777 days on the road

bed count: 167

I'm sure something big happened since I last posted. Now, what was it? Hmmmmm...

Yeah, yeah so I am back in the UK. After another few days in NZ with my mum I waved her off for her flight and then followed in her footsteps the next day, arriving back in Glasgow on my 777th day on the road. Neatly timed!

The flight back was fine and dandy and, weirdly, even though I completely reversed my day and night I didn't suffer jet lag at all. Or maybe it's just a delayed reaction and I will suddenly keel over next week. But then I might have to blame the drink for that, since I am currently having to spend every evening in the pub as my telly isn't working... Shame!

So far I don't seem to have struggled as much as some others with this 'settling back into life in your home country' thing. Maybe because I was away so long. Or possibly because I am not trying to settle back in the place / life that I left behind. Or it could just be down to the fact that the weather has been beautiful since I got back and I am living in a lovely wee house right next to the shore and 5 mins walk from the pub (recurring theme...). But don't worry - the denial about earning money and thinking about the future will soon wear off and then I am sure I will feel as crap as everyone else!

So - I am on Jura for the moment and hope to be for the rest of the summer. The plans for heading off again in the winter are still vaguely there, but I am enjoying just being here so far.

Pics will follow once I get my broadband sorted - both of the end of the trip and Jura in all it's glory. Watch this space.

New Zealand with Mum

bed count: 160

So yes - it's a bit chilly here in New Zealand. Below freezing most nights. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr! A bit different to the 40 degree heat I was hiking in a few weeks ago.

It's been lovely though. The crisp frost on the grass, the snow on the hills, the beautiful late autumn colours.

Hot air in chilly in Christchurch

So we landed in Christchurch just over a week ago after beautiful views of Sydney Harbour and stunning views of New Zealand's 'Southern Alps' from the plane. Of course, being Sunday, everything in New Zealand was shut. Including the post office I'd sent my nice warm fleece to. So I took this as a sign that I should go for a wee afternoon nap (all this tourist stuff is so knackering, as is getting up at 4.30am to get a flight) whilst mum took a walk along the River Avon.

It felt a bit like de ja vu the next morning when we woke up at 4.30am for an early flight. This time though we were doing it in style with a hot air balloon ride to belatedly celebrate our birthdays. (Thanks to all who contributed to the pressie!)

We drove for quite a while to get to our launch site but it was still dark as we helped unload the basket and unfurl the balloon whilst jumping up and down to try and get some heat into our chilly bones.Before long the sky was growing gently lighter and the balloon was filling up, the bonus of this being that when the balloon is partially full they use the burners to inflate it further, which means heat. Yey!!!

The flight itself was beautifully smooth if a little chilly and we got some great views of the Canterbury Plains and the sea beyond. The mountains were under cloud but we gradually ascended up through this to nearly 7000 feet and were treated to the sight of Aoraki and it's neighbouring peaks poking up through the thin layer of cloud. It was very cool to be skimming along above the cloud as the sun rose through them.

Back down on the ground we were inducted into the balloonists club by being 'christened' with champagne and then celebrated in traditional balloonists style with a glass of champagne, even though it was well before 9am.

Thank to everyone who contributed towards the pressie for me and mum. It was a pretty cool experience and the memories will stay with us for a very very long time.

Cookies in Wanaka and extreme sports in Queenstown

From Christchurch we set off through a beautifully crisp, clear autumn day to Wanaka, via the chocolate shop at Geraldine (of course) and stunning views of Lake Tekapo and Aoraki. After the long drive down we headed out to the Paradiso - Wanaka's independent cinema, and watched 'Into the Wild' munching on home baked cookies baked fresh for the interval. I'd already seen the film in Sydney but, somehow, watching it at the Paradiso and then heading out into the dark night with snow-covered mountains looming up all around us gave it that extra edge of atmosphere.

The following morning we headed to Queenstown, via the high road with it's awesome views,and Arrowtown with it's stunning autumn colours (and more chocolate shops..).

Queenstown, like most places at this time of year, was quiet but that just meant that mum had more space to browse for souvenirs! We headed to Glenorchy the next morning which would normally be a beautiful drive, but low cloud meant that we missed out on seeing the tops of the mountains and the stunning view of Mount Earnslaw as you round that bend. Still - It was pretty atmospheric with all the swirling cloud and it's easy to imagine the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Narnia' films being shot around here.

We took the cable car up the mountain in the afternoon and did manage to get some views of the Remarkables as well as getting mum on a luge before watching the sun go down and Queenstown light up below us. In the midst of all this Mum got to see her first bungee jump which didn't make her anymore keep to have a go herself.

More bungee jumping the next day as we travelled to the West Coast via the site where both David and I have previously jumped. But no - Mum didn't uphold the family tradition and was quite happy watching other people hurl themselves off the bridge.

Glaciers and west coast sunsets

It seemed a long drive up to Franz Josef, but again the cloud was clouding in over the tops of the mountains and there weren't the normal stunning views. We weren't hopeful about out proposed heli hike on Fox Glacier the following day, but then, just as the sun was going down, the clouds lifted revealing stunning snow-capped peaks lit up rosy-orange in the evening light. Apparently it was all quite stunning, but I was pretty much keeping my eyes on the very, very windy roads.

Early the next morning we headed back down to Fox and got kitted up in thick socks and big strong boots for our heli hike. It was a perfect, crisp, clear morning and we had beautiful views of freshly snow-capped Mt Tasman and Aoraki from the valley. We took the short flight up onto Fox Glacier, with cool views of a massive waterfall disappearing beneath the ice and some minor acrobatic moves from our pilot, and landed on the ice. It's a bit tricky being one of the first people on the ice without a path chipped out or crampons on to help you stop slipping. I had visions of falling on my backside and flinging my arms up in the air as I fell and having my hands chopped off by the helicopter blades... Still - I survives without injury.

Apparently everyone had been queuing up the day before to come on the hike in miserable weather, but there seemed to be no one about on the glacier that day. Even with the pictures it's difficult to explain the scale and beauty of the glacier. The endless range of formations and the changing light. Our guide was great and he obviously loves his work, but then, as he says, it's different every day. The glacier is moving at a rate of 3m per day and ice caves and arches and ravines are being created and destroyed all the time. It must be fascinating.

After 3 hours on the ice we headed back down to the ground and just managed to get some more pictures of the mountains before the cloud closed in on them for the afternoon. We obviously timed that right then!

We headed on to Hokitika that night and managed to arrive in time for a beautiful west coast sunset and a chance to explore the beach to see if we could find any jade. Mum has a few stones that she thinks might be, but there are so many green stones on the beach it's hard to tell!

Nelson and the North Island

Another long drive the next day as we headed to Nelson via Punakiaki (Pancake Rocks), but we had more great views along the way and we made up for it the next day by doing very little. I say that, but we actually spent about 3 hours in the bead shop making presents for people. Having shipped loads of beads home and got rid of half of my Australian collection, I still have 4kg of beads in my rucksack so I was determined not to be tempted to buy any more. And I was pretty good. I only bought one bead. Honest. Okay so I bought 3 bracelets, a ring and a necklace, but technically they're not beads... I'm going to be wearing so much jewellery on the flight home!!!

After a lovely 2 night stay at the Bug where I caught up with Anthony and Steff and Yukon the dog we finally headed to the north island yesterday flying from Nelson to Rotorua via Wellington. Stunning views all the way - of snow covered peaks and Milford Sound on the first flight and then views of Mt Taranaki piercing through the clouds and stunningly clear views of snow covered Ruhapehu and neighbouring mountains before we touched down in Rotorua.

Rotorua (mostly) doesn't smell as bad as I remember it, but there is an occasional pong if the wind changes direction and I did wake up in the night to the horrible smell. Still - Mum has managed to see much evidence of volcanic activity. In fact, even form the plane we could see the vents steaming. We took a walk in the local park yesterday and sat with our feet in one of the public hot pools - one you're allowed to use that is, not one of the fenced off, bubbling mud ones! Mum has headed off to see more bubbling mud and strange colours at Waiutapu today and I finally have a day to catch up on the blog and pictures and the like.

Last night we headed out to the Mitai Maori village for a 'Maori Cultural Experience' which included a hangi. I've been to one of these in Rotorua already, but this was even better than the last I think and anyway, it's always very impressive to watch the Haka - such passion - and hear the songs. I was quite engrossed.

And so - we have another few days here in the North Island before Mum heads back to the UK. And if it sounds like we have packed a lot into the time we have had then you're right. I'm bloody knackered! I'm not used to travelling at this pace. I don't know how you guys who only have a few weeks holiday a year cope!

Back in Sydney

So - ten weeks after I had packed my bags and headed to Tassie my bus rolled back into Sydney. It felt a bit weird coming back. Partly because I recognised places and knew people in the city (and, in fact, bumped into someone I knew as I stepped off the bus) but also because I knew that this was the beginning of the end for my trip to Oz. All of a sudden I was overwhelmed with all the crap I had to sort out before my mum arrived.

Somehow, everything got sorted and I managed to spend time with my Sydney buddies, including my wee mate Corbin who is so small he's only just starting on solids. It was so lovely to see everyone again. It feels kind of surreal that I am leaving the country tomorrow.

So off I went to the airport on Thursday morning to see my mum for the first time in 2 years. It's been really good to see her and show her round Sydney the last few days, though it's been pretty knackering trying to fit everything in. I'm used to a much more leisurely pace of travel. I don't know how you guys who only have a couple of weeks to see everything fit it all in!

But still - I know the important things to do in Sydney - fruit frappes at Well Connected, drinks at the Opera Bar, chips on the esplanade at Manly, smoothies from Boost Juice.... We even managed Thai, African and my mum's first sushi experience. All pretty cool.

Oh - and there was some opera thing and a big bridge and boat on a big bit of water....

And so it's back to New Zealand. Strange where you end up isn't it. This time last year I could never imagined being in the place I am now. But here I am - with so many new friends and so many amazing experiences. Now I couldn't imagine it any other way.

Melbourne to Sydney

Melbourne to Sydney was always going to be a bit different to the rest of the big trip. For one thing I once again had to meet and get to know a whole bus load of new people. It'd been so nice having familiar faces around every day.

And this trip was also a little different as it was combined with another tour group and it was much less of a mixed crowd in terms of age and nationality. Lots of young Brits who were all lovely, but I couldn't help missing everyone from the original crew.

Still - how to amuse yourself on a bus full of strangers. 1) Tell them you work as an underwater wood welder. 2) Let them try to guess your age (I am loving this game recently- averaging about six years younger). 3) Play each other the most cheesy and embarrassing music on your iPods.

There seemed to be an awful lot of driving on the tour, but we did manage to stop off for a few nice walks - along 'squeaky beach' where the sand squeaks when you walk on it and up in the snowy mountains (which had a huge fall of snow 2 days after we were there).

And yes, they do have snow in Australia. In fact the ski resort where we started the walk can boast the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded in Australia: a biting -23 degrees! Luckily it wasn't so chilly on the day we were there and the views were lovely. The mountain pass up through the Snowy Mountains gave us some beautiful views, as long as you kept your eyes on the horizon and not down at the steep drop a few feet to the right of the bus... Yikes!!!

Day two of our trip also happened to be ANZAC day, which is a bit like our Remembrance Day in the UK. It's a public holiday here and, as well as having lots of remembrance services and the like, ANZAC day is the only day of the year it is legal to play '2 Up'. Now, 2 Up is basically a game where you bet on the toss of a coin. Well 3 coins, but that makes it sound more complicated than it actually is. And, being in Oz on the only day of the year when it was legal to play I felt it would be rude not to participate. And you know what? The saying 'tails never fails' stood me in good stead winning me $10! Not bad for a newbie!

Of course, like many of the good things in life, 2 Up takes place in the pub and it turned into a rather jolly night, what with winning $10 and there being alcohol and judging the 'hairiest man' competition... Yes - we backpackers are a resourceful lot you know. We know how to make our own fun!

On the final day of the trip we headed into Canberra on our way to Sydney. Canberra gets bad press here in Oz too. They either tell you how boring it is or that both cannabis and explicit porn are legal here*. To me these things sound mutually exclusive. Or maybe it is so boring to visitors because everyone is at home bonged out of their tree or enjoying their porn stash?

Anyhow . We didn't see evidence of either of these ACT phenomenons on our flying visit to Canberra. Possibly because we visited parliament house, and I don't think they go in for that kind of thing in such circles. Not publicly at least.

I really liked what I saw from my fleeting glimpse of the city though, and I am not sure why it gets slagged. But then I already said that about Adelaide too so maybe I am just odd and should make it my life's mission to visit all the places that get slagged off and appreciate them for their true beauty.

Canberra reminds me somewhat of a Kiwi city (which is maybe what the Aussies have against it). It's very leafy and the autumn colours were beautiful. Parliament House was pretty impressive too, as was the big lake and the bits of art plonked here and there around the place. All in all though I have to say that my main impression of Canberra was of being rushed around it by the bus driver so he could get us back on the road to Sydney...

*Okay - technically it still isn't legal to use cannabis, only to grow it, and there are still limits to the porn thing. But this is a travel blog. Get over it.

Adelaide to Melbourne

bed count: 152

So - I was supposed to go all the way from Darwin to Melbourne (which is, incidentally, roughly the same as travelling from Scandinavia to Turkey...) with Adventure Tours with one day's stop in Adelaide. However, the rest of the 'original and the best' crew who I had started the trip with in Darwin were only going as far as Adelaide, so I opted to break my trip here and hang out with the fab four a bit longer and do the Melbourne to Sydney leg with AT instead.

And I am glad I stuck around in Adelaide, because it really is a lovely place. It gets a bit of a slagging (I think one Aussie politician got into trouble recently for calling it the 'arse end of nowhere') but I really don't know why. It is a nice, manageable size, is lovely to walk around, has loads going on and has a lovely wee beach area called Glenelg. But then I had just been in the bush for nearly 3 weeks, so maybe I was just in awe...

It was all feeling quite like autumn when we were there too - what with the colours of the leaves and the nip in the air. Quite unlike what most people imagine of Australia I guess.

Unfortunately Wendela only had one night in Adelaide, but we made the most of it by going out to a lovely pub (you know - a proper one, where people don't get all dolled up to go out, the paint on the walls is peeling a bit and there's a good band playing) and then having a big pile of pancakes at the 24 hour pancake shop for breakfast. Is it wrong to have dutch chocolate pancakes with ice cream and a side of bacon for breakfast???

So the rest of us hung out for a few days in Adelaide not doing very much really. However, Tristan and I were minding our own business walking down the street in Adelaide when we almost tripped over Jeffery Archer sitting in the middle of the street signing books. I thought they had stopped transporting convicts? Very bizarre and I am so glad I was with another Brit at the time as I really don't think I could have explained Jeffery Archer to someone from Japan or Sweden...

Other than that we checked out the markets, had a walk by the sea, ventured into the Indonesian festival, cooked some meals, tried to get tattoos (but the tattoo guy refused...), got haircuts, went to the pub, and ate more pancakes. But soon it was time to move on and Irene, Aoife and I, accompanies by Svenja, cruelly abandoned Tristan in Adelaide (poor guy) and headed south in a hire car.

The Grampians and the Great Ocean Road

Our first stop on the way to Melbourne was the Grampians, about 4/5 hours south of Adelaide. It was really hazy driving down this stretch, which we reckon was to do with the controlled burn-offs they were doing in advance of bush-fire season. Whatever it was it made it quite eerie and a little reminiscent of childhood autumns when the farmers would still burn the stubble in the fields after harvest. Still - it makes for great smoky sunset pictures!

Halls Gap reminded me so much of a wee Scottish alpine village and the YHA eco-hostel we stayed in was just beautiful. Very comfy beds, beautiful kitchens a tiny cosy TV room and two big lounges with wood burning stoves. It was almost heartbreaking to only be staying one night.

In the morning it was hazy and peaceful and we took a walk along the ridge behind the hostel with lovely views to the dry waterfall, a reminder of the drought here, then down to Venus Baths and back into the village. There were more beautiful views on the drive down to Warranambool where, in parts, it was like you'd just woken back up in the UK or Ireland.

We did very little in Warranambool - it was one of those 'admin' evenings where you do washing and shopping and watch a bit of TV for a change. But Warranambool is at the start of the Great Ocean Road and the next morning we headed off along the coast.

There are many opportunities to stop for pictures and we walks along the GOR, and we took most of them - well the opportunities for photos of sea stacks, arches, grottoes, etc anyway! The most famous stop along this stretch is the 12 Apostles, and we managed to call in here in time for a picnic in the car park and a walk amid the crowds to see the rocks.

We headed down to Apollo Bay that night, passing more beautiful scenery, and stayed in a lovely little hostel (Surf Side) which is like an old Kiwi bach (holiday home) but very well cared for. Lovely views of the beautiful bay from the massive window in the lounge, old comfy couches and a record player. There was a nice crowd at the hostel too and we ended up getting a little tipsy with 3 vineyard workers from France, Italy and America who instantly became my favourite people in the world when they thought I was in my early 20s. That's happening a lot at the moment. It must be the tan!

I was up early the next morning (side effects of too much wine) and managed to see the sun rise over a misty Apollo Bay. Very beautiful. It's such a lovely wee place and I would have liked to stay longer and explore all the wee shops and walk along the beach. But we had to push on as we had an appointment to keep, so we headed on down the very windy GOR, stopping to spot koalas and see the big surf beaches along the way on our way to Geelong.

We caught up with Andy and Viv and their kids on their small farm just outside Geelong and it was great to see them and tell them all about the trip from Darwin down (Andy and Viv did the 1st three days of the trip through Kakadu and Litchfield for their 22nd wedding anniversary). They have a lovely wee place, but it's clear to see from old pictures how much the drought has effected the landscape.

After a wee walk on their farm we headed into the big smoke Melbourne and tied to negotiate the confusing tram lanes to find out hostel.

Melbourne

It's often said that you are either a Melbourne or a Sydney person, but I think that is too straight forward. I have been asked which I prefer, but I lived in Sydney for 9 months and only visited Melbourne for five days, so I can't really make a fair comparison.

It was a little difficult to get to grips with Melbourne in 5 days though. It felt a bit more 'scattered' than Sydney and the skyline less dominating, but that could be just where we were staying.

As well as taking one of the famous trams into the city we did check out the fabulous special Spanish market which seemed to consist mainly of jewellery and food stalls - all fine by me! The vast Victoria markets are also pretty cool, especially the deli section where there is so much tasty food to choose from (there is a theme emerging...) but we decided to hold off because we had heard of a 'street paved with cake' which we decided to investigate.

Well ok - it's not exactly paved with cake but St Kilda, a seaside suburb of Melbourne, certainly has more cake shops per head of population than most other places I have visited. And when I say cake shops I mean shops with massive windows which have floor to ceiling displays of all the kinds of cake you can imagine. There were just too many to sample in one sitting, so we had to go twice...

But finally it was time to bid a sad farewell to the remainder of the Darwin crew as Irene and Aoife were sticking around in Melbourne for a bit and I had a date to keep in Sydney. Still - here's to a road trip reunion of the west coast at some point in the next few years!

The big trip down - the second attempt (part 2)

So - after a few days rest in Alice we were all nice and relaxed and ready to hit the road again. Okay - that's a bit of a lie since we stayed up pretty late and certain people liked waking me up at 7.30 in the morning when I was supposed to be having a lie-in asking to borrow my iPod... Apparently having your eyemask on, ear plugs in and your sarong hung up round your bunk as a curtain isn't enough of a hint that you might be asleep... Ah the joys of dorm life!

So it's probably more accurate to say that we were a bit bleary eyed leaving Alice at 5.15am, but at least we'd managed to do our washing and the bus was 1/2 empty this time so we had space to spread out over the next six days.

Plus, our worries that we would be landed with another crap guide were quickly allayed by Will - a small man with a big hat and big boots who took us on his 'Too Easy' tour through the red centre and beyond.

It was a week of some very long drives (I had to buy flight socks in the end because my ankles were swelling up so bad) through some amazing, constantly changing countryside. Some days it was just endless flat horizons and dusty plains.

Kings Canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta

On the first day we headed down to King's Canyon were we were told we would be doing a walk as long as it wasn't above 38 degrees in the shade. I thought that this was a bit of a dramatic warning given that it couldn't be more than 30 degrees by my reckoning. But no - it was just about touching the 38 degree line when we got there... My god - I have no idea how I am going to survive the British weather after this!

So - after coughing my way up 'Heart Attack Hill' (I had a cough so long I really thought I had contracted some kind of tropical disease!) we did the rim walk at Kings Canyon. Lots of really cool red rock! So cool in fact that we were all taking pics of the rocks and could no longer take the piss out of Aoife the geologist for her rock fascination...

After Kings canyon we headed up towards Uluru and I, like many people, was taken in my Mount Connor on the way - AKA Foolaru. Still - we did catch a glimpse of the big red rock on our way into camp that night before eating BBQ stirfry for dinner and sleeping out under the stars once more.

We were up early the next morning (even for us) for sunrise at Uluru, which was just as impressive as a great hulking shadow in the pre-dawn as it is in the day time. We all congregated at the pre-dawn viewing area with a couple of hundred other people, but it was a pretty short walk to get away from the crowd. As it got light I started to think that the dawn at Uluru wasn't as spectacular as expected, but then the light hit the rock and it glowed this amazing orange-red colour. Pretty damned cool.

We had a lot to pack into the day and after dawn we took the 7km walk around the base of the rock, having opted to respect the Aboriginal owner's request not to climb it. To be honest, I think we chose the right option anyway. From the top you just to see miles of outback, but walking round it you can see the rock from so many different angles and in so many different moods.

Then it was on to the Aboriginal cultural centre before lunch and being whisked over to Kata Tjuta for another big walk... As beautiful as it was, this was one of the toughest points of the trip for me really. I think tiredness and having too long on the bus to think things through, combined with some anniversaries and being round people 24/7 got to me a little. But, despite the heat and my strong desire to lie down in a cool dark room on my own under a big duvet I was determined to do the walk and was rewarded with some beautiful views. It was one of the many times I was glad to have Irene, Aoife, Wen and Tristan in the trip though. They just let me get on with things.

Sunset at Uluru was less dramatic than sunrise, though the distant Kata Tjuta illuminated by shafts of light through the clouds was pretty spectacular. Plus, the bubbly made it a fitting end to a long day.

Heading South

The next day was the 4.45am start and we had a looooooong drive to Coober Pedy, stopping off to watch the sunrise at Mt Connor and a salt lake for breakfast. All very beautiful with the red earth, green vegetation, white salt lake and pink/blue sky.

We also managed a wee side trip to the Break Away's - apparently famous for being the backdrop for Mad Max 2, but which reminded me more of Luke's home planet... Coober Pedy is opal central and we did a tour of an opal mine before sleeping in an underground house for the night. What can I say about it? It's a strange town. Very dusty and about 40 different nationalities, which is pretty impressive since it's got a very small population.

It was another pretty dramatic change of landscape the next day as the dusty flat horizon gave way to salt lakes and then greenery and the Flinders Ranges. It looked so much like home - but then I have been away from home for 2 years and had been in the outback for more than 2 weeks. Saw more kangaroos and emus (to add to the thorny devil and wedge-tailed eagle we'd already seen.)

We hiked up Mt Ohlsen Bagge the next morning and experienced the first smattering of rain since starting the trip at the summit before heading on to Parachilna for the night. Parachilna has a permanent population of six I think, but it does have a very good pub the opportunity to see see the longest freight train in the southern hemisphere (2km+) and some pretty cool sunsets.

As we were heading into wine country it would have been rude of us to pass up on the opportunity to sample the local produce so, on the last day, we headed to a monastery vineyard in Clare. This may have been a ploy on Will's part to get us a little tipsy before we completed our feedback forms, though he needn't have worried. I think I will remember those 6 days on the road for a very long time to come.

The big trip down - the second attempt

bed count: 150

Okay - maybe the last post was a bit of a cop out... But then I had been on the road for 18 days and it's so difficult to put your experiences into words sometimes. Especially when it's not just about the country you're travelling through, but the people you're travelling with too.

I think it must be hard for people who have never done a trip like this to understand the kind of friendships you make on the road and what they mean to you when you are thousands of miles away from home. Travelling can mean meeting such a diverse range of people (if you want to - though it's so easy to stay in your own little ex pat community if you want to). But sometimes you meet people who aren't just interesting or friendly or good to pass the time with, but who turn out to be proper friends that you can imagine reminiscing with when you're 80.

Anyhow - enough of the mushy stuff. I know you really want to know about the trip itself. Let me have another stab at explaining it all then:

Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks

I'm not really a city person. Cities are all good and interesting for a while, but if I spend too long in the urban sprawl I start to go a bit crazy and hanker for some wide open spaces. And this was the first time in Oz that I got to do the 'wide open spaces' thing - which seems a little bit remiss after 10 months in a country which is pretty damned empty for it's size.

I hadn't realised how much I was missing the country side / bush / outback (whatever you want to call it) until I hit the road from Darwin. And it really reminded me that, for all the individuality and charm of any city or town in the world, you have to get away from urban spaces to really get a feel for the county. To understand what it was like before McDonalds et al.

But anyhow - heading out from Darwin down to the Mary River we visited giant termite mounds. It's amazing to think that these little critters can build something so massive!

But of course, termites aren't the only wildlife native to Oz and in the afternoon we got up close and personal with a few not quite so docile Aussie specimens on the 'jumping croc' boat. I've already posted a pic on here of a croc jumping out of the water with it's jaws menacingly open and ready to snap. But no - I haven't turned into some expert wildlife photographer who tracks down her animals single-handed - I was, at the time, sat quite comfortably in a boat whilst someone dangled meat on a line over the edge. Still - it was close enough for me and I was quite glad to have a sturdy piece of metal between me and the many-toothed one...

Through most of the trip we camped in semi-permanent camps along the way. Basically huts made out of flynet and tarpaulin with a basic camp kitchen and bathrooms. I was excited about this from the start, which was a bit of a turn around for me since when I first arrived in Oz I thought that anyone opting to camp in a country full of snakes and spiders was bloody barmy. But it was perfect really - falling asleep to the sound of howling dingos.

One of the highlights of the Kakadu and Litchfield sections of the trip was definitely the hikes. Not the traipsing through incredibly hot countryside part of the hike you understand. The part of it where you suddenly happen upon a strategically placed waterfall with a massive plunge pool and get to strip off to your swimmers and cool off. And we managed to swim in some pretty cool spots. (Pardon the pun).

We also managed to see a fair bit of wildlife - wallabies with little joeys in their pouches, dingos, brumbies (wild horses), a frill-necked lizard, birds of prey, wild pigs and more.

The rock art at Ubirr was pretty damned amazing too. You can clearly see the shapes of animals such as kangaroos and it's incredible that it has lasted so long. Our guide, Rick, took the time to tell us a lot about Aboriginal culture including the fact that there are lots of layers to the stories in the rock art and in aboriginal culture you have to earn the right to learn the next level of the story. Since the vast majority of white people have so little understanding of Aboriginal culture they are only told the lowest level of stories meant for children. As a result some of the stories might sound a little like out fairy tales to us, like stories used to teach morals and appropriate behaviour. But that's just because we haven't earned the right to learn the more complex levels of the story yet.

Darwin to Alice Springs

So, after a fantastic first three days we were brought back down to reality with a bump in Darwin when only 2 of the 8 washing machines in the hostel were working and there was a queue of us waiting to wash out dusty hiking gear ready for an early morning start the next day. But it all got done in the end and I actually got quite good at early morning starts with the earliest start being 4.45am, but us averaging about 5.45 / 6am... (And you thought I was on holiday!).

Unfortunately, the 2nd leg of the trip wasn't as good as the first with a hot, cramped bus and a less than professional guide. Still - we did get to sleep out under the stars in swags (like big canvas sleeping bags with a built-in mattress) and watch shooting stars and listen to more dingos howling.

I was really disappointed not to be able to go kayaking at Katherine Gorge as I had heard it was fantastic. But it was the end of 'the wet' and the river currents were far too strong so we took a river cruise instead. We also managed to pop into an outback pub at Daly Waters, where the tradition is to leave something behind, so I stapled a Jura postcard to the wall. Be sure to look out for it if you're ever there.

I guess these trips have up sides and down sides and I would have to say that one of the downsides of visiting an outback pub with 24 other people is that you don't really get the sense of isolation you would get if it was just a couple of you road tripping. But then, It's a hell of a long drive through an awful lot of nothingness, so I was pretty glad not to have to drive it myself.

The Devil's Marbles were an interesting diversion on the way down, as was the nearby UFO exhibit. Is it a coincidence that the place which has the highest number of recorded UFO sightings in Oz also has the largest collection of beers in the Northern Territory???

All in all though the 3 days down to Alice were a bit torturous at times and I am just glad I had Irene, Aiofe, Wendela and Tristan there to keep me as sane as possible...

Alice Springs

By day seven of the epic trip we were glad to have a few days in one place and a chance to do our washing. I think I had expected Alice to be smaller than it was. Maybe a couple of wooden pubs along a dirt track, but then I tend to know very little about places I haven't yet visited and Alice proved this point yet again. It's not the biggest place in the world, but it seemed like a big city after 6 days in the outback.

We didn't do much in Alice. Had a wander. Bought some Aboriginal art. Tried to find somewhere that sold a hand-held fan, but all the shops were in winter mode and were stocking fan heaters... Crazy people!

To be fair, it was cooler at night than we had experienced for a while, which was a welcome relief. It was as hot during the day as it had been up north, if not hotter, but without the humidity, which made it much more bearable.

The five of us also cooked a big meal one night in Alice, which coincided the second anniversary of being on the road for me. I couldn't think of a better way to have spent it. Except maybe doing what we did after the meal and a little too much wine (playing balloon volleyball in dorm and having trolley races with the luggage trolleys from underneath our beds.)

The big trip down

bed count: 142

So - over the last 2 weeks I have effectively travelled the distance between Scandinavia and Greece, and yet I have only been through 2 Aussie states. This country is bloody massive.

There have been highs and lows, but years after the long hours on the road and the heat are forgotten I definitely won't forget the amazing changing landscape, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and the people I shared it all with.

After the Kakadu leg, the journey down to Alice was a bit of a let down with a cramped bus and a poor tour guide. But we did manage to see a few worthwhile sites along the way (including the Devil's Marbles). We also popped into Daly Water's outback pub where it is a tradition to leave something behind. So - if you are ever out that way check out the Isle of Jura postcard on the window frame in the corner of the room...

It's hard to give you an idea of the endless and changing landscapes we passed through coming down the country. From the tropics, down through the semi-arid red centre and the endless horizons through Coober Pedy before the Flinders ranges break the horizon. We saw rainbow clouds, wedge tail eagles, mini twisters, emus, sunsets, thorny devils, sunrises, kangaroos, fabulously clear night skies, waterfalls, canyons, and that's not even the half of it.

The hike at Kings Canyon that day was the biggest test of fitness so far. But I must be getting acclimatised because it certainly didn't feel like 38 degrees in the shade to me...

Uluru (Ayres Rock) was, of course, amazing. After getting a glimpse of it the night we arrived from Alice, we got up early and drove through the pre-dawn twilight to watch the sunrise. And it was definitely worth it when the sun hit that big red rock.

Oh god - this is all so difficult to put into words! So maybe I shouldn't try. Maybe instead you should take a look at the photos on Flickr... It's a cop out maybe, but they're cracking shots and you know wheat they say about a picture painting a thousand words...

2 years on the road

bed count: 136

So today is the second anniversary of being on the road, and where better to spend it than in Alice Springs with my new travel buddies. It really doesn't feel like I have been away 2 years. Maybe I am just so used to it now. Is it weird when sleeping in 136 beds in 2 years feels normal?

Well, since I last blogged I have had the best Aussie experience so far, and one of the best times of my travels altogether. Luckily I was over the worst of the cold in time for the 6.30am start to my 18-day mega-trip down through the centre of Oz and I spent 3 fantastic days in Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks with one of the best guides ever and the best bunch of travellers you could hope to share a trip with (though - of course, it would have been an even more out-of-this-world experience if you were here Matt and Trace!).

We had such good fun, hiking and then cooling off in plunge pools beneath beautiful waterfalls; spotting dingos, wallabies (one with a joey in it's pouch - ahh so cute!), lizards, wild pigs, wild horses, crocs, a dead snake (phew!) and loads more; learning about the Aboriginal culture and looking at ancient rock art; and camping out in the bush listening to the sound of howling dingos as we drifted off to sleep. It was all so fantastic that the early starts (5.30 am when it was still dark) were a breeze.

Sadly our fabulous guide, Rick, was only with us for the first 3 days of the tour and we had a bit of a crap guide for the second leg of the journey, which was also through a long, hot stretch of country. But still, Aoife, Irene, Wendela and Tristan kept me (almost) sane through the heat and the pathetic air conditioning and there were a few small bonuses along the way. Like sleeping out in swags under the stars for the first time, visiting the Devil's Marbles and crossing the Tropic of Capricorn.

Now in Alice for a few days break before heading on down to Uluru (more sleeping out in swags - cool!!!) and it's just nice to be hanging out here for a few days.

But anyway - here's to 2 years on the road. I wonder where I will be this time next year...

Darwin

Well - Darwin is a lovely little city. Not that I have done very much here except chill out in the pool at the lovely hostel (Elkes Backpackers) and take a tour on the 'Tour Tub'.

Part of the reason is that it's the tail end of the wet season here. Not much rain during the day (though it is rumbling with thunder outside just now) but it was quite hot for the first two days here. Life is very laid back as a result - no one rushes because it's too hot. And, because it's still 'the wet' two of the things I really wanted to do in Darwin aren't open at the moment - the deckchair cinema and the night markets, which are renowned for their fantastic food stalls. Still, I am going to have to come back to Oz at some point to see the west coast so I will just have to come back to Darwin then.

But the other reason is that I am now laden with the cold. Really bad timing since the big trip I have really been looking forward to for ages starts at 6.30am tomorrow. But I have been trying to take it easy today and have plenty of cold and flu tablets to dose myself up on, so hopefully everything will go fine.

I have learnt a bit about Darwin in the few days I have been here though. Darwin was quite heavily bombed by the Japanese in WWII, but it took the Australian government years to reveal the full extent of what happened up here. At the time they didn't want to panic the rest of the country. So after the first attacks, during which more bombs were dropped on Darwin in one day than were dropped during the Pearl Harbour attack and hundreds of people were left dead or injured, Australian newspapers ran headlines along the lines of '14 hurt in Darwin raid'. To this day, apparently, many Australians don't realise the full impact that the Japanese raids, more than 60 in the space of two years, had on Darwin.

And, if that wasn't enough for one city to cope with, Darwin also had Mother Nature to contend with. On Christmas eve 1974 a massive cyclone ripped through the city and destroyed 60% of the buildings. The museum here has a big exhibition showing the devastation the cyclone reeked across the city with audio recordings of the cyclone itself and footage of the immediate aftermath.

But it's not all devastation here. I did spend an hour this morning feeding fish at the beach. Hundreds of wild fish which come in every morning and take bread right out of the hands of people on the beach. You can wade in and have fish swimming all around you - tickling you feet. Some of them are pretty big fish and it was a pretty cool sight.

But, as I say, the rest of Darwin will have to wait until next time to be explored. Because tomorrow is the start of the epic 18-day trip form Darwin to Melbourne. Here's hoping I will be well enough to enjoy it!