Tuesday, 6 May 2008
PS
Meant to say - photos to come but it is hard to find an internet cafe or library that will let you plug your camera in to upload them! Trust me - it'll all be worth the wait :)
Bad, bad, bad bloggers
Hello - turns our we're not so good at this blog thing. Clearly it is because we are out busy adventuring and have no time for computers!
Since last time..... We said a not so sorry goodbye to Mackay and continued up the coast through Townsville, through Mission Beach which was just gorgeous, possible the most laid back place in the world and on up to Cairns. There may have been some other stops in there but it is all a bit fuzzy...
Cairns was time for the bike service (she passed with nearly all flying colours hoorah!), a beautiful sky rail up to Karunda and scenic train back and then the day out on the Great Barrier Reef. We went out on a boat and started the morning with a bit of snorkelling over the reef and then tried our hand at diving. They run introductory dives so after a 30 minute lesson you go under water for a few tests and then you are off, four newbies to one trained diver, and it was AWESOME! The feeling of being able to breathe under water and float around is just incredible - we even got to swim around with a turtle. The reef is amazing, we went for two dives and got to swim through a gap in the reef into what they call the blue lagoon on the second dive which was just great. Tille was pretty much a natural whilst I proved the theory that if you are unco-ordinated out of the water the same applies underneath it!
After Cairns we drove along the coast highway up to Cape Tribulation where the rainforest literally meats the sea - the scenary is incredible and we camped right next to the beach. The highlight being the sighting of not just one, but two cassawarry (these are nearly extinct massive birds that look a bit like an emu - only 1200 left in the world), we were big nature buffs that day!
From there it was time to head inland - we had reached our most northern point and then after enjoying the lush green of the Atherton tablelands we did some hard days on the bum of riding westward to Mt Isa where we are now. The scenary has changed dramatically and we are now surrounded by red dirt, rock, hardy looking plants and dust - the rainforest is well and truly gone! The locals think it is too cold to swim in the pool here - it is 30 degrees!
The real challenge for us lies ahead - tomorrow we head to Urandangi (population 50) where we can camp next to the pub, get fuel and then we are on to the Plenty Highway in Northern Territory which is about 750km of dirt and rock before we get to Alice Springs.... Let the fun begin!!!
Jetz ich werde deutsch sprechen!!! Unsere urlaub ist sehr gut - die motorard ist auch seht gut! Das ost Australien Kuste wa sehr shon and wir geschwimmen viele. Wir campen jeder Tag in Campplatz oder im 'National Parks' so manchmal da sind Wasser und Duschen und manchmal da ist keine! Jetz wir fahren fur Alice Springs was ist im Zentrale Australien - viele Rote Schmutz. Ok - Ich hoffe konnen Sie mein Deutsch verstehen, nachste mal Tille werdt schrieben. Tschus!
Since last time..... We said a not so sorry goodbye to Mackay and continued up the coast through Townsville, through Mission Beach which was just gorgeous, possible the most laid back place in the world and on up to Cairns. There may have been some other stops in there but it is all a bit fuzzy...
Cairns was time for the bike service (she passed with nearly all flying colours hoorah!), a beautiful sky rail up to Karunda and scenic train back and then the day out on the Great Barrier Reef. We went out on a boat and started the morning with a bit of snorkelling over the reef and then tried our hand at diving. They run introductory dives so after a 30 minute lesson you go under water for a few tests and then you are off, four newbies to one trained diver, and it was AWESOME! The feeling of being able to breathe under water and float around is just incredible - we even got to swim around with a turtle. The reef is amazing, we went for two dives and got to swim through a gap in the reef into what they call the blue lagoon on the second dive which was just great. Tille was pretty much a natural whilst I proved the theory that if you are unco-ordinated out of the water the same applies underneath it!
After Cairns we drove along the coast highway up to Cape Tribulation where the rainforest literally meats the sea - the scenary is incredible and we camped right next to the beach. The highlight being the sighting of not just one, but two cassawarry (these are nearly extinct massive birds that look a bit like an emu - only 1200 left in the world), we were big nature buffs that day!
From there it was time to head inland - we had reached our most northern point and then after enjoying the lush green of the Atherton tablelands we did some hard days on the bum of riding westward to Mt Isa where we are now. The scenary has changed dramatically and we are now surrounded by red dirt, rock, hardy looking plants and dust - the rainforest is well and truly gone! The locals think it is too cold to swim in the pool here - it is 30 degrees!
The real challenge for us lies ahead - tomorrow we head to Urandangi (population 50) where we can camp next to the pub, get fuel and then we are on to the Plenty Highway in Northern Territory which is about 750km of dirt and rock before we get to Alice Springs.... Let the fun begin!!!
Jetz ich werde deutsch sprechen!!! Unsere urlaub ist sehr gut - die motorard ist auch seht gut! Das ost Australien Kuste wa sehr shon and wir geschwimmen viele. Wir campen jeder Tag in Campplatz oder im 'National Parks' so manchmal da sind Wasser und Duschen und manchmal da ist keine! Jetz wir fahren fur Alice Springs was ist im Zentrale Australien - viele Rote Schmutz. Ok - Ich hoffe konnen Sie mein Deutsch verstehen, nachste mal Tille werdt schrieben. Tschus!
Friday, 18 April 2008
Tille, Ains and Bruce...
So far we have been riding on as many scenic routes as possible (even though on one occasion I announced no more scenic routes as they always take longer!) as they are much nicer than being on the highway. Unfortunately to get moving along the coast we have had to befriend Bruce - the Bruce Highway that is, which is not very attractive, full of trucks and pretty boring, but does mean that we have made some ground in the last week or so.
We left Brisbane and drove through the gorgeous Hinterlands to the coast, popping by thepost folk in Noosa Beach and then staying in Rainbow Beach and hiring a jeep wrangler to take to Fraser Island. It seemed a little mean leaving the bike for a shiny red, topless jeep - but once on the island we were very pleased that we hadn't brought her with us! Fraser Island was just beautiful and we are now of course, masters of the 4WD! Driving along the beach was easy and great fun, the internal roads providing a bit more of a challenge and making us glad it wasn't our car! The scenary there was even better than expected- you just have to go!
On leaving Fraser we've had a hard (well, hard for Tille who has to ride and not so hard for me to day dream on the back) few days riding to move along up the coast and are now in Mackay - which I must say has very little to offer if you're not into massive utes and tattoos... Although we had a great 2-4-1 meal at the Lawn Bowls club near our caravan park last night - yes folks we are living it up!
Have downloaded some more photos - we're off to Eungella National Park next to spot some platypus and then to Airlee Beach.. No complaints from us!
We left Brisbane and drove through the gorgeous Hinterlands to the coast, popping by thepost folk in Noosa Beach and then staying in Rainbow Beach and hiring a jeep wrangler to take to Fraser Island. It seemed a little mean leaving the bike for a shiny red, topless jeep - but once on the island we were very pleased that we hadn't brought her with us! Fraser Island was just beautiful and we are now of course, masters of the 4WD! Driving along the beach was easy and great fun, the internal roads providing a bit more of a challenge and making us glad it wasn't our car! The scenary there was even better than expected- you just have to go!
On leaving Fraser we've had a hard (well, hard for Tille who has to ride and not so hard for me to day dream on the back) few days riding to move along up the coast and are now in Mackay - which I must say has very little to offer if you're not into massive utes and tattoos... Although we had a great 2-4-1 meal at the Lawn Bowls club near our caravan park last night - yes folks we are living it up!
Have downloaded some more photos - we're off to Eungella National Park next to spot some platypus and then to Airlee Beach.. No complaints from us!
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Rain, rain go away - come again, in SA!
On leaving Sydney we headed up through Yengo National Park into the Hunter Valley - yet another beautiful, winding and green ride. It was then time to say goodbye to the cold mountains and return to the coast. We spent a night in a place called Seal Rocks that had picturesque beaches before continuing on to Port Macquarie where thanks to puncture no.2 we spent the night. The 'Iron Person' was on that weekend so we mixed it up with incredibly fit and healthy looking people there before moving on to Hat Head National Park (thanks for the tip Don, great spot) where we shared our campsite with a pair of kookaburras, a family of kangaroos and a goanna!
On our way to Byron Bay from there we got caught in a crazy down pour and I conceded that perhaps buying rain gear would be a good idea - denial was not keeping it away! We are now the proud owners of functional and particularly colourful gear. After a day or two of rain, body surfing, a bit of sun, a few beers and being hippies we moved up to Surfers Paradise where Tille perfected body boarding and enjoyed finally being able to swim in the Australian seas (bit too cold in SA). Highlight of Surfers was definitely the world's largest timezone and NOT the endless rain - tried to blow those clouds to the south. Last few days have been in Brisbane - thanks to Carrie and Sam...
The weather maps say it'll be clear this weekend so the plan is to leave the bike for a few days, hire a 4WD and head over to Fraser Island - yippee!
Last thought is that if I were a cow - I would definitely want to be a dairy one and live in the north of NSW near the Nurimbah Valley, just outside a town called Winglepong where life just looks peachy. As you can see my mind is now clear and I can just mull over the important things in life whilst riding along.... :)
On our way to Byron Bay from there we got caught in a crazy down pour and I conceded that perhaps buying rain gear would be a good idea - denial was not keeping it away! We are now the proud owners of functional and particularly colourful gear. After a day or two of rain, body surfing, a bit of sun, a few beers and being hippies we moved up to Surfers Paradise where Tille perfected body boarding and enjoyed finally being able to swim in the Australian seas (bit too cold in SA). Highlight of Surfers was definitely the world's largest timezone and NOT the endless rain - tried to blow those clouds to the south. Last few days have been in Brisbane - thanks to Carrie and Sam...
The weather maps say it'll be clear this weekend so the plan is to leave the bike for a few days, hire a 4WD and head over to Fraser Island - yippee!
Last thought is that if I were a cow - I would definitely want to be a dairy one and live in the north of NSW near the Nurimbah Valley, just outside a town called Winglepong where life just looks peachy. As you can see my mind is now clear and I can just mull over the important things in life whilst riding along.... :)
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