I Heart Sydney

I love this city.  I am staying in The Rocks, a historical area where the convicts settled when they first arrived in Australia in the late 1700's.  The history is amazing.  I am staying in a YHA perched over an archeological dig site, and there are artifacts in display cases and you can look down onto the site.  Up on the roof there are epic views of the city.  There is a festival going on so each night different light displays are projected onto the opera house.

One of the highlights here was a trip to Cockatoo Island, which was only recently opened to the public. Convicts built ships there, and there are tons of old industrial buildings and tunnels through the rocky island. Couldn't get enough photos. And to top it off, there is a huge arts festival going on. So the island was covered in sculpture, installations, paintings and performance art around every corner. They are letting people camp on the island overnight. Wish I had more time. This would be hands down the best place to either (1) play hide and seek at night or (2) shoot a horror film or (3) shoot a horror film involving hide and seek. My friend Isabelle and I came up with some story ideas mostly starring us, so now just need to write the screenplay!

Today is my last full day in Australia.  So gotta go get out into the world today!  I'm off...

Jenny

Alice and beyond

I've been having such a good time its been hard to update everyone!  Since last post I flew to Alice Springs in the Red Center of the country.  I was a bit worried I had too much time in this place based on what other travelers said.  But they were SO WRONG.  The desert is amazing, Alice Springs is great, and I have enjoyed every day of it.

The big sights that most people come to visit are Uluru (Ayers Rock), Watarrka (Kings Canyon), and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas).  I did all on a three day camping tour.  Lots of driving, beautiful scenery, sleeping under the stars and hiking.  Perfect!  My tour was big and I traveled with 21 other people.  Pretty much didn't get too many of the names.  There were quite a few in the 18-20 set.  And several French and northern euro people who felt the need to smoke while hiking.  Hah!  I also met a nice couple from Brisbane.  Here's a few pics of the scenery from the trip.

In addition to going on the trip to these beautiful places, I spent several days in and around Alice Springs and the MacDonnell Ranges.  Lots of really nice aboriginal artwork in the galleries and they have good coffee here!  And I went on a sunset camel ride and saw kangaroos!

My internet time is running out... so I've gotta make this a short one.  Have a lot more pics and stories to share later. 

Til then - Jenny

Kakadu & My Pamela Anderson Moment

Just had an amazing few days in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory.  We had a great aussie guide, Heath and nice group of fellow travelers.  Well-traveled couple Sarah and Chris and a single guy Jerry from the UK, who I couldn't understand one bit.  Joe from Korea.  Jennifer from Canada.  Despite my fears I was NOT the oldest one on the trip.  Apparently 31 is the age of an old lady among the backpacker set here.

We got picked up in a land cruiser equipped with a snorkel.  We didn't actually employ it on our trip, but it allows you to drive through water up to the top of the windshield.  Of course you do need to remember to shut the windows.  :)  This comes in handy because a lot of the roads in Kakadu have crossings and the water can be quite high.  Given the crocodiles, I'm glad we didn't have to go much deeper than a foot. 

 

Our trip started with a cruise on a billabong... basically a very large pond with  tons of birds, crocodiles, lilly pads, fish, frogs, etc.  We got to see a lot of amazing birds.  Didn't realize that cockatoos are from here!  And I ate the stem from a lotus flower.  Yum.  From there we went on to check out quite a few amazing places including aboriginal rock art sites (with art dated 25,000 years old!) and lots of waterfalls.  Luckily I brought my trusty mask and snorkel and was able to take a look under the water.  Shrimp and all kinds of fish.  And of course my travel buddies.  Its amazing how much fun you can have taking pictures with an underwater camera.     

 

Day two was quite the day.  I was snorkeling around the water hole exploring and was making my way towards the waterfall where the rest of the group was hanging out.  I was nearly there when I heard Joe calling out for help.  He was starting to drown.  YIKES!  I've daydreamed about being in this kind of situation and have often wondered how I might react.  I am proud to say that I sprang into action!  I swam over and grabbed his hand to help him stay up.  I was afraid he would try to pull me under but he didn't.  Glad he went easy on me this being my first rescue an all.  Then Heath our guide saw what was happening and dove in from his waterfall perch.  Together we pulled the guy in.  Very Baywatch.  So the joke is that he was David Hasselhoff and I Pamela Anderson.  We drew a picture of the water rescue in his comment book at the end of the trip for him to remember us by.  He had big muscles and I very large breasts of course.  Oh and my snorkel.

 

(Sorry ladies, he's got a girlfriend!)

The land out in Kakadu is beautiful.  Its often uncomfortable (mosquitoes, hot, muggy, venomous animals galore) but the rewards are plenty.  The first night I was deathly afraid of going out to pee by myself - most of the dangerous wildlife is nocturnal.  My tent mate Jennifer happened to wake up at that moment and went with me.  Phew!  But the next night, I got my nerves up and went out by myself.  I was rewarded with a sky full of stars, large frogs, and a carpet of insects that lit up at my feet.  By day vast expanses of land.  Amazing views.  Waterfalls.  I can see why people have lived here for thousands of years.  Hope that the pictures can give you a little idea of what its like.

 

The trip continued without too much more drama and Joe continued swimming even right after his rescue.  We climbed up to more waterfalls, swam and there were lots of laughs.  Joe had a couple other brushes with fate and caught his hair on fire that night.  And we played the "box game" where you have to bend over to pick the box up with your teeth.  And after each round, you tear the edges off so you have to bend lower and lower.  On the way back, we sang and rocked out in the car to horrible music such as "I'm a barbie girl".  Dorky but so much fun.  I love that about traveling - that you can meet someone and a couple days later feel so comfortable that you can let yourself go and enjoy the moments without thinking too much.  Make sense?

Anyhow, I'm back in Darwin.  Have really enjoyed it up here.  They have an amazing mom & pop aquarium here where they have a coral reef that is completely self-sustaining.  They just give it sunlight and moonlight through the skylights, and add rain water if the water evaporates from the open tank.  And that's it! Its amazing.  Also visited the night markets, had an amazing dinner out where I enjoyed oysters that were prepared with lemongrass.  And I had curry for breakfast so beat that!

Next stop is Alice Springs!  I fly Thursday morning.  Then off to see the "Red Center".  More sights, camping, swimming and of course getting dirty!

On The Left: The Road Trip

Remember when you were just learning left from right in primary school.  And you had to really focus to keep them straight?  So it was when I pulled out of the Avis parking lot in Cairns, Australia with my screaming red Hyundai Getz.

Challenges I encountered:

1. You are sitting on opposite side of car, so it takes awhile to get a sense of how much of the car is to the left of you, and to accout for it while driving.  Thump thump thump was a sound I heard a few times as I closed in on the bump strip during a moment of distraction on the freeway.  Also whenever pulling out into traffic I had to constantly repeat under my breath left left left left...

2. Ever tried switching gears with your LEFT hand?  Luckily I am left handed so I had some coordination available.

3. Turn signal on right and windshield wipers on left.  Can't tell you how many times I was getting ready to turn, and at the crucial moment, I turned on my windshield wipers!

4. Round-a-bouts.  I actually decided that I liked them in the end, but trying going around about a dozen roundabouts with oncoming traffic, multiple lanes, merging (no stop signs of course) and entering and exiting correctly.  Oh yeah and don't forget the turn signal.  Phew!

5.  Wildlife.  To make matters worse, there are cassorwary crossing signs all up and down the coast.  The cassowary is a large flightless bird (think ostrich) that is endangered in Queensland.  Some of the signs depicted in a graphical way a car hitting a cassowary, and the cassowary laying dead on the road.  I was terrified that I would be partially responsible for their extinction.  Over the course of my few day drive, I had a wealth of false sightings - mostly sticks or logs poking up from the brush, resembling a long neck.  But luck was on my side.

Okay so those were the technical challenges I was facing.  Now onto the sights and highlights.  The first day, I drove up north to Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation.  Really beautiful area, humid, green. I enjoyed a "croc cruise" on the Daintree river.  There were only three of us, so we got a really private tour.  We didn't spot too many crocodiles, but the guide did assure us that there were about 70 adult crocs in the immediate area that he could identify.  And 300 in the whole river system.  So definitely no swimming!  One sobering moment was his description of a little boy from the area who was eaten the previous year.  A croc had gone far up the bank and into his family's yard, and grabbed him while he was out playing with his puppy.  The story just got more greusome as he went on the share the details of the recovery effort.  Enough to keep this lady FAR from the river.

The following day, I drove south.  The land is beautiful and green and a patchwork of rainforest (the Wet Tropics) and sugar cane fields.  And the odd fruit farm.  What was amazing was that most of the drive was on a smaller road and there was VERY LITTLE inbetween towns.  Refreshing when compared to driving many places in the US where citys and towns just run together.  I stayed in Ingham for the night, a very small town about an hour from Townsville.  The place I stayed was a very grand and historic 1920's house that used to board Italian cane cutters back in the day.  The Noorla Heritage Resort.  I arrived and it was deserted.  I couldn't help but note the similarity to the movie "The Shining".  Mostly the feeling of the place.  And the bar.  It had a very vintage bar that could fit 30.  And a large dark table and library on one end of the room, where you could imagine someone smoking a pipe.  See  bad pic below... camera doesn't do well in low light, but you get the picture.

The next day I went to Townsville.  Seemed like a really nice town.  Sadly I didn't get to do too much because I was sick so I got a nice hotel room, cranked up the A/C, ate PBJs and didn't come out for nearly 24 hours.  Simpsons seemed to be on non-stop.  The next day I went for a visit at JCU.  Funny thing- the guy giving me a tour was from Portland, Oregon!  We caught up a bit.  Never would have guessed, because he had an accent.

So this is where the road trip kinda fizzled out.  I drove back up the coast, then flew out of Cairns.  I'm now in Darwin, and starting to feel a bit more human.  I have been seeing the sights and am off to see Kakadu National Park tomorrow morning for a three day camping tour.  Should be awesome.  Catch up with you all after that!

Shark Attack! Just joking... I dived the Great Barrier Reef and survived.

Just got back from an AMAZING few days living aboard a boat out on the Great Barrier Reef.  And to top it off, I am now a certified diver!  And I didn't kill myself or anybody else in the process.  Yes- vacation has officially begun.

Our days pretty much started at the crack of dawn.  At which point we got geared up in cold, wet stinger suits and on top of that we added 5mm wetsuits that were a pain to get on.  Then plunged into the water from the swimming platform.  We'd go out for about a half hour, come back, eat, dive, eat, dive, eat dive, eat then sleep.  Then begin again the next day.

One of the highlights of the trip was the "Night Dive".  As if this doesn't sound scary enough to a new diver, the instructor gave a briefing about giant moray eels attacking our glow sticks (we were each assigned a group color so we could find eachother).  Apparently the eels preferred the pink color of glow stick - and yes, I was in the pink group.  Then he briefed us on shark attacks, and how we needed to create a circle if they start attacking. Of course... all of this was a big fat joke he was playing on us newbies.  Needless to say this put everyone on edge, because it was the kind of joke that left you wondering if there was some truth.  OH AND HERE'S WHERE IT GETS CRAZY.  As we were prepping for the night dive, about three or four 6-foot long sharks were circling the back of the boat feeding.  The same place where we were going to enter in a big thrashing motion as we jumped into the water.  Digby the dive supervisor wished me well as I jumped off the back, and mentioned that his might be the very last face I would see. Lucky me. With flashlight in hand, I descended into the depths of the GBR, watching the sharks swim by and hoping I would make it back safely.

Turns out that the biggest danger was turtle watching.  Who wouldda guessed.  There is a big sea turtle named Brian that sleeps down there in a cave and we went to visit.  Of course in the dark, about six of us got into a twisted pile, and fins and arms were flailing in a tangled mess.  My approach was to hold onto my regulator and mask for dear life.  I was not about to try practicing any mask removal skills in the DARK.

Finally the dust settled, people separated, I found my dive buddy and we got moving again.  Despite all of the dangers, I managed to get through the dive safely.  I felt like quite the explorer down on the bottom of the ocean with my flashlight.  Not knowing what was lurking around the bend.

So here I am back in Cairns.  With a funny sunburn, some new bffs, and a hankering for a refreshing beverage.  So I'm off to the bar.

And tomorrow begins a new adventure... driving in Australia.  I am renting a car for the next few days and going exploring the rainforest up towards Cape Tribulation, then down as far as Townsville.  Til next time... Jenny

Portland to Cairns - The Longest Day Ever

Two calendar days and about 36 hours later - I made it to Cairns!
This being my first update from Australia and my first effort at travel blogging (I'm scared!), I'm going to go easy on myself.  Here's a list of highlights as I went from Portland to Cairns:

San Francisco - loooong layover, took Bart into the city, went to the Embarcadero where there was a market, walked up the hill to Chinatown and confirmed that I am LOVING my 15lb backpack.  Had an extremely good Hum bau and got a little blue wallet for my travels. Love SF.

Flight to Sydney - surprised to be seated next to a girl that had a *striking* resemblance to Claire on the show Lost.  Seriously.  Unlike Claire in Lost, I did make it to my end destination, Sydney.  And I slept most of the way.  Go me.

Sydney Airport - had a perfectly brief stay, got to enjoy the sweet voices of little Australian boys playing with their mom and reading the paper.  I learned about some new Australian tax law.

Arriving in Cairns - My first encounter with the locals - made the mistake of saying "excuse me sir.." to a bus driver.  He rolled over laughing... "well I've been called many things in my life..." hah.  Note to self: will be taking a less formal approach in future.  Other shocking sight - children driving!  Okay actually just caught me off guard - the driver is on the opposite side than I'm used to. Just passengers.  Phew.

Medical Clinic - I went to the local 24-hour clinic to get a dive medical.  Another experience with formality or lack of it - one of the patients in the waiting room was barefoot.  No worries mon.

So there you go.  I'm here now and heading out in a few to check out Kuranda.  Then getting my dive gear sorted out tonight.  Then off to the Great Barrier Reef early tomorrow morning.  Things are looking very good and its good to be here.