So the 9th started off with more pulling garlic and blisters on my blisters, then entertaining the rest of the (still working) crew after I had my shower, and waiting for Terry to come pick me up.
Off to Grafton! Just the drive down alone left me with an awesome amount of new music to catch up to, thanks for all the blues-rock Terry :) More explanation about the areas we drove through as well, made for an interesting road trip, and a better understanding of the layout of the countryside we were travelling through. Had a good dinner and listened to more good music, and to my great surprise, I had mail! Birthday cards from the Netherlands and New Zealand. Didn't expect that.
I had already seen pictures of the house Terry & Chris lived in, but beeing there was a whole different experience altogether! A beautiful house - I love verandahs, escpecially if they go all the way around the house - and a beautiful area. Terry took Sam, Nikki and me for a walk around the land, through the bush and past Poison Creek, and after the little tour we had a go at fishing in the dam. Caught and gutted my first fish. Saw Sam & Nikki off to Sydney and then went for a swim with Terry at Minnie Beach. A quick tour of Grafton and a walk through the local Art Gallery and then back home and looking for a spot to stay in Sydney the next day.
Righty-oh! Off to Sydney - in for some serious driving! We don't drive back home, we just go to the shopping mall in comparison! 2 hour drive and a little break, starting around 8, and we got to Manly (just north of Sydney) at 4...From there we took the ferry down across the gap, and into Sydney. (Although it's the only way I've arrived in Sydney, I reckon it's the best, beautiful view of the Bridge and the Opera House).
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Boomerang Creek Farm - 2/9 november
Driving into the hills from Byron Bay towards Lismore. The sea in the distance and a marvellous amount of hills and valleys meeting me up ahead. Simply amazing.
I had arrived at a beautiful, small-scale, organic farm, with bushtoilets and a rainwater system, and my own little extended camper in which I could sleep the coming week. Met the whole family, and went out to watch Will play Aussi-tag (offseason rugby, no injuries).
First working day was spent digging out lillies, weeding and rearranging the plant-nursery. Replanting the lillies to reclaim the natural riverside flora, and after that prepared beds for tumeric. When Vanessa came back from work, and the kids from school, they took me out swimming at some waterfalls near them. Early to bed, because Will and Vanessa are up early - me as well, but not at 4:30...phew!
Next day more tumeric planting and growing blisters on my soft little computer hands. Started clearing the shed for the harvest as well, and did a 'testpull' of a hundred garlic plants to see in what condition they were. Listened to some raggea/ska in the evening on the new sound system which had an ipod input - had to try that of course!
On Saturday there's farmers market in Lismore, so we loaded up and went there. Had some time to walk into the town itself, quite big actually...watched the movie Rio with the kids in the afternoon, Will had trouble with the pump, but I couldn't be of much help there, had an awesome curry for birthday dinner and apple pie after.
Sunday Will dropped me off at Minjon Falls, at 8 o'clock in the morning, hiked down (2 ours) swam in the pool at the bottom - freezing cold - just as I got out people startted showing up, and I met more on the hike up (1 hour - sweating my ass off) and as I got back to the top the car park was full...perfect timing for my walk :) Caring for the tumeric in the afternoon and met Will's rugby team which came over for pizza party - pizza oven in the back of the garden, so home made stone oven pizzas for dinner!
Harvest started the next day at 7:30, been trimming garlic most of that day and to bed before 9, because we'll be doing the same tomorrow!
Got blisters on my fingers (yes, again) from pulling garlic - did a speedrun with Jason - it's not a race (knowing me, yes it is) then some more trimming, and then some more pulling. Phew! Last full day of harvest though, I'm being picked up the next day by Terry - turned out Terry & Chris had lived right across the street from Will and Vanessa, at the old postoffice in Corndale. It's a small world after all!
Amazing experience, the whole Boomerang Creek Farm made me feel part of the family (even the dog accepted me - no barking) and I was sad to leave this beautiful place. I'll be sure to go back when I have a chance!
I had arrived at a beautiful, small-scale, organic farm, with bushtoilets and a rainwater system, and my own little extended camper in which I could sleep the coming week. Met the whole family, and went out to watch Will play Aussi-tag (offseason rugby, no injuries).
First working day was spent digging out lillies, weeding and rearranging the plant-nursery. Replanting the lillies to reclaim the natural riverside flora, and after that prepared beds for tumeric. When Vanessa came back from work, and the kids from school, they took me out swimming at some waterfalls near them. Early to bed, because Will and Vanessa are up early - me as well, but not at 4:30...phew!
Next day more tumeric planting and growing blisters on my soft little computer hands. Started clearing the shed for the harvest as well, and did a 'testpull' of a hundred garlic plants to see in what condition they were. Listened to some raggea/ska in the evening on the new sound system which had an ipod input - had to try that of course!
On Saturday there's farmers market in Lismore, so we loaded up and went there. Had some time to walk into the town itself, quite big actually...watched the movie Rio with the kids in the afternoon, Will had trouble with the pump, but I couldn't be of much help there, had an awesome curry for birthday dinner and apple pie after.
Sunday Will dropped me off at Minjon Falls, at 8 o'clock in the morning, hiked down (2 ours) swam in the pool at the bottom - freezing cold - just as I got out people startted showing up, and I met more on the hike up (1 hour - sweating my ass off) and as I got back to the top the car park was full...perfect timing for my walk :) Caring for the tumeric in the afternoon and met Will's rugby team which came over for pizza party - pizza oven in the back of the garden, so home made stone oven pizzas for dinner!
Harvest started the next day at 7:30, been trimming garlic most of that day and to bed before 9, because we'll be doing the same tomorrow!
Got blisters on my fingers (yes, again) from pulling garlic - did a speedrun with Jason - it's not a race (knowing me, yes it is) then some more trimming, and then some more pulling. Phew! Last full day of harvest though, I'm being picked up the next day by Terry - turned out Terry & Chris had lived right across the street from Will and Vanessa, at the old postoffice in Corndale. It's a small world after all!
Amazing experience, the whole Boomerang Creek Farm made me feel part of the family (even the dog accepted me - no barking) and I was sad to leave this beautiful place. I'll be sure to go back when I have a chance!
Byron Bay - 31/1 November
After having beautiful weather pretty much the whole way through from Alice Springs to here, it was time for some rain. So the night before I left turned out to be storm. Beautiful storm.
Next day was still grey and dreary, but that doesn't matter sitting in a bus. Drove through a town called Miami, and when I got to Byron it was beautiful weather again. Added an extra hour to the clock, as I had arrived in New South Wales (time travelling!).
Met up with an Englishman, Sam, and walked out to the lighthouse (beautiful walk btw) and the most eastern point of Australia. Turned out Sam was an avid surfer, so he was checking the surf constantly. Good thing though, because that ended up in free tips on when to go surf, and what to do while surfing. Next day rented a board and headed out - good surf - a bit too good for this starter on his long board, but nice for Englishmen catching barrels until they rip their foot with one of the fins. Took my longboard to a different beach, perfect surf, long and small waves, perfect for longboarding.
Next day was still grey and dreary, but that doesn't matter sitting in a bus. Drove through a town called Miami, and when I got to Byron it was beautiful weather again. Added an extra hour to the clock, as I had arrived in New South Wales (time travelling!).
Met up with an Englishman, Sam, and walked out to the lighthouse (beautiful walk btw) and the most eastern point of Australia. Turned out Sam was an avid surfer, so he was checking the surf constantly. Good thing though, because that ended up in free tips on when to go surf, and what to do while surfing. Next day rented a board and headed out - good surf - a bit too good for this starter on his long board, but nice for Englishmen catching barrels until they rip their foot with one of the fins. Took my longboard to a different beach, perfect surf, long and small waves, perfect for longboarding.
Surfers Paradise - 29/31 October
From Brisbane down to Surfers Paradise, and as the Lonely Planet already said - Surfers don't go there much, and the paradise is a long way from there. Nice to see it though. Interesting experience for starters. Walked into the supermarket which had pepernoten and hagelslag, and the city centre had all the shops you can think of. Stayed at the YHA which was out of town, in Marine Cove, to get back to Surfers was about half an hour to three quarters of an hour walk along the beach, so I did that a couple of times :)
Next to having an outrageous amount of holiday/family parks, fortunately there's more to do in Surfers, like the Federation Walk, which was a walk up the Spit/Main Beach (7.5km return trip) Once at the end of the split you get a nice view of Surfers from the end of the jetty. Was bloody hot walking there, and turned out to be the main 'dog' beach, but fun nonetheless!
Next to having an outrageous amount of holiday/family parks, fortunately there's more to do in Surfers, like the Federation Walk, which was a walk up the Spit/Main Beach (7.5km return trip) Once at the end of the split you get a nice view of Surfers from the end of the jetty. Was bloody hot walking there, and turned out to be the main 'dog' beach, but fun nonetheless!
Brisvegas - 25/28 oct
Next stop Brisbane - also known as Brisvegas...didn't see much of the partying though. So what did I do?
Well....
First two hours on the plane, which were spent asleep - always good. Stayed at Chill Backpackers, I got dragged in by the view over the city, but pretty much all the backpackers were next to each other, so the view would have been pretty much the same from every hostel there, oh well. Nice 'cinema-room' here though, so watched Gladiator and went to bed after.
Breakfast on a rooftop with a view of the city is always nice. After that walked through the botanical gardens - including swamp - and the Art Gallery. Modern Art Gallery as well, but half was being redone, so not much to see there. Didn't plan a lot for that night, but ended up doing a tour of Brisbane with a German girl, Tina. Trying to get an apple, which were way too expensive, we ended up with free Travellers Pies...how about that. Wouldn't give us an apple, but meaty snacks no problem...
On to finding Desktop Magazine, which featured an interview with The International Office - including a picture of Emmy in there as well :P gotta get me a copy of that! took me a while to find a shop which sold it though...
Well....
First two hours on the plane, which were spent asleep - always good. Stayed at Chill Backpackers, I got dragged in by the view over the city, but pretty much all the backpackers were next to each other, so the view would have been pretty much the same from every hostel there, oh well. Nice 'cinema-room' here though, so watched Gladiator and went to bed after.
Breakfast on a rooftop with a view of the city is always nice. After that walked through the botanical gardens - including swamp - and the Art Gallery. Modern Art Gallery as well, but half was being redone, so not much to see there. Didn't plan a lot for that night, but ended up doing a tour of Brisbane with a German girl, Tina. Trying to get an apple, which were way too expensive, we ended up with free Travellers Pies...how about that. Wouldn't give us an apple, but meaty snacks no problem...
On to finding Desktop Magazine, which featured an interview with The International Office - including a picture of Emmy in there as well :P gotta get me a copy of that! took me a while to find a shop which sold it though...
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Adelaide Adventures - 21/25 Oct
Up at 8, in time for free pancakes. Changed to another hostel, MyPlace, bit cramped, and have to get used again to new people and find a new group/set of friends. Met up with the tour-group though, and walked along the river, through the botanical gardens, the main shopping area (including Mall's Balls) and watched the rugby 3rd place game, put the French (from the tour) on the bus to Melbourne, and said my farewells to the rest of the group.
Spent the next day in the museum and the art gallery - more specifically in the Aboriginal section of the museum and then a little time in a Saatchi gallery. Met Matthias, a nice german guy, who shared his sandwiches dinner with me (shops were closed when I got there - good shopping on weekends) and then learned two new card games with a bunch of the people from the hostel, English, Belgians, Israelians and the German guy. nice relaxing evening, and a good night's sleep (compared to yesterday - you'll have to ask for details)
Headed out to the Solar Challenge - racing on solarpower - saw the NUON and Universiteit Twente cars :P together with Koen and Thomas (the belgians) and Matthias, and then on to the Oval, cricket match was a bit expensive though, so walked around a bit longer instead of watching the game. Went to the Sportsbar round dinnertime to watch the Rugby World Cup finals - go All Blacks!! and then another 3 hours of playing cards...how else do you spend your evenings?
Next day was time for free dinner - yup - free dinner. Play a tune for a pizza at the Dukes' :) so I played a song and got a pizza, talked to Tiffany, the barmaid and her gayfriend Brad :P hung out with them until the bar closed at 11...it's a monday today :) Got a lot of free beer as well...that's gonna be wonderful tomorrow-morning...
Spent the next day in the museum and the art gallery - more specifically in the Aboriginal section of the museum and then a little time in a Saatchi gallery. Met Matthias, a nice german guy, who shared his sandwiches dinner with me (shops were closed when I got there - good shopping on weekends) and then learned two new card games with a bunch of the people from the hostel, English, Belgians, Israelians and the German guy. nice relaxing evening, and a good night's sleep (compared to yesterday - you'll have to ask for details)
Headed out to the Solar Challenge - racing on solarpower - saw the NUON and Universiteit Twente cars :P together with Koen and Thomas (the belgians) and Matthias, and then on to the Oval, cricket match was a bit expensive though, so walked around a bit longer instead of watching the game. Went to the Sportsbar round dinnertime to watch the Rugby World Cup finals - go All Blacks!! and then another 3 hours of playing cards...how else do you spend your evenings?
Next day was time for free dinner - yup - free dinner. Play a tune for a pizza at the Dukes' :) so I played a song and got a pizza, talked to Tiffany, the barmaid and her gayfriend Brad :P hung out with them until the bar closed at 11...it's a monday today :) Got a lot of free beer as well...that's gonna be wonderful tomorrow-morning...
Alice to Adelaide Adventure Tours part III - 19/20 Oct
Can't believe how fast a week can go!
Headed out to a local reserve to spot yellow-footed rock wallabies. Awesome, they're just sunbathing on the rock. Then hiked around Wilpena Pound in the afternoon, and then on to Quorn, where we were staying the night. Nice pictures of old trainwrecks and the station, which I'll post later.
Next day was an ode to...me! nah, not really, but we're climbing the Dutchman Stern :) forgot to take a picture of the iron sign saying "Dutchman" so I'll have to go back there some day. On the peak we took our last 'group picture' and after that were in for a long drive to Adelaide. Couldn't miss that though, increasing amount of traffic lights, and traffic jams...crazy. Put me back in the outback. Had dinner with the group at the Cumby and then went out to the Duke of York, where live music and a DJ were playing, nice goodbye-party. First night being up that late in a while though...2.30AM and up the next day because I wanted to go and explore Adelaide!
Headed out to a local reserve to spot yellow-footed rock wallabies. Awesome, they're just sunbathing on the rock. Then hiked around Wilpena Pound in the afternoon, and then on to Quorn, where we were staying the night. Nice pictures of old trainwrecks and the station, which I'll post later.
Next day was an ode to...me! nah, not really, but we're climbing the Dutchman Stern :) forgot to take a picture of the iron sign saying "Dutchman" so I'll have to go back there some day. On the peak we took our last 'group picture' and after that were in for a long drive to Adelaide. Couldn't miss that though, increasing amount of traffic lights, and traffic jams...crazy. Put me back in the outback. Had dinner with the group at the Cumby and then went out to the Duke of York, where live music and a DJ were playing, nice goodbye-party. First night being up that late in a while though...2.30AM and up the next day because I wanted to go and explore Adelaide!
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