Australia 1995-1996
Muri Beach, Roratonga, Cook Islands
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Australia 1995-1996
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Muri Beach, Roratonga, Cook Islands
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Efter 8 måneder i Asien, var det lidt af et kultur chok at komme til Australien. Efter en sen afgang fra Bali, ankom jeg meget sent til Darwin. Men blev hentet af Elke's Inner City backpackers hostel. I Australien er det normalt at bo på hostel, når man som jeg skulle rejse rundt med rygsæk. Jeg blev så indkvarteret i et 4 mands værelse. Næste dag gik jeg så på udforskning af Darwin. Byen er meget kedelig, og er efter min mening ikke et besøg hver. Kun hvis man skal bruge byen som transport videre i Northern Territory, det skulle jeg ikke så jeg hoppede hurtigt på en Greyhound bus videre til Townsville, Queensland. Jeg havde købt et Greyhound bus pas hjemmefra, det gik hele ruten fra Darwin og ned langs østkysten og op til Alice Springs. Derfra skulle jeg flyve til Perth, hvor en af mine gode veninder bor.
After 8 months in Asia, it was a
bit of a culture shock to come to Australia. After a late departure from
Bali, I arrived very late for Darwin. But were extracted by Elke's Inner
City backpackers hostel. In Australia, it is normal to stay at the hostel
when I was traveling around with backpack. I was then accommodated in a 4
person room. The next day I went to explore Darwin. The town is very
boring and I do not thinkits worth a visit. Only if you must use the
city as the carriage passed the Northern Territory, it was not I so I
quickly jumped on a Greyhound bus to Townsville, Queensland. I had bought
a Greyhound bus pas from home, it went the whole route from Darwin and
down along the east coast and up to Alice Springs. From there I had to fly
to Perth, where one of my good friends live.
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Koralrevet i Great Barrier Reef ved Hayman island |
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Bus passet kostede omkring 2500 kr., dengang i 1995. Og er en meget billig måde at komme rundt i Australien på. Min første tur med Greyhound, var så til Townsville, en tur på 30 timer igennem den australske outback. Ja, udsigten varierede ikke så meget, men rød ørken det meste af vejen. Det værste ved turen var, de store røde kænguruer, som lå døde i vejkanten. Når det blev mørkt, løb de ligesom harer lige ud foran bilerne. Så man havde ikke nogen chance for at undvige dem. Bussen havde da også et stort gitter på kølerhjelmen, for at tage slaget af de meget store dyr. I Townsville boede jeg på et motel lignende hostel, Andy's Backpackers, som lå oven på bus stationen. Townsville er en hyggelig lille by, med en gågade ligesom hjemme i Danmark. Og et oceanium og planetarium. Fra Townsville tog jeg færgen over til Magnetic Island. En lille paradis ø ud for Queenslands kyst. Her boede jeg så direkte ned til en dejlig strand, på Beachfront Resort, i en lille hytte sammen med et par piger mere. Her nød jeg så et par dage på stranden inden jeg tog tilbage til Townsville. Her tog jeg bussen den korte tur ned til Airlie Beach.
Bus Pass cost around 2500
kroner, then in 1995. And is a very cheap way to get around in Australia
on. My first trip with Greyhound, was then to Townsville, a journey of 30
hours through the Australian outback. Yes, the prospect varied not so
much, but the red desert most of the road. The worst thing about the trip
was the big red kangaroos, which lay dead on the roadside. When it became
dark, they ran like rabits straight out in front of cars. So you had no
chance to evade them. The bus was also a big grille on the hood, to take
the battle to the very large animals.
In Townsville, I lived in a motel-like hostel, Andy's Backpackers, which was on top of the bus station. Townsville is a nice small town with a pedestrian street just like at home in Denmark. And oceanium and a planetarium. From Townsville, I took the ferry over to Magnetic Island. A small paradise island off the coast of Queen's. Here I lived so close to a beautiful beach at Beachfront Resort, in a small hut with a couple more girls. Here I enjoyed as a couple of days on the beach before I went back to Townsville. Here I took the short bus trip down to Airlie Beach.
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Airlie Beach er også en strand by, men stranden inde i byen er ikke særlig god. Her boede jeg på Beaches Backpackers. Man kan tage på nogle super gode ture ud til Whitsunday øerne. Jeg var på en dags tur til Hayman Island, med en kæmpe katamaran. På turen snorklede vi i det berømte Great Barrier Reef. Og jeg må indrømme at det er en af de bedste snorkel steder i verden, jeg har oplevet. Ombord på katamaranen var der også barbecue. Så en super dag. Men så vidt jeg husker også dyr. Australien i det hele taget er dyrt, når man lige har været i Asien i 8 måneder. Fra Airlie Beach gik turen ned til Surfers Paradis en tur på ca. 1200 km. Og så er man stadig i Queensland! Man oplever virkelig hvor stort et land det er, når man kører i bus. Surfers Paradis er et sted man enten elsker eller hader. Et meget turistet sted med masser af fest og ballade. Og en masse japanere. Jeg ringede til en canadisk pige fra turen i Asien, som jeg vidste var i området, vi mødtes dog ikke, men vores Exodus chauffør fra Asien turen kom gående forbi imens jeg talte i telefon boksen. Ja verden er lille. Så jeg kom med på familie besøg sammen med ham. Han havde en fætter som boede i Surfers Paradis og var på ferie hos ham. Jeg blev inviteret til barbecue, og vi havde en hyggelig aften. Jeg må indrømme at på det tidspunkt, var jeg også lidt træt af at rejse alene, men jeg orkede heller ikke flere nye bekendtskaber. Jeg var vidst lidt rejse mæt. Så det var rart at løbe ind i en gammel bekendt.
Airlie Beach is a beach town,
but the beach in the city is not very good. Here I lived at Beaches
Backpackers. Here you can take some super good trips out to the Whitsunday
Islands. I was on a day trip to the Hayman Island, with a giant catamaran.
During the trip we snorkeled around in the famous Great Barrier Reef. And
I must admit that it is one of the best snorkel sites in the world, I have
experienced. Aboard catamarans also had a barbecue. So a super day. But as
I recall too expensive. Australia in general is expensive when you have
been in Asia for 8 months. From Airlie Beach tour went down to Surfers
Paradise for a walk around. 1200 km. And so they remain in Queensland! You
really get how big a country this is when you run in the bus. Surfers
Paradise is a place you either love or hate. A lot of tourists with lots
of celebration and games. And a lot of Japanese. I phoned a Canadian girl
from the tour in Asia, which I knew was in the area, we did not meet up ,
but our driver Exodus from Asia trip was transient over while I talked on
the phone box. Yes the world is small. So I went with on a family visit
with him. He had a cousin who lived in Surfers Paradise and was on holiday
with him. I was invited to the barbecue and we had a nice evening. I must
admit that by the time I was a little tired of traveling alone, but I
didnt have energi for even more new acquaintances. I was a little travel
sated. So it was nice to run into an old acquaintance.
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Operahuset i Sydney
Operahuset i Sydney |
John i Blue Mountains N.P.
Royal National Park, Sydney
Ørne ansigtet i Royal National Park, Sydney |
Turen gik så videre ned til New South Wales og Byron Bay, endnu en Strandby. Her boede jeg så et par dage, på Backpackers Inn, inden jeg tog ned til Sydney. Nu havde jeg efterhånden også set nok strande, for en tid. I Sydney boede jeg første nat på et hostel. Men en af fyrene fra Asien turen, bor i Sydney, og han hentede mig så anden dag jeg var der. John som han hedder var på det tidspunkt midt i halvtredserne og en herlig gut. Han bor lige ved siden af China Town i et rækkehus, sammen med sin søster. Jeg tilbragte så nogle dejlige dage hos ham, og fik set en masse af Sydneys omegn. En dag var vi ude i The Blue Mountains , her vandrede vi i nationalparken, men var lidt uheldige med tåget vejr. Men et meget smukt område. På vejen derud kørte vi forbi de olympiske by, som dengang var ved at blive bygget. En anden dag var vi nede i Royal National Park, som er verdens anden ældste national park. Her vandrede vi hele dagen igennem fantastisk landskab, fra skov til bush for til sidst at gå langs kysten. En meget lang tur 20 - 30 km. Jeg kunne næsten ike gå dagen efter. John skal det lige siges er en næsten en ironman. Han har blandt andet cyklet tværs over Australien, da han var over 50 år. Så han er lidt svær at hamle op med. Inde i Sydney tog han mig med ind og se "Phantom of the Opera" i et teater. Og jeg så også The Highway men" i koncert. De består af Willie Nelson, Kris Kristoffersen, Johnny Cash og Waylon Jennings . Altså nogle af USA's bedste country sangere. Sjovt at se dem i Sydney
The trip went so down to
New South Wales, Byron Bay, another Beach town. Here I lived a
couple of days at Backpackers Inn, before I went down to Sydney. Now, I
had also seen enough beaches for a while. In Sydney, I lived the
first night at a hostel. But one of the guys from Asia trip, live in
Sydney, and he fetched me the second day I was there. John he was at
that time in mid-fifties and a glorious guy. He lives right next to
Chinatown in a terraced house, with her sister. I spent some lovely days
with him and had seen a lot of Sydney environs. One day we were out in The
Blue Mountains, here we walked in the national park, but was a bit
unfortunate in foggy weather. But a very beautiful area. On the way there
we drove past the Olympic village, which then was being built. One other
day we were down in the Royal National Park, the world's second oldest
national park. Here we walked all day through stunning landscape, from
forest to bush to finally walk along the coast. A very long trip around 20
to 30 km. I could hardly walk the day after. John is almost an Ironman. He
has, among other things, bicycles across Australia when he was over 50
years. So he is a little hard to equal. Contained in Sydney, he took me in
to see "Phantom of the Opera" in a theater. And I also saw The Highway men
"in concert. They consist of Willie Nelson, Kris Kristoffersen, Johnny
Cash and Waylon Jennings. So some of America's best country singers. Fun
to see them in Sydney
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Ud over det gik tiden med at se Sydneys seværdigheder. Efter en uges tid der, gik turen videre ned til Melbourne, hvor jeg boede i St. Kilda en forstadtil Melbourne, på St. Kilda Backpackers Inn, også her løb jeg tilfældig ind i en jeg kendte fra Asien turen. Sandra fra England. Hun arbejdede på et hostel, der lå ved siden af mit. Melbourne er en stor by, og kun et par dages tid hver, efter min mening. Så jeg var hurtig på vej videre til Adelaide i Southern Australia, hvor jeg boede på Sunny's Backpackers Hostel. Adelaide kunne jeg godt lide. den havde et spændene museum og en dejlig park. Herfra gik det så op til en af højde punkterne i Australien, Ayers Rock, det var også inklusiv i Greyhound billetten, også turen ind i selve parken. Der så jeg både Ayers Rock og The Olgas. Herfra videre til Kings Valley, hvor vi vandrede igennem en flot kløft. Så endelig nåede jeg Alice Springs, hvor jeg boede på Melanka Backpackers et par nætter. Ikke fordi jeg ikke kunne lide Australien, men jeg var glad. Jeg syntes at alt var dyrt. Alle ture kostede en halv formue. Derfor var jeg ikke på så mange. Og jeg var også lidt træt af at være alene. Så jeg var glad da jeg gik ombord på flyet til Perth, her skulle jeg bo hos min veninde Helen i den næste måneds tid. Og fejre jul, samt nytår.
Besides it was time to see
Sydney attractions. After a week's time, went further down the trip to
Melbourne, where I lived in St Kilda a subburbto Melbourne at St Kilda
Backpackers Inn, again I ran into a random I knew from the Asia trip.
Sandra from England. She worked at a hostel that was next to mine.
Melbourne is a great city, and only a few days needed to visit, in my
opinion. So I was quick on my way to Adelaide in South Australia, where
I stayed at Sunny's Backpackers Hostel. Adelaide I liked. it had an
interesting museum and a nice park. From there it went up to a highlight
in Australia, Ayers Rock, it was also included in the Greyhound ticket,
even the trip into the park. There I saw both Ayers Rock and The Olga.
From here on to Kings Valley, where we walked through a nice gap. So I
finally reached Alice Springs, where I stayed at Backpackers Melanka a
couple of nights. Not because I did not like Australia, but I was happy.
I thought that everything was expensive. All tours cost half a fortune.
So I was not so much. And I was a little tired of being alone. So I was
glad when I was aboard the flight to Perth, here should I stay with my
friend Helen in the next month. And celebrate Christmas and New Year.
Fugl i Kings Canyon |
Ayers Rock
The Olgas |
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Perth og omegn er et dejligt sted, men er jo meget afsides. Det meste af tiden her gik med at slappe af og nyde livet. Og så se lidt af omegnen selvfølgelig. Julen blev fejret i 35 graders varme, med barbecue og dagen på stranden. Så Santa var lidt malplaceret, syntes sådan en nordbo som mig. Men hyggeligt var det.
Perth and surroundings is a
nice place, but is very remote. Most of the time here went to relax and
enjoy life. And then see a little of the surrounding ofcourse. Christmas
was celebrated in 35 degrees heat, with barbecue and days on the beach.
So Santa was a little misplaced, seemed such a Northerne like me. But it
was nice.
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Kings Canyon, Northern territory |
Først i Januar 1996 var det så tid til at begynde hjemrejsen via Stillehavet. Jeg havde købt en flybillet i Malaysia til 6000 kr. Den gik fra Australien via Auckland, Fiji, Roratonga, Tahiti og L.A., herfra hjem over London. Billigt for alle de flyvninger. Jeg havde 1 måned, til at jeg skulle være hjemme på mit arbejde igen, så det blev kun til mindre stop de forskellige steder.
Beginning of January 1996, it
was then time to begin the return journey through the Pacific. I had
purchased an airline ticket in Malaysia to 6000 kroner. It went from
Australia via Auckland, Fiji, Roratonga, Tahiti and LA, from here home
via London. Affordable for all flights. I had 1 month before to be home
to my work again, so it was only short stops at the various places.
Første stop New Zealand, jeg havde ca. 5 dage, så det var begrænset hvad jeg kunne nå. Jeg havde her endnu en ven fra Asien turen, som jeg mødes med et par gange. Derudover var jeg på 2 dags ture. Den ene dag gik op til Bay of Islands, et meget smukt område og med en masse maui historie. Den anden ned til Waitomo grotterne og Rotaroa. Waitomo er en lang række grotter, hvor der blandt andet er en koncert sal og de såkaldte glow worms. Det er en slags fluer der er selvlysende i mørket. Rotaroa er et sted fuldt med varme termiske kilder. Hele området lugter af røgen æg. p.g.a det høje svovlindhold. Men et meget fascinerende sted. Også her er der en masse maui kultur.
First stop New Zealand, I had
approx. 5 days, so it was limited what I could achieve. I had here another
friend from Asia trip, which I meet a few times. Additionally, I was on 2
day trips. One day went up to Bay of Islands, a very beautiful area with a
lot of Maui's history. On second down to the Waitomo caves and Rotaroa.
Waitomo is a large number of caves, which, among other things, is a
concert hall and the so-called glow worms. It is a kind of flies which are
fluorescent in the dark. Rotaroa is a place full of hot thermal sources.
The whole area smells of smoke eggs. becourse of the high sulfur content.
But a very fascinating place. Again, there are a lot of Maui culture.
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Det var så kun en lille smagsprøve jeg nåede at få af New Zealand, men nok til at jeg gerne vil derned igen engang. Specielt til Syd øen som jeg ikke nåede at se, men har hørt en masse om. Næste stop blev Fiji, som jeg blev helt vild med. Jeg mødte en dansk pige i flyveren på vej dertil, og hun havde hørt om nogle dejlige øer, et par timers sejlads fra hovedøen. Vi bestemte os så for at tage derud sammen. Øen hedder Tavewa og er del af Yasawa gruppen. Det var her at Den blå lagune blev optaget. Og Kaptajn Bleigh fra Bounty, roede også forbi her efter mytteriet. Vi boede på David's place, i små strå hytter. Det kostede ca. 100 kr. om dagen inkl.. mad. På hele øen er der kun 3 familier, der alle driver mindre udlejnings hytter. Hele øen er meget simpel, der findes ingen varm vand eller elektricitet. Men var det rene paradis. Da båden ankom til øen, blev vi modtaget af personalet som stod og sang og spillede os velkomne. Så vi følte at vi rigtig var kommet til Polynesien, det nærmeste jeg har været på paradis . Der var da også nogen der havde været der i flere uger. Der er ingenting at lave der, udover at gå på stranden eller slappe af. Om aftenen er der fælles spisning og obligatorisk fijiansk dans med personalet. It was then only a small taste I got to get to New Zealand, but enough that I'd like to go there once again. Especially in the South Island as I did to see but have heard a lot about. Next stop was Fiji, which I was totally crazy about. I met a Danish girl on the plane on the way there, and she had heard about some beautiful islands, a few hours sailing from the main island. So we decided to go out there together. The island named Tavewa and is part of the Yasawa group. It was here that the blue lagoon were recorded. And Captain Bleigh from Bounty, also rowed over here after the mutiny. We stayed at David's place, in small straw huts. It cost approx. DKK 100 per day inc .. food. On the whole island, only 3 families who all run small rental cabins. The whole island is very simple, there is no hot water or electricity. But it was pure paradise. Then the boat arrived on the island, we were received by the staff who stood and sang and played us welcome. So we felt that we really had come to Polynesia, the closest I've been to paradise. There were also some who had been there for several weeks. There is nothing to do there besides go on the beach or relax. In the evening there are common eating and compulsory Fijian dancing with the staff
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Efter 4-5 dage på øen, må jeg desværre tage ind til hovedøen Viti Levu, for med kun 1 uge på Fiji, vil jeg også godt se lidt andet også. På Viti Levu boede jeg i udkanten af Nadi, på hotel The Whitehouse, fint lyder det, men havde faktisk været et bordel inden de havde skiftet ejer. Herfra udforskede jeg omegnen, og var også på en dags tur til Daydream island, med et gammelt træ sejlskib. Her grillede vi og snorklede. Af det jeg så af Fiji, kan jeg kun sige at det var et smukt paradis. Med en interessant blanding af indbyggere. De originale fijianere og de indførte indere. Det var i gammel dage en engelsk koloni, og de havde indført dem som arbejdsfolk. Nu er der omkring 50 % af hver befolknings gruppe, og de kan ikke lide hinanden. Så meget klasse forskel imellem de to.
After 4-5 days on the island,
unfortunately I have to go back into the main island Viti Levu, with only
1 week in Fiji, I wanted to see different places. On Viti Levu, I lived on
the outskirts of Nadi, at the hotel The White House, nice it sounds, but
had in fact been a brothel before it had changed hands. From there I
explored the vicinity and was also on a day trip to Daydream Island, with
an old wooden sailing ships. Here we grilled and had great snorkeling.
From what I saw from Fiji, I can only say that it was a beautiful
paradise. With an interesting mix of people. The original Fijians and the
Indians imagrants. It was in old days an English colony, and they had
introduced them as working people. Now there are about 50% of each
population group, and they do not like each other. So much class
difference between the two.
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Rotaroa, New Zealand |
Vores hytte på Davids Place, Tavewa, Fiji
Personalet på Davids place, Tavewa, Fiji |
Turen gik så videre til Roratonga, hovedøen på Cook øerne. Her var jeg i 4 -5 dage og det var igen et lille paradis jeg var kommet i. boede på et lille hotel med små bungalower med eget køkken og bad og poolen lige uden for døren. I lufthavnen blev jeg modtaget af værtinden med blomsterkrans der er en tradition i Polynesien, at give gæster blomsterkranse omkring halsen. Jeg følte mig helt betydningsfuld. Jeg lejede en cykel i den tid jeg var på øen. Den er ikke større end at man kan cykle hele vejen rundt. Det indre af øen, er et stort bjerg der ligesom tordner op af øen. Øens bedste strand var selvfølgelig på den anden side, så jeg fik cyklet lidt ide dage jeg var der. Havde desværre ikke tid til at tage ud på Aitutaki atollen, som har ry for at være verdens smukkeste.
The trip went so to Roratonga,
on the main Cook Islands. Here I was in 4 -5 days and it was again a
little paradise I had come To. I lived in a small hotel with small
bungalows with own kitchen and bath and pool just outside the door. In the
airport I was received by the hostess with wreath of flowers is a
tradition in Polynesia, to give guests flower garland around the neck. I
felt quite important. I rented a bicycle all the time I was on the
island. It is not bigger than that you can ride all around. The interior
of the island is a big mountain like thunder out of the island. The
island's best beach was, of course, on the other side, so I had quite a
way on bicycles all days I was there. Unfortunately had no time to
go to Aitutaki atolls, which have a reputation for being the world's most
beautiful.
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Så gik turen videre til Fransk Polynesien, og Tahiti. På Tahiti boede jeg på et ikke særligt lækkert hostel, kan ikke huske navnet, hvor ejeren var meget påtrængende. Heldigvis blev jeg venner med 2 Schweiziske fyre, som blev mine beskyttere. Efter at have været på en tur øen rundt, besluttede vi at tage over på nabo øen, Moorea. På Tahiti er der ingen ordentlig badestrand, hele øen er omringet af sort lava sand og sten. Moorea derimod viste sig at være utrolig smuk, med flotte hvide sandstrande. Her boede vi på et hostel, der lå direkte ned til denne smukke strand. Efter et par dage her var det tid til at tage flyet via Los Angeles, hjem til den danske vinter.
So the trip went to French
Polynesia and Tahiti. In Tahiti, I lived in a not very nice hostel, can
not remember the name where the owner was very intrusive. Fortunately, I
was friends with 2 Swiss guys who were my protectors. After having been on
a trip around the island, we decided to go over the neighboring island,
Moorea. In Tahiti, there is no proper beach, the entire island is
surrounded by black lava sand and stone. Moorea however proved to be
incredibly beautiful, with beautiful white sandy beaches. Here we lived in
a hostel that was close to this beautiful beach. After a few days here it
was time to take the aircraft over Los Angeles, home to the Danish winter.
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Sandstrand på Moorea, Fransk Polynesien
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