Round Three

From Bangkok

We're back in Bangkok now. This place has become our home away from home. Every travel move we've decided has been out of here. It is the central hub of SE Asia. This time around we are still on the same street, but not at the Wild Orchid. We're mixing it up by staying across the street at the Erawan House. We actually did try the Orchid, but the rooms priced in our budget were full. The Erawan House is about $6 more, but there's free wireless and free breakfast. And after the night we had on the train, we needed a place stat. The rooms turned out to be way better. Really clean, tv and hot water. Amazing how much more six bucks will get you.

Each of us having booked out flights out, we were more or less just killing time in Bangkok. Tired of the Thai cuisine, we managed to sniff out two great little restaurants. One Mexican, owned by a Canadian and an Italian, owned by a Russian (I think. He was a robust man that looked more Eastern European than Italian) Both places were outstanding! (considering their location) We hit up each place several times over the course of our stay.

Other highlights included, seeing the movie Wanted. I got DQ on the way in and out! Going to the Zen art gallery down town. They had two exhibitions. One was the Asian Photo Journalism finalists and the other, Views from Above the Earth. All aerial views of different countries/cities/agriculture/natural phenomena. And last but not least, I bought a pair of eco-friendly, all rubber sandals. Which meant I could chuck my old ones that had developed a smell reminiscent of stagnant Bangkok river water.

The best part of our stay in Bangkok came at the end. The American/Japanese couple (Dale & Noriko) that we met at the waterfall in Laos had mentioned to us that if we wanted to get out of the city that we could stay outside of town with them. Running into them again on the train back to Bangkok they reiterated their offer. Saying they had traveled quite a bit in the past and received generous treatment (even from strangers) where ever they found themselves. I guess their invite was a way to "pay it forward" if you will. Two days before my departure back to Bali, we gave them a call.

Dale and Noriko with their two sons, Kai and Tobi live north east of Bangkok, about 45 minutes out of the city, in the Pukkrat district. Dale teaches at the International School Bangkok and Noriko is a Nai (Thai Chi/Dance/Yoga mix) instructor. They were amazing hosts and treated us like family. For the next two days we swam, played games with the kids, watched movies and ate like kings. Noriko is an incredible cook and didn't let us leave leftovers either night. The absolute best we've eaten the entire trip!

Early on the morning of July 3rd, I said goodbye to my extended Thai family and my darling Sus. Hopped in a taxi bound for the airport, en route to my final destination, Bali. A month of no surfing is the longest I've ever gone. I'm looking forward to catching some waves again as well as getting back to meet up with my parents in Cali (about July 20th). This will be the last entry for the tag team of Tyler & Susanna. I'm rolling solo for the duration while Susanna heads to Vietnam on July 4th. She then plans to meet up with friends in Turkey around the 12th. Spending two weeks there and then two more weeks in Greece. I'll be eagerly waiting to hear of her new adventures.

Vientiane

From Train to Bangkok

Amidst our trek north, further into Laos, I turned to Susanna after being on the VIP bus for maybe 10 minutes and said, "There is no way in hell I'm getting back on this bus for the return trip." And we didn't. Thankfully, she shared my view of avoiding at all costs, a total of 9 hours on buses back tracking to the Thailand border. So we booked flights on Laos Air for eighty bucks. A price I gladly paid. The flight back to Vientiane was 45 minutes. The folks from the tubing group that made it all the way to Luang Prabang, all (except one) went their separate ways from there. I guess they had similar opinions of more busing. The one that remained was Reese. He was headed back to Bangkok to sort out his visa and buy some more tattoo equipment for his shop in Koh Tao.

Back in Vientiane, we posted up for a night to catch another train south into Bangkok the following day. That night Reese and I ventured out for a late dinner and saw a new part of town. Up until this point, we've managed to avoid the seedy parts of many towns, but this changed in Vientiane. On a mission for noodle soup, Reese and I walked up and down block after block, including the ones with she-male hookers and locals asking us if we were interested in some opium. A fruitless search ended at a posh bar that willing to make us french fries as long as we ordered drinks. Nothing like beer and fried potatoes for a balanced meal.

The next day was basically filled with time killers. Breakfast was a bust - A Scandinavian bakery with no bacon and stale donuts. We bowled and Sus beat me. Unfortunately the tech savvy Loa Bowling Center wasn't able to print the score card so there is no official record of that ever happening. Sus got a massage and broken from my defeat, I turned to the bottle and snooker tables. Those tables are enormous!

Getting to the train in Nung Khai went smoothly. We even ran into the American/Japanese family from the waterfall again. Like I said before, when you're on a popular tour route, chances are, so is everyone else. The Train ride was OK, but the sleeping arrangements were miserable. I was prepared for fan class, but I slept on the bottom on the way up to Laos. Sus requested we swap and I found out why as soon as I turned in for the night. The lights never go out on the train and the top bunk is directly next to the florescent lighting. All night it was light and of course the bed a foot and a half too short for me. All calculated, turned into the worst night of sleep on the entire trip.

Oh, how could I forget, the suspicious techie. When we got on the train there's a guy set up diagonally from us with a laptop connected to four cell phones and a GPS, all being powered by two car batteries, that were tied down with bungee chords. Terrorist, bombs free radical, who knows? I was a little wary at first because guy didn't sleep all night. But he did seem to know the stewards. And after glancing at his screen, I think he was physically tracking the course/progress of the train. Possibly for future mapping/routes. Those eccentric techies!

Luang Prabang

From Waterfall

Luang Prabang is a beautiful small town with plenty of temples. AKA tourist trap. After our previous river adventure I was looking forward to something more than cafes, markets and Bhudda's footprint. It actually wasn't that bad. We relaxed, visited holy places, saw the Lao people's amazing craft/textile skills and I got some work done.

FYI: There are no to-go cups in Laos. If you get your drink for take away, you get it in a plastic bag with ice and a straw. Don't set it down!

A couple days later, tired of doing the same old, the tube crew headed for the waterfall. An hour tuk-tuk ride away, this natural masterpiece is situated at the base of a small mountain. I won't try and describe it because there is no way I could relay it's magnificence (check out the photo link.) The waterfall was quite a sight and hiking up the treacherous slick, water soaked trail to its midpoint was pretty fun/sketchy. But the best part of it all were the several swimming holes the water had formed on its way down the hillside.

Being a popular activity there, the pools were packed. (We ran into the Israeli couple there) The water was a little cool, but refreshing. There were also falls and trees to jump from. Although, they were a little lack luster after our river escapade. You could also purchase food and drink at the entrance of the park and bring it in with you. Tons of families, one of which we chatted with extensively. An american man and a Japanese woman. On holiday from Bangkok with their too sons. They were so taken by our charm that they invited us over to their place during our future stop over in Bangkok!

VIP

From Waterfall

All good things must come to an end. As we boarded a true VIP bus the following day for Luang Prabang, we bid farewell to the Dutch.

On the map, Luang Prabang is the same distance Vangvieng is from Vientiane. So I'm thinking it's going to be another 3 hr trip. Wrong, six hours through winding mountains, stuck in the worst seats on the bus. My legs couldn't fit in the regular rows, so I convinced Sus to sit in the back (A Raised four wide over the engine.)
Advantage: • Leg room
Disadvantage(s): • Highest point on the bus moves the greatest amount • The rear axle shocks relayed every bump directly through my spine • There were no armrests to brace yourself • Motion sickness • The engine below heated up the back of the bus and made all the metal on the floor was piping hot • The A/C starting in the front of the bus had a hard time making it to the back • There was no back curtain preventing the midday sun from hitting us • My stinky shoes started to cook on the rear window • Opening the side windows only worked for the window seats (we were in the middle) • Our seats were too high up to see the good views out of the window • We were hungover from the day before • Motion sickness

Having sweated through every article of clothing on my person, we finally get there.

6 Americans, 1 Kiwi, 3 Dutch, 1 Latvian & 1 Italian

From Vangviang

Dingy raised bungalows with communal toilets and snoring neighbors are par for the course, but our day was about to turn around.

We all meet up to rent tubes and catch the few kilometer lift up the river. Now it's the rainy season so they say you can get down the river pretty quickly (1-hr or so / 2-hr in dry season) if you float straight through. They were right, when we pulled up the Mekong was flowing fast. Yes, tubing is fun, but the real reason people go is because there are about 12-15 bars along the way down. Most equipped with a flying fox (zip line) or trapeze swing into the water. Envision a 50-60 beam stretching out over the river with a trapeze swing off to one side, up in a tree loft or makeshift platform. AMAZING! So we all plopped into the water and 50 meters later is the first bar. We immediately go off the swing and grab a beer. A few bars later people are going off tandem and trying backflips. Sus even hurled herself a couple times into the turbulent chocolate colored waters of the Mekong! By the last bar we were making the backflips and swinging three at a time! (One of our other American friends took pictures. I pray that he forwards them on to us.) The river wasn't really crowded that day so we formed, with a few other stragglers, forming the loudest/ most fun crew out there. Which brought our total to 12 (6 Americans, 1 Kiwi, 3 Dutch, 1 Latvian & 1 Italian.) We returned our tubes around dusk and met up to eat later that night. An brilliant day with new friends I'll never forget.

Fan Class is a lot different than First Class.

From Train to Nong...

During our train ride to southern Thailand we were high rollers. Now that the bank accounts are shrinking, our train accommodations riding north were slightly down graded. No private room, no air-con and beds about a foot and a half too short for me. All in all it was fine except for the stewards coming by and warning us all about possible theft. Sleep with one eye open and on your bag, or lock em up!

Waking up the next morning with all out stuff and at the end of the line was sweet. The train stops short of Laos so you have to take a tuk-tuk to the Thai border, get a bus over the Friendship Bridge and then enter though Loa Immigration. During our several mini transports we met an English woman who lives in Laos and publishes "Asia Runner". She is heavy into the endurance sports world and new plenty of folks in So-Cal - The Triathlon Capital.

After entering Laos, it's a half hour tuk-tuk to the town of Vientiane. During the ride we were with another couple from Israel. They were on holiday for a short period of time in between grad school and their new jobs/internships. We ended up seeing them several times more while on our excursion. Seems that everyone traveling in that area has the same itinerary. No new hot spots discovered recently I guess.

The rest of our initial day in Laos included a fantastic Indian food lunch and bowling. Sus and I hit up the Infamous Lao Bowling Center. We bowled, drank, danced and had a blast with a group of locals in the lane next to us.

The following morning we boarded a bus for Vangvieng. They said it was a VIP bus, but it was more like a mini bus on steroids. Leg to leg, shoulder to shoulder we sat with 18 other travelers. It actually made it pretty easy to chat with the person next to you. Close quarters bring people closer together on many levels. Turns out that three hour experience had just made us good friends for the week to come. The next day we all planned to meet up for the one must do in Vangvieng, tubing!

Bangkok City

From Siam Center

Our next destination is Loas. Being a ways away, we hoped a flight from Krabi up to Bangkok. I'll avoid a 12hr train ride whenever I can. Air Asia makes it so easy to book throughout SE Asia. They're cheap, they go everywhere and have open seating. Making them the Southwest of the Southeast.

We only stayed over a couple nights before taking the train north. Just long enough to check out the Siam Center. Bangkok's eight story mall. The place is immense and contains everything a good mall should. Movie theater, bowling, spa, Sizzler, McDonald's and Dairy Queen (all on the 7th floor). It is the epidemy of excess and overspending. It's way over the top and we, along with everyone else in there, couldn't get enough of it.

So after my Big Mac meal and DQ Oreo Blizzard, I accompanied Sus to the Sex and the City Movie. Yes, it was one long commercial for high end retailers, had a guessable story line and lasted more than 2 hrs, but it was all worth it for the foax Cosmo they handed out prior to its start. Oh, the recliner like seats and individual blankets where also a plus.

The next day we caught the train to Nung Khai.

Thai 2

From Krabi

From Phi Phi we caught another ferry over to Krabi (mainland Thailand.) At this point I'm getting used to the boat thing, but also getting very tired of it. Motion sickness is a severe thorn in my side. Earlier on Sus had bought pressure point wristbands so I sported those while traversing long stretches of open water. I believe they truly saved me from the monsoon stirred Bay of Thailand. I never would have thought there'd be 3'-4' rollers during our ride.

Krabi, being a hot spot for the 20-something Thai tourist, it was almost comical as everyone disembarked the ferry. I felt like there was an assembly line of young backpackers below deck. One after another they come up to the dock, each one only varying in hair color and oversized North Face bag color. At that point I definitely felt like we weren't trying hard enough to get off the beaten path.

We spent the next few nights in Krabi doing the usual. Mostly motor biking about town, window shopping, working and of course finding new places to eat. We'd been pretty good about going to locals only places. The only problem is the language barrier at those joints. You may not always get what you think you ordered, but it's still very good. Krabi was the first place we'd breezed through where the street carts were fairly scarce. We come to find out that this is because there are morning and night markets each day. That's where to find good eats, groceries, t-shirts, jewelry and the occasional Californian. (Most Thai families will pick up their dinner there as well).

After a casual day of working and sipping on Chang (Thai beer that means elephant.) Sus and I headed to the night market for dinner. Midway through our meal we befriended another traveler that happened to be from Cali, East County I believe. Brian was a nice guy who hung out with us the rest of the night. We discussed one another's trips and he balked at our spending habits (We actually thought we were being thrifty.) Brian was a frugal guy who would and had suffered many a meager nights accommodations and endured lengthy public transportation bouts just to save a buck. I can only attribute his resilience to youth. I had never thought of myself as old(er) until that point. Well, maybe I'm not old, but I'm old enough to know what certain creature comforts are worth to me. And yes, I'll gladly pay.

At this point, I was pretty loose from the Chang, satisfied from the meal and happy meeting another Californian, so I thought it'd be an opportune time to order a flask of Sang Som (Thai rum). I grand idea at the time, but in retrospect, unnecessary. Although, I doubt I would have eaten the fried grasshopper at the market that night had we not indulged in the fifth.

The following day... oh scratch that. Two days later Sus wanted to make it to Railey Beach before we left the region. Finding out that it's impossible to get there by motorbike (we tried) the day prior, we jumped on the bus. It's about thirty minutes by local bus to the main beach in Krabi, where you have to take a fifteen minute long tail boat ride to the isolated Railey Beach. It's a peninsula only accessible by water taxi.

The place is beautiful! Long stretches of white sand beach contrasting crystal clear blue water, surrounded by rock cliffs. The kind that jut straight out of the earth, defying the natural terrain (It's a popular place for climbing.) We got massages, rented kayaks and got completely burnt. It had been raining on and off for an entire week, so we were both eager to soak up some rays. We were also fortunate enough to be passing through on a Sunday, football (soccer) league day. As we basked, the locals played game after game on the beach. These weren't pick up games either. Marked off field, refs, jerseys and crazy fans. Mostly young girls who used any shot/pass/block as an excuse to scream as loud as they could. On a side note, EUR08 is huge here. It certainly rivals muay Thai boxing as the country's favorite sport, which narrowly edged out badminton and snooker.

A fantastic day.

Thailand

From Khao Lak

Bangkok
I thought Bangkok was a great place despite recommendations to "get in and get out" quickly. We stayed right in the heart of the enormous southeastern powerhouse, in a tiny accommodation called Wild Orchid Villas. Very reasonably priced, clean and among many others like it, filled with travelers, ex-pats and hippies alike. We were close to just about everything and anything that you couldn't walk to was a tuk tuk ride away. My favorite amenity of the villa was their wireless internet connection. Although it wasn't lightning fast, it blew Bali speeds out of the water and was in the common/eating area.

Some pertinent items I've come to find out in Bangkok are as follows. It is mainly a motorbike society. There as many Vespas as there are pretty women on the streets. And in certain places, most of those women are for sale. I saw a strikingly large number of older men cruising about town with a young Thai girl on their arm. But, buyer beware, there are many slender, feminine men, dressed as ladies around town. These he-shes are widely accepted as part of the Thai community. Most everything you need or want or buy is very cheap! It's all made right there. The food is excellent! We ate more from street cart vendors and local joints than we did from our hotel. You can also make your meal as hot as you care to. (I really need to get a Thai cookbook before we leave.) The traffic is as heavy as any major bustling city, but the pollution is outrageous. (There are no smog checks happening there.) A good part of the city is on the water. Water taxis run daily throughout. Oh, and one more thing, IT'S FRICKIN' HOT.

During our time in Bangkok I had to work a fair amount, but we did try to do one big thing everyday. First tourist item on the list was The Grand Palace. A ridiculously ornate compound made for the current ruler a few hundred years ago. The pictures we took really don't do it justice. The place is an artistic marvel. Brightly colored stones, glass, mirrors and GOLD make up the outer parts of every building. The main temple housing a priceless jade buddha, the only one of its kind. The following day we continued with our spiritual quest by visiting temples home to the tallest and oldest buddhas.

Our next main tourist stop was the weekend world market. Holy Cow! Football fields of boxed off vendors covered with an ocean of blue tarps and more people than any sports stadium could hold. You can buy anything you want there. And I do mean anything. Groceries, clothes, jewelry, house-ware, furniture, pets, feed, etc. It was absolutely overwhelming. After a few hours par-oozing in the sauna like conditions, we had to call it a day.

The next distinctly Thai thing we did was to go watch a Muay Thai Boxing match. Susanna took a little convincing to go (I had to buy her ticket) but it turned out to be quite an experience. Ten different bouts, five rounds each and the fighter's ability progress' as the night goes on. It just so happens that we caught it on a championship night. The seventh matchup was for a prominent Thai Belt. This being known, I knew I could get Sus to stay until then. At that point my curiosity would surely be satisfied. Well, what we saw was pretty intense. Each match begins with the fighters dancing to ceremonial music (also continues through the actual round). It is an honor to fight and the traditions of their predecessors are carried on without fail. Now they wear gloves, but kicking is allowed and encouraged by the fans. Most of which were there to gamble on the matches. These guys are tough. With each knee to the ribs, the crowd shouts. Each fighter carrying their side of the crowd. Punches, kicks and elbows to the head are standard. These men are machines. Out of all the matches we watched only one guy was taken out by a face punch (glass jaw). The rest of the bouts lasted the full five rounds each, with a decision coming from the judges.

The last thing we did before catching a train south was the riverboat taxi. This was nothing spectacular, but it did give us a better sense of the city. We took a bunch of picts and stopped off a couple places to walk around and of course eat. Other than that, our days in Bangkok consisted of just cruising around, eating, sweating and shopping, with a few hours for my work tossed in there as well. All in all a great place and I'm glad I didn't just "get in and get out".

Khao Lak
After our overnight train ride (pretty funny) and three hour bus ride (it did have A/C) we arrived in the little beach town of Khao Lak. Completely torn down from the tsunami four years ago, this little town has rebuilt itself, for the most part. This two strip town was fairly mellow (we found out we are here during the low season [a.k.a monsoon season]). A bunch of guest houses and little local eateries and bars, mixed with a few posh resorts on the beach front. The pace was slow and it really agreed with us. Our place was middle of the road (although better than our current average) and within walking distance from the beach. We had a pool, a/c and wireless (I was stoked). Our routine wavered only slightly. In addition to eating, shopping and working, we added sunning and motor biking. We rented a scooter (my first time riding a two wheeled motor vehicle) and did the aforementioned with greater ease. The beaches were sauna like and the Andaman Sea temp was equivalent to bath water.

Unfortunately, we didn't pay homage at either tsunami memorial, but we did go elephant trekking! Sus and I each got our own elephant (equipped with trainer/guide) for a hour long tour through the jungle. Hmm, well it was mainly through rubber tree groves, creeks and bamboo brush, but the actual experience didn't suffer. It was amazing being on top (in a chair) of the elephant as it tramped through the bush. My elephant (the son of the one Sus rode) ate the entire time. As my guide and I struggled with the language barrier, I was able decipher through our small talk that the beasts consume 200-250 kilos of food a day. He was a genuine man about my age who has been working with the mammals for half of his life. And only recently did he move to Khao Lak to stay at this elephant camp. Oh, and every elephant has only one handler/care taker.

Phuket
Another couple hour bus ride south from Khao Lak is the widely popular Phuket. We crashed in the city for a night to get our bearings. During our brief stay, Sus caught an Indie Film Showcase and we bother stumble into a local bar's grand opening. A proper set up with free food and live music. It just so happened that we met another western couple (we were the only four in the whole bar) living in Nai Harn (our next destination). We got a few tips from them and the next day were on our way.

Nai Harn
The island of Phuket has many beach towns that fell victim to the tsunami. However those places didn't look too worse for the wear. These tourist hotspots were filled with hotels, shops, clubs and people. There are a bunch of little beaches all around this little island, but we opted to stay far south at Nai Harn. Partially because it was away from the crowds and partly for the surf possibility. Being the southern most beach on the island it's well exposed to any swells coming up from the Indian Ocean and wrapping around Sumatra. Before adventuring over to Thailand, we were told by a few travelers that there were surf spots on the southern west coast. Having been to most of them and hearing the locals talk, the surf comes infrequently, if at all. But it being monsoon season, I still had high hopes.

No surf, but after a good sunburn and another scooter rental we fell upon a live snake show. This had to have been the most outlandish thing I've ever been witness to. Maybe because I despise snakes or maybe it's because I'm a rational person, but either way I sat in utter shock as this 15 year snake handling veteran wrestled with the deadly serpents. The picts aren't that telling, but the video clips Sus got say it all. Hopefully, I can try and figure out how to post them. Otherwise, the next holiday get together will a little more special.

Phi Phi Island
The easy life gets kind of repetitious after a while, so we've jetted to Phi Phi Island. A two hour boat ride from the town of Phuket, this island is a diving, partying and vacationing mecca. Luckily, we managed to grab a bungalow right on the beach (it's really quite a piece). We are away from the main drag again, but a 100 baht boat taxi can remedy that in about 10 minutes. Relaxing, sunning, shopping and now catching up on overdue emails are now the norm. We booked a dive charter for tomorrow morning so I'll be diving while Sus snorkels. No experience, no certificate, no problem! I love Thailand.

Well, I'm an official diver now. I completed a little orientation course and two 50 minute dives - even have the certificate to prove it. I was a bit nervous at the start but caught on very quickly. The equipment is the same as snorkeling, so my prior experience with that certainly helped out. Seemingly, the two most difficult things to do while submerged were fill you mask up with water, then clear it and remove your regulator, keep exhaling and reattach it. Both came quite easy which made the two dives that much more enjoyable. More time seeing new things and less time thinking about needed skill sets. While under I got to see up close all the things my sister's told me about and that I've only seen while bobbing at the surface. Such as eels, parrot fish, grouper and a reef shark! The colors were brilliant and the feeling of staying under for so long was unreal. It's tranquil and other worldly down there.

Not only did I have a great time, but Sus got in the big blue as well. She set aside her uneasiness about the ocean and went snorkeling for the first time! She had a two man escort (myself and the instructor) from the boat to the reef. She didn't last long but got to see a lot of new things and said afterwards that it made her "feel little". Kind of like the feeling you get when you look up at the stars at night. I know from many times in the water with Sus that it took all she had to get off that boat and I couldn't be more proud of her.

From Bali Beaches

I know its been a while, but I felt it'd be inappropriate to converse about Bali until I could verbally compose my true feelings about it. What I can say is that Bali is a personal favorite that will outlast modern times. I will write about is when I can sufficiently do it justice. I can't wait to relay it in all its native glory.

Last Week

From Maggie

Melbourne is the same - or at least St. Kilda is. We invade Jake's space again, just in time for ANZAC Day (OZ's Memorial Day). A day of footy, friends and brews. A good time was had by all. Good times included a Collingwood win, SingStar, Guitar Hero and Mt. Gay Rum.

The next morning, deathly hungover (myself only), we jetted out for Sydney. Susanna was a saint and put up with me in my miserable state for a entire 24 hrs. Needless to say, we put hiring a camper-van temporarily on hold. The following morning we're at the Britz, Maui, Backpackers megaplex. Our car karma turned out to be great. We locked into a Backpackers camper-van which is turning out to be the most functional and comfortable rental yet.

Before venturing to Sydney, we booked out tickets to Bali. We fly out May 1st. Partially because we wanted warmer water/weather and mostly because OZ is financially draining. So we are in our new portable home for the next 5 days until hitting the island life full on.

From Sydney we went to north to Manly Beach. A bustling beach town with no shortage of surfers. When we arrived, it was side-shore with chest high peaks. Of course I got in. It felt great to be submerged after a few days of city life. Also to wash away any remnants of my sloth-like existence the day prior. The water was a little warmer, but the wind was a little bit chilly. It Apparently, it was snowing inland and the natural airflow brought that cold air to the coast. It has been that way for a few days now. Eventually, blowing the surf flat and making for some seriously cold nights.

North Narrabeen was out first campsite. A renowned wave right out front but the previously mentioned winds had blown it down to all but a foot. Still there were 18 guys out on a single peak. It reminded me of Seaside in the summertime. The next crisp night was spent lakeside at Lake Macquire. A nice enough place, but we aren't lake faring people. It ended up being a good spot to buckle down for some more work. Our only experience with the locals consisted of us spectating a bunch of kids playing footy in one of the park's open fields. It was the Australian version of the "Sandlot".

Now, we are even further north at the Karuah Jetty Big 4. Earlier today, upon arrival, we went straight (by the Rock Roadhouse Cafe) to Hawk's Beach. A spectacular stretch of white sand beach with some fun peelers to be had. It just so happened that the winds, having decreased and switched direction were luckily offshore here. The water was also cooperative. Suitable for a top and trunks. I caught a bunch of fun ones and walked off the beach with a grin.

This passage will probably be the last for a spell. We travel back down south to Sydney tomorrow, drop the van off by for and check into a motel for our early morning departure to paradise.

p.s. While writing this, a Magpie (ornery local bird and mascot to Jake's beloved Collingwood and whose name just happens to be "Maggie") just walked all through our van in search of food. It honed in on the bag of cashews and walked across my laptop to the back of the van for a taste. She ended up ingesting a few as well as some chilli chip crumbs. Apparently, it had been hand raised since a chick by a local holiday park lifer. How many folks can claim they pet a magpie?

GOR

From The Lighthouse

I think I've worn out the synonyms. They no longer have the charm they once did - at least for me. If I come across any noteworthy ones in the future, I'll be sure to share.

With many miles traveled, good times had and work done, I find myself writing once again about what has happened in the not so distant past yet it feels like an eternity. My last point referenced along the Great Ocean Road within the unrelenting grips of the "Caddy".

From Anglesea we took a short tour down "the road", stopped at an historic lighthouse and ended up at Wye River. A tiny little spot among many tiny little spots on this expanse of coastal highway. An easy choice for us really. It was a Big 4, it had wireless and a nice right hand point break out in front. No waves when we got there, but the following morning had some fast waist high crumblers ripe for the taking. I was particularly happy about this since our last night's sleep was less than stellar.

Imagine you're in "a van down by the river" and while sleeping a few mosquitos buzz about your head. Then a few more and a few more after that. When you finally decide to sit up in bed, all the buzzing hits you at once and you'd swear you're inside a hive. Well that's what happened and I spent the majority of the next couple hours swatting them in my hands, against the car, on susanna (she was livid) and with my shirt. In every instance that I was successful, they'd be a drop of blood (ours I'd hoped) until the sleeping area of the car was littered with specs. It was a serious crime scene and I was the one with blood all over my hands. I was so annoyed by my tribulations of the night that I was convinced the campsite manager put us by the river on purpose. "Oh sure, put the tourists in mosquito alley, that'll be a laugh riot."

After some friendly banter with a local out in the water at Wye River, he suggested that Johanna (An alternate contest location for the Bell Beach) would be bigger and positioned more favorably for the current wind direction. Susanna and I just had our next destination! We cruised around the southern point of Cape Otway and arrived at the southwest facing beach of Johanna late that afternoon. Fortunately, there was free camping.

Johanna is far from right off the road. It's about 8km through farmland to get to. It's a beautiful beach so it gets a few tourists, but mostly fisherman and surfers. The next morning we woke up to solid swell and offshore breezes. It was only a little overhead on the set, but man, the bicept burn to get out into the lineup was severe - a whole heck of a lot of water moving around out there. I surfed for a while with two other guys. Trading waves was real easy when it takes the last person who caught one, 5-10 minutes to paddle back out. After catching a few good ones, I opt not to head back into the treadmill of water. Funny this about that session was that the two other guys who were out there, were also from California. Both studying abroad in Adelaide from the San Luis Obispo area.

With the early morning surf out of the way, we keep on marching west, toward the "12 Apostles". A huge tourist trap along the GOR, but definitely worth seeing. They are large (vertically speaking) islands just off the coastline. They've formed by the deterioration of the limestone cliffs. Over hundreds of year the cliff side erodes away and around a portion of land, leaving it still standing. They were really breathtaking and with a decent swell in the water, it made the coastline movie-like. Plumes of whitewater crashing against vertically islands of rock. From one of the lookout points, we even saw a few surfers towing into the waves!

When we got done oowing and aahing, we kept on till the next town of Port Campbell. Lunch at the "12 Rocks" cafe seemed appropriate. From our table out on the patio I saw a surfer kick out at the end of a wave coming into the harbor. After some further investigation, I surveyed a nice right point with only five guys out. Not knowing when the swell will fade and if I'd even get a chance to surf wherever I am at that time again, I've gotten to the point where I don't contemplate too long anymore, I just go. Turned out to be pretty fun even with it's terribly dodgy locals only (down a shear cliff face) entry point. It also gave Sus a bit of time in the sun. She's mad she's still white.

By the end of the "12 Apostles" day, we're in Warrnambool. Our favorite town along the Great Ocean Road by far. There we caught an hysterical (although they were quite serious about it) laser show depicting a famous shipwreck. Apparently there are numerous throughout the region. We rented bikes and rode throughout the coastal community, stopping at some epic playgrounds (flying fox!) on the way. We stopped at a volcanic crater which coincidentally had an Aboriginal Apology festival happening. Warrnambool also had the most fantastic thrift store I'd even been to. Susanna literally had to restrain herself. I however, could not resist and bought something for our gracious host, Jake. Vintage beatles tee and autobiography, original pressing.

And then there was the surf. Still on our lucky streak, we happened upon, Logan's Beach. Well, not really happened, but after I convinced the i-lady I wasn't a beginner, she gave us directions. An awesome little beach break on the outskirts of town. Kind of dumpy and mostly ridden by body boarders, it defied its stereotype and produced a memorable session, filled with hot snaps, head dips and punts. The most fun I've had in foreign waters yet.

By this point, the GOR is about done, but we have nothing but time on our hands so we decide to continue west. Our next two, mostly uneventful stops, were Port Fairy and then Portland. Port Fairy is a small town, popular in the summer months. During our brief visit, it was dead. There was only one discernible surf spot there. A right rock point break. At the time, completely windblown, with five guys on it. A couple of which thought it was still good enough out there to snake one another for a wave. Ah, no thanks. Wave possibilities looked up in Portland. It has a few small peninsulas, picking up swell from a variety of directions. In addition, with its land unique land formation, it allows you to easily pinpoint a beach where the wind is offshore. I grabbed a local surf map from the i-site and checked one spot out. It was perfectly sunny, offshore, but only a couple feet. I decided, with end of the month looming, I'd better get on with surfshot. I spent that afternoon the the port fairy library. I would have liked to extend our stay in Portland, but we chose that as our turn around point.

Next stop Wye River, then back into Melbourne. No surf, just work.

p.s. Our last two nights on the road, we sprung for a cabin. The "Caddy" officially broke me down.

Time=Money

From Around Melbourne

I thought the world wide web was free. Like some unalienable right we all have. If so, why do I keep on having to pay for it? I have my own laptop. I'm not using anyone's equipment. At $2 for 15 minutes, I'm disgusted at their price gouging but have no alternative but to fork over the coin.

Piss=Beer

From Good times in...

So our new camper-van is not quite up to the "Zinny" standard. 5-speed manual VW "Caddy". I've already tried to start the car without the clutch in - they lurch forward in Australia too! It's considerably smaller so I've really become a living giant. And with all of the junk that we're toting around, it's a tight squeeze at night. Thank goodness it has roof racks (for the boards). The fold out bed takes up about 3/4 of the inside area. If you were ever worried that they wouldn't be able to recreate that sleeper sofa feel inside a vehicle, rest easy, mission accomplished. A taco mattress with metal support bars, for added comfort, are it's distinguishing features. It's only been one night and I'm already cursing the damn thing. I can't wait for the ensuing week. I pray the waves come up so I'll be extra tired from an exercise filled day. My only other option is to hit the piss hard and pass out. I really hope we get some waves soon.

Brass=Excellent

From Crater Hike/O...

About an hour and a half southwest of Melbourne starts The Great Ocean Road. A long stretch of highway with scenic views and countless surf spots along it's route. Hopefully, our swell timing will change for this trip.

The famous road essentially begins in Torquay, "The Surf Capital". The spot where Billabong and Rip Curl began. Also the home to the very rad Australian Surf Museam. The was a must and sort of a prerequisite for our drive down the Great Ocean Road.

Not but a short distance from Torquay is another famous surf icon, Bells Beach. Home of the Rip Curl Pro every Easter for the past 20 some years. Of course we stopped. Seeing the weather as it was, cold, windy and overcast, I still had hopes of seeing this epic spot going off! Pulled up, not a car in the lot or a soul in the water. Once again, great spot, no surf.

The views are breathtaking and the ocean big and blue. Ever so beautiful even though lacking in surf. It now being our second day on the GOR, we have staked our claim at another BIG 4 (Oz's equivalent to NZ's Top 10). A great spot to catch up on work and some much needed updates.

We're back on the trail again. The vastness of the open road and possibilities around each bend are much more appealing than the confined routine of the city. The sight of mother ocean right outside the car door or just in the distance puts me at ease and into another state of mind. Absolutely brass!

Heeps=A lot

From Around Melbourne

Melbourne is Chuck Taylors, mohawks and meet pies. A very western place where art and culture, the ocean and and footy (Australian Rules Football) are all at your fingertips. We've been here for a week now. And with the exception of a few out of town excursions, we're been recuperating from the whirlwind that was New Zealand. It has been quite easy to get back into ordering delivery, lounging on the couch and pa-rousing the internet at our leisure.

Susanna's friend Jake and his two roommies, Sally & Claire have been so hospitable during our stay. Putting up with our luggage, that took over their dining room, to the sleeping mattress that fills their entire living room floor. They've been so nice and we really appreciate it. As luck would have it, Jake is on a break from work for three weeks. Thus, becoming our personal guide to Melbourne.

Our first night in town (Wed) Jake took us out to see a couple comedians. The Australian Comedy Tour was in town, with heeps of comedians performing for two weeks straight. The first guy we saw was from the UK and an extremely fast talker. For American ears, this posed a bit of a problem. I wasn't always able to catch his subtle humor or make out the beginning/end of some of his one liners. Thank goodness laughter is universal. Overall it was a good show. The next comic was another gent from across the pond. He was more of a story teller with jokes thrown in and a moral at the end. An entertaining show, but by the time he finished, Susanna and I were nodding off in out chairs.

A couple nights later we kicked it off with some fierce RummiKub battles. In the background, the footy game was on and we were formally introduced to Australian Rules Football. Jake had some buddies over who are also fanatic supporters (fans) so we got the scoop on scoring, rules, players and of course, rivalries. We finished up the footy game and the night at the "Prince" (pub) down the block. Bars close at 3a.m. here. Needless to say the next day was a wash.

Jake lives in a quaint suburb along the Bay. Shops, restaurants and bars all within walking distance from his house. A local tram at the end of the block that picks up for the city and surrounding areas. For someone who hates walking, I've done a lot of it lately. And strangely enough, I'm not that upset about it.

More relaxing, ordering in, checking email, uploading pictures (link on left of page) and drinking pots (smaller than a pint). The days are cruising by and It's really starting to feel like an extended vacation. In New Zealand we followed an itinerary, but in Oz we've got nothing pressing (except for our departure ticket). It's so frickin' nice!

NZ has rugby and Oz has footy. This past Sunday (Susanna's B-day) Jake treated us to a footy match. Collingwood Magpies vs. Carlton Blues. We took the tram into the city and stopped for a few warmup pots. Here, I grilled Jake on the games particulars as to be able to increase my validity as a Collingwood supporter. Rolling up to the stadium with 77 thousand other crazed fans was great. You could feel the electricity in the air. Tis the usual with any large professional sporting event. To my surprise, there aren't sections for opposing fans. All the seats are mixed and for the most part the people behave. What a stark contrast to the European soccer supporters. Behind us sat a 10 yr. old Collingwood fan that was sheer entertainment. Face painted with team colors on, shouts that periodically came from him were, "man up boys!" and "c'mon pies!". Even with his team down, his enthusiasm never wavered. I should have known, earlier Jake stated that Collingwood fans are for life and if you're not a Pies fan, you vehemently despise them. It's just the way it goes. Beers and meat pies (pot pie with ground beef inside) were on the menu. The game is fairly fast paced and pretty brutal. A big play or a big hit will turn the place into madhouse. It was and an absolutely wonderful experience. In the future, look for me at the Aussie Pub, in PB.

The next big day out was the Melbourne Zoo. It was pretty cool seeing all the obscure animals that aren't always in American zoos. The zoo was actually fairly small, only housing 2-3 of each species for viewing. Favorites included the indigenous platypus, koala and kangaroo. Being such a small facility and really uncrowded, it afforded us an up close and personal view of a lot of the animals. Susanna has great shots (coming soon). The best was a walking path through the kangaroo range. They'd come right up to you, have a sniff and be on their way.

Nearing the end of our stay with Jake, we planned out our next couple of moves.
• Campervan rented for a week: We'll be cruising The Great Ocean road in search of waves.
• Two more nights at Jake's: We have two days after we drop off the rental before our flight out. Coincidentally, we'll be back in Melbourne for ANZAC Day (Memorial Day). Lots of parties and a couple concerts (RATATAT & DJ SHADOW/CUT CHEMIST) around that time.
• Melbourne to Sydney, Sat. 26: Having decided that the drive all the way from Melbourne to Sydney would be too harsh, we opted for a shortcut. At only $79, it was all to easy to skip the long drive and maximize our time in the places we'd really rather be.

Gas=Petrol

From Lake Taupo

The metric system has invaded my life.

It's been a while since my last post so I apologize for the lengthy gap. As I sit here and write I realize that due to the time that has elapsed since me experiencing these events, my recollection may not be as detailed as I would like it to be or that you have grown accustomed to. With that said, I'm going to sort of bullet point my way through the rest of our stay in New Zealand.

Lake Taupo was a great place. Think Lake Tahoe but not as cold and with extreme sports replacing gambling. We took a long hike along the falls river, created by the damned lake. It was magnificent and my words can in no way do it justice. I've posted picts (Link on the top right of page) so you can really get a feel for it. Along the river and even throughout the center of the north island of NZ are hot springs. We jumped in the cold river and then into the nearby spring. The hot springs were just warm, but really hot. I know, duh. What did I expect?

After the best Thai food I've ever had, we happened on Lake Taupo Bungy. We witnessed a few blokes (guys) swan dive off and dip just there heads in the water below. Not one ounce of me had any remote interest in doing that. Much less paying to do that.

That night we ended up in Rotorua, home of the Lord Of the Rings' Shire. The following day we were amped to take the Hobbit tour, but our campsite manger and local, advised us not to waste our time or hundred bucks. We stayed lakeside that night and jetted for the north coast the next morning.

Traversing the north island in two days (most through its guts) and not having surfed in almost a week, I was ready for some beach time. Our goal, Coromandal, recommended by many, was a far drive so we stopped short in favor of sun and sand. We hit up Maketu Beach, no surf. Then onto Papamoa Beach, no surf. Then settled in Waihi Beach. A quiet little surf town with a pimp Top 10 park on the beach.

Now we'd really wanted to stay here for a while, but when we called to extend the car rental, they denied us. So we only stayed one night. Good news was I was able to get a surf in the day we arrived and before we left. Fun waist high waves and relatively warm water.

We even gave a Swiss couple, who spoke no English, a ride home in the rain from the Pizza Palour.

Having become accustomed to the road, by the time we got to Auckland, Susanna and I already decided that we'd rent another car and go back to Peha for the remaining two night in NZ. Albert backpackers was not were I wanted to wrap up my trip.

We get to Peha and it's just as gorgeous as I remember. Although, this time the waves are pumping... 10-12ft. Unfortunately, thier costline is relatively flat so there isn't any escaping huge surf or strong winds around a cliff or bend in the road. We wait it out and spend the night in an overpriced balsawood box. It was a nice enough campsite, but we weren't equipped with the emenities that the usual visitor has, ie: blankets and pillows. The manager, a bloke from Alaska helped us out and scrounged together what he could. That nught sucked and Sus and I weren't too excited about doing it again and paying $60 for it.

The next day we hiked up to a nearby waterfall and ran across "Peha Beach Stay". An awesome place with every included emenity you'de need. Jeff, the guy who runs the place is a local lifeguard and extremely nice guy. We were all too happy to leave our old digs behind. Surf was still out of control, so we made outselves at home and packed for our flight the next afternoon.

One last chance to surf. Thank goodness the swell cooperated. The winds had switched and the size had dropped enough to actually form some solid lines. One of 4 when I paddled out and it was firing! Hollow peaks and breaking really fast. Sort of a "Black's Beach" at low tide with just as much punch. A couple of the guys had it wired. After not surfing regularly for a while and then jumping right into stand up barrels, needless to say, it took me a few to get into rhythm. (including one "off the top ropes") I ended up with some good ones under my belt and a smile on my face. A nice send off from New Zealand. I'll definitely be back.

Tyre=Innertube

From Wine Tasting

Redbull comes in glass bottles.

Check out time is ten so we've become accustomed to be motivated and on the road by then. We charge directly into the city. Wellington is carries a lot of similarities to San Francisco. Water front locale, it's breezy, bustling, uber trendy and not cable cars, but cable buses. We meander about town for a while and post up at the waterfront long enough to add to both of our considerable amount of mosquito bites. My legs honestly look like I'm getting over the chicken pox. Alright, had enough of that, Onward to Martinborough.

Martinborough came highly recommended to us so we were amped to get there. It's a tiny town with 50 or so wineries. Most private, but a few public along a singular stretch of road, perfect for cycling to and from. Of course we rented bike and had our own tasting Tour de Martinborough. I enjoyed the wines sampled, but after our first stop, I had run out of descriptive answers to Susanna's, "What do you think?" By the end all I could muster was, "It''s good" and "I like the red better". Hardly a connoisseur, but at least I know what I like. It was really a blast pedaling through grape fields on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Hmm... I may have just thought of my new business in Temecula! 5 p.m. was fast approaching and the tour was completed with a delicious meal at the final winery - but not before Susanna poured the rest of her last tasting into the water pitcher on the bar. Classic!

Martinborough also happens to be very close to quite a few good surf spots. Knowing this, a decision was made to head south a little while longer to cape Palliser to see what mother nature had in store for us. Breathtaking scenic views with the south island barely visible on the horizon, rolling hills tapering down to black rock beached, perfect alcoves for wrapping swell, teeth like rock formations lining the coast all magnificent, but a little less sweet because there's only a ripple in the water. Oh well, we tried.

It's sunset at this point and the nearest Top 10 is well beyond what we feel like driving so the national park reserve will accommodate us tonight. I was happy for the change up. Not a sole around and a stones throw from the water. Sheep greatly outnumbering the residents in the closest fishing village. Stars shining brighter than I'd ever seen. I loved the solitude and price. Susanna, hardly slept.

The next morning we were up extra early for our longest drive of the trip, to Lake Taupo. Easily half of the north island in a strait shot. Susanna slept most of the way. Napier (Seaside town on the east coast full of art deco) was the lunch stop. The best Mongolian BBQ I've ever eaten! By the time we pulled into the Lake Taupo Top 10, we were spent. Fortunately, it was the sweetest one we've been to. Geothermal pool and spa. Membership has it's privileges, holler!

Hire=Rent

From Driving

It's been a while and we've covered more ground.

With no signs of surf and the next swell two days out, we opted to hit the highway again. Out of New Plymouth our pilgrimage continued south. Having traversed the upper half of the north island, we are in the final stretch before the southern tip, Wellington.

During our ride, the scenery is greener as the drought hasn't affected the south as greatly. Both Susanna and I remark that we are so glad that we'd been driving during the daylight hours. Not only is navigation easier, but it has afforded us the innate pleasure of visually experiencing a new place. Having seen the countryside as we have, it is so vividly etched in mind and will remain there for some time to come.

Wanganui is the halfway stop of our trek and is a quaint beach city. Popularized for its many activities along the Wanganui River. First stop, the beach. It's side-shore, waist high and gutless. The water temperature has also dropped noticeably. I don't surf but lucky for us there's a fantastic playground nearby. Equipped with zip-line swing and skate bowl (there has been skate park in every major town we've passed through).

After some cruising around we eat at a little cafe with overpriced Cokes ($3 for a mini bottle). I ordered the breakfast plate. It ended up coming with three different kind of meats on it. Kiwis really love their back fat (bacon). Next stop was another city lookout stop, recommended by the i-site folks (they really are the best). Erected some time ago, it almost looks medieval. A spiral tower of 175 steps with slit vertical windows spanning it's stature. At the top we can see the entire city, and were even told that on a clear day, the south island would be visible - complete crock of shit. With a bit of "quickie mart" tourism out of the way, we continue on.

The daylight is fading and my lunch is screaming at me by the time we get to Wellington. It comes as a surprise that our campsite is well out of the city. We're in Lower Hutt. About a 15 minute drive into the southern waterfront city. Later that evening I learn the intricacies of international calling and experience the "Pak 'n' Save".

OK, $4 a minute on a CC or $1.50 a minute for a calling card. How about 29-50 cents a minute? Thanks a friendly lass at the Top 10, I'm in the know about how to call in, around and out of the country that is New Zealand. Happy Birthday Jamie!

Kerb=Curb

From New Plymouth

Trash can: Please place this side towards kerb.

New Plymouth is the biggest city we've hit since Auckland. Towns we've stopped at or passed through have been about 3 blocks long. This one on the other hand is very happening. Part sleepy beach town and part shipping harbor. The entire city is situated along the water. It's Susanna's favorite spot thus far and we've already been here a couple days. Once again at a Top 10 Holiday Park of which we are now members. They have affiliate parks in Australia so we thought, "what the heck".

Today began with a surf check (it was flat) and an inquiry at the i-site center. Susanna wanted to hike a bit of the mountain that overlooks this beach city, but with all the rain, was advised otherwise. We grabbed a few maps and took to the towns own coastal walkway instead. We walked along the coastline, into the harbor port and summated the local lookout rock (100m climb). On the way back I was hurting and realized why I like being a fish so much better. Susanna-1, Tyler-0

The rest of the day has been allocated for chores. We've been able to grocery shop a bit and I finally got an Aus/NZ adaptor for my laptop. Stupid three-prong Americans. We cleaned the Zinny (our rental van) and did some laundry. Thank goodness. The thing started to wreak of dirty clothes, wet towels and wetsuit. Not a pleasing combination to the senses.

With another week in NZ, we have more time left than stops to make so we may stay here another day or too. It's Tuesday today and supposedly they'll be waves here on Thurs. Who knows. Maybe we'll stay, maybe we'll cruise. We've got nothing but time.

Proper=Good

From Roapuke Beach

We can either take the proper motorway to New Plymouth or we can take the scenic coast road and possibly surf on the way. "I'd like to take the coast, Susanna". Being the great sport that she is, we b-line back to the coast. The main little town we headed for was Maraokopa. A small fishing village, right next to Kiritihere Beach, where we were told to check out.

NZ's dry spell came to an end this day and it was pouring by the time we hit the coastline. We get to Maraokopa and head straight for K-Beach a few km down the road but the waves aren't that good. So we head back to the town where we it was breaking a bit better. I got ready and darted down the river mouth, probably 1/3 mile to the water. The rain brought all the surf fisherman in so I was the only one out there. The only person out there as far as I could see in any direction. It was pretty cool. In spite of the wind (offshore) and rain, the waves were fun. Waist high thumpers in shallow water. Reminded me of OCMD. Surf bug satisfied.

Mind you, almost every where in NZ there are sheep, cows, ostrich, pigs and more species of birds than you could ever recall. The next leg of our journey south brought more of the same. We basically we driving through farms and on access roads, but the backdrops were quite different. No more rolling grassing hills. We were driving through wooded forests, around steep cliffs, atop small tropical mountains, all the while with the coast line just of to our left. Half the drive was on gravel road and I thought we were lost more than a few times, but what we saw was worth it. Susanna remarked that some parts reminded her of the congo. Then before you know it you're down inside a valley straight out of Lord Of The Rings. The road was rough, the scenery was breathtaking and we even got caught in a little sheep herding traffic. Off the beaten path was definitely the proper way to go.

Motorways=Highways

From Waitomo Caves

From Roapuke Beach we headed south east for our next adventure, Waitomo Caves. The glow worm caves were another must do, recommended to us. The drive there was relatively easy. A few gravel roads here and there, but mostly open and more importantly, marked motorways.

We arrived late afternoon and checked into to the Top 10 Holiday Park - soon to be a favorite of ours. Made reservations for the next morning at the caves and grabbed some questionable food at Curley's along with some really good beer. "Lion Red" has become the beer of choice for me down here. Unfortunately, it's $18 a six pack ($5 a draft). A scrabble match broke out in the bar as well. Tyler-1, Susanna-0.

At this point Susanna hasn't driven yet. So the next morning when we leave our site for the cave expedition, she's ready to give it a try. Having been a great navigator thus far as well as admiring my suburb driving, she gets behind the wheel. Not two seconds after she puts it in reverse do we plow right into the picnic table at our campsite. Ripping the chain that holds it down right through the wood. Absolutely comical. We both look at each other and crack up. It was fixable, sort of. You couldn't really tell the damage from a distance. Not discouraged a bit Sus hoped back in and took us there in style.

During our checkin we met the other travelers, soon to be cavers as well as our guide. After a few laughs about all our countries of origin, the guide said he noticed we have a bit of trouble driving in today. Susanna looked at him almost stunned and asked him if he say her back into the table earlier. He said no, but he say her signal left and turn right. At that point everyone got a good laugh out of it.

Our guide was an Aussie (Tim). Traveling sort of fellow that works along the way, to support himself, wherever he wants to be. Extremely nice and funny. There was another couple from Ireland (Ozzie & Loraine) and a girl from San Fran (Helen). The gear was a wetsuit, rubber boots, climbing harness, helmet with headlamp and battery pack. Before we descended we got a quick but thorough lesson in repelling. After that we were on our way.

A 30 meter drop of is how we got down to the cave. In my opinion one of the cooler parts of the tour. Maybe just because I'd never done any climbing before. We each lowered ourselves down one by one with Tim's supervision. Once down there we trekked to one end of the cave and then back to our point of entry to grab inner tubes to float down to the opposite end. At different points we'd turn off our head lamps and stare up at the cave ceiling. It was like looking at the stars on a clear night. At others, we'd hop out of the water and Tim shoved us into some small cracks to slither through. Tim took shots of the group to the entire time and fed us hot tea and chocolate half way through.

Just when we were all pretty tired, smelly, dirty and had seen enough glow worms for the day, it was time for our accent. No, Tim wasn't going to hoist us all up the 30 meters, we were going to climb out. Up a fairly vertical rock wall, cover in moss and wet leaves, we each climbed out (clipped onto a life line of course). A little unnerving, but truly satisfying when done. After cheering each other on for a successful day, we were brought back to change, shower, snack and buy a $20 CD of ourselves. We loved it. What an awesome experience!

Indicators=Turn Signals

From Waiheke Island

Scratch that, everything is twice as much.

One of our new friends from the winery, "Frost" said, "Just get in a car and get lost." Now that we're well equipped with wheels, we've done just that. Although, the Kiwis have been very gracious offering directions. No matter how general they may have been. Still we've managed to do just fine with our "main roads only map".

Straight out of Auckland we drove to the nearest beach, Peha. Only about a 35-40 minute drive away. The striking cliffs, stacked with a few houses dropped down to a pristine black sand beach. The water temperature was similar to California in early fall and the waves were good. Talking to a local I come to find out that the swell had been hitting for the few days prior and just started dropping when we arrived. And a competition was to take place the following day.

Susanna couldn't have been happier to get into a bathing suit for some sun. I couldn't have been any happier to get into the water and wash off the city. Surfing for a while I made a friend and decided to get out when the crowd started to resemble Swami's.

Much like our California home, the waves can get crowded and rush hour traffic can ruin any quick trip to the next stop. Later that afternoon, we had to back track to the city to head toward Raglan. And we hit plenty of it. Along with a mess intermittent gravel roads. Winding through rolling hills and all of the sudden there's some gravel. Doesn't seem to bother anyone though. They all drive on it like rally cars. Oh, and all the cars here are the same with different names. Nissan Frontier in the states, Nissan Nararo in NZ.

Raglan was our destination after Peha. We rolled into the tiny town late afternoon and found a proper campsite. All the luxuries of home including internet. The first night in the camper-van was surprisingly comfy. All of our junk fit inside even with the conversion bed pulled out. BTW - We both packed way too much. No fires allowed at any sites here so far. Word is they are going through a serious drought.

Checked was at ten so we set out to find waves. Despite being a magnificent set up for waves, the surf was flat. The hype of raglan will have to be lived out another time. So on the advise of the campsite manager, we headed around a large mountain, with shady directions, to find a more exposed beach.

Passing countless sheep and cows, down countless gravel paths and through enough windy curves to make anyone car sick, we were lost. With no detailed map and out natural sense of direction failed, we lost site of the coast and were out of options. Fortunately, a friendly Kiwi, go figure, happened upon us and just by coincidence was coming from the beach we were looking for. Saved. Back the way we came and down some more unmarked roads we made it to the coast. More black sand and breathtaking views. Some fun punchy surf mixed in there as well. I was in heaven and Susanna was happy she didn't have to strangle me. We shared the beach with another couple and a few surfers in the water. Just wide open everywhich way you looked.

Lift=Elevator

From Auckland City

Mental note: When traveling to New Zealand, you need a departure date and a visa to enter the county. It seems they don't want to entertain anyone they can't eventually get rid off. At the LA ticket counter we were obliged to set a date to fly to Melbourne. We'll be leaving for the Outback on Wednesday the 9th. A total of two weeks in the land man has only inhabited for 800 years.

The flight was fine and only took a little longer then expected due to strong headwinds. Air New Zealand is one of the nicer carriers I've taken across the Pacific. I slept pretty much the entire time. Susanna wasn't as fortunate. There was a bit of commotion mid way that woke her up. A woman sitting a couple rows behind us has to have an oxygen tank brought to her. Apparently, she had packed her inhaler and had no access to it.

We're here and it's early (8 am). After catching the Airbus Express from the airport, and walking 5 blocks with 150 lb. (total) worth of luggage, we limp into the Albert Park Hostel covered in sweat. It's an adequate 3 star high rise filled with random people of all ages. Our hostel is located right next to Albert Park which is on the Auckland University campus. After our day long jaunt about town we come to find out the campus literally makes up for half the city.

Waking up, now in the afternoon, from complete body shutdown, we set out to see the city. The Link Bus will be our chariot. At $1.60 a ride, it's the best buy in town. Although, everything else is one and a half times what we pay in the states. Jobs must pay more here. Auckland is a beautiful city. It reminds me of the D.C., Northern Virginia area. It's also a very young and culturally diverse city. Most likely due to the college.

Auckland Domain was next on our agenda. A large park area filled with cricket fields (the sport), walking trails and museums. Not so different from The Mall in D.C. Within, we patronize "Tamaki Paenga Hira", the Aukalnd Museum. We hit up all 3 exhibits. (The Maori: New Zealand's native people, NZ War and NZ History) The Maori people are very similar to the Hawaiians. All exhibits were pretty amazing. so our duty to find out more about the culture we were visiting was fulfilled.

After wandering pretty much the entire museum grounds we ended up on Parnell St. There we hit a couple pubs and had some pizza . Non Solo Pizza was recommended to us and is a must stop. Note: The Kiwis love their bacon and manage to slip it into a lot of dishes. During our Parnell stroll we scheduled a camper-van for the next week.

Our day two adventure was to the Island of Waiheke. Just a 40 min ferry ride from the Auckland Harbor. It leaves on the hour so be sure to time it accordingly. We ended up making two coffee stops before departure. Waiheke is an absolutely beautiful place! and the ferry ride out there is pretty amazing as well. Plenty of lush green islands with nothing on them. If they were close to the states, I'm sure they'd be stacked with houses. Think Catalina Island with vineyards and sheep instead of buffalo. There's a local bus that will take you around all day for $8. Upon recommendation we went to StoneyRidge Vineyard. Great views, great food and great people. Here is were we met our first friends. A family that extended from NZ to England to Australia. They were a ton of laughs and weren't afraid to give some pointers on where to travel. Susanna took portraits of all of them!

That was an all day affair. So when we got back to the city we stuffed our faces with Kabobs (not really kabobs, more like gyros) and forgot about all the errands we wanted to run.

Right now we're waiting for the camper-van folks to pick us up. We are in sort of a communal eating area and when anyone opens one of the 3 refrigerators down here an overwhelming putrid smell comes over and smacks you in the face. I guess I'll harden up later on. It is only day 3. Our hostel check out time is 10 and the van peeps should be here by 10:30. Just enough time to run down to Starbucks and pay $8 for one of my foof coffees.

I'm really excited to head for the coast. I saw the surf as we landed but we haven't been in the water yet. We blanked on taking our suits to Waiheke and Auckland faces northeast and is surrounded by small islands so their swell opportunity is nil. It's only an hour drive to the closest surfing beach, but I think we're going to shoot straight down to Raglan (2.5 hrs max). I can't wait.

From the 24th to till infinity

Beginning March 24th @ 10:30 pm Susanna and I will officially be on the move. First stop Aukland, NZ. Looking forward to posting all about our adventure abroad.