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Vela Huang

Vela Huang

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    • Our OE
      Very orange sky tonight
      Enjoying the shadows of the trees against the sunset skyEnjoying the shadows of the trees against the sunset skyThe moon peeking over the top of the treesCouple of Kiwi boys watching the sunsetMr snake hanging out on the pathFreshwater crayfish2One of the bigger frogs we spottedAstrophotography - tried to get the waterfall but it didn't quite come throughPretty amazing...

      Surprise Creek Night Excursion

      9 augustus 2024, Australië ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

      With an afternoon of waterfalls and beers behind us, we really enjoyed relaxing and watching our last outback sunset. The sky was particularly orange due to a fire that was burning to the west of us (downwind) throughout the day. As the sun set there were hundreds of bats silently winging their way through the sky, off to hunt again.

      Later in the evening we decided to go for a night excursion back to the waterfall. On the walk there we spotted a snake in the middle of the path. It appeared pretty relaxed and not at all concerned by us. We were very cautious however and waited for it to move off before we continued. After a bit of research we think it was a non-venomous Keelback or Children's Python.

      Also along our walk we spotted a bunch of freshwater crayfish feeding and a couple of frogs.

      We relaxed in the rocks by the waterfall for an hour or two, trying out a bit more astrophotography, watching loads of shooting stars, getting swooped by bats, and trading more stories with each other.      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      Posers
      Chef Max and Nate whipping up some pancakes1Still too early for JamieGloriousThe walk to the fallsThe lower plunge poolKiwis on rocks againJamie the mountain goatReady to jump#nofilter2

      Surprise Creek

      9 augustus 2024, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

      Finally a sleep in! But we were still chased out of bed before 9am by the heat. After a glorious breakfast of pancakes we walked straight up to the falls - a short 10 minute trip. When we arrived we were the only ones there.

      The falls were a pair of decent waterfalls flowing into deep plunge pools. Ideal for both jumping into and relaxing in. We spent hours there during the hottest part of the day, revelling in the remoteness and natural beauty of the spot.

      We attempted to choreograph a group jump into one of the pools. Mostly a success but it was a bit cramped and Callum almost wore Nathan as a hat..      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      Good looking bunch of lads
      Not a bad view to wake up toLooking down on Edith FallsPretty little waterfall and pools complexPhoto shoot timeHeaven in a glassThis mad dude wandering around town with a snakeKangaroo bouncing off the road1Camping in our own tiny worldAnother epic outback sunset

      Leliyn (Edith) Falls

      8 augustus 2024, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

      Awake again by 6.30am. While heading off into the bushes to find a slightly private location for the morning routine, a dozen kangaroos started bouncing away through the brush. Didn't have a camera but it was a pretty awesome sight.

      We broke camp and headed up the road to Leliyn (Edith) Falls. It was a pretty chill hike to the upper pools with a complex of waterfalls. We weren't the first ones in the water, but we didn't muck around before changing and slipping in. There were a few climbable rocks, so after scoping out the surrounding water to make sure it was safe, we were soon behaving like Kiwis and jumping off them into the water, much to the horror of some Australians sitting nearby.

      An hour of swimming and a photoshoot later we began making our way back to the carpark. There were some free showers which we made the most of - likely our last until we're back in Darwin. The local shop also sold iced coffees which went down an absolute treat.

      Feeling refreshed, we jumped back in the utes for the 3h drive to Litchfield National Park. We made a quick pit stop in Pine Creek for more drinking water and to get our punctured tyre repaired. As we were leaving, a stereotypical Aussie bloke wandered into the shop with a snake on his arm. After asking him for a photo, he informed us it was an albino carpet python and would grow up to about 2m long. Yikes. At its current size it would definitely come under the cute category. We continued on to Litchfield and passed more kangaroos on the side of the road. Finally managed to get a picture of one - albeit not a very good one.

      We had selected a spot called Surprise Creek for camping the next couple of nights. It feels pretty good to be setting up a little more permanently and knowing we don't have to rush away at first light. The campsite has long drop toilet facilities and is just a 5-10 minute walk from a swimming hole - so absolute luxury!

      Chicken stir fry for dinner. A good way to make sure we're getting enough veggies into our system. At sunset we watched hundreds of bats fly overhead, off to hunt insects. Then we finished off the night around the campfire, roasting marshmallows and talking about how we'd fix all the problems of the world and discussing whether the universe is finite or infinite. Thrilling stuff!      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      Sunrise
      At Motor Car FallsMore Kiwis sitting on a rockReady to get wet2Back on the trail to the carsBushfire on the side of the roadCouple of big boy road trainsCamp cookout timeGood beer at sunset - a mustAnother outback sunset

      Motor Car Falls

      7 augustus 2024, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

      Everybody was feeling a bit sore this morning after a big day yesterday. So the best thing to cure the pain was obviously to get up early and go for another hike...

      We were back on a hiking trail by about 8am, headed to a spot called Motor Car Falls. Almost immediately a Wallaby bounced away through the underbrush, too quick to get a snap. The hiking trail was significantly easier than either of those we did yesterday, but the scenery along the path wasn't quite as picturesque either. The hike was posted as being about 6km 4 hours return, but we were already at the falls after an hour and travelling over 3km... Have to take those signs with a pinch of salt.

      The falls were stunning. Beautiful rock formations with red, white and black striations and an emerald green pool at the bottom. The water was calling out to us. So after a healthy waiting period to ensure we didn't see any critters (no croc warning signs for this spot) we were leaping into the beautiful refreshing water. There was a cave on the other side of the pool, but after a cursory investigation nobody was quite brave enough to explore.

      Refreshed, and a little less smelly, we headed back to the vehicles. On the way we drove through an area of bush fire. Very strange to see the area burning but nobody concerned about it... On one of the bigger highways we came across some very impressive road trains, which apparently can be up to 52m long and take 200m to stop when going 100km/h.

      Supplies were getting a little low, so we drove into Katherine to restock on food, water, hygiene products, and beer. We wanted to camp out at Leliyn campground, but it was all booked out so we settled for a free campsite just off the road instead.

      Another great camp feed of Gochugang while sitting out under the stars telling stories. Plenty of shooting stars were spotted and we all began playing with the astrophotography functions on our phones. Pretty amazing to find some extra features, even on some of the cheaper phones.      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      Inviting waterhole... Might give this one a miss
      Couple of Kiwis perched on a rockJim Jim's Falls - there are a few humans in here for scaleWater monitor sunning himselfPretty spectacularOofGolden hour drivingCamp madeEnjoying a fiery sunsetA crescent moon and Venus at sunset

      Jim Jim's Falls

      6 augustus 2024, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

      After lunch we drove back down the 4wd track and hung a right turn towards Jim Jim's Falls. Plenty of crocodile warning signs in the carpark definitely put us on edge, but everything we'd read online said that the plunge pool and beach pools were safe for swimming. Swim at your own risk...

      We hiked for about an hour out to the falls. There was a very inviting pool along the way, but with a big crocodile trap on the other bank, we heeded the warning signs and kept ourselves dry. The hike was reasonably flat, but arguably more tiring than this morning with a lot of boulder scrambling to reach the plunge pool.

      We arrived to a view of epic cliffs, Wikipedia says 140-200m high, but again very little water running over the falls. The water was pretty chilly, and dark as there was no direct sunlight on it. Jamie was first to take the plunge, followed by Callum, and Nathan a little further behind. Max and Nate opted to splash down in the water and then stay knee deep on the rocks. Jamie and Callum took off to the other side of the pool, Nathan followed until Callum exclaimed "what's that floating in the water?" which caused some mild panic and a quick swim back to the rocks.

      We relaxed in the water for about an hour, watching the fish swimming around. Nathan got over his panic and hopped back in to join Jamie and Callum. As we were swimming back to climb out, we ran into a rather large lizard swimming in the water - we think it was a water or lace monitor - which caused a hasty exit and a scramble over the rocks instead of a swim...

      On our way back to the main road, one of the trucks managed to get a flat tyre from what looked like a nail of some sort. 30 minutes later we had the spare on and were continuing to tonight's campsite. A wicked feed of chili con carne in wraps to refill everybody's energy meters. Looking forward to more adventures tomorrow.      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      Up and at em
      Not a bad viewPoserWhat sign?Crazy spot, crazy rocksTime for a paddleThis spot was even better for a dipProfile pic timeHow's your balance?Fire in the distance

      Twin Falls Hike

      6 augustus 2024, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

      Big day today. Took too many photos so going to have to split this one into two.

      Another early start to avoid the worst of the heat during the day. We were out of the campground by 7.30am and headed to Twin Falls. The road to get there was proper 4wd material, with big ruts, massive muddy puddles, and a river crossing. We navigated the obstacles successfully and arrived at the Twin Falls carpark.

      We set off by 8.30am on what was listed as a 4-6h difficult hike. The start was very steep with lots of boulder scrambling to get to the top of the cliff. After 30 minutes or so we were at the top and it got significantly easier. We were pretty thankful to be doing this early in the morning. Another hour later and we made it to the top of Twin Falls.

      The view was epic. There were about three tiers of rock ledges to get to the bottom, and it was hard to take a photo that showed the scale of the place. There wasn't any water going over as it was right in the middle of the dry season. The bright red and coppery rocks had been worn smooth and honestly looked like they were from a movie set.

      We spent a bit of time taking photos and just enjoying the magnitude of the place.

      We explored a little further and found a couple of puddles and ponds. Figuring that a crocodile would have to be pretty intrepid to climb up the falls, Jamie paddled his feet in the water while Nathan went full kiwi, stripped to his boxers, and soaked himself in the 2ft deep water.

      We moved further upstream, and Nathan went for a paddle in another little pool. He couldn't quite persuade anyone else to get in, but enjoyed it anyway.

      On our way back down to the car we spotted a bush fire in the distance, and enjoyed checking out a few cool rock formations. Time for a bite to eat before heading to the next spot.      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      Family photo
      Couple of birds spotted at the wetlandsSome of the Aboriginal rock paintingsThe thylacineFunny looking log in the waterCouple big dinosaurs at Cahill'sOutback roadsCampsite #2Golden hour2Hanging out by the fire, smoking out the mozzies

      Aboriginal Paintings & Cahill's Crossing

      5 augustus 2024, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

      An early start today to avoid the worst of the midday heat. Callum cracked the whip and we were packed up and on the road by about 7.30 - these rooftop tents are super easy to set up and pack down.

      First stop was the wetlands where we saw a bunch of bird life. No crocs spotted yet, but plenty of warning signs. Next stop was Ubirr, where we went for a pretty chill hike and checked out some Aboriginal rock paintings. Lots of fish, turtles and dingoes were painted, as well as a thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) and a couple of Aboriginal laws and stories. The paintings are all layered on top of each other, with the earliest possibly thousands of years old, while the most recent were painted after European contact. We made our way up to a little lookout point and had a pretty cool view of the wetlands, savannah scrubland, and bush.

      Next we popped over to Cahill's Crossing, a tidal river which can be forded by car at midday. This area is famous for seeing large saltwater crocodiles, and within two minutes of arriving we'd spotted two on the mudbanks sunning themselves. The tide was in full flood, and soon the mud banks were underwater. Dozens more crocs floated up the river on the tide, we made sure to stay well away from the river while we had a spot of lunch.

      We started making our way to our campsite for the night. A short pit stop at the Aboriginal cultural centre to learn a little bit about the local culture, and Max picked up a painting as a souvenir.

      We made camp at Karnamarr campground. There were a few luxury facilities which we took advantage of, including toilets and a shower. Planning to find a spot for a dip tomorrow - hopefully no crocs.      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      The Boiz
      You know you're in Australia when...Hanging out in the lead carHow do you like my dust fullasCampsite #1Time to make campCampsite done, beer'o'clockStarry skyFound the noisy bugger rustling in the leaves

      The Road to Aus

      4 augustus 2024, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

      So Vela and Nathan have headed off in different directions. We left Boracay together on the second of August and made our way to Manila. After a quick pit stop in a hotel, Nathan managed a solid 3 hours sleep, it was back to the airport. Nathan's trip consisted of three separate planes (Manila-Singapore-Perth-Darwin), while Vela had a direct flight to Tokyo.

      After over 30 hours travelling, and a very uncomfortable 13 hours overnight in a chilly Perth airport, Nathan finally arrived in Darwin. It was an awesome feeling to meet up with Callum, Max Sun, Jamie and Nate. They'd already done the hard work and had the rental vehicles - 2x Toyota Hilux's with rooftop tents and all decked out for camping in the outback. After a stop to provision the fridges, we hit the road.

      After a pit stop at a brewery for a bevy and a pizza, we headed into Kakadu national Park. We passed a bunch of Wallabies on the side of the road as well as a herd of Buffalo. We stopped for the night at a spot called 2-mile hole. We figured out our camp gear, lit a fire to try and smoke out the mozzies (reasonably successful) and settled in. There were a bunch of bats flying around overhead and frogs rustling their way through the dry leaves we watched shooting stars overhead.

      A pretty early night was had, with everyone in bed by 10.30. Looking forward to more adventures on the morrow!

      Meanwhile, Vela flew into Tokyo and successfully met up with Fish. They're ready to hit the town and cause havoc in Japan!      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      Chilling in the infinity pool
      These local outriggers are pretty cool little machinesCool guys don't look at the cameraSunset and golden hourNight swimScallops for our entreeA crazy beer (and maybe a crazy wife?)The purple haze after sunset"I can touch the sky"Coconut ice cream for dessert

      Bumming at Boracay

      29 jul.–2 aug. 2024, Filippijnen ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

      Not been a lot going on for us. We moved from our bnb to a resort a little further down the beach and have spent this time enjoying the pools, the beach, and some delicious food.

      We're just about ready to pack ourselves up and leave the Philippines. We're parting ways for just over a week, with Vela heading to Japan and Nathan off to Australia's Northern Territory.Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling
    • Our OE
      Boracay!
      Trying out the sidecars and tuktuksWhite sandy beachesCute decor in our bnbNice spot for lunchHungry, plus it was happy hourSunset sailingEnjoying the cloudsSunsetTime for dinner

      Bound for Boracay

      28–29 jul. 2024, Filippijnen ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

      After an awesome time in Panglao, it was time to say goodbye and head for Boracay. It took a little bit of planning to get to Boracay.

      Firstly we took a taxi to the ferry terminal at Tagbiliran, and then a two hour ferry over to Cebu. We stayed the night in Cebu and met up with one of Vela's ex-colleagues from Williams corp for dinner which was nice.

      The following day we took a taxi to the airport and flew to Caticlan. On arrival we jumped into a side-car motorbike which delivered us to the ferry terminal. The ferry terminal was a little frustrating as you had to buy three separate tickets to board the boat; one being a terminal fee, another being an environmental fee, and finally the actual boat ticket... And each one has a separate counter. Not the most streamlined process.

      We arrived in Boracay and jumped in a tuktuk to our air bnb. We got a little lost on the way and our driver didn't know either as it isn't a main resort, so we ended up having to walk an extra 10 minutes after our tuktuk dropped us off. But our bnb is spacious and very nicely decorated, so it was all worth it in the end.

      We spent the afternoon/evening walking on the beach. Enjoying the super white and super soft sand, as well as the local outrigger boats sailing up and down the shore. Most of the vehicles here are electric, and the sailing boats fit very nicely into the aesthetic. We enjoyed a couple of nice meals on the beach, as well as happy hour. Looking forward to chilling out and relaxing here for a few days!      Meer informatie

      Zie vertaling

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