canyon Swing is 110m high with 60m of freefall before swinging into a 200m arc in the valley below. She loved it so much that she did it twice, the second time head first!
The photos do not really do the jump justice as Stephen had to stand on the spectator (wimp) platform. Click on the YouTube link below to see the video

For more info on the swing see: www.canyonswing.co.nz

Rebecca on the edge of the jump platform

All smiles after the jump

Queenstown, New Zealand

2007-02-17T22:45:00.000Z

We have arrived in Queenstown on the south island. It is in a stunning location next to Lake Wakatipu with mountains all around. You can take part in practically any sport or extreme activity you want, from bungy jumping, skydiving to river surfing and canyoning. On our first full day we took the gondola up to a platform above town and raced around the Luge circuit, which was great fun. We also met up with our friend Leanne who we met on the overland trip in South America. Good to catch up with her and share memories from the trip.

Stephen take a corner on the Luge

Stephen and Rebecca looking down onto Queenstown

View from the beach towards town

Aoraki/Mt. Cook, New Zealand

2007-02-16T11:13:00.000Z

Mt. Cook is only a short drive from Lake Tekapo. The weather continued to be on our side, with great views of the mountain. We camped nearby and did some great walks while there. Aoraki is the Maori name for Mt. Cook and means 'Cloud Piercer.'

The sun sets on Mt. Cook - the view from the Old Mountaineers' Cafe

Rebecca preparing our camp - what a view!

Mt. Cook and surrounding area

Rebecca, Stephen and Mt. Cook

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

2007-02-16T09:27:00.000Z

With Christchurch and some very dodgy weather behind us we travelled south to Lake Tekapo. Uncertain of the meters of rainfall we might encounter, we were greeted with clear blue skies and the most beautiful lake I have ever seen. A couple of days were spent exploring some of the many walks in the hills around the lake.

The sun setting on the red earth hills surrounding the lake

Rebecca walking the trail up to the Mt. John summit

Stephen at the summit

Church of the Good Shepherd, on the shore of Lake Tekapo

How blue is that Lake!

Christchurch, New Zealand

2007-02-16T09:23:00.000Z

Christchurch was our next stop as we postponed our dolphin swimming trip in Kaikoura due to bad weather. The city is very pretty and reminded us a lot of Cambridge back home. Lots of gardens, punting and tourists like us!

Marlborough Sounds

2007-02-16T09:18:00.000Z

Our first night camping on the South Island (now with Dave's slightly larger tent, thank goodness - sorry Naomi!) was at Momorangi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. It was a beautiful setting and the next day we walked a section of the Queen Charlotte Track.

Crossing the Cook Strait

2007-02-16T09:15:00.000Z

We took the Interislander ferry for a wonderfully scenic crossing of the Cook Strait from North to South Islands. The last section passes through the Marlborough Sounds (see picture)

More from Wellington...

2007-02-16T09:10:00.000Z

Back in Wellington, we spent a couple of days exploring the excellent Te Papa Museum. On our final night we went snorkeling, swimming and kayaking again in Island Bay. We had a great week with Tash and Dave, who were excellent hosts.

Tash shows us her skills in the kayak

People cool off by diving into the harbour in the city

The Puntangirua Pinnacles

2007-02-16T09:01:00.000Z

After the wine tasting we drove further across the Wairarapa to the Puntangirua Pinnacles. For any "Lord of the Rings" fans out there, it features as a location in the film. They were formed by rain washing silt and sand away, revealing the underlying bedrock. Amazing landscape, have never seen anything else like it.

Wine Tasting in Martinborough

2007-02-07T10:53:00.000Z

East of Wellington is the wine producing region of Martinborough, set in beautiful countryside. Our finely tuned taste buds were once again put to the test - what a chore.

So cultured!

Definately "sweaty socks"

Hard work

An evening in Island Bay

2007-02-07T10:45:00.000Z

After a great BBQ at Dave and Tash's we took a walk down and along the coast at sunset. On a clear day from the beach at the end of their road you can see the South Island across the Cook Strait.

The view of Island Bay from Dave and Tash's house

Looking over the Cook Strait at sunset

Snorkeling Lesson

2007-02-07T10:34:00.000Z

With the beach being at the end of his road, Dave offered to give us a snorkeling lesson. After squeezing into our wetsuits, we explored the shallow waters of Island Bay, their neighbourhood. The water was extremely cold though and I think we scared most fish away with the flapping of flippers on our first attempt! Who do you think looks best in a wetsuit? (I'd say the fella in the middle...)

Wellington, New Zealand

2007-02-07T10:27:00.000Z

We travelled to stay with our friends Dave and Tash who live in the capital Wellington, in the south of the North Island. The city has a great location, surrounded by hills and clear blue waters. The architecture of the houses is very pretty, with lots of wood and colourful paint being used.

Coromandel Peninsula.

2007-01-30T23:54:00.000Z

This peninsula is to the east of Auckland. It has some stunning beaches. We visited the Catherdral Cove, with its huge limestone arch, set on a quiet (which was a relief as it is school holidays here at the moment) pristine beach. That evening we created our own hot tub on Hot Water Beach. An amazing experience. The hot water is very near the surface of the beach and is caused by an underground hot spring which bubbles up at low tide.

Cathedral Cove

People digging their hot water pools beneath the light of the moon.

Our feet enjoying the hot water!

Doubtless Bay and Fish and Chips.

2007-01-30T23:44:00.000Z

It had been a long time coming; our first fish supper. A delight we had not tasted in over five months. Washed down with a nice pint, I hate to say it, but the Kiwis do it well! We enjoyed the meal at Doubtless Bay. Its name derives from James Cook and his first visit here, on which he commented that it was 'doubtless a bay.'

There are two pictures of Stephen because he had two portions...pig!

Great camp spot at Doubtless Bay

Doubtless Bay

Heading Further North

2007-01-30T23:26:00.000Z

After the Bay of Islands, we decided we needed to have that 'end of the world' feeling again, so we made our way to Cape Reinga. The northern most point of New Zealand. We got up early and after a 3 hour drive, we arrived. Unfortunately the weather was dreich ( as my mum would say!) and we couldn't see a thing for all the mist. Have a look on google images if you want to see what this part of the world looks like as we didn't see it!

Cape Reinga and its clear view!

Next we headed to 90 mile beach. It is popular to drive along with 4WD or you can take a bus. However, as many people have discovered, including Stephen's sister, you have to watch the tide and make sure you don't end up stuck in the sand or washed to sea!

Speed limit on 90 mile beach!

Below you can see a picture of the Kauri tree. This tree is native to New Zealand, and though many have been lost to logging, some impressive trees remain.

This is the widest tree in New Zealand. It is over 5 metres in diameter and is believed to also be the oldest, at almost 2000 years. Its Maori name is 'Te Matua Ngahere' which means 'Father of the Forest.'

Bay of Islands and Stephen's 30th (!) Birthday.

2007-01-30T23:13:00.000Z

After a few days in Auckland, we hired a car and sorted out our camping gear and headed north to the Bay of Islands. We celebrated Stephen's birthday with a great seafood meal and spent our first night of many to come, in our tiny tent. We visited Waitiangi, which is where the treaty between the British and Maori was signed in 1840.

The flag pole marks where the treaty was signed. The three flags are the British, New Zealand and the original flag, created by the Maori, when the treaty was signed.

The interior of a 'Marae'. A Maori meeting house.

Bay of Islands

Stephen's 30th Birthday meal.

Bay of Islands

Stephen and his cake at a very glamorous camp ground!

Auckland, New Zealand

2007-01-22T21:36:00.000Z

We arrived in Auckland after crossing the international date line so although the flight was only five and a half hours, we lost a whole day. The 20th January 2007 never really existed for us!
Quite a culture shock after being in South America for so long. Auckland is a nice and compact city with a gentle pace of life. We have really enjoyed the food since getting here - lots of Asian food from Indian curries to Japanese sushi.

Auckland from the harbour

Downtown Auckland

Rebecca enjoys some Japanese food

Tahiti

2007-01-22T21:31:00.000Z

We went to Tahiti...it rained...and rained...and rained...and was VERY expensive

Rain in Tahiti

Easter Island

2007-01-22T21:06:00.000Z

After four and a half months in South America, we left Santiago. Although strictly speaking Easter Island is part of Chile, it certainly felt like we were leaving.
Easter Island has to be one of the most magical and mysterious places we have ever been. As there is no firm explanation for the presence of the stone Moai statues it makes the whole place so intriguing. They are colossal pieces of rock, hand carved and moved huge distances. The largest is 21m in length. Many Moai, knocked over by either man or nature (a huge Tsunami hit the island in the 1960’s) litter the coast. The quarry where many were carved is incredible. Hundreds can be found in various states of creation either still attached to the rock or standing awaiting transport to their final destination. Seeing sunrise above one particular site was especially magical, only about 6 people were there and we felt quite privileged. One evening we saw a perfomance by traditional Kari Kari dancers which was really vibrant and colourful.
Three days later we were sad to be leaving such a great place. It is certainly tricky to get to, but well worth the effort. We would recommend Easter Island to anyone.

Our first view of Easter Island from the plane

Sunrise over the Moai of Tongariki

Stephen turns to stone

The impressive 15 Moai of Tongariki

Moai litter the quarry

Rebecca on the beach

Horses at Tongariki

Kari Kari dancers

Kari Kari dancers

Carteneros - Rubbish Collectors.

2007-01-09T14:51:00.000Z

Buenos Aires is a beautiful city with european architecture and cobbled streets . Many people seem prosperous. Behind this facade, however, there are the poor. They live on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in slums. Over 30% of the population in Argentina are below the poverty line. This has improved greatly since the economic crisis in 2002, where everyday people lost their savings, jobs and some their homes. During this time over half the population were poor, so it is positive to see a change is occuring. Unemployment is still high. Some of the people in the city, in a desperate attempt to make money, are reduced to other means to survive.

The above picture is a 'Cartenero'. Everyday rubbish is dumped on the streets in Buenos Aires. Before the 'Bin Men' have a chance to collect it all up, these people rummage through it all, desperate to find cardboard, plastic and glass, in order to sell it for recycling. Often you see whole families sorting through it all, or sometimes, young children; alone.

It appears that the goverment rely on these people to recycle their rubbish. A charity called 'El Ceibo' have worked with the 'Carteneros' and some neighbourhoods to encourage people to separate the rubbish themselves, so all they have to do is collect it. If you are interested, have a look at their website, which has a short video, portraying these peoples' lives. Go to

Carteneros Video

Changed settings

2007-01-07T20:28:00.000Z

Since we have started the counter, we realise there are more people looking at the blog than we thought. Therefore to encourage people to leave messages we have changed the settings so you don't have to sign on. Hopefully we will get more messages this way.

Views from our balcony

2007-01-04T22:17:00.000Z

Just a couple of pictures taken from our balcony. We have tango in the square every afternoon and posh people don't walk their dogs in the city - professional dog walkers do!

Our pad in San Telmo

2007-01-04T02:02:00.000Z

Until we leave Buenos Aires we are renting an apartment in San Telmo, overlooking Plaza Dorrego. It is really nice and airy with great views.

Our apartment is in the white building to the right. The cafe on the left is where scenes in the "Godfather" were filmed.

The view of Plaza Dorrego, popular for tango dancing.

Rebecca using our free wireless internet (not sure where the signal is coming from though!)

Final night with Shona, David, Harriet and Ben

2007-01-04T01:52:00.000Z

We went out for a great meal on our final night in the district of Palermo. We food was excellent as was the wine and free champagne!
We have had a wonderful couple of weeks and will miss Shona, David, Harriet and Ben lots.

La Bombonera Stadium - home of Boca Juniors

2007-01-04T01:35:00.000Z

Back in Buenos Aires, on our final day we all went to the neighbourhood of La Boca. After a walk around and coffee in El Caminito we ventured a few blocks over to La Bombonera Stadium, home of the mighty (or not so mighty this season) Boca Juniors. You certainly don't see terraces, razor wire, huge fences and grubby changing rooms in many Premiership grounds! The tour was fascinating, so much history and passion in a club that adores Diego Maradona so much he doesn't even have to pay for his seat anymore and will keep it for his entire life.

Harriet and Rebecca take advantage of another shower

The new Manager was not a man to be messed with

On the tour

Can you stop Diego's seat - it's the LARGE yellow one (any excuse for an insult!)

"Make mine a ham and cheese - with Hellmanns!"

Cocktail girls!

2007-01-03T01:53:00.000Z

Look who got snapped by the paparazzi while relaxing by the pool. Rebecca even gets to share the front page with Angelina Jolie!

Mucho Agua!

2006-12-28T01:51:00.000Z

As we sped towards Iguazu Falls in a powerboat all we could hear from behind us was the guide shouting "mucho agua, muchu agua".
Our day began with a 4x4 trip through the jungle where we saw Tucans and dozens of brightly coloured butterflies. Next, our powerboat took us along the Rio Iguazu through rapids until we were confronted by the sight of the falls in all their glory. The Devil's Throat was hardly visible through all the spray being thrown up by the sheer force of the falling water. The boat paused for for photos before speeding off towards and under a number of falls - thoroughly soaking all of us.
Afterwards we took several walks around the falls to see the different views before ending up looking over Devil's Throat (and getting drenched again!)
So glad that we could share this real highlight of the trip with Shona, David, Harriet and Ben.

Facts about Iguazu Falls (thanks to http://en.wikipedia.org)

"The waterfall system consists of about 270 falls along 2.7 kilometres (1.67 miles) of the Iguazu River. Some of the individual falls are up to 82 metres (269 feet) in height, though the majority are about 64 metres (210 feet). The Garganta del Diablo or Devil's Throat (Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese), a U-shaped 150-metre-wide and 700-metre-long (490 by 2300 feet) cliff, is the most impressive of all, and marks the border between Argentina and Brazil"

Speeding along the Rio Iguazu

We catch our first glimpse of the falls

Our first "shower"

All of us looking rather wet!

Spectacular.

Devils Throat and a rainbow arcing out from the spray.

Rebecca and Ben - wet again!