Gyoo

I’m going to Surfers Paradise by train and by bus for a day on the beach. Too much hot …

In the evening, I meet Asumi, Yuko, and their friend Ayako living in Brisbane, but for the first time it is not accidentally! We planed this dinner from Alice Springs.

This morning I’m leaving Alice Springs. And try to guess who I’m meeting in Alice Springs airport ? Asumi and Yuko are visiting one of their friend in Brisbane. But we don’t share the same airplane: they are going to Brisbane through Darwin, I’m going to Brisbane through Sydney.

For my first day in Brisbane, I’m visiting the city. I’ll spend the night in Palace Backpackers Central, a very fancy hotel. I recommand it. I meet Floyd, an Australian guy from Sydney in vacation. Funny guy.

Last day of this safari. Today we are going to the Olgas, known as Kata Tjuta. It’s a bizarre collection of rounded rocks.

After it is time to go back to Alice Springs. There was a good atmosphere in our group during these 3 days, and we decided to have dinner all togheter in Alice Springs. Good food and quiet evening in this small city in the middle of the desert.

Not so much quiet in fact, when I’ve discovered I’ve lost my passport, my wallet, my credit cards, my immigration card, … For a while I was feeling alone and bit afraid regarding the end of my vacation. I spent all the night to look for my pouch. But finally at 6 o’clock in the morning, Sherry brought me back my pouch she found outside. Thank you so much ! And thanks a lot to you Lisa, you were very helpful.

Today we are going to Ayers Rock, called Uluru by Aboriginal people. I don’t climb on it. Climbing Uluru goes against Aboriginal spiritual beliefs. We walked around Uluru during about two hours. Great landscape !

For the sunset, we are joining our camp in Yulara. Amazing colors …

We are spending the night in a slag in Yulara, around a campfire.

Departure at 6am this morning for a 3 day safari with Wayoutback. We are a group of ten persons: Pon and Stephen from Newcastle, Louise, Anders, Chistian and Niels from Denmark, Oscar and Diego from Spain, David the Aussie bushman, and myself. Very good atmosphere in our group. Pon especially has a communicative happiness.

For the first day, we are going by 4WD to Kings Canyon. And because of the destiny or just by coincidence I saw again my two Japanese friends on the top of the canyon !

Watarrka – aboriginal name of Kings Canyon – is definitely one my favourite place in Northern Territory. It was about 30°C and what was not my surprise when we reach the Garden of Eden: a water hole in the desert, into which we are swimming… Great !

For the night, we are going near King Creeks Station, and sleep in the open, under the stars.

I’m leaving Cairns and the rain to go to Alice Springs and its desert. And guess who I met in Cairns airport ? My friends from Nara I’ve meet on last Saturday. Asumi and Yuko are joining a tour in Ayers Rock and the Olgas like I’m doing.

I’m visiting Alice Springs during the day. Very peaceful area. I’m spending the night at Melanka backpacker hotel, before the long day which is waiting for me tomorrow.

After a second day in Cape Tribulation, I came back in Cairns. I’ve decided to spent my last night in Cairns into Gilligans Backpackers Hotel, before going to Alice Springs.

This hostel is one of the best I’ve never seen for this price. If you stop in Cairns, have a look here !

I’m sharing my room with two British girls and Miki from Japan. The British girls were not really talkative, but at least they gave me good advice: buy a flying net for visiting Uluru, and I did.

Miki on her side is a very cool girl, who just arrived in Australia for learning English for one year. So we spent the evening to try to communicate in English and Japanese, thanks to her Pocket Pc… I hope the best for you, Miki.

After diving on the Reef, I’ve decided to explore the Rainforest with Adventure Tours for a 2 day trip in Cape Tribulation. Impressive vegetation, but it is raining all the time… I’ve meet Ian – a british guy – and his girl friend from Argentina during the travel from Cairns to Cape Tribulation. A very friendly couple.

I spent the night in the middle of the jungle. My bangalow was in the Mangrove. When it is raining hard like today, you could meet interesting people, and I did. A funny french guy called Yann was living in this place since several weeks. Coming from St Tropez, he was very impressive with his huge bag and his harpon. A little bit unexpected meeting in this part of the world.

I’m joining today Reef Quest for a day trip on the Great Reef.

Norman Reef is about 70 km offshore. The Coral sea is amazing with its tropical fishes and its corals. Scuba diving and snorkelling in the middle of the Reef is a great experience.

It’s 14h30. I’ve just arrived in Cairns after a long trip from Japan. During the flight, I’ve got plenty of time to read lonely planet and to work out plan for my vacation.

During my connection in Brisbane, I’ve meet Asumi and Yuko, two nice Japanese students who are planing exactly the same itinerary than me in Australia and Hong Kong. One difference: they have already booked everything from Japan, on my side nothing… But I’ve been talked that Australia is a backpacker friendly country, so it should be ok. I hope I will meet again Asumi and Yuko, but Australia is a so huge country.

Very sunny and hot for this afternoon. I’m going in a travel agency to book some tours in Cairns and Alice Springs. You have a lot of choices of travel agencies in Cairns, probably the tourism is the first industry of this city and backpackers are welcome everywhere.

I’m spending the rest of the day to visit Cairns. The sea side in very beautiful, especially at the sunset. People look friendly, even if it’s quite difficult to understand Aussie English the first hours… Everything is going well until it starts raining ! I was about to forget that I’m in the monsoon belt and that from January to March it is the hot and wet season.

I’m spending the night at Captain Cook backpacker hostel, I’ve selected from the information tourism office at the airport. This hostel is on Sheridan St, a 15 minutes walk from the center of Cairns. Quite good. I’m sharing the room with an Australian guy and two Dutchmen. But I’m too much tired to join them into night club, and the hard rain outside definitely convainced myself to go to bed early today.