Backpacking

There's really not much I can say here at the moment. It's 11 pm here, but to me it feels like 4 am and I've only been here two hours. The airport was huuuuge and really industrial-like. I got a taxi, well, i guess it wasn't a REAL taxi, but I nogotiated a price with this guy and he took me to the Soi 1 Guesthouse. I like it hear so far. It's a rickkity kinda place all narrow with a ton of levels, maybe seven-but I havn't counted. And everything's on a different floor and every room is a strange step up or down from another, its like a cat-in-the-hat house or something. But so far there seems to be lots of diverse people here and I'm looking forward to a nice sleep and waking up and getting all oriented.

I'll share more then. Croftee OUT!

Also read the following entry: updated today as well "A treat for Croft"

Palm Trees: Taveuni Fiji

A Breath-taking View of Bouma, towards the Interier of Taveuni

Rainbow off Tavuni: Beverlies Campground

SunRISE: Outside SavuSavu Harbor on the Leto: on the way back from Vanua Balavu

Bill, the owner of Beverlies Campground and whose Grandfather is Irish: He became my "dad" at the campground, and on the right, Suk, the taxi driver, Incredibly generious and full of great information about Taveuni

Another Sunset and me outside Beverlies on Taveuni, Fiji

Bay of Islands: Vanua Balevu, Fiji

The same:

I'm not even sure: sunrise I think coming into Savu Savu Bay on LETO

The beautiful Leto in the Bay of Islands: Vanua Balevu, Fiji (and the faithful Artimus)

Captain Peter On Leto

Cathy laughing outside Caladoni; Vauna Balevu, Fiji

Sunset Point: Outside McDonalds Cottages Nananu-i-ra Islands, Fiji
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Sake Mixing up the Kava, Nananu-i-ra Island: Safari Lodge

Croft drinking Kava, the Saturday night before leaving Fiji: Nananu-i-ra Island: Safari Lodge

Croft at Wai-o-Tapo: Sulfer pools behind: outside Rotorua, NZ

what's this!?!?

That's me LEAPING into my bed at the Crowne Plaza!

I went to the airport today and it turns out the flight was set a day back months ago...out of 270 passengers only me and one other didn't get the memo! But its great! They paid for transport via taxi and a night in Crowne Plaza Hotel and its REALLY POSH! I'm on the 19th floor and the sky tower is right outside my window and the beds are SOOO fluffy and They also paid for dinner tonight and breakfast tommrrow!! And then a taxi ride back! I can't even imagine HOW much a night this place would normally be!! wow!

You couldn't ask for better weather!! Mostly sunny and the air is clean and fresh.

So I walked up to Poisonby and K Road and had a yummy salad at the Dog's bollox! yum! Then I dropped in the hostel to use the internet, and next I'm heading back to the hotel for dinner and a HOT BUBBLE BATH and tv in bed! wow! Sooo exciting!

So unexpected and COOOL!

OUT!

CROFTEE

Hello one and all!

I just wanted to upload a few more photos. Here is some I took wandering around Rotorua. The first is the Rotorua Museum...What a beautiful building!!

THis is a little (actually medium-sized) Bird in Rotorua park.

Lake Rotorua had a number of beautiful black swans....

My last night in Kiwi Pakas...Look at all these boys wearing Stripes, and then silly Hankyop in the middle with plaid plaid, plaid!

And this pic makes me laugh everytime...Hankyop and I must have been sharing a joke...hahaha

Some photos taken in Auckland...

The sky tower takes up almost every pic!! heh!

This was taken on Poisonby...I went for a nice long walk today in search of the Hard to Find (But Worth it) Second Hand Bookstore. It WAS hard to find, and WOULD have been MORE worth it had they a copy of Atlas Shrugged, which I have been trying to find. I bought a copy of Heinlen short stories instead.

I know this is hard to see, but this really takes the cake. I thought Europe's smoking warnings were blunt. The ciggs here have horrible photographs on them with really awful warnings. This one says "Smoking Causes Gangrene"...they also have pictures of withered fetuses, shrivling lungs, rotten eyeballs, and throat cancerous legions on their cigg packages...no kidding!

I had a nice day today, walking around the city, dodging the occasional raindrop and trying to keep warm. I'm very thankful to Auntie Cathy for giving me a warm fleese pullover! I needed it today. I got back to the Hostel and its nice and warm here...mmmm...I took a little nap after washing some undies and now I'm waiting for mum to get on Skype...it seems we're having some technical difficulties. I'm online and she SAYS she is, but she's not showing up....arrrg! Technology can be so tricky sometimes!!

I've got some Thai Baht ahead of time and reserved a place for tomrrrow night in Bangkok. Hey MOMS ON! GOTTA GO

Lub croftee

I've not got much time to really get into detail, so i'm just going to Get some of these pictures up.

Here's Theo, Martin, Lindsey, Matthew and JB at the Globe in Auckland, the night before we left.

Theo in the front and JB behind at our Hostel's geothermally heated pool. mmm

The Geyser behind us!!!

Wai-o-topo geothermal area....smelly, but fun!

Oh and this is me and Martin on the Way to Rotorua yesterday, Thats Lake Taupo!

THe weather had turned pretty rainy, but there are strange patches of sun. I think when it rains we'll just sit in the hot springs. NO idea what's instore for tommrrow....Keep ya updated.

Hugs and Love from FAR FAR away!

Croftee