New Zealand and Photos

So I have travelled through the Corromandle and through Rotorua and seen the bubbling mud pools and hot pool things and eveything and i am here in Taupo with my Aunty and Uncle for Christmas. We are going to go out for lunch on Christmas day and just generally chill out. After that i will move on to Wellington for New Year which i hope will be good.

So I have had problems uploading photo's to Flickr so if you would like to see the photos i have taken so far please copy and paste (or just click on) the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10155&l=d7c7a&id=513132421

New Zealand...at last!

So.... It was a hassle getting here but i arrived in the end! My flight was delayed by about 3 hours making it a long day but I have had a really relaxing time since I arrived so I'm now feeling very content! A beautiful sleep in a comfortable bed, cheese on toast and eggs and bacon for breakfast have mad me a very happy lady! 

I spent the day exploring Aukland, looking around the city, sampling the delightful coffee of Vulcan Lane- with a nice slice of cake and then taking a trip to the markets and up the Sky Tower where i got a good view over Aukland. Have to leave very very early tomorrow for the Magic Bus as I have decided to get down to Taupo for Christmas with my Uncle and Aunt. 

The next few days will be spent explring the North Island between Aukland and Taupo and hopefully making a few friends on the Magic Bus. 

I hope everyone is enjoying the run up to Christmas and just generally having a lovely time on holidays. 

I have decided that I am quite keen on going back to Australia for next years new Year- perhaps see it through in Sydney or Melbourne whilst on a working visa- i was pretty taken by the country. It was so chilled out but at the same time really exciting. 

Missing everyone lots. 

Jos xxxxx

Melbourne

Arrived in Melbourne on Sunday morning and it has turned out to be a cracking place! Very artsy- reminds me a little of London only without the hoards of people in suits barging you out of the way- oh and less starbucks. Went on a walking tour yesterday which took us down some ace graffitti lanes and showed us the best spots. It was fab. Leaving for NZ on thursday and then its soon christmas- cannot believe how fast it's going now! Already done over 4 weeks. 10 to go....



The hostel puts on a free roof-top bbq tonight so im going to indulge...should be lovely! Anyways i'm off...


Miss everyone lots.

Jos xxxxx

Leaving Sydney Boo Hoo

So... I leave Sydney in 3 and a half hours for Melbourne. I'm very excited, as I have heard so much about Melbourne but I'm pretty gutted to be leaving Sydney. It has been really brilliant. We went to Darling Harbour for dinner on Thursday night. Of course, I ate seafood- in fact I ate quite a large amount of seafood. I got baby octopus in a ginger and something or other sauce with a mango salsa and more delicious things. It was beautiful. I have explored the cities department stores and sampled many of the local cafes! I think I will have to come back... soon.

I went down to Bondi Beach today and wandered around for a little while-people watched for a little while. It's a nice little area but perhaps slightly overated.

Well, only 5 days left in Oz- i cannot believe i have been here for 3 weeks already- its really has flown by.

Did some work experience up at the Jigsaw PR office in Paddington, in the centre of the city on Friday morning. It was good to see how it all worked.

Am sure I am going to take another year... there is too much to see before committing myself to Uni!!

Miss you all. Come Visit!!!

Jos xx

Hey All

So... Just got back from my first working day in Sydney and it was lovely. Everybody in the office was really nice and i was surrounded by beautiful things!!

Am staying at Michelle, my friend's house in a place called Coogee. Its lovely here- a nice suburb with a beach and some nice cafes and bars. Went for a drive yesterday and saw the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House etc etc. Also have been driving myself!! There was no easy way to get to the work experience so i had to borrow Michelle's car and drive. Quite nerve-racking but i made it with no major accidents.

So i think i am going to explore Sydney over the next few days- i have thursday off so i will go and look around.

Righto- well i hope you're all enjoying your advent calenders- i dont have one.

Lots of Love

Joey xxx

Arrived in to Byron Bay last night. It's really lovely here- it's got a kind of bohemian feel about it. Went and sat on the beach but felt like my body was crisping so retreated to the wonderful shopping. They have some amazing stuff here. I feel my debit card is going to be suffering the brunt of this. Hopefully going out with some Canadian guys I met t'other night for a few drinks and then i am going to try to make it up to the lighthouse for sunrise. It is the most easterly point in Aus so about as far east as you can get.



I'm looking forward to getting to the city. If there is one thing these past few weeks have taught me it's that I am certainly a city girl. Sydney should be a good laugh.

I have uploaded some pictures on to Flickr if you follow the link but i only had a short time to upload them and it was taking ages. I will try to upload some more when i get to Sydney. I have some good Aus ones of the the Whitsundays so that will be nice!!

I best be going but missing everyone and hope that you are all enjoying your advent calenders. I don not have one. I am very bitter about this.

Lots and Lots of Love. Really am missing everyone!

JosJosxxxx

Marrochidore & Surfers Paradise

Hi all

The last couple of days have been fab. Went to my friends house in Maroochydore near Noosa and had a really really chilled out day there just relaxing, having a stroll down on the beach and filling up on beautiful food. After Maroochydore travelled down to Surfers Paradise- it's interesting here- haven't made up my mind- Its abit of a backpackers haven it seems but I went out for some beverags last night and it was all good fun. Think I will pop down to the beach today before moving on to Byron Bay this evening. I'm really looking forward to Byron Bay- I think it will be my kind of place.

I have been trying to upload pictures but its really difficult to stay on the net long enough for them to upload!

Cant believe how close christmas is now. I think i'm gonna really miss home on christmas day it's going to be strange being soooo far away.

Miss you all!

Lots of Love

Jos xxxxx

Har Har Har....

Hello!

Just returned from a three-day Witsundays sailing trip. Dad- you would have loved it. The boat had about 20 people on it and it was a really good laugh...everyone slept in the same cabin and it was all back to basics but so much fun. Within 1/2 an hour of sailing i saw dolphins...my first sighting! Then the next day we went to Whitehaven beach- spotted a huage turtle! It was incredible. The beach was amazing- will honestly try to get some pictures up soon but it's proving a bit of a challenge. Did some scuba diving but was not as clear as up north. Catching the greyhound tonight to head down to Noosa where i am staying with a girl i met in Japan- although we haven't properly been in contact so i just hope it all works out!




Had an ice-cream t'other day it was peanut butter and chocolate swirl with oreo cookies mashed in to it- was absolutley lovely.

Heard about the weather in England...its strange thinking its December. Trying to work on my tan but I have abit of a complex about getting burnt so i'm still pretty lilly-white.

Lots of Love

Jos xxxx

Moving on down...

So- the trip to the Great Barrier Reef was amazing. Just snorkeled and didn't dive but saw a sting ray so that made my day!! Also i met this lovely girl from Canada- it was a shame to leave her we had a good crack. Have now moved down to Airlie Beach- was a bit of a hellish bus journey. it took 12 hours and the air conditioning broke and we broke down twice so yes....it was a little stressful. I ate toast and then i felt fine though. There is a Subway opposite my hostel so that has also cheered me up. Just spent proabbly too much money booking a boat trip to the Whitsundays but think its worth it. Leave on Saturday and get back on Monday. Should be good fun- am hoping its not some wild party boat as i could do with just chilling for a little while!

Yet to try a meat pie and get a tan. I think I have a bit of a phobia of the sun actually. I am constantly applying sun cream which is good really.

The weather is on and off has been abit overcast from time to time.

Anyways im going to get going. Wish me luck on my sailing trip and probably wont update this for a little while.

Miss everyone lots.

Josie xxxxx

So...

After abit of a nightmare flight (my luggage was only 6kgs over the limit!!! luckily they are tollerent of 5 so i just had to empty 1!) i arrived in to Cairns. Its ok here- have met some nice people in my dorm but the place itself is one of those strange tumbleweed places. Needs abit of sprucing... However, went to the cinema and saw Fred Claus which was funny and feel good. I was feeling a little home-sick so it cheered me up a treat. I am going diving on the great barrier reef tommorow. Got a trip for 50 quid and it includes fresh muffins and cheese and all other great bonuses...yay...cheese. I miss cheddar and stuff. Have a midnight bus ride to Airlie Beach tomoro- from there i will go to the whitsundays which should be incredible! Im v.v. excited! Whitehaven beach looks beautiful.



I had a mint-chocolate chip ice cream at the cinema and it was delish.

Oh and im hoping to try a meat pie very soon.

Bye Bye- Missing everybody lots.

xxx

Hello!!

Just got back from Harajuku which is an area of Tokyo where alot of strangely dressed teenagers and performers and stuff....it was pretty ace. The shops were amazing and it had a really nice vibe about it. Just about to head out to Kareoke which should be alot of fun!!



Yesterday I spent alot of time exploring the big skyscraper areas of Tokyo and well...to be honest i was lost whilst looking for an art gallery but it wasnt a bad move- it was just ace.

Anyway im going to get going now. Leave for Cairns tomoro at 9. Im quite sad to be leaving Japan but will definately be back within the year.

Smell you later

xxx

Hello! Sorry- I havent had internet access for a couple of days as i have been staying in a capsule hotel. I was expecting it to be really modern but it wasnt really. You slept in these cubicles which were the same colour as our lovely upstairs bathroom suite- for those of you who have had the pleasure if seeing it. It was so hot aswel- like being in an incubator, but it was an experience, especially the communal showers. The view from the top was amazing...you could see what is now known as the "golden turd" which i think- actually- is abit of an architectual masterpiece- its gold and pretty.



Unfortunately Japan decided to have a public holiday this weekend and so all of my plans to go to Kyoto were scuppered! There were no nught busses left. Although i love the place it really isnt an easy place to travel. Im going to have to come back i think as there are lots of places I want to see that just wouldnt be possible in a week.

I have just left my Aussy friend- she managed to get a ticket to Kyoto on the train as she had a Japan Rail pass that she brought at home- with it train fares are free withut it it would have cost be 100 quid to get to Kyoto.

Went up to see Mt Fuji yesterday. Went to a little town which has hot springs but only if ur prepared to go nuddy. It was a cute place but because of the bank holiday was pretty packed.

Am back in my cosey hostel now just going to indulge in a cookies and cream KitKat- i dont know why they dont have them in England.

Over the next couple of days will be checking out Harajuku and some of the Art galleries and museums round Tokyo.

Miss everyone and cant wait to get on the phone to people. Oh yes- my phone hasnt been working at all. I dont think it has quad band so i havent had any signal at all. Sorry if you have been trying to contact me...


Lots and Lots of Love!!

Jos xxxxxxxx

Last Couple of Days

Just an update on whats been going on. Spent the last couple of days exploring Tokyo. Been to palaces, shopping centres, parks and yesterday- which was the highlight so far- went up the tokyo tower. Could see mount fuji from the top and just about everything else in Tokyo and around. Trying to upload pictures but cant really use this computer here. It is crippling my budget- its pretty much london prices and getting out of tokyo on the train is so expensive that i dont ｋnow if i can afford it...Would like to to go to Kyoto and Fuji over the next couple of days but will have to see if the budget permits!! Still eating lots of fish and lots of rice and the occasional bowl of noodles...

see ya

Tokyo

Arrived in Tokyo yesterday and love it already. Its the cleanest city I have ever seen. Managed to navigate myself around the underground system to my hostel which is right in the centre of the city. Had dinner out at a kind of japanese fast food restaurant last night which was an experience! The menu is a vending machine outside of the shop.You put in your money and press the button with the picture of the food you like the look of and it gives you a ticket which you take in and give to the cook and its ready ion a couple of minutes. I had a prawn tempura and noodle soup with some rice and shrimp-eggs on the side. I hope to never have to eat shrimp eggs again in my lifetime... As we were walking to dinner there were alot of road-works- they have little screens with some weird cyber-man waving sticks to control the traffic around the road which I thought was pretty amazing. Today were hoping to go see some shrines and some of the buildings (and shops) around the city. I have met a lovely australian girl who was in my dorm room and were going to explore together.

Personally- I think the UK should take a leaf out of Japans book . Even the tube trains had sparkling floors- and no exageration- I am yet to see one piece of litter.

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE LATEST PHOTOS

http://www.flickr.com/photos/josieg/