The Last Post?...Maybe...but then again!.......

As my journey comes to an end, I attach a link to a short video of my own favourite pictures and moments. I also attach a montage video of some of the many great travellers and people I met and got to know along the way.
I've met some fascinating people and seen some incredible things that have stirred such emotions in me, from one end of the scale to the other. Along the way I've felt.... happy, ecstatic, nervous, terrified, overawed, confused, disorientated, tired, hyper, love, humility, horror, sadness, desire, anger, elation, courageous, invincible and also very insignificant at times. I can say hello and thank you in an extra 7 different languages and I know my way around 33 more towns and cities than I could before. I also realise how incredibly lucky I am to have been able to travel to the places I have seen.
I've arrived home to see the people I love and who love me after an amazing journey both personally and in miles. Thank you for following me on my travels. Hope to see or speak to you soon, I've missed you. I hope you find me a more tolerant and balanced person but ultimately still the person that you know. As they say in Asia, "Same, same......but different!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN_pbiNOq00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwKisMoRm7k
(follow the link, then best to wait until the video buffers completely before playing)

A wonderful way to end my trip.........travelling home in style

On arriving at Beijing airport and showing BA check-in my e-ticket which detailed all the many flights I had taken with them and their flight partners over the last 5 months, I was delighted to be given a free upgrade to Business Class for the flight home. Wowee! What a way to come home, eh? I was one very happy traveller, I can tell you!

Homeward bound........

I'm starting to get excited about the thought of going home. First thing I'm going to have after I get through the door? A big mug of tea of course!!

A plethora of gorgeous sights to behold......(Beijing, China)

Well, it's been a busy week sightseeing and our feet are aching big time! But it's been worth it. Beijing is a fascinating, interesting and absorbing city. It is also massive and it takes a while to get around the main sites even with a great metro system, very reasonably priced taxis and a lot of stamina. Just to give you a rundown of the main ones I visited plus pics.....

Forbidden City:
This is a huge site and takes a minimum of 2-3 hours to do just the main parts. But it does conjure up the impressive images seen in the film, The Last Emperor, and the restoration work has really helped bring it to life.

The Great Wall:
Awesome, even in the rain!
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaForbiddenCityAndGreatWall#

Tian'Anmen Square:
A tiny bit disappointing as they had scaffolding over most of it. But a must because of its history. They now have a large amount of guards and cameras in place and you are searched before being allowed to enter to save a repeat of the public and student activity of the past.

Houhai district:
Locals gather here at night to spend time doing activities such as salsa dancing, badminton, skipping and a Chinese version of line dancing. Very surreal. Of course, I had to join in with the line dancing - the locals thought it was very funny that I did and I blended in seamlessly being the only Westerner in a line up of about 100 people!
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaBeijing#

Summer Palace/Temple of Heaven/Lama Temple:
These are beautiful and so worth the visit.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaBeijingPalacesAndTemples#

Beijing Opera: This can be an acquired taste for Western ears but is famous in China. The female lead had the most piercing voice I have ever heard, very high pitched and it could lift the lid off a jam jar. But it was also very colourful and the second act was visually very exciting - see video links below for a taster.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379402317306368498

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379403059932010482

Olympic Park:
I had to visit if only to see the Bird Nest stadium. The park is spread over a large area and they had some really interesting art scattered throughout it. It was also the quietest place I had been to in Beijing! As an aside, the stadium is now used for concerts aswell as sports events. To kick start this new stage of it's usefulness, it was said that they needed a big international male singing star as the first artist to perform there. Who do you think it was? Elton John? George Michael perhaps? Maybe even Billy Joel? No, it was that well known singer......Jackie Chan!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaBeijingOperaAndOlympicVillage#

Oh, and somewhere along the line we managed to see England win the Ashes in an Irish bar in Beijing - a very multi cultural experience!

Could you remove the scorpions, please? ...........Chinese food

China has produced the greatest mix of strange, good and quite bad food of my travels. The quality of food within this country varies widely and I've had tasty and healthy food in the equivalent of a fast food outlet and dire quality food in more expensive restaurants. Very pot luck and I must admit the sin at times of being pleased that McDonalds and KFC were around and have taken over the world!
For Western palates, there are challenges. They eat tofu here with the most foul smelling sauce - it produced a massive gag reflex in three of us who were passing by the stall - and possibly explains away the street and toilet smells you come across here. Unless you specify otherwise, they chop chicken as it is with the bones and all. Chicken knees and ankles need a bit of practise to eat with chopsticks, I can tell you, and puts you in danger of whizzing a part of your dinner over to the next table. I decided to waive the opportunity of expanding my appreciation of international cuisine by passing on the roasted chicken feet and the fried ants, grasshoppers and scorpions which are considered very yummy here. Mad Mark was brave enough to try the fried scorpions - see the video evidence below! Also, abalone is not an Italian dessert but an ocean mollusc and sea cucumbers are like giant slugs, rather than a ocean equivalent of the vegetable we know. (They apparently have the peculiar ability to expel their internal organs when startled by a potential predator and then regrow them!) But anything that looks like a large, wet muscle turned inside out, is not for me I'm afraid. We were advised to peel fruit unless it was in a skin of its own such as bananas, due to the copious use of pesticides and the fact that they are often sold at the sides of busy roads - carbon flavoured apples have not caught on in the UK as of yet are far as I'm aware.
You are best going to a more expensive restaurant to enjoy the famous Beijing duck or Peking duck as it's still known, to really appreciate this dish and get a good quality bird. We ate this at my last hotel and it was decidedly tasty. Dishes I have really enjoyed are: boneless chicken with cashew nuts and chilli - in fact most things with chilli in so that the food made your lips go slightly numb were fine by me. Also, stir fried beef and peppers, meat and vegetable dumplings and broccoli dishes as they cook the vegetables 'al dente'. Sometimes the sweet and sour dishes came with a thin sauce rather than the thick, gloopy sauce we know in the UK and it was so much better for it. And you can always rely on rice, boiled or fried,...or McDonalds if nothing else appeals. :-))
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaFood#
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379240906235275986

A few pics and videos whilst I'm busy sightseeing.....

The attached have found their way home for your perusal and entertainment. I went to a fantastic show on Sentosa Island in Singapore. The images in the pictures were created by shining light and pictures onto water which was being sprayed up to 40 feet in the air. The effect was very dramatic.....
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/SingaporeSentosaShow#

I also attach a short video of Rambuttri Road in Bangkok showing the sights and sounds just down from my hotel. I ate from street vendor stalls that evening and took a video whilst I was there. Ahh, brings back memories!.......
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379431448403668770

And for those you have asked. I attach......my bungee jump video off the Kawarau Bridge, Queenstown, NZ. Just look at my face when he says "Smile for the camera" - nervousness written all over it plus a passing thought of "I've got a few things on my mind but the camera at the moment, mate!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxTbDjWCgGk
(follow link then best to wait until the video buffers completely before pressing play)

O.K. Stop! I wanna get off...........(public transport in China)

Public transport in China, particularly buses and trains, need a special mention due to the extraordinary amount of stress, discomfort and irritation they produce, together with the ability to push tourists to the edge of madness. People here have no concept of what queuing is or means so when the bus arrives we have quickly learned that it's every man, woman and child for him/herself.

When it comes to trains, staff will only open one 2ft entrance or exit and squeeze 1500 people through it. It doesn't matter how early you get to the station, all waiting lounge seats are occupied and you'd think that 20 minutes would be more than adequate to board a sleeper train.....but not when half the population of China are boarding your train, with the entire contents of their house and the train is parked 2 miles away on a route that would put an army assault course to shame. It also seems that we are missing some sort of trend or have stumbled across a little known secret society as a large amount of people are carrying around big air con units!

On a plus point, some locals are friendly and although it can go either way on that front , I shared a sleeper train cabin with a very pleasant and educated couple who's son could speak a bit of English. They loved my Chinese mandarin speaking Blackberry - I used a language application to say "It was very nice to meet you!"

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaPublicTransport#

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379401175573205522

Blimey, I've nearly reached Beijing.................(China)

I'm really looking forward to seeing Beijing and will be spending a lot more time here than anywhere else in China. Plus I get to see cousin Amanda and Mad Mark again who are flying in from Australia to join me for a few days after my tour finishes.
There is so much to see in this city - the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square, etc. And I'll finish off my trip in a nice hotel with, hopefully, a large bed, white sheets and lots of towels - bliss after the sleeper trains!

If you're into concrete, then you'll love Shanghai...........(Shanghai,China)

What can I say about Shanghai? Well, they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that sometimes time is needed to see the beauty lying underneath. When I was here, Shanghai seemed to be one big building site and there isn't many traditional sights to visit. It has some interesting districts to it and I know of some people who rave about Shanghai but it appears to me to be very similar to every other aspiring Asian city.....a huge amount of shops, noise, pollution, people and fast food outlets. Maybe it's reputation has been built on/by the stock exchange but I just didn't get it and it's beauty remained hidden to me. Don't get me wrong, it's worth seeing if you are passing but I can't say I had a hankering to stay here longer. Maybe I'll get the opportunity to come back when the building work has calmed down a bit.
I did go to a jaw dropping acrobat show here though. It was great entertainment, very beautiful to look at at times and the acrobats could bend themselves into positions that looked as if their spines and skeletons had been removed. Photos were supposedly banned but no one was adhering to this rule so I got a sneaky one in - see across. What I wouldn't give for stomach muscles like they have!
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaShanghai#

Soldiers and Starbucks........(Xi'an,China)

Xi'an is quite modern with lots and I mean, a HUGE amount of shops. Plus a large amount of McDonalds and KFC outlets! But it also has the traditional roofed buildings that you see on postcards of China, temples, pagodas and the Terracotta Army as a major draw. Xi'an is great and I really liked it despite the fact that the taxi and bus drivers drive like lunatics here - and that's saying something after some of the Asian cities I've been to!

Now I've kind of got used to surreal things happening by now but a trip to Starbucks (the native breakfasts here are top of my list for being unedible for Western palates) delivered a corker. Two of us were sitting having a drink looking out onto a modern shopping mall and a small garden area when a van drew up. Two soldiers got out with (rhymes with buns) and approached Starbucks and we thought "Uh, oh, what's up?" One stayed outside, sat down and laid his A K 47 on a table whilst the other came inside with his A K 47 and.......ordered coffee! I did manage to get a pic of this moment (see link below)....without being noticed of course.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaXiAn#

Still guarding the Emperor.......(Terracotta Army, Xi'an, China)

Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi didn't do things by halves. It took 40 years and 70,000 slaves to create his final resting place and it still wasn't finished when he died. Guarding his tomb are the Terracotta Soldiers. There's something about seeing this army that stirs the emotions. They're silent, waiting in rows to perform their duty and a lot are broken. But in true Hollywood style, you are almost waiting for them to come alive and start marching towards you. A creation of an emperor's imagination, wealth, power, ego and suspicion of the afterlife, they are a real sight to behold.
The Emperor's tomb is still unopened, thanks to the fact that he had it surrounded by a moat of mercury which has poisoned the soil. It is somewhat ironic that his tomb and embalmed body are now being protected by the very thing that killed him - his medical advisors told him to take mercury so he would achieve immortality.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaTerracottaArmy#

Yichang.........(Southern Mainland China)

It was a relief to get back to a city after the boat even if it was just for one night before travelling to Xi'an to see the Terracotta Army. We were put in a nice hotel, partly to make up for the trauma of the boat trip but also because I think our guide knew he'd have a riot on his hands otherwise!
Yichang is a modern city for Asia and we could, at least, get some decent food - the food on the boat was equally horrendous. So half of us shamefully, but as it turned out tastily, took ourselves off to Pizza Hut and felt full for the first time in 2 days.
As we strolled back, a cart was ambling by playing what, very quickly, became a familiar tune. We all cracked up laughing when we realised that we were in a Chinese city in August, in a 32 degree/75% humidity heat listening to .....Jingle Bells!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaYichang#

Three Gorges.......(Sandoupling, near Yichang, China)

At 6300kms, the Yangzti River is the 3rd longest in the world - and it appears to be also one of the 'brownest'! It marks the border between north and south China both geographically and culturally.
Along this part of the river, just upstream from a city called Yichang, there are the Three Gorges....and the Three Gorges dam project, a project of some discussion which will displace 1.3m people, raise the water level by 135 meters and cover up approximately 8000 unexcavated archaeological sites. And will also provide at least 10% of China's power needs. In true BCG style, it's gone ahead, despite strong support (not) from their own people, historians and a major eco group beginning with the letter G. And any local non-supporters have been held, allegedly, at Her Majesty's pleasure.
This is an area of outstanding beauty and it really has dramatic scenary......and it's slowly being decimated. It dawned on me that there were no birds singing here or other animals to be seen apart from a few farmed goats and pointedly, no fish in the river - they had all been eaten according to our guide. The excursion down this part of the river has really brought home to me how, due to their vast numbers, a certain race of people is rav*g**g parts of its country and r*p**g the land with apparently little thought for the future.
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaThreeGorges#

Pure t*rt*re in a place of natural beauty....(River Shennong, Wuxia Gorge, Yichang)

We've been on a boat for 2 days sailing up some of the tributaries off the Yangzti River to look at the scenary. Sounds quite nice doesn't it? It did to us, especially as we were going to be in first class cabins. Then we were advised that our boat had been commandeered by the BigChiGov (to be known as the BCG from this moment on) and we were being moved to another. That's when the nightmare began.....
By the end of 2 days living in a filthy room where we were nervous about sleeping on the bed linen on a rotting, decaying ship with about 300 other indigenous people who seemed very happy with their holiday home, we were majorly fed up. Yes, we complained bitterly and our tour guide got a huge amount of stick. The rats gnawing behind the walls of the cabins was the final straw for many in our group including the girl sharing my cabin. I must have been travelling for too long as my response to this situation was "We might as well go back to sleep 'cause at least the ship isn't sinking as the rats would be leaving!"
Took the edge of the scenary really! If any Americans had been on board, I'm sure we would have all been airlifted off to avoid a breakdown in foreign relationships!

I'm going to have to be a bit careful it seems.........(Mainland China)

Up until now, my China postings have been fairly complimentary and positive. But I do have some things I'd like to share that perhaps could be construed by some as not. Due to the problems previously mentioned about the transfer of info across the world wide web, I'm going to have to convey this as best I can without raising the possibility of my being detained at the equivalent of Her Majesty's Pleasure in this country! If I can't get the full effect over, I'll be filling you on on the real details on my return. In the meantime, some of my sentences may seem a bit odd but at least you know why........

A bit of Olympic sophistication in a small town.....(Yangshou, China)

Yanghsou is a small town with a population of just 300k. In this area there are over 20,000 limestone pinnacles and mounds from when the area was once an ocean 190m years ago, providing some stunning scenary. As an area of natural beauty, tourism is the main industry here and so a little English is spoken. This is quite a sweet town and the people are very friendly and equally fascinated with us as we are with them! I went to a light show here performed on the River Li with the backdrop of the spectacular mountains and pinnacles, which they lit up behind the stage area. There was the full moon peeking over one....so the setting was quite lovely. The show was devised by the guy who responsible for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, so it was a nice surprise to be able to see this show in such a small town.
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/ChinaYangshou#

I've been censored!...............(Mainland China)

Something I did not but should have anticipated has happened. I've been censored by the Chinese government! China will not let me log onto Facebook, my blog or download any images to my holding website. I'm outraged but there isn't anything I can do about it. Therefore, I have moved onto Plan B so that I can continue to let you know where I am, what I'm seeing and I don't have to update a month's worth of blog when I get home! Plan B is for me to e-mail my co-editor Steven with my postings and as many pictures as I can get through by e-mail and he is going to copy to my blog. Therefore, there may be a satellite delay in receiving postings and the copious amounts of pictures I am taking may need to be linked at a later date. But I will not be silenced! I'm a British citizen, don't they know, and this is just not CRICKET!

We're off roaming China!...............

Sixteen of us set off on the first leg of our journey into mainland China to a town called Yanghsou. As Hong Kong is still running on a separate system to mainland China, I had to change my remaining HK dollars into Chinese yuan and then we had to pass through both HK and Chinese immigration before continuing with our journey. This included a temperature test for fever which I passed in the 32 degree heat. Hurrah! I'm in!
The next stage of the journey involves an 11hr sleeper train journey and 2hr bus ride. We have 5 sleeper train plus 2 nights on a boat on this trip - I think I might just be ready for my own bed at the end of this!

With buildings that defy gravity..........(Hong Kong)

Kowloon, where my hotel is, is situated on mainland Hong Kong across from Hong Kong island. It's a bustling metropolis (by now you've probably gathered that all major Asian cities are!) of large sky scrapers with small streets coming off the main roads which is where you find how the real HK lives rather than HK's rich and elite. This area is full to the brim of shops, the obligatory Asian night market and lots of traffic. But in the middle of all this madness, they have some tranquil gardens where you can go and get some respite from the sun and craziness of the city. HK was on a typhoon warning level 1 when I got there, the significence of which I didn't realise until the rain started coming down which drenches everything! (I have subsequently found out that it moved to a level 8, so we left just in time)

With just one day to see HK, I went for the top of the list items which was to travel across to HK island and travel up the Peak Tram to see the views over HK city. These were pretty outstanding even with the heavy cloud. The buildings on HK island are built on the hills and as the tram went up at a 45 degree angle, some of the houses and skyscrapers looked as if they could topple over with one good blast of high wind. It is an amazing man made landscape. In the evening some of us went to the Avenue of Stars - think bronze statues of Bruce Lee and celebrity hand and footprints in cement - to watch the harbour light show that happens every evening at 8pm. The lights on the skyscrapers on HK island move in conjunction with the beat of the music and provides some great photo opportunities of the harbour.

Weather in China? On a par with Japan - I'm not going to feel completely dry for 3 weeks now it seems due to the heat and humidity!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/HongKong#

My starter for 10 - Hit me with Hong Kong!...... (China)

Landed in Hong Kong fairly late at night expecting a train and metro challenge to my hotel. Similarly to Tokyo though, HK didn't let me down with English signage, but also similar to Japan things were not that obvious to work out! I'm meeting up with the tour group tomorrow night so have a day to explore this pearl of the Orient. Also found out that ATM's do not like you taking cash out of one country and then travelling and trying to get cash out in local currency in another country on the same day. Luckily I had some emergency US dollars on me and airports and train stations, thankfully, have currency exchange booths at them. So I could actually get to my hotel - the train ticket booth would only accept cash not cards - amazing these days! It's these sort of unexpected things that you find out about at the time it happens when travelling!

Sayounara Japan........

You can't get to know the essence of Japan in a 2 week timeframe. You need to really live here amongst the people to get a proper feel for the culture, society and soul of this incredible country. Time needs to be dedicated to peeling back the layers of Japan. After the initial jolt you get from the people and the language being so different, you start to realise the complexity of this society and their lifestyle. And it does make you want to know more.

Japan made me feel more like a fish out of water than any other country that I've visited so far but throughout my visit they have been endearingly polite and helpful. They are a fascinating race.

Japanese food

The best way to experience Japanese food is to be introduced to it by a local I think. I didn't have this luxury and so have spent my time feeling, or should I say feeding, my way through the options. I have eaten dishes over the past 10 days that I have had little or no idea what they were even after they arrived and I had tasted it. I did try sushi and some of it tasted pretty good. Maybe it was my cold, but the textures to other bits produced a gag reflex in me.....not the best reaction when you are trying to blend in! And a lot of soy sauce was needed on other bits. It wasn't horrendous but I would just prefer to eat something else I concluded. The Japanese eat eel at this time of the year as there is something in it that combats the heat. But I can't look at the things when they are alive never mind raw and dead so I had to put up with the heat instead! It came to my notice that getting hold of any fresh fruit was a major challenge - why I never got to the bottom of. I resorted to drinking cartons of orange and grapefruit juice. When I did find fresh fruit, I ended up paying over two pounds for one, albeit humungous, apple - I kid you not! I was so desperate at that point I didn't care!
Another curiousity is the trend to show cooked dishes in the windows of their restaurants - probably plastic imitations but as they had a glaze over them, it gave the appearance that the dishes had congealed - very unappetising to look at!
So food wise, Japan hasn't made a great impression on me and there hasn't been one thing I have eaten that has made me go "Wow" I'm afraid. But then again, I probably wasn't in the right places with the right people!

Hmmm.......womens fashion in Japan......

I just have to comment on womens fashion here which is bewildering to say the least. It is so diverse but you can also recognise certain 'uniforms' that have been adopted as you're out and about. There is one shopping mall that has 11 floors of women's clothing dedicated, it seems, to helping you dress like your favourite pop star, cartoon character, schoolgirl or shall we say, a bit sluttish? Make that a lot sluttish and it underlines the huge contradictions going on in this country. Especially when you see other women and girls wearing the traditional kimonos.
Another trend across all ages up to a limit of 50 seems to be for wearing woollen black over the knee socks with very high peep toe heels. A huge amount of women are travelling around the metro with 5-6 inch heels on. I was wearing flip flops or birkenstocks and my feet were aching after a couple of hours.
After the age of 50, it appears there is a steady decline towards any old piece of shapeless sack will do attitude. And considering the heat, the women wear a lot of synthetic fibres. I'm going to have to stop staring! The men are dressed so well in comparison!

Kyoto......

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for 1000 years in the days when imperialism and emperors ruled. It's also the manaufacturing hub for silk and is the home of Nintendo's HO.

I got a good feeling about Kyoto soon after getting off the train. It's more personable than Tokyo with a lot less people - population is only 1.5m. Transport wise it only has 2 metro lines - one going north to south and one going west to east. So all the places in between are reached by bus which, on first glance, deserves a medal for it's complexity. Kyoto has some nice temples, palaces and Gion corner where the famous miako or geisha girls used to operate in their heyday. The buildings in this area are very traditional in style and the geisha are still there although they tend not to wear the white make-up these days. It was worth the visit and I'm glad I made the effort.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/JapanKyoto#

Now I know why the Japanese had a TV programme named Endurance......getting to Kyoto

Carrying a 15kg backpack in a 30 degree heat and 74% humidity with the flu is an endurance test. After 1.5 hours of doing so in these conditions, I was starting to give up on the idea of getting to see Kyoto. Especially when I was sent here, there and everywhere at the station by various staff - the golden rule at train stations seems to apply across the world which is to ask enough people until the same line/platform comes up twice or more! The $165 return ticket cost to get to Kyoto by bullet train is a shocker but the Bullet has a top speed of 280 mph and gets you to Kyoto in 2.5 hours, so you get the idea of the distances involved. Based on this challenging start, I am truly hoping Kyoto will be worth the pain.

Tokyo....stimulating with no OFF switch.....

There are 8m people living in Tokyo city. There are over 12m living in the Tokyo state - one tenth of the total population. That's a lot of people to cater for and keep happy, active and interested. I think I now know why the locals in Tokyo are permanently tired - they are bombarded every minute of the day with light, videos, instructions, music, directions and other visual stimulation. You become aware of this constant noise around you and sometimes the decibel levels are immense. Tokyo has its quieter suburbs but parts of Tokyo are absolutely mental with the streets jam packed with people all hours of the day. It's exciting as a visitor but can also be exhausting at times. But Tokyo is extremely safe for women to walk around, even at night. Japan is apparently the 5th safest country in the world today. So it gets a big thumbs up from me on that point, even if there is no OFF switch!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/JapanTokyo#

Oink?!...........

Two people I know have been diagnosed with swine flu and the symptoms mirror my own! I won't know until I get home if it is and I'm not going to raise my hand here as being quarantined in a foreign land is not an option. If I have got swine flu, then I do feel terribly guilty about possibly infecting thousands of people. In my defence, it did come straight after getting very cold whilst skiing so I assumed, and still am assuming, it's a bad cold. But personally, this is where the British bulldog spirit kicks in and as long as I can still function, I'm going to carry on. Anyhow, I think I may have turned a corner with it by now...........

I just want to wee!.....(Or how to complicate a simple process)......(Tokyo, Japan)

Public and hotel loos in Japan are a revelation. They are spotlessly clean which is fantastic. They are also an example of how you can over complicate a simple process. Practically all have a computerised control module attached that allows you to:
Play a sound of running water whilst you go or sometimes a nice tune - which you can adjust the volume up and down on.
In some cases, this facility is set to automatic so when you sit the sound starts, when you raise yourself it stops. Which defeats the objective of disguising when you are going really!
You can press another button and it's a bidet or a further button gives you a bit of a shower on your nether regions. Then if you still have time, you can get a blow dry!
If it wasn't 30 degrees and a humidity factor of nearly 75%, the seat warmer would be super. I have been tempted at times to see how high the temperature goes.
But unless you are a bit strange, like hanging around toilets or have no life, then I can't see and haven't come across anyone so far that wants to spend 20 minutes locked in a loo playing with the system!

There's a mountain round here somewhere.........Mount Fuji

I took a trip to see the famous Mount Fuji and spent the whole day trying to catch a glimpse of the summit through thick mist, rain and fog. It's the middle of Japan's summer and the rainy season was supposed to have finished a month ago, but in these parts, they are having 'unusual weather'. Station 5, which is about 2600 feet up and where the walkers start off to climb the further 1000 was a tourist nightmare and I was eager to leave. Also stayed overnight at Hakone, a tiny local town. It is very green here with thick woodland and it's very pretty but there's not a lot going on. So the weather conditions sparked a decision to bullet train it back to Tokyo as I've located the district where they filmed 'Lost in Translation' which I loved. So one of the girls I met on the trip and I are having a film set moment tonight!
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/JapanMountFujiAndArea#

Going round in circles........Tokyo Metro system

The Tokyo Metro and train system needs a mention of it`s own. The rumours are true - it`s very efficient and clean and puts the London Underground to shame. Signs and places are in English as well as Japanese, there are lots of routes, different companies own different lines and it takes a little while to get in the know about the best route. The first journey I took to my tour pick up point took me 1.5 hours. After a very pale grey line was pointed out to me on the map, my second journey was reduced by 40 minutes! But you still have to be prepared to set off early especially during rush hour which is an experience in itself.

Some of the notices that have been translated into English are hilarious: "Don't run for your train as getting stuck in the doors can be both painful and embarrassing". " Do not throw your cigarette down the toilet, the toilets are NOT ONE BIG ASHTRAY".
I have also never seen so many people across all ages sleeping on transport or anywhere they sit for more than 2 minutes - the Japanese must be permanently exhausted as they cat nap everywhere! One tiny, old lady even cat napped on my shoulder through 4 stations - my shoulder was just the right height for her head it seemed!

Konnichiwa!........(Japan)

I arrived in Japan after 24 hours of travelling and no sleep. I also have, thanks to this rotton cold, no sense of smell or taste combined with reduced hearing - I`m a very atttractive package at the moment! I`m hoping that normality will be restored soon so that I can at least taste the food here. I think it`s karma for enjoying myself too much and for sending evil thoughts to the mother who`s child screamed for practically the whole 10 hours on the plane. I think a double dose of Calpol would have helped the situation immensely for everyone. Despite being partially deaf, over tired and not feeling my brightest, I did manage to find my way to the hostel using the train and metro system ....two hours later I arrived - the airport is an hour away and Tokyo is a BIG city! So reasonably proud of myself as a result.

Weather: Cor Blimey! 29 degrees and rising and 74% humidity factor. I can`t decide whether I`m gradually melting or slowly suffocating - a period of adjustment is needed!

Leaving Australasia (boo!).....back to Asia (hurrah!)

I've really enjoyed the time I've spent in Australia and New Zealand and would like to return to the do the west coast of Oz and more of the South Island of NZ. My winter clothes have either been packed off to the U.K. or given to charity as it's back to 30 degree temperatures. So now for something completely different........Japan.

Action woman has been (temporarily) downed.........

I'm laid low a bit with a chesty cough and a bit of a cold. I can't believe it - well I can, I didn't have my scarf on whilst skiing and I felt the wind bite through when I went up to the top of the mountain on the ski lift. And I have been overdoing it a bit. But this is a good thing I'm telling myself as I dose myself with cold and cough relief. Why? Well, if you're going to feel a bit under the weather, then being laid low in Queenstown, NZ is not so bad as I can cough whilst I look at the wonderful scenary! Secondly, it's happened when I've got a few restful days and my immune system is now going to kick start in time for China. That's if I don't get quarantined at an airport because they fear I may have swine flu. I'll dose myself up, tick 'No' to every box on the 'have you had any of these symptoms' questionnaire and cross my fingers!

Aussie and NZ food......

I did have a pie in Oz - nothing special I'm afraid. But Australian cities are full of any cuisine you fancy and good quality coffee is a constant here. So you'll never struggle to find fantastic food in Australia. And they have the wonderful custard apple of course!
New Zealand is similar to Oz in what you can find and most restaurants have lamb on the menu, of course. But a curious sweet they have here is something called Strawberry Lamington. It's sponge dipped in strawberry jam and coated with coconut - really sweet, tooth rotting and tastes pretty awful to be honest!
In my favourite Queenstown, theres a great little place called Lick that does a fantastic leek, bacon and potato soup amongst other things for under 2 quid! And Fergburger is an absolute must here - you can't go back to a lowly McDonalds or KFC burger after having a locally produced prime beef Fergburger - it was so big it took me 20 minutes to eat it and was the business. Delicious!

Auckland....let's move on I think!

I had passed through Auckland twice on my way to other places before I got to spend any time here. So I was looking forward to exploring it a bit. After doing so, my personal view is;

A lot of the things to do in Auckland are actually outside of it and therefore you need to travel.

It holds the prize for the rudest bus drivers so far who seem to view tourists as a pain in the butt rather than helping to keep the Auckland economy buoyant.

And perhaps because I've seen a lot of attractive cities on my travels, compared to them Auckland could do a lot better as major city in my view. Sorry Auckland!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandAuckland#

I need a holiday to get over this holiday........(North Isle Activities, NZ)

For those of you who know that my preferred 'exercise' on a Friday night is lifting a glass of wine whilst ploughing through some Pringles, you'll be flabbergasted to know that in a 5 day period, I did the following:

4km of hiking

2 hours of horse riding - across mountains and valleys, even a bit of a gallop and cantor. The views were fabulous.

100m abseil into a cave - with a 1.5hr hike out of it.

3 hours of skiing - the conclusion being that I'm not a natural skier although I did enjoy my lesson.

It felt as if every muscle in my body ached by the end and after a long Saturday night, even my eyelid muscles were aching! But I have noticed that I now have a tiny bit of definition to my arms. Weyhey! Action woman strikes again but I do think I need to slow the pace down a bit before I hit my China tour.

Message to brother.....I don't think there are many more activities left now that I want to do where I need to name you as next of kin, but will reserve judgement as I think that China as a country may be classified as a dangerous sport in itself.

The Haka!............(North Island, NZ)

As part of our tour, we were taken to a local Maori marae to see performaces of the traditional Haka, Poi dancing and songs by local Maori people. We were then taught the Haka and Poi dancing - but tradition meant that only the boys in our group were allowed to learn the Haka. The girls had to learn to dance and sing with Poi which are small, soft pom poms on string. Boo! We wanted to learn the Haka! But then we heard that, originally, poi were rocks on leather or string. Young warriors used these to help them train their arms and wrists so that they could use their weapons to take a human skull straight off with one swipe!

Great fun to learn and as we could watch the boys do the Haka, we could pick it up anyway. The guys on our tour were able to practice their new found skills in the pub that weekend watching the Australia v NZ rugby game. NZ won.....and some of us ended up getting back to the hostel just in time for breakfast and to catch our bus leaving at 6.45am!
Now the Haka is a much better thing to do rather than belly dancing on a wet Saturday afternoon in the supermarket. Should stir things up amongst the frozen pea section don't you think?
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandMaoriHakaPoi#
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379237470956157922

Phew! One hectic week..........Northern Island, New Zealand.......

I've had a hectic week travelling around the North Isle as follows....

Hahei:
After leaving Auckland, we travelled south easterly to the Coromandel region to stay at Hahei, a small coastal town, taking in some quite lovely scenary and a bit of natural hot water pool bathing along the way. A two hour walk to the beach coves here and back got the muscles warmed up - great going down, a bit tough on the legs coming back up!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandHahei#

Rotorua:
Rotorua is geo thermal and the town and area is littered with boiling springs, bubbling mud, geysers and sulphuric steam venting from thermal pools. Its name means two lakes in Maori and the town famously smells of rotton eggs due to the sulphur escaping. The locals are used to it apparently. Strangely though, when you bathe in the pools the smell of sulphur is really strong but it doesn't linger on your skin afterwards.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandRotorua02#

Waitomo:
Waitomo Caves are situated about 2.5 hours south west of Auckland. There are over 300 underground caves scattered about the area. As they take along time to open up at ground level, there is little danger to Joe Public but I believe that local farmers have lost the odd cow here and there!
Now as you have probably gathered by now, I have some bouyancy to dealing with heights. But I have never understood why peope want to go caving. To do the same under water, is my idea of a complete nightmare. It's the whole enclosed space thing I suppose that freaks me out a bit. That's why, when the opportunity arose to go caving here which included a 100m abseil into the cave - twice the height of my bungee jump - well, I just had to do it or at least try. Going down was huge fun! The hour and a half getting back up and out was a lot tougher, espcially the 30ft vertical ladder at the end! Superb experience though and we even got to see glow worms breaking up the darkness when we turned off our helmet lights to see them.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandWaitomoCaves#

Tongariro National Park:
The Tongariro National Park is one of a handful of sites in the world that has dual heritage status for both natural and cultural values. It also sits on a major fault line and has 3 volcanoes, only one of which is classified as dormant. This hasn't stopped the Kiwis building a ski and activity resport on and around them! And a lot of sites were used in this area for filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandTongariroNationalPark#

Wellington, capital of New Zealand:
There is a pub in Wellington that's called the Welsh Pub and is dedicated to all things Welsh. Hurrah! A must see for me. Our tour leader spoilt the moment somewhat by telling me the building used to be a block of toilets!
What can I say about Wellington? Nice city with a lovely harbour, not spectacular, fairly small with a population of just 320k people, can get round it in a day easily. Oh, and as I discovered, some of the pubs and bars are open until 6am!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandWellington#

North Island, New Zealand......away for 6 days now...

I have a 6 day road trip booked with nine other people of different ages and nationalities around the North Isle. This is going to be an active tour I've been told with a fair few activities to do and lots of exercise. Plus proper hostels and dormitory sharing. Thank goodness I've decided to go back to Queenstown for some R&R as I think I'm going to need it! But I'm looking forward to seeing some lovely scenary and more of New Zealand.

She flies through the air again!....(Kawarau Bridge, Queenstown, NZ)

Queenstown is where bungy jumping was conceived and founded. And it was something I felt I just had to do. On the morning of, it was freezing cold but I wasn't nervous as I'm an experienced skydiver you know. :-))

Then when I was bound by the legs attached to a huge piece of elastic over a 43ft drop, I realised that a small physical difference to my skydive was going to make a massive pyschological difference to a bungee - no one was going to take me with them, I was going to have to jump off by my own steam!

It's unnatural to want to throw yourself off the top of a canyon and your brain is screaming that fact at you as you stand there on a tiny ledge. The longer you leave it I was told, the worse it gets. So on the first count of 3, I trusted that they had done their job properly and jumped.......

.......I screamed all the way down of course! When the boys in the boat came to 'rescue' me at the bottom, the first thing one of them said to me was "I like your boots!"And as I hung upside down like a large bat waiting to be pulled into the boat, all I could think of was that famous Wenglish phrase 'Nice boots those shoes'!

Pics link below as proof and yes, I do have a DVD of this moment too!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandBungeeJumping#

Please take your stance..... eyes wide open in amazement, mouth open in awe.....(Milford Sound, South Isle, NZ)

By the time the third local person had asked me whether I had been to see Milford Sound which is about 3.5 hours south of Queenstown, I got the feeling the place was a bit of a 'do not miss' moment. They call it the 8th wonder of the world here and although it has not been afforded that accolade, it must be a good contender.

It is fiordland with sheer cliffs rising vertically from the ocean and waterfalls tumbling down the mountains. 60 years ago they cut a road through a mountain to gain access to this stunning area without any modern tools available to do so. And I can see why they went to all that pain. It is magnificent.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandMilfordSound#

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379230241073766674

Don't make me leave, please!.......Queenstown, New Zealand.....

Queenstown was so named because 'it was fit for Queen Victoria' - such an understatement for this little town nestled between a gigantic range of mountains.I have used the word spectacular to describe scenary I have enjoyed along the way to date - believe me I used the word prematurely - the scenary and landscape in and around Queenstown is so utterly exquisite that I'm not ashamed to say that it made me cry.

Due to it being famous as a centre for extreme sports and where bungee jumping all started, I feared that it was going to be a bit of a theme park and have a slight 'kiss me quick' feel about it. How wrong could a person be about the look and feel of this town? It has really great restaurants and coffee houses, the people are so friendly and rightly proud and enthusiastic about their landscape, it has lovely little shops where I could spend a small fortune and all with the added bonus of being able to go and scare yourself witless, sorry, push your own fear boundaries with the many activities on offer. But the real find was a wine shop which is like sitting in a room of a big, old English country house with leather chairs and sofas. They give you a smart card and there are 80 different wine optics around the room grouped into grape type and whites and reds. You can take a 25cl taster and if you like it, there are two further option for a half glass or full glass. On top of this, they provide cheese and salami boards so you can nibble whilst you try what you like. And it's open from midday until 10pm. Absolute bliss and beats the pub crawl that the younger backpackers go on hands down.This is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the world to me and the impact it had on me from the moment I stepped off the plane was immense. I don't and didn't want to leave. So much so that I've decided to spend the 4 days I have left in NZ at the end of my Northern Island tour here as I just love this place so much and very much hope that I can come back again and again.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/NewZealandQueenstown#

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379399726755122658

I'm in New Zealand!......

Spent just one night in Auckland (will be returning in the future), where the local backpacker bar had a fish racing competition which involved live fish, metal gulleys and straws - just don't ask! It would probably have the animal rights people up in arms over cruelty to goldfish. But is was a really good laugh!
The next morning I headed off to Queenstown which turns out to have a population of just over 10k rising to a grand 45k during peak season. It is also renowned for activities that push your boundaries and this is where I am going to do a bungee jump.
It is worth the trip just for the views and scenary you see coming into land at the airport - it is quite unbelievable and we had the benefit of seeing it bright sunshine with the snow glistening on the top of a mountain range called the Remarkables. If I thought it was cold in Oz, then it was quite clear on arrival that I would need a very warm jacket, hat, scarf and gloves. So I have to go shopping, again. :-))

Losing things......

Before you travel, no one tells you that you need rather a large continguency fund to replace the things you lose, get stolen or break. So far, my tally appears to be (as far as I've realised as constant moving addles the brain):
1 x vest - stolen by a Cambodian maid.
2 x scarfs - lost/left in a bar
4 x Sunglasses - 3 x broken, 1 x lost.
1 x dress - left in Singapore
Driving licence - god knows where it's gone. I think it could be sitting in a post office in Brisbane.
1 x watch - fell off in a taxi (realised afterwards)
8 x other items of clothing/underwear - after being laundered in Asia in the equivalent of Ganges river water, they fall apart, lose colour or just lose the will to live on you.
Documents and passport - these are constantly on a mission to disappear within my bag or rucksack - I know they are in there somewhere but the pesky things are so good at hiding from me at the wrong moment.
Dignity - lost about half a dozen times so far.
Being self conscious - every day, major exception being when I watched having a wee by women in a Cambodian loo! I was pre-warned it may happen but it was still a shock!
Brain cells - doing well, only a few million so far.
Sanity, consciously and unconsciously - ongoing problem. :-))

Anyone planning to travel long term - you have been pre-warned.

Sidney who? Not Sidney who, Sydney Australia!....

By the time I got to Sydney, I knew 6 people who are living here - the power of travelling and meeting people.
Melbourne has a perfect street plan and grid whereas Sydney is a bit of a hotch potch of areas and has grown organically and by accident or necessity. So it took me a bit longer to get my bearings here, especially as there are many transport options ranging from expensive to free. But once done so, it's relatively easy to get around and see the main sites. So I got to see the Sydney Opera House (by day and by night) and the Harbour Bridge which have been a goal ever since my father showed pictures of them to me when I was a child.
Special mention here goes to: Cousin Amanda - such a trouper to come down from Brisbane - Mark and Rob who took me out on the town in my one and only party top and helped me to lose a few million brain cells (through alcohol), my new scarf (it was sooo nice and warm!) and probably my dignity. But a superb brekkie and the sights of Bondi Beach made me forget the inevitable hangover the next day. And also to Emily, who has an amazing story to tell of personal triumph over adversity. Thank you so much for your great company.
Where do I go from here? New Zealand.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AustraliaSydney#

Dear Brother, no need to worry but you're down as my next of kin (sent by text).....(Sydney)

It's not something I thought I'd ever do, but after speaking to people during my travels that had done it, skydiving went on the 'maybe if the opportunity arose' list. A weather forecast for Sydney of 2 days of clear, blue skies and Sydney Skydivers not far from my hotel triggered a decision in me - although at 7am the morning of, I was questioning my own sanity. Three hours later, I was throwing myself out of a plane at 14,000 feet (attached to someone more experienced of course), then there was 20 seconds of free falling down to just over 5000 feet - it felt like 2 minutes before that chute opened! - then we floated back down to terra firma over the fields and roads. Yes, I have a DVD to remind me of the moment. Yes, I did a fair amount of screaming and for somebody who likes to have control over her environment, putting my life totally in someone else's hands was a major challenge for me. But it was totally and utterly brilliant and I'd do it again.

Check out my very unflattering jumpsuit!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AustraliaSydneySkydive#

"I'm an Audra too!"........(Melbourne airport)

When you have an unusual name you come to terms with the fact that people mishear and get it wrong. As a child it makes you stand out, as an adult I've got used to being called Andra, Audrea, Andrea, Auda, etc. and spending a good deal of time informing people that if they insist on calling me Audrey, then I'm going to have to kill them.
What you don't expect is to rock up at some airport across the other side of the world to where you live and excitable airline staff to shout "You're an AUDRA! How GREAT, I'm an Audra TOO! LOOK Marg, LOOK Dave, look at her passport (waves my passport around), she's an AUDRA!". And then go on to question me as to why I think I'm called it - her father liked an actress called Audra Lindley too it seems, she was in a film called Splendor in the Grass - whilst I listened to the huffs, puffs, coughs and moans from passengers behind me trying to check in for a rapidly approaching departing flight. Ah, bless! I've found a friend. We need to stick together us Audras, we're a rare breed!

Multi-cultural Melbourne.....(Australia)

Melbourne promotes and prides itself on being modern, cosmopolitan, multi-cultural and artistic and it is all that. Similarly to other Australian cities, the city centre is small and accessible with great transport links with the suburbs spreading out for miles around it. It also has the impressive Eureka Skydeck, the world's tallest residential building, which allows a 360 degree view of the city, 88 floors and 300 metres up. This is an attractive city, lots of artistic things going on with great bars and restaurants, and everything works to plan which for long term visits or living is what you want. And it's well worth seeing. I easily slotted in and was mistaken for a Melbournite a few times by other tourists - which was part of the issue for me - it was like being in the U.K. I guess I've got used to be slightly at odds with my environment and when you don't have to try to make yourself understood or seek out information, you don't need to interact with the people and therefore the heart of a city. If you gave me a choice between Ho Chi Minh city and here, I'd still go for HCM, I believe. Maybe I'm pining a bit for the madness of Asia. China may rid me of that feeling!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AustraliaMelbourne#

Hey man, why's my fur, like, pyschedelic?....animal facts (2)

Koala bears only spend about 4 hours a day awake. There are over 900 different kinds of eucalyptus tree in Australia of which koalas will only eat between 8-40. So you could say they are fussy eaters. But there is apparently something in the eucalyptus trees they do eat that causes a drug like/hallucinogenic effect on them. So basically, koalas can only be awake for 4 hours a day as they are permanently stoned.

Simply stunning....Great Ocean Road (Victoria, Aus.)

Praying that it wouldn't snow, we set off on our trip along the GOR after a nights stay in a hostel. The local pub next door was a worrying mix of 'The League of Gentlemen' ("Are you local?") and the pub from an American Werewolf in London. Maybe our imaginations were running away with us but, as I ended up being put in a cabin attached to the pub for the night, the group were laying bets as to whether they would see me at breakfast!

What can I add to what's been said in all the travel books about the Great Ocean Road. Even in intermittent sunshine, the scenary is spectacular, wild, untamed and gorgeous. My pictures do not do it justice but I managed to get a great one of the sun setting over the famous Twelve Apostles (see link below) which made the whole trip for me.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AustraliaGreatOceanRoad#

Some facts for the pub quiz.....or how to ensure people avoid you at parties....

What makes a kangaroo a wallaby? It' all about size apparently - wallabies are roos which are under 20kg.
Groups of kangaroos are called mobs.
Female kangaroos can put their pregnanicies on hold, usually during times of low food and drought - how useful would that that be as a human, eh?
Kangaroo farts are methane free - they have a special bacteria in their stomachs which stops them producing harmful methane - they are therefore one of the most environmentally friendly animals on the planet!

I had a bit of time on my hands on the bus!

Fancy a bit of a hike?....Grampian Mountain range (Victoria, not Scotland)

Just been to the Grampian Mountains, a spectacular range that over 450 million years ago was a seabed. This was a time when a degree of fitness was needed and I found that the last two month's diet of regular alcohol had taken its toll. Although tiring, I managed over 8km of hiking over a 24hr period, up steep and rocky mountains. At times, I did think my lungs were going to pop at times as our guide was an ex-athlete who was like a gazelle over the rocks and rock faces. But we were rewarded for doing so with some breathtaking views and scenary. And we were so lucky with the weather as it had been forecast to be rainy and snowing. It was chilly but the sun shone. Our next stop in this region featured a waterfall and a walk in and over a rainforest track. Aching but appreciating how a bout of really good exercise makes you feel, I've made a mental note to get a fitness plan in place when I get home that does not (only) involve the Wii!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AustraliaGrampianMountains#

Great Ocean Road here I come..... (Victoria, Australia)

About to embark on a 3 day road trip from Adelaide to Melbourne through the Grampian Mountains and along the famous Great Ocean Road. Means lots of fresh air and exercise, which is sorely needed by my body! I've also been promised some spectacular scenary - how exciting! Hope the weather holds out.
In the meantime, I attach a few videos I've managed to load up from my time in Asia which are a bit of fun.

Monsoon Rain at Koh Phenang:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379415835853941810
My motocycle ride to Sam Hill
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379408485375158482
View from Sam Hill. For some reason, I forgot to turn off the video so it drifts of at the end- blasted amateur film makers, eh?!
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AudraSTravelVideos#5379418673088931074

Bejesus, she's eating what?!..Adelaide, Australia

If you are in a rush you can walk around a lot of the major sights in Adelaide city in about 3-4 hours. When I landed there it was really quiet for a major town and smaller than I expected. It has some nice cafes and restaurants and some really lovely parks and walkways. Traditional stone architecture and wooden balconies on buildings take you back to the early 1900's. There is a street with what seemed like a disproportionate number of karaoke bars, so I guess karaoke is big in Adelaide! If I manage to get back this way, hopefully it will be summer and I can enjoy the beaches and a large amount of vineyard tours. :-))

Adelaide is also where I first ate kangaroo. We dined at a place that proclaimed itself as being voted the "Worst Vegetarian Restaurant in Adelaide". There were two Irish guys at the next table whose faces were a picture of horror when my meal was announced as it arrived. Kangaroo meat tastes like fillet beef, is particularly good with a sweet chilli relish and, apparently, has very little fat to it as it is all muscle. So a lot more healthier than your average cow steak. One minute I'm feeding them and the next they're feeding me! What?! Oh come on, I had to try it!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PocketGem/AustraliaAdeleide#