Australia
In and around Australia
Well this time I am going to try and keep this updated, I'm finding that I have to take a lot of time to go back and add my time in New Zealand so I will do my best to keep this up to date! I am in Melbourne right now and I have to thank the state library for giving me the opportunity to use the internet for free. Without them I wouldn't be able to add New Zealand as I would be spending all of my money at the internet cafe! I have already booked my trip for the outback. I am going to be taking a 10 day tour from Adelaide to Alice Springs where I will be camping out with a maximum group of 10 people. I'm very excited to see the outback and the Great Barrier Reef! I feel as though my time is really flying now as I am on my second to last stop on my round-the-world trip. It's hard to believe that this has to come to an end but I suspect that I will be excited to see all of my friends and family by the time I am set to return.
I have to admit that I am a bit disappointed coming here after New Zealand. Not that it isn't lovely here but I think that I was a bit spoiled with the natural beauty I encountered. Not that I didn't find the coasts of Sydney to be impressive, I just was a bit shocked with the size of the city! I also have to adjust to the fact that it takes a LOT longer to get places here as the country is huge. Fortunately it is just as friendly to travelers as New Zealand. This is already a different trip for me because I actually know people that live here and it makes such a huge difference to be away from the whole backpacker scene for a bit. Thanks so much to my Aussie friends (and ex-pats, Bob, I'm assuming I'm staying with you!) for their great hospitality!
On to my adventures.....
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler Adria
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1
Sydney
Wow! I'm on another continent! I guess I am a bit shocked as I am not jet lagged yet I am aware of how far away from the U.S. I am at this point. I... Continue reading »
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2
Melbourne
I arrived a bit late, the bus was supposed to take 12 hours, way longer than I would have liked but regardless it took that long plus more time due... Continue reading »
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3
The Great Ocean Road - Melbourne to Adelaide
I made the decision to take the Great Ocean Road tour with a group called Goin' South, because they were a small company and they seemed to have so... Continue reading »
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4
Adelaide - how to see a city in one day
Unfortunately the way the dates for the great ocean road trip and the start of the Heading Bush tour worked out only left me a day to see Adelaide.... Continue reading »
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5
Day One - Heading Bush
We really didn't stay overnight in Wilpena Pound, but the place that we did sleep wasn't on the map. We slept in Arkabah Station. On that note, let... Continue reading »
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6
Day Two - Heading Bush
Our first morning was spent trying to figure out how to roll up our swags when our sleeping bags were inside of them. It's a tricky thing that I'm... Continue reading »
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7
Day Three - Heading Bush
We started our day by heading out to Yalmarralpana Ochre Quarry, a place where Aboriginal people have come for thousands of years to collect the na... Continue reading »
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8
Day Four - Heading Bush
I awoke before dawn excited to see the sunrise in the open desert, unfortunately it takes the sun a long time to come up and we were well into pa... Continue reading »
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9
Day Five - Heading Bush
Once again we awoke to a colorful sky out in the middle of nowhere in the painted desert, at this point I seem to have the routine down pretty w... Continue reading »
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10
Day Six - Heading Bush
So although I awoke to the most colorful sky I've ever seen and I had the opportunity to go into the nice warm waters again I was just too tired to... Continue reading »
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11
Day Seven - Heading Bush
I'm trying not to be a pessimist and think that we are more than halfway through with the trip but I'm having so much fun that I don't want it to... Continue reading »
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12
Day Eight - Heading Bush
Once again we were up in the dark, this time specifically to see the sunrise. I was feeling rather groggy but I was excited to see the sunrise... Continue reading »
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13
Day Nine - Heading Bush
After joining up with the paved road after our night spent in the rather remote "camp" the previous night we headed off to our first stop of t... Continue reading »
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14
Day 10 - Heading Bush
So as I had explained in my previous entry, last night during the middle of the night a dingo had made an appearance at our campground. What I didn... Continue reading »
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15
Cairns
So before leaving Alice Springs Heidy made a reservation for a place that had a brochure in the hostel where we were staying. Excitingly, they woul... Continue reading »
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16
Daintree Rainforest 2 Day Tour
Our day started early, the bus for the Tropix Explorer Tour picked us up from the hostel at 7:45 AM and we were the first people. Of course this me... Continue reading »
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17
Townsville - My American Contact!
I have to admit that when the bus pulled out of Cairns heading towards Townsville I wasn't expecting to see much on the way, but I was rather surpr... Continue reading »
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18
Sailing into the blue Whitsunday Islands
I arrived in Airlie beach in time for a beautiful sunset. The bus ride from Townsville was only 4 hours, which isn't so bad for a travel time for A... Continue reading »
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19
Cool Dingo 3 Day 2 Night tour of Fraser Island
I actually debated if I should do this tour or do something else. I'm so glad that I chose this, I rank it my second favorite thing that I've done... Continue reading »
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20
Brisbane
I really wasn't sure what to expect of Brisbane, I hadn't heard much on the tourist trail about it, which could either be a good or a bad thing. I... Continue reading »
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21
The end of OZ, goodbye Sydney
I arrived back in Sydney on a beautifully sunny day. It was also really rather cold to me after spending time in the warmer northern areas. No worr... Continue reading »
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