“It was Tolarno. You know that hotel on Fitzroy Street.”
– The Secret Life of Us
I went to Melbourne for two reasons: to see Jess again and to check out locations from “The Secret Life of Us“.
Category: Oceania
Australia :: Alice Springs & Uluru (Ayer’s Rock)
“Those who lose dreaming are lost”
– Aborignal Proverb
Another bucket list item – Ayer’s Rock or Uluru, as the aboriginals named it (stress on the first and third syllable, “OO-loo-ROO”).
I had no intention of climbing it as I had heard the native peoples found that offensive, but I wanted to go see it preferably as up close as I could get. And if I could get one of my “I slapped my hands on it!”-pictures I would be ecstatic.
Australia :: Cleland Wildlife Park, Adelaide
“I want to go to Australia and take the same goofy picture of me holding a koala that everyone else takes.”
– Jessi Klein
So did I, Jessi… So did I.
Australia :: Rottnest Island
“Guys! Guysguysguys! I got a SELFIE! With a QUOKKA!”
– Me
The animal version of me. Weird-ass, cuddly-looking idiots, rummaging for food and grinning stupidly. I saw the “Quokka selfie”-trend years ago, starting with Allan Dixon, spreading to everywhere. I knew it instantly. This was my goal in life.
Australia :: Perth
Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It’s already tomorrow in Australia.
– Charles M. Schulz
This was actually one of the first things on my bucket list for this trip. I’ve had a Quokka as my profile picture because is is the animal version of me, and to get to them I had to get to Perth.
Continue reading
Just around the bend…
“Make a u-turn as soon as possible.”
– my GPS
While moving from one place to another, every so often (which is to say, almost every day), I see something so stunningly beautiful I have to stop or turn and go back. Continue reading
Abel Tasman National Park Day Hike
“Returning home is the most difficult part of long-distance hiking; You have grown outside the puzzle and your piece no longer fits.”
― Cindy Ross
I found myself in Abel Tasman again after 4 years and, just like last time, the weather was absolutely awesome.
I wanted to stay at Aquapackers again, but decided to hike rather than kayak in this time. Continue reading
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing for dummies
“Best one day walk in New Zealand”
– Lonely Planet
I’m already struggling with this post because it hasn’t hit me with full force yet. I actually did the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. 19,4 km and I can’t even remember the climb rate on the track (but the steepest climb was actually the most fun and brought the most reward). Oh, wait, found it in the brochure. Highest point is Red Crater, 1900m, woop! Continue reading
Maori evening in Rotorua
A person who mistreats his guest has a dusty Marae (Meeting house)
Not only is Rotorua bigger than I remember, but the smell of sulfur is more prominent this time. I arrived at good, old Funky Green Voyager, checked in and got a top bunk in one of the dorms. I hadn’t even time to dump my luggage before Gerard came in and planted a huge smacker on me. Then he chastised me severly because of my sunburn before we spent the next 40 minutes chatting about everything and nothing while he fixed one of the bunkbeds. A great welcome to Rotorua after four years. Continue reading
The Waitomo Glow Worm Caves & my personal experiment
I hate cameras. They are so much more sure than I am about everything.
– John Steinbeck
I decided to try an experiment today. I was going to the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves and doing a triple combo tour:
1) Ruakuri Cave
2) Aranui Cave
3) Waitomo Glow Worm Cave
I didn’t bring my camera. Continue reading
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