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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 09, 2016 09:00 PM Entering Australian Northern Territory
They are mining lead and copper in Mt Isa. Thre are supermarkets where after spending min 30 AUD you are getting a discount coupon for fuel – it is worth to shop here. We started early and after 2 hours driving through savanna we reached the state border with such a sign:
Northern Territory – most remore part of Australia invites us! In the middle of nowhere… Max speed on the empty road is now 130 instead 110, and more then 200 kms to the nearest petrol station… 39 deg. Celsius. We are spending many hours in the car, but it is nice, because the a/c works and we are isolated there from those terrible flies
After 9 hours of driving we reached famous marvel of the nature – The Devils Marbles. The huge boulders have 6-8 m in diameter and the best color at sunset. I was tired but happy to be there in the evening. See my photogallery!
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Feb 08, 2016 09:00 PM 650 kms to Mt Isa
In the provincial town of Longreach you will find some samples of late 19th century architecture and… Quantas airline museum. The most impressive is real jumbo jet, there are also B707 and older planes.
After pictures we pump the fuel (1,26 AUD per litre here) and started to drive west through semi-deserted plain. Many died kangaroos on the roadside! After some 2 hours the landscape changed:
Further on we made a stopover in little Winton where they dig the opals and dinosaur bones. It is typical little township of the Austalian outback – with more then 100 kms to the next one
Driving the road we saw in average one car from the opposite direction coming every 20 minutes only. But the days was nice. We enjoyed the lunch on the open air – there are parking bays every 50 kms or so. Three hours later blue sky disappeared. Heavy clouds came from the west. It was already raining when we saw on the horizon two high chmnieys of the mining city of Mt Isa. It has nice location, surrounded by the green/red hills. An a/c cabin for two with bath, fridge and little electric stove cost us 100 AUD.
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Feb 07, 2016 09:00 PM Wait for low water level!?
The nature of Australia is surprising! Today in the morning we wanted to leave Carnarvon NP. But on the road connecting park with the world there are few fords to drive through, the level of the water on the last one was 75 cm - too much for our car. Water was very powerful. We were waiting there hoping that the level will go down. No chance. An Australian arrived with a truck, but for him 75 cm was also too high. We stiudied his detailed mam and eventually found the long detour by muddy country road. It was not blocked by the water!
Happy but dirty we reached in the afternoon Capricorn Highway. The heading west we crossed Drummond Range with nice view from 535 m pass. Weather was improving. At the evening we were already in a picturesque provincial town of Longreach.
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Feb 06, 2016 09:00 PM Really remote park - Carnarvon
Rain, rain. But the kangaroos were hoping around our tent regardless of the weather. Around 111 am when rain became very light we decided to hit the main trail. We were the only tourist at the park info center. Unpleasant surprise here: nobody told me that right 100 up from the center you have to cross the Carnavon Creek. On this day it was (after heavy rain) the powerful mointain river. Not possible to cross. Why they did not build the little bridge here?
The high, white cliffs of Carnarvon gorge were visible even from the distance. They must be nice when the sky is blue... :)
Well, we went back and took few little trails starting before the park gate.Weather broken our plans... In the next night there were another heavy rain...
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Feb 05, 2016 09:00 PM By car to Carnarvon Nat Park
I prepaid well in advance rental and full insurance of the car from Europcar company. But this was very dramatic moment when I came to Europcar office in Brisbane and they said that they do not respect my international driving license - they need Polish one. I left it home. My companion has Polish license but Europcar system for some reason did not respect his credict card (but we used it in Australian shops). Long story.... Stress... In such a moments you desperately need a help. The help came from my Friend living in Brisbane. Thank you so much, Waldek! I will never forget it!
We left Brisbane with 3 hours delay.
At sunset time we were still en route -in Roma. It was raining, herds of cows and kangaroos on the secondary road to Carnarvon Gorge. We crossed few small rivers fording.
It was 9.30 pm when, after 740 kms of driving we reached our tent in Takarakka Camp. It was raining all night...
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Feb 04, 2016 09:00 PM Back in Brisbane
For the first time the night was choppy. The sea was not so calm... I did not sleep well. We have a monitor in our inside cabin connected to the outside camera. In the morning we found that we are already on the Brisbane River. But it was cloudy and instead of blue - like 2 weeks ago we saw it gray under the grey sky. They wanted us to leave the cabins before 8 am. What a change! Nobody smiles...
Out of the ship the immigration and customs control was perfectly organized. Bravo! After 10 minutes I was already on the street. I crossed Kingsford Street Rd and jump on the bus 300 going to the city center. It cost 5,60 AUD but it is still the cheapest way to go from cruise terminal to downtown Brisbane,
Near the central station there is a little enclave of cheap accommodation. I found Acacia B&B on Upper Edward St. Twin room with breakfast and shared bath cost 95 dollars and this is not expensive. The best view of the city skyline is from other side of Victoria Bridge. I am waiting for my companion coming from Poland. Tommorrow we plan to drive to the outback.
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Feb 01, 2016 09:00 PM Vanuatu, Vanuatu...
Port Vila - the capital city of the Republic of Vanuatu lies on Efate Island in the nice, picturesque bay.
I have been here several times so today I decided to take the tour outside Vila to the traditional village Ekasup, to see local customs. I usually do not take those tours offered by ship since they are very expensive.
The advantage of the organized tour is that they take you from the jetty and deliver to the village - you do not worry about the transport.
We spent there almost 3 hours listening, watching and enjoying local people...
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Jan 30, 2016 09:00 PM Solomon Islands
Dear Friends. Greetings from hot and humid Melanesia! After visiting few lovely islands of Papua New Guinea I am now in Honiara - Solomon Islands.
Honiara is -the capital city of the Solomon’s. They still do not have a jetty for the big ships so we were forced to sail ashore in tenders. Sunday. But in the little local port there is a lot of traffic. Crowded rusty boats are embarking local people sailing to the smaller islands like Santa Isabel.
Along the main Mendana street flame trees are in full blossom -see the picture – what a view!
It is very hot and humid. I took a walk to the interesting museum (1 dollar entry fee) and to the poor botanical garden with exotic trees and flowers. Near the entrance local ladies were making laundry in the stream. Funny! They do not protest about pictures. People are friendly here…
Then I was climbing to their parlament building located on the hill. Nice view of the bay from the terrace and they allow to see the interesting chamber of parlament -for free! I visited also catholic cathedral with a nice crafts in the altar.
Very hot and humid day. Look at the people in the national costumes playing for us on the pier – this is typical bamboo band of Solomons:
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Jan 21, 2016 09:00 PM Ship on the horizon!
I, the old backpacker I am boarding the ship again. Why? Well, you know that there are islands where you cannot get easily. Once again I came to the conclusion that the most effective and inexpensive method to get to the remote islands of Papua New Guinea will be the cruise ship.
As you know internet connection from the ship via satellite is very expensive. This is definitely not the backpacker's price. So please do not panic if there will be no messages from me during next two weeks. I will try to send something if I will find cheap connection from any port! Keep your fingers crossed, please!
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Jan 20, 2016 09:00 PM Bald Rock National Park
I am still in Brisbane. My friend was so kind to take one day off from his work and invited me for the tour to Bald Rock. It is more then 250 kms southwest of Brisbane, already in NSW state. In the morning we were pushing slowly through the traffic jams of the big city. After an hour we reached and crossed Dividing Range.
Bald Rock is huge granite monolith some 280 m high. It is in the NSW national park so you must pay the entry fee in self-service station – 8 AUD per car. Then you can climb the rock. Ufff… in the strong sun on the naked big stone it was not easy, but after 20 min we reched forest on the ridge and after next quarter of easy walk -the summit. There were Nice views of the thick forest around and the other granite mountains on the horizon. One of them – the Pyramid – we visited later in the afternoon.
Going down the easier, but longer way between big boulders I heared nasty -Miauuuu, miauuuu! And again -Miauuu! Waldek explained: it is not cat in the forest. It is the catbird – one more secret of Australia…
Back in Brisbane we were talking about the world, travel ideas and experiences till late. Waldek and Ala are also passionate travellers. Thanks a lot for an interesting day and your warm hospitality, dear friends!
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