Thailand - Island life!
7th - 14th Sept - Life´s a beach!
We made our way South from the lovely countryside of Northern Thailand, excited to see the coast and work on our tans on the famous picture perfect beaches on the Southern Isles. Getting there involved a bus from Pai to Chiang Mai and then a late night flight to Phuket for a few hours kip before a ferry the next morning to Koh Phi Phi. Pretty exhausted but raring to go we spotted our first scenic beauty spot when our ferry sailed past the part of the Koh Phi Phi national park where the movie The Beach was filmed - a little more crowded than the movie would have you believe but beautiful non the less.
We arrived on Phi Phi and wandered through the town to find our hostel which was up hill giving us a nice view of the bay. After a quick lunch we found ourselves a spot on the beach and spent the day playing in the sea - which was so shallow it was up to Cal E's knees for up to a good 200m out! That evening we saw one of the most amazing sun sets we had seen so far on the trip - a nice reward following the hike up a huge hill to the view point over Phi Phis 2 main beaches.
That night we headed into town for some dinner and randomly bumped into Nick - a guy we had met in Vietnam - at a bar and headed with him and his mates to watch some amateur Maui Thai boxing - the boxing ring was literally in the middle of the pub and anyone could have a go in the ring who was feeling brave enough! We decided to watch from the sidelines and egged on those who decided they were hard enough - including a couple of chicks who went a few rounds - much to the disappointment of all the guys watching the girls fighting it out didn't quite live up to their expectations! The night continued on the beach with some dancing at the beachside club beside the flame throwers and the other pyrotechnic acts!
Unfortunately we only had 1 night on Phi Phi as we had to make our way to the East coast Islands so the following day was a travel day and we reached Koh Samui that evening - just in time to wander along the shore from our bungalow and have some dinner on the beach. The following morning we decided the best way to get round Samui would be by scooter so we all went to the nearby shop to rent some. We all had a little practice and the owner was satisfied with Cal E and Cal Y's performance, however he was not quite so impressed with Sarah's demonstration of her scooting skills.....now she didn't actually hit the wall she accelerated right towards at high speed but the close call was too much for the owner and he decided in no uncertain terms that only 2 scooters were to be rented and Sarah was not to be in control of one..... So off we went with Sarah (feeling slightly sheepish) on the back of Cal Y's scooter on our tour round Samui. We stopped at a few lovely beaches for some swimming and view points - almost going to whole way round the little Island - before heading back to our guest house - and yes Sarah did get to drive - a little more practice did the trick and she drove home with the 2 Calum´s precariously balancing on the other scooter - only to get busted as we drove past the hire shop on the corner....oopsie! The owner was more grateful to see the bike in one piece more than anything else so all was well!
The following day we left Samui and headed to our third Island stop - the party Island of Koh Phangan. Now, we knew before arriving here that we had missed the famous full moon and half moon parties but we had also been told by EVERYONE that the party on Phangan never stops so we were ready for a fun filled night of buckets, flame throwers and beach dancing. In preparation we had a good dinner and purchased some supplies from the local bottle shop to make our own buckets for some pre drinking fun (on the cheap). We had all the ingredients necessary for an epic night.
After our buckets were finished we made our way through the town towards the beach expecting to find fellow revellers en route.....but there were none! The whole beach was like an eerie ghost town. We found the one bar that had a relatively lively atmosphere and tried to make the most of it! We stayed for an hour of so before heading back to our bungalow - a good excuse to come back another time right in the middle of the party season!
Determined to find some atmosphere we
moved hostels the next day to the other main town on the Island -
unfortunately this was almost even more quiet than the night before. We
chilled during the day at the pool and wandered round the town a bit
before going in search of some more lively bars. Unfortunately our
search was in vain but we did come across a Korean BBQ style restaurant
which was a flat rate for all you could eat! Absolutely no idea what you
we were expecting but there was a never ending selection of meat,
seafood, veggies, noodles etc - mmmmmmm. The only catch being whatever
food you left on your plate you had to pay for...needless to say we all
stacked up at the beginning and were there a long time before we managed
to clear our plates...challenge accepted and done!
Next day we headed to out 5th and final Island - the idyllic Island of Koh Tao known for it's diving and underwater world. Our hostel was a little out of the main town but pretty relaxed and came with a family of kittens! Dinner was on offer at the hostel so we chatted to our fellow backpackers over a few beers, had some dinner and then made our way into town for some partying - finally a beach town with a seriously good night life! We partied at 2 beach side bars until the wee hours with the folks from our hostel taking care to avoid the maingy flee ridden dogs who liked to follow you round the beach all night!
7th - 14th Sept - Life´s a beach!
We made our way South from the lovely countryside of Northern Thailand, excited to see the coast and work on our tans on the famous picture perfect beaches on the Southern Isles. Getting there involved a bus from Pai to Chiang Mai and then a late night flight to Phuket for a few hours kip before a ferry the next morning to Koh Phi Phi. Pretty exhausted but raring to go we spotted our first scenic beauty spot when our ferry sailed past the part of the Koh Phi Phi national park where the movie The Beach was filmed - a little more crowded than the movie would have you believe but beautiful non the less.
We arrived on Phi Phi and wandered through the town to find our hostel which was up hill giving us a nice view of the bay. After a quick lunch we found ourselves a spot on the beach and spent the day playing in the sea - which was so shallow it was up to Cal E's knees for up to a good 200m out! That evening we saw one of the most amazing sun sets we had seen so far on the trip - a nice reward following the hike up a huge hill to the view point over Phi Phis 2 main beaches.
That night we headed into town for some dinner and randomly bumped into Nick - a guy we had met in Vietnam - at a bar and headed with him and his mates to watch some amateur Maui Thai boxing - the boxing ring was literally in the middle of the pub and anyone could have a go in the ring who was feeling brave enough! We decided to watch from the sidelines and egged on those who decided they were hard enough - including a couple of chicks who went a few rounds - much to the disappointment of all the guys watching the girls fighting it out didn't quite live up to their expectations! The night continued on the beach with some dancing at the beachside club beside the flame throwers and the other pyrotechnic acts!
Unfortunately we only had 1 night on Phi Phi as we had to make our way to the East coast Islands so the following day was a travel day and we reached Koh Samui that evening - just in time to wander along the shore from our bungalow and have some dinner on the beach. The following morning we decided the best way to get round Samui would be by scooter so we all went to the nearby shop to rent some. We all had a little practice and the owner was satisfied with Cal E and Cal Y's performance, however he was not quite so impressed with Sarah's demonstration of her scooting skills.....now she didn't actually hit the wall she accelerated right towards at high speed but the close call was too much for the owner and he decided in no uncertain terms that only 2 scooters were to be rented and Sarah was not to be in control of one..... So off we went with Sarah (feeling slightly sheepish) on the back of Cal Y's scooter on our tour round Samui. We stopped at a few lovely beaches for some swimming and view points - almost going to whole way round the little Island - before heading back to our guest house - and yes Sarah did get to drive - a little more practice did the trick and she drove home with the 2 Calum´s precariously balancing on the other scooter - only to get busted as we drove past the hire shop on the corner....oopsie! The owner was more grateful to see the bike in one piece more than anything else so all was well!
The following day we left Samui and headed to our third Island stop - the party Island of Koh Phangan. Now, we knew before arriving here that we had missed the famous full moon and half moon parties but we had also been told by EVERYONE that the party on Phangan never stops so we were ready for a fun filled night of buckets, flame throwers and beach dancing. In preparation we had a good dinner and purchased some supplies from the local bottle shop to make our own buckets for some pre drinking fun (on the cheap). We had all the ingredients necessary for an epic night.
After our buckets were finished we made our way through the town towards the beach expecting to find fellow revellers en route.....but there were none! The whole beach was like an eerie ghost town. We found the one bar that had a relatively lively atmosphere and tried to make the most of it! We stayed for an hour of so before heading back to our bungalow - a good excuse to come back another time right in the middle of the party season!
Next day we headed to out 5th and final Island - the idyllic Island of Koh Tao known for it's diving and underwater world. Our hostel was a little out of the main town but pretty relaxed and came with a family of kittens! Dinner was on offer at the hostel so we chatted to our fellow backpackers over a few beers, had some dinner and then made our way into town for some partying - finally a beach town with a seriously good night life! We partied at 2 beach side bars until the wee hours with the folks from our hostel taking care to avoid the maingy flee ridden dogs who liked to follow you round the beach all night!
The next day, once the hangover lifted, was supposed to be our day for getting the snorkels and flippers on and seeing what marine life Koh Tao had to offer but.....there was a storm all day on the Island and it was pretty cold, wet and windy. Whilst it did remind us of home it meant that snorkeling or doing anything beachy related was out of the question. We had a full day to kill before our night ferry to the mainland so we chilled out at the hostel and watched dvd's all day! I guess you all need a duvet day once in a while! That night we headed to the ferry port to get our boat to the main land the following morning for our flight to Malaysia. Thailand = DONE!
15th-20th Sept - Malaysian flying visits
Our
ferry docked on the Thai mainland about 2 hours from the airport at Suri
Thani so we had an early morning mini bus ride to the airport to catch
our flight. We arrived in Kuala Lumpar in the afternoon and made our
way to our hostel - eager to meet Laura! Laura (our friend from London)
was flying into Kuala Lumpur from Indonesia to meet us on her way to Bangkok to
catch her flight to New Zealand! We had arranged to both stop over on
the 15th in KL so we could catch up and have a night out! We arrived
first so got settled into the hostel and went for some lunch before
Laura arrived that evening. Once we were all present and accounted for
we headed into the bright lights of KL to get some dinner and a few
beers! Had a great night and lots of laughs - really good to catch up
with someone from back home!
The next day we bid farewell to Laura as she headed onwards and we got ready to head into the city. We met up with a guy from our hostel - Josh - and went to the Petronas towers for some photo taking and then wandered round the city. We half thought about going up the KL tower for a view over the city but decided to head to the cinema instead (sometimes you can do too much sightseeing) and went to see The Watch before grabbing a hot pot dinner on the street beside our hostel.
Having had our fill of KL we headed for the quieter coastal town of Melaka. We all really loved Melaka - lovely quaint streets, boutique shops, fab restaurants and a great atmosphere. We arrived in the evening so went to a restaurant recommended by our hostel owner and listened to some live jazz music - ace! The next day we got cultural and wandered round the centre of Melaka and went to the maritime museum and a naval museum which was on an old reconstructed ship. They were both really interesting and explained a lot about the importance of Melaka in the past as a bustling port for traders. The town itself was controlled at various times by the French, Portuguese and Dutch and you can see the European influence in the architecture of the town as well as the shops and the food! A local delicacy was a dish of rice balls - we found somewhere to have a sample - but really nothing more too it than rice in the shape of a ball! We chilled out back at our hostel for the rest of the afternoon and waited on our mate Sean to arrive. We met Sean in Chiang Mai and bumped into him in KL again and he was now coming to join us at Melaka. Once he arrived we went out for a delicious dinner of chicken satay skewers that we cooked ourselves on the table - mmmmmm! We finished of the evening with a tower of beer - as you do - at a bar close to our hostel!
The following day was pretty relaxed, we had a long lie and spent the afternoon wandering around the streets and shops. We had another local dish - a laksa (big bowl of soup with chicken and noodles in a spicy broth with some veg and tofu) - for lunch before the boys went on a T shirt shopping spree. That evening we went on a night time boat cruise down the river which was lovely and headed for our best Melakan meal yet - a tandoori chicken dinner with loads of nan - absolutely amazing! Back to the pub again for a farewell drink with Sean as this was to be our last night in Melaka before heading to Singapore for the Grand Prix!!
The next day we bid farewell to Laura as she headed onwards and we got ready to head into the city. We met up with a guy from our hostel - Josh - and went to the Petronas towers for some photo taking and then wandered round the city. We half thought about going up the KL tower for a view over the city but decided to head to the cinema instead (sometimes you can do too much sightseeing) and went to see The Watch before grabbing a hot pot dinner on the street beside our hostel.
Having had our fill of KL we headed for the quieter coastal town of Melaka. We all really loved Melaka - lovely quaint streets, boutique shops, fab restaurants and a great atmosphere. We arrived in the evening so went to a restaurant recommended by our hostel owner and listened to some live jazz music - ace! The next day we got cultural and wandered round the centre of Melaka and went to the maritime museum and a naval museum which was on an old reconstructed ship. They were both really interesting and explained a lot about the importance of Melaka in the past as a bustling port for traders. The town itself was controlled at various times by the French, Portuguese and Dutch and you can see the European influence in the architecture of the town as well as the shops and the food! A local delicacy was a dish of rice balls - we found somewhere to have a sample - but really nothing more too it than rice in the shape of a ball! We chilled out back at our hostel for the rest of the afternoon and waited on our mate Sean to arrive. We met Sean in Chiang Mai and bumped into him in KL again and he was now coming to join us at Melaka. Once he arrived we went out for a delicious dinner of chicken satay skewers that we cooked ourselves on the table - mmmmmm! We finished of the evening with a tower of beer - as you do - at a bar close to our hostel!
The following day was pretty relaxed, we had a long lie and spent the afternoon wandering around the streets and shops. We had another local dish - a laksa (big bowl of soup with chicken and noodles in a spicy broth with some veg and tofu) - for lunch before the boys went on a T shirt shopping spree. That evening we went on a night time boat cruise down the river which was lovely and headed for our best Melakan meal yet - a tandoori chicken dinner with loads of nan - absolutely amazing! Back to the pub again for a farewell drink with Sean as this was to be our last night in Melaka before heading to Singapore for the Grand Prix!!
Singapore - 21st - 28th Sept - Vroom vroom
We arrived
in Singapore after our long bus from Melaka, and then set about heading to
Chinatown to our first hostel – Beary Best. A local bus later we found where we
were supposed to be and settled in. There is also Beary Nice and Beary Good
hostels nearby, but it was only the Best for us! Good to get a rest when we
arrived.
There was
one main reason we were in Singapore when we were, and the reason that has
governed the timing for the rest of our trip. Of course, the Singapore Formula
One Grand Prix! Three days of deafening motor engines and amazing night time
views of the city. The Singapore Grand Prix has a track custom built every year
in the city centre – surrounded by towering skyscrapers. It is also the only
night time race in the calendar – so something we had been looking forward to
for months!
Friday was
practice day. During the day time we chilled out at the hostel – writing blogs
and more! – and then in the evening we had a look around the city and found
some great (and cheap!) eats. Then came the time for our walk to the track,
around 7pm. It was dark in the city, and even without the race, it is a magical
place to walk around at night – with the glare from the office block lights
sparkling off the river that runs through the city. Add to that the roar of F1
engines, when you are still 1km away from the track, and you have a truly
unique experience. Practice is the most quiet of the three days in terms of spectators, so the crowds
were not too overwhelming, and we wanted to get our bearing of the track, so we
could locate the best places to stand for the next two days – qualifying and
the race itself on Sunday.
As well as
the spectacular cars and drivers, there was also going to be a lot of live
music to enjoy over the weekend. Before the practice we were treated to the
creative human-beat-box genius of the Australian Tom Thumb. Using his voice to
create sounds we didn’t think possible with the human mouth, he put on a great
show. From soulful blues numbers, to upbeat drum and bass, to the sound of a
cat and dog fighting under water, he really could do it all!
But, back to the cars. We found a corner where the cars had to slow, so we were able to get a good view of them all. As we were so close to the track, as I mentioned before, the noise was completely deafening, and unbearable without earplugs (which fortunately we all had!). We stayed for a couple of hours, then went in search of some much needed dinner. Singapore being the most expensive place we’ve been so far (bar Japan), we were lucky to find a hawker centre – the only place for cheap dinner and drinks! The other special thing about Singapore is that we were going to get to see our good friend Jenny, who was coming over for a few days on her way to Australia. That being the cse we decided to leave all the sight-seeing until she got here. That meant chilling out and saving the energy for night time races.
Saturday night brought the qualifying and some fierce competition. We were ready to support our fellow Scotsman, Paul Di Resta of Force India, and headed to the track. We managed to stand on one of the long straights. Great for witnessing the sound and acceleration, not so good for actually knowing who you were looking at – they were that fast. Quali went well with Hamilton getting pole, and our Paul getting 6th spot on the grid.
The musical
treats for qualifying led to us uttering words we never thought we would.
“We’re standing watching Bananarama. Our mum’s would be so proud”. The other
act on show after qualifying was Maroon 5. The main stage was absolutely
packed, but we still managed to get a half decent view (although Sarah’s height
was a bit of an issue!). We also found out that Singaporeans apparently love
Maroon 5!
Sunday came
about and that meant one thing – the big race. After chilling out in preparation,
we headed to the track for the third time and were tingling with anticipation.
Before the race we also witnessed the musical delights of Noel Gallagher’s High
Flying Birds, watched by Sarah and Cal Y while Cal E went to get patriotic and
watched The Proclaimers.
Then, Di Resta saltire in hand, we headed to the big screen to watch the start of the race, followed by a quick jog over to our favourite corner to watch what we could. The problem with this corner was that there were no big screens to actually see what was happening in the race! Fortunately for us, a guy next to us had a “FanZone” handset, which showed the race – so we could keep abreast of what was going on. This also happened to be the corner next to the one where Michael Schumacher crashed, so we got a good view of that.
A couple of
safety cars and a career best performance from Di Resta, which saw him finish
fourth, ensured it was a great experience. All rounded off with a typically
in-your-face musical performance by Katy Perry afterwards.
So, Grand
Prix over the second part of our Singapore experience was about to start –
moving to a hostel in Little India to meet Jenny! She was the first friendly
face from home we had seen in nearly four months, so a very welcomed sight.
Made all the more so because she brought us Irn Bru!!!
We were all looking forward to a great few days, with plenty planned that we had yet to do – starting with a trip to the legendary Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. The zoo was very large, and unique in that it has mostly open enclosures – so you were what seemed like an easy leap away from lions, tigers and rhinos. A particular highlight was the extremely rare white tigers, and also the elephant show – where they elephants looked to be treated a lot better than some we have seen on the travels.
Finishing at dinner time me made the short walk to the night safari – where you can get to see the nocturnal animals at their most active. We grabbed some dinner, and at the same time, Calum E was grabbed to take part in the fire eater stage show… any excuse to remove his top and show off that Scottish tan!
We were all looking forward to a great few days, with plenty planned that we had yet to do – starting with a trip to the legendary Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. The zoo was very large, and unique in that it has mostly open enclosures – so you were what seemed like an easy leap away from lions, tigers and rhinos. A particular highlight was the extremely rare white tigers, and also the elephant show – where they elephants looked to be treated a lot better than some we have seen on the travels.
Finishing at dinner time me made the short walk to the night safari – where you can get to see the nocturnal animals at their most active. We grabbed some dinner, and at the same time, Calum E was grabbed to take part in the fire eater stage show… any excuse to remove his top and show off that Scottish tan!
The night
safari was a lot of fun, and we particularly enjoyed (if that’s the right word)
the bat enclosure – watch you heads! We also met up with our American friend
Sean whom we met before on our Chang Mai trek in Thailand and again in Malaysia.
The next
day we met a friend of Sarah’s for lunch, then headed for the attraction for
which we had heard several recommendations… the Tiger Beer Factory! We all took
the tour round the factory then enjoyed the hour of free beer. Boom. Jenny won
the pint pouring contest – clearly a pro!
The other
attraction just off the coast of Singapore is Sentosa island. A large amusement
island, lined by beaches and filled with attractions such as the aquarium,
which was the biggest pull for us. All sorts of weird and wonderful creatures. And
the dolphin and seal show was pretty impressive too!
After a day of walking around enjoying the scenery, the night brought the need to try our first Singapore Sling in Raffles Hotel! After putting on semi-decent clothes which our travel bags would allow, we headed to extraordinarily fancy hotel, and went to the Long Bar. After being quickly shunted up another set of stairs as we were not residents of the hotel, we were treated to plush surroundings and fantastic music the bar had to offer. We ordered our Classic Slings and sat down at our table, monkey nuts and all. If the floor seems a bit crunching, this simply because everyone follows the tradition of dropping their monkey nut shells on the floor!
As I mentioned
before, the band here were fantastic, hitting out classic jazz and golden
oldies. The most entertaining moment was possibly when the band pointed out Cal
E and got him up on stage to stand next to the lead singer – as they had the
same ginger afro! We headed out again afterwards, but could only afford a
couple in the expensive Singapore nightlife!
Then our
final day in Singapore, and our final day in Asia! After a little lie in we
headed to the Botanic Gardens. We were all flying out at night – Jenny to
Melbourne and us three to Perth – so it was good to have a relaxed walk in the
sunshine. When night came it was then time to say goodbye to Jenny – after too
few days! Cal Y and Sarah will see Jen again at Christmas – but for Cal E it
could be a while longer! The stormy weather that greeted us at the airport was
not the most welcome sight, but we all got out safely and departed the
continent in one piece!
Next stop,
Australia!
Perth, Australia - 28th Sept - 8th Oct
As we touched down in Australia, the land of sunshine, we were aghast to hear the pilot announce that the weather was "a chilly 3 degrees"!! This was not part of the plan for Oz, especially for Cal Y who had only a single jumper and pair of trousers in his bag - cold weather was not meant to be on the itinerary for this trip!! A quick change out of the shorts and sandals was required before leaving the airport and just in time before Cal Y´s mate from home, John, strolled in to pick us up. Very good of him considering we landed at 4.30am!! We headed back to his where we woke up Lauren (John's better half) and went for an early breakfast up at Kings Park. This gave us a great view over the city of Perth as the sun came up to give us a bit of warmth. After breakfast John and Lauren went to work and we headed back to John's for a nap.
A few hours later following a right good nap we met John and a few of his mates and started to get ready for a weekend of camping. Fortunately John and his mates were able to supply some spare sleeping bags and tents etc so around 7pm we had 3 cars packed and were on the road to Cervantes, a few hours north of Perth. Following a bit of a detour due to a bush fire we finally arrived on the beach and found a good spot to set up camp. You´re not actually allowed to camp on the beach in Oz but as there were 10 of us and we were on what we thought was a quiet beach, we hoped we wouldn't get get and if we did we could split the fine between us all. We built a fire and enjoyed a few beers before the cold got too much and we all retired to the warmth of our sleeping bags. Unfortunately that night only got colder and not much sleep was had but it meant everyone was up early which turned out to be a very good thing as we realised we were camped in the middle of what seemed to be a very popular beach with people already out walking their dogs. Quickly we packed up camp and headed further north to Jurian Bay.
We all arrived in Jurian Bay and went for a hearty breakfast before hiring some snorkeling gear and heading off to find a new beach. The first beach we found did not prove a success as both John's car and Rev´s car got stuck in the sand and required a serious digging effort to get us out. Fortunately a couple nearby saw our plight and along with there very large 4x4 were able to pull both cars off the beach. It cost us a 6 pack Corona´s but was well worth it to get back on our way. The next beach also provided the perfect spot for us to set up camp. Right on the beach, under a tree and next to a picnic table, the spot was ideal for us to set up base for the next 2 nights. We spent the next few hours in the water snorkeling, sunbathing and drinking a few more beers. That day and night were much warmer and so another fire was built and we had a great night eating drinking and playing "Mafia", an awesome game when in a big group.
The next day following a much better sleep, Dev and John had decided to do a skydive as the weather was beautiful and they would land right on the beach. So off we all went to see them jump out a plane from 14000 feet. It´s fair to say we were all quite tempted to join them but in the end the purse strings got the better of us and we decided not too. Cal Y and Sarah had also already done one and by the end of Oz Cal E will no doubt have also.......It looked ace though and the guys had a brilliant time, emphasised by their videos which we all watched afterwards. The rest of the day was on the beach again, chilling and swimming then that night we had a feast of chicken, fire roasted potatoes and salad. It was a great night to round off our camping weekend.
The next day we got up early and headed for some final snorkeling at a lagoon close to the beach we camped on. The water was beautiful and we saw a few very cool fish but not too many sadly. We then went for some breakfast before heading to our final stop before home, a beach called Wedge. What a beach it turned out to be, long white sand, unbelievably blue water, bordering on turquoise, and a few big waves for the surfers and body boarders to enjoy! It was a great laugh with Dev and Megan getting on their surf boards while the rest of us tried to catch some waves on the body boards. Thankfully John waited until after we had all got out the water to tell us that only a month or two ago a surfer had been taken by a shark on this beach!! We threw the Frisbee around a bit and the girls did some sunbathing before we called it a day and headed back to Perth. Once back we said goodbye to a few of the guys before the 3 of us, John, Lauren, Em and Juan headed for a fish and chips dinner on Cott beach. It was a great way to round off the weekend and a delicious meal!!
The next day was one of the best days we had in Perth as the 3 of us and John headed over to Rottness island. The island is slightly bigger than Millport but has the benefit of beautiful beaches and great spots for snorkeling and whale spotting. We hired some bikes and cycled round the island stopping a few stops for some great view and to see a few whales. The were quite far out but it was really cool to see their tails appear out the water before thrashing down. We had been told of a seal colony round the back on the island so we headed that way for lunch and we weren't disappointed. Right next to the shore were a group of at least 20 seals with nobody else around. We quickly jumped down into the water next to them and were lucky that they were all right next to a reef ledge that we could lie on and so get to within a couple of metres of them. From here we could use the snorkeling mask to see them under the water as the dove for fish and swam within the group. Had there maybe been a few less of them we may have tried swimming amongst them but with so many we decided to stay on the ledge. It was amazing to be so close though and see not only the seals but a huge number of fish in the same area.
We then ate some lunch and headed over to the next spot that john had snorkeled in before. We had to climb down a cliff but the lagoon at the bottom was amazing and full of schools and schools of fish that we could swim in amongst. It was a great day and a place anyone going to Perth must go and visit. We then headed back to John's and had enough time for a few holes of golf at John's course before the sun went down. It got us all right in the mood for an evening in from of the TV watching the Ryder cup which John had taped when we were away camping. We had managed to avoid the score and so were all excited to watch it. We had a great dinner made by John and Lauren and watched the first 2 days which ended US 10 Europe 6, not the best going into the singles but not out of sight......
The next day John was back at work and so we decided to have a quiet day on the couch doing some planning and researching. Cal E was looking into trips on the east coast and getting himself set up in Oz while Cal Y and Sarah were looking into Melbourne and South America where they were headed next. The only break that day was to nip to the supermarket to pick up some supplies to repay dinner to John and Lauren that night which we did while enjoying the final day of the Ryder cup. What a day it turned out to be with Europe staging a dramatic comeback to just clinch the cup and have us all celebrating back at Lauren's!!
We got back to sightseeing the next day and headed to Freemantle which is the part of Perth full of artists, culture, op shops and, as it turned out, micro breweries. Our first stop though was Freemantle Prison which was now a museum and had been recommended to visit. We did one of the tours which was really interesting and the prison itself was exactly the kind you would expect from prison movies such as Shawshank, except a little smaller. Rows and rows of cells on 3 floors all so small you can´t imagine spending more than 5 minutes in them, never mind 30 years as some prisoners did. After the prison we went for some lunch at the first brewery of our visit to Freo, "The Monk". They were celebrating Oktoberfest which was great as we tried some awesome "Marzin" beer which is local to Munich. We then headed to "Little Creatures" which is the most famous brewery in Australia makes some awesome beer. Their Pale Ale in particular was great as was their Pilsner. John then text to say him, Lauren and Em were heading over so we went to the final brewery "Sail and Anchor" where we met the guys and enjoyed some more Oktoberfest beers. We grabbed some dinner at what can only be described as a local Hawker market, the kind you find throughout Asia, which was ace and then headed to see a movie. Sadly we chose Taken 2 which, unlike its predecessor which was very good, turned out to be the worst movie ever made!! I´m not going to waste anymore typing on it but just please don't go and see it!!
After a week in Perth we decided it was probably a good idea to actually go in and see the city. So on Friday the 3 of us headed into town for a wander around. It turned out to be like any other city centre with one exception in that it´s right on the water so we were able to grab a picnic and go for lunch in a park right on at the water. It was another cracking day so we took a perverse pleasure in watching the groups of people taking park in the exercise classes in the park while we sat enjoying our chicken sandwiches while lazing in the sun. We also got some entertainment from a couple sitting no more than 10 metres from us straddling each other defying the laws of breathing as the sucked the faces off each other. Even a few of the people in the exercise classes were getting distracted by the show!! We then went for a drink on the water before heading back for a few holes of golf with John and then a BBQ and few beers. John did a stand up job cooking up some steaks for everyone before we settled in for a movie.
We had a lie in on Saturday as John was working in the morning and so we didn't have any plans until he finished at 1pm. Once he had though the 4 us and Lauren headed to Swan Valley which is full of wineries and breweries. We first though went to play some "Super Golf" which is a 9 hole course played with big plastic balls and clubs. It was great fun with Cal E and John and Lauren narrowly beating Sarah and Calum by one shot. We then went for a great lunch at the brewery next door before it was invaded by "bogans". Now bogans are described as "an individual who is recognised to be from an unsophisticated background or someone whose limited education, speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour exemplifies a lack of manners and education". Basically Australian neds!!! Out of nowhere 20 or more guys and girls turned up, many totally hammered, and invaded the restaurant, shouting, swearing and getting even more smashed. We took this as our signal to leave and so quickly did and headed back to Perth. Once back we met Rev and Em from the camping trip and headed back to Freemantle for a few drinks. We went to play some pool first and then back to Sail and Anchor where a live band were playing. It was a great night, the band were ace and a good few beers were had by all.
Our last day in Perth started with the 3 of us and John going for some golf at one of the local course. It gave me and Sarah a chance to exact some revenge following our defeat at supergolf the day before. Thanks to some real good shots from Sarah on the front 9 and then some great putts from Cal Y on the back 9 they manged to do so and carded a 5 and 4 victory much to the dismay of the other 2!! It was a good game though and once again we managed to luck out with the weather as the rain forecast managed to stay off. After golf we went to the Ocean Beach Hotel which is right on the beach next to Johns and is always busy on a Sunday as the locals enjoy a "Sunday session" from 2pm - 10pm. Rev, Lauren and a few others joined us as well as we enjoyed a few final beers in the Perth sun before heading to an Italian close by for our final dinner before saying goodbye. It was a brilliant 10 days in Perth and John, Lauren and all their mates were amazing in welcoming us and showing us a great time whilst there. We owe them all a huge thanks for making our stay in Perth so great.
The following morning the 3 of us got up early as Cal Y and Sarah had to go for their flight to Melbourne whilst Cal E had another day in Perth before his flight to Cairns that night. It was a sad goodbye following an amazing 4 months together. Cal E described it best later that day in his facebook post as"it really was the best of times". I think the 3 of us would all agree that it really was!! But the next adventures are still to be had with Cal E travelling down the east coast of Oz before settling in Sydney or Melbourne for a while and Cal Y and Sarah off to South America and then Whistler. And don´t worry, even though the 3 of us have separated this blog still at least another couple of months left in it!!
Perth, Australia - 28th Sept - 8th Oct
As we touched down in Australia, the land of sunshine, we were aghast to hear the pilot announce that the weather was "a chilly 3 degrees"!! This was not part of the plan for Oz, especially for Cal Y who had only a single jumper and pair of trousers in his bag - cold weather was not meant to be on the itinerary for this trip!! A quick change out of the shorts and sandals was required before leaving the airport and just in time before Cal Y´s mate from home, John, strolled in to pick us up. Very good of him considering we landed at 4.30am!! We headed back to his where we woke up Lauren (John's better half) and went for an early breakfast up at Kings Park. This gave us a great view over the city of Perth as the sun came up to give us a bit of warmth. After breakfast John and Lauren went to work and we headed back to John's for a nap.
A few hours later following a right good nap we met John and a few of his mates and started to get ready for a weekend of camping. Fortunately John and his mates were able to supply some spare sleeping bags and tents etc so around 7pm we had 3 cars packed and were on the road to Cervantes, a few hours north of Perth. Following a bit of a detour due to a bush fire we finally arrived on the beach and found a good spot to set up camp. You´re not actually allowed to camp on the beach in Oz but as there were 10 of us and we were on what we thought was a quiet beach, we hoped we wouldn't get get and if we did we could split the fine between us all. We built a fire and enjoyed a few beers before the cold got too much and we all retired to the warmth of our sleeping bags. Unfortunately that night only got colder and not much sleep was had but it meant everyone was up early which turned out to be a very good thing as we realised we were camped in the middle of what seemed to be a very popular beach with people already out walking their dogs. Quickly we packed up camp and headed further north to Jurian Bay.
We all arrived in Jurian Bay and went for a hearty breakfast before hiring some snorkeling gear and heading off to find a new beach. The first beach we found did not prove a success as both John's car and Rev´s car got stuck in the sand and required a serious digging effort to get us out. Fortunately a couple nearby saw our plight and along with there very large 4x4 were able to pull both cars off the beach. It cost us a 6 pack Corona´s but was well worth it to get back on our way. The next beach also provided the perfect spot for us to set up camp. Right on the beach, under a tree and next to a picnic table, the spot was ideal for us to set up base for the next 2 nights. We spent the next few hours in the water snorkeling, sunbathing and drinking a few more beers. That day and night were much warmer and so another fire was built and we had a great night eating drinking and playing "Mafia", an awesome game when in a big group.
The next day following a much better sleep, Dev and John had decided to do a skydive as the weather was beautiful and they would land right on the beach. So off we all went to see them jump out a plane from 14000 feet. It´s fair to say we were all quite tempted to join them but in the end the purse strings got the better of us and we decided not too. Cal Y and Sarah had also already done one and by the end of Oz Cal E will no doubt have also.......It looked ace though and the guys had a brilliant time, emphasised by their videos which we all watched afterwards. The rest of the day was on the beach again, chilling and swimming then that night we had a feast of chicken, fire roasted potatoes and salad. It was a great night to round off our camping weekend.
The next day we got up early and headed for some final snorkeling at a lagoon close to the beach we camped on. The water was beautiful and we saw a few very cool fish but not too many sadly. We then went for some breakfast before heading to our final stop before home, a beach called Wedge. What a beach it turned out to be, long white sand, unbelievably blue water, bordering on turquoise, and a few big waves for the surfers and body boarders to enjoy! It was a great laugh with Dev and Megan getting on their surf boards while the rest of us tried to catch some waves on the body boards. Thankfully John waited until after we had all got out the water to tell us that only a month or two ago a surfer had been taken by a shark on this beach!! We threw the Frisbee around a bit and the girls did some sunbathing before we called it a day and headed back to Perth. Once back we said goodbye to a few of the guys before the 3 of us, John, Lauren, Em and Juan headed for a fish and chips dinner on Cott beach. It was a great way to round off the weekend and a delicious meal!!
The next day was one of the best days we had in Perth as the 3 of us and John headed over to Rottness island. The island is slightly bigger than Millport but has the benefit of beautiful beaches and great spots for snorkeling and whale spotting. We hired some bikes and cycled round the island stopping a few stops for some great view and to see a few whales. The were quite far out but it was really cool to see their tails appear out the water before thrashing down. We had been told of a seal colony round the back on the island so we headed that way for lunch and we weren't disappointed. Right next to the shore were a group of at least 20 seals with nobody else around. We quickly jumped down into the water next to them and were lucky that they were all right next to a reef ledge that we could lie on and so get to within a couple of metres of them. From here we could use the snorkeling mask to see them under the water as the dove for fish and swam within the group. Had there maybe been a few less of them we may have tried swimming amongst them but with so many we decided to stay on the ledge. It was amazing to be so close though and see not only the seals but a huge number of fish in the same area.
We then ate some lunch and headed over to the next spot that john had snorkeled in before. We had to climb down a cliff but the lagoon at the bottom was amazing and full of schools and schools of fish that we could swim in amongst. It was a great day and a place anyone going to Perth must go and visit. We then headed back to John's and had enough time for a few holes of golf at John's course before the sun went down. It got us all right in the mood for an evening in from of the TV watching the Ryder cup which John had taped when we were away camping. We had managed to avoid the score and so were all excited to watch it. We had a great dinner made by John and Lauren and watched the first 2 days which ended US 10 Europe 6, not the best going into the singles but not out of sight......
The next day John was back at work and so we decided to have a quiet day on the couch doing some planning and researching. Cal E was looking into trips on the east coast and getting himself set up in Oz while Cal Y and Sarah were looking into Melbourne and South America where they were headed next. The only break that day was to nip to the supermarket to pick up some supplies to repay dinner to John and Lauren that night which we did while enjoying the final day of the Ryder cup. What a day it turned out to be with Europe staging a dramatic comeback to just clinch the cup and have us all celebrating back at Lauren's!!
We got back to sightseeing the next day and headed to Freemantle which is the part of Perth full of artists, culture, op shops and, as it turned out, micro breweries. Our first stop though was Freemantle Prison which was now a museum and had been recommended to visit. We did one of the tours which was really interesting and the prison itself was exactly the kind you would expect from prison movies such as Shawshank, except a little smaller. Rows and rows of cells on 3 floors all so small you can´t imagine spending more than 5 minutes in them, never mind 30 years as some prisoners did. After the prison we went for some lunch at the first brewery of our visit to Freo, "The Monk". They were celebrating Oktoberfest which was great as we tried some awesome "Marzin" beer which is local to Munich. We then headed to "Little Creatures" which is the most famous brewery in Australia makes some awesome beer. Their Pale Ale in particular was great as was their Pilsner. John then text to say him, Lauren and Em were heading over so we went to the final brewery "Sail and Anchor" where we met the guys and enjoyed some more Oktoberfest beers. We grabbed some dinner at what can only be described as a local Hawker market, the kind you find throughout Asia, which was ace and then headed to see a movie. Sadly we chose Taken 2 which, unlike its predecessor which was very good, turned out to be the worst movie ever made!! I´m not going to waste anymore typing on it but just please don't go and see it!!
After a week in Perth we decided it was probably a good idea to actually go in and see the city. So on Friday the 3 of us headed into town for a wander around. It turned out to be like any other city centre with one exception in that it´s right on the water so we were able to grab a picnic and go for lunch in a park right on at the water. It was another cracking day so we took a perverse pleasure in watching the groups of people taking park in the exercise classes in the park while we sat enjoying our chicken sandwiches while lazing in the sun. We also got some entertainment from a couple sitting no more than 10 metres from us straddling each other defying the laws of breathing as the sucked the faces off each other. Even a few of the people in the exercise classes were getting distracted by the show!! We then went for a drink on the water before heading back for a few holes of golf with John and then a BBQ and few beers. John did a stand up job cooking up some steaks for everyone before we settled in for a movie.
We had a lie in on Saturday as John was working in the morning and so we didn't have any plans until he finished at 1pm. Once he had though the 4 us and Lauren headed to Swan Valley which is full of wineries and breweries. We first though went to play some "Super Golf" which is a 9 hole course played with big plastic balls and clubs. It was great fun with Cal E and John and Lauren narrowly beating Sarah and Calum by one shot. We then went for a great lunch at the brewery next door before it was invaded by "bogans". Now bogans are described as "an individual who is recognised to be from an unsophisticated background or someone whose limited education, speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour exemplifies a lack of manners and education". Basically Australian neds!!! Out of nowhere 20 or more guys and girls turned up, many totally hammered, and invaded the restaurant, shouting, swearing and getting even more smashed. We took this as our signal to leave and so quickly did and headed back to Perth. Once back we met Rev and Em from the camping trip and headed back to Freemantle for a few drinks. We went to play some pool first and then back to Sail and Anchor where a live band were playing. It was a great night, the band were ace and a good few beers were had by all.
Our last day in Perth started with the 3 of us and John going for some golf at one of the local course. It gave me and Sarah a chance to exact some revenge following our defeat at supergolf the day before. Thanks to some real good shots from Sarah on the front 9 and then some great putts from Cal Y on the back 9 they manged to do so and carded a 5 and 4 victory much to the dismay of the other 2!! It was a good game though and once again we managed to luck out with the weather as the rain forecast managed to stay off. After golf we went to the Ocean Beach Hotel which is right on the beach next to Johns and is always busy on a Sunday as the locals enjoy a "Sunday session" from 2pm - 10pm. Rev, Lauren and a few others joined us as well as we enjoyed a few final beers in the Perth sun before heading to an Italian close by for our final dinner before saying goodbye. It was a brilliant 10 days in Perth and John, Lauren and all their mates were amazing in welcoming us and showing us a great time whilst there. We owe them all a huge thanks for making our stay in Perth so great.
The following morning the 3 of us got up early as Cal Y and Sarah had to go for their flight to Melbourne whilst Cal E had another day in Perth before his flight to Cairns that night. It was a sad goodbye following an amazing 4 months together. Cal E described it best later that day in his facebook post as"it really was the best of times". I think the 3 of us would all agree that it really was!! But the next adventures are still to be had with Cal E travelling down the east coast of Oz before settling in Sydney or Melbourne for a while and Cal Y and Sarah off to South America and then Whistler. And don´t worry, even though the 3 of us have separated this blog still at least another couple of months left in it!!
The last travel photo together. That sure is some travelling afro...
