Apr 2007

First of all we'd like to thank Emirates, the flight was pretty good. 100 and something movies to choose from, food and drinks on demand and pretty spacious seats considering we were in cattle class.

We got to bangkok at 1 am on saturday morning. It was 26 degrees and 96% humidity, quite nice. Next morning we went down to the market just outside the hotel for breakfast. Fat, sugar and more sugar tastes great especially when it has been deep fried.

We got hawked by a tuktuk driver telling us he could take us to MBK (massive shopping mall) for 20 Bhat (= $1 NZ, i got him down form 40 bhat). After 3 stops (one where jamie brought a suit) and 1 hour later we arrived at MBK 2 kms down the road.

MBK is massive 7 floors of maddness and loud people on meagphones.Why do asians like megaphones??

Then we got on the sky train (train thats above the road like a motor way) and headed off to Mo Chit (it's funny when they say it).
At Mo chit was the biggest market you'll ever see. About 3 kms in all directions and packed. You could buy everthing from a pet rabbit to rip off nikes (mikes) to original art work. Let's just say it was not the most comfortable place at 32 degrees and zero space for 10,000 people pushing them selves around, but all in all an experience.

We had a complimentary dinner and show at the hotel. Met 4 annoying aussies and 2 nice old people from wanganui.

Second day in bangkok

Budda time (please note MC hammer pants originated in thailand), let's just say we saw lot's of buddas on our second morning here. Had a half day city tour.

The solid gold budda, 5 tonnes of gold.

The (massive) reclining budda.

The Marble temple.

And Budda on a diet.

You guy’s must be thinking by now, when are Rachel and Jamie actually leaving, everything seems to be still in NZ. Well when Rachel got back from her trip of the South Island we still had one more thing to do before finally leaving God’s own. Going to the Red Hot Chilly Peppers concert at the new vector area in AK.

And that’s all I thought we’d be doing, going to a concert and then crashing on someone’s couch in town. We’ll let me tell you Rachel had other ideas (no doubt trying to pay me back for all the surprises I sprung on her at the wedding). She’d booked us into the Langdon Hotel and not just a standard room we were in the club executive suite on the 9th floor just below the club lounge (which we had full access to). So after arriving early Sunday afternoon and checking in we received our complimentary bottle of champagne, went for a swim, spa and sauna before going up to the club lounge and eating canapés and drinking whatever we wanted to our hearts content.

We eventually dragged ourselves away and headed down the road to the concert. Pretty good really, I (if not rach) new most every song and had a great time singing along in the mad press of people. Here’s the bad news about 3/4 of the way through rach said she needed some air so I pulled her to the side of the mosh where she decided it would be a good place to collapse (faint), anyway it was as good a place as any as it was right next to the paramedics who took her to the side, sat her down and gave her some water.

Nothing to be concerned about we enjoyed the rest of the concert form the back of the arena (Rach says it was brought on by the heat and try to get over the flu that Emma gave her). Had a great night sleep in our extra king size bed and an awesome continental breakfast the next day.

Anyway this will most likely be the last post before we head off and no doubt the last post of us gloating about how great the accommodation was (I’ve packed a mini cricket bat to fend of the dog sized cockroaches in Bangkok).

Only good times to come

Jamie

Before I leave the country I thought I better remind myself what I’m leaving and going to miss. The trip was also to see my family and say good before Jamie and I head to Edinburgh and to play tour guide to Emma who had only been as far south as Franz Joseph.

Anyway 1st stop was Fox Glacier for a 4 hour guided tour of the glacier, sounds like fun… yes…! Think again! As you may be able to see from the photos the weather was not good. We walked to the glacier in sideways rain, fog and hail... crazy! Once we got there the rain and wind had not let up nevertheless we still walked on the glacier and saw some amazing beautiful sights.

That afternoon we drove our trusting 85’ Honda Accord (it’s got 460,000 km on the clock, no kidding!) to Wanaka to find a bed for the night. Lets just say this was quite a hard ask, as all 8 backparkers and campgrounds we called were full… oops probably should have booked somewhere earlier. Anyway it all worked out as we ended up sleeping at my granddads crib (batch) after tracking down a key from the neighbour.

Puzzling world Wanaka.

Next stop was Cromwell to say bye to my sister Kirsten and niece, Sophie. We had a few lazy days in Cromwell while Emma was fighting a bad cold. At this stage I’d realised how cold it can get in Central Otago wishing I’d packed an extra thermal and hat instead of my bikini and boardies.

On Saturday we headed to Te Anau via Queenstown. Queenstown what can I say – beautiful scenery, lots of tourists, yummy ice cream, the best fudge shop, a cool market and an information centre on every corner.

Te Anau was really fun and abit warmer then Central. The 1st day we were in Te Anau we drove to Manapouri and hired a row boat to get across the mouth of the river to the start of the circle track. If you are sharp you may notice something wrong with our rowing style………!

Yes thats right we rowed the boat most of the way backwards, SHAME! It was fun anyway. The circle track was a 3 ½ hour loop track. At the top the views were stunning.

At the top of the walk we made a little friend. This South Island robin (I think or that’s what Emma tells me) came within inches of us and the camera it was very cool!

That afternoon we took a boat ride to the glow worm caves. The cave was awesome and the glow worms beautiful but sorry no photos allowed in the caves so you’ll have to go see them yourself.

The next day, Monday, we drove to Dunedin. Saw the folks and relaxed in Mum and Kens warm house. We did go and visit the Albatrosses and their fat chicks but didn’t manage to get close enough to get a good shot.

The steepest street in the World - Baldwin Street, Dunedin.

Here’s a photo of my little sis pretending to be a grandma with my glasses on because apparently only old people wear glasses.

Thursday we headed to CHCH. We stopped at Shag Point, and the Moeraki Boulders.

Seals sunning themselves on the rocks at Shag Point. Shag Point is just off SH 1 about 60 km north of Dunedin and only 5 mins up the road from Palmy.

Emma and I having fun at Moeraki.

We stayed with Diz and Tim in CHCH, Thanks guys! I caught up with my little bro, Daniel, in CHCH and got a shock! His once light browny/ strawberry blonde hair had been dyed black and cut into a Mohawk by a ‘friend’ in his hostel.