Hi you all!!!
This is the ‘flash-packer’ hahaha writing, they call me here like that because I’m travelling with my little computer and I have to admit that I have my hairdryer with me J, don’t tell the backpackers.
Hey, we are already 15th of august! Time goes so fast, damn!
We left Alice Springs 13th of august and now we are almost in Darwin, we travelled for 3days only in the outback.
SO:
13th of august
We left our hostel again very early in the morning, we had a pick-up at 5am.
The first stop was the ‘tropic of Capric Orn’ (steenbokskeerkring)! Here would the tropical weather start! J and it did, every 100km we get more north it was getting warmer and today I’m already burned! We have been swimming in different waters and waterfalls.
During our trip we did some “food tucker” (something called like that), it means that we had to search for plants and their fruits you can eat, we found some bush coconuts! Yeah, if we would be lost in the bushes, we would have food!
This day we have been travelling for 6hours and did some stops on the way:
- we visit the most famous place in Australia and on this place there has been spotted (this such a bad English sentence damn, other suggestions?) different times aliens! J they had even pictures and a guestbook. Do we have to believe this? I don’t know! We found articles from different abduction. Oh yeah, the place is called Wycliffe well. And I learned a new word, thanks Marijke J ET = extraterrestrial (buitenaards) . our guide told us that near to Alice Springs you have an area that’s owned by the USA, Pine Gap. Even the government from Australia doesn’t know what happens there! No planes can fly over this area of they will shoot the plane down! Strange isn’t?:)
- Devils Marbles, those stones are much older then the red centre. There very impressive, they have very nice shapes mated by nature. The biggest reason is that in the desert the temperature can be very hot during the day and very cold during the night. This gives a big difference and with all the years you get those kind of shapes. (you can see in on facebook, the pictures). The Aboriginals believe that these stones are the eggs of the rainbow snake called Wanambi.
The group that we travelled with is very small and nice, we had a wonderful guide! She’s 24years old and worked as a tour guide in different places in Australia. Cool!!! We had a lovely, really funny Spanish couple already 5days on our tour and they were hilarious. They live in Barcelona and travel a lot. They join us with the tour of Kakadu National Park;
14th of august
So yesterday evening we arrived our camping place around 5pm. This camping place was really in the middle of nowhere! Beautiful! Middle in the outback, near to a range.
The range had built a small camping place with some showers and a little bar where you could buy beer or wine.
Marijke and me bought a box and start climbing the hill where you could see the sunset. This was so cool, because of sitting in the bus you couldn’t see how the outback looks like, you only see road and bushes. But when we were standing on the hill we could see so far and the only house you could see was the range and our camping. Nothing else, all the rest was just bushes! So cool, we were really in the middle of nowhere! And I was wondering if we had wireless! ;) no no, but Marijke is always teasing me because when we were in Alice Springs I couldn’t believe that our hostel didn’t had wireless ;) , what ever!!!
Oh yeah, they also sell ‘goone’ (I don’t know if it’s written right) but this is wine in a box from really bad quality. I didn’t taste it yet but our friend, Avril, she’s from Ireland would give it to me later, because I’m really curious how bad this taste.
We needed a relax evening, we love this kind of travelling very much but it’s busy and sometimes very hard. Robert, I remember you told me that 1year ago. Marijke always says ‘this isn’t a holiday, this is travelling’haha
Around 7pm we had a slideshow, we get the chance to see different pictures how the range works. After this BBQ-time and some fire stories.
Sleeping in tents was really nice, but during the night it was still very cold and I waked up from this. Also there was a lot of wind.
Today we’re leaving to Katherine National Park, we have a night there and the following day we would go canoeing J.
We have to drive again 600km before we arrive there. This morning was still a bit cold, I’m still wearing 2 sweaters, my trousers but on my feet I have flipflops!!! J
Also, Ellen, hihi this is something for you.
You can wear whatever you want in the outback. If you’re wearing your joggings it doesn’t mind, people aren’t looking at you.
Our clothes are really dirty from the red sand. But who cares, when we finished our tour, we will washes everything one more time before leaving home.
Mmm, leaving home L, only two weeks left and the month is finished.
Anyway, around 11.30am we arrive at Daly waters. This very tiny town exists from 24people. Haha, so cool and the coolest thing is that the bar is always very very busy, because every tourist bus stops at this place. The pub is a real outback pub and when you see the picture you will be amazed how small this town is. We had our lunch here and after that a local boy ‘Bailey’ called gave us a tour through the town J, the boy is only 8years old. He asks the tourist to pay him 0,50dollar for the tour and if you want with him on the picture you have to pay 0,50dollar more. Little …. J
But damn cute kid!
After that we drove to the Mataranka sources. This are warm water source in nature. We actually could for the first time put our bikini’s on and go swim!!! J the water was around 30degrees and the source wasn’t that big.
When we get there, Marijke and me compared this a bit with Sunparks but then in the outback. We spent 45 minutes here, because our guide had a nicer spot without all the tourist; So after the first swim we drove some km further and there we had in the same national Park a other source. You can’t believe it but the water is so clean, our Spanish friends had with them a snorkelling glazes and if you go under water you could see from one side of the source to the other side!
The temperature is perfect today, our trousers we put in our bags and we put on our shorts! This is such a great feeling but strange. Because last week we were still in Adelaide were the weather is really cold and rainy.
Aha, this is really nice!
You remember I told you about the little boy ‘Bailey’. Well, he is a real outback kid, and I was wondering if those kids didn’t have to go to school. Because here in Australia during July and august they don’t have holidays.
the outback is really big, there are children living 2hours away from the nearest town, and some times this town only has pub, nothing more.
Well, the outback children they have school off air. It means that they stay home but get schoolwork and class through radio, and I think also through internet these days.
Four time a year all the children’s travel to Alice Springs to meet there other classmates and the teacher.
Sometimes you can found little schools in a outback town. The school exists then from 25children and one teacher. Our guild told us, that if you as a teacher want to work for 5 years in that kind of school, you have guaranty work for live after those 5 years. She had a friend who did that and now she’s a principal of a school somewhere in a town at the east-coast.
She also told me that there are teachers short here J and you get work very easily.
The way from Alice Springs to Darwin is very long, and it has only one highway called Stuart Highway. You can compare this a bit with the famous Route 66.
This road also connect south with north and it’s going straight to the middle of Australia. The road is more then 3000km long and a lot of those km is just only in the outback.
They called is Stuart Highway because Mister Stuart from Adelaide was the first guy who travelled from south to north.
So the journey is very long and a lot of bus sitting, but I actually don’t mind. I’m reading a good book (so Wendy and Tash, thanks for the great birthday present! ) and Marijke and me we’re reading each some pages J
15th of august
That’s today J, and we are now 5.30pm almost arriving in Darwin!
This morning we had the change for some canoeing in Katherina Gorge. Marijke and me were searching for crocodiles but we didn’t see any. This is because the water is to cold, normally now during wintertime they come around 4pm when the water is warmer.
We had lot’s of fun, we jumped from rocks, stuff like that! We get also a bit colour! In Australia it’s really important to use factor 30 because I have been told that there is a whole in the ozone, and you don’t get any protection.
After this we drove to the Edit falls, here we have been swimming in a pool! It’s was 150m swimming and you get to the waterfalls.
You have crocodiles here but just like Katherina Gorge these are sweet water crocs. There harmless. The salt water crocs there are dangerous and eat meat.
Those crocs you can find in the sea and that was new for me. For example next week we are flying to Cairns. The city is next to the sea but you can’t go swimming there, it’s dangerous for stingers and crocs, also sharks.
In Cairns they have a lagoon where you can go swimming, but don’t go into the sea!
In Katherina Gorge during the wet season, you can’t swim here, because the water is more higher and salt water crocs can come from the sea into the Gorge. Of course they have to travel a long way, they have to cross more then 60 canyons.
Scary eh! When we were canoeing we saw two traps with meat in for those crocs. Normally you don’t have them this time a year but it could be that one lost his way ;-)
The last time they had found a salt water crocodile here was 2006.
Alright that’s al again, tonight we arrive in Darwin. A good shower and after that we will have dinner with whole group.
Tomorrow morning we have our last tour to Kakadu National Park for two days!
huuggggg
vrijdag 22 augustus 2008
From Alice Spring to Darwin - Kakadu National park
maandag 18 augustus 2008
some pics because facebook doesn t work at allllll
Salties ( saltwater crocies)
The Red centre, Ayers Rock
Marijke sleeping outside in a swag
Kings canyon
vrijdag 15 augustus 2008
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
donderdag 7 augustus 2008
From Adelaide to Melbourne and back
The real aussie mailboxxxxxx
This is the link from my friends blog:
But i did some funny things haha:Adelaide is in the state 'South-Australia' and Melbourne is in the state 'Victoria', they have 30minutes time different.
NEXT MORNING:
But the Mc Kenzie waterfalls were really beautiful...
