Matt Down Under

My bushwalking checklist

Matthias — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:22:00 +0000

My leave got approved last week and I’m now in the final stage of preparing for my next big bushwalk. Last year around this time I walked the South Coast Track and even though it was frustrating to walk at times due to very bad track conditions, the pristine beaches and rough coastline were ...

Singapore - Day 3: Sentosa

Matthias — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:18:59 +0000

This had already been my last day in Singapore, my flight to Melbourne was scheduled for around 8pm. I checked out early, called a taxi to the airport, put my luggage in storage and went back into town with another taxi. I wanted to spend my last day on Sentosa, some sort of theme park ...

Singapore - Day 2: City tour and botanic garden

Matthias — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:14:29 +0000

A city tour was part of my travel package so I was picked up early and driven to a bus company in the city from where the tour started. We stopped at various points in the city, including a Chinese temple and a gem factory (no tour without a visit in at least one gem factory ...

Singapore - Day 1: Indian cuisine

Matthias — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:09:48 +0000

When I returned from my visit to Germany on Christmas I didn’t fly back to Australia immediately, instead I had another stop-over for a couple of days, this time in Singapore. I had been in Singapore before, when I first traveled to Australia in 2008, but I didn’t leave the airport then. This time I ...

Two years in Tasmania

Matthias — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:07:49 +0000

Two years ago in early February I arrived in Tasmania. I had been planning to stay for a couple of weeks and now I am starting into my third year, so far with no plans for leaving. A lot has happend during the last year, exciting things, disappointing things, adventures and travels. Here’s a short ...

Thailand - Day 5: Reptiles and parks

Matthias — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:26:13 +0000

My last day in Thailand, my departure flight was scheduled for midnight. I arranged late checkout with the hotel so I was able to use my room until 4pm. I like hanging out in parks and botanic gardens, so I decided to spend the last day in Lumphini Park, one of the biggest and most ...

Thailand - Day 4: Meet the tigers

Matthias — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:20:43 +0000

My secondlast day in Thailand. I had booked a tour to the Tiger Temple about two hours drive from Bangkok. Part of the tour also was a stop at the River Kwai bridge, I only remembered there was a movie and some military background, but I was lacking the historical facts so I was simply ...

Thailand - Day 3: With James Bond to the floating market

Matthias — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:16:24 +0000

My guide – the same nice girl from the previous day – and the driver picked me up at the hotel early in the morning. After an hour or so we had the first stop at a traditional Thai house where they showed all sorts of things like how to make sugar from coconuts, how ...

Thailand - Day 2: 'City tour' and Grand Palace

Matthias — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:10:48 +0000

I had a booking for a guided tour to the Grand Palace, but it was moved to the afternoon, so I decided to spend the morning checking out a nearby park. It was interesting to watch people there practising Tai-Chi or doing excercises – there were several public fitness devices placed in the park. When I ...

Thailand - Day 1: Lost in Chinatown

Matthias — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:09:02 +0000

Over Christmas and New Years I spent about 2 weeks in Germany to visit family and friends after nearly two years in Australia. Flying from Australia to Germany takes about 20 hours in total (stop-over time not included – there are no direct connections) and I had some terrible memories from when I flew down ...