Felices Fiestas, Happy Holidays

Australia highlights

Australia highlights Australia highlights 09/12/2009 de Antonio Jose Ver álbum Reproducir diapositivas

Back in Madrid

I arrived back to Madrid on Sunday morning, and after doing the worse thing possible for the Jet-lag, that is sleep 15 hours from 9 am to 24:00. I am now working with the photos.

I have to process about 3000 photos, which will take me very long, for the moment a only a hand full of them are being process

Some panomaric photos, taken from the mobile phone are in the following picasa album, here there are a few pictures I took using the panoramic option from the mobile phone. They are not good quality, but gives a better understanding of some of the spectacular views

Some photos about the 1st day in diving in the great Reef can be seen here I have reduced from 345 to just over 100 photos.

Filo Un anonimo conocido

Day 25 This is the end........

Day 25  This is the end.....

Like the song of The Doors, which is the song I always try to listen before I go to bed before a marathon,  This is the end ....

Today was my last day in Australia, and I have to say that it has not been the most exiting one. Today I had the task to have a peek on Melbourne, which is a city that I indeed liked, lots of cafes, full of people in the street at all times, a city I would be comfortable living in. I went around the city and enjoyed it.

The other task that I had for today was shopping (which is not my most exiting exercise), I have been leaving all the shopping to the very last day, because I could not be carrying staff on all this travel, with packing and unpacking everyday. During all this travel, I have been finding things that were ok, but not buying them, and today,,,, I could only find 3 or 4 crappy souvenir shops with awful staff. And also trying to buy the didgeridoo for my friends, an small one, and all that I have found were crap and cost minimum 70 euros, and they would be souvenirs only (no chance to play nothing).  So I am living it to tomorrow morning in the Airports a couple of things if I find them,  if not .. well,  I'll have to come back again, which I wouldn't mind it.

Basic plan for what it is left, is going to meet the guys from the last trip from Adelaide, (yesterday we stayed till 2 am) to say goodbye, and tomorrow at 6 am wake up since I have the airplane leaving at 10:40.

Next update on the blog from Spain.

Filo Un anonimo conocido.

Day 22, 23 & 24 Adelide- Melbourne Grampians+Great Ocean Road.

Day 22, 23 & 24 Adelaide- Melbourne Grampians+Great Ocean Road.
Day 22
Yet another 6:00 am start today, to being picked up at 7:00. I was lucky to change the clock in my mobile, since there is a 1h difference between Northern Territory and South Australia. If I wouldn't have done it, instead of write about the tour I am in, I will be starting to write about how I missed the bus.
But I didn't missed it.

The 3 days Tour seems like it is going to be good laugh . The tour guide, JP , is a funny Aussie, and so seems to be group, 17 including myself, majority of "chicks", using JP's words.

Today's plan is to go to Grampians do some walks, see waterfalls, and we will stay in a hostel in the Grampians National Park,

The Grampians are 500-600 kms away, so some time in the bus driving was required, but JP every now and then told us a story to entertain us. As well as some decent selection of music (I still remember how dreadful was the selection on the Darwin-Alice Springs was when guide Ipod was on ).

Just after lunch we arrived to the border with Victoria, and again we had to move the clocks forward, this time 30 minutes. That is the 4th clock change since I have arrived to Australia. This will be my last one before departing.

In the Grampians mountains apparently live something like 500.000 kangaroos, and all types of birds. Just before starting the National park we were able to see over half a dozen Red kangaroos & a couple of emus.

The place looks similar to the Blue Mountains, with a high number of eucalyptus trees. There was a huge fire 3-4 years ago, which affected 2/3 of the national park, and the place is recovering, although looks good already. First stop was the Mackenzie Falls, this time no swimming was allowed, so unfortunately I could not add it to the list of water holes/falls I had a swim/bath. Then we went to a look up point The Balconies to admire the beauty of the place.

Then as we were heading down to the hostel, 300 m from it, we saw about 25-35 Kangaroos. In hostel we had a BBQ, and child out with the people having a drink. As someone had cards we did as you would normally do,"Play drinking games", Horse Racing was by far the best one, getting everyone involved.

Day 23
The day didn't started too early 7 am up, 8ish in the bus. With a glorious spring day we went for a 4-5 km trek to the Pinnacle, another look up point of the Grampians, with the usual photo sessions.
After that we went to an aborigine center to see a video of the "Genesis "according to them, interesting, but after seen few in the last 3 a few of them, I preferred to stay in the shop terrace and grab a coffee.

We got into the bus again, and we left the Grampians heading to the Great Ocean Road, stopping for lunch in one of the picnic areas, using the electrical BBQs that are available everywhere in Australia. Not sure if I have talked in the blog about them, basically all over Australia there are free BBQs in picnic areas. They are everywhere, even in mountains. All of the ones I have seen were fairly clean.

We started the Great Ocean Road around 4:30. The Great Ocean Road goes parallel to the coast line, with plenty of spots to see how the ocean has produced funny shapes in the limestone coast. So we went to a couple of those before arriving to the hostel.
Bay of islands
Bay of Martyrs, spending some time in the beach.
London Bridge
We went to the Hostel unpack, and leave to get to The twelve Apostles for sunset. This is one of the places most representatives in the south, so the place was quite crowded but it was still ok. There are no longer 12 standing, since sea has brought some of them down.

The hostel we stayed was quite good, At least the location was, just in front of the beach, at Port Cambell. We had our dinner at reasonable time, that is 9:30, unlike most of the other days on all tours (always far to early), and then we stay till late (2:00-2:30 am) having some drinks, playing card games, etc

Day 24
We started the last day of the tour around 7:00. Unfortunately today was not as good as yesterday, a bit cloudy and windy. We started visiting close locations, "Loch Ard Gorge " and The twelve Apostles to try catch with with sun, unfortunately it was still cloudy.
The day improved as we were going to next destination, Mait's Rest RainForest. To tell you the truth I have already seen so much rainforest, that it didn't impresed me much.

We had lunch in Apollo Bay, not much to say about it.

As we continue with the Great Oc. Rd. Landscape changed, and become more eucalyptus tree forest. We stopped the bus, and we went to look for Koalas since there were many in the area. Walking about 200 m we were able to find a few of them, one of them fairly low, about 3 m high.

We continue our trip stopping a couple of times for small breaks, and photos, for example at the memorial arch for the construction of the Road, or Torquay surf city, home of Rip&Curl and Quicksilver. I didn't buy anything but this should be paradise for surf maniacs.

Arrival to Melbourne was around 7 pm. The sun came out and the wind disappeared, hopefully it will stay like that tomorrow.

I will probably meet the guys for dinner & a drink, and get ready for tomorrows last day in Australia, a combined shopping+visiting session day.

Filo un anonimo conocido.

Day 21 Alice springs to Adelaide.

Day 21 Alice springs to Adelaide.

Yesterday my seven days tour from Darwin to Alice Springs finished.

And the final week in Australia started. The highlights are:

• Monday: Flight to Adelaide.
• Tuesday-Thursday Adelaide-Melbourne tour Great Ocean Road & Grampians.
• Friday Visiting Melbourne + shopping.
• Saturday Flight back.
• Sunday: arrive 7:35am sleep all day,

And cry because I will have to start working again on a job that I no longer enjoy and that I don't see how to make a change.

 

Although the trip is not over yet, and I might end up finding what I'm looking for, or how to change things for good. Who knows, maybe things are already changing but yet not seen it.

 

Anyway, back to story telling. , yesterday I spent evening after arriving from Urulu in the Toddy's Hostel, getting things ready for today's flights, and in the Pub of the hostel dinner+live music and resting a bit cause I needed.

 

After 6.5-7 hours of good sleep I got up and got myself prepared to catch the shuttle bus to airport. To take the flight to Adelaide.

 

I arrived in the afternoon, and after arranging things for tomorrow's trip, I went to the city center to try to see as much as I could before the sun would go down. I liked what I saw; Adelaide is the most Victorian style city I have seen so far in Australia. Mind you that I could not see any of Darwin, but I don't thing it would gave changed. There are a good number of stone buildings, including one that was interesting to see which was a real mason society, I've never seen any mason building, or at least any that wrote it up openly, and after finishing the Dan Brown book, I was expecting to find pyramids, eyes or any symbol, which I did not.

 

For diner I stopped by a Thai & Vietnamese Restaurant. Temperature in Adelaide was 23 C° and I guess 15-16 by lunch time, which after being 2 weeks in the mid 30, and even 40 in Darwin, a Beef Pho with a Shinga beer was the best option. After that back to the hostel, write the blog and go to bed, since tomorrow another early start (and maybe I have to get some warmer clothes).

 

I might not update the blog on the next 3 days. Stay tuned.

 

Filo, A known anonymous.

Day 19 & 20: 2 Days - 1 night trip to Kings Canyon & Urulu.

Day 19 & 20: 2 Days - 1 night trip to Kings Canyon & Urulu.

Day 19

I will start with last night. As I announced we went to have dinner in Bojangles. The place is an American/western bar, with decoration with skulls of animals, boots hanging from ceiling, and a couple of interesting things:

1st There are cameras in the bar which Breakfast live in internet what is happening in www.bossaloon.com.au

2nd if I would have set an id, you would have being able to buy me beers.

Anyway, I chose camel pie for dinner. Camel tastes like beef. Then we had few drinks there, Cheryl , from the Kakadu Tour  join us.

In the end what was going to be a quick dinner was not such and I end up going to bed by 12, in a dorm of 8, again on the top mattress.

I slept very little, I woke at 4:15, to repack and get ready for 5:10 start. Unfortunately the driver was sick so we started about 35-40 min late the already busy agenda as they have to change the Tour Guide.

1st day of the Tour is Kings Canyon and then sleeping in a camp by Urulu, where I have the choice of bush camping or tend. In Cairns I was advice to do bush Camping. It will depend on the weather.

 

The Tour is fairly full. 3 girls from Denmark from the previous tour are in this tour again. There is going to be lots of time in bus today and tomorrow, so I took a seat by the Tour guide which made travelling more interesting.

 

First stop of the day was Kings Canyon. In the way there we were able to see a bit of the fauna here , kangaroos , emus, an eagle that was eaten by the road that  we almost hit, a dingo. But what we mostly saw were dead kangaroos by the side of the road, being hit by cars, we saw 7 or 8 of them.

In Kings Canyon we had a 6 km walk before lunch. Kings Canyon had a few of good shots, but didn't meet the expectations that some people had put on it. The Canyon was form by earthquake and it was interesting to see how some of the photos slow that, flat cracks in the rock.

 

After Lunch we started our way to Urulu. 3+ hours almost non stop to try to get there by sunset. It looks like the Dracula film, when everyone were going to the castle before the sun would go down and trying to get there before Dracula would wake up.

 

We arrived on time, the look-up point is just next to the camping area. We arrived with about 20+ minutes to spare, and of course after the sunset photos, we had dinner, an aussie BBQ with kangaroo, camel sausages, marinade beef and salad selection. After today I think that I only need to try buffalo before I go to Spain.

 

I decided to sleep outside, under the south hemisphere starts, which are quite different to north. I am not an expert but the only constellation I could recognize was Orion.

Tomorrow we have to be up at 4 am so we can go to the sunrise side of Urulu. So we have to be in the bus, everything packed by 4:55 am

 

Day 20

 

I woke up at 3:30 am, with the good piece of news that the moon was finally outs so we could see a sky full of starts. We could see clearly the milky way, the southern cross, a galaxy in the south, and either Saturn or Juniper near Orion.

 

By 4 we" jump out" from the sleeping bag, packed everything, had breakfast and we went to see Urulu at sunrise.

Then we went for a walk around "the  red rock".  I decided to  respect aborigine laws and not do the climbing, also I didn't have time to do both walks anyway. So I did the "Base walk" , 10k walk around Urulu, giving me oportunity to shoot many photos . Maybe some would be ok, but one thing is clear, I will need to work with them in selecting the best "shots", since including the submarine photos I am already in the 2500+ so far, and I still have the great Ocean Road trip.

 

After Urulu, we went to Kata-Tjuta. Another rock formation 20 km away. This time is nota a  single "rock" like Urulu, it is a combination if various smaller  "rocks", as high as Urulu. We did the small 1 hour walk, which was about that we could do before lunch. We didn't have the choice, the other one was 2.5 kms. Which we didn't have time especially at middle of the day.

 

After lunch we started a 5 hours aprox to Alice Springs. Hopefully tonight I would be able to rest, because after so many days on tour, trips, getting up very early, Packing unpacking, hours on the bus, I am starting to be very tired.

 

Day 16,17 & 18: Darwin-Alice Springs

Day 16,17 & 18: Darwin-Alice Springs
This part of the trip involves lots of travelling giving me oportunities for writing things for the blog in the mobile, while I am in the bus.

Day 16 Darwin to Katherine George
The Second Part of the trip started early. By 6 am we were already on our way. Again the trip was not full, there were only 11 people including myself (10 females and myself)

First stop of the day was to have breakfast in the Adelaide River Inn, with the big buffalo in crocodile Dundee.

After this there was a long 2 hours drive to the camping site to unpack all the food and prepare lunch.

Then we head to Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) and did some canoeing in the river caynon, plus swimming in the river, a tradition by now.

After that we went to Topidge Gallery, a gallery of aborigin art. There I was able to do my litle aborigin style drawing, absolutely awful.

Then after that we went to the camp for dinner, lamb couscous that Rich (the tour guide prepared it)before we headed to bed. I had again my own tend since i was the only bloke and we were not a full crowd.

Day 17 Katherine George to Tennant Creek.

The day started early again, 5:30, since today it was going to be a long day with lost of kms on the road. Hovever we were going to have few stops in the middle.
We started stopped fairly soon in Korran (Bitter Springs) thermal springs. Obviously as swimming was allowed so I did. Water was clean and warm, about 29 -30 C° but there area smelled not very well , so certainly this place I would only recomend If you are passing by and you want to get refreshed.

Stopped as well before lunch in the "Pink Panter" Pub / hotel(Larrimah Wayside inn), the highest pub in the Northern territory, at a "stunning" 180m. The places is an old pub, that need a redecoration 30 years ago,so It has a retro-style, clearly unintentional. It is weird that the TV room was also, the snake room, so next to the TV set you have a Phyton. The back garden was full of bird in jails , and I had a photo holding a small snake. We didn't stay long because the place doesn't have much to offer except for a tiny musseum tha tells about the rail durin WW-II.
Much more interesting was where we stopped for lunch, Daly Water. This time the Pub, dated 1930, had a maintained retro style interesting, in acordance with the rest of the village, which seemed to be taken from a 1940s film. The Público had fracturó decoration, specially inside, sinc the walls and ceiling was full of things left by guest, from student cards to bras & tangas.
Day Water was the first internacional airport in Australia, where planes used to refuel before going to other int locations.

After 3-4h drive we went to Tennant Creek, a small town but the biggest by far we have found since we left Darwin, which seems to survive with mining and little farming. By now the landscape changed significantly so it is now bushes and some scattered trees here and there.
The camp was outside Tennant Creek. We had Kangaroo stew for dinner.

Day 18 Tennant Creek to Alice Springs.
We started the day a bit later this time, but only 30 min later, so by 7 o'clock we were already in the bus.

First stop of the day was Devil's marbles (canicas del diablo). This is an area with with some very peculiar rock fornation. Took plenty of photos here. Unfortunately, most of the photos with me in are not very good, with the exception of a couple of them who took the pictures didn't make good use of the zoom on them.

Them we stopped for a "bio" break, on Wycliffe Well, suposely the location in the world with more UFO spotting in the world. Here many people that claim to have spottted UFOs. I didn't.

Lunch was at Barrow Creek, next to the an old telegraph station. We continue the trip stoping for some breaks in a couple of places, being the most significant the mark indicating we were crossing the Tropic of Capricorn. We reach to the tropic about 4:30, 10 min after I finished reading "Angels and demons" which i digested almost half of it in these three of intense bus.

Alice springs was not far. We arrived about 17:00. In the evening the plan was to go to have Diner in a reataurant called Bojungles, book by tge tour guide were i might be able to try camel or bufalo.

Tomorrow I have a very early start, 5:10 pick up.

Day 14 & 15 Darwin-Kakadu-Darwin

Day 14 & 15 Darwin-Kakadu-Darwin

 

On Monday I started Adventure Tours trip from Darwin to Alice Spring doing 2 days in Kakadu and 2 in Urulu.

 

I arrive to Darwin at 9:30, and by the time that I arrive to the hostel it was already 10:20, and the next day I had to be up by 6am.

 

I was able to sleep very little since I was in a dorm with 2 other guys, and I was using the upper bed (which I am not used to), Also I had to repack to leave few things in the hostel that I didn't need it for the initial part of the trip Darwin-Kakadu-Darwin, and I had to this with guys already at bed, which took me a while.  Additionally, thinking that I might be not able to wake up made me wake every hour. And I woke up 30 minutes far too early, since in Darwin there is a 30' difference with Cairns.

 

Although the day started not to good, it improve. The trip I joined, at least the Kakadu part, had only 3 other passengers, 3 females, and myself. It was very good being so little because we had all the 4WD bus for us (normally 16 passengers), which made all the trip very good, so lots of food for us, total possibility to move around the bus, no need to share tends etc.

 

I enjoyed the tour Kakadu.  We started on a trip to spot Crocodiles,    and finally I was able to do so, after the failure on Danttree River. We saw 4 or 5, and was able to shoot plenty of photos, not only at the crocodiles but also to many birds that they were concentrated around the water.  This concentration was due the fact that it is the end of the dry season, and this aread which is normally flooded areas are at their year minimum, since they didn't have any significant amount of water since the Monsoons in Feb-March. Amount the animals we found, there were 2 couples of eagles, from which I was able to fotograph 3 of them.

 

Then we visited some aborigines, that show us how their traditional way of living. Interesting how they control the fires in the region. As there are many storms and thunders strikes (one of the highest rate in the world) the method the aborigines had controlled the fires. Basically, what they do is set small fires, burning all the bushes, and leaves, etc.  at the end of the wet season, enough not to kill the trees, but at the same time makes that if there is a real fire there is it would be put off by itself.

 

In the evening we went to Ubirr Rock. Here we saw all the art rock that aborigines have been doing. It was very good and interesting. Here is were some of the Crocodile Dandi was filmed.

 

 

In the evening the went to the permanent camp were we had our diner, and sleeped in Permanent tends they have there.

At night a big storm hardly let us sleep, and we have a 5:30 start,

 

In the end the rain was good because it made the day not that hot.  We went to the Jim Jim waterfall ( with no water) and had a swim there, and on the way back to Darwin we visited few more locations, where we could see more animals (Kangaroos, horses, Dingos, etc) as well as stopping for 1 hour in the kakadu Visitor center.

 

Tomorrow I have a 5:30 start so I will be having to be up by 5:00 am again.  So I'll keep this sort since I need to go for dinner as well

 

Filo, A known anonymous

Day 12 & 13 Atherton tablelands Waterfall & waterholes with Uncle Brian Tour + departing to Darwin

Day 12 & 13 Atherton tablelands Waterfall & waterholes with Uncle Brian Tour + departing to Darwin

Yesterday was a fun day. I joined a tour to visit the Atherton Tablelands. The tour consisted in going to different places, have a swim, eat, go to another location and so on. But it was all done in a funny way. The tour guide, cousin Rohan¿? Was constantly doing jokes, making everyone involved in games and activities, creating a great atmosphere, so the time in GUS THE BUS was as fun as the time out. It was a good laugh, and it didn't matter in rained hard part of the trip.
We visited and had a swim.
Devil's hole pool.
Josephine Waterfall
Millaa Millaa Waterfall. Including a "Timotei moment" I'll try to upload the the picture
Volcanic crater Lake Eacham

After all that swim, we went as well for a platypus spotting, where believe or not, I was able to spot a couple of them , and even take a couple of pictures. After that a bit of Didgeridoo play. And back to Cairns. On the way back, it was amaisying to see, thousand of huge fruit bat going back to the rain forest, after spending the day in the mango and banana plantations.

Today, day 13, it has been all about packing, getting things ready for the Darwin trip (i had to make the backpack weigth less than 10-12kg for the first part of the trip), and relaxing a bit in Cairns. So i stayed in the lagoon, an open swimming pool area with sea water, with BBQs, lawn to lay down quietly, read a book, picnic etc.
My flight was at 19:30. So i had sometime to spend have a beer or 2, while taking a good read to Angel & Demons, the book i picked up for this trip.

Day 11: diving in the Outer Reef with Silverswift.

Day 10: diving in the Outer Reef with Silverswift.

Today it has been a new diving day, This time as I mentioned earlier I was going to go to the outer reef, this time with a different company. The outer reef is a totally different thing, sand is deeper, and you can dive deeper, ergo less time in the sea, and things are bit less concentrated, however, the fish stay still, and in some places it was like watching the Disney film.

I had 3 dives today, first 2 visibility was excellent the third one is was worse, but still quite goo. As I mentioned earlier fishes stay still like waiting to be photographed, but this time I didn't rent the camera (which was a good idea, because my dives would have been very short since I would have consumed too much air. We saw various turtles, we were able to touch one of them, few rays, nameless numbers of fishes, of all types (including the mighty famous Nemo), as well as all corals.

This time my diving skills improved, specially from on the 2nd and third, and although I have been on deeper water, my ears are better than yesterday, that I was constantly going up and down.


As I mentioned yesterday I can now compare the 2 companies. Certainly the are different. SeaStar is small boat, closer crew, and very friendly, it is a very good place to do snorkeling, and for inexperienced divers, since you do lower water, and you have a very good ratio of instructor to students. Silverswift is bigger, 100 person, the number of divers, were about 25-30, and you had like 1 instructor every 8 people which is the normal ratio. But Silverswift are very professional, it is more divers world, although both of them includes a diving computer in as part of the kit, the one of Silverswift is fantastic, and they make sure the same one is use during the 3 dives.


Changing topics, now some non-diving stuff. I am changing today to the other hostel, The Tropics days, 10 min further, but belonging to the same people. That is the one I had the BBQ in. I have not booked in yet. but I am on my way. This morning before leaving Travelers Oasis I book for tomorrow a trip to Allerthons tableland, that is a bit more of rain forest, but this time with Waterfalls, swimming in them etc. As Javier woudl know I never say no to having a swim in lakes, and rivers, so this is a new opportunity to do so.

Enough for today
Filo Un anonimo conocido.

Day 10 Diving with SeaStar in the Great Reef.

Day 8 Diving with SeaStar in the Great Reef.

Today I went to the Great Reef for 3 dives. It was great. I rented a digital camara, and there is so much ,that you can keep shoot photos here and there even without looking and get a decent photo.

I have 345 photos so some of them should be OK. To start with I will start with just 1 sample.

The ship crew was very friendly, and cooperative, we went to Michaelmas Cay first and then to the Hasting Reef. There were only 3 certified divers (included me) so it was fantastic since there was 1 dive Master for 3 of us, and in the last dive, there was only 1 diver and myself. We had food in the boat, good one, and had some sun bathing in the front deck so I will be fairly tuned when I will be back to Spain.

Certainly what John from Travellers recommendation was very good.

Tomorrow I will diving again, this time with a different company (Pro-Dive), So I will be able to say which one it better

Day 8&9 Cape Tribulation trip & Daintree National Park.

Day 7&8 Cape Tribulation trip & Daintree National Park.

The day started very early in fact 1 hour too early since I forgot to change the clock in the mobile phone so I woke up at 5 am, when i thought it was 6, having gone to bed the night before at 1. So gave me time for pack my stuff nicely since I have to leave the backpack and the room for one day.

On our way the guide told us that it is jellyfish season Nov-June. And we should not dare to give a try because it is a hospital visit after that. There are some areas with nets to allow some bathing. It is a pity since the sea is very calm and clean and with hot days like these. There is Vinegar in the beaches as a remedy if you get stung, as that slow down things and gives time to go to hospital, i saw those in

We went to the Daintree River first, to try to see crocs. Unfortunately we could not see any, the tide was up and it was hot so the crocs where just under water.

Then we went to the National Park to see the Rain forest. Everything in the area is rain forest, unlike the one in the Bluemountains that was small and got eucalyptus that found way in. This one is pure. This time We where lucky and we saw the casseve bird, which is like a turkey but 1.5-2 m high, and very primitive. I can't remember all the trees, insects, we saw, but some trees were 40 m high, and one was aged something like 1500-2000 years old.

We where dropped in the Cape Trip Beach House accommodations. The place is just in the middle of the rain forest, the accommodations are in huts (i think that is the word for cabaña) and 10 m away from the beach. Child out a bit in swimming pool, visited the surrounded area and I booked a tour to visit the forest at night. It was fairly good, and it is a pity that i underestimated the possibilities for taking pictures because we saw a few things, frogs if all sort, spiders,dragonfly, chameleon type lizard. And we went as well to see croc, which this time we saw them in the water, red eyes moving, and some movement in the water.

Second day the plan was to do a excursion and then join the tour for the second half of the tour. So I took a 9 km trip to water hole and had a bath there, but mind you when I was going to get there a small water snake or small eel was just in front of my bare feet, So I waited a bit, convince myself it was not dangerous since I was told before it was ok, and got in, till waist level to cool down.

After lunch we join the tour again,

going to Port Douglas, stopping to have a swim in a river, and back to Cairns.

Tomorrow the plan is a Diving tour in the great Reef. If i enjoy i might go again on Saturday or Friday. Stay tuned.

Day-7 Cairns and BBQ

Hello.

Yesterday I feft Sydney to go to Cairns. Booked in a very friendly backpack Hotel and went to have a look.
On that night on a different Hostel they same owner owns. they orgnize a BBQ with Kangaroo, Emu, Crocodile and Aussie sausages + a selection of salads. for 12$ including a free drink in a Pub in the main street we all went to

It was a good laught the owner is an entretainer, teaching us how to play the
Didgeridoo, and making a competion with it. It was a good laugh.

I also book some trips, a 2 days 1 night in Cape Tribulation + Dantree rives (Crocodiles + Rain Forest) and a trip to the Great Reef to dive.

going to the Trip now. I might not be able to write tomorrow, but I'll give you a quick update and maybe upload some fotos on Thursday

Day -6 Final day in Sydney.

 

Day -6 Final day in Sydney.

Hey dudes, I am going to miss this city. Today it was my last day, so I finished doing a couple of things that I had pending to do

I visited Government house, I also took the ferry to Watson Bay to have a view of the rest of the the Sydney Harbour, and most importantly I got to a travel agency to arrange my last week of the trip which I could not find a good combination when I was in Spain.

In the end I got the plan that more or less I wanted. On the 3rd week of the trip I was finishing my trip from Darwin to Alice Spring on Sunday afternoon. What I wanted to do the last week (before Saturday the 5th morning departure from Melbourne ) was visit a bit of the south of Australia. So the final plans are:

• Flight from Alice Spring on Monday

• 3 days trip from Melbourne to Sydney, visiting places in the south, So arriving to Melbourne on Thursday afternoon.

• Friday visiting Melbourne and getting all the souvenirs (if any money felt)

• And finally Saturday Morning flying back to Spain.

So all flights, trips and necesay accomodations are all booked for that week. So now I only will have to get some activities in Cairns (Scuba diving, Great Reef and Cape Tribulation) that I will book when I get to Cairns), so all under controlled, and ready for the adventure part of the trip.

All that was done in the morning, I spent some time with Chris and Sean, few beers, a glass of wine (Barrosa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon) then some diner with the full family, ending up with a few extra beers, with Sean to finish a very enjoyable time in Sydney.

Now I am wrapping up, since tomorrow 10:40 I will be flying to Cairns....

I don't know if I would be able to have such an easy access to Internet in Cairns, but I will keep you informed.(at least next week, from the following one things are a bit more difficult, in terms of access to Technology).

Talk more tomorrow.

Filo Un anonimo conocido

D-5 Chris Reay + Beach.

D-5 Chris Rice + Beach.

Todays plans were initially going to Manly for brunch and then go up a couple of beaches up to test what is like swimming in the Pacific Ocean....

We changed the plan slightly due to severe traffic. Apparently over the last few weeks, weather during the week has been ok, but on weekends has been pretty bad. However today it was a fantastic weather (27-28 C) so lost of people in Sydney took the cars and planned a day in the beach. So we didn't do the brunching in Manly but we went one bach North and had a Fish & Chips, in the lawn, Before going to to the sea. The temperature in this beach was a bit cold, and of course full of waves. It surprised me that the water was saltier than I though, I would say that it was almost as salty as in the Mediterranean.

Later in the afternoon, we changed plans, we decided to change to another beach, this time in the north side of Sydney Harbour, instead on the Open ocean. We moved to meet Chris Rice and his family. We had a good time in there, in a lawn are behind the trees, and had a couple of swims etc. The water was quite clean (not as much as the ocean one) and the water calmer and warmer. I had a good relaxing time.

Once back to hotel, I felt a bit of the effects of the Jet Lag combineed with the tireness that beach days always brings , so plans for the evening became laundry and getting this ready for the and a bit of reading, and writing in the blog, and now bed time.

Tomorrow it would be the last day in Sydney, the only plan for the day is that in the afternoon, I'll be meeting Sean and Chris in the afternoon.

Day 4 Meeting Sean Barlow.

Day 4 Meeting Sean Barlow.

A couple of months ago, I exchanged some emails with my frien Sean, from the days when I was working in Portsmouth, he has been living in Amsterdam for 9 years and was a surprise that he moved back to Sydney just recently. Well I made a mistake,  I though he gave me his phone number, but he didn't and just hours before departuring I realised I didn't have his phone number, nor I actually confirmed to him how many days I was planning to be in sydney, nor the actual day I was arriving.

So I dropped him an email ......  but since I did it in such a rush I choose the wrong email address, a hotmail one he is not using..... I did send him the Austraulian number I bought, again to the same number,,,, and surprisingly I was not receiving responses. it was obvious that he was not checking his email. But by pure coincidence because he didn't sent any of the email I sent, Sean dropped me an email with his phone number asking, dude when are you coming to Sydney?.


It would have been better if I could have catch him earlier so I would have avoide going to the Fish Market, which it is announced like a "you cannot miss" tourist attraction, when it is really not. It is a fish market, nothing expectacular, not big, not bussier than you woudl expect on a Friday morning, and there are some places that they woudl cook the the fish you buy,,,,, so why would the guides tell you to go early when you just had breakfast... 

Never mind. The rest of of the day was relaxing, when to Bondi (which Sean) and had couple of beer, and then afternoon/evening as the wheather got better (was cloudly in the morning). we meet Sean's wife and few friends of then in Darling Harbour for as beer seesion in a pub there, and then some club action.

Todays plan, brunch in Manly, then go a couple of beaches up to avoid tourist, and have some beach and sun session.

Day 3, Blue Mountains.

Today I booked a tour to the Blue Mountains. We did a bit of everything, from seeing wild Kangaroos, to see a bit of the Blue Mountains, Starting in the Olympic Area in the way to the B Mountains, and in the Mountains area itself the Wentworth Falls, the 3 sisters, Katoomba scenic Railway, Aborigine carvings, and of course the stories of Dave, a local guide, who looked like an order and unfit version of Crocodile Dundee. The day was glorious, but got spoiled by a storm on the way back to the ferry, which made the group not been able to stay outside taking pictures on the way back.

Those who wondered..... the Blue Mountains has nothing to do with the coffee, so don't expect any coffee to have been bought for some new automatic coffee machine :)

Evening after a shower and something to eat, I went down town and took some pictures of the Opera House as well. I don't know how the panoramic picture would look in the blog, but all the same here are them. Finished the night in Darling Harbour, with a Foster in a bar with some live music.

Let's see what the weather would look like to see if I am going to spend some time in Bondi or not.

Filo Un anonimo conocido.

Day 2. Zoo Day.

Day 2. Zoo Day.
A couple of pictures to start with. since I am going to write briefly

I was planning to do too many things, but of course as expected couldn't make them all. Today's plan was continue to get a glance of Sydney, go to the Zoo, and trying to go to the further point you could get using Ferry. The Zoo took me longer than I was expecting and then all the rest of the plans changed. 
I didn't do the Ferry thing, since tomorrow, I am doing a trip to the Blue Mountains, and on the way back, it might be included in the plan.

I don't normally go to Zoos on my travels, but the Sydney Zoo is quite good. There are fantastic views of Sydney Harbour as well as being a good Zoo. Comparing with Madrid Zoo, it is smaller, but you get a glance of many animals in constrained period of time, with less walking. It is quite good and I definitely recommended. Now after all the photos in the Zoo, Javier would still believe that Australia is a place full of animals.

So I changed the plan and wend to Manly, This is a different thing, Surf, Beach Volley, white sand beaches, etc.  One curiosity, on the west side, where the ferry Wharf is, The area to be able to have a swim was surrounded with anti shark nets, The surf area was not, between both there is a cape, and no more than 4 km coast line.  I might go again.  

Later in the afternoon, I visited a couple of new places, and got lost around Kings Cross area, trying to find few pubs that Lonely planet described as somewhere good... I found myself relatively quickly, but far away from train stations to come back.

Anyway, enough for today. Tomorrow Blue Mountains.

Day 1 in Australia

Day 1 in Australia.

Today my flight arrived at 7:30 am, after a long flight from Beijing.

In the Airport they picked me up for baggage inspection, and I am guessing it is going to common thing as I would be flying from one place to another. I am a suspicious guy, firstly I travel alone, secondly I don't know people in Australia, or at least I don't have their contacts. Secondly,  I was coming from a flight from China.
So they started to ask me things, about the trip, what I was going to do, etc, to try to see if I was answering normally or if I was giving any hint of being nervous, then the baggage inspection started, with more of the same things, questions of everything, what where each medicine for, etc. Even they asked me who I was buying the magnetos for. It was done in a fine corterous way , but if a Spanish "Guardia Civil" would have asked him it would have sound so nice.

Anyway, I went through fine, Only that I had to expend more time than I was planning on the airport. 

Took the Airport shuttle and went to the hostel. It is fairly basic, but looks clean. A bit away from the train Station, for it is ok for the purpose, with a barbecue area in the top floor, Air conditioning in the room and a small bridge. My room happen to be facing the train rails so it might be noisy at night, but considering that I am about 50 hours without a proper sleeping I don't think I would care that much.

Today after having a shower, unpacking and a coffee, I head to the city center. First thing was to get enough maps to get me oriented and then start visiting the city center area, with of course the Sydney Opera as the main focus area. I walked a lot, about 6 hours non stop, from one place to another, including Sydney Bridge, the Rock, Botanic garden, Town hall, Various parks, etc...

The first inconvenient is that most of the things finished at 4 pm, and found a couple of places closed. It didn't matter that much since I was more in a getting of the city mood. I also managed to find a Vodafone shop to buy a prepaid card. It took me a while to find out, but just found myself that I walk around the area with many of these shops, but didn't go through them. In any case, I managed to get the phone so now I am not going to be utterly robbed whenever I have to use the phone.

By 6 pm I was totally exhausted, bought something and head back to the hotel. The plans for the night were originally trying to go to the Basement for a Jazz concert, but considering how exhausted I am, I cannot guarantee being able to stay awake through out it, so I have decided, to update the blog, and plan tomorrow trip. which is likely to be another exhausted day (ferry's to various places, and probably Zoo).

By the way, no sight of Kalie around, yet. 

9-11-9

 Today is 9-11-9 and I am at the moment in Beijing Airport with a long transfer. It is not a 911 call so don't you worry.

Outside is snowing lightly, I would say  that rathet than snowing is more sleet. and in few hours I shoudl be in the south hemisphere, back into summer again. It's weird having 2 summers in the same calendar year. Although the prediction of whether is showing temperatures lighter that I was expecting... 24 C, the prediction for today in Murcia is 26 !!!

 

The Airport doesn't seem to be too busy for, but clearly it is more thinking in bussiness class than tourist. The First class lounges are all over the place.

A couple of things interestersing to tell.  I have gone through all the temperature scanner system going into the  Airport, and it was not that bad. It was nothing more like a new passport controll, only that this time a quick one.

But the most interesting thing that I found is about the usage of internet. There is Free WIFI in the airport, but before you can do it to have to register, and then they give you the login/password. But the most interesteen thing is that they seems to block various pages.  Starting with Facebook, and even more inportant, MY OWN BLOG IS BLOCKED..... So I better update this fast and go before army hit the door down.. >:)  

That is enough for now, next update in Australia

1D 4D-D , packing Day

It's packing Day baby !!!!!

Diving things checked
Pharmacy staff checked.
Camara checked
Visa checked
Insurances checked
Clothes Not checked.....

What do you packing in a trips like this? With city, sea , rain forest, diving, desert, Mountain, bushwalking.

I guess i better stop writting and into it. Action time!!!!!

4D 4 D-D

4 days for D-days, aka Departure-Day.

For those fans who have been anxiously waiting for updates in my blog (I doubt there will be any fan but all the same), I have to say that I have been more active in my other blog (the wine one) plus been busy with work, weekend trips to Burgos (Atapuerca) , trips to Murcia to meet my baby nephew, birthday (25H), booking for Paris marathon, joining a running club and go only twice, seeing opportunities go by and and getting depressed about it, and getting excited on new plans.
The fact is and was that I have been lacking inspiration to write something for the public. But now got more things to tell.

This week has been hectic and productive in traveling plans. Have not spent the time than I should but i managed the following:

• Found that i could get to visit Beijing city on my plane transfer, But unfortunately i cannot have enough time to get the Chinese Visa. Positive thought I know how to do it for the next time,and learn that the Chinese embassy web is totally useless.

• Bought the camera for the trip, and although the manuals are provided are only in French, Dutch and German, i got the pdf in Spanish. And it was 50 € cheaper than marker. PT some internet web places work good.

• I have arranged 3 of the 4 weeks of the trip, with flights and accommodation:

-10th Nov- 16th Sydney
Accommodation: Y City South Hotel
Possible trip to the Blue Mountains Park.
-16th Nov flight to Cairns arriving at 12:45.
-16-22Nov Cairns.
Accommodation: hostels Tropical days+Travelers oasis
Possible trips:Great reef, rain forest, Cape Tribulation.
Activities: Diving, snorkel, rafting.
-22nd flight to Darwin arriving at 22:00
-23rd 5:30 am 7D adventure trip from Darwin to Alice Springs
Kakadu National Park, Ayers rock among other places. Various trekking days. Three of the days sleeping in permanent camps.

Positive Thought: everything. Pity that I am traveling alone.

• Got most of the things I need bought, including things that I never consider, for example mosquito net. I still need to try to put everything together and decide on few things, and specially find them, as some i cannot remember where i stored them. Good thing i still have one day, Saturday. PT almost all done.

Information overflow

Hello Everyone.

I am not sure if anyone has been waiting for a next chapter in the Blog. I have to admit I have not been in my most creative mood. In fact I am have been more destructive mood, so decided to let some time for things to settle down and then rise up like a phoenix bird

And while a phoenix bird represent air and fire, and being myself an earth person, I needed water to complete the 4 Classical Elements in pre-Socratic times.

So as you can see in the picture, I have added the 4th element by taking a diving course. As you can see, I was able to survive the experience.

So my preparation to the Australian journey is still progressing. Having said all this, the preparation has not gone as expected. Firstly I suffer an information overflow, I got the 1200 pages Lonely Planet travel guide, and I couldn't even decide where to start with. Secondly, as I mentioned earlier, my mood has not been the greatest, and in that low level of enthusiasm I got doubts. In one way, I wanted to to the trip, on the other way, I felt and feel that I am not preparing it enough to make it worthy, again on one hand I felt it was the type of travel you wouldn't want to do it alone, but on the other hand, either I do it alone or I won't do it.

All the questions from people about the trip, that I couldn't answer because I didn't had the time, or the questions "are you doing the trip alone" only made my mind wander in all directions.

All these time, since I didn't have the flight booked there was a light of doubt, some days brighter than other. But this tonight, after finding a solution of a dilemma of dates vs. destinations, I found a solution and I went for it.... So the flight is finally booked. Flying to Sydney on the 8th of November, and coming back From Melbourne on the 5th of December. The Kuala Lumpur option on the way back is no longer an option, so I will leave the Petronas for another trip.

And I got the tentative plan for Australia, (pending the confirmation or not if whales are visible in the Fraser Island around this period). I have to thanks specially the Miralles Salvador's travel tips, as well and many other trips and advices from people. The plan is still under construction, in order to build a list of options and possible plans to make the trip a life worthwhile experience, but it has to be kept flexible.

• Sydney
• Cairns.
• Urulu
• South-Melbourne.

Some options are discarded (Perth and the west coast), and some other are now having low probability, like Tasmania, but you'll never know, the plan is flexible.


Extra details of What, Where and When would need you stay tuned to the WWW.

As a proof of truth that the flight is booked here are the details of the flight, including the details for the seats I chose.

Filo
Un Anonimo conocido/A known anonymous

De Madrid a Sydney
Vuelo 1	domingo, 08 de noviembre de 2009
confirmado	Salida: 13:10 Madrid, España - Barajas, terminal 1 Llegada: 7:55 +1 día(s) Pekin, China - Capital Aeropuerto, terminal 3 Línea aérea: Air China CA908 Avión: Airbus Industrie A330 Tipo de tarifa: Turista con restricciones Equipaje: 20 kilogramo(s) por viajero
Se requiere cambio de avión. Tiempo entre vuelos = 8:20.
Vuelo 2	lunes, 09 de noviembre de 2009
confirmado	Salida: 16:15 Pekin, China - Capital Aeropuerto, terminal 3 Llegada: 7:15 +1 día(s) Sydney, Australia - Kingsford Smith, terminal 1 Línea aérea: Air China CA173 Avión: Airbus Industrie A330 Tipo de tarifa: Turista con restricciones Equipaje: 20 kilogramo(s) por viajero

De Melbourne a Madrid
Vuelo 1	sábado, 05 de diciembre de 2009
confirmado	Salida: 10:45 Melbourne, Australia - Tullamarine, terminal 2 Llegada: 22:15 Pekin, China - Capital Aeropuerto, terminal 3 Nota: incluye 1 parada(s) técnica(s) Línea aérea: Air China CA178 Avión: Airbus Industrie A330 Tipo de tarifa: Turista con restricciones Equipaje: 20 kilogramo(s) por viajero
Se requiere cambio de avión. Tiempo entre vuelos = 2:45.
Vuelo 2	domingo, 06 de diciembre de 2009
confirmado	Salida: 1:00 Pekin, China - Capital Aeropuerto, terminal 3 Llegada: 6:40 Madrid, España - Barajas, terminal 1 Línea aérea: Air China CA907 Avión: Airbus Industrie A330 Tipo de tarifa: Turista con restricciones Equipaje: 20 kilogramo(s) por viajero

Solicitud de comida y asiento:	Viajero	Número de asiento
Madrid - Sydney
Vuelo 1: Madrid - Pekin	Antonio Del Olmo Garcia	35J
Vuelo 2: Pekin - Sydney	Antonio Del Olmo Garcia	36J
Melbourne - Madrid
Vuelo 1: Melbourne - Pekin	Antonio Del Olmo Garcia	35J
Vuelo 2: Pekin - Madrid	Antonio Del Olmo Garcia	36J