Megan and Shane's Holiday Photos

Sepik River Trip

2011-09-02T19:41:00.000+10:00

I went on a trip to the Sepik River. Had a great time. It was beautiful but the mosquitoes nearly carried me away. Highlights were seeing Birds of Paradise displaying at Wagu lakes, Garamut drum demonstration and thinking I was going Pukpuk spotting only to find a dirty great big harpoon and axe in the boat - turns out they weren't joking about the hunting bit - and great relief when the only one we spotted sensibly got out of our way.

Here are some photos:

Soccer field - Wagu Lakes

Middle Sepik - on the way to Chambri Lakes

Chambri Lakes - Haus Tambaran

Garamut drum

Jacob's guest haus Palambie

Haus Tambaran - Palambei

Weekend in Western Highlands

2011-08-02T14:23:00.000+10:00

Spent last weekend at Rondon Ridge in the Western Highlands province of Papua New Guinea. Great views over the mountains and the Wahgi Valley, including Mount Hagen. Also visited a couple of nearby villages and went bird-watching early Monday morning to see a couple of types of bird of paradise.

Here's some photos of our trip.

Megan and Shane

Photos of Rabaul

2011-04-26T13:49:00.000+10:00

Honiara

2010-08-22T17:09:00.004+10:00

Just got back from a week in Honiara - here's some photos.

Shane

Cultural show

2010-07-31T15:23:00.007+10:00

Madang

2010-07-31T15:18:00.004+10:00

Tawali and Alotau

2010-03-06T11:11:00.007+10:00

We spent the weekend diving at Tawali resort which is on the East Cape of PNG. It was absolutely beautiful - not sure that the photos do it justice. We also spent a night in Alotau - Milne Bay.

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Grand Final Day

2009-09-06T21:25:00.005+10:00

The Boat

2009-09-06T21:05:00.005+10:00

It's not quite ready yet - The windshield at the front is being repaired and we are adding a canopy.

Mt Hagen Show

2009-08-21T23:05:00.009+10:00

Walindi

2009-08-21T22:40:00.005+10:00

Some shots of Walindi - Kimbe - West New Britain - PNG

Tufi and Moresby

2009-05-17T15:19:00.012+10:00

Tufi

Moresby

Last day in Chicago

2008-07-20T00:53:00.003+10:00

I leave Chicago pouring with rain and storming (assuming I do leave Chicago given the weather).
Its been a busy couple of days. I have been on an architecture tour of the river, to a few more museums, seen a hiphop version of Shakespeare (hilarious), been to one of Chicago's best cocktail lounges and seen a ball game.

More photos of Chicago

2008-07-18T00:19:00.006+10:00

Chicago

2008-07-15T01:08:00.005+10:00

Goodmorning.

Having a great time in Chicago.
Jody, Luke and I did the L.A.T.E. bike ride at 2:00am on Sunday morning with 10,000 other people. It was crazy.

Going to hit the museums today!

Bye
Megan

2008-07-11T05:25:00.009+10:00

Hi All
I'm in Chicago after a whirlwind few days in NY.
It's very pretty in Chicago, I went to the beach this morning and had a swim in Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, the lifeguards don't like you swimming where you can't touch and chased me in a row boat and was very annoyed when he caught up (Americans are very officious).
Here are some photos of Norfolk.

And here is central park NY.

Bye

Megan

2008-07-04T05:39:00.009+10:00

Hello

Travelled to Norfolk from Manchester today. Had a good time in Manchester.

Went to an old country estate that was built in the 1300's.

Alot of work had gone into making it look realistic (perhaps too much).

Anyway here are some more pics of Manchester.

And this ones for Shane

Bye

Megan

2008-07-01T17:27:00.005+10:00

Hello from London

I'm staying at Jaime's place. Did a bit of sight seeing yesterday (a bit in awe of the architecture). Heading up to Manchester today.

Here are some pics

Tokyo

2008-06-28T08:30:00.006+10:00

Hi again

We're in Tokyo now and still having a good time. Since we last posted we have visited Kinkakuji temple in Kyoto, before we headed out into the Kiso Valley, we're we stayed in Tsumago. From there we walked along the Nasakendo trail to Magome.

Both towns are really pretty to walk around, looking much as they would have a hundred years or so ago. During the day, they become small tourist towns, with busloads of Japanese tourists and schoolchildren going around a small number of shops and restaurants and then by 4:30\5pm everything is shut again and we were virtually the only people walking around.

While we were there we stayed in a Ryokan and ate "traditional" Japanese food, mostly unreconisable to us, except for the crickets, which were crunchy and tasty!!

Now we are in Tokyo and spent yesterday and last night walking around the bright lights and we'll have a look at a few other things today.

Bye for now.

Shane and Megan

Kyoto

2008-06-24T08:41:00.009+10:00

ohaiyo

Having a great time in Japan. We visited mountains near Tokyo called Hakone. Its a tourist mecca for Japanese, but was fairly quiet when we were there due to the unrelenting torrential rain. Turns out June is the wet season here. As you can imagine, a little bit of torrential rain did not stop us going hiking to see the volcanic gas vents that are around that area.

We are currently in Kyoto where there are temples everywhere. Temples do not get in the way of shopping malls however, they just build around them.

The Japanese have an electronic solution for everything. The toilet seats are something to behold, they warm up for you, wash your bottom, and even play running water sounds to help you along. You can also get almost anything in vending machines (see pic).

Bye

Love Megan and Shane

Going to Japan

2008-06-20T08:39:00.002+10:00

Ok - so we're not in Vietnam anymore, but I don't know how to change the heading . . .

Anyway - here's our itinerary for Japan.

21 June 2008 - Arrive Tokyo and travel to Hakone
22 June 2008 - Explore Hakone and travel to Kyoto
23 and 24 June 2008 - Explore Kyoto and day trip to Nara
25 and 26 June 2008 - Travel to Tsumago and possibly walk to Magome
27 and 28 June 2008 - Back in Tokyo
29 June 2008 - Depart for London or Canberra

Hope to provide more along the way!

Shane

Birthday

2008-04-08T19:39:00.007+10:00

Home

2007-12-15T11:47:00.001+10:00

Here are some more photos.

In Singapore

2007-12-10T14:02:00.000+10:00

Hello

We were a little sad to leave Vietnam on Saturday and we are finding Singapore quite a contrast. Halong Bay was spectacular. We were on a private boat with six people looking after us (your money goes a very long way in Vietnam). We paddled through limestone caves into lagoons and saw monkeys. It was all a bit surreal.

When we arrived back in Hanoi we had a day and a half to ourselves and visited the Ho Chi Minh museum (even more surreal) and the Vietnamese History Museum, as well as walking the streets of the old quarter and finding little local restaurants to eat in. Shane even got a hair cut from some guy doing them on the side of the road, and it's not too bad for a $3 job.

Since arriving in Singapore, we've visited the Changi museum, the Merlion, Chinatown and we are currently sitting in Little India. We are thinking of heading to the Night Safari tonight.

Thanks for everyone's comments (which we can get again now) - it's good to hear some news from back home. Hard to believe this all comes to an end in a little over two days now.

Look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Love Megan

Hanoi

2007-12-02T22:32:00.000+10:00

Hi Again

I haven't been able to open our (or anyone elses I know) page for the last couple of days, so sorry but I don't know if anyone can read this or if any replies have been made.

We arrived in Hanoi at about 5:50 this morning getting off the overnight train from Hue. The train ride itself was ok - in compartments with 4 people. While the rest of our group took an optional day trip to Halong Bay (where Megan and I go on Tuesday) we spent the day walking around the old quarter of the city and finding different places to eat.

Yesterday was also a good day, we went to the Citadel and an Emporer's tomb in Hue, and had vegetarian lunch at a pagoda cooked by the nuns that lived there.

We've said goodbye to our bicycles now, which has turned out to be a bit sad since we had gotten used to riding everyday through the country side and we had cycled a lot more than our original itinerary said (completing about 700km).

The picture upload thing doesn't seem to be working either so I'll add some more pictures when we come back from Halong Bay.

Talk soon

Shane

Shopping Shopping Shopping

2007-11-30T10:44:00.000+10:00

Hi again

We've spent the last couple of days in and around Hoi An. It's hard to believe that just ten days ago this town was covered in water, with all the shops and restaurants closed - although we have seen some extensive road works on bridges and low lying roads.

Hoi An is famous for its tailors and we have taken the opportunity to have some nice new suits made for a fraction of the price it might otherwise cost, as well as some shoes and some other odds and ends (including an additional bag to fit everything in)!

We've also spent some time looking at some old Chinese and Vietnamese Pagodas and visited China Beach and Marble Mountain.

Today is our hardest riding day, in which we climb 500m up over 10km as we head to Hue.

Bye for now.

Shane

Homestay at Lac Lake

2007-11-25T22:43:00.000+10:00

Hi again

Tonight we are in Pleiku, having spent last night at a homestay on Lac Lake. The homestay was in a Long House and could be described as 'rustic'. Having said that, the majority of the longhouses seem to have large tvs and satellite dishes. Still having a good time and we are out of the rain up here in the central highlands - we head back to the coast tomorrow!

Here's some pics of the homestay!

Love Megan and Shane

Nha Trang

2007-11-24T10:18:00.000+10:00

Hi again

This morning we leave Nha Trang for the Central Highlands for a homestay with a local hilltribe. The typhoon that was meant to hit us last night didn't come and has weakened, although the rain we had yesterday (nothing bad) did mean we couldn't go out on the ocean for swimming/snorkelling etc. Instead, we headed to some nearby mudbaths and natural mineral water - very relaxing day after 4 days of cycling. We also experienced the night life of Nha Trang, which seems to consist mostly of Australian/English tourists out drinking - in some ways I think it will be nice to be back in the highlands.

Today we do 50km up in the highlands so while there'll be some good hills to get up, I imagine it will be a much easier day than the last couple of 70-80km days that we've been doing!

Anyway, holiday is going well otherwise, so talk soon.

Love Shane

Mui Ne and lots of cycling

2007-11-21T20:46:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

We have arrived in Da Lat after two big days of cycling. The scenery is beautiful and riding on back roads enjoyable. We are not too sore - yet. Mui Ne is a resort town and we started today with a swim in the sea which was very warm but quite murky. The cycling tour has only recently started on this route, so the people are very interested in us. Its like the circus has come to town - they think we are hilarious. They also cannot comprehend rich Westerners cycling and keep offering us lifts on their motor bikes. Shane also keeps getting offered massages with 'happy endings'.

Here are some pics.

Love Megan

Ho Chi Minh and Mekong Delta

2007-11-18T19:11:00.000+10:00

Xin Chao
Ho Chi Minh very busy - traffic is amazing - millions of scooters and bikes - we have managed to cross the road now which is an experience in itself.

Mekong delta was a much slower pace - stayed in a lovely stilt house on the river. Went for a sunset bike ride. We are eating a little too well - food is so cheap and tasty - beer is less than a dollar!

Start cycling in earnest tomorrow.

Tam biet.

Megan

The Itinerary

2007-11-01T18:44:00.000+10:00

Ok - it's getting a little bit closer now, so I thought I'd put up our itinerary so you'd know where we were while we are away!

We fly out on the 16th of November and arrive in Ho Chi Minh City for the start of our trip around the Mekong Delta (17-18 November). Then on 19 November our cycling trip kicks off from Ho Chi Minh City! I've included how far I have (or 'get' depending on your point of view) to cycle each day as well.

19 November - We cycle on roads out of the city to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels (40km).
20 November - We travel out to the coast of the South China Sea in Mui Ne (60km).
21 November - We head towards the central highlands and stop overnight in Dalat (50km).
22 November - We head back to the coast at Nha Trang (80km).
23 November - Spend the day in Nha Trang swimming, snorkelling and eating!
24 November - Head back towards the central highlands to Lak Lake with canoe trip (45km).
25 November - Travel to Pleiku through coffee and rubber plantations (60km).
26 November - Leave the central highlands and ride to the coast at Quy Nhon (100km).
27 November - Travel along the coast to Hoi An, travelling past My Lai (35km).
28 November - See sights around Hoi An, including the Marble Mountain and My Son (35km).
29 November - Free day in Hoi An.
30 November - Keep going up coast to Hue, stop at Lang Co beach (60km).
1 December - Spend the day around Hue including cruise down Perfume River (20km).
2 December - Hanoi - explore Old Quarter (sans bikes!).
3 December - Hanoi - city tour and shopping.
4 December - Halong Bay - kayaking, cruising and eating!
5 December - Yep, same as 4 December.
6 December - A bit more of kayaking, and then heading back to Hanoi.
7 December - More time in Hanoi.
8 December - Fly to Singapore.
9-12 December - See more of Singapore.

Shane

We haven't left yet.

2007-10-05T18:05:00.000+10:00

Check this space after 16 November 2007. :)