Blyde River Canyon & the Three Rondavels
27 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
The next stop on the Panorama Route was the Blyde River Canyon. It is the third-largest canyon on Earth and the largest green canyon. Blyde in Afrikaans means "glad". And we really were glad to be here. It was beautiful, especially when our luck remembered its job and blew the fog away, so that we could actually see the Blyde River Canyon with the Three Rondavels.Läs mer
Graskop Gorge - Jungle and Adrenalin
27 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
The next morning, we could sleep in until 7am, which was really weird after all these early wake-ups before. No wonder that most of the others (not me), were already awake at around 5.30am.
As it was pretty fresh outside (it finally rained, after it hadn't since May), Takalani had put on his Masai cloak to keep him warm. I was pretty glad to have brought my raincoat and Sebs' fleece jacket with me. After a great breakfast, we jumped, yet again, onto our beloved truck and started the Panorama Route. Our first stop was the Gorge at Graskop. It was weird, suddenly seeing South Africa not in a very dry, bushland setting but in a wet, jungle-like one. However, that was a pleasant change. I love green!
The fog and trickling water created a very mysterious vibe around the place, and when a thunderstorm approached us, our group finally hid inside the café to drink something hot. I chose a hot Chai Latte, which was absolutely fantastic. Gary tried to persuade us in trying either the Zip lining or the Gorge Swing. On the one hand, I'd love to try the swing, especially when it is only 35€. On the other hand, would I hate to jump down into 70m of nothing until a safety harness would catch me and swing me to the other side. So I decided to join my folks at the zip line. We caught a window without any rain or thunder to get right into the experience. We looked like idiots but felt on top of the world afterwards.Läs mer
Ticking off our Safari Bucket List Pt. 3
26 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
So the only things that were still missing on our Bucket List were a lion with a mane and a drinking giraffe. We would see three lions with manes in total. One was chilling on a river bank with his girlfriend, the other two were outcasts. When a pride of lions have an alpha male, it usually scares other males away to secure its spot in the pride. Often times, two brothers would then make a coalition to survive without a pride.
Oh and yes, in English, there are a lot of funny words for a group of animals. There is a Dazzle of Zebras (because they are so dazzling, standing together?), a Journey of Giraffes, a Pack of Hyenas, a School of Wales and a Pride of Lions.
What we also saw - what we didn't expect to need on our Bucketlist - were especially cute Hyena Cups. They were hidden on the one side whilst their pack chilled out on the other side of the road. It seemed as if they were posing for the tourists, so that their cups could sleep in peace. And luckily, we were the only ones to sight them!
We arrived at the end of the park, watching the sun set, and haven't seen a Drinking Giraffe. However, I reckon it was another brilliant Safari drive.
Our Lodge for the next two days was the Greenfire Lodge in Hazyview which was situated in yet another Private Reserve with Nyalas in it. It also has an honesty bar, where you can choose a drink, put your name on it and pay when checking out. But to everyone's liking, it also had a Wi-Fi router, which was used gratefully of my colleagues. To be quite honest, I didn't like to be on the phone again. I really enjoyed the time offline. No worries, no problems, no communication. I didn't feel the need to talk to anyone. I just send a quick "I'm alive" message to Seb, so he wouldn't worry. That was it. I put my phone away and much rather talked to Takalani about him, his country and experiences.Läs mer
Ticking off our Safari Bucket List Pt. 2
26 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
After lunch, we jumped back on the truck and drove to a lookout point. There, we couldn't only see the vastness of the Kruger NP, the endlessness of bushland, but also a very weird but fascinating looking gecko. I just know that the more colourful and noticeable an animal is, the more dangerous it usually is. When everyone was ready taking photos, we drove on to finally see some crocs. I wasn't disappointed, as there were a lot. Fresh water crocs, but at least Takalani kept his word. It was 5 min to 3pm. That's timing! Next to the crocs was a huge herd of hippos in the water. We'd love to see a hippo outside the water as well, but as they are such dangerous animals, I was kinda glad we didn't. One of the hippos showed us its dangerousness and bit a croc in front of our eyes, because it came too near to the hippo. So, be careful around these creatures!
The next interesting thing crossing our way, was yet another leopard. It caused an extreme traffic jam, as it was walking across the street. So we saw Street Crossings of Elephants, Zebras, a Baboon, Giraffes, a Lion, Buffaloes, Wildebeests, Impalas and now a Leopard. Very nice!
Not long after that, we did get to tick off another box, though. A Leopard sleeping in a tree! Nobody said, you can't get what you wish for!Läs mer
Ticking off our Safari Bucket List Pt. 1
26 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
We all survived in our tents and therefore woke up at 5 o'clock the next morning because of the rattling noises of Takalani who prepared breakfast. After he showed us how to put the tents down, we all tried to do it as well. Gary said for first tries it wasn't that bad. When our camp was neatly put away, we could quickly enjoy morning tea before it was time to go. We hopped back on the truck and set off for a day of Safari in Kruger NP.
We would drive from Maroela Camp over Satara and Skukuza to the city of Hazyview outside the Park. And as it was our last day of Safari, we had lots of things on our Bucket List to tick off. Not that we haven't seen a lot yet, rather the opposite. But when you're used to such luck in animal sightings, you get cocky.
So our Bucket List looked like the following:
- Cheetah
- Male Lion with a real mane
- Leopard in a tree
- Crocodiles (my dear wish)
- Drinking Giraffe
Because I was such a pain in the ass about the crocs, Takalani promised me to see them before 3pm. As it was still morning, I had to be patient and wait a bit longer. Until then, we saw some Waterboks that have a white shape on their behinds that look as if they sat down a freshly painted toilet.
Not long after, there was a sudden turmoil and lots of jeeps were around. We heard a little boy call, "Cheetah, Cheetah!", excitedly. We therefore got excited as well, although we thought to ourselves that we must run out of luck at some point. However, it seemed as if we had put all our luck for a whole year together, as there really was a Cheetah and we stood in the first row to see it. First, it was casually strolling around. But then - everything was so quick - it started running, hunting some Impalas. Nobody could film this event, as it was over before we could actually process it. The Cheetah didn't catch anything, but to watch the attempt was lucky enough for us. After that, we were pumped and chatted happily about ticking off boxes. We drove on and saw some huge Baboons cross our way. Not long afterward, we saw yet another big herd of Elephants who were taking a rest at a waterhole. They had little ones with them as well. They laid down, and the bigger ones surrounded them to give them shade. "The babies can't keep up with the adults, so they give them a rest," Takalani explained to us. Afterward, we didn't see a drinking Giraffe but a lying one, which was good enough for now. They can't put their heads down, as this would cause way too much blood flowing into their brains, and therefore killing them. Giraffes also have built-in thrombosis stockings to pump up all the blood from their legs up to the head.
Suddenly, there were lots of cars around again, and we looked at each other, knowing something great was coming. That's the difference between Private Reserves and the Kruger itself. At a Private Reserve, there are no other jeeps around. If there are, only from other Lodges in that Reserve, so not many in total. And the guides always communicate with the others to tell the others if they found great animal sightings. In the Kruger, there are a lot of other people around, as there are not only other Tours but also Self-Drivers. On the one hand, you can always see where cool animals are, as there would always be a traffic jam around them. On the other hand, there would be a traffic jam. So you can't just sit there and watch the animal as long as you want. You have to queue and hope that the animal won't move too much until it is your turn. And when it is your turn, you can't enjoy it for very long, and you have to be quick with taking pics.
So, the great thing was another check on our Bucket List. A leopard in a tree. It was sitting, not lying, though. So, we adjusted the point "Leopard in a tree" into "Sleeping Leopard in a tree", because that was more of our postcard-like image.
We'd have to wait for that, though, as we first stopped for lunch. At lunch, we saw lots of Cape Glossy Starlings, waiting for our food to fall down to snitch it away. And a very cute Vervet monkey and its mother were playing around at a table, hoping for some food as well.
We weren't allowed to feed the wildlife, so we couldn't give them some of our delicious wraps.Läs mer
Camping in Kruger NP
25 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ 🌙 29 °C
After packing our stuff and loading the luggage back in our beloved truck with Takalani, we made our way to the Orpen Gate into the Kruger National Park. On the way there we stopped for some souvenirs and I found an adorable little baby hippo postcard.
Then we arrived at Orpen Gate and had to fill out the form with our passport details. A ticket into Kruger is valid for 24hrs, so that we'd have to be outside of the park tomorrow by 6pm again. Until then, we could enjoy the Kruger.
We were welcomed by some Zebras and found our way to the Maroela Campsite easily. It's named after the Maroela tree which has some kind of nuts that you can use for making Amarula, a sweet Bayleys like liquor. The bark of the Maroela tree looks as if someone has played golf and hit the bark too many times (a metaphor of Given).
Takalani parked the truck and showed us how to set up the tents for the night, using mine and Tatjanas tent as an example (much to our liking). But it was actually really easy so that we then helped the others build up their tents. After everyone was set, we prepared dinner. Better said, Takalani cooked and we lit up a campfire. When dinner was ready, I was yet again in disbelief how a man can cook such delicious food out of a truck kitchen. The system and the whole truck really are amazing.
As we all sat around the fire, I suddenly heard a rustling noise behind me. I turned around and found a hyena right behind the fence of the camp site. The others saw her too and we all burst out in nervous laughter. Takalani said: "They are looking for scrubs. Usually we don't have a fence between us and the animals. We do wild camping."
The camping we did tonight wasn't in the normal itinerary for the Kruger NP Tour from Drifters. They had booked the camping site so that we could experience a night of camping. However, usually Drifters would camp wild, i.e. there would be no fence, usually no other people around but the Trucks' people and obviously wild animals. When I thought about Hyenas or Lions coming as close to us as the Hyena right now but without a fence, my heartbeat exhilarated. I couldn't decide whether the feeling was more in the nervous or excitement site of the coin.
"They don't get near the camp as long as we sit outside. Once we're in the tents, they'd search for food. So whilst wild camping without any fences, you won't be able to use the toilet in the night. If you do, use a bucket.", Takalani explained to us. Oh dear, I think on a wild camping trip with Drifters my best friend would easily become the bucket.
After the campfire was out and our eyes were already closing sleepily, we put our scrubs and everything away and went to bed. The tent gave me a feeling of security and privacy, however I heard all three snorers of our group around the campsite. I fell asleep with the noise of light rain on the roof of our tent. But in the middle of the night, I needed to pee and I remembered Gary saying that there could be animals like Honeybadgers around. I was discussing with myself until I heard some Flip-flops making their way to the toilet. I listened hard, trying to hear any screams from a frightened person, but nothing. After a while, the same flip-flops came back. If they've survived, I'll survive too!Läs mer
Last Game Drive in Balule
25 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
The next morning we woke up at 5am again to drive quickly to last nights' finding of the lions' kill to see how far they've come. The lions were still eating and from the Buffalo body, only a carcass was still standing.
Given told us that the lions would eat until there was nothing left (or e.g. Hyenas have chased them off). As they were so full, they had to regulate their body temperature and digestion by breathing. Poor lions looked as if they'd be sick.
As vehicles from other Lodges in the Private Reserve came to see the lions themselves, we drove on and saw some actual Hyenas. They are one of the Ugly 5 but tbh I don't think they look that bad. But of course, they're again from the dog family, so I have to kinda like them.
We've been shaken up by the dirt roads some more until Given has spotted something different. Wild dogs with their cups. As they were hiding in a mould, we had to get out of the car and tried to quietly get closer so we could see the Wild Dogs. However, obviously we weren't quiet enough and scared them up. They split up, one half running away from us, the other half running towards us up the hill. Given, usually very calm and a joker, got very hectic and you could feel the necessity in his voice when he told us to run back to the car. We did as fast as we could and he pushed the pedal to the metal. But the rush wasn't necessary. They've actually send the cups up to us to hide behind us in some bushes. We let them be, but the blood was still rushing through my ears. That was a great kick!
To calm down, we visited the Drifters Bush Lodge that we could book for people who wanted to do a Self-Drive rather than do a group tour with Drifters. Included in a 300€ p.p./night package is full board and two game drives per day as well as a beautiful room for themselves and transfers from and to the airport. I must admit, that deal is great, especially when seeing how far away you are from any civilisation.
After visiting the Bush Lodge, we made our way back to our Balule Lodge to pack our things and drive into Kruger NP for our Camping night.Läs mer
The Joy of a Vegetarian
24 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ 🌙 31 °C
After relaxing at the pool and having a High Tea, we took off to our next Game Drive with Given at 4pm. We finally saw some giraffes that weren't as big as I expected but just as graceful in their movements. I love giraffes. They make me happy looking at them. We saw some White and Black Rhinos again as well as Buffalos, and at one stage both Big 5 together. Our constant companion was Zazu, or the Hornbill. Zazu means Messenger in Suaheli (which is actually a language spoken in Tanzania, but Takalani and Gary could understand/speak). Whenever we saw a Hornbill, we'd always cry out "Zazu" and everybody knew what was meant by that.
Before the sun set, Given was driving much faster and we should know why not long after. A colleague had spotted some lions that have killed a Buffalo and were eating it now. That was a brilliant find which is very rare, as they usually eat their kills where you can't see them. However, this one we could see from not even 10m away and it was terrific. There were around 9 lions, lionesses and young males, scrunching and licking and biting off the Buffalo. I was fascinated. Such rare occasions must be enjoyed fully. The others asked me whether it was okay for me to see it, as I'm a vegetarian. But I love to see such things as it is 1. Just nature and 2. Interesting to see how they do it and how they Buffalo looks inside. Others of us were complaining about the noises the lions did, but I just enjoyed the opportunity. It felt so unreal that they could actually kill us, too. However, Given said as long as we're in the car, the lions see us as an object. But if we're moving too much inside it or would even step outside, they would attack right away.
With this great experience, we've seen all Big 6 (including Black Rhino) within 24hrs. That much luck was very unusual and I would have never expected that from my first day of Safari.
As the sunset went by, our afternoon Game Drive proceeded into a night Game Drive which is only allowed in certain circumstances, e.g. in a Private Reserve. Usually, you'd use the night time to spot some nocturnal animals. However, we found none but a cute little green Chameleon clinging to a branch. For us, it seemed impossible that Given could have spotted that out of the driving car (that he drove) in the middle of the night. But he told us always to look for differences in the landscape. We did but couldn't find anything else, so that at least the Night Game Drive hasn't been as exciting as the morning or afternoon. However, I reckon that it was enough excitement for a day.Läs mer
My First Game Drive Ever
24 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
The next morning was a very early one. We had to wake up at 5am to eat breakfast and take off at 6am. The early morning (and late afternoon) hours are usually the best to spot animals. Today, Given from the Balule Lodge would be our Safari Guide. We jumped on the open game drive vehicle and started my very first Game Drive. The sun was climbing higher and higher as we drove on the bumpy gravel and dirt roads around the bush land. There were way more trees than I've expected. I thought it would be mostly open savannah, however, in the Balule Reserve there was a lot of bush land. That didn't matter though, as we spotted some White Rhinos very early on. The White Rhino is one of the Big 5, whereas the Black Rhino is within the Big 6. The Rhino's names actually have nothing to do with their colours. The "white" comes from the Dutch word for flat/wide and was just transformed to white over time. So in German it's called a Breitmaulnashorn which tells you that White Rhino's have flat, wide mouths whereas the Black Rhinos (in German Spitzmaulnashorn) have a pointier mouth. They are a little bit smaller as well. White Rhinos eat grass, Blacks eat branches. Therefore, the first ones' dung is very light and literally just grass and the latter ones' is thicker and darker. Speaking of shit, Given is a real "Scheiße" - Expert and explained us the communication system of the Rhinos. They shit to speak to each, e.g. if they are ready to mate or of they are challenging some other Rhino. I would have never thought shit to be that interesting.
After we left the shit behind us, we got stuck in some Buffalo traffic. They were at leat a herd of 50 animals. You can differentiate the males from the females when you look at their horns. The males usually have a much bigger forehead covered by horn to protect their brains whilst fighting with their competition.
We drove further in our Toyota and crossed a dry river bed. On the banks were Elephants playing. They're actually becoming a huge problem in SA as they multiply too fast and destroy too much. They often push down trees to get to the delicious top part of it. And they also create "Dead-dog-Trees" (because they lose their bark - joke by Given). When the Elephants scrap off the trees' bark with their tusks, they remove the trees' inner structure to get all the water and nutritions everywhere. So it eventually dies. Poor trees.
Speaking of trees: Sometimes you could spot very bright, green spots inbetween all the dried out yellow. But when you were very lucky, you could spot a lilac tree - the Wisteria. This sudden colour change was a nice variety.
Driving further, we could spot some wild dogs from afar. As a dog owner, I instantly liked them a lot and hoped to see more of them. We also saw some Zebras which were much more beautiful than I've expected then to be. Being in South Africa, we obviously had to see a Springbok sometime. When we saw it, it was much smaller and more delicate than I thought. Nevertheless, it's the national animal of SA.
Before we drove back to the Lodge, we spotted a water hole with lots and lots of Elephants bathing within. I would have liked a water hole as well, as it was getting really hot with the African sun on us. Fortunately, we've had a roof over our heads to protect us. The one other car that we saw wasn't that lucky to have a roof. Besides this one car, we've been completely alone in the Private Reserve which meant we could spent as much time with the spotted animals as we liked. In Kruger NP it would be different, Given told us.
Standing at the water hole, we could watch the herd of Elephants bath, cool off and play. Two of the guys came out of the water and we're suddenly right behind us. They were playing with each other and didn't notice us, coming closer. Luckily, Given reacted just in time to drive forward, out of the way so to not be hit by an Elephant bum. And I partly have it on video.
That was enough adrenaline for us all to drive back to the Lodge, sit at the pool and cool off a bit ourselves.Läs mer
Driving through the African Landscapes
23 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ 🌙 30 °C
The day started early so that we could fill our tummies and hop into the truck for a day on the road. Gary asked who would like to sit at the front and I volunteered immediately. So, I took my bag and jumped next to Takalani into the drivers cabin. Off we went and into the different landscapes of SA. From dry to green to wet we saw everything. We stopped from time to time and I always searched for a hair brush. I've forgotten mine in Germany and have helped myself with my adapter for the day. The first time that I was glad I had thin hair. After we took lunch break at some place that could literally been at the German Bodensee, we stopped at a rest stop and I finally found a hair brush. It was a children's one, however, the store didn't have any other and it was the last shop we'd see for days, so I decided to buy it.
Back on truck (pun intended) we left the last kilometres behind on our way to the Bush Lodge of Drifters. It's in their own Private Reserve and only Drifters guests stay in the Lodge there. So you can't find it on Google or Maps really, because you won't get an address. The Reserve has no fence to the Kruger National Park so that it contains the Big 5 as much as the famous Kruger.
When we entered the Reserve, we were welcomed by Impalas who are very common in SA. And then, literally 5min away from the Lodge, after a whole day of driving (from 7am to 4pm) Alex spotted a Leopard. Not even Takalani or Gary had spotted it, but she did. We stopped and watched him for several minutes until Takalani broke the silence: "Congratulation. That is very, very rare that you see the leopard as he usually strolls and wanders around. Amazing eyes." And indeed, it was an amazing view.
After that, we arrived gratefully at the Bush Lodge and got a quick briefing how to behave around here. As we are in a Big 5 Reserve, we have to be careful every second. We should take (head) torches with us and only walk with closed shoes at night because of scorpions or snakes. We shouldn't leave camp and we shouldn't leave our doors or lights on in the canvas. Lucky as I am, I again got a canvas for myself. I wasn't alone though, as a cute little gecko was right next to my bed, watching over me. I didn't have to be afraid then.
When we waited for dinner to be ready, we could watch an African Civet right underneath our Bush Lodge. It looked like a mixture of racoon (in its face), a leopard/cheetah (with his fur) and a dog (in its stature). I liked it instantly.Läs mer
Sunset Cruise on the Crocodile River
22 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
After we came back from the workshop, we entered a boat to cruise along the Crocodile River. Disappointingly, there were no crocs inside the river. However, we saw a lot of cool animals along that river that wasn't there in the last millennium. The dam was built in 2001 and flooded not only all the trees there (some of them are still standing) but also a house which roof you can still see today.
Obviously, we spotted Zebras and Impalas standing in herds at the side, grazing. But the excitement was huge as we sighted four rhinos across the river. One of them fought another one off. Rhinos are one of the Big 5: Lions, Elephants, Leopards, Buffalos and Rhinos. They've been chosen as the Big 5 when they were still hunted as a game (therefore the name Game Reserves). These five species were the most dangerous to hunt for and therefore "big".
Not long after the rhinos, we saw a (poor) replacement for a croc: An "alligator". Zooming in on my photo now, I don't think at all that this was an alligator. It's some reptile, but I don't know which kind. However, Idky but I am fascinated of reptiles and just glad I could see one today.
The next "Hooray" came when someone spotted a hippo. But I've not only seen the hippo but some monkeys in the background as well. They camouflaged perfectly fine into the background.
We also saw lots of Weaver Birds that brought Angelika to tears as she is a hobby ornithologist. The males build nests and if the female doesn't like it, they will tear it down and the male has to start again. There are also snake-neck-birds that look exactly like their name would suggest it.
We finally made our way back and went for a proper dinner at the Dam. I've got a vegetarian wrap and a strawberry milkshake but couldn't take a picture as it was too dark already.
We talked a lot about the upcoming week in SA and asked a tone of questions until we were all so tired we wanted to go sleep. It wasn't even 8.30pm, but the long flight plus all of these new experiences, we're tiring. So, I went into my own Lodge bungalow and went into Dream Wonderland.Läs mer
Cradel Moon and Drifters Workshop
22 september 2023, Sydafrika ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
As we arrived, we met our Drifters Marketing Manager Gary who would be one of our guides for the week. The other one was Takalani who was as much of a Tour Guide as a Joker.
After everyone had collected their luggage and changed some money, we made our way to the Drifters Truck to drive to our first Lodge: Cradle Moon. The Lodge was decorated in the most delightful ways and when we went outside for lunch, Zebras were drinking 3m away from us from the pool. That was a nice welcome to Africa!
After lunch, we drove to the main quarters of Drifters where the legendary buses were built by themselves. We got a tour around the workshop so to see how and why everything is done. They explained e.g. that they wouldn't built air conditioning into the buses because especially the Namib desert would destroy it far too quickly, so they invented a brilliant system with the windows. Now, you could not only see everything from every perspective of the truck, but you could open or close the windows gradually, so you could always have fresh air inside the truck. They also use stainless steel, as other materials would break under corrosion without notice. They have big lockers for your luggage so to not put it on the top of the bus and make it much more unstable. They put a huge window infront, so that you can see outside at the front. And this particular window can be changed everywhere as it is a very common brand. The body of the truck can be put on a different chassy when the chassy is too old and unreliable to use for them anymore which saves not only resources but also time and money. They sew their own tents and emergency kits, as well as they obviously make the whole body of the truck. It's just fascinating how they adjusted to their own needs and ideas.Läs mer
Starting like a Business Woman
21 september 2023, Tyskland ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
The day started stressfully, as I had to unpack my clothes from Slovenia and repack for South Africa. Luckily, I've already chosen my clothes for the safari approaching but it still was stressful. I was super excited as usual before such a trip and near hyperventilating. A short visit in the shop where I could talk to my colleagues and eat some amazing Spaghetti cake of Celina again, was grounding. Then, it was time to say Goodbye. Seb was picking me up, I packed the last bits and off we went to the train station. My train to Frankfurt airport arrived nearly on time and the journey started without delays.
Arriving at Frankfurt airport, the question was: "Where do I have to go?" Searching for signs and asking around, until I found the drop-off point for my luggage. The security check was fast and without any problems and after the Duty Free shops, I arrived at one special sign that I've never even recognised before: Business Lounge. I showed my boarding pass and voucher and entered into a calm, but busy area that was clean and inviting. After I found my colleagues from STA Travel and Explorer Fernreisen, I went to the buffet that had everything one could wish for - From salad, over hot meals to candy in glasses. I was so happy I didn't eat anything but an apple on the train. My colleagues and I chatted casually and talked about Malaria prophylaxis until a man from the next table approached us and explained that the prophylaxis wouldn't be needed in Kruger National Park. The Tropical Institution was just trying to make money basically, but the locals in South Africa (and Tansania as well for that part) actually was Malaria free. He and his wife owned a Lodge at Kruger NP and were there often, so his advice was legit. One of my colleagues was already checking them out from the business perspective - maybe we could make a contract with them?
After a little bit more food and time has passed by, the time for boarding has come. So, we went to our Gate and boarded. The very best thing: We would fly Premium Economy - my first time. The chairs definitely looked much more comfortable and we got a nice little kit with some socks, toothbrush and - paste as well as earplugs and eyeshades. A cover and pillow rounded up the comfort. I immediately felt less stressed as I could imagine to finally feel alright during a flight. Then the announcement came: "The Boarding Entertainment isn't working". Just like at Lanas flight to Hongkong, when she flew to the Australian FAM-Trip. However, I thought it was much Esther funny than annoying or horrible. The take-off was better than I'm used to, as usually my ears explode when taking off/landing. Dinner arrived with a menu, and I chose the vegan tahjin with couscous. It was delicious! I've never said that about a flight meal before (and maybe never again). The next thing was new for me as well: I fell asleep... On a plane... And when I woke up, I felt recharged. That flight was something completely new - in so many good ways. Amazing! I didn't end there - the breakfast was tasty as well. So cool!Läs mer
11 Hours to Home
20 september 2023, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Today, we rose early to pack our things and leave Slovenia behind. A last stop at the village shop for some amazingly sweet peaches and cookies on the way, then we took off. The first 2hrs through Slovenia were pretty chill, but then we came to the Austrian border and had to stop. They wanted to see our IDs. I had mine, no problem. However, Shakhzoda who is from Uzbekistan has only got an "Aufenthaltstitel" and that only didn't work for the police, not even with a passport scan. It had to be there physically. So, she had to pay 100€ penalty (or I had to, because apparently she hadn't had enough money with her). After that, the vibe in the car wasn't that great.
It took us 2hrs through Austria with some amazing views that could be enjoyed from the traffic jam at the gates of Salzburg. After we passed the German border without any incident, we could drive at 160km/h again and I loved it. We stopped at the Chiemsee for lunch and had not only a first-class seat but also view. Apparently, you just have to stop at the right rest stop.
The traffic was great and we flew through Germany, stopping just in Bamberg for a little forest stroll to get a rest. The 3hrs left were gone by fast and so we arrived back in Germany at 9pm.Läs mer
Enchanting Nature and Ruins
19 september 2023, Slovenien ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
After the time in cities, we were drawn to nature again, so we decided to drive in the coasts direction. Along the way, I had saved some spots for discovery. The first one was the Weaver Cave that, legend told, housed a hiding weaver in shape of a stalagmite because he disturbed the witches and dwarfs living in it with his Sunday work. It was a an adventurous climb down, so the white dress that I had decided to put on for the coast, wasn't the right fit. But I was glad, I'd made the climb. On the way back, we found a slowworm to say us goodbye. Next was a huge white stone wall in the middle of a forest named Unška Koliševka. And as we wouldn't make it to the coast today, anyway, we decided to look at the map again for some little hidden gems. We found the old ruins of Grad Haasberg and its little residents - goats.
Aluna, sniffing around as usual, got an electric shock from the fence around the ruins and was completely shook. From then on, I either had to carry her or she wasn't leaving more than 1m of my perimeter. At last spot, we chose the Ravbar Tower, before we left back home for some more pizza at our Mars restaurant from yesterday. As it was our last night, I wanted to get some Slovenian dessert as well. So I ordered the Apple strudel and was surprised when I found cottage cheese pieces inside. "Traditionally Slovenian", said our understanding waiter, when I asked for some more paper to wrap half of my pizza and strudel. That would be a great meal on our way home tomorrow.Läs mer
In the Capital City
19 september 2023, Slovenien ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
As Maribor was such a disappointment yesterday, we wanted to visit the capital of Slovenia and see whether that was a nicer city. It was only a short drive from our apartment and so we arrived early in the city. The feeling was different from the get go. Everywhere were people (tourist groups as well), but not too many to feel crowded. The buildings were in much better shape and the whole vibe was lively and cool at the same time. We wandered around the streets, got some souvenirs for back home and some fresh grapes at the central market. They really tasted differently than in Germany. Sweeter. We found out that "You weren't really in Ljubljana when you didn't take a picture with a dragon", so I had to take a picture of me and Aluna with the dragon, although I don't like taking pictures of myself too much. Our legs were still hurting from the climb to Savica Waterfall, however, we made the steep way up to Ljubljana Castle to see the view. It wasn't that worth it though, as you couldn't see many nice old buildings from above. We wandered back down and I remembered the Lucky Wandering Stone that I've found a while back in Germany and didn't take a picture with it yet. So I did. I'd take him with me to South Africa Mauritius and Madagascar this year as well.
Before we went back to our parking space, we found an old Roman Wall that had a pyramid just casually as its entrance. Cool! What wasn't so cool was the price I had to pay for parking 3hrs 5min in Ljubljana - 9,20€!Läs mer
Dreary Maribor
18 september 2023, Slovenien ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
The next morning we again bought some Slovenian Strudl and drank our coffee for the first time. Then it was time to check out and drive to Maribor for a days visit. The streets were alright and not too packed, but the few drivers were killing my nerves as they drove rather relentlessly. Arriving in Maribor, we parked our car for 2,5 hrs and started the stroll through the city. I've read the Maribor was the European capital city of culture in 2012, however, I haven't thought of actually investigating what to do in Maribor. As it turned out: Nothing really. The city seemed as lifeless as dead fish and smelled like them, too. The streets were empty, as if souls wouldn't like to wander about in them. There were no shops, no cafés nor restaurants. Rotten buildings stood next to very modern new ones that overshadowed the remaining beautiful houses. It seemed as if Maribor hadn't done a thing for the looks of it since 2012. So we decided to cut the visit short and drive to our new accommodation near Ljubljana. Driving there, we realised that there weren't many foreign cars coming or going to Maribor - so not a tourism hotspot at all anymore. That's actually a good indicator for Slovenia.
We arrived at our next apartment that looked rather life- and joyless as well. But the pool was really nice! After this grey day, we went for a walk in the green before settling for dinner which was extremely delicious (although it's been pizza again) and extremely stuffing. I didn't eat my whole pizza, but the waiter knew I wanted it to take home and brought me some paper for my doggy bag. When the bill came, we were positively surprised as the food was about 20€ cheaper than we were used to. Slovenia isn't really cheap, especially not in the tourism spots. I'd say, it's about the same as in Germany - which is awful when you expect less. But the gas is much cheaper - 1,55€!
After rolling back to our apartment, I decided to take a plunge in the pool which was super cold. But I didn't bring my swimwear for nothing.Läs mer
Between Water and Mountains
17 september 2023, Slovenien ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
We woke up early and made ourselves one of the amazing coffees with our Nespresso coffee machine again. We ate our Strudls with cinnamon, chocolate and coco inside, sipped our coffee and started our day with looking at the map. What could we do today? We decided to drive to the west and see how much of the Triglavska Nationalpark and surroundings we could see today. Our first stop was Bohinj with its crystal clear lake and lushius green grass. We took our shoes and socks off to feel the coolness of the water which brought immense relief from the sweatening sun. I kindly put Aluna in the water as well, as she was panting like crazy. She really dislikes water and swimming but I think she understood that it was helping her cool down, so she was OK with it. After walking a bit more around the lake, soaking in the calmness of Alp vibes that everything around us was giving us, our park ticket was overdue and we went back to drive to our next stop: Savica Waterfall. On the way there, a middle-aged man tried to hitchhike, so I stopped and asked him if we should take him with us. He was lucky, the way would have been over 3km long, in the cold shadows but still up the hill. His name was Marian, he was from Slovakia and a train switchman. He was visiting Slovenia for 4 days and was on the way to Savica Waterfall now, just like us. Great! We parked at the foot of the mountain, got ourselves some ice cream and started the many steps up up the hill. It was super hot, but because of all the trees it was doable. Marian was always behind us and was panting as much as we did. But the steep climb was worth it, looking at the A-shaped waterfall and the stunning surroundings of the naked mountains reaching high in the sky and the blue lake that was shimmering in the distance. After we had enough, we made our way back and said goodbye to Marian. He was super kind and gave us a Slovakian flag, some magnets and his contact details. "Visit me and stay for free in my vacant room whenever you'll visit Slavokia", he offered generously. Thank you Marian!
We couldn't take him with us anymore as he planned another route than we did. We wanted to see the Pokljuka plateau. After driving always up the mountain on rather good roads, my GPS said we had to change for a very much dirt road looking one. I shrugged, turned and found myself on a 5km long drive over sticks and stones, always on the brink of sliding down the mountain. When we couldn't find anything really after another 5km, we decided it to be enough. My poor car!
So, at the next possible spot, I turned around and tried to get to the good road as quick as possible. When we finally were on asphalt again, it felt like heaven to our butts.
We took no more risks driving back to Bled, so we arrived healthy and timely for dinner. The earrings were still in my head, so we decided to go towards Bled city and the open-markets. If the man with the earrings was still there, I would definitely buy them now. And he was! Now, I guess I have to get some ear holes.
For dinner, we settled down at Spica and got some great pizza and for dessert the famous Bled cream cake that reminded me of the cream cake my Mum sometimes does. Slovenia and Poland are similar in many ways.
After some good waiters jokes and another high bill, we made our way back to our accommodation for the last night there.Läs mer
Around the Lake and Foodie Paradise
16 september 2023, Slovenien ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
We walked around the lake and came across the open-air markets with amazing local handcrafts and arts. I could barely leave some stunning earrings behind (although I don't even have ear holes for that matter). As it was super hot, we decided to get some ice cream and stumbled across the excellent and famous flavour of Sladogled. It's ice cream with Mascarpone, raisins, chocolate, cinnamon, caramel and cake crumbles. It was delicious although it tasted a bit like alcohol. Drunken from that, we found Alunas doppelganger as we sat down again at the lake to cool our feet. Across the lake, a basketball game was on. Actually it was on the lake, they were playing on an artificial lake surface. The music was extremely loud and we could get the gist of what was happening. Later, we walked on by and found out that Jordan (the sports wear) was releasing some new shoes and therefore made a huge event out of it with the help of the Slovenian tourism board. The youths of Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary were playing against each other, rocking the lake with their dance and ball moves.
As we had enough, we walked back to our accommodation where Aluna found a new friend in a donkey.
Then, we got hungry, so we searched for a restaurant a little further away than the tourist spots because we thought that might be cheaper and much more traditionally Slovenian. We found a great place named Gostilna Fortuna and saw that the Vintgar Gorge wasn't too far way of the restaurant. So we drove their first. However, it was already closed and from the outside we couldn't see more than a few stones and fresh, cold water. So, we drove to the restaurant and had an absolute blast. First, we had some traditionally made cottage cheese dumplings (we guess that Smetana was inside - a slav kind of creme) which were delicious. Then Shakhzoda chose a trout with some potatoes that reminded me of the mashed potatoes with onions inside that my Mum always cooks. I've got some deep fried cottage cheese filled "gnocchi" that didn't look like gnocchi at all but nevertheless tasted very good. At the end, we treated ourselves to LePotica with walnuts inside and vanilla ice cream, and came into Foodie heaven.Läs mer
Lake Breakfast and Steep Castle Climbs
16 september 2023, Slovenien ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
The next morning, we woke up to sunshine and much more nerves than yesterday. We prepared ourselves some great coffee, watching a German documentary about the Siberian people and tiger. Then, we decided that today would be a walking day. After all that driving yesterday, we were more than ready to walk around the Bled lake. But first, we had to get ourselves some proper breakfast. Walking around the narrow streets of Bled, we found a cute little Pekarna (bakery) where we bought some traditional Slovenian Struklji and something filled with cottage cheese and raisins. We then made our way towards the Bled lake and found ourselves in the nicest and calmest place in days. It was beautiful. Finally at the lake, we looked out for a place to eat our Slovenian breakfast and found one behind the ropes (that should actually prevent people to go to the coast). We sat down between the trees and put our feet in the cold lake water, looking at the church on Bled island. As we ate our breakfast, we watched little fish swim near our feet. However, they didn't give us a spa treatment.
After enjoying this quiet view, we got walking again, as Bled castle was on our To-Do-list next. We found the steep path up the hill and were out of breath not long afterwards. I was happy that Shakhzoda was as unfit as I am, so that I didn't need to hide my heavy breathing. Finally, we made it to the top and looked at the Castle. It's over 1.000 years old and has a really VIP spot on that mountain. We didn't go inside though, as we both weren't to interested in that. We much rather enjoyed the view over the lake. After soaking it all in, we climbed down the stairs again until we reached the old ruins of Villa Rikli.Läs mer
Beautiful City, Disastrous Roads
15 september 2023, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
After another 3hrs of sleep, the night was over and it was time to stuff our stomachs at the Maritim buffet. As I can't leave Aluna alone, I took her with me as usual. We entered the breakfast room and sat down, putting Aluna in her backpack. The people sitting next to me gave me the side-eye and I felt rather uncomfortable. When Shakhzoda and I came back from the buffet, Aluna was squirming as if she was dying. Not two seconds later, a waitress came and asked us to go to a secluded part of the restaurant as dogs weren't allowed in it and she didn't want people to complain. "It's no discrimination", she tried to convince me. I didn't think it was discriminating, I just thought that the receptionist yesterday could have told us. Anyway, now we had our own area to sit in and it was way better than the spot we had before.
After breakfast, we packed our things, checked out and left for the town. We walked along the Danube that was much more frequented by bikes during the day, and escaped into the Rose Garden for a while. We went on to the Fisher's Village where old little houses brought you back in time. The city hall that was already looking stunning in the night, was even more beautiful in the sunlight, with all its paintings. The Ulmer Münster seemed to be just as huge as last night but now we could see much more details of the fassade. As we strolled around, Aluna got a new friend named Peanut, a young, caramel coloured poodle with which she played for about half an hour. In the mean time, I gave some proper dog advice for his owner, as we had a very nice, open chat. But we had to get on and so we decided to walk back on the other side of Danube to see some more of Neu-Ulm as well. Nothing very much to see there though.
Finally, we arrived at our car and we're ready to start the journey further towards Bled. It was a rather tedious time on the German roads... always a stop-and-go. So, we decided to take a break at the Chiemsee. However, the Chiemsee seems to hate people and travellers, as it seemed nearly impossible for us to find not only a parking spot, but then a way to the actual lake. It took us an immense amount of time, driving around Prien am Chiemsee, until we drove outside of the city again and finally found a place where both things (parking and walking at the lake), we're possible. My nerves were completely worn out by the time and I needed the walk around the green and blue landscape. Aluna appreciated the time in nature as well. After getting ourselves a little sugar rush with some ice cream, we entered the full highway again. When we got to the border of Austria, we left at the wrong turn and found ourselves in the middle of hundreds of lorries waiting for the toll. My nerves were screaming and I really had to calm myself down. Luckily, it wasn't too bad, as I still could get the vignette at the petrol station. We carried on and had a much emptier road in front of us, as well as a stunning landscape, which made the driving experience at least a little less exhausting. We had to pay for two more tunnels an (imo) extreme high amount and finally got to the Slovenian border. I again purchased the vignette and we crossed the non-existing border to the even emptier roads of Slovenia. It took us less than an hour to arrive in Bled, just in time for the latest possible check-in. I was done for the day and could only appreciate the nice, little room, before falling asleep on the comfortable bed.Läs mer
A Night to Remember
14 september 2023, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
After work, I drove home, packed my things in the car and picked up my friend Shakhzoda. As Seb wanted to say Goodbye to me properly, we decided to stop by his work and he gave me a little guardian angel. "Save drive", he said.
Then we hit the road and drove down south, always in the direction of Ulm. Aluna was quiet as usual and so we decided to not stop for an extended walk. We much rather stopped to eat some burgers and chips at an Autohof. The waiter said that Shakhzoda was the most beautiful women stopping by all day long which turned her tomato red. My veggie burger tasted so much like meat, I was questioning the "veggie" in it. However, it was delicious and I was starving. After we filled our stomachs, we drove on and arrived at around 11pm at the Maritim in Ulm. A coloss of building. Inside the reception looked rather glorious and we feeled like VIPs instantly. After getting our keys, we took the lift on to the 11th floor to our room and were relieved to find an amazingly comfortable bed and - much more important - a coffee/tea machine. Definitely an upgrade to the Frankfurt Maritim I was sleeping at on my way to Australia!
From the long drive completely exhausted, we just wanted to get some sleep. However, Aluna had different ideas. She was super stressed, was jumping on and off the bed, and fucking my arm over and over again. Her whole body was full with energy the had to get out. I understood, as we haven't done anything with her that day but driving. But I was too tired, I needed some sleep. And I fell asleep. Not for too long, though. Waking up at 4am, I realised that Aluna's stress level was still way to high. She was still way over the top, just like children when they had to sit still the whole day. I knew, I wouldn't get any sleep and she wouldn't either. So, I decided to put on some clothes and go outside. First, I doubted that I would have a good time outside in the middle of the night - thinking of Frankfurt and it's awfulness. However, my thoughts were unnecessary. Every little corner from the Maritim to the Ulmer Münster was lit up, even the smallest alleyways. So I not only felt super safe but also could really enjoy the way along the Danube in peace and quiet. I loved all the streets being empty. So, I wondered around the rose garden, the city hall and the famous Ulmer Münster. That last one really is huge! As I should learn the biggest cathedral in whole Europe. And I also learned that "Münster" is the German word for the Latin "monasterium" which is basically a monastery.
On our way back, Aluna seemed way more relaxed. Nevertheless, she didn't like to go back to sleep when we arrived on the 11th floor again. I needed some sleep anyway, so I told her to calm down and finally, after snuggling with her, she fell silent as well and I could get some much needed sleep.Läs mer
Covid - Planning
2 juni 2023, Australien ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Today I woke up at 6am to read Autopias response that they could obviously not take me with them. I took another RAT, again positive right away. I called the Healthdirect to ask them how and where I could get a PCR test for my insurance. After calling a bunch of different GPs and Medical Centres, I finally found one where I could get a needed referral from. I had to pay the Northbridge Medical Centre $90 for a two minutes telecall appointment, but I've got my referral. They also told me, where the closest location would be to get my PCR test done. I called them, asking whether I could come without an appointment. Then I asked James to ask whether the room was available for staying another night. Then I hurried to the Clinical Labs collection centre, paid another $150 to get tested and went straight back to my hotel room. Now, the only real thing I could do, was to wait. And pray, that the test would really turn out to be positive, so that the HanseMerkur would pay for everything... Otherwise, I would be in debt very shortly. I tried to busy myself with texting the two tour operators with whom I booked some day trips. One could be refunded 100%, the other one would be 100% cancellation fee. Hoping, praying. I asked Christian back in Germany to look for flights and how much it would cost to rebook to a sooner date. Why stay here, being ill?
I really didn't feel good at all. I had fever come in waves, my heart raced again and again, my nose was blocked, I had a huge headache and I felt rather weak in general. I wanted to get home, as soon as possible. I didn't mind the 24 hour flight, I just wanted to recover properly between my loved ones.
I got a phone call from reception that I should come and pay the hotel bill, which I did. $195 including corporate benefit... That was really expensive. Shit. Praying again.
As I needed to stay at least one more night anyway, I booked myself an airport hotel for the next night. With that, I'd be as close as possible, so to get the earliest flight to get me out of here as soon as I could.
I went to the supermarket to get myself some food and was completely done afterwards. It really was tough having Covid.
For tonight, I enjoyed the bathtub yet again. I'd really miss that. But nothing could best the approaching feeling to finally be home again.Läs mer
Memories in Ink
1 juni 2023, Australien ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
I had a really nice sleep in (until 8.30am) up to when I headed to meet the remaining people of Module 2. Lana had to leave last night already, so we had a very heartwarming goodbye yesterday. But most other people wanted to meet for one last breakfast together. We talked about last nights' happenings and laughed about memories we got on our trip. However, there was a silent coat of sadness above all our words. I'd really miss them and travelling with them. But everything good would finally get to an end.
I had the same transfer into the city centre as Chrissi, Simona, Betty, Mathilde and Lorena. I'd stay at the Britannia on Williams tonight to start my next tour tomorrow. I wasn't looking forward to that. I was so tired from socialising, no matter how nice the trip had been. And I felt ill, too. I just wanted to go home really.
I took Chrissi with me to leave my luggage at the hostel and go into the city centre for some more shopping. I didn't need nor buy anything, but it was nice to stroll around the city without any hassle or following someone else. We met with Lorena and Mathilde for lunch and I had my very first (Halloumi) burger in Australia. The others were already sick from all the burgers, but for the vegetarian I am, I had always gotten some Gnocchis, salad or weird stuff to eat. Something as normal as a burger was quite nice to get.
After our tummies were filled, Mathilde went back to her hotel room to sleep over her last nights' hangover some more, and we met up with Simona. Then, something very strange happened. The three girls decided to get tattoos. Chrissi wanted her very first tattoo to be Down Under (with Under being written upside down) and Lorena and Simona just jumped on the waggon and decided to get some more tattoos for themselves. I would have never thought, that I'd casually walk into a tattoo artists studio like doing an afternoon stroll through the park.
I watched the girls deciding within 2 hours on thekr tattoos and then held Chrissis hand during her first one. It didn't seem to bother her at all that a little needle was spiking into her arm. Neither did Simona when she got an M for her daughters name tattooed on her ankle, nor Lorena with a red heart being inked on her arm. Weird people. But the experience really was something. Afterwards, we got some Aloe Vera after care creme for them, as well as TimTams (some kind of famous Australian cookies). Then, we waved Chrissi goodbye who would stay at the Crown Metropol until her 9.30pm pickup. Simona and Lorena brought me to the Britannia on William as I didn't like the idea to walk through Perths' streets alone. We said goodbye and I checked in. I got my luggage to my 3 beds dorm and was basically shocked. After staying in the most fancy hotel for the last two nights, this wasn't a downgrad, it was an endless downfall. I was completely done with this before it even started, so I quickly texted Chrissi if the room would be booked for the whole night and if I could come to hers. She immediately said yes, so I checked out after being less than 1 hour checked in and I took an Uber to the Crown Metropol. I was so glad being there again, knowing that I'd have my own room for at least one more night before going on the next trip and needing to share with multiple strangers.
As I didn't feel very well, I took another Covid test. I had tested myself after Sofie has been tested positive on the Margaret River day, but it had been negative back then. Now... It turned out to be positive after mere seconds. I was so shocked and glad at the same time that I burst out in tears. I couldn't go on the trip with Covid. I didn't need to go on that trip! What an absolute win! But wait... That was shit. I had to tell Autopia I couldn't go tomorrow morning at 7.25am. So, I tried to call them, but they didn't have a 24/7 hotline. That made me really cross, as I think it's the least a tour operator can do. I contacted James and he tried to help me in finding some more hotlines from Autopia that I could ring. Neither was available after 5pm, so I sent them an email, explaining the situation. James told me to call their Sydney office first thing in the morning, as they'd be open 2hours before and so I could barely make it. What would happen now though? For tonight, I had a place to stay, but where to go tomorrow? What do tomorrow?
I called my insurance and got a very strange comeback about not having a Covid package included, so that they wouldn't cover anything. I was nearly hyperventilating. That couldn't be true. I told Seb to call them again and he got from two different people the same amswer: When you've got a PCR test , they would see it as a normal illness and cover everything. With these mixed signals I was more or less left alone, stressing over it. I really couldn't do much tonight, so I tried to calm myself down with another bath. I'd figure it out tomorrow.Läs mer
Party Hard - Our Last Day Together
31 maj 2023, Australien ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
For our last day, we had planned another walking tour with Two Feet and a Heartbeat. But first, we went to King's Park and had a very good view from up there over Perth. And as coincidence wanted, it was Reconsiliation Week, so we could experience a memorial upon the fallen Aboriginal people, listen to didgeridoo animal music and see a bunch of youngsters dance to it. I was sad that we haven't experienced much more from the Aboriginal culture.
However, we had to get to our walking tour, so the bus drove back into town and left us with the Founder of TFaaH, Ryan.
He was way more professional and good in his job, so it was quite nice to follow him around town and learn a bit of history. Not much that I could remember now, though. I just remember that the reason the London Court was built, was to get more English people to invest into the very much unwanted colony of Perth, by looking like a little piece of England. Humans just like familiar things and obviously it worked out.
After the tour found an end, we had some free time in the city, so Lana and I looked for lunch and found some very good Ramen place. Afterwards, we headed back to where the bus would pick us up to bring us back to the Crown Metropol. For the first time, the bus was before its departure time and we would have nearly missed it. Luckily, we were able to catch them at the red traffic lights.
We had a couple of hours to chill and make ourselves ready for the big gala tonight. I had a wonderfully long bath, soaking all my stressed bones and muscles, finally relaxing a bit. Then it was time to meet up and we were escorted into the Crown Mansion.
That was really a Mansion, hidden behind several gangways and doors. Here, Justin Bieber and PINK, had stayed for a while and you could see why. It was huge! Three master bedrooms with balconies and bathrooms (each having a whirlpool like tub, a Japanese style toilet, a shower and a make up table), two offices, a "childrens" bedroom including the bathroom, a sauna, a gym, an enormous living room with terrace and pool downstairs, a gallery like upstairs living room with billiard and a bar. Holy shit that must be expensive to rent out!
I was fascinated by this place and extremely thankful that I could experience it without paying any money for it.
We got a warm welcome from Neale, the CEO of HelloWorld and a bunch of other people from Tourism Australia, Western Australia Tourism, Ats Pacific etc.
But what was special, was the first real Welcome by an Aboriginal Elder. She shared her tribes songline with us and greeted us the most traditional way. That was super cool.
After every speech was done, we could finally party. I'm not much of a dancer, but I loved seeing all of my (now) friends enjoy themselves. Module 2 was really the fun group though, as the women from Module 1 (because it was all just women) were rather hesitant and quiet.
As I didn't like to dance, I rather explored the huge mansion with Lana. Neale has said we should feel at home and so we did. We jumped on the master bedrooms bed, played football with a ball shaped cushion, took photos at the photo booth, stole the very heavy and nice pens and did some acrobatics in the gym. It was so much fun!
There was only a little bad taste to it and that was the food. The entrees where alright and half of them vegetarian. However, the main barbecue was just meat (and three salad leaves). Betty and I asked for some veggie food and got some very dry, disgusting tasting pastries that we couldn't swallow at all. What a shame it was.
It was also shit that they threw us out at 11pm already. Because of "safety" reasons. What bullocks is that? Everyone was really pissed (at least from Module 2) and so we decided to stay together on our last day for some more time. We wanted to go to the Casino but wouldn't be let in because they thought we were either too drunk (most actually weren't) or we couldn't present a valid ID (they would only accept Australian ID or our Passports... please). So, after another 30min discussion, we headed to Lisas room and just sat down talking. I got very tired around 2am, so I left the after party. Just in time though, as shortly after that, security came to Lisas room and smashed the party. But my people were smarter. They just went a floor down to yet another ones room and sat together until 4am. Good times, good times. I'd really gonna miss these bunch of people. We became so close in the last 12 days, it was weird thinking we'd split up again and maybe never ever see each other again. So Lisa got the word round, that we should all come together next year for a Reunion. We'll see how this turns out. However, I met a bunch of great people around the world, that I might be able to visit one day in their home countries.Läs mer
Rottnest Island - Quokka's Paradise
30 maj 2023, Australien ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Today we were going to Rottnest Island which is best known to be the home of Quokkas, the "happiest animal on Earth".
We were picked up by our bus driver and driven to the jetty in Perth where we hopped onto the ferry.
On the Swan River we could not only enjoy the very nice sunrise but also the dolphins that followed us along. It was a rather lovely little boat ride. As soon as we left the bay and entered the open ocean however, the waves got bigger and bigger. Monica and I wanted to use the waves to have a little fun and jump with the bumps, but the Australians are so deep in their safety that they wouldn't allow us to.
So, we just endured the ride without having fun until we arrived at the Rottnest Island jetty.
We all made our way to the bike rental on the island, to get some bikes for the day. Lana, Monica and I got the bikes and helmets but then made our way to the Segway guy. We would have a short Segway Tour around the island first. As I have never been on a Segway before, I was glad we did an introduction and training first. It's so weird standing on that thing and merely doing anything for it to move. I must say, I thought it way harder to drive the training Segway with its 3km/h than the normal 10km/h one. The latter was far more responsive to just small gestures.
After everyone completed the training and got on their Segways, we started our little tour. With that, we learned how Rottnest once was a prisoners island, how they used to make the famous Rottnest Yellow in former days (mixing rusty nails and white paint) and how easy it is to fall off your Segway. Annika, who was in our group, fell off her Segway and hurt herself, not severely, but still. The tour came to an end pretty soon after that and now it was time to get our rented bikes and explore the island on our own. Lana and I sticked together as usual and rode along the island until we arrived at a deserted beach. Nobody was there or anywhere around, so we sat down and just enjoyed the sun and quiet for half an hour. I let the sand run through my fingers and I listened to the waves crashing in front of us. It was so beautiful to just sit and listen undisturbed.
After a while, we headed toward the Discovery Glamping Site where we'd have lunch today. But first, we looked at the different types of tents that they had. Although you can barely name them tents. More like little houses with tent fabric covering them. That had real kitchens and bathrooms inside as well as very nice beds. But it's also quite expensive, starting around $400 a night. Finally, our site inspection was over and we got some food down our throats. During lunch, loads of Quokkas hung around us, sniffing around to find some food that probably fell on the ground. One of them was super busy, trying to get into an empty Pringles box of Lanas. She had to put it away properly to stop the Quokka trying to get some crisps from it.
After lunch, Lana and I got back on the bikes and cycled around some more, trying to get the picture perfect selfie with one of the many Quokkas being around. Lana was very lucky, I wasn't and tbh I didn't care enough to try harder and disturb the little creatures more than I was comfortable to do.
The day went by and it was time again to go on the ferry back to the mainland. This time, the sea was way more smooth than before, but because of technical issues, we had to get off in Fremantle already and take the bus to our next point on our To Do list: A Walking Pub Crawl Tour by Two Feet and a Heartbeat.
That was a rather odd experience, to be quite honest. First, we met the group of Module 1 for the first time, being super smelly and sticky from the sunny day on Rottnest, while the others were freshly showered and dressed nicely. Then, the tour guides tried to separate Simona, Betty and me from our group and put us together with the others because of our dietary needs (Betty and me Veggies, Simona gluten free). We rebelled against that, as we really didn't see us going with the others. We didn't know them one bit. Why would we go? So, we all just ignored them and went with our Module 2 group anyway. It would turn out as no problem whatsoever, as most of the food they served to us, was veggie and glutenfree. But stirring the pot before...
We stopped at the first bar and it was just way too small to hold such a big group (~30) at a time. It was super odd that the tour guides just stood beside us, watching us drink our drinks and pouring water like waiters. Also, Jack, the male guide was coming ridiculously close to us younger girls all the time, which made us feel rather uncomfortable. It seemed as if he'd really tried to hook up with one of us. The other guide wasn't much better, as she just stood there, looking out of place, and stating that this would be her first time doing that tour over and over again. Finally, we went on to the next bar to have our little snack dinner. Again, both guides just stood there not doing much and I started to wonder, why I should go on such a tour. I didn't learn anything but that the current bar we sat in was called the Aquarium and the owner was very passionate about it. Sorry, but that I could have just googled. I don't need a guide for that. Also, we were only allowed to get ourselves drinks up to $12, however that was basically just beer, cider or wine. So not much variation there whatsoever.
We walked to our last bar which was "hidden" behind a painting. We had to move random things so to open the hidden door and get into a huge ballroom like saloon. The Module 1 group was already there and the weird vibe was all around yet again. They sat all in one booth, sticking together. We had to split up randomly and so I sat down with Kasper, James, Nick, Monica, Lorena, Simona and Sean in the other booth. Lana was already sitting amongst the other half of my group at another table. A waitress came and asked for our choice of drink (which was a bit broader now). We sat there and waited for about half an hour but only the two Whiskeys on Ice for Nick and James arrived. Not one other person in our particular booth got anything, but at least the tour guide from Module 1 came around like 15 times asking us if we had ordered yet, taking our orders again (!) and not delivering them at all. Looking at Lanas table group, they weren't getting much more luck. The beer had arrived but from her (or my) mocktail wasn't any sign. As our bus has arrived in time, but our drinks haven't, we headed out of the bar more or less as fast as lightning to end this uncomfortable experience. So weird... Yet another tour that was basically ruined by bad organisation, wanting too much and delivering way too little.
Luckily, we could check into our next and final hotel: The Crown Metropol.
It belongs to the Crown Complex, holding three different hotels, several bars and restaurants, a casino and a cinema. It's way out of the city centre and has the vibe of Las Vegas to it which was considerably strange. But the rooms were gorgeous and lucky me had a single room as well!Läs mer
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