Australia 2011: Day 19 - Gold Coast through Sydney

Oct. 4th

While we enjoyed our brief respite in one place, we knew the road was calling us again, and we still had a lot to see along the way. We had a long drive this day, heading south and not really stopping for much beyond getting gas and attempting to visit a few wineries that either didn’t exist, or were within 10 minutes of closing and didn’t want to bother with us. Rude!

On our travels, we noted the lack of expressway systems across Australia. While the US has interstates spanning from coast to coast, Australia’s main roads are merely two-lane highways, and therefore getting around seems to take longer. Our drive between Brisbane and Sydney was no exception. It took an eternity, and the two of us were getting really frustrated with not seeing anything on this long drive.

We really had no intention of going to Sydney, considering how stressful city driving and crowds can be, but since we hadn’t seen much on this leg of the trip, Nate suggested we attempt to at least see the Opera House, since we were going to be so close. It would be a shame to come all the way to Oz and not see its most famous sight. Plus, by the time we’d get there, it would be so late at night, surely the traffic wouldn’t be too bad. I agreed wholeheartedly, and we altered our route slightly, taking us right into the heart of Sydney.

The drive there wasn’t too bad until we really started getting to the downtown area, or central business district (CBD) as Aussies like to call it. The sudden road changes and some confusion between the Garmin and our real-life road perceptions kept us on the edge of our seats, but somehow we managed to make it there around 9pm. Once the Garmin indicated we were in the right vicinity, we parked at the first garage we could find and walked down to the harbor where we admired the bridge and the Opera House from afar. We took a lot of pictures, and we were doubly excited when we were able to spot Sydney’s Luna Park across the harbor. It was aglow with thousands upon thousands of brilliant lights, looking like something out of a bygone era.

We headed around the harbor toward the Sydney Opera House and were delighted to discover it was open for people! So we went inside and explored as much of the lobby as was accessible. We also walked around outside and took pictures of the stunning architecture. I was so glad we were able to see this incredible structure up close! After we’d seen all we possibly could, we headed back to our car around 11pm. Upon arriving at the parking garage, we were met with a rather startling find. The gate was closed and our car was locked away! Oh no!! There was no obvious way of accessing it, and we started to worry about where we’d sleep that night. Luckily, we were eventually able to track down a number, and they opened the gate for us. Relieved, we retrieved our car and headed back down the road.

I’d attempted unsuccessfully to find us an open motel, but we resigned ourselves to the fact that nothing would be available, and we decided to continue on down to Wollongong and find a place to sleep in the car. By the time we arrived, it was well after midnight, and we were, as always, exhausted. We drove around in vain, trying to find a place to pull off and sleep, but we wound up just sleeping on the street in a residential area, hoping no one would complain. It was a cold, uncomfortable night, but at least we didn’t have to waste money on a motel room!

Australia 2011: Day 18 - Warner Bros. Movie World and Surfer's Paradise

Oct. 3rd

I had the hardest time getting up this morning. Was all this travel finally catching up with me? Nah!! The air conditioning kept going on and off, and that eventually got me out of bed. We’d been trying to decide how long we wanted to stay in the Gold Coast, and determined we’d stay another night. So we headed down to the lobby to extend our stay. Then we went on a mission: to find a shuttle to Warner Brothers Movie World. When Leah and I visited, we went to all three major amusement parks in the area and somehow managed to get a shuttle to each one, considering we didn’t have a car. Surely it would be that easy again, right? Well, it turns out you needed reservations well in advance, and since we didn’t, we were out of luck. Not a big deal except that meant we’d have to drive again – something we sincerely wanted a break from after all this. Luckily, Movie World wasn’t extremely far away, so back into the saddle we hopped.

When last I was in the region, of the three parks we’d visited, Movie World was my second favorite, just under Dream World and better than Sea World. It was an interesting place, featuring many movies and actually allowing us on the set of a few including Riddler’s Lair from “Batman Forever,” which was quite impressive. My only disappointment was its size – there wasn’t all that much to do. Well, such was the case on this visit, though there was more than in 1998. I had told Nate about the backstage tour, but sadly that had been discontinued, as had the Gremlin ride, which was a lot of fun. Instead, we were treated to a few new roller coasters, and I was able to drool over the new Green Lantern coaster that was being built in the parking lot. Speaking of the lot, we were excited to discover that parking was free! That’s always a nice treat. Inside the park, the lines were ridiculously long, so although there wasn’t much to see, it would certainly take an entire day.

One of the best attractions was the Superman roller coaster, a launched ride that had you soaring above the park. It was fantastic. It was also the one ride with the silly rule that you couldn’t take anything on it with you, even if you put it in zipped up pockets. They required you to rent a locker and store things there. It was a pain, but what can you do. I guess the ride was worth the extra charge. I’d have loved to have ridden it again, but with the lines as long as they were, time would not permit.

There was also a really cool Scooby-Do themed indoor Wild Mouse that starts out with an elevator lift, and drops you onto the track backwards, so you’re speeding around, not knowing where you’re going. That was a lot of fun. I’m counting their water ride, Wild West Falls, a roller coaster because it’s on a track and features a coastery move or two. That was a blast as well. Then there was Lethal Weapon: The Ride (which, since we’ve returned, has been renamed Arkham Asylum). Back when I rode it last, this Vekoma SLC (suspended looping coaster) was so much fun that I rode it five times in a row. Other coaster enthusiasts would ridicule that, saying I was crazy for liking an SLC. But I swear, this ride was really good back then! How would 13 years have treated it? Well, let’s just say that I spent the entire ride wondering if I would bust an eardrum, have brain damage, or snap my neck. It was the most painful, horrendous ride ever, and they need to tear it down! I’m amazed no one’s been bashed to death on that thing. I’m pretty sure my brain was bleeding once we got off the ride, and yet I heard people in line saying “This ride is great!!” Ummm, I think my brain damage prediction came true for some of them.

Beyond this, we watched the stunt car show, which I think I’d seen all those years ago, did the Batman simulator ride, which is one of the best simulators around, and rode the Road Runner roller coaster. Despite the lines and being such a small park, we had a fun time. I really wish we’d have had time to revisit Dreamworld, which I sincerely think is the better park. Plus they had even more new coasters!! Yet another reason to go back, not like we need one.

After the park, we attempted to do dinner at Dracula’s Redrum Cabaret dinner theater, but sadly it was closed on Mondays. Instead, we headed back to Surfer’s main drag and toured a five-storey haunted house that featured things like walking through Australia’s former prime minister Kevin Rudd’s digestive system. That was pretty cool, actually! From there, we did the Infinity Attraction, something we’d never seen before. Essentially a light and mirror maze, full of special effects, this 40 minute attraction was unique and dizzying. Very cool, and definitely worth experiencing at least once.

From there, we decided to have dinner at a Thai restaurant that was a bit off the main drag. It was absolutely lovely – they kept filling our water without having to request it, the food was superb, and they had individual champagne bottles full of the tastiest bubbly, and served with a raspberry. So wonderful! The atmosphere was great too. It had an island feel, and we were seated right next to a tranquil koi pond with a waterfall. *sigh*

We ended the night with an ice cream and a romantic walk along the beach. It was a wonderful end to our stay in Surfer’s Paradise.

Australia: Day 17 - The Australia Zoo!

Oct. 2nd

We woke up, showered, and hit the road as early as we could again. We drove about 3.5 hours south to the Australia Zoo, one of the most anticipated sites on this trip. I remember when I was studying abroad in Perth in 1998, my friend Jeanine would ask me if I’d seen this zoo or met the Crocodile Hunter. At the time, I had no idea what she was talking about, but now I more than knew. I’m not much affected by the deaths of any celebrity, but when Steve Irwin died, it really seemed to bother me. I mean, honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner considering the risks he would take, but at some point he almost became super human. As a biologist, he held a certain fascination for me, and now, being back in Australia, we’d have to go see the zoo that he made famous.

Once we parked, we quickly grabbed our Garmin and headed a few hundred feet down the road and across the street to snag a geocache in the woods. While there, we picked up a travel bug in the form of a stuffed koala that came from the US and wanted to ultimately wind up at the Australia Zoo! We took it in and made sure to get lots of pictures of it with its koala brethren inside before taking it back with us to the States to see more zoos.

The Australia Zoo itself was an interesting place. It was a moderately-sized zoo, and I have to say I expected more of it. There were a lot of aspects that could have used work – better exhibits, more updating, better signage, etc. It just didn’t seem as spectacular as you might expect, but it was still quite an enjoyable and solid zoo. Of course, the main feature was native Australian animals. They had plenty of the obvious creatures: kangaroos, koalas, emus, cassowaries, tassie devils, wombats, crocs, and the like, but one aspect of the Australian fauna that you rarely if ever see is the vast array of nocturnal animals. Again, we were disappointed. Creatures like possums, bilbies, quolls, numbats, and all manner of lesser known or night-dwelling marsupials were overlooked, and that was a shame. Considering Steve Irwin’s passion for reptiles, their reptile house wasn’t really all that impressive, either. Beyond Australian animals, they also had an Asian and an African exhibit, though they were almost one trick ponies. Not to say they weren’t impressive, they just weren’t the focus of this zoo.

Wandering around, we came across a number of native animals that I had hoped to see in the wild but didn’t. Because of this, I broke my rule of not taking pictures of animals in zoos because I feel like it’s cheating. In this case, I just wanted to have documentation of some of the animals on which we’d missed out. I snapped a perentie lizard, Australia’s largest, a cassowary, a wombat, an echidna, and a tassie devil, amongst others. Crocs, however, were on prominent display. While they do have freshwater crocs and American alligators, their main feature are the infamous saltwater crocs. They have 15 residing at the zoo, each one a rescue from a populated area where they may have come into conflict with people. Each day, they have a feeding show in which keepers enter the enclosures and feed the crocs by hand. In some ways, it feels exploitative, but if you consider the fact that these animals are rescues, they are now able to help educate the public about their species. We watched the heart-stopping show, and it was quite interesting. My main concern was the small pools in which they now reside. After having had freedom all their lives, I’m sure their small pools are a bit confining. Still, it’s better than the alternative, and you can tell they’re well cared-for.

Hungry, we decided to grab a bite to eat at the food court. Interestingly, the food court didn’t offer the typical American foods like hamburgers and hot dogs. Rather, they had barramundi fish and chips, meat pies, and dim sum. Nate had a feta and spinach roll, and I had the barramundi, both of which were pretty tasty. While dining, we were visited by Australia’s answer to squirrels. In the States, it’s commonplace that you’ll be approached by squirrels and chipmunks at zoos, as they beg for any food you may be willing to share. Well, Australia doesn’t have native squirrels, but that doesn’t mean that other animals won’t take over these niches. Instead, we were followed around by water dragons and bush turkeys. Our first water dragon hung out right under our table, just waiting to see what treats we may produce. The bush turkeys, on the other hand, were spotted everywhere throughout the zoo, foraging and pecking around. It was fascinating!!

We slowly worked our way over to Roo Heaven, a many acres-huge attraction featuring 9 species of macropods, or kangaroos and their kin. A petting zoo of sorts, we were able to get up close and personal with a lot of these animals, and actually pet some. It was really neat to walk around with them at close range, and although this seems to be common in Australia, it’s next to unheard of in the States. The roos have plenty of room in which to bound about, and they also have private areas where they can retreat to escape the grabby hands of people. It was a really neat area to experience.

We also visited the ornate Asian area featuring white tigers and Asian elephants, as well as the new African section featuring cheetahs, rhinos, zebras, and giraffes. Africa reminded me a bit of a smaller version of the San Diego Wild Animal Park, since the animals had a large area in which to roam. Asia was full of ruins and fountains and felt more unnatural. Still, they were both impressive. Oh, and an interesting feature they offered was the ability to, for an added charge, meet some of the larger animals up close! People could pet cheetahs and Tasmanian devils and all manner of other critters. What a neat added feature!

Of course, the one thing that the Australia Zoo made sure never to forget was the legacy of Steve Irwin. Everywhere you go, his memory persists. Be it sculptures and statues, to cutouts and an entire museum documenting all he’s done from birth to death, his memory will never be forgotten. While there, I offhandedly thought it’d be interesting if his family might be on site. I blew off the thought, however, figuring they’d have better things to do, despite still running the place. Well, wasn’t I in for a surprise? Nate and I were perusing one of the gift shops, and I noticed an awfully long line near where I was browsing. I figured they were all in line for checkout and didn’t really pay much attention to it. Once we left, Nate was all, “Did you see who was in there?” I looked back through the window, and there, signing autographs, were Terri, Bindi, and Bob – Steve’s wife and kids! What do ya know?! I half considered getting one myself, but I figured, as a biologist, perhaps I’ll meet them on professional terms one day. Still pretty cool, though!

After spending several hours and seeing as much of the Australia Zoo as we could have (and petting a wombat and koala!), we hit the road again, bound for places south. Leaving the Sunshine Coast just to Brisbane’s north, we looped around the city and made our way into the Gold Coast, specifically Surfer’s Paradise, within 2.5 hours. The sudden surge in traffic wasn’t very pleasant, and we were faced with the stress of figuring out what to do about a toll we ran (a pass is required and there are no booths), though we were able to go online and get that worked out. Finally, after much traffic stress, we made it to the hotel we’d reserved in Surfer’s. We chose the place both due to price, internet access, and the fact that it shared a building with the New Mexico Restaurant! How could we resist?? Well, the price was accurate, but the internet was a bust…but how about the restaurant? We decided to give it a go and determined…it was salty. Of course it was nothing like New Mexican cuisine, not that we expected that, but the food, despite the salt, was decent. I’d always wondered about Australian Mexican, and it wasn’t too bad. The margaritas didn’t hurt, either!

After dinner, we decided to walk around Surfer’s Paradise. Back in 1998 while studying in Perth, my friend Leah and I decided to travel to Surfer’s over our spring break holiday. It was so cool to be back there again! Really, not much had changed. It seemed mostly the same, from the beach to the shops. Nathan and I walked along the dark beach, enjoying the stars, writing our names in the sand, listening to the surf, and avoiding the occasional other person or two we’d encounter along the way. We took pictures when we could, and eventually found our way back to the Baskin Robbins at which Leah and I used to eat back in the day. It was still there!! For old time’s sake, I got my chocolate mousse royalle, and we sat there enjoying our ice cream. Dying of thirst, we stopped at the Hungry Jack’s (Burger King) at which Leah and I later switched to for their 30 cent ice creams and got a soda. We explored the area, visiting the local arcade that I’d remembered from before, and gawking at the weird guillotine game they had. We also got a laugh out of their Route 66 bowling game that had pictures posted of things like Mt. Rushmore, the Seattle Space Needle, and Devil’s Tower that are not actually anywhere near Rt. 66. We people-watched outside the local hotspot, talking about how the last thing we’d want to do is go clubbing, and marveling at all the well-dressed women going in with slovenly guys. We wandered some more – it really is a madhouse at times, but fascinating, too. It’s a total tourist town, and often times that’s where we feel most at home! Once we’d had our fill of exploring, we stopped at a bar for a beer before heading back to the motel and calling it a night.

Australia: Day 16 - Great Barrier Reef and Queensland Coast

Oct. 1st

We got up around 7:30 and headed east toward the coast. We’d been hemming and hawing about which route we wanted to take, and just how much of the coast we had time to see. We wanted to at least view a part of the Great Barrier Reef, so we looked into the southernmost place to see it. We knew it wouldn’t be in all its glory, but at least it was something. We steered our wheels toward the Rockhampton area, particularly the suburb of Yeppoon, which was right on the coast, and offered a number of ways to go out and see the Reef. Nathan was getting beyond exhausted from all the driving, and I couldn’t blame him. It was exhausting being a passenger, too, though I have to say my travel endurance is rather uncanny. We made it to Yeppoon a little after noon only to discover that the last cruise that would be suitable left at 9am. We considered staying another day, but really, time was of the essence, and we decided we’d see what we could and consider coming back in the future. After all, much of this trip was meant as a scouting exercise in which we would discover what we’d like to come back and see more of. The Great Barrier Reef is just one of those impressive things for which you have to make the time. Instead, we did a hike up to Double Head, an extreme lava outcropping that overlooks the Pacific. From there, we were able to see the dark patches in the ocean that were part of the Reef, so in a way, we did see it, just from afar. After that hike, we headed down to a protected bay where we waded in the Pacific waters. While out there, we saw a number of dead shrimp, lots of crabs, and a stingray! We had fun just splashing around for a bit, cognizant of some of the Aussie dangers like the ever present, hypodermic-needle-barbed stonefish. Luckily, we emerged unscathed. It was a nice, relaxing time, and it was good to stop and see some sights for once.

Late afternoon started to set in, and we headed down the coast in search of our one meal of the day. We really craved seafood, and what better place to try some than the coast of Queensland? Most of the places we tried were either closed or nonexistent, but we pressed on. We wasted quite a bit of time in rather large towns trying to find something, and going well out of our way in search of it, but luck finally smiled upon us in the little town of 1770, named such because that is the year Captain Cook sailed past the area. We found a lovely little restaurant on the coast called The Deck, and made it just in time because, had we arrived any later, we may have had to contend with a large party and may not have had a table. Settling in around 5:30, we had a beautiful spot outside, and were joined by a blue faced honeyeater who watched our every move. This restaurant featured incredible island drinks, and our main courses were out of this world. Nathan immensely enjoyed his squid stir fry, while I was absolutely floored by the shrimp and scallop pasta I had. It was probably the best meal we had in Australia! So fresh, and better than any seafood I’d had anywhere else, and as a fan of seafood, that is a stellar compliment. We were so lucky to have found this place. It was worth the detour.

Refreshed and recharged, we continued on until about 7pm when Nate was starting to fade from all the driving, especially considering there wasn’t much to see on some of these forested country roads. Luckily we were just upon the town of Bunderberg. We tried two hotels in hopes of finding a room, but both were booked. Luckily, the second hotel got us in touch with one that wasn’t quite full yet, and we were able to get a quite luxurious ensuite room for a decent price. On top of that, we had internet! We were glad to stop, rest, and relax for another evening.

Australia 2011 - Day 15 - The Great Trek East

Sept. 30th

Today wasn’t much of a respite from the insane amounts of driving we’d been conquering. Poor Nathan was getting so exhausted from all the driving, all of which he had done up to this point. I finally caved in and offered to take over, to which he gladly agreed, despite my horrific first attempt back in Melbourne. Luckily, in the middle of nowhere, we probably wouldn’t have as many issues. I probably helped to drive about 300 miles total in two stints, which really isn’t much considering we drove about 8,000 miles altogether. But it helped, though I think we were both happier when he was driving. Driving on the other side of the road was an interesting experience. It definitely took a lot of getting used to, and I had to consciously think about where the car was in relation to the center line. After a while, it got easier, but things like turning onto a new street required a bit more thought. The most distracting thing was definitely the reversal of the turn signal and windshield wipers. You’d casually go to turn the signal and all heck would break loose! I’m sure it’d get better with time, but it was somewhat confusing.

We continued east along the Capricorn Highway. Pockets of civilization increased a bit the further along we went, but it was still extremely desolate for the most part. We drove near the area where the famous Aussie ballad “Waltzing Matilda” was written and first performed, but we sadly didn’t have time to stop at the Waltzing Matilda Museum in Winton, western Queensland’s self-proclaimed tidiest town.

In Longreach, the self-claimed friendliest town in Australia, we decided to stop and visit the Qantas Founders Museum. Due to our ever limited time, we didn’t really get to explore the museum, but we were able to get a tour of some of the aircraft parked outside. Although we were able to board a few smaller craft, the main attraction was the 1979 Boeing 747 christened “The City of Bunbury.” I was excited that, when they asked if anyone knew where Bunbury was (all planes are named after a city), only I and one other person (who was more brave and answered) knew the answer – Western Australia, of course! Though I never visited, having lived in that state, I was familiar with Bunbury. Too cool! We were able to explore the plane in its entirety, visiting the cargo hold, climbing up to the second story which was reserved for families during its heyday, checking out the cockpit, and seeing where the black box is located (at the rear on the left side of the craft). They position the black box (which is actually bright orange) at the perceived safest part of the plane in a crash, so take that into consideration when picking out your seat on a flight. For an upcharge, you could also walk out onto the wing, but we declined that on this visit. It was really a fascinating time, and I’m glad we did it. It was also nice to get out and break up the driving for a bit.

Continuing onward through vast tracts of grazing land, we eventually happened upon the small town of Barcaldine, QLD. Driving through, we were about ready for a break, and we needed to fill up the tank, too, when we noticed a very strange sculpture of sorts in the center of town. It looked like a gigantic tree with long dangling wooden pieces for leaves. We had to check it out. It turns out we stumbled upon the Tree of Knowledge, an historically important entity in the region. Under this once-living tree, it is said that Australia’s Labor Party was birthed. 200 years in age, the tree was starting to suffer dieback in the early 1990s, but the final nail in its coffin was due to vandalism. Someone poisoned the tree in 2006, and when it died, the tree was considered important enough that it was preserved right down to the roots and is still on display for all to see. Before it completely died, however, cuttings were taken, and parts of this tree have been planted around town so it still lives on. We marveled at the charismatic branches, and I was especially fascinated by the roots, visible through glass in the ground. It was really a neat thing to see, and another nice way to break up the drive through northern Queensland.

Pressing on, outside of Barkaldine we were subjected to something called a Speedo Check, which Nate and I found immensely amusing. Essentially it’s just a way to test your actual speed versus what your speedometer is reading based on indicators on the road. Not what we were imagining, but cool nonetheless! We were also stopped at a random checkpoint by some friendly cops who, upon seeing we were foreign, let us go without a second thought. Very cool!

Further down the road, we happened upon a father emu and a number of babies. It turns out male emus are the ones that care for the young, which we never before realized. The juveniles were too cute – about the size of large turkeys and sporting spots.

Eventually night descended upon us, and we found ourselves driving through more lush and wooded locales. At one point, one of the most exciting things happened. We’d been very watchful for animals dashing out in front of our car, mostly expecting to see roos and wallabies. Well, the thing that leaped out in front of us and bolted across the street was neither of those. It was approximately dog-sized, but as far as I could tell, it wasn’t quite dog-shaped. In fact, it was shaped a lot more like a Thylacine or Tasmanian tiger. It had a long, thick tail and fawn-colored fur. It was gone in an instant, and in the dark, there was no way I could have gotten a better look, but oh my goodness, that was a rush!! For those that don’t know, the last known Thylacine died in captivity in 1936. Since then, there have been a number of possible sightings, both in Tasmania and in Western Australia, but nothing absolutely confirmed. Considering the vast tracts of uninhabited land in Australia, it wouldn’t be surprising if a few have managed to hold on, and considering how barren much of Queensland is, that could be a possibility! I was so pumped about our sighting, even though neither of us could really confirm anything, I’m content in thinking we may have, in fact, spied one of the elusive remaining Tassie tigers.

A gemstone mining area, we’d hoped to have time to search for sapphires in the area around Emerald, but that would not come to fruition unless we were willing to stay in the area another day. (Note to self and anyone contemplating doing a crazy trip like this: you need a minimum of 4 weeks to really see as much as you might like, and even that is probably not enough!) We rolled into the town of Emerald well after dark, but we were still able to get a room at a motor inn that caters to seasonal miners in the area. Our room was small and cramped, and we had to share a bathroom with others on the floor, but at least we had a comfortable place to sleep. Hungry and anxious to not sit still any longer after that long drive, we inquired about local eating establishments and were directed to a pub across the street. It was rather nice, actually, and we enjoyed our meal of the day – I had chicken parmesan, and I forget what Nate had, but we both enjoyed some Queensland beers, particularly a brand called XXXX. We’d been wondering how you’d pronounce that. Turns out, it’s just “Four Ex.” Thanks, local pub, for increasing our beer knowledge!

From there, I’d been pretty internet deprived, so we attempted to drive around and find a signal, particularly trying the local library, to no avail. Our little adventure was not for naught, though! While sitting in the parking lot of the library, we noticed some drunk guys causing a ruckus by the trees just behind us. Observing them, we realized they were harassing strange flying creatures living in the canopy. Could it be? Could it really be?? After our disappointment at not seeing any flying foxes in the Darwin area, lo and behold, there was a treeful of them right here in Emerald! So we waited in the car until the drunks moved on and descended upon the trees ourselves.

Located on some medians on a relatively quiet street, these trees were asquawk with noise! Dozens of gigantic bats were causing quite a commotion in the leaves. On occasion, you would see one fly off, leathery wings aflap. We moved from point to point under the canopy, trying in vain to take pictures of something, though it was so dark, we had to blindly point and click, hoping for the best. Even the ones we did see, we only managed to glimpse. Cars would occasionally drive by, no doubt wondering what was up with the two nutters who were desperately trying to photograph what was assuredly the equivalent to a squirrel or pest of some sort. We did wind up getting a few relatively good shots, however, so it was well worth it. Another Australian creature was checked off our list!

We returned to the motel, happy, but exhausted. We ended our night watching an Australian movie called “Charlie and Boots,” which featured Paul Hogan, better known as Crocodile Dundee. We were both watching, trying to figure out where we knew him from. He’s really aged!! The movie featured an epic road trip involving a father and son, and we were excited to see some of the places we’d visited featured, including that giant koala back near the Grampians. Good times!

Australia 2011 - Days 13 and 14 - Kakadu National Park and Eastward

Sept. 28th

We woke up early and hit the road for Kakadu National Park, stopping only for gas and to mail postcards from the town of Humpty Do. We stopped at the entrance sign to the park, which was the source of a great photo op, and also the location of a geocache. Unfortunately, we were primarily thwarted by a busload of tourists who took their time milling around, taking pictures and wasting time. Eventually they were off, and we got our own photo op and scored that geocache which was home to a travel bug in the form of a lure that we took with us.

It was hotter than heck, and extremely humid in the buildup to the rainy season in the Top End. Tempers flare easily here, and I can see why. Luckily we were too happy to be here to get uptight. Our first stop was a hike around some floodplains that were quite dry, but afforded views of an incredible amount of waterfowl, both from a lookout and from afar. We hoped to glimpse a croc, but alas, it was not to be. The hike was at least a two mile loop, and I was getting overheated, but it was still very interesting. We also did some hikes out to see indigenous rock art, and I saw many examples that I’d seen depicted elsewhere, which was neat. Some of them had interpretations, as well. My favorite hike, however, was a short one along a boardwalk. I really hoped to see some herps, but nothing was spotted, only fish, probably barramundi. Lots of birds too, of course. Boat tours would set off from this location, too, and we considered doing one, but it would have taken too long and we’d have needed to stay another day in the area. The tour guaranteed many croc sightings, but we’d have to pass, and that was disappointing. We did find our way over to the nearby food court and were excited to see we could get a platter of foods including barramundi pies, kangaroo skewers, water buffalo sausage, and crocodile spring rolls!! We were so excited to finally try croc, but unfortunately it was so sparse in those spring rolls that you really couldn’t tell if it was any good or not. Oh well. The water buffalo was a neat surprise, and pretty good, too. So that was something!

It was getting late at this point, so we made our way out of the park, stopping at every waterway with hopes of spying a croc, but to no avail. We did spook a mob of wallabies and saw some impressive storklike birds, and most excitingly several water buffalo who thundered into the bush upon our arrival, but no crockers. We continued down the road, met up with the Stuart Highway, and wound up spending the night at the same pull off at which we’d slept two nights prior. It was a bit colder, but still quite tolerable.

Sept. 29th

We woke up quite early and headed south along the Stuart Highway. On our way north, we’d wanted to stop at a historic and famous site known as Daly Waters Pub, but we’d passed by too late at night. This time, we hoped we’d be able to do breakfast there. On our way, we passed by the old WWII hangars that made Daly Waters so famous. Australia’s first international airport, during the war, Daly Waters served the military. Prior to that, this area, known for its springs, was a center for cattlemen, and the pub sprang up to cater to them. Much to our delight, it was open, and quite worth the visit. Trying to describe Daly Waters is an exercise in insanity. It’s a rough-seeming outback pub full of memorabilia from the multitudes of people who have visited throughout the decades. Hanging from the walls and ceiling are all numbers of things from banknotes to bras, postcards to panties, license plates, stubby holders (Aussies know what I mean) (Ok, beer cozies…), and things ranging from mundane to ridiculous. It’s enough to stun your senses. We sidled up to the bar and the friendly tender, who was a young guy from the UK, cheerfully took our order. Nate had the pancakes and I had some lovely omelets. While we were sitting down to eat and enjoying the décor, we were greeted by a gigantic double decker luxury charter bus that pulled up packed to the gills with teenagers (possibly 20-somethings). An incomprehensible whirlwind of noise and commotion converged on this formerly quiet outback pub, and Nate and I sped up our meal. Despite the sudden turmoil, we made sure to explore the location, both inside and out, before hitting the pavement and getting the heck out of the insanity.

We pressed onward this day, which would prove to be one of our most strenuous and least interesting of the trip. Eventually we bid adieu to the Stuart Highway at Three Ways, and continued east down the Barkly Highway. We only really stopped for gas and in search of any treats we could find to help break up the drive. Believe me, there is a whole lot of nothing along the Barkly Highway – it’s probably one of the most desolate stretches in Australia, easily beating out the Stuart Highway. Not much in the way of scenery, only flat scrublands and grazing, we hardly saw any wildlife. Interestingly, Barkly is designated Rte. 66 in Australia, and it bears no resemblance to ours at all save for the fact that it is a two lane highway. There is certainly no kitsch or whimsy to go along with the name, not that there should be. Still, I found that quite interesting.

Onward we pressed, heading east for a long, long time. We did stop at the border of Northern Territory and Queensland for a photo op, just glad to be out of the NT for our rental car’s sake. Continuing on, we eventually stopped in the town of Mt. Isa for dinner. It was getting dark, and we were extremely tired, so we weren’t in any mood to search around for restaurants, not that any would have been open if we had. We gave in and had dinner at the local McDonalds, which was absolutely hopping. Oh my gosh, it was the best meal ever. No joke. I ordered a Happy Meal and had to go back when they forgot my pickles and toy (um, hello?! Haha!), but once everything was set, it was soooo good. I even got my first Australian soda from a fountain. It was even better because of the cane sugar they use instead of corn syrup. The fries are cooked differently, too, and don’t leave you feeling greasy and sick. It just seemed healthier. And the new McCafe trend going on here in the states was taken to a whole new level with a separate area at which to order that genre of foodstuffs. I really don’t like McD’s, but this hit the spot like no other. It, too, was a bit of a madhouse, being full of teeny-boppers, but such is life!

Now Mt. Isa is an interesting town, and I really wish that we’d have gotten there earlier to truly see some of it. It is said that you’re not truly an Australian until you’ve visited this place, so I guess that makes us more Aussie than a lot of the population! Mining is its main purpose, producing lead, silver, copper and zinc. It’s also considered the largest city in the world (in jurisdiction, anyway) stretching around 188 km across. Despite being in the most barren desert, it has an artificial lake rife with water activities like fishing and boating. It is also noted for its historic WWII underground hospital. Still, it was dark, and we couldn’t tarry. Being frugal (not to mention probably being there past 8pm when the motel lobbies close), we decided to sleep in the car again. We continued down the road, in immense darkness, often between narrow rock outcroppings, and found ourselves dodging errant wallabies on the road. Unnerved, we stopped at the first pullout we could find and made camp for the night. There were a large number of other people, mostly with huge RVs keeping us company, so it was probably pretty safe, although Mt. Isa seemed rather rough. I slept ok until about 4am when I got ridiculously cold. I tried to sleep huddled up like a mouse, to no avail. Huddled in my coat, my breath warmed me only superficially. Then there were the people walking around with flashlights outside the car. That was distracting, and I just couldn’t get back to sleep. Nate luckily woke up before too long, and I convinced him to hit the road, if for no other reason than to run the heater a little bit. While car camping is frugal, it’s not always the most comfortable.

Australia 2011 - Days 11 and 12: Northern Stuart Hwy., Litchfield National Park, and Darwin

Sept. 26th

We slept in a little (by our standards, which was probably 7 or 8), and hit the road northward again, bidding adieu to the lovely outback town of Alice Springs. Our first stop along this stretch of the Stuart Hwy was the Tropic of Capricorn marker. I’d already seen the one in Western Australia, but I thought it would be good to get another photo op here as well. We also stopped at a few historic telegraph stations along the way. None of these are manned, yet they remain generally unvandalized and well kept. The US could take note. We stopped for gas several times, including once at a station considered to be the Roswell of Australia. Apparently people staying there have UFO sightings almost every night of the year. Had we known about it, we would have tried to spend a night there, but it wasn’t in the cards.

About 70 miles up the road from there was Devils Marbles, one of Australia’s most noted geological oddities. Consisting of many huge boulders, many of which seem precariously placed, it is a rock climbers playground. It’s also the source of another number of indigenous stories, one of which involved the existence of little “people” who live there and try to steal children to this very day, along with first-hand accounts from witnesses. Creepy!! You almost have to wonder if it has anything to do with all those UFO sightings down the road…

We had a fun time climbing on the boulders and seeing the sights. As always, I wish we’d have had more time, but we had to continue up the road. Starving for our one meal of the day, we were happy to reach Tennant Creek and hoped to find something good. Our pickings were slim, and many old restaurants were out of business. Even in the towns, you’re not likely to run across a McDonalds or anything similar. We did happen to find a pizza joint that was situated in the bus terminal. It was unclear where the counter was, and the owner was rather rude to us for not being psychic about such things, but we were too hungry to argue or go elsewhere. We ordered the seafood pizza which, upon receipt, was hideous. Imagine a slimy pile of tentacles and disembodied mollusk bits. It was ok, though bland. We were just glad to get some nourishment and head up the road again.

As we booked it north, it eventually started to get dark. I found a gas station on our atlas that looked promising, but upon reaching it, it was no longer, so we decided we should probably call it a night before we ran out of gas. We were also getting unnerved by the sudden increase in wildlife. During daylight hours, we spotted a dingo, which was exciting, but now we were dealing with wallabies and wallaroos that would appear out of nowhere with a death wish. We also saw a number of odd rocklike things that appeared to be alive in the middle of the road. Though we never got a good look, we think they were probably cane toads, one of Australia’s most destructive invasive species. These huge toads from central and South America compete with native animals their size, eat small marsupials, and poison anything that tries to eat them. And they breed unceasingly. I still would have liked to have seen one up close.

You could see the flora was changing – trees were getting bigger and humidity was increasing as we headed north. We found a nice pull off just south of Katherine and enjoyed our first relatively warm night in the car. It was nice not to spend the dark hours shivering uncontrollably.

Sept. 27th

We woke up around 7am to a steamy and humid vehicle. After throwing ourselves together, we continued northward, stopping for a tour of a cave along the way. Situated at a state park, this cave tour offered a pleasant respite from the heat above. Led by an indigenous guide, he showed us the marvels of the cave (which, honestly, all seem to blend together at this point). We did see a dead bat and a dead snake, both inside the cave, so that was exciting.

From there, we got gas in the rough outback town of Katherine and we also saw a mine overlook and a railway museum from afar. Then we hauled butt out to Litchfield National Park, the second most visited national park in the Darwin region. More of a playground for locals, Litchfield is popular for its many freshwater pools and swimming holes. It gets unbearably hot in Australia’s top end that the residents need some relief, and these swimming areas are perfect for that. Interestingly, most of Litchfield’s pools are also home to freshwater crocodiles, or freshies. Not nearly as aggressive or big as salties, locals gladly swim with these large reptiles. Sadly, we didn’t spy any, but I would have loved to have seen one. I’m not sure that I would have braved swimming with them, but that really didn’t deter most people.

We were more in the market for wildlife and scenery than swimming, however, so we took this opportunity to take a number of hikes including one spectacular one along the top of a waterfall. On this hike, we glimpsed a wild Nephila spider, or golden orb weaver. This was really exciting for me because we used to have them in our lab. The females are enormous, and can spin webs up to three feet in diameter. The one we saw was old and missing several legs, but it was exciting nonetheless. We also saw some emerald green ants going about their lives. Just fascinating! We also saw an array of birds including our first black cockatoos. We weren’t sure that’s actually what we were observing, so we spent a good deal of time trying to get a good view of one. Turns out, we were right!!

One of the biggest draws for us at Litchfield, however, was the enormous termite mounds. Two main species of termite call Litchfield home. The cathedral termites form mounds up to 30 feet tall, and quite large around in order to insulate the colony against the extreme heat. The magnetic termites also have mounds reaching 30 feet, but their mounds are rather narrow and oriented in a north/south direction to minimize the amount of surface area receiving direct sunlight throughout the day. They both tend to form mounds in floodplains, so the height can be attributed to a need to stay above the waterline once the floods settle in. Feeding on grasses and dead plant material, the floodplains are the ideal habitat for these termites. In some areas, hundreds of mounds can be witnessed at once, forming a veritable termite metropolis. It really is a fascinating thing to see.

The other neat thing about Litchfield is that, despite being a land of water, it’s also a land of fire. We arrived in the top end at the buildup to the wet season. Most of the land was as dry as it was going to get, and the humidity was on the rise. During this time, land managers conduct controlled burns, many of which we drove past on our route. Interestingly, indigenous peoples have been using a similar technique called fire stick farming for centuries. They noticed that, when an area is burned, new plant and animal life will converge on an area, providing more food choices. The ideas were noted and a fire management plan was set into effect.

Once we’d had our fill of Litchfield, we headed up to Darwin. The most affordable place we could find was an ensuite room at the YWCA. Accomdations were minimal, but we were glad to have a bathroom such as it was. We found a roach, which was unpleasant, and the curtains left little to the imagination, but we made do. Then we wandered around town in search of a place that served crocodile. It was next to impossible despite claims that this was the place to find it. We wandered around downtown, such as it was, scoping out the night life. The one hotel that the British camel riders recommended and that we’d considered but ultimately turned down because it was in too congested an area, seemed to have been experiencing an incident of some sort as it had fire trucks outside and people evacuating. There really wasn’t too much to see that couldn’t be seen in other cities. It wasn’t very large, and I’d have liked to have seen more, but neither of us is a fan of driving around large towns, so we toured on foot. It was getting pretty late, and since we couldn’t find a place that served croc, we opted for the Indian restaurant suggested by the British ladies. We were pleasantly surprised by the food, which heavily featured beet root (at least Nathan’s did). They also served island drinks, so I was in my glory. Once done, we hit the sidewalks again in search of croc, to no avail. We wound up getting post cards and just calling it a night.