A Traveling We Will Go

[Richie]

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Like Mr Emerson most of us have traveled at some stage in our lives.. I know I have. Like many young Aussies I did the UK/Europe rite of passage before I was married. I spent almost two years away from home traveling, working, then traveling again around England/Wales/Ireland and the Continent. I no longer have foto memories from that time but I can recall in my mind almost all of the good and not so good times I had. From work/live in at a old pub called the Popes Grotto outside London to driving around Germany and being robbed in Italy. Then when our van broke down in Greece, having to backpack after that. Those two years were among the most exhilarating and enriching times of my life.

Surprise, surprise I was able to find a pic of the Popes Grotto. It was still in service as of 2010 when this foto was taken..


Genoa, Italy where we were robbed.


Corfu, Greece where our van broke down.

 

[Richie]

My homeland Australia has much to offer the overseas traveler. I live on a diverse continent.. the world's largest island, one of the hottest places on earth.. also one of the most beauteous, scary, exciting and harshest places on the planet. When Our forefathers ventured here from a distant land they found a forbidding landscape, populated by an unfriendly stone age native (see below). The newcomers, a mixture of the dregs of England society and free settlers literally had to scrape a civilization out of hard rock and yellow brown soil and dust.. often in temperatures that sapped your energy and had you sweating buckets.

 

[Richie]

A series of images depicting the diversity of the continent of Australia.

 

[Signman]

Excellent pics Richie ...unfortunately I didn't get to do an OE to the UK or America etc, have only travelled around NZ and Aussie, will post some pics later though.

 

[BettyBoo]

Stunning pics Richie, I love how aboriginals live, Bush Tucker Man visited them many times, they are so intelligent with their knowledge, so laid back and friendly too

 

[Richie]

I recall being fascinated as a little boy by the First Australian's tales from the Dreamtime .
Yes the bush native has all of those attributes Jessica.
The troublemakers are the urban native Australians.

 

[Richie]

These days my only travel abroad is within the South East Asian region. Mostly due to it being cheaper to stay and travel around these places. The downside is you have to put up with some things you wont find in most First World countries. The worst aspects being the abject poverty, the almost choking pollution and sweltering heat and humidity. The upside is the beauty, affordability and tranquility in some places such as Thailand and the Philippines.. two nations I have visited over the past decade.

 

[Signman]

That gold temple looks amazing Richie... must have been pretty cool on the elephant ride

 

[Richie]

Some of those golden temples (Pagoda) are exceptional. I may look in control on top of that elephant but I can assure I was not.. Can you guess what is in the second pic mate?
The fifth pic is where I stayed in Thailand. Another (below). What a pool eh. Like to have one that size Mal or Jessica. This war cemetery outside Bangkok was a very sobering experience. Many thousands of Anzacs & Brits buried there. Mostly victims from the building of the infamous Burma Railway.

 

[Signman]

The elephant ride sounded hilarious Richie
Did mean the bridge in the 2nd pic ?
Looks a very flash place where you stayed in Thailand mate... water surroundings & fountain look really cool as well.
The pool is superb & the elephant fountains make it look even more spectacular.
Yeah, anyone visiting the war cemetery can't help but be totally affected by it.

 

[Signman]

The bridge has a pretty unusual design.

 

[BettyBoo]

These days my only travel abroad is within the South East Asian region. Mostly due to it being cheaper to stay and travel around these places. The downside is you have to put up with some things you wont find in most First World countries. The worst aspects being the abject poverty, the almost choking pollution and sweltering heat and humidity. The upside is the beauty, affordability and tranquility in some places such as Thailand and the Philippines.. two nations I have visited over the past decade.

Great pics Richie
I've been on a donkey as a child but never an elephant!

 

[Richie]

The bridge has a pretty unusual design.

That bridge stands on the site of the original bridge over the River Kwai as depicted in the movie.

C'mon guys and gals post stuff.

 

[Richie]

TRAVEL FUNNIES:

 

[Richie]

This is a funny but true travel anecdote from a friend of mine backpacking thru South America. She had decided that she had done sufficient walking so booked a three day tour from Chile to Bolivia by SUV with the aim of seeing the world-famous Uyuni Salt Flats.

During the trip she began to feel very hot and uncomfortable and spoke to her driver in the little Spanish she knew, "Estoy caliente!”. When the driver ignored her, for a second time and looked fussed, she became baffled.

Suddenly, the one native Spanish speaker in the car spoke up from the back:
“Umm, I’m assuming you’re not meaning to tell the driver you’re horny, right?”

Apparently, the way she was saying “I’m hot” literally translated to, well, another meaning of the phrase. She said she then turned a good shade of red and slunk embarassingly back into her seat wishing she was not there. True story.

 

[Signman]

Great story Richie

 

[Signman]

ROTORUA NZ :
Have visited Rotorua many a time... pics of Spectacular Geyser - natural hot springs - also can cook
food in hot springs.














QUEENSTOWN NZ : known as the adventure capital of the world.
some of the adventures : bungy jumping - kayaking - hang gliding
jetboat rides - sky diving - white water rafting - ziplining etc

 

[Richie]

Great piccies Mal. We visited Queenstown about 20 years ago and tho I balked at bungee jumping I did choose something I had never done before.. white water rafting. In one word "exhilarating".
See if I can find some similar adventure stuff too.

 

[Signman]

Thanks Richie
Couldn't push myself to have a crack at sky diving... but have done all the others in the pics.
White water rafting is very exhilarating & so are the jetboat rides.
Look forward mate to you posting similar adventure pics.

 

[Richie]

Well mate you sure out thrillseek me. I can go the speed boat ride but none of the others. What is happening in the final pic..
This is something I have found. Having trouble uploading the video. Best I can do is this. https://www.centralcoastaustralia.c...tralias-first-takes-off-on-the-central-coast/

How about these extreme sports.. gotta have a death wish