Hello everyone this will be my offical last BLOG of my journey thru NZ and OZ!!! Sad to leave but happy to go home as well...
Last i talked to you i was about to set sail to the Whitsundays :) it was amazing time but it did rain for most of my trip. That was the first and only time it has rained during my travells where i was on a tour. But we made the most of it and Snorkelled all day and still went to the beaches (which we were lucky the sun came out for the 2 hours we were there) That was at white haven beach the 3rd most photographed place in Australia apparently. it was so nice there. Had our lovely stinger suits on as there were dangerous box jelly fish there. The boat had a hot tub, diving board and a slide so we took full advantage of those. The guides were so much fun it made our sail alot better. our motto was "F the rain".
I then headed to Rainbow Beach to do a camping trip on Fraser Island with 4x4 cars that fit 8 ppl per car for 3 days and 2 nights. When i arrived they gave me Dinner, Free internet and a jug of beer for swtich to the day later tour. I was booked for 3 nights anyways so i didnt mind. No one wanted or already had drinks when i got the pitcher so i had to drink the whole thing myself haha.
It was the best trip ever. Tho we didnt shower the whole time, they even told us not to bother bringing soap/shampoo/conditioner cause the Dingoes liked the smells so would try to get in our tents. We didnt have toilets either, the ocean or diggin a hole was the only way. And we werent allowed to use soap for dishes so used the ocean, which was hilarious trying to not get them sandy after "washing them" - and minus the part that we used it as our toilet as well. And we slept in tents on the ground no mattress just sleeping bags. So your probably asking why this was the BEST trip ever haha. This is why: We went to Eli Creek first where we drifted down it to the ocean. Then Indian Head - which was a huge rock where you can see a view of alot of the island. Mackenzie lake - the clearest and bluest water ever. I was first in and last to get out it was so warm and peaceful. And Champagne Falls, which was a couple pools of water where the oceans waves crashed into the walls. I had the best group ever - 8 girls Susan and Jeska from Holland, Anna and Elin from Sweden, Heli from Finland, Ely from Australia Melbourne, Kerry from England and ME nickname CANADA (which we were the best drivers, didnt get stuck once and the mostly boy car behind us got stuck atleast 5 times) We drove on the sand island with no roads just ocean/sand. It was such a cool experience. Our radio didnt work so we sang the whole time they called our car the Human Jukebox...
Then went to Surfers Paradise and met up with Anna and Elin for drinks and it wasnt the best weather so just relaxed for the 2 nights i was there.
Then and now in Byron Bay for the last 4 days. BEST town ever dont wanna leave. Where i went Surfing - got up first try :), walked to the light house as well the most eastern point in Australia, went to a full moon party at Cheeky Monkeys Bar with the Swedish girls (anna and elin) got glow in the dark paint all over us, it was $5 for us to get in burgers, and a jagger shot included!! What a deal haha. Then went to Nimbin today a hippie town in a hippie bus with a hippie guide hahah. Weird but funniest experience.
Now going for dinner with Anna and Elin tonight my 2nd to last night in Oz.
See ya soon, I return on Saturday March 10th.
<3 Mieke
I posted some pics below
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Thursday, 23 February 2012
Alice Springs/Uluru/Cairns
Hello,
I have now been to Alice spings, where i did The Rock Tour :) it was an amazing Experience to say the least!! So happy that i did it. There were some highlights and some not so nice times lol. Meaning hiking a Canyon in 41 degree weather but then a highlight was swimming in the Lagoon in the middle of the hike. Only source of water. So anyways to start from the beginning i arrived in Alice Springs (Aboringnal town) like the only ppl that live there!! Cant go out at night alone and i most teh time wouldnt daytime as well. They are ppl that have lived in Alice springs for many years and now they seem to just sit in the parks and harrass ppl to buy stuff from them. And alot of them are drunks. Not putting the community down as there Culture was really interesting to learn about but now some of them are just living off the government!! So anyways met Lily and Jen at the YHA and we were all doing the tour together the next day. Got up at 530am and was picked up at 555am to be exact.
To get to know everyone we had to go to the front of the Van and answer 5 Q's Sam (our guide asked us) Here was my answers:
Name: Mieke From:Canada
Favorite place in Oz so far: Rottnest Island
Super powers i would like to have: To be able to fly so i dont have to be on this van
Camping Skills: Making Smores
So we had a good mix of people: 4 canadians, 6 swiss, 4 germans, 5 french and 2 from japan and our guide from New Zealand!!
We then got window pens and wrote things all over the van windows inc. our name so ppl dont forget them,. Then 4 hours later we were at Kings canyon to do a 3 hour hike at 12pm (the hardest hike there and hottest time of the day) was sweating just getting out of the van. I knew this was going to be bad. We were walking along the path and it was ok, Flat and then path ended and we waited for ppl to catch up and i was looking around like where are we going now. And then the guide Sam was like ok this next 15 mins will be the worst of the time up there. i was getting worried at this point. Only seeing huge mountains around me. Then he lead the way to the side of the mountian where there were stairs in the side carved in. It was literally straight up for 15mins millions of stairs later i was breathing so heavy i couldnt think. He was laughing at all of us but also making sure no one was goign to pass out. I drank 6 litres of water during the rest of the hike. during the hike we walked thru the sandstone dome of the lost city. Swam in Garden of Eden, Yelled thru the walls of the Canyon in the Ampitheatre (so neat), and laid on the top looking over the cliffs edge in the Valley!! After that we went back in the van and Sam randomly pulled over and was like ok we have to get our fire wood for tonight. I wasnt expecting this and we were all out there breaking wood with our hands and feet to collect wood haha. That was hilarious. The guys were by far worse than the girls, id have to say. My hands and legs were bleeding after that.
Drove to Curtain Springs to our bush camp, not realizing it really was just a bush where we made a campground lol. Thought atleast we'd have outhouses/lights but it was dark when we arrived and we set up camp. Made our own fire. Dinner on the fire. Slept in Swags (outdoor sleeping bags) and had a great selection of bushes to pee behind. The stars were amazing. Saw the milky way and 4 shooting stars. Was on dinner duty and i started by cutting onions that made me cry so bad sam was making fun of me. Then he was there for a while and was like these onion are really bad. My face was soaked with tears. Then was put on Marshmellow duty (as i said iwas good at making smores minus no chocolate/gram crackers). We then were able to relax with our 5- 30 packs of Tooheys Beer. Felt nice to drink something cold.
Got woken up at not sure what time as i heard it was going to be early so took my watch off so i didnt know lol. But the sun was just about to come up lol. SO early.
Drove to Kata Tjuta meaning "many heads", thought that was becuase it was lots of humps of rock but it was called that because of the cracks/holes in the rocks up close you could see faces in the rocks. We saw homer simpson, skulls, darth vador etc. it was a 5.4km walk, took us 3 hours. Again drank lots of warm water MMM. Then went to the Ayers Rock Campsite. Which had stoves, showers, bathrooms and a POOL :) Went for a swim (played piggy in the middle witha rugby ball lol, felt like a little kid) and then had lunch. Drove to Uluru and saw Ayres Rock, so beautiful. He asked us what we thought the shape of it was like?!? Most ppl saying a square or rectangle. Sam then brought us to the Cultural Center first to learn more things about the Rock. There were signs saying hike the rock and signs asking ppl to not hike the rock. Me jen and eric were like so were allowed or not allowed (so confused). Also saw a book of letters of ppl that wrote saying sorry for taking rocks from the area and that they felt like they were curst with problems after they stole rocks. And that they wanted them to be returned. A couple storied seemed really crazy and some were really sad. Not sure i believe all of it but was really shocked how many ppl wrote in after the years.
Got closer to see that it was not shaped like a square at all but it was large humps of rock in one area but the lookout point (where most pics are taken) looked like a perfect square. We did the mala walk and talked about the history of the area/people/rock. He then told us about why they say hike the rock and some signs saying please dont hike. Its the government that had taken over most rights to Uluru and they say its a tourist place and ppl come to hike it. But the Aboringal ppl still have a say and there asking ppl to not hike the rock and its a cutural thing that they used to do when a boy becames a man. And they dont hike it either now. Over 30 ppl have fallen and died trying to attempt the climb. No one from our tour had chosen to climb it. It summer so its only open sometimes and really early in the morning b/c of the heat. Drove to the look out and watched the sunset and had dinner out there. The tour beside us had wine/chesse/crackers and tables with table clothes set up. We were all dirty from hikes during the day eating out of the back of our van lol. It was so funny. Sam said he saw every type of picture being taken at the rock and try to be oringnal with your pics. The swiss guys went behind the lookout where noone was and on a hill were you could see the rock/everyone looking at the rock, they got naked and ran around taking pics with everyone in the view point looking at the rock but not being able to see them hhaha. Sam then told us later that 2 irish guys got naked poured beer on themselves and rolled in the red dirt and had sticks in there hands like cave men on the same hill as the swiss guys haha.. We were laughing really hard.
Got up at 430am the next morning to see the sunrise and have breakfast at the rock. So neat to see the different looks of the rock during different times of the day. Did the Base walk 10.6km walk around the whole rock. Then went to the camel farm and rode racing camels. Mine was Curly and he didnt wanna listen to the guide. We then raced them down the farm haha.. So funny. We got our group picture at the Alice springs sign on our way back. And then got to shower and met up for dinner and drinks at the Rock Bar. Felt nice to shower and feel clean still after the shower.
Flew to Cairns the following day, to a hostel with a pool/hot tub/hammacs :) felt nice to relax. Did a Cape Tribulation/Port Douglas tour, went to the Daintree village and did a wildlife river cruise - saw lots of birds no Crocodiles, the water was too high they said. Did a Marrdja Botanical bush walk thru the rainforest and saw tropical birds, large spiders and neat trees/tropical flowers. Took a 5 min ferry to Cape Tri and went to PK resort and Cape tri beach which was so beautiful the rainforest meets the Beach. Went to the daintree homemade ice cream shop where we tried there local fruit ice cream jack fruit and banana. And 2 other kinds. One literally tasted like poo.. I couldnt believe it. And then saw a Tea Farm, it made me think of Cami. Saw a Cassovary bird walking across the road, a large bird. Then Alexandra lookout where the river mets the ocean.
Got home in Cairns and went to the night market and got a local 40 min Massage for $15. Thought it would be nice and relaxing. The guy kept saying hard massage and i was like no medium and he was ok here you go hard massage lol... It was a young chinese boy that was really boney that did my massage. Digging his elbows into me and sticks in my feet. Not relaxing at all. to started my massage by putting my feet in a bucket of warm water with plastic bags in the bucket. So weird. People kept taking pictures of me when walking by.
Dove on the great barrier reef the next day, Saw a white tipped reef shark and a blue lagoon ray while diving. And a turtle when i was having lunch and lots of giant tropical fish/ the bright coral while snorkelling :) Had a great time and didnt wanna get out of the water. It was 1 instructor to 4 ppl. The one german guy inthe group had a freak out so it was only 3 of us the whole time.
Took a greyhound to Townsville and went to Magnetic islans to Bungalow bay Koala village. Thought i was paying to hold a Koala but ended up also holding a Crocodile, bird (which kissed me), 3 types of lizards, a baby koala and a Snake :( never thought id say that. The guide made all of us hold a GIANT snake and then fed it a large rat infront of us. SO weird.
Also saw a Wombat, Joey, and turtles at the park.
Now in Airlie Beach going on a sailing trip to Whitsunday inlands for 2 days 2 nights. Cant wait to set sail...
<3 Mieke
I have now been to Alice spings, where i did The Rock Tour :) it was an amazing Experience to say the least!! So happy that i did it. There were some highlights and some not so nice times lol. Meaning hiking a Canyon in 41 degree weather but then a highlight was swimming in the Lagoon in the middle of the hike. Only source of water. So anyways to start from the beginning i arrived in Alice Springs (Aboringnal town) like the only ppl that live there!! Cant go out at night alone and i most teh time wouldnt daytime as well. They are ppl that have lived in Alice springs for many years and now they seem to just sit in the parks and harrass ppl to buy stuff from them. And alot of them are drunks. Not putting the community down as there Culture was really interesting to learn about but now some of them are just living off the government!! So anyways met Lily and Jen at the YHA and we were all doing the tour together the next day. Got up at 530am and was picked up at 555am to be exact.
To get to know everyone we had to go to the front of the Van and answer 5 Q's Sam (our guide asked us) Here was my answers:
Name: Mieke From:Canada
Favorite place in Oz so far: Rottnest Island
Super powers i would like to have: To be able to fly so i dont have to be on this van
Camping Skills: Making Smores
So we had a good mix of people: 4 canadians, 6 swiss, 4 germans, 5 french and 2 from japan and our guide from New Zealand!!
We then got window pens and wrote things all over the van windows inc. our name so ppl dont forget them,. Then 4 hours later we were at Kings canyon to do a 3 hour hike at 12pm (the hardest hike there and hottest time of the day) was sweating just getting out of the van. I knew this was going to be bad. We were walking along the path and it was ok, Flat and then path ended and we waited for ppl to catch up and i was looking around like where are we going now. And then the guide Sam was like ok this next 15 mins will be the worst of the time up there. i was getting worried at this point. Only seeing huge mountains around me. Then he lead the way to the side of the mountian where there were stairs in the side carved in. It was literally straight up for 15mins millions of stairs later i was breathing so heavy i couldnt think. He was laughing at all of us but also making sure no one was goign to pass out. I drank 6 litres of water during the rest of the hike. during the hike we walked thru the sandstone dome of the lost city. Swam in Garden of Eden, Yelled thru the walls of the Canyon in the Ampitheatre (so neat), and laid on the top looking over the cliffs edge in the Valley!! After that we went back in the van and Sam randomly pulled over and was like ok we have to get our fire wood for tonight. I wasnt expecting this and we were all out there breaking wood with our hands and feet to collect wood haha. That was hilarious. The guys were by far worse than the girls, id have to say. My hands and legs were bleeding after that.
Drove to Curtain Springs to our bush camp, not realizing it really was just a bush where we made a campground lol. Thought atleast we'd have outhouses/lights but it was dark when we arrived and we set up camp. Made our own fire. Dinner on the fire. Slept in Swags (outdoor sleeping bags) and had a great selection of bushes to pee behind. The stars were amazing. Saw the milky way and 4 shooting stars. Was on dinner duty and i started by cutting onions that made me cry so bad sam was making fun of me. Then he was there for a while and was like these onion are really bad. My face was soaked with tears. Then was put on Marshmellow duty (as i said iwas good at making smores minus no chocolate/gram crackers). We then were able to relax with our 5- 30 packs of Tooheys Beer. Felt nice to drink something cold.
Got woken up at not sure what time as i heard it was going to be early so took my watch off so i didnt know lol. But the sun was just about to come up lol. SO early.
Drove to Kata Tjuta meaning "many heads", thought that was becuase it was lots of humps of rock but it was called that because of the cracks/holes in the rocks up close you could see faces in the rocks. We saw homer simpson, skulls, darth vador etc. it was a 5.4km walk, took us 3 hours. Again drank lots of warm water MMM. Then went to the Ayers Rock Campsite. Which had stoves, showers, bathrooms and a POOL :) Went for a swim (played piggy in the middle witha rugby ball lol, felt like a little kid) and then had lunch. Drove to Uluru and saw Ayres Rock, so beautiful. He asked us what we thought the shape of it was like?!? Most ppl saying a square or rectangle. Sam then brought us to the Cultural Center first to learn more things about the Rock. There were signs saying hike the rock and signs asking ppl to not hike the rock. Me jen and eric were like so were allowed or not allowed (so confused). Also saw a book of letters of ppl that wrote saying sorry for taking rocks from the area and that they felt like they were curst with problems after they stole rocks. And that they wanted them to be returned. A couple storied seemed really crazy and some were really sad. Not sure i believe all of it but was really shocked how many ppl wrote in after the years.
Got closer to see that it was not shaped like a square at all but it was large humps of rock in one area but the lookout point (where most pics are taken) looked like a perfect square. We did the mala walk and talked about the history of the area/people/rock. He then told us about why they say hike the rock and some signs saying please dont hike. Its the government that had taken over most rights to Uluru and they say its a tourist place and ppl come to hike it. But the Aboringal ppl still have a say and there asking ppl to not hike the rock and its a cutural thing that they used to do when a boy becames a man. And they dont hike it either now. Over 30 ppl have fallen and died trying to attempt the climb. No one from our tour had chosen to climb it. It summer so its only open sometimes and really early in the morning b/c of the heat. Drove to the look out and watched the sunset and had dinner out there. The tour beside us had wine/chesse/crackers and tables with table clothes set up. We were all dirty from hikes during the day eating out of the back of our van lol. It was so funny. Sam said he saw every type of picture being taken at the rock and try to be oringnal with your pics. The swiss guys went behind the lookout where noone was and on a hill were you could see the rock/everyone looking at the rock, they got naked and ran around taking pics with everyone in the view point looking at the rock but not being able to see them hhaha. Sam then told us later that 2 irish guys got naked poured beer on themselves and rolled in the red dirt and had sticks in there hands like cave men on the same hill as the swiss guys haha.. We were laughing really hard.
Got up at 430am the next morning to see the sunrise and have breakfast at the rock. So neat to see the different looks of the rock during different times of the day. Did the Base walk 10.6km walk around the whole rock. Then went to the camel farm and rode racing camels. Mine was Curly and he didnt wanna listen to the guide. We then raced them down the farm haha.. So funny. We got our group picture at the Alice springs sign on our way back. And then got to shower and met up for dinner and drinks at the Rock Bar. Felt nice to shower and feel clean still after the shower.
Flew to Cairns the following day, to a hostel with a pool/hot tub/hammacs :) felt nice to relax. Did a Cape Tribulation/Port Douglas tour, went to the Daintree village and did a wildlife river cruise - saw lots of birds no Crocodiles, the water was too high they said. Did a Marrdja Botanical bush walk thru the rainforest and saw tropical birds, large spiders and neat trees/tropical flowers. Took a 5 min ferry to Cape Tri and went to PK resort and Cape tri beach which was so beautiful the rainforest meets the Beach. Went to the daintree homemade ice cream shop where we tried there local fruit ice cream jack fruit and banana. And 2 other kinds. One literally tasted like poo.. I couldnt believe it. And then saw a Tea Farm, it made me think of Cami. Saw a Cassovary bird walking across the road, a large bird. Then Alexandra lookout where the river mets the ocean.
Got home in Cairns and went to the night market and got a local 40 min Massage for $15. Thought it would be nice and relaxing. The guy kept saying hard massage and i was like no medium and he was ok here you go hard massage lol... It was a young chinese boy that was really boney that did my massage. Digging his elbows into me and sticks in my feet. Not relaxing at all. to started my massage by putting my feet in a bucket of warm water with plastic bags in the bucket. So weird. People kept taking pictures of me when walking by.
Dove on the great barrier reef the next day, Saw a white tipped reef shark and a blue lagoon ray while diving. And a turtle when i was having lunch and lots of giant tropical fish/ the bright coral while snorkelling :) Had a great time and didnt wanna get out of the water. It was 1 instructor to 4 ppl. The one german guy inthe group had a freak out so it was only 3 of us the whole time.
Took a greyhound to Townsville and went to Magnetic islans to Bungalow bay Koala village. Thought i was paying to hold a Koala but ended up also holding a Crocodile, bird (which kissed me), 3 types of lizards, a baby koala and a Snake :( never thought id say that. The guide made all of us hold a GIANT snake and then fed it a large rat infront of us. SO weird.
Also saw a Wombat, Joey, and turtles at the park.
Now in Airlie Beach going on a sailing trip to Whitsunday inlands for 2 days 2 nights. Cant wait to set sail...
<3 Mieke
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Western Oz to Outback to Eastern Oz
Hey everyone,
So since i talked to you guys last i was trying to make a trip further south of Perth. Found an ad from Tracey who wanted to go to the same places and decided to text her... We made plans to meet on Fri Feb 3rd at the train station and go for drinks to discuss what our interests were etc. And when i realized that i didnt know 100% if this Tracey was a girl or not i got a little freaked out and emailed my mom to tell her were i was going and if i didnt email that night to be worried lol. Went to the station and there was this really scary looking girl waiting for something so i approached her and asked if she was Tracey and she was like "nope" and i was like "thank god" lol. Turns out Tracey was a 33 yr old girl from the UK. Super friendly. We discussed leaving on Feb 6 Monday night - Feb 10 Friday night. We decided that we were going to rent a car in Margaret River, and her friend would drive down there from Perth and a different friend back. We talked about how we wanted to chill at the beaches and go to a winery (since margaret river area has over 200 wineries), go thru a cave and just try to see as much as possible.
On Feb 4, meet up with Simone #2 and Erika to go to Rottnest Island AKA Rotto. It was the best trip/place ive been to in Oz so far. Just such a unique experience. We rented bikes and snorkelling gear for the day and just rode around the whole thing, stopping at the different bays along the way (salmon bay being my favorite place). There are no cars on the island and the length is about 10km and width about 4 km. The water was so clear and warm!!!! at Porpoise point we saw these Large Rat animals, but cute ones, the island was named from the man who found the island with these large rats on it later being called Quokkas. The express ferry (30 mins) was insane, it started to get really windy so the ferry felt like it was going over so many times. My butt and thighs hurt so bad from riding a bike all day that i could hardly get out of bed the next day. But it was worth it!!!
Monday went to Cottesloe beach with Simone and Erika, it was a nice day and the beaches on the west are so clear and bright blue. Had a relaxing day by having lunch and read my book on the beach.
Tracey called to say that her friend couldn't go til Tuesday early in the morning! Then again called in the morning of Tuesday to say that her friend wanted to leave at 1pm now. So anyways our trip was getting short every minute. We did get a ride evenually and got to MR at 4pm on tuesday and picked up our car that we rented and headed for a town called Dunsborough as it has a Hostel right on the beach. It was a beautiful sunset, then went out for Mexican dinner (which was amazing food/margaritas). We discussed at dinner all the things we wanted to do on Wed (mostly what tracey said was good) as she had been down in this area a few times to visit friends. And that we were getting up at 8am (me thinking that meant that we would be getting an early start at the day.)
Woke up at 8am and was packed and ready to go by 830am. Tracey had her 3 cups of tea and long shower, decided that she needed to transfer all her pics from her camera to her computer. I was like ok. 11am rolls around (me obviously frustrated) and she was like only 30 more mins, then said "i guess it takes a long time for 1000 pics to be transferred". Got in the car and she was like want to stop to get a snack i was like "no lets just go to the beach" she then spent 30 mins on the her iphone transferring to another cellphone company!! i was like who an i traveling with and what the hell are we going to see.
Fortunately the day was still successful and we did end up seeing alot of the coast on caves road which on its own was amazing scenic drive with tons of large trees. Started at Meely Beach which i was the only person the this ridiculously gorgeous beach!! While we headed to Eagle Bay Tracey told me how she wanted to go this 4 different wineries, i was like "oh i only wanted to go to like one" so i got her to go to a few when i was on the beach reading and relaxing. We agreed on going to one for lunch that was attached to a brewery. Went to a lighthouse walk that had so many flys/dragonflies they sold head nets for the walk. We didnt talk the whole walk as if we opened our mouth there was for sure a bug in our mouth. I eventually grabbed a twig and used it to hit the flies from my face and we walked as fast as we could to get out of there that we didnt even see the lighthouse/ocean really. Went to Sugar loaf Rock after and it was a large rock along the coast surrounded by a beautiful beach. Then Canal Rocks which was a bunch of rocks with a walkway over top the rocks and the waves were massive crashing throughout them. Then the Gabriel Chocolate Factory (my fav part of the day lol) where we taste tasted chocolate and did a tour thru the plant. I ened up buying a piece of sweet milk choc with Droppies on top MMM. Went to the Saracen Estate and Duckstein Brewery which had no lunch by the time we got there. They had a lake with a patio so sat out there to have a drink. Tried the Hefezen - white beer. Then drove to Bootleg Brewery to see if they had lunch and they didnt so Tracey tasted some drinks and we bought a mixer 6 pack to share, as i was driving (which was the first time i tried on the left side of the road since being with Julie/Trent in Melbourne) It was really fun i got used to it really quick. Stayed in Prevelly at a Caravan park, and went to Gnarabar for burgers that night, with Tracey and Joe (some random guy in the park that was travelling too)
Thursday, since we saw so much on Wednesday, we decided to stay at the beach for a while in Gracetown where we went snorkeling. Again western Australian beaches are amazing. Drove to Witchcliff to see a seashell musuem that ended up being shit so didnt go in. Then drove 45 mins south to Augusta, when we arrived we realized we didnt have that much time as Tracey told me she was now needing to leave early to go back to Perth on Friday morning so had to have the car back at 5pm. I was still driving and tracey kept telling me how this area was crap and a waste of time, though she didnt say that to me until we were running out of time...she asked me to hurry up and not take long as she wanted to see Hamelin bay on the way home (which i did too but she was really starting to annoy me again) so tried to explain to her that we probably have different opinions on things and she needs to relax. August ended up being a beautiful place and i took a picture at Cozy Corners (where the Indian ocean and southern oceans meet) and where the picture was taken on a postcard i was sending to my Grandma. There was also a lighthouse right at the mouth of the Blackwood river. Then drove to Hamelin Bay, which i let tracey take over driving so she could see it (tho she sucks really bad at driving and i feared for my life most of the time, as she droves most the time on the shoulder of the road). We got the car back at 5pm and i got dropped off at Simone #1 hostel (he is living/working in MArgaret River so i wanted to visit him for the night) Tracey made plans with Joe (the random we meet at the Caravan park) to stay with him for the night, and they were going to pick me up at 830am and Joe was to drive us back to Perth as Tracey's friend had now canceled on driving us.. I got out of the car and grabbed 2 of the beer of the 6 pack and Tracey complained on the ones i grabbed (not that i have ever tried any of them except the one i had drank earlier and all of them were different.) CLEARLY annoyed i said she could have them all!!! She was like was are you being like that i was like cause your really annoying.
I know what your thinking and that im complaining alot but it gets better lol. The rest of Thursday, walked around the City of Margaret River with Simone and he made me Italian pasta dinner, like always. It was really relaxing there at the hostel, i had a great night, happy to be with someone that is my friend. Woke up and was ready at 830 am to be picked up and sat there for an hour (called Tracey etc) before realizing that she totally ditched me. WTF all i could do was laugh, i didnt even care how i was getting back to Perth. We clearly didnt get along but i would never leave someone stranded.
So yes i still had a great time in the mist of all that. And it really is an amazing place. Simone was at work, so i told the lady at the front desk that i think my ride ditched me, and she laughed at my story. Then asked where i was headed. She then said hold on. Then Mark from UK (my Saviour) was headed back to perth area and was driving someone else as well... So within 10 minutes i was on the road headed back to Perth lol. Then the most random thing happened. The girl that he was driving too was a girl i went to Elementary school with Kelly Morrison (a yr older than me), she has a sister Katie a yr younger. (Justine your probably the only one who would know them)
Got back to Fremantle (south of Perth City), with 42 degree weather so called Simone #2/Erika and we went to South Beach together for the afternoon. Simone, a chef, made us dinner :)
Saturday - Went to Penguin island with Simone and Erika. it was a really long journey thereon the bus but was worth it as we got to watch the penguins getting fed. And walked around the small island in just over an hour. Very pretty place, too many birds though. Swam for the rest of the afternoon. The island is so close to the mainland you can choose to walk across it some days. There is a sand path that when the water is low its not as deep for people. We saw a few today walking across but it was up to there shoulders so we didnt want our bags getting wet so took the ferry.
Now i have a flight tomorrow to Alice Springs, and will be doing a Camping Rocks Tour thru the Outback for 5 days!! Excited then off to Cairns (East Coast)
Love Mieke xo
So since i talked to you guys last i was trying to make a trip further south of Perth. Found an ad from Tracey who wanted to go to the same places and decided to text her... We made plans to meet on Fri Feb 3rd at the train station and go for drinks to discuss what our interests were etc. And when i realized that i didnt know 100% if this Tracey was a girl or not i got a little freaked out and emailed my mom to tell her were i was going and if i didnt email that night to be worried lol. Went to the station and there was this really scary looking girl waiting for something so i approached her and asked if she was Tracey and she was like "nope" and i was like "thank god" lol. Turns out Tracey was a 33 yr old girl from the UK. Super friendly. We discussed leaving on Feb 6 Monday night - Feb 10 Friday night. We decided that we were going to rent a car in Margaret River, and her friend would drive down there from Perth and a different friend back. We talked about how we wanted to chill at the beaches and go to a winery (since margaret river area has over 200 wineries), go thru a cave and just try to see as much as possible.
On Feb 4, meet up with Simone #2 and Erika to go to Rottnest Island AKA Rotto. It was the best trip/place ive been to in Oz so far. Just such a unique experience. We rented bikes and snorkelling gear for the day and just rode around the whole thing, stopping at the different bays along the way (salmon bay being my favorite place). There are no cars on the island and the length is about 10km and width about 4 km. The water was so clear and warm!!!! at Porpoise point we saw these Large Rat animals, but cute ones, the island was named from the man who found the island with these large rats on it later being called Quokkas. The express ferry (30 mins) was insane, it started to get really windy so the ferry felt like it was going over so many times. My butt and thighs hurt so bad from riding a bike all day that i could hardly get out of bed the next day. But it was worth it!!!
Monday went to Cottesloe beach with Simone and Erika, it was a nice day and the beaches on the west are so clear and bright blue. Had a relaxing day by having lunch and read my book on the beach.
Tracey called to say that her friend couldn't go til Tuesday early in the morning! Then again called in the morning of Tuesday to say that her friend wanted to leave at 1pm now. So anyways our trip was getting short every minute. We did get a ride evenually and got to MR at 4pm on tuesday and picked up our car that we rented and headed for a town called Dunsborough as it has a Hostel right on the beach. It was a beautiful sunset, then went out for Mexican dinner (which was amazing food/margaritas). We discussed at dinner all the things we wanted to do on Wed (mostly what tracey said was good) as she had been down in this area a few times to visit friends. And that we were getting up at 8am (me thinking that meant that we would be getting an early start at the day.)
Woke up at 8am and was packed and ready to go by 830am. Tracey had her 3 cups of tea and long shower, decided that she needed to transfer all her pics from her camera to her computer. I was like ok. 11am rolls around (me obviously frustrated) and she was like only 30 more mins, then said "i guess it takes a long time for 1000 pics to be transferred". Got in the car and she was like want to stop to get a snack i was like "no lets just go to the beach" she then spent 30 mins on the her iphone transferring to another cellphone company!! i was like who an i traveling with and what the hell are we going to see.
Fortunately the day was still successful and we did end up seeing alot of the coast on caves road which on its own was amazing scenic drive with tons of large trees. Started at Meely Beach which i was the only person the this ridiculously gorgeous beach!! While we headed to Eagle Bay Tracey told me how she wanted to go this 4 different wineries, i was like "oh i only wanted to go to like one" so i got her to go to a few when i was on the beach reading and relaxing. We agreed on going to one for lunch that was attached to a brewery. Went to a lighthouse walk that had so many flys/dragonflies they sold head nets for the walk. We didnt talk the whole walk as if we opened our mouth there was for sure a bug in our mouth. I eventually grabbed a twig and used it to hit the flies from my face and we walked as fast as we could to get out of there that we didnt even see the lighthouse/ocean really. Went to Sugar loaf Rock after and it was a large rock along the coast surrounded by a beautiful beach. Then Canal Rocks which was a bunch of rocks with a walkway over top the rocks and the waves were massive crashing throughout them. Then the Gabriel Chocolate Factory (my fav part of the day lol) where we taste tasted chocolate and did a tour thru the plant. I ened up buying a piece of sweet milk choc with Droppies on top MMM. Went to the Saracen Estate and Duckstein Brewery which had no lunch by the time we got there. They had a lake with a patio so sat out there to have a drink. Tried the Hefezen - white beer. Then drove to Bootleg Brewery to see if they had lunch and they didnt so Tracey tasted some drinks and we bought a mixer 6 pack to share, as i was driving (which was the first time i tried on the left side of the road since being with Julie/Trent in Melbourne) It was really fun i got used to it really quick. Stayed in Prevelly at a Caravan park, and went to Gnarabar for burgers that night, with Tracey and Joe (some random guy in the park that was travelling too)
Thursday, since we saw so much on Wednesday, we decided to stay at the beach for a while in Gracetown where we went snorkeling. Again western Australian beaches are amazing. Drove to Witchcliff to see a seashell musuem that ended up being shit so didnt go in. Then drove 45 mins south to Augusta, when we arrived we realized we didnt have that much time as Tracey told me she was now needing to leave early to go back to Perth on Friday morning so had to have the car back at 5pm. I was still driving and tracey kept telling me how this area was crap and a waste of time, though she didnt say that to me until we were running out of time...she asked me to hurry up and not take long as she wanted to see Hamelin bay on the way home (which i did too but she was really starting to annoy me again) so tried to explain to her that we probably have different opinions on things and she needs to relax. August ended up being a beautiful place and i took a picture at Cozy Corners (where the Indian ocean and southern oceans meet) and where the picture was taken on a postcard i was sending to my Grandma. There was also a lighthouse right at the mouth of the Blackwood river. Then drove to Hamelin Bay, which i let tracey take over driving so she could see it (tho she sucks really bad at driving and i feared for my life most of the time, as she droves most the time on the shoulder of the road). We got the car back at 5pm and i got dropped off at Simone #1 hostel (he is living/working in MArgaret River so i wanted to visit him for the night) Tracey made plans with Joe (the random we meet at the Caravan park) to stay with him for the night, and they were going to pick me up at 830am and Joe was to drive us back to Perth as Tracey's friend had now canceled on driving us.. I got out of the car and grabbed 2 of the beer of the 6 pack and Tracey complained on the ones i grabbed (not that i have ever tried any of them except the one i had drank earlier and all of them were different.) CLEARLY annoyed i said she could have them all!!! She was like was are you being like that i was like cause your really annoying.
I know what your thinking and that im complaining alot but it gets better lol. The rest of Thursday, walked around the City of Margaret River with Simone and he made me Italian pasta dinner, like always. It was really relaxing there at the hostel, i had a great night, happy to be with someone that is my friend. Woke up and was ready at 830 am to be picked up and sat there for an hour (called Tracey etc) before realizing that she totally ditched me. WTF all i could do was laugh, i didnt even care how i was getting back to Perth. We clearly didnt get along but i would never leave someone stranded.
So yes i still had a great time in the mist of all that. And it really is an amazing place. Simone was at work, so i told the lady at the front desk that i think my ride ditched me, and she laughed at my story. Then asked where i was headed. She then said hold on. Then Mark from UK (my Saviour) was headed back to perth area and was driving someone else as well... So within 10 minutes i was on the road headed back to Perth lol. Then the most random thing happened. The girl that he was driving too was a girl i went to Elementary school with Kelly Morrison (a yr older than me), she has a sister Katie a yr younger. (Justine your probably the only one who would know them)
Got back to Fremantle (south of Perth City), with 42 degree weather so called Simone #2/Erika and we went to South Beach together for the afternoon. Simone, a chef, made us dinner :)
Saturday - Went to Penguin island with Simone and Erika. it was a really long journey thereon the bus but was worth it as we got to watch the penguins getting fed. And walked around the small island in just over an hour. Very pretty place, too many birds though. Swam for the rest of the afternoon. The island is so close to the mainland you can choose to walk across it some days. There is a sand path that when the water is low its not as deep for people. We saw a few today walking across but it was up to there shoulders so we didnt want our bags getting wet so took the ferry.
Now i have a flight tomorrow to Alice Springs, and will be doing a Camping Rocks Tour thru the Outback for 5 days!! Excited then off to Cairns (East Coast)
Love Mieke xo
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Last days in Sydney!! And new adventures in Western Australia
Hey peeps (half my blog was deleted!! AH so its not as detailed at the end now),
I was working alot in the last couple of weeks trying to save my money for the rest of my travels. Went to Northies for 3 english guys going away. Went to the Syd festival again for a free concert with Vas and Sascha. Meet up with Dave and Stef when we got to the Domain (near the botanical gardens in Syd) There was a stage set up there for a concert. As we were walking to the Domain Vas asked some guy on the street for a cigarette and then they both realized that they knew each other from somewhere. Vas from Spain and the guy from Australia. So they went thru 4 different country they both had been to before realizing they worked together in Thailand in 2002. It was soooo random. We couldnt get over it. when we got down to they the concert they had blankets set up everywhere on the grass for ppl to sit, it was just a really cool vibe. but after the main band played a couple of songs it started to rain :( and not just sprinkle but down pour rain. We tried to embrace it and started to dance in the rain but then it was just so crazy that the band (which had lots of musical instruments) stopped playing cause there uncover stage was getting soaked from the windy rain. It was still really fun on our journey back minus the aircon train that wasnt so great when we were soaked.
I had thursday and Fri off the next week so met up with Phil who i met in Cronulla and is living on Manly Beach a ferry ride from Syd Centre. It was a nice area awesome beach. The ferry was 30 mins each way along the Sydney Habour it was absolutely beautiful. The next day me and Finn rented bikes in Cronulla and rode them 10km to Botany Bay and 10km back. My ass has never hurt so bad after that. We saw Captain Cook landing in the national park, and had lunch in a cafe there it was a nice day.
Got back to the hostel and felt like being lazy and watch a movie (which is mostly guys in the hostel so its mostly guy movies) So since the room was empty we choice to watch Pretty women. You'd be surprised how many guys come in the tv room and was like "oh pretty women" and stayed to watch it haha. Then Monique come in and we decide to watch another chic flick "Dirty Dancing" that didnt go as well. All the guys left complaining in the courtyard haha. But Simon from England stayed and watched and knew the whole song in the end we were all singing it out loud it was pretty funny.
On Wednesday i got stopped by a train guard and he tried giving me a ticket but i pulled the tourist card and pretended i didnt know what i was doing and that i thought the bus and train was connected. He still tried to get info on me but i said i had no id on me and so he evenually let me go with a purchase of my ticket i was "suppose to buy". I was lucky cause 2 ppl at the hostel had tickets that they had to pay...
Thursday Jan 26th was Australian day, spent the day at the hostel and went for a swim with Cameron and it started to rain but it was really cool as the water was sooo warm. Then went with Rad down to the fireworks. They were so good. They had a stage with a concert on Cronulla beach and the fireworks felt like they were over your head...
Friday after work played grounds with like 20 of us from the hostel at the local baseball field. I was picked first for the teams :) made me happy but that i had to actually be good. It was really different and you hit and ran when you liked your hit up to 3 times. Foul balls were still in play so pretty much you couldn't get out. At night went out with Finn to Northies as we both didnt work on Saturday. Not sure how she got so drunk but it was so funny our way back home. I stayed up til 6am in the courtyard "aka laundry room" playing a card game called Shit Head with Mitch, Monique, Nick and Lloyd. The game slowly turned out to be Slit head with a rule when you lost you get a mens razor to your eyebrow. Nick had so many slits he ended up getting both ears pierced from Mitch ahha. So random but i didnt lose of course. in the morning everyone was like WTF happened last night.
Spend sat day with Finn and a bag full of Mcdonalds at the beach til it decided to rain on us. Went out for Seans Bday (from Ireland) to Northies, tried buying him drinks but he was buying me ones so we ended up double fisting all night. Claire organized a going away BBQ for me on Sunday at Shelly beach.Was nice to get to say bye to everyone. Me sascha and vas and 2 of vas;s friends went to El Sol Mexican restaurant for drinks later that night.
Worked my last shift on monday and got everyone to sign my Australia flag i bought in NZ and keep forgetting about. And got pics with them!!
Spent monday night chilling with everyone saying bye and putting my packing off. Claire, rachel and finn kept asking me if i was packed yet. So decided to do my laundry cause it would be easier to pack clean clothes. So when i put my stuff in my laundry bags i told them i was packed. they just laughed at me. I think i was still hungover from Saturday night!!!
Stayed up til 230am playing normal shit head with mitch lloyd and simon, i had to be up at 4am to catch my 7am flight.
Spend 2 days in perth city, doing a tour of all the old building, government, town hall, post office, court house. My favorite bring the old fire station with an old fire truck inside. They turned it into a museum. Then went to the art gallery and the Perth Museum, which was really neat with recreated animals of there fir, penguins, monkey, kangaroos, zebras etc.
After a long day walking around went to the Hostel Pool (super excited i have a pool, my first one) minus the 3 german guys continulyy splashing each other, that was really weird and awkward.
Talked to 2 English girls in the hostel and there trip up north of western oz was canceled due to floods so not sure what or where i should go from here.
Went to Fremantle with Simone and Erica today and i will be here for 3 days. We went all around the city to the old prison last used in 1980 and then the first prison along the beach. where they lit a canyon off, it was awesome. Then the shipwreck museum. We went to a pub for drinks called the Sail Anchor which is well known in Oz for the 43 beers on Tap. I was excited and it was so hot out today it was really refreshing. taste tasted 6 before choosing Feral White a Belgian beer that reminded me of Richards White. Then met up with Ericas friends and went to South Beach on the free bus they have in Fremantle. Not sure why but they had 3 free routes in Perth as well. Its sweet.
Going to Rottnest Island with Erica/ Simone on Saturday and Cotteloe and Scarbough beach on Sunday to see Cassie and then to Margaret river maybe Monday or Tuesday to visit Simone (a different Simone) who is working on a winery there.
Miss you and love you,
See you in a months time :)
Mieks xoxo
I was working alot in the last couple of weeks trying to save my money for the rest of my travels. Went to Northies for 3 english guys going away. Went to the Syd festival again for a free concert with Vas and Sascha. Meet up with Dave and Stef when we got to the Domain (near the botanical gardens in Syd) There was a stage set up there for a concert. As we were walking to the Domain Vas asked some guy on the street for a cigarette and then they both realized that they knew each other from somewhere. Vas from Spain and the guy from Australia. So they went thru 4 different country they both had been to before realizing they worked together in Thailand in 2002. It was soooo random. We couldnt get over it. when we got down to they the concert they had blankets set up everywhere on the grass for ppl to sit, it was just a really cool vibe. but after the main band played a couple of songs it started to rain :( and not just sprinkle but down pour rain. We tried to embrace it and started to dance in the rain but then it was just so crazy that the band (which had lots of musical instruments) stopped playing cause there uncover stage was getting soaked from the windy rain. It was still really fun on our journey back minus the aircon train that wasnt so great when we were soaked.
I had thursday and Fri off the next week so met up with Phil who i met in Cronulla and is living on Manly Beach a ferry ride from Syd Centre. It was a nice area awesome beach. The ferry was 30 mins each way along the Sydney Habour it was absolutely beautiful. The next day me and Finn rented bikes in Cronulla and rode them 10km to Botany Bay and 10km back. My ass has never hurt so bad after that. We saw Captain Cook landing in the national park, and had lunch in a cafe there it was a nice day.
Got back to the hostel and felt like being lazy and watch a movie (which is mostly guys in the hostel so its mostly guy movies) So since the room was empty we choice to watch Pretty women. You'd be surprised how many guys come in the tv room and was like "oh pretty women" and stayed to watch it haha. Then Monique come in and we decide to watch another chic flick "Dirty Dancing" that didnt go as well. All the guys left complaining in the courtyard haha. But Simon from England stayed and watched and knew the whole song in the end we were all singing it out loud it was pretty funny.
On Wednesday i got stopped by a train guard and he tried giving me a ticket but i pulled the tourist card and pretended i didnt know what i was doing and that i thought the bus and train was connected. He still tried to get info on me but i said i had no id on me and so he evenually let me go with a purchase of my ticket i was "suppose to buy". I was lucky cause 2 ppl at the hostel had tickets that they had to pay...
Thursday Jan 26th was Australian day, spent the day at the hostel and went for a swim with Cameron and it started to rain but it was really cool as the water was sooo warm. Then went with Rad down to the fireworks. They were so good. They had a stage with a concert on Cronulla beach and the fireworks felt like they were over your head...
Friday after work played grounds with like 20 of us from the hostel at the local baseball field. I was picked first for the teams :) made me happy but that i had to actually be good. It was really different and you hit and ran when you liked your hit up to 3 times. Foul balls were still in play so pretty much you couldn't get out. At night went out with Finn to Northies as we both didnt work on Saturday. Not sure how she got so drunk but it was so funny our way back home. I stayed up til 6am in the courtyard "aka laundry room" playing a card game called Shit Head with Mitch, Monique, Nick and Lloyd. The game slowly turned out to be Slit head with a rule when you lost you get a mens razor to your eyebrow. Nick had so many slits he ended up getting both ears pierced from Mitch ahha. So random but i didnt lose of course. in the morning everyone was like WTF happened last night.
Spend sat day with Finn and a bag full of Mcdonalds at the beach til it decided to rain on us. Went out for Seans Bday (from Ireland) to Northies, tried buying him drinks but he was buying me ones so we ended up double fisting all night. Claire organized a going away BBQ for me on Sunday at Shelly beach.Was nice to get to say bye to everyone. Me sascha and vas and 2 of vas;s friends went to El Sol Mexican restaurant for drinks later that night.
Worked my last shift on monday and got everyone to sign my Australia flag i bought in NZ and keep forgetting about. And got pics with them!!
Spent monday night chilling with everyone saying bye and putting my packing off. Claire, rachel and finn kept asking me if i was packed yet. So decided to do my laundry cause it would be easier to pack clean clothes. So when i put my stuff in my laundry bags i told them i was packed. they just laughed at me. I think i was still hungover from Saturday night!!!
Stayed up til 230am playing normal shit head with mitch lloyd and simon, i had to be up at 4am to catch my 7am flight.
Spend 2 days in perth city, doing a tour of all the old building, government, town hall, post office, court house. My favorite bring the old fire station with an old fire truck inside. They turned it into a museum. Then went to the art gallery and the Perth Museum, which was really neat with recreated animals of there fir, penguins, monkey, kangaroos, zebras etc.
After a long day walking around went to the Hostel Pool (super excited i have a pool, my first one) minus the 3 german guys continulyy splashing each other, that was really weird and awkward.
Talked to 2 English girls in the hostel and there trip up north of western oz was canceled due to floods so not sure what or where i should go from here.
Went to Fremantle with Simone and Erica today and i will be here for 3 days. We went all around the city to the old prison last used in 1980 and then the first prison along the beach. where they lit a canyon off, it was awesome. Then the shipwreck museum. We went to a pub for drinks called the Sail Anchor which is well known in Oz for the 43 beers on Tap. I was excited and it was so hot out today it was really refreshing. taste tasted 6 before choosing Feral White a Belgian beer that reminded me of Richards White. Then met up with Ericas friends and went to South Beach on the free bus they have in Fremantle. Not sure why but they had 3 free routes in Perth as well. Its sweet.
Going to Rottnest Island with Erica/ Simone on Saturday and Cotteloe and Scarbough beach on Sunday to see Cassie and then to Margaret river maybe Monday or Tuesday to visit Simone (a different Simone) who is working on a winery there.
Miss you and love you,
See you in a months time :)
Mieks xoxo
Sunday, 15 January 2012
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