Story so far...

Well folks, the long awaited blog has now been set up!!! Sorry if I haven't been replying with long messages...doing nothing takes up a lot of time lol

I'll post a few pics here...but all the originals will be on Facebook...remember I'm only just learning the new camera...so no sarky comments :))

New York, New York
Started off in New York the day after that idiot tried to blow up a US airplane, still wasn't too bad...only 2 hours delayed.

Met up with some long lost cousins in New Jersey and went on an impromptu snowboarding day with Sney and some of the other extended relatives in Jack Frost in Pennsylvania!! That was unexpected and pretty random..but a great day out. Thanks to Sney and the rest for taking me up the mountains...enjoyed it very much :)

Nessa, Nicki and Caroline arrived a few days later and thanks to Nicki, the best New York guide EVER, saw a load of New York (and shops :)). The Met Museum was fantastic...def the highlight for me...except for getting very drunk on New York's Eve with the girls and sipping sparkly apple juice at 3am on a street corner and thinking it was more alchohol lol

After buying an Ipod touch and my first SLR camera (Canon Rebel XS) and then losing my 2Gb nano and USB stick AND leaving my new camera battery in the hotel (these things DO happen in threes!!)...I headed out for Vancouver!!

Vancouver
Met with Audrey and Brendan and was promptly introduced to a Caesar cocktail...how the hell did I ever by without tasting these beauties :) Being in Vancouver was too good an opportunity not to head to Whistler for a couple of days...REALLY expensive for us lowly backpackers...but what the heck. Had a great 2 days snowboarding there and can totally understand why the Olympics are gonna be held there and why everyone raves on about Whistler. Def gonna have a "proper" holiday in Whistler sometime when I get a chance.
Trip to Whistler through the mountians and lakes is amazing and well worth the drive up there. Way back in the dark though, with crazy Canadian drivers, was not too much fun in the sleet/snow/rain...but made it back alive and in one piece for more Caesar cocktails with Brend and Audrey :))
Went to see 3D Avatar with Brendan and Audrey...amazing film in 3D...but a predicatable storyline. Would love to catch the 3D IMAX version sometime.

San Francisco
A 2 day stopover in San Fran and managed to pick up a cheap battery for the new camera...so can start using the camera at last...a bit different from "point and shoots"...but should be fun learning!! Al so, went to see my Uncle in Santa Clara...nice to catch up after a loooongtime.

Fiji
Wow...the longest flight ever...13 hours to Auckland and then a 6 hour stopover in Auckland and then a 2.5 hour flight to Fiji...but well worth it....Fiji is an amazing country. Shame I didn't stay longer than 2.5 weeks, there were so many things I had to miss out on...especially some of the dives! May well go back again in June if finances go well in Vietnam.
Started the Fiji trip in a nice, quiet resort called Tubakula on the Coral coast for 3 nights...no one in the pool except me and had the whole beach to myself...helped to get rid of the jet lag doing absolutely except eat and sleep :) Dived with Aqua Safari..an outfit run by 2 nice Canadians. Enjoyed the diving...loads of soft coral and macro life, but nothing special.

Then headed to North Yasawa Islands (Tavewa Island) for a bit more lazing at the Coralview Resort. The resort is owned by a Fijian village and run by the folks that live on the neighbouring Island...so good to support the local economy etc. Had some great dives with Nikko and Rob...thanks guys...had a great 5 days with you :) Shame we didn't have too many Fiji Golds :))
Met Ryan and Gemma from Hinckley (Leicester) and have promised to take them to Bobby's Veggie Indian restaurant when I get back :) Headed out to Volivoli beach resort after a night a Nadi. Some more diving there with Louise as the occasional buddy. Diving was good...better than the Coral coast. Saw 2 Brunswailer sharks, a grey reef and white tip on a feeding frenzy on the early morning dive...that was cool and never saw that before underwater except for organised feeds.
Volivoli was a great hostel/hotel...good, clean facilities and VERY safe dive procedures. There was a lot more underwater life than the Yasawa's, but I reckon the Cyclone a few weeks before didn't do the Yasawa's any favours.
Had to take an expensive taxi ride from Volivoli beach to Pacific Harbour though. But the journey via Suva through the rainforest was brilliant!! The Fijian people have to be friendliest nation on the planet...everyone we passed were happy, waving at us and smiling. They must be the most generous race as well...we stopped in the taxi at a spring waterfall and a kid gave a bottle of water for the journey...I offered some money...but they laughed at me and wouldn't take it!!

The diving highlight though was the bull shark dives from the Uprising resort at Pacific Harbour.
Saw at least 15 Bull sharks on both dives, a Lemon shark and a very unusally aggressive Silver tip!!! I see why they call this one of the best shark dives in the world!! I'm waiting on Sam to send the pics on and will post them here and on Facebook as soon as I have them. If any of you divers get a chance to go to Fiji....DO THIS DIVE (and do the dives with Aqua Trek...NOT the other outfit there...just trust me on this).
Met up with the divemasters/instrutors and Sam on the Saturday night for a few beers and vodka of course and got very drunk til 4AM for the first time since New Year's Eve!! Was a great night though even if the morning hangover wasn't!
Headed back to Nadi on the Sunday to catch a flight on Monday 1st Feb to Sydney :(( Will miss Fiji for sure.

Sydney

Met up with Dallas and headed back to his place. Didn't go to Pete and Rach's place in Wyoming as Arabella started school this week. But managed to catch up with them on Wednesday. Rachel was nearly 9 months pregnant and I joked that she would have the baby when Pete had to go to his meeting on the Thursday...and a word of warning...NEVER EVER JOKE about anything like that...cos as soon Pete was in the car...Rachel started to have her contractions!!!

It wasn't quite a TV type drama and Pete got back early enough before Rachel heading to the Hospital aound 5AM on Friday 5th Feb. Rach had the quickest delivery ever from water breaking to Emeliana being born was 15 minutes!!! Emeliana was born at 7.55AM. I had a great day looking after Hamish..though bloody hard work minding kids! I have a new found respect for primary school teachers!
Managed to see Rach and Emeliana before heading back to Sydney to stay at Dallas'place.
Had a great night out with Steph and her friend Denice...hadn't seen Steph since Oxted days...so nice to catch up :)
Heading out to Vietnam tomorrow afternoon...so will update post when I get a chance! Can't wait to start the kite surfing in a few days :)))))

So long suckers...til the next rant :)