Oz

Fiji (1st – 4th october)
Got air pacific flight here to Nadi, really good service food was excellent! Stayed in smugglers cove, 29 dollars but cheaper accommodation nearby for 15! Went playing golf for a day, pretty relaxing actually and worked on the tan again! That night at the hostel drank some kava, local drink Bula! Did not see much here as was saving my money for oz.

Sydney (4th october)
Arrived and stayed with our friend john in drummoyne for the first few weeks, went out that weekend to oxford music factory, met a friend here Liesl I met when I was in Ecuador, and ended up in the gaff a place a lot of backpackers go. Did not do too much sightseeing here the first few weeks as was looking for a job and a place to live, a month in and I still am! To get you started these links are very helpful:

Accomodation:
Gumtree.com.au
Domain.com.au

Jobs:
Seek.com.au
Mycareer.com.au
Careerone.com.au

To travel around you can buy weekly tickets to use the train, bus and ferry.

A lot of places to go out here, darling harbour, georges street, oxford street and of course kings cross. Cargo bar hotel in darling harbour is really nice, oxford street has a lot of diversity and kings cross is pretty thrashy but its always packed. Beaches are quite beautiful here, have been to bondi, tamarana and coogee all really good for surf, still haven’t got on a board yet though, putting all my time into getting a job when the country is slowly falling into a recession, ugh!

Finally after alot of hard work at looking at houses and dealing with estate agents, got a really nice three bedroom house in balmain, which is inner west of the city. Beautiful area, lots of cafes and bars and a really good lawn bowls club, a member there so get cheap schooners! Living in the house with niall, ger, nicky and gorby. Was unfurnished the house, so had a great time picking up stuff left on the street, the rest we got from salvation army.

Got a job then as a systems xml analyst with the attorney generals office in town, its a three month contract so tides me over for christmas, really needed this job, the funds were running really low!

For my 25th birthday, went to cargo bar in darling harbour, really like this place, good dance music and the girls are not bad either! Eddie is over here now also, so its just like been back at home, with exception to the weather and chicks! Was at miss bondi 2008 last weekend, not bad talent at all, bondi beach was thronged, should be good fun when christmas day comes around.

Went to manly another weekend to meet a mate of mine, took the ferry over from circular quay, only took a half an hour, really nice journey. Manly is a beautiful area aswell, bustling with cafes and bars and has many beaches, most which are good for surf. Went out surfing that day but did not do too well, swallowed alot of water as per usual!

From Sydney

From Sydney

Christmas 2008

Had a fairly fulfilled christmas in sydney, started christmas eve where i went on a booze cruise from darling harbour. Lots of people around mostly backpackers, about five boats went, ours was last to go, about 200-250 people were on it. Free booze and free food was pretty sweet, dj playing downstairs. Had a smashing time going around the harbour at night time, very picturesque. Everybody was in great humour for christmas, got back to the wharf around 11 and then headed home, early arising the next morning to go to sunburnt festival at bondi pavillion.

From Sydney Christmas 2008

From Sydney Christmas 2008

Woke up the next morning and weather was cracking, had a few celebratory drinks in the house then over to bondi beach with our eskie!!

Sunburnt festival

From Sydney Christmas 2008

From Sydney Christmas 2008

Stephens day dinner for twelve people

From Sydney Christmas 2008

Serena calling over
New years eve, balmain east, met aoife, rocks, argyle, fireworks

From Sydney Christmas 2008

From Sydney Christmas 2008

Darling harboour, aquarium, fish market, IMAX 3d cinema

From Sydney Christmas 2008

opera house, harbour bridge, opera bar, pizzeria in rocks then bungalow 8
manly very hot, little manly beach, lunch at wharf hotel with tom, then seen the kooks live in hordern pavilion, very good live.

botanic gardens, establishment and cafe sydney for dinner really cool and awesome view www.cafesydney.com
sydney festival month
australia day, barbie in paulies
few days out in coogee beach

USA

San Diego (5th – 9th september)
Stayed downtown first in cat hostel, got a trolley from Tijuana border to here. Great night here, its ran by young people in a warehouse turned hostel! Did some shopping in the nearby gas quarters and then partied! Next day went drinking in the bar Bare back, my first Guinness in the states! Then up to pacific beach (PB as they call it) stayed in banana bungalows, right on the beach front the front deck, sweet! Met dave and Joanna that night took it easy as had the American football game the next day.

It was san diego chargers first match, got the trolley out to the stadium, lots of dudes having barbies outside in the car park beside their kick ass pick ups, cars here are big and awesome! Seen the fighter jets fly over beforehand, was pretty cool, the noise was deafening. Went to hooters café after this near the hostel, and then up to gardner street to johnnys old pub, Tiki bar with dave and the gang, met Hannah a girl I met in Bolivia here, was a really good night.

From Sandiego

From Sandiego

Next day woke up to dave handing me a beer, drinking most of the day on the patio playing beer pong, sweet! Got a keg later in the hostel, what I expected when I came to the states! Niall injured himself been a lifeguard jumping over the balcony to the beach, just to save his sunglasses tho. Met a norweigan girl that night and a Slovenian, hehe!

Decided then to rent out a family RV to go travelling around the west coast in a month with Cruise America.

Las Vegas (9th – 11th August)
Drove down that evening to las vegas, only took a few hours to Nevada, seen the lights on the way in, really cool. MGM is the biggest hotel in the world, called into the casino there, so many games! Dave and Joanna stayed in new york new york hotel, really nice inside, ride went throught the hotel and there was a fake statue of liberty inside too! We walked down the strip the next day and got a buffet in Village buffet in paris hotel, really cool interior and lots of cuisine to choose from. Got the monorail then to Stratosphere, ride 800ft above the strip, scary!

Walked back and seen the bellagio fountain display, fountain springs play in sync with the opera music. Went back then to daves room seeing as we were living in the RV in their car park and had some bucky before hitting the town. Had a guinnes in the Nine Fine Irishmen and then to coyote ugly but that was pretty disappointing so hit the Hard Rock to go clubbing and some gambling, was a really good night. Next morning up early and hit the gun store, shot a desert eagle was really good fun. Then took a short drive to Hoover Dam, very big!

From RV trip to Vegas and Southern California

From RV trip to Vegas and Southern California

Yosemite National Park (11 – 18th)
Went down RT 95 travelling all day to get to this beautiful national park, stayed in a camp site on the outskirts the first night, had a Barbie that we brought with us, unlucky if you’re a vegeterian!

Entered on the east coast side Tiago pass, up over 10000 ft. Chilled out near Lake Tenaya, another barbecue, beautiful view. Seen the Tenaya Canyon at Olmstead point,very big time of year so had to head west to find a trailer park outside for accommodation.


Next morning heading up to san Francisco, stayed at north beach, and went out that night but was pretty tired as we were travelling all day so was an early night. Seen the golden gate bridge the next day and the island of Alcatraz, then headed down to LA. Drove to Beverley hills, took a few pictures and then seen the stars on the street, hit santa Barbara that night for another barbecue, then back to san diego, long trip, but a lot of fun! Funny the next morning we cleaned out the RV, but the pipes were clogged so on a random street emptied shit out, haha got away with it too!

From RV trip to Vegas and Southern California

From RV trip to Vegas and Southern California

San Diego (18th – 20th september)
Back to banana bungalow for our last few days, rented out a jeep to cruise around as its pretty cheap, seen the naval air base and went to san diego zoo for a day, lots of monkeys and cats and seen a panda bear! Called down to mission beach and see the harbour and an old naval aircraft carrier. Went clothes shopping as my clothes were becoming ragged, drove to a factory outlet in San Ysdiro near the border, lots of shops. That evening then beer pong in the hostel and did some night swimming with a Slovenian, haha good times! BBQ on the patio and vodka and mountain dew is what our diet consisted of. Was great to see dave and Joanna again, had a brilliant time with them.

Hawaii (20th – 29th)
Stayed on Waikiki beach for the first few days as was meeting my brother darragh here, stayed in the beach hostel on lemon road 30 dollars a night, including our own kitchen facilities. Met my brother the day I arrived and was great to see him, had not seen him in over nine months! Went out at the weekend to Zanzibar and senior frogs, was good fun. Hit a cheesecake factory with my bro, awesome! A lot of coral reef this side of the coast line so not the best for swimming. Went up north shore then for a few days, only two hours up the coast, stayed in sharks cove rental near waimea bay, really nice place to stay here, really good for swimming and surfing also, biggest wave was caught in waimea bay. Worked on the tan here before hitting Australia. Went back to Waikiki before flying out the next night and had an awesome night, ended up meeting a cool English girl in the hostel called Hannah, more night swimming! Pretty expensive Hawaii but a beautiful place, so many beaches to hit.

From Hawaii

From Hawaii

Mexico

Mexico City (25th – 26h August)
Flew into mexico city, afternoon time, over 20 million people in this city, huge place. Stayed in hostel Amigo in the historic center, met some mates actually from Peru here. Nice hostel and good breakfast but the guy behind reception is a douche and the beers are pretty expensive. Metro is great for getting around though, only two Mexican pesos! Stayed for a day and went to see the pyramids, really nice vew of the city aswell. Got a night bus from Terminal de Autobus to Monterrey to stay with Nialls relations.

From Mexico City

From Mexico City

Monterrey (27th – 3rd September)
Stayed in Nialls aunties house up the hills not far from el centro. They welcomed us with open arms and I even had Barrys tea for breakfast. Went into town that day and got to see the comptemporary modern arts museum and walked around the city centre which is really nice. Supposedly it was 38 degrees here only a few weeks ago, thankfully it calmed down when we were there! Went to a brewery restaurant the first night that was delicious and really good craic with Nialls relations, kinda feel at home here in a way. Tasted some really good tequila and mexcal, does the job! Definitely getting closer to states, huge pick ups and fast food restaurants everywhere. Decided to stay here longer than expected and went to a football match Saturday, local team Monterrey and the quality of football was really good, went to Nialls cousins house afterwards and had a Barbie Mexican style, and hit a really good house party after, safe to say Sunday I spent all day in bed! Went to see caves “Grutas de Garcia” which are over 40 million years old, pretty cool! Next day went to see Chipinque national park, pretty sweltering heat walking around, amazing houses up here, mostly narc owned!!

Tijuanna (4th – 5th September)
Only stayed here for a night, pretty quiet on a Thursday night so just went for afew beers before heading up to san diego. Pretty thrashy here aswell, targets young drunk Americans that have money to spend! Hostels from san diego do orgnaise trips here tho on Fridays and Saturdays which would be a laugh I guess.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica (18th August)
Its rainy season here at the moment, we had to circle around San Jose airport for an hour due to the weather!

Left San Jose that evening to get to Nicoya Pennisula, paid a heavy taxi rate from the airport to terminal Punta Arenas, to get the bus to the port town of Punta Arenas. If you can don’t stay here it’s a shithole, stayed in probably the worst hostel ever, pretty dodgy area port towns! Got a early ferry next morning to get to Montezuma, took two local bus rides to get there.

Montezuma (19th – 20th)
Stayed in hostel Pension Jenny, pretty nice place, 4000 colones beside the beach. The water temperature in the ocean is amazing, the wave breaks are really high and powerful, this is definitely a surfers paradise. Just chilled on the beach before heading to Santa Teresa.

Santa Teresa (20th – 21st August)
Another surfer spot here with beautiful weather, good waves and hot girls. Stayed in an apartment for the night, 12 dollars each, chilled out and just watched some dvds. Good place to eat here is called Burger Ranch, good burgers and kebabs. Did a surf lesson with a cool American dude, learnt that I’m goofy for sure! He had some ncie herbs Rented a 4*4 Rav jeep with Budget travel for the rest of the week, easiest way to get around on the pacific coast line.

Playa Samara (22nd – 23rd)
Got here late at night and accommodation was very expensive so slept in the jeep for the night beside the beach! Rented out boards for the day, easy waves to catch.

Tamarindo (24th – 25th)
Stayed in the only hostel in town here called Coral Reef, 8 dollars a night for a dorm bed. Very Americanised here, hotels are amazing and very expensive, fast foods like Subway exist here. Meant to be spring break atmosphere here but found it pretty lame, main club is called Agua, but most girls here are working girls! Beach is pretty nice and seen an amazig sunset here aswell. Another day drove out to Playa Avenella to work on the tan!

From Costa Rica

From Costa Rica

From Costa Rica

Conclusion:
Overall this country, just on the pacific side alone s beautiful, so many beaches to see and even though its rainy season its very warm in the morning time. Very expensive though and up north not too backpacker friendly but well worth a visit, especially if your into surfing.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica (18th August)
Its rainy season here at the moment, we had to circle around San Jose airport for an hour due to the weather!

Left San Jose that evening to get to Nicoya Pennisula, paid a heavy taxi rate from the airport to terminal Punta Arenas, to get the bus to the port town of Punta Arenas. If you can don’t stay here it’s a shithole, stayed in probably the worst hostel ever, pretty dodgy area port towns! Got a early ferry next morning to get to Montezuma, took two local bus rides to get there.

Montezuma (19th – 20th)
Stayed in hostel Pension Jenny, pretty nice place, 4000 colones beside the beach. The water temperature in the ocean is amazing, the wave breaks are really high and powerful, this is definitely a surfers paradise. Just chilled on the beach before heading to Santa Teresa.

Santa Teresa (20th – 21st August)
Another surfer spot here with beautiful weather, good waves and hot girls. Stayed in an apartment for the night, 12 dollars each, chilled out and just watched some dvds. Good place to eat here is called Burger Ranch, good burgers and kebabs. Did a surf lesson with a cool American dude, learnt that I’m goofy for sure! He had some ncie herbs Rented a 4*4 Rav jeep with Budget travel for the rest of the week, easiest way to get around on the pacific coast line.

Playa Samara (22nd – 23rd)
Got here late at night and accommodation was very expensive so slept in the jeep for the night beside the beach! Rented out boards for the day, easy waves to catch.

Tamarindo (24th – 25th)
Stayed in the only hostel in town here called Coral Reef, 8 dollars a night for a dorm bed. Very Americanised here, hotels are amazing and very expensive, fast foods like Subway exist here. Meant to be spring break atmosphere here but found it pretty lame, main club is called Agua, but most girls here are working girls! Beach is pretty nice and seen an amazig sunset here aswell. Another day drove out to Playa Avenella to work on the tan!

Conclusion:
Overall this country, just on the pacific side alone s beautiful, so many beaches to see and even though its rainy season its very warm in the morning time. Very expensive though and up north not too backpacker friendly but well worth a visit, especially if your into surfing.

Ecuador

Montanita (July 31 - 4 August)
First stop over the border was here, nice village could do some good surf here but it was the weekend i guess so party time! Stayed in Tiki Limbo hostel which was located in the heart of the action, had some great cocktail stands at ngiht time and ended up going to an electronica rave festival on the beach til the early hours, met a cool girl here aswell from israel Noah.



Puerto Lopez (4- 5 August)
Went whale watching here for 15 dollars, was well worthed, they put on a great show. No need to stay here though just do that during the day and then get out of there. Interesting ride then up the coastline to get to Canoa, took three buses one boat and a taxi ride to get there! Notning much happening here so rented a board for the day, soaked up the sun and then off to Banos.

From Puerto Lopez, Ecuador

From Puerto Lopez, Ecuador

Banos (6th August - 12)
Stayed in a really nice hostel called Plantos y Blancos, 6.50 a night. This town is activity city at the bottom of an active volcano! Rented out quads for 20 dollars for three hours, was lucky for once as i got the best quad up the volcano trail, was really good fun. Next day did grade 4 white water rafting , for only 28 dollars including dinner after. Was exactly what i was looking for, great rapids, at one stage hit a serious rapid and everyone fell out even the guide and I didnt sweet!

Weekend here is not too bad, on a Sturday many people from Quito come here to chill out. Hate to say it but Leprauchan is the main bar here, in between the other two and thats bar zone! Monday went downhill biking on a competition trail, was way too technical for me and the bikes werent that good, fell over a few times!!

Had our 6 month anniversary here in the swiss restaurant, really nice food and a good session! Did the bridger jump that morning for 15 dollars, only 150m but my god am I scared of heights! Just had to go for it, or Ill never be able to do the ones in new Zealand. Niall took two turns to jump, thanks to my riveting speech he went for or I would have never been able to let it go after Torres del Paine!

From Banos, Ecuador

Quito (13th August – 18th)
Stayed in hostel called El Centro del Mundo, really laid back hostel and really sound people there. Met two lads from Banos there aswell, had a great time with them. One of the days went to old town and had a great view of the city from the Basilica church. Another day went to Mitael del Mundo to see the solar museum at the equator line, really cool experiments, even got a certificate for balancing the egg on the nail! G Spot Hamburgers is a really good restaurant near the hostel and Coffee tree for breakfast and coffee. Went clubbing in Bungalow 6 which was pretty good and Blues. Met up with a cool Ecuadorian girl here, pity I couldn’t stay longer!

From Quito, Ecuador

From Quito, Ecuador

Conclusion:
Ecuador is actually pretty expensive for a backpacker! The beer Pilsner is not that great also, buses are pretty efficient, but still had a good time in this country, would have loved to have gone to Colombia though.

Peru

Cusco (22 - 26 June)
Made it here for the Inti Raymi (winter solstice) festival, was full of tourists but a really nice town, in the morning we would go to the market which was only 90 cent for three smoothies, good start to the day! Stayed in Point hostel as Loki was full, for a party hostel it was pretty lame, spend most of our time in Loki at night time as it had a good happy hour plus i knew some friends from La Paz there, Nightlife in cusco is pretty decent, Mama africas and down town are the main clubs. Even though its pretty high up this inca capital, really nice and warm during the day.

Got a gorgeous roast dinner one day in McCoys even had real stuffing and cheese and cauliflower, really good restaurants here.

From Copacabana, Cusco, Arequipa

From Copacabana, Cusco, Arequipa

From Copacabana, Cusco, Arequipa

Arequipa (27 - 30 June)
South of perus is this really stylish city, again stayed in Point hostel but this tie was managed alot better, better music and bar and good hammocks to chill out on. the real reason we went down there as to chill out before the inca trail but seeing as it was the weekend that was not going to happen!!

Nightlife is really good here, and the girls are smoking aswell! Went to a club called Deja Vu and another night went to a bar near the swedish one on Calle San Francisco which sold whiskey buckets, well close enough!

For the first time in south america found a good doner kebab shop, and my god were they amazing for 1.50EUR each!!

Cusco (1st July - 3rd)
Just rested up here in Point hostel for two days before the inca trail, nuff said no alcohol for me.....

Inca Jungle Trek (July 3 - 7)
By the eway this fun trek only cost 160 US dollars, compared to the classic inca trail that can cost from 500 - 1000 dollars!

Started off from the hostel at half seven in the morning to get a bus to Abra Malaga to start our descent on the mountain bikes. Myself and niall wer always flying down waiting for the rest and before we got to Santa Maria at a stop point, waiting around my poor ankles got bitten alive by sand flies! Really good cycle though, at one stage went stragiht through a rgiht angle turn and had to take the next dirt turn luckily to keep on course! By the way Santa Maria was washed away by Rio Urubamba and the to be redeveloped up stream.

Styaed in a hostel that night and up at six in the morning to start our long trek through the jungle. Part of the trek was the inca trail, fabalous terrain and landscape, even had lunch in the jungle! Seen many spiders, bananas, avocado and lemon and lime trees. Funniest thing to see was an old lady with a monkey selling Powerade on the trek, shows how commerical its getting (In BOD we trust!) Got to the hot springs in the evening time for an hour of relaxation, then a one hour trek to the town of Santa Teresa, had a funny night there, went to a local club and used a carrot as a pipe, nuff said....

Then the third day a little worst for wear, a pretty monotonous walk along the railway line to Aguas Calientes. Then we arrived in Aguas Calientes very touristy town at the bottom of Maccha Piccu had one hour for lunch and then straight up Happy Mountain (not sure of the name!) deep ascent up steps and even ladders to the top but well worth the view.

Went to bed pretty early in Aguas Calientes as up the last day at four. Pretty dark morning our ascent up to Maccha Piccu but adrenalin was kicking in. Got up in lots of time to take pictures as buses were only just arriving. Queued up for Wayna Pichu, usually takes an hour but we made it up in 20 mins and were the first five to arrive at the top, the view of Maccha Piccu is amazing. Had a tour of Maccha Piccu in the afternoon and at this stage there was many tourists, the tour itself was pretty interestig but alot of theories exist as to why it was deserted.

Overall was a really good hard trek, thoroughly enjoyed the climbs and the views of Maccha Piccu.

From Inca Jungle trail to Machu Picchu

From Inca Jungle trail to Machu Picchu

From Inca Jungle trail to Machu Picchu

Cusco (July 8- 11)
Came back after the trek to got on the lash in Cusco. Stayed in Loki hostel which was really good fun, decent bar and good chill out area. Spent most my time going out in Extrema bar first for cocktail happy hour on Plaza de Armas, then afterwards either Up town or Mama Africas. Bumped into some girls from La paz i knew working there and had a great time!

Huachina (July 12 - 13)
This is a small place on the coastline near Ika famous for its sand dunes. Stayed there for a night in hostel Casa de Arena and did sandboarding and dune buggies. Was really good fun, our drivers were pretty crazy over the dunes, great adrenalin rush!

Lima (July 14 - 25)
Where to begin! Stayed in Barrancos in Point hostel for a few ngihts and just went clubbing. Met some cool people there including a crazy ozzy dude and nights out organised by the hostel were great, even gave you free glow sticks one night!! Lima is really good for its electronica music. Then moved to Miraflores and stayed in Loki hostel for the weekend as they were celebrating independence weekend there with a parade. Just partied around Larcomar and Barrancos, did seven nights in a row, shattered!!

Tequila Rock on a sunday night and Gothika were the best clubs i think. Happened to get in one surf aswell, swallowed alot of sea water tho! Seen the new batman movie aswell, awesome!!

To conclude lima is brilliant for partying and the girls here are the hottest i seen in south america! Favourite beer was Cristal and the supermarkets here Metro are really good, even give you free alocohol sometimes...

Mancora (July 26 - 30)
Up the coastline before Ecuador is this smalll surfing town on the coastliine. Weather was really nice here and there was alot of hot peruvians there aswell for independence weekend. Didnt do any surf though as the waves were too small. Travelled with two english girls lauren and amy and had a great time with them, bar street is nothing to write home about. Had an interesting incident with the cops tho and a good session in Loki that wasnt even open then!