We have left the sunny Oz far behind and we are now in the BALTIC Tokyo! So no more comments about the bad weather at home we got soaked today!
Its a massive city - but in a lot of ways its just like any other large city. In other words its got a McDonalds and Starbucks on every street... no only joking! (although they are here...) In reality if you removed the Japanese writing and people it would pass for London or New York. Really of course you can't ignore the language and food and multitude of neon signs and so it is very different to be immersed in.
The people are very helpful and do all the smiling and bowing craic when they give u ur coffee etc! There are very very few 'westerners' here at all and its difficult to find a man who isn't in a dark suit! I felt like a beacon of baige amoungst the swarm on the underground (as well of course as being taller...)
So we've done two shopping districts (including Electric Town with its Wii's and PS3's on demostration everywhere) and seen the main Shrine and the Imperial Palace. Tomorrow we'll see Tokyo Tower and some museums and then we are returning to 'ol Northern Ireland.
I hope the koala in my rucksack makes it... we left the bags in storage in the airport...
Malcolm
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Monday, November 27, 2006
The Great Barrier Reef
Well, our Aussie leg (and the whole tour) is rapidly coming to a close so we thought we would go out in syle. We hired a cruise ship to take us out to the Great Barrier Reef for a bit of snorkeling. And it was fantastic!! We got to 'swim with the fishes', not quite the same meaning as the movie, thankfully. We got on a boat called Passions of Paradise and after a few hours of sailing we arrived at a small bird island near a piece of the reef. We were definitely the intruders. The island contained a small roped off section for 'humans', the rest belonged to the birds. The smell of bird droppings was quite strong but that didn't put us off. We strapped on our snorkelling gear and went for a swim. Initially Mal sturggled with his snorkle (the top was closed so he couldn't breath under water) but what a view of the reef! It was amazing!! We saw all sorts of multicolured fish, giant clams, fish having a crap (I didnt know they did that), a big fish eat a little fish, and if you listened closely you could even hear some of the bigger fish scrap food from the coral. WOW!! Some would swim quite close (I saw a few swim right beside Mal). They seemed quite content to have us there.Great day.
PS. For those wondering what happened to Ken Blue (skip this paragraph if you don't know him), we've found him. He's now a cruise boat captain out of Cairns (see the photo). When I first saw him I thought it couldn't be him but as he was initially docked he exclaimed 'There is no gap!!'. I thought it might all be a coincidence so I had a chat with him later in the day. I asked him about sailing and he said, 'it's easy, ABC - Anchor, Board, Cruise. I cant't board the passengers before I anchor and I certainly can't cruise before they have boarded.' Later in the day when we were snorkeling in the wrong direction he even said, 'You foolish Snorkelers, who has bewitched you' (OK, Enough KB jokes....)
Saturday, November 25, 2006
F.A.B.
Forest Fear
Last night we spent cosy in a double bed in a lovely rain forests glorified tent affair at the Crocidylis Village hostel. Why share a bed? Well it was the one one in the hut that had a mossi net! Seriously when the sun goes down the night terrors come alive! The dragon flies were the size for hot dogs and that huge other thing that got in...? I don't even wanna know what it does for a living! It was the size of my fist and just sat there on the edge of the bed being all black and menacing! Now we'll not even get on to the crashing and rustling in the forest outside never mind the howling/screeching/buzzing/twooting craic that was going on... seriously it looked great in the daylight...
Aussi Arsonist
What do you like with your cereal in the morning? A paper to read? Polite chit chat? Some good music to wake you up? How about A THREAT TO DESTROY YOUR HOME COUNTRY? Charming McCharming the Aussi psychopath offered us the advice that we should visit this local tourist attraction on our way out of his town or he would "Come over to Ireland and blow it up..." Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, so its stand and look at some water and big rocks for 5mins or risk getting all my friends family and loved ones blown to smithereens? "Listen my Aussi friend... let me tell YOU about blowing things up..."
Barmy Burger
Well you learn somethings about different cultures by noticing the little differences. One we have noticed (or rather Grif discovered) was that McDonalds here does a McOz burger. Sounds grand and very clever marketing... except that the distinguishing feature of the Oz burger is a lovely big slice of BEETROOT placed carefully between tomato and lettuce... WHY? Nowhere, and I mean NOWHERE have we seen the radiant beetroot linked to Aussie culture. There is a Big Pineapple, Big Banana, even a Big Mango, but no Big Beetroot... The things one discovers - what does that tell you about the Aussies?
Mal
Last night we spent cosy in a double bed in a lovely rain forests glorified tent affair at the Crocidylis Village hostel. Why share a bed? Well it was the one one in the hut that had a mossi net! Seriously when the sun goes down the night terrors come alive! The dragon flies were the size for hot dogs and that huge other thing that got in...? I don't even wanna know what it does for a living! It was the size of my fist and just sat there on the edge of the bed being all black and menacing! Now we'll not even get on to the crashing and rustling in the forest outside never mind the howling/screeching/buzzing/twooting craic that was going on... seriously it looked great in the daylight...
Aussi Arsonist
What do you like with your cereal in the morning? A paper to read? Polite chit chat? Some good music to wake you up? How about A THREAT TO DESTROY YOUR HOME COUNTRY? Charming McCharming the Aussi psychopath offered us the advice that we should visit this local tourist attraction on our way out of his town or he would "Come over to Ireland and blow it up..." Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, so its stand and look at some water and big rocks for 5mins or risk getting all my friends family and loved ones blown to smithereens? "Listen my Aussi friend... let me tell YOU about blowing things up..."
Barmy Burger
Well you learn somethings about different cultures by noticing the little differences. One we have noticed (or rather Grif discovered) was that McDonalds here does a McOz burger. Sounds grand and very clever marketing... except that the distinguishing feature of the Oz burger is a lovely big slice of BEETROOT placed carefully between tomato and lettuce... WHY? Nowhere, and I mean NOWHERE have we seen the radiant beetroot linked to Aussie culture. There is a Big Pineapple, Big Banana, even a Big Mango, but no Big Beetroot... The things one discovers - what does that tell you about the Aussies?
Mal
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Crocs, dingos and lies
Wow! All the things we've done! Over the past few days we have put big ticks beside Australia Zoo and Fraser Island on our to do list.
Australia Zoo is the zoo that Steve Irwin set up a over a decade ago I think to particularly aim at removing the stigma around crocidiles and there bad press! There was loads of other animals there too tho including our first proper look at the big lazy wombat and some dingos. The zoo was very well run and definately gave you more of a hands-on "one with nature" kinda experience. Feeding and petting animals was the order of the day from koalas to elephants. There was also a big memorial wall of signed shirts and things to Steve.
On up the coast we took a late afternoon trip to Fraser Island from Hervey Bay and arrived about 5pm so the light was actually starting to go. Nonetheless we fearlessly plunged into the jungle for a brief wander before retreating to stroll on the beach with ice-creams (a "Golden Gay-time" in Grifs case...). We had got and read several warnings about the wild Dingos on the island but we survived (and in reality never even passed the dingo fence...)
I also accidentally got Grif and I a student discount in a bar this week by shouting "YES" without listening to a question. Regardless of my evident error neither of us were quick enought to stop her typing in the discount rate so decided it would be most judicious to leave it at that... IT WAS AN ACCIDENT GRIF!
Onwards north...
Mal
Australia Zoo is the zoo that Steve Irwin set up a over a decade ago I think to particularly aim at removing the stigma around crocidiles and there bad press! There was loads of other animals there too tho including our first proper look at the big lazy wombat and some dingos. The zoo was very well run and definately gave you more of a hands-on "one with nature" kinda experience. Feeding and petting animals was the order of the day from koalas to elephants. There was also a big memorial wall of signed shirts and things to Steve.
On up the coast we took a late afternoon trip to Fraser Island from Hervey Bay and arrived about 5pm so the light was actually starting to go. Nonetheless we fearlessly plunged into the jungle for a brief wander before retreating to stroll on the beach with ice-creams (a "Golden Gay-time" in Grifs case...). We had got and read several warnings about the wild Dingos on the island but we survived (and in reality never even passed the dingo fence...)
I also accidentally got Grif and I a student discount in a bar this week by shouting "YES" without listening to a question. Regardless of my evident error neither of us were quick enought to stop her typing in the discount rate so decided it would be most judicious to leave it at that... IT WAS AN ACCIDENT GRIF!
Onwards north...
Mal
Monday, November 20, 2006
Onward and upwards
We have left big ol' Brisbane behind and are now heading on North to Cairns. We are in Noosa Heads at the moment.
The city was.... mmm... like most citys. Wes would have loved the roads systems! We wandered Botanical Gardens, Mount Coot-tha observation point and sundry buildings. Once again (like Surfers Paradise) the Art Museum was closed for refurbisherment!!! We just want to enrich our minds Mr Government...! We did however happen upon the final game in the Rugby League Tri-Nations because as we left the hostel on the first night we heard the roars of fans carried on the wind from the Sun Corp stadium over the road and decided to run over to see what the event was. So we just got tickets and went on in. Unfortunately GB was down 12-0 to Australia inside 15minutes and it never got better. It ended 33-10 to Australia. Aw well it was an entertaining match.
But beyond that we actually just chilled. The second of the 2 days we were there was spent reading and eating at the Riverside Market which was great and very peaceful! We topped that day off with a couple of hours at the Brisbane Jazz Club down by the river were Grif and I BOTH won t-shirts in their 40 PROZE raffle! Go us...
Now the real 4hrs a day driving begins. 1650km to Cairns in 5 days! Fun...
Mal
The city was.... mmm... like most citys. Wes would have loved the roads systems! We wandered Botanical Gardens, Mount Coot-tha observation point and sundry buildings. Once again (like Surfers Paradise) the Art Museum was closed for refurbisherment!!! We just want to enrich our minds Mr Government...! We did however happen upon the final game in the Rugby League Tri-Nations because as we left the hostel on the first night we heard the roars of fans carried on the wind from the Sun Corp stadium over the road and decided to run over to see what the event was. So we just got tickets and went on in. Unfortunately GB was down 12-0 to Australia inside 15minutes and it never got better. It ended 33-10 to Australia. Aw well it was an entertaining match.
But beyond that we actually just chilled. The second of the 2 days we were there was spent reading and eating at the Riverside Market which was great and very peaceful! We topped that day off with a couple of hours at the Brisbane Jazz Club down by the river were Grif and I BOTH won t-shirts in their 40 PROZE raffle! Go us...
Now the real 4hrs a day driving begins. 1650km to Cairns in 5 days! Fun...
Mal
Thursday, November 16, 2006
The good, the bad and the...
A series of highlights from the last few days then my peeps?
Well OKAY!
1) Billabong Koala Park - Excellent place! We saw koalas by the tree load right up close and got some cracking pictures as you can see in the Photo Albums. Soo much fun at this place cause we also got to FEED KANGAROOS... LIKE RIGHT UP TO YOUR HAND... WITH REALL FOOD... AND YOU COULD TOUCH THEM...! Sooooo cool! There was also some snakes and reptiles and wombats etc but KANGAROOS AND KOALAS TOO... *ahem*
2) We got a parking ticket, what else do you do in a foreign country? We ranted, we raved, we got annoyed, we tried to explain our defence to the empty air, we wrote a song about 'the man'... We paid the $179 fine. 80 quid! What the heck! Fairwell Byron Bay we miss you not.
3) Warner Movie World Theme Park - We drove to this place first thing today and indulged in commercial cartoon characters! It was actually quite good and although I was banned from the 2 biggest roller coasters because I was too tall (ack darn...) the highlight was the Police Academy stunt show which was hilerious and very well co-ordinated! There was even a pre-show guy directing the audience with a whistle and indulging in silent slap stick! And they had a planted audience member who was taken into the show and then 'accidently' fell off a roof into a canopy etc! Also got soaked on the Log Flume.
So to sum up - still enjoying it in Aussie!
Malcolm
Well OKAY!
1) Billabong Koala Park - Excellent place! We saw koalas by the tree load right up close and got some cracking pictures as you can see in the Photo Albums. Soo much fun at this place cause we also got to FEED KANGAROOS... LIKE RIGHT UP TO YOUR HAND... WITH REALL FOOD... AND YOU COULD TOUCH THEM...! Sooooo cool! There was also some snakes and reptiles and wombats etc but KANGAROOS AND KOALAS TOO... *ahem*
2) We got a parking ticket, what else do you do in a foreign country? We ranted, we raved, we got annoyed, we tried to explain our defence to the empty air, we wrote a song about 'the man'... We paid the $179 fine. 80 quid! What the heck! Fairwell Byron Bay we miss you not.
3) Warner Movie World Theme Park - We drove to this place first thing today and indulged in commercial cartoon characters! It was actually quite good and although I was banned from the 2 biggest roller coasters because I was too tall (ack darn...) the highlight was the Police Academy stunt show which was hilerious and very well co-ordinated! There was even a pre-show guy directing the audience with a whistle and indulging in silent slap stick! And they had a planted audience member who was taken into the show and then 'accidently' fell off a roof into a canopy etc! Also got soaked on the Log Flume.
So to sum up - still enjoying it in Aussie!
Malcolm
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Time
Weird thing time, well not that weird really I'm kinda used to it to be honest... but it has been a long time since we blogged properly here from Aussie.
What have we done? Well Sunday saw us take a trip to Bondi Beach before we left Sydney for good. Very beautiful place - not to busy but obviously popular and a fair bit of surf but not remarkable. I suppose its fame/popularity is due to being near to Sydney.
After a stroll thru the surf there we left it behind in our rent-a-Hyundai (the most miniture Getz) and head up to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Took forever to struggle outta the city but we made it finally in mid afternoon to the new YHA which we much bigger and very friendly. Large TV rooms, kitchen and dining area and garden complete with giant Chess board!
Having just driven all day we popped out to see some of the mountains before it got dark and viewed both the Katoomba falls and Echo Point with the "Three Sisters" - a formation of rock out crops at Echo Point. It was a very long slog down a cliff path beside the waterfall and then along the valley (hardly anyone about but we got stalked by Magpies) before a difficult climb back up via "The Giant Stairway" - but it was beautiful. The area is all deeply forested and untouched.
The next day we rose and attended the Katoomba Anglican Church along with roughly 15 others. The people were friendly enough and the parish seemed to have quite a lot going on. We then left and headed across the Blue Mountains on a very windly road to Hunter Valley were Grif successfully drove over an unsuspecting snake crossing the road! We actually never made it to a Winery as we got mildly 'lost' whilst looking for a particular place and ended up at the YHA place first. The guy on reception then told us that they all closed at 5pm anyway so we headed into Cessnook town and found a brilliant Swill and Grill bar for dinner. The Aussie bartender was heading to the U2 gig later this week and was momentarily hopeful that we were road crew for the band and could have given him backstage passes... Outta luck mate!
What have we done? Well Sunday saw us take a trip to Bondi Beach before we left Sydney for good. Very beautiful place - not to busy but obviously popular and a fair bit of surf but not remarkable. I suppose its fame/popularity is due to being near to Sydney.
After a stroll thru the surf there we left it behind in our rent-a-Hyundai (the most miniture Getz) and head up to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Took forever to struggle outta the city but we made it finally in mid afternoon to the new YHA which we much bigger and very friendly. Large TV rooms, kitchen and dining area and garden complete with giant Chess board!
Having just driven all day we popped out to see some of the mountains before it got dark and viewed both the Katoomba falls and Echo Point with the "Three Sisters" - a formation of rock out crops at Echo Point. It was a very long slog down a cliff path beside the waterfall and then along the valley (hardly anyone about but we got stalked by Magpies) before a difficult climb back up via "The Giant Stairway" - but it was beautiful. The area is all deeply forested and untouched.
The next day we rose and attended the Katoomba Anglican Church along with roughly 15 others. The people were friendly enough and the parish seemed to have quite a lot going on. We then left and headed across the Blue Mountains on a very windly road to Hunter Valley were Grif successfully drove over an unsuspecting snake crossing the road! We actually never made it to a Winery as we got mildly 'lost' whilst looking for a particular place and ended up at the YHA place first. The guy on reception then told us that they all closed at 5pm anyway so we headed into Cessnook town and found a brilliant Swill and Grill bar for dinner. The Aussie bartender was heading to the U2 gig later this week and was momentarily hopeful that we were road crew for the band and could have given him backstage passes... Outta luck mate!
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