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| 75 mile beach |
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| Dingoes |
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| 4 wheel drive tracks through the forest (burnt out trees due to a government controlled burn getting very out of control!) |
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| Lake McKenzie |
Western Sahara 2016
Monday 31 October 2011
Fraser Island Photos
Final days in Oz
Well, the 16 hour bus journey actually wasn't so bad in the end. I got a ticket no problem and it was a lot cheaper than flying, so I guess that's a positive. Not that I have got my money back from Qantas yet as it's impossible to get through to speak to anyone at the moment. The bus wasn't as busy as I thought it might be and by the time I wanted to sleep, I had two seats to myself. The advantage of being short is that I can curl up relatively comfortably on two seats and sleep pretty well!
When I got to Sydney, I had a call from Sue and Bruce (from my Africa trip). They were coming to Sydney later that morning so we met up for lunch and coffee. Lovely to see them after missing out on the Sunday BBQ with everyone. Sue and Bruce have put together the most amazing (and very professional) photobook of our African odyssey so they were also able to give me my copy. It really is a fantastic keepsake to have of our travels. I shall bore you all with it when I'm back in the UK..
My final evening in Australia was spent enjoying a BBQ at Katie and Sean's. I really am very lucky to have met so many lovely people on my travels so far.
My month in Australia is now over and I fly to New Zealand later today (thankfully not with Qantas). A month actually isn't very long in Australia. It really is such a vast country and I've only had time to see a very small part of it. Would certainly like to come back at some point, although I think the way to see the country properly is probably to drive yourself in a camper van so that you don't have to follow the standard backpacker routes. May be some day..
When I got to Sydney, I had a call from Sue and Bruce (from my Africa trip). They were coming to Sydney later that morning so we met up for lunch and coffee. Lovely to see them after missing out on the Sunday BBQ with everyone. Sue and Bruce have put together the most amazing (and very professional) photobook of our African odyssey so they were also able to give me my copy. It really is a fantastic keepsake to have of our travels. I shall bore you all with it when I'm back in the UK..
My final evening in Australia was spent enjoying a BBQ at Katie and Sean's. I really am very lucky to have met so many lovely people on my travels so far.
My month in Australia is now over and I fly to New Zealand later today (thankfully not with Qantas). A month actually isn't very long in Australia. It really is such a vast country and I've only had time to see a very small part of it. Would certainly like to come back at some point, although I think the way to see the country properly is probably to drive yourself in a camper van so that you don't have to follow the standard backpacker routes. May be some day..
Saturday 29 October 2011
Queensland
From the Blue Mountains, I took the train back to Sydney and then a flight to Brisbane where I stopped off at Chill Backpackers. As always, I carefully selected my backpackers based on its proximity to the transport centres. The one thing I do not enjoy about backpacking is carrying my backpack! Chill Backpackers is not only conveniently situated close to the bus/train station, but it has a great roof terrace with views over the city. It is aptly named because it is nice and friendly, but not too party, party.
Brisbane was only really a stop off before taking the bus up to Hervey Bay, but I thought I should make the most of the few hours I had in the morning and look around the city. Took a walk along the South Bank and through the botanical gardens. All very pretty but I think one of the reasons that Australian cities seem so much nicer than UK ones is that the sun is shining making everything look so much cleaner and brighter.
After that, it was a 5 hour bus ride to Hervey Bay. Another really nice hostel - The Woolshed. Small, family run and not the standard dorm rooms with bunk beds but single beds instead. Well done, Lonely Planet guide book - you definitely got it right with your rating on this one. My only complaint would be that someone stole my left over pizza from the fridge. I should point out that I don't normally eat pizza but I arrived in Hervey Bay too late to contemplate food shopping and cooking so went for the easy takeaway option. As the pizza was huge, I thought I would save half of it for the following night. And yes, I know that is somewhat skanky but I'm a backpacker on a budget, plus after my time in Africa I feel bad about wasting food! Anyway, perhaps it is just as well someone took it as I was saved from eating pizza two days running.
My first day in Hervey Bay was spent on the beach - need to top up that tan as it must have been all of a week since I last sunbathed... I also went to the Vic Hislop shark exhibition place which was interesting. Sharks are big news in Australia at the moment as a diver was killed by one last week, just a couple of weeks after someone else was killed by one in the same area. So there is a lot of debate about what should be done. Some say that there should be some culling of sharks given that they have no natural predators and we are reducing the numbers of all other fish (i.e. their food) thus it becomes more likely they might attack humans. Not sure what I think but it does make you nervous about swimming in the ocean.
The last couple of days have been spent doing a two day one night trip to Fraser Island (just off the coast from Hervey Bay). Fraser Island is quite unique. It's the biggest sand island in the world. There are no roads, just four wheel drive tracks. Driving along 75 mile beach was very cool. No swimming in the ocean here as the rips and undertows are lethal and the waters are shark infested (that is not me being paranoid - they genuinely are!). However, there are lots of gorgeous fresh water lakes and creeks to swim in, along with massive sand dunes and rain forests to explore. Dingoes live on the island. They look like wild dogs but are closely related to the Asian wolf. Definitely a fun couple of days, although the sun didn't put in much of an appearance which was a shame.
Took the bus back to Brisbane today and was supposed to be getting a flight to Sydney tonight. Got on the plane, was about to take off, then Quantas announced the grounding of its entire fleet indefinitely. So I'm currently stranded in Brisbane. Luckily Chill Backpackers has a bed (shame they only have a bed in the slightly more luxourious female only 4 bed dorm - can't say I'm disappointed, it's worth the extra money). Fortunately, I do have until Tuesday to find my way back to Sydney as that's when I fly to New Zealand. That said, I was supposed to be meeting up with a bunch of people from my Africa trip for a reunion BBQ tomorrow so it's really disappointing that I now am not going to be able to make it. I fear I am looking at a very long bus trip back to Sydney as there are zero flights available via other airlines for the next two days. And the Greyhound bus website keeps crashing which probably means that it is also being inundated with ticket sales...challenges, challenges.. However, I refuse to be stressed out by all this and become like some of the people at the airport who were majorly stressed - very entertaining to watch!
Brisbane was only really a stop off before taking the bus up to Hervey Bay, but I thought I should make the most of the few hours I had in the morning and look around the city. Took a walk along the South Bank and through the botanical gardens. All very pretty but I think one of the reasons that Australian cities seem so much nicer than UK ones is that the sun is shining making everything look so much cleaner and brighter.
After that, it was a 5 hour bus ride to Hervey Bay. Another really nice hostel - The Woolshed. Small, family run and not the standard dorm rooms with bunk beds but single beds instead. Well done, Lonely Planet guide book - you definitely got it right with your rating on this one. My only complaint would be that someone stole my left over pizza from the fridge. I should point out that I don't normally eat pizza but I arrived in Hervey Bay too late to contemplate food shopping and cooking so went for the easy takeaway option. As the pizza was huge, I thought I would save half of it for the following night. And yes, I know that is somewhat skanky but I'm a backpacker on a budget, plus after my time in Africa I feel bad about wasting food! Anyway, perhaps it is just as well someone took it as I was saved from eating pizza two days running.
My first day in Hervey Bay was spent on the beach - need to top up that tan as it must have been all of a week since I last sunbathed... I also went to the Vic Hislop shark exhibition place which was interesting. Sharks are big news in Australia at the moment as a diver was killed by one last week, just a couple of weeks after someone else was killed by one in the same area. So there is a lot of debate about what should be done. Some say that there should be some culling of sharks given that they have no natural predators and we are reducing the numbers of all other fish (i.e. their food) thus it becomes more likely they might attack humans. Not sure what I think but it does make you nervous about swimming in the ocean.
The last couple of days have been spent doing a two day one night trip to Fraser Island (just off the coast from Hervey Bay). Fraser Island is quite unique. It's the biggest sand island in the world. There are no roads, just four wheel drive tracks. Driving along 75 mile beach was very cool. No swimming in the ocean here as the rips and undertows are lethal and the waters are shark infested (that is not me being paranoid - they genuinely are!). However, there are lots of gorgeous fresh water lakes and creeks to swim in, along with massive sand dunes and rain forests to explore. Dingoes live on the island. They look like wild dogs but are closely related to the Asian wolf. Definitely a fun couple of days, although the sun didn't put in much of an appearance which was a shame.
Took the bus back to Brisbane today and was supposed to be getting a flight to Sydney tonight. Got on the plane, was about to take off, then Quantas announced the grounding of its entire fleet indefinitely. So I'm currently stranded in Brisbane. Luckily Chill Backpackers has a bed (shame they only have a bed in the slightly more luxourious female only 4 bed dorm - can't say I'm disappointed, it's worth the extra money). Fortunately, I do have until Tuesday to find my way back to Sydney as that's when I fly to New Zealand. That said, I was supposed to be meeting up with a bunch of people from my Africa trip for a reunion BBQ tomorrow so it's really disappointing that I now am not going to be able to make it. I fear I am looking at a very long bus trip back to Sydney as there are zero flights available via other airlines for the next two days. And the Greyhound bus website keeps crashing which probably means that it is also being inundated with ticket sales...challenges, challenges.. However, I refuse to be stressed out by all this and become like some of the people at the airport who were majorly stressed - very entertaining to watch!
Saturday 22 October 2011
The Blue Mountains, New South Wales
The Blue Mountains are just beautiful. I've had a great few days here. They aren't strictly speaking mountains, but more huge sandstone cliffs with dense rainforests below. They are called the Blue Mountains because of the blueish haze that seems to cover the valleys. There are numerous walking trails to do - all very well sign posted making it easy for a tourist like myself. A lot of the walks are cliff top walks, or trails cut into the sides of the cliffs, and lots of steps down into the forests below, cascading waterfalls, etc. I've had quite a few "wow" moments out walking as you turn a corner and are met by a stunning vista. The weather has also been fantastic - lots of sunshine.
On Thursday, I went horse riding in the Megalong Valley, a 20 minute train ride from Katoomba. Saw a red-bellied black snake (poisonous but not normally fatal!) whilst riding and four wombats. When we saw the first wombat, our guide said it was incredibly rare to see them in the day. We subsequently saw another three on the ride so I guess we were lucky.
Yesterday, I went on a full day of abseiling and canyoning. The morning was spent learning how to abseil, starting with a 5m descent, then a 15m and finally a 30m. It is a spectacularly stunning place to abseil once you get over the fear of walking backwards off a cliff and actually look around at the view! In the afternoon, we went canyoning. For those who aren't familiar with canyoning, this basically involves a trek down into a canyon, then walking, clambering, swimming along it, jumping off rocks into deep pools, etc. It is great fun but the water was icy cold even with wet suits on. The finale for the day was abseiling down a 32m waterfall - hence the training in the morning. However, abseiling down a waterfall is a whole different ball game because it is so slippery that it's hard to keep your footing and before long you are hanging on the end of a rope being pounded by water. Because of the sound of the water, you can't hear anything the instructor might be telling you do, so it's time to face your fears and try and remember what you were taught in the morning! Keep letting rope out and descending as quickly as you can seemed to be the best option. I can't say that my descent was in any way stylish but it was a massive adrenalin rush and a brilliant end to a great day. I should also mention that you then have to hike up out of the canyon so at least that warms you up.
Today is Sunday and I've had a day of planning and organising my onward travel plans. The Blue Mountain Backpackers isn't the greatest hostel in the world, but it does have free internet and free laundry - the things you get excited about when you're travelling?! So train back to Sydney tomorrow morning, then a flight to Brisbane. Only an hour and a half but Queensland is a different state and a different time zone. After a night in Brisbane, I will be getting a bus to Hervey Bay and then doing a trip out to Fraser Island for a couple of days. Have also been thinking further ahead about my post New Zealand travel plans. As yet, I only have a flight to NZ booked and nothing beyond that. So the world is my oyster as it were. My original plan was to then go to SE Asia and India, but as you speak to different people whilst travelling new ideas start to develop in your mind. Am thinking perhaps South America instead. I was going to "save" South America for another trip but my desire to go there is probably greater than my desire to go to Asia so perhaps I should just do it now. It will also give me an incentive to learn Spanish and I'm thinking that I need to start using my brain sooner rather than later. Have downloaded some Spanish language books onto my Kindle so we'll see...
On Thursday, I went horse riding in the Megalong Valley, a 20 minute train ride from Katoomba. Saw a red-bellied black snake (poisonous but not normally fatal!) whilst riding and four wombats. When we saw the first wombat, our guide said it was incredibly rare to see them in the day. We subsequently saw another three on the ride so I guess we were lucky.
Yesterday, I went on a full day of abseiling and canyoning. The morning was spent learning how to abseil, starting with a 5m descent, then a 15m and finally a 30m. It is a spectacularly stunning place to abseil once you get over the fear of walking backwards off a cliff and actually look around at the view! In the afternoon, we went canyoning. For those who aren't familiar with canyoning, this basically involves a trek down into a canyon, then walking, clambering, swimming along it, jumping off rocks into deep pools, etc. It is great fun but the water was icy cold even with wet suits on. The finale for the day was abseiling down a 32m waterfall - hence the training in the morning. However, abseiling down a waterfall is a whole different ball game because it is so slippery that it's hard to keep your footing and before long you are hanging on the end of a rope being pounded by water. Because of the sound of the water, you can't hear anything the instructor might be telling you do, so it's time to face your fears and try and remember what you were taught in the morning! Keep letting rope out and descending as quickly as you can seemed to be the best option. I can't say that my descent was in any way stylish but it was a massive adrenalin rush and a brilliant end to a great day. I should also mention that you then have to hike up out of the canyon so at least that warms you up.
Today is Sunday and I've had a day of planning and organising my onward travel plans. The Blue Mountain Backpackers isn't the greatest hostel in the world, but it does have free internet and free laundry - the things you get excited about when you're travelling?! So train back to Sydney tomorrow morning, then a flight to Brisbane. Only an hour and a half but Queensland is a different state and a different time zone. After a night in Brisbane, I will be getting a bus to Hervey Bay and then doing a trip out to Fraser Island for a couple of days. Have also been thinking further ahead about my post New Zealand travel plans. As yet, I only have a flight to NZ booked and nothing beyond that. So the world is my oyster as it were. My original plan was to then go to SE Asia and India, but as you speak to different people whilst travelling new ideas start to develop in your mind. Am thinking perhaps South America instead. I was going to "save" South America for another trip but my desire to go there is probably greater than my desire to go to Asia so perhaps I should just do it now. It will also give me an incentive to learn Spanish and I'm thinking that I need to start using my brain sooner rather than later. Have downloaded some Spanish language books onto my Kindle so we'll see...
Wednesday 19 October 2011
Sydney
Have spent a relaxing few days in Sydney exploring the city on foot and by bus taking in all the sights - the harbour, the bridge, the opera house, the botanical gardens, etc. It is spring time here but the weather is still pretty good - the occasional bit of rain but still hot enough to go to the beach when the sun does come out. Took a ferry across the harbour to Manly yesterday and braved a dip in the ocean at Shelly Beach. The water was seriously cold compared to Western Australia! Katie and I did the Bondi Beach to Bronte Beach coastal walk at the weekend and had a gorgeous breakfast - sweetcorn fritters topped with crispy bacon - Australians are certainly a lot more inventive when it comes to brunch / breakfast than us Brits.
I have to say that I wasn't massively impressed by Bondi Beach. It may be what everyone associates Sydney with but I have been thoroughly spoilt when it comes to beaches over the past few months and it doesn't compare with the white sand and turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The ocean here is still beautiful but the beaches are so busy - full of surfers - and I have got used to the less crowded beaches in WA and the stunning desolate coastlines in Mozambique and South Africa. Don't get me wrong - if you came to Bondi straight from the UK you would think it was amazing.
A lovely few days in Sydney was topped off with a cocktail at the top of the Shangri La Hotel yesterday evening (Vic - this is what used to be called the ANA Tower that you recommended as a must do). 36 floors up, the view over Sydney harbour and the rest of the city at night is just stunning.
I'm now in the Blue Mountains - a 2 hour train ride from Sydney - staying in a backpackers in the small town of Katoomba. Walking, horse riding, abseiling and canyoning all lined up for the next few days....
I have to say that I wasn't massively impressed by Bondi Beach. It may be what everyone associates Sydney with but I have been thoroughly spoilt when it comes to beaches over the past few months and it doesn't compare with the white sand and turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The ocean here is still beautiful but the beaches are so busy - full of surfers - and I have got used to the less crowded beaches in WA and the stunning desolate coastlines in Mozambique and South Africa. Don't get me wrong - if you came to Bondi straight from the UK you would think it was amazing.
A lovely few days in Sydney was topped off with a cocktail at the top of the Shangri La Hotel yesterday evening (Vic - this is what used to be called the ANA Tower that you recommended as a must do). 36 floors up, the view over Sydney harbour and the rest of the city at night is just stunning.
I'm now in the Blue Mountains - a 2 hour train ride from Sydney - staying in a backpackers in the small town of Katoomba. Walking, horse riding, abseiling and canyoning all lined up for the next few days....
Thursday 13 October 2011
The rest of WA
After Coral Bay, I headed south to the town of Denham and the Shark Bay area of WA. The overnight bus was an hour late arriving in Coral Bay so it was 1.30am by the time we boarded. Definitely ready for sleep and I was lucky enough to have two seats to myself so I pretty much slept through to the morning when we arrived at the Overlander Roadhouse. Our four wheel drive transfer to Shark Bay was waiting so we headed off. Our driver stopped off at Shell Beach for us to have a look around. Shell Beach is literally a beach of shells (about 5 metres deep) and is quite unique. It was then on to Denham and the Bay Lodge Backpackers. A very quiet little town. There are about 2 million people living in WA but 1.5 million of them live in Perth. Outside of Perth, there is very little. Denham looks like a reasonable size town on the map but in actual fact, it is little more than a couple of streets! I'll be honest - there wasn't a whole lot to do there as many of the tours into the national park area weren't available during my stay. So my first day in Denham was spent relaxing and doing practical stuff like laundry, food shopping and internet.
The next day, I took the free shuttle bus to Monkey Mia. MM is famous for the dolphins that come into the beach each day to be fed by the public. I hadn't really intended to come here as I don't really agree with interfering with nature in this way. However, there wasn't anything else to do in Denham and MM at least has a decent beach. It turned out to be a really good day as there was a good walking trail from MM out into the bush and red sand dunes. I am trying to do more walking and exercise now that I'm in Australia as I spent way too much time in Africa sitting on a truck, eating too much and not exercising. It is starting to catch up with me!
After my walk, I took a catamaran cruise and saw dolphins, dugongs and turtles. The dolphins were bow riding on the boat which was great. I must admit that I had not heard of dugongs before coming to Australia. In case you too are wondering what they are, they are basically sea cows and look like fat brown dolphins without the fins. They feed on sea grass and need to air breath so you see them when they come up to the surface of the ocean. The cruise also included a trip to a pearl farm which was really interesting to see how they create and harvest the pearls.
So that was Denham. It was a very relaxing couple of days as the backpackers was quiet. I had a dorm room to myself which was quite a treat. Funnily enough, there were a couple of Irish guys sharing my kitchen and living area and they too had just finished an overland trip through Africa. So we had fun comparing notes on our respective trips and reminiscing about places.
A horribly early start to get the transfer back to the Overlander Roadhouse (4am!). Four wheel drive vehicles don't have bull bars in Australia - they have "roo bars". The number of dead kangaroos on the road is incredible, although we managed not to hit any. Our driver took great pleasure in running over a wild cat though?! It was an interesting journey as the driver insisted on talking continually (I don't want to talk to people between the hours of 4 and 6am) and sharing his views, most of which were racist, sexist or homophobic. Was glad to get out at the end!
From the Overlander Roadhouse, I took the Greyhound bus back to Perth which took most of Sunday. An old friend from London, Kate, had invited me to stay with her (she moved to Australia several years ago and settled in Perth with her husband, Greg). They live in Scarborough just 10 minutes walk from the beach. Kate and Greg made me so welcome and provided a great base from which to explore Perth further. I spent a whole day wandering around the city. I'm not normally a fan of cities but Perth is lovely. A very compact, clean city with great public transport and friendly people.
One of the best things I did whilst staying in Perth was take the ferry to Rottnest Island. Once there, I hired a bike and spent the day cycling around the island. There are no cars on the island and there are over 60 beaches and bays to explore. Once away from the main settlement, it is easy to find beautiful secluded beaches. The island is famed for its quokkas which look a bit like big rats but they are quite cute. There are also a lot of venomous snakes and I did see one on the side of the road as I was zooming by on my bike. I didn't stop for a closer look! Rottnest Island would be a great place to spend a few days relaxing as you could just go to a different virtually deserted beach every day.
Probably the only bad thing about WA is the risk of being eaten by a Great White Shark. Kate and Greg laughed at me when I mentioned this saying that only one person a year gets killed by a Great White. However, I had also heard that Cottesloe Beach in Perth is renowned for Great White attacks. Lo and behold, the very next day a 64 year old man disappeared whilst on his early morning swim. All that was found were his bathing shorts with shark bite marks on. If I went in the ocean there, I would definitely be a little uneasy and staying very close to shore!
Travelling in Australia is very easy after being in Africa. You can drink the water, there are an abundance of public toilets, decent roads, a wide array of food and drink to choose from, etc... That said, I still prefer the simplicity and wilderness of Africa. Australia is a little too similar to England although people seem more relaxed and the weather is notably better so I can see why so many Brits emigrate here.
My two weeks in WA are now over and I arrived in Sydney yesterday evening. I'm staying with Katie and Sean (from my Africa trip) at their fab apartment right in the centre of the city (Kings Cross). Will venture out shortly but right now I am loving just being in an apartment and relaxing whilst Katie and Sean are at work...
The next day, I took the free shuttle bus to Monkey Mia. MM is famous for the dolphins that come into the beach each day to be fed by the public. I hadn't really intended to come here as I don't really agree with interfering with nature in this way. However, there wasn't anything else to do in Denham and MM at least has a decent beach. It turned out to be a really good day as there was a good walking trail from MM out into the bush and red sand dunes. I am trying to do more walking and exercise now that I'm in Australia as I spent way too much time in Africa sitting on a truck, eating too much and not exercising. It is starting to catch up with me!
After my walk, I took a catamaran cruise and saw dolphins, dugongs and turtles. The dolphins were bow riding on the boat which was great. I must admit that I had not heard of dugongs before coming to Australia. In case you too are wondering what they are, they are basically sea cows and look like fat brown dolphins without the fins. They feed on sea grass and need to air breath so you see them when they come up to the surface of the ocean. The cruise also included a trip to a pearl farm which was really interesting to see how they create and harvest the pearls.
So that was Denham. It was a very relaxing couple of days as the backpackers was quiet. I had a dorm room to myself which was quite a treat. Funnily enough, there were a couple of Irish guys sharing my kitchen and living area and they too had just finished an overland trip through Africa. So we had fun comparing notes on our respective trips and reminiscing about places.
A horribly early start to get the transfer back to the Overlander Roadhouse (4am!). Four wheel drive vehicles don't have bull bars in Australia - they have "roo bars". The number of dead kangaroos on the road is incredible, although we managed not to hit any. Our driver took great pleasure in running over a wild cat though?! It was an interesting journey as the driver insisted on talking continually (I don't want to talk to people between the hours of 4 and 6am) and sharing his views, most of which were racist, sexist or homophobic. Was glad to get out at the end!
From the Overlander Roadhouse, I took the Greyhound bus back to Perth which took most of Sunday. An old friend from London, Kate, had invited me to stay with her (she moved to Australia several years ago and settled in Perth with her husband, Greg). They live in Scarborough just 10 minutes walk from the beach. Kate and Greg made me so welcome and provided a great base from which to explore Perth further. I spent a whole day wandering around the city. I'm not normally a fan of cities but Perth is lovely. A very compact, clean city with great public transport and friendly people.
One of the best things I did whilst staying in Perth was take the ferry to Rottnest Island. Once there, I hired a bike and spent the day cycling around the island. There are no cars on the island and there are over 60 beaches and bays to explore. Once away from the main settlement, it is easy to find beautiful secluded beaches. The island is famed for its quokkas which look a bit like big rats but they are quite cute. There are also a lot of venomous snakes and I did see one on the side of the road as I was zooming by on my bike. I didn't stop for a closer look! Rottnest Island would be a great place to spend a few days relaxing as you could just go to a different virtually deserted beach every day.
Probably the only bad thing about WA is the risk of being eaten by a Great White Shark. Kate and Greg laughed at me when I mentioned this saying that only one person a year gets killed by a Great White. However, I had also heard that Cottesloe Beach in Perth is renowned for Great White attacks. Lo and behold, the very next day a 64 year old man disappeared whilst on his early morning swim. All that was found were his bathing shorts with shark bite marks on. If I went in the ocean there, I would definitely be a little uneasy and staying very close to shore!
Travelling in Australia is very easy after being in Africa. You can drink the water, there are an abundance of public toilets, decent roads, a wide array of food and drink to choose from, etc... That said, I still prefer the simplicity and wilderness of Africa. Australia is a little too similar to England although people seem more relaxed and the weather is notably better so I can see why so many Brits emigrate here.
My two weeks in WA are now over and I arrived in Sydney yesterday evening. I'm staying with Katie and Sean (from my Africa trip) at their fab apartment right in the centre of the city (Kings Cross). Will venture out shortly but right now I am loving just being in an apartment and relaxing whilst Katie and Sean are at work...
Thursday 6 October 2011
Coral Bay, Western Australia (WA)
Lots to report since my last post..
On Sunday, Jen and Jason took me out for the day. First stop Kings Park in Perth which is a lovely place (bigger than New York's Central Park apparently) with great views back over the city. Then we drove on through the centre of Perth and down to Freemantle (or Freo as Aussies call it because they like to shorten most words) which is a town about 20km south of Perth on the coast. Freemantle is a very laid back place, quite hippyish, lots of street performers, markets, quirky shops, etc. We then took a scenic drive home along the coast past Cottesloe and Scarborough beaches. A lovely day out - thanks for having me to stay guys!
Monday - an early start and a 15 hour bus trip up north to Coral Bay and the Ningaloo Reef. Why so far? Well, I had been trying to decide what to do with my two weeks in WA given it is a vast place and I don't have much time. However, I have always wanted to see manta rays and you are pretty much guaranteed to see them on the Ningaloo Reef so that was my mind made up. I am so used to long travelling days now that 15 hours doesn't seem so bad to me anymore. Lots of time to gaze out of the window and contemplate life. It also gives you the opportunity to see more of a country. What I got from this bus trip is that WA is huge, mostly bush / desert and very few inhabitants. You could drive for miles and miles before you came across a very small settlement or perhaps just a roadhouse (kind of like a service station but on a much smaller scale). The other plus to heading north is that it is warmer since it is only spring time in Perth.
So I arrived in Coral Bay at 11.30pm where I am staying at the backpackers. Coral Bay is simply stunning - beautiful beaches stretching for miles on end and the colour of the water is just amazing - better than anything I came across in Africa. Backpacker life is good. After travelling on an organised trip through Africa, it is quite refreshing to be by myself fixing my own agenda and travel plans. Hostels have definitely gone upmarket since my student travelling days. They are now a lot cleaner and smarter with different dorm options. Since I'm not a student anymore, I really don't want to share a dorm room with lots of random strangers. Most places in Australia seem to offer 4, 6 and 12 bed dorm options so 4 bed dorms for only an extra $2 a night is the way to go... you meet more discerning travellers rather than students on their gap years!
Coral Bay is a tiny place. Basically just one road, a couple of shops, a dive centre, a few restaurants. Sunbathing, walking on the beach, swimming and snorkelling have been my main sources of entertainment for the past few days. Yesterday, I went out on a boat trip and got to snorkel with manta rays three times and do two scuba dives. Seeing mantas was fantastic!!! They are up to 4 metres across from wingtip to wingtip and just glide through the water so gracefully. On the first snorkel, we saw one but it was in quite deep water so it wasn't a clear view. The second time, the manta was more obliging and swam really near the surface so we really got to see the white underside of its belly clearly (they are black on top, white underneath). The spotter plane pilot then called the boat to say they had found four mantas swimming in very shallow water. It was fantastic because the water was crystal clear and only about 4 metres deep so we got to see them so close up and swim along with them for ages. The diving was also great later in the day - beautiful unspoilt coral. The Australian girl I am sharing a dorm with and dived with says that Ningaloo Reef is way better than the Great Barrier Reef, so there you go. If you are going to dive in Australia, come to Ningaloo - it is stunning. The diving does surpass anything I did in Africa and is up there with diving in the Caribbean.
Also worth mentioning is the shark nursery. A walk up the beach and there is a really shallow area where all the little reef sharks gather in schools together to capture fish. You literally just stand on the beach or in the water and the sharks are swimming around just metres away from you. There were about 10 there today but sometimes there are 50+. Very cool to watch!
So now I am playing a waiting game as my bus does not leave until 12.35am tonight - well tomorrow morning technically. Luckily the backpackers are nice enough to let us use their showers and facilities even though we officially checked out this morning. I am heading south to Denham, the most westerly town in WA. The bus journey is around 6 hours to the Overlander Roadhouse. The bus stopped here on the way north for the evening meal break. I have to say that the Overlander Roadhouse is grim - only revolting deep fried food on offer. So I am hoping that the tranfer vehicle onto Denham is ready and waiting because it would be a depressing place to have to spend any length of time! Two other people in my dorm are heading that way too though so at least we will be waiting around together. Plus travelling through the night saves a whole night's accommodation cost. Given Australia is very expensive, that is a plus. Food and drink is almost double UK prices. Even a dorm bed in a backpackers is 15-20 english pounds a night so money doesn't go far here. Probably a good thing I'm only in Australia for a month..
On Sunday, Jen and Jason took me out for the day. First stop Kings Park in Perth which is a lovely place (bigger than New York's Central Park apparently) with great views back over the city. Then we drove on through the centre of Perth and down to Freemantle (or Freo as Aussies call it because they like to shorten most words) which is a town about 20km south of Perth on the coast. Freemantle is a very laid back place, quite hippyish, lots of street performers, markets, quirky shops, etc. We then took a scenic drive home along the coast past Cottesloe and Scarborough beaches. A lovely day out - thanks for having me to stay guys!
Monday - an early start and a 15 hour bus trip up north to Coral Bay and the Ningaloo Reef. Why so far? Well, I had been trying to decide what to do with my two weeks in WA given it is a vast place and I don't have much time. However, I have always wanted to see manta rays and you are pretty much guaranteed to see them on the Ningaloo Reef so that was my mind made up. I am so used to long travelling days now that 15 hours doesn't seem so bad to me anymore. Lots of time to gaze out of the window and contemplate life. It also gives you the opportunity to see more of a country. What I got from this bus trip is that WA is huge, mostly bush / desert and very few inhabitants. You could drive for miles and miles before you came across a very small settlement or perhaps just a roadhouse (kind of like a service station but on a much smaller scale). The other plus to heading north is that it is warmer since it is only spring time in Perth.
So I arrived in Coral Bay at 11.30pm where I am staying at the backpackers. Coral Bay is simply stunning - beautiful beaches stretching for miles on end and the colour of the water is just amazing - better than anything I came across in Africa. Backpacker life is good. After travelling on an organised trip through Africa, it is quite refreshing to be by myself fixing my own agenda and travel plans. Hostels have definitely gone upmarket since my student travelling days. They are now a lot cleaner and smarter with different dorm options. Since I'm not a student anymore, I really don't want to share a dorm room with lots of random strangers. Most places in Australia seem to offer 4, 6 and 12 bed dorm options so 4 bed dorms for only an extra $2 a night is the way to go... you meet more discerning travellers rather than students on their gap years!
Coral Bay is a tiny place. Basically just one road, a couple of shops, a dive centre, a few restaurants. Sunbathing, walking on the beach, swimming and snorkelling have been my main sources of entertainment for the past few days. Yesterday, I went out on a boat trip and got to snorkel with manta rays three times and do two scuba dives. Seeing mantas was fantastic!!! They are up to 4 metres across from wingtip to wingtip and just glide through the water so gracefully. On the first snorkel, we saw one but it was in quite deep water so it wasn't a clear view. The second time, the manta was more obliging and swam really near the surface so we really got to see the white underside of its belly clearly (they are black on top, white underneath). The spotter plane pilot then called the boat to say they had found four mantas swimming in very shallow water. It was fantastic because the water was crystal clear and only about 4 metres deep so we got to see them so close up and swim along with them for ages. The diving was also great later in the day - beautiful unspoilt coral. The Australian girl I am sharing a dorm with and dived with says that Ningaloo Reef is way better than the Great Barrier Reef, so there you go. If you are going to dive in Australia, come to Ningaloo - it is stunning. The diving does surpass anything I did in Africa and is up there with diving in the Caribbean.
Also worth mentioning is the shark nursery. A walk up the beach and there is a really shallow area where all the little reef sharks gather in schools together to capture fish. You literally just stand on the beach or in the water and the sharks are swimming around just metres away from you. There were about 10 there today but sometimes there are 50+. Very cool to watch!
So now I am playing a waiting game as my bus does not leave until 12.35am tonight - well tomorrow morning technically. Luckily the backpackers are nice enough to let us use their showers and facilities even though we officially checked out this morning. I am heading south to Denham, the most westerly town in WA. The bus journey is around 6 hours to the Overlander Roadhouse. The bus stopped here on the way north for the evening meal break. I have to say that the Overlander Roadhouse is grim - only revolting deep fried food on offer. So I am hoping that the tranfer vehicle onto Denham is ready and waiting because it would be a depressing place to have to spend any length of time! Two other people in my dorm are heading that way too though so at least we will be waiting around together. Plus travelling through the night saves a whole night's accommodation cost. Given Australia is very expensive, that is a plus. Food and drink is almost double UK prices. Even a dorm bed in a backpackers is 15-20 english pounds a night so money doesn't go far here. Probably a good thing I'm only in Australia for a month..
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Africa - animal photos
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| Lion in Samburu NP, Kenya |
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| Silverback gorilla in Uganda |
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| Wildebeest in Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania |
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| Giraffe in Ruaha NP, Tanzania |
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| Elephants crossing the Chobe River, Botswana |
Monday 3 October 2011
Africa photos
Just so people know that I am still alive and haven't changed too much... apart from my hair having gone a lot blonder in the sun
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| On the way up the Sani Pass to Lesotho |
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| The very official Lesotho border post! |
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| At the top of Table Mountain, Cape Town |
Saturday 1 October 2011
Australia!
Just a quick blog update to let those who care know that I have arrived safely in Australia. It was so lovely to be met at Perth airport by Jen and Jason (and kids). After a long flight via Kuala Lumpur, it was awesome to see a friendly face at the other end, get driven home and made a great steak dinner. Not to mention a good gossip and catch up with Jen as it has been several years since we last saw each other (Jen and I used to live together at uni).
Had a great night's sleep and feel remarkably un-jet lagged. My first proper day in Australia and already I have seen kangaroos and koala bears! Jen and Jason are being great hosts and have given me a tour of the surrounding area today. They live in Butler, just north of Perth and about 5 minutes from the beach. Today we've been out and about, including a visit to Yanchep National Park. I am struck by how new, modern and clean everything is about Australia. Most of the houses are very new and the malls and shopping centres the same (quite American in many ways but I know Aussies hate it when they are compared to America!).
Just off to the beach to watch the sunset and enjoy some "coldies" - that is Australian for a cold drink / beer. Luckily, as I've spent the past five months in the company of several Aussies, I am able to understand the lingo fairly well now..
Had a great night's sleep and feel remarkably un-jet lagged. My first proper day in Australia and already I have seen kangaroos and koala bears! Jen and Jason are being great hosts and have given me a tour of the surrounding area today. They live in Butler, just north of Perth and about 5 minutes from the beach. Today we've been out and about, including a visit to Yanchep National Park. I am struck by how new, modern and clean everything is about Australia. Most of the houses are very new and the malls and shopping centres the same (quite American in many ways but I know Aussies hate it when they are compared to America!).
Just off to the beach to watch the sunset and enjoy some "coldies" - that is Australian for a cold drink / beer. Luckily, as I've spent the past five months in the company of several Aussies, I am able to understand the lingo fairly well now..
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