Lennox Head

After a night bus we arrived in Lennox Head. It's a nice little town and is considered to be the small brother of touristy Byron Bay. It is not touristy at all and the walk up to the Lennox Head offered nice views of the ocean and the waves smashing in. A guy from Tasmania showed us around and ultimately took us to his Do-Nothing-Spot. Where we did nothing. But while doing nothing we saw some whales out in the ocean.
Carolin took a swim in a nearby lake, which looks like a huge teacup because the water flows through a forest that is the habitat of trees, which are also used to make tea.
Otherwise there is not much to do in Lennox Head - of course besides of doing nothing.

Port Stephens

In Anna Bay we found the best hostel of the Australia trip, which is situated in the middle of the subtropical rain forest. There are just a few bungalows and a pool. We cooked most of the time by our self (Carolin's turf). During the whole stay Julian (France) was with us. He is chilled out and knows how to enjoy a cheap wine. We took walks through the national park next to the nude beach. There was a bushfire a while ago, so it was nice to see the new green generation of plans fighting for the light of the future. We also gave sandboarding another try in the local sanddunes, which was pretty cool, but the focking sand got in to my eyes all the time.
The last day Carolin and Julian did some whale watching, while I chilled at the pool. During the whole stay we saw koalas, herds of kangaroos, iguanas, snakes, whales, dolphins, heaps of birds and probably something I forgot.

Hunter valley

After a nice train ride north we arrived in the Hunter Valley. One of the biggest wine regions of Australia. We rented some bikes and rode them to the first winery. Because we were still a bit early we had to wait 5 minutes in front of it, until it opened at exactly 10 AM. The people serving knew that these cheap tourists, who were making an important face while sipping glas after glas wouldn't buy anything, but they didn't really care. On the contrary, they are all very chilled out, like almost all Australians are. Only people from the west coast of the US are easier going. On the way we also tasted some cheese and ate at a gourmet supermarket. Just afterwords we also saw some kangaroos standing between the grapes. The alcohol and the hills took their toll and we arrived at the hostel sweating. Shower and then three buses too Port Stephens.

Sydney

The world famous city is a modern, vibrant city with a lot of different ethnicities which form the economic capitol of Australia. As planed months in advance I met Carolin from Swizterland near the space needle of Sydney. We then took a walk around the city and marveled at the famous harbour bridge and the opera house. But there is much more to see next to the postcard sights. The Royal Botanic Garden with the bats shitting down, Kings Cross, Aborigines who play didgeridoo with house music in the background,the harbor and the skyscrapers it self. We walked for hours and exhausted found sanity in the free beer coupons provided by the hostel, which by the way has room for 470 people (the largest so far). In the evening we checked out China Town. The next day we spent at Bondi Beach, but the muscle packed surfer stereotypes didn't impress Carolin. She was all the time talking about the boys from Melbourne.
Then we met Nick and Suzy whom I know from a boattrip in the Amazon after spending the afternoon at Manly Beach. They live at Curl Curl Beach, which is just slightly north of the city. Nick took as out the first night to his cricket club house, which was about beer and getting to know the locals and there still mysthic entusiasm for cricket. Afterward we went to Manly Beach to some clubs - which brought even more beer to our thirsty stomach's. The following day the early birds woke me up to get to the Blue Mountains southwest of Sydney. The weather was not to good, but we tried. On the highway we almost got pulled over by police for speeding, but we hided in a side street for a few minutes after rushing off the highway. In the Blue Mountains the rain was still pretty bad, it was foggy and a bit cold, but we still saw the major attractions even though the fog was hiding the whole overlook. I wisely pointed out, that it is like going to a strip club but you never see the jewelry, because she is teasing you (That doesn't mean I have been to a strip club). On the way back we took a look at the Sydney Olympics area which is huge. In the evening we had a barby (BBQ) at Nick and Suzys place with Kangaroo.
In the morning we wanted to rent a car, but they were sold out, broken down or too expensive. So we bought a hopp-on hopp-off busticket up to Brisbane.

Waiheke Island

Waiheke Island is accessible by ferry from Aucklands main port and is usually done as a day trip. You pass an small volcanic cone and green little islands. On the island I walked to the Hekerua Lodge, which is run by really cool guys in their forties. They where sipping the first bottle of home grown wine at 11 AM when I arrived. You live in the living room and get to know all the people who live there really fast. A melting pot of travellers - it's the kind of place everybody stays a few nights longer than planned. I used their hot, outdoor spa bath a few times and cooked only once, but then I had enough food for the 4 days I stayed. Beautiful hikes are possible all around the island, where you can see sharp cliffs, expensive mansions, vineyards, heaps of sheeps and so on. Once I went fishing - again without catching something. And one day I cycled the whole island with the pushbike. This pretty much brought me to the physical abilities I have. But the lonely creeks were reward enough for the battered ass I had the next days. In the evening everybody was walking around with his wine bottle not to far away. Cool place...
Afterwards it was about taking the last ferry to Auckland and the last bus to the airport to spent the night there.

Auckland

Auckland is among the cities with highest quality of life in the world. Ignorant Timmy got surprised by the many Maori people (they historically come from the Pacific Islands) of whom he didn't know and the big Asian community which is looking at the economical oppurtinites of NZ. Walking along the docks of the ships is really pleasant and gives you a overlook of the money people must have. There are a lot of smart cafe's, and reaturants with flavours from all over the world. In the National History Museum I caught up with the milestones of NZ. Maybe the most impressive museum of my life.
The nightlife of NZ is very much british, but a bit more chilled out. But Timmy tried to live low key to safe some money for countries, where money is more worth.

Since I only had a week in this by comparison expenisve country, I didn't want to go far. So I decided to stay at Waiheke Island for some days.

Buenos Aires II

The ferry brought me back to Buenos Aires and at the border I had to pay a "multa" (fine) for not having the paper they haven't gave me at the border when entering.

Back in BA I went to Victorias place to see her again. We had two nice and innocent days together after which I decided to go to the south to see Patagonia. But this last night I stayed at her place we kissed the first time - so Timmy changed his plans and scrapped Patagonia and stayed in Buenos Aires for the rest of the time until his already booked flight to Auckand will take of. The weekend around the corner we made a roadtrip to "El Tigre", but ended up in San Pedro. By coincidence there was a country festival there as well. But we basically had a really good time with walking around, drinking wine, asados (BBQ's) and chilling. Really good times.

Victoria of course had to work during weekdays, so I had a lot of time to discover the hidden Buenos Aires by myself. I checked out more museums, more parks, a zoo, half a dozen movies in the cinema and so on. In the evening we usually opened a bottle of wine a cooked something or went to friends of her to eat there. During the whole time I got to know a lot of people, who are all really keen to get an PhD in social science - mostly to spread the words of Marx. Even though that's not particularly on my page, I respect there enthusiasm. It's better if somebody has a different political view, than no view at all - and maybe even better than the same view (still thinking about that last part). Victoria is also a Marxist and is actively trying to push public opinion towards her direction - also mine. I even went to one of the daily demonstrations against a KRAFT FOOD factory, which layed of a lot of people - even though I never quite understood the big deal about it...

I also interduced the real way of eating fondue to her friends (you use bread, not a slice of kiwi or something!!!), even though the pricey imported french fondue was not quite up to Swiss standards, it turned out to be a nice evening. That's also when I saw Jimena again with whom I traveled with in Mexico for some time. Georgina - Victorias flatmate is an actress in a low key theater in Palermo - so I also took a look at that. Even though I didn't understand too much of the words - the drama was apparent at all times and the Sado-Maso-Amazonian-Women mix was refreshing to the macho culture of Latinamerica.

I had a beautiful time in BA where I spent the most time on my trip so far. Victoria and me were talking and living together like we were together since years. Mate in the morning, wine in the evening and the nice weather of BA made it an unforgettable time that I already miss.