Pete's Blog 

Life is what happens when you make other plans...

...said John Lennon and many plans were made today during a hot and humid but ultimately relaxed day in Cairns. Last night was fairly quiet, but the next week and a half plans to be quite hectic in the travel,tours and activities department. Our schedule for the next 12 days is this.

Monday 23rd - Bus to Townsville (5hrs) then Ferry to Magnetic Island.
Tuesday 24th - Diving on the SS Yongala wreck rated as the best site on the Barrier Reef and one of the best dive sites in the world!!!
Wednesday 25th - Bus to Airlie Beach (4hrs) then hop aboard the Dreamcatcher (Overnight)
Thursday 26th - All-day sailing/diving around the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays on the Dreamcatcher + overnight
Friday 27th - All-day on the Dreamcatcher then back to Airlie Beach
Saturday 28th - Free day to chill-out on Airlie beach then overnight bus to Hervey Bay (12hrs)
Sunday 29th - Pick up from coach station then boat to Fraser Island (day tour + overnight on island)
Monday 1st - Day on Fraser Island then back to Hervey Bay.
Tuesday 2nd - Day in Hervey Bay then overnight bus (7hrs) to Brisbane
Wednesday 3rd - Arrive in Brisbane and chill-out big time.
Thursday 4th - Explore Brisbane then go out to celebrate our last night in Oz.
Friday 5th - Fly to Auckland, New Zealand.

Click here for a map of Queensland, Australia.

Ayers Rock

Just flew out of Ayers Rock today and landed in Cairns (staying at the Global Palace Backpackers Hostel). Uluru was quite spectacular but bloody hot (42 degress) and the flies drove us up the wall (a face net became essential). It was a must-do for 4/5 days but overall the experience was underwhelming in the wow-factor and overwhelming in the wallet. I am hoping the barrier reef holds more excitement and from just shopping around this evening its clear that the east-coast offers better value for money than the west and the centre (pretty obvious really when you think about it but I am now planning on maybe postponing some activities until NZ where it may be cheaper still). The Cook Islands is looking more likely again too.

Perth volume 1 photos

First batch of Perth photos are here

Perth Zoo & Wildlife Park photos are here

Thanks again to Rich who also contributed to some of these shots...Enjoy!

I've still got a whole heap of Perth photos to upload including the Beach Boys concert and the Norman Jay gig...watch this space!

N.B. These photos are stored under my petemagrath2 account so older albums are not visable unless you use the other links provided on this blog (to the albums under my original account). This measure has been taken to get round Yahoo's 30Mb photo space restriction.

Balloon Blow-out

Could noy go hot-air ballooning this morning despite getting up at 3:30am. Went out then got driven back at 6am due to bad weather conditions. Got money back no problem just really dissapointed like a lot of other people. There is always NZ for ballooning. Off to Kings Canyon tomorrow then Ayers Rock (Uluru) on Friday. Decided on a tour rather than a self-drive as a lot of firms won't let you drop off at Yulara (Ayers Rock resort) 'cause its too remote. Staying one night at Yulara then off to Cairns on Saturday (21st). Spent today mooching around Alice Springs which isn't the most interesting place in Oz to be honest but was able to buy Mel a nice opal necklace for her birthday (in a couple of weeks).

Alice?.. who the f**k is Alice?

Arrived in Alice Springs this afternoon and it is a sizzling 38 degrees. Bought a hat yesterday to stop my red-hair from getting scorched (dyed it for a laugh when Mel did hers!).
Up mega-early tomorrow (4am!!!) to go hot-air ballooning over the MacDonald Range. Champagne breakfast is included (nice!).
Also thinking of going into town tomorrow afternoon to look at hiring at 4WD for the trip to Uluru (Ayers Rock).

Phil and 11 Angry Men

Last nignt we were lucky enought to be able to hook up with Phil Nichol, a stand-up comedian (seen at Komedia Brighton) and friend of Mel's through wild-nights on the town in London. Phil is in a stage-production of 12 Angry Men - the classic 1957 b/w movie starring Henry Fonda as the only juror who has 'reasonable doubt' and won't send a man to the electric chair without talking it over first - he then convinces the other 11 to vote not guily. I superb performance by Phil (as the bigotted Brooklyn mechanic) and the rest of the cast who were all recognisable from various comedy tv programmes (the entire cast bar 1 were comedians). Had a great time at the after-show party and met the cast and crew who were all really nice down-to-earth people. I wish the very best of luck to Phil, the cast and crew as they take this cracking production onto Wellington and Adeliade after this week in Perth. If last night is anything to go by it will sell-out no problem. Thanks to Phil for getting us top tickets - the show was so good I urge everyone to go see it.

Quokkkas, Bikes, & Norman Jay

Rottnest was excellent - a throughly unspoiled paradise with hardly any motor vehicles. Ideal for Mountain bikes and a bot of snorkling altough the latter did seem a bit tame after the marine life witnessed diving in Thailand. THe island is also overrun with charming little marsupials called Quokkas that look like big-rats crossed with wallabies and give the island its name (from Rats Nest).

Sunday afternoon/night we went along to the Good Times on the beach with Mr Norman Jay MBE spinning classic and laid back funky house at a cool venue on the beach - top party, great tunes.

Beach Boys Rocked...big time!

Despite their age they still pulled out spotless renditions of all the old faves. The stage/arena right on the beach was excellent and even better once we realised that Ozzy champagne was only one dollar more than a beer.
Mel and I are now staying at the Ocean Beach Backpackers in Cottesloe just up the road from where Sundays gig took place. It is seriously chilled here and not as hot and stuffy as Club Red was in the centre of Perth. Having said that, we made some great friends at Club Red backpackers and will be hooking up with Rich and Lou later to go to the Outdoor cinema in Burlswood (South Perth other side of the Swan River) and gorge ourselves on pizza and beer in the process. Tonights film is Matrix Revolutions.

Planning on taking a day trip to Rottness Island on Saturday and ride around on Mountain bikes. Then on Sunday we've got tickets for an all afternoon beach party in North Freemantle with BBQ and the one and only Mr Norman Jay MBE on the decks - 'av it!

Rant: Can't believe I'm using a bloody apple mac to write this. Fisher Price could make a better computer!

Malaysia Part 2 Photos

Available here

Big thanks to my new mate Rich Rowlatt from Tredworth, Gloucester for the use of his laptop and CD burner.

Wine, Pool & The Beach Boys

Recovering from yesterdays day out to several wineries in the Swan Valley. Good fun, lots of wine and sunshine and in the evening I kicked arse in the hostel's pool competition and won handsomely (although how I was still able to hold the cue is still a mystery). We should be off to see the Beach Boys play a gig on Cottesloe beach tomorrow (fingers crossed the licence was granted) so just a chilled one today and maybe a few bevvys in front of the footy tonight.