Well it's part of the visa requirements of all backpackers to head up the east coast so here I am in Byron bay. I set out from Sydney and with some nervousness I boarded the bus for Byron Bay. Everyone I have spoken to loves Byron they all seam to have 'crazy' time here and to be honest I got me a bit worried that it would be a bit like the walkabout during happy hour.
Luckily I was wrong and Byron is a chilled out alternative heaven. My experience may have been more in the hippy style because I have been staying here : http://www.artsfactory.com.au/ A crazy hostel that disbelieves rooms should have four walls and have many tee pees, tents and even a double decker bus to call home for a few nights.
The alternative style has attracted many alternative people who have been the friendliest I have meet so far in Australia. Byron cape itself is made up of the most amazing beaches. It wraps itself around a cape so it has something perfect to offer whatever the weather. The cape itself is home to the most easterly light house in Australia and I decided to hire a bike to take a closer look, it's just a shame that the bike I ended up with had no gears and very little in the way of breaks which made both riding up the hill and down equally interesting.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The blue mountins
The past two days I have headed up into the Blue mountains a region just outside of Sydney. The mountains are famous for a blue haze that the eucalyptus trees give off when it's hot and wow they look amazing when they do! I decided to come up with the same tour company that I traveled from Melbourne with and yes yet again I had a tour guide a wee bit on the crazy side.
This guy was OBSESSED with spiders and snakes and informing us of imminent death at any available opportunity to the point that I was too scared to touch anything. However after some scary walks dodding funnel webs spider appartment blocks and possible snake houses we were rewarded with amazing views for our bravery.
We were lead down a path of 1600 steps into the canyon floor for a return trip on the steepest railway in the world. The track took us to near 90 degrees and had us holding on for dear life due to the fact the safety chain was made of plastic.
I left the tour to stay in the mountains for a couple of nights in a town called Katoomba the largest in the mountains which makes Newton Abbot seam the size of a city, but with some fantastic coffee shops which make relaxing with a book very easy.
This guy was OBSESSED with spiders and snakes and informing us of imminent death at any available opportunity to the point that I was too scared to touch anything. However after some scary walks dodding funnel webs spider appartment blocks and possible snake houses we were rewarded with amazing views for our bravery.
We were lead down a path of 1600 steps into the canyon floor for a return trip on the steepest railway in the world. The track took us to near 90 degrees and had us holding on for dear life due to the fact the safety chain was made of plastic.
I left the tour to stay in the mountains for a couple of nights in a town called Katoomba the largest in the mountains which makes Newton Abbot seam the size of a city, but with some fantastic coffee shops which make relaxing with a book very easy.
Sydney
I've spent the last week or so in and around Sydney. It seams strange to say it but know I've been to Sydney I really believe I am halfway around the world.
On the face of it I didn't like Sydney. After visiting both the Harbour bridge and Opera house I felt there was nothing left, the rest of the city seamed to be lacking in soul. It was at this point it became so obvious how new Australia is at only 200 years. It's lacking historical buildings and strange little streets that have been there for hundreds of years.
After discovering the suburbs and out of the way bays I have now come to the conclusion that Sydney does have soul but it is tucked away and nowhere near the CDB.
After a few nights in the centre I decided to head down to Bondi. Which was not the long out of the way beach I had imagined. It has a feel of an English seaside town with bigger waves! but so much more relaxed than the city centre and with free entertainment of watching the surfers.
Adrian and Tash came up to join me for the weekend and took me on a magical mystery tour off the cool bits in and around Sydney. The Royal national park with beaches all to ourselves (it was raining), Watsons bay, the weekend markets and the northern beaches including Palm beach famous for Home and Away.
On the face of it I didn't like Sydney. After visiting both the Harbour bridge and Opera house I felt there was nothing left, the rest of the city seamed to be lacking in soul. It was at this point it became so obvious how new Australia is at only 200 years. It's lacking historical buildings and strange little streets that have been there for hundreds of years.
After discovering the suburbs and out of the way bays I have now come to the conclusion that Sydney does have soul but it is tucked away and nowhere near the CDB.
After a few nights in the centre I decided to head down to Bondi. Which was not the long out of the way beach I had imagined. It has a feel of an English seaside town with bigger waves! but so much more relaxed than the city centre and with free entertainment of watching the surfers.
Adrian and Tash came up to join me for the weekend and took me on a magical mystery tour off the cool bits in and around Sydney. The Royal national park with beaches all to ourselves (it was raining), Watsons bay, the weekend markets and the northern beaches including Palm beach famous for Home and Away.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Melbourne to Sydney the long way round
I had decided a while ago that instead of just taking the greyhound up to Sydney I would join a tour and see some more of the country on the way. So bright and 6.15am early I stood at the wrong gallery in Melbourne waiting for my bus. After a while of wondering why no one else was taking to tour I re read the booking sheet and realised I should have been 5 mins down the road. So in my best backpackers panic I started running... luckily I spotted the bus coming down the street and after flagging them down and throwing myself onboard I was on my way.
Our tour guide was a chap called 'Bones' and I don't think I will every be able to put into words the crazy nature of this tall, skinny, long haired ozzy. Who informed us he had never been to europe because he thought it would be a bit dull. I could see his point after the tales of his travels came out, including the 3 years traveling with a camel and the purchase of Daryl the donkey in South America to help him get about.
Our first stop was Wilsons Promontory a nature reserve on the coast which includes the most southerly point of Australia. Bones stopped the bus because he had spotted a wombat in a clearing. He prepped us with tactics so we could get up close and because he was quite still we were in with a chance of getting a good look. After a stealthy creep round his lack of movement was explained by the fact he was dead. We were all visibly disappointed and sad so Bones lead us in to the bush with the promise of Kangaroos. True to his word after a short walk to another clearing we were surrounded by what seamed like hundreds of Roos bouncing about.
We then headed further in to the park for a 3k walk up onto the point and down on to a beach with sand so white and fine it felt like snow to walk on.
Day two we again were up bright and early and on the road by 6am. The landscape slowly turned into mountains and we turned off the main highway onto the 'Barry way' which has been carved into the mountains. Sadly they didn't think that a road wide enough fot two vehicles would be a good idea so as I peered out of the window I was greeted with a very large drop. The road took us up into the Snowy river region and the Australian snow fields. I know Australia has snow but I still could not get my head around the idea and even after a snow fight I wasn't quite believing it. we stayed in a town called Jindabyne which is situated on a huge man made lake, of which we had amazing views of from our room.
Day three we headed in to Canberra which true to my expectations was lacking in people and soul. We were taken to parliament house which offers a free tour and surprisingly is more interesting than we were all expecting. We when headed of for a drive around the embassy's and a game of 'guess which country lives here'
We arrived into Sydney just before 6 and I headed down to the harbour for a sneeky peak of the Harbour bridge and Opera house. I know it sounds strange but now I have seen them I can truly believe that I am in Australia.
Our tour guide was a chap called 'Bones' and I don't think I will every be able to put into words the crazy nature of this tall, skinny, long haired ozzy. Who informed us he had never been to europe because he thought it would be a bit dull. I could see his point after the tales of his travels came out, including the 3 years traveling with a camel and the purchase of Daryl the donkey in South America to help him get about.
Our first stop was Wilsons Promontory a nature reserve on the coast which includes the most southerly point of Australia. Bones stopped the bus because he had spotted a wombat in a clearing. He prepped us with tactics so we could get up close and because he was quite still we were in with a chance of getting a good look. After a stealthy creep round his lack of movement was explained by the fact he was dead. We were all visibly disappointed and sad so Bones lead us in to the bush with the promise of Kangaroos. True to his word after a short walk to another clearing we were surrounded by what seamed like hundreds of Roos bouncing about.
We then headed further in to the park for a 3k walk up onto the point and down on to a beach with sand so white and fine it felt like snow to walk on.
Day two we again were up bright and early and on the road by 6am. The landscape slowly turned into mountains and we turned off the main highway onto the 'Barry way' which has been carved into the mountains. Sadly they didn't think that a road wide enough fot two vehicles would be a good idea so as I peered out of the window I was greeted with a very large drop. The road took us up into the Snowy river region and the Australian snow fields. I know Australia has snow but I still could not get my head around the idea and even after a snow fight I wasn't quite believing it. we stayed in a town called Jindabyne which is situated on a huge man made lake, of which we had amazing views of from our room.
Day three we headed in to Canberra which true to my expectations was lacking in people and soul. We were taken to parliament house which offers a free tour and surprisingly is more interesting than we were all expecting. We when headed of for a drive around the embassy's and a game of 'guess which country lives here'
We arrived into Sydney just before 6 and I headed down to the harbour for a sneeky peak of the Harbour bridge and Opera house. I know it sounds strange but now I have seen them I can truly believe that I am in Australia.
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