Australia

January 4th, Glebe, Sydney

The overnight bus took me to melbourne, Australia's most Southerly city, and as a result its' coldest. When I think back now to Cairns' nagging heat and sapping humidity, it's almost impossible to believe I'm in the same country.

Melbourne is easily the most European city I've been to here- the buildings are Victorian, the trams are oddly quaint, and the climate is most definately British, even during summer.

Luckily, I was able to stay with Morty and Kirsten, friends I had met on the African leg of my trip, who lived just a short tram ride from the city centre. This also meant i had much more money to spend on partying, which was lucky because it wasn't long before I met up with Dave, Will, and Ed from Uni.

Melbourne has a lot to offer- one night we went to the Moonlight Cinema, an open-air movie in the beautiful Botanical Gardens, to see "Ferries Bueller's big Day Off". A big, goon-fuelled party ensued back at the boys' hostel bar, in which I promptly broke my camera by dropping it, only to fix it by dropping it again! It was great fun catching up with everyone again, recounting stories from our travels and the good old days back in Nottingham.

Christmas Day turned out to be one of the unexpected highlights of my trip to Australia. I had the house to myself, and seeing as all travellers become orphans at Christmas I invited Will, Ed, and Dave and their roomates at their hostel Jamie, Miriam, Al, Chris, and Rica over for a backpackers Christmas Dinner.

Miriam did an incredible job by putting on a huge spread- we had salmon and prawns to start, followed by roast chicken AND beef with all the trimmings, and we all over-ate to extremes you only seem to manage at Christmas.

We also had a Secret Santa, which included some classic presents (I got a traditional aussie hat complete with dangling corks), and sat around digesting the epic dinner with a beer watching movies. I d have to say that, because we all expected very little from our Christmas day for a change, it turned out to be one of the best Christmasses ever.

Boxing Day is particularly important in Australia because its the start of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG or simply, The G). Although we had already lost the Ashes, everyone still hoped we could bring out a performance against the rampant Aussies. Unfortunately,it wasnt to be, and we lost within 3 days!

Nevertheless, we went to both the second and thrid days, and hd a great time. From the way the Barmy Army sang, you would have though we were 3-0 up not 3-0 down. On day 2, we managed to get some great seats right in the middle of the Army, probable only 3 rows away from Jimmy Saville (the Armys unofficial leader), and right next to an aussie making a documentary on life in the greatest supporters club in the world.

Even though we were losing, we had a great couple of days singing the songs, taunting the far-too-quiet Aussies, and generally enjoying being on holiday. When the game had finished towards the end of Day 3, Will and I stayed behind with the Army to chant the songs, including a 30 minute rendition of:

We are the army, the barmy army,
We are mental, we are mad,
We are the loyalest cricket supporters,
That the World has ever had.

Over, and over, and over again! We stayed behind for at least an hour after everyone else had gone home.

The MCG itself was epic- with a capacity of one-man-and-his-dog shy of 100,000, the atmosphere was just incredible. Its not your traditional cricket ground (its infact more like a Colosseum), but the noise levels out in the middle must make it a deafening cauldron. On top of this its clean and theres no queues- certainly the best sports stadium I ve been to.

We then met up with Paul Reynolds and his brother Jack, and took the overnight bus back up to Sydney. Arriving at 6am with no accomodation booked over the busiest time of the year, with both the famous New Years Eve celebrations and the Final Test in Town, it was an experience to say the least! Admittedly at one stage we did have two dorm beds between 6 of us, but hey, it all sorted itself out in the end- another case of the Australian Motto "No Worries" ringing true.

We then headed over to Darling Point to welcome in 2007, which gave us some spectacular views of Sydney Harbour, the Bridge, the Opera House,and the best New Years Eve fireworks display in the world. There were between 1 and 2 million EXTRA people in Sydney that night, so we counted oursleves lucky to stumble accross at great vantage point where you could picnic and drink on the harbourside.

After a wonderful fireworks display, many a drink, and New Years Resolutions that had been broken ten minutes into 2007 (Dave claimed he was going to quit smoking!), we had to walk back into the city centre to find another party, but everyone seemed to be heading home. So, by 5.30, with everyone drifting off to sleep in Hyde Park, we trudged to our hostel in Kings Cross with all our luggage, to crash on the sofas there before our 11am check-in.

The first day of 2007 was largely a non-event, recovering from the night before through the best hangover cure of all- sleep. The next day we got up early, to get to the first day of the final test at the SCG. Again, we had a great time, made better by the fact that England were actually playing better in this match.

I should explain, that going to the SCG fulfilled a boyhood dream of mine- ever since Nick Brothers pointed out that they are also my initials when we were 7 have I wanted to go. The groung is much smaller than the MCG, but still holds nearly 45,000, and is much more like a traditional English ground with its Victorian pavillion.

But it was at tea on the when I realised just how much fun I was having- sat reading the paper with a beer in your hand, the sun beating down, and England on-top at the Sydney Cricket Ground really does take some beating.

This feeling was made evn sweeter when I realised that this time last year I was cramming in the Hallward Library in Nottingham for the first half of my finals. I can now report that it was all worth it... every bloody minute... just to be sat here! Looking back at the hard times really does make you appreciate the good ones all the more.

So I m now sat at my hostel in Glebe, Sydney, with England looking like they re going down 5-0 and only 3 nights to go before I leave Australia. I m going up the Sydney Tower later today, before preparing myseld for the final leg of my trip, to Peru.

Australia really has been good fun. While it lacks the jaw-dropping scenery and challenges of Africa, it is fun in different ways. The backpacking culture really is something else- people are friendly because they genuinely want to be, and take life at their own, laid-back pace.

I ve had some great times here, seen some wonderful places and made some good friends, but still havent seen a fraction of the country. I m sure I ll be back- I d love to do the West Coast and the Outback- and the country is so diverse there is no way you can take it all in at once.

I m leaving behind a lovely country, but moving on an equally intriguing one in Peru. As long as I can get there ok after on my 30- hour journey, I can t wait to finish this 5 months in style with one final treat- seeing the lost Inca city of Macchu Picchu at sunrise. Can there be anything more awe-inspiring?

Friday December 15th, Sydney.

What a wonderful week in a wonderful city! I've loved every minute of Sydney- a city littered with history, national icons, and of course, thousands of backpackers.

My hostel was friendly and vibrant, and proved to be a great base from which to explore the city. Even on a relatively quiet first night, we tucked into some infamous 'Goon' (dirt-cheap box wine) while getting to know each other a little better!

Then there was a big, debauched night out on the town before a day of recovery and an evening listening to Christmas Carols on the picturesque Darling Harbour. despite it being nearly 30 degrees and feeling absolutely nothing like the cold, dark Christmasses I'm used to, it certainly made me realise just how lucky I was simply to be there.

Finish this off with a walk around the shoreline of the famous Sydney Harbour, with a first (albeit gloomy) look at the iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House by night, and it was fair to say that I'd had an unforgettable start to my time in Sydney.

The next day was spent seeing Sydney on foot with an epic walk around the city centre- taking in Hyde Park with its' ANZAC war memorial and Captain Cook monument, Sydney Cathedral, the Royal Botanical Gardens and Macquire's Point, Circular Quay, a walk accross the Harbour Bridge, and Sydney Aquarium. I finished feeling exhausted but rewarded as I looked back on a mammoth day around one of the world's great cities.

Later in the week, I took a ferry to Manly and its' beach, which afforded some stunning photo oppourtunities of the harbour, and also took a day out to visit the famous Bondi Beach.

My week-long stay in Sydney ended with another crazy night out, before it was once again time to say my goodbyes and move on, this time to Melbourne. Christmas and cricket are just around the corner, and I can't wait!

Friday December 8th, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

After a short bus trip down from Brisbane, I arrived in Byron Bay- the self-proclaimed haven of both surfers and washed-up hippies alike. Byron's a small place with a unique atmosphere- beautiful beaches and a laid-back attitude- which all proved ideal for a few days of chill-out.

On my second day in byron, I took a day trip inland to Nimbin- Australia's infamous hippy capital. The tour took us 100 km inland for a tour of the town, its shops, museums and a couple of other local attractions. The town itself was small and quaint, just full of people trying to sell you all manner of substances (both legal and illegal). In short, for anyone reading this who I went to Uni with, it was probably Bhavo's idea of hell and Jim's idea of heaven!

Apparently it all started with some new-age festival back in the 60s, and I guess the hippies just never left! The result is a fantastic little town, who's residents' sole aim in life seems to be to get cannabis legalised and then just chill out... man!

Our tour then went to an estate owned by what can only be decribed as a crazy man, who must of done too many hallucinagens way back when, and ended up buying 100 acres of bare land, and planted trees with the help of an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and turned his home into a national park!

Then it was on to Minyon Falls, before a short drive back to Byron on the tour bus that can only be described as a rollercoaster ride set to music! Bizzarre but cleverly done and highly recommended.

That night we had a huge thunderstorm (the first rain I had seen in well over a month!), and the next day I took a bike up to the Byron Bay lighthouse- the most Easterly point in Australia- for some spectacular views of Byron and the surrounds.

Once again it was time to move on far too quickly, so I left Byron for my next destination, the decidedly un-touristy Coffs Harbour. It was slightly larger than most of the places I have visited so far, with pleasent beaches, and small harbour and pier. Although I only stayed one night, it was great fun exploring Coffs' sandy beaches and harbour on foot, before catching the overnight bus to Sydney and then a morning train on to Bathurst, a small farming community 2 hours West of Sydney.

I was there to visit Simon hall (a gap-student at Wycliffe when I was in my final year), to celebrate my 23rd birthday, see the Blue mountains, and frankly to get away from the coast and all those beaches that were all starting to look the same!

I spent three days with Simon and his Uni mates, mostly drinking and trying out his housmeates' new Nintendo 'Wii'. We also met up with Alice Hardy, another of the Wycliffe Gaps who's now a Tv reporter, and went for a drive around the famous Bathurst racing circuit- home of Australia's biggest V8 motor race (much more popular even than F1 out here) and an associated week of madness during race week in October. The circuit itself takes up a fair part of the town's roads, and climbs up naerby 'Mount Panorama' for some spectacular views before plunging back down into town via some hair-raising chicanes.

And now, I'm on the train back to Sydney, to spend a week there before I head on to Melbourne for Christmas and the 4th Ashes Test. I've just realised that I've managed to leave my wallet in Bathurst, but apart from the fact that I now have no money, no ID, and no bank cards, everything's fantastic and I can't wait to take in the sights of one of the world's most beautiful cities!

29th October, Brisbane, Queensland (Just after the first Test!)

Wow how time flies! Only now do I realise its almost december, that 2006 is nearly over already, and therefore so is my travelling. I say, what a ghastly thought!

Anyway, the last ten days have been great fun. I started with a night in sleepy town of Hervey Bay, relaxing on the cosy beach and eating local fish and chips on the seafront- all a bit... English really.

Then, I made it down to coast to Noosa, a more commercial town thats about an hour north of Brisbane, but no less picturesque. the town is set on a fabulous beachfront, with miles of golden sand and a nice holiday atmosphere. The surrounds are forested, with the Noosa Heads National Park providing a good few hours entertainment strolling along the rugged coast and lush forests (despite having to share the path with some massive lizards!).

Added to this, I trekked up to the spectacular lookout point, from where you could see the whole lagoon upon which Noosa is built and a spectacular sunset. All in all an unexpectedly idyllic spot, which reminded me of Knysna in South africa (for anyone who's been).

All too soon, it was time to move on, but it didn't take much to get me moving seeing as I was off for a week in Brisbane during the first Ashes Test.

Brisbane gave a great first impression- there's so much to do and its was so good to be settled in one place for more than one or two nights. i spent a couple of days on the beach/swimming pool by the river, watching the cricket in despair, being interviewed by channel 5 news, and taking in the stunning backdrop of the Brisbane River and city skyline.

Another two days were spent watching the game from the comfort of the hostel, swapping banter with my aussie roommates and watching the world go by.

But by far the best day was day 5 of the Test (even though we lost). I got a ticket to the 'Gabba, and even though play only lasted for a couple of hours the experience was unforgettable. The Barmy army sang non-stop, taking the piss out of anything Aussie that moved, most especially Shane Warne- Two hours of fun that has certainly whet my appetite for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests (lets just hope the series is still alive!).

And yesterday, since there was no cricket to watch, I travelled to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to get in touch with the local wildlife. The sanctuary had over 130 koalas of all shapes and sizes as well as kangaroos that you could touch and feed, wombats, snakes, crocs, and even a sheep dog show! I took the ferry cruise along the river back to Brisbane, which was also pretty cool to get a different perspective on the city.

So now I'm on the bus, travelling down to Byron Bay, which I've heard is a brilliant place to be. I've skipped the tourist-trap of Surfer's Paradise because it's been invaded by all of the East Coast school kids on their end of school week of drunkeness. To be honest I'm quite glad- Surfer's is all high rise apartments and tacky neon signs anyway.

So its onwards to Byron, and into new South wales. I'm leaving Queensland behind me with a hint of sadness- NSW is a lot more built-up and commercial. I'm going to miss the laid-back lifestyle, tropical weather, and friendly rural communities of Queensland. But you know what they say... Onwards and Upwards!

Saturday 18th November, Town of 1770, Queensland, Australia

I've been in Australia for exactly a week now and I'm loving it. It's totally different to Africa (well, duh!)- lively, developed and literally full of backpackers- they're bloody everywhere! As for the hordes of Japanese tourists, well they just take the biscuit!

My flights to australia were traumatic- the flight to Perth was delayed by just enough that I missed my connectinf flight to Ayres Rock, so I had to be re-routed via Sydney and was 3 hours late, and without any luggage. Anyway, I eventually made it to Cairns and checked into the backpackers which was cheap but not nasty.

Cairns was pretty cool- plenty of atmosphere, bars, music and entertainment. It's also the gateway to the Great Barrier reef, so I thought it'd just be plain rude if I didn't go and see it! I took a day trip to Green Island, where the snorkelling was great and the beach idyllic (apart from the Japanese- they get everywhere!). Another day was spent taking the scenic railway up to the jungle town of Kuranda, walking around the rainforest, before zipping back down on the SkyRail- a 15 kilometre cable car just above the forest canopy.

After 4 nights it was time to move on to my next stop, Airlie Beach, a lively, 'vibey' strip of bars that happened to be full of school kids on their end-of-school beach holiday/debauchery. It was a pretty nice place to be though, with a nice beach and lagoon (outdoor swimming pool).

As is becoming unfortunately all-too-common, just as I felt settled in airlie, it was time to move on. I guess doing the East Coast this quickly was always going to be rushed.

An overnight coach ride to the town of '1770', my next destination meant that I stumbled into this oddly-named place slightly dazed and confused. 1770 is a very chilled out town tucked away off the main road, an oasis in between the dull, faceless towns that tend to be all-too common.

Within ten minutes of arriving I was rushing down the high street to catch a surfing lesson in what is reputedly Australia's best beach to learn- small, constant waves and cheap lessons mean it is ideal for beginners. The surfing was great fun- warm water and easy riding were perfect for beginners, but it was still bloody hard work!

On my first time, I popped up perfectly, closed my eyes and rode the surging wave like a pro... then it was time to get into the water!

I managed to fluke my first real wave, standing up with textbook style and riding all the way to the beach. I though "this is way too easy" until I remembered I'm famous for my lack of balance (both drunk AND sober)! From then on it was hard work- lots of paddling and falling off before I founf my form again just before we finished. so for those who remember the "ski school" days, I'm glad to report my surfing is way better than my skiing!

So here I am, exhausting and sat in a hammock watching the world go by. The hostel here is very chilled, with great gardens and a funk atmosphere. It's just a shame I can't stay here longer- but being in Brisbane for the first test