If my Aussie trip were a book, it would be My Family and Other Animals. Gerald Durrell has nothing on me. In the last three weeks I've experienced swarms of bats, giant golden orb spiders (apparently the females massively outgrow the males), sharks, crocs, cane toads and let's not forget the mozzies. Not to mention my darling, but toothing, new baby cousin. If you could see me now, flying to Singapore en route to Denpasar, you'd probably think I were auditioning ...

I've got to admit there have been times when I've wondered why I ever started writing a blog - it's hard to condense over a month's activities into a spare ten minutes every now and then. But there's something about travel that makes it easier to write and now I'm sitting on a two hour train from Sydney to Blue Mountains, I thought I'd give it a shot. Where on earth to start? First stop, Christchurch. Jess and i set off on a 3 week trip which, i'm assured, many ...

I miss Wednesday. As it was, Thursday was pretty perfect. i got my hiking boots form my rucksack cleaned at customs (whoops) in case i tramped destructive substances into the wildlife, then marched confidently enough for someone who had just had a 29 hour journey through to Jess. Lucky she was there really, my hugely beaming face would soon have lost its smile if there were no-one to meet it. Auckland is - FULL of cicadas. It's the first thing you notice, the d...

In Search of Sleep: Leaving London It turns out there are 10 ways of 'sleeping' in an economy airplane seat.* One, on one bum cheek with feet up on the arm rest in front; two, same again on the other side when said buttock has gone so far to sleep that there's no rescuing it; three, legs crossed up on your seat in some kind of lotus that lasts only minutes before the fears of DVT creep in; four and five, by repeating one and two with feet up on your own seat (ca...