Travel Log

Siam Reap, Cambodia

From the Gulf of Thailand I headed to the capital Bangkok. Which just happens to be the unofficial backpacking capital of the world. You can buy anything in Bangkok it is amazing. I stay on the famous Kohsan Road. From Bangkok I took the rumored "scan" bus from to Siam Reap, Cambodia.

Siam Reap was a small town with lots of tourists visiting the amazing Angkor Wat temples. The temples are the biggest religious buildings ever built. The stone carvings and structures are a unbelievable.

From Siam Reap, we headed south to Phnom Penh. The capital of Cambodia. The city was a constant reminder of the terrible history of the country and the main places to see where locations involved in Pol Pott's genocide. The city wears heavily on you.

Afterwards we headed to Sihnoukville on the coast. We relaxed on the beach and sample the local seafood while drinking and dining on the sand. Now back to Phnom Penh to catch a bus to Vietnam.

Gulf of Thailand

2009-03-08T01:40:00.001-08:00

Siam Sunset, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Koh Tao Sunset, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Koh Tao Fire Show, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Koh Samui Jetty, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I took the train from Penang Malaysia up to Surat Thani, Thailand. From there a ferry to the islands in the Gulf of Thailand. I started on Koh Samui then hit Koh Phangan and then finally Koh Tao.

Koh Samui was the biggest and most developed. I spent the least amount of time here. Koh Phangan is the number one hotspot for backpackers. They have taken over several beaches on the small island. Koh Tao is the smallest and a great spot for diving.

The island life was a nice break. I spent a lot of time laying in my hammock doing nothing. It was excellent.

Malaysia

2009-02-27T01:25:00.001-08:00

Petronas Twin Towers, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Football in Ipoh, Malaysia, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Chicken Satay, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

From Singapore I took the train north into Malaysia. My first stop was Kaual Lumpur. The city was huge and bustling with activity. It was not the most pedestrian friendly city and I often found myself dodge motorbikes and cars. The food was quite tasty and the prices keep getting better and better as I go north. I got a chance to go up into the bridge in the twin towers picture above. They are quite impressive and really light up the night sky.

From Kaula Lumpur I took a bus north to the city of Ipoh. I didn't stay long as I realized I didn't really have much reason for visiting. I did get to watch some local amateur Malaysian football at the park.

After Ipoh I went to the island of Penang. The island is right of the coast of Malaysia and I got there easily via the ferry. The island used to serve as an old British fort. The island had narrow streets and tons of food hawkers. The chicken satay was delicious. After a few days in Penang the next stop was north via the train into Thailand.

Singapore

2009-02-18T18:08:00.001-08:00

Singapore Flyer, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I've been in Singapore the last few days. The whole country is one huge city. Its not too cheap either. But I was able to find a cheap hostel in the Little India neighborhood. The public transportation system is impressive though and the city is very clean.

This picture is fun because they had a floating soccer field that you can see in the bottom right. Then on the left they are in the process of constructing a whole new section of the city for living and playing. Luxury places and casinos. Singapore is centered around business and money.

Diving the Great Barrier Reef

2009-02-14T22:11:00.001-08:00

Great Barrier Reef, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

SCUBA Joe, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I've gone from the central Australian desert to the tropical rain forest and coast.

I just finished a five day SCUBA diving course. We spent two days in the classroom/pool learning how to dive. Then we spent three days staying on the dive boat off the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns, Australia.

The reef was amazing. The fish and life down on the reef is bursting with activity. You see hundreds of fish once you peer down into the water. Diving underwater was a completely foreign experience but the entire group was able to dive comfortably after a couple dives. I still need to work on not breathing through my air so fast.

The best was the chance encounters with reef sharks. They were quite passive and we usually scared them away. We saw several sharks, some over a meter in length.

We also did a few special dives. We did a night dive in which we had to jump into the water while we could see sharks swimming around the boat. We did a deep dive of 25 meters and checked for nitrogen narcosis. Then the last dive I did was with an underwater digital camera where I tried to take a few decent shots. Not so easy to focus when the current is bobbing you up and down.

The reef was beautiful. It lives up to the reputation.

The Outback

2009-02-06T02:42:00.001-08:00

Driving through the Outback, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Sunset at Uluru, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

The Road Ahead, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Well I survived the trip through the outback. The trip started in Adelaide and ended in Alice Springs. We drove well over 2000 kilometers over eight days. Zig-zaging our way north over lonely paved and dirt roads.

Along the way we visited the Flinders Ranges, Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Angorichina, took the Oodnadatta Track along the Old Ghan Railway, saw Lake Eyre, and visited William Creek (population of about 9), stayed underground at the opal mining town of Coober Pedy, Kings Canyon and finally Alice Springs. It was exhausting. There was sweltering heat. Extremely dry. Little to no shade. Thousands of flies swarmed your face relentlessly. It was seriously the most fun I've had in Australia yet. Our fearless group of thirteen was great. If I could of I would of wished the tour to go on for another eight days.

Oh and we saw plenty of kangaroos. They are actually quite tasty.

Melbourne to Adelaide via The Great Ocean Road

2009-01-26T21:53:00.001-08:00

Melbourne at Night, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Tweleve Apostles, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

From Canberra I took an overnight nine hour Greyhound bus ride. The ride was long and cramped.

Melbourne was a great city. The combination of the Victorian architecture and modern architecture gives the city a great look and feel. The Trams worked smartly and blended in with the scene. In the endless argument, Sydney versus Melbourne I have to side with Melbourne. While I was in Melbourne the Australian Open was in full swing. The crowds were impressive and made the city was buzzing with excitement. At night along the South Bank of the Yarra river the city lights were great.

From Melbourne I joined a small bus tour for a three day trip to Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road. The road winded along the southern coast of Australia. The views were amazing and the surf breaks were rough. Along the trip saw some Kangaroos and we camped below the Koala bears. The male mating call of the Koala is quite startling in the morning. The highlight was camping in a secluded little ranch/pub in the Grampians. The stars were the brightest I've ever seen them and you could hear the kangaroos sneaking around the tents in the early morning.

Then I was in Adelaide to celebrate Australian Day. Some friends from the bus tour and I headed down to the beach for a swim then hit the town with our Aussie flags to celebrate. Tomorrow I start a 8 day journey into the center of the continent.

The Capital City: Canberra

2009-01-19T15:51:00.001-08:00

Canberra Parliament, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I've in Canberra now enjoying the sights of Australia's capital. Its a small city. Built only because Sydney and Melbourne both wanted to become the capital and they could not come to an agreement. Hence a city built an inconvenient distance from both was established. There's not to much to the planned city. The streets are wide and sparse. The security of the Parliament building was practically non existent. You could walk in and view the Senate and House of Representatives meeting places in less than five minutes. Unfortunately the Parliament is in summer session but the architecture of the building is pretty impressive.

One of the more impressive sights to see is the water fountain in the lake that shoots water over 100 meters into the air. Needless to say it is time to move on.

Sydney, Australia

2009-01-15T19:55:00.001-08:00

Sydney Opera House and Bridge, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Bondi Beach, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

The flight to Sydney was only about 2 and a half hours. I flew with Emirates an airline based out of Dubai. Flying on their airlines is a real treat. I got a free beer with my roasted duck dinner. Then the headset had hundreds of movies you could view. You could view two different live cameras operating at the front of the plane and the bottom of the plane. It was quite impressive. I'm not sure how I got such a good deal on the flight. Getting through Australian customs was quick and painless. A quick double decker train ride later I was dropped off into the center of Sydney.

Sydney is huge and beautiful. The harbour is amazing and intertwines with the land. The hustle and bustle of the city reminds me of New York city but not nearly as intimidating as the big apple. The beaches are amazing but very crowded. The surf is powerful and wiped me out a few times. The water is clear and the sand is clean.

I have been staying in the city for the last few days and I will head Southwest to see Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide before heading into the heart of the continent. The outback.

Farewell New Zealand

2009-01-11T16:22:00.001-08:00

View from Mount Coronet, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I'm flying out of New Zealand this evening. New Zealand was simply stunning in the scenery. It has everything. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and beaches. I've spent about two months here and every time you look around you can't help but think to yourself that your current view would make a great photograph. I am sure I will return for another visit someday.

A couple fun things I found out here where that you can go shopping barefoot, you get to drive on the wrong side of the road, there are no frivolous lawsuits, five cents if the lowest currency denomination, you drink spirits instead of liqueur and enjoy crisps instead of fries. There is brekkie, lunch and tea.The beer isn't too bad and I have no idea why they call the letter Z "Zed."

It wasn't all splendid though. The sausages here are terrible and they try to give you assigned seats in the cinema.

Next stop is Sydney, Australia.

The Van Chronicles

2009-01-03T20:29:00.001-08:00

Top of Heather Jock Trail, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Heater Jock Hut, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

The Van, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Lately I have been traveling via an old beat up Mitsubishi red van. Sascha, my current travel companion from Germany, owns the van and has been traveling New Zealand the last few months. The van works as our wheels and accommodation. We cruise around in the front then usually crash in the back of the van on the side of the road or at some lookout point. The van is a lot of fun despite the fact that it goes a maximum of 80 kilometers per hour but up steep hills and mountains (which New Zealand is full of) it crawls at about 20 kph. Needless to say everybody passes us. The friendly ones honk.

We stopped in Queenstown for New Years Eve and hit the bars hard. It seemed the whole South Island had descended upon the small town for the night. A fun night and a great way to spend my birthday.

Next we headed to Glenorchy to climb the Heater Jock Trail. A two day tramping track. We got to the trail parking lot early and hung around for the night to start the trail in the morning. The lights of the van got left on so when we departed for the day with a dead battery to return too. The trail was entirely uphill to the Heather Jock Hut at the top. The climb wasn't bad but a lot different with all the gear loaded in the backpacks. When we got to the hut we realized why it was a free hut. The door was busted and covered by a blue tarp. The hut had three bunks and a dysfunctional fireplace. We found that out later when we smoked ourselves out at the break of nightfall. In all it was a fun night. We nearly froze to death in the hut with a few hours of sleep. Mostly tossing and turning. I just couldn't get my toes warm. We find out that night why everyone in the log book insisted the hut was haunted. We were eager to get back to the van the next day. After the hike and a quick walk down the road and a jump start from a local group of teenagers that looked like they were up to no good and we are back on the road.

Skydiving over Fox Glacier and Mount Cook

2008-12-29T14:45:00.001-08:00

Flying Above Mt Cook, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I wasn't planning on going Skydiving but after meeting the owner at Lake Kaniere and getting a good deal I couldn't resist. The Fox Glacier is set to be among one of the most scenic skydives in the world.

We jumped out at about 12,000 feet right next to Mount Cook the highest mountain in New Zealand at 12,316 feet. There was a free fall of about 45 seconds. Then about 10 seconds through solid cloud where visibility was zero. We could only hope a chopper didn't come flying through then the parachute gets pulled at about 5,000 feet and we float down to a view of the Fox Glacier and town.

It was my third skydive and I didn't get scared much. The adrenaline rush was ever present and the scenery was the best yet.

Now its back to Queenstown for some New Years celebration.

On the road again

2008-12-27T14:51:00.001-08:00

Christmas on the Lake, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I am back on the road again after a stay with a family in Greymouth. I got put to work mostly in the gardens while learning about the local gold mining process and history. While staying with the family I slept in the old boat that was rooted into their backyard. It was quite comfy and warm. I doubt I would sleep as sound if it was on the open water.

For Christmas we joined the family for a few days on Lake Kaniere. Two of the days were gorgeous but one day it just poured down raining. I've now got the hang of water skiing and can get up ontop the water on my first try.

The break from the road was great and the family was a lot of fun. I haven't ate that well since the trip began. I'm headed back south again but this time I am traveling with Sascha from Germany. We are taking his van south and trying to make it to Queenstown for New Years Eve.

It's good to be on the road again.

Hopping off the big green Kiwi Bus

2008-12-16T19:10:00.001-08:00

Kiwi Experience Bus, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I've finished the Kiwi Experience bus tour of New Zealand. The bus was lots of fun and everytime I stepped on I got the chance to meet about forty new young travellers. I made a lot of good friends but I am happy to be getting off the bus for now. Four or so weeks on the bus has taken its toll on me.

Tomorrow I will be leaving ChristChurch and heading to a farm house outside Westport, New Zealand. I will be staying with a family for a few weeks and helping them out around the place. It will be nice to relax and stay in one place for a bit and give me a chance to figure out the next part of my trip.

The Nevis Bungy in Queenstown

2008-12-09T19:06:00.001-08:00

The Nevis Bungy, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I've just jumped off the Nevis Bungy that hangs 134 meters above the Nevis river. An adrenaline rush that can't be rivaled. You see the ground, the river and canyon walls just rush by at an incredible rate.

The hardest part was jumping off the platform. You can see everything in front of you and the operator quickly counts down five...four...three...two...one...bungy! At first I didn't jump. It took two more seconds and a deep breath before a swan dive off the platform.

That's me in the picture above. Cheers!

Ice Climbing on Fraz Josef Glacier

2008-12-06T23:00:00.001-08:00

Ice Climbing, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

We stayed in Franz Josef for four days. Luckily the rain stayed away just long enough for us to get onto the glacier and do an ice climb. The day started with an hour walk through a lush rain forest. After the trek we entered onto the 16 km long glacier. We put out crampons, helmets and gortex gear then headed straight up the ice to our climbing spot. The climbing was a lot different from rock climbing. The key was to keep your heels down and dig the toes into the wall of ice and take small steps as you work your way up using the pick axes for more balance and grips. It took me several climbs and some soar arms before I started learning how to use my legs more to my advantage. I did well and made it up all the courses but there were a couple moments where I probably would of fell if not for the safety line.

We were lucky on our timing for the trip because the next day the rain poured down and the glacier river flooded all the way up to the town.

From Franz Josef we headed south to Wanaka. It is a small town settled on Lake Wanaka, a glacier lake. The color of the lake is an impressive blue and the water was freezing cold. I didn't last long swimming there.

Next stop is Queenstown. The adventure capital of the world.

Kayaking the Abel Tasman National Park and the West Coast

2008-12-02T00:58:00.001-08:00

Kayaking the Abel Tasman National Park, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

We took a full day Kayaking trip up into the Abel Tasman National Park on the Northeast corner of the South Island. The beaches were some of the most amazing and unspoiled beaches I've ever seen. We travelled South down the coast visiting small islands and lagoons. Saw several seals lounging on the rocks but kept our distance. In the end we had travelled around 16 Kilometers and my arms could feel it.

After leaving Nelson we stayed one night in Westport. There isn't much to do in Westport with a population of five thousand. It was a Sunday night and a ghost town. The highlight was playing soccer on a rugby field with a friend against two locals Kiwis. One of the Kiwis was playing in jeans, his socks. a long sleeve dress shirt with a white t-shirt over that. Not your conventional soccer uniform. We probably wouldn't of done so well if they had asked us to a game of rugby.

After a day in Westport we stayed a night at the Mahinipua Hotel and Pub. It was in the middle of nowhere wedged between the west coast and the Southern Alps. There we had a steak dinner cooked by the famous Les and a themed party in the pub that couldn't be beat.

The South Island

2008-11-25T20:36:00.001-08:00

Waikato Rive, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I'm now in Nelson on the South Island. The ferry ride form the North Island to the South island was an impressive three hour trip so I don't imagine I will come back north until I have finished with the South Island. Nelson is most commonly used for a launching point into the Abel Tasman National Park. We are taking a kayaking trip into the park tomorrow.

On top of Mount Ngauruhoe

2008-11-19T21:18:00.001-08:00

On top of Mount Ngauruhoe, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

The other day I did the Tongariro Crossing just south of Taupo. It is often regarded as one of the best day hikes in the world. We probably hiked a good 9 hours. The picture above shows the optional hike up Mount Ngauruhoe, which stands at about 2200 meters. It was a very difficult hike and required a lot of hand over hand scrambling. The view on top was above the clouds and amazing but was freezing cold.

Rotorua and Waitomo

2008-11-16T20:59:00.001-08:00

Riding up for the Luge, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

The dollar continues to gain against the New Zealand dollar so I got that going for me. A few days ago in Waitomo a small group of us did black water rafting. That involved tubing inside a cave river. We started by climbing up two water falls inside the cave then floated down narrow ceilings and tight corners. The glowworms were an amazing flouresnt green. The climax of the trip involved a 3 meter drop backwards into darkness. My head vibrated from the impact of the water for a good minute afterwards.

I also did several runs on a downhill luge. There was an intermediate and advanced course. The intermediate was ideal for racing but the advanced course was quite fast and curvy. As you went down the hill you would see the signs that screamed at you to slow down for the turn but I always told myself they were more guidlines. Needless to say on a couple turns I was eating dirt and still have a few bruises but it was great fun.

I'm in the center of the North Island now in Taupo. It lays on lake Taupo, the biggest lake in New Zealand. I plan on hanging here for about a week.

Paihia and the Top of NZ

2008-11-09T00:34:00.001-08:00

View From Russell To Paihia, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

Before leaving Auckland I got a chance to visit the Volcanic island of Rangitoto. It last erupted 600 years ago and scientists have no idea when it will erupt again. On the island I was able to climb the summit and do a little bit of amateur spelunking.

Since then I've travelled north from Auckland to Paihia (Bay of Islands). Paihia is a tiny town on an island infested bay that is mainly visited by tourists and backpackers. A friend and I took two kayaks across the bay to the town of Russell. The same town that was considered the "hellhole of the Pacific" 170 years ago. It is also noted that Charles Darwin once described it as the "refuse of society." On arrival it was dissapointing to see that the town had lost its character and cleaned up into a high-end tourist destination. But it was still an impressive distance to paddle, especially against the wind.

While in Paihia we took a day trip north. We visited the Ninety mile beach and our pimped out tour bus took us off-roading on the beach. Along the way we hit up some sand dunes for some sand boarding. The rides were surpisingly fast and the dune was damn hard to climb up again and again so I only made three climbs which was on par with the rest of the group. The best part was watching people wipe out in crazy and elaborate fashions eating sand all the way down.

The last part of the day trip we visited Cape Reinga. This is the Northern most tip of New Zealand where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific ocean. The Maori beleive that when they died their soul would travel to the cape and use it as a jumping off point for the soul to begin the journey back to their spiritual homeland.

I am back in Auckland for the day but then I start heading south to Mercury Bay.

Welcome to Auckland, New Zealand

2008-11-05T20:13:00.001-08:00

Auckland From the Ferry, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I'm in Auckland after flying from Oklahoma City to Denver to LA to Fiji then finally landing in Auckland, New Zealand. It was exhausting and it really did feel like I had travelled into the future. I am a day ahead over here so if you guys want me to predict sports scores or stock prices for you I can do that.

I've been exploring downtown and getting a feel for the city. With the cars, clothes and buildings sometimes I feel like I'm stuck in the 90s. But the city is a lot of fun and has a good vibe. So far I've risen to the top of the Sky Tower, climbed a nearby volcanoe called Rangitoto, had some fish n chips and sampled some of the local beer. The beer called Tui is pretty solid. It taste like a mix of Newcastle and Yeungling.

I've taken more pictures but it is hard to get them uploaded at the moment.

Oklahoma City and Austin Road Trip

2008-10-28T16:57:00.001-07:00

The Capital Building, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I'm in Oklahoma City now. I spent a few days here then took a road trip to Austin, Teaxas. I wanted to check out the bar and live music scene. It was pretty impresive. I'm back in Oklahoma now and will be leaving for New Zealand on November 2nd.

Inventory for the trip

2008-10-24T14:39:00.001-07:00

Inventory for the trip, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I leave for Oklahoma City tomorrow and I have all the items I need (or think I need) for the trip. It all fits into the backpack and there is some spare room in the backpack.

-Backpack (50 Liters)
-Jansport backpack
-Snug Pack Sleeping bag
-Nylon dry bag (5 Liters)
-Three pair of socks
-Three pair of underwear
-Two pair convertible pants
-Gym shorts
-Four shirts (one long sleeve)
-Toiletries pouch
-Digital camera
-Notebook and pens
-Ziplock bag for first aid items
-Poncho
-Small towel

From Washington DC to Ohio

2008-09-30T11:19:00.001-07:00

Mille and Als, originally uploaded by jokecamp.

I've quit my job in order to go backpacking in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. I've created this blog in order to share photos and events from my trip.

I've just moved from DC back to Ohio. I'll be in Ohio for a few weeks with the family then the next stop is Oklahoma City. I will be leaving for New Zealand at the start of November. Look for updates around that time.

Pictured above is Millie and Als (the best bar in DC) and some of its best customers.