Wasn't quiet sure what to make of Hawaii at first, arrived at our hostel after travelling all day wrecked tired, slept for 12 hrs straight that nite. Staying in a hostel across the road from Waikiki Beach, very basic but location couldn't be better! Woke next day and just headed straight to the beach, and probably slept for another few hours ;) Palm trees...check...sun...check....nice restaurants...check....surfing....nope! Waves were non-existant being honest,seen more down Garryvoe ;) We only stayed around Waikiki and they were saying that the North Shore was the place to go to get the big waves. Couldn't believe the amount of people around the place, crawling with Americans, Canadians, Japanese and Chinese. My first time being in the states,but christ are some of them big people! Only trip we did was to go see Pearl Harbour, a free trip organised by the hostel which was grand. Waikii Beach was a bit too much like the Costa Del Sol for me (Americans replacing the Irish), but few days lying down on beach was grand sure.
Got into San Fran. last nite, and being going a bit mad on a shopping trip all day,just back in hotel now, hotel is some change from staying in hostels and tents I can tell ya. With all shopping we've done, we're going to have to buy a suitcase as well for definate, backpacks are already stuffed. Tomorrow going doing the Alcatraz trip and only a few days here till its time to pack bags and fly back to Cork, where have the last 4 months gone?
Mite be the last post i'd say,so I guess I'll see ye all soon folks,
Kevin
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Bay of Islands, Auckland
Bit disappointed with Bay of Islands, took one of the boat trips out around them, but was expecting more from area, high-light of boat trip was seeing loads of dolphins, this time bottle-nose type. Stayed in a couple of dodgy camp-sites too, a lot of gang staying there were living full-time in tents in camp-site. Tent next to us had about 6 inches of grass growing up around the sides of the tent!
In Auckland now, and after getting rid of the rental car, guy in office where we dropped it off was from Youghal, a small world! Walked upto Mt Eden yesterday, which gives a good view of city, good example of a crater there, and amazing to see little hills scattered around city, showing the volcanic makeup of the city. Not much else to report, doing some shopping and mite take a trip up sky-tower today. Long day tomorrow as we're flying to Hawaii via Sydney.
Later,
Kevin
In Auckland now, and after getting rid of the rental car, guy in office where we dropped it off was from Youghal, a small world! Walked upto Mt Eden yesterday, which gives a good view of city, good example of a crater there, and amazing to see little hills scattered around city, showing the volcanic makeup of the city. Not much else to report, doing some shopping and mite take a trip up sky-tower today. Long day tomorrow as we're flying to Hawaii via Sydney.
Later,
Kevin
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Taupo to Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Corrimondal Pennisula
This is turning into a weekly update! Didn't think much of Taupo, only excitement was going to a pre-season Super 14 rugby match between the Chiefs and Hurricanes, pretty good, a good few of past/present all-blacks playing (those that aren't playing in Europe).
Rotorua was good enough for a few days, stayed about 10mins out of town itself so as to avoid the rotten egg smell that u can't escape in the centre! Holiday Park was overlooking a really nice blue lake, surrounded by forrest, real postcard stuff. A good trip was a visit to Polynesian Spa, like the one in Hanmer SPrings in the South Island, made up of different temperature naturally heated thermal pools, upto 42degrees (didn't stay in that one for long!). Something a bit touristy, but was good fun was going to a Maoiri village and having a "hangi" cooked meal, maori story-telling, song and dance, think I enjoyed the grub more to be honest, been ages since we had a roast dinner! Went zorbing (rolling down some hill in a 10ft plastic ball!), which was a bit disappointing , though for one that the hill would be longer and steeper, Sinead and myself got into the one "zorb-ball" and then we were set off down the hill, over in about 30secs, mite be a handy business to set up when I get back home, rolling plastic balls down hills somewhere in Ladysbridge ;)
From Rotorua, we drove onto Waitomo, or cave-country as its known, went on a black water rafting trip here, basically going into the caves with a wet-suit and a rubber ring, and jumping off waterfalls, floating down rivers and looking at glow worms for a few hours, good crack though in fairness!
After Waitomo spent last couple of days driving up and around the Corrimondal Pennisula, well worth trip, purely for scenery and walks and that. Travelled today through Auckland and up to Whangerei in Northland, where we're going taking in Bay of Islands for a couple of days.
Nearly time to leave New Zealand unfortunately, flying on 15th to Hawaii, we'll try and enjoy it sure ;)
Kevin
Rotorua was good enough for a few days, stayed about 10mins out of town itself so as to avoid the rotten egg smell that u can't escape in the centre! Holiday Park was overlooking a really nice blue lake, surrounded by forrest, real postcard stuff. A good trip was a visit to Polynesian Spa, like the one in Hanmer SPrings in the South Island, made up of different temperature naturally heated thermal pools, upto 42degrees (didn't stay in that one for long!). Something a bit touristy, but was good fun was going to a Maoiri village and having a "hangi" cooked meal, maori story-telling, song and dance, think I enjoyed the grub more to be honest, been ages since we had a roast dinner! Went zorbing (rolling down some hill in a 10ft plastic ball!), which was a bit disappointing , though for one that the hill would be longer and steeper, Sinead and myself got into the one "zorb-ball" and then we were set off down the hill, over in about 30secs, mite be a handy business to set up when I get back home, rolling plastic balls down hills somewhere in Ladysbridge ;)
From Rotorua, we drove onto Waitomo, or cave-country as its known, went on a black water rafting trip here, basically going into the caves with a wet-suit and a rubber ring, and jumping off waterfalls, floating down rivers and looking at glow worms for a few hours, good crack though in fairness!
After Waitomo spent last couple of days driving up and around the Corrimondal Pennisula, well worth trip, purely for scenery and walks and that. Travelled today through Auckland and up to Whangerei in Northland, where we're going taking in Bay of Islands for a couple of days.
Nearly time to leave New Zealand unfortunately, flying on 15th to Hawaii, we'll try and enjoy it sure ;)
Kevin
Friday, February 1, 2008
Abel Tasman National Park, Wellington, Ohakune, Taupo.
Again, been a while since last update, in North Island since 28th, and today up in Taupo for a few nites.
Abel Tasman National Park was our last stop on South Island, and the long trip up to it was really worth it. stayed 3 nites there, one of the days we spent sea-kayaking all day, Sinead and myself in the one kayak, it had its own rudder and all, which I was controlling from small foot-pedals in back, was really cool, only us and another girl with our guide, so the small group meant we could go exploring more stuff around park. Tricky to get navigation right at first, I thought one of us might throw the other overboard!
Along with the sea-kayaking, the park is famous for its walks. You can get an aqua-taxi as there called, to one of the bays, walk for as long as u want to another bay and get another aqua taxi back to where u started. We did a 4hr walk which was enough for us, some gang were walking with full backpacks on, tents, cooking equipment and stuff, as there are huts along track that u can stay overnite in, f**k that I said! Spent day after recovering from kayaking and walking, before heading to Piction to get the ferry, not much to Picton, had a game of mini-golf, good fish n' chips there though.
Ferry across to Wellington was real dodgy, and felt sea-sick for most of it, glad to get onto dry land at end, some shock to get into a bigger city agian though, driving on motorways, whereas it was country roads the day before! Not too impressed with wellington though, nice enough around docklands area, went to the National Museum as it was free, and did the other touristy thing that is the cable car ride up to the Botanic gardens and walking back down to city again.
From Wellington, we drove to Ohakune, around a 4hr drive, glad to get out of city to be honest. Ohakune is on outskirts of the Tongariro National Park, which has a couple of active volcanoes in it. A famous walking track in New Zealand is the Tongariro Crossing, which is around 7hrs(18.5km), walking upto and around craters of Mt Tongariro. Weather was good for last few days so I walked the track on Thursday. Its not a loop track so you have to get a bus to drive you to the start and pick you up at end. Only prob day I did it was a lot of cloud early in the morning, which didn't really lift. Was tough going, especially the two climbing parts that lead up to the Red Crater, made good time going up though so had time to climb to the top of Mt Tongariro itself, about 1950m. Visibility was really bad though when I got up there, cloud comes in and out so fast, on way back down I lost the track, until I saw a couple of walkers a couple metres below me! Walk was really good though, though long and was wrecked at end!
All for now folks,
Kevin
Abel Tasman National Park was our last stop on South Island, and the long trip up to it was really worth it. stayed 3 nites there, one of the days we spent sea-kayaking all day, Sinead and myself in the one kayak, it had its own rudder and all, which I was controlling from small foot-pedals in back, was really cool, only us and another girl with our guide, so the small group meant we could go exploring more stuff around park. Tricky to get navigation right at first, I thought one of us might throw the other overboard!
Along with the sea-kayaking, the park is famous for its walks. You can get an aqua-taxi as there called, to one of the bays, walk for as long as u want to another bay and get another aqua taxi back to where u started. We did a 4hr walk which was enough for us, some gang were walking with full backpacks on, tents, cooking equipment and stuff, as there are huts along track that u can stay overnite in, f**k that I said! Spent day after recovering from kayaking and walking, before heading to Piction to get the ferry, not much to Picton, had a game of mini-golf, good fish n' chips there though.
Ferry across to Wellington was real dodgy, and felt sea-sick for most of it, glad to get onto dry land at end, some shock to get into a bigger city agian though, driving on motorways, whereas it was country roads the day before! Not too impressed with wellington though, nice enough around docklands area, went to the National Museum as it was free, and did the other touristy thing that is the cable car ride up to the Botanic gardens and walking back down to city again.
From Wellington, we drove to Ohakune, around a 4hr drive, glad to get out of city to be honest. Ohakune is on outskirts of the Tongariro National Park, which has a couple of active volcanoes in it. A famous walking track in New Zealand is the Tongariro Crossing, which is around 7hrs(18.5km), walking upto and around craters of Mt Tongariro. Weather was good for last few days so I walked the track on Thursday. Its not a loop track so you have to get a bus to drive you to the start and pick you up at end. Only prob day I did it was a lot of cloud early in the morning, which didn't really lift. Was tough going, especially the two climbing parts that lead up to the Red Crater, made good time going up though so had time to climb to the top of Mt Tongariro itself, about 1950m. Visibility was really bad though when I got up there, cloud comes in and out so fast, on way back down I lost the track, until I saw a couple of walkers a couple metres below me! Walk was really good though, though long and was wrecked at end!
All for now folks,
Kevin
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