Hawaii - The Final Chapter?

The last leg of my "international" journey - with the help of 40,000 Aeroplan points - brought me to Hawaii. I was invited to attend Rochelle and Scott's beach front wedding. Simply amazing are the best words to describe the ceremony and the evening. It was a great time and I thank the Ferguson and Koenig families for inviting me.
Breathtaking describes the island of Oahu. In my rented Jeep convertible, I circled the island three times during the week and simply driving along the coast was relaxing. The Hawaiian people are very friendly and welcome visitors.
I also spent my birthday on the island and was treated to some "Rockin' Sushi". Best sushi ... ever. The tuna was fresh and I also had some dishes of fish names I couldn't pronounce. Thanks to everyone for taking me out.
I also climbed Diamond Head peak - lost about 5 lbs along the way - and saw some great views and walked along Waikiki beach. Note to self - try not to go hiking around High Noon in the South Pacific.
There was so much to do that I made sure I "saved" stuff so that I'd have something to look forward to when I return - sooner rather than later I hope.
Pictures of the trip can be found at: http://picasaweb.google.com/erik.forrester/Hawaii
In the meantime, I find myself in Ottawa looking for work. My brother has been very kind to let me stay at his house while I get back on my feet and prepare myself to re-enter the world of 9 to 5. Actually, this is Ottawa, so it's more like 8:30 to 4. There is no question that the change of pace here is different than Toronto. I wouldn't say it's better, but change is sometimes a good thing. I certainly miss everyone back in Toronto - and you are all welcome to come and visit. You know that I'll need a "Maddy" fix every now and then so I'll be back.
Are my travels over? There is still so much I'd like to see. Reality - and my savings account - tells me that travelling may be on hiatus for now. Biking through Europe this summer with Chris was the highlight of my trip and I would certainly consider doing something like that again. I would also enjoy heading north to some Scandinavian countries and visit the sights. Stay tuned.

Tour de Schwiitz

We arrived yesterday from a 6 day cycling trip We started in Basel, Switzerland and headed south towards Lugano. This is Chris' 4th annual trip, selecting a new route each year and inviting several of his Swiss friends. This year, some of the regulars returned and they included Rachel, Antonia and her sister Esther and her boyfriend Ivo. I know what everyone is thinking, biking Switzerland with 3 Swiss girls - the hardships I have to face!

Photos of the trip are at: http://picasaweb.google.com/erik.forrester/SwissBikeTour

Chris will also have additional pictures here very shortly: http://blog.schwiiz.org/

The "Number 3" North/South route is 375kms through the Swiss Alps and presents the challenge of climbing the Gothard Pass. I can confirm that there were no sightings of Heidi or the Von Trapps along my trip.

In the early morning of Friday, June 22nd, we felt good that the rain would pass, so we left St. Gallen and took the train up to Basel where we started our journey. Only Chris and Rachel joined from the start, and we were going to meet up with Esther later in the afternoon. About 2 hours into the tour, a preview of what was to come hit me. A hill! And not just any hill, a 10km climb up 400 vertical meters (1300ft). It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be - as we crested the top to get a better look from above - I realized what I just climbed was only a foothill of much larger mountains to come.

After logging in a good day of cycling, we checking into a barn. Yes, a barn. Horses, cows and bails and bails of hay. It's a general practice in Switzerland that farmers rent out their stables in the summer to cyclists and hikers. For about $25, you get a roof over your head and breakfast. The Swiss call it Schlaf-in-Stroh! ("sleep in straw") Our accommodations on this evening was run by a Swiss German couple in their 70's - they actually gave up the sleep and straw business a while ago - but Rachel spoke with the lady and convinced her to let us sleep the night. I find it interesting listing to the Swiss Germans.

The Swiss German language sounds like German, but with a twist. The best way to describe the twist: Someone speaking German + a melodic Swedish Chef = Swiss German.

In the morning, our hosts greeted us into their home and served up some breakfast. The milk, cheese and eggs were straight from the farm - I didn't ask about the cold cuts. Even if I could ask - this couple spoke no English - so it's a good thing I was cycling with "locals".

The next day we continued our trip south and made our way to Lucern - quite possibly the nicest Swiss city I've seen to date. We had lunch in the town centre and picked up Ivo at the train station. We decided to take a more scenic tour (read: longer route!) around the lake and it was worth it. By coincidence, this route took us past a International Youth Hostel right on Lake Lucern. It was basically a house with our room overlooking the lake. There was also a beach volleyball court - it was a fantastic place to stay! We bought some meats and veggies (and Paprika chips!) and lit a campfire right on the shores of the lake.

The next day, we were given two options according to the official "Swiss Bike Map". The first option was to continue around Lake Lucern down to Fluelen - however the map had the first and only "Achtung!!" about a road in a bright yellow warning note. It was basically a stretch of 7kms of main highway with lots of traffic and taking the ferry to Fluelen was the recommended option.

Chris took off and chose to bike the route, while I wasn't as confident. I gained confidence when they said it was going to cost me $25 to take the ferry (as a non-Swiss resident, I pay 2x the posted rates - don't get me started on this one). I decided to "suck it up" and take the main road. I quickly realized this was by far the best option - there was a dedicated lane for bikes and the view along the lake was spectacular. When Chris and I met at the train station in Altdorf, we were convinced the ferry company pays the map folks for every cyclist they take. At the train station we also met up with our final cyclist, Antonia and started our climb up the Gothard. The Gothard is a 40 km road with an elevation change of over 1600M (5200ft).

It was Sunday, so the traffic up the hill was relatively light - but the northbound traffic was quite heavy. Now that I've completed the trip, I can look back and honestly say that was one of the most dangerous things I've ever done - yet at the same time it was one of the most physically challenging and rewarding. In fact, on the way up, you would get several looks from drivers on their way down. The best way to describe the look is the "Are you f***ing nuts!?!" look. Chris does a good impression (see photo). I also noticed several Ferraris on the road - I later learned that there was a Ferrari 60th anniversary party where owners gathered in the northern part of Italy.

We split the climb in two days and stayed the night in Andermatt - a great skiing base town where I would like to return to in the winter. Here we found another "barn" to stay at run by a farmer who enjoyed hosting cyclist and talking about the region. He even drove us back into town and made sure we received the "local" rate for a traditional Swiss meal (pasta, cheese and potatoes - yum!)

The next morning, the Farmer greeted me with my choice of cheeses. He was very proud of his selection and Gruyere is my new favourite! When we headed outside, we could clearly see that Part Two of our journey was not going to be a pleasant one. Grey clouds surrounded the summit and there was a noticeable change in the temperature. Nevertheless, we put on our rain gear and continued our climb. The cycling today was not as pleasant - in fact out of all my days cycling this month - it was the worst. It was cold, rainy and I was giving myself the same look as drivers from the previous day. Fortunately, the traffic was much lighter and we only had 12kms until we reached the summit.

As soon as we reached the top - all signs changed from German to Italian as the Gothard is known to be the dividing line between the German and Italian regions of Switzerland. There was a restaurant at the top where we dried ourselves off and had some Goulash soup. We continued down the hill - about a 1000M drop over 10kms - without having to pedal! Very cool! With the rain continuing to fall, we decided to call it a short day and spend the night in Airolo. A non eventful town on the side of a mountain. Over dinner, the weather report came on and you would have thought there was a sporting event on. Everyone cheered when they said that our region was going to be sunny for the next three days.

Sure enough, the next day the sky was blue and we continued on our path and made our way to San Antonio. I'm glad we waited as the views on the way down the hills were amazing. All the small towns we went through were very Italian - it's funny how different two parts of the same country can differ so drastically (weather, language, architecture). At the end of our ride, while the girls went swimming, Chris and I searched for our final barn on the trip - and once again we lucked out. It was on a "Bio friendly" farm - where we had full use of their professional kitchen and outdoor grill. We cooked up some meats and veggies - had a few pops and called it a night.

The next morning, I awoke to the noise of a saw - someone must be cutting wood I thought. I then realized I was on a working farm with working butchers! The last leg of our journey would take us up one more "hill" before we headed down towards Lake Lugano - with homes built into the mountain on one side and the lake on the other (and Italy on the other side of the lake). As we made our way along the narrow streets, we spent some time at a park on the lake before completing our journey in Morcote - where we had a light lunch and some local red wine.

What better way to complete our journey than to have been served by an Italian waitress who is also a model. A super model! Seriously! She was simply working at her mom's restaurant this week while her mom went on vacation. Sure, she could have stayed at her house in Rome or Paris or even her apartment in New York - but no - she's a down to earth super model and decided to fill in for her mother and serve us lunch. We couldn't decided if she was a super model who waitresses in her spare time or was a waitress who super models in her spare time? Check her out here. Prior to knowing she was a world famous model (in the modeling world at least, I had no idea who she was - other than cute) - she seemed to be very clumsy and forgetful - and English wasn't her first language. Both Chris and I were able to forgive her.

We boarded a train later in the afternoon and headed back up to St. Gallen - where we've been able to spend the day and relax.

As I wind down my final day in Switzerland, I'm getting ready to fly back to Canada and spend the long weekend at the cottage in Ottawa. There is a part of me looking forward to no longer living out of a back pack, having a new change of clothes and seeing family and friends. Another part of me is shocked on how quickly the past 11 weeks have gone by.

To sum up a few things:
I can best describe my experience in New Zealand as unique and a lot of fun - the group I ended up with had a large part in making my experience enjoyable.
The Australian east coast, looking back, was very "cookie cutter" - where I experienced and saw a number of things that I've only read and heard about - but considering what I did in two weeks, I'm glad I joined that tour.
The Centre and Southern Australian tours began to give me a bit more of a feel for the country and it's people.
This past month in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, however, was by far the highlight. To see a country through the eyes of small towns and back roads truly gives me a perspective on a country which I think few people get to experience.

Up next? I'm still deciding - perhaps a short summer road trip, simply relax at the cottage and at some point (not just yet!) start exploring employment opportunities. I look forward to seeing everyone shortly, sharing more stories, pictures and catching up.

Arrival in Vienna, Austria!

After 975 kms, 12 Days, 2 Countries, 1 Bike, 0 flat tires and countless Bier Gardens we arrived in Vienna, Austria shortly after 2:00pm on Thursday afternoon.

We completed a multi-country tour and truly experienced German and Austrian culture at its best. I would never have been able to complete the journey without the company and support of one of my oldest friends growing up in Sudbury, Chris Meyer (who has called Switzerland home for the past six years). His enthusiasm, determination and proficiency with the German language helped me complete this trip.

Chris has his own blog and has detailed information of our route map which is quite neat http://blog.schwiiz.org/ and also more pictures at http://photos.schwiiz.org/index.php?folder=/2007/200706-DonauBikeTour/

I've uploaded some pictures of my own here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/erik.forrester/DonauBikeTour

I thought I would share a few stories along our journey.

Passau, Germany - A Hobo's Adventure!

As we entered the city of Passau, our last night in Germany before crossing into Austria, Chris noticed a billboard for the RotoHotel ("Rooms for 20 Euros!"). I said just by looking at the ad that this didn't look like a good place to stay. I mentioned that they couldn't even get good looking people for their promotional photos. Besides, it was on the outskirts of town and I didn't see a Bier Garden nearby. Chris, perhaps frustrated with the lack of my open-mindendess, suggested we check the place out.
As we approached the hotel, an older cyclist - who could have passed as a hobo were it not for his bike and gear - was walking out of the place turning up his nose and shaking his head. A few words were exchanged in German between Chris and the older gentleman. Chris looked at me and said: "Ok, fine, we're leaving." At this point in the evening, Chris' accommodation selection privileges were immediately revoked.

We quickly biked into the centre of town and checked ourselves into a really nice hotel across from a Bier Garden - which happened to be a 4 star hotel and we received 30% off the regular rate!
Before anyone calls me a "flash packer" (definition: an individual who shows a back pack but stays in hotels rather than hostels or other establishments where you would never walk barefoot in the communal shower) - we both agreed prior to the start of the trip that we would stay in a variety of places - from camping, to local "Gasthaus", hostels and even four star hotels (budget permitting, of course).

As most of you know, cycling isn't something I generally do. In fact, I hadn't been on a bike since the previous summer. The bike I had was a rental (with some funky fenders!), the bike bags I had were not water proof and my sense of "cycling fashion" was not typical.

Because I didn't have any waterproof cycling bags, all of my gear was placed in a garbage bag prior to placing it in the cycling bag. It also proved to be easier to carry my clothes in and out every night. When we checked into our 4 star hotel, you can imagine the hotel staff's and guests surprise when I walk in looking quite dishevelled with 3 garbage bags - trust me, I didn't care and kept smiling.

When we left the following morning, there was a bit of rain - so I needed to put on some rain gear. The pants I had weren't cycling pants per se, so I needed to improvise to ensure that my pant legs didn't interfere with the gears on the bike. I decided to place some string around my legs in order to make the pants less "puffy". Now picture me walking out of the hotel, with my garbage bags, string tied around my legs and over a weeks worth of growth on my face!! Oh, and at the all you can eat buffet, I stored about a dozen "mini Nutella packs" in my pants - so I was making a bit of noise with each step I took. Class all the way!

The following day, we crossed over into Austria. Sadly, there was no Um pa Band playing us off as we left Germany. The Austrian landscape provided a welcome change of scenery. Over the past few days, we've been traveling through several farmers fields and lots of flat land. The Austrian landscape was much more lush with trees and larger hills and mountains. Still following the Danube river, the views around every turn were breathtaking.

Ybbs - The town name with no vowels and wacky people!

I think one of the best things about this trip was stepping outside of the traditional hubs that most people visit - which more often than not are influenced by the "tourist factor" - rather than offering a certain authenticity the the country's culture and people - which I think small towns offer (not to mention many of them look like something you would see out of a James Bond movie!). No where else on this trip was it more evident then in the town of Ybss.

After our day of cycling, I decided it was time for a hair cut (the growth on my face would remain until the end). Although the hairdresser was uncomfortable cutting my hair so short, I reassured her the worst that can happen is that it will take a bit longer to grow back. 2mm on the sides and 4mm on the top - I actually wish I cut it shorter!

After the hairdresser and I debated shaving attachments, I met Chris on a patio where after a few beverages the table of three ladies (read: cougars) next to us started to chat us up. Generally, when people hear us speak English, they assume we are American - we correct them - and generally they want to know more about our trip. When Chris asked why three women from Vienna were in a small town for the next 8 weeks, the response was quite simple: "We are staying at the hospital to get cured".
I soon realized that none of them were drinking, however they were smoking about 12 packs of cigarettes between the three of them - so the lung cancer treatment theory went out the window - and a substance abuse problem was more likely. We promptly asked no further questions.

For dinner, Italian was on the menu and at this point in the trip, no English subtitles on any menus was really starting to get to me as the only German words I recognized were Brot (bread), Suppen (soup), Bier, Schnitzel and Bratwurst. Other than the Bier, all other items are starting to become tiersome. Chris, knowing my dietary "issues", knew not to bother translating 75% of the menu.
A regular pre-dinner conversation would go like this:
Erik pointing to something on the menu "What's this?".
Chris' reply wasn't a description of the item rather a simple "You wouldn't like it!".

After an excellent meal, we headed down to the local pub where we immediately met the local "town drunk" Pete who introduced us to his band of merry men - one of whom I was sure going to loose his dentures in his drink. "Denture Guy" was a dead ringer for "Fire Marshall Bill" - Jim Carrey's character on In Living Color. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g_arzPICEA
Once the group found out we were from Canada, we were introduced to an ex-pat Canadian. She was in her late 50's and split her time between her home in Austria and Spain. She had taught at the University of Toronto (OISE) and knew my mom's friends - what a small world!

She later introduced us to her friends, the town Doctor (who ironically smoked) and shared numerous stories - and also confirmed my theory about our 3 lady friends from earlier in the evening. Finally, the local town councillor joined us for a drink and bought everyone a round. Our evening in Ybbs was one of the better nights on the trip. As for the morning, it may have been one of my worst!!


The Ottensheim Camping Adventure!
Over 10 nights during our trip, we spent 3 nights camping at various sites along the route. Not only did we save money, but it provided a different experience. Some sites we roughed it a bit more than others.

But our stay at a "camp site" in Ottenshieim proved to be the most interesting. We couldn't go wrong with the rate - 5 Euros per person! Our site, in the middle of a farmer's field.

Once we set up camp, shortly before 6pm, I told Chris that I would head back to the "convenience store" we passed along the way and I'd pick up some items for dinner. One thing I've noticed about some parts of Europe, keeping stores open as late and often as possible isn't a top priority. Store owners feel their customers should work around their hours of operation. It would appear that the town's local grocery/convenience store closes promptly at 6pm - there were NO other stores open. I returned to the campsite and informed Chris that we had to find alternative eating arrangements. Fortunately, there was (surprise) a Bier Garden close by.

When we returned from our dinner around 9:30pm, we noticed the skies out in the distance were rather dark and were giving us quite the lightning show. We weren't sure if we were going to get dumped on. At this point, the idea of setting up a tent at the base of a big tree didn't see like one of our most brilliant ideas of our trip. Chris being the "math guy" pointed out that this tree had been sitting there for more than 100 years, and if lighting were to strike and the tree falling directly on the tent would make us the most un-lukiest people. "Statistically improbable". Besides, moving the tent in the darkness and leaving it unprotected from the elements seemed "worth the risk" at the time. When we woke up the next morning, we realized that the storm passed us completely leaving our consecutive days of rainless mornings in tact!

In Ottensheim, I initially wanted to stay at the Schwartzen Gasthaus - as my friend Jay's grandmother was a Schwartzen - however they didn't know "Grandma Schwartzen" and they had no rooms at the inn. Sorry Jay!

Krems and their Tempting Bread Buns!

One of my "new favourite" soups is Goulash - I now feel that paprika is an under rated and under used spice. (Incidentally, the Paprika Chips here are fantastic!) Both Chris and I ordered the soup as an appetizer which came with a bread bun. Once we were served our soup, a basket with 3 buns was placed on our table.

I finished one bun and Chris ate one with his soup and ate the 3rd one while waiting for the main course. When the bill arrived, there was an 0.80 Euro charge for 1 bun. Chris pointed out to the waiter that the buns were included with the soup. It was explained that indeed 1 bun for each soup was included with the meal, however the 3rd bun was not - and because we ate the bun - we were then charged for the 3rd bun. I kid you not!

Some choice words were exchanged on my part, however Chris calmly explained to me that at some restaurants, this is common practice. The "bread incident" became a running joke for the rest of the tour!

Munich and the Haufbrauhaus!

I know that I mention Bier Gardens quite frequently (not only do their serve beer, but you also get a tasty meal - generally great Schnitzel) and you would assume that we had enough of Beir Gardens. However, in order to break up the 7 hour journey back to Switzerland from Vienna - we decided to spend a day in Munich and visit the classic (if not touristy) Haufbrauhaus. The beer comes in many sizes, however my preference is the 1 litre "mug" - where a gold coloured beer meets a frothy top.
This was my third visit to the establishment and the evening did not disappoint. We met a couple of guys who were on a four day leave from the US Army, some Swedish sisters (no, not beer drinking nuns, the related kind) and if Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Harrison Ford's DNA were ever combined - you'd get our waiter! (see photos).

The Army guys from Chicago and huge Cubs fan - I mentioned our trip to New York and Boston back in April and they suggested Chicago next year. They also had one of the best lines of the evening regarding watching games online: "I hate living 6 hours into the future!". Classic.

After several beers, Chris and I made our way out of the Haus that Bier built and decided that everyone's favourite Scottish family restaurant (McDonalds!) was a great idea. I know Chris thought so as he polished off 4 Cheeseburgers and 1 Big Mac compared to my "Royale with Cheese" and a Happy Meal (with a toy!).

I also found an Italian barber and I am now sporting once again a clean shaven look.
Today, we returned to St. Gallen where we spent the rest of the day relaxing and doing laundry.

The Adventure Continues...

After all the excitement, you'd think we were done - but no - a busy couple of weeks ahead. There is an annual Jazz Festival in St. Gallen on Tuesday which apparently is one of the best festivals of the year, it's Chris' birthday on Wednesday and he's having a BBQ and on Thursday we plan on making final preparations ... for another bike tour!

For Chris, it's the 4th Annual "Tour de Schwiiz" - this year it's a north to south crossing of Switzerland from Basel (at the France/German border) to Lugano/Chiaso (near the Italian border) right through the Swiss Alps. Although only a 1/3 of the distance of this past trip at 365 kms, the altitude and various mountains to climb will prove to be a challenge. Three of Chris' Swiss friends will also be joining us on this tour - I am looking forward to it!

I will keep everyone posted...

The Great European Cycle Tour - 2007

Hello everyone from the middle of Germany. Our cycling journey has reached almost 500 kms en route to Austria. Internet is limited (what else is new?) the PC I am on was built in 1995 and the German keyboard is very strange. It's Friday night and we find ourselves having more beer after a long day of cycling.

On this journey I intended to: Find out why Germans are nutty for Nutella, Attempt to hit every Biergarden in sight, Ask an older German man "Why do you wear socks in your sandal?", Why does German beer go done so smoothly and Find out if my ass in fact can really make it the full 1000 plus kms to Vienna. Will I make it? Stay tuned. On a side note - thanks to my brother (a far more experienced cyclist than I will ever be) for all the "tips" he put forward. And No, I have not tried the special cream.

In the mean time, my cycling buddy Chris (and friend since I was 6!) is a "full on egg head" and can update his blog and our route via cell phone - the link to his blog is below.

The highlight so far? Staying in a castle with a Biergarden and a moat and teaching the castle owner's 4 year old son how to say "How you doin´?". Also, having lunch at a Monestary which was over 1000 years old.

Prior to the start of our journey, we were able to catch Game 3 via a slingbox (the afore mentioned egg head) was able to secure and get the CBC feed of the Sens/Ducks contest - on a big screen project he "borrowed" from work. For the record, the game I watched at 2am was the only game they won. I still say - Go Sens! - and they have a great chance next year as well.

Stay tuned until next time! Once again, for the record, the beer here is Über fantastic!

http://blog.schwiiz.org/

The Great Ocean Road

After an interesting train ride from Alice Springs to Adelaide on The Ghan (a family of 7 sat directly behind me - with 5 kids under 7 years old), I checked in downtown. It was a low key evening as I needed to catch up on some much needed sleep and had a 6am start the next morning with a tour company call "Groovy Grape".

The tour van of 12 showed up - and it was in fact a "Groovy Van" - think a VW Van with curtains on the window and a tour leader who was a cross between Jesus and Kid Rock. As I learned in my previous tour, I wasn't going to let first impressions cloud my judgment. Again, I wasn't disappointed! If I've learned anything about booking with tour companies, I think the less marketed, low key tours are in the end the better tours. They need to work that much harder to make sure they build on a favourable word of mouth.

We left Adelaide and made our way to "Halls Gap" in Grampions National Park. This National Park was 95% destroyed by a forest fire just over 1 year ago. Although it was noticeable, I was surprised about how much growth had taken place in a short period of time.

We climbed a 3km canyon to a lookout where the views of the State of Victoria were spectacular. We boarded the Groovy Bus and made our way towards the Twelve Apostles National Park. As we made our way west, Southern Australia (which has been in the worst drought in 100 years) decided to pour rain non stop for most of the drive. The skies did clear up in order for us to take a few pictures, but the sunset was not one you'd find on a postcard.

After a few pictures and a short hike along the beach, we made our way to our beach side accommodations - an entire house to ourselves. Burritos seem to be a popular choice with most tour groups, and tonight was no exception. As the rained continued to pour that evening, we were got to know everyone quite well over a few beverages.

The next morning, we continued our journey west towards Melbourne, stopping by a few sea side towns and a park with wild Koalas - we spent the evening at another Hostel - one of the better ones of the trip so far (Nomads on Barrett St.).

During my last night in Melbourne, I developed an ear infection which wasn't so bad on the ground and figured I'd get through the next few days. The next morning, after listening to the Senators fall to the Ducks 3-2 live at an internet cafe - I stocked up on some drugs - however at 38,000 ft on the flight back to Sydney was one of the most painful experiences I've ever had. There was no amount of Advil or Red Wine that could subside the pain (or knock me out cold). During the subsequent 14 hour flight from Sydney to Dubai - I didn't fair much better.

I spent a day in Dubai - I will simply say it was an interesting place. A city of more than 7 Million people, in 35 degree weather in the Middle East - you could say there was a slight smog problem. After disembarking my 14 hour flight at 6am, I wanted nothing more than a shower and a bed. I quickly realized that the only was I was going to get my wish (instead of waiting until a 3pm check in) was to book in a higher end hotel. I decided after 6 weeks of tours, hostels, sharing rooms (and in some cases beds with other guys!) and still suffering the effects of my ear infection - I deserved a "treat". I checked into the Hyatt which included transfers to the hotel and back, breakfast, all you can drink, a pool, a spa and a central location. But for me, the 7am check-in alone was worth the price!

After spending the day in Dubai and took advantage of some duty free shopping, I arrived in St. Gallen, Switzerland where my longtime friend Chris lives. I'm feeling much better and I'm preparing for an extended bike/camping trip for the next couple of weeks. I've stocked up on all of the gear I'll be needing and we'll be heading west - towards Vienna, Austria. Will keep everyone posted along the way!

More pictures of The Great Ocean Road trip at: http://picasaweb.google.com/erik.forrester/GreatOceanRoad

Bike Trip Link: http://www.schwiiz.org/bikemap/?map=200706Donau

Uluru, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs

After catching up with a friend from Toronto who was coincidentally doing the same east coast trip I had just completed, I decided to fly from Cairns to Uluru instead of heading south and meeting up with some friends from my New Zealand trip who were slowly making their way up the coast.

As my brother said: "That's a long way to go to see a rock!". The verdict - it was worth it!

Our tour guide "Jonnie" was the hippest tour guide I've had to date (with all due respect to Scotty, Chelsea, Jen and Leigh). She was responsible for everything: driving, guiding, cooking etc... She did it all and I respected that. Our tour bus was small and our group came from all parts: Ireland, Japan, Israel, Denmark, Holland and Switzerland (those wacky Swiss Germans!!). I'll admit, at first she came off as a tree hugging, granola eating, yoga instructor - but she was really great!

The first day we witnessed a Uluru sunset which is one of the most spectacular natural events I have ever witnessed. The sun, the sky and the changing colours of the rock minute by minute (second by second in some cases) was nothing short of spectacular.

After the sunset, we made our way to our campsite where we started to prepare dinner. This type of tour required the assistance of everyone in the group. The BBQ was lit and responsibility for the campfire was left to "the Canadian".

One of the Danes got a head start and tried to light the fire - I witnessed his method of dumping a lot of big pieces of wood and trying to light dried brush - I simply sat back not wanting to come off as a "know it all" on the first night. Plus, it was entertaining.

After repeated attempts, I asked if I could make a suggestion - the Danes girlfriend said "Yes, please help!" I asked to gather as many small twigs and branches. I built a classic "Tee Pee" and placed the dried brush underneath - and within a few minutes - we had the best campfire on the block! ("Now that's a fire!") The Swiss asked if I made a lot of campfires back home - I said that's how we heat our homes back in Canada and I have to make one every night!

We had a fantastic meal and we were ready for an early evening as the next morning was a 5am start. We were asked if we wanted to sleep in "swag" that night (no, not the free stuff you get at company golf function but rather a padded sleeping bag in order to sleep outside). Almost everyone opted in, and we were rewarded with another amazing night sky. Although the 5 degree weather made it a bit cool on the face, the experience was amazing.

After a 5am breakfast, we made our way over to the rock and witnessed the "silhouette" starting to take shape from a distance. Instead of taking in a full sunrise of the rock, we decided to do the less popular (but just as rewarding) sunrise walk. This meant getting dropped off on the east side of the rock and witnessing the sunrise as you made your way around the 9.6km loop. Amazing!

After a 2 hour walk with the group - we made our way back to our campsite where I was in charge of cooking up the meat for the Burritos! During our fantastic lunch, the Dutch guy on our bus asked if I "impressed ladies with your cooking!". I said that Burritos were my specialty!

After lunch, on the bus and headed north towards Kings Canyon where we set up camp for another night. This night we were treated to a traditional Outback BBQ which required two campfires with really hot coals as we were cooking our meals in fire pit. Maybe it was because I was hungry, but it was one of the of the best I've had to date.

The next day we hiked the 6km loop up around Kings Canyon. For a variety of reasons, I thought this hike was much nicer and more rewarding then a walk around a monolith. For starters, there was the 500m 45 degree incline to start the hike, that was followed by a walk through several paths on our way to the top. The most serene moment is when we arrived at "The Garden of Eden" - this was a part of the canyon where water, wildlife and vegetation resided - a stark difference from what we had been seeing along the way. We all stopped, sat down - and no one said a word for 5 minutes - we all appreciated the natural surroundings.

One of the highlights of this trip has been meeting people from around the world. If I were ever assigned the task as a "Casting Agent" for a movie which required a Jewish Grandmother - Edna, someone who was on our tour - fits the bill to a "T". Although these tours are primarily geared to younger people, anyone can sign up - Edna (who is on a 3 week holiday from Israel) decided to join our tour. She was simply one of the nicest, classiest person I've met on the tour so far - and was a pleasure to meet and talk to.

On Wed, I left Alice Springs after two days (which was more than enough time - it's not exactly a "hot bed" of activity) and boarded the "classic" Ghan train en route to Adelaide.

More pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/erik.forrester/UluruAndKingsCanyon

Up next - my trip along "The Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles".

Fraser and Whitsunday Islands and Cairns

3200 kms, 15 Days, 14 Nights and a few XXXX Gold Beers along the way, we have finally arrived in Carins! We weren't trollied every night as 6am breakfasts tend to catch up on you - however the past two week have been amazing.



After leaving Surfers Paradise, we departed for Fraser Island - the world's largest sand island. We spent a day 4x4 along Australia's on coastal highway made entirely out of sand. We saw a ship wreck called the Mohito - which offered some great pictures.



After leaving Fraser Island - the largest sand island in the world, I found a new favourite highlight - The Whitsunday Islands. Prior to leaving, I had already circled these few days on my itinerary as it included 3 days and 2 nights aboard a sailboat.



When we were dropped off, we were informed that the boat that bottom of the 40ft boat we were suppose to sail on literally fell off the day before. I guess it's better that happened in the harbour than out in the open water. The good news? We we upgraded to an 80ft, racing sailboat called "The Matador" designed to entertain 30 people. Our group size? Nine - to which I say: "Ole!".



The history on this sailboat was just as fascinating - it was built in the early 90's for an estimated $22M, won 3 world Maxi championships and numerous other races - which is unheard of in the world of sailing.



The first night on board we were treated to hors d'oeurves, red wine and a nice supper under the stars. Out of all the things we did over the next 3 days, nothing compared to the pitch black night sky (due to limited light pollution) and gazing up to stars I've never seen before. However there were some I did recognize - specifically an upside down "big dipper" - very cool!



We were asked throughout our journey to raise, move and lower the sails on the ship. The sail itself weighed about 3/4 of a ton and required a minimum of 6 people to lift it up the 30 ft mast. Once the engines were shut off and the wind grabbed hold of the sails - we were off. At full tilt, the boat dips to one side at a 45 degree angle. As Captain Pete said: "High side, dry side - low side, suicide!".



We visited Whithaven beach which is regarded as one of the best beaches in the world with 99% pure silica sand. The sand is so fine, it's almost like you are walking on flour.



On board of boat, we had a full time Scuba instructor. Although I was waiting for Carins and the Great Barrier Reef for my first dive - the one on one instruction (and almost 2x longer dive for the same price) could not be turned down.



The weather over the entire boat trip could not have been better - day and night. Our second dinner was a BBQ aboard the boat - some fine steaks from the region re known for their beef.



Once our trip was done, we met up with the rest of our tour at Long Island resort where we spend our 3rd and final night in the Whitsundays.



With Cairns still 800kms away, we broke up the ride north with a stop at the Capricorn Cave. They are an above ground series of caves - the highlight being one caves where the acoustics rival those of the Sydney Opera House. I never thought Enya could sound that good.



Our final stop is Cairns (pronounced "Cannes"). Yesterday we spent the day out at sea visiting the Great Barrier Reefs. In the morning, I completed my second dive of the trip and the afternoon was spent snorkeling. During the dive, we saw a few sea turtles, found Nemo a few times and even saw a stingray (not to worry, I had my "Steve Irwin suit" on - seriously, the Steve Irwin jokes just don't stop around here!). Our Catamaran out to the reef had a unique hammock up at the front where you could lie down and see the open water below. Pretty neat experience.

Today we took a scenic train ride up to Kuranda where we were immersed into the rain forest.


Tomorrow I head up to Cape Tribulation, where we'll go deep inside Australia's Rain Forest. On Sunday I head to Australia's Outback and will tour around Uluru (Ayers) Rock for a couple of days.

Next stops may be Adelaide and Melbourne before I make my way back to Sydney and fly to Europe ...

More photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/erik.forrester/AustraliaPart2