So the time has come and my final Australian destination has been reached......and its Australia Day (26th January) so I join many Aussies and even more tourists to watch the parade, complete with participants from England, Ireland and Scotland although sadly not Wales! A real multicultural event that actually made me feel a little homesick for my country, but not to worry I cheered myself up with something I won't be able to do for a while at home - I went to the beach! I took a ride on a tram on Adelaide's only tram line down to Glenelg and spent a relaxing few hours soaking up the sun and enjoying the sea. Later I came back to the city to purchase some Kangaroo steaks (after 6 weeks in Australia I had still not sampled Skippy!) and I am pleased to say that I quite enjoyed it - even if I did cook them myself!
Then before I knew it I was in my last full day in Australia and another event to watch, the Tour Down Under, which is apparently an even better cycle race than the Tour De France (I'm not sure!) but I had never heard of it! Anyway I had a great afternoon picnicking and watching the cycles, as well as taking advantage of the freebies being given away! Then in the evening I settled down with friends to watch the Australian Open Final which I was hoping would to come to a speedy conclusion so I could get an early night (to be up at 4am!) and handily after 4 sets it was done - although I was really after the French guy winning!
And so to today.....I've done one flight already and am now loitering around Sydney Airport waiting for my afternoon flight to San Francisco where I'll arrive 5 1/2 hours before I left - you do the maths!! But first I'm off to spend my last AUD10 on some tat or food.....
Monday, 28 January 2008
The Great Ocean Road & the Grampians - a Whistlestop Tour...
Yet another early start on the 24th to start my journey down to the Great Ocean Road; we drive through (on a rather dilapidated bus that is nevertheless full of character like our driver Bernie - a bit like the wild man of Borneo!) the second largest city in Victoria, pop. 500,000 to our first stop at Bells Beach. Here we park up on the cliffs overlooking the beach to have a nice cuppa whilst enjoying the view over the shore - despite the gloomy day!
Then we embark on the great road itself, stopping only to get a picture of the memorial arch the marks the stretch of road. The driver pauses to warn those who may get travel sick that he won't be driving too fast but that it is a very twisty road and so it was! Luckily the dramatic views make up for any discomfort and further down the road we even stop to Koala watch in the trees, eventually we get to the scenic Apollo Bay (the Bay is lovely but the town is a bit less so) where we have lunch and I have a very poor fish and chips! We continue on the road with the weather steadily worsening until we reach the 12 Apostles (although only 7 plus 2 impostors remain!) where the sun, and the flies, make an appearance! Here the coastline combined with the rocky stacks makes for some brilliant photo opportunities but the view from above was even better - yes I went up in the helicopter to get a better look at the Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Mutton Bird Island (shaped a bit like a seahorse) and other features along the coast, plus it was great fun and my first helicopter ride - think it's definitely the way to travel! When we come back down to earth we visit Loch Ard Gorge (named after a ship wrecked there) and London Bridge, before of which don't look as good from the ground but still worth a visit if only for the violent sea the laps on to the beach and against the rocks. After all these sights we have a nice 3 hours journey inland to the Grampians (the most westerly part of the Great Dividing Range) and we stop only to watch the wild Kangaroos and Wallabies bounding about! Finally we reach Halls Gap our stop for the night and Bernie rustles up a good old Aussie Barbie!
The next day we start with a drive up into the mountains where we look down on Halls Gap below us before walking out to see the Balconies (two rock formations jutting out horizontally) and then down the many many stairs to view Mackenzie Falls - all beautiful natural sights to rival those of the Blue Mountains! Then that afternoon we connect with a coach to take us the final 6 hours across the state border to Adelaide in South Australia. I arrive in the early evening and you can tell we are getting close to the outback as the temperature has risen dramatically!
Then we embark on the great road itself, stopping only to get a picture of the memorial arch the marks the stretch of road. The driver pauses to warn those who may get travel sick that he won't be driving too fast but that it is a very twisty road and so it was! Luckily the dramatic views make up for any discomfort and further down the road we even stop to Koala watch in the trees, eventually we get to the scenic Apollo Bay (the Bay is lovely but the town is a bit less so) where we have lunch and I have a very poor fish and chips! We continue on the road with the weather steadily worsening until we reach the 12 Apostles (although only 7 plus 2 impostors remain!) where the sun, and the flies, make an appearance! Here the coastline combined with the rocky stacks makes for some brilliant photo opportunities but the view from above was even better - yes I went up in the helicopter to get a better look at the Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Mutton Bird Island (shaped a bit like a seahorse) and other features along the coast, plus it was great fun and my first helicopter ride - think it's definitely the way to travel! When we come back down to earth we visit Loch Ard Gorge (named after a ship wrecked there) and London Bridge, before of which don't look as good from the ground but still worth a visit if only for the violent sea the laps on to the beach and against the rocks. After all these sights we have a nice 3 hours journey inland to the Grampians (the most westerly part of the Great Dividing Range) and we stop only to watch the wild Kangaroos and Wallabies bounding about! Finally we reach Halls Gap our stop for the night and Bernie rustles up a good old Aussie Barbie!
The next day we start with a drive up into the mountains where we look down on Halls Gap below us before walking out to see the Balconies (two rock formations jutting out horizontally) and then down the many many stairs to view Mackenzie Falls - all beautiful natural sights to rival those of the Blue Mountains! Then that afternoon we connect with a coach to take us the final 6 hours across the state border to Adelaide in South Australia. I arrive in the early evening and you can tell we are getting close to the outback as the temperature has risen dramatically!
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Manic Melbourne....
Arrived in Melbourne on Friday 18th tired and a little overwhelmed but I set about the familiar task of orientation and wandered the main streets. I wanted to see a few sights on my first day but I also wanted to sleep so I decided to plunge in to Melbourne with a trip to the Old Melbourne Gaol (which closed in the 1920s). At this popular tourist spot you can tour the old Men's wing, where Ned Kelly was imprisoned and finally executed, and learn about past inhabitants and life in the prison which includes the stories of POW and other military prisoners. Afterwards I had the opportunity to see both the former Magistrates Courts and the old City Watch House (former police station and remand centre) both of which only closed in 1994. An interesting experience particularly since it was such recent history.
Saturday 19th - Took a guided tour of the city including the outer suburbs on a special BioBus (environmentally friendly) and I was the only one on it for the morning! I saw the Racecourse where the Melbourne Cup is held, the Botanic Gardens, Williamstown (the original state capital), the MCG, Formula 1 Racetrack in Alfred Park, the seaside St Kilda, the shops and bars of Chapel St and Brunswick St, to name a few and my friendly guide and driver even helped me transport my bags to move hostels! The only downside to the day was the rain that had decided to set in, but I continued to explore the city by the getting the free bus down to the unique Federation Square and walked down to Melbourne Park but unfortunately the rain had stopped play on the outer courts till late in the evening! So I walked back through the wet city to my hostel..
Sunday 20th - An early start to catch my tour bus to North Victoria and first stop the former Gold mining town of Bendigo where we visited the Central Deborah Goldmine and took a 'talking tram' through the city to the old storage yard where the house and restore lots of old trams - some in better condition than others! We then headed further north to the NSW/Victoria border at the Murray River and the historical Port of Echuca, after a spot of lunch we took a Paddle steamer along the river to see the former wharf and a small part of the mighty Murray. The small portion of the wharf that remains now carries the official mark of the state border (the river is in NSW) in order to settle any possible jurisdiction issues. A lot of the old buildings still remain including a pub that is complete with a underground bar that was used illegally in the 19th century when the pub's license was revoked!
Monday 21st - I got a lie in finally, before the day that I'd been looking forward to for the whole trip (slight exaggeration but I was excited), I was off to Ramsay Street! The official Neighbours bus picked us up and on the way out to the suburbs we watched some classic episodes to get us prepared! We go into the studio lot and as we drive round to the back our guide points out parts of the outside used for some iconic scenes (Neighbours is made on the cheap so they use everything around them - the studio entrance doubles as the airport and hospital entrances!). When we reach Grease Monkeys and Carpenters Garage we spot Dr Karl waiting at the bus stop and we all get very excited (sad!) before saying hello and getting some photos and autographs, and for a bonus Lou drives past! From the studio we move on to check out Ramsay St (smaller in real life) and Erinsborough High ( not all that recognisable). Later that evening I head down to the Elephant & Wheelbarrow pub in St Kilda where they hold a weekly Neighbours night, where I got to meet more stars whilst taking part in the pub quiz (sadly I didn't win the $500!) and then the evening is rounded off by Dr Karl and his band 'The Waiting Room' and they were actually very good playing a mixture of covers and their own songs. I finish off my Neighbours day by purchasing their live album and getting in signed!!
Tuesday 22nd
Go on a tour down to the South of Victoria and Phillip Island - on the way down we stop at a local Wildlife Park and I get to see a Tasmanian Devil and Wombat as well as more Koalas, Wallabies, Kangaroos and Emus! On the island we visit Woolamai Beach, home of many surf competitions, and the Nobbies which is full of wildlife, from the Seal rock 1km out to sea to the thousands of Little Penguin's burrows where we try to spot a penguin or two. We have a spot of dinner in Cowes (I thought that was the Isle of Wight?!) before going to the famous Penguin Parade where we sit in the cold Antarctic Wind for an hour before the Little Penguins start to come ashore after a days fishing. The stand up in groups and look around before one will jump back in followed by the rest of the group, but eventually the make a run for it and head up the beach to their burrows, many in the nearby dunes but some up to 1km away from the beach. As we walk back to the bus we can see the penguins much closer as the pass close to the boardwalk, a really memorable experience.
Wednesday 23rd
Today is time for my finally tour in Melbourne, the Wineries of the Yarra Valley. We start at the huge De Borteli Winery where we learn the best technique for tasting the wine before practising on quite a few different reds, whites and sparklings, some nice some not to my liking. Then we go to the smaller and newer winery of Train Traks where after some more wine tasting (starting to have a bit of a fuzzy head) we have a gourmet Italian meal at their restaurant Zonzos. A platter of antipasto to begin followed by three different pizzas, foccacia, salads and coffee, with wine of course. After lunch we go to the oldest winery in the region Yering Station, which has an award winning restaurant and space for helicopter landings for their wealthy patrons. We have a quick look at their winery and some of their vast wine cellar before trying some more wines. Last stop of the day at the Domaine Chandon winery set in the lushest part of the valley where they have so much money to spend that they can afford to buy in the best grapes from other producers and have helicopters hover above the vines in the coldest times to prevent frost from settling!! Here with see more of the production side, including learning about the 2nd fermentation that produces the real bubbles - not the carbonated stuff! We end our tour with a full glass of our choice, which for me is a very nice Cuvee (I think I've remembered that right) before we return back to the city in good spirits! That evening I visit the famous Queen Victoria Markets where they hold a weekly night market with music, entertainment and plenty of food..a good way to end my stay in Melbourne as it sums up the vibe of the city well.
Saturday 19th - Took a guided tour of the city including the outer suburbs on a special BioBus (environmentally friendly) and I was the only one on it for the morning! I saw the Racecourse where the Melbourne Cup is held, the Botanic Gardens, Williamstown (the original state capital), the MCG, Formula 1 Racetrack in Alfred Park, the seaside St Kilda, the shops and bars of Chapel St and Brunswick St, to name a few and my friendly guide and driver even helped me transport my bags to move hostels! The only downside to the day was the rain that had decided to set in, but I continued to explore the city by the getting the free bus down to the unique Federation Square and walked down to Melbourne Park but unfortunately the rain had stopped play on the outer courts till late in the evening! So I walked back through the wet city to my hostel..
Sunday 20th - An early start to catch my tour bus to North Victoria and first stop the former Gold mining town of Bendigo where we visited the Central Deborah Goldmine and took a 'talking tram' through the city to the old storage yard where the house and restore lots of old trams - some in better condition than others! We then headed further north to the NSW/Victoria border at the Murray River and the historical Port of Echuca, after a spot of lunch we took a Paddle steamer along the river to see the former wharf and a small part of the mighty Murray. The small portion of the wharf that remains now carries the official mark of the state border (the river is in NSW) in order to settle any possible jurisdiction issues. A lot of the old buildings still remain including a pub that is complete with a underground bar that was used illegally in the 19th century when the pub's license was revoked!
Monday 21st - I got a lie in finally, before the day that I'd been looking forward to for the whole trip (slight exaggeration but I was excited), I was off to Ramsay Street! The official Neighbours bus picked us up and on the way out to the suburbs we watched some classic episodes to get us prepared! We go into the studio lot and as we drive round to the back our guide points out parts of the outside used for some iconic scenes (Neighbours is made on the cheap so they use everything around them - the studio entrance doubles as the airport and hospital entrances!). When we reach Grease Monkeys and Carpenters Garage we spot Dr Karl waiting at the bus stop and we all get very excited (sad!) before saying hello and getting some photos and autographs, and for a bonus Lou drives past! From the studio we move on to check out Ramsay St (smaller in real life) and Erinsborough High ( not all that recognisable). Later that evening I head down to the Elephant & Wheelbarrow pub in St Kilda where they hold a weekly Neighbours night, where I got to meet more stars whilst taking part in the pub quiz (sadly I didn't win the $500!) and then the evening is rounded off by Dr Karl and his band 'The Waiting Room' and they were actually very good playing a mixture of covers and their own songs. I finish off my Neighbours day by purchasing their live album and getting in signed!!
Tuesday 22nd
Go on a tour down to the South of Victoria and Phillip Island - on the way down we stop at a local Wildlife Park and I get to see a Tasmanian Devil and Wombat as well as more Koalas, Wallabies, Kangaroos and Emus! On the island we visit Woolamai Beach, home of many surf competitions, and the Nobbies which is full of wildlife, from the Seal rock 1km out to sea to the thousands of Little Penguin's burrows where we try to spot a penguin or two. We have a spot of dinner in Cowes (I thought that was the Isle of Wight?!) before going to the famous Penguin Parade where we sit in the cold Antarctic Wind for an hour before the Little Penguins start to come ashore after a days fishing. The stand up in groups and look around before one will jump back in followed by the rest of the group, but eventually the make a run for it and head up the beach to their burrows, many in the nearby dunes but some up to 1km away from the beach. As we walk back to the bus we can see the penguins much closer as the pass close to the boardwalk, a really memorable experience.
Wednesday 23rd
Today is time for my finally tour in Melbourne, the Wineries of the Yarra Valley. We start at the huge De Borteli Winery where we learn the best technique for tasting the wine before practising on quite a few different reds, whites and sparklings, some nice some not to my liking. Then we go to the smaller and newer winery of Train Traks where after some more wine tasting (starting to have a bit of a fuzzy head) we have a gourmet Italian meal at their restaurant Zonzos. A platter of antipasto to begin followed by three different pizzas, foccacia, salads and coffee, with wine of course. After lunch we go to the oldest winery in the region Yering Station, which has an award winning restaurant and space for helicopter landings for their wealthy patrons. We have a quick look at their winery and some of their vast wine cellar before trying some more wines. Last stop of the day at the Domaine Chandon winery set in the lushest part of the valley where they have so much money to spend that they can afford to buy in the best grapes from other producers and have helicopters hover above the vines in the coldest times to prevent frost from settling!! Here with see more of the production side, including learning about the 2nd fermentation that produces the real bubbles - not the carbonated stuff! We end our tour with a full glass of our choice, which for me is a very nice Cuvee (I think I've remembered that right) before we return back to the city in good spirits! That evening I visit the famous Queen Victoria Markets where they hold a weekly night market with music, entertainment and plenty of food..a good way to end my stay in Melbourne as it sums up the vibe of the city well.
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Canberra - it may be the seat of power, but its not that exciting...
Tuesday 15th came and with it my penultimate, and probably shortest, Greyhound journey to Canberra. I left a dull Sydney and arrived in a sweltering Canberra that looked and felt very much like it was in the middle of the desert or similar. After a slight altercation with my map I found the YHA in the centre of Canberra City and proceeded to acquaint myself with the Nation's Capital city. Although to be honest, unless you venture to the main places of power and monuments etc, there isn't all that much to see!
So the next day I take advantage of a discounted ticket on a tour bus and set about finding out what there is in Canberra! The first stop is the much visited Australian War Memorial which has views all the way down Anzac Parade to the Old Parliament House, it houses displays on all the conflicts Australian has been involved in and has a fairly good sound and light show based around a real Lancaster Bomber. From there we drive down Anzac Parade and see the various memorials to different groups and conflicts before visiting the Parliament House. On the guided tour I get to see both Houses (Representatives and Senate) which work in much the same way as our Commons and Lords but the rooms themselves look a lot more modern! On the top of the building is a giant flagpole bearing the Australian Flag and the rooftop gives 360 degree views of the city. Next stop is the Old Parliament and whilst, smaller and no longer suited to its previous job, its has far more character and charm than its modern clinical successor. As it is no longer used and serves as a museum you are able to see nearly every part and I found it exciting to wander through rooms once used to run the country from. On our way to our final stop we drive through the diplomatic zone and see some of the different embassies and high commissions and, surprise surprise, the biggest belongs to America closely followed by the Chinese Embassy! The last place I visit is the National Museum, a unique and controversial building that houses exhibits on Australia's past, present and future. The displays didn't really draw me in but the building itself is an attraction with its modern colours and angles.
On my last day in Canberra, before getting my final Greyhound coach, I visit the Australian Mint and learn about the history of Australian coins and currency, before striking my own special $1 coin to take as a souvenir.
So the next day I take advantage of a discounted ticket on a tour bus and set about finding out what there is in Canberra! The first stop is the much visited Australian War Memorial which has views all the way down Anzac Parade to the Old Parliament House, it houses displays on all the conflicts Australian has been involved in and has a fairly good sound and light show based around a real Lancaster Bomber. From there we drive down Anzac Parade and see the various memorials to different groups and conflicts before visiting the Parliament House. On the guided tour I get to see both Houses (Representatives and Senate) which work in much the same way as our Commons and Lords but the rooms themselves look a lot more modern! On the top of the building is a giant flagpole bearing the Australian Flag and the rooftop gives 360 degree views of the city. Next stop is the Old Parliament and whilst, smaller and no longer suited to its previous job, its has far more character and charm than its modern clinical successor. As it is no longer used and serves as a museum you are able to see nearly every part and I found it exciting to wander through rooms once used to run the country from. On our way to our final stop we drive through the diplomatic zone and see some of the different embassies and high commissions and, surprise surprise, the biggest belongs to America closely followed by the Chinese Embassy! The last place I visit is the National Museum, a unique and controversial building that houses exhibits on Australia's past, present and future. The displays didn't really draw me in but the building itself is an attraction with its modern colours and angles.
On my last day in Canberra, before getting my final Greyhound coach, I visit the Australian Mint and learn about the history of Australian coins and currency, before striking my own special $1 coin to take as a souvenir.
Friday, 18 January 2008
Sydney Take 2!
So back to the sightseeing in Sydney.....next on my list was the Telstra (or as of 1st of January, the ANZ) Stadium at the Olympic Park. Not sure why, might have something to do with a certain World Cup! So early on Saturday morning I got the train out to the Olympic Park just a little bit west of Sydney and went on a guided tour of the Stadium. Our guide, Carol, took as behind the movable stands that they have which enables to pitch size and shape to be changed which allows them to play 5 different sports, Cricket, Aussie Rules, Rugby League and Union, and Soccer! Then we went up the the 6th floor and out into the bowl where she kindly pointed out the correct end where the winning Wilkinson kick was fired for us English that were there (the North I believe), as well as the multimillion dollar screens they have and different points of interest both inside and out of the stadium. Then a quick video on the construction (finished early and to budget, and oddly by the same company that bodged Wembley!) as well as previous events, including the Rugby World Cup and Cathy Freeman's famous 2000 win on the track. Then we toured the various members and corporate lounges, the media area, training and changing rooms and then we got a chance to stand on the Olympic Podium for some cheesy photos! After my tour I stopped by the Olympic Torch, now a fountain in the middle of the Park before getting my train back. In the afternoon I caught the ferry up the coast to Manly and more wide sandy beaches full of sun-worshippers, I had planned to then make my way further North for the Home and Away pilgrimage to Palm Beach but it was another 90 minutes each way on a bus and it didn't appeal (I'll just have to stick to the Neighbours Tour in Melbourne!). I arrived back at the hostel later that evening fairly tired but decided that 5pm was too early to go to bed so I went to the cinema to see a film instead!
On Sunday we had finally managed to book in a surf lesson and surprisingly it did was not raining. After a slow, bumpy minibus journey we reached Garie Beach in the Royal National Park, which looked like a lovely beach for a day at the seaside although the waves looked a bit big for my liking, but we weren't there to enjoy the beach we had some hard work ahead of us. First was carrying ridiculously large surfboards down to the far end of the beach before our introduction to the board and where to position ourselves. Then a brief spell in the water to try it out, which was not enjoyable for me as I found it difficult to even get out in the sea whilst carrying my board mainly as the tide was very high and I couldn't stand up! Then we learnt there full proof technique for standing up on the board which would mean everyone would have stood by the end of the day. Sadly this didn't help me much, I did manage to catch a wave back into shore which resulted in some nice sand burns. Finally it was time for a much needed lunch break, over lunch I was all ready to call it a day and cut my losses, but spurred on by the fact I'd had to spend money on the day I persevered. And it all went much better, the tide had gone out, I managed to drag my board so far then mount it and paddle out before turning myself around to catch the wave (even the waves hitting me and forcing salt water in my mouth had stopped being so bad) and by the end of the day I had stood on the board, albeit briefly!
The next day however I suffered for my triumph with nice looking bruises on my legs and stiff muscles in my upper body that I never knew I had! But I couldn't complain as there was still lots to see. After breakfast in the not so nice, but less busy, Oxford St Sydney I took a walking tour past some points of interest including Hyde Park and the Anzac Memorial, the Sydney Hospital and its apparently lucky pig statue outside, and the wonderful Botanic Gardens, where it rained on me but I did see some of the huge colony of Flying Foxes, that's giant red fur Bats, hanging in copious quantities from a lot of the trees. From there I made my way up to Bennelong Point and to the start of the Bridgeclimb. I was slightly annoyed that after all the sunny days in Sydney it rained on the day I booked to do the climb. But it was still a great experience, with all the pre-climb preparations and then the views, it was good fun and I've ended up with some lovely cheesy shots of me in front of famous Sydney views (the Opera House, Harbour, Luna Park and city skyscrapers) and right on top on the arch! The best way to end my stay in Sydney and to say goodbye to the city....
On Sunday we had finally managed to book in a surf lesson and surprisingly it did was not raining. After a slow, bumpy minibus journey we reached Garie Beach in the Royal National Park, which looked like a lovely beach for a day at the seaside although the waves looked a bit big for my liking, but we weren't there to enjoy the beach we had some hard work ahead of us. First was carrying ridiculously large surfboards down to the far end of the beach before our introduction to the board and where to position ourselves. Then a brief spell in the water to try it out, which was not enjoyable for me as I found it difficult to even get out in the sea whilst carrying my board mainly as the tide was very high and I couldn't stand up! Then we learnt there full proof technique for standing up on the board which would mean everyone would have stood by the end of the day. Sadly this didn't help me much, I did manage to catch a wave back into shore which resulted in some nice sand burns. Finally it was time for a much needed lunch break, over lunch I was all ready to call it a day and cut my losses, but spurred on by the fact I'd had to spend money on the day I persevered. And it all went much better, the tide had gone out, I managed to drag my board so far then mount it and paddle out before turning myself around to catch the wave (even the waves hitting me and forcing salt water in my mouth had stopped being so bad) and by the end of the day I had stood on the board, albeit briefly!
The next day however I suffered for my triumph with nice looking bruises on my legs and stiff muscles in my upper body that I never knew I had! But I couldn't complain as there was still lots to see. After breakfast in the not so nice, but less busy, Oxford St Sydney I took a walking tour past some points of interest including Hyde Park and the Anzac Memorial, the Sydney Hospital and its apparently lucky pig statue outside, and the wonderful Botanic Gardens, where it rained on me but I did see some of the huge colony of Flying Foxes, that's giant red fur Bats, hanging in copious quantities from a lot of the trees. From there I made my way up to Bennelong Point and to the start of the Bridgeclimb. I was slightly annoyed that after all the sunny days in Sydney it rained on the day I booked to do the climb. But it was still a great experience, with all the pre-climb preparations and then the views, it was good fun and I've ended up with some lovely cheesy shots of me in front of famous Sydney views (the Opera House, Harbour, Luna Park and city skyscrapers) and right on top on the arch! The best way to end my stay in Sydney and to say goodbye to the city....
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
Sydney take 1 and the Blue Mountains
So its the 6th of January, and after an uncomfortable overnight bus journey I have made it to the big city, Sydney! After sad goodbye to Gemma and seeing her safely on to the Canberra coach we trudge to our hostel, freshen up and head out to explore a sunny Sydney. We wander around the main retail area and have some lunch before spending too long waiting in a travel agency so that Dan can book some onward tours. In the evening we get the train to the Circular quay and as we leave the train we get a brilliant view across the harbour to the bridge and the Opera house, a very exciting moment to be honest! We make our way to the Rocks, the area of the original settlement of Sydney and the home to many stories, some of which we heard about on our Rocks ghost tour, including the ghost of Scottish George who supposedly haunts the harbour bridge after falling into the concrete whilst they were building one of the pillars! The tour was great fun, as well as informative, as the guide got everyone involved by assigning different characters to each of us, which we then had to assume the role of when he was telling the particular story.
The next day I had booked a tour of the Opera House, so I made my way to the Quay again for my 10am Essential Opera house Tour. Unfortunately I had managed to book onto a sold out tour, so I was sharing my experience with over 30 others, but luckily in these circumstances they issue everyone with headsets so that some of the tour is conducted via video screening dotted through the buildings. We started with a quick history of the Opera House and how the design was chosen and the project begun before climbing round the back of the building, which has good views of the bridge, and entering through the back reception area, which is hired out to people including Tom Cruise for functions. Here we saw a video on the different mediums that are performed here and saw a montage of past performers from Dame Joan Sutherland and Toni Collette to Rolf Harris and Bugs Bunny. Next it was time for the stunning Concert Hall which is both aesthetically pleasing and full of features designed to enhance acoustics, from the all natural materials to the graduated seating the the glass rings than are lowered to reduce the ceiling height above the performers. The final stop was the Opera hall itself, a more intimate space (only around 1000 seats!) but it has so much storage space that it is able to show a different opera every day for a week during high season. Its is a really amazing building inside and out, and I'm sure I'll see a lot more of it during my stay.
In the afternoon we caught the train out to the famous Bondi beach where the sun did shine and the beach was huge and sandy, but I have to admit despite its famous status its really no better than the ones in Dorset and the sea is almost as cold anyway! From Bondi we walked along the cliff tops past more aesthetically pleasing scenery until we reached Coogee beach, another sandy beach packed with holidaymakers enjoying the sun, so I joined in and caught a few rays before taking the plunge in the water! In the evening back in the City I took the ferry, as the sun was going down, under the harbour bridge to Darling Harbour where I spent some time with the underwater creatures at the Sydney Aquarium, it was nice to see some animals that I'd never seen in the flesh like a platypus and sting ray and also to see some fish and corals that I'd seen for real whilst snorkeling on the reefs.
The next day we left the city in our hired automatic (eek!) car and headed out into the Blue Mountains and I could not believe what I was seeing only a couple of hours west of Sydney. We arrived and after lunch headed down the road from arguably the best hostel so far, to the edge of the Blue Mountains National Park and the first glimpse was beautiful and true to their name they really do appear to be blue. We went for one of the shorter walks to the Leura cascades, not wanting to get lost in the vast forests when it got dark, but just those 2 or 3 hours gave us so much scenery to gaze at.
On Wednesday we put on our walking feet again and headed down to the mountains, unfortunately the fog had rolled in and our first look at the famous 3 sisters was postponed a little! But undeterred we walked a bit further down into the valley and saw them a bit closer before descending the 900 odd steps of the Giant Stairway down to the valley below, from there it was only 2.5km along the Frontier Pass (I think!) to Scenic World where we were able to get the cable car up and saw the 3 sisters during our ascent. We took advantage of the Skyway to get across to another viewing platform, passing the Katoomba falls on our way. We had our lunch in the shadow of Mount Solitaire with the 3 sisters to our left, the Orphan rock to our right with miles and miles of mountains and valleys ahead of us. Back at Scenic World we got the cable car back down into the valley and walked through the rainforest on the boardwalk until we reached the old mining railway now a steep scenic railway, up to 52 degrees in places. We took this up the track, which was a strange sensation, and then back down again to the sound of the Indiana Jones soundtrack, very atmospheric and brilliant fun! We finished the day with a trip to the Edge, a 3 storey high cinema screen near Katoomba where they show a film on the Blue Mountains giving you a brief history and amazing views of the region whilst highlighting some environmental issues as well.
Thursday we made use of the car and headed to the Jenolan caves, about 70km from Katoomba. The first part of the drive was fairly easy, only a few ups and downs; however the last 8km was on a mountain road driving along a small road with just enough room for two cars and with a sheer drop down to the valley on one side and rock the other. (Not to worry though Mum, I didn't drive there....... I drove on the way back so that I was nearer the rock than the drop!!). The drive was was it though, we first toured around the huge Lucas caves with its big chambers, one called the Cathedral where they played a CD to demonstrate the acoustics, a really goosebumbly moment! In the afternoon we did a self guided audio tour of the Devils Coach House (named I think because its big enough for all the Devil's coaches and horses??) and the Nettle Cave (named because of the amount of nettles surrounding it which were a problem for the first visitors). Our final cave was the Orient Cave which has stunning crystal formations and several chambers, the Persian, the Eqyptian, the Indian and the Jungle. And then it was time to take the bendy road back and it was fine, even with Dan hanging out of the back window, like a dog, trying to take photos of the amazing scenery!
On our final day in the mountains, Friday 11th, we started out at the Zig Zag Railway built as the most efficient way of getting the train down into the valley with 3 'roads', top middle and bottom and 2 points which allowed the engines to switch ends and take the train down the next bit of the zigzag. Although the current train line only runs along the bottom 'road' enthusiasts run a Steam Engine (or old regular engine) along the track and back so we hopped on board for an experience and got covered in soot for our troubles! However despite not being an avid trainspotter it was a lot of fun and gave some more great views of the National Park. Following a brief lunch stop in the town of Leura we headed to the Wentworth Falls, which were on our way back to the city. It was a huge waterfall and part of the experience was the noise it made even from a distance! From there we reluctantly headed back to Sydney and returned the car, back to slumming it on public transport for us!
The next day I had booked a tour of the Opera House, so I made my way to the Quay again for my 10am Essential Opera house Tour. Unfortunately I had managed to book onto a sold out tour, so I was sharing my experience with over 30 others, but luckily in these circumstances they issue everyone with headsets so that some of the tour is conducted via video screening dotted through the buildings. We started with a quick history of the Opera House and how the design was chosen and the project begun before climbing round the back of the building, which has good views of the bridge, and entering through the back reception area, which is hired out to people including Tom Cruise for functions. Here we saw a video on the different mediums that are performed here and saw a montage of past performers from Dame Joan Sutherland and Toni Collette to Rolf Harris and Bugs Bunny. Next it was time for the stunning Concert Hall which is both aesthetically pleasing and full of features designed to enhance acoustics, from the all natural materials to the graduated seating the the glass rings than are lowered to reduce the ceiling height above the performers. The final stop was the Opera hall itself, a more intimate space (only around 1000 seats!) but it has so much storage space that it is able to show a different opera every day for a week during high season. Its is a really amazing building inside and out, and I'm sure I'll see a lot more of it during my stay.
In the afternoon we caught the train out to the famous Bondi beach where the sun did shine and the beach was huge and sandy, but I have to admit despite its famous status its really no better than the ones in Dorset and the sea is almost as cold anyway! From Bondi we walked along the cliff tops past more aesthetically pleasing scenery until we reached Coogee beach, another sandy beach packed with holidaymakers enjoying the sun, so I joined in and caught a few rays before taking the plunge in the water! In the evening back in the City I took the ferry, as the sun was going down, under the harbour bridge to Darling Harbour where I spent some time with the underwater creatures at the Sydney Aquarium, it was nice to see some animals that I'd never seen in the flesh like a platypus and sting ray and also to see some fish and corals that I'd seen for real whilst snorkeling on the reefs.
The next day we left the city in our hired automatic (eek!) car and headed out into the Blue Mountains and I could not believe what I was seeing only a couple of hours west of Sydney. We arrived and after lunch headed down the road from arguably the best hostel so far, to the edge of the Blue Mountains National Park and the first glimpse was beautiful and true to their name they really do appear to be blue. We went for one of the shorter walks to the Leura cascades, not wanting to get lost in the vast forests when it got dark, but just those 2 or 3 hours gave us so much scenery to gaze at.
On Wednesday we put on our walking feet again and headed down to the mountains, unfortunately the fog had rolled in and our first look at the famous 3 sisters was postponed a little! But undeterred we walked a bit further down into the valley and saw them a bit closer before descending the 900 odd steps of the Giant Stairway down to the valley below, from there it was only 2.5km along the Frontier Pass (I think!) to Scenic World where we were able to get the cable car up and saw the 3 sisters during our ascent. We took advantage of the Skyway to get across to another viewing platform, passing the Katoomba falls on our way. We had our lunch in the shadow of Mount Solitaire with the 3 sisters to our left, the Orphan rock to our right with miles and miles of mountains and valleys ahead of us. Back at Scenic World we got the cable car back down into the valley and walked through the rainforest on the boardwalk until we reached the old mining railway now a steep scenic railway, up to 52 degrees in places. We took this up the track, which was a strange sensation, and then back down again to the sound of the Indiana Jones soundtrack, very atmospheric and brilliant fun! We finished the day with a trip to the Edge, a 3 storey high cinema screen near Katoomba where they show a film on the Blue Mountains giving you a brief history and amazing views of the region whilst highlighting some environmental issues as well.
Thursday we made use of the car and headed to the Jenolan caves, about 70km from Katoomba. The first part of the drive was fairly easy, only a few ups and downs; however the last 8km was on a mountain road driving along a small road with just enough room for two cars and with a sheer drop down to the valley on one side and rock the other. (Not to worry though Mum, I didn't drive there....... I drove on the way back so that I was nearer the rock than the drop!!). The drive was was it though, we first toured around the huge Lucas caves with its big chambers, one called the Cathedral where they played a CD to demonstrate the acoustics, a really goosebumbly moment! In the afternoon we did a self guided audio tour of the Devils Coach House (named I think because its big enough for all the Devil's coaches and horses??) and the Nettle Cave (named because of the amount of nettles surrounding it which were a problem for the first visitors). Our final cave was the Orient Cave which has stunning crystal formations and several chambers, the Persian, the Eqyptian, the Indian and the Jungle. And then it was time to take the bendy road back and it was fine, even with Dan hanging out of the back window, like a dog, trying to take photos of the amazing scenery!
On our final day in the mountains, Friday 11th, we started out at the Zig Zag Railway built as the most efficient way of getting the train down into the valley with 3 'roads', top middle and bottom and 2 points which allowed the engines to switch ends and take the train down the next bit of the zigzag. Although the current train line only runs along the bottom 'road' enthusiasts run a Steam Engine (or old regular engine) along the track and back so we hopped on board for an experience and got covered in soot for our troubles! However despite not being an avid trainspotter it was a lot of fun and gave some more great views of the National Park. Following a brief lunch stop in the town of Leura we headed to the Wentworth Falls, which were on our way back to the city. It was a huge waterfall and part of the experience was the noise it made even from a distance! From there we reluctantly headed back to Sydney and returned the car, back to slumming it on public transport for us!
Saturday, 5 January 2008
Brisbane and 2008.....Coffs Harbour and the rain...
Typically the day we come to leave Maroochydore the weather picks up and we leave the town in brilliant sunshine. What should have been a quick coach journey to Brisbane became long and boring as we had to pull over at least 8 times so the driver could try and fix the luggage door that had flown open again, luckily I don't think any bags fell out. Well I didn't see anyone shouting for missing bags when we got off in Brisbane! Our hostel, Bunk Backpackers, were able to pick us up for free from the hostel and we check in to our functional, if rather cramped, dorm room before heading out to check out the surroundings and purchase some food provisions. I return to the hostel to plan some more of my journey and settle into the bar with a schooner (!?) of cider. It is there that I meet up with Gemma and Rich, who we spent Christmas Day with, they've checked into a luxury double room on the fifth floor, not making me feel too jealous!! In the evening the four of us go to their room for a couple of drinks (the room is nice but it looks out over the beer garden, so I think they may have a noisier night than us!) before going to the Chinese restaurant, the Enjoy Inn for a nice if rather hurried meal. So we take our tip and use it to buy ice creams before heading back to the hostel's bar to finish the night off..
Sunday 30th and the sun has disappeared again and we're left with overcast skies and drizzle. Dan and I leave Gemma (Rich has left for his flight home) to plan the rest of her trip while we head off for a walking tour of the city. We negotiate the transport system (not as user friendly as some we have experienced) and see such sights as the south bank parklands, the botanic gardens, old customs and parliament houses, the Anzac Square and World War II Memorial as well as getting a good view of the Brisbane CBD from the City Hall Clock Tower. All in all a nice city with plenty of old and new buildings, and brilliant river views, the only downside was lack of decent weather to make it even better. I return to the hostel tired and with aching feet so we have a really nice evening cooking between the three of us and chatting until late, also trying to come up with a plan for New Years Eve...
So I've reached the last day of the year and the beginning of week 9 of my trip, therefore I feel I deserve a lie in! Later I finally clear my camera and upload over 300 more photos before meeting Dan and Gemma to shop and cook before heading out into the rain of Brisbane. We dive into a nearby bar to spend some time cursing our bad luck before joining thousands of others on the South Bank for the celebrations and free fireworks. We enjoy some 'fairy floss' and try to keep dry but when the clock finally flips to 12am we are cheered by some amazing fireworks which seem to go on for ever, saving the evening and starting 2008 in style!
The first day of 2008 starts very similar to the last day of 2007 and we head out into the rain to catch the bus South of Brisbane to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. We see lots of Australian animals some odd, including the Flying Foxes (giant bat like animals) as well as the more familiar although strange to see in the flesh. We see the sleeping wombats hiding from us, the bush turkeys scavenging for food, turtles, crocodiles and dingoes. We also enter the Kangaroo enclosure where we are met by Emus, which watch us a bit too closely before actually getting to pet some kangaroos, most of which are lazing in the sun but some kindly 'boing' around for us to see! Then we found the star attraction, the 130 or so Koalas which I will say were very cute and I'm not usually one to fawn over adorable animals! They were in several different enclosures but they didn't need bars or nets or anything as they are so lazy they spend most of the day asleep and so don't move far (or fast), in fact when we first spotted them we thought they were fake!But later when the keepers changed over they eucalyptus branches (harvested from their own huge plantation) they woke up more and we were treated to some cute poses and activities, absolutely brilliant. In fact I think if they weren't a protected species I'd be trying to smuggle one home! The only down side to the day was that the rain had continued to rain...so the evening was spent chilling in the hostel before we said our goodbyes to Gemma for a day or so, as we'd planned to meet again in Coffs Harbour!
The 2nd was less rainy but quite windy and I decided to restrict activities to more indoor ones so I visited the Queensland Museum seeing exhibitions on Queensland icons (including the big pineapple!), the Queensland environment and natural resources, the animals both endangered ones and those that play a working role for the government and finally an exhibition on Aboriginal and Torres Straits people, there culture and recent history (since white settlement). All really good stuff and a good way to end my stay in Queensland. Later I did slightly less cultural activities such as souvenir shopping!
On the 3rd we moved further down the coast, this time crossing into New South Wales and moving another hour ahead of the UK but actually finding more UK type weather. That's right since we left Brisbane and travelled to Coffs Harbour it has not stopped raining for more than a half an hour! We arrived in Coffs Harbour an hour later due to weather and traffic, managed to walk down to a restaurant for dinner before spending the rest of the evening in the hostel, but it was good to meet up with Gemma again and she'd even moved rooms so the three of us were sharing!
The 4th was also a very wet day and it seemed that the entire city had made the same decision as us to try and rent a car to see the sights, consequently the availability was next to zero! Instead we spent a relaxing few hours making plans and catching up on journal writing in a nearby cafe, before a spot of shopping and then getting soaked as we tried to return to the hostel. Morale was certainly low between the three of us as Coffs Harbour would have been another lovely place to enjoy should it stop raining!
Today, the 5th, was another wash out but we did get a bus to move further away from the hostel and see more of the city, and this included the random Clog Barn where Gemma and I saw a Clog making demonstration and Gemma claimed the resulting Clog as the prize for travelling the furthest, from Wales, to visit the Clog Barn! The rain lessened enough for us to walk back via the main street to the hostel but I think we will leave the place later this evening very disappointed that we didn't get to see or do more here. Even the watersports were off limits due to the severe weather warnings! But I will not let it put me off Australia and I am excited about moving onwards to Sydney and beyond; its not over yet....
Sunday 30th and the sun has disappeared again and we're left with overcast skies and drizzle. Dan and I leave Gemma (Rich has left for his flight home) to plan the rest of her trip while we head off for a walking tour of the city. We negotiate the transport system (not as user friendly as some we have experienced) and see such sights as the south bank parklands, the botanic gardens, old customs and parliament houses, the Anzac Square and World War II Memorial as well as getting a good view of the Brisbane CBD from the City Hall Clock Tower. All in all a nice city with plenty of old and new buildings, and brilliant river views, the only downside was lack of decent weather to make it even better. I return to the hostel tired and with aching feet so we have a really nice evening cooking between the three of us and chatting until late, also trying to come up with a plan for New Years Eve...
So I've reached the last day of the year and the beginning of week 9 of my trip, therefore I feel I deserve a lie in! Later I finally clear my camera and upload over 300 more photos before meeting Dan and Gemma to shop and cook before heading out into the rain of Brisbane. We dive into a nearby bar to spend some time cursing our bad luck before joining thousands of others on the South Bank for the celebrations and free fireworks. We enjoy some 'fairy floss' and try to keep dry but when the clock finally flips to 12am we are cheered by some amazing fireworks which seem to go on for ever, saving the evening and starting 2008 in style!
The first day of 2008 starts very similar to the last day of 2007 and we head out into the rain to catch the bus South of Brisbane to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. We see lots of Australian animals some odd, including the Flying Foxes (giant bat like animals) as well as the more familiar although strange to see in the flesh. We see the sleeping wombats hiding from us, the bush turkeys scavenging for food, turtles, crocodiles and dingoes. We also enter the Kangaroo enclosure where we are met by Emus, which watch us a bit too closely before actually getting to pet some kangaroos, most of which are lazing in the sun but some kindly 'boing' around for us to see! Then we found the star attraction, the 130 or so Koalas which I will say were very cute and I'm not usually one to fawn over adorable animals! They were in several different enclosures but they didn't need bars or nets or anything as they are so lazy they spend most of the day asleep and so don't move far (or fast), in fact when we first spotted them we thought they were fake!But later when the keepers changed over they eucalyptus branches (harvested from their own huge plantation) they woke up more and we were treated to some cute poses and activities, absolutely brilliant. In fact I think if they weren't a protected species I'd be trying to smuggle one home! The only down side to the day was that the rain had continued to rain...so the evening was spent chilling in the hostel before we said our goodbyes to Gemma for a day or so, as we'd planned to meet again in Coffs Harbour!
The 2nd was less rainy but quite windy and I decided to restrict activities to more indoor ones so I visited the Queensland Museum seeing exhibitions on Queensland icons (including the big pineapple!), the Queensland environment and natural resources, the animals both endangered ones and those that play a working role for the government and finally an exhibition on Aboriginal and Torres Straits people, there culture and recent history (since white settlement). All really good stuff and a good way to end my stay in Queensland. Later I did slightly less cultural activities such as souvenir shopping!
On the 3rd we moved further down the coast, this time crossing into New South Wales and moving another hour ahead of the UK but actually finding more UK type weather. That's right since we left Brisbane and travelled to Coffs Harbour it has not stopped raining for more than a half an hour! We arrived in Coffs Harbour an hour later due to weather and traffic, managed to walk down to a restaurant for dinner before spending the rest of the evening in the hostel, but it was good to meet up with Gemma again and she'd even moved rooms so the three of us were sharing!
The 4th was also a very wet day and it seemed that the entire city had made the same decision as us to try and rent a car to see the sights, consequently the availability was next to zero! Instead we spent a relaxing few hours making plans and catching up on journal writing in a nearby cafe, before a spot of shopping and then getting soaked as we tried to return to the hostel. Morale was certainly low between the three of us as Coffs Harbour would have been another lovely place to enjoy should it stop raining!
Today, the 5th, was another wash out but we did get a bus to move further away from the hostel and see more of the city, and this included the random Clog Barn where Gemma and I saw a Clog making demonstration and Gemma claimed the resulting Clog as the prize for travelling the furthest, from Wales, to visit the Clog Barn! The rain lessened enough for us to walk back via the main street to the hostel but I think we will leave the place later this evening very disappointed that we didn't get to see or do more here. Even the watersports were off limits due to the severe weather warnings! But I will not let it put me off Australia and I am excited about moving onwards to Sydney and beyond; its not over yet....
Photos
Please use this link to check out the first lot of photos with limited captions!
These photos are brought to you through the magic of the International Post Service and Matt, cheers!
http://picasaweb.google.com/rettopylime
These photos are brought to you through the magic of the International Post Service and Matt, cheers!
http://picasaweb.google.com/rettopylime
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