Wednesday, September 26, 2007
work time!
I'm officially employed! I was really excited about it at first, my bank account will be a little healthier, ill have something to do all day instead of wandering aimlessly around Alice Springs. Then i started my job, and realized that i now have to get up and.. well.. work! Its been a bit of a chock to my system. Luckily its an internet cafe, so i get to talk to backpackers all day and go on facebook, so im slowly easing back into the real world..
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Alice Springs and beyond!
Ive sort of settled in Alice Springs for a while. I found a job at Global Gossip which is an internet cafe. I went in for my first day on friday and it seems pretty good. All the people are really nice, and i caught on pretty quickly. I didnt have to go in until monday (tomorrow) so i took full advantage of that i booked a 3 day tour to Uluru, kata Tjua and Kings Canyon.
Uluru and Kata Tjua are both in the same National park, which is owned by the Aboriginals. They're basically HUGE rocks in the middle of the desert, and you can do hikes, go on a story tour and watch the sunride/set. My tour did pretty much everything we possibly could in 3 days...
Day 1: Leave the hostel at 6am, drive 5.5 hours to Uluru and do the base walk. Uluru is one rock (albeit a very large one) and the walk is 9.4km. It was the middle of the afternoon when we got there, so it was pretty hot, but so amazing! Our guide told us stories about different formations, colours and coves in the rock. Some of the places are sacred, and if yorue caught taking pictures, its a 5000$ fine. yikes! anyways, it was really good, and not once did i think "ok.. im just walking in a big circle around a rock..." We then watched the sun set over the rock and ate dinner.
Day 2: Up at 5am to watch the sunrise over the rock, and then off the Kata Tjua for a 7.4km hike. Kata Tjua (or the Olgas) are 36 huge rock formations, and are a little more interesting to look at, but much more challenging to hike on. It took about 4 houts to do the "valley of the winds" walk, but it was so nice.
Day 3: Up at 530am, and off to Kings Canyon. This was by far the best hike. About 5.5km but the most difficult. the forst part is almost completly vertical, and 7 people in the last 5 years have died doing this hike! i walked very slowly. We walked for 4 hours along the top of the entire canyon and it was just incredible. Luckily we got there early (like730am) so it wasnt hot at all.. actually in some parts it was a little chilly!
we camped both nights under the stars, one night in a site, and the other in the middle of the desert. The stars are pretty amazing the the outback, its hard to want to sleep with them above you!
Uluru and Kata Tjua are both in the same National park, which is owned by the Aboriginals. They're basically HUGE rocks in the middle of the desert, and you can do hikes, go on a story tour and watch the sunride/set. My tour did pretty much everything we possibly could in 3 days...
Day 1: Leave the hostel at 6am, drive 5.5 hours to Uluru and do the base walk. Uluru is one rock (albeit a very large one) and the walk is 9.4km. It was the middle of the afternoon when we got there, so it was pretty hot, but so amazing! Our guide told us stories about different formations, colours and coves in the rock. Some of the places are sacred, and if yorue caught taking pictures, its a 5000$ fine. yikes! anyways, it was really good, and not once did i think "ok.. im just walking in a big circle around a rock..." We then watched the sun set over the rock and ate dinner.
Day 2: Up at 5am to watch the sunrise over the rock, and then off the Kata Tjua for a 7.4km hike. Kata Tjua (or the Olgas) are 36 huge rock formations, and are a little more interesting to look at, but much more challenging to hike on. It took about 4 houts to do the "valley of the winds" walk, but it was so nice.
Day 3: Up at 530am, and off to Kings Canyon. This was by far the best hike. About 5.5km but the most difficult. the forst part is almost completly vertical, and 7 people in the last 5 years have died doing this hike! i walked very slowly. We walked for 4 hours along the top of the entire canyon and it was just incredible. Luckily we got there early (like730am) so it wasnt hot at all.. actually in some parts it was a little chilly!
we camped both nights under the stars, one night in a site, and the other in the middle of the desert. The stars are pretty amazing the the outback, its hard to want to sleep with them above you!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Alice Springs.. and it wasnt easy!
It was somewhat of an ordeal to get here.
My last day in Darwin was spent at Litchfield National Park. I spent the whole day in and out of various waterfalls and rockpools. It was so beautiful and i was fairly reluctant to leave. It was a long day though, so by the time i got back to my hostel (about 7pm) i was totally ready for bed, and being that i left at 715 the next morning for Katherine, i figured sleep was in my best interest. Alas, it was not meant to be. When i got home some of the girls in my room were going out for dinner. I said i was just going to bed, but they guilted me with the whole "its your last night we'll never see you again" backpacker seech. Its hard to say no to. So, off we went, intending ONLY to stay at the pub for dinner and nothing else. Of course we ended up staying until almost 1am. To my credit though, i didnt drink anything but water, which was robably the smartest thing i ever did. It was quiz night, which mostly consisted of us doing embarassing things to try and win drinks (we didnt win, but were sufficiantly embarassed). So we get home, i set my alarm for 6am, and fall asleep. Sometime around 7am i actually wake up, realize i have all of 15 minutes to pack and make my way across town to catch my bus. Panicpanicpanic, and the fastest cab ride ever and i make it. As im sitting, waiting for the bus, quite roud of myself for managing to make it on time, i realize that i forgot my food bag. Not a big deal, i can always buy more food. But no. If only it were that simple. I realize, in a horrifying moment of clarity that i have left my beloved Swiss army knife in the food bag. I cry the whole way to katherine (rememeber im functioning on very little sleep) and promptly call the hostel in Darwin. They found it and will mail it to me asap.
Well im feeling a lot better at this point, until someone at the hostel tells me that because katherine is so small, sometimes the mail "just doesnt show up". fantastic. Having exhausted all the culture of the town in one afternoon (woolworths and the library), i send my days laying by the pool and slowly making my way through the enormous pile of outdated trashy magazines in the tv room. Finally, it arrives after 5 days of waiting and i am on the soonest bus to Alice Springs.
whew. I also managed to squeze in a trip to the Katherine Gorge, which was really beautiful, but WAY overpriced.
Im off today to find a job, which im told wont be hard. In fact the girl at my hostel said id have one by the end of the day "if youre not picky". waht that means remains to be seen...
My last day in Darwin was spent at Litchfield National Park. I spent the whole day in and out of various waterfalls and rockpools. It was so beautiful and i was fairly reluctant to leave. It was a long day though, so by the time i got back to my hostel (about 7pm) i was totally ready for bed, and being that i left at 715 the next morning for Katherine, i figured sleep was in my best interest. Alas, it was not meant to be. When i got home some of the girls in my room were going out for dinner. I said i was just going to bed, but they guilted me with the whole "its your last night we'll never see you again" backpacker seech. Its hard to say no to. So, off we went, intending ONLY to stay at the pub for dinner and nothing else. Of course we ended up staying until almost 1am. To my credit though, i didnt drink anything but water, which was robably the smartest thing i ever did. It was quiz night, which mostly consisted of us doing embarassing things to try and win drinks (we didnt win, but were sufficiantly embarassed). So we get home, i set my alarm for 6am, and fall asleep. Sometime around 7am i actually wake up, realize i have all of 15 minutes to pack and make my way across town to catch my bus. Panicpanicpanic, and the fastest cab ride ever and i make it. As im sitting, waiting for the bus, quite roud of myself for managing to make it on time, i realize that i forgot my food bag. Not a big deal, i can always buy more food. But no. If only it were that simple. I realize, in a horrifying moment of clarity that i have left my beloved Swiss army knife in the food bag. I cry the whole way to katherine (rememeber im functioning on very little sleep) and promptly call the hostel in Darwin. They found it and will mail it to me asap.
Well im feeling a lot better at this point, until someone at the hostel tells me that because katherine is so small, sometimes the mail "just doesnt show up". fantastic. Having exhausted all the culture of the town in one afternoon (woolworths and the library), i send my days laying by the pool and slowly making my way through the enormous pile of outdated trashy magazines in the tv room. Finally, it arrives after 5 days of waiting and i am on the soonest bus to Alice Springs.
whew. I also managed to squeze in a trip to the Katherine Gorge, which was really beautiful, but WAY overpriced.
Im off today to find a job, which im told wont be hard. In fact the girl at my hostel said id have one by the end of the day "if youre not picky". waht that means remains to be seen...
Saturday, September 8, 2007
More Darwin!
Well not much has changed, its still really hot, though im adjusting slowly. I now wear my bathing suit instead of any real clothing. it seems to be the norm here anways. Im taking a day trip to Litchfield National park on monday, and passing on kakadu altogether. while its apparently really pretty ive also heard its incredibly overrated and a little too expensive for my blood.
last night i sat by the water and watched the sunset, then went to see West, an australian film at the deckchair cinema. it was so cool, being outside, watching a movie and seeing all the stars at the same time
tuesday morning i leave for Katherine, which is a small town a couple hours south of here, and then im thinking about taking a bus to Broome, which is in Western Australia, and is about a 25 hour bus journey, but is suppossed to be incredible.
also, technical genius that i am, here is a link for all you non facebookers to see my pictures
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44406&l=23426&id=661120474
last night i sat by the water and watched the sunset, then went to see West, an australian film at the deckchair cinema. it was so cool, being outside, watching a movie and seeing all the stars at the same time
tuesday morning i leave for Katherine, which is a small town a couple hours south of here, and then im thinking about taking a bus to Broome, which is in Western Australia, and is about a 25 hour bus journey, but is suppossed to be incredible.
also, technical genius that i am, here is a link for all you non facebookers to see my pictures
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44406&l=23426&id=661120474
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Darwin!
holy crap its SO hot here... Darwin is australias most northern city, which, in the backwards land of oz, obviously means that its the hottest city as well.. its still technically winter here and its about 35C here everyday. i cant even imagine what the summer weather is like. darwin itself isnt terribly big, only about 70 000 people. there's a lot of markets and aboriginal art though, which ive recently developed a fondness for. luckily the hostel im staying at has a pool, so i spend a lot of time in and around said pool. and the rooms are air conditioned. cant really ask for much else. most people come to darwin as a jump off point for Kakadu national park, and Litchfeild national park. im going to try and do both, but we'll see.. im told that Kakadu requires at least a couple days to see everything, which if you dont have your own 4x4 can be pretty expensive. luckily litchfeild is much smaller so that shouldnt be a problem!
my last days with my cousins were really great, the weather was fabulous, and i spent a lot of time outside with blade, collecting sticks and planting leaves.
my last days with my cousins were really great, the weather was fabulous, and i spent a lot of time outside with blade, collecting sticks and planting leaves.
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