HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL!!

I know that it's not even 2007 back home at the moment but we had all that 12 hours ago. Spent the night in Taupo in the pissnig rain. The similarities to Scotland even stretch to the weather. Baltic was the word. Bit warmer than Ecosse, but only just. Was feeling for all the silly girls stumbling around in skirt and wee top combo's :)

Had a good night eating, drinking and being generally very merry. Introduced Ruth to the yagerbomb and think I have a convert on my hands!! Met some cool Kiwis in some irish bar and lost an arm wrestling comp to a cheeting czech...bawbag!

Off to rest today as we are going to attempt the Tongariro crossing tomorrow which is a quite mental hillwalk (9 hours, many km's) and we need to be fresh as daisy's.

More later,

Mex

Hiya Everybody,

Been hurtling round the North of NZ in my little wagon of lurve...been to the most northernest point where the Tasy sea meets the pacific. Cool lighthouse but a hell of a long way down a very bumpy road. Did a spot of sandboarding on some massivo sand dunes. Was cool but did fall off quite a lot when I tried to surf down standing up (however did make it down a few time :D). Yesterday went and saw the biggest tree in NZ. Fucker was 13m in diameter and looked well cool, they recon it is about 2000 years old. After that just drove for anout 300 miles. I was a tired man yesterday :(

Checking out the Waitomo caves now and going to head to Lake Taupo tomorrow for some NY party action :))

If I don't get a chance I hope everyone has a blast for NY :))))

Well it's the 27th December and it is pissing with rain in the bay of islands!! Wanted to get some diving on the go but all the boats are booked solid for the next week :( Got the camper van and spent the first night on the road and had a pretty good sleep. Going to try and get all the way up to the top of the Island by tonight and maybe get some dolphin swimming done on the way back down. Really missing my waterproof jacket at the moment as lost the bad boy one and failed to find a good one yesterday in Auckland. Will try again when I get back on the 3rd.

Hope everyone had a good time at X-mas. Thinking of hitting lake Taupo for New Year :))

Me

Big thank you to Alex and Sammy for putting me up and showing me a good time in Sydney. Had a wicked night out for my last night but yesterday was a very long day as flight into Auckland didn't get in till 01:30 and didn;t get to bed till about 3ish. Slept in this morning and almost missed check out and the bus to the airport. But it all worked out for the best and i'm theiving free internet from some shop :))

Hope everyonehas a great Christmas and a good new year. Sorry to all the boys back home (Richie, Ross, Kash, et al) that are having to organise their own Ny parties :))

Oh and I randomly bumped into Meika in my hostel at 2:30, think I shocked the poor wee girl as she almost burst into tears. Could hear the distinctive twang of someone from the "kingdon" all the way down the stairs!!

Chris

Finally get some decent weather over here in Sydney. Had a nice walk round town and checked out the Aquarium which was better than the one in KL. Going out for some more drinks later to say goodbye to Alex and Sammy for the next we while...all though I think some couch surfing is due to be coming my way in about 12-18 months!!

Had a wicked stay over here and catching up with mates is always good. Off to NZ tomorrow for some last minute Chrimbo shopping and to meet Ruth on the 23rd.

If i don't post before then I hope everyone has a good Christmas and that Santa Claus brings everyone lots of nice pressies!!

Arrived safe and sound and had a couple of cracking nights out with the Oz crew. Stayed with Sammy one night and now at Alex's place. Weather is shitty and ended up at the cinema yesterday as not the nicest to be out and about. On my on till the 22nd as everyone else has headed to blue mountains but i've not got enough time. Oh and got bitten on the right eyelid but some beastie and ended up looking like the elephent man for most of yesterday (another cue for dark movie action) But seem to be back to my uusal good looking self today.

taking full advantage if having a washer dryer at the moment and trying to wash everything including the bags as everything is beginning to get a little funky!!

Later y'all,

Me

Right where was i. hav been a little off the air for the last few days as the last couple of stops on the Oz Expo is out in the stickes. Left Byron and headed down to Arrawaarra or something equally silly for a night and spent the afternoon doing some more surfing. Wicked fun and managed to get up most of the time. Might managed to get some pics of me being a true surf ninja but wasn't about to pay $40 for them so will thieve them off a girl who did :)) Towards the end of the session a major electrical storm came over and it started lashing with rain whch was very cool as a backdrop for the surfing. Had a good night after eating mexican and drinking although had a pretty quite one as done in from all the recent nights out!!

Next morning it was FREEZING and lashing with rain but ok once in the water. But surf was prettyt shitty so not the best for learning on. managed to catch a sweet wave most the way in for my last ride which i was happy about as not going to be doing it again in Oz.

Left Surf camp and headed down to Barrington Tops in the Tablelands above Sydney. Cool hilltop station where we had many glasses of the mighty Goon and then did some night kayaking. Which was very cool but quite dangerous at the same time as u really have very little idea where u are going. I managed to fall out only when one of the girls rammed me!! Soem more drinking then a well deserved sleep in till 9:30 :)) Arrived in Sydney now and will be here till 22nd where i fly to NZ. Going to hook up with Alex and Sammy opver next few days as well.

laters,

Me

Morning all,

Glad to hear the Scottish winter is keeping true to form. Just to let u all know that it is 32 and slightly overcast today :)) Sorry but couldn't resist!!

Had a wicked night doing some table dancing in a club called Cheeky Monkeys and managed to drag my ass to bed at about 1sh in the middle of massivo rainstorm. had to get up at bastardo o'clock (6:20) to go diving and wasn't feeling that the 3 jus of beer were sucha good idea but once i got in the water it was cool. Saw some turtles, most sting rays and huge eagle nosed rays (2m wingspan) very cool creatures but the best of the day had to be the nurse sharks. We managed to creep up on one to about 1m away. Beastie was over 3m long and looked dangerous as hell. meant to be freindly but if couldn't help but think of the jaws score!!

Going to head to the Byron Point lighthouse later today as it is the most Easternly point in Oz and means i've stood on 3 of the 4 compass points of the island. sad i know but i think it is cool :)) Tomorrow off surfing with my mate craig for a few hours.

Hating not having a mobile but wheels have been set in motion to get new bad boy phone sent over with Ruth :D

laters,

Mex

ps - photo site is getting a bit better and should get most of it finished by Sydney :)

BUGGER mobile finally gave up the ghost after 18 months as the screen has cracked and can't see what u are typing. Can still make and receive calls but have to type it in old stylee. The other bummer is that my compact camera seems to have gotten some sand into the lens assembly and will not close so going to have to see if I can get it fixed when i get to Sydney or Auckland as really don't want to have to buy a new one after only having this one for less than 5 months!! was trying to be really careful as had heard how bad the sand was in Fraser and even went to the length of putting all of the stuff into my waterproof bag!! Was working after fraser but packed up in Surfers.

CAN EVERYONE PLEASE MAIL ME WITH THEIR MOBILE NUMBERS AS ALL THE CURRENT ONES ARE LOCKED IN BROKE PHONE :)

Surfers was ok but wayyyy to tacky for my liking. was a bit like bangkok as just a total tourist trap. Nice for a few days but glad to have left. Byron is well nice and have booked another dive for tomorrow. Prob going to be the last dive that i get done in Oz so thought i'd make it a good one. The vis is meant to be 20+ m at the moment which will make it some of the best diving that i have ever had :))

Will get some more surfing done the day after and maybe a trip to Nin Bin for some smoke action. Although after the blowback incident in Fraser might take a raincheck...we shall see.

Ritht off to the beach.

Mex

Arrived in Brisbane and about to meet the crew for drinks and some dinner. Mate Murph lives here and going out for a couple with him so should be a good night but have to get up at bastardo o'clock again for the ozz bus (6:15) :((

Noosa was awesome and managed to get some surfing in this morning. Caught about 75-80% of the waves that i went for so not too shabby for 3rd day of surfing but still need loads of practise. Not the easiest of sports to pick up!

More later surf fans,

Me

Noosa rocks. This place is awesome. So chilled out and finally a sea that u can swim in without fear of being eaten by sharks or stung to death by jelly fish. Had a good night on the piss last night then swimming in the sea today so clear the head...wicked. Weather can't seem to make it's mind up as it switches between glorious sunshine and freezing rain. Hostel is like on old colonial mansion and really nice and clean. Good number of the oz brigade here so lots of pals. Will be sorry to leave tomorrow. Wanted to go to the Steve Erwin zoo but the bus was full today and not enough time tomorrow so going to have some more surf lessons to improve my already (not) ninja skills on the board!

Mex

Shit sorry about the slowness in posting but it's been a busy week and a bit. Right went off for my Whit Sundays trip on Freight Train (aka the good ship sausage as there were 19 dudes and 3 girls :(() But had a good time diving, snorkling and sunning myself...oh and a fair bit of boozing!! Whitehaven beach is stupidly gorgeous. Prob best beach I have ever seen and is in the running for best beach in the world (apparently). Won't bang on about it as 90% of the people reading this will have seen it for themselves!

Got back into shore and went on a fairly major bender (unsuprising as 3 days on a sausage ship will do that to a man!) Vaugley remember getting to bed some time about 4ish. Got up at 10 and started boozing again with my yank mate Chris. Cue all day bender and another 4am sleep. Preob not the best as had a 12 hour bus journey the next morning at bastarardo o'clock (7am). But the others were in worse shape as they are weak :)) Arrived at the cattle station and did some whip cracking (not very good at it), riding of mechanical bull (aka nutcracker as that what it did to your nuts) and finally an early night. Next day did some horse riding, shotgun shooting (didn't win to my horror...must be getting old) and a goat mustering.

Right then we arrived in Hervey Bay very late and pissed off. Had to get all my shit sorted for Fraser for a 6:30 start :( Cool group for the van. Me, 2 english chicks, 2 german dudes and a canadian couple. Most of the cars went round en masse which was cool for the evening parties/ I had to drive almost all the time as the others were too scared and more so when they tried it. I loved it though. Only got stuck once and that was where everyone did. Fraser is a wicked place. White sand beaches, crystal clear lakes and awesome times burning around in massivo 4x4. Saw some dingo's and goanas which was cool from the nature side of things!!

Will leave it there as most oy u prob stopped reading after the first paragraph. Off to Noosa tomorrow so will try and catch up on all mails then!

C