Flying to New Zealand...all day

This morning we woke up to get ready for our long day of flying!

We had a shuttle pick us up and take us to the airport.  This day is going to be rather uneventful since all we are doing is flying the whole time, but at the end of it - we will have made it to New Zealand.

Our first flight brought us to Melbourne. This airport was so fancy. Tons of nice duty free items and shops. They even have a Victoria's Secret here. We've been flying Quantas again so that's always nice.  Melbourne looks rainy and drizly outside but it is not 100 degrees so it's kind of fun to have a little change. Auckland, New Zealand seems nice but it's midnight and a little hard to tell :)

All of our flights were pretty nice. I had time to watch all of the kid movies I've been wanting to see: Brave, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days, and The Muppets. Plus a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother.  We arrived in New Zealand and now we are just hanging out in the airport for a few hours before connecting to Christchurch on the South Island.

We are so excited for NZ but I can't believe we have already left Australia.  We had a fantastic time but it just went so quickly. I think we did a great job of packing the quintessential Aussie experiences into our short trip. We explored Sydney, the Opera House and the Bridge, the snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and the road less traveled to the Red Center of the Outback which was so awesome, and we have met (or reconnected with) some really great people. Those are the things I think of when I think of Australia.  While we didn't ever have "Shrimp on the Barbie", everything else we ate was plenty delicious and I can leave happy. Of the 16 counties I've now been to, I've been lucky enough to have experienced 8 of them with Mesa. I can't wait to now go out and see what New Zealand can share with us.  Look out South Island, you're about to have some ambitious, inquisitive, and energetic travelers!

Now off to find a quiet place to settle before making our way to the domestic transfers in a few hours. 

Outback Day 4 & Alice Springs

Last night I was so tired and exhausted because of the heat (and mad at myself for being afraid of a big bug that I wrecked my phone) that I fell asleep in the tent without even getting my sleeping bag.

Luckily this site was our nicest and our tents felt like some of our past hostels.

We had some breakfast and packed sandwiches for the day and then went off to do another 3 hour hike at the Western Macdonnell Ranges National Park in the Ormiston Gorge Creek. Juno said it would be an easy day and that we would be rewarded with a swimming hole at the end. What he didn't tell us was that a decent portion of the hike was over large stepping stones where a creek would be if there was any water. It's impossible to pay attention to your surroundings because you had to watch every step you took.

Of course that didn't stop me from slipping and smashing my knee. It was quite painful because I landed right on the rocks, but luckily I didn't twist anything. The first thing I asked about was if my camera was ok. I had my lens cap on and although it got a little scuffed up, it is fine. I don't know if I would have handled it very well if I broke my phone and my camera in the span of 8 hours.

Every time we did a hike we had to carry 1.5 liters of water each. My Camelback bladder is 2 and Mes had 1.5 but on this hike we were all running low and drinking it quickly. It was such a hot day and it was very easy to get dehydrated quickly. Our group Mom of the trip was doing fine and then the dehydration just hit her. I have so much respect for her and her husband because, quite honestly my mom and dad wouldn't have made it. (Sorry guys, but it's true) Mom wouldn't have handled the heat and daddy-o's knees would not have made it.

Luckily two of our guys went ahead and grabbed some extra water from the truck to bring back and we were all saved! Plus we did get a nice swim in. The water felt wonderful. There were some Loon-like birds diving around us and up on the cliffs little birds had made their nests.There was also a little cave area surrounded by water that Mesa swore she saw a rabbit in, which turned out to just be a rock shaped like a rabbit (dehydration much??).

We only had another 10 minutes to the truck. I have to say I was a little disappointed that Juno didn't explain this hike better and gauge our group's level with the hiking and the heat. We had different options that we could do for the day and it would have been nice to do something that everyone could survive.

After Ormiston Gorge we drove to the Ochre Pits. The pits consist of several layers of multi-colored rock that was traditionally used by the aboriginals in ceremonies and played a large role in the economy because it was traded all across the continent. While it was used by everyone, only the aboriginal men were allowed to collect it. Breaking any off is a $5000 fine.

From here we drove to Ellery Creek Big Hole (or as we like to call it, the Deep Hole). This was our picnic spot and then we could go for another swim. It's just beautiful out here. You're surrounded by tall red cliffs and the water is nice and cool because the water gets so deep.There was a perfect sandbar out in the middle where you could easily sit with the water up to your shoulders but you didn't have to tread water!

After our last swim we drove to Simpsons Gap. It's a beautiful gorge carved out of the West Macdonnell ranges by Roe Creek. We were hoping to see some Wallabies but we first saw a Dingo so I thought he had eaten them all.  Luckily one was spotted up on the rocks.

From here we came back to civilization in Alice Springs. We had a nice night getting Subway and going to Cole's for snacks and supplies. We were even more excited to have WiFi again.

We have a big travel day tomorrow and we may not get a post in until we get to our New Zealand hostel. But it will get posted once we can.

Goodnight from the still very hot Red Center...

Outback Day 3

This morning we woke up at 5:30 and I felt so much better than yesterday. I slept significantly better in our tent than I did outside with the ants.

We loaded up after breakfast and went to the Kings Canyon.  This was a 3 hour hike and the views were unbelievable.  The Canyon itself was stunning but then we also went through some old sand dunes and down to the Garden of Eden. It was like a little oasis down there. Nice and cool, a water hole, and if it was a different season there would have been a waterfall.

We then made our way back up and across the other side of the canyon.  Here you could see where a large section of the rock face had been eroded with water and then fell down.  It happened about 70 years ago so Juno kept telling us that they're due to have another piece break so we shouldn't get too close to the edge.

The walk itself was hot, but was probably the best part of the Outback so far. 

After we finished we went back to the Kings Canyon Resort near our campsite.  We had a nice lunch and then went swimming again. From here we made our way out toward our last stop.  The road was ridiculously bumpy, you could hardly call a red dirt road a "road" but the during our drive we saw a wild dingo, some wild camels, wild horses, and cattle.  We even went off-roading for a bit to chase down the camels and horses.

We made a stop at Gosse Bluff which was amazing. It's this huge crater that was created by an ice meteor around 140 million years ago. It hit the ground so hard that it created small hills around the area, like a ripple. We were able to go inside it and then did a short hike to get a good view. It was really cool. The aboriginal people actually believe that up in the sky a woman put her baby down in a cradle but the baby fell out and crashed into earth and that's what created the crater. The mom and dad keep looking for the baby every day. The mom is the first star out each night and the dad is the sun.

We also stopped to get a good view of the West Macdonnell ranges which is where we are staying tonight.

When we got to our campground we had some free time and we went to find a natural swimming hole. It was just a 10 minute walk from our site and the water felt so good. The views were beautiful. You're surrounded by red cliffs and and bright blue sky. There were some big birds down at the far end too. It was a really nice way to end a hot day. It was over 100 degrees again and those moments where you can cool yourself down even for a little bit are so precious.  You're already hot again by the time you get back up to the campsite, but for that moment, it's perfect.

We had a nice dinner and relaxed for the evening. When we got back into our tent there was a massive bug right up by my headboard. We got one of the guys to kill it for us, but after that I felt another bug land on me and I dropped my phone and shattered the screen. I'm typing on it now though, so I can still see on it, but I'm pretty bummed. It will definitely need to be replaced when I get home.  Stupid huge outback bugs.

Well it's 8:30 and I think we are off to bed. Tomorrow will be here soon enough.

I really might melt.

Outback Day 2

Well I'm going to start out mentioning, that sleeping in a swag under the stars in the outback was not the most enjoyable experience for me.  I hardly slept because I could feel ants crawling all over me. I even pulled about 15 of them from my hair in the morning! Gross! Then add in our 3:30 am wakeup call, and I was a little like a zombie.

We had enough time this morning to have breakfast, or like the Aussies say "breaky", put away our sleeping bags and swags and get ready before heading out to Uluru to watch the sunrise. There were a lot of people there, but we had a decent spot to watch the rock that wasn't too crowded. I think that the sunset was a little more beautiful, but it could have just been my attitude about the whole morning.

After the sunrise, we went to do a walk around the base of Uluru. I may have mentioned it in my last post. But Uluru is one large sandstone rock formation and it is a 5.8 mile walk around the base and the highest point is 1,142 feet high. This site is very sacred to the Anangu aboriginals of the area and there were certain areas of the rock where we were not allowed to take pictures. They have separate men and women areas and even today you could be speared for not obeying those sites. Plus it is a $5,000 fine if you get caught photographing in the restricted area.

Luckily it was still pretty early in the day so we weren't too hot during our walk around the base, but you know it's only going to get hotter.

After our base walk, we had a few snacks before Juno took us on a guided Mala walk. He explained a little of the differences between the male and female aboriginals, along with some plants and the stories that they believe about the area. It was really starting to get hot now. They had even closed the climb to the top of the rock because it hit a certain temperature (there were people going up it when we arrived).  The aboriginals do not hike up Uluru because it is sacred.  Each aboriginal has a totem, and only the males with the Mala totem can hike to the top. There's a big sign asking you to not do it because of how sacred they believe it is. Plus, it can also be dangerous. 36 people have died doing the climb, either due to the heat or falling off because it is steep or windy.  There has even been an increased lack of respect given by those at the top, like going to the bathroom, golfing, and nudity. It's just really disrespectful and I was more than ok with just doing the walk around the base. 

After our walks, we went back to the campsite to have lunch and clean everything up.  We had to wait a little while for Juno to get gas but we got going a little after 12 to make our way to Kings Canyon. It's a 4 hour drive so it made a good nap time. We stopped for a nice view of Mount Conner and then again at Kings Canyon Station. There was also a point where 8 wild horses were on the road and we had to wait for them to cross. We have also seen a kangaroo and I saw 3 wild Dingos.

We spent some time at Kings Canyon Resort before going up to our campsite. We were able to swim for a bit before heading back to make dinner. The stars are spectacular, but after last nights swag experience we decided to sleep in the tent tonight. We can still see the stars from where we lay.

Goodnight!

The Outback Day 1

This morning we left our hostel for the Outback with Adventure Tours. They picked us up around 6.  There were already 6 others the van and there would be an additional 4 to meet up with us at Uluru (Ayers Rock).

You really didn't have to go but 10 minutes out of town to make you feel like you were in the middle of nowhere. But we kept driving. 

We took the Stewart Highway out and in the 3000k that the road stretches, there is only one turn, in Alice Springs.

Our first stop was at a camel farm and no one wanted to do a ride.  Mesa and I have already been on camels in Egypt so we didn't feel the need to pay for a 5 minute ride again.  We only made a few other stops, to get gas and have a few lookouts.

The beginning part of the day was a little slow going. It was just a lot of driving. We drove past Mount Conner and the finally made it to Uluru and Kata Tjuta.  Our campsite is permanent, so we didn't have to pitch tents.  We had a quick lunch and then went off for the afternoon.

It was too hot to do the Valley of the Winds walk so instead our guide, Juno, brought us to an Aboriginal Cultural Center.  We learned a little about the aboriginals of this area and some of their stories about Uluru.

From here we went to Kata Tjuta. This is another large rock, like the most famous Uluru. But it isn't flat on top, instead it has 36 different heads, or mounds. We did a nice walk up close and it was pretty impressive. The rocks are just huge. Kata Tjuta is a conglomerate, so it is made up of many different rocks like basalt, granite, etc. And they're all squished and held  together like a fruit cake. Much of the rock is below the ground.

Uluru, is a little different. That is one complete rock and instead of pushing straight up from the land, the rock broke below ground and pushed up vertically on top of the other piece. So you actually see the difference in the way the setiment runs on each rock. The 3 big rocks: Mount Conner, Kata Tjuta, and Uluru are all in a straight line of eachother.

We had a nice view of Uluru for sunset, complete with champagne. Some of the other tours had fancy tables, but we had ours out of plastic coffee mugs. A real outback experience.

We got back to the campsite for dinner, kangaroo meat and camel sausages. Both were not as bad as they sound.  Going to sleep outside in a swag tonight. Wish us luck!

Alice Springs

This morning we left hot and muggy Cairns for hotter and drier Alice Springs.  

Today was pretty uneventful, so I apologize that this update is kind of lame.

The shuttle picked us up at the hostel and brought us to the airport. We have decided that Quantas is pretty much da bomb. Do people say that anymore?  Probably not...so Quantas was amazing. Check in and security were a breeze, and we got snacks and lunch on our flight.

Arriving in Alice Springs we could see NOTHING out of the plane windows. Not because the windows weren't open, it's just that there is nothing out here. Our shuttle driver explained that the next closest town is 500k away.

It's a tiny little town and it's crazy hot here. After checking into our room we organized everything we need to bring on our Outback tour since we leave really early. Then decided we would go lay out by our pool. Even with getting in the water, we still only lasted about 10 minutes. The cement was so hot that you couldn't even lay down on a towel.

Instead we decided to walk into town for some dinner. We made it to McDonald's and had a bite to eat and learned that their icecream cones are only 30 cents!

We don't have free WiFi, but bought 24 hours worth for less than $10. No real plans for the rest of the night. I used some the night to look up information of our stops in the outback. Our pickup is early tomorrow morning so we will probably be going to bed early.

Cya after the Outback! That is if we don't melt, the forecast looks to be right around 100 everyday.

P.S. the pictures are of our new 2012 trip matching bracelets, the mini pop and mini pretzels on the plane, and the view of the desert as we descended into Alice Springs. I told you it wasn't very exciting! :)

Thanks for reading!

Tjapukai & Kuranda

Another beautiful day in Cairns Australia today.  We were picked up from the hostel this morning and brought to the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. I'll help you out with this one, it's pronounced like "jab-a-guy" or at least that's closer than what I was saying before.

The first part of our day was filled with different shows. A didgeridoo show,  theater performance of the aboriginal creation story, and then a Tjapukai dance performance.  I have to admit I was a little disappointed that neither Mesa or myself were chosen to go dance on stage. Ha, I think we would have done a good job. We also received an explanation of aboriginal food, medicines, hunting and weapons. We got to try our luck with spear and boomerang throwing too.  Unlike the blowdarts in the Amazon, spear throwing was a little more difficult. We didn't hit any of the targets, but we didn't do a horrible job either.  I think we were both a little better with the boomerangs!

We had a buffet lunch and then I went and bought a pretty decent sized didgeridoo that is being shipped home. Mom & Dad it's coming to your house! So watch for it. You'll need to open it if it comes before I come home because if it's damaged I need to report it within 48 hours. It's pretty cool. Brings me back to my band geek days, only this seems a little more difficult to play. I did get a little private lesson from the guy in the shop of how to play it. Maybe you can all try your luck at Christmas!

After Tjapukai we took the Skyrail up to Kuranda. It's a 4.7 mile cableway that was built in 1995 that brings you right over the rainforest. I read that all of the towers were lifted into place by helicopter to avoid disturbance of the rainforest. The tallest point on the cableway is at the Red Peak Station - 1,788 feet high.

The views were spectacular. Everything was so green. We saw the Barron Falls waterfall and the Barron River and were able to get out and go to a few different lookout points before getting into Kuranda.

Kuranda village is pretty quaint, and full of cute little streetside shops. We walked around for a bit and did a little shopping before catching the Kuranda Scenic Railway to bring us back down. There were 15 tunnels to go through and the views were impressive. The railway officially opened in 1891 to serve the bustling gold fields.

We made it back to the hostel around dinner time and now we need to repack our bags as we leave for Alice Springs in the morning. I don't know if we are going to have WiFi access while we are there (we definitely won't have it in the outback) but I will still write the blog and just post all updates once I can connect again.