Western Oz

**This post has been updated with new photos n that** Abbo you especially will enjoy this one.

Perth from nr. the bottom of the park

After a couple of days adjusting to Perth we realised it actually ain't that bad. Explored the Kings Park (which is on a hill) for some amazing views of the city and went for a big mooch around the rich suburbs and the CBD, past all the plush houses and bars. Looking at the houses around there, its not a surprise all the backpacker hostels are located in this end of town! The park was one of the best we've been in, although it was wierd seeing a load of people our age all dressed up to the max... having a graduation party/prom in the park! Can't blame them to be honest.

Kings Park. A rip off of a similar pic taken on a beach on Ko Samui.

The next day we got up too late to catch a bus to Albany so instead lazed around, eating the best ice cream in the world from a parlour in town and seeing the Blood Diamond at the cinema (top 5... honestly its unreal, get yourself along to see it). Caught a bus to Albany (on the south-coast) the next day, and as it was sunday they had one running in the afternoon as well, so after a suprisingly comfortable six hour journey we got there at 9 in the evening.

In the morning we had a short walk around the town, but only cos we were searching for somewhere to hire a car from. Eventually gave up and rang around, finding a company who'd rent to under-21s pretty easily. Set off at 11am on what was to be a 300-mile round trip.

First stop was a tree top walk near a town called Walpole (along the coast to the west). A lot of tourist attractions in the area seemed to involve trees in one way or another, but that ain't a bad thing. The tree top walk was pretty cool, but not anywhere near as epic as the Gloucester tree, roughly 150km further past Walpole. This is a 60m high tree (may not sound high but believe me it bloody is... higher than our bungy jump!) which you climb up via a near-vertical ladder of metal spokes which spiral up around the tree. And theres nowt to stop you falling to a very nasty death. And someone made the terrible call of climbing up bare-foot in case our sandals or flip-flops (called thongs over here) slipped or fell off. Half way up we realised this was a serious mistake... along with the terror of risking your life climbing up and down, we were wrecking our feet on metal spokes. Nevertheless, at the top it was quality, the view was spectacular for miles around, and it was quite fun to look down and see how high you actually are... until you realise you still have to climb down. Glad we did it though, certainly something to remember.

Tree Top Walk

The Descent - scary

On the way back we made a de-tour to some beaches, managing to spot a family of wild kangaroos bouncing along the road ahead of us, an eagle and a probably-deadly snake, which we only just prevented Ryan from stroking. All the scenery in the Albany area was stunning, so it was definitely worth the visit. Caught the bus back to Perth today, where we're gonna chill tonight before flying to Melbourne tomorrow.

Take care everyone. Peter.

Australia's tastiest cheese

Pass the stingray mate

Singapore

Arrived in singapore 10th feb, taxi to the hostel, "Air conditioning's broken". Result, redirected to Soho hotel, still in chinatown, turns out to be a bit of a shambles, Shelley was sleeping above an age of 90 singaporean on her death bed, coughing her guts up while "Tombrother" was enjoying the company of the radiant, eccentric, slightly obese, wonky eyed, filth loving Daby. While in Singapore we enjoyed the Liverpool v Newcastle match. 2-1, unlucky Shelley. After booking two nights at the fabulous Soho hotel, we left after 1 in search of pastures new. We found instead a very nice affordable hotel in the red-light district of singapore where we would reside for the next three nights.

A chinese new year thing

Over the next three days in singapore we enjoyed a variety of cultural specific activities including going to the cinemas and eating, as well as venturing to the very impressive looking night safari. The safari offered the best experience i have ever had the displeasure of experiencing, the animal show went one better and introduced us to the nearly extinct, never found in the UK, frontman of the world's zoos, ever jaw-dropping, Barn Owl. Jesus christ.

A shopping centre (one of millions)

Shell & Ryan

By the second day Shelley had left for Sydney in search of an experience that would better that of the Barn Owl (we doubt that the finding of King Arthur's Excalibur would top that). We however still in awe from the previous night's adventure, had the amazing idea of visting the science centre the day it was closed, that left us $30 out of pocket, wet and still smiling from the Barn Owl experience.

Barn Owl aside, Singapore did offer some good experieces, from eating in little India with a leaf for a plate to visting one of the Hawker stall's for a BBQ Stingray and some superb Chinese food. We also did visit the Science institute the day after and enjoyed the i-max film, Deep Sea, that was a first for me and peter and we left very impressed. Singapore itself was sort of like how i imagined Bangkok should have been, superb food, modern and best of all, clean. We visited a superb cinema to see The Last King Of Scotland and left very satisfied, Whittaker deserves an oscar for that. Still haven't seen Rocky Balboa, it should be out in Australia by the time we arrive.

We have now arrived in Perth and met with rain and not much to do, remain in high spirits for the rest of the trip. Tom's birthday on the 15th which has now been classed as international day of rest remains a date to look forward to.

Quick shout out to the rest of the GS Posse back home, another update nearer the 20th. Finally managed to upload pictures!

Ryan

Koh Tao

We arrived in Koh Tao able to swim and use a snorkel, we left qualified PADI Openwater Divers (that is Peter and me at least because Ryan opted out and just chilled on the beaches). The last few days have purely been spent studying and diving. So whats it like? Pretty amazing, I can now breathe underwater.

The first day was orientation at Bans Diving Resort, which we had been told was rated as the third best dive training centre in the world. The resort is pretty massive and incorporates a restaurant. bar, 2 swimming pools and is being extended to have more bunglows. It clearly was a major operation. We met our dive instructors Belinda and Chloe and then watched a rather boring diving introduction video, which Peter and Shelley decided they could skip and left half way through. Good idea as the second half was just as boring and common sensical as the first (who needs to be told how not to get your hair caught in your goggles).

Second day we began the proper training, although the morning involved lectures on the first 3 sections of our dive course manual - fun. In the afternoon, the three of us (me, Shelley and Peter) got sized up for our gear and headed to the pool for our first underwater scuba experience. Our group consisted of 8 students (from a total of about 20 on our course), our instructor Belinda and a trainee Dive Master Mervin. We practised all the skills that we would need to fulfil out in the sea to pass our Openwater PADI.

There were early starts to the next two days as we went out on the Bans boat to complete two dives on each day. Its impossible to describe the sensational feeling of scuba diving, so I'll just say that we all stuggled through the issues we had with the different skills and pressures on our bodies whilst scuba diving down to a maximum depth of 18m. My worst problem seemed to be the fact that a cold I'd picked up in Koh Samui meant that I had to endure "reverse blocks" on the ascent to the surface, causing rather nasty nose bleeds but nothing major. No doubt everyone will want to see the DVD of our last day diving. I'll let you watch it for yourself rather than describe all the laughs and awe inspiring marine wildlife.

Having completed our theory lessons and passed a rather easy 50 question multiple choice exam it was time to celebrate with the rest of the posse who had passed the PADI Openwater in the same three days as us. The night really began after dinner when 6 of us decided to play Ring of Fire and it ended with me having to skull a full pint of vodka, coke and Chang beer. Nice. All in all a good night, although it becomes hazy towards the end.

We're now back in Bangkok for our last night in Thailand after travelling all day today on catamaran and bus from Koh Tao. Tommorrow we leave for Singapore and the next leg of our trip. I'm sad to be leaving Thailand and the people we have met along the way, although we're all going to meet back up at some point, but at the same time I think we're all excited for what lies ahead.

Tom

Full Moon Partaaay!!!

The last few days on Samui were spent chilling in preparation for the full moon. Samui is very nice but has become far too touristy is places - the main town, Chaweng, is just like Magaluf. Visited the giant Buddha in the north of Samui, which we drove to after hiring a 4x4, which cost less than 3 pound each a day.

We caught a pretty packed ferry over to Koh Phangan and my god it wasn't a fun journey, with me Ryan and Shelley all feeling like we were gonna chuck up (or 'yak' as the aussies say). Phangan's a lot nicer than Samui... but its still touristy, especially considering its full moon party time. Then again i don't see how we can complain bout lots of tourists when we are bloody tourists! Watched 'The Beach' the other night when sat around in the bar of Phangan beach resort... It's well wierd that we're so close to where that's based and the fact that the big island featured on it is Koh Phangan. Phangan beach resort is actually where Shelley and the aussie guys are staying... The 3 of us have a bungalow just down the road but its so much better here, and we spend so much time here that the staff think we're staying here! Met another aussie guy called Peter (but thankfully everyone calls him Poida which avoids confusion... i'm known as Pete) and two aussie girls, Rachel and Alex. The group of us have managed to run up a bar tab of 33,000 baht over the past few days! It's gonna be about 60 quid each though, which I suppose is actually pretty quality value.

Anyway, the full moon party was mental. Literally thousands of people (bout 12,000) on the beach at Hat Rin dancing to drum n bass while drinking rum, shark and coke out of big buckets. Was a quality night, despite scares such as losing Shelley in the sea and Alex giving herself a black eye by falling onto a motorbike... But what the hell, it's all in the name of banter.

Just chilling now before the three of us, Shelley and a couple of others we've met move on to Koh Tao to go diving... Koh Tao is supposedly the most beautiful of the 3 as well and the least built up by a long long way. Unfortunately the journey involves us catching a boat so a trip to the Pharmacy might be necessary!! Should be awesome though, and as we're doing a genuine PADI course it'll allow us to dive in places like Australia (if i dare... with all the killer sharks, jellyfish and octopus) and Fiji.

Take care everyone... and remember you call all leave comment now, you don't have to bother registering

Peter