Mamallapuram

OK so the photos aren't working too well but i will keep trying as i write this. We are now gonna be heading to Chennai where we will be getting a 20 hours, yes 2-0! hour train ride to Bhubaneswar where we can then get to Puri. It's gonna be quite the test, I'm not really sure what of yet but probably a test of something. The days here in Mamallapuram were not really spent doing a whole lot. But that was both up our alleys as we both got a little sick (well really i got sick and then got Justina sick but those of course are just minor details). So due to the lack of energy we spent some time sleeping in and enjoying our large bed and very clean room, and hanging out at the many rooftop louge restaurants or chillin on the beach. Sounds tough i know. But we are by now feeling quite a bit better and i think we will both agree in as the 11-12th hour on the train comes around that we will be very glad that we are not sick. I still enjoyed a really nice birthday though, got a nice card, a book that i just have to read as well treated to a relaxation message from Justina. All very nice presents. Because of course i was feeling just so stressed out. It was a little interesting getting massaged by a man with sort of rough hands totally naked, and switching positions, lying down, up, sitting, etc.. but it was really nice and i know i probably thought about it a lot more than he did. Although he kept asking if Justina was gonna come back to get one too, but hey i can't blame the guy for wanting to massage girls, could you? We also spent some time on the beach enjoying the late sun. I got a lot of really nice bday emails too, could have a little to do with the hint i put in the blog but they were really well recieved anyways, so thanks to all. For my birthday dinner we actually tried the seafood here (as in the stuff they catch that day) and it was really nice, some jumbo prawns and tuna steaks. And we even drank 3 beers! I know it doesn't sound like much but here that's quite the milestone. One day we vistised the Five Raithas temple complex that is another world heritage site that can be checked off the list. It was fairly small but you just had to remind yourself that all those structures were carved from one solid piece of rock and that ain't easy. Today we went shopping as this place is a bit of a sculpture capital (see Justina's blog title) and actually did very well. Of course you could buy so much more as many of them are truly remarkable but there is only so much that can be carried and only so much that can be shipped. One that was really interesting was that had Laptop Ganesh and even a bunch of Desktop computer Ganesh. Again it's amazing how they depict their gods here, whether it be laptop Ganesh or all the flahy lights and things, to us it makes them seem much less holy and to a point disrespectful, but they love it here. Just more crazy India.

Pondicherry

So we are about to leave Pondicherry to catch a bus to Mamallapuram where i will be enjoying my 25th birthday on the beach, eating good seafood and enjoying some semi legal beers. It's gonna be sweet. Not a bad way to spend a birthday, even if to me 25 seems just a little bit on the old side. Pondicherry has been a very pleasant place. Very easy to walk everywhere, the streets are very clean, some really interesting colonial architecture and just overall laid back atmosphere. no places really open until 10am and they all close between 12-2 or even 4 as that if siesta time. then they will open again until 7, 9 or 11 if its a restaurant. We have been enjoying the many rooftop garden restaurants with theire french styles and even some of the funny attempt at french signs. This one place was called "L'E Space". i found it funny at least. The first day we pretty much slept most of it as there wasn't much sleep to be had on the bus ride over here. The next day we did a lot of the tourist things, visited an ashram and even convinced Justina to go to the Pondicherry museaum. As i climbed the stairs onto the second floor of the museum, Justina was sitting in a chair in the first room looking as if this was gonna take a while. ( I was a little slow as they had this huge chart with the history of the entire world and didn't think anything else could slow me down as much as that). But she told me to go around the corner to the right, outside. And what do i find there? A large rock collections of rock and mineral samples from all over India!!! ok well maybe it's just me that would get excited, but Justina thought it was quite funny. It's how she thinks usually of my rock liking. The next day we rented a scooty (they actually say scooty on the side of them here) and battled the traffic for the first bit before driving off intot he coutryside. We were looking for one interesting town and some beaches but there were really no roadsigns at all and we just kinda explored around the side streets. We cam to a few places that was a beach and one that we think might have been the one that was described in the book. Last night we had a very nice dinner and even a bottle of wine! that is a huge rarity here. So that's all i got for now. We have booked our flight from Calcutta to Burma for the 9th of february, so we are officially going to Myanmar. I'm pretty excited about it.

Mini train and Pondicherry

So it turned out to be ok timing as the mini train resumed its service on the 2oth of jan and so we took it down to Mettupalayam on the 21st, where we would board a ocal bus to Coimbature and then catch an overnight to Pondicherry. It was a very cute train and the ride was very nice through the mountains but at times i felt like getting out and walking as i think that might have been faster. but hey it's about the experience right? And to check off another thing on the list. We got into Mettupalayam, where a taxi driver says that it's cheaper to take the taxi than the local bus. your funny buddy, really funny, how can it be cheaper than 25 cents each , mmmm? So now we are in Pondercherry for a few days, a sleepy sort of french colonial town before we continue north. Oh and yes the roads here are very bad, i think i was airborne (fully) about 3-4 times on the overnight bus, and that is semi lying down.

Ooty

ok well the trip wasn't that nice but the reward was there for sure. We luckily got this room on the top floor of this one guesthouse that overlooked the lake ad if we had arrived maybe an hour later would have missed it was people were just checking out and there were others who arrived after us. So we felt fortunate. And for all of you who are thinking, "oh aaron is in some tropical paradise, so warm" well think again as Ooty was a cold mountain town. It was hot during the day mind you but as soon as the sun went down it was quite cold, we were guessing around 4-5 degrees. Justina even bought a toque for the time that we were there. But it was kinda nice to sleep under a big blanket other than the half sheet deal that is usually the norm here. Well we explored Ooty, went walking around as much as we could and relaxing as best as we could. The market was quite nice, so many good looking veggies and fruits, the selection is amazing and the people quite friendly, most don't even notice you. One of the days we joined a trek into the mountains to see the tea plantations and villages. As Justina pointed out, they weren't as villagy as they could be with roads and buses that reach them but they are very small communities that are agriculture based and very poor soo... It amazing sometimes, when some people could just really use your empty water bottle. Justina tried to give these kids a balloon but one of them snatched it out of her hands as she tried to blow it up and the fighting soon began so that was enough of that. Apparently the kinds don't share here, there really isn't much sharing at all that goes on, amazing for a place with so little to go around. it was an interesting walk that ended at a huge lookout point. And boy is it ever amazing how much pollution there is here. You can really see it in the air at places like this, trapped by the mountains around it as well as in your nose and throat. kinda gross i know but it's true. I mean the view is very nice but so much is blocked out. We are very lucky to live in a place that is so clean.

ahh India

Ok well I got a little taste of indian travelling although there wasn't that much we could do about it as it was mostly bad timing. But the story goes that we went to the train station to inquire about taking the train to Ooty. She says that there is no direct train and the connection option sounded quite complicated. Furthermore, the miniature train, one of the main reasons that we were going to Ooty was out of commission due to rockfall. Ok then, fine. We then go to a travel agent dude, who said that there is no train but you can take the bus to Coimbature and that the newspaper has said that the mini train is in fact running again. Well half way at least and we could just go to the bottom station and inquire when we get there. Ok then fine, let's do that. So later on that night, quite late as we were in our bed clothes , we get the knock on the door. It is some Indian man who doesn't speak english very well and is actually a little stressed out. He says that the bus isn't running anymore as it's broken or something and can't be fixed, so he needs our passport info to try to get us on the tourist quota train to Coimbature and then catch the local bus from there to Mettupalayam. Mmm, i thought that there wasn't a train. oh well, we tell him that we will come in the morning and to go have some chai and chill out. So of course, the morning comes along and there is another knock on the door. Same dude, even more stressed out this time and said that we must come now. ok ok we are on our way. We get to the travel agent and he explains things how the bus isn't running and the train is really full as everyone is going home after the festival in Madurai (there was a festival going on?). but he will get us spots, no problem. ok cool. so that night we return to the agent to pick up our berth numbers and he writes one on our ticket, 22. i thought to myself, mmm, that sounds like one number. He explains that it is, it's all he could get, but don't worry, there will prolly be an open spot and the conductor will move you there. mmm right. we were a little frustrated as we felt that we got ripped off, well we did money wise but also ripped off for what we got. but the trael agent guy said he was sorry and justina felt much better as she explained that that never happes. so anyways, it was a very tight ride, i read as long as i could before joining justina in our bunk, fit for one Indian, not 2 whiteys. but hey that's travelling. we arrived in coimnbature and joined in this pair of english ladies on a hired mini-bus to Ooty, arrving around 9am. what a journey but it ended ip being worth it as is usually the case for places that are hard to get to.

Madurai

Well, we are about to leave on the train to attempt to get to Ooty, hopefully. The train here was actually just fine, I've been on worse in Italy even but Justina said that it was one of the emptiest trains that she had been in so i am prepared for worse. We spent the first day here resting and figuring out what we wanted to do for the rest of the time in India. Got some good chores done and soon enough the day is over. Doesn't really take much here it seems. It is quite tiring walking around and such, i guess just because it is much harder than New Zealand, many people asking for everything. They tend to talk to me more as i am the man and in charge of everything, if they only knew the truth. But if they get too far, Justina has no problem stepping in and its soon over after that. We visited the temple today which was quite neat, another amazing place where it is tought to understand what all these people get out of it. BUt maybe it's just hard to understand for me. Anyways, got some more clothes suitable for here at the market, the Mr.Canada comes out fast as soon as you say where you are from. And now i may taste some real travelling that may intail train, bus, train or train, bus, bus, or train, bus, bus, train. Who knows whats in store. not me.

India-Varkala

Hey everyone, well i arrived safely here in Varkala India and let's just say it was a little exciteing to see Justina again. Just a little. been here 4 nights and i can really see how you can get lost in a place like this. well it doesn't help when you are having breakfast at 11am everyday but it's ok, we earned it. There really isn't much to say, been to the beach a couple of times, meals here always takes so long because you end up sitting there feeling just so stressed out, looking out onto the ocean with a nice breeze. really tough, i know. We are now gonna be leaving on an overnight train to Madurai and our, well my start into real india. I'm looking forward to it, even if it's a bit of a shock. That's about it, we have the next while planned out, gonna spend another 2-3 weeks in India before heading to Burma for the allocated month and then to the south of thailand before a little more India. hope all is well. it is with me now.

Bungy Taupo-Auckland

OK so now i am in Auckland and tomorrow at 3pm i fly to Singapore for the night before continuing on to Trivandrum in southern India. All set for Singapore, booked into a hotel stopover package, i know not very traveller like but its a good deal and no hassle which is sweet when i have 24 hours to be exact in the town. On the morning of driving to Auckland, we stopped to do the Bungy which was sweet, a lot different than skydiving that's for sure, you are so much closer to your surroundings and then you get dunked in the water. I wish that i had looked more down when i was dropping though because i couldn't tell where i was for the most part until i hit the water. oh well next time. We also stopped to pick up some hubcaps as 2 had been lost along the journey and what do ya know, they have the exact same ones in the store, the cheapest you can get. what a surprise. Got into Auckland, found a place to stay and then headed out for kebabs and the Heineken Open, my first tennis tournament experience. Now it wasn't packed with stars but the 7 and 9th world ranked players were there and we were able to watch the 7th ranked player Robredo? woop some 57th ranked players butt. so that was neat. The next day we packed up and Jesse dropped me off at a hostel downtown before driving out to the airport to head to Fiji for a week before returning home. So its just me now. It's been raining all day today so just been walking around getting all the errands done for India and maybe hit a movie later as all the tennis will be probably cancelled. Anyways, not much else to say, thanks for the comments everyone, i forgot about the singing up part, not always easy. well take care, might not put up another entry for a little bit. see you all later

Ferry-Taupo

Ok, so is anyone reading this, i haven't got any comments at all. Even a hi would be nice, common how hard is that? hehe Anyways, in Taupo now, might not get pics up here but will soon. We went out that night after the intense 3 hour interenet session and checked out the local bars. Nothing huge as its friday and people go out here on thursday and saturday, but fun anyways. Went to sleep around 1:30am, mmm car sleeping and woke up 3 hours later to get on our 5:30am ferry. Wow what a restfull sleep. It was really nice though going through Malborough sounds as the sun is coming up and got a few good early light pics. We arrived in Wellington and had breakfast and hit the road. And it was obviously the right direction as as we got closer and closer to Taupo, it got sunnier and sunnier. We stopped to take some pics of the mountains for mordor including mount doom, which was neat, it was a good day to see them. Got in to Taupo, went to one place to inquire about a room and they only had 3 left and they were above the bar so apparently our floors would shake until 4 am, like literally. So i guess we found where we were gonna go to tonight but not a place to stay. Found a few beds, and headed out for dinner. Had a nice server from Quebec city but of course my french has deteriorated to near nothing but i tried anyways. That night people were out, we haven't been to many places where there have been many others partying but this was for sure one of them. We woke up the next morning feeling 100% reading for skydiving. well maybe 20% but we were ready. It was really really fun. I can't believe that these people do it sometimes 15 times a day. and get paid to do it too. The one guy has done over 9000 jumps! Anyways, it's interesting, when you are on your way to jump out of the plane, you don't really realize what's going on and then when you are free falling, that's only when you can tell. Crazy! you can't not just laugh the whole time. Well after that we had some lunch and crashed for a while. Got up to go bungy jumping but unfortunately it was just closing so we aren't gonna do both in a day, that will have to wait until tomorrow. Oh well. The thing i'm thinking about the most right now is 4 more sleeps until India. Tomorrow its off to Auckland for the last 2 nights and there is a tennis tournament going on starting tomorrow night so we are gonna check that out. Take care everyone.

Malborough Sounds

ok so we drove to the start of this Queen Charlotte track, asked about beds at teh hotel there and the lady was kinda rude so we packed what food we had left and headed to the camp an hour hike away. that of course was 30 min away and we camped right on the beach with nearly no one aroyund. tried out the night stuff on my camera and it's actually sweet, i shoudl have took more of those kind of pics before. well i know now. The next day we work up, waited for the tent to dry as there was dew everywhere and hiked to mosquito bay whic was 4 hours away. well maybe 2.5 but that's aight. it was a really nice and peacefull walk with some nice scenic views. Had lunch at the bay, then hiked back. Got into the car and drove to picton where we will be boarding the ferry at 5:30am tomorrow morning. SO maybe not much sleep tonight. But hey, that's vacation. Aight, i'm done, take care everyone, considered yourselves up to date.

Abel Tasman

Ok lots of pictures and little talking is the best way to describe the Abel Tasman Park. Again we were super, super lucky. When we arrived at the kayak rental place and asked him about a 3 day trip, he was like, "there is no chance, everything is booked". but he called anyways and bam, there is one night available at Bark Bay, and one night at Appletree bay. So since bark bay was about a 5.5hr paddle away, we quickly got some food and set off. And boy that first day was rough. lots of water coming over the top and getting us soaked. But as i had more experience than Jesse, i took the rear and steering and so wasn't as wet, well just no face hits, hehe. After one break for some food, we kept going and arrived at Bark Bay. Beautiful spot. There was this group of older kiwi guys, obviously old mates as the were at each other the whole time. But we were allowed a camp fire, which was super nice and they had a bunch of mussels that they had picked to cook over the fire. True camping to us canadians. These guys were quite funny, and kept us laughing for most of the night. we drank both bottles of wine that we had brought. The next morning we woke up slowly, chilled for a bit, waited for the craziness of the water taxis to happen. i mean common people how hard is it to go your own way? then we set out for more paddling. So much calmer this day, we stopped at a gorgeous beach for lunch and such and then in the afternoon when there were no boats out continued to our next camping spot. Set up our tent, right on the beach which was sweet and hung out with this interesting group of people, 3 dutch, 2 austrian, 1 aussie, 1 english and 1 american and just chatted about anything. Once it got to dark and all our hope for any sort of game went away, we hit the sack. Woke up the next day to a glorious morning, played 2 chess games with the aussie, 1-1, but he had to go before we could have a decider. Paddled out into the calm waters and around some islands and then returned to town. We then looked at the map and said hey, Let's go hike the Queen charlotte track!