New Zealand Adventures: 3. Meetin' Black Magic, Volcano Exploring, Lordes Devonport and Sailing with Maori's...

 

Kia-Ora!

Been rainy days of late here in Auckland, so I got busy sharing my latest travel news from down under from cool little New Zealand.....but first let's say Kia-Ora from the summit of Rangitoto Volcano which Maori natives used as a lookout for any unwanted trespassers onto their island just off the coast line of Auckland.

But more on that later....this blog is pretty much a sailing special so hold tight.....

New Zealand Adventures : 2. Dolphin Research, Workin' Girl as a 'Boatie' in Auckland's Boatyards and a Piece of Volcano Heaven on top Mt Eden...

Kia-Ora!  

Greetings from New Zealand! now a month on the North Island!

Ahoy! I have recently been working on a 135ft Boat under the name 'Destination' in Auckland City's North Wharf Boat Yards, as what I call a 'Boatie'.... pretty much as a day worker doing all the odd jobs the maintenance crew need help with in one of the boat yards, but first, before life on board, let me tell you about my Dolphin research trip out in the Hauraki Gulf....

New Zealand Adventures : 1. Kia-Ora Auckland, Introducing Maori, Saving Whales with Project Jonah and Sea Cleaning Waiheke Island...

Kia - Ora! 

That's 'Hello!' in Maoritanga (Maori Culture), the indigenous race and language of Aotearoa 'The Land of the Long White Cloud' or as the white man 'Pakeha' calls it 'New Zealand'....

I will try and keep a blog of my explorations as much as I can, however long I'm here for...so here goes with some early days of my first two weeks of travel in this land far, far away....

Auckland City!

Cambodia Adventures : 6. Temple Raidin', Findin' Heaven on Earth and Akim, the Lost Child of Angkor Wat....

Soo-a-s'day!

I decided to do a seperate blog about my explorations of the Temples of Angkor as they are so magnificent I thought I'd do some 'Temple Video Diaries' to give you a chance to see a snippet of my raidin' adventures in the ancient temples of Angkor....

Enjoying the sunset at Heaven on Earth at the waters of Angkor Wat...

Cambodia Volunteering : 1. House Build #1, The Floating Villages of Kompong Khleang and a Monk named Kosol

Release of my E-Book! The Show Must Go On - Being with an Australian Travelling Zoo

Hello World! 

Today on this cold winter December day here in the UK is my birthday so.... I thought it might be an opportune time and occasion to say please BUY MY FIRST E-BOOK 'The Show Must Go On - Being with an Australian Travelling Zoo' which was just one of my many far-fetched experiences during my travels Down Under.

An adaptation of my story was first published overseas in German last year for travel book 'Australien wie wir es sehen' - so I've now brought you the uncut, full length English version for you to enjoy! will download from Amazon to all KINDLE DEVICES, IPAD AND IPHONES around the world.

Meeting The Amazon Man - Alan Holman - The Record Breaking Kayak Down The Amazon

Ahh life....row row row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.....not for this guy it wasn't....and it certainly wasn't a stream.....

Last week, I met an incredible Guinness World Record Holder.....my first one too!

Now at 68, British man Alan Holman who in 1982 at the age of 38, is the first and only man on record that has ever kayaked the entire length of the 4,000 mile long Amazon River, you know what he said to me...

'Young lady, nothing ...is 100% impossible, but  
                  nothing is 100% sure'

                            awww.

Carribean Sports Fever - How A New UK Initiative is Nurturing the Islands Hidden Talents

Ok, so the British Summer is around the corner, well you would think on some days but then on others you're disappointedly whipping out the winter wardrobe again. But.... usually summer time means the emergence of more active sporting activities with the more tolerable temperatures and prolonged lighter evenings in our favour. But some places out there in this big wide world, really, in the one outside your back garden, the gym or your local park or playground, are missing out on sporting opportunities due to their poor or otherwise non existent sports infrastructure.

Australia Adventures: 19. Meetin' an Aborigine, Darwin Bush Air Rescue and Swimmin' with Crocs

Hello from Australia's Northern Territory!

I'm finally here, the vast, rugged and edgy province of this great continent's 'Top End'. As this blog shows, I'm extremely interested in the mechanics of Indigenous communities in each country, which is my main drive to travel and explore this world.
Like I say meeting the REAL people and not just the safe and secure chocolate box experience that cushions many travellers. The Northern Territory to me is the gateway to understanding the foundations and culture of the 'First Australians' so without haste, I left Brisbane on Australia's fabulous no frills budget airline 'Jetstar' to get me to Darwin.

Australia Adventures: 18. The Home of The Crocodile Hunter, Brizzy Brisbane and Goodbye to Queensland!

Hi everyone!

                                       The soothing serenity of Noosa Heads....

Welcome to my latest instalment of my endeavour to discover the wonderful Land of Oz...

Last time I left you I had been introducing myself to the Fraser Island Dingo's and continued travelling south down the east coast of Australia to the swanky sunshine town of Noosa Heads.
The town had a lot of roundabouts but good surf, not that I can surf well, but I rented a board from a backpackers that the hostel owner in 1770 had built himself and sent me packing there. Man, its fun having fun on the water out here! but people are very protective of their waves out here though which is pretty trivial to me, but I was rooming with a ex marine from the United States who was educating me about his four year life in the marines which was pretty fascinating. This is what I love about travelling, it gets you out of your familiar social circle and throws you in the mix with individuals from all different cultures and all walks of life. Love it, Love it, Love it! At the bottom of the road we had the Noosa river, perfect for a spot of chilling and fishing for my marine friend!

Australia Adventures: 17. Fraser Island and Meeting Mr Dingo....

Hey Guys - Sal here reporting from Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia.

Wow 8 months in Oz already! Last night I jumped on a boat under the starry sky back to Hervey Bay here from the beautiful Fraser Island. But more about that later....

Recently the rain in Queensland has dominated and is flooding the areas but I had nothing to hang around for so I caught a  lift with an American guy called Baz  (his middle name was in fact Duke) in my backpackers in Rockhampton who was heading to Agnes Water in the Town of 1770 a nice lil laid back fishing town, lined with surf shops and restaurants which has great surf - but no one locks their doors which coming from London couldn't fathom the trust of the environment!. It was quite a trip and we were actually pulled over by the police because Baz took his seatbelt off for 30 seconds - they are very strict on road safety out here so we were majorly caught off guard. The Aussie road is full of unpredictability and adventure - even in the pouring rain!

I took a 3 hour surf lesson for $17! from the local surf shop who told me ''Just show up at 10 and we'll give ya a board'' in fact its probably the best price for surf lessons on the whole of the East Coast! yep sharks in the water, won't get a better price than that in Australia - but because Oz is such an outdoorsy place it can be a bummer when it rains so I couldn't go motorbike riding, but its a good excuse to go back.....I did get a free tour of the Agnes Water by 'Macca' who worked at the backpackers. I helped clean the backpackers in 1770 and the owner who I'd discovered actually invented the backpacking industry in Australia paid me a bit for my efforts! Super! Was very impressed by 1770, but not the weather!

Hitching a ride with Baz to the Town of 1770...

Deciding to move on from the downpours of 1770. I arrived in Hervey Bay, which is the gateway out to Fraser Island with a fantastic hip guided tour called Cool Dingo Tours

Fraser Island is a beautiful Aboriginal territory east of Hervey Bay, the 2 day tour consisted of a quirky tour guide driving us on an extremely bumpy 4WD bus over the rough terrain time (seatbelts were a must) and educated us about the aborigine habitats whilst walking in the beloved rainforest, swimming in crystal clear lakes of Lake McKenzie and checking out the decayed 100 year old shipwreck of the Maheno Wreck. We also stopped off to view some sandblows which make you feel like you're really in the middle of the desert and Eli Creek which you allegedly meant to float down (we sure didn't float)  On route along towards Indian Head in the north of the Island, Mr Dingo introduced himself to us but they're wild dogs so no poochie kisses (our tour guide was very protective of us, but the Dingo didn't seemed bothered). It was extremely special to see a wild dingo in its natural habitat. Once we reached the top of Indian Head, I watched Stingrays, a pod of dolphins swim pass and hump back whales migrating back to Antartica. Cool! The Champagne Pools were incredible. The sea causes a pool of water to bubble like a champagne glass as it thrashes against the rocks, was exhilarating and nothing I'd ever seen before. The night was spent playing funny drinking games in the on island Dingo Bar but overall we were lucky with the weather as it perked up a little bit by then lucky for us so I had a great trip. Here's some photos from my Fraser Island Adventures...

Lake McKenzie.....gorgeous lake on the Island

Hello Mr Dingo....:)

On top of Indian Head

Wild Dolphins!

The 100 Year old Maheno Wreck

Now I'm settled back in Hervey Bay and I'm going to head south to check out the surf and Steve Irwin's famous Australia Zoo - as far as Brisbane and then head up to the deserts of the Northern Territory before looking for work again (fingers crossed). But this is a beautiful country and want to see as much as possible but of course I do find myself thinking about the charms of London every now and again - must be getting cold there now - haha!

Anyway, thanx for reading and hope life is being kind to you, there's so many more stories but my fingers hurt now so signing off...until next time dudes!

With Lonely Planet Travel Guide Australia 

Australia Adventures: 16. The Art of Fruitpicking, Under The Bridge and Escape To The Outback...

Hello! or G'Day! should I say...

Thanks for checking in to my latest blog from my Cross Country trip Down Under....

Australia Adventures: 1. The Aussie Adventure begins....touch down in Melbourne

G'Day! (as the Aussie's say) well after travelling across the Americas, swinging my way through the Amazon Jungle and kicking up the dust on the streets of Africa, I always had a burning ambition to do a 'Working Holiday' in the adventurous outback of Australia for at least a year of my life. As I said in my trip into the Amazon, my most passionate desire is to meet the indigenous people of the land, the Native Americans and Shamans, Indigenous African's and what struck me was the native primitive culture of the Aborigines, the first Australians' who my ancestors once seized, captured and killed to try and make their culture as there own. The past as nothing to do with me, but the future does so I was so intrigued to get down under and see the indigenous people for myself, teach me how to play a Didgeridoo or a 'Didge' in Aussie terms...... and also the fact I have a fascination with Kangaroos. So lets do the paperwork,..
Now there are certain boxes one has to tick to secure oneself a WHV

1. Be aged 18 - 30 years old. Ooh 27 pushing it but I'm in!

2. Have no dependent children. No way!

3. Be of good character. Hell yeah I'm the best person I know!

Now I did have to have a chest xray on London's prestigous Harley Street to test that I wasn't about to bring TB to Aussie shores and so successfully passing that, secured myself a one year Working Holiday Visa and prepared to leave the cold winter of Britain behind!
Well here I am, thought I'd let you know how i'm finding life in Australia as a 'Pome' (The affectionate name Aussie's like to call the English), pretty much as a temporary resident and living off Nutella sandwiches and Vitamin Pills. I made it to the other side of the world or the land that everybody calls 'Down Under' as it really is this HUGE island drifting in the Pacific Ocean tucked away down under the world from the rest of it.

After surviving a 21 hour flight and having to be escorted from the plane in Hong Kong to the plane heading to Australia, I planned my arrival so I would touch down in the middle of the Australian summer which I was told is a 'scorcher'.....well it wasn't quite....I set foot in Australia to what was a not-so-hot Melbourne in the state of Victoria. In fact, it was cloudy and pretty cold! so I never should have listened to anyone telling me its too hot for warm clothes. Melbourne is pretty much like Chicago in the USA, it's on a bay and the weather can change in 5 minutes but after a couple of days Australian weather lived up to it's name to being gorgeous, hot, summer weather , which has been great for the Australian Open Tennis Tournament which pretty much dominates Melbourne during January, very cool. What took me by surprise was arrivng in a hostel after 21 hours and still on London time, I was crashing on a sofa in a lounge watching tennis feeling like half dead, when a film crew walked in and asked to film me for their new hostel film for promotion, I didn't really have to do anything, but God I must have looked terrible on that film! the plus side was they gave me a free pizza in the bar downstairs, how awesome is that with a pint of Stongbow cider.

Mmmm think I'm gonna like Australia.....

With Lonely Planet Travel Guide Australia