Not quite as planned….

…but a very Happy New Year!!!

 I started as planned, packed a lunch up and 6 cans of VB and made my way to the Opera house at about 10am. I got through the security check with beers in tact! I found a seat with a great view and set myself up, 2 hours later the sun was burning down it was a scorching day and I was already suffering!!!!

James and Sarah (colleagues from work who happen to be in Oz) managed to find me and went off to get me some water and factor 30 suncscreen. By the time they came back they had found a bar in the harbour with tickets. At this point I was still adament that I was going to sit it out.

They returned again at 2pm to find me huddled under my jacket trying to avoid direct sunlight!!!!! After 10 minutes of talk about air-con, all you can eat and drink and access to toilets I was persuaded to pay out for a ticket, 5 minutes later I was in an air-conditioned bar with a cold beer in one hand and a pint of water in the other and was laughing at the poor people suffering outside!!!!!

I popped back to the hostel at about 5 to drop off all the crap I’d been carting around and a quick shower and change and headed back to the bar.

The evening was spent eating and drinking with a quick break to watch the 9pm fireworks.

At 2330, I said I was going off to find a good view, the benefits of being small and alone meant I managed to wind my way through the crowds to the front and had a great view, who said you needed to be there for 14 hours, oh that was me!!!!!

Fantastic fireworks, great crowd and a brilliant start to 2008.

I walked back to my hostel barefooted due to blisters from my new flip-flops (yes Kevin I was cursing you!!!) and crashed out.

Right now I’m about to make my way to the Sydney Harbour bridge for my climb, can’t wait!!

I’m in Sunny Sydney!!!!

Well, I made it! After 24 hours of almost constant travelling I arrived at 0730 local time today. I had about 6 hours in Singapore airport which was about as exciting as airports get!

I was welcomed by glorious sunshine and even at 0800 it was already 23oC and sunny!!

I have spent the day seeing the sights, Sydney Harbour and the Bridge, the Opera House, the Rocks and Darling Harbour. Having exhausted myself I’ve had a lovely shower (the hostels quite nice, shock horror!) and am now off to find a couple of work mates who are also in Sydney to plan our day tomorrow for beers, fireworks and New Year celebrations.

 Hope you all have a great New Years Eve, I’ll keep you posted on mine!

Eek, only one day to go!

Well, the time is almost here, I have packed my new rucksack, (thank-you to Tristan and Kevin for the very useful present!), have some currency and numerous credit cards to get me on my way!! What with that and I my passport I figure I can get by.

My rough Itinerary is as follows,

Tomorrow I fly to Sydney via Singapore, arriving in Sydney on Dec 30th.

I have 2 months in Australia, seeing the East coast, Ayers Rock, the south and Tasmania.

I then have 2 months in New Zealand visiting both islands.

Then onto Fiji for a month, will probably visit some of the surrounding islands.

Then I fly into Los Angeles and will spend the following 2 months making my way to New York via San Francisco, Vancouver, the Rockies, Montreal and wherever else takes my fancy.

I will be in New York around the 25th/26th July ready for my 30th Birthday celebrations with friends and family that are able to join me.

I will then have a few weeks left and will see how far the few pennies I have left will take me!!

So the next blog posting will be from Sydney, unless I get bored at Singapore Airport!!!

Speak soon, missing you already!!!