It's hard to believe that its only been a month or so since I left Susan, Vicky and Jenny in Perth. I've been so very busy seeing such beautiful things, getting to know me and meeting so many amazing people along the way. So this is the most recent leg of my journey, i've been as selective as humanly possible so bear with me...
First stop was Alice Springs, Central Australia, where I coincidentally met up with Lucy (from Sydney) at the backpackers before heading out on a journey that took me up to Darwin on the North Coast.
Uluru. It was early up at 4am and walking around the rock by 6. We watched as the colours of the rock shifted to reflect the rising sun.
The walk around Uluru lasted more than an hour. I spent the entire time completly in awe of the size and magnificence of this very out of place rock. Around every corner the shadows shifted and new crater-like crevices appeared. The trees and basically barren landscape that surrounded the rock created a contrast that made it easy to understand why the Aboriginal Aussies hold this as such a sacred place.
Devil's Marbles... we know how I love rocks. I spent an hour or so wandering around this geologically stunning mound and couldn't believed nature created this all by herself.
Sunsets over Central Australia. Wow. We had spent this day swimming in thermal spas, and waterfall hopping. What a way to top off the day.
After conquering two waterfalls in one big swim. The two girls with me were absolutely amazing, Dorian and Carmen, we had just finished hiking Katherine Gorge and were about to gorge on chicken wings in the park nearby.
This was one of my most favorite mornings. We did a crocodile river trip and while waiting I got to hang out with this amazingly tame Python, she slowly shifted and worked her way around my torso to bask in the sun. I resorted to making my breakfast with her in tow so as not to go hungry altogether. It was one of those moments that you feel like you are speaking to the very ground beneath your feet.
We did a hike in Kakadu National Park in Northern Australia, stopping along at various sights to see ancient cave paintings. I learned a lot more about the aboriginal cultures and their traditions. This area was surrounded my flood plains that were, at the time, both flooded and being ravaged by forest fires. Smoke rising above the rocks and water ripping through the landscape. It felt timeless.
In Darwin I rented bikes with two friends, Jenny and Elaine, and we rode along the North, crocodile infested beaches, and stopped to watch the sun go down.
After such a beautiful time in Central Oz I was looking forward to seeing the East Coast. I met up with Lucy in Cairns and after a three day dive course to get my advanced certification we headed down to Brisbane together via Magnetic Island, Airlie Beach and Harvey Bay.
Top deck of my four level dive boat on the beautiful great barrier reef. I learned how to deep dive and night dive (which I loved) and I swam along just about everything you could hope for from reef sharks to sea turtles to eels to some of the most beautiful fish i've seen so far. On one of the night dives we had about three of these huge red fish swimming with us, hunting by the light of our torches. When we caught smaller fish in our light the red fish would attack right in front of our faces... I loved it.... it that wrong? We also saw all kinds of sleeping fish and tiny crustaceans that you could never catch during the day.
Day trip to Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the beach. It was a beautiful day of gorges, swmming in rivers, hiking through rainforest and snake and crocodile spotting. To top it off we stumbled on these boys doing a tv shoot on the beach and ended up part of their show... they're part of a band called 'Digger and the Pussycats' and were doing some travel doco for a show in England. It was a fun little side adventure in this super isolated little town.
These two pics are of Lucy and I at Whithaven beach at Airlie beach (where i'm working now). It is known as the most beautiful beach in Australia (if not the world) and lived up to the expecations. It was such shallow, pristine water and was the most unique shape, stretching from the island out into the sea in a king of reverse mushroom shape.
Sunsets on the sailboat. Clear skies and no moon meant sleeping out on the deck and being witness to tweleve shooting stars, two of which were those big blue ones what streak right across the sky in a fleeting moment you don't forget for a long time.
More pictures aboard 'Hammer'. I was such a natural at the whole sailing thing they let me set course and sent the skipper home. The boat is meant to accomodate 20 customers but there were only nine of us making for a very inimate and comfortable trip. My luck with the weather continues and Shelia was thriving.
Fraser Island. Eleven strangers locked into a 3 day contract with a 4x4 and a load of tents. It was amazing, lots of driving on the beach and exploring the rainforests and sand dunes. This is where we camped the first night... not bad eh? Later this night we did a wander up the beach to a boat wreck to explore under another sky full of stars.
Dingos moving in... these guys swarmed our camp by night and morning.
The very same boat wreck by day light. The wreck is from 1936 and so was another part of the trip that I spent in awe of both how fast and slow the world moves around us.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. I loved this boat.
Luce and I reflecting on an amazing ten days together on the East Coast. This is on the edge of a cliff called Indian head where you could look down at the waves crashing below. We sat here for a very long time.
Eli Creek, last stop of the second last day of Fraser Island. I walked with three friends up this knee deep creek and then stripped down to our bathers and floated back out to the ocean watching the rainforest pass overhead. I can't complain, this trip was absolutely fabulous.
I am now back in Airlie Beach working with a sailing company doing odd jobs aboard the boat to make money for my ticket home. I am coming home. I have very mixed feelings about this as I have had the most amazing last couple years journeying through Asia and Australia but finally feel I've accomplished what I set out to achieve and am getting comfortable with the idea of return to what I hear is a very hot Canadian summer. I'll be home before August so keep some spots open in your calendars open and i'll be wherever you want me to be and at the cottage. Not planning to rush back to work, or to rush at all for that matter. I miss you all and can't wait to catch up.
