NEUIGKEITEN

MEINUNG / ERFAHRUNGEN / ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
Alles in allem hat mich hauptsächlich die Natur und die Tierwelt in Australien fasziniert. Aber auch durch ein Gebiet zu fahren wo es nichts anderes gibt als Wüste, kleine Büsche und einem Restaurant das zugleich auch Tankstelle ist. Auch findet man sofort Kontakt zu den vielen anderen Besuchern des Landes und die Australier selbst sind äusserst umgängliche Menschen. Unkompliziert, staunend, entdeckungsfreudig, abwechslungsreich, Natur, Tiere, Küsten, verschiedene Farben und Facetten sind die Wörter die für mich Australien ziemlich gut beschreiben.
HIGHLIGHTS / TIPS	NICHT GANZ SO TOLL / SEIN LASSEN
Sydney oder Melbourne wer ist dein Favorit ???	Das Leben heute der Aboriginals (Urbewohner Australien)
Nationalparks wie Kakadu, Blue Mountains, Grampians oder Ayers Rock	Wer verschiedene Kulturen oder Architektur sucht wird enttäuscht werden
Für alle möglichen Aktivitäten ist sowohl Tags als auch Nachts gesorgt.	An machen Orten hat es einfach ein bisschen zu viele Touristen.....
Känguruh Island (Nähe Adelaide) , die Flora und Fauna Australiens auf kleinstem Raum und doch in freier Wildbahn.....
Den Wein, das Essen und das Beisammensein mit alten und neuen Bekannten
Traveller Oasis Hotel in Cairns, Jugendherberge in Darwin und Palm Court Backpackers in Kathrine sind Station an denen ich mich wohlgefühlt habe

I arrived in Sydney where the first station is the House of my Home stay family for the next weeks. I took the Bus down to Manly to get a first look around, not the best impression it’s a cold and rainy day. The next days before the school will start I do a lot of sightseeing in the city centre itself. That includes the old port called the rocks with old renovated buildings, Darling Harbour, a Opera house tour (funny funny), parks and museums. Together with Marc I check out some of the pubs and discos; there is always a special atmosphere in a Australian pub. Then first Day at school with a test and conversation class. From now on daily lessons from 08.30 till 15.00 with conversation, writing skills and enough time for other activities after school. Friday and Saturdays for cinema, beach party’s and steyne the local pub in Manly. In the second week ex-student Hitomi from Japan with kids visit my home stay family and did some nice cooking. Harbour Cruise Party at Friday (Dinner, Drinks & Disco). At the Casino I lost 50 Bucks, afterwards heading out at Oxford Street to the hottest places in town. Up at 06.00 a.m. for a visit to the Blue Mountains (What a hangover), saw the Tree Sisters, ride the steepest Train worldwide and a Bus breakdown happend later on as well. Last school week: A lot of Partys, Barbecue, Palm Beach (rent a boot and ride, ride with Barbecue later on) and finally the Certification.

I leave to Melbourne, Marc will follow together with girlfriend later on. I visit Ballarat a touristy old mining Town and check out the city attractions (Yarra Riverwalk, Rialto Tower). I get a free ticket for a footie game (good atmosphere, but boring game – my opinion) and won a couple of bucks at the Crown Casino. After visit the Parks, the old Jail and Cathedral in the charming Melbourne I finally meet my cousin Claudia in her lovely apartment. Back on the road first stop at Torquay the start of the Great Ocean Road and on to Bells Beach where they filmed parts of “Point Break”. There is everything great in Australia isn’t it ? After Lorne and Apollo Bay overnight at Bimbi Park Camp Otaway in the middle of a national Park. We did not let out a lot of things there the Grampians (snazzy for walks) and Mount Gambier, the sights 12 Apostels, Port Fairly, London Arch and the Balconies. Long Days, relaxing Barbecues and cool places for overnight even in a old Jail in Gambier. Finally we reach the next bigger city Adelaide, for me less interesting than Sydney or Melbourne (I would go as far to say boring).

If you visit Kangaroo Island you won’t be disapointet: A beautiful place where you really can see the Australien wildlife in the wild like Kangaroos, Koalas, Wallabies, Seals, Echidna and Pinguins. The landscape is different too from desert, hills to green grass, lakes and sandy beaches. The Tour guides is a Park Rangers with a lot of experience and an good eye for the wildlife. The next ride brings us in the Barossa Valley, where they do a lot of wine growing; overnight on the hard beds of the local school. A long ride to the Flinders with a stop at Parachilna with 6 inhabits in the middle of nowhere. A closer look of the Flinders range and a flight with a Piper with amazing view down to it, over one of the oldest mountain region of the world. After stop at Woomera (the Australian “Cape Canaveral” we reach Coober Pedy the opal mining capitol of the world in the middle of the desert. An old miner brings us around in this town where peoples still believe in chances to get rich – some of them live here since 50 years. After a tour in the pubs, it has nothing of the expected wild atmosphere. Overnight we do sleep like locals, around 10m below surface in a old mining shaft. Out of bed for the sunset at the breakaways, where parts of Mad Max was filmed and after that a long ride trough empty and drought landscape brings us to Alice Springs.

Let’s see some of the famous stone formations in the world. We start with the Australian Kings Canyon. A walk brings us up to the canyon and swimming in the icy cold water of a place called the paradise of Eden. Overnight in the bush where I for the first time was confrontated with a thing called swag – it’s a combination of mat and sleeping bag (warm and cosy this invention). A uncomfortable wakeup (because it’s freezing cold) we move on to the olgas for an other walk. The sunset over Ayers Rock we enjoy together with heaps of tourist. Again a real early morning to see this time the sunrise and later on to climb on Ayers Rock with a spectacular view from the top. After this hard days relax at Alice Springs on the poolside or in the pubs all night long. On the way up to Tennant Creek the usual stop at the Topic of Capricorn and the Devil Marbles. D’ont miss out the thermal springs at Mataranka a short ride before Kathrine. With a canoe we explore the gorges in Kathrine. On the way to the waterfall I slipped on a rock and break to parts of my front teeth. So the next days I spend to fix them and hung out in the lovely Palm Court Backpackers. The Gorges there are amazing, best to bee seen with walks or climbs in this area. After an other day we reach Darwin, the capitol of the Northern Territory where the local YHA is a good place to be. Some stuff to in Darwin like explore the market, enjoy the pool, Internet and check out the night clubs. On a tour with a aboriginal guide (Gondwana-Tours) we visit first the Litchfield National Park: Look at the fascinating termite hills (huge in size) and swimming in some of the waterfalls. Overnight in a Camp (Swags again) . At the Kakadu National Park walks to the Motor Car Falls and after lunch for a swim to the Gunlom Falls with kind of swimming pool on the top. After an other night under the free sky with a lot of stars to see we climb up to Nourlangie Rock where our guide teaches us some aboriginal stories and their life right now – the sunset from the top of the mountain is wonderful. On to Ubirr with some good aboriginal paintings and to the Mary River where we drive some motor-boats to watch crocodiles. Back after 4 Days jungle trip we celebrate a party in Vic’s the backpackers pub in Darwin and straight on the plane to Cairns at 8.00 mornings (hangover included).

Relax and explore the “party” Town on the sea Cairns in the lovely Traveller Oasis Hostel. A excursion brings us to Kuranda with a cable car up to the jungle and back down with the train. Palm Cove Beach is on the program for the next day, nice but it's to windy (it’s autumn) and big night out in Cairns Bump-house and Wool Shed. The next 4 days I spend on the boat to explore the dive grounds. The sea is rough with waves up to 5meters and all of us survive more or less just with seasick pills. The diving highlights are the giant potato cod (huge fish), turtles, fire fishes and whitetip reef sharks. Now I’m an advanced diver and able to do deep dives, computer dives and some navigation.

The next highlight is a trip to Cape Tribulation where the rainforest meets the Reef. It’s nice up there but the big hostels and hotels don’t let any jungle atmosphere come up. After two nights there back with a visit of the jungle ice factory on the way and a boat ride on the Daintree river where we can see some crocodiles and snakes. A 10 hours ride with a coach brings me to Airlie Beach the starting point for sailing trips to the Whitsundays. The weather is now real bad; the rain want stop and we can’t sail a lot on our ex-American Racing Yacht. So playing cards, get pissed and take a hot bath in a spa on the last day on South Molle Island. Some walks around Airlie, a video marathon in the hostel and to Charlie’s Pub with a good live band. It's clearing up so with the reef-jet to the Bait reef for an other dive where I’m with 14 dives one of the most experienced – certainly not the best dive site. An other long bus ride brings me to Harvey Bay the starting point to the Fraser Islands. On a 2 Day trip we visit different Lakes, a bush walk to the Pile Valley and overnight back to the resort. With 4wheel drive to the 75mile Beach, swim at Eli Creek, the Maheno Shipwreck, Indian Head and the sand pinnacles. My visa is running out so I have to leave beautiful Australia after some days in Brisbane, along the Gold coast and in Sydney.