A few days prior to my arrival in Surfer’s Paradise, a beach town between Byron Bay and Brisbane, I had received a “Come on down mate” from a couchsurfing host. …

I arrived in Byron Bay after about a 4 hour rainy bus ride south of Brisbane. Byron Bay is known for being a hippie enclave. It’s filled with cafes, incense-filled …

I rang Ben up from the Auchenflower train station, and he walked over bare foot a few minutes later to greet me. Turns out his apartment was only two blocks …

  I couldn’t/didn’t sleep but an hour the night before my flight to Brisbane, Australia. No doubt it was because I had to wake up at 3am for the earliest …

New Zealand surpassed my expectations, and while at times tiring and fast-paced, I would not trade my experiences for the world! Highlights – canyoning outside Auckland haka dance in Maketu …

Help me decide how long to spend in Bali, Indonesia!  I have to decide soon so I can book my onward travel.  Factors to consider include the fact that I …

Thanks to everyone for voting on which song was my most played after 3 weeks on the road.  I was surprised to see Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” come from …

After a month of travel, and 3 weeks of trying to keep up with the STRAY backpacker bus schedule, I was ready to settle in Christchurch for the remaining 5 …

Date: Thursday, December 27, 2007 Mission: Shotover Canyon Swing Statistics: 360 feet high (109 meters), 200-foot freefall (60 meters), 650-foot arc (200 meters), 93 mph (150 kph) 6 am – …

  The photo isn’t from my New Year’s celebration (in Christchurch), however it fits the holiday well enough.  I celebrated Stephanie’s birthday in Franz Joseph along with a bunch of …

Life in Queenstown returned to normal the day after Christmas. Unlike probably any other town in the world, this meant a zillion tour operators began shuffling people to face their …

Upon leaving Franz Joseph, we took in a scenic view of New Zealand’s Southern Alps from Lake Mattheson. On a good day, you’re suppose to be able to see a …

Spending a full day (6 hours ice time) hiking on the Franz Joseph Glacier on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island was something I’d been looking forward to …

I paid for the good times in Wellington on my travel day to the South Island. I was up around 6am, took a 7am shuttle to the quay, and set …

  It’s one thing to say you’ll pack light, and another to actually manage it once traveling.  Just in case you need a few reminders why it pays to pack …

I’m going to skip ahead for today so I can share some photos from my Christmas Eve in Queenstown. I spent it getting to know Nadia (Switz), Vivian (Holland), and …

I met up with Justin in the common room of the Wellywood hostel in Wellington. The night was already set for us – Trivia Night at a local bar. His …

2:38pm, December 17, 2007 Sitting outside Mac’s Brewery on a Monday afternoon enjoying a brew – watching the clouds quickly drift by – “Stand By Me” playing over the stereo …

Now that I’ve been gone about 3 weeks, I’m getting the hang of using the various Internet cafes and access points to keep my blog updated. Internet access in French …

My diet in New Zealand has been an odd combination of food. Most eaten items would have to include sausages, cheeseburgers, ham and cheese sandwiches, pizza, fresh muffins, Cadbury chocolate …