from Alice spring to darwin!

No worries mate!!!


Hi you all!!!

We are running a bit late with our reports, this is the one of Coober Pedy! 9-10th of August
After that I have a report of the red centre. Good luck reading it ;-)

8.10am, sitting in the bus to Alice Springs. That’s the good thing when you have a small backpackers computer! We’re really driving in the desert and we had the most beautiful sunset from the bus, we stopped for some breakky (breakfast, ;-) the Aussies just love to cut there words)
We’re travelling with a really nice girl from Switzerland now, she’s also going up to Alice Springs, but tomorrow she flies to Brisbane and we’re hedding for the real outback J, sleeping under the stars, Uluru …

This morning we left Coober Pedy around 6am by Greyhound bus.
We had yesterday a whole day in Coober Pedy and that’s more then enough,it’s a really small town but we had some beautiful views and the first outback feeling.

(oh yeah, Marijke and me we were so happy that we had blue sky in the morning, so nice! The sun was shining, In Adelaide it was really to cold and rainy, we go up North and they are speaking about temperature from 30degrees tot 35 degrees in Darwin! )

Coober Pedy is a town in the middle of the state of South Australia. It’s well-known for his opal. In the town there are living 3500 people, and our guide was working already for 10years here.
In 1915 a digger from 15years old found the first opal. And now there are so many people searching for opal. It’s a very strange town because everything is underground, even the church! The most of the families are actually really living under ground (they calls this there dog-outs), our hostel was also located in the rocks underground. The temperature of the houses and our hostels always stays around 20-25degrees, only during the night it could be a bit colder;
But when you have a good look in the town you can understand why.
The town is in the middle of the desert, now it’s wintertime so the temperature where ok, around 18degrees, but in summertime it could run up to 50degrees! So , we in Belgium during wintertime stay inside because it’s to cold, those people stay inside because it’s to hot!
They live inside and work inside! Then you have also people they don’t like to live underground so they are living in normal houses, but during summertime they pay about 1500dollar bills for air-conditioner .

Around the town you have a lot of ‘hills’ and wholes. You really can see where people were digging for opal. It’s also very dangerous, you can’t come here without a guide because you don’t want to ‘rock a me bump’ J (just to fall down in it, this outback accent is so hard to understand J )
You also have different tools to found opal, different machines. There are people digging during the night and using black light, because opal flashes under this light.

We had some time for noodling J, it means searching for opal. But unfortanely we didn’t found any, only some nice stones we just took as a memory.

We had a visit in the house of Crocodile Harry (do you know him Robert?) He died 18 months ago but he was a real outback figure, the funniest things is that he came from Latvia, he moved to Australia because of the war and he was living underground and had his on mines. After a while he also lived from tourist visiting him and he saved bra’s en underpants. He just loved woman so much because you could see so many pictures of him with woman’s naked.

We all know the movie ‘Crocodile Dundy’ eh, well, the guide told us that the filmmaker of the movie came to Crocodile Harry to get some ideas, and that he was the original of Crocodile Dundy. J
When you see the pictures you’re really going to believe this, because he had a lot of action picture with crocodiles…

And after that we went for the Breakaways, this view is unbelievable beautiful. You know that this was normally a sea!!! That’s why you can found opal a lot and fossils!

We had a look for the dingo fence! This one is 3500km long (longer then the Chinese wall, isn’t? How long is that one ?) Practically going from coast to coast. This is to keep the dingo’s away from the cheeps. It a real big thing here, because every two days they fly over the fence to check this and leave traps.

The last stop of the tour was a ‘moon’stop, this landscape was called like that because of his view. So Marijke and me we put our first steps on the moon! J

In the town we saw also a lot of Aboriginals, during our trip from Adelaide to Coober Pedy we had two of them in our bus. They have such a really funny language! And there a bit strange, you don’t want to sit next to them on the bus, if you know what I mean.
Our guide told us that when you see them in their environment that’s it’s really beautiful to see. In their culture family is really important, the children are learning from when there really small the rules of live and land.
But the Aboriginals we saw in the city, there a bit different, you can compare them with Nomads.
Ok, so the original name from Coober Pedy was ‘Kupa Piti’ (Aboriginal language) and it means ‘a whole in the earth from the white men’ or something like that J
The language has really different dialects, but if you speak one Aboriginal language, you can understand the other ones.

This is very funny: our guide told us, I don’t know if it’s true:
- the name ‘kangaroo’ is actually coming from their language. When captain Cook (I think that’s the English man who came in Australia for the first time, right?) was coming on the land he met an Aboriginal. The same time there was jumping a kangaroo and he asked the Aboriginal what is was. The Aboriginal replied with ‘kangaroo?’ So captain Cook thought it was an animal named like that, but what ‘kangaroo really mend was ‘I don’t understand you!’ hahaha, funny isn’t?
- the language has only 17 different letters.
- Here you have some nice words:
Fingertalk = sign language using the fingers

Mardong: love/attracted

Migloo = a European

Australia is really such a big country, when I was in Belgium I thought that one month would be such a long time to travel in Australia but really this is tooooooo short! Time is going so fast.
My advice to people, if you ever wonder to come here, just come for one year!
We meet a lot of people who are here on working holiday, yesterday we were sitting in the bar of the hostel and a German guy was working on a farm for already four months. It’s so beautiful, think about it, i get up in the morning for work, and get back in the evening , next day the same thing. People here are living from day to day! It’s so peaceful in the middle of the desert.

If it’s only for travelling, take 6 months, and just travel to New Zeeland also! And maybe Tasmania, ….
Wouldn’t it be beautiful just save some money and travel the whole world during one year! I met an English girl from Bristol and she’s doing that now, so cool….maybe future music? J will see

Alright! I think that’s all folks!
Tomorrow we’re leaving with Adventure tours for 7 days, so I don’t think I’m going to have the change to full up my blog, but when I’m in Darwin it’s going to be a long one!

Huggy!

Ow yeah, some thoughts:

- when you get on the bus, you also have to think left, very funny! JSo strange! Don’t get on the bus on the right side because then your driving. The bus also has a big ‘bumper’ in the front. It’s for bumping kangaroo’s J
- You know why people are calling Australia down under? Because if you just think about it, everything happens other way around. For example, the wine season is in February. The sunset is still coming up from the east but we in Europe always will see the sun from the south point of view and in Australia we see the sun always in the North. Do you think I’m right? J so, your own shadow is on a different side then when your in Europe! Think about that! J
- You have in Australia two mammals they lay eggs J , platypus (vogelbekdier) and echidna (is a kind of eagle but it eats ants)
- On our way to Alice Springs we got in the third state this week , the Northern territory.
- We also saw some VEDGE TEILE EAGLE. Those birds are the biggest ones, they eat dead animals, rats,…it ‘s so hard all those names of the animals….the first days everyone was talking about wombats, vedge teile eagle, wallyby….the different mammals!

13th of august
Goodmorning all!

It’s now about 8am, we are professionals in getting up at 4.30am. This is already the fifth time, but no worries mate, it’s really nice to see the sunrise. This morning we had the most beautiful one ever!

The last couple of days were really busy. 10th of August we arrived during the afternoon in Alice Springs, too bad it was Sunday and everything was closed. We wanted to get some souvenirs but we have to do that in Darwin. There we have one day no tour, so we decided already, BEACH, COCTAIL and SHOPPING! J

We checked on our hostel and did our laundry because we would leave for 7 days on tour.
After that we took a really good shower and met our friend Diane (from Switzerland) in the most coolest pub I ever been into!
The pub is called Bojangles, it’s a real outback saloon, and the funniest thing was that you could see us on the internet. There is a link (www.bossaloon.com.au) if you took this one you could see us live. If you’re interesting you can take a look now, you can get the feeling of a real outback pub!
We did sent some text messages to some friends but the only one who responded was Geert! Thanks buddy! Too bad that it didn’t work out with the beers J.
Oh yeah, on the paper we wrote ‘NO WORRIES BELGIUM!’ haha

We met also some nice Aussie-guys! Sorry Trent that we were their for only 2 very short evenings! But it’s not going to be the last time I’m visiting Australia! ;-)
We didn’t have the time to visit Alice Springs and that’s too bad because there are really some nice places there.
Oh yeah, Trent, you told me something about the Henley-on-Todd-Regatta. Well, after you told me I did read this in my book.
Folks this is really funny, once a year they have a boat race in Alice Springs, but because of the Todd river (this river is going through Alice springs) is dry they have the race on land! They have boats with no bottom in it. One time the race just failed and they had to cancelled it because it’s started raining and the river had actually water! J pretty funny isn’t?

The same night we ate a plate with different kind of meat. J
We had
-crocodile: I liked this one very much, it was sweet but a little bit dry
-kangaroo: was for Marijke and me one of our favourites. It tasted a bit like beef
-camel: degusting, I didn’t like this! J the aftertaste was so bad and very strong! And so dry!
-Buffalo: this was good, you can compare it with beef.
-the Emu (struisvogel): was also good, only they served it in sausage and this didn’t look very tasty! But when you closed your eyes and just give it a shot, it was good.

11th of august!

Ringggggggggg, 4am, getting up for going on two days tour.
Kings Canyon – Katu Tjuta – Ayres rock (the red centre called – Uluru in Aboriginal language)

On Tuesday evening we would be back in the hostel Alice Springs.
The group was ok, we had a lot of families during our trip and couples, so a bit boring. Again I was so happy that I have my silly adopted little sister with me (I call her already like that J). Marijke, she’s real fun when you go into the bush with her!
Our guide wasn’t so good as well, we think he was really fed-up (tired) from all the tours. Because this time of the year it’s very busy in the Central of Australia, it’s not that hot and a lot of tourist are coming this period to visit the Uluru.
But anyway we had a lot of fun!

Again we drove for 4 hours from Alice Springs to Kings canyon. You can imagine how big Australia is!
We arrived around 1pm (after lunch) on the spot and took a walk from 6km/4hours, just great; we did the whole canyon and also went to the bottom of it. There you had a waterhole, and of course you can found some birds and wildlife there.
The temperature in Central Australia is around 18 degrees- 20 degrees. Pretty windy, but when their isn’t any wind, you can walk in t-shirt. We had to put on a bit sunscreen because they told us that above central Australia you have a hole into the ozone. I don’t know if it’s true. But the sun is dangerous for burning.

Then again in the bus for 3 hours on our way to the red centre. We arrived on our camping place during the evening and set up a fire and BBQ.
BBQ is one of the top 5 things in Australia, the Aussie people just love making BBQ’s with friend in the garden, isn’t? J

We could sleep outside in a swap (it’s a big sleeping bag with a thin mattress in it), but I didn’t do that (and now I’m regretting it because I don’t think I have the chance again to do it), but Marijke (of course J ) she took the shot, and slept outside! I have great pictures of that!

The next morning we got up at 5 am and drove to the Ayers rock, were we tried to look at the sunrise. Unfortunately it was clouded and we didn’t see the red colour of the sun on the rock. But still the rock is really impressive, it’s just one piece (monolith, is this the right English word?) and it’s really important for the Aboriginal culture. A great spiritual significance for them, and when we are visiting their land we have to accept their laws and culture.
You can climb the rock but in the brochure of the National Park the local Aboriginals are asking not to do this. They believe the spirits of their ancestors are living in the rock.

We did a base-walk of 1hour and after that we drove to the Kata Tjuta (the Olgas).
Kata Tjuta, the Anungu Aboriginals give this name to the rock and it means = many heads.
We made a walk into the rock and I saw a camel. For me it was the first time I saw this animal wildlife!

The vegetation of Central of Australia is almost the same everywhere. You have a lot of desert and savannah.

After this walk we went back the camping place for lunch and we started back the trip to Alice Springs, again a drive of almost 4hours!

Oh yeah:
Marijke and me we were really shocked when we arrived at the camping place. When we left the hostel we only took our toothbrush, clean underwear and our sleepingbag. Other people who where on the bus had taking their whole luggage!
Then when we arrived on the camping, they had showers!!!! Warm water, a kitchen with electricity and a fridge! I actually had telephone connection!
Come on! We thought we would sleep into the bush with only a river for brushing our teeth, but in the morning we actually saw ladies putting make up before leaving to the sunrise!
And we wanted to be dirty for two days J, sleeping in our clothes and only brushing our teethJ

My cold is getting better I think, it’s really with periods, I don’t get rid of the sneezing.
I’m such a lousy backpacker J, next time I have to bring:

-my good walking shoes (I know!! I have them at home but I only bring All Stars and slippers hehhe)
-warm clothes, a raining jacket!
- a torch, this morning I bought one J, so tonight when I have to go to the toilet and don’t have to break any legs.
-a pocket knife! To open up our bottle of wine J, thank god Marijke is good prepared. So I decided to buy with the gift that I get from Kathleen and Geert and his family for my birthday to buy myself a good pocket knife! Jso thank you guys!
- warm socks

Okey! I think I’m finished for know!
The pictures are coming later when we arrive in Darwin!
Big hugs!!!

Oh yeah Robert, a question, did you hear something about a murder in the outback? 5years ago? The guy who supposed to be murdered is Peter Falconio, from England, they never found his body….

This is was thinking some hours later J :

I can’t describe what kind of feeling I have when I travel, but I can tell you all it’s so wonderful and you learn a lot of it. This country is a big mystery for me and the much longer i stay here the more I want to know the people better, the places and the culture. We’re staying to short time on different places. We are coming on spots that we never knew they excised, we’re seeing nature things that I never thought it was so beautiful. Nature that’s over billion years old!

We meet nice people from all over de world, people that just travel around the world with their stories. People with different backgrounds, with different culture, different lives….people they have a different way off living….
The more time I can think about it the more I try to enjoy every day that’s coming. Live is to short for sadness and stress ;-)
I try to remember that when I’m in traffic and will be late for work. haha
Try to enjoy your partner, your live, your work and your family! Don’t stress for small things in live, don’t stress about how other people are thinking about you. You as a person yourself knows what value you give to some peoples live.
Mmm, I think this is the syndrome of driving in desert wholes days ;) you start thinking!
huggg