Evan had always dreamt of going to Australia. I wasn't keen on the idea because it's such a big, expensive trip and I figured that if we were going to go that far, we might as well revisit my childhood haunts in Southeast Asia. But something happens when you join forces with another person, their dreams start to become your dreams. So, I started researching.
My research led me to About Australia. Since I had never been to Australia and frankly, didn't know a lot about it, I sought out professional help to put together the perfect itinerary. I wanted to make sure we saw all the highlights, even if it meant rushing around, in case we never found ourselves in Australia again. Long story short, we worked together to customize the perfect trip and before we knew it, Evan and I were on our way.
I'd definitely recommend About Australia to any first-time traveler to Australia. I'd be confident enough to plan our own trip if we went again but going through them the first time lifted a huge burden off me. I was happy with every aspect of the trip with the exception of the accommodations. Since the trip was so expensive to begin with we selected the lowest rung of accommodations and for me, they weren't up to standard. There was only one hotel that was worth going back to and that was in Port Douglas. (I'll get into that later.)
Our Itinerary (May 11-23, 2009)
Monday, May 11
We arrived in Sydney very early so we had a full day to explore. After the shuttle dropped us off at The Menzies Sydney Hotel, we checked into our room, dropped off our bags, and then headed out. For a four or five star hotel, I wasn't very impressed. We probably had the standard or lowest level of accommodations and it was obvious.
Our very first stop was the Sydney Fish Market. It was too early in the day to grab lunch and in fact, it was almost eeriely quiet. But the prominent displays of fish were really spectacular and there was a fruit section as well. I jumped on the opportunity to have my first fresh rambutan in years. Evan had tried the canned variety but I don't think he'd ever seen it in its original casing. Anyway, that was a nice trip down memory lane for me.
We headed back to the Opera House and took pictures from the outside before our tour. It's so much more amazing in person than you could ever imagine. And in person, you can see the actual materials that adorn the structure. They're shimmery and shell-like. We could also see teeny tiny dots of people climbing the Harbour Bridge. If we had had the time and the guts, I'm sure it would have been an unforgettable journey.
The tour inside the Opera House was absolutely worth it. It was extremely interesting and informative and of course, you get to see the interior architecture, which is just as unique as the exterior. We toured the different performance stages and at one point sat down to listen to the acoustics as someone practiced on the organ. Maybe one day we'll return to see a concert. They also show a short video that illuminates the history of the construction of the site and all of the ups and downs, trials and tribulations. If I recall correctly, the original architect, Jorn Utzon, was actually booted from the project and others completed his vision.
Afterward we took the Harbour Cruise, which was a worthwhile venture. We took some incredible pictures from the boat because we were able to see the sights from angles that we couldn't have experienced from land.
We ended our afternoon/evening by walking through the Royal Botanic Gardens. We had ridden a little red train through the Gardens earlier in the day but now we took our time. It was like being in the jungle. There were wild cockatoos and other birds flying around and shrieking. It was a little bit like being in a Hitchcock film. I wasn't sure we'd make it out alive! The other wildlife that had us riveted were the bats. They were dangling from the trees like Christmas ornaments. I'd never seen so many bats in my life.
We were so tired that we returned to the hotel around 5:30 and took a "nap". Well, every time the alarm woke us up from our nap, neither of us could move. I should mention that Evan is some kind of freak because he pretty much slept through the entire night while I kept waking up every few hours. I was so bothered by the fact that he wasn't jetlagged that I purposely elbowed him every time I found myself staring at the clock, wide awake. Unfortunately, because our exhaustion got the better of us, we ended up missing an opportunity to see an old friend of my brother's that I knew from Jakarta.
Tuesday, May 12
We started out the day with a walk in an area not far from our hotel. We walked through Lang Park where we could see a beautiful Anglican Church, St. Patrick's, an Anzac Memorial, and the Sydney Tower in the distance.
We returned to Circular Quay and took a 45-minute ferry ride to Manly Beach. I'm SO glad we did. Our time there was one of the highlights of our Sydney portion of the trip and of the trip in its entirety. It's a small, authentic, charming, and warm beach town. I can only imagine that Bondi Beach is very crowded and touristy. Manly Beach is a community. We walked from the ferry stop all the way to Shelly Beach, which was the loveliest experience. We walked through a little mall with shops and restaurants to the beach, which we walked alongside. We passed surfers and swimmers and locals going for walks with their babies and dogs. Shelly Beach is an extremely small beach/cove and we stopped there to have some fish n' chips, which were to die for. The views were amazing and we saw some seriously HUGE and disgusting spiders. Haha.
When we returned to Circular Quay we walked to Darling Harbour and paid the Sydney Wildlife World and Sydney Aquarium a visit.
I wanted to do the whole stereotypical tourist experience of taking a picture with a koala. Sydney Wildlife World makes that possible. I think there are other places that allow you to hold koalas but I was satisfied with a picture. I enjoyed both the Wildlife World and Aquarium. We were able to see wild koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, kookaburras, and emus later in our trip but it was neat to see them up close and to see more elusive creatures like wombats and platypuses. We also learned about dugongs at the Aquarium. They look a lot like manatees but they're indigenous to that area of the world.
We ended the day at the hotel where we met an old friend of mine, J. We rode the subway with her out to the suburbs of Sydney, Rockdale, specifically. I had made a special request for Indonesian food so the four of us, J, her boyfriend (now husband), B, Evan, and I went to a local restaurant. Everything was delicious but I was a little disappointed with the nasi goreng. I find that much like kao pad gai (Thai chicken fried rice), nasi goreng is different everywhere you go. I can't find nasi goreng like our former cook made it anywhere. Maybe I never will.
We had a wonderful evening. It was the perfect way to cap off our too short stay in Sydney. If we had the opportunity to return to Australia I think we'd choose to spend at least a week just in the Sydney area. There are some day trips that we completely missed due to our limited time like, Hunter Valley and the Blue Mountains.
Wednesday, May 13
This was a pretty hectic day. We picked up the car with no issues but then we had to drive from the airport to downtown Melbourne and find The Swanston Hotel. We only stayed the one night but after the hotel in Port Douglas, this was the cleanest/nicest place. Logistically, getting to it was a nightmare. There was a lot of traffic and we couldn't find the damn thing! It was small and wedged in between several other establishments.
My first impression of Melbourne was that it was a lot like New York City. Just chaos and crowds and small sidewalks. We drove around and around and then after we found the hotel we found out that they didn't have parking. They told us to park in a garage a couple of blocks away. Because we were staying at the hotel, we should've gotten to park for free. We were hungry and annoyed by the time we parked and somehow, the establishment screwed us over and we ended up having to pay. Needless to say, we weren't too happy.
We found a food court and inhaled some Chinese food. Then we took a walk around. We visited the Old Melbourne Gaol, which housed the infamous Ned Kelly. It was not worth our time or money. It was an extremely small building and frankly, there wasn't much to see. I would tell others to skip it.
We walked through Chinatown and passed by some really pretty Victorian buildings. We also saw some urban artwork randomly displayed throughout the city. We passed through Federation Square where some greenies were having a demonstration.
We ended our evening with an authentic Italian meal on Lygon Street.
We didn't get to see or do as much as we would have liked because of our limited time in Melbourne. Still, I know there's a rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney and I'll say it - I MUCH preferred Sydney. MUCH. To me, Sydney was the perfect mixture of urban development and nature. It didn't feel crowded or overrun to me. It was spread out and easy-going. Melbourne reminded me too much of other big cities. But I'll admit that it's unfair for me to judge it too harshly since we were there for half a day.
Thursday, May 14
We got up bright and early and took to the road. We were in Geelong (pronounced Jalong) by 8:00 or 8:30. The tourist center didn't open until 9:00 so Evan went into the Hungry Jacks or McDonalds next door and got a donut and coffee. Then we proceeded to the next logical stop, Torquay. By the time we got there the tourist info center was up and running and we were given several suggestions as well as maps to guide our way. Before we left Torquay we took a drive toward the beach. It was very much like a Cape May in the sense that it had that small-town feel but it didn't have Victorian houses or anything like that. The day started out fairly windy and cool. We got out of the car to survey the beach, took some pictures and then walked down a ways to get a look at the surfers. Then we drove a little further to Bell's Beach. I'm a little foggy on that because I think we drove there, but it's possible we just drove a little farther down the beach at Torquay. Either way, there were a lot of surfers and Bell's Beach is supposed to be a surfer's paradise.
Then we carried on toward Anglesea Golf Course. Before we even arrived at the golf course, which is famous for its kangaroo residents, we spotted about four kangaroos snacking on someone's lawn. It was really kind of surreal. It was our first encounter with wild kangaroos so we were pretty psyched. We pulled off the side of the road so we could snap some pictures. When we got to the golf course we saw many more kangaroos but they were pretty far off in the distance.
Next stop was Aireys Inlet. It was an absolutely beautiful and breath-taking spot. It was high on the cliffs, overlooking the ocean and had a tall, white lighthouse. One of my favorite pictures is from this spot. It's like a postcard it's so perfect. We walked out on the cliffs on a man-made walkway and ran into two very nice, older women. We talked about our trip and they put in their two cents, which was to affirm that everything we had planned was great! We walked near the lighthouse and saw a little cafe/restaurant (all on its own) and stopped to have lunch. It was very much a small town feel. It was run by a husband and wife and their daughter had stopped by for a visit and a chat. I had a tuna salad sandwich, which consisted of tuna (not mixed with mayo) on bread with beet root, carrots, lettuce, cheese, I think, and some mayonnaise spread directly on the bread. It was good, if not a little unconventional compared to the tuna sandwiches I'm used to having. Evan might have had ham and cheese.
Then we were off again. The next several kilometers were pretty precarious as the road was literally on the edge of the cliffs. We stopped every once in a while to let more anxious (reckless) drivers pass. Quite some time later we passed through Kennett River. B, my friend's now-husband, had recommended this spot for wild koala watching, as had the woman at the Torquay info center. Sure enough we spotted several wild koalas. We must have spent a good 45 minutes searching the eucalyptus trees for round bottoms and ears. Even though they're supposed to be unfriendly, they're so cute it's hard to resist wanting to touch or hold them. We watched a particular koala wake from his nap to climb the tree and snack on some eucalyptus leaves. Very neat!
Then we drove straight on until we arrived in Apollo Bay at the Comfort Inn. Our accommodations were just, eh. Apollo Bay was such a small town. It literally had one strip of restaurants/hotels, but it was charming. When we checked in the hotel the clerk actually told us not to wait too long for dinner because if no one was in the restaurant, the owners would shut down for the day! We tried to heed her advice. But it was only 4:30pm so we thought we'd drop our stuff off and then explore town. Not far from the center of town was a lot of farmland and some kind of waterfall. We drove through Bantham Valley and toward this alleged waterfall. Most of the time the road was only large enough for one vehicle. After we got past the farmland it was pure forest. There weren't a lot of dwellings and every once in a while we would see a B&B. An odd spot for a B&B if I ever saw one. A little too remote for me! The road really felt like it could go on forever until we reached the end of the road and a sign that indicated the waterfall was a 2 kilometer walk up. We cut our losses and drove back to town for dinner. We had a fabulous pizza dinner with garlic bread. Honestly, some of the best Italian I've ever had, Evan too. We were the only ones in the restaurant until a middle-aged couple walked in. Otherwise, it was a ghost town.
Later on we stopped at the Thirsty Camel so Evan could get beer. The owner told Evan that the town's population is 700!!! During the tourist season it swells to 5,000, but we were not there during tourist season. No wonder the whole place shut down so early. We drove around a bit in the dark, but then returned to the hotel for an early bedtime. After dinner there really wasn't much else to do and that was fine with us because we were tired and ready to wake early the next morning to continue our road adventure.
Friday, May 15
We were going to bed really early and getting up really early. When we got in the car it had already started drizzling and it was dark. It must have been about 5:30am. We started out on the Great Ocean Road and let me tell you, it was a little eerie. There wasn't a car in sight and the only light was coming from the car. It was windy, rainy, and black out. Our first detour was the Cape Otway Lightstation. The drive to the Cape Otway Lightstation wasn't much different from our driving experience the day before in the Bantham Valley. Only this time, we were driving in more perilous conditions. We drove on a very narrow road through what could only be described as a rainforest (though, it might have just been a forest that happened to be caught in the middle of a storm). We felt very alone and highly conscious of our surroundings. If something had happened to us at that moment, I'm not sure if anyone would have ever found us! At least, I don't think they would have found us in time.
Evan conducted a little experiment and turned off the car. Once the headlights were off, we were covered in a blanket of darkness. Scary! It didn't take long for me to start imagining all the horrible things that could happen to us out there in the wilderness. Anyway, once we had made our way through a very dense part of the forest we came to a clearing with waist-high growth. We saw three kangaroos hopping around and a few bunnies as well. I felt bad because I think we frightened the kangaroos. They seemed to be trying their hardest to hop away from the car and it seemed like they didn't know where to hop to! Beyond the clearing there was a little more driving and then we pulled up to a little parking area. Like the day before when we tried to reach the waterfalls, we were bitterly disappointed to discover that it would require a 1-2 kilometer hike to the lightstation. Well, by now we were experiencing torrential rain and vigorous winds and we made the quick decision to stay in the car and get back on the Great Ocean Road. There was no way we were going to walk into the darkness and risk that we'd get blown off a cliff or something. It was only a lighthouse after all...
The day was pretty miserable, but we weren't about to miss seeing The Twelve Apostles and other rock formations that made up the Port Campbell National Park. We'd come too far and didn't know if we'd ever have a chance again. We fought, literally, with the wind and the rain and at the risk of ruining the camera to experience these magnificent rocks. I was a little frightened at the first look-out point for The Twelve Apostles. The wind gusts were insanely fierce and I did think I might get blown away. Farther up we stopped to take a look at the Bay of Islands Coastal Park - more rock formations.
Per the ladies' recommendation (the women we had encountered in Aireys Inlet) we stopped in Port Fairy for lunch. Looking back, I regret not capturing it on film. It was a town that was stuck in the 1950s or 1960s. It was extremely quaint, small, and charming. We had a wonderful and delicious lunch and followed up with some excellent dessert that consisted of yo-yos, little shortbread sandwiches with vanilla frosting in the middle. They looked like mini mini hamburgers. They lasted us two days... then I was able to convince Evan to turn around and stop at Tower Hill. This was something I had looked up prior to leaving. It used to be a volanic crater that now homes kangaroos, koalas, emus, etc. We spied several kangaroos, a few emus, and maybe a koala. It was worth back-tracking for.
After Tower Hill I think we drove straight on toward Mount Gambier where we stayed at the Quality Inn. Just as in Apollo Bay, the accommdations were just, eh. We wanted to get there early enough to be able to see the Blue Lake, Umpherston Sinkhole, and the Cave Garden. Driving through the state of Victoria into South Australia, there was a distinct change. We were immediately immersed in these very large tree farms/plantations. Later we found out that forestry is one of their biggest sources of income. Mount Gambier was certainly bigger than Apollo Bay and had the feel of a residential area/suburb, but it wasn't quite as charming or sleepy. We ran our "errands", grabbed fast food for dinner, and then settled in for the night.
Saturday, May 16
Per our MO we rose early and got on the road. While our first day on the GOR was mostly made up of oceanside/beach views and the second day was partly that and forest, our third day had other varied landscapes. We passed through salt flats, farmland, vineyards, and small towns. All in all the scenery was beautiful, no matter what the weather had to offer. We didn't make many stops for must-sees. We stopped in Kingston so that Evan could get a breakfast sandwich from the town gas station. And I took a picture in front of a very large lobster sculpture. Then we drove through Coorong National Park. We stopped in Meningie (I think) at this fish/bait shop and had a nice chat with the shop owner. He had two jack russell terriers and I think we bought some bug spray to prepare for the Outback/Ayers Rock. Then we were off again, this time on the way to Tailem Bend. We thought we'd stop at the old pioneer town, but it turned out to be something of a bust. So when they said they only accepted cash and we didn't have any, we didn't feel compelled to find an ATM. We just left.
We got a little confused getting in the right direction to Victor Harbor so, we ended up on a ferry (a bridge on two pulleys) twice. Then we drove straight on to Victor Harbor. This was our longest drive yet, but we made less stops than the other two days and got to Victor Harbor fairly early in the afternoon. This was the biggest town by far. In fact, I have to admit that after being spoiled with smaller towns along the way I was a little disappointed in the "crowds". We dropped our stuff off at the Anchorage Hotel, which was old and dingy and probably the worst hotel of our trip, and made our way over the bridge to Granite Island. On the way, we spied a playful seal cavorting in the waves. Then we took the paved path around the island, which had some magnificent vistas and intimidating granite boulders. When we had circled the island we paid a visit to the fairy penguin rehabilitation center. While there we saw a woman feed the penguins and explain that they rehabilitate injured penguins and then return them to the sea. One of the penguins had been fixed and returned to sea, only to return to the rehabilitation center! How cute. Some of us have a hard time leaving the nest.
Then we made our way back to town and grabbed some delicious pizza and garlic bread. We must have had pizza at least five times on our trip. Ridiculous, I know, but it was awesome. Then we walked around town trying to waste time. As we had experienced in Apollo Bay, many of the shops shut down by a certain time so by 6:00pm there wasn't much to do. We did grab some hot, cinnamon donuts before the guy closed down his canteen. They were probably the freshest, hottest, doughiest donuts I had ever had. They were the real deal. Then we decided to pay a visit to the town's vintage movie theater. I wish I had taken a picture, but in the dark the camera wouldn't have picked up on its features anyway. We bought tickets to a movie I never would have seen in the States, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. It wasn't anything special, but I'll always remember seeing it because we were in Australia at the time. Shortly after, we called it a night.
Sunday, May 17
Today we got up bright and early, as usual, and drove to Adelaide. It was a beautiful drive because we were able to see the sun rise over the hills. We dropped the car at the airport and then we flew to Alice Springs. On arrival, it was unmistakable that we were in a completely different world. First of all, the airport was in the middle of the desert. I mean, literally, in the middle of the Outback. I wouldn't be surprised if they have problems with wild animals coming on to the tarmac.
Pretty soon we were in a cab on our way to the Alice Springs Resort, which was OK but the difference with this spot vs. some of the others is that there isn't much of a variety of accommodations in the Outback. The cabbie informed us that many Americans live in Alice Springs and that there is never unemployment, in fact, there is a surplus of jobs. Interesting. Evan and I mulled over that a minute, but I think we came away from the Outback with the impression that it was a little too remote for us.
We weren't waiting at the resort long before we got picked up for our all-day tour of Alice Springs. Our first stop was at the Anzac Memorial. It was a really nice vantage point as we could look down and see the whole of Alice Springs. There wasn't much to Alice Springs, on the whole, but they did have some semblance of civilization - McDonalds, Ikea, Target, etc. I don't remember the exact order of things, but I think our next stop was The Royal Flying Doctor Service station. Essentially, people live so remotely that in order to get proper medical attention they have to build runways on their cattle stations or wherever for this Royal Flying Service to pick them up and medivac them to Adelaide or Darwin or some place with a proper hospital. Then we went to an aboriginal art museum. Unfortunately, our time here was short, but we did manage to buy a beautiful piece of dot art that we had framed.
Then we were off to the School of the Air. This was another fascinating look into what life is like for these people living in remote parts of the Outback. Most children live with their families 80 kilometers plus away from the "big city", Alice Springs, and can't get to school. The School for the Air mails them their school materials and the teachers broadcast their lessons over the Internet using webcams, etc. The School of the Air only goes through 8th or 9th grade so the families have to make provisions for the remainder of their kids' education. Commonly, the children are put in boarding school in Adelaide or another big city for the rest of the time.
I believe our last stop was the Telegraph Station, which is where "Alice Springs" came from. Before the telegraph station was established, it could take anywhere from six months or longer for a letter to go back and forth between the "settlers" in Australia and their home countries. The telegraph was a hugely significant invention and tool in Alice Springs. The name Alice Springs came about because a man saw water at the base of these hills and named the "springs" after his boss's wife, Alice.
The guide touched a bit on the topic of aborigines and their interactions with the settlers. Many times aboriginal women would become domestic aides or nannies and in some cases, there were relations between the white settlers and the aboriginal women that would result in mixed race children. These children were often times shunned by both the Europeans and aborigines. But they didn't necessarily have a miserable existence. There was a religious organization or nuns/priests that took on some of these mixed race children and educated them.
Also, our guide told us a funny anecdote about the Todd River. First of all, the river is completely dry. There is NO water. And apparently, they have these boat races once a year or something where they run carrying boats through the dry riverbend. You know when they cancel a race? When it's rained and there's an actual river. Cute!
The rest of the day or evening, I should say, we spent in town. We had pizza (again) and garlic bread. It was delish! We sat outside and noticed that some of the aborigines who worked in town hung about. It was interesting because in that sense, they felt very much a part of every day life, but in other ways they seemed very segregated.
Monday, May 18
Another early morning - can you see a pattern? This time we boarded a very large bus with a few familiar faces from the day before as well as some new ones. Our guide was a Scottish immigrant that had never really gotten rid of his brogue. His mixed up accent was interesting and also hard to understand.
Our drive to Ayers Rock was a long one. With three stops, I think the trip from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock ended up being six hours or so. Along the way we "paused" long enough to grab a picture of Mt. Connor. (I can't quite remember the sequence of stops.) We also stopped at a saloon-type of structure that offered some snacks and aboriginal art for sale. In fact, while we were there there was a group of aboriginal men being trained or taught by an Australian. I'm not really sure what the "class" was about, but Evan and I enjoyed observing them while we ate our lunch. We also stopped at a camel farm where I met and petted a domesticized dingo and I got to ride a camel named Goldie. The ride itself lasted about 3 minutes, but it was 3 minutes of pure fun. I really liked the rhythm of the camel's walk. It wasn't so bumpy as it was kind of soothing. But when the camel tamer told Goldie to run, that's when it got really bumpy. I was bouncing up and down like I've never bounced up and down before. It was a blast!
Once we arrived at Ayers Rock or, the Ayers Rock Resort, we had time to drop off our baggage and unwind a little. The hotel in Alice Springs and the hotel in Ayers Rock are all part of the same conglomerate. There are basically only four hotels in Ayers Rock and they're all connected but they have varying levels of service. We stayed in the cheapest accommodations.
Around 2:30pm or so, the Scot picked us up again and drove us to Ayers Rock. My friend's husband wasn't kidding when he said there'd be flies. They weren't out in swarms, but it was still pretty ridiculous. I practically ate one, but instead killed it by putting my lips together. Ew. Ayers Rock was truly magnificent. It was much more than just a big rock. You could see stories and time marked in that rock. There were chasms, holes, creases, and pockets galore. There were formations and shapes worn into the rock over thousands of years by rain storms long past. Surely, in another thousand years the rock will look completely different than it does now just as I'm sure it didn't look today like it did yesterday. The Scot showed us places that are considered sacred to the aborigines that are not allowed to be photographed. One of these sacred parts of the rock was a "pouch" like a kangaroo or marsupial has to nurture and grow their babies. This pouch is part of their sacred stories relating to the birth of mankind, I want to say. I'm probably not remembering what the Scot said entirely.
What else did we do that day? I got a look at some aboriginal artwork that we would purchase at a later day. We probably walked the "mall" or the Outback's version of a mall - four shops and four restaurants - and had some food. This was also our first glimpse at the stars in a place with little to no air pollution. It was pretty spectacular. It was a precursor or preview of the following night at Sounds of Silence.
Tuesday, May 19
I forgot to mention that we watched the sunset on Ayers Rock after our "walk about". It was quite lovely and the Rock did seem to change colors in a gradual and interesting effect.
We got up very early this morning to be at Ayers Rock to see the sun rise on the Rock. It was extremely chilly, much like a brisk fall morning. Personally, I found the effect of the sunset much more dramatic than the sunrise. But maybe that's because I was so cold and wanted to get back on the bus pronto!
Afterward, we were taken to the Olgas. This is a mountain range or rock formation named for many sisters. Each rock has a round shape at the top, much like a head. After each of us tourists got in our panoramic shots, we went close to the Rocks and did some exploring. The walk, itself, led to a gorge and while this wasn't all that spectacular or special we did get to see two rock wallabies! We saw what looked like a mama wallaby and on the other side of the walkway, a baby wallaby. They blended in with the red clay rocks so well, it would have been hard to see them had they not been hopping around. By then it was pretty hot and Evan was well-protected in his fly net hat. Haha.
We spent the rest of the day at the resort mall and then took a shuttle back to the aboriginal museum/art shop and bought some aboriginal wood art that I had eyed the day before.
At night we dressed up (a little) and got picked up and transported to a mound of dirt in the middle of the Outback with Ayers Rock and the Olgas as backdrops (depending on where your back was turned). The evening began with some champagne and exotic hors d'oeuvres such as crocodile pastries and sushi rolls. They were the highlight of the dining experience, which doesn't say much for the main course. Evan and I also had a beautiful shot taken of us with Ayers Rock and the sunset in the background. The sky literally looked like the rainbow.
From there, the evening went downhill. Everyone formed a line and were all randomly seated at tables for 8. Unfortunately, the people we were near in line were all of a certain age and well, we weren't in the mood to sit with anyone, especially not retireds. It made for awkward conversation because nearly everyone at the table was taking a long, leisurely vacation and here we were, young people who spent a lot of money on a dream two week vacation to Australia and it was hard to enjoy ourselves when we were told repeatedly, oh, that's not long enough!
The meal was served buffet style. I tried the kangaroo meat and while it was neat to have that novel experience, I would never eat it again. It was decent, but come on! Kangaroos are too cute to eat. I can't remember if we had dessert first or if the astrologer/astronomer came out right after the meal. Either way, that part of the evening was cool. My neck hurt from straining to see the stars, but he had this really cool laser pointer that outlined the constellations and we saw Scorpio and the Southern Cross, etc.
I'd say it was worth it for the experience of seeing the stars but don't expect a wonderful meal because it's anything but.
Wednesday, May 20
This day was pretty much a waste. We didn't do anything of significance. We knew we'd be flying to Cairns in the afternoon so we spent most of our time at the mall, eating and getting some last minute souvenirs. I gave my parents a quick call at the airport because the time difference was such that I could finally get them at an appropriate time. Then we were off to Cairns.
Upon arrival we were picked up in a shuttle and driven the 1.5 hours to Port Douglas. The driver made me a little nervous at times, the way he sped as he hugged the curves of the road but we made it to PD in one piece.
When we got to the Meridian Port Douglas we were pleasantly surprised and excited about our environs. It was absolutely the best place we had stayed in the entire trip. It was essentially a studio apartment or condo. The countertops were granite and all of the furnishings and decorations were modern and new. It was really lovely. And the hosts were a very nice married couple.
We ventured out into the muggy night and explored the main strip. We found a Thai place and had dinner. I was a little surprised that it wasn't one of the best Thai meals I've had considering the proximity between Australia and Southeast Asia, but it was decent. We also found a very cute, kitschy shop that had many antiques and artifacts from all over Asia. The shop salesperson was a very nice woman from Melbourne. We spent a lot of time talking to her and I knew that we would return to the shop. I had my eye on a kookaburra wood-engraved box.
Thursday, May 21
We got picked up bright and early today for an all-day adventure to the Great Barrier Reef.
We were driven to the port (we were told this was the same port that Steve Irwin parked at and then took off from on the day he died from a stingray's barb) and boarded a vessel. The boat trip to Quiksilver's port/dock in the middle of the GBR was 1.5 hours. Along the way we enjoyed feeling the wind in our hair (my hat almost got blown off quite a few times) and the magnificent scenery. This part of the trip was so unique because there were so many different landscapes in one place. There were beautiful mountains in the distance, rainforests, and of course, the beach and blue-green ocean. There were so many hues of blue and green in the ocean. I could never name all of them.
When we arrived at their port, we disembarked from the boat onto the port and then began our adventure in the GBR. Neither of us had planned to swim or snorkel so we opted for the next best thing - the sub-boat! We boarded a small boat and then climbed down a flight of stairs into a windowed submarine in the base of the boat. From the windows we could see all sorts of wildlife - coral, turtles, and many varieties of fish. It was truly remarkable. This was one part of the trip that we could barely capture on film.
We spent the remainder of the day walking around the port and observing the snorkelers and scuba divers. We did manage to dip our feet in the ocean and it felt amazingly cool and refreshing. While I was sitting on the steps leading into the water some fish came so close they actually tickled my feet. We also watched one of the trained Quiksilver people feeding some of the fish. He was even able to capture the attention of a large Maori Wrasse, which was gorgeous with a flat turquoise face. I was able to get a shot of that. That might have been the highlight of the day for me.
Before we knew it our adventure on the water was over and we were herded back on the big boat for home. For dinner, we had fish n' chips on the main strip.
Either way, Port Douglas, itself, was a lovely seaside town. It was like a mix between Cape May and South Beach. South Beach gets a bit too crowded and wild for me and I guess you could say that Cape May is conversely, quiet and unassuming. Port Douglas was just the right amount of both. You could tell it was a happening place and the real estate was very posh and expensive, but it also had small town charm, friendly people, good food, and kitschy shops.
Friday, May 22
Today was another early pick-up and an all-day affair.
The first part of the day was spent in the Rainforest Habitat. We were able to disperse and do our own thing before meeting up for a light breakfast and moving on to the next stop. Evan and I loved looking at the animals and taking pictures. They have this special event, if you will, called "Breakfast with the Birds". We had thought about doing this possibly the next day, but we figured out pretty quickly that it wouldn't have worked. Just walking by and taking pictures, Evan's big toe/shoe was attacked by an aggressive (I assume, hungry) bird. Haha.
The highlight of the Rainforest Habitat was the kangaroo/wallaby section. We were able to buy food and hand-feed the animals. Initially, we approached the nail-tail wallabies and they were SO cute. Their little noses twitched and moved like little bunny rabbits and when they ate out of my hand, I could barely feel it. That was fun!
As we walked around trying to get rid of the feed (we threw some down for the ducks and geese and other wallabies) a little brown wallaby of a different variety than the nail-tails literally got up on its hind legs and put its claws on my knee, begging for food. It frightened me a little so we went on our way and decided to not even try feeding the much bigger, more intimidating kangaroos. But that was OK. It's just as it should be, really. They're wild animals and we shouldn't be infringing on them. Then we joined the others in the eating room with all of the birds flying about. Shortly after, we were on our way through Mossman and then on our way through the rainforest to reach Mossman gorge.
Our guide was quite excellent, by the way. And our group was smaller than it had been in the past so it had that intimate, comfortable feeling. Anyway, the walk into the Mossman gorge was interesting but also had me feeling like I wanted to get out of there in a hurry. Our guide was describing these really nasty bugs and lethal spiders and I was envisioning horrible things.
We continued through the rainforest for quite some time where we were told that cassowaries like to run out in the road. They're extremely rare in the wild and we didn't see one, but I was OK with that. The guide also told us horror stories about how protective male cassowaries are of their young and how they can split your insides open with one swift kick to your middle! Yikes.
Finally, we reached our destination which was a hotel/resort oasis in the middle of the jungle. It was pretty spectacular. I could totally imagine a romantic and peaceful honeymoon in a place like that. Evan and I sat at a two person table in an open area near the pool. The lunch was served buffet style, but unlike previous buffet meals on the trip this one was well-prepared and very tasty. I'll admit that we kind of gorged ourselves.
After lunch we had some free time to walk down to the beach, which must have been fifteen feet from where we ate. It's the only place in the world where two UNESCO world heritage sites sit side by side - where the rainforest meets the reef. We saw some of the most gorgeous and lush shades of green and blue on that little walk. Truly awe-inspiring! I believe this specific site is called Cape Tribulation. Our guide explained that Captain Cook coined this term as his ship had troubles and I believe, got beached there.
Incidentally, we noticed at one of the beach stops (it's actually very likely that Cape Tribulation was a different site/beach than the one where we stopped to have lunch) that there was a little make-shift stand with a big bottle of vinegar resting in it. We asked the guide what it was for and he explained that it's the antidote to a box jellyfish sting. Apparently, a box jellyfish sting can KILL a person but the best way to stop the pain and I assume, avoid death, is to pour some vinegar on the wound. Fascinating!
Then we headed back toward our shuttle van and I had to ask our guide if I had been implanted with any larvae or bitten by any lethal/poisonous bugs because I had some very large and itchy welts on my legs. He assured me that they were probably mosquito bites. Needless to say, I was relieved.
On our way through the rainforest and headed toward the Daintree river, we stopped at a look-out that I believe, was called Alexander's Point. I keep trying to confirm this fact by googling "Alexander's Point" but my searches haven't resulted in the look-out I'm talking about.
When we arrived at Daintree river we proceeded to board a little river-boat and our shuttle driver/guide took a break on land. Our boatman took us around the river and tried to point out various birds, snakes, and crocs. I was never able to fully see the snakes because they were so well-camouflaged and small. I did see the beautiful king fisher that he brought to our attention. I guess there are several varities. The one we saw had beautiful blue and turquoise feathers and some orange mixed in as well. We saw three crocs. Two were lying out side by side, but I was unable to capture them on film because they were in the shade. One of the crocs was a GIANT. The boatman said he was the type of croc that could and did eat cows. Poor cows! We saw a smaller croc that I was able to get pictures of and that was really neat.
This concluded our very busy and guided portion of the day. We got back to Port Douglas around 6:00pm-ish. As it turned out, it was Carnival in Port Douglas that night (and following days/nights) and there were performers, music, food, games, etc. We got a freshly-made pizza, grabbed a table bench for eating, and watched some of the festivities. We followed that up with a corn dog and a walk to the edge of the beach where we saw the sunset. Later that evening we got some ice cream and watched the 15-20 minute parade for Carnival. It was a very quaint parade. Basically, local businesses built floats to advertise their goods. Some of the floats were better/more exciting than others. And when it was over we walked back to our apartment/hotel and on the way heard some rustling in the bushes. We discovered and saw that the rustling was coming from a bandicoot! It's a very small marsupial that's about the size of a mole. Very cute.
Saturday, May 23
Today was our last day in Port Douglas. We didn't go out of our way to do any last-minute sight-seeing. In fact, our focus was on relaxing. We did a lot of walking up and down the main boulevard/road and did some light shopping and eating. We started the day with a delicious breakfast. I got egg's benedict. I'm not sure what Evan got, but we also ordered a dish of pancakes and split that. The place had a very cute and catchy name too. Unfortunately, I can't remember it now. We had a ho-hum lunch at Rattle and Hum (no pun intended) and before we knew it, it was time to depart for Cairns and spend our last evening in Australia.
When we arrived at the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort, it was already about 5:00pm. It was a decent hotel on the same level as the hotel in Melbourne. We rested in the room for a bit and watched the bats gathered/sleeping in the trees right outside of our balcony.
While the sun was still out we decided to walk to the center of town. The downtown/main strip of Cairns was what I imagine Cancun would be like. It was very manufactured and touristy. There was a completely man-made lagoon for swimming and fast-food restaurants and shops. In other words, no charm! I was made even more glad that we stayed in Port Douglas for that portion of the trip after having seen Cairns.
Eventually, we settled on dinner at a seemingly authentic Italian restaurant. The most exciting part of the dinner was being able to watch as the bats departed from their trees and made their journey to the fruit fields. The sun had gone down and the sky wasn't quite black except for the actual bats. There were SO many. It was amazing to watch. We capped off the evening with some gelato and slept for a few hours before our shuttle picked us up at 4:30am(ish).
I was sad to leave Australia. It was a magical and wonderful adventure and it far exceeded my expectations. It was everything Evan had hoped it would be. Maybe we'll get back one day and have a more leisurely visit.
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