Travel

Krakow

2007-11-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

Birkenau Concentration Camp

Krakow's old district is surrounded in small parks with beautiful old trees.

St. Mary's Basillica. The nuns come each morning at 11:45 to reveal the alter. I managed to miss this. We did however catch mass on the Feast of all souls

Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), the first shopping mall in the world (15 century).

"Rynek Glowny"
One of the largest squares in medievil Europe as old as 1257. The Town hall tower stands behind us.

On Bracka Street, hot chocolate lovers stop here.

Auschwitz concentration camp (the largest of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps)

Train back to Cracow from Auschitz.

Check out the pig and duck !! :)

California

2006-09-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

Final trip on the metro, San Francisco.

A path to Michelle's place, in the hills of Berkley

Photo shoot in San Fran

Mike and I keep an eye out for pirates.

Drew happily bathing with crabs!

An outdoor performance by the San Francisco Mime Troop

Picking plums at Bill and Michelle's place in Oceanside

Watch duty, Oceanside

The mission or Castro, I'm not sure. Anyone?

Mexico

2006-09-12T07:54:00.001-07:00

This was taken from the bus while crossing over a bridge. Below there were people washing and bathing.

2006-09-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Playa El Oregan, Hautulco.

2006-09-12T07:53:00.001-07:00

Alex, Uli, me & Poncho, diving in Veracruz

2006-09-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

Uli & Poncho, breakfast in Veracruz

2006-09-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

Piramide del Sol - Teotihuacan

2006-09-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

El Palacio - Mayan ruins, Palenque

2006-09-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

Monte Alban, Anchient Zapotec Capital 500BC

2006-09-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

Agabe plant, Oaxaca

2006-09-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

Iglesia de Santo Domingo Cathedral - 1570

2006-09-12T07:46:00.001-07:00

Oaxacan Chocolate. Rico!!

2006-09-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

Teachers Protest in Oaxaca

2006-09-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Last few moments, market day in Octlan.

2006-09-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

Tortilla for breakfast

2006-09-12T07:42:00.002-07:00

Peppers gallore! Octlan market

2006-09-12T07:42:00.001-07:00

Meat for sale - Octlan market

2006-09-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

Baking - Octlan market

2006-09-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

Diego Rivera mural - National Palace, Mexico city

2006-09-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Handy men - Zocalo, Mexico city.

2006-09-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

Presidential election protest - Mexico City

2006-09-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Sleeping in the Zocalo

San Christobal de Las Casas

2006-09-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

Catching 40 winks at the market

Carrying a heavy load

Mum's working today!

Cathedral 1693- San Christobal de las Casas

More praying that day!!

Palenque

2006-07-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

El Palacio in the Palenque ruins. This very old temple is found in the jungle.

2006-07-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara, California

2006-07-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

Hwy 1, California Coast

2006-07-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

Elephant Seals on Hwy 1, CA.

2006-07-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

Golden Gate State Park, San Francisco

2006-07-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

Streets of San Francisco

2006-07-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

2006-07-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

Alcatraz, San Francisco

2006-07-09T18:58:00.000-07:00

Irish bar in San Fran

2006-07-04T16:56:00.000-07:00

Russian Gulch National Park

2006-07-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Russian Gulch National Park, CA

2006-07-04T16:52:00.000-07:00

Sonoma, wine region in CA.

2006-07-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Isles, Yosemite

2006-07-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

Playing in the snow, Yosemite

2006-07-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Upper Yosemite

Sierra Mts in Yosemite National Park

2006-07-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

Death Valley

2006-07-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

Veniatian, Vegas

2006-07-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

Excalibur, Vegas

2006-07-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

Vegas at night

2006-07-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

New York, New York, Los Vegas

2006-06-26T23:44:00.000-07:00

Grand Canyon up in smoke.

2006-06-26T23:43:00.000-07:00

Emma and I enjoying view, Grand Canyon.

2006-06-26T23:41:00.000-07:00

Trekking down the Grand Canyon.

2006-06-26T23:19:00.001-07:00

Entering Utah

2006-06-26T23:19:00.000-07:00

Monument Valley, Utah.

2006-06-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

Shay, Emma and I visiting Monument Valley

2006-06-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

Crossing the line.

At the rim, Canyon de Chelly, Chinle, AZ.

2006-06-25T00:39:00.000-07:00

Mummy's Cave, Canyon de Chelly.

2006-06-25T00:38:00.000-07:00

Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly

2006-06-25T00:37:00.000-07:00

Taking a short cut down Canyon de Chelly

2006-06-25T00:33:00.000-07:00

Trekking down the Canyon

2006-06-25T00:32:00.000-07:00

Canyon de Chelly

2006-06-25T00:29:00.000-07:00

Local craftsmen.

2006-06-24T23:25:00.000-07:00

Cacti at sunset, Arizona

2006-06-24T23:23:00.000-07:00

Accommodation in Flagstaff!!

2006-06-24T23:22:00.000-07:00

Fans cooling off the cows, Flagstaff, Arizona

Petrified Forest National Park

2006-06-24T23:12:00.000-07:00

Petrified wood scattered across the landscape.

Wood from 225 million years ago crystalised.

Taking a well earned rest while heating my bum.

Cruising through Painted Desert.

The colourful sediment layers, Painted Desert, AZ.

2006-06-24T23:06:00.000-07:00

Hitting Hollywood

2006-06-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

Dolly Parton II

2006-06-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

Silvester Stallone meets his match.

2006-06-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

Outside Mans Chinese Theatre

2006-06-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

Universal Studios, LA.

2006-06-24T22:40:00.001-07:00

Hard Rock Cafe

2006-06-24T22:40:00.000-07:00

Crash Scene "War of the Worlds"

2006-06-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

Wisteria Lane "Desperate Housewives"

2006-06-24T22:35:00.000-07:00

Boat used in King Kong

2006-06-24T22:34:00.000-07:00

Creating a flood in the studios

2006-06-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

Norman Bates house in "Phyco"

San Diego

2006-06-23T23:45:00.000-07:00

Naval base in San Diego.

Shay gets up close and personal with a Tomcat fighter plane on the Midway aircraft carrier.

Grabbed lunch in Kansas Barbeque Diner, where they filmed the great scenes in Top Gun.

"You've lost that lovin feelin... baby"

Emma gives us a bar of "Grreat balls of fire"!!!

Fiji Islands

2006-06-19T23:48:00.000-07:00

Most of these photos were taken on Bounty Island where they filmed Celebrity Love Island. The love shack is in ruins now. Its the perfect place to read in a hammock all day.

You can also see the Fijians singing farewell to us as we left Malolo Island.

2006-06-08T23:52:00.001-07:00

On top of the world in Aspiring National Park!

2006-06-08T23:52:00.000-07:00

Overheating on the way to Aspiring National Park

Lakes of New Zealand

2006-06-08T23:51:00.001-07:00

Lake Tekapo at sunset. You can see the Church of the Good Shepard nestled in the distance.

Mirror Lake, on the way to Milford Sound.

Lake matheson, famous for its beautiful reflection.
Lake Matheson NZ

2006-06-08T23:51:00.000-07:00

Mount Cook

2006-06-08T23:50:00.002-07:00

Working hard on the glacier

2006-06-08T23:50:00.001-07:00

Franz Josef

2006-06-08T23:50:00.000-07:00

Abel Tasman caves

2006-06-08T23:49:00.002-07:00

Abel Tasman

2006-06-08T23:49:00.001-07:00

Abel Tasman

2006-06-08T23:49:00.000-07:00

Abel Tasman

2006-06-08T23:48:00.002-07:00

Marahau beach

2006-06-08T23:48:00.001-07:00

Kaikoura

2006-06-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

Christchurch, NZ

2006-06-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

Sydney Harbour

2006-06-08T23:45:00.000-07:00

Lake Wanaka

Gloucester Tree, Pemberton

2006-04-11T07:16:00.000-07:00

Dunsborough WA

2006-04-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

Kings Park

2006-04-11T07:05:00.000-07:00

Cambodia - Sihanoukville

2006-03-20T03:21:00.000-08:00

I stayed in Sihanoukville for 4 nights with two Australian girls. On the beach, there was a childrens art gallery.

Massage

2006-03-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

This weekend we were taken north west of Chiang Mai to practice massage in the tranquil countryside. It was such a treat to get out of the city. We learned to massage the arms and chest and spent the rest of the time tasting strange food.. chicken feet and ant eggs. At lunchtime we visited the nearby waterfall and in the evening there was another spread of food laid out.. followed by drinking and silly games, retiring to sleep under the stars. I slept like a baby. At 6:45 Mama Nit woke us and preceded to do a head massage demo.

Southern Vietnam

2006-02-20T03:09:00.000-08:00

I have included a picture I took at the Cu Chi tunnels (the most famous battlegrounds of the Vietnam War). A guy demonstrates how the North Vietnamese fighters entered one of the sniper holes.

The other pictures were taken on the Mekong Delta.

Luang Prabang

2006-01-22T03:41:00.000-08:00

Got up this morning at 6am to see the monks receiving their alms. I was embaressed because most tourists were standing beside them taking photos. It was terrible. Apart from that it was nice to see from a distance.

Went to the big waterfall today, an hour away from the town. Took a minibus there with a group of friendly Germans. It was worth it. Took a short swim there. My ticker didnt stop thank God (twas rather chilly).

Last night I spent in L'estranger bookshop watching "Finding Neverland". Met Tamsyn there and picked up another Israeli along the way. They're everywhere.
I also had the most relaxing massage ever in "Steam Massage". The girl has only been practicing 2 years. It only cost $3.

Made a few clothes purchases in Walkman Village. Heading North to Nong Thiaw tomorrow and Im preparing for the cold nights.

Vientiane - Vang Vieng

2006-01-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

Spent a day in Vientiane and basically saw enough in that amount of time. We saw the Golden stupa and their Arc de Triumph, visited the market and took the local bus to the Buddah Park. The bus ride was interesting. Learnt to count in Laos and Igot to taste lots of unusual fruit.

We stayed in a dorm 2 dollars per night which did the trick no frills :-)
Tamsyn and I ended up sharing it with some guy who'd come from Vang Vieng. He'd spent 4 weeks there after he was given some free pot for Christmas.

In Vang Vieng now. This place is lovely without the tourists Im sure, lots of large karst formations surround this place. Took my tube and headed off to the river with a few fellow travllers today. Weren't in the water 2 minutes and there was a stop in an alcoholic fuelling station. I had a good swing out of one of the rope swingy things which was deadly!!

There was a cave close by too, so we climbed up to that and walked to the end of it which was all lit up. Two local guys showed us the way. It was really wide and long. Took us about 20 mins to get to the end of it.

Back on the tube we got and travelled 50 meters to the next fuelling station.
When we were back on the straight it was getting cold so we started to hand paddle a bit faster. This young girl latched onto my tube (looking for money Im sure). After 15 minutes of straining to move down river I had to kick her to the curb.

Taking the bus to Luang Prabang tomorrow. Cant wait. This place is lacking culture and I noticed driving in, that the factory close by is emitting lots of shitty smoke that lies over this place.

Dont smoke grass or drink so Im getting out :0)

Souther Laos

2006-01-15T22:57:00.000-08:00

Spent a few nights in Tadlo buy the waterfall in a small bungalow. We went trekking with a local man who thought we were fit and healthy enough to climb to the tob of the 80m waterfall. It was really interesting on the way there. We passed through a few tribal villages and learnt about their traditions and daily routine. Wehn we reached the top we had a well deserved sandwich. Coming down was hilarious. Roisin had no grip and pretty much slid the whole way down.

Met lots of backpackers in Tadlo who looked like part of the furniture. The kids there loved to get their photos taken. Thought me how to write my name in Laos. Met a broken hearted Laos guy too.

From Tadlo we caught the bus to Si Phan Don (4000 islands). We planned on staying on Don Det but but it seemed to be full of tourist bungalows and lacked character. Im glad we took the boat to Don Khon. Found clean and basic bunalows there for 2 dollars a night right on the river with hammocks. Another girl Tamsyn from South Africa came along too.

From here we went to see the beautiful Somphamit Falls and hung out at the beach for a couple of days. We rented bikes each day and cycled our way around. Yesterday we saw the largest cascading waterfall in Asia. We didnt try to find the Irrawaddy dolphins at all. Met some very interesting people around this place including an Canadian woman Lynn, a German animator Ingo. Its so relaxed there. There were a few pet monkeys hanging about the restaurants which were cute. Lots of chikens, dogs, cats, goats, pigs you name it along the roadways.. none of them in any hurry.

This morning we left Don Khon and are back in Pakse. Im still with Tamsyn but Roisin decided to go south of Thailand for some more sun worshipping. said a quick goodbye and both of us were whisked away in our tuk tuks. Shes headed for Krabi her mecca.

Im taking the 8:30 bus to Vientiane with Tamzen tonight. Its VIP and Im already looking forward to a western film.

Phi Phi Island

2006-01-06T05:09:00.000-08:00

This is my second day on Phi Phi Island. Yesterday we took a long-tail boat to Long Beach just west of our beach to get away from the hussle and bustle. The water was much clearer there. We went for a swim to cool down and then I hid under a tree out of the sun. Took some nice pics. Must upload these. Later we took a kayak and headed out to sea to watch the sun set. It was just dark when we arrived back to shore. Lots of fun on the way. Roisin tends to kayak at Olympic standards.

There are loads of bars and restaurants in Ton Sai where we are based (very commercialised). Lively night life.

Today Roisin and I went snorkeling to Maya bay. Its was such a laugh. We took a long tail boat. Before we reached the beach he (sailor dude) stopped up, gave us life jackets and snorkeling gear and off we got. All the different fish were amazing. They are such colorful creatures! The lifejacket was strapped between my legs! Slightly uncomfortable you can imagine. The sea got really choppy on the way back. Pitied the people we passed out in the canoes. It cost 900 Baht.

The picture taken of the hotel is in Ton Sai, Phi Phi. A lot of work is going on at the moment restoring old buildings. It looks like they have abandoned this hotel.

Preparing for my travels

2005-12-14T02:56:00.000-08:00

I've collected my tickets, got my Oz and Vietnam visas, my vaccines and pocket torch so I must be near ready. Once I've said my Cork goodbyes I'm headed to collect my sis from the airport after her travels. The plan is to grab her sleeping bag, give it a good scrub and jump on the next plane out to Bangkok with a couple of mince pies and turkey sambos to eat along the way!