Lake Matheson © ThorHimself@thorviking.com
Beautiful New Zealand
Sunny Sydney
© ThorHimself@thorviking.com
© ThorHimself@thorviking.com
© ThorHimself@thorviking.com
Saturday, 7 May 2016
Wednesday, 4 May 2016
Around the world in 80 days
I actually didn't plan it but it is exactly 80 days since I left Birmingham to go on this adventure! If I had placed a bet, I would of course be rushing back there to claim my prize, but since I haven't, I am in no hurry to return to the Midlands.
The flight from Bangkok to Stockholm had the seat configuration I thought it would, so I got quite a bit of privacy in my window seat. I managed to sleep a bit too. The weather on arrival in Stockholm was sunny and during the day it got quite hot. Very nice!
I have certainly had an amazing time travelling around the world. There have been ups and downs, but in the end, after the event, you tend to forget the downs and remember the ups. I have met some nice people along the way, some I will stay in touch with, and I have hundreds and hundreds of photos to always remind me of this adventure. Of course, now that one adventure has come to an end, another one begins. But I won't be writing about that on this blog. I will upload some more photos soon, but apart from that, this will be my final post.
Thanks to all who have followed me on this trip. I hope you have enjoyed reading my rants and raves. I have actually enjoyed keeping this diary, a written record of this once-in-a-lifetime-journey, that I can come back and relive any time.
THE END
Tuesday, 3 May 2016
One night in Bangkok
At least half a night, 8 pm to 1 am, between flights.
The 9-hour flight from Brisbane was absolutely fine. I watched several movies for the entire flight, so the screaming baby in the middle row didn't bother me too much. It's just shocking how business class is turning into a flying nursery these days. Selfish parents who want to live a childless life with small children should be severely punished. Those of us paying good money for some peace, quiet, and serenity do not need to listen to their screaming offspring for hours on end. Even business lounges at airports are adding playrooms. I have already spotted several rugrats in the lounge in Bangkok, I can only hope we don't have the same final destination as I hope to get some sleep on the way. We arrive at 7 am tomorrow and I can't be nodding off during the day. There was an examplary dad on the train from Katoomba to Sydney. He had three kids with him into the quiet carriage, but he hooked them all up to mobile devices and shushed them when they made noise. Give the man a medal!
In Brisbane I got access to Air New Zealand's business lounge (kia ora!), which was recently refurbished and quite nice (they even had showers!). Not having eaten for nearly 12 hours, I hit the buffet straight away. Was a little disappointed with the only hot dish available being a soup, but loaded up on sandwiches. An hour after I arrived, they announced their flight to Auckland and most of the lounge emptied. And then they brought out the good stuff! Pork, chicken, rice, and a lentil daal. Clearly Asian-inspired but not very flavourful. They also brought out a very nice potato salad, no apples, no nuts, nothing weird, just plain potato, onion, mayonnaise, and cream. Yum. I had seconds.
There's nothing exceptional about Thai Airways' business class, although it's a world away from what it was in 1999, when I last flew to Sydney. Food was OK, crew was OK. Only two white and two red wines to choose between. The seating configuration on the 787 was similar to LAN's 787 I flew Santiago-Auckland, but the configuration on the 777 I'm flying to Stockholm tonight looks more interesting; the seats are staggered, so I should not have anyone right next to me. Happy days.
On arrival in Bangkok, we parked at a remote stand and as I took the steps down to the tarmac, I got a whiff of the Bangkok air. Hells bells, it was like sticking my head in the oven! 32°, the pilot said. Glad I'm not staying here. But even inside the airport it's quite stuffy. Despite it being a fairly new airport (2006), the toilet looked a bit worn and they have put a large fan and a portable air-conditioner on the floor. I haven't been to Bangkok in ages, so it's my first time using Suvarnabhumi.
The weather forecast for Stockholm tomorrow is 16° and sunny! 19° on Thursday! Lovely jubbly!
Monday, 2 May 2016
Brisbane
Labour Day is of course May 1, which was yesterday. The hotel advertised in the lift that they are doing a "mini-service", which apparently does not include making beds and replacing used cups and glasses. Not only was that the case yesterday, but it turns out that today, May 2, is also a public holiday, so Australia stays home and slips another shrimp on the barbie! Nice for them, not so much for me.
I was very pleased to find there was a free bus stopping just outside my hotel to go down the hill to the CBD. It only runs Monday-Friday however, so I was waiting for it this morning, being a Monday. After 20 minutes, I went back to the hotel and was informed that today was also a holiday, so there would be no free buses. This applied to the free downtown loop as well. I was not happy at all. And arriving in the CBD, pretty much everything except a few food places and souvenir shops was closed. Two food courts and KFC were closed. Coles supermarket was closed. Hungry Jack's (=Burger King in Australia) had run out of soft drinks. I saw a McDonald's sign outside the Wintergarden centre, but there was no restaurant inside. I finally came across the golden arches again at Central Station, so I now know that a Big Mac meal is $9.90 (£5.15).
I went to the tourist information on Queen Street, which surprisingly was open, and found out that at least the free river boat should be running today. So I went on that. At least it was cooler on the water than on land, but it was a slow and boring trip. In all fairness, you can see the CBD on foot in 5 minutes, so it wasn't such a disaster that the free buses weren't running. There is a hop-on, hop off, but at $40 for 24 hours, I didn't even consider it.
Having seen Brisbane before lunch, I decided to head out to the famous Gold Coast beach. It's a near 2-hour journey by train and bus to Surfers Paradise. The weather was no better out there, so I only spent half an hour before returning to town. The good thing about that was that I only paid one way and made it back to town before I was charged a new fare!
About the plastic card then... There's a $10 deposit, which is refundable when you return the card, as is any remaining balance! So you can't lose. Excellent system. Buying single tickets to Surfers Paradise and back would have cost over $30. With the card, it should have cost just under $20. I got away with less than $10 :)
On the weatherfront, the forecast for today was 30°, humid, possibly showers. It felt less hot than that, and it didn't rain, but it certainly was sticky and uncomfortable. It was cloudy all day today, and yesterday it rained in the morning, so I haven't seen much sun my last few days in Australia.
With only a couple of fast food places open, there was nowhere to have dinner in the CBD and online ordering didn't work without an Australian mobile number. So I'm on an involuntary fast tonight! Tomorrow I will spend a few hours in the business lounge at the airport and I will stuff myself properly before boarding the first long flight. Where I will of course stuff myself even more! Thai Airways gets good reviews for their in-flight catering.
I suppose it's good in a way that I'm not really enjoying Brisbane that much, it makes it easier to leave tomorrow. Had I been having a great time, I wouldn't have wanted it to end. Don't get me wrong, if I could stay in New Zealand for ever, I would not complain. But in terms of travelling and constantly being on the move, I think I have just about reached my limit.
So it's time for Dorothy to leave Oz. There's no place like home, there's no place like home...
Saturday, 30 April 2016
Photos!
Easter Island © ThorHimself@thorviking.com
I know, at last! It's raining in Brisbane today so I had some time on my hands. This is only a selection of my best photos from some of my destinations, there are hundreds and hundreds more. I will definitely upload some more destinations soon. Enjoy!
Patagonia
Easter Island
Avoid NSW TrainLink & Saturday night in Brisbane
I was dreading the train trip from Sydney to Brisbane, and rightly so. As mentioned in previous posts, the trains are old and uncomfortable, and thanks to the seat sale they have on, usually packed. I again had someone next to me for most of the 12-hour journey to Casino, where we had to change to a coach. Not all people had someone next to them. I saw one girl spread out over two seats the whole way. Life is not fair.
The check-in nazi in Sydney complained that one of my bags was 1 kg too heavy, so I had to put two books in my hand luggage (which they don't bother to weigh. Apparently, if you drag your bags on board the train yourself, no one cares how much you bring). Then she complained about the broken handle, courtesy of Virgin Australia. I pointed out there was another handle on the side, but she was determined to show who was in charge. "Well we may not be able to accept it if you travel with us again, there must be a handle on the bag." I just pointed out there was one!!
Once the horrendous train journey was over, we had to change over to a coach in Casino (yes that actually is a place), for the last 3.5 hours to Brisbane. Our driver was the last to arrive to his coach, and stressed us all on board. Seat numbers were assigned, and again, I was supposed to have someone next to me. A fully grown man. I said there should be plenty of free seats if he fancied sitting on his own, so he did. But the driver didn't like that. He told us all to sit in our assigned seats, although the coach wasn't even 1/4 full. I asked if it was likely to fill up, and then he relented so we both got some space next to us. But the driver wasn't done with me. Oh no. He specifically hovered over me and told me to put on the seat belt. "We have a law in Australia bla bla bla..." I said to him I'm doing it, so he should just relax. He then berated me for my body language! Bloody cheek. That's not how you speak to someone who pays your salary. Condescending twat. But I was a good boy and bit my tongue! He would probably have held the coach and called the police if I had given him a piece of my mind then.
I've had this superior attitude from several staff at NSW Trains. It seems it is state-owned, which goes somewhat toward explaining the attitude. Public servants aren't known for their service-mindedness. But if you're not interested in providing a courteous service to customers, you should reconsider your career choice. Probably a strong union as well, as they enforce the 20 kg baggage limit like the 11th commandment.
Finally arriving in Brisbane at 10:30 pm, 15.5 hours after leaving Sydney, the bus terminal was closed for the night and no taxis available. There was a phone number to call for a taxi - but no area code! As everything was shut and there was no one to ask, I thanked my lucky stars I had memorised the route and started walking, dragging my two heavy suitcases behind me. 45 mins, mostly uphill, of course, sweating like a glassblower's arse. It was humid as when I left Sydney this morning, and Brisbane was no less so.
Finally arrived at the hotel and had to ring the night bell. The night manager was of course annoyed to be disturbed from what ever he was watching on TV. When my credit card didn't go through after three attempts (I told him the screen said "configuration fault", which he ignored), he put it through manually - after a heavy sigh - and all was fine. So there was no problem with my card. I purposely dripped sweat on his counter meanwhile.
Now it's already midnight and I have had a refreshing shower. I'm tired, hungry, and thirsty. I'm considering staying in my room all day tomorrow. I have wi-fi, cable, air-conditioning, and my own bathroom! Maybe I'll stay in the day after as well. Maybe until I have to go to the airport on Tuesday. Surely they must have a food delivery service here!
Right now I have had my fill of surly, lazy Aussies in the service industry. The more I'm exposed to people, the more I prefer animals...
The check-in nazi in Sydney complained that one of my bags was 1 kg too heavy, so I had to put two books in my hand luggage (which they don't bother to weigh. Apparently, if you drag your bags on board the train yourself, no one cares how much you bring). Then she complained about the broken handle, courtesy of Virgin Australia. I pointed out there was another handle on the side, but she was determined to show who was in charge. "Well we may not be able to accept it if you travel with us again, there must be a handle on the bag." I just pointed out there was one!!
Once the horrendous train journey was over, we had to change over to a coach in Casino (yes that actually is a place), for the last 3.5 hours to Brisbane. Our driver was the last to arrive to his coach, and stressed us all on board. Seat numbers were assigned, and again, I was supposed to have someone next to me. A fully grown man. I said there should be plenty of free seats if he fancied sitting on his own, so he did. But the driver didn't like that. He told us all to sit in our assigned seats, although the coach wasn't even 1/4 full. I asked if it was likely to fill up, and then he relented so we both got some space next to us. But the driver wasn't done with me. Oh no. He specifically hovered over me and told me to put on the seat belt. "We have a law in Australia bla bla bla..." I said to him I'm doing it, so he should just relax. He then berated me for my body language! Bloody cheek. That's not how you speak to someone who pays your salary. Condescending twat. But I was a good boy and bit my tongue! He would probably have held the coach and called the police if I had given him a piece of my mind then.
I've had this superior attitude from several staff at NSW Trains. It seems it is state-owned, which goes somewhat toward explaining the attitude. Public servants aren't known for their service-mindedness. But if you're not interested in providing a courteous service to customers, you should reconsider your career choice. Probably a strong union as well, as they enforce the 20 kg baggage limit like the 11th commandment.
Finally arriving in Brisbane at 10:30 pm, 15.5 hours after leaving Sydney, the bus terminal was closed for the night and no taxis available. There was a phone number to call for a taxi - but no area code! As everything was shut and there was no one to ask, I thanked my lucky stars I had memorised the route and started walking, dragging my two heavy suitcases behind me. 45 mins, mostly uphill, of course, sweating like a glassblower's arse. It was humid as when I left Sydney this morning, and Brisbane was no less so.
Finally arrived at the hotel and had to ring the night bell. The night manager was of course annoyed to be disturbed from what ever he was watching on TV. When my credit card didn't go through after three attempts (I told him the screen said "configuration fault", which he ignored), he put it through manually - after a heavy sigh - and all was fine. So there was no problem with my card. I purposely dripped sweat on his counter meanwhile.
Now it's already midnight and I have had a refreshing shower. I'm tired, hungry, and thirsty. I'm considering staying in my room all day tomorrow. I have wi-fi, cable, air-conditioning, and my own bathroom! Maybe I'll stay in the day after as well. Maybe until I have to go to the airport on Tuesday. Surely they must have a food delivery service here!
Right now I have had my fill of surly, lazy Aussies in the service industry. The more I'm exposed to people, the more I prefer animals...
Thursday, 28 April 2016
Sydney
I can't believe I have already been here for six days! Time has literally flown by so quickly. Tomorrow, I am taking the long train journey up to Brisbane for my final stop before returning to Europe.
I have really enjoyed my time in Sydney! My host couple are absolutely lovely, so warm and welcoming, couldn't have wished for nicer people to stay with. They have really looked after me and spoiled me during my stay. Also, the weather has been absolutely brilliant. Around 22-25°, sunny, slightly breezy. Just as I like it.
There is so much to see and do in and around Sydney. I was here already in 1999, but my memory of what we did then is rather hazy. I know we saw the Opera House - of course - and went for a day trip to the Blue Mountains. I have seen so much more this time around. I especially enjoy taking the ferries around the harbour. I always love being on the water, especially if the weather is as nice as it has been here.
And we're back in plastic card country... The Opal card is free, and you load it with even 10's. The public transport offices only accept cards, but convenience stores take cash too. The fares are a bit complex to figure out, as they are based on distance. So no zones, which makes it tricky to plan ahead. As an example, a bus ride from Kensington to Circular Quay is $3.50, and the ferry from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour is $5.74 (quite steep!). There is a cap of $15 per day and $60 per week. This includes travelling out to the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley (wine country). Funny quirk: if you make 8 paid trips in one week (Monday-Sunday), all travel for the rest of the week is free! So just hop from one station to another 8 times (leaving 60 minutes in between, as transfers are not charged in that window) during the first part of the week, and save the longer, more expensive journeys for later when they will be free!
Tonight I had a really nice ferry trip through Sydney Harbour, from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour and back. Seeing the city lit up, and certainly when passing under the bridge on the way back with the Opera House in the background, I thought to myself: "This is really something". What a great ending to my stay in Sydney!
I have not done many touristy things since arriving in Australia, other than make maximum use of public transport to see the cities I have visited. Thus, I have not spent nearly as much as I did in NZ, which makes me very proud of myself. I think the cash I initially withdrew in Melbourne will last until I leave Australia on Tuesday.
My hosts are real foodies, so I really felt the pressure when preparing a Swedish meal today! But all went well, I made Janssons frestelse with långkål, and it went down very well. I also went out to IKEA and bought some dammsugare, which they hadn't tried before.
I have decided to spoil myself a bit in Brisbane and stay in a hotel with private bathroom. As much as I have enjoyed staying with my AirBnB-hosts, at the moment I can only agree with Greta Garbo... I want to be alone.
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