Another Day Another Continent

Hi everyone and greetings from a sunny Sydney Australia. Since the last posting I have been in Los Angeles with Sara preparing for our trip to Australia and beyond. We had a fantastic time visiting friends and famly and showing me the sights of LA. Read the latest update below of our time in LA and our first few days in Sydney. (Note that Sara has now assumed the role of deputy contributor to alexexplores.com, her contributions are in pink!!!)

Sara and I spent about ten days in the LA area most of which seemed to be spent on the infamous 405 freeway. That's a secret hot spot, they don't put that highlight in the tour books ladies and gentlemen.The traffic here is terrible which often means leaving hours before you plan to arrive. The weather was pretty good although we did have one day of rain, compared to the UK though it felt great. Aside from having a great time meeting up with Sara's friends we spent a day in the Beverly Hills and Santa Monica areas doing some serious people watching. It was a bit of a culture shock from the cities in South America to see so much wealth and extravagance but a great experience and very funny. We also went down to Santa Monica and went for a long walk along the ocean to venice beach.


Rodeo Drive - Beverly Hills


Of course I fitted right in here on Muscle Beach Santa Monica!!! Made famous by our "Governator" Arnold Schwartzeneger.

We took Sara's nephew Owen to Hollywood to catch the latest Winnie the Pooh movie at the famous El Capitan cinema where the Oscars used to be held. It was great fun being in the heart of "movieland" and walking the "walk of stars".


Hit me baby one more time


John Travolta's hands and feet

Goodbye USA - Hello Australia

So after a very busy ten days in LA, Sara and I packed our backpacks and headed to LAX airport for the fourteen and a half hour flight to Sydney. After jumping the international date line and never having lived the 16th February we arrived in a sunny Sydney on Thursday morning. After checking into our hostel we set off to explore the city. Our first stop was to Circular Quay to get our first view of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was a great feeling to be here at last and looking at one of the worlds most famous landmarks.


Me and Sara at the Sydney Opera House


First view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

The next couple of days we spent aclimatising and walking the city to get our bearings. We both love the city with an almost west coast USA feel to it. The weather has been warm and sunny although we have had a couple of days of cloud. Saturday started hot and sunny so we both packed our beach towels and headed off to the famous Bondi Beach. It felt really great to be back on a beach again soaking up the rays and watching the surfers. The beach is much like California with hot sun and cool water. The surf was minimal maybe 1-2 feet but that didn't stop 101 people from renting boards and riding the white water. I think we will wait for better waves and less crowds.


Lifeguards on Bondi Beach (stop gazing Sara!!!) It is hard not to with those funny little caps. What purpose do those caps serve anyway? I think they would strangle you in a big wave. They don't float so you can't throw them to aid a drowning person. Maybe they should watch more baywatch for pointers? At least Pamela Anderson has personal floating devices!

On Saturday evening Sara had booked tickets to see Tosca at the Opera House as a valentines day gift. It was a wonderful surprise and a once in a lifetime experience to see opera at such a famous location. It was the first time either of us had been to the opera before and we were both a bit aprehensive. We didn't have to be though, it was very relaxed and easy to follow. The music, singing, acting and the whole atmosphere was incredible. The highlight of the evening though was seeing Nicole Kidman at the opera,. She was sitting just four rows behind us and stood just feet away during the interval. Sara spotted her first due to years of star spotting experience living in LA!!! All-in-all it was an amazing night to remember and something we will remember for a long time.


Going to the Opera House to see Tosca

We are here in Sydney for another four days before flying to Alice Springs for a tour of Ayers Rock. It is then off to Melbourne to see the start of the Formula One season begin with the Australian Grand Prix. Stay tuned for more updates................

Goodbye South America. Hello North America!!

Hi everyone and greetings from California! After nearly five months traveling around South America I have finally finished that leg of the trip and have headed north. As I write this latest posting I am in Los Angeles having spent the past week traveling down the coast from San Francisco. Read all about my last few days in South America, meeting up with Sara again and exploring California:

After completing the Torres Del Paine trek in Patagonia we all made our way back to Punta Arenas to "freshen up". It was then an early start to catch a twelve hour bus journey into Argentina to the town of Ushuaia. Ushuaia is at the very southerly tip of South America and is known as the "end of the world". We spent the final three days of the group trip here relaxing in the town, visiting Tierra Del Fuego national park and having our final goodbye meal.

The picture below is of the main street in Ushuaia which is a very touristy town. This is mainly due to it being the starting point for cruises to Antarctica. It was good to relax in town for a day - sipping coffee and buying some last minute souvenirs.


Main Street in Ushuaia

The next day a group of us went for a day trek to the Tierra Del Fuego National Park. The bus into the park took us to the end of Route Three which is as far south as you can drive in South America. The picture below is of us at the end of Route Three in the park:


End of Route Three

The weather was really great and it was a refreshing change not having to carry a huge pack for once. We walked for about four hours in the park exploring some of the lakes and even saw beaver dams!

Tierra Del Fuego National Park

So after four months traveling together through Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina it was sadly time for the trip to end and goodbyes to be said. We all went for a meal in a local restaurant and then on to a club for a bit of dancing. The trip was an amazing experience and something I will remember for the rest of my life. It was not just the treks, the sights and experiences but mainly the great people who made the trip. A million "thank yous" to Paul and James for your expert leadership and making the trip such a success.


Paul, Me and James celebrating on the last night

I woke the next morning (complete with hangover) and began my twenty four hour journey to California. My flights took me back to Buenos Aires for a few hours, so that brought back some good memories and then on to San Francisco via Dallas.

Hello North America!!!!!

I arrived in San Francisco on January 27th - a day Sara and I had been counting down to for four months!! It was an emotional reunion at the airport mixed with excitement for the new phase in our trip which was about to start. We are spending two weeks here in California before flying off to Australia. So far we have spent ten days exploring San Francisco, visiting wine country and driving south to Los Angeles. My parents are also in California at the moment so we also caught up with them for a couple of days too.

The weather in San Francisco was glorious with warm sunshine and clear blue sky - not typical I am told. We hit all the sights in San Francisco including riding the trolley cars, visiting Alcatraz and walking across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Me and Sara at the Golden Gate Bridge

Alcatraz Island

Riding the trolley car

We stayed at the Sir Francis Drake hotel which is decked out in "British style" right down to the doorman dressed up like a Beefeater!! The picture below is me, the old man and Beefeater:

After six days in San Francisco we headed north to spend a couple of nights in the Californian wine country tasting some of the local brew. The weather remained warm and sunny so it was a great time driving around the countryside and getting steadily drunk!!

Alexander Valley - Wine country

Sara and I then began our journey south to Los Angeles spending two nights in Monterey on the way down. We also drove the famous Seventeen Mile drive along the coast past Pebble Beach golf course and a brief stop in Carmel.

The coast along the Seventeen Mile Drive

The next day we left Monterey for Los Angeles. We spent the afternoon watching the Superbowl at Sara's Brother and Sister in law and then arrived at her parents house where we are staying for the next week. It is good fun experiencing "real" American life and having some good home cooked food. It makes a nice change from the hotels and hostels of the past five months.

Sara and I are in Los Angeles for the next week before we fly south for Australia. Much visiting of friends, seeing the LA sights, sorting and organising to be done!!!!! Stay tuned for more updates of our adventures in Los Angeles and our next stop - Sydney!!!