Travel Tales....

[lettie]

Some of my photographs are not yet ready but some are, so I'll make a start. We had a brilliant time and I was so excited on the day we were going away that I couldn't keep off the loo. We arrived at Manchester and checked in for our flight to Bangkok via Heathrow. We were having a civilised drink at the bar in the airport when Sparky let me have a look at his passport photo. I have never laughed so much in my life. Good grief!!!!! I thought my photo was bad but this really gets the coconut. Taken in a photo booth he has a look of shocked surprise on his face like a little furry animal caught in your headlights. It's almost as if someone has mooned at him through the curtain as the piccy was being taken. I managed to compose myself in time for the long flight ahead.

Our first stopover was Bangkok and the beautiful Montien Hotel which is slap bang in the middle of the notorious Patpong area. We were upgraded to an executive room on our arrival and the little touches that make you feel special are common throughout hotels in this city(I'll explain those later).We had a meal before hitting Patpong market and off we went into the heat of the night. It was boiling hot and Patpong was heaving. The 2 streets which make up Patpong are a bustling market at night, as you make your way through the market you are approached by touts from the bars which line the streets of Patpong. "Ping-pong bar sir?" "You wan' ping-pong madam?" and various menus are then shown to you..

For the uninitiated, these are no ordinary menus. I wasn't exactly expecting bar food but I left Patpong laughing my head off. There are all types of 'live shows' on these menus, I'm telling you my eyes were nearly popping out of my head. We then accidentally wandered into a small cul-de-sac unofficially known as Patpong 3. This is a street containing the hippest bars and beautiful people, loud music blared from every bar and hoards of people were laughing, drinking and dancing. This is the unofficial gay area of Bangkok but it was obvious that everyone was welcome no matter their colour, creed or orientation. It looked like a fun place to be.

On returning to our hotel hot and giddy from a bottle of wine we had consumed earlier, we found that the hotel staff had turned down our bed and left little orchids on the pillows. The staff bow at you when you greet them, and I'm never really sure whether to bow back. I was up and down like a bride's nighty. The following morning, breakfasted and refreshed we had a liitle stroll around the traffic laden bustling streets of Bangkok. This city has modern tall buildings interspersed with tiny run down shacks. It can be dirty with heavy pollution from traffic fumes and it can be smelly due to the heat. Behind all of that though is a fascinating fun city with respectful people and plenty of sights to see. Where grand temples and small shrines mix with skyscrapers and spice markets.

We didn't get many photos here as we were here for less than 24 hours and our flight to New Zealand was beckoning. Here are some pics of our morning walk. A city photo showing the sky train (the quickest way to get around) our little shrine at the hotel and a shop sign that made me smile...

[mez]

thanks lettie, iv'e just been down the streets with you, what a lovely looking place, i like the shrine, oooooooooooo & that shop sign, ha ha ha. more please.

[janet]

Very nice lettie, look forward to the next installment.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Great photos Lettie. Do we get to see the passport one of Sparkologist too? Loved your description.

[lettie]

I couldn't be cruel enough to show that photograph Willow. Passport photos are always awful and never bring out the best in people. My old photograph was so bad that I looked too ill to go on holiday. Luckily both of our passports expire in the next couple of years so at least there's a chance of getting a better photo next time.

[WINGY]

Ive seen his pic lettie!! its a belter hehe.. Sorry mate.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Lettie the pics are lovely.......just the thing to cheer you up after a nightmare shift!

[lettie]

It was with great excitement that we took off from Bangkok and flew to Sydney in order to get our connecting flight to Auckland. We were both absolutely knackered when we arrived and after picking up our hire car from the airport we spent the rest of the day monging out at my step-brother's house. The day after feeling a little more refreshed, we took the train into the city to have a mooch around.

Auckland is by far the most populated area of New Zealand and a very cosmopolitan city. There's something to suit all tastes here. We headed for the shops, Sparky to buy shorts and me to buy sunglasses, as I'd left mine at home. We then had a walk to Auckland Domain to visit the museum. This is a fair old way from the city centre and you can go by bus, but it was a lovely day and well worth the walk. This museum has various sections. Natural history with all the different animal, bird, reptile and fish species native to the area. Great big replicas of the now extinct flightless bird the Moa, which is huge. It has a NZ at war area with memorabilia from the wars including uniforms, diaries, film footage, aeroplanes, memorials to the ANZAC and the names of the young men who perished in order to help us fight our causes. There is a floor devoted to Maori culture showing their homes, war canoes, how their clothes are made from flax and various photos and implements from family life and the lives of the south pacific islanders. This place is well worth a visit.

The day after we took the elevator up to the dizzying heights of Sky Tower, at 328 metres high this is the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere. What fantastic views from the top. People actually jump off this thing, it was knocking me sick just thinking about it. I decided there and then that I would definitely have to be drugged and pushed, although I'm sure that could be arranged. After visiting Sky Tower we took the ferry across the bay to Devonport, a small town in Auckland with only a couple of main streets it's a joy to visit. We found an excellent little restaurant where Sparky had the best pizza of his life. I'm sure he'll give you the details but needless to say he raved about it and I have to admit it did look good. We went back to my step-brother's that night in order to prepare for our forthcoming tour of the country.

Here are some photos of Auckland. There's a cityscape taken from the Devonport ferry and views of the city taken from Sky Tower showing the domain (big green hill in centre of piccy). The white building on the domain is the museum, views of the harbour and harbour bridge and a view across the water to Devonport.

[lettie]

We left Auckland on the 23rd March to start our tour, and after a quick brew with my friend in Thames we headed for Rotorua. Now any of you who have read the thread detailing my travels the last time I was here will know that I have been to Rotorua before. This is just the most amazing place and I had to come again. Despite the permanent smell of Hydrogen Sulphide gas this place is fascinating. The whole area is situated in the central region of North Island and is a highly active geothermal area. Hot water geysers, bubbling pools of water and mud, steaming fumeroles and the colours of various minerals which stain the earth and water. I love it here. We visited the Maori village of Whakarewarewa, I wanted a decent photo of the Pohutu (big splash) geyser as my last photo was taken in the rain and is a bit steamy. We had one night here and the day we were leaving we paid a visit to Wai-O-Tapu (sacred waters) Thermal Wonderland. This place is brilliant the sights smells and colours of the pools and fumeroles attack your senses, and the smell lingers on your clothes for days.

Wai-O-Tapu is the home of the Lady Knox geyser, named in 1904 after Governor-General Ranfurly's daughter it erupts at 10.15am every day and can reach a height of about 20 metres. There is the bubbling Champagne Pool, the Devil's Bath (a hot pool stained green by the minerals), various fumeroles, the Oyster Pool whose shape resembles the oyster shell and the Primrose Terraces. Those of you who have read the last NZ thread will know the story of the Pink and White Terraces. The Primrose Terrace has been formed by water running from the Champagne Pool. This water is rich in silica and as it cools the silica deposits and forms into sinter. These terraces have been forming for about 900 years and cover 1.2 hectares. The Primrose Terrace is the largest since the destruction of the Pink and White Terraces with the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886.

Here are some pics of the area. The Pohutu geyser in full flow, the dormant Lady Knox and the erupting Lady Knox, The Champagne Pool, The Devil's Bath, The Oyster Pool, the fumerole Devil's Home and the Primrose Terraces.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Brilliant photos Lettie. I can understand why you wanted to go back and visit Rotorua.