2007 11/30 Mt. Gambier - Flowers of Clarendon Chalets and Coastal Salt Flats

2007 11/29 Main Post Office on Kangroo Island

2007 11/29 Kangaroo Island Highlights!

Cape du Couedic Light House
















Fur Seals at Admiral's Arch















Koala in their Natural Habitat
















The Remarkable Rocks!
















Sea Lions at Seal Bay
















Admiral's Arch Rock

2007 11/29 Kangaroo Island, AUS

Our next expedition was of Kangaroo Island. It is a 2 hour bus ride from Adelaide, then an hour-long ferry before boarding another bus for our tour of the island. a 12-hour day in all.

Kangaroo Island is definitely a very special place - diverse plant life, lakes, beaches and animals. We enjoyed walking among sea lions at Seal Bay, Koala in their native habitat, fur seals that are full time residents of Admirals Arch and of course kangaroo and wallaby. The rocks here are very spectacular. There is an area of the park referred to as "Remarkable Rocks." They really are some of the most incredible rock formations we've visited. There is of course the rocky coast that has eroded beautifully creating great places for the wildlife to reside.

2007 11/28 Arriving Adelaide

The gorgeous foothills of Adelaide were easily viewed from the plane as we arrived. The area has been in a terrible drought for 2 years and residents are under severe water restrictions. Even with the drought the foothills were lovely.

After securing the rental car we headed into the city and checked into our room at the Franklin Apartments. Another quick stop at the grocery and we were good to go!

Our first adventure was a wine tour of the Barrossa Valley. It included all the usual - a full day around the area with tastings at 4 boutique cellars; private labels not available in the states. They were good, but not as tasty as I recall from our California experience.

Our group was small, a pleasant mix of Brits and Kiwis, and folks from Ireland. Of course a couple from California and us. The weather was very nice, plenty of sunshine - warm and lovely. As we circled around the vineyards we saw lots of sheep, emus and a few kangaroo. No Koalas though :-(

2007 11/27 Our Quickie in Brisbane

While flying from Hervey Bay to Adelaide we enjoyed a 5 hour lay-over in Brisbane. We decided to take a quick train ride into the city for a little walk-around. Here are a few photos we took while we were there.

2007 11/26 News from Hervey Bay, AUS

Hello friends,

We left Fraser Island Saturday morning by ferry, heading to Hervey Bay to explore the area for a few days. After checking into our digs, we spent the day catching up on email and doing laundry. Yes, we do occasionally have to do a few chores!

On Sunday we took a walk along the Hervey Bay Esplanade, then we decided to drive South - first through Maryborough, next through Gympie, ending at Noosa Heads and Noosa National Park. The coastal drive is very scenic and lovely. The road winds its way through lush green farm land meeting the thick pine and paperbark forests of the mountain ridgeline. On the other side of the highway the sea comes crashing in on the coast. Contrasting blue skies and white clouds against the numerous shades of the green of Spring is incredibly beautiful.

After making our way to Noosa we returned to Hervey Bay to relax and watch a bit of TV.

Today (Monday) we again headed South to explore Tin Can Bay and Rainbow Beach areas. While Rainbow Beach is not the most gorgeous beach we've ever seen it is still quite beautiful. It gets it's name from the various shades of water near the beach as it mixes with the minerals and sand from the shore. As the waves crash on the coast it does look like a rainbow of sorts. Deep turquoise blue, then shades of brown, then light brown, then mixing with the sand. Very different and still very lovely. The ocean was particularly choppy today as we had rainshowers move through the area this morning - perhaps adding to the erosion happening along the coast. We repeated our route from yesterday back to Hervey Bay because it was so lovely.

Early tomorrow morning we catch a 6:30 am flight to Adelaide where we will spend 3 days exploring the area.

Stay tuned.

2007 11/22 Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! We're having pizza - since this is an American holiday, Thanksgiving really isn't celebrated down under. No turkey, no dressing - not even a slice of pumpkin pie was to be found. We are staying on an island catering primarily to tourists and the cost of food is quite pricey, so we've decided to feast on Pizza and enjoy everything the area has to offer.

2007 11/22 Our Day Exploring Fraser Island

Fraser Island - Lake Mackenzie. Crystal clear spring water over pure silica sand - absolutely breathtaking!

Maheno Shipwreck off the West coast of Fraser Island.















Our Plane Tour - the plane took off and landed on the beach - which also serves as a coastal highway regulated by Queensland!










Sand Blowes encroaching on the rainforest along the West Coast of the Island.

The gorgeous golden sand of the West coast of Fraser Island.

2007 11/21 Dingo Sighting!

As soon as we arrived Fraser Island from the ferry our park ranger pointed out a female Dingo and her 3 pups on the beach. Dingoes are genetically different from the domestic dogs we are familiar with. They are not treated as pets - they are wildlife. Descending from Asian Wolves they still hunt for food and are predatory animals. Dingos living on Fraser Island are genetically pure brought here thousands of years ago by the Aboriginal people. They have not cross-bred to dogs since dogs are not allowed on the island.

Dingoes will attack when provoked and it is against the law to feed them or capture them. Just a few years ago 2 young boys were teasing a dingo on the beach. The dingo chased them, biting them as they fled. The oldest boy was bitten severely on the back of his legs and bled to death before he could be rescued. When you look at them they are quite thin - as they need to be fast to catch their prey.

2007 11/20 Hervey Bay on Frazier Island

We are in the Mackay airport for our flight to Brisbane, then on to Frazier Island. It's not all that far, but we have quite a layover in Brisbane - so stay tuned!

2007 11/19 Arlie Beach in the Sunshine!

We enjoyed a break in the clouds and were able to caputre a few shots of the lovely scenery in Arlie Beach. The Fire trees are prolific in Australia and Nancy cannot resist photographing them. They are primarily bright orange, but we've seen the in yellow, varying shades of pink and purple and even white. The ocean is so blue and the contract between the lagoon and mountain is very special.

2007 11/18 Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, AUS

We were able to arrange a Snorkel, Hike and Beachcombing trip to Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays. We enjoyed a couple of hours exploring another section of the Great Barrier Reef. Of course we saw lots and lots of lovely coral, thousands of fish and beautiful warm seas. We of course looked terrific in our 'stinger suits' - a must since it is now stinger season. After snorkeling until we were absolutely starved, we had lunch and made our way to Whitsunday National Park for a hike to an great lookout where we gazed out at one of the most beautiful beaches we've ever laid eyes on. The sand was pure white, made of 99.5% pure silica. We arrived at low tide and were able to hand around long enough to watch the water come back in. It was probably the most beautiful beach I've ever had the pleasure to see. Next we were off to swim and walk on this wonderful place

2007 11/17 Mackay to Whitsunday Island, AUS

Local Tour Providers giving Camel Rides on the Beach!

Yesterday we flew Qantas from Cairns to Mackay - then 2 hours by car driving to the Whitsunday Islands - Airlie Beach. We were welcomed with warm weather, cloudy skies and a throng of teenagers affectionately referred to by the locals as "Schoolies". We took the intermittent rain showers in stride and spent our first day exploring the local scene. We were sizing up our chances of making it out to the reef for a bit of snorkeling and beachcombing.

2007 11/15 Port Douglas, AUS - Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary

A Strange Bird Indeed! We were off to the Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary here in Port Douglas for Lunch with the Birds. We don't particularly care for zoos, but this one did give us an opportunity to see this Cassowary bird up close. It only lives in Australia and in the wild is very dangerous as it's feel have huge claws on them that they use to "gut" their victims. Ugh! It also has some pretty disgusting dining habits as well. All kidding aside, we saw kangaroo, koala, ducks, lizards, snakes, parrots, lorakeets, you name it - they had them on display.

2007 11/14 - Cairns, AUS - Walking Tour of the City

We had an off day today so we decided to drive the scenic coastal highway down South to Cairns. A very nice port town with a distinctive wharf area, complete with restaurants, a public swimming pool that had this really neat fountain flowing, a skateboard park for the teens, and a really great playground for the little ones. It also offered a great walking path all along the shore. It did warn about the possibility of Crocs - so even in the city you need to be careful.

2007 11/13 - Cape Tribulation, Daintree Rainforest and Mossman Gorge

Today was another great tour near the Port Douglas area. We were taken by bus to Cape Tribulation, a spot along Australia coast named by Captain Cook during his exploration of this land. The reef was so treaturous he aptly named. We were then off the the Daintree Rainforest for a hike through the rainforest. We saw some interesting Dragons, spiders and bugs. No Crocks on this tour. Then we were off to a hike at Mossman Gorge. The rocks were huge and the gorge was magnificent.

November 9, 2007 Sunrise at Kings Canyon & Canyon Rim Walk

The photo just doesn't begin to capture the beauty of this morning's sunrise. We boarded the bus to head to Kings Canyon at 4:00 am so we immediately drifted off back to sleep. We awoke to adjust our pillows when we glanced out onto the horizon to a most spectacular sunrise. I couldn't get to my camera in time to capture the brilliant red that was the first break of dawn.

This was the best we could do - but the day was just beginning and Kings Canyon did not disappoint us in any way. A spectacular canyon of beautiful red sandstone was so gorgeous. So much for our eyes to behold. Around every bend there was another spectacular rock formation. The climb was tough - but definitely worth it. The weather cooperated beautifully and we were sprinkled on a couple of times, but all in all we couldn't have asked for a more wonderful day!

November 8, 2007 Uluru Sunrise & Sunset, Hike around the Rock

Day Two - Same Story.

Once again we had to wake at the lovely hour of 3:00 a.m. It wasn't particularly easy due to the late night at the BBQ and all the free, CHEAP CHAMPAIGNE! We both were suffering from throbbing headaches - but we made it.

To witness the sun rising on Uluru (Ayres Rock) is very special. We know why the Aboriginal people felt this place posessed such special power and also used it as a place of teaching for both men and women.

After witnessing such an awesome event we were off for a nice hike around part of the base of Uluru, then we were back to the resort for a much needed nap!

Around 4:30 p.m. we were back to the rock to witness sunset, and it was as special as we had hoped! No Champaigne tonight! We have another early day tomorrow morning.

November 7, 2007 Kata Tajuta & The Valley of the Winds!

After a 3:00 a.m. wake-up we were met by the AAT Kings Tour Bus to whisk us off to Kata Tajuta and The Valley of the Winds. Ya'll probably know that Alice Springs is in the middle of the Australian Outback and is a central starting point for any activity you want to do in this area. Like Texas, it can sometimes be a far piece to get from one place to another. We drove for approximately 2 hours before we arrived at Kata Tajuta.

Everyone is pretty familiar with photos Uluru (Ayers Rock) when they see them, but Kata Tajuta is visually close to Uluru, but a completely different geological rock formation.

Both sites are culturally and spiritually important to the Aboriginal people and since they are on land still controlled by the Aboriginees, visiting the National Park comes with rules. There are several areas that are so important to the Aboriginal people spiritually that they won't even let them be photographed!

The formations are huge, and beautiful. They look very different during each part of the day as light changes and highlights the variations in the rock, the caves that you cannot see when the sun is shining directly on it and of course, water (or rain) gives it a completely different look.

We particularly enjoyed the cultural stories from our tour guide, looking for wildlife that may be there and of course just being in awe of this magnificient rock! We took so many photos of a rock - yes, a rock, but such a beautiful one!

After our tour through The Valley of the Winds, we watched the sun set on Kata Tajuta. It was a very special thing to witness. Shortly after sunset we were taken to a remote spot for a late-nite BBQ and star gazing. The BBQ was a nice meal where we were able to sample Kangaroo and Camel meat. We passed on the Camel, but the Kangaroo was OK according to Joe. Nancy hated it - it was more mental than the taste, but she still didn't like it.

Once dinner and drinks were over the tour crew said it was time for "Lights Out"! What a spectacular treat - utterly amazing and fantastic. We were so far away from any public lighting, and we were also luck that there was not a cloud in the sky - which made for particularly awesome star gazing. We saw the Astrological formation of Scorpio, Nancy's sign - which made the evening even more special. We soaked the sight into our memories and hope you all get to make it to this special place someday to witness this incredible event that has happened night after night, day after day, year after year since the beginning of time.

November 6, 2007

We arrived in Alice Springs last evening for a brief pit stop at the Crown Plaza Hotel.

We rise early today for Day-1 of a 3-Day tour to the Outback. Over the next 3 days we will stop for breakfast at Mt. Ebenezer Road House and view Mt. Conor. We will arrive at Kata Tajuta and hike the Valley of the Winds. After lunch and a brief rest back at our hotel in Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort) we return to Kata Tajuta to view Sunset there. On day 2 we again rise at 3:00 am to head to Uluru (Ayers Rock) to see sunrise, join a group for a moderate hike around part of the base of the rock, then return for sunset. Later that evening we enjoy an Outback BBQ under the stars. On Day 3 we again rise at 3:00 am as we enjoy sunrise on our way to Kings Canyon and hike the Rim of the Canyon.

We are looking forward to seeing the Outback - so stay tuned!

November 04, 2007 - Another Gorgeous Darwin Sunset

We enjoyed another lovely sunset in Darwin last evening while we walked to the Deckchair Theatre - a great outdoor theatre located on the Harbor.

It was too dark to get any good shots of the theatre, but the pre-movie entertaiment was very funny - 2 opossums running across the top of the movie screen.

They offered beverages of your choice and authentic home-made Indian food before the show.

November 03, 2007 - Back in Darwin

We are back in Darwin for a couple of days to explore the city and all it has to offer. We also need to catch up on the basics - sleeping late, doing laundry - and of course, catching up the Blog and uploading photos to FlickR.

We miss everyone and hope you enjoy reading about what we've been up to. We wish you were here!

We know you're all getting ready for the holidays about now, so keep us in your thoughts and drop us an email when you have time.

Good Nite!

Here is the sunset we enjoyed from our balcony last night.

November 03, 2007 - The Northern Territory - Kakadu, Yellow Waters, Cooinda, Nourlangie Rock and the Bowali Visitor Center

Our tour of the Northern Territory was incredible. We covered over 1,650 kilometers in 4 days - so it is impossible to capture everything in this blog! The Aboriginal culture is fascinating and they have been around for over 20,000 years. Their story is amazing and is a treasure to explore and visit.

Our Travel Agent warned us that visiting the Northern Territory this time of year would be a challenge - it was hot, very hot! There were flies, many flies! Red dust and dirt - a lot of dust. . . . .but we would not have missed it for the world. The fantastic rock formations, gorges, blue skies, clouds, plants and wildlife (wallaby, wallaroo, kangaroo, water buffalo, crocodile (fresh and salt water)lizard, iguana, snake, and bird life) is too vast to even touch upon. It is not to be missed. We saw birds that visit only during migration and those species that make this land their home. They were distinctive and wonderful!

And of course the Aboriginal people and their history - the rock paintings that are over a thousand years old! Their paintings are guide books to their world! They really do tell you how to catch food, what areas to avoid because it would make you sick (we now know there is Uranium - a lot of Uranium in some areas). They knew from experience exposure to this area would make you sick and their pictures depict this for all who would pass through the area. I could go on and on - and would probably misquote much of what I think I know. It is a very interesting culture and we would like to learn more about it.