part1 update!

Hey all! So, time to update the last...nearly a week!
Well, there were some awesome sights from the window of the plane over australia, it's amazing how these roads stretch on perfectly straight for miles, all the way to the horizon, and there's insane amounts of standing water, everywhere, and they weren't small puddles either.
-I'm currently updating from the notes I've been making in my travel journal, (from the wonderful Emma!) so some bits are being cut out.
When I arrived at Sydney Airport, there were Rob and Becky, sat in the McDonalds, having breakfast and a cup of tea. It took ages to get back to the city centre due to an accident on the roads. Once back in Sydney, it was off to Spaceships to get my licence signed off so I could drive the mighty mighty wagon! Bumblebee, the classic old school Toyota Previa shape (A Tarago over here) which they still make. bright orange, 2.4L petrol automatic. Gutless as fud with 4 up and 4 sets of suitcases and a fridge etc etc. but nevertheles, great fun! We headed off to Bateman's bay, stopping briefly at a MaccyD's for a milkshake and some free wifi! We got to Batemans shortly after 6, whereupon, Becky and the Gav put the tent up and Rob and I got to share the back of the van, hot, humid, very cosy, but not a bad sleep. We didn't use the extension that night, but did for the rest of the week!

27th
We drove all the way to Traralgon, still not quite at Melbourne, but Ozzie roadsigns are brilliant. "Drowzy Drivers Die" is just one example and they have lots of rest zones, and lots of the use of the word 'Powernap' on the signs, brilliant! We put the back out on the van and it was brilliant, so much more room! but was a freezing night, so we got a tad cold! Hehe.

pause for dinner as this is taking ages!

To come...

I'm not dead! Just travelling around in a camper van with the number plate 667! there will be a proper post soon. just as soon as we get a real net connection!

En Route

Well, so this is Hong Kong, true to form it's absolutely chucking down outside, so much so that the mountains are barely visable, just mist, not even worth taking a picture of. it all looks very miserable outside, so I'm sat in a nice airport lounge with free wifi, listening to the new The Prodigy album, and waffling online.
The plane was quite nice, much smaller than a 380, but then again, isn't everything? But, surprisingly, there was lots of room, I like the redesign on the seats the've done. (Look up Cathay Pacific shell seats) and the entertainment system was a mass of stuff. I watched Lakeview Terrace, some Family Guy, Simpsons and CSI. And slept. Alot. :)
The check-in procedure was a bit fluffy and a bit of a free for all, and in HKIA you're kinda left to fend for yourself, but it's not all bad.

I've had a couple of texts from Oz peoples, apparently Paul with the broken bum, Dylan and Cathal are back in Sydney, I might manage to give them a wave tomorrow hopefully.

Right, time to go finish me book, one less thing to carry round. It's an old second hand gibson book, so it's ok to leave.

Ready to go and thoughts.

So, I' all packed at last. no doubt there's things that I've missed, and things I've taken out that I shouldn't have, but that's half the fun right? (not as much fun as packing that bag is oging to be everytime we move! - There's a lot of stuff in there!)

I'm mentally exicted about going, (though not looking forward to the flight length, the sooner we get a quicker method the better!) I've been wondering if I'll change and stuff and what lies ahead and what I'll experience. I wanted to write like this really cool thing about what my views on stuff are at the moment and what I want for the future, but now it all sounds a bit pretentious. Ahh what the hey...

I believe in god. In my own way. As I do fate, and that there's no such thing as co-incidence.
I hold grudges. Most people won't know any of the ones I have currently, but there are a few people who I definately have an axe to grind with. Maybe this trip will clear them from my mind.
I love my friends. Sadly, even the ones who take the **** (to some point anyways. Though I imagine when I come back anyone who takes the **** with my friendship will be ignored.) I want to play with cars. All day, every day. I couldn't live without music. One of the hardest things for me over the next few months will be not playing my guitar. I struggle to have serious relationships (friendship wise or other) to people who don't share my passion for music. But with certain people it's not an issue.

Holy crap, still pretentious, and now I must leave! speak to you all from the ohter side of the world!!!!!

Itinerary

So, A few people have asked what my plan is when I go back...and some have asked repeatedly, so as I've only got 48 hours in this country left I thought I'd post an itinerary of sorts.

March 24th - 20:50 leave heathrow
March 25th - 12:05 Land at HKIA
March 25th - 21:05 leave Hong Kong International.
March 26th - 09:15 SYDNEY!
Then we use out Spaceships camper van (named Bumblebee apparently) to travel down the coast to Melbourne, diverting to Canberra, and going past Melb, to go down The Great Ocean Road then back for
March 30th/31st Melbourne and Neightbours Night!!
April 1st - Fly To Alice Springs
April 2nd - 4th Ayres Rock/Red Centre tour
April 5th - Fly to Cairns
April 6th -10th Dive School
April 11th - Cairns
April 12th - Greyhound to Townsville
April 13th-14th - Magnetic Island
April 15th - Travel to Airlie Beach
April 16th-18th Whitsunday cruise
April 19th - Airlie Beach
April 20th - Greyhound to Hervey Bay
April 21st-23rd - Offroading on Fraser Island
April 24th - Greyhound To Byron Bay
April 27th-May 1st - Surf School Back to Sydney (Southbound)
May 2nd-4th Sydney
May 5th - Fly to Fiji
May 6th-13th - 8 Day version of this
May 14th - 22:00 Leave Nadi (Fly)
May 14th - 13:20 Arrive LAX (Yes we make 9 odd hours)

I will put the US bit later when I find my revised plan. :) But yeah, thats my life for the next month and a bit!

mid way between

As I'm halfway between trips (kinda) I thought I'd mention a few things that will stick with me from my last visit.

1) Josh at Travel Up! attacking Becky with a rubber stamp and his method of apologizing, (I can't say here, but needless to say it was rude and funny at the same time)
2) Josh giving myself and rob a stamp each to attack Becky when she came back from the loo.
3) Birthday cake!
4) Birthday Imax
5) Hanging out planning our onward trip on a balcony on the 35th floor of Rob and Becky's building.
6) That one glorious day of sunshine, laying back on Bondi, with Paul, Dylan, Cathal and Jodie, and all those bikini'd girls, with old Taking Back Sunday playing on my mp3. That was a gorgeous image.
7) Meeting all the cool people I met and will keep in touch with.
8) Hearing the French pronounce Gavin, "Gay-vin" That will never get old.
9) all those V8s.

and also what I'm looking forward to when I go back...
1) the Great Ocean Road,
2) Ayres Rock
3) The PADI diving course
4) SkyDiving at Airlie Beach
5) Off Roading on Fraxer Island
6) Surf School
7) Trying to meet up with everyone if possible and they're still out there (Paul, Dylan, Cathal, Ian, Matt, Jodie, Sarah, Sarah Jayne, Jess, Vikki)
8) Then Fiji and the US!

I know it's going to be good. I can't wait.