The Grand Adventure

A bike trip with no end Read more

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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
700+ KM to Uluru (Ayers Rock)
May 12, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Another early start. Many miles of Outback in front of us. Coming out of town pass many opal mines. See a dingo but not much wildlife - except for flies which swarmed as soon as we got out of the car (so avoided that as much as possible). Many podcasts later saw Uluru poking up. After setting up camp in the ‘resort’, go for a walkabout. Watch sunset and get a bonus full moon. Thankfully flies go away when it’s dark bRead more
TravelerThese might be some of my favorite pictures!
5/18/25Reply
Helene RimbergIt was so hard to really capture the colors and magnitude
5/19/25Reply
TravelerWow!
5/22/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Kata Tjuta
May 13, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Wake up early to catch the sunrise over Kata Tjuṯa - the other structure in the park. Amazing colors as the sun hits the red rocks. Hike the Valley of the Winds - wandering through the chasms and up and over formations. Additionally, short hike in the gorge. Explore the Cultural Centre. Great exhibits on Aboriginal culture. Avoid flies in the late afternoon (worst time) before going to watch sunset over Uluru.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Onto Alice Springs
May 14, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Another early morning to catch the sunrise over Uluru. Afterwards, hike around the base. Retrace our drive back to Stuart Highway and then continue north to Alice Springs. Find a campground, set up and try to avoid flies. Have determined that flies are the worst natural annoyance that we have come upon. Escape only really happens at night. Venture into town for really good pizza. Lots of gates in this rough town.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
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Bike ride and a museum
May 15, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Head out on bikes into the west MacDonnell Park - a range of ‘mountains’ that go east/west. Ride the Simpson cycle path through the bush to Simpson gap. Quite green and somewhat less red. Short walk into a little gorge. Return to town and check out the Royal Flying Doctor Medical museum. Very cool exhibit on the first ever medical aviation program which is still in use today. Stock up on food, do laundry and check out local brewery.Read more
Traveler I don’t think looking at all these is good for my med school dedication
5/20/25Reply
Helene RimbergSorry. I could carry on about the flies, heat and dust? Maybe that would help
5/21/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
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NT Outback
May 16, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Driving day. Not much to see besides termite mounds (some of which are dressed up in clothing). Break up the nothingness with a stop at Devils Marbles. Very cool rocks but swarming with flies. Manage a quick walkabout before retreating back to the car. Stop at almost nonexistent town of Elliott at the caravan park. Greeted by peacocks. Bathroom also has a surprise for me.Read more
Traveler Oh my gosh, a shower buddy, I mean froggy!
5/18/25Reply
TravelerOh my gosh, that frog doesn't look real! 🐸
5/22/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
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Mataranka and Katherine
May 17, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
No morning visitors in the bathroom! Get on the road and cover the distance to Mataranka quickly. Stop at the hot springs and see our first croc signs and experience little to no flies for the first time in quite awhile. Enjoy the soak in the jungle. Continue on to Katherine. Do the regular things and then do a little bike ride around town to move the legs a bit. Check out Katherine river. Town is also a bit rough around the edges.Read more
Hannah Boe That looks lovely!
5/18/25Reply
Traveler 😍😍😍
5/20/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Katherine Gorge
May 18, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
As we have been doing, stay in place while exploring. Today we headed out the gorge road to Nitmiluk park. We were surprised to find that a lot of the park still closed as they clean up from the Wet. Get good advice from a ranger and off we go on a hike through the gorge. Nice croc free swim in waterhole. Great views and way less flies than before. Back to camp to relax and have dinner.Read more
TravelerLooks like my kinda day! Loved the red rock of the gorge
5/20/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Edith Falls
May 19, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Stock up on food before leaving Katherine and drive to the north side of Nitmiluk park. Another lovely hike along the river to croc-free swimming holes (how do they promise that?). Continue north to Pine Creek and opt to stop to assess next move. Little walk to water filled gold mine.Read more
TravelerSoo pretty!
5/20/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Kakadu Park - Yurmikmik
May 20, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Although there seems to be many parts of the park closed (early season) decide to check it out anyway. Stop at visitors center and get good information and head off to Yurmikmik - nice hike and 2 great swimming holes. Getting quite toasty. Don’t see any crocs which I suppose is a good thing. Part of early season clean up is bush burning. Opt to not camp by a croc infested river and instead go to caravan park in Jabiru.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Kakadu - Burrungkuy
May 21, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Head out, stopping first at different visitor center. Nice displays about the park. Hike up a short way to Nawurlandja overlook. Great views. Back down to main tourist area - Burrungkuy. Many displays of rock art. Love the creation stories. Do another short walk to see a bit more art and then drive back. Hang by pool for a bit. Enjoy a slide show about the park in the evening.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Litchifield NP
May 22, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
Drive through wetlands área of Kakadu - stopping for a little walk. Doug spots a croc but i don’t see it. Stop at the town of
Humpty Doo (love the name) for food and drive to Litchfield NP. Camp by Wangi falls but can’t swim because of crocs. Walk the loop but views are a bit smoky.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
A bike ride and falls
May 23, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
Go for a bike ride in the park. Good to get those cycling legs going in the heat. Take a dip in Walker Creek. Quite smoky out. Doug almost gets run over by water buffalo; i only see them from a distance. Finally see a Joey in a pouch but mamma hope off before we can catch a picture. Walk to Cascade falls and have a nice, low risk plunge.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
A day for falls
May 24, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C
Decide to head out of the park a day early. Short walk to see Tolmer falls with alot obscured by smoke. Florence falls and Buley Rockhole are next. Very hot (95) and the water is lovely. Check out térmite mounds before leaving park and camping in the caravan park.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Darwin … almost
May 25, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Very short distance to cover to get to Darwin. Set up camp right outside of the city. Do some cleaning of the car and organizing. Though very hot, go off on a bike ride. Ride along beautiful ocean though croc and box jellyfish signs abound. Survive the heat. Last night to cook at a campground and sleep in a tent. Very hot night.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
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Darwin
May 26, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C
Complete a few errands on the way into the city. Return to north east coast for a walk and swim in a safe lake. Check into hotel and enjoy the a/c. Walk to dinner, passing a snake along the way. Fish n’ chips at Frying Nemo. Stop for some delicious gelato.Read more
Hannah Boe Frying Nemo 🤡😅
5/29/25Reply
Traveler🤣🤣🤣frying nemo
6/12/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Bike ride and beach walk
May 27, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
Set off on a bike ride back along the coast. Walk through mangroves and along the beach. Tide is way out. Beach is covered with little sand balls produced by sand bubbler crabs who deposit them as they forage for food. Do a bit of shopping and then out for pizza. And more gelato.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Botanic Gardens and swim lagoon
May 28, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
Wake up to pouring rain. Brunch of bagels and lox by the sea. Not spectacular bagels but overall pretty good. Walk to Botanic gardens. Meander back along the Esplanade, learning about Darwin bombing during WW II. Who knew? Go to wharf district where there is a “safe” lagoon. Though they can’t guarantee no stingers. Water is a bit warm and murky.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Packing Day and Mindil Market
May 29, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
Take my newly serviced bike out for a spin to get to the pool. Lovely, outdoor 50 meter pool that was mostly empty. Spend the afternoon packing. Walk to Mindil Beach for the evening market and sunset. Return to our favorite gelato place - only one we went to actually.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Bali
May 30, 2025 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
Easy van ride to airport and once again we are crazy overweight. TBF, the limit was lower than we have had before. Rearranged like mad and paid a crazy amount, but so be it. Short flight over the sea to Bali. Clear customs pretty easily and navigated the ride ( 2 large cars) to our Warmshowers hosts, Rob and Ayu. Do some unpacking, settle in to our wonderful accommodations and go to a nearby Warung (restaurant) for dinner.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Exploring the chaos
May 31, 2025 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Early morning rain brings a lovely rainbow. Venture out for coffee and wind up eating breakfast. Finish bike assembly and head towards the beach, walking along very busy streets with skinny sidewalks. Temples abound making for a nice contrast to the screaming motorbikes. Arrive at the beach; walk, swim, and watch some type of ceremony. Return to our ‘home’ and back out for a great dinner with Rob and Ayu.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Ubud
June 1, 2025 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Pack up, leaving quite a bit of our gear behind. Feeling much lighter, we venture out into the somewhat quieter streets. Find that the motorbikes are actually quite accommodating. Find ourselves on small paths and in rice fields. Short ride to Ubud. Check into our $18 room and venture out. Head to Monkey Sanctuary. Enjoy 100s of monkeys and temples. Amazingly we are there for a weekly dance. Back to the room for shower #2 and then out for another great dinner.Read more
TravelerTell us more about the dance?
6/6/25Reply
Helene RimbergI don’t recall the name of the type of dance but it was a version of the frog princess. King is turned into a frog by a god, princess loves him anyway, god turns him back into a man.
6/8/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
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Ubud rice paddys and crowds
June 2, 2025 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Get an early start to try and avoid the crowds. Check out the palace, a local coffee shop and the market. On the way to our walk, don appropriate cloths and walk around temple. Walk up along the ridge and into rice paddys. Back into the crowds. Retreat to our room before going out for another good dinner.Read more
Traveler Hold on, did Doug actually comb his hair?!
6/6/25Reply
Helene RimbergHa. He combs it with a scissors
6/8/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
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UP to Mount Batur caldera
June 3, 2025 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Get an early start, stopping first for a baguette and pastries. With 3600 feet of elevation gain in only 20 miles we will need motivatimg sustenance. Manage to quickly put the chaos behind us, vacillating between the main road and smaller side roads. But always up! Pass terraced rice paddys. Find ourselves sweating buckets and needing to stop very often. After a quick lunch break, make the final push - literally. Last bit was very steep and we were beat. At the top take in the breathtaking view of the caldera. After a hiccup, check into a hotel and get a shower and then hot tub. Walk a few minutes to dinner.Read more
Hannah Boe I like the tigers! 🐅🐅
6/4/25Reply
Traveler Are you an angel now? Someone in one of those temples bless you?
6/6/25Reply
Helene RimbergNope. Just glowing though.
6/6/25Reply
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
Climbing an active volcano
June 4, 2025 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Wake up early to catch the sunrise. Entire lake is covered in a thick fog. After a few hours it clears up and we head down to the lake on bikes. Cruise around a bit and find ourselves at a trailhead of sorts. Decide to go ahead and climb the volcano - with a guide. It hasn’t erupted since 2000. Cycle up to a higher starting point and then quickly start scrambling. Lots of loose rocks and pumice. Make it to top as clouds build. Walk around the top for a bit and fortunately take an easier route down. Ride a bit more to get lake views and then back up to the hotel. Rest a bit before walking up to the rim (of course) for dinner.Read more
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The Grand Adventure Helene Rimberg
In the shadow of Mount Agung
June 5, 2025 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Another nice sunrise with much less fog. Psyche ourselves up to push up and out of the caldera. Continue up for a bit as we continue along the rim. Nice quiet road as we begin our long descent. Mount Agung pops up quickly next to us. Roads deteriorate and traffic increases making for a less pleasant second half of the ride. Up into the rice terraces we go for our lodging. Lovely place! Go for a little walk about into the rice terraces.Read more
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