I also wanted to add quickly that anyone can post a comment without having to join Blogger. Below the post just click comment and it will open a window. There you can type your comment and select how to publish it. If you don't have a Gmail account, you can just type your name-- it's really easy!
I love hearing your feedback and can answer any questions you have.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
From Reef to Ranch
A lot has happened since Magnetic Island so I hope I don't forget to include any of it like last time. To start off, we headed to a place called Airlie Beach, which served as our departure point for our day cruise around the Whitsunday Islands. Unfortunately, it was really cloudy on the day of our cruise so it was pretty cold, but the trip was good overall. The catamaran was painted pastel purple and there were only about 40 people on it, which was nice because we could spread out. We left at 8AM and sailed around some of the main islands and then stopped to snorkel at a section of the Great Barrier Reef. Again, the clouds ruined this because they made the visibility in the water really low. After an hour of snorkeling we got back on the boat and headed to White Haven Beach. It is famous for its super white and extremely fine sand. It felt like flour and when you walked it made a squeaking noise because it was that fine. We had lunch back on the boat and sailed back to the harbor around 6PM. The highlights of the trip were seeing a humpback whale about 200 meters from the boat and also a sea turtle that surfaced for about 2 seconds when we were leaving White Haven. We were glad we did it but were disappointed by the snorkeling-- luckily we got to see a lot in Fiji.
After Airlie we had a 10 hour day on the bus! Usually during that day we stop and go lawn bowling but there was a competition so we could not play. The reason the trip was so long is because we were going to a place called Kroombit Station. It is a mandatory stop on our bus pass because of the distance between Airlie and Rainbow Beach. Kroombit is a goat, horse, and cattle ranch and it was pretty much what it sounds like. Our meals were served outside on long wooden tables and the common area was just some chairs pulled around a fire in a barrel. Before dinner they cut up some meat as an appetizer and told us later it was goat! We knew it was something weird because they wouldn't tell us before we tried it, but it was good.
The accommodation at Kroombit was pretty crude but there turned out to be a lot of interesting activities. After dinner Allen, the owner of the station, taught us how to crack whips. It was surprisingly easy after you learned how to do it, and the sound was almost painful because it was so loud. A little while after whip cracking, we all got am attempt at riding a mechanical bull. It was really hard but Lola and I were really good compared to most other guests (probably because we actually listened to their instructions during the demonstration). There was one guy who sat backwards on the bull and when it started he jumped up as it bucked, and spun around and then stood up and sort of surfed on it. It was really crazy to watch and then really fun to watch other people try it... like me and Lola, haha.
We had to be up bright and early in the morning because breakfast ended at 7AM and then we headed to the goat pins to try our hand at some goat wrangling. First there was a shooting activity, which was extra but I decided to do it. In general, guns freak me out and I don't like them but I wanted to try it and the location made me more comfortable. We did not shoot goats, just clay pigeons and I hit 2 out of 5. We used a shot gun and I was surprised by how heavy it was but the kick-back wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then we moved onto the goats and practiced some lassoing before getting into groups of 3. We then had a competition to see who could lasso, flip over, hold down, and "brand" the goat. There was only one goat in the small pin but it was still hard to get the rope over its head. Then once it was roped, I had to drag it by it's horns over to my teammates who flipped it and branded it. It was pretty fun and we actually ended up with the best time.
That was it for dirty Kroombit and that same morning, we headed out for another long drive to Rainbow Beach. The drive wasn't too bad because there was a DVD player on the bus and we also saw some emus and wild horses. Rainbow was just another overnight trip for us because it is a really small quiet town, which is fine but if we didn't leave this morning we would have had to spend 3 nights there. It was a good night though because there was a didgeridoo player that came and played and let us try to play it too. It was really hard but I got second place, which was fun. It is hard to explain what it sounds like it you don't know, but the instrument come from the Aboriginals in Australia and is made from a narrow tree trunk that is hallowed out by termites. There is nothing inside the wood so the noise that comes out is made and controlled just by your mouth and breathing. That is why it's so hard and also so amazing when you hear all the sounds it makes.
We are now in Surfer's Paradise which has the best beach on the east coast of Australia for surfing. Quiksilver and Roxy have world surfing competitions here and there is also an Indy race here coming up in October. It's pretty spectacular because there are a lot of high-risers and it is very much like a big city but it's right on the beach. We are here for 3 nights then onto Byron Bay for two and then back to Sydney on Friday.
I'll be back soon to let you know what kind of trouble we get into here and I promise to keep it shorter!
After Airlie we had a 10 hour day on the bus! Usually during that day we stop and go lawn bowling but there was a competition so we could not play. The reason the trip was so long is because we were going to a place called Kroombit Station. It is a mandatory stop on our bus pass because of the distance between Airlie and Rainbow Beach. Kroombit is a goat, horse, and cattle ranch and it was pretty much what it sounds like. Our meals were served outside on long wooden tables and the common area was just some chairs pulled around a fire in a barrel. Before dinner they cut up some meat as an appetizer and told us later it was goat! We knew it was something weird because they wouldn't tell us before we tried it, but it was good.
The accommodation at Kroombit was pretty crude but there turned out to be a lot of interesting activities. After dinner Allen, the owner of the station, taught us how to crack whips. It was surprisingly easy after you learned how to do it, and the sound was almost painful because it was so loud. A little while after whip cracking, we all got am attempt at riding a mechanical bull. It was really hard but Lola and I were really good compared to most other guests (probably because we actually listened to their instructions during the demonstration). There was one guy who sat backwards on the bull and when it started he jumped up as it bucked, and spun around and then stood up and sort of surfed on it. It was really crazy to watch and then really fun to watch other people try it... like me and Lola, haha.
We had to be up bright and early in the morning because breakfast ended at 7AM and then we headed to the goat pins to try our hand at some goat wrangling. First there was a shooting activity, which was extra but I decided to do it. In general, guns freak me out and I don't like them but I wanted to try it and the location made me more comfortable. We did not shoot goats, just clay pigeons and I hit 2 out of 5. We used a shot gun and I was surprised by how heavy it was but the kick-back wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then we moved onto the goats and practiced some lassoing before getting into groups of 3. We then had a competition to see who could lasso, flip over, hold down, and "brand" the goat. There was only one goat in the small pin but it was still hard to get the rope over its head. Then once it was roped, I had to drag it by it's horns over to my teammates who flipped it and branded it. It was pretty fun and we actually ended up with the best time.
That was it for dirty Kroombit and that same morning, we headed out for another long drive to Rainbow Beach. The drive wasn't too bad because there was a DVD player on the bus and we also saw some emus and wild horses. Rainbow was just another overnight trip for us because it is a really small quiet town, which is fine but if we didn't leave this morning we would have had to spend 3 nights there. It was a good night though because there was a didgeridoo player that came and played and let us try to play it too. It was really hard but I got second place, which was fun. It is hard to explain what it sounds like it you don't know, but the instrument come from the Aboriginals in Australia and is made from a narrow tree trunk that is hallowed out by termites. There is nothing inside the wood so the noise that comes out is made and controlled just by your mouth and breathing. That is why it's so hard and also so amazing when you hear all the sounds it makes.
We are now in Surfer's Paradise which has the best beach on the east coast of Australia for surfing. Quiksilver and Roxy have world surfing competitions here and there is also an Indy race here coming up in October. It's pretty spectacular because there are a lot of high-risers and it is very much like a big city but it's right on the beach. We are here for 3 nights then onto Byron Bay for two and then back to Sydney on Friday.
I'll be back soon to let you know what kind of trouble we get into here and I promise to keep it shorter!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Haste Makes Waste
So I forgot to describe a really cool part of our trip in my last post! Between two of the locations, our bus driver made a stop at a Crocodile Farm. At first we considered not doing the tour because we had already seen them in the wild, but we decided to at the last minute. I am so glad we did! We got to see the handlers feed huge crocodiles and I got to hold a baby. He was really smooth and cool feeling, and luckily his mouth was tapped shut.
Also at the farm we got to feed kangaroos and wallabies. They were really tame and used to visitors so we could even pet them. The food was just grass and some pellets so they ate directly from our hands. One of the kangaroos even had a joey in her pouch, but it wasn't very cute. They don't look like they do in cartoons and drawings with the little head and face poking out. Instead, the joey curls up in the pouch so it's skinny little legs are hanging out all awkwardly and gross. He did pop his head out once, but his feet were still there too.
I can't wait to share pictures from all of these. I'll be back in two weeks and get them up as soon as I can. Tomorrow I head out to the Great Barrier Reef so wish me sunshine and jellyfish-free waters!
Also at the farm we got to feed kangaroos and wallabies. They were really tame and used to visitors so we could even pet them. The food was just grass and some pellets so they ate directly from our hands. One of the kangaroos even had a joey in her pouch, but it wasn't very cute. They don't look like they do in cartoons and drawings with the little head and face poking out. Instead, the joey curls up in the pouch so it's skinny little legs are hanging out all awkwardly and gross. He did pop his head out once, but his feet were still there too.
I can't wait to share pictures from all of these. I'll be back in two weeks and get them up as soon as I can. Tomorrow I head out to the Great Barrier Reef so wish me sunshine and jellyfish-free waters!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Inaugural Coast Trip Post
Our trip has started off great! The drive from Cairns north was beautiful and out first stop was in Mossman to visit a beautiful, clear, green river. At one point there is a gorge which falls into a calm pool so I went swimming even though the water was freezing cold-- "when in Australia!" After Mossman we went on a river cruise in the Dain Tree Rainforest. The region gets an average of 6 meters of rain per year. Luckily it didn't rain while we were there, but we did get to see 4 crocodiles. One was super fat and about 5 meters long. We actually spotted him in the water and then watched him climb out onto the bank. There was also a bright green tree frog that found his way onto the boat and the driver carried him around so we could take some close-ups.
The last thing we that day was stop at an exotic fruit farm and had blueberry, passion fruit, macadamia nut, and wattle seed (tasted like coffee) ice cream. They were all delicious but we also ate some ants off the banana trees. Well, we didn't actually eat the ants themselves but we crushed their clear green abdomens and licked off the juice. It was really sour, but I was told it's a great source of vitamin C!
We spent two nights up in Cape Tribulation and on our last day we decided to hike Mount Sorrow... turned out to fit the name. Nothing terrible happened it was just really long and really hard. The ridge of the mountain is 3 km straight up and it took us about 2 hours. Then when we got to the top, it was foggy so there wasn't much of a view. The way back down was almost harder because it was so steep. I even fell once and rolled down the track a little! It was kind of a bad way to end our day, but at least we tried it.
We stopped for one night after Cairns in Mission Beach and just relaxed there. But we did get to see people land their sky dive on the beach, which was cool. Now we are in a wonderful place called Magnetic Island. There is a full moon, which makes the ocean and beach beautiful at night. The shore is lined with large boulders and trees; it is very picturesque.
I have to post this quickly because I am almost out of internet time, so please excuse any grammar errors!
The last thing we that day was stop at an exotic fruit farm and had blueberry, passion fruit, macadamia nut, and wattle seed (tasted like coffee) ice cream. They were all delicious but we also ate some ants off the banana trees. Well, we didn't actually eat the ants themselves but we crushed their clear green abdomens and licked off the juice. It was really sour, but I was told it's a great source of vitamin C!
We spent two nights up in Cape Tribulation and on our last day we decided to hike Mount Sorrow... turned out to fit the name. Nothing terrible happened it was just really long and really hard. The ridge of the mountain is 3 km straight up and it took us about 2 hours. Then when we got to the top, it was foggy so there wasn't much of a view. The way back down was almost harder because it was so steep. I even fell once and rolled down the track a little! It was kind of a bad way to end our day, but at least we tried it.
We stopped for one night after Cairns in Mission Beach and just relaxed there. But we did get to see people land their sky dive on the beach, which was cool. Now we are in a wonderful place called Magnetic Island. There is a full moon, which makes the ocean and beach beautiful at night. The shore is lined with large boulders and trees; it is very picturesque.
I have to post this quickly because I am almost out of internet time, so please excuse any grammar errors!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Farewell Sydney
We’ve had a few low-key days since our trip to the Blue Mountains. On Friday night we went out to dinner with some of Georgie’s friends from high school and then went to a bar called The Argyle. It was really interesting because there was a large courtyard, several levels and the most interesting part was the DJ booth. It was suspended from the ceiling of the upper level and the walls and floor were clear so you could see the DJ and all his equipment.
Then Saturday morning we drove up to Georgie’s beach house in a small town called Avoca. The house had a balcony with a beautiful view of the beach, which was in a little bay lined with tall trees. We had a great quiet night with no television or internet and just enjoyed each other’s company.
But tomorrow the pace will change. We fly from Sydney to Cairns and begin our journey down the east coast. We have bus passes that allow us to hop on and off at certain locations. We have a two day trip planned to go a little farther north to the rain forest and then head south to beaches, islands and even a goat ranch (but that’s only because it’s mandatory). In total our trip is 18 days long and we stop in 10 different locations. We are very excited to get to warmer weather and experience different parts of the country. If you want to visualize our trip visit this website: http://www.ozexperience.com/select-your-pass/ Scroll down to the map and select “Strewth Pass Byron Bay or Brisbane to Cairns.”
After we return on August 29th we only have a few more days before we fly back to California on September 2nd. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how often I will have internet access during this trip and it will be limited because I will have to pay for it. I will try to post as much as I can but it will probably be brief.
I hope you are all well!
Then Saturday morning we drove up to Georgie’s beach house in a small town called Avoca. The house had a balcony with a beautiful view of the beach, which was in a little bay lined with tall trees. We had a great quiet night with no television or internet and just enjoyed each other’s company.
But tomorrow the pace will change. We fly from Sydney to Cairns and begin our journey down the east coast. We have bus passes that allow us to hop on and off at certain locations. We have a two day trip planned to go a little farther north to the rain forest and then head south to beaches, islands and even a goat ranch (but that’s only because it’s mandatory). In total our trip is 18 days long and we stop in 10 different locations. We are very excited to get to warmer weather and experience different parts of the country. If you want to visualize our trip visit this website: http://www.ozexperience.com/select-your-pass/ Scroll down to the map and select “Strewth Pass Byron Bay or Brisbane to Cairns.”
After we return on August 29th we only have a few more days before we fly back to California on September 2nd. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how often I will have internet access during this trip and it will be limited because I will have to pay for it. I will try to post as much as I can but it will probably be brief.
I hope you are all well!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Photo Album
Snorkeling near our resort in Fiji.
The view from the top of the hill behind our resort.
The cave we swam in and explored.
Just some of the many fish we got to see.
In front of the famous Sydney Opera House.
Standing on the Harbor Bridge (we have a picture just like this at the Golden Gate).
"The Gap" in Sydney.
And finally a beach near Bondi.
I haven't uploaded the mountains and cave pictures yet, but I hope you enjoy these!
Mountains, and Waterfalls, and Caves, Oh My!
Hello everyone! Yesterday we got back from a place called the Blue Mountains. The first day we were there we stopped at a national park and got to see wild kangaroos. You couldn't get too close but close enough to take some pictures. They are really interesting to watch because their arms are really small so when they walk they use their tails too! You always think of them jumping but their body mechanics are really visible when they are moving along slowly and just eating grass.
After the park we went on a hike in the mountains and passed a large waterfall and then descended into the rainforest valley. The only animals we saw on the walk were cockatoos but we also saw the webs of the most deadly spiders in Australia. They are called funnel web spiders and you can't see the actually spider, but there were tons of holes in the dirt next to the trail. They basically looked like someone had stuck their finger in the side of the hill and pulled it back out (except for behind the hole lives a huge deadly spider).
To finish the day we walked down about 1000 steps and then rode the world's steepest train back to the top of the mountain. It was originally built for use in coal mining, but only the coal went on the train- the workers had to climb the stairs!
The next day in the mountains we went on a trip to the Jenolan caves, which have been forming for about 400 million years. The cave we toured was impressive, but a little repetitive. We should have spent the extra money and done the adventure trip where you actually climb and get to wear lights on your head. What stole the show at the caves was the animal we saw in the lake. Lola and I were reading a sign at the edge of the water and all of the sudden this little brown animal surfaced in the middle of the lake. Right away we noticed that it had a bill and realized it was a platypus!!! It dove back under pretty quickly but it was really neat to see such a unique animal.
Now we are back in Sydney but not for long. Saturday we are heading to our friends beach house (which will still be cold, but fun). And then on Monday we fly north to Cairns and begin our trip down the coast. As promised, I am going to post some pictures right after this.
After the park we went on a hike in the mountains and passed a large waterfall and then descended into the rainforest valley. The only animals we saw on the walk were cockatoos but we also saw the webs of the most deadly spiders in Australia. They are called funnel web spiders and you can't see the actually spider, but there were tons of holes in the dirt next to the trail. They basically looked like someone had stuck their finger in the side of the hill and pulled it back out (except for behind the hole lives a huge deadly spider).
To finish the day we walked down about 1000 steps and then rode the world's steepest train back to the top of the mountain. It was originally built for use in coal mining, but only the coal went on the train- the workers had to climb the stairs!
The next day in the mountains we went on a trip to the Jenolan caves, which have been forming for about 400 million years. The cave we toured was impressive, but a little repetitive. We should have spent the extra money and done the adventure trip where you actually climb and get to wear lights on your head. What stole the show at the caves was the animal we saw in the lake. Lola and I were reading a sign at the edge of the water and all of the sudden this little brown animal surfaced in the middle of the lake. Right away we noticed that it had a bill and realized it was a platypus!!! It dove back under pretty quickly but it was really neat to see such a unique animal.
Now we are back in Sydney but not for long. Saturday we are heading to our friends beach house (which will still be cold, but fun). And then on Monday we fly north to Cairns and begin our trip down the coast. As promised, I am going to post some pictures right after this.
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