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Australia
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apr – giu 2018

Australia

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  • Inizio del viaggio
    9 aprile 2018
    Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Gold Coast Stadium
    Sunset at Point DangerReady to hit the road :)Our Mitsubishi Challenger should get us around Australia

    Gold Coast

    10 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    A new exciting chapter in the gap year is starting here at the Gold Coast. We arrived just in time for the Commonwealth Games, which was at first great news until we started looking for a place to stay at. Everything was either booked or exorbitantly expensive. In the end we were lucky to get a Airbnb close to the airport.
    The mission for the first few days was to find a car to get us around. Luckily we were already successful on the first day. We had a good feeling about it and so we went for it. Hopefully our gut feeling was right, but we'll see about that in a few weeks.
    As we now had a car we decided to treat ourselves with a ticket to the Commonwealth Games. There weren't many tickets available anymore but we got some cheaper ones for the Athletics. It was a fun experience unlike the football stadiums there is something going on everywhere all the time.

    Before leaving the Gold Coast in the general direction South, we visited Coolangatta and the iconic Point Danger. Named by Captain Cook because of the dangerous shallow rocks its now a scenic spot to watch the surfers and the sunset.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    View over Byron Bay
    The picturesque Byron Bay LighthouseMost easterly point in Australia

    Byron Bay

    13 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Byron Bay is famous for its beaches, hippies and backpackers. So it was our logical first stop and we had great time here.
    The hot weather, the beautiful beach and the general relaxed atmosphere made us feel relaxed. So we spent the whole day here, walking up to the Cape Byron Lighthouse and the most easterly point in Australia. There we saw some colourful parrots and a group of dolphins. The wildlife seems to be abundant. We also explored the city center with the loads of surf shops and small bistros. And of course we spent a lot of time on the beach and in the water.
    In the evening we drank some wine on the dunes, eating chips and listening to locals making music.
    We decided spontaneously to make a bit of a detour to Lismore which is located a bit inland because there is supposed to be a Koala colony...    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    The Koalas in the background aren't visible :(
    Shy little fellow😍The Flying Foxes look like fruits hanging from the trees😲Ripe Flying Foxes fruits

    Lismore & Platypus Pool

    14 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    We stayed for the night in the city center of Lismore, a medium-sized town with a good atmosphere. As we wanted to explore the parks of the town in search for the Koalas we stumbled across the "Friends of the Koalas". A wildlife sanctuary located in the city that rescues, treats and prepares injured or sick Koalas for being released in the wild again.
    The tours coincided with our schedule so we decided to make a stop there first. But it turned out to be such a great experience that we stayed there for almost three hours. First the volunteering ranger told us about the things they do and how the Koala status is. Then he took us out in the nearby woods to show us one in the wild! The ones that we were able to have a closer look at were in cages and surprisingly awake. The tour was interrupted because of a Echidna was found with a spine injury and needed to be transported to the Wildlife Hospital near Gold Coast. We were able to get a look at this huge hedgehog porcupines :)
    For the afternoon we drove to Casino, half an hour away from Lismore. There is a short walk to the Platypus Pools where we hoped to get a glimpse at these shy animals. But it wasn't the right time of the day as they usually come out in dusk or dawn. Instead we saw an impressive amount of Flying Foxes in the trees along the river. We spent an hour watching them fighting, chattering and looking at us with their cute big eyes.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Sunset over the Crescent Heads
    Dolphin at Coffs HarbourNambucca Heads Rock formationPainted rocks

    Nambucca Heads

    15 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    At the place we stayed for the night we met a nice woman from Poland who has been living in Sydney for some years. She quit her job two months ago and went on a road trip along the East Coast heading north. So she gave us some great advice over several glasses of goon about upcoming spots to visit.
    We went to the first one right after breakfast, Emerald Beach - really a little gem :) We stayed there for about two hours swimming and tanning before moving further South to Coffs Harbour. By the time we got there a market was going on. We took a stroll around the stands and got a free banana :) Besides that there wasn't much of interest so we decided to have a walk around the huge harbour area. Just as we arrived at the end of the pier a dolphin swam along it and chased a fish. A super random and interesting encounter.
    For the afternoon we stopped at the Nambucca Heads, a coastal/beach formation that is a busy getaway. Besides a walk along painted rocks we enjoyed our lunch there. The rock formation at the end of the walk is remarkable.
    For the night we ended up at Crescent Head, a small town which consists basically just of a huge Campground. Just in time to see the sunset and a horde of Mosquitos...    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Our poor bogged car
    Kookaburra sits in an old gum tree...Huge pelicansHappy encounter with kangaroos

    Nelson Bay

    17 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We spent the morning in Crescent Heads to enjoy the sun and beach. For our next destination we wanted to go Koala spotting. When looking online for the "best spots", it said Port Stephens but unfortunately we weren't able to find any along the Harbour. Instead we saw some big pelicans and the unique Australian kingfisher Kookaburra. A local fisherman told us about the nearby Brindisi beach that is famous for the sand dunes. He also told us that sand from there was shipped to Hawaii to create the beach in Honolulu there.
    When we came there we saw a sign "4WD access to beach". We thought that it is a great opportunity to make up for the missed 90 mile beach in New Zealand and also for testing the performance of the car in terrain. After 200 meters into the sand we got stuck because the 4WD wasn't working at all :( Fortunately some locals came by and after two hours with combined forces of about 6 people we managed to get out again. At some point a heavy duty Ute got stuck as well because of us. So the test failed pretty badly and we need to check a mechanic at some point before heading to the Outback.
    For the night we went to a freedom Camping spot next to a golf club. There we saw our first kangaroos :)    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Presenting the Three Sisters
    The water from the falls flowing over the topLandscapeBrown-red overhanging rocksOur cooking shelter

    Blue Mountains

    18 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Our today's aim was to get to the Blue Mountains, a famous National Park just an hour away from Sydney. The first thing we realised is that the temperature is easily 10 degrees less than in the coastal area.
    We stopped at the Wentworth Falls for a hike to several lookout points and the falls itself. They are situated in a steep cliff with amazing brown-red colours in the middle of intense green forests. A beautiful landscape and not what you would expect in Australia.
    The next and last stop for the day were the "Three Sisters" at the Echo Point. A rock formation that is sacred to the indigenous Aborigines.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    One of the most distinctive buildings in the world
    Our ship, Sören LarsenIlluminated Sydney Opera HousePirates of the harbourView from the deck to the SkylineBondi beach

    Sydney

    20 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Exact one week after we started our road trip in Australia we arrived in Sydney. The single city that stands so representative for Australia with the Sydney Opera and harbour. We've booked an Airbnb about half an hour by train outside of the city center so we don't have to drive there.
    After checking in and refreshing ourselves we booked a harbour cruise tour in the afternoon with a tall ship. So we still had two hours left to explore the city center and historic spots along the harbour. The core is easily explorable in two hours and we got a good overview of Sydney. The city has a really good ambience combining historical and modern buildings. Afterwards the tour on the ship through the harbour was great. Luckily we stayed dry and the crew told interesting stories. Besides that we got a great view of the Opera House. It also offered some hands-on experience by setting the sails. It was definitely worth to do the trip and see the city from a different angle.
    Afterwards we waited until the sunset to walk once more around the harbour to see the city illuminated. Occasionally there was a light show on one of the buildings at the Opera House.

    For the next day we took the train to Bondi beach. Apparently this is the most famous beach in Australia. It is a nice beach but nothing too special despite being extremely busy. From there we took the walk along the coast to Bronte beach which is a tourist must-do and actually pretty nice.
    In the afternoon we drove down in direction of Canberra and ended up at a camp spot near a lake.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    A baby grey kangaroo
    Australien War Memorial in the morning sunOur breakfast spotView of the Parliamentary District CanberraHappy us in the middle of a kangaroo crowdYou could watch them for hours...

    Canberra

    21 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We got up at 6 and had breakfast with a view over large plains. According to Google it's supposed to be a lake but we couldn't see any water. Some kangaroos looked at us curiously at the picnic table.
    Two hours before the Australian War Memorial opened we were already there. Luckily there was free WiFi available so we planned our next stops. We made a pretty quick round through the museum before moving on to the next museum. The National Museum of Australia sounded like a promising place to learn more about the country. Unfortunately there were not a lot of information available but we still spent some hours there.
    A short stop at IKEA for a blanket and a snack later we hit the road in direction of the coast. More specifically the Murramarang National Park with "Pebbly Beach". It is famous for the kangaroo colony that lives, eats and relaxes right in the dunes next to the beach. And we were lucky to arrive there right before dawn, which meant that the whole colony was out on the grass. We spent almost two hours watching these adorable animals.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Relaxing in the sun - living the life
    It does resemble Australia!!Stingrays roaming the watersEarly morning moodOur swimming beachWildlife spotting

    Sapphire Coast

    22 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    After an early morning walk of two hours (in hope of finding Wallabies and especially Wombats) we drove a short 10 kilometers to the township of Narooma.
    Initially we just wanted to look at a hole in a rock formation that resembles Australia but in the end we stayed there for three hours. First we explored the local Sunday market where I finally got a hat. Then we checked the rock and the surrounding salt water pools. By chance we encountered a colony of Australian fur seals that were playing, relaxing and hunting close to the shore. I could spent hours watching them! Then an older lady from the area told us about some stingrays that live on the other side of the bay. That was an opportunity that can't be missed, so we were lucky to see these elegant swimmers in a safe yet close distance.
    For the afternoon we went to Eden - a lovely little harbour town famous for seafood and killer whales. The area is also famous for the cheeses, so we stopped at two occasions to have a cheese tasting. Its been some days since we were swimming in the sea so we did it at a beach close to Eden but both the water and outside temperatures start to get a bit chilly.

    For the night we stayed at an RV motorhome park that is currently unmanned and therefore free :) It also offers a bushwalk where we saw some wallabies roaming in the dusk.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Wallaby and Kangaroo
    Selfie time!Adorable little thingScary emus!

    Wilson Promontory National Park

    23 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We got up at 6 again to search the nearby walk for wildlife. Yet again we only found some wallabies and kangaroos but still not the highly anticipated wombats. Just their burrows and droppings. But we had planned to go to one of the best spots for wombat spotting so it wasn't really bad.
    After breakfast we headed to the nearby town of Lakes Entrance which is part of the Gippsland, am area known for its wildlife. There we investigated about walks in the park and also did a short walk along the beach on a boardwalk. In the early afternoon we arrived at Foster, the closest town to the park. We knew what we needed to know about spotting wombats and finally we were successful!
    After 15 minutes into the park was one roaming along the road. One and a half hour later we had seen three wombats and took over a hundred pictures. And in the end it was worth all the effort to see such unique animals in the wild :) Additionally we saw some emus on a nearby plain as well.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Melbournes Skyline bordered by some trees
    Royal Mall interiorMelbourne Harbour panorama

    Melbourne

    24 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We followed the recommendation of a lady at an information center and made a detour to take the scenic route into Melbourne. It wasn't really worth it as there was just one viewpoint but the detour wasn't too long anyways.
    It was pretty easy to get into the city compared to the cramped roads in Sydney. We found a free parking spot close enough to the center to walk which took us about 45 minutes. There we got all the information we needed from the information center to get around the city. Especially useful proved the free tram network in the city center to be. But it not only offered transportation but also an audio guide to the sights along the way! Saves you 10$ for the Hop-on hop-off bus. A light (typical Londonish) rainfall had started in the afternoon but it wasn't a problem at all. We initially had planned to stay for the night in the city but we saw everything we wanted so we decided to move on. The next leg of our trip is the Great Ocean Road leading from Melbourne to Adelaide along the coast.

    Therefore we managed to escape the (now) cramped streets of Melbourne and headed West.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    The 12 Apostels
    In celebration of ANZAC dayShipwreck BeachDinosaur eggs :)Platypus in the center of the pictureMorning's fog over Lake Elizabeth

    Port Fairy - Great Ocean Road

    25 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We set the alarm to 5 in the morning so we have time to drive to the nearby Lake Elizabeth, walk some kilometers and hopefully watch Platypus in the dawn. After watching out for them unsuccessfully for half an hour we decided to walk a bit around the lake. Just as we intended to go back to the car and have breakfast we spotted one of the elusive animals just three meters away from us... After a few seconds it dove down and reappeared a minute later. We watched it completely enchanted until it didn't reappear.
    Happyily we made our way back to have a well deserved breakfast and plan our day. A short drive later we were on the Great Ocean Road again and drove in direction of Cape Otway with the "most important Lighthouse in Australia". At 19.50$ it is most probably the most expensive one... There were some walks nearby which sounded more appealing to us. So we just did a walk along the coastal cliffs nearby in hope of finding some koalas unfortunately without any luck.
    But back on the Great Ocean Road we saw some people who had stopped at a viewpoint and were looking up some trees. We guessed right that there was a koala. He just climbed up a think three and looked a bit scared but probably was just fine as he was eating :)
    The "main attraction" despite the road itself are the 12 Apostels, a series of distinctive limestone formations. Actually there are just 8 of them because one broke down in 2003 :D But it was very touristy and crowded. Therefore we enjoyed the "Wreck Beach" more, a hard to access parking about ten kilometers off the main road. It's also a climb down somewhat 500 stairs and only accessible in low tide. So we were almost alone there with parts of shipwrecks, perfectly rounded stones and magnificent shells.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    The Obelisk in Robe
    A pink lake we saw enrouteSinkhole in the center of Mt GambierBlue Lake in Mt Gambier

    Limestone Coast

    26 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    As always we got up early at around 6. The reason for the early rise is that there are only about 12 hours of daylight from 6 to 6. Therefore we have to make the best of the limited available time.
    We drove a bit for breakfast at a ocean inlet and then a bit more until we reached Mt Gambier. A small town which has quite a lot to offer:
    - Blue Lake, a volcanic crater filled with groundwater that has an intense blue glare at specific times of the year
    - Umpherston Sinkhole, a structure similar to the cenotes on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. Here it wasn't filled with water but with a lush blooming garden
    - Lady Nelson Visitor Center, an admission free museum and visitor centre showboating (pun intended) a 1:1 replica of the ship that discovered Mt Gambier

    For lunch we drove onwards towards the coast to a small harbour village called Robe. It features several smaller lakes in the central area and an obelisk as a warning for ships coming too close to the shallow waters.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Brighton beach pier
    Bridge over Torrens River looking at the OvalAdelaide University

    Adelaide

    27 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    In the morning we went to Adelaide CBD to get our 4WD checked at a car repair shop. They found an issue with the battery and that the light indicator wasn't working but besides that it should work fine. So we'll have to test it properly on a dirt road.
    Afterwards we went for a walk through the northern parks (the central city is completely surrounded by parks), the Adelaide Oval and the University. The city has a real special charm with lots of greens everywhere and mild temperatures.
    In the afternoon we went to the beach and tanned a bit in the sun but it was overall a bit too cold due to westerly winds.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Salt Lake at Lochiel
    Adelaide MallShiny ballsBiking through along the Torres

    Lochiel

    28 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    In the morning we hired bikes in the city center and explored the surrounding parks and buildings. We also went to the main shopping mall and checked out the stores there. Then we booked a tour at Haigh's Chocolate Factory where we got to see the process of making chocolate by hand. One of the early owners of the still family-run business went to Lindt-Sprüngli in Switzerland for a year to learn the art of chocolate making. Of course we also got some chocolate to taste :)
    Somewhen during the day I lost the car keys, so we spent about two hours re-tracing our steps but without success. Luckily we had a spare key so we could continue our travel northwards but we missed going to the Aussie rules football match...    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Prairie Hotel in the middle of nowhere
    Sunrise at Marree Ststion

    Marree Station

    29 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    On our way North we stopped at Port Augusta to plan our way through the Outback. As we were reassured that our 4WD was working we wanted to take the route through the desert. The woman in the center said that it should be totally fine to take the Oodnadatta Track.
    This track used to be a camel trek run by Afghans to bring supply to the Outback towns. Then it was replaced by a railway leading from Adelaide to Darwin named 'The Ghan'. Nowadays its a pretty busy Outback route as it connects the East Coast to the Red Center.
    We restocked on food, fuel and water before we decided to drive to Marree Station for the night. It was only about 250km from Port Augusta so we thought we'd make it easily but the last 80km were unsealed and it got dark just as we got there. Which meant that there was another hour to drive with a road that was crawling with wildlife. Overall we saw hundreds of carcasses from emus and kangaroos during the day and it looked like we would definitely add another one. But luckily we made it there without any casualties!    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Sunset over the Outback
    Underground dig churchCasita on the roadThe infamous stoneLake Eyre SouthA lone tree on Lake Eyre

    Coober Pedy

    30 aprile 2018, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    After a savoury breakfast at chilly temperatures next to the Marree Station we started our journey on the Oodnadatta Track. The track was pretty well formed and we were able to average about 70 km/h with rising temperatures. After about an hour en route we stopped at a viewpoint over a small southern part of Lake Eyre, a massive salt lake in the middle of nowhere. We didn't drive on it as it was strongly adviced not to do, so we just had a walk over the salt crust.
    Then Julia got to drive for the next two hours. We made a short stop at Coward Springs, a series of water holes. But the incredibly annoying flies made us flee the scene in no time. After another 80 kilometers we reached William Creek, a tiny village along the track. First we considered driving on but instead went to stop. Just as we got out of the car Julia heard a noise... Our tyre must have been punctured right when we entered the town!!! What a bummer!! But luckily there was a garage in town which was run by some bush pilots, he offered to fix the tyre on the spot. Half an hour later and with some dollars less, we were good to go and went on in direction of Coober Peddy.
    The 170km drive was uneventful which was a relief :) So we arrived in Coober Peddy which is famous for the Opal mining and underground dug houses. First we visited the Orthodox Church, a stunning example of the underground building. Then we stopped at the first Opal shop we saw and got to talk to the owner, George. We spent almost an hour in his shop and he explained us a lot about the opal business, his mining operations, living underground and the family history. For the last stop of the day we visited John's Pizza House for its famous 'Native Pizzas'. We decided to get a Pizza topped with kangaroo, emu, camembert, spinach and cranberries. An excellent meal!    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    The Olgas
    The border1Awesome colour!!! 😍

    Ayers Rock (Uluru)

    1 maggio 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    First thing in the morning we drove for 200km to have breakfast at the state border from South Australia to the Northern Territory. We were brutally attacked by millions of flies and barely managed to eat our breakfast. So we were glad to be back on the road and safe. With just a short stop at a gas station, we arrived to Uluru in the early afternoon.
    Uluru is an impressive sight standing tall and red out of the vast dessert. We decided to visit the Olgas first (Named after the Queen of Württemberg) which are a series of stone formations, formerly a huge monolite similar to Uluru but now eroded. Once again we were welcomed by a heap of flies trying to drink our souls so we decided to have lunch inside the car, with outside temperatures of 32 degrees, was more like trying to eat lunch inside of a sauna.
    Afterwards we went to explore the cultural center where the aborígenes explain a little bit their legends, stories and a brief introduction to their culture and beliefs.
    It was getting late, so we hurried to the sunset viewing point were we spent like 3 hours watching the sunset and waiting for the moonrise. During the day Uluru changes its colors several times depending on the sun's position, our favourite color was an intensely glooming red which can be appreciated at sunset.
    Some may say it's just a big rock in the middle of the desert, but the contrasts, colours and patrons are quite mystical, overall an amazing experience.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    King's Canyon
    SunriseUluru in the first sunBreakfast with a viewTop of the steep climbBeehives at King's Canyon

    King's Canyon

    2 maggio 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We got up at 5:30 in the morning to see the sunrise over Uluru. Although it was pretty early, there were already like a 100 persons waiting with us. Maybe these crowds influenced our perception negatively, but we thought the sunrise wasn't as spectacular as we were expecting it will be. We did hear a bunch of dingoes howling in the distance. Our highlight was our English breakfast right below the rock.
    There's quite a controversy about climbing Uluru, mainly the local aborígenes are against it because they think you should listen to the surroundings instead of trying to conquer the rock. Also it is sacred according to their beliefs.
    We didn't intend to climb up because of several reasons but by the time we arrived at the base we changed our minds. We didn't climbed it all, we just reached the first plateau, although the views were quite nice, we really think Uluru is better appreciated from below so we decided not to continue until the top. The climb is suppose to be closed next year.
    Next stop on our itinerary was King's canyon 250km away from our current location. When we arrived there, we decided to do the 6 km Canyon rim walk that led us on top of the Canyon with stunning views over the red rock formations. There were also steep cliffs and the Garden of Eden right on a permanent water hole. We found the rock formations quite impressive as they looked like beehives. We enjoyed it like 90%,the other 10%was ruined by those bloody flies. 🐝    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Nice welcoming
    Simpson's GapCurious group of emusView over Alice Springs from ANZAC hill

    Alice Springs

    3 maggio 2018, Australia ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Today we had the last lap of our Red Center discovery tour on our agenda, the desert township of Alice Springs. But first we made a stop at a roadhouse to habe breakfast right next to a group of emus that looked interested in our food :)
    After some duties (resupplied, refilled oil, checked tyre pressure) we drove up to ANZAC Hill in the middle of the town. From there we had a lovely view over the whole town as it's not so big and the surroundings. Just a short drive out of town is "Simpson's Gap". A base for walks along the canyons and a significant landmark. Its also home for a colony of Rock Wallabies, unfortunately they weren't out at that time. Initially we had planned to stay for the night but we decided to move on as a friend we wanted to meet didn't have time. So we're on the way back South now...    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Wombat den :)
    A roadside DingoEvening mood

    Gawler Ranges

    4 maggio 2018, Australia ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Today we had the task at hand to get back to the South for our further way to the West Coast. As we had seen already almost everything on the way there wasn't much more to do than to drive... Luckily we stopped at the Information Center in Coober Pedy where a nice woman told us about a shortcut which saves us around 450km!!
    But after an hour on the track we knew that it wouldn't save us that much time as we could only go 50 km/h. As it got dark it was even less with all the wildlife along the road. We saw three wombats 😍😍😍 But 80km before Wirulla we were too tired to continue on for the day.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Everything of Australia's wildlife
    The Big Australian BightDirty car...

    Eyre Highway

    5 maggio 2018, Australia ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    After cleaning the car from a thick layer of red dust and mud we are ready to tackle the Eyre Highway. It's a 1675km road connecting the West Coast with the rest of the world aka the East Coast.
    It leads over a massive treeless plain which is therefore called "Nullarbor". At some points you can turn off to get a view of the Big Australian Bight, large windbeaten cliffs. If you look at the Australia map it also looks like a bite and is actually inhabited by a large number of sharks 🦈.Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Just go straight...
    The dust storm

    Esperance

    6 maggio 2018, Australia ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    Another day of driving was ahead of us but we are starting to get used to it. By midday we had reached the endpoint of the Eyre Highway, a small gold mining village named Norseman. There we got our certificate for crossing the Nullarbor :) Afterwards we had a walk on top of a nearby hill with views over the whole city.
    For the late afternoon we drove to Esperance, an important harbour city and thriving tourist spot. Unfortunately there was a huge dust storm and it was already getting dark by the time we got there.    Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Wave Rock
    Hippo's Yawn

    Perth

    7 maggio 2018, Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    For breakfast we went directly to the beach which is supposed to be one of the Top 10 beaches in Australia. But probably due to the wind and cloudy weather it wasn't very impressive to us :)
    Therefore we drove to the township of Hayden which has the prominent wave rock. A natural rock formation in the shape of a wave. It wasn't too spectacular and not worth a detour. For the night we headed to Perth, the capital of Western Australia and home to 90% of the states inhabitants.Leggi altro

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  • Mates on tourAustraliaViaggiatore
    Quokka
    😍🤩Beautifully colored seaThe lighthousePink lake!

    Rottnest Island

    8 maggio 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We've booked a ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest Island at 7:30 in the morning. We stealth parked at a nearby park area so we didn't have to get up so early. On point we boarded the ship and went on the half an hour trip with quite a lot of waves, so we were glad to get back on land.
    We considered hiring a bike to get around the island but then just went by foot. After just five minutes we saw the first of Rottos (Aussie slang) most famous inhabitants, the Quokkas. An incredibly cute marsupial which has no natural predators and is therefore not afraid to get close to people. And they live basically only on this island which is actually named after them (Rat's nest) because the first explorers thought they were giant rats. We spent the day walking around the island, watching Quokkas and taking a quick dip in the sea. And if course taking tons of pictures!! In the afternoon we accompanied a free Quokka walking tour led by an elderly lady who wasn't really stable walking. And at some point she even fell :o Luckily nothing worse happened but it was scary... At 4 we took the ferry back to Fremantle. There we spent a few hours exploring the lovely city.    Leggi altro

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