Australia
Dec 6 - Feb 3
Well folks, for those of you waiting for an update, we are sorry it took so long. Remember to check www.bootsnall.com under TRAVELLOGUES for updates at different times, and make sure you check out the surfing pictures above.
So it has been about 10 days since we have been in Australia, and things are going well. After buying our blue Ford Falcon, we have been living like gypsies, exploring the open road, and sleeping in our car. First off, we went to the Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney. We spent three days here checking out the amazing hiking, doing a bit of rock climbing and caving and just general
exploration. We wanted to make sure our car ran well before embarking on our 17,000 km journey. I am happy to say that it does indeed run well, and we are very happy with our decision. We have then been driving up the coast, heading north towards Brisbane. We are currently in the north of New South Wales, have just spent the day learning to surf. It was truly cool, and both of us were able to stand and ride small waves on our first day. Other highlights included visiting a nude beach (yes, I went completely in the buff, although this will probably not shock anyone). The kookaburras have been plentiful, and extremely loud. So loud in fact, that the first night in our car, Mari woke me up to tell me that we were being invaded by loud screaming monkeys.
The weather has also been treating us well. It has been sunny, sunny, and very hot. NO MORE RAIN. And to put everyone's minds at ease, the big cyclone that hit here, was on the other side of the country. Well, we have to go relax some more. The beer here is excellent, and the selections of bitters will make all our beer buddies jealous. Hope everyone's Christmas plans are going well, we have a pinecone to decorate. later
Dec 28
Okay ladies and gents, thanks for being so patient, sometimes the updates are few and far between.
So, three weeks ago we left sydney, and the car has been running like a top. In the tropical rainstorms, we found a leak, but duct tape has made short work of that. Gas has been running between 70 and 80 cents a litre (about 75 cents CDN/litre or $1.80 US a gallon) We decided to keep going up the coast, and are currently in Airlie Beach, just outside of Mackay. We leave to go diving tonight and we be at sea for 3 days, before arriving back on the mainland for new years.
Now, what we have been up to.
After leaving Byron Bay, we headed North into Queensland. We camped out at the world's largest Volcanic Crater, Mt Warning, with plans to hike in the morning. When morning came it was pouring, so we just took a short hike. On this hike, we discover two new species (well, to us). The first was a group of rock wallabies that were bouncing around the huge fig trees. While we were watching these I discovered a small leech on my leg. Mari was not impressed at this, or at finding two on her own body. I am not allowed to describe how she actually reacted, but she has threatened to be very violent to me if I do. (
We decided to keep going north, and got to a little town of Noosa Heads. After two days of free camping and hiking, we were given the boot by the local cops. We recieved a picture of a ford falcon with a big cross through it, and were told we would be fined $5000 if we free camped again. We left very confused (I mean if I had $5000 I wouldn't be sleeping in my car)
We got the lucky opportunity to see some common bottlenose dolphins on one hike near the coast, and then moved to Hervey Bay, the access point for Fraser Island. Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island, and we spent three days hiking in the heat. We were actually a little disappointed with the number of tourists burning around in 4WD trucks, but the island was beautiful. Along the trails we got to see monitor lizards, baby turtles, and hear dingos howling near us. There were several crystal clear lakes that we got to swim in (which is just as well since several tiger sharks were reported off the coast).
Then on Christmas eve we ended up near bundaberg. It was here we spent Christmas hitch-hiking, and the night before watching a nesting turtle. If anyone out there gets this chance, please take it. Watching a huge loggerhead turltle, only centimetres away, digging and laying egg. It was the most amazing thing.
Well everyone, that is it for now. we had a lesson playing the diggeridoo, but are not buying one yet.
later
The Car - "The Blue Panda"
This is our baby - the Little blue car that is going to get us around the great country of Australia. This is the romantic spot that tim and I spent New Year's eve. I slept throught it and tim woke up just in time to listen to it on the radio. Oh well.