Running rings around the world with Mr B

Hello to all and sorry I have not updated my travel blog for bloody ages!

Well I am still in Queenstown but in an attempt to produce a more interesting blog entry I have been up to certain things.

I travelled down the east coast of New Zealand stoping at various spots along the way. The coastal town of Timaru was both a treasure and felt a bit like a cheesy as it gets on the coast in New Zealand.

After that headed down to Omaru. Tried my best to see a pegiun and even sat in the pegiun amptheatre but despite my best efforts buying the popcorn they never even turned up. Saw some seals though who where good enough to pop up. Saw some incredible beaches though and also paid a visit to bolder beach.

A weekend was spent in Duniden and there was the hope of a visit to the albatross colony but they where up too naughty buisness and well they do not want us humans having a perv and putting them off. Also tried to see a chocolate waterfall at the cadbury factory but not allowed either!

The next trip away was to Milford sound a fiord carved out during the last ice age. Was impressive and beautiful but the company was called Eco tours and it made me wonder how ecoligical can a 5 hours bus journey and boat trip possibly be?

The next trip was the bank holiday weekend to Te Anua. The undisputed hightlight was an overnight cruise down doubful sound. Sleeping on an old boat spending 24 hours crusiing around the fiord and out to sea was truely stunning. On the trip we saw dusky dolphins and fiordland crested penguins too! To my delight it had snowed over night and by morning the tops of the surrounding mountains had been sprinkled with star dust (snow!)

After that night we ventured fourth and walked part of the Kelper track around Te Anua lake.

Well the world seem to be in melt down ! The credit crunch and the man of change Obama spending 2 million plus broacasting a comercial. Does anyone think this is wrong when so many people are worried about there savings? Man of change more like man of to much loose change in his pocket that could be spent on better things. All this rubbish about Russell Brand, Johnathan Ross and the BBC. Give them both back there jobs there really are bigger things at stake!

Anyway I got to pop.

Will try and blog again soon!!! Benjamin . W. Brogan

Hello all and welcome to the first in my entries of a travel blog

I have been in New Zealand for about 3 months so will give you a brief outline of my journey so far.

Well after saying good bye to all in the U.K I started off on my Journey to the South Pacific and namely the first part of my travels New Zealand. This time traveling I aim to be in certain destinations for a longer period of time than before so first of all I am armed with a work Visa for New Zealand.

On arriving in Christchurch I battle jet lag and all and decide to pick myself up a camper van to live in for the next year . I will add pictures so you can all see. After this purchase I headed south for Queenstown as it is my first aim to work a Ski Season in New Zealand.

The first couple of months provided very tough and well I had various interviews and knock backs and living in the camper van park was hard work as most people seem to be coming and going. I finally got a job which starts in August chopping wood and starting fires for a new restaurant in Queenstown so in the mean time I am workiing as a cleaner which is okay and I keep myself to myself.

So bought all the gear to go up the mountain. A orange jump suit esque bit of gear. The mountains in New Zealand are not as large as Europe or North America and do not get as much snow but there are no trees so you virtually ski/snowboard where you please. It has been a while but in a way it reminds me a bit of skiing in Scotland.

Apart from skiing I have taken various day drives to local towns such as Wanaka, Glenorchry and done walks in the mountains in the Queenstown area.

Living in a van has had its challenging moments. Three flat tires on the same wheel! Was fixed for free though! The Automater and regulator blowing the battery! But I have fallen in love with the van and I am now staying in John and Ryans driveway rather than the camper van park so I am happy. I even turned down free beds inside to stay in my van which is now called Don John!

Anyway that is it for now I will add pictures to my profile which you can regularly check out and will try to add to my blog every 2 weeks or so.

As for future plans there is no plan. Just a one way ticket to New Zealand and a work Visa for now.

Thank you for taking time to read my blog and Take Care !X!

Benjamin .W. Brogan