New York

I decided to leave Mexico early and spend longer then a day and a half in New York. And I'm so glad I did. I arrived at JFK airport and it was pouring with rain. I was wearing a short skirt and a strappy top. Well I have had a prolonged very sunny summer. I got a bit cold and wet but didn't really mind. So first stop had to be century 21 - NY's biggest discount store. I was good - all I bought was a nice purple coat and some boots - just the essentials me thinks. Century 21 is opposite ground zero, which I had a walk around. It’s all blocked off and is now just a big construction site inside. Still it was quite sad to see it - all those images from years ago seem so real now.

I've decided I am very much a Manhattan girl. There is just a certain vibe there. I seemed to blend in quite well and it amused me when the ticket touting bus tour guides just smiled and let me pass while they zoomed in on some map holding, camera showing, big apple t-shirt wearing groups of people. But I did hit the main tourist spots. The statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Central Park, Broadway, The Empire state building.

I also walked a lot up and down 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th avenue and Broadway. I wondered around Times Square and went to Madame Tausards. I also managed to squeeze in a show - called Burn the Floor as I am missing my strictly Come Dancing this year.

There was a lot of Halloween set up which put a wintery feel to it. I didn't want to leave.

But I did leave and had a far too excitable 2 and half hours in ENGLAND. Ok I didn’t leave Heathrow but still it was nice to be home for a bit. But time keeps a moving and Madrid was waiting just for me.

Mexico

I want to hear you say it in your heads properly - the mexican way. Mexico I am a bit divided on. To start with I have only stayed in Merida (to the east about 400km from Cancun). Merida is a sweet little town and to be fair has got plenty going on. Here´s my problems: 1) I don´t speak Spanish - not even a little. I have found it quite easy to speak English around the globe. Not that I should of course but even I (brainiac that I am) couldn´t learn Hungarian, vietnamese, Khmer (Cambodia), Malay (Singapore) , Spanish and Australian! The locals here know a very very limited amount of English though you can tell its improving with the moving times and the main square was better. I knew hola (hello), vino tinto (red wine) and gracias (thank you). Honestly! It seemed to get me by though strangely enough.
2) Nice little not so touristy destination = no one to talk to. I enjoyed seeing the sights but I like talking to people and as you are already aware of my Spanish knowledge it didn´t get me too far. The only people who seemed to talk to me were the Mexican men. And I got the impression it wasn´t conversation on their minds!
So I have walked the streets (not in that way), I have seen the churches, museams, bars and restaurants and it seems that 4 days is my limit to being alone (making a total of 7 on my whole trip). But that is proof enough for me, if I needed it that I can do it!
I have managed two of three things on my list - Fajita (yes dad - very yum), tequila (infact two Helen - seemed only right) but no hat or sombrero (sorry Andy). I think thats MexiCAN enough, don´t you?
So tomorrow dawns and I fly to Miami where I have 8 hours only before I become a ¨legal alien¨ and become an english (wo)man in New york. Sorry couldn´t help it. I could have come up with worse. I know you could dad!!!!

Cairns

SCUBA DIVING. Well I am now officially a Padi qualified open water scuba diver. We had two days of classroom theory and pool training. It was actually quite a strange feeling the first time I got in the pool in my wetsuit and with the scuba gear. It doesn't feel natural to breath through the regulator and even at only four metres you still had to learn how to equalise your ears!
After the two days we packed our bags and headed for the Great Barrier Reef. We stayed on the boat for two nights and three days and I did a total of 9 dives. Four training dives with our little group of 6 and our instructor. Our instructor was a japanese guy called Massoa. He was very enthusiastic and funny. Whenever we completed an underwater skill he'd smile and clap his hands and shake ours. Just seemed funnier when you are hovering at 18m water. Our little team (team Massa/ team special needs) bonded quite well. You always did you dives with a buddy - mine was an english girl called Sophie. There was one occasion when I lost Sophie as I didn't realise until she had fl;oated up to the surface and Massoa had to pull her back down. Unfortuantly when we swapped buddies as Sophie and Martin wanted to do the advanced course the same thing happened to my new buddy David. I still think I am not the contributing factor here. It was not because they were both trying to escape me.
We saw lots of colourful big and small fish - including Nemo, giant turtles, Stingrays, lots of coral among many other things . Oh and of course the reef sharks. That was fun!
Night times the alcohol cam out and on the last night we played some starnge party games involving a broom, a toilet roll and a snorkel - don't ask. One of the nights we did a night dive. That was a little bit scary - we did have torches though.
The best dive by far was the early morning dawn dive. Shift change over for the fish. the day fish were emerging as the nocturnal fish (inc sharks) were still about. It was literally rush hour. Amazing.
Now can't wait to dive again. :-)
Onwards as per usual. Next stop Mexico. Are you a Mexican or a mexican't!

Sydney

Finally I made it over to Australia and I could put Cambodia behind me! Got in early - 6am and luckily my lovely host had already been awoken by her house mates (3 hours before) and was very willing to escape and pick me up form the airport. I was very excited so although I hadn't slept at all on the over night flight - watched the proposal and episodes of doctor who and scrubs - we headed straight out. Well I had a shower first, don't want to make a bad impression so early on. Breakfast first and good coffee - oh it was good! Then it was onwards to manly beach via the bus and ferry. While we were waiting for the ferry we had a chance to have a wonder around. Ok I admit it - it did get a touch over excited by the sight of the opera house, and yes, I did run up the stairs just so I could touch it. I defy anyone not to do that in the sam situation.
Anyway it turned out to be a lovely morning with temps of 32 degrees. Spring hey but not as we know it!
Alice had to work a shift in the afternoo and my excitability had started to wean so I went for a qick nap only to wake just as Alice was finisheing her shift! Must have needed it. In my defense I had a lot of last nights to celebrate - Cambodia, Singapore and then a sleepless flight!
The next day Alice had managed to swing things so she had a day off. After a lazy start we made it out the house and the first stop the local hospital where we could pick up some free tickets from the gym there for the zoo - confused!?! Bad things happened today. I lost my camera - someone swiped it. I don't want to talk about that anymore. I underestimated my pay, badly. Again the less said the better. I found out it was a national holiday in Australia and therefore my flight to Cairns stung. But on the upside I saw a kangaroo - well the back of one, the lazy thing wouldn't stand up, even when I shouted hey Skipper. Oh and i saw a koala and her baby - caught the one hour they were not sleeping and eating instead and got a great picture, not on my camera though! Also saw a komodo dragon (huge), a croc (ace) and for anyone who knows me well I managed to walk all the way through the reptile house.
To top the day off we then went to a typical aussie pub, well a pub in ausiie anyway and drank copius amounts of beer. When in Rome.....
Had a great time in Sydney even though it rained for the next two days. Kinda reminded me of home. Shame I had to leave but it was worth the extra money and hassle.

Singapore

Due to my unexpected cut short trip in Cambodia, and my unexpected extra trip to Sydney the only way I could swing it was to add a night in Singapore. Oh well, such a hardship but whats a girl to do?
To begin, Singapore has the most beautiful airport I have ever seen - it is full of plants and flowers , free internet, lots of shops and you can get a massage. I found a hotel (luxuary again for the night - 4*, cost about 30 quid) and hopped on the aipport shuttle bus. When Arriving at the hotel I thought I'd do my usual trick of sleep, shower and food but as I only had one night I skipped the sleep. Straight away I did the touristy thing and booked a tour for that evening and another one for the next morning. Which meant I had two and a half hours to spare. What to do, let me think, well the sun was past the yard arm - well past!
Raffles hotel, hmm - looks a bit posh but I made my way into the courtyard garden bit and found myself a seat next to some nice Australians (to repeat - the friendliest nation in the world) and had a Singapore sling - only one though as it cost $27 (sing) which is roughly 11-12 pound. I made it last!
Singapore otherwise is quite Westernised and very clean. It was so nice to go on a walk without be hassled a hundred times - 'tuk tuk lady, where you going?'. The night safari was interesting. I met some nice chaps from Barain - lots of nocturnal beasts - the animals I mean, some fire breathing men and a recycling friendly otter!
The next day I dragged myself out of bed for my second tour of the city - one of those hop on hop of bus. Sad I know but fun. We went to a jewellry makers and one of the shop assistants tried to sell me a diamond necklace -20% off but at 2500 quid not really a backpackers price range. Afterwards I still had a few hours to kill before my flight to Sydney so, and in my defense I was dropped off there, I raided the biggest shopping mall. What did I say about backpackers price range??