By the time anyone in CA reads this, we'll be home. It's been an incredible experience for me not only because of seeing such an amazing country but also because I was able to do it with Jay. He's a great traveling partner and I know he's enjoyed the experience as well. But now it's time to go home. And, we're ready. Living out of a suitcase is no fun for an extended period of time. And most importantly we're anxious to see our friends and loved ones. You'll have to pardon us if we're still grinning when we get off the plane and perhaps for days and weeks ahead. It's been an experience of a lifetime and it's been fun sharing it with all of you. But don't let this blog be simply a vicarious experience for you. Find a way to get to Australia to see the sights and meet the people. You'll not regret it.
G'day.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
March 18 -- Homeward Bound
March 17 -- Great Barrier Reef
Headline: Australian Icon Found!
We didn't have to look too hard to find perhaps the most famous part of Australia -- a massive coral reef that runs some 2000 km off the coast and is in fact the largest living thing on earth. There was a time on our trip when we weren't quite sure we'd make it to the reef despite it being one of the modern natural wonders of the world. Today, we're so glad we worked it into our grand tour and it was a fitting capstone to an incredible trip that just kept on getting better.
We hooked up with a reef tour company recommended by our concierge at our hotel in Palm Cove and after an early pickup we were whisked off to Port Douglas about 45 km up the coast from our hotel. With little delay we were escorted aboard an 80 foot, three decked catamaran and outfitted with our snorkeling gear. Ninety minutes later we made our first stop at the reef. Despite partly cloudy skies, spirits were high amongst the 35 snorklers and handful of divers.
Into the water we went and the sights just below the surface were incredible to behold -- all shapes and sizes and colours of fish. Small inch long little darters swimming in tight schools to large tuna sized fish that lumbered near the bottom portion of the reef. There are over 1500 species of fish on the reef, each with it's own unique colouring and marking. Besides the fish there were amazing specimens of coral, anemone, giant clams, sea cucumbers and all kinds of sea life I don't know the names of. It was the live production of Finding Nemo.
We took an underwater camera with us so hopefully when we get the prints developed we can add them to the blog.
It's been a long day and I'm lacking time and energy to fully describe the experience today. I just know that it would have been truly unfortunate for us to have missed the Reef.
March 16 -- Day of Rest
Had the luxury of sleeping in today since we had no activities scheduled. Around 9:30 I found my way down the esplanade for my morning flat black and muffin. Strolled around town and down to the beach and walked the pier and watched the ocean. What we look out upon is the Coral Sea. Today is has been windy and the Coral Sea has a fair amount of chop going.
Watched a guy fishing on the pier for a bit. He'd caught a small shark -- 24" perhaps -- that was going to be on his barbi tonight. Seeing the shark was a reminder that swimming is risky business here because of sharks but also because of the box jellyfish (stingers) and crocodiles. It's a minor risk but the warning signs are quite explicit about the risk by not only saying there is a risk but also having extensive first aid instructions posted on the lifeguard station. The risk is mitigated (and the tourists lured into the water) by netting off a large area (perhaps 50 yards square) to keep the undesirable wildlife separated from all the tender tourist bait. Jay went in for a swim. I didn't choosing instead to save my strength for our snorkeling trip on the reef Saturday.
I feel very isolated here. For all I know there could be thousands of people tucked away in these 4-star places. But the streets, shops, and restaurants are nearly empty probably because it's been mid-week but more likely because it's not high-season. In high-season, I suspect this place is a very busy destination location.
But strangely and sadly, it doesn't feel like Australia. Palm cove could be any ocean-facing resort community in the tropics -- Kauai, Mexico, Naples (Fla.), or Puerto Rico. Just change the signage and replace the Aboriginal art store with (you pick it) native art store and switch out the tee shirt stock and the beer selection and you're no longer in Australia. To add to the isolation, the only people you see are the other tourists who may be from Australia but are as likely to be from anywhere in the world. The only locals are running the stores and restaurants and I'll bet not a one can be found in Palm cove after closing hours. Don't get me wrong. Palm Cove is a lovely tropical retreat that is probably a favorite of may Australians and internationals, but it lacks a personality that is uniquely Australian. Now maybe if I saw a crocodile sliding across the lawn or a stinger (other than a drink in the bar) I'd feel differently.
All this just reinforces how wonderful the time spent in Sydney, Melbourne and the GOR were. I'm counting on our trip to the Great Barrier Reef tomorrow to make this time in Palm Cove less disappointing and be a terrific final Australian experience before we head home. Other than that, I have no expectations.
March 15 -- Kuranda
Rolled out early on Thursday morning to go to the rainforest and Kuranda as part of our pre-paid tour with Down Under. The tour features a ride on a skyrail -- six passenger ski-lift type gondola -- that's over 7 km long which is one of the longest in the world apparently. The skyrail takes you over the top of the rainforest and offers two stopping points along the way to get out and walk on wooden walkways amongst the trees and plants. One stopping point provides views of the Barron River and gorge and falls -- well, more of a cascade.
Kuranda is a combination of Aboriginal village, tourism shops, restaurants and San Diego Wild Animal Park. That's overstating it a bit...there were only butterflies, birds and koala available for viewing. The best part was the Butterfly Sanctuary and Birdworld. Both were reasonably large, enclosed facilities that you entered through secure double doors and featured both native and non-native species. The butterflies were a delight to watch and try to capture on film (on digital?). Wish I'd had access to this place when I was making my insect collection in 9th grade. The birds too were spectacular with more than 60 varieties from tiny finches to the huge, and very strange looking Cassowary which looks like...words fail me...see the pics when they get posted.
After a couple of hours in Kuranda, we headed back down to the bottom of the skyrail to have lunch at Tjapukai and get an intro to Aborigine culture, history, and experiences. We watched dances, heard songs and stories and a talented didgeredoo player, saw a movie about the local Aboriginal history, and took our turn at throwing a boomerang and a spear. It was a fun and enlightening and a very genuine experience.
March 14 -- Palm Cove Arrival
Our flight from Adelaide to Brisbane was delayed for two hours by mechanical troubles with the steering mechanism. Ended up on a different plane which is a much better solution than simply finding a less finicky pilot. Still managed to catch our connection in Brisbane and arrive in Cairns on time despite the delay. After a 30 minute shuttle ride to Palm Cove, got checked into our room by retrieving our key from the reception after-hours safe since the place was deserted.
Mantra Amphora is one of perhaps a dozen upscale properties that are a mix of condos, apartments, and short-term (hotel) rentals. Our room is nice but not spacious. The place is by far the most upscale of any of the hotels we've stayed at on our trip and boasts a lovely manicured grounds, a large lagoon-like pool, and it's right across the street from the beach. At high tide, there's not much beach and it's not nearly as pristine as those we visited on the GOR or at Manly. There are a fair amount of shops, restaurants, and tourism and real estate "info center" storefronts along the esplanade as well as a pier for walking, fishing, or boat docking. It's balmy and palm trees are everywhere. We're in the tropics of Queensland.
March 14 -- Games, Games & More Games
Our visit to Adelaide coincided with the World Police and Fireman Games. There were cadres of young, athletic-looking men and women wearing official looking badges and decked out in athletic warm up gear boasting their country name and colours.
Not sure where the concept of vocation-oriented mini-olympics got started but it was thriving here in Adelaide -- at least for the police and firefighters and their entourages. Didn't see anything on whether this was the 1st or 10th (or whatever Roman numeral would be appropriate) edition of the event but I was pretty certain these games hadn't been around as long as the original Olympics. All in all, the games sound like a great opportunity to form a team, travel someplace exotic to compete with others who also had a team and liked to travel. It's also a good excuse to meet people from all over and drink beer. Come to think of it, it's not unlike some softball teams I've been on if you consider Akron, Ohio, and South Bend, Indiana, to be exotic places.
I don't see any reason this concept of vocational-centric games should be limited to Police and Firefighters. So, I'm thinking of organising a World Games for English Majors. But all that training and preparation to get ready for some dashing and jumping and kicking of balls might be too much especially for those who have an MA in English. We definitely lost our "on field" edge somewhere in the stacks in a library whilst having our nose deep in a book. So maybe if I do organise this, we'd feature some spelling, parsing of sentences, and explicating of poems. Afterwards, we'd go have beer.
March 14 -- Adelaide
There's no chance of mistaking Adelaide with Melbourne or Sydney just as there's no mistaking San Jose for San Francisco or New York. In fairness though to Adelaide, we really were limited in our opportunity to explore this South Australian city. We stayed in city centre only a few blocks from a scenic river park similar but on a smaller scale to Melbourne's Yarra River area. We also visited the State Library of South Australia which was a bit more like a government building lacking the interior and exterior architectural appeal of the State Library of Victoria. There was a very large bank of internet/email terminals which were available for general usage and all with neatly organised signs indicating the proper purpose for each and that "sign-up" was required in advance. We signed-up and waited our turn but only used the terminals b briefly since longer durations required reservations of 24 hours according to the signs. I got the feeling that Adelaide might just be a bit more Victorian than Victoria.
The main attraction seemed to be Rundle Street and the adjacent Rundle Mall which were a section of the CBD that had been converted to a pedestrian mall no doubt to invigorate an aging downtown economy and to increase tourist appeal. However, it lacked the panache of Melbourne though it did also have the similar European charm to it. Adjacent to the CBD was Adelaide University which looked interesting from the fringes but we didn't have time to explore the inner campus.
I'm sure Adelaide has many virtues that went undiscovered during our brief visit. Too bad we didn't stumble into our cricket buddies we'd met earlier or find a pickup Aussie rules football game.
[PHOTOS] Adelaide - Palm Cove (Cairns) - Home
Stopped in Adelaide for the day until our flight to Cairns.
Took the Skyrail up to Kurunda, passing this waterfall.
At Kurunda we visited Butterfly World!
They also had Bird World too!
S/he kept licking my shirt.
Caught in the act.
Cassowary.
View from the pier at Palm Cove-note the crocodile exit ramp.
Finally a day to relax.
The last day-ferried out to the Great Barrier Reef.
It was pretty windy on the top deck.
These photos were taken by the onboard photographer:
Me + sea cucumber.
Gigantic clam.
Parrot fish.
Nemo.
And as a final farewell:
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
March 12 -- Back to Adelaide
Given the drive time between WP and Adelaide, I'm not sure I'd return to the Flinders. I don't regret going, but we should have stayed longer and taken advantage of the 4WD or small plane tours to make the return on our drive time investment more justified. Today we basically retraced our route to Adelaide and cut the drive time down to about 4 hours because we could pick up the pace once we were out of roo country. We did see a group of emus walking on the roadside. After that, it was free sailing all the way to Adelaide. So as I write this, we're snug in our downtown hotel and just getting ready to head out to dinner. Then, tomorrow, we'll have the morning to kill and be off to the airport for the last leg of our Australian adventure in Cairns.
As usual, don't know when the next post will come given internet uncertainty wherever we go. For those of you who have followed our adventure we are happy that you're enjoying the blog. We appreciate all the comments and had we more time, we'd comment on your comments. I figure we can answer all your questions when we get together to show you the 1000+ pictures Jay and I have taken.
As usual, don't know when the next post will come given internet uncertainty wherever we go. For those of you who have followed our adventure we are happy that you're enjoying the blog. We appreciate all the comments and had we more time, we'd comment on your comments. I figure we can answer all your questions when we get together to show you the 1000+ pictures Jay and I have taken.
March 12 -- Wilpena Pound
The attraction of WP is the area known as the Flinders Range within the Flinders National Park. The Fliinders are slightly bigger than the Santa Cruz mountains or the Diablo Range in the east bay (might need a fact checker here) but are somehow more prehistoric looking. They're colorful in spots like the Grand Canyon hues we are all familiar with. But they're also filled with enormous gum trees (eucalyptus family).
The problem with WP is the area is so immense. We wanted to get a sense of the size of this country and coming to the more remote area like Flinders Range satisfied that desire. But to really appreciate even this corner of Australia you need more time, a 4WD vehicle to take you down the dirt roads -- our little Yaris wasn't suited for such forays or allowed off the hard road -- or you need to take advantage of one of the small plane tours.
Despite being limited to where we could go on foot, we headed out for an explore. We took a walkabout on well marked trails adjacent to the visitor center and general store in the park. The trail led to the WP homestead -- a site where early settlers lived and farmed and raised sheep. We managed our way up to a nearby lookout for a more panoramic view and were surprised to see how green things were. For more than a year now, South Australia and Victoria have been suffering from sever draught. Hope here is that the draught is coming to an end and that a wet winter is on the horizon. Apparently there was a good dosing of rain in January that greened things up considerably. Turns out the rains in January were significant enough to wash out the roads leading into the park and isolating WP for a week before roads could be restored. We're hoping the fair skies and dry weather hold untill we get out of town. After that, we hope the natives get all the rain they want this winter.
The problem with WP is the area is so immense. We wanted to get a sense of the size of this country and coming to the more remote area like Flinders Range satisfied that desire. But to really appreciate even this corner of Australia you need more time, a 4WD vehicle to take you down the dirt roads -- our little Yaris wasn't suited for such forays or allowed off the hard road -- or you need to take advantage of one of the small plane tours.
Despite being limited to where we could go on foot, we headed out for an explore. We took a walkabout on well marked trails adjacent to the visitor center and general store in the park. The trail led to the WP homestead -- a site where early settlers lived and farmed and raised sheep. We managed our way up to a nearby lookout for a more panoramic view and were surprised to see how green things were. For more than a year now, South Australia and Victoria have been suffering from sever draught. Hope here is that the draught is coming to an end and that a wet winter is on the horizon. Apparently there was a good dosing of rain in January that greened things up considerably. Turns out the rains in January were significant enough to wash out the roads leading into the park and isolating WP for a week before roads could be restored. We're hoping the fair skies and dry weather hold untill we get out of town. After that, we hope the natives get all the rain they want this winter.
March 11 -- Outback Bound
Originally our plan had been to drive all the way from Melbourne, over the GOR and onto Adelaide and Wilpena Pound (WP) in 2.5 days. While in Melbourne Jay came up with a much better idea to fly from Melbourne to Adelaide which turned out to be a great plan since it gave us more time on the GOR and significantly reduced our car bound time. That's the good news. The bad new is that there was still about 6 hours of driving for us between Adelaide and WP and we wanted to avoid driving in the dark.
It seemed to take us forever to get our of Adelaide with all the stoplights plus we made a couple of stops and wrong turns and couldn't pass up the chance to play cricket with the gang. Then a food stop in Pt. Wakefield and an engaging and prolonged chat with the guy at the convenience store and the next thing you know it's getting to be dusk and we've still got nearly 200 km to go.
Under normal circumstances, I don't mind driving after dark. But we were heading into pretty desolate areas where towns were few and far between and generally were closed for the evening after dark. Also there's the kangaroo factor too. Those guys are known for bounding across the bitumen unexpectedly and in fact we'd seen 3-4 roo carcasses on the highways already. Add to that the fact that our rental car agreement considered driving after dark in the Flinders (where we were headed) a violation of our agreement that voided any insurance we had.
Our choice was to pullover and spend the night under the stars (in the car of course) or press on at a cautious pace. It was eerie and dark but the stars were magnificent (the few constellations we could identify were upside down -- that southern hemisphere influence again). We pressed on and only saw a coupld of kangaroos at the side of the road apparently not feeling our Toyota Yaris was worthy of bouncing in front of.
We made it to WP resort around 10 pm, relieved and tired from the long drive. There in the grassy area just a few steps from the bistro were three or four kangaroos waiting to greet us.
It seemed to take us forever to get our of Adelaide with all the stoplights plus we made a couple of stops and wrong turns and couldn't pass up the chance to play cricket with the gang. Then a food stop in Pt. Wakefield and an engaging and prolonged chat with the guy at the convenience store and the next thing you know it's getting to be dusk and we've still got nearly 200 km to go.
Under normal circumstances, I don't mind driving after dark. But we were heading into pretty desolate areas where towns were few and far between and generally were closed for the evening after dark. Also there's the kangaroo factor too. Those guys are known for bounding across the bitumen unexpectedly and in fact we'd seen 3-4 roo carcasses on the highways already. Add to that the fact that our rental car agreement considered driving after dark in the Flinders (where we were headed) a violation of our agreement that voided any insurance we had.
Our choice was to pullover and spend the night under the stars (in the car of course) or press on at a cautious pace. It was eerie and dark but the stars were magnificent (the few constellations we could identify were upside down -- that southern hemisphere influence again). We pressed on and only saw a coupld of kangaroos at the side of the road apparently not feeling our Toyota Yaris was worthy of bouncing in front of.
We made it to WP resort around 10 pm, relieved and tired from the long drive. There in the grassy area just a few steps from the bistro were three or four kangaroos waiting to greet us.
March 10 -- More GOR
It was about 6:30 pm when we left Wreck Beach and made the dash toward the 12 Apostles about 25 km up the road in Princeton. The 12 Apostles are limestone pillars some 50-60 meters high just off the shoreline and are considered an Australian icon. Think Natural Bridges near Santa Cruz and multiply by 12 and make them 1.5 to 2 times bigger. The irregular shapes make them an artists delight and depending on the time of day and weather, the colouring can vary dramatically. The main viewing area for the Apostles accommodates a few hundred people at a time on a series of trails and wooden walkways hugging the coast. We got our pics (along with 298 other people there) and decided to call it a day.
We headed overland to the town of Colac to find dinner and a room. As luck would have it there weren't too many vacancies because of the holiday weekend but we did find a pair of single rooms above a pub for $43 apiece. We had to share bath/shower facilities with the other guests, much like dorm facilities, but after our long day, it suited us fine. In the morning we packed up and drove back to Melbourne Airport for our flight to Adelaide and drive to Wilpena Pound.
We headed overland to the town of Colac to find dinner and a room. As luck would have it there weren't too many vacancies because of the holiday weekend but we did find a pair of single rooms above a pub for $43 apiece. We had to share bath/shower facilities with the other guests, much like dorm facilities, but after our long day, it suited us fine. In the morning we packed up and drove back to Melbourne Airport for our flight to Adelaide and drive to Wilpena Pound.
March 10 -- Hiking: Dim Sum Style
Grabbed a long black at the local cafe and headed out early from Apollo Bay Saturday morning since there was much to see on the GOR and we didn't have time to waste. From Apollo Bay the GOR cuts inland across the Otway peninsula and through the Otway National Park. Our strategy for the day was to hit some key spots along the GOR while trying to cover as much mileage (kilometerage??) as possible so that we'd have a relatively easy return to Melbourne airport the following day.
First stop was Mait's Rest which offered a 1 km loop featuring a rain forest and a 300 year old Myrtle Beech tree. The trek was easy and a good warm up for the day. I especially enjoyed the large tree ferns.
A short distance down the road we encounted the turnoff for the Cape Otway lightstation Being a sucker for vistas and lighthouses, an since I was doing the driving, off we went. At the end of the road we were a bit disappointed to find neither the lighthouse nor the coastline in view. The road led to a rather secluded area with a high fence an concessionaire's building. Turns out they charged $12.50 to see the light house up close and personal. Also had a sign posted that the toilets and the cafe were only for the use of lighthouse guests. Not sure that's a well thought out marketing strategy and it was definitely not visitor friendly. Hmphf!
Not to be thwarted, we found the poor man's way to see the lighthouse via a leg of the Great Ocean Walk (GOW). The GOW is a maintained hiking trail running between Apollo Bay and Princeton that offers camping sites for those willing to pack their way along the coast. It's billed as an eight day trek from end to end but the GOW is accessible in segments at various places along the GOR. In our case, we ere able to take the GOW leg that gave us views of the Otway lighthouse and coastline without tapping into our beer money. We also visited the lighthouse cemetery nearby, the resting place of some of the early keepers and their families.
Back on the main road, we next headed to Wreck Beach which features anchors of two ill-fated ships -- the Marie Gabrielle and the Fiji -- that went down on the rocky coast years ago. The hike to the beach was billed as moderate because it required descent - and subsequent ascent - of some 350 steps and then a 20-45 minute walk to the anchor locations.
It's important to note at this point that the tourist maps provided by local visitors' bureaus are excellent but they are not idiot proof. We were certain we were at the right trail head when we headed off in search of the anchor remains and the stairs leading to the beach. Ninety minutes into a hike that should have lasted 45 minutes or so and not yet encountering the first of those 350 stairs, we acknowledged that we were probably on the wrong trail. But before you criticize us for being slow learners or inept map readers, I should point ou that our inadvertent side track was a delight. We may have been on the wrong trail, but we were damn proud of it and pleased with the hike we were taking. We passed nearby meadows with cows (who surely knew we were headed in the wrong direction. I thought their look of disdain was because of the lame mooing noises I offered as a greeting. I'm sure they'd heard it all before. They were in fact cows with an exquisite ocean view.) We progressed down steep ravines and crossed near-dry creek beds and went up to craggy overlooks perched above rocky beaches. Still no anchors or steps in sight.
It had been an ambitious effort but we wer clearly in the wrong spot. I was ready to turn around and head back. Jay however was determied to make it to the beach below -- anchors or no anchors. As the path narrowed to shoulder width, Jay carefully moved forward without a helmet or note from his parents. He inched down the last twenty feet of the rugged slope and within seconds was on the rocky beach taking pictures, seeing the waves at eye-level, checking out the tide pools, and reveling in the reward of the moment. As for me, I was content sitting 20 feet above the beach watching it all.
After another 90 minute return hike to our car, we were on our way back to the GOR when we saw a sign for Wreck Beach. How had we missed that before? We hesitated only a moment before following it and finding the right trail head and the first of those 350 steps. Long story short: we made it to Wreck Beach, saw the anchors, got giddy getting our feet in the water, and made it back up those steps -- by my count 378 and at that point I was indeed counting! All this and we still hadn't seen the main attraction on the GOR.
First stop was Mait's Rest which offered a 1 km loop featuring a rain forest and a 300 year old Myrtle Beech tree. The trek was easy and a good warm up for the day. I especially enjoyed the large tree ferns.
A short distance down the road we encounted the turnoff for the Cape Otway lightstation Being a sucker for vistas and lighthouses, an since I was doing the driving, off we went. At the end of the road we were a bit disappointed to find neither the lighthouse nor the coastline in view. The road led to a rather secluded area with a high fence an concessionaire's building. Turns out they charged $12.50 to see the light house up close and personal. Also had a sign posted that the toilets and the cafe were only for the use of lighthouse guests. Not sure that's a well thought out marketing strategy and it was definitely not visitor friendly. Hmphf!
Not to be thwarted, we found the poor man's way to see the lighthouse via a leg of the Great Ocean Walk (GOW). The GOW is a maintained hiking trail running between Apollo Bay and Princeton that offers camping sites for those willing to pack their way along the coast. It's billed as an eight day trek from end to end but the GOW is accessible in segments at various places along the GOR. In our case, we ere able to take the GOW leg that gave us views of the Otway lighthouse and coastline without tapping into our beer money. We also visited the lighthouse cemetery nearby, the resting place of some of the early keepers and their families.
Back on the main road, we next headed to Wreck Beach which features anchors of two ill-fated ships -- the Marie Gabrielle and the Fiji -- that went down on the rocky coast years ago. The hike to the beach was billed as moderate because it required descent - and subsequent ascent - of some 350 steps and then a 20-45 minute walk to the anchor locations.
It's important to note at this point that the tourist maps provided by local visitors' bureaus are excellent but they are not idiot proof. We were certain we were at the right trail head when we headed off in search of the anchor remains and the stairs leading to the beach. Ninety minutes into a hike that should have lasted 45 minutes or so and not yet encountering the first of those 350 stairs, we acknowledged that we were probably on the wrong trail. But before you criticize us for being slow learners or inept map readers, I should point ou that our inadvertent side track was a delight. We may have been on the wrong trail, but we were damn proud of it and pleased with the hike we were taking. We passed nearby meadows with cows (who surely knew we were headed in the wrong direction. I thought their look of disdain was because of the lame mooing noises I offered as a greeting. I'm sure they'd heard it all before. They were in fact cows with an exquisite ocean view.) We progressed down steep ravines and crossed near-dry creek beds and went up to craggy overlooks perched above rocky beaches. Still no anchors or steps in sight.
It had been an ambitious effort but we wer clearly in the wrong spot. I was ready to turn around and head back. Jay however was determied to make it to the beach below -- anchors or no anchors. As the path narrowed to shoulder width, Jay carefully moved forward without a helmet or note from his parents. He inched down the last twenty feet of the rugged slope and within seconds was on the rocky beach taking pictures, seeing the waves at eye-level, checking out the tide pools, and reveling in the reward of the moment. As for me, I was content sitting 20 feet above the beach watching it all.
After another 90 minute return hike to our car, we were on our way back to the GOR when we saw a sign for Wreck Beach. How had we missed that before? We hesitated only a moment before following it and finding the right trail head and the first of those 350 steps. Long story short: we made it to Wreck Beach, saw the anchors, got giddy getting our feet in the water, and made it back up those steps -- by my count 378 and at that point I was indeed counting! All this and we still hadn't seen the main attraction on the GOR.
Monday, March 12, 2007
March 9 - Aussie Rules Football
One of the reasons we had a late dinner on our first night in Apollo Bay was that we got wrapped up in an Australia Rules Football game between Brisbane and Geelong. It wasn't just another game; it was the conference championship game with the winner going onto the equivalent of our Superbowl. We thought we might have a chance to see a game while we were in Melbourne and have the benefit of my friend Peter's brother Chris to help us understand the game. Well that didn't work out but the TV coverage captured our attention rather quickly.
Aussie rules football is fascinating and seems to have taken pieces of other sports like soccer (kicking the ball), rugby (shape of the ball, tackling and piling on), volleyball (passing the ball by hitting it with one hand), basketball (dribbling) and of course football (field goals and tackling) and rolled them all together with the game I recall playing as a youngster called "smear." Smear was basically a catch and tackle event where the kid with the ball was the target of full on assault of all the other players until he gave up the ball. It was one against many. Aussie rules is not exactly like that since they do have teams but it sure looks a lot like smear.
The blokes playing Aussie rules football are bruisers with amazing toughness and stamina. They are quite adept at kicking the rugby like ball to a teammate (a pass but made with the foot) or kicking it 40-60 meters through the goal posts for a score while on the run and being pursued by the bruisers from the other team determined to capture the ball and/or tackle the opponent. Oh, did I mention that they wear no helmets or padding of any sort? Their uniforms look like traditional soccer uniforms. The game is played at a frenetic pace -- similar to soccer but more like the up and down the court tempo of basketball teams featuring fast break offenses. There are very few stoppages during regular play except after a score or a compound fracture. Note: the bone must be clearly visible however, otherwise the ref just yells "play on, play on."
American football looks timid in comparison. Only the very best NFL players could play Aussie football -- think Ronnie Lott or Donovan McNabb. The pace is just too demanding and the skill set too different for all but a few NFL, NBA or MLB star athletes.
Happened to see a poster on a store window in Apollo Bay announcing sign-ups for youth football leagues much like our little league of soccer sign-ups every year. Images of little league or high school age kids playing this game sans helmets and pads makes me shiver. Can't imagine the soccer moms (and dads) in Menlo Park/Atherton being able to stomach such a thing. Australia is a tough country with a tough hardy people. Maybe Aussie rules football explains the source of that toughness. Check out this promo video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_hqosNvv5E
Aussie rules football is fascinating and seems to have taken pieces of other sports like soccer (kicking the ball), rugby (shape of the ball, tackling and piling on), volleyball (passing the ball by hitting it with one hand), basketball (dribbling) and of course football (field goals and tackling) and rolled them all together with the game I recall playing as a youngster called "smear." Smear was basically a catch and tackle event where the kid with the ball was the target of full on assault of all the other players until he gave up the ball. It was one against many. Aussie rules is not exactly like that since they do have teams but it sure looks a lot like smear.
The blokes playing Aussie rules football are bruisers with amazing toughness and stamina. They are quite adept at kicking the rugby like ball to a teammate (a pass but made with the foot) or kicking it 40-60 meters through the goal posts for a score while on the run and being pursued by the bruisers from the other team determined to capture the ball and/or tackle the opponent. Oh, did I mention that they wear no helmets or padding of any sort? Their uniforms look like traditional soccer uniforms. The game is played at a frenetic pace -- similar to soccer but more like the up and down the court tempo of basketball teams featuring fast break offenses. There are very few stoppages during regular play except after a score or a compound fracture. Note: the bone must be clearly visible however, otherwise the ref just yells "play on, play on."
American football looks timid in comparison. Only the very best NFL players could play Aussie football -- think Ronnie Lott or Donovan McNabb. The pace is just too demanding and the skill set too different for all but a few NFL, NBA or MLB star athletes.
Happened to see a poster on a store window in Apollo Bay announcing sign-ups for youth football leagues much like our little league of soccer sign-ups every year. Images of little league or high school age kids playing this game sans helmets and pads makes me shiver. Can't imagine the soccer moms (and dads) in Menlo Park/Atherton being able to stomach such a thing. Australia is a tough country with a tough hardy people. Maybe Aussie rules football explains the source of that toughness. Check out this promo video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_hqosNvv5E
March 9 -Great Ocean Road
Our destination was Apollo Bay on the GOR. As we left Melbourne city center on a Friday Morning we had the benefit of traveling counter-commute. Jay was an excellent navigator and lane coach -- "LEFT LANE!! LEFT LANE!!" Add intrepid to that navigator description. We breezed onto M1 and were quickly transorted through the more industry-dense area of Melbourne and onto Geelong about 50 km from Melbourne., Not much to see there so we pressed on finally taking a side trip at Airey's Inlet to see the lighthouse. It was tall, white and had a light at the top but still was quite a sight with the Australian coast in the background. Could've been short, grey and lightless and still have been an eye-catcher.
Further down the road we took a short side-trip to an area where there are koalas in their native environment for viewing. We knew we were in the right place because there were plenty of cars parked roadside and a few tour buses as well. After about a 5 km drive up and back down a dirt road, we found the little guys perched about 25 meters from the cafe concession stand. We were able to snap a bunch of up close and personal pics of the fuzzy guys and could even have reached out and touched one if we chose to. Though cuddly looking, they do have enormous bear-like claws and we chose to let the sleeping bear be.
The GOR is reminiscent of driving along Route 1 in CA north of SF. Not nearly as serpentine as the trip from Sausalito to Stinson Beach but similarly situated on the coast and offering multiple lookouts and quaint towns. Despite it being the long Labour Day weekend in Australia, traffic was minimal. We took advantage of many stopping opportunities to take in the views, breathe the fresh air, snap photos and just relish where we were.
We arrived in Apollo Bay early afternoon to find limited accommodations available. After some kine assistance at the visitor center in AB, we landed a spot at the Waterfront Motel right on the main street and within a 100 meters of the beach. Only problem was that the room was available for only one night. Our original plan was to stay two nights and just day trip from Apollo Bay. Turns out that was fortuitous since that would have inhibited our ability to take advantage of the opportunities that lay ahead on the GOR.
Shortly after check-in, I headed for the beach and finally got my feet wet in the waters of the Australian coast. Water was clear and about 65 but there were only about a dozen or two swimmers, surfers or walkers on the beach. Jay joined me a bit later and we sat doing crosswords and enjoying the view. Couldn't convince him yet to get his feet wet though. You know, the sand in the toes thing...
Further down the road we took a short side-trip to an area where there are koalas in their native environment for viewing. We knew we were in the right place because there were plenty of cars parked roadside and a few tour buses as well. After about a 5 km drive up and back down a dirt road, we found the little guys perched about 25 meters from the cafe concession stand. We were able to snap a bunch of up close and personal pics of the fuzzy guys and could even have reached out and touched one if we chose to. Though cuddly looking, they do have enormous bear-like claws and we chose to let the sleeping bear be.
The GOR is reminiscent of driving along Route 1 in CA north of SF. Not nearly as serpentine as the trip from Sausalito to Stinson Beach but similarly situated on the coast and offering multiple lookouts and quaint towns. Despite it being the long Labour Day weekend in Australia, traffic was minimal. We took advantage of many stopping opportunities to take in the views, breathe the fresh air, snap photos and just relish where we were.
We arrived in Apollo Bay early afternoon to find limited accommodations available. After some kine assistance at the visitor center in AB, we landed a spot at the Waterfront Motel right on the main street and within a 100 meters of the beach. Only problem was that the room was available for only one night. Our original plan was to stay two nights and just day trip from Apollo Bay. Turns out that was fortuitous since that would have inhibited our ability to take advantage of the opportunities that lay ahead on the GOR.
Shortly after check-in, I headed for the beach and finally got my feet wet in the waters of the Australian coast. Water was clear and about 65 but there were only about a dozen or two swimmers, surfers or walkers on the beach. Jay joined me a bit later and we sat doing crosswords and enjoying the view. Couldn't convince him yet to get his feet wet though. You know, the sand in the toes thing...
[PHOTOS] Melbourne - Wilpena
Forgive the delay, but internet access, especially of the wireless persuasion, is few and far between down here. As always, click photos to enlarge.
Halfway through the 12-hour train ride from Sydney to Melbourne.
We arrived to the sunset.
Yarra River at night.
Victoria State Library.
Melbourne Royal Botanical Gardens (not as good as Sydney's).
Left Melbourne on the Great Ocean Road, stopping along the way at landmarks like this lighthouse.
Saw a koala up close.
Slept in Apollo Bay.
On the road the next day, hiking at Mait's Rest.
Hike 3 of 4 that day, looking for Wreck Beach.
Turns out it wasn't Wreck Beach.
Finally found Wreck Beach-- I was so excited I even took off my shoes.
Anchor of the Marie Gabrielle.
Sad Dad?
12 Apostles.
On the drive from Adelaide to Wilpena Pound, Dad befriended several local cricket players.
Arrived Wilpena Pound Resort.
...and went on some more hikes.
The bush.
360° Panorama of the bush.
Panorama of Flinders Mountain Range.
Forgive the lack of interesting photo commentary as well. When internet is indeed located, it is generally slow and unforgiving, resulting in all too many dollars spent, draining one's reservoir of caption creativity.
Halfway through the 12-hour train ride from Sydney to Melbourne.
We arrived to the sunset.
Yarra River at night.
Victoria State Library.
Melbourne Royal Botanical Gardens (not as good as Sydney's).
Left Melbourne on the Great Ocean Road, stopping along the way at landmarks like this lighthouse.
Saw a koala up close.
Slept in Apollo Bay.
On the road the next day, hiking at Mait's Rest.
Hike 3 of 4 that day, looking for Wreck Beach.
Turns out it wasn't Wreck Beach.
Finally found Wreck Beach-- I was so excited I even took off my shoes.
Anchor of the Marie Gabrielle.
Sad Dad?
12 Apostles.
On the drive from Adelaide to Wilpena Pound, Dad befriended several local cricket players.
Arrived Wilpena Pound Resort.
...and went on some more hikes.
The bush.
360° Panorama of the bush.
Panorama of Flinders Mountain Range.Forgive the lack of interesting photo commentary as well. When internet is indeed located, it is generally slow and unforgiving, resulting in all too many dollars spent, draining one's reservoir of caption creativity.
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