Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia

A 136-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more

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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Gordon River
May 26, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 4 °C
The Gordon and Franklin Rivers are in a world heritage national park. So many unique, endemic species here, including the Huon Pine. Even though it was a sunny day, it was very dark in the dense rain forest. The last picture is of a Huon pine.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Cradle Mountain
May 26, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 3 °C
More of the world heritage parks.In addition to Cradle Mountain, there are pictures of Dove Lake and Wombat Pool. In one you can see the skim of ice on the water that is naturally brown from all the native tannins. The last is a boat house on Dove Lake that is more than 100 years old.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Launceston Gorge
May 26, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C
A park in Launceston with a gorge and a small suspension bridge for for traffic.
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Bay of Fires
May 26, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 8 °C
Now on the east coast of Tasmania. In addition to the lovely beach, there were some kelp beds, albeit shrinking as the waters warm, resulting in loss of habitat for native species
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Some wildlife
May 26, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 7 °C
Photos taken in a sanctuary. We have a ring tail possum, spotted and eastern quolls, wombat, and a yellow tail raptor
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Devils
May 26, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 7 °C
Tasmanian Devils. Also in the sanctuary. They are black with white markings that are unique to each individual. The are about the size of a small dog. The name comes mostly from the call and screams when feeding.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Freycinet
May 26, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 7 °C
Not a sparkling wince from Spain. Another national park in Tasmania. The path up to the overlook of Wineglass Bay and the view from the top. Also Fisherman's Bay with a look from Fisherman's Bay out to Coles BayRead more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Sydney
June 2, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C
Capital of the state of New South Wales and beautiful city with more ferries than I have seen anywhere. There will be multiple posts from Sydney. This starts with a few iconic pics. The opera house, the harbor bridge, a view of the skyline from the harbor, the town hall, St May's cathedral and the towerRead more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
VIVID Sydney
June 3, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C
Annual festival here that is light show, music and more. The highlight for me is the Opera House which is another post. This is a half dozen pictures of examples of what is done with lights at almost a dozen sites around the city. Unfortunately, still photography doesn't give a good sense of things as most of the light shows were moving. The first pic is one of the harbor ferries lit up; the second is the harbor bridge. The third is Luna Park, the only remaining amusement park in Sydney. Then a couple buildings. The last is one of the interactive installations. Kids were dancing and the lights on the wall responded to their dance. BTW, the display in the last pic is on Cadman's Cottage, one of the oldest buildings in SydneyRead more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
VIVID--Opera House
June 3, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Some of these are pretty dark . Unfortunately, that's what happens with a small, simple camera. The display is constantly changing, and it was probably a half hour before I began to see repeat patterns.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
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Bondi to Coogee
June 3, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
I walked the coast from Bondi (pronounced Bon-dai here) beach to Coogee (soft g) beach. These are pics from along the way. First is Bondi beach itself. Various views and a rock formation weathered by the ocean. There is a seaside cemetery and finally Googee beach.Read more
Traveler great shot great subject material
7/1/18Reply
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
More VIVID lights
June 3, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
The first pic is the lit up city from a ferry on the harbor. The second is one of the interactives--people could go into a booth near the Opera House where their pictures might end up on this display at Luna Park, facing the harbor. The third is a series of fountains lit in Darling Harbor. Etc. Etc. All pretty amazingRead more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Royal Botanic Gardens
June 3, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
This is just about the beginning of winter here. So I am a bit surprised by how much is in bloom. One of the exhibits (indoor) is about pollination. If you look closely at the second and third pics, you will see the word pollination (or at least part of it) spelled out in plants, and the third pic is bees made of plants on frames.Read more
Travelerlovely
7/1/18Reply
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Canberra
June 5, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
National capital of Australia. I confess that I found that there isn't much in Canberra but the federal government. These are various views of that. I was there because I visited a friend, Sarah, I met in Norway on the cruise up the coast through the fjords who lives and works there.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Katoomba Echo Point and 3 sisters
June 6, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 7 °C
Katoomba is a small town in the blue mountains west of Sydney. It is a starting point for many who visit the mountains. Echo Point is on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the deep valley. The last picture is of the "giant's stairs," almost 1,000 very steep steps down toward the valley. My acrophobia had a good time with that, but, hey, I'm facing it and working on it. The first and second pics are of the 3 sisters, just at a 90 degree angle.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Katoomba coal mine
June 6, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 9 °C
The coal mine at Katoomba was in the cliff side below Echo Point. They built a railroad to haul the coal out. The current funicular follows that route and claims the title of steepest railroad in the world. he 2nd pic is the old mine entrance. The 3rd pic is part of the ventilation system. 4 & 5 are off a reconstructed miner's cabin, and the last is the funicular-at a 52 degree slope.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Jenolan Caves
June 8, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Jenolan caves are limestone caves in the blue mountains. The first hydroelectric facility in Australia was here. This is a system of many caves. I only visited one--Orient Cave, subject of another post. These are pictures of the immediate area around the entrance. The gateway to the site is a cave or arch that the bus almost didn't fit through. The lake in the picture is really blue due to the calcium naturally in the water.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Orient Cave at Jenolan
June 8, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
This cave has the reputation of being the most beautiful of the many caves at Jenolan. I can't disagree. These are various views at different points within the cave.
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Cairns
June 10, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Cairns is the town most associated with the great barrier reef. I was there when an Ironman competition was scheduled. The only pic I have of Cairns skyline is from the boat on the way out to the reef for snorkeling. Also unfortunately, the camera I rented from the crew didn't work and only gave blurry pics. Hence no record of the spectacular coral and fish and turtles I saw. The second pic is of the park at the Esplanade. In the background is one of the tents for the Iron Man event in progress. There are some competitors is view too. The last two are of the beach at the Esplanade.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Karunda scenic railway
June 12, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Engineering marvel of the late 9th century. Many tunnels and trestles to weave the track up the face of the mountain and cliffs along the gorge of the Barron River. First is a trestle oeone f the many sharp bends showing a few of vintage rail cars. The second is a waterfall at the edge of the tracks. The a couple views from the train. The 5th is a stone left a a monument to the engineer who designed and managed construction. It is also sacred to the native people. The last looks gown the falls of the Barron River into the gorge. this gives a good idea of the difficulty and danger in building this.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Kuranda
June 12, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Kuranda is a small touristy town in the mountains above Cairns. I didn't take any pictures of the town as you can most likely visualize it. It is that stereotypical. Most of the stores close up when the last train or gondola (see another post) leaves. However, the town sits in an upland rain forest. Those are the pictures here.Read more
Travelerlooks like a painting beautiful!
7/1/18Reply
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
SkyRail
June 13, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
This is the gondola between Karunda and Cairns (or a town near Cairns). This is a tremendous ride that is built in 3 sections. The two intermediate stops allow walks in the rain forest, a guided tour at one of them, and an interpretive center at another. This post shows some of the views from the gondola over the rain forest. The river is the Barron River upstream of the falls.Read more
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
SkyRail 2
June 13, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
This looks across the Barron River gorge at the scenic railroad train at its stop at the falls and looks at the falls from the other side as well as another of the rain forest.
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Cairns Botanical Garden
June 13, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
This is the only botanical garden I've visited dedicated to the tropical rain forest. Part of the garden brings together plants from rain forests around the world. The other portion is a boardwalk through the local native rain forest with interpretation.Read more
Travelerheaven on earth for me
7/1/18Reply
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Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia skip's retirement travel
Up the coast to Cape Tribulation
June 14, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
The first two pics are from Mossman Gorge park that is sun by the native community. Then 2 shots at Cape Tribulation. the 3rd is the cape itself from the beach. The some structures within the tidal zone. A view south towards Cairns and a saltwater croc during the crocodile cruise.Read more
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