So after a heavy night out in Alice and having no time for a sleep or even a shower,(think this was the 2nd time in about a week where I had to continue to wear the same gear I had from the night before, due to getting in late) Ryan and I collapsed on to the "Groovy Grape" tour bus which would be our transport/home for the next 2 days.
Our tour guide "Pete" started talking, but he wasn't much fun, so I basically nodded off to sleep.
We stopped briefly for some dinner, where everyone worked as a group to make then - Ryan and I just sat on the grass and didn't bother chatting with anyone else... I'm such a happy backpacker sometimes!
When I wasn't sleeping a was reading a book given to me by Steve at M.S.F. entitled "Beyond the black stump", by Andrew Stevenson. It was a great read about a guy traveling around Australia and the Aboriginal people he met. The funny thing was, that on one occasion the route Andrew was taking was the same road I was on as I read it!... Very strange.
"Coober Pedy" is a little mining town, between Alice Springs and Adelaide. It's where over 80% of the Opal produced in the world comes from and was our home for the evening. Due to the incredibly hot temperatures in the summer, around 70% of the population in Coober live in homes created in the side of the mountain - as it's much cooler.
After a shower, we went on a tour inside the mines - but yet again it felt more like a school trip and most of what our tour guide said went in one ear and out the other! - Bad Graham!
That evening, we went for complementary pizza, and I headed to bed just after 8pm. Ryan come a little later, as he had to find something else to eat due to his cheese issues!!..haha...
Thursday 19th June :-
For the 5th day running, it was another early start, this time we were up and on the road just after 5am. Even though Pete kept pulling over for photo opportunities, most of the bus just wanted to get to Adelaide - which continually annoyed Ryan and myself. Finally we arrived in Adelaide around 5pm. Our hostel for the night was "My Place", a few minutes outside of the centre of town.
If I was do visit Alice Springs again, I would definitely fly in and out - the Groovy Grape tour was just to long and should never be done on a hangover, trust me.
That evening, we headed out for tea and then to P J O'Briens, as that was where we were told the other people from the hostel will be at. On arrival, it wasn't very busy and to be honest I was happy for a quite couple of drinks. It's a same that wasn't an option, as it suddenly got very busy and the placed turned in to, what I can only describe as "The White Lion" - that's right, it felt just like the pub in Stockport - Shocking R'n'B music, expensive beers and everyone was about 12 years old... The most surprising part was that Ryan wasn't enjoying it!!... So be headed home.
For the next four nights, we stayed with Robert, Sandra and Robert, their son. These people are family friends of Ryans, who'd emigrated over to Australia from Urmston over 10 years ago.
They were every welcoming people and it was great to stay with them and to have some home comforts for a few days.
During our time with them we went out to their local for a few meals and drinks. Ryan and I also lent Roberts van and drove Victor Harbour, where we visited a little island which had seals on it. Along with Glenelg, which is like a Blackpool style place....
It was great to have some home comforts for a few days and I will always be gretful for how Robert and Sanda let me into their home and it was sad to leave them, but we'd rented a car and the Great Ocean Road was next.....
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Kings Kanyon, Kata Tjuta and Uluru....
Been a lifetime since I last updated this, hey...
Well I will try and fill in the gaps of the last number of weeks, as best I can...
Ryan flew out for a 3 week holiday and it was good to see him and for me to get back on the road again and see the sights of Australia, I'd kinda forgotten that's what I was out here doing with the amount of time I spent in Sydney... do you reckon I can now call myself a Sydneysider as well as a Stopfordian?
So, Mr L and I had a few days in Sydney when he first arrived, I did my final days with M.S.F. and went for a few beers with Steve and Andrew - Has Andrew built them speakers yet??
Then a bunch of us went to Madden De Beers in the cross for a final night out - I had so many drinks bought for me, it was great... so thanks all my peeps at H.C.B., you're all skill!... But I would advise against waking up the next morning still fully dressed, very hungover and then having to board a flight!
On the flight, Ryan pointed out one funny thing... the cabin crew showed us how to work out life jackets, great, but we are going to Alice Springs and it's a couple of hours, all of which is across land!!
Once we touched down in Alice we had a quick look about and crashed for the night at Tobbys, our hostel.
The next morning we woke up just before 5:30am to get all sorted out for the bus which was picking us up at 6am.... Well to be honest, Ryan work me up at 12:30am, thinking it was 6:30am and we'd missed the bus - swear that's a reason right there to go traveling alone.
There wasn't much talking on the tour at that hour and Ryan & I sat at the back and he got a few hours sleep in. Then our tour guide, Dom, got us all doing games, chatting and stuff.
On our 1st day well visited The Kings Canyon and took in the spectacular views of the out back from the top of heart attack hill.
Our 1st evening of sleeping in swags was cold - especially as I'd only brought 1 pair of 3/4 length pants and the sleeping bags that brains and I had bought were Summer ones!!...I ended up sleeping in the very bottom of my swag with it fully zipped up.
Another early start, 5am, but it was worth it just to wake in near complete silence and look up at a sky with millions of stars... kinda hippy like, but very cool.
"Kata Tjuta" was our destination for today and as a group we did a 8km walk around the 'Valley of Winds', with Dom informing us as we went.
The valley was a tuff going but the views we're worth it come the top of it.
We also visited the Cultural centre, but it felt a bit like a school trip and it resulted in Ryan, Lorna and I messing about and drawing pictures for the kiddies board... tut tut!!
That evening we headed to Uluru (Ayres Rock - for you westerners!) - did you know that it's actually on it's side and the worlds largest rock is actually twice the side, if not more... Bet Mr Riva's running scared now!!
As a group we sat around and eat our tea while we watched the sunset, which changed the rock and the sky, from a light red colour through to a dark purple. It's a rock, but it is incredible.
At camp we had another night under the stars, but I managed to get my hands on an additional sleeping bag, so a slept much better.
The surprise of the night was when Dom pulled out a Kangaroo tail and most of us helped cook, then eat it... I thought it was like a softer version of Chicken.
Our final morning on the tour and we were given the option of either climbing Uluru or walking round it. Dom just wanted us to be aware of the whole importance of the rock to the "black people", which did make me think twice about climbing it. Basically it's a sacred place for them - and they don't want people to clime it, the government opened it up to tourist. Dom put it across well when he said, if you was asked to take your shoes off to enter a church, you would - so why would you go up the rock, just because you can?... So there I was thinking about it, as it is quite dangers too... So I'm stud at the bottom of Uluru, should I head up it or not??... I choose to walk the base instead... But this was because there was high winds and it was closed... Maybe the gods telling me not too...
That evening, I suggested to Ryan we just in the outdoor hostel pool, so we grabbed Lorna and all headed to the pool. While them two were moaning about who was 1st, I did a graces 'bomb" in and jumped straight back out - they both followed, but it was a quick dip as it was freezing!... The we, as a whole group all headed out into Alice Springs, and Bojangles - A bar where people can order you beers over the Internet and watch you on the CCTV... After here, we tried to get into a Casino, which didn't happen, so we all went back to Dom's house!... Ryan and I made it to bed at 4:30am... our next tour, a two day trip down to Adelaide left at 6am.... We slept most of that journey, mainly because the group was made up of Chinese and neither of us could be fussed dealing with them...
[I will add the next part of the trip in the coming days, sorry free Internet only lasts an hour!]
Well I will try and fill in the gaps of the last number of weeks, as best I can...
Ryan flew out for a 3 week holiday and it was good to see him and for me to get back on the road again and see the sights of Australia, I'd kinda forgotten that's what I was out here doing with the amount of time I spent in Sydney... do you reckon I can now call myself a Sydneysider as well as a Stopfordian?
So, Mr L and I had a few days in Sydney when he first arrived, I did my final days with M.S.F. and went for a few beers with Steve and Andrew - Has Andrew built them speakers yet??
Then a bunch of us went to Madden De Beers in the cross for a final night out - I had so many drinks bought for me, it was great... so thanks all my peeps at H.C.B., you're all skill!... But I would advise against waking up the next morning still fully dressed, very hungover and then having to board a flight!
On the flight, Ryan pointed out one funny thing... the cabin crew showed us how to work out life jackets, great, but we are going to Alice Springs and it's a couple of hours, all of which is across land!!
Once we touched down in Alice we had a quick look about and crashed for the night at Tobbys, our hostel.
The next morning we woke up just before 5:30am to get all sorted out for the bus which was picking us up at 6am.... Well to be honest, Ryan work me up at 12:30am, thinking it was 6:30am and we'd missed the bus - swear that's a reason right there to go traveling alone.
There wasn't much talking on the tour at that hour and Ryan & I sat at the back and he got a few hours sleep in. Then our tour guide, Dom, got us all doing games, chatting and stuff.
On our 1st day well visited The Kings Canyon and took in the spectacular views of the out back from the top of heart attack hill.
Our 1st evening of sleeping in swags was cold - especially as I'd only brought 1 pair of 3/4 length pants and the sleeping bags that brains and I had bought were Summer ones!!...I ended up sleeping in the very bottom of my swag with it fully zipped up.
Another early start, 5am, but it was worth it just to wake in near complete silence and look up at a sky with millions of stars... kinda hippy like, but very cool.
"Kata Tjuta" was our destination for today and as a group we did a 8km walk around the 'Valley of Winds', with Dom informing us as we went.
The valley was a tuff going but the views we're worth it come the top of it.
We also visited the Cultural centre, but it felt a bit like a school trip and it resulted in Ryan, Lorna and I messing about and drawing pictures for the kiddies board... tut tut!!
That evening we headed to Uluru (Ayres Rock - for you westerners!) - did you know that it's actually on it's side and the worlds largest rock is actually twice the side, if not more... Bet Mr Riva's running scared now!!
As a group we sat around and eat our tea while we watched the sunset, which changed the rock and the sky, from a light red colour through to a dark purple. It's a rock, but it is incredible.
At camp we had another night under the stars, but I managed to get my hands on an additional sleeping bag, so a slept much better.
The surprise of the night was when Dom pulled out a Kangaroo tail and most of us helped cook, then eat it... I thought it was like a softer version of Chicken.
Our final morning on the tour and we were given the option of either climbing Uluru or walking round it. Dom just wanted us to be aware of the whole importance of the rock to the "black people", which did make me think twice about climbing it. Basically it's a sacred place for them - and they don't want people to clime it, the government opened it up to tourist. Dom put it across well when he said, if you was asked to take your shoes off to enter a church, you would - so why would you go up the rock, just because you can?... So there I was thinking about it, as it is quite dangers too... So I'm stud at the bottom of Uluru, should I head up it or not??... I choose to walk the base instead... But this was because there was high winds and it was closed... Maybe the gods telling me not too...
That evening, I suggested to Ryan we just in the outdoor hostel pool, so we grabbed Lorna and all headed to the pool. While them two were moaning about who was 1st, I did a graces 'bomb" in and jumped straight back out - they both followed, but it was a quick dip as it was freezing!... The we, as a whole group all headed out into Alice Springs, and Bojangles - A bar where people can order you beers over the Internet and watch you on the CCTV... After here, we tried to get into a Casino, which didn't happen, so we all went back to Dom's house!... Ryan and I made it to bed at 4:30am... our next tour, a two day trip down to Adelaide left at 6am.... We slept most of that journey, mainly because the group was made up of Chinese and neither of us could be fussed dealing with them...
[I will add the next part of the trip in the coming days, sorry free Internet only lasts an hour!]
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