xini blog

On leaving Sydney, we were both excited to go to a new continent as well as a bit nervous: New Zealand and Australia had been so easy, could we still hack it as proper 'backpackers'? As expected, Singapore did not require us to answer that question. It is hyper-organised and as we took advantage of the excellent hotel deals on offer in the quiet period just after New Year, we did not really get close to backpacking and instead admired the great views of Singapore's harbour from a comfortable hotel room. We had been to Singapore six years ago, but it still continues to surprise. Much of it feels like a much larger version of Canary Wharf: shiny, everything in its place, squeaky clean and a little bit sterile at times. Yet when you go to Chinatown or little India, you enter a different world that feels quite far removed from the high-rises that dominate the cityscape. We spent our days visiting parts of Singapore we had not been to on our previous visit and got confused when ...

Okay, we know when we're beaten. Barring a few 24-hour sessions in an internet cafe and not seeing anything of Hong Kong, there's no way we're going to get the blog up-to-date by the time we get home (in less than a week!) if we keep going at the level of detail we've been used to. So, a compromise. We've published a few fly-throughs of what we've done, where we've been. Think of them as a trailer for what's to follow; coming soon to a website near you. A few people have thanked us for the long entries and said they enjoyed reading them, and we've enjoyed writing them so we're still going to publish "full" accounts over the next few weeks. After all, I need something to do while looking for a job so we'll put together a "proper" website with maps, facts and figures a something to help you find your way around. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the whirlwind tour. South America Flythrough Pacific and New Zealand Flythrough Australia...

Our tour of Oz started in Tasmania, where we hired a small campervan to explore the Tassie east coast for a week - this time with full insurance. We started off 'free camping' overlooking the Bay of Fires near St Helens and spotted lots of wildlife right outside our door: possums, echidnas, and even a wallaby. We walked to Wineglass Bay in the Freycinet national park (not sure what the wine glass is all about), looked at Tasmanian devils and visited Port Arthur - the site of one of the largest and harshest British penal colonies in the early history of Australia. Along the way we enjoyed some great food - Tasmanian salmon, more wine directly from the farm and beautiful cheeses. Our last night in Tasmania was was spent in Hobart, the capital. It was a Friday night and for the first time in a long while, we were surrounded by people in suits who had gone out for drinks after work. On to Melbourne to catch up with our friends Andy and Betty, and meet up with Jason, our travel com...

We had a marathon trip to our next destination; Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo to Santiago to Auckland to Tahiti to Bora Bora. Fortunately on route we got to spend the night in Santiago, and a very productive day in Auckland (arriving at 7am, visited the post office, had an eye test, a hair cut each, some camera shopping research, some Christmas shopping (in November, a first for me!) and then back to the airport by 4pm). Although we were exhausted by the time we reached Bora Bora, you couldn't help be happy in a place that beautiful. Turquoise waters, Lost-style island backdrop, and easily the most scenic of hotels we'd ever stayed in. It's a very French place, but then it is part of French Polynesia (and I think techincally therefore part of the European Union, though with its own currency - no stamps in the passport anyway). Bora Bora was a good place to relax and dive (we did another six dives each, swimming with rays, sharks and little nemos). After five days of luxury we...

We started our South America trip by doing the Inca trail in Peru which was a four day hike through the Andes. We travelled with horses and llamas and alpacas, and stayed (camping) in local villages surrounded by smiling kids with grubby faces and colourful knitware. I'd never been anywhere that high before (up to nearly 5000m, or 16,000ft) and you really notice the thin air. Usually when falling asleep and your breathing slows and you wake up suddenly gasping for air. Exhausting but some amazing views. The trek culminated with a visit to Machu Picchu, the famous lost city of the Incas, a spectacular site hidden amongst the mountains. We had a bit of trouble leaving Peru, as we were travelling with a tour company and our truck had been slowly falling apart on the way down to meet us. While we were on the trail, they rebuilt the engine - all new cylinders, gaskets, and whatever else. The old cylinders were a complete mess with large gouges scored into them. Because of that, we had t...

We have been determined to finish our blog on least one continent before we reach the end of our trip, and we've just about pulled it off. We have to admit it is getting a bit silly. We're actually only 2 weeks away from returning home, but have been busy having a good time in South America, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Tasmania, the East Coast of Australia and currently Malaysia. We promise we'll write about all these places as well and get the blog up to date soon (James needs something to do whilst looking for a job). But for today, here are the entries that conclude the Caribbean and North American part of our journey: Geeks, ducks and babies in Boston Boston to Montréal via JFK Québec City Mont Mégantic Rural Québec Miami Nice? Do have a look at our photos as well to give yourself an idea of what we have been up to in all the other places we have been to (Malaysia and other recent photos coming as soon as we find an Internet cafe that has a fast connection - not sure...