Awesome Australia
I started my trip with a stay in Perth with old friends of the family and they showed me around Perth and accompanied me on days out to Rottnest Island, Freemantle, Margaret River and Bunbury. We went to the beaches, tasted wine at the Leeuwin Estate, took in the Jewel Cave and Karri Forest, watched Aussi Rules Football at the WAKA, had ice cream at Papa Luigi's and tried our luck in the casino before I headed off to the Red Centre. I flew to Alice Springs were I explored the town before getting on a bus for the 4 hour journey to what was then Ayers Rock but is now known by the Aboriginal name Uluru. I only managed to climb the "chicken run" - the first 100 yards - but it was still a great experience.
Then it was off to Brisbane to visit some distance relatives who lived just outside Surfers Paradise. I hired a small car and spent time driving up and down the coast visiting Dreamworld and Seaworld amongst other things. Next came Sydney and the Opera House, Captain Cook harbour cruises and the shopping and nightlife before a short flight to Melbourne from where I took fellow youth hostellers to the gold fields at Sovereign Hill and Ballarat. I did not manage to find any nuggets but it was still fun panning for gold and exploring the traditional gold mining town. Finally I took another bus from Melbourne back to Perth across the Nullabor (tree less plain) - a whopping 3420km!
My second trip was with my husband Tim and son Alistair and started in Sydney as we decided we wanted to take in an Ashes game at the SCG. I know Engalnd got well and truly beaten but it was still a great experience - at least we saw England beat New Zealand at a day/night game at the Gabba in Brisbane. We explored the city visiting the Aquarium, The Oz Walk, Maritime Museum and Botanical Gardens. We climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge and took the bus out to Bondi Beach and walked the coast path to Coogee. The fireworks over Sydney Harbour on New Years Eve were spectacular!
This time our trip took in Adelaide and tram rides out to Glenelg, wine tasting in the Barossa Valley and a 4 day drive along the Great Ocean Road - I loved out time at Robe particularly. We also enjoyed rock concerts in Melbourne, chill out time in a lovely apartment at Rye on the Mornington Peninsular, a visit to friends at Wilsons Prom, a long drive up the Pacific Coast from Sydney to Brisbane and beyond as far as Noosa and Fraser Island with many stops en route for the boys to fish. Tim and Alistair would have quite happily lived in Noosa in the house we rented over looking a salt water inlet. Watching the Pelicans over the inlet at The Entrance still brings a smile to my face today as does learning to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef on Lady Elliot Island - an eco resort and bird reserve with a resident population of Manta Rays. I have great memories of Alistair guiding baby turtles in to the ocean to safety with a torch after we found them floundering outside our cabin, and him scrubbing the backs of adult turtles when he was diving. I know the boys still recall their time fishing on the 2km long pier at Hervey Bay where they saw a man carrying a Queen Fish almost as large as himself - they were not quite as successful but still had a great time!! From having to avoid Kangaroos on the golf course to seeing the salt water crocs at Steve Irwins Zoo outside Brisbane, the whole trip was a series of experiences I am sure we will never forget and inspires us to go back for more.............