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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 24, 2016 09:00 PM It is still snowing in Kangding...
Can you imagine the breakfast in the international hotel without a single piece of bread? That's China! I got rice, watered vegetable soup and a choice of boiled vegetables. Tea or coffee are not offered, spoons or forks too.
Hotel bus took us at 7.00 to the airport. I got my boarding pass, pass through security and took a long walk to the gate 136. Few people were waiting there but soon more arrived. I liked most smiling Tibetan monk - he did not know any English, but wanted so much to talk with me -see picture.
Ten minutes before scheduled departure time we got the annoucement: flight to Kangding is delayed. It is still snowing in Kangding... We were waiting an hour. They offered a box of juice and cookies. The second annoucement was the same. No flight to Kangding today!. They took us to the same hotel.
Sorry, I decided to change the plan - there is no guarantee, that it will not snowing tomorrow. I am working on the new route to Shangri La - probably via Kunming.
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Feb 23, 2016 09:00 PM First steps in China - not easy!
It was 10.30 pm when I landed in Chengdu. There were only 6 of foreigners on the plane so no line to the immigration desk. At the customs they just screen fast all the luggage, no problem! Then I changed money in the kiosk (they charge 60 yuan of commission) and I went out. A guys from the hotels were waiting there, but, sorry not for me. Well ahead I booked a room in the hotel near airport with a pick-up. Friendly Chinese student called them – just to tell me that the hotel for unknown reason cancelled my reservation. That’s China. Very poor communication with the locals… What should I do in the dark?
My next flight to Kangding was departing at 6.35 in the morning. I decided to walk to the domestic terminal 2 – some 800 m and spend few hours in the waiting room.
This was not my best night. But I survived. At 5.30 am I went to get my boarding pass, then through the security to the gate 144. Everything was nice until they aannounced that my flight -the only one to Kangding is cancelled due to the heavy snow in the destination. Just let you know thet it is the second- highest aiport in the world – it lies on the level of around 4120 m. Bad luck! But the China Eastern took all passengers to the hotel, offered meal and aaccommodation. Let’wait until tomorrow! And keep your fingers crossed, dear Friends, please!
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Feb 22, 2016 09:00 PM May I have the hot water?
It was 7 am when I was walking from the YH to the Gold Cost airport. It is walking distance. Soon I checked for Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur. One carry-on bag only! They have a limit of 8 kg. My backpack has more, but nobody cares... 8 hours flight ahead of me.
Airbus 330 started on time, then they distributed prepaid meals. Extra cost. Few people knows that you can ask just for the free hot water and the will bring you covered plastic cup. Just take a tea or cofee bag in your pocket and you will enjoy free hog drink... Great views of the Australian outback and the islands from the plane.
In Kuala Lumpur I am waiting 3 hours for the connection to Chengdu - China. Free internet in the airport - that's why I can send you this message: all goes well, dear Friends. I am just changing the climate :)
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Feb 21, 2016 09:00 PM Easternmost Australia
The last day of driving around Australia. We are heading north, along the coast of NSW. A lot of roadworks on the way - it is not possible to drive 100 km per hour - as it was in the other states. Pacific Highway is the motorway only in some segments - there are still long distances where it is only the ordinary road, with 50 kmph speed limit in the settlements. Is it rich Australia? I am disappointed!
In the early afternoon we reached Byron Bay -some 6 kms off the main highway. On the hilly peninsula there is a cape Byron - the easternmost point of Australian continent. Little but very nice lighthouse was built here in 1901.
There is nice, panoramic view and... 8 dollars parking fee for an hour of stay near the lighthouse. Profitable business!
In the late afternoon, after 17 days of driving around Australia I returned the car in Gold Coast airport. We drove 8860 kms in total!. Youth hostel is just nearby. I am getting ready for tomorrow's flights via KUL to China.
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Feb 20, 2016 09:00 PM Through Blue Mountains to Sydney
Blue Mountains were in the little fog when we were driving from Gilgandra to Sydney. Going to the coast you have to cross them - that's what we did today. The highest point -Mt Victoria is more than a 1000m above sea level. It was Sunday, so the roads were full of cars - for the Australians it is popular weekend destination.
In addition there are road works. We were enjoying the views going slowly down to Sydney.
I have been to Sydney already 4 times, but my companion is for the first time in Australi so... we reached Blues Point with the magnificent view of the Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera at 1.10 pm. He was impressed and satisfied. We found there picnic table to have our lunch with a view... What a view - better then from the classy restaurant!
Then we found Pacific Highway A1 to get out of the city and later - the M1 motorway going north along the coast. At sunset we arrived to our 80-dollar motel in Port Macquaire. Tiring day, but so nice!
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Feb 19, 2016 09:00 PM 780 km to Gilgandra
New South Wales is a huge state, offering great diversity of the landscapes. We started early in the morning from Broken Hill driving first few hours through empty steppe. After 2 hours the bush was already around. And in the afternoon we enjoyed already eucalyptus forests. At the end of the day after 9 hours of driving we reached wheat fields around little town of Gilgandra. I did not count the died kangaroos on our way but I am sure that threre were more then hundred of them. In the day they sleep in the bush. They die in collissions during the night. That's why I do not drive after sunset.
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Feb 18, 2016 09:00 PM Broken Hill - Australia
In the morning we were driving east - through the empty and hot steppe to the border of New South Wales. Many died kangaroos along the road. At the state border just a little marker and... no they do not change the time!
Only 50 kms east we saw a big mining town of Broken Hill. In 19th century they found hhere silver and other metalls and the boom began. In 20th century they operated even a tram in the center oc the town. The mines still work. The sreets are named after minerals. We found old Grand guesthouse in the main Argent street. Once it was Grand Hotel, but till now little of the charm remained. But you canstill find many elegant buildings from the past.
Some 25 kms north I visited the ghost city of Silverton. 5000 people were living there mining silver. Now -50 only. Few buildings remained along the dusty streets: goal, city chambers, court, Silverton hotel pictured in the moves and little churches. 38 deg Celsius, donkeys and horses are wondering around. People, yes - few in the bar...
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Feb 17, 2016 09:00 PM Flinders Range in the sun
We spend whole day driving in the Flinders – not so high but picturesque mountains in South Australia. It is National Park, so before you enter you have to pay entry fee 10 AUD per car. The most popular place in the Flinders is Wilpena Pound – it looks like the volcanic caldera but it never was a volcano.
Short walking trail – 1,5 h one way will allow you to reach the upper lookout on the rim of the “caldera”. The view is nice, but of course is not the Ngorongoro.
In the park we saw a lot of kangaroos resting during the hot day in tha shade of the trees. Hills, gorges, dry rivers, graveo roads... Sunny, hot day.
On the way back to Quorn we had a chance to visit picturesque ruins of old farm (they call it -stations) established in 19th century and later abandoned. See the Kanyaka station below:
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Feb 15, 2016 09:00 PM Australia - underground Coober Pedy
Sorry, in Yulara resort they wanted 20 Aud for the connection to the internet, so I did not sent anything. Let you know - I am well :)
To avoid the heat we started our drive today at 7 am. At 10 am we reached Erldunda roadhouse on the Stuart Highway. It was necessary to buy the new portion of fuel. They know it. The price of the petrol is exorbitant - 1,62 AUD per litre!! It cost Only 1,12 on the coast... Cry and pay!
Headinng south after an hour we reached the border with South Australia. Nice monument there and 24h parking allowed with a toilet and water. No border control, they only ask to throw out to the bin fruits and plants - the bin is 160 kms onward - in Marla.:)
Then flat and dry steppe and finally - mountains of the dugout sand.
It is Coober Pedy - the world capital of opals. In the old mining places they offer now underground cafes, motels. Churches are also underground. We stay in such underground institution B&B it is pleasantly cool, while outside is a outback heat.
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Feb 14, 2016 09:00 PM Kata Tjuta or Mt Olgas
When I was here 30 years ago I did not have a chance to come closer to this mountains. They are located in a distance from Ayers Rock. But it is some 40 kms... Now we travel by car, so it was not a problem to wake up at 5 am and to drive to the Dune view point.
We saw from the special platform the sun rising near Ayers Rock and morning light on Mt Olgas. Then we drove to the Valley of the Winds to start our loop trek between the mountains. This trek is not a joke! Heat, flies, strong sun an also differences in the level. But the views are breathkaking. After 2 hours and 40 min. We returned to the parking are. This was my first face to face meeting with Olgas.
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