Long live your dreams
New York, New York
Sydney
Climbing for Dawn
Photos from Sydney
The Land of the Long White Cloud
Christmas
Jumping high, jumping higher
My birthday
North to South
4th September 2005 - posted from my bedroom
I can remember standing in the common room, talking to Andy about an idea to go to New Zealand. That was nearly a year ago - and now I'm about to leave.
The packing isn't finished yet. To be honest, I have barely started. I have a list though, I just have to make sure that everything I wrote down actually goes into the bag.
This is what it is all about though - the worry and the apprehensive concerns, some of which have already come true.
6th September 2005 - posted from home
Bags are packed, everything is ready. 30 minutes until we leave.
Things are starting to wake me up now - but I still can't really believe we're going away.
The tickets do have today's date of them. They have my name on them. The have a flight on them for San Francisco. I've got my passport. I've got money.
7th September 2005 - posted from usahostels, San Francisco, CA at about 7 am
We've made it - just about. After saying goodbye to everybody at the airport, an hour before departure, we still had to run to get our plane. Seriously, who puts a gate 20 minutes walk from the departure lounge? We made it though.
We didn't really need to bother though, as one of the doors on the plane had a loose seal and would make a lot of noise when flying. While not unsafe, it would be very noisy - something you don't want on a 10 hour flight. So we got told we'd have to change planes!
9th September 2005 - posted from Yosemite Bug Hostel, Yosemite, CA
We went down to the port in San Francisco after my last post and found our way onto the island of Alcatraz. One of the most sureal places I've ever seen. It stopped being a prison many years ago, because the US decided that keeping all the most dangerous criminals on one place really wasn't a good idea. Once I get some photos up, I'll explain more about it.
We did a few other touristy bits, like visit Lombard Street and ride on a cable car (the trams). We've started to notice that officals aren't very helpful, but the general public are really nice and very helpful.
17th September 2005 - posted from a small hostel/cottage two blocks from the beach
We survived Yosemite and the bears.
Yosemite Village is deep down in a valley - quite a peaceful and pleasent place. Generally, Americans drive around in the cars, get out to take photos of waterfalls, then drive on again. Once you get out of the valley - then it actually becomes exciting...
18th September 2005 - posted from Santa Barbara
Clarification from an earlier post: Half Dome is 8500ft, not whatever I thought it was. No wonder my legs hurt.
Starting to think about leaving California now. It's odd - whenever I've been away before, I've got a plane there and then a plane back. To me, it feels like I'm going to get back on a plane and arrive in Heathrow. But I'm really not.
25th September 2005 - posted from Tai island, Fiji
We arrived in the early hours of the morning in Fiji. Stepping off the plane at about 4.30 am into 22C degree heat. We made our way to the hostel and made plans for the next two weeks.
Fiji is a very developed country and very beautiful with lots of tradition. They spend their money and resources wisley and where it matters. They have a proper sewage system with flushing toilets. Tap water can be drunk without any worry. Primary and secondary education for everybody. A lot of houses have solar pannels and nearly every light has an energy saving bulb. They like their British chocolate; Cadbury's Diary Milk is avalible everywhere from fridges. Most buildings are air conditioned.