The 1000 Day Holiday

Started off the trip in French Polynesia in grand style by getting $1200 out from the ATM at the airport, thinking it was giving me $100.

Would have been actually very easy to spend that in 4 days. However fat catting it solo is about as fun as a pot of noodles and tomato sauce.

$17 for a watermelon the size of my two hands? a main meal at a little cafe on the road $40. a dozen eggs $5. A Big Mac $6 (is this on the Big Mac Index??) Everything here is spency..

No worries tho! And I didnt eat any boiled pasta w tomato sauce.

1/2 roast chicken from a little further down the road. Special Island Price every day: $8.60!!!  Loving it!

Did a couple of scuba dives around moorea yesterday. Lots of sharks, hard coral and not much else. a bit dull really

I cant believe the flight Im just about to board is going to take me to Sydney. Unreal.

This is a fine fine city. The first few days were glorious weather, which was perfect for visiting Alcatraz. Island prizons really are quite cool. Audio tours are wicked. Maybe its just cause the player has a lanyard and you walk around like sheep to your own tune.

Everyone doing exactly the same route, stopping and looking up etc. just not in time with each other. Brilliant!

Have had some great food as well. With chinatown down the street, my tastebuds have been getting a nice workout.

Lots of people wearing funny clothes though. Frikken Hippys!

I fly at 7pm to LAX, then 11.40pm to Tahiti.

a 32 hour commute and Im here in San Francisco.
It would have been around 22 hours if I had booked a cheap flight from LAX-SFO. But instead I got to enjoy the comfort and excitement of the Greyhound.

The excitement being provided by one of the other passengers breaking an arm rest and threatening to kill another passenger with it. I guess its good that everyone gets patted down, pass a metal detector and carry on bags are searched when boarding. I suppose theyve had gun or knife fights break out! hah

Within minutes of leaving the greyhound station in SFC, I love it. Feels like Wellington, or maybe Vancouver.
Time to go explore.

They really do hire the friendliest people in the world to work the immigration desks at LAX.

The first one didnt want to deal with any tourists, even tho every desk was listed as Resident/Tourist. So back into another queue.

The second officer questioned me for about 10 minutes.

Why have I been to the USA 5 times? (only 3). What do I do? (computers, worked for CA. last 2 trips were business….). How long are you here for? (5 days).  You have been travelling a lot. (yes, 15 months). What company gives you 15 months off (No job any more). How can you afford to travel for 15 months? (Worked in computers.. kinda well paying!). show me your return ticket (show him my LAX - Tahiti ticket dated for 20 Jan 07! and try and explain to him…). Do you have enough money? (yes). .. .. .. .. .. .. Then he gives my custom form some big red writing and sends me on my way.

The big red writing turns out to mean i should have my bags searched and be questioned more thoroughly. However the next dude was much more lovely. 5 questions and he understood everything and didnt even search my bags! yay.

Fly at lunchtime to Panama and onto LA. Arrive just after midnight. Where I will get a transfer to greyhound, and Bus it to San Francisco! Its going to be a long day. But hey.

Could have flown if I was organised earlier.

They definately know how to party here in BA.

On Wednesday we visited Museum Night Club. 4 levels (3 balconys overlooking the dancefloor). going through the very humble entrance as your round the bend you are shown the grand plan, and we all WOW! One of the coolest, sexiest clubs I have ever been to.

Friday saw us at Sunset Disco. This is a multiroom, huge nightclub. Including but not limited to: outdoor 8foot deep foam party, strippers, trance room, rnb, hip hop. Finished up at 9am. Its a BA instutition. 

flew in this morning to the fine city of Buenos Aires. Here till the 20th. So plenty of time to soak up the sights and party party just a little bit more.

In the last week it seems half of everyone I talk to is Irish, and everyone is headed here for the Paddys day party on Saturday. So it should be cooool

Copacabana beach is pretty schmick. The water is freezing compared to Salvador!

Whats the name of that cheesy going to Rio song timmy???

More party party …  :(  haha

Spent about 3 hours wandering the city trying to find the right bus to Marcelos house. Even asking police boxs for directions. Everyone sending me in different directions. Including when I asked the sme police box again. Total opposite direction!

Last night we were at the USP (University of Sao Paulo) Orientation parties. Psych had free beer and bbq. Vet had metal, Othorodontics were all studying, and Bio had the best.  The theme was cross dressing so the antics were out there.

Tonight is a Trance party on a Golf Course somewhere with Juilana and posse.  Maybe Ill catch up on sleep when I get back to Aussie.

just across the river from Porto Seguro I have been staying in a little town called Isrealli d’ Ajuda.

As a gringo walking in the streets, if another gringo wants to talk to you, Hebrew will be the first choice

And theres a resturant that offers all you can eat lunch/dinner for $4 to hebrew speaking people. but the rest of us have to pay $7 per kilo. Happily tho I have been smuggled into the resturant by a few isreallis that didnt know where it was

Have been attempting to detox post carnaval.  hmmmm.

Fly to Sao Paulo 4.30am tomorrow. yay for cheapish flights..  I hate 20hr bus rides!

In other grand news, Copa (my airline from BA to Panama) cant find my ticket in its system.  Neither can malaysian airlines! (the company who issued the RTW ticket).Off to the offices in Rio next week.

And lets not bring up Flight Centre. NEVER EVER AGAIN!