13/9/04 Arrived in Melbourne feeling spiffing of course and spent the next couple of days contracting a cold etc. Had already booked my onward trips to Uluru etc but must admit I could have done with a good rest. However spent a couple of days wandering around Melbourne again and catching up with jacko before heading off to that big red rock in the middle of nowhere.

29/8/04 time to join the boat first things first though have a cooked breakfast. Taken down to the harbour about 10 km away to join the biggest ever Maxi yacht. Christ is that how big it is how are we going to fit on that?? Ah it gets bigger the closer you get, that is until all of you are standing in the galley/hatch. Only 17 of us on the boat for this trip including 4 crew, so theres a little bit of space for me anyway. Everybody was doing the I dont know you so Im not going to talk to you bit until lunch time when things started to get a little more social.

First day spent sailing out to some of the islands where we were able to snorkel or dive if necessary. Spent some more time having a swim off the boat as well, not too deep around here only 40m. Then set sail for our night mooring just off of Whitehaven beach the whitest beach I have ever seen.

Day two spent the morning on the beach playing a bit of football and volleyball, then off to our next port of call for more snorkeling. Stayed on the boat this time as it had started raining and was cold. It was decided that we would meet up with another boat and moor up together for the night have a bit of party you know yeah right. Our boat was what you might call a pretty quiet bunch not too prone to getting pissed and quite happy having a bit of decent conversation with a few drinks. The other boat were pissed by 3pm when we met them the drinking games had already started and one bird had had so much she fell over twice once nearly down the hatch. Clever girl its only dark, were in the middle of the sea and its deep.

The only advantage to meeting up with the other boat was that we found out that ours was a lot more spacious and was twice as long hooray. However when on our boat we were allowed to shower once a day on theirs they couldnt shower at all for three days. Also try going to the head (toilet) in the front of the boat when its bouncing along through the waves an experience I can tell you especially when you have to watch whatever it is in the toilet whilst it is mashed up and pumped out just to ensure it doesnt get clogged.

Highlight of the trip was being able to sail the boat very very cool. Unfortunately rained all day on the last day but I still managed to get sun burnt. Everybody on boat pretty cool and in general had a good time though at the night out afterwards there was some serious b****ing going on god get a life youve been out around the Whitsundays, seen some great beaches etc and now your b****ing because you felt youd been dumped on the beach whatever lifes too short. In Airley now for a couple of days and then down to Fraser Island.
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Hello there, am finally updating the website albeit a long time after I should have done.

26/8/04 Anyway hot air ballooning how cool is that. Had a very early morning start (4.30am) as need to balloon whilst its not too hot, otherwise difficult. Spent an age getting to the ballooning site along with the 76 other people who were going up yep I know I thought that there would only be a couple! Finally got to the launch site as it was getting to day break saw the balloons inflated which was quite cool though a lot of the Japanese thought it would be clever to get nice and close to the flames???? And finally the launch. Luckily enough I was one of the first people to go up so I got to see the sunrise, others didnt. Twenty people per balloon with one guy flying. Have to admit that I was a bit nervous about the height and it took a few minutes before I looked over the side. Didnt seem too bad but when you consider that the side only came up to my waist I thought I was going to fall out. Spent about half an hour or so drifting about with the very slight breeze at approximately 3000ft. And after that it was down again to let us who had only paid for a half hour off and let a few more people on. Nice soft-landing as well no being dragged across a field even better.

After that spent some time in the bus chasing the balloons until it was time for the flight to finish and then lucky us we got to fold it up and put it away I thought we were paying for this??? The champagne breakfast yippee. Nothing like champagne bacon, eggs and toast. Now for the serous bit time to flog the punters some photos of their trip in a balloon hang on a minute the computers not working. Excuse me punters do any o you know how to get this computer to work we want to sell you some pictures. Suffice it to say nobody bought any pictures that day. Then embarrassing moment number 3 I got on the wrong bus to wrongville with the wrong ticket at the wrong time (I know youll love that Gazza). Ended up outside a supermarket in the middle of nowhere what fun! Managed to get back to Cairns and decided the day was still too young to be enjoyed and went back to bed. Spent the evening in the Internet café looking for the lyrics to wonderwall amongst other things.

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G'day.

Thought it about time to post another message. As you can see from the map I am currently in Cairns, Australia.

I only spent about three weeks in NZ - mainly for John's wedding - which was an all around good affair. Big thank you to Pat and Damian at Archies Bunker for making my stay hassle free. Also a big thank you to Rachel's Mum and Dad for being very generous hosts etc. Wedding was on a sunny winters day - which remained so all the way through. Location Ormlie Lodge very nice and reception fantastic.

Having spent 10 days in Napier I decided to head back to Auckland and see the Coromandel and Cape Reinga whilst I was at it. Managed to see both which no doubt in summer will look fantastic. Unfortunately winter dumped its fair share of rain on me at the Coromandel but still a good trip. Met Victoria and Emma from Aberdeen who were travelling during their uni holidays - wish I was a bloody student again. The again I don't suppose I really qualify for having gainful employment at the moment.

Had a cracking trip up to Cape Reinga in the far north of the North Island where the Tasman and Pacific oceans meet. Fantastic weather all the time and met some great people - including Victoria and Emma again!! Also met Stephanie the marine biologist in training (see pictures). On top of that Mike rejoined the trail proving particularly popular with the ladies - got a thing for cute Japanese girls by the looks of it!!

Having done the trip around the North returned to Auckland to see some friends of the family and then decided to make the 4 hr step to Australia - land of the kangaroo - Oh and the Aussies.

Flew to melbourne to meet up with my mate Jacko. Stayed with him for a week and then decided to get off my arse and try and do some travelling. So flew up to Cairns. Absolutely cracking weather currently 27 degrees in the pm (Weds 2.39pm, 25/8/04). Had planned on doing a diving trip over the next few days but cancelled it because there was the possibility that I could go travelling with 3 other guys up around Port Douglas (top right hand corner of Oz as you look at it). However that all fell through last night so bit of a pain in the backside.

However have spent the morning working out my travel plans. Going hot air ballooning tomorrow. Day after going out for trip on the Great Barrier Reef (including snorkelling, and an introductory dive). If I like the diving I will probably do a diving course on the west coast somewhere.

After that am leaving to go down to Airley beach which gives me access to the Whitsundays. Am going sailing for three days in one of the ocean racing yachts, spending a day relaxing after that and then off down to Hervey bay and taking a 4wd tour of Fraser Island. When i have done that I am going to head down to Brisbane though i have been told it is not worth staying there. Am going to probably try and get a flight out to Sydney the day i arrive and then going to spend 3/4 days in Sydney.

Not sure what I am going to do whilst in Sydney but it will probably include Sydney harbour bridge, the opera house. Also have an offer from one of Jacko's cousins to take me out around the harbour in his boat - cool!!!!

Will return to melbourne around the middle of Sept, and will then plan my next venture. Either the red centre or the west coast.

Will upload pictures when I take some - I have been pretty lax at taking any over the last two weeks.

Any hope all are well.

ONE OTHER THING - I need to send my CONGRATULATIONS to my little brother who proposed to his girlfriend Louise on a Greek island after watching the swimming at the Olympics. She said YES and now he is engaged.

I hope that you will very happy together.

Take it easy all.

Matt

PS - Cracking job Neil hope everything works out Ok with the new house and at least now I know somewhere I can stay when i get home!!!!!!!!

Hey Matt,

Hope all goes well.

Just to let you know that have moved into the new house now. 4 big bedroom and 3 bathrooms, slightly larger than the last house.

Audi has gone back now but the Megane is spot on. Car kit being fitted this week so its time to spend more time out of the office.

My assistant starts next week so even less for me to do.

Hope you have recovered from the mossie bites.

Great pics.

Catch you later.

Neil

hi dude, chris told me about your wacky site with your iccle friend, with lotsa pic's minus you. think you'll have many more photo's to cram in 2, Brian's o.k & can't wait to fly back end of October, & we will defo have a mad party or 2. dread 2 know wot they will do 2 him on his stag. anyway have a safe journey, i'll prob visted again see all the wonderful places your'e seen, ya jammy git!! c ya's *joe

Yo b****, I wondered where the little blighter had got to - I knew there was a reason for him not constantly clamouring for a photo. No doubt he'll join me when he's ready. Going up to the North of the North island tomorrow so maybe he'll join me up there.

Hopefully will get to post some photos tonight of places I hve been - just got to find a machine with USB!!!!

Yo punk! I haven't heard from you in bit so I thought I'd check in on ya. Befriend any untamed animals over there? Jump out of any planes? Eat anything you wish you hadn't eaten? Rock. How's Mike doin? He stopped by NY recently and visited with Ali for about a week. Not nice of him to bail on you but what can you say to a microbe. Little guys'll get ya everytime. Have a splendid whatever they have down there. W3rd!

Hi Matt, I have had a look at the web page today and it is really good. Life must seem a whole lot better now as you no longer have to answer to BT. Is your wrist aching yet? You know what I mean by this (the amount of driving obviously)!!!! Enjoy New Zealand big lad and keep on posting the pictures of you and the microbe. Cheers, Glyn.

Stuff that i'm going sand boarding!!!

Matt, don't be such a pansy get yer rafting gear on, race you to the dinghy!

Hey Neil, When you are putting up a tent in the dark whilst its pouring with rain and your being bitten by trillions of mosquitos and black flies working seems like an attractive proposition - any jobs going in PI?

Not got any fantastic stories to tell though have tried cycling along canadian highways pisssed on a bike thats too small with rather large trucks coming the wrong way. Brings new meaning to taking out travel insurance!