Sunday, October 14, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Day 4 - Townsville
Most of our drive on this continent will unfold along the coast, therefore today is a good option to take a longer route a bit more in the interior. We head to Yungaburra which actually inspires me to use Bunga Bunga as a substitute nickname for any future place we're heading to if I don't know the exact name.
Our little purring car runs great and I feel very confident right from the moment I've turned it on for the first time, that is I've simply toggled my brain to a mirror condition. I can use my right and left hands indifferently and this helps not asking Deborah to shift the gears for me. The whole driving feeling is good as we go up a steep, narrow snake road with sharp bends towards Crater Lakes National Park.
In Millaa Millaa we turn out onto Theresa Creek Rd. which is a loop road passing by several waterfalls. We see the first two falls but can't proceed to the third and last one because the road is barred for bridge maintenance works. No loop then and we're forced to drive back to "Bunga Bunga". Road No. 25 takes us to the east coast and merges into the A1 motorway to Townsville. The city hosts a military base and is graciously laid at the feet of a dominating rock, summit of which is accessible by car, where we take short trails leading to overlooks to the quiet ocean. It's good to take a few steps after 500 Km in the cage.
Our little purring car runs great and I feel very confident right from the moment I've turned it on for the first time, that is I've simply toggled my brain to a mirror condition. I can use my right and left hands indifferently and this helps not asking Deborah to shift the gears for me. The whole driving feeling is good as we go up a steep, narrow snake road with sharp bends towards Crater Lakes National Park.
In Millaa Millaa we turn out onto Theresa Creek Rd. which is a loop road passing by several waterfalls. We see the first two falls but can't proceed to the third and last one because the road is barred for bridge maintenance works. No loop then and we're forced to drive back to "Bunga Bunga". Road No. 25 takes us to the east coast and merges into the A1 motorway to Townsville. The city hosts a military base and is graciously laid at the feet of a dominating rock, summit of which is accessible by car, where we take short trails leading to overlooks to the quiet ocean. It's good to take a few steps after 500 Km in the cage.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Day 2 & 3 - Cairns
The steep and twisty road to Kuranda recalls of our corner of the world but with the addition of lush tropical vegetation. It would call for a motorcycle ride although most visitors to Kuranda rely on the historical Skyway train. We're inside the Barron Gorge National Park where a waterfall finds its way into the gorge carved by its ancestor molecules. The view from the lookout is spectacular, and one can only imagine the full force in roaring swing during the wet season. Our full day with kindest Dorrise can only end with the promise she will visit us on the 45th parallel north and we talk it over dinner at a food court in the heart of Cairns. Asian food, why not? At this time we are supposed to see each other in a week in Brisbane although the circumstances won't then let it happen. The twilight period is quite short in the tropics and it gets pitch dark before one knows. Time to scan the sky for the Southern Cross constellation and check whether - of course it does - it still looks like we saw it from South Africa and Brazil. Now I even remember that the south direction can be found at the intersection of two imaginary lines, one drawn as the elongation of the longest axis of the "diamond" stars, the other as a line drawn in the middle, square to the two "pointer" stars. Easier done than said though.
Our Day 3 is dedicated to the Great Barrier as we venture out to Michaelmas and Hastings reefs. We set foot on the tiny sand island of Michaelmas. The tour operator provides goggles, fins and wetsuits which, at least for me, proves insufficient to keep me warm during the two hours afloat through the wonders of the submerged universe. Corals of all kinds, shapes and size. Giant clams and fish galore, and the sudden surprise to be surrounded by a school of batfish as we approach the boat. They are curious and within arm's reach in crystal clear waters. Just magical. I feel cold as never before and I'm violently shaking as I climb the boat's stairs and try to pull out of the wetsuit. I can't speak properly and I'm shocked, and still shaking while attending the buffet lunch aboard.
Next morning (Day 4) we're on our own and we head to the car rental location not far from our aptly chosen room. Time to show the official translation of my Italian driver's license which I had requested prior to leaving home. Driving in the states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria requires a translation if the license is not in English language. Our small baby outside the office is immaculate white and ready for dirt and who knows what through the next 5,000 Km. I'm used to drive to the left but it seems I can't get accustomed to operate the signals with a lever on the right side of the steering wheel. All right-hand-drive cars I used before had such lever to the left, like at home, so I'll keep swinging the wipers's lever instead for most of our journey. (NOTE: guess what? Upon return home, the first time I signaled I've obviously hit the wiper instead)
GPS is on and off we go! We'll be pointing south for good. Coming across place names of Aboriginal origin, often composed of two repeated words, makes me think of Bunga Bunga. Our ex-premier certainly knows what it means.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Day 1 - Melbourne, Aug 5, 2012
From Tullamarine - Melbourne's international airport - a convenient bus service departing every ten minutes takes a 20-minute ride to the Southern Cross train station located at the western edge of the city's CBD (Central Business District). We can take a taxi to the hotel but we decide to walk the 2.5 Km distance after a full day of sitting in a plane and recycled airport air. We definitely need fresh air!
Setting foot outside the Southern Cross station after 9 PM reveals that the hub of a metropolis of some 4.3 million souls is nearly deserted. We didn't expect to find ourselves in the middle of a party but the postnuclear-like situation is a bit strange. Not that we look for food - our tummies have benefited from the Thai Airways' so-so kitchen - but many restaurants are closed already. It's a sign that this country, or at least this city if not in this part of it, stops shortly after dusk. At least in winter despite it's certainly balmier than the one we know. We chuckle when thinking that back home, and even better in Spain, businesses may not yet be open at this time. The GPS walks us flawlessly to the end of Flinders Street past the homonym station and through Federation Square. Next to the hotel/apartments door I spot an open convenience store as a source of munchies and liquids, but let's check-in first. Just the time to drop our backpacks and go down to the store by 10:04 PM proves too late. They close at 10. Complimentary water in the room and cookies out of my hip purse - nope, I can't call it a "fanny pack" here - solved the minor issue.
Especially after a scorching couple of weeks in Torino I'm happy it's cold here. Deborah doesn't otherwise share the grin on my face. She wouldn't anywhere below 22C in any case and she's therefore much ready for the tropics ahead of us. She has to wait a little as we're about to sample Melbourne for a full day.The sun is out in Federation Square where an occasional audience of a handful of individuals is enjoying delayed and live action from the London Olympic Games played on a big screen. Others are pacing with cameras speaking French and Spanish while school kids in uniform are heading to the Art Gallery. People flow in and out Flinders' station across the street while we take a quick visit to the underground information center with access from a glass structure in the middle of the square. Queensland is far from here but some information is available to keep company to the maps we had brought from home. The CBD offers two free hop-on, hop-off transportation methods: a bus loop line and a tram loop line. These would operate until 6 PM (or earlier) and aren't used by tourists alone. We decided to take the bus for a full loop - about 80 minutes - just to check what the nearby areas have to offer, but only after walking for hours through the CBD on our own. Wandering through the hidden arcades lets us sample a bit of European-style environment, abounding of coffee bars where a couple of plastic banknotes can be traded for an expensive cup and a muffin. It's probably a good thing that Asians brought their cuisine along as we're not craving for pizza nor eager for a McBun or Colonel's chicken. At first sight it seems Australian food is hard to find or understand and we rely on a Spanish-style place for dinner. Nice venue but say the smallest portions for the biggest price I've ever had. No complaints though as we knew in advance it's an expensive country.
A good propaedeutic day, now ready for some rest to recharge for the upcoming adventures.
Foreword and Overview
Far and away. This is what Australia is generally perceived of a place in our home country Italy, and definitely true when it comes to fly all the way down under.
The oldest chunk of land on our planet, home to uniquely evolved fauna, had a tremendous call on wife and I to take advantage of our usual 4-week August break.
Having been to Singapore before, we opted for the Bangkok route to experience a two-day stopover on our way back. The way down on Aug 4 was otherwise taken all at once, flying TRN-MUC-BKK-MEL in a row, which makes an exhausting day of travel. As usual, carry-on luggage only. Well, still one more domestic flight to go but let's take a rest and preview Melbourne before that, so we'll reach Cairns the day after. From there, we'll drive 5,000 Km along the coast down to Melbourne for a proper visit before leaving the country.
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