route in SA so far, new pixxxx!!!!
A little update…
outback
Drove from
Apart from the stops the main thing we did was driving… all day every day. You finally realize how big the country is… once you pass port
But it was cool driving in the middle of nowhere for days. You could stop somewhere and for 500km in each direction there would be nothing, apart from an occasional roadhouse with food, petrol, supplies. Hardly anybody lives there, and experiencing the conditions ourselves, we could understand way. but it is a beautiful place.
We spend a couple of days near uluru, watched the magnificent rock changes colors during sunset and sunrise. We couldn’t climb it as it was too hot and too windy at the top. I hear you thinking ´what is so special about a damn rock´ but it is one of the only things that happens with the landscapes for 1000´s of km. and it is a magical and spiritual place for the aboriginal people. The Olga’s are a
Next stop was kings canyon, where we did an amazing hike (all hikes begin at sunrise and end before noon otherwise you literally melt) up and round the canyon. it was one of the best things we did in Oz. beautiful beyond words.
Then we made our way to
In the outback there are great 4x4 routes, and if I ever go back to Oz it will be with a landrover going from
Queensland
After
We booked ourselves a 4 day live aboard diving trip to explore the outer parts of the great barrier reef. We got a great lastminute stand by deal (half price) as it was low season. The area around
After the trip we wanted to go as for up north as the paved road goes, but we were confronted with some really tropical showers (feb is the wettest month there). Spend a day in port
So we went south… but the rains followed us (I think we asked too hard to get some coolness while we were in the outback, and the weather gods were a little delayed in answering our prayers ). And this are tropical rains, it really pours, not just a drizzle…
In arlie beach we went on a 3 night trip on a yachting boat which took us sailing around the famous Whitsunday’s. These are the pictures you get to see when it people talk about beaches in Oz. it was still raining on and off but at least when we got to Whitehaven beach it stopped! The boat was filled with a lot of great people from all over
Fiji
During the previous weeks we had decided to go to
So when driving to
We finally got to
The main island looked and felt like parts of Asia or
After this we went back to Nadi and bought a 14 day pas that gives you unlimited islandhopping in the Yasawas, a group of islands in the west of fiji. After all this traveling we needed a vacation. It that was absolute paradise, beautiful beaches, a magnificent turquoise sea, green hills, perfect snorkeling, little villages,… all you dream of. As it was the raining season, it rained every other day or so, but when it didn’t the sun was out. The first week we stayed in the really cheap ones. Most of them are runned by the villagers and the typical Fijian hospitality is always a big part the good times!. There are still villages scattered around the islands where people still life their traditional lives. We sometimes managed to get a bungalow for a dorm rate since we never booked ahead. You pay for food and accommodation as in most cases their is only one or two resorts on each island. Apart from that there is nothing.
So you spend the days lazing on the beach, reading, dozing off in a hammock, playing cards or volleybal….
The last week we spend in 2 resorts, a little pricier but the food was amazing!! And we met loads of great people from all over the world so we ended up extending our stay every day.
Everything was super apart from me getting stung by a portugese manowar (a poiseness jellyfish). They are not common there but storm had brought one in and of course I am the one that get tangled in its tentacle. It was really painful for a few hours and it looked like my neck was completely sunburned with white blisters. But some old English guy knew what it was and after a mixture of local leafs, wodka, painkillers and ice, I was ok. But I scared everybody out of the water for the first 2 days. Apparently they are deadly…
Selling louise
After picking up Louise in
We were not the only ones trying to sell a van, it is the end of the summer and there were 100's ads hanging around. We almost got depressed when we saw all those papers hanging around...After a few days of almost no phone calls and test rides we decided to park ourselves in the backpacker car market. We didn’t really want to coz you sit in a dark garage the whole day and your mood sinks as there are travelers sitting there for weeks trying to sell their car. But new arrivals always come and check it out, so there is more chance to sell.
We only had 3 days left as we didn’t want to change our flight to chili. Staying in Sydney is very expensive The plan was to sell it for a good price, for any price, give it to a friend for free or abandon. With 2 days left we had a guy who wanted it too buy for less then half the price if we couldn’t sell it before our flight. Nobody came to the carmarket on the first day, the day before 1/3 off all cars where sold, so it was quiet.
But on the Saturday it gets busy normally and we were ready to make a good deal. And determined to sell. And we got lucky. A French couple wanted what we had to offer and they didn’t even bargain, they thought it was cheap enough…i even had to push them to go for a testdrive. Only problem was that they could only give ¼ cash as they were transferring all their money from a French to an Australian account. And it was weekend. So we had to gamble… sell and hope that they would wire the money or try to sell to somebody else on the last day. We went for the first option, they seemed nice and trustworthy.
So on Monday we stepped on the plane with a only promise that they would wire the money… and they did. As soon as their money arrived on their aussie account on Thursday, they made the transfer. It is nice to know that you can still trust people like that.
We are in Chile now for the last leg of our journey (traveling through South America)… we´ll be going home in a few months. We´re jetlagged like never before...
That´s all folks!!
click on the link for east coast and mainly fiji pics.
new pics!!
TASSIE