Hello all, we have finally made it to Asia!!! It was one hell of a day trying to get here, really proving that travelling is not all swimming in crystal clear sea, and stuffing your face with beautiful food!!!

After a really good time in Auckland with James, it was finally time to pack and go. On the Thursday we took our time and filled our backpacks properly this time, whilst we waited for James and Barbera to come back from work. We threw away all of our accumulated junk and made 4 nice tidy bag fulls!! When they came back we all went out for food again, with their housemate Hannah too. We had a beautiful Thai meal - yummy!!! Then we headed home to try and catch a few hours sleep before our 3.30 am shuttle to the airport.

So, 3 hours sleep and the alarm goes off at 2.30am!! Ah!! We have our breakfast , do the last minute checks and off we go, looking like death warmed up. The wait in Auckland was not too bad, and we eventually got on the plane for our 3 hour flight, arriving in Sydney at 8am local time ready for our 10 hour wait until our flight - cue EXTREME boredome!!! We had no money to waste, so we could not afford to go into Sydney and spend some time there so we had to battle it out in the airport,after about 6hrs we were ready to kill each other!!! We did not want to get much more aussie dollars out, so supper was THE tiniest piza in the world (for 2) and a tiny moist garlic bread!! This was topped up by a king sized crunchie bar (added to a chicken burger and chips for lunhc, this really was a picture of heath!!)

Eventually we passed through customs etc to wait at our gate .... where we were told that the plane was delayed by 20 mins (yeah right) 50 mins later we start to board! Next came the one good thing of the whole day!! A lovely surprise ... we read on our online itinerary that we did not have any meals included, so we prepared to waste our last few dollars on a pot of pringles,when the trolley dolly offers us a hot meal, to which we reply "erm ... how much are they??" "they are included in your ticket price" was the reply - OH YES!!!!! we arent going to starve!!! yey!!!!!! That hysteria then began to quickly wear off as we realised that we still had 4 hrs flight left!!!

By the time we landed we had been going for about 25 hours - and it was still Friday!!! We stumbled out of the airport and to an organized taxi rank, passed the multitude of touts shouting TAXI every 2 seconds at us!! But despite all of this and a pretty hairy taxi ride down tiny little lanes barely wide enough for 1 car (add to this about 100 mopeds flying around everywhere beeping their horns instead of looking around corners and junctions!!!) we made it, and checked in to our air conditioned room, with 2 double beds, tv, hot water!!! yes!!! a shower and bed!!!

We spent the next day wondering around when we were not too hot, and enjoying one of the 2 swimming pools as the beach really smells! Apparently there has been something called a red tide which has killed loads of fish, so they are all washed up and decaying!!! In the atypical style of under developed countries there are 6 million people trying to get you in their taxi, rent surfboards, bu some crappy sunglasses etc but they are harmless if not a bit annoying!

The best bit so far came that evening - food!!! Some American guy told us about a little place called Basil Leaves, a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant. I had honey ginger chicken in sweet chilli sauce with rice, Sar had a Thai yellow curry with rice, i had a beer, Sar had a coke and we cought a large bottle of water and it was the best food i personally have eaten!!! it was brilliant!! The best thing .... the bill - 50,000 rupiahs -50,000 you say??? Yep, 2 pounds 50p!!!! I think i am going to love Asia!

Just trying to plan our time now, and trying to put pics up - very unsuccessfully, my camera is playing up and has not worked on any computers for weeks now, so you may have to wait a long time for more Fletcher specials.

Will update soon x