My quest for the perfect tan

Jun 21-25: I loathe goodbyes

2010-06-28T01:00:00.002+10:00

I returned to Australia on a Monday, with 4 days to cross any remaining items off my list. I wandered Sydney aimlessly, packed and repacked my bags, and read furiously to try to finish a fantastic book that Oscar had loaned me that I didn't want to steal (Jitterbug Perfume - read it, you'll love it). My last afternoon was spent wandering the Botanic Gardens, watching the sun set over the Sydney Opera House and the imposing Harbor bridge. I've taken more than 12,000 pictures over the last 6 months, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if I had taken 500 of that one iconic building.

I have never been good at saying goodbye. Sometimes it feels easier to sneak away without bothering anyone, and avoid subjecting everyone to the emotional distress. Why does it always seem easier to start things than to end them? I got a chance to say a final so long to some of the people I met along my travels. As I reflect back on the 6 month adventure now, I am not going to miss the country. That is to say I won't miss the beaches, and the sunshine.

But I am going to miss all the wonderful people...

Jun 11-21: My Fijian Detour

2010-06-28T00:59:00.001+10:00

With a handful of days left before my flight home, I decided to squeeze in a quick trip to Fiji. Amazing diving, wonderful beaches, and great sun... it seemed like a very relaxing way to spend the tail end of my trip. Why not?

Fiji is a collection of islands in the south Pacific. I opted for a budget backpacker tour, starting from the main island moving to the northernmost of the Yasawa group of islands, then stopping at islands for a day or two on the way back. This type of touring is generally jam packed with youngsters, looking for a fun way to see the world.

There were 6 people in our core tour, 3 German fellows, an Australian, an English lady, and me. We spent a week together, riding the big yellow boat (the Yasawa Flyer) as though it was some sort of giant smelly bus reeking of the same colorful odor of a wet towel left in a pile in the bottom of the closet. We stayed at 4 islands in 6 nights, each with its own special charm.

Coral View is a scrappy resort with incredible scuba diving on the northernmost island. Koruvu is a charming spot with a nice outdoor pool, and the most incredible manta ray snorkelling experience you can imagine. Kuata is a tiny island, where they will take you snorkelling while feeding white tipped reef sharks (I liked it so much I went twice). Beachcomber is a tiny island the size of the resort, known as a party island with a ridiculous 200 bed dorm.

The cool part about touring Fiji was that every resort was small. With somewhere between 30 and 40 guests (excluing Beachcomber), all eating the same meals at the same time, it was easy to get to know new people. At every port we would meet new people, some on similar tours, some doing their own thing. We met a handful of Canadians, some lovely English folks, the odd Australian and oodles of Germans.

I was in Fiji when the world cup started. It was wonderfully refreshing to see an international sporting event with people from around the world. The first game of the tournament was England vs USA. A group of 3 English guys were up (and drinking) at 6:30am. They had improvised a little, using markers to draw jerseys on their backs, cheering loudly whenever anything of note happened in the game.

I have exercised much restraint in my curio shopping over the past 6 months, staying away from all of the shops and stands selling tacky tourist items I would just shove in a box when I got home... But passing through downtown Nadi on a Saturday morning, I picked up the greatest souvenir at a car parts store... an authentic Fijian Taxi sign. I can't wait to mount that on my car back home.

Jun 1-10: Peaches gets a new home... and so does Oscar!

2010-06-10T12:33:00.001+10:00

I've spent the last 10 days at Manly Beach in Sydney... It turned out that Peaches the Pajero was going to need a couple of days with the crack team of mechanics at Midas, which meant I had some time to kill.

So I decided to invest my time...

Oscar, my host in Sydney, has been a great friend to me and has put me up on a number of occaisions. In order to show him how much I cared, I decided to play a little joke on him. While he was away in Tasmania on a diving cruise, his lady friend and I played a game of "While you were out". Celebrating Oscar's special ageless quality, we converted his bedroom into a child's playroom, complete with a basketball hoop, a new space invaders duvet cover, and a rubber floormat. This is exactly why you should never leave your buddies with your house keys.

In other news, I found Peaches a new home! I met a Kiwi couple at the airport, and handed over the keys. It was a bit on the shady side... a cash deal, with no test drive, done in the dark...

And so I'm down to my last two weeks. I have decided to spend some time in Fiji before I make my way back. I'm getting pretty excited about coming home. It feels like I've been away forever.

May 30-31: Last Stop - Sydney!

2010-06-01T12:01:00.002+10:00

Last planned stop on the Australia tour... Sydney!

I have arrived bright and early in Sydney to see my friend Oscar off to Tasmania. I offer to give Oscar a ride to the airport, should Peaches the Mitsubishi Pajero decide she wants to start... but she politely declines. Despite my many attempts to convince her, she sits quietly, resolutely, obviously tired from her long adventure and pleased to be home.

In a way, I feel fortunate. In the entire 31,000km trip, there has been no better place for a breakdown than Sydney. And had I not broken down, I would never have got my money's worth out of my roadside assistance coverage.

Enter Chris, NRMA roadside assistance technician. After exhausting almost every one of his alternatives, he busts out a fancy trick. Connecting a spare battery directly to the starter motor bypasses the ignition and the inhibitor switches, effectively hot-wiring Peaches back to life. Nice move Chris.

Being back in Sydney feels a little like a mini-homecoming. I am so happy to see everyone again.

My plans from here are to:
a) fix Peaches
b) sell Peaches (or give her away if required)
c) find a great way to spend the next 3 weeks. Bali perhaps?

I'm off to visit the mechanic to see how much it costs to repair an inhibitor switch!

May 27-29: The Gold Coast

2010-06-01T12:00:00.000+10:00

The Gold coast is a very nice area along the east coast of Australia located between Sydney and Brisbane. I am venturing through familiar territory now which is (paradoxically) an unfamiliar feeling.

I spent a night in Coffs Harbour and a night in Port Macquarrie. Both are sleepy weekend holiday destinations for folks from Sydney. Were I not on a backpacking budget, nearing the end of my tour, I would have gladly stayed longer.

Peaches is starting to act up a little. I'm having less and less success trying to start her. When I turn the key, I need to wait for 10 seconds to see if anything happens. If not, I begin a methodical set of experiments in a trial and error sort of method, beginning with changing the gear I'm in, to adjusting the steering column, ending in me wiggling my butt to shake the Pajero back and forth. On separate occaisions, each of these strategies have worked. I've recently discovered a new trick... if I leave it in neutral, turn the key and then slam it into park, the car starts. I can't wait to explain this to the mechanic.

I popped into Newcastle to see Will, Leah and Hugh once again. In the 5 months it has taken me to circumnavigate Australia, they have had a baby (Hugh), Will switched jobs, and they moved about 1500 km from Melbourne to Newcastle. It is so great to see them to catch up again.

May 24-26: Rolling down the Sunshine Coast

2010-06-01T11:59:00.000+10:00

On my way south from Fraser Island I got a chance to pop in to see Terry in Woombye. For those of you who have read the whole blog so far (that would be you Mom), you'll recall that I met Terry and his wife Bec about 40 blog posts and 3 months ago on my way back from my first trip to the Great Barrier Reef, a week before Terry's wedding. Unfortunately Bec was away for work thistime. This meant we got to spend some quality guy time together drinking beers and cooking on the barbecue.

Leaving Woombye, I made my way past the Glasshouse Mountains. Last time I came through it was pouring rain, and I didn't get a chance to do any hiking. I'll tack in a picture or two of the spectacular view.

I spent one night in Byron Bay, the most easterly point in Australia. Byron is a very cool little surf town with a bohemian zest to it. It is popular with backpackers and Aussies alike. It was in Byron that I FINALLY got a picture of the rainbow lorikeet. A very brightly colored little parrot, it that seems to know when you're about to take a photo and does this fancy Houdini kind of a move to avoid being caught on film... or on disk... or whatever...

May 19-23: Fraser Island Adventures

2010-05-25T13:26:00.001+10:00

Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island. It is a 4-wheel-driving paradise, with a 75 mile sand beach, and incredible tracks through the deep forests. It was the last real adventure for Peaches the Pajero - my last shot at doing any real damage - after this it will be mostly highway driving.

You hop on a 30 minute ferry and presto, you're adventuring around the island. As a rookie 4 wheel driver, I took it pretty easy.

The island has several noteable features. My favorite was the wreck of the SS Maheno. It was a turn of the century luxury liner that was washed ashored during a cyclone in 1935 while it was being towed to Japan to be sold as scrap. The other is a bold population of dingoes. Usually a small and timid scavenger dog, the Fraser Island dingoes have grown accustomed to human contact. My buddy Ashley and his crew had their campsite raided on the first night, and lost all of their meat for the trip.

This marks an inflection point in my trip. From here I'll be doubling back over ground I've covered before. It officially marks the completion of my "lap" of Australia. I have a month left until my return trip to Canada, and I have to start thinking about things like selling my truck, getting a job, and sorting out what I want to do with my life. It is bittersweet. The past 5 months have been such an incredible adventure - I'm looking forward to seeing everyone from back home... and to my next adventure :)

May 14-18: The Whitsunday Islands

2010-05-25T13:25:00.000+10:00

The Whitsunday Islands are a chain of islands of the coast of eastern Australia which sit between the middle section of the Great Barrier Reef and the mainland. It is a very popular tourist spot, as sailing ships leave Airlie Beach out to tour the marine-life rich waters and unspoiled beaches.

I did a 2 day, 2 night tour on a boat called Wings 2, a giant catamaran. It looks like a pretty serious sailing maching, with all the obligatory ropes and pulleys. But in the 2 days, we sort of just drove around as the sailing conditions weren't really windy enough to move the huge boat.

Whitehaven beach is particularily spectacular, as the fine white sand swirls in the shallows to make swirling shapes. We caught it on a cloudy day. It is often named one of the top ten beaches in the world.

May 12-13: Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest

2010-05-25T11:52:00.004+10:00

Just north of Cairns is a World Heritage Site called the Daintree Rainforest. It is a quick 2 hour drive. My dinner team and I took an afternoon to wander through the forest and to check out the beautiful beach. Beaches in the area are heavily signed to warn people against crocodiles and jellyfish.

May 9-11: Scuba Diving at the Great Barrier Reef

2010-05-12T23:37:00.003+10:00

I have spent the last 3 days on a purpose built scuba diving boat cruising around selected sites diving the Great Barrier Reef. We did 11 dives in total, including 2 night dives. The second night dive was probably the most interesting. The captain was feeding the sharks off the end of the boat prior to our dive. When we came up we had reef sharks cruising by to check us out. I had an AMAZING time, and met some great people.

The last dive site we visited was easily the most spectacular I've ever seen, and I can't wait to get back in the water again. The photos don't really do it justice... they never really do...

Starting tomorrow, after roughly 2 months of driving in all three of the other directions, I'm finally headed south again - on the way to the Whitsunday islands.

May 5-8: Hello Cairns!

2010-05-12T23:36:00.001+10:00

Hello Cairns! I made it! I'm offically back on the east coast of Australia, ready to act like a tourist. I'm super pumped because a couple of the girls from the Uluru tour are also in town, which means I'll have a couple of people to hang out with... Monique and Jente are Dutch teenage backpackers - working their way across Australia in the year between high school and university. I decided to bunk in at their hostel which (not surprisingly) is filled with teenagers from all over the world. It is difficult to describe feeling both young and old simultaneouly. I'm enjoying this colorful and unexpected flashback to my past.

Monique and Jente and I have had a blast working as a dinner team - pooling funds to buy groceries and make dinners together. Our dinner team made a quick day trip out to Cape Tribulation, part of the Daintree rainforest. With lush vegetation and mangrove swamps, it is spectaularily different than every other part of Australia I've seen so far. But stay off the beaches... there are crocodiles nearby!

Tomorrow I'm headed on a 3-day diving tour of the Great Barrier Reef. I'm trying hard not to contain my excitement - this is one of the big reasons I decided to come to Australia.

As I'm laying in a hammock on the coast in the Australian tropics, I'm starting to yearn for the predictability of sleeping in my own bed. After 4 months and a half months away from home, I'm starting getting used to the idea of heading back.

For those of you who are moms (most especially mine),
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

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May 2-4: The road to Cairns

2010-05-12T23:35:00.000+10:00

Between Darwin and Cairns is another 2500km of road. It is largely uninterupted highway driving, save for a big corrugated stretch of dirt track that tests your suspension and loosens your fillings all at the same time. I'm excited to report that once complete, I will only have another 3000km or so to go before I'm back in Sydney... To date, I've driven more than 25,000km in Australia.

Apr 28-May 2: Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks

2010-05-12T23:34:00.001+10:00

Just outside of Darwin are two of the Northern Territories most prolific parks.

I toured around Litchfield with Kaitlin whom I'd met on the Uluru tour and her friend Micah. Each wandering around with our giant cameras, we popped in to visit breath-taking waterfalls, and perfect naturally formed swimming holes.

After dropping them off in Darwin, I made my way through Kakadu park. Like Litchfield, it has some remarkable natural features, but the park is defined by the spectacular native art on the rock walls. It would have been easy to spend a week exploring all of the amazing walking trails.

One of the incredible rock photos below is a guy named Narbulwinjbulwinj who eats women after attacking them with a yam. Yep... a yam.

Apr 22-27: Alice Springs and Uluru

2010-05-12T23:32:00.002+10:00

I decided to make a quick trip down to see Uluru - formerly known as Ayer's Rock - a bourneheart stone in the red centre of Australia. It is a place of much cultural significance for the aboriginal people.

As opposed to the self-guided adventure I've been leading to date, I decided it would be fun to try to take the train there and join a tour... stopping for a quick helicopter tour of the Catherine gorge en route. For three days and two nights we visited the area around Uluru and did some hiking through King's Canyon. Save for the series of bedbug bites I picked up at the hostel in Alice Springs, this was a great way to get to know the outback and to meet some new people.

I rode the train back to Darwin with Joseph, a German guy who tests the steering in new Audi cars (this is a true story: he test drives cool cars for a living). Where did I go wrong? Maybe it is time for a career change...

Apr 19-21: Welcome to Darwin!

2010-05-12T23:31:00.001+10:00

Following my overly adventurous trip down the Gibb road, I was happy to hit paved highways again. I forged ahead to Darwin, in an effort to catch up with my Irish buddy Fergal for beers. After a week or so of social starvation, it was great to see a familiar face and enjoy a multi-party conversation.

My first order of business was to go see a crocodile jumping tour. Based on their stubby little legs, I hadn't imagined that crocodile were much good at jumping. The tour was about an hour long. You float up and down the Adelaide river and a guide hangs a giant pork chop out over the water. Next thing you know, a saltwater crocodile makes his (or her) way out next to the boat, and gets into position to leap for the pork chop. It has a bit of a circus feel to it... but it is impressive to see these fellas in their natural habitat.

Apr 15-18: Gibb River Road

2010-04-19T13:32:00.005+10:00

I have spent the last 3 days driving across "the Gibb".

It is a 600km stretch of highway from Derby to Kunnunura that shoots directly across the northwest corner of Australia. If you're going from Broome to Darwin, this is one of two routes available. Road conditions vary heavily over the course of a season. The road is currently only open to 4-wheel drive vehicles below 7 tonnes, because there is still quite a bit of water on the roads. It has been an interesting trip. My first night, I ran into a pair of dutch guys that I met in Exmouth. We had a couple of good laughs, due in part to the fact that I had forced them to take some mp3 audiobooks to help pass the driving time - including Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus.

Though the vast majority of the drive was remarkably uneventful, there are a couple of very noteable exceptions.

At the midpoint on the second day I hit a bump so big that it broke the mounts for my roof rack, sheering its feeble steel legs. The cage above, complete with full gas cans and huge spare jug of water came crashing down on the roof, giving the truck a somewhat appropriate set of battlescars to remember the trip.

The morning of the third day I came to a river. Up to this point, there had been a number of water crossings over small streams, creeks and floodways. The operating manual for the Pajero says she can safely cross something up to 60cm deep, so to this point the water crossings were more of a novelty than a concern. Until I came to the Durack river. It was there that I met a German fellow standing next to river driving a little all-wheel drive car... swearing in German. We inspected the river several times. I walked through the 20meter track I would drive and carefully measured the depth of the water. 58cm. Half of my engine would be submerged, along with the exhaust. After about a half hour of deliberation I decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a go. Worst case scenario, we could just push it through if I got stuck.

And I made it. The truck made a little wave when it hit the water, and I ambled along slowly in its wake trying to match the same speed. The German fellow held his breath the entire time. Once I'd crossed we tried to sort out ways to get his car across. He ended up turning around, guessing that the water would engulf the computer in his car, effectively parking it for good. Probably a wise choice...

But the real drama came when I came to the second river crossing. The Pentecost river is right at the end of the Gibb road. About 100 meters across, it looks daunting from the start. It doesn't help that there are "beware of crocodile" signs posted everywhere to keep you from testing the water. Previous reports I had seen had listed the depth of the river at 50cm, though it was tough to tell given the width. A very helpful Australian couple who had just crossed in the other direction decided to stick around with me in case I didn't make it.

If I decided I didn't want to cross it, I would have no choice but to return 500km in the direction I came and then go an additional 1000 km detour around the whole region.

I decided to risk it. The parting words of the helpful Australians as I left the west bank of the river were "If you get bogged, don't get out of your truck. There are crocodiles in the river. We'll go for help." Not exactly reassuring, considering the last sheep/cattle station was at least an hour back.

At the first quarter marker, the water was already well over the height of the hood of the truck. Instead of the rumored 50cm deep, this was more like 90cm in depth. I winced as I continued onwards in terror, dreading the possibility of an engine stutter. If the engine stalled I would be screwd. Trudging through the mucky water, jerking wildly as I bounced over the unseen rocks below, I could see water start to pour in around my feet from under the doors. Please keep going, please keep going. By the halfway point the hood was back above water, and truck was still plugging away. When I finally creeped out onto the east bank of the river, I parked for a minute to let the water drain from the truck and some of the adrenaline work its way through my system. I shouted a thank you across the river to my would be rescue team, and continued onwards. So far the truck seems to be running perfectly (or at least as well as it was running before) save for one curious issue... Instead of burning oil, the running engine smells like sugar cookies.

This is easily the most reckless and irresponsible choice I have ever made.
And oddly one of my proudest moments. What a blast!

Apr 13-14: Broome

2010-04-14T16:17:00.000+10:00

With just over 12,000 people, Broome is likely the biggest town I'll see in the month of April. I'm aiming to take a few days to psych myself up for a big decision.

There are 2 roads leading to Darwin.
- The Great Northern Highway
- The Gibb River Road

Cutting through the heart of the Kimberleys, the Gibb River road is supposed to be one of the last untamed adventures in Australia. It is currently open only to 4wd vehicles, though those restrictions relax in the dry season. There are a handful of river crossings required, along with a couple of steep hill climbs.

I am just on the cusp of the wet season and dry season, so my decision will depend heavily on the depth of the water, the weather forecast, and how brave I'm feeling when I hit the fork in the road.

Apr 11-12: Karijini National Park

2010-04-14T13:06:00.006+10:00

Tucked in the heart of the Pilbarra region, Karijini National Park is a national treasure. Deep rocky mountain gorges plunge into the earth, showered with cascading waterfalls, and punctuated with swimming pools of cold spring water.

As we push into the Australian fall, the temperature here as dropped to a sweltering 35 (gasp) degrees celsius. Every time I get out of the air conditioned truck, it feels like I'm melting.

Apr 5-11: Exmouth and the Cape Peninsula National Park

2010-04-14T13:05:00.004+10:00

Exmouth is the gateway to a series of campsites along the Indian ocean (kind of like Jasper is to the Rocky Mountains). There are a handful of different beachside locations up and down the coast, all of which give you immediate access to beach and the ocean. I spent my time at the picturesque Osprey bay.

This is a shared campsite, where you get to spend your time with a handful of other campers, and a small group of kangaroos. The first one to approach me was a female with a heavily laden pouch, who came up to me while I was sitting down and put her front paws up on my knee. How do you deny a pregnant mom food? I gave her a carrot. She and some of her family came to spend the next few days with me.

I spent HOURS in the water every day, happily snorkelling to and fro, examining all of the curious and wonderful things I could find. There were all kinds of fish, timid giant green sea turtles, and a pair of reef sharks. Swimming alone, 300 meters of the shore holding my tiny plastic camera, when I saw shark that was the same size as me, I decided to hightail it back to shore.

My time in the water caught up with me, and cut short my snorkelling adventures when I got an ear infection. It is probably for the best... I'm not sure I would have ever left this place.

Apr 4-5: Coral Bay

2010-04-14T13:04:00.003+10:00

I feel like I've been waiting my whole life for this precious handful of days. The Ningaloo reef is kind of like the little cousin of the Great Barrier reef, equally endowed but far more accessible. The snorkelling off the beach is world class, not to mention the fact that it is one of the few places where Whale Sharks are known to congregate regularily during the coral blooming season.

Whale sharks are the earth's biggest known fish growing to a full size of 18 meters, the size of a school bus. Unlike whales, they have gills and do not need to surface. They eat plankton and other tiny marine life, and are generally indifferent towards people.

I must admit I gagged just a little to hear that a whale shark tour was going to be $390. Choking a little, reminding myself it is a once in a lifetime experience, I decided to suck it up and go for a ride. For the price of admission, the boat takes you out to see, waiting for a small plane above to spot a whale shark. Once spotted, the captain immediately takes you to shark. Your group hops in the water somewhere in front of the shark. As the whale sharks comes past, you swim (more or less as fast as you can) alongside it for 2 to 3 minutes. Then boat scoops you up, and ferries you ahead of the shark again another couple of times. You also do a little bit of reef snorkelling before and after the tour... but really you are paying for about 10 minutes in total with the shark, who doesn't really care that you are there to visit with him.

It is worth every penny.

I got in the water the first time with a group of 11 other snorkellers. As the whale shark approached, our guide gave us a quick set of directions, and then we dunked our heads underneath and started swimming madly in the same direction in the open water before an enormous wall of green with white spots snuck in front of us. It was only 30 seconds or so before he started to dive and we lost sight of him in the depths.

When we got in the water the second time the group was split so it was a more intimate team of six swimmers. Prepared for the exercise this time, I was thoroughly delighted to find that when I dunked my head underwater, the enormous whale shark was bearing directly at me, and I barely had enough time to get out of its immediate path. I swam next to it for maybe 3 spectacular minutes until, utterly exhausted, we gave up the pursuit.

My third dunk was more hilarious than adventurous. Based on the choppy conditions, I think I drank about 3 litres of salt water through my snorkel. Laughing, swimming, choking, and still swimming at full speed, I was determined to make the most out of my precious whale shark time.

It is such a magnificent and splendid creature, peaceful and serene. With better publicity, these guys would easily restore the broken reputation of sharks everywhere. I met some great people, I saw a huge shark, and I even got some exercise. Just another amazing day in Australia.

Apr 2-3: Monkey Mia

2010-04-14T13:03:00.003+10:00

I've been trying to do as much of the trip as possible on personal recommendations as opposed to sorting through all the various promotional devices. Upon asking Western Australians about spots to visit on my way through, I was surprised to hear several people tell me to skip Monkey Mia. As part of Shark Bay it is part of a World Heritage protected area, where you can visit a living working colony of stromatalites.

There was no way I was going to miss the stromatalites. A thin layer of cyanobacteria just under the surface of the water, these organisms are the first living things we know of on the earth. They perform a primitive sort of photosynthesis and are responsible for converting our atmosphere from being primarily noxious and to oxygen laden. This is one of the only places in the world you can see a living colony of them. As they die off, their bodies calcify and produce these lumps of stone in the water, often likened to cauliflower.

On a slightly more popular note, that put me within an hour of Monkey Mia about an hour before sundown, making it one of the only reasonable spots to camp for the night. I decided to park there to see the morning dolphin feeding. Every morning, a group of wild dolphins come in to shore to visit with the tourists. Despite my reservations and the anti-recommendations, I'm glad I stopped.

Mar 27-Apr 1: Perth

2010-03-28T22:52:00.005+11:00

I finally made my way to Perth. This will be the last big city I see for about a month. My first night here, I met a fellow named Billy who was staying two campsites over from me. Billy, a former fisherman had slightly more teeth than fingers, thick glasses and had constructed what he called "the Taj Mahal" - a veritable tarp palace - where he had been staying for a couple of months. Recent storms through Perth have caused an estimated $300 million dollars. The Taj Mahal was unaffected. We had a beer and some laughs, as he told me all about the places I should be visiting over the next few months.

Later I got a chance to meet the Impeys - friends of friends from back home. I was nice to hear some Canadian accents, and to get to know some new friends.

I'll be somewhat less accessible over the next few weeks, as I make my way through and into the bush up towards Darwin. This is the part of the trip I've been looking forward to most, snorkelling off the Ningaloo reef and diving with Whale sharks. I'll post something as soon as I'm able.

Mar 25-26: Bunbury to Rockingham

2010-03-28T22:50:00.004+11:00

On my way north towards Perth, I made a couple of pitstops. The first was at Bunbury, where you can watch the dolphins come in to feed. Unfortunately, I got there a little late and missed the show. I did, however, run into Fergal, one of the fellows from the wine tour two days prior... in fact, the fellow with whom I shared the Witchetty Grub experience. It is hard to describe how strange it feels to run into someone you know, when you are on the other end of the world.

I made my way to Rockingham and met up with John and Leony, whom I had met a week earlier on the Nullarbor. They decided to take me out to the town's best pub... the Swinging Pig (in Rocking-Ham... clever...). They had just bought a new house and I had the distinct honor of being their first official house guest.

Mar 23-25: Margaret River

2010-03-28T22:44:00.004+11:00

After driving between 6 and 12 hours a day almost every day for the last two weeks, I decided I had earned a break. I was starting to go a little batty without social interaction, so I decided to stop in at a hostel to meet a few new people.

Hostel can mean anything. It could be anything from simple or plain, up to rat-infested or party crazed. I bunked in at a place in downtown Margaret River - the only spot left was a single bunk in an 8-bed room share. Throughout the night, there was constant traffic in and out of the room, lights coming on and off until 4:30am. It was hilarious. 18 and 19 year old guys and girls, too drunk to see, giving each other life advice. There was even a little bit of romance going on the bunk below me. The first alarm clocks went off at 5:00am, as berry pickers got up for the early shift. While I didn't get a solid night's sleep, I would still score this place high based strictly on entertainment value.

The wine tour the next day was stellar. Loads of great people, and some lovely wines. At lunch time, I was one of two lucky souls (readin: one of only two volunteers) who got to try a witchetty grub which tastes surprisingly nutty. Good times had by all :)

Mar 20-23: Esperance to Albany

2010-03-28T22:40:00.002+11:00

Esperance is home to some of the more picturesque beaches in the country. The beaches are sheltered by a set of small islands, covered in pristine white sand, and are blessed with calm waters. Pity, my time in Esperance was primarily marred by scattered showers. I took advantage of the downtime to catch up on my reading.

Eventually I made my way down towards Walpole to visit the Tall Trees exhibits.

Mar 19: 4x4ing to Wave Rock

2010-03-28T22:36:00.006+11:00

I have a GPS system that I've nicknamed Carmen the Garmin. Carmen has been good to me. Especially helpful in big cities, she seems to know the way most everywhere, can find most anything, and rarely leads me astray.

Except today.

The road to Hyden from Norseman is a wide gravel road, heavily corrugated with loose rock. Huge road trains (trucks pulling two or three huge trailers) fly by at full speed, showering you with an impenetrable cloud of red dust that makes the road temporarily invisible. Somewhere along this dodgy - but relatively good road - Carmen decided to lead me down a shortcut. I use the term shortcut loosely. She suggested I make a left turn off the gravel road onto two tire tracks leading directly into the bush.

Peaches the Pajero (my semi-reliable truck) got her first real taste of 4 wheel driving. Confident that Carmen would steer us right, I veered off road and shifted into gear. We went through sand tracks, across a dried up salt-lake bed, and through several small sets of bushes before rejoining another dirt road roughly an hour later. Save for the strong smell of burning that I have yet to identify, it was a successful adventure.

The Wave Rock was awfully impressive. Whether it was worth the 500km detour is debateable... but it does make for some fun surfing photos.

Mar 17-18: The Nullarbor!

2010-03-28T22:29:00.007+11:00

Driving across the southern end of Australia, travellers invariably have to cross the Nullarbor Plains. Famous for having few trees and exceptionally straight roads, it makes for long and uninteresting driving. The driving isn't exactly tough - the hardest part is paying attention.

Doing the drive alone is particularily unsafe. I had prepared myself for the trip with a handful of audiobooks. I got a chance to listen to:

A Short History of Nearly Everything (kept me in it for 8 straight hours),

A Brief History of Time (worst reader ever),

the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (always good for a laugh) and

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED).

I found the last one so interesting that over the course of my three day crossing, I listened to the hour and a half episode 6 times.

There were two highlights of the trip worth noting.

First, I met John and Leony, a South African couple who live near Perth who were returning from a motorcycle tour of Tasmania. I planned to meet up with them later as I toured through to Perth. Second, while stopping in the bush to see a man about a horse, I came across a shingleback (or pine cone) lizard.

Mar 15-16: Tastes of the Outback

2010-03-28T22:27:00.004+11:00

I decided to head up to the Flinders Ranges, an outback mountain range on the southern end of Australia. It was my first real experience with the interior... the red dirt, and the pounding heat. I spent a couple of nights in Hawker, and did a really interesting hike up through a place called Wilpena Pound. "The Pound" is a rock formation that looks a little like a mountain that was hit by a meteor - it is a ring of mountains that circle a shallow valley.

This was my first experience with Australian flies. More persistent than the ones back home, these guys will swarm around you looking for any sort of moisture. They will land on your mouth, go in your nose, even land on your eye. Over the afternoon of the hike, I managed to trap two flies accidentally: one between my ipod earbud and my ear, the other up my nose.

Mar 14: The eventual and inevitable blog update

2010-03-14T23:52:00.004+11:00

After 6 weeks of dragging my butt, and taking shorthand notes, I've finally dedicated a day to updating the blog. It has been a quiet and lazy day as I toured the downtown core, parking myself in public parks to tap busily at the mini netbook computer until my battery would die... then charging it up before repeating the cycle.

Here is the (very loose) plan from here forward:

- Adelaide to Flinders Range [Monday]
Nice hiking in the neighborhood... might as well stop :)

- Flinders Range to the Nullarbor [Tuesday]
The Nullarbor is the straightest road in the world. Imagine if Saskatchewan road builders got to build the Yellowhead between Edmonton and Winnipeg. It takes three days to drive safely. Surrounded by empty desert, the most common accident is people falling asleep and just veering off the road. Sometimes they continue driving for several minutes before they wake up and realize they are off the road. It will be three long days of concentrating very hard on holding the steering wheel absolutely steady. Better swap up the music on the ipod. Maybe this would be a good time to listen to my "learn spanish" lessons.

- Nullarbor to Perth [for 5-10 days]
- Perth to Broome [for 20-30 days]
- Broome to Darwin [for 10-20 days]
- Darwin to Cairns [for 10-20 days]
- Cairns to Sydney [for 10-20 days]
- Sydney to Edmonton [for 1 very long day]

Hope you are enjoying the blog :)

Mar 13: Sweet Adelaide

2010-03-14T23:49:00.004+11:00

I have made my way to Adelaide. Based on first impressions, I think Adelaide might edge out Hobart as my vote for prettiest city in the country. Melbourne and Sydney are both exceptional - don't get me wrong - but Adelaide is smack dab in the middle of the wine region, has some great historical structures, and still maintains the small city feeling.

I woke up parked at Maslin beach for the night, and whimsically came to the conclusion that I live in a truck down by the ocean... not at all unlike the proverbial man in the van who lives down by the river. Who'd have guessed? :)

Mar 12: Great Ocean Road... day 2

2010-03-14T23:44:00.005+11:00

Continuing up the coast there are more stellar looking rock formations and more impressive coastline bits.

I think I've put about 7,000km on Peaches the Pajero now. She trundles along happily, except on the steep uphill sections, where tiny droplets of escaping oil from the rear motor seal roll down onto the start of the exhaust pipe. If I stop the car at the top of a hill, and crack the hood I am rewarded with a satisfying stream of dissipating black smoke. While originally worrisome, it is starting to make me laugh. No matter how often I check the oil, the level is barely dropping... which seems to imply that the problem is superficial. Based on the parts involved I don't think there is even a remote chance I'm doing damage. It is times like this I wish I knew more about cars. And women. Perhaps the second topic better classified as an ongoing opportunity for learning.

Mar 11: Great Ocean Road

2010-03-14T23:42:00.003+11:00

Somewhere between in the middle of the road beween Melbourne and Adelaide is a stretch of highway titled the Great Ocean Road. One of the most famous viewpoints is called the 12 Apostles, where the limestone formations jut out of the ocean.

Pretty fancy. Nice work Mother Nature.

Mar 10: Crossing into and out of Melbourne

2010-03-14T23:40:00.003+11:00

I'm in Melbourne again today. I got a chance to pop in to see Leah and Will, and their brand new baby Hugh. I met them only a month and a half ago, when Leah was 8 and 3/4 months pregnant. It is so incredible to see what can happen in 6 weeks.

I also got a chance to meet one of Mick's buddies, who also goes by the name Mick. He was a wonderful host, giving me a great place to crash, and providing some stimulating conversation over morning coffee.

Mar 9: The "plan"

2010-03-14T23:37:00.002+11:00

My general plan (which is probably generous nomenclature) has always been to do a lap of Australia. I wanted to go clockwise to hit the best seasons in each region. The van flipping was a small set-back, and I've got some time to make up if I want to complete my tour... so I'm aiming for Melbourne, then Adelaide, and then Perth. Once I hit Perth I will be more or less back on track, and I can explore the west coast at a leisurely pace.

But today, I'm aiming to get close to Melbourne... stopping of course to see the Big Merino.

Mar 8: Domo Arigato, Mr Roboto

2010-03-14T23:36:00.002+11:00

Bright and early monday morning, I made the trip to see Steve the mechanic. This is the fourth time I've seen these guys... The guys at the shop all know me by name now. I show up at the door, asking if they miss me yet, noting that everyone shakes their head when they see me.

Steve addresses one of the three main oil leaks, nodding grimly that maybe it will be smarter to drive it carrying a gallon of oil, filling it up periodically than to rip out the engine to fix the other two.. He chuckles as he applies a sealant to the outside of the main oil seal... might work... might not... but it can't hurt...

The afternoon was a nerdy highlight of the trip. For those of you who are under the mistaken delusion that I'm cool, this would be a good section to skip. Oscar invited us to the robotics lab at the University to have a look at his project. He runs experiments with underwater robots surveying the ocean floor. He also let us peek at some of the other robots the other smart kids are playing with.

Mar 7: Sunday Sessions

2010-03-14T23:32:00.005+11:00

There is some casual drinking lingo that Australians use that is important to pick up if you're planning to visit:
Shout - a round of drinks
Chunder - spewing chunks
Sunday Sessions - hitting the patio on Sunday afternoon

Back home, we have so few really perfect summer days that the patios are jam packed anytime the sun is out. In Australia, the sun is always shining, so instead of just getting drunk every day, everyone agrees to congregate Sunday afternoons. I'm not sure if it is an after church kinda deal... based on the dress code overall, I would guess that is not the case. Maybe it is related to political houses being "in session"... who knows...

In any event, if you are for some reason stuck in Manly for a Sunday afternoon you should definitely observe the cultural phenomenon that is Sunday sessions down at the Wharf Bar.

Mar 6: Triumphant return to Sydney... 8th time is the charm

2010-03-14T23:27:00.004+11:00

I squeaked into Sydney on Saturday evening, just in time to hit the North Curl pool as the sun was setting.

Oscar and I met up with a couple of his buddies, Kev (the Mayor of Manly), and Brian (the Beast). On the way to meet up with them we made an obligatory stop at the liquor store. I insisted we buy some Fosters, since it was the FIRST TIME I SAW IT IN AUSTRALIA. When we actually got to the party, people insisted on taking pictures of the Canadian drinking Fosters, noting that they "didn't know you could still buy Fosters", and wondering if I had "checked the expiry date on the bottle".

Starting from my first flight in... this is now the 8th time I have been to Sydney.

Mar 5: Back on Schedule

2010-03-14T23:25:00.001+11:00

Eager to get back to my original plan and escape the unlikely coastal rain showers, I decided to aim directly for Sydney. It would mean a lot of driving: 12 hours in total.

The one place I stopped on the southern tour that I missed going north was Byron Bay. It is easy to see why it is popular. Stellar beaches, and a comfortable "I can wear flip flops everywhere" kind of feeling, Byron Bay is definitely a place I will make a point of seeing as I complete the full lap.

Mar 4: Brisbane... the Edmonton of Australia

2010-03-14T23:24:00.001+11:00

Brisbane is often named Australia's fastest growing city. It reminds me a lot of Edmonton. It is a blue collar town, with an undeniable natural beauty, coated by the sweat of hard work. I toured around for most of the day, quietly enjoying the drive up the north coast of town.

Mar 3: Pineapples and other fun topics

2010-03-14T23:22:00.003+11:00

The odds against finding rain on the sunshine coast are rougly the same as drawing a deuce from the deck... but my luck in Caloundra had finally run out. Amidst some low scattered showers I trundled over to the see the Big Pineapple and the Glasshouse mountains on the way to Brisbane.

Mar 2: Back at the Ranch...

2010-03-14T23:20:00.001+11:00

Back at the Sunshine coast, I lucked out and managed to cross paths with Auntie Gaylene and Uncle Harry. Gaylene is my Dad's younger sister. They happened to be in Australia for a wedding for some close friends of theirs. I popped over for a lovely dinner, where the friendly version of hell's kitchen cranked out an incredible feast.

It was great to see some familiar faces... and to make some new friends.

Mar 1: Great Barrier Reef

2010-03-14T23:15:00.009+11:00

The Spirit of 1770 is a twin hulled boat that can carry roughly 200 people out to the reef. They run tours every day. For $160 they will take you to and from Lady Musgrave Island, a coral atoll that juts out of the sea. The atoll had a channel cut into it in world war 2 when the navy considered trying to hide ships there to disguise them from radar. This little lane allows the boat to sneak through, creating a small and safe area for diving and snorkelling.

To say the boat ride out is a bit bumpy, is sort of like saying Edmonton gets a bit cold in the winter, or that Toronto has a bit of traffic... Every seat has two plastic barf bags in the seat pocket ahead, and the tour guide gives light-hearted but thorough demonstration on how to use them before the boat leaves harbor. I am pleased to say I managed to keep my food in me... though not before turning an awkward shade of green.

I'm not really sure I'll do a good job of explaining how I felt about snorkelling the reef for the first time. What do you say when you refer back to your life's todo list, and you check stuff off starting at the tippy top?

I spent about 3 hours puttering around in the water, probably the better part of it touring a turtle cleaning station, a nest shaped formation in the coral, the indentation created as green sea turtles come to rest while cleaner fish tidy off their shells over the course of hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.

Despite my liberal application of sunscreen. I did get a sunburn. It turns out that I have lost some weight since I got here, and my boardshorts have gone from snug fitting to loose. I burned myself a perfect belt-shaped ribbon starting from where the shorts should sit, down to where they in fact slip down to once I start swimming. Hard to complain about it too much :)

A little over 2 months into the trip, and I've completed all (both) of my objectives. I guess this means I've got 4 months left to relax, have fun, and work on my tan.

Feb 28: Searching for Sunshine

2010-03-14T23:14:00.003+11:00

Inspired by the demonstration the day before, and as per the instructions in the Lonely Planet, I decided to do our own little kayak tour of the bay. Sadly the camera batteries died mid-trip. Had they survived, I would be showing you photos of enormous homes, opulent sail boats, and action shots of our boat cruising effortlessly through the lake. Intead, you will have to use your imagination.

Checking the rather grim forecast up and down the coast for the next few days, I decided to aim for the only place that where they weren't calling for rain.

The town of 1770 has a population of 221 permanent residents. It represents the second place Captain Cook landed in Australia and takes its name from the year of the landing. While there isn't a lot to do in the town proper, it is the southern most point from which you can take a snorkelling tour of (drumroll please) THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.

Feb 27: Noosa!

2010-03-14T23:13:00.004+11:00

Noosa in the sunshine is quite spectacular. I took the afternoon to explore the town... from the fisherman's pier and the tourist boat rentals at one end, to the high-end shi-shi shopping and beach life on the other. I watched an impressive group of kayakers who powered their way in and out through the ocean currents repeatedly. Perhaps they were training for something... or maybe they were just showing off :)

Feb 26: Fun in Caloundra

2010-03-14T23:12:00.004+11:00

One of the things Caloundra is famous for, apart for the general sunny conditions, is the kite-surfing conditions. At the river mouth, just off King's beach, where the river meets the ocean and the currents collide there must have been 50 kite surfers flying off the waves, doing their best to do really dangerous looking tricks.

Enjoying the beach, it is important to take some obligatory jumping photos. With the SLR camera taking like 6 pictures a second, it is pretty easy to catch the very peak of a jump... It is kind of like creating an optical illusion. At the peak of the leap, it actually looks like I can jump. If only I knew a similar trick to make it look like I have my hair back...

Onwards to the highly celebrated Noosa.

Feb 25: Steve's Zoo

2010-03-14T23:09:00.004+11:00

Just a little north of Brisbane is the Australia Zoo, otherwise known as the Steve Irwin zoo. Though it isn't as large as its sister in Melbourne, it does have one feature that no other zoo can match. The crocoseum! Trainers coax animals to do all sorts of crowd-pleasing tricks. The most popular demonstration involves a crocodile leaping from the water to take food from a brave man's hand.

Eventually I made my way through Caloundra (pronounced Cull-ow-n-dra), a charming little beach town at the southern end of the Sunshine coast. The Sunshine coast is known the world over for getting a lot of sun (some 300 days a year).

If you happen to stop through make sure you test out the restaurant called "Something Blue" where the guy with the moustache who is the host, waiter, bartender, bus boy and general enthusiast teams up with the guy with the moustache who plays live music using only a guitar, a synth pedal and a library of popular hits such as Time After Time. You will never leave hungry. I submit that it is impossible not to have a great time at "Something Blue".

Feb 24: Surfers Paradise

2010-03-14T23:08:00.003+11:00

Mini east coast adventures continued as I made my way to Surfer's Paradise. Often described as a mini-Miami, this place is a hot spot for surfing and partying.

Feb 23: Coff's Harbor and the Big Banana

2010-03-14T23:06:00.002+11:00

And the driving tour of the East coast continues as I popped in to Coff's Harbor. Though it isn't especially famous, Coff's Harbor renowed for one thing... the Big Banana.

In fact, Australia is host to many "Big Things"
Wikipedia article

The Big Banana is commonly regarded as the oldest of the "Big Things". I'm not sure if that means it should be treated with a certain amount of reverance and respect, or whether it is socially acceptable to regard it with the ridicule it demands.

Feb 22: One leak, two leaks, red leak, blue leak!

2010-03-14T23:05:00.006+11:00

Monday morning, and I'm off to see the mechanic... this isn't exactly how I imagined spending my Australian vacation. It turns our the truck has an oil leak. Actually it has three minor oil leaks, two that are expensive to fix, and one that will be cheap. The budget option (preferrable choice for those of us with no income) is to buy a can of oil, drive the truck for a while, and see how fast its leaking...

I popped into Newcastle to take in some of the beach on the way up to Port Macquarie.

Feb 21: A little bit leaky

2010-03-14T23:03:00.009+11:00

With the future of the truck in doubt, I needed to start checking out other options. Options include, selling the truck to buy a new van, renting a van for the remainder of the visit, or just hopping a plane to Fiji...

But no matter how I looked at the problem, it made sense to wait to have my new friend Steve the mechanic look it over to let me know the state of affairs. It is times like this I wish I had more practical skills. Solving linear programming problems optimally doesn't look like it is going to help me out much in this situation.

Feb 20: Hunter Valley

2010-03-14T23:03:00.008+11:00

There are three major wine regions in Australia. The Hunter Valley is only a couple of hours north of Sydney, and seemed like a nice place to stop in as I plodded north towards some of the "beachier" areas.

As I pulled up to a lookout point, to get a nice view of the valley below, I noticed a non-trivial amount of smoke coming from under the hood... Looks like Steve was going to get another look at the truck afterall. I made my was back to Sydney. Fingers crossed it is just a little oil leak somewhere...

Feb 19: Sydney Beaches

2010-03-14T23:02:00.004+11:00

Touring of Sydney continued the next day, as I explored some of the famous beaches: Bondi Beach, and Manly Beach. I also visited one of the best kept secrets around: the North Curl pool.

I'm not sure if there is anywhere else in the world they build "rock pools" adjacent to the ocean. In this case, two of the sides of the pool are natural. The first is a giant cliff face; the natural escarpment around that defines this part of the coast. The other is an extension of the rocks that juts into the ocean, protecting swimmers from waves as they crash into it, washing new water into the pool, pushing out water previously trapped, continuously naturally cleaning it out. If you had to pick a pool to swim lengths, you would be hard pressed to find a place quite as special as the North Curl pool.

Feb 18: Playing Tourist in Sydney

2010-03-14T22:53:00.003+11:00

Somewhat resigned to the fact that I was already in the city, I decided to get to know Sydney a little better. On a rather lovely Thursday, I did a tour of the botanic gardens, and the Opera house, before hopping on a double decker bus tour of downtown. Much like Toronto, the city seems a lot smaller once you start to recognize big streets and major landmarks.

Feb 17: Does anyone else love Fruit Bats?

2010-03-14T10:13:00.004+11:00

Picked up the truck and went to the open air cinema. Upon picking up the truck Steve let me know that he had fixed everything he could find.... there was an outside chance there was still a little bit of oil leaking, and if I had a chance I should come back in a couple of days just so they could have a peak and make sure it was ok. I drove it away, hoping I wouldn't have to see them again.

The open air cinema is sort of like a cross between a drive-in, a tourist walk, and going to see a show. You watch a movie (in this case Sherlock Holmes) over the bay, with the downtown showcasing the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour bridge in the backdrop just as the sun finishes setting. The only drawback is the bats. There is a colony of some 40,000 fruit bats, with bodies the size of cats, and wingspans that must be 3 or 4 feet across. They are everywhere - and they occasionally swoop in front of the screen, or wiggle trees above, raining seeds and pods down on unsuspecting victims below. Contrary to most of the other movie patrons... I love the bats. Note to self, plan a day to get a better look at these guys.

Feb 16: Peaches gets an overhaul

2010-03-14T10:09:00.002+11:00

Today I was hoping to pick up the truck... but she wasn't ready.

When I bought the truck, I asked to have it inspected... to make sure it had a "pink slip" trying to use the local lingo. Unfortunately, this is different from a "green slip", which is different again from a "white slip". The "pink slip" was something to do with checking to see if it had seatbelts. Slips aside... Peaches is going to need some serious work, and is going to be in for a couple of days. Most of it is routine maintenance as opposed to damage.

Feb 15: Peaches get her first service!

2010-03-14T10:08:00.000+11:00

I am officially back in Sydney and the Pajero is going in for service.

She isn't exactly brand new, and I figure I'm going to find some quirks and kinks that need to be worked out... better to know about them before I get on a road. Victoria's brother Steve is a mechanic, and has offered to look over the vehicle.

Feb 14: Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-03-14T10:07:00.003+11:00

Happy Valentine's Day! It is another blustery day in the Blue Mountains. On Mei's suggestion, I've decided to check out the Jenolan caves. This tourist attraction is a series of walks, guided and unguided through incredible natural caves through the heart of the Blue Mountains. It boasts enormous chambers with stellar natural formations made as the limestone is slowly disintegrated by water from all directions.

Of all the things I've seen in Australia so far, this is the least expected and one of the most thought provoking. It feels a little like some sort of junior high school science field trip. In the photo you can see one rock formation that looks like a caterpillar. This is a stromatalite formation, created by some of the oldest "living" creatures in the world. They are sort of a single celled slime that are believed to be largely responsible for creating the atmosphere... the rock is a waste product, built up over thousands of years. This is one of maybe 3 places in the world you can see them in action!

Feb 13: Katoomba

2010-03-14T10:03:00.004+11:00

It is foggy, and raining... Instead of long nature walks, we were relegated to wandering the streets of Katoomba, a tiny little tourist town in the heart of the Blue Mountains. We had a lovely afternoon, wandering the streets, taking it easy, and enjoying the scenery.

I drank a cup of coffee. It might be the first time I've had a coffee in ten years. I asked the waitress for "tap water", and I think she misheard me, with my wacky Canadian accent. She brought be a "flat black" instead. Five heaping spoonfuls of sugar later, and I had moved to the dark side. For now.

Feb 12: Truck conversion

2010-03-14T09:59:00.002+11:00

It seems that no matter how far you go, you can't seem to escape paperwork. I spent the morning collecting registration and insurance for the Pajero. In a strange twist of irony, I get a multi-vehicle discount on insurance, because I've still got the van insured, and I still qualify for a no-claims discount because the claim writing off the van hasn't gone through yet. I am careful to point this out, because I want to make sure there is no chance that I will have a potential insurance claim voided in any way... But they smile and nod, and proceed. No holes in that system...

The day gets more fun as I start ripping out truck seats, and building a bed frame. After a couple of hours, some help from Matt, and "longneck" bottle of beer (750mL) we complete v1 of the bedframe. It isn't something that will stand the test of time, but it should hold out for the weekend.

Eager to give the bed on wheels a go, I scurried out to the Blue Moutains to enjoy some peace and quiet out of the hustle and bustle of the city.

Night 1 in the Pajero (roughly the size of a Nissan Pathfinder or Toyota Forerunner) was good. It is more cramped than the van, but will be just fine for one person.

Feb 11: Vehicular Swapping

2010-03-14T09:57:00.000+11:00

The truck is officially ready for pickup. I go to find her and pickup a foam bed on the way home. I say goodbye to the Marla Magna, and get ready to start converting Peaches the Pajero.

Feb 10: Beers on the Patio

2010-03-14T09:56:00.001+11:00

Now I've essentially gone about a month without booze (which is probably why I feel so fantastic). I haven't sworn off drinking by any stretch, it is just that I have been living healthy.

But it is a warm summer day. I am enjoying the sun.
And Matt has invited me for a beer.
And I don't have anything to do.

I can't remember the last time beer tasted this good.

Feb 9: Sydney Fishmarket

2010-03-14T09:55:00.000+11:00

I have a couple of days to pick up the truck, so I've got a chance to explore a little bit. I spend the afternoon with Ken, Victoria, Marcus and Gemma (whom you may remember from my very early days in Sydney).

After a quick swim, we went for sushi near Pyrmont, and then they gave me a latenight tour of the famous fishmarket across the street.

Feb 8: Van shopping... day 2

2010-03-14T09:51:00.002+11:00

I made my way across the city to visit a place called Arncliffe. It is a bit of a hike from Manly, but it is jam-packed with used-car dealerships.

Though I am most interested in finding a van, I would be pleased to find anything that has enough space to sleep in, and air conditioning. Long drives are intolerable if you have to sit and stew in a puddle of your own sweat.

Enter the Mitsubishi Pajero, a 4x4 with a long wheel base, meant for passenger transport, so it is built with a driver in mind - as opposed to the typical utility van conversions which are built entirely around practicality instead of comfort. I found a fellow selling a Pajero, who was willing to take the Tasmanian Magna on a trade. And it was a bargain... maybe too good a deal...

[note: I was later informed by Chilean born Oscar, that in Spanish, Pajero means wanker. This should have been my first warning]

And so today, I bought my third Australian car in a month.

Feb 7: Van shopping... again...

2010-03-14T09:48:00.001+11:00

I am finally back in Sydney, getting ready to shop for vans again. This time, I have a few days on my hands, and I've got a car to get me from place to place. Day 1 of van shopping had me stopped at a place called Kings Cross, a notorious backpacker hangout - where potential van sellers park their cars up and down Margaret Street and wait patiently as passers-by come to inspect their temporary homes. Since van-camping across Australia is so popular, there are always quite a few people looking to sell.

It is a nice change from dealing with car salesmen.
It would be nicer if the vans were in better shape.

Today I realized exactly how lucky I had been to find Trusty Rusty. She was a gem of gems in this lot of recycled and beat-up work vans. Despite her many dents and flaws, she was mechanically invicible, and a youngster at a mere 11 years old.

I will have to test out other options tomorrow.
And go see more vans! (the exclamation point is me trying to muster up some enthusiasm about shopping)

Oscar, Matt and Anna have been very kind to offer to let me stay for as long as it takes to sort things out. With a house one street off the popular Manly Beach it is very hard to say no. I feel lucky to have met such wonderful people.

Feb 6: Driving with Lou Rawls

2010-03-14T09:47:00.001+11:00

Unlike Trusty Rusty, the Magna does not have a tape deck. It has a CD player. My ipod adapter is a old school tape adapter... so I can't listen to the sweet sounds of motown today. Desperate for some music to breakup the day long drive from Melbourne to Canberra, I decided to buy a CD from a local gas station.

There was a fun barbecue place in Toronto called Lou Rawls that made barbecue and played live jazz/soul music. When I spotted a CD at the gas station I had to give it a test run. Lou is sort of like a cross between Barry White and Stevie Wonder. Getting the CD into the CD player was easy. To my dismay, it took me the better part of a day and a half to find the pin sized button on the top?!? of the receiver to figure out how to get the CD out. So just in case it is helpful at parties or karaoke, I am now pleased to note that I can sing word for word, the collected works of Lou Rawls.

Feb 5: Marla the Magna

2010-03-14T09:44:00.000+11:00

Marla, the Mitsubishi Magna is amazing. It flies up hills, and cruises easily along the open roads. I made it across Tasmania to the ferry without incident. The ferry ride will take the better part of the day, starting at 6am, inching along to arrive in Melbourne at a leisurely 6pm.

Today is a good day to catchup on some of R&R... reading and writing :)

Feb 4: New plans

2010-03-14T09:42:00.002+11:00

With no van, I am somewhat sensitive about the progress of my trip. This is probably the first time I have felt stress in the last month. No big deal... I will rent a car, drive my stuff to Sydney, and find a new van.

At least that was the plan.

I spoke to every car rental company I could find. None of them would let me take the car out of state, let along all the way to Sydney. I needed to come up with another solution.

So I bought a car. For $900, I bought a 1994 Mitsubishi Magna Executive. I think I will call her Marla the Magna. This is the first car I've ever owned that came with tinted windows and a spoiler. With just over 350,000km, she wasn't exactly brand new. But I wasn't going to ask her for much... just to get me up the coast.

My second car in 6 weeks.
The adventure continues.

Feb 3: The Flip

2010-03-14T09:40:00.003+11:00

Tasmania is the sort of place you would imagine if you were thinking up fairy tales. It has deep lush forest filled with huge, craggly old trees; jagged mountains made up of huge boulders and steep passes. There are waterfalls at every turn, a diverse range of wildlife, and a wild part of the sea known as the roaring 40s, where waves of 20m have been known to crash along the rocky shore. It is inspiring, natural, and breath-takingly spectacular.

I was on my way from Wineglass bay to Launceston. There was a steady stream of rain, the sort you expect from a low flow shower head. Not enough to cause concern, but just enough to keep your windsheild wipers on all the time. I had been driving for about an hour. The road was narrow and windy. I was making my way through vineyard country, a relatively new industry in this perfect pocket of sun, mountains, and mist.

As I came around a bend to the right, I could feel the back tires start to slip out from behind me. This is mildly ironic, since I had noted earlier that morning that most vehicles back home had moved away from rear wheel drive in order to limit skidding and sliding on the ice. The road was some sort of asphalt... it was greasy, or oily... not at all unlike the conditions of a Canadian winter. The paved section of the road ended at the edge of my lane... As the skidding tires touched the gravel, the vehicle was immediately kicked into a fishtail.

I wrestled with the van, struggling to keep it in my lane and out of the oncoming traffic. I switched directions three times, swerving hard to the right, hard to the left, and then hard to the right again. Three oncoming cars drove past, as I careened out of control. As I slowed down, I felt the van swing out perpendicular to the road... and I rolled over. It seemed like it was happening in slow motion. The van touched down on its side, and then rolled to a stop on its roof across both lanes of traffic.

I hung motionless upside down, as my seatbelt caught me upside down like a fancy race harness. Panicked by the thought of being hit while helpless by some sort of semi-trailer, I immediately unbuckled my belt, turned off the engine, and kicked out my door; scrambling to the safety of the gravel ditch. I did a quick physical check... no bumps, no bleeding... not even a scratch. Obviously, this was not my time to go. Trusty Rusty had managed to keep me from harms way; giant bends in the roll bars above my head show just how close I came to sustaining a major injury. I have since decided that I am invincible. Looking back, the only trace of an accident was a minor bruise on my hip, where the seatbelt clung desperately to hold me upside down.

In retrospect, I have decided that the roof is the fourth hardest side to land on when rolling-over a Ford Econovan. The two easiest are the right and left side, which simply require you to tip the vehicle. Of course the hardest ones would include rolling it back onto its wheels, or somehow managing to stand it up on one of its ends.

Helpful passers-by were at my side immediately. One fellow came to check me out, the other started calling the police. A fellow with a giant 4x4 helped to coordinate the dragging of the van off the road, and flipping it right side up once again. After meeting with the police and then a doctor, I got a ride with the tow truck driver back to the state capital of Hobart.

I have always thought I was lucky. Not in a lottery winning sort of way... but kind of like there is someone looking out for me. I have never felt quite so singularily fortunate as when my car flipped and I walked away unscathed.

Feb 2: Wineglass Bay

2010-03-14T09:33:00.004+11:00

How would you like to start your day? How about a breakfast on the patio in the sun, tucked amidst blooming rose bushes and a robust garden, enjoying conversation with new friends about life. I met up with Isabelle and Olivier to pick up the aforementioned bike in Hobart. They invited me to stay for awhile, to rest, catch up, and enjoy the morning.

Bike in hand, I made my way to Wineglass Bay. Freycinet National Park is host to a couple of world class beaches. Wineglass Bay specifically has grown recently famous based on travels articles and the like. It is a 2 hour hike in and out to the beach, which makes it a little bit more exclusive than most. When I finished the walk, I found myself standing on a white sand beach with a grand total of 2 other people.

Today was the first time I picked up a hitchhiker. A French fellow wandering the highway was looking for a lift. I shared my lunch with him... and then dropped him off. I'm sure he won't be the last traveller I pick up along the way.

Feb 1: Trusty Rusty gets a checkup

2010-03-14T09:28:00.005+11:00

Today Trusty Rusty got her first checkup.

I decided after driving her 4000km, that I should take her in to visit with a mechanic. She got a few new plugs, a new oil filter and was diagnosed as being in stellar shape for her age... more than we can say for her owner :)

[as an aside: I classify all my cars as feminine based on the fact that they bring me heartache and cost me money. Previous cars have included Henrietta the Jetta, Deloris the Dodge, and Indiana (Innie) the Audi]

Just south of Hobart, I visited some of the rock formations on the Tasman peninsula. The Tasman Arch, and the Devil's Kitchen are variations on the same sort of rock formation - built as the water chews out a hole in the cliffs, through years of crashing against the rocks.

Jan 31: Hobart

2010-03-14T09:27:00.002+11:00

Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania, with around 250,000 citizens. It is large enough to have all the major amenities of a big city, but small enough to keep some small town charm. There are a couple of major tourist attractions that you absolutely have to see when you stop in Hobart.

1) The Salamanca Market: an old style market turned trendy.
Easily the coolest part of town, this area is down by the harbour in the centre of town. It boasts wine shops, pubs, tourist markets, and art shops. It reminds me a little of the Distillery District in Toronto.

2) Mount Wellington is a mountain that towers over the city. The tippy-top of it has a couple of great long walks where you can enjoy panoramic views of the city and the adjacent coastlines.

My personal highlight of Hobart was checking into my campsite at 10am, so that I could have a MUCH needed shower two mornings in a row.

Jan 30: Lake St Claire and the Tall Tall Trees

2010-03-14T09:25:00.003+11:00

The Lake St. Claire area is the exit point for the famous 6-day overland track hike. I took a ferry across the lake to the starting point of a trail and prepared for the 6 hour slog back to the car. It is a supernatural wooded area, with towering ecalyptus trees that reminded me just how small I really am. It is a magical kind of place. I took a couple of photos, but they don't do this very special experience justice. Though I do not consider myself to be a religious person, this might be the closest I've come to a holy moment in my life. Awestruck and sweat-soaked, I wandered onwards through the woods.

Eager to keep pushing along, I made my way to Mt. Field National Park, to see Russell Falls (no relation) and the Valley of Tall Trees, eventually ending up in Hobart.

Jan 29: Playpus Hunter Success!

2010-03-14T09:20:00.003+11:00

Strahan is community built around the pine industry. Or at least it was. The Huon pine tree is very special. It is made up of special oils that resist rotting, which made it exceptionally valuable to the ship building industry of the 1800s. A penal colony was set up on Sara Island to supply labor. As part of my day in Strahan, I did a boat tour up the Gordon River to see some of the remaining Huon pine forests, and to see Sara Island. To be sent to the penal colony, you needed to do something terrible... like get drunk in public, or show up to work late on a regular basis. So 200 years ago, there is a good chance, I (and most everyone I consort with... wihch probably includes you) would have ended up in one of these prison camps. There are a group of four national parks in Tasmania which collectively make up a world heritage site, preserved for the incredible natural parks, and the cultural remnants associated with the penal colony.

On the boat ride, I met a couple of Tasmanians, Isabelle and Olivier. Brother and sister, they are originally from Hobart and were on a sight seeing trip with their Dad. In a strange cosmic twist, Isabelle had a bike she wanted to get to Melbourne a week later... and I would be driving my van back to Melbourne a week later. Must have been fate. I planned to meet up with them later to pick up the bike.

I decided to spend my evening driving over to Lake St. Claire.

On my more or less impossible quest to see a platypus in the wild, I decided to do a night hike over to a place called Platypus Bay. Seemed like a good place to look :) And in the light of the full moon, off in the distance, I could see a tiny little log in the water, that disappeared under the water. Then it popped up every minute or so... which I'm told is the most anyone ever really sees of the platypus. Success! One of my two primary objectives crossed off the list.

And then, as a bonus, on my way back to the campsite, I came across a momma possum carrying around her nearly full grown youngster. Freeloader!

Jan 28: Montezuma Falls

2010-03-14T09:17:00.002+11:00

I decided to make my way towards Stahan, an old logging town for the famous Huon pine. On my way, I passed a place called Montezuma falls. It is a gentle walk through the forest to a spectacular 104m set of falls. The trail is built on an old set of mining rail track, which have since been overrun by nature (one for the good guys!)

This is officially my one month anniversary in Australia.
I think it is worth noting that this is the happiest and healthiest I've felt in years. I am enjoying every second of my time here, and I am so grateful for the chance to see this part of the world.

Jan 27: The Perfect Day

2010-02-25T10:05:00.005+11:00

Groggy and still half asleep, I left the ferry unsure of which direction to head. I had booked 9 days to explore Tasmania, but consistent with my adventure to date, I had no plan whatsoever.

I decided to turn right our of Devonport, aiming for Cradle Mountain. Cradle Mountain is saddle shaped, and ends up on all kinds of Tasmanian postcards. I have been hiking in several parts of the world... and to date this is EASILY my favorite. You scramble up boulders, heaving yourself up the hill. This is the first day of a 6 day bushwalk called the overland track - which is commonly regarded as a world class hike.

And as a special bonus, when I finished my hike, there was a "wombat walk" going on where I got a chance to learn more about the wombat. Did you know a wombat has a top speed of 40km an hour (humans top out around 35), and is the only marsupial with a pouch that faces downwards so that it doesn't fill up with dirt while they dig?

I ended my day parked at the side of a placid lake in the mountains. As I stood silently, listening to the sound of the fish jump, a little wallaby snuck up beside me to have a drink at the edge of the water. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Jan 26: Happy Australia Day

2010-02-25T10:03:00.004+11:00

Happy Birthday Australia. Today Australia turns 222, based on the date the colony of New South Wales was established as a penal settlement. I have decided to celebrate by visiting with one of Australia's most famous icons, the Koala bear.

The Koala reserve on Phillip Island is a great place to see Koalas in semi-wild conditions. Unlike birds or snakes, they are easy to photograph, as they are more or less sedentary. The Koala is not really related to the bear - it is instead a close cousin of the possum and the wombat (which looks like a giant hamster).

I got a rare chance to see the spectacular Melbourne fireworks from the sea, as Trusty Rusty and I boarded an overnight ferry to Tasmania.

There is a second reason to celebrate... though this one is strictly personal. Since I was a little kid, I have always bit my nails. I've tried a couple of different tactics to quit, but the nasty habit always seemed to re-emerge in times of stress. For the first time I can remember, I actually had to buy nail-clippers to trim my fingernails. While it might seem like a morbid and unsanitary point to highlight, I think it symbolically represents my own personal victory over the stresses of everyday life.

Jan 25: Phillip Island

2010-02-25T09:59:00.002+11:00

Eager to get back to nature, Will and Leah aimed me in the direction of Phillip Island. It is a small area, a little over an hour south of Melbourne, famous for its Koala Sanctuary, and its Penguin colony.

Every evening, just past dusk, the penguins line up on the water's edge, and get ready to make a break for the foliage at the edge of the beach. Nimble and quick in the water, but slow and unweildly on the land, crossing the sand beach is when the penguins are most vulnerable to predators.

It is a great experience to watch, very reminiscient of kids first earning to play sports. They huddle together in a crowd, and inch forward as a group. One brave penguin might make a break for it... only to turn back seconds later to rejoin the safety of the group. Eventually they summon the courage to inch ahead to the grassy knolls, where they meander through the tiny little paths in the rough tufts of grass to find their own little burrows. Unfortunately, camera use is prohibited on the tour, so I don't have any photos to share.

Jan 24: Australian Open

2010-02-25T09:55:00.005+11:00

As luck would have it, I happened to be cruising through Melbourne at the same time as the Australian Open. I played tennis as a little kid against older kids who would pound me into the court every Monday morning starting at 5:30am. Despite the emotional scarring, I still love to watch the game - and this was my first chance to see professional tennis live.

I spent the afternoon in a solo seat next to a wonderful Australian fellow named Paul, who spends his time writing new music. He is a former bar musician turned vocal coach. The tennis was great fun. I have never seen such a polite stadium full of people. There was no drinking in the stands, and all talking was kept to a quiet whisper.

For dinner, I met up with Will and Leah. We stopped for Italian food in the trendy St. Kilda area of Melbourne. Only days ahead of her planned delivery date, I don't think I've ever met a woman quite as pregnant as Leah. It was so wonderful to get to know the happy couple... just as their family is about to grow.

Jan 23: Melbourne Zoo... and the Platypus!

2010-02-25T09:52:00.003+11:00

Despite controversy over the social acceptance of zoos and the ethics surrounding them, I am a huge fan. In the past two years, I've visited the zoos in Calgary, Toronto, and San Francisco. The Melbourne Zoo is just as exceptional as the other three.

Though it is a touch smaller, what it lacks in size it makes up for with a choice few incredible Australian exhibits: the koala bears, and the platypus.

The koalas are at least as cute and cuddly looking as any teddy bear. They are slow and lethargic, sometimes sleeping as much as 20 hours a day. They move so mechanically, you would swear they were robotic, crunching on ecalyptus leaves and then dozing in and out of a perpetual series of naps. They seem to be the most peaceful of creatures.

The platypus is strange and curious. From an obscure Australian family of two animals called monotrenes (named because they have one exit point - the cloaca), they are thought to be a potential link between mammals and reptiles. They have a duck bill, webbed feet, a lush coat of fur and a beaver's tail. They lay eggs as opposed to bearing live young, and are one of the few mammals known to be venomous. This little guy is noctural, so the viewing is quite dark - making photography very difficult. He is very quick, and based on my observation, partial to doing clockwise circles in his giant aquarium. I watched him in two sessions, totalling about a half hour, and I don't think I saw him stop swimming once.

The zoo does have regular exhibits - with all of the amazing wonders of the animal kingdom you would expect. I took the opportunity to take out the SLR camera for the first time to give it a test run. I brought it all this way... might as well use it :)

Later in the evening, I met up with Will and Leah. Will is Ken's older brother. I had met him briefly in Sydney, and he offered to meet me for beers and to put me up for the evening.

Jan 22: Melbourne!

2010-01-22T23:36:00.000+11:00

So I completed the interim land based leg of my trip to Tasmania ending in Melbourne. My first day here has been far from exciting. I've spent most of my time trying to coordinate the upcoming couple of weeks - booking tickets to Tasmania, tickets to the Australian open on Sunday, and trying to sort out a place to stay in town. Note to self - when an international tennis tournament comes to town - book accomodation in advance! :)

Jan 21: Mount Oberon and the killer snake

2010-01-22T23:34:00.004+11:00

The Wilsons Point Promotory is incredible.
Wikipedia Entry
Alternate entry

It is a small peninsula, jutting out off the southern tip of the Australian mainland. It is entirely National Park space, so you need a park pass to stick around. I decided to a a hike to the summit of Mount Oberon, a 3 hour round trip walk on a gravel road that goes more or less directly uphill the whole way. The view from the top of the walk is impressive, and absolutely worth the uphill climb.

On the way down, the German girls ahead of me spotted a snake. I moved in to take a picture. I only learned later that night when I checked online that I had been face to face with a Tiger snake. You'll note from the photos that he has flattened himself out - which according to wikipedia, means that he was prepared to strike...
Wikipedia: Tiger Snake

This interesting (and mildy convoluted) website, has the tiger snaked ranked as the world's ninth most dangerous snake.
10 most poisonous / venomous snakes

This other site has him ranked 4th.
10 most venomous snakes

Maybe I should be a little more careful...

Jan 20: How I lost the use of both arms for two days

2010-01-22T23:33:00.007+11:00

Today was just as good as any other to try kayaking. Lake's Entrance is an easy place to test it out, because you are only allowed to rent kayaks on the lake (instead of the ocean). After my 20 minute rental of paddling around on a "paddle ski" I understood why they rent them out in 20 minute intervals. I am sure I will barely be able to move my arms tomorrow.

I made my way to Port Franklin, a base point for fishermen, giving me a short drive to the Wilson Point National Park the next day.

Jan 19: Who is Ben Boyd?

2010-01-22T23:33:00.006+11:00

I decided I was going to hunt down a beach to start my day with a swim in the ocean. I enterred Ben Boyd National park. The park is named after a interesting character who (as far as I can tell) swindled and cheated people until his disappearance in the early 1850s.
Wikipedia entry: Ben Boyd

I made my way to the beach to discover I was one of two people on the beach, the second being a middle aged Australian fisherman.

In either direction there was white sand, as far as I could see. They call is 7 mile beach. Because is it 7 miles of beach. I respect the descriptive simplicity of whoever it was who named this place.

I puttered up the coast to a place called Genoa, the first place I saw the famous Black Swans. From there I made my way to Lake's Entrance, famous for being the start of the 90 mile beach.

Jan 18: South!

2010-01-22T23:32:00.003+11:00

Another day, another swim in the ocean.
Today I'm going to start my big trek South. I'm determined to get to Tasmania in the first part of my trip, while the weather is still hospitable. As the southern most part of the country, it sees swings in temperature much more comparable to Canada than most of the rest of the mainland. It is supposed to be a natural paradise, with all kinds of wonderful hiking and walking...

I still don't really have a plan. There are no particular dates I'm trying to hit - just places. I figure I'll drive for a while tonight, and stop when I find a place worth stopping at.

This plan proved to be a little looser than required. I ended up driving until past dark, and twice nearly hit kangaroos. My first real sighting of the full-side cousin of the Wallaby about 3 feet away in the next lane over, as I was doing about 100km/h.

I pulled over at a service road to a water damn - in the pitch black. I doubt there was another person for 10km in any direction. I looked up and I swear I've never seen so many stars. Instead of little pin pricks of light, they were in big patches and swaths, clearly forming clouds and constellations. It was awe-inspiring and overwhelming.

I reflected briefly on my time in Toronto... There is something comfortable about living in a little glas box high above the street, driving a cool car to a temperature controlled cubicle to sit in front of an awfully predictable computer monitor for 10 to 12 hours a day... Life seems so much more fragile and volatile when you stare up and can barely comprehend the limitless nature of the stars, that you can't see beneath the glow of the big city.

Jan 17: Movie in the Harbor

2010-01-22T23:31:00.003+11:00

I returned triumphantly to Sydney to see my good friends Oscar, Mei and Tom again. Mei had arranged for us to see the Open-Air cinema showing of "The Road". It is a dark and depressing movie, shown at a breath-taking and spectacular venue. You can watch a movie, on a screen over the harbor from the Royal Botanic Gardens overlooking downtown and the iconic Sydney Opera House. It was amazing... and totally worth the itsy-bitsy bit of back-tracking.

Jan 16: Kangaroo Valley...

2010-01-22T23:29:00.003+11:00

I've decided to make my way to a place called Kangaroo Valley. It reminds me a little of Canmore - super touristy - in an amazing natural setting. I stopped in at an amazing lookout point at Cambewarra lookout. You can hangglide from here (apparently) and they say that on a clear day you can see Sydney (200km away).

I took van to go see a nature hike with some waterfalls... I had some loose directions from the campsite supervisor, a shady map, and a pair of swim trunks ("After a steep climb, you'll come to a waterfall with a perfect little swimming hole") I ended up trying to do a couple of small water crossings through small creeks in the poor old van. She made out just fine, and didn't complain one bit. I turned back when I determined I had gone roughly twice as far as the campsite super had recommended.

I got caught in a downpour back at the campsite, but happily dry in Trusty Rusty, who doesn't seem to mind the rain at all. It was productive. Tonight I got a chance to get caught up on some of the blogging I've sorely neglected.

Ironically, I saw surprisingly few (read in: zero) Kangaroos.

Jan 15: The Amazing Minamurra Forest

2010-01-22T23:28:00.006+11:00

Day started with a swim at Blenheim Beach. I am disappointed a second time by the Kiama Blowhole, as I pass by on my way to the Minamurra rainforest: where I Saw my first Echidna, and beautiful waterfall at the end of a paved trail. I also saw a couple of Lyrebirds, famous for their ability to imitate sounds (like chainsaws and trains).

And then the evening took a turn for the weird. I stayed at a campsite in Nowra (which is not exactly a must-see spot on the tourist roadmap), and the owner, Bill, started out asking me about where I was from...

Me: Canada
Bill: Which part?
Me: Edmonon
Bill: Which part?
Me: The southside
Bill: which part?
Me (jokingly): Near Southgate mall
Bill: You mean the one of 51st Ave?

Turns out he coached rugby at my high school a couple of years after I finished. I'm pretty sure he knows my Uncle David... Small small world...

Jan 14: The Kiama Blowhole Blows

2010-01-22T23:28:00.001+11:00

I said my final goodbyes to the Wolskis, and made my way to Kiama to see the famous blowhole. What they don't tell you in the promotional material, is that the blowhole isn't all that exciting in low tide. In fact, it just looks like a giant hole in the rocks.

I made my way back to familiar old Blenheim Beach, where the water is clean, and the camping is easy.

Jan 12: Wollongong and the Wolskis

2010-01-22T23:27:00.005+11:00

Which is better, a morning that starts with a hike through the mountains, or a morning that starts with a swim in the ocean? Tough call... I was plodding through the mountains for the better part of five hours today. It reminded me of hiking back home, only it was just over 30 degrees and there were little lizards (and a couple of big ones) everywhere.

I spent my afternoon making my way to Wollongong, just south of Sydney. Crista, a good friend from university has been living here since graduating... and it happens that her sister Amy (one of my earliest dance partners) is in town at the tail end of a month long visit.

In fact, the entire Wolski clan is in town... Parents included.
We got a great chance to sit down and catch up.

Jan 13: Trusty Rusty gets a facelift

2010-01-22T23:27:00.004+11:00

Hazel and Marshall (Mr and Mrs Wolski) refused to let the van get rolling without a little help. I'm not sure if there is a class of "Professional motorhomers" yet, but if there were, the Wolski's would be top of the group. They have been at it for 30 years. Hazel sewed me curtains faster than it would have taken for me to measure them, while Marshall and I made short work of adjusting the back shelving to fit my little powered cooler

We now have refridgeration! in a tiny little beer cooler!
Next steps: wine racks, flat screen tvs, and a hottub.

Jan 11: Insurance and the inaugural drive... To the Blue Mountains and beyond!

2010-01-22T23:26:00.003+11:00

Step 1 - get van insurance.
Step 2 - get on the road.

I got insurance for the van and decided to take her for a little spin. I went up to the Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney. It was incredible. I have rarely seen so many perfect vistas along a single hiking trail. There are heaps of waterfalls, and all kinds of interesting wildlife. The signature view is a group of points called the three sisters.

I'm not sure why this part of Australia isn't more popular. It is close to Sydney, most of the hikes are easy walking trails... I'm chalking this up to the fact that there are less bikinis seen on the mountain than on the beach.

Jan 10: New day, new beach!

2010-01-22T23:25:00.002+11:00

Ken, Vic and Marcus took me across town to visit a new beach today called Maroubra. The three of them are on a Body for Life kick, so there is lots of healthy eating and exercise going on. It is awesome that they all live together and can support each other through the process.

As the day wound down, I started collecting van supplies. For anyone who knows me, I start in the tupperware aisle. I love plastic bins, totes, and especially the little screwtop jar style tupperware. Once sorted, I felt my obsessive compulsive disorder slide into remission, and I began to sort out my plan for the next few days.

Jan 9: Trusty Rusty... my not so brand-new Van!

2010-01-22T23:24:00.002+11:00

Today is van purchase day. I have withdrawn a giant pile of fancy, colorful, plastic, Australian money. Ken and I head over the bridge to Manly one last time, buy the van and get it registered. I get into the drivers seat, and utter Mick's Australian driving mantra (left, left, left) reminding myself which side of the road to aim for.

We spent the morning at Manly beach, enjoying a perfect Saturday - one of the first beautiful days of the holiday season.

Jan 8: Trusty Rusty rounds first base

2010-01-22T23:23:00.001+11:00

I have decided to pull the pin and take my relationship with Trusty Rusty to the next level. We're going to the mechanic today to have her inspected.

The mechanic says the van is in good shape, save for the dents and the rust. He also notes that the belt on the compressor for the air conditioner is wearing and should be replaced... at which point the guy selling the van says: that thing has air conditioning?

Sold!
Nothing beats 40 degree heat like AC.

I made my way back to the south side of the harbor, stopping at cash machines along the way, taking out as much money as a could...

I have slightly less respect for the banks than I do for the runny snot that freezes to the end of my nose when I ski... They find every possible excuse to shave a couple of points here and there; to carve another inch of your hard earned savings away for the priviledge of doing business with them. Why can't they charge a flat fee? Or offer exchanges as a service. If anyone ever puts me in charge of anything significant, you will see banks toppling the world over... oh wait... that's already happening isn't it? Sweet justice.

Jan 7: Mick's longest birthday so far

2010-01-22T23:22:00.007+11:00

After 10 days of chaperoning my sorry butt around his home country, Mick is heading home to Calgary. I am going to miss him dearly.

Based on his round the world ticket, Mick ended up flying home on his birthday. Most people get 24 hours to celebrate your birthday. But when you fly across the date line (mid-pacific), you get an extra day back. It is a touch confusing at first, but in this case: Mick left Syndey at 4pm on January 7. He landed in Calgary, 24 hours later, at 9pm on January 7. This means he got to have a 43 hour birthday. I hope he milked it on the flight home :)

I also hope that one day I can influence a school teacher to include this as some sort of a sneaky trick question on a math test... Two planes leave from opposite ends of the pacific...

In celebration of his birthday, Mick let me buy him a birthday pie, meaning a meat pie, topped with mashed potatoes and mushy pease, doused in gravy. Yum!

Jan 6: Newcastle to Sydney

2010-01-22T23:22:00.004+11:00

Another day, another swim in the ocean. I can't believe there are people who get to do this every day! Mick and I split up for the first time since I've been in Australia. Tomorrow he will be catching a flight home to Calgary. Ken and Marcus treat me to a night on the town, complete with train rides, unidentified pubs, and a good-old-fashioned headache the next day.

Jan 5: Canberra to Newcastle

2010-01-22T23:21:00.006+11:00

We made the quick jaunt from Newcastle to Canberra, stopping on the way to help me setup an Australian bank account, and get a 3G wireless card for the mini computer I've been dragging around. Now I can check my email anywhere I get a cell phone signal. I'm a little bit revolted by my own excitement...

We met up with a Browyn at the McDonald's on the way past Sydney. Bronnie is one of the few familiar faces I've now seen on opposite sides of the world. She does PR in Australia for the super food chain. While I wasn't a big supporter of Mickie Dee's back home, Maccas (as it is called) I certainly will be in Australia. Not only do they have a handful of smart-calorie options, they also offer free wifi connections.

Newcastle is Mick's hometown. Originally a coal town, it is home to an incredible set of beaches, and some of Sydney's wealthy weekend/retirement properties. In Newcastle we met Mick's parents, his sister, and his two nephews. It is easy to sort out how Mick turned out to be such good egg with such a great family.

Jan 4: War Museum, Portrait Gallery and the Parliament

2010-01-22T23:21:00.005+11:00

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. It was built specifically to be the capital city of Australia. It was built as a compromise, to appease strong public pull to have one of Sydney or Melbourne named the politcal centre. Though it seems mildly silly to settle that argument by building a brand new city and holding it in neither of the most likely locations, it would be mildly hypocritical for me to get all upset about it... since Ottawa is roughly halfway between Toronto and Quebec.

Situated somewhere near the middle of the two major centres, Canberra is a planned community. It feels a little like huge university campus crossed with a surburban planning. It might be the cleanest city I've ever visited. The lake, around which the city is built is artificial. The capital building looks out over the war memorial. Domestically it is known as the easiest place to get fireworks and pornography.

We spent our morning catching up on household duties. I saw my very first redback spider. A redback is a common and highly poisonous spider. It's bite can be lethal to humans if untreated. The scary part is that we saw it in the backyard! We weren't digging through uncharted jungle, or hiking through a remote mountain pass... this was on the screendoor!

Anyways - we spent the rest of the day touring.

We saw the war museum and the National Portrait Gallery. The war museum is great. It is educational, and it makes you feel like a little kid, with all kinds of weaponry and story telling, it reminds me of an adult version of show and tell. The portrait gallery is brilliant. They take some of the most famous figures in Australia (past and present) and showcase their likeness with works of art (usually paintings or scultures). In each case, there is a short biography of the celebrity. I wonder if we have something like this back home.

Our evening was marked with meeting Mick's brother, his girlfriend and their beautiful brand new baby daughter. It was also the first time I'd ever heard anyone call Mick "Michael".

Jan 3: Preliminary van shopping en route to Canberra

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Mick volunteered one of precious his days at home to help me shop for vans. We saw a handful of different options, most of which had 300K km on them - ranging in age from 10 to 20 years old. Driving a van across the country is not at all uncommon in Australia. There are a couple of dealerships that specialize in promoting deals specifically to backpackers. We stopped in at one such dealership, and met 4 other individuals selling vans.

This is the day we met Trusty Rusty the first time.

Trusty Rusty is a 1998 Ford Econovan. She has travelled a mere 150,000 km. Originally a workvan, she has been retro-fitted with a mattress and storage area in the back, perfect for the on-the-go carefree lifestyle of a modern day bohemian such as myself. Filled with charateristic dents, and rust patches, she is not without flaw. In fact, I don't think there is a panel on the vehicle that isn't somehow damaged. But her automatic transmission, low mileage, and second battery make her the nicest van we've seen so far.

I agree to sleep on the transaction for a couple of nights. In the meantime, Mick and I proceed directly from van shopping to Canberra.

Jan 2: Surf lessons and Van breakdown number 2

2010-01-22T23:19:00.002+11:00

I have never tried surfing. I've seen surfing in South Africa and Peru, but I've always been a little shy about learning. I guess we're all geared to guard against failure... especially the public variety. But with Mick and Oscar as the only other two people on the beach I agreed to have Oscar give me a private lesson. The only problem was that by the time the on-beach part of the lesson was over, most of the waves had passed.

We sure looked official in all our gear... but I think Oscar was the only one who managed to catch a wave or two before we had all swallowed enough seawater and decided to call it quits.

On the way home, our van, a 1978 Toyota Hiace pop top camper van, decided she wanted to have a little rest. On the way home from the beach, she stalled on a downhill. We pulled over and found ourselves in a similar predicament - unable to get her started. Our hero, the valiant Oscar plunged into the engine cavity headfirst again. We checked sparkplugs, we reconnected loose leads, and we banged on the airfilter some more. As we progressed, you could tell the battery was having some difficulty in turning over the starter... When she finally roared to life again, we wasted no time and made our way to a parts store to pickup a new distributor cap... hoping that it might help guard against future stops.