Half a year in the land of the kiwis

The latest blog I wrote was about our sweet Sri Lankan times. Since, I've attempted several times to write about our time in New Zealand - succeeding only once (you are reading the result). 08/11/17 we flew into New Zealand, with some vague ideas about what the country would have in petto for us. At arrival our almost virgin tent, which would become our home over spring and summer, was sprayed to make sure we wouldn't accidentally import any unwanted migrants, such as alien weeds or possums. 11/05/18 we left, as so often, with mixed feelings. And in between those dates, heaps of things happened...

Hitchhiking & Jacques

We arrived in NZ, Auckland more precisely, with the thought of making our way around by hitchhiking and rideshares. In the end we did a fair bit of hitchhiking, but we made far more kilometres in our first car! In Auckland it was the first time we read through some NZ guidebooks to soon discover how many places of interest there are, already on the North Island alone (and then in our first weeks most people would keep going on about how the North Island was indeed beautiful, but the South Island so much more spectacular).

Not letting us being paralyzed be the vast amount of options of where-to-go, we decided to hitchhike for two weeks along the west coast with as first stop Raglan, a small surfing town. From there we went down to Kawhia and Kinohaku, a small hamlet beautifully located on a bay, where we helped a lady cleaning her garden full of rusty stuff. The hitchhiking was okay, but not so smooth and we decided that we were gonna buy a car, which we did earlier than expected with the help of the woman we 'worked' for and who came from a family of mechanics. The car we got was Jacques, a Nissan station wagon. With Jacques we drove further down via New Plymouth and Masterton to Wellington in order to catch the ferry south. After driving all kinds of marvellous roads in the south we took him back up to the North Island and sold him a week before we left..

In the south, the roads were simply stunning. Just driving around would already be worth a trip down here. Relatively quiet roads brought us past lakes, forests and pastures, over mountain passes and along the coast. Most of the time we were the two of us; music on and our stuff all over the car. Yet we also managed to travel with 4 for a week and took several hitchhikers - kind of obligated when you hitchhike yourself, but also good fun!

For the nights we had a tent, but the station wagon was perfect as we could sleep inside when there was somewhere a rocky underground, when there were no tents allowed, when it was freezing (one night) and when our tent got stolen (out of the car actually).

Vines, Apples and Water

One of the main reasons we came to NZ, besides the very positive stories we had heard (maybe this positive story gives you also extra incentive to go one day) and the promised scenery, was the possibility to work. After doing some work for accommodation and food in Kinohaku and New Plymouth we found our first paid job in Blenheim, the heart of vineyard country. We stayed in a hostel (still in our tent) that organized the work for us: helping out on a vineyard by taping little plants to bamboo sticks and lifting the wires that run along the vines. The hostel itself had, despite the overwhelming amount of Germans, a good atmosphere and further down the road we would meet up again with some of the 'foreign' travelers we met here (for some hikes e.g.). The work was fine, but not so reliable (which was, fair enough, also related to the time of year, ie Christmas and New Year), so shortly after New Year we left (also since we wanted to enjoy the summer as much as possible). In the meantime we had celebrated Christmas in the hostel with a large lunch and dinner; different dishes prepared by everyone.

At the end of February, the end of summer, it was time to work once more and I was lucky as by finding a temporary job at a research institute, reading and writing about the management of water within a catchment. The office I worked at was in Nelson, a town in the north of the South Island. There were only 4 colleagues, the work was flexible (meaning I could work one weekend to take some extra days off the next weekend) and they had a bike I could use to go back and forth between the office and the room we were renting. It was the perfect job. Subject wise, time wise and money wise. Meanwhile, Marleen had found a job in an apple packhouse just outside Nelson, which wasn't too bad either. We stayed 2 months, after which we were ready to hit the road once more.

Hiking (aka tramping)

New Zealand is hiking (or tramping as the kiwis like to call it) paradise: stunning scenery, 25% of the land mass being national/conservation parks and reserves, numerous trails for different levels and a huge amount of backcountry huts. Short walks, day walks and multiple day tracks - we have done a bunch of them. A few walks are, especially in summer, quite crowded. However there are still so many places where you'll just cross one other person on a full day of hiking. A short impression of some of my favourites:

Nelson Lakes - with a group of 6 we hiked up a zigzagging path and continued over ridges to the Angelus Hut, situated beautifully in an Alpine environment on a small lake - cold, but definitely fresh for a quick dive after exploring a peak near the hut. The next day we went out early to beat the forecasted rain and to make sure we would have space in the next hut. This meant breakfasts with Mordorlike colours in the sky due to the rising sun and dark clouds in the distance. Just after the steepest section the rain started. The hut was luckily empty; we lit a fire to dry our clothes and ourselves and had a perfect lazy afternoon.

Farewell Spit-Wharariki Beach - a walk crossing hilly meadows full of sheep and connecting Farewell Spit (a 20 km sand strip) with Wharariki Beach (white sand beach surrounded by dunes with seals and rock formations). The views changed constantly and the walk went along various points of interest (also accessible by car), the only spots on the track where we encountered others. Halfway we stopped to have a picnic in the sun near the cliffs, just delightful!

Leslie-Karamea-Tablelands - 9 days without crossing a shop meant we (Uki, Johann and I) had to bring quite a lot of food, resulting in a heavy backpack. The first and second day were a short and a resting day (due to bad weather), so when we set off for the challenging part we had eaten our backpacks to a comfortable weight. That third day was a big one (also because I forgot my camera, so have to go back and forth for 1,5hr. Later in China I managed to forget it again, but without finding it. Luckily most pictures were saved elsewhere). After going up and down for a bit we climbed for a while and crossed a pass, from there it was a couple more hours down and straight. How rewarding when we got to the hut that day. From here we hiked around 5hr a day leaving plenty of time for big lunches, relaxing and playing cards. The track took us along rivers, through the woods and then in the open hills via an artificial lake back to civilisation, to the amazing creation called a supermarket - what a choice. And what a walk!

And then there were quite a few more besides these three that deserve a place in this list (the volcanic wonderland of the Tongariro Crossing, from bush to beach on the Heaphy Track, etc) but I figure you got the idea of the diversity and beauty of NZ's walks.

Best bits of Aotearoa

Aotearea (NZ in the Maori language. The Maori were the first human settlers of NZ. As late as the 13th century AD did they come to here) changed fast after the arrival of the Maori and even faster after the arrival of the Europeans. Large swats of land were changed into pastures, giving the country a rural vibe.

Here is an overview of the bits that didn't fit in yet, but were among the best for me. Thinking back there was actually so much... but just to name a few: the blue colour of Lake Tekapo. Swimming and having a beer in Lake Wanaka. The waterfall walhalla Milford Sound (we had a cruise just after heavy rain). Seeing penguins and swimming with curious dolphins in Curio Bay. The forests, lake and hills around relaxed Glenorchy. Mountain carting - with a tricycle downhill over gravel. Thermal active area of Rotorua. The stand alone Mt Taranaki. And finally of course heaps of good people, both kiwis and travellers, best of all being Marleen!

Cheers

Teun

PS. The Details

Since I have attempted to write a summary covering most aspects of our trip, yet also to write not too big of a text (I doubt whether that can still be said), there are not too many details. However, I tried to incorporate some details in favour of other general aspects as the details are often what makes a great place an unforgettable place. But so there are many more details and I'll be happy to share some more with you when I see you again: so lets meet up soon!

Sweet Sri Lankan Times

After four years of study and work, which wasn't bad at all, I'm back to traveling for a bit and I have to say: this is not so bad either.

For those that have asked, here is a relatively brief account of our time in Sri Lanka. For those that just stumbled upon the link: glad you're here to read about it.

Marleen and I have seen, done and eaten tonnes of good stuff. A day-to-day account would maybe be a bit too much (even though I have to say most days have been highly interesting), so I decided to summarize the last 8 weeks in four topics: weather, people, the 'official' highlights and our own unofficial highlights. This is Sri Lanka through the eyes of someone just visiting (and enjoying) it for 2 months:

WEATHER/CLIMATE
The weather is the number one easy conversation topic and it has a strong influence on the daily activities everywhere in the world, Sri Lanka is in this no exception. In general it has been warm, up to the point that we would avoid being on the beach or being active in the middle of the day. The mornings and late afternoons have been terrific for walking or for the beach. For swimming, e.g., dusk was perfect. However this is only a short period of the day: where during the Dutch summer eves the sun likes to hang around, here the sun rushes to brighten another part of the world. Luckily for that part, but too bad for us.

As for rainfall, there are three zones: wet, moderate and dry (this dry zone still receives annually more rain than the Netherlands...) as we were told in an irrigation office where we walked in (one cannot do an entire year without study/work related stuff). It is quite impressive when it really pours down, one night we got even a bit uneasy when the lightning struck very close. Next morning we learnt that the phone of the people we stayed with had broken down during the storm that night. Still, in general we have managed to dodge most of this rainfall: apart from a little drizzle and a few stormy afternoons we had, from a tourist perspective, great weather.

PEOPLE
Due to, among others, good agricultural conditions, Sri Lanka is quite densely populated. The lack of huge cities (maybe apart from Colombo) still gives it a relaxed atmosphere. Most people call themselves Buddhist, but Hinduism, the Islam and Catholicism are also largely represented. As a result the country features many different religious places, customs and holidays. It is wise to be aware of the holidays, as on those days, like in the weekends, most attractions attract relatively large Sri Lankan crowds.

In general people are kind and especially guesthouse owners try their hardest to give you a good time. On the streets you get greeted plenty of times (often accompanied with questions of the like: where you from/where you going), which is more than okay at first but feels a bit odd after a while as it is just the same one question all the time and as it seems not every stranger is greeted, just the tourists. However no doubt they mean it well.

We met many Sri Lankan people that welcomed us warmly and other travellers with whom we shared sweet experiences, but there is always some that you remember best. Without doing anyone short we have say that Faeez and Shamila, Shameena and Nilam and their children gave our stay in Sri Lanka an extra dimension. In the train from Colombo to Kandy we met Faeez and daughter Sabra. We needed to find a guesthouse and they knew one near their home. Almost there Faeez told us that we could also stay with them. Of course we took the offer. At their home we got spoiled with delicious food and learned quickly more about Sri Lanka since all (including the children) spoke English really well. Later we also stayed in Wahakotte, a small village where family of them owned a school. In total we spent over a week divided over several weeks with the family. From here once again a big 'nanri' (thanks).

HIGHLIGHTS
For such a relatively small area Sri Lanka is cramped with highlights, some of which truly can't be missed. Search the internet or open a Lonely Planet and one will read about the birds and elephants of Uda Walawe, the ruins and gigantic stupas of Anuradhapura, the beaches of Uppaveli and Pasikudah, the underwater world near Trincomalee, the trainride from Kandy to Ella through the hills full of tea plantations, the Dutch forts of Jaffna and Galle and the views from the Adam's Peak, Lipton's Seat and (small) Sigiriya Rock. We visited these places and as always, being there beats the pictures (that being said, it is nice to have our own pictures of these places to recall them).

Most of these areas are pretty well established and accommodated for tourists. Not per se what we are looking for, but seeing the sites it makes sense so many people visit these places and it seems plenty of locals are profiting from this. However we are glad it is off-season, not just for the lower prices, but merely as there are not that many tourists. We can imagine some of the sites being too crowded and losing their charm in high season.

HARD TO FORGET
Besides the well-known highlights one shall always find, when staying a bit longer, seemingly ordinary places and activities or lesser established attractions that one can't forget. Among others, these were for me the town (and guesthouse there) of Badulla, a Sri Lankan dance festival, the lighthouse of Dondra Head, Delft Island and the scooter/motorcycle rides through the countryside. A little more on the latter two:

Delft Island is located in the north. As mentioned before, in weekends Sri Lankans go out to visit (touristic) places. So on Sunday the jetty from where the ferry would leave was packed. Luckily most people were going to another island. Still, we just fitted on the (relatively small) ferry: the deck had little empty space. The sea was rough and, sitting outside, we got soaked. Yet I would prefer that everyday over a higher chance of getting seasick inside the boat. After safely arriving on the island and changing into dry clothes we took a tuktuk to drive us in two sessions over the island to see the highlights of Delft: a fat baobab tree, wild horses, ruins of stables, officer quarters and a fort, a beach and other nice places along the shoreline. In between the two sessions we stayed on the beach, where we met a group of four that invited us for lunch and later for dinner. They were born on Delft, but one lived now in Jaffna and two in France (one of which would constantly interrupt conversations by starting to pose questions in French-English). Lunch and dinner were very tasty. On arrival, a fence made out of coral drew our attention. During the tour we learnt that coral was scattered all over the island, that almost all fences were constructed out of coral and that even the old stables, quarters and fort(!) were from coral. A most fascinating trip.

Motorcycles and scooters are not uncommon on the Sri Lankan roads and we decided to rent them in several places. The roads are luckily in most areas not so busy with traffic. Only buses can be dangerous as they drive at ridiculous speeds (60-70kmph on most (high)ways. 40-50 kmphis the average velocity of most vehicles) and overtake almost without caring what is approaching on the other lane. In Trincomalee I rented a scooter twice. The first time (without Marleen as she was doing a diving course) I drove along a large Bay, went to what I thought would be a view point but turned out to be on military terrain and finally reached a beautiful place where a lagoon met the sea, with a Buddhist temple on a small hill and at the lagoon a Hindu temple still under construction. The second time was probably even better: we 'found' a temple on the top of a hill with a splendid view and on our way back we saw an elephant standing on the other side of a marsh we were just cruising by. Wow!
These two times tasted like more and in Wahakotte we could use Faeez his motorbike for a small ride. Later we rented a motorcycle in Pasikudah, where we rode over dirt roads full of podholes through the remote countryside consisting of dry canals and paddy fields harvested about a month ago and not yet sown in. At one point we were riding on a dyke, almost a Dutch experience. Not far from being back on the main road a nasty surprise was waiting: a stream of nearly 15m wide had flooded the road. To cross or to return... We followed the example of a local man on a scooter and managed with a little extra adrenaline to cross the stream!
Since the above described experiences were so good, we decided to rent a scooter for five consecutive days and make a roadtrip in the south. We drove over small, yet well-constructed hill roads and back along the coast. Along the coast the roads were relatively busy. Strangely, when it started to get less busy we found ourselves on a newly built 4-lane road (everywhere else the roads having 2 lanes). Apparently constructed by the Chinese near to a port that China received from Sri Lanka. Fascinating.
It was not just by motorcycle, but even by bus and especially by train it is a big treat to drive through this very green and diverse country.

TIME TO GO
That was it for now. Of course there is a lot more to tell: details on the highlights, about the flora and fauna, about the food (which I completely forgot: it was good, cheap and often spicy with many different curries and the nice dish of Kothu. Sri Lankans eat rather fast and with their right hand. Quite nice to have nobody telling you off when eating with your hands ). If interested, just ask us to tell more or go and see yourselves! Soon (7th of November) we are flying to New Zealand. Sri Lanka was great, but we are most excited to move on and find out was is in stock for us down of what is called Down Under. Hope to find you back for the next story (of which the when is rather uncertain).

Cheers

Siberian Summer

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Dear everyone, it has been a while since I used this blog. The first stories go about four years back. Just as I mentioned in the latest blogs (that seem to have disappeared) of my travels (and what everybody is always telling each other): time flies like crazy.

Via this blog I want to tell you a little about my internship so far in Ulan-Ude, Republic of Buryatia, Russia near Lake Baikal. As nowadays nobody ever seems to have time, the pieces of text I have written all have a convenient title, so you can decide yourself what to read. Of course I would advise to read everything…

Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is truly unique. ‘Every lake is unique silly’ I hear you think. That is probably true, but not every lake is the oldest and deepest in the world, and Lake Baikal is. The lake is larger than Belgium and contains in total over 20% of all fresh surface water on our planet(!). Just wanted to throw this information at you first, so you have a bit better understanding of the context.

Internship

As final part of my study I have to write a thesis and do an internship. So that is the reason I am in Siberia. I was looking for possible places to go, found an opportunity here and thought: well, why not? My internship is about the quality of the Selenga River, which is responsible for 50% of the inflow of Lake Baikal. In my second week here, I went on a big fieldtrip in which we covered 3000km in a typical Russian van and on some boats. No better way to start, the surroundings are absolutely stunning. During the trip we took samples from various rivers and on the lake. The last weeks were not as exciting, but still good: mainly reading background information. In the coming week we (my supervisor here and I) will agree on the further focus of the internship. In the beginning of October there will be another big fieldtrip, so something to look forward to. Maybe you’ll read the results and specific focus of the internship later in another blog, but I can’t make promises…

Russian Language

Since the total length of my stay here will be a little less than 5 months, I decided it to be necessary to at least attempt to speak a little Russian in the end. Especially since in this part of the world the people that speak (any) English cannot be found in large numbers. It is in no means an easy language (maybe except for the absence of articles). In the 8 days of the fieldtrip my colleagues taught me many words, I forgot even more… They sometimes put here consonants in an order that you think ‘okay, I remember my teacher in primary school saying we don’t put these consonants together, as there is no way of pronouncing that’. So here I am trying to prove those teachers wrong, but so far I still think they were kind of right. Anyways, this week I have started some courses and, who knows, maybe I will be able to have a small conversation before I leave.

Daily Life

There is much to say about daily life here, but I won’t write down everything. If you want to know about it in more detail, you should go to Buryatia yourself. First of all, the daily expenses (an essential question for the Dutch). Due to the Western sanctions the Rubble is worth only about half of what it was a couple of years ago. This means everything here is pretty cheap, especially the groceries and transport. About transport, almost every day I take the tram. It is an old line, yet for the 15p (i.e. 20-25c) one cannot complain. One person walks around to collect the money, in rush hour it appears like an impossible job, but somehow she (in 95% of the cases this person is a woman) seems to manage.

As for food, the local favourite is Buuza. This is a Buryatian dish: steamed meat in dough. According to an American man who is already here for 8 years, the two questions that Buryats (when mastering the English language, what only a handful do, despite the fact that they start learning that at the age of 10) will always ask: ‘Have you been to Baikal?’ and ‘Have you tried Buuza?’ Although I haven’t been here that long, I have been asked these questions as well more than once.

Then there are the plenty of canteens that offer various Russian dishes. For groceries I usually go to the supermarket, yet fruits and veggies I often buy from people on the street. Heaps of people here have a summerhouse. Not like in Europe for holidays, but instead to work more. Here they grow their own crops that they then sell just somewhere out on the street (if there are regulation for this, I haven’t heard about it yet).

Buryatia

I’ve mentioned the name Buryatia now a couple of times. Why? Well, since it is not completely the same as Russia. Like most countries, Russia is divided in several regions. The Republic of Buryatia is one of these regions (it is actually a region within Siberia). Ethnic Russians make up about 2/3 of the populations and Buryats about 1/3 (no idea as what ‘mixed’ people are counted). Buryats are distant relatives of the Mongolians, what you can see. Their large presence makes the republic the Buddhist centre of Russia. This Buddhism is combined with Shamanism. There are many significant places along the roads and in nature with prayer flags and where in Buryat tradition small amounts of money, food and vodka are offered to the spirits. The mix of Russians and Buryatians makes the republic, according to some of the people I’ve spoken with, really tolerant, especially for Russian standards.

People

So far I’ve met a great deal of people who have helped me with all kind of things or with who I just can have some nice conversations. My supervisor, her daughter and the woman responsible for international relations made sure I could settle here in a good way. Via the institute I met some good people and during a Summer School (called BaikalSS, a name we would never consider in Europe) I encountered some Russians trying to learn the English and German language. Although not easy, in half English, half German and with a few Russian words we managed quite well.

I Can Keep On Going

For every part I could’ve written at least twice as much and I can think of a few other parts (like a trip to Irkutsk and Olkhon Island with Marleen who was here) that I left unmentioned and might deserve some attention… Nevertheless, I have decided to knit an end to this blog. Now it is still fun to read (and write) all. If there is something you are curious about, just ask! If not, then I am still glad you made it to the end. Thanks for reading and see ya!

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PS I just realized I haven’t mentioned the weather, even though the title is Siberian Summer. Well, despite a few days of rain I would say the weather has been great so far. Really warm and sunny (even now in September). I’ll just have to wait and see what the winter will have in petto for me.

Alice Springs - Adelaide

Alweer een tijdje terug dat ik wat heb geschreven heb op deze blog, dus nu ik weer voor wat langere tijd internet heb is het daar tijd voor. Net terug van 9 dagen Kangaroo Island, maar dat is voor later, want de week daarvoor ben ik van Alice Springs via allerlei hoogtepunten naar Adelaide gereden. Dus eerst even wat daarover, want dat is ruim genoeg om een verhaal te vullen. De verhalen over KI komen later wel, no worries.

In Alice Springs heb ik maar ongeveer 24uur doorgebracht. Na aankomst met the Ghan, de trein van Darwin naar Alice Springs, gelijk naar de backpackers gegaan en daarna een beetje rondgekeken. Behalve dat het er zeer warm is, het in de middle-of-nowhere ligt en dat ze in september er een boot race houden in hun rivier die eigenlijk altijd droog staat, valt er niet veel interessants te vertellen over het stadje. De treinreis was overigens zeer comfortabel met veel beenruimte en een prachtige zonsopkomst terwijl we door een landschap reden van enkel wat gras en struiken.

Maar nu de reis, want daar gaat het om. Op vrijdag 2 november vertrekken we (Rian, NL, Marcel, NL, Mathieu, FR en ik) richting Uluru en Kings Canyon, maar niet voordat we 2 family meals bij de KFC hebben gehaald voor onderweg. Vlak voor het vertrek lijkt alles even fout te gaan. In de ochtend word ik door Rian opgebeld met de mededeling dat zijn auto voor 800 gerepareerd moet worden en niet voor maandag klaar is. Gelukkig is er na een uurtje het geruststellende bericht: auto kan vandaag voor veel minder gefixt worden, ik haal je over 2 uur op. Oef, dat scheelt! De grote speakers in Rians auto laten me er snel thuis voelen en met de muziek iets te hard hitten we de road.

Na een erg winderige nacht onder een prachtige sterrenhemel gaan we richting ons eerste echte doel: Kings Canyon. Een wandeling van een paar uur leidt ons langs de mooiste uitzichten over de canyon zelf, over het plateau met veel afschuurde rotsen en over het land beneden. Halverwege is een poel tussen de rotswanden, een heerlijke plek om even af te koelen (ongeveer 35graden overdag). Na de wandeling zelfvoldaan de auto in en op naar een van de bekendste dingen van Oz, Uluru.

De eerste zonsondergang die ik zie is niet zo indrukwekkend, maar het feit dat je daar eindelijk voor die rots staat is indrukwekkend genoeg. Net daarvoor hebben we kennis gemaakt met Melanie (Dui) die de rest van de reis met ons zal meegaan, net als Dani en Marina (Dui), waarmee we aan de praat raken tijdens de zonsondergang. De volgende 2 dagen zijn gevuld met vooral Uluru. Kata Tjuta is ook heel mooi (velen zeggen zelfs mooier, maar ik denk dat zij gewoon niet goed kijken), maar Uluru heeft iets extra's. Dat klinkt misschien raar en cliche, maar ga Uluru maar eens van dichtbij bekijken. Ga Uluru maar eens met zonsondergang(3x) en zonsopgang bekijken. Ga maar een keertje om Uluru heenlopen. Ga maar eens Uluru bij een storm bekijken. Ga maar eens ontbijten aan de voet ervan. Als je dat hebt gedaan praten we verder en mag je zeggen dat het cliche is.

Na deze 2 dagen Uluru/Kata Tjuta (een nationaal park waar we elke keer in kwamen met 2 kaartjes en 2 afscheurde brochures die ook dienden als kaartje) door naar Coober Pedy. Een heel vaag mijnersstadje, half onder alle heuvels die zijn ontstaan door het zoeken naar Opaal. Tijdens het rijden is het landschap zeer leeg, na 3uur rijden heb je het gevoel dat je nog niks bent opschoten. In Coober Pedy slapen we dan ook, zoals het hoort, onder de grond. De volgende dag gaan ik en Mat vol goede moed op zoek naar Opaal, na het verhaal van de campingbaas dat 2 weken geleden een toerist opaal voor een waarde van 5000dollar had gevonden. Maar na een halfuur zoeken en nog steeds niks gevonden te hebben verlaten we Coober Pedy, een spookstad in de maak, en gaan we richting Flinders Ranges.

Flinders Range National Park is vol met emoes en kangeroes. Tijdens de wandelingen springen (alleen de kangeroes, ga geen stomme dingen denken nu) ze overal rond. Ze hebben ook geen moeite de rivier over te steken, wat niet zo spectaculair is als het klinkt, aangezien de rivier droog staat. Ik denk dat ik 4x zoveel droge rivieren gezien dan echte, maar dat terzijde. Een andere wandeling op een heuvel biedt wederom een geweldig uitzicht waarvan ik al vele heb gehad in Australie, maar elke keer verrassen ze weer. De nachten hier zijn overig even mooi als verschrikkelijk. De sterrenhemel is de waarschijnlijk de beste die ik ooit heb gezien, maar de wind maakt het ijzig koud, zeker als het kampvuur uit is. Met 2 truien en 2 tshirts val ik uiteindelijk toch in slaap.

Dan is het toch echt afgelopen en komen we aan in Adelaide, waar (denken we) een mega schnitzel op ons wacht. Maar we zijn wat laat en de schnitzelplek blijkt gesloten, dus dan maar Chinees. Een diner om niet over naar huis te schrijven, niet vanwege het eten maar vanwege de tafelmanieren (er waren stokjes en we zaten aan een draaitafel, meer details geef ik niet). De volgende dag gaan Mathieu en ik er overigens wel eten (en gisteren weer met ook Marina en Dani) en de schnitzels zijn beestachtig groot en lekker.

Mathieu, Marina, Dani en ik besluiten naar KI te gaan (volgend verhaal, want ook dat is al afgerond) en de rest vertrekt ieder voor zich naar Melbourne, met de belofte elkaar daar weer te zien na deze geweldige week!

Nou dat is dus een beetje wat ik doe hier, gewoon ontzettend genieten! Cheers, Teun

Eerste Verhaal

Zo, nu ruim een week weg van huis, dus hoogste tijd voor het eerste verslag. Maar waar te beginnen, het is nog maar een week en al zoveel gedaan. Dus maar beginnen bij het begin, Schiphol. Dat Bas en ik werden uitgezwaaid door zoveel was geweldig, iedereen die er was bedankt! De vlucht naar Singapore was makkelijk uit te houden door onder andere films en pokemon spelen op het schermpje voor me. Singapore was een lange stop, maar die ging ook zo over door de city tour, bioscoop en een voetmassage-machine(!).

Bij aankomst in Darwin was het om 3.00 's nachts lokale tijd al 28 graden. lekker. Hoe we die eerste dag zijn doorgekomen weet ik ook niet, maar met maar ongeveer 3 uur slaap in 48uur viel ik om 6.00 's avonds gelijk in slaap. De volgende dagen hebben we in Darwin zelf vanalles gedaan. Naast krokodilletjes gezwommen, een marktje bij zonsondergang bezocht, naar de Botanic Gardens geweest, wat gedronken op een bijna verlaten strand en dan vergeet ik vast nog wat dingen. Dit overigens allen samen met Bas, en Bjorn, een Duitser die we de eerste dag hebben ontmoet.

Aangezien Bjorn een rijbewijs heeft, besluiten we te kijken voor een huurauto, om een paar daagjes naar Kakadu National Park te gaan. Omdat Bas en Bjorn naar Cairns willen besluiten we om een 6-persoonscamper te nemen, want die moet voor relocatie toch naar Cairns. Met dit enorme ding rijden we (links) naar Kakadu. Waar we 3 dagen lang verstoord (en gestoord) worden door vliegen om ons heen. Maar na een tijdje raak je eraan gewend en binnen de camper komen ze toch niet, dus no worries. Bovendien vergeet je ze helemaal bij de onbeschrijfelijk mooie uitzichten waar we op 2 wandelingen langskomen. (hopelijk te zien op de fotos die ik er zo wil gaan bijvoegen). En met wat Aboriginal Art in het park hebben we ook nog cultureel gedaan deze week.

Woensdagavond zijn we kmoen we terug in Darwin en parkeren we op een parkeerplaats bij het strand waar staat 'niet slapen, anders boete', maar aangezien er vele andere backpackers zijn, wat aboriginals zeggen dat het gewoon kan en we geen betere plek weten, blijven we toch. Om half 6 's ochtends klopt iemand op de deur en fluistert 'police, police, you better get out, you don't want to get fined'. Dus gaan we er snel vandoor. Omdat Bas en Bjorn maar 3 en een halve dag hebben om van Darwin naar Cairns te gaan, gaan ze maar gelijk bij zonsopkomst ervandoor, nadat ze mij hebben afgezet. Ik blijf hier nog een weekje en ga dan met de trein naar de next destination, Alice Springs!

Cheers, Teun.