Traveling around Australia for three weeks

After many years of dreaming and idealized last June 17, 2007 I (Frederick Altar of Milan) and my wife (Daniela Pontalti) we are about to leave for Australia.
Three-week adventure through the cities, landscapes and climates of this continent so far away and so fascinating.
An individual journey and challenging (12 flights, 3000 km drive and then, monorails, ferries, boats ...), but that allowed us to find a (small) part of this great continent where not only space, history and landscapes, but also the style of life are radically different from ours.
Before starting any technical detail: We have booked the bulk of services from Italy including flights and car hire. Even the majority of nights we decided to fix it in advance to avoid having to waste time every day to seek suitable accommodation. The trip was inevitably very expensive, but of course the difference is the nights (especially in cities) and the choice of means of transport. We are treated well (for the record this for us was not an easy journey, but the journey ... the wedding) we used very private aircraft and the car hire, we've been in first class hotel (where possible) and we wanted to deny us some very good dinners. Tip: Sign up for the frequent flyer program, airline they will use. We did it with Qantas (the vector that we used for nearly all flights) earn enough miles to get a free flight to head a / r in Europe.
So here's what we managed to do in 20 unforgettable days.

 

Frankfurt - Singapore - Sydney (airplane, 16500 km).

We arrive in Frankfurt from Milan at 19.30 on June 17 with the Lufthansa flight 3889.
The flight Qantas (QF 006) to Sydney is expected at 23.55. Take off on time. In 11 hours we arrive in Singapore where she awaits a technical stop. Make us land to allow refueling. Taking advantage of approx. 2 hour delay before take-off for the second case we take a long detour to the incredible airport in Singapore. Huge and packed with people ... and boutiques West. Outside the hot, humid air makes us savor for a moment the atmosphere of Asia as recounted in the books of Terzani.
Flight Singapore - Sydney takes approx. 6 hours. Smooth as oil. The entertainment on board the Boeing 747 is truly magnificent, not surprisingly, Qantas also won the 2007 award for "Best inflight entertainment." The system provides, even in economy class, one screen for each seat and a console that not only enable phone calls (10 USD / minute) on-demand allows you to play various games and to see, always on demand, dozens of films and television programs, even in Italian. We arrive at its destination at dawn on 19 June 2007. Minus the time zone + 8 hours, the journey from Milan in the complex lasted 29 hours!

Sydney (on foot and by public transport)

During both flights we were able to sleep a few hours and then, surprisingly, we are not so devastated fatigue. So we are not afraid to get in front of a whole day.
The hotel is the Park Hyatt and is really cozy. Take a shower, we prepare an excellent hot tea room and relax for an hour at 10.00, not yielding to the temptation to sleep we go out to explore the city.
Because the hotel is right in the middle of Sydney Harbor, near the Harbor Bridge and a short walk from the Opera House, we decided to spend the day in this part of town, starting with the visit of one of the most famous buildings and discussed in the world.
Beautiful, ugly, exaggerated, whatever you want to define the Opera House is extremely photogenic, as is reaching out into the waters of the bay behind the Botanic Gardens and the skyline of the financial district. The inside of the two main halls worth a visit (not always possible, depends on whether there is evidence in progress).
Outside the weather is ugly, rainy, windy and cold at the bottom there are only a couple of days early winter. La Dany, among other things, it was forgotten in Italy the change of contact lenses, so we are forced to go to an "Optician" to buy them. What is not simple in reality, because the lenses in these parts are sold, it seems, only in the presentation of the prescription from an eye. Dany Therefore it must be subjected to a detailed visit by a busty and mature doctor who after establishing with certainty the extent of the visual defect ordering a supply of brand new quarterly contact lens vatta fishing. We will spend the next morning to withdraw.
We spend the afternoon at an unusual experience, how hard for two people back from two days of travel and with very few hours of sleep behind him is by climbing the Harbor Bridge. This is a fun, expensive (160 AUD each!) Climbing to the top of the bridge "hook", where two huge flags waving proudly Australian. Preparations are worthy of a real climb. Suit, harness, gloves, hook to secure the rotating runner, jacket and key provided by the whole way. We spend three hours climbing fun skeleton of iron from the top of the deck and enjoying one of the best views in town. A 134 meters high in the middle of the bay the wind blowing at 40 km / h. 80 feet below, beneath our feet, the rush hour traffic flows noisy.
Exhausted from the beautiful experience we holed up in hotel and, sadly after supper in a room with two very typical Ceasar's Salads just could not pull than 8.00 pm. The time at this point takes over.

Sydney (on foot and by public transport)

After a snoring more than 10 hours at 8.00 am we are already out. Time seems to be improving. We begin with a breakfast at Starbucks just around the Circle Quay, the ferry dock, where the employees at this hour commuters arriving from various parts of the bay take their pint of coffee before coming into office.
Right after we take the ferry to Manly, a suburb located near the Sydney Harbor's Heads, the mouths of the Pacific Ocean entrance of the bay. More than the spot (just one hour we stop for a walk along the Manly Scenic Walkway) is worth the trip because the boat along a beautiful stretch of the bay and allows you to take great photos of the city, including Opera House and Harbor Bridge . For us, then, the surprise is even greater: to return to Sydney on the clouds are gone and the city looks like we're used to see in postcards.
Second stop of the day are the Royal Botanic Gardens, beautiful in their perfection and care. Affects the sign at the entrance friendly inviting ... trampling and walking on the lawn (Please, walk on grass!). The place, like the rest of the area by the Rocks (where our hotel) comes to the opera, is full of Australians willing and athletes who run, run, run!
We enter the gardens in the center of the city, towards Maquia Place, we realize that this area is not very different from other cities like New York. Skyscrapers, employees paused, traffic and sirens are the dominant theme. The glance, the mix of modern with the few remaining historic buildings is always fascinating.
Let us take the ferry from Circular Quay, this time with destination "Darling Harbor, the area south west of the Harbor Bridge, now become a center of entertainment. We first do a jump to the nearby Fish Market, where, given the hour, we grant you a good "fish and chips in the company of a couple of huge pelicans waiting for a bite. After a long walk between the various attractions of the port (primarily the aquarium) we get on the monorail along the path where we can see other views of the city. We go down to Queen Victoria Building, one of the most famous shopping center of the city. A few steps away there's Pitt Street, a pedestrian street full of street artists and tourists curious, as well as store brands by more than notes. A walk around the neighborhood to continue through Hyde Park and Kings Cross arrived in this curious area apparently modest, full of small pubs and "Miss".
Along Victoria Street we come to the historic district of Wooloomolloo, one of the oldest in Sydney. Many Victorian houses that have been restored and gives the place an atmosphere of times past.
In the evening we go back, always walk to Circular Quay where we drink a beer and a glass of white wine at the "Ship Inn". At about 19:00 in the hotel where we are tired for the day and some more 'disrupted by the zone we fall asleep in seconds.
In summary Sydney, viewed as somewhat 'too hasty is a magnificent city, where residents complicates the ideal location and warm climate in winter too, can enjoy a lifestyle not only very different from ours, but also much healthier, voted as the outdoor life and working hours of no less grueling than those in Milan.
From tomorrow we face the real journey on the road "to discover the" Red Center ".

Sydney - Uluru (airplane, 2000 kms; car, 90 kms).

Today, in the northern hemisphere is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Here, in the southern hemisphere is the winter solstice and the day is the shortest. The weather is beautiful and Sydney is heated by a warm sun. Rocks from the sight of our room is beautiful.
The Qantas flight QF 728 in Uluru is timely and in ca. three hours we landed in Yulara, the village-hotel built on the edge dell'Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park.
I must admit that the expectation at least mine is enormous. It's one of those places I've dreamed of visiting since his childhood, a bit 'as the Pyramids or the Grand Canyon. We're very excited, in short, is the most eagerly anticipated leg of the journey.
Already the plane we can distinguish perfectly the unmistakable silhouette of Uluru as well as that of the neighboring mountains Kata Tjuta. Beautiful!
I got off the plane here the first surprise: we expected a cool climate, but not cold! There are 12 degrees and the contrast with the surrounding desert environment is evident.
Take place at the hotel "Sails in the Desert", withdraw our first Australian car (an SUV as it should), make a nice spending time at the shop also in view of three days on the road in the Outback of the Red Center and 2.30 pm we are at the park. The entrance for three days costs 50 AUD. The weather is variable, the clouds are alternated in the sun. The landscape consists of vast plains dotted with red bush green. Wonderful. Do not forget that we are in the middle of a remote desert! And in the midst of this endless desert him there, Uluru, the most photogenic I've ever seen. Huge, red, jagged, magical, mystical, beautiful.
It captures the full grandeur watching from afar, because only then if they capture the imposing proportions. Standogli near or above, it becomes a normal 300 meter high hill full of small ravines and canyons. Fiery red of course. The sun, the clouds give it a surreal color, do not know how to say, seems a living thing ... ...
Even the walks that meander around are very nice and interesting. There are many, but to remove the embarrassment of the choice you should make the Base Walk (10 km, 3-4 hours for the guides, 2 hours for us) that runs the entire perimeter. We will start with "Mala Car Park" which is also the point from which the infamous climb to the summit.
Tip: If you're going to ride only a section of the perimeter path, let the Kunja Walk. It is a part less sunny, but very spectacular. You can also visit the sacred sites where the Aborigines have had numerous drawings. Is not always allowed to photograph.
Climbing the outline only. It is very hard and basically disrespectful, but do not worry, they all really, although it is not recommended.
The only discordant note of the day: at 18.04 is scheduled for sunset, but the clouds hide the sun. Patience, hope in the dawn.
Wikiki We have dinner at the buffet restaurant of Sails in the Desert. The temperature in the dark has fallen to zero degrees.

Uluru - Kings Canyon (car, 410 kms)

The day begins in the best way: the sky is completely clear and free of clouds. We set the alarm clock at 6:30 in the morning, in time to watch the sunrise, scheduled for 7.20. Quick breakfast in the room and at 7:15 we are at the "sunrise observation point" ie the place from which to watch Uluru lit up with the first rays of sun. Ago cold, but the show is great, the rock turns a bright orange becomes red hot. The contrast with the green bush is one that does not forget. In short, we were rewarded by not sunset.
At about 8:30 in the hotel where we paid the bill, loaded the car and left for the mountains Kata Tjuta. 50 km of deserted road. The landscape here is spectacular, the Aborigines have naturally given to such training a very appropriate name: Kata Tjuta means "many heads" and really is just like that, so many big heads Tasso huge fire as high as 800 meters.
When you reach the parking you have to decide which track to do, there are many, but we choose the most complete, one of 7 km in 4 hours (for guides, we have spent a little more than two) can take the "Valley of The Winds "through these mountains mysterious. After a stretch that reaches the first "lookout", the trail continues (it is rather difficult) penetrating the small valleys between the mountain and the other. Almost no one travels, so we are just two of us in the midst of a landscape somewhere between the surreal el'onirico. The sky is very blue, it looks almost painted. The winter sun, however, does not heat the temperature above 16 degrees, but the sun finally can walk without too many "layers" on him.
The route, I must say, it's really great, much better looking from the base walk around Uluru. Tip: If you ever find yourself having to choose whether to base walk or Valley of the Winds, you do this.
We return to the 12:30 to Uluru where we make a quick sunset picnic at the observation point to enjoy a little 'mystical spectacle of colors of Uluru.
For the 2.00 pm left for Kings Canyon: 300 km that we cover virtually alone in just over three hours. The landscapes that flow around us make us feel a sense of being away from it all (well, actually it is): 300 km in a single encounter remote desert gas station, next to the road we often encounter dead animals (we stop to photograph well camel probably hit by some "road train"). We arrived around 18.00 just in time for sunset. Overnight at Kings Canyon Resort and have dinner at Carhmichael's Restaurant.

Kings Canyon – Alice Springs (car, 390 km)

The alarm clock is at 7.30 am. Breakfast in room-based Cookies and hot tea. At 8:00 am, shortly after dawn, we are ready for the "Rim Walk", a distance of 6 km on the edge of the Canyon. This is a walk of medium difficulty with even the "escalation" rather heavy, but the cool temperature allows us to do so with confidence using a little 'more than two hours. Really nice and the landscape that presents itself around is really unexpected. Really worth doing this walk because you can reach the views of impressive beauty, glimpses of that from the bottom of the Canyon can not even imagine: red pinnacles, vertical walls over 100 meters deep, a landscape that can stand up to the Grand Canyon USA obviously on a very small scale.
We leave for Alice Springs around noon. Having an off-road we decide to take the "Meeren Loop Road, a road for approx. 150 km and is completely unpaved. The track is wide and the bottom is for the most part made from a fine red sand. It is well kept, but personally do not recommend to people who travel in small car (mostly because it would take forever to go along). Needless to emphasize the fun and the feeling of wild adventure that tracks this type allow you to live ...
On the road like many camels (or camels?) And then hundreds of mounds of earth brainchild of the termites.
We stop halfway picnic lunch and enjoy the solitude of the place.
Apart from a couple of skids certainly due to the fact that after a while 'we got too familiar with the medium, the journey ends after approx. 4 hours without a hitch.
We arrive in Alice Springs, a town of 20,000 inhabitants located in the red heart of Australia. Take place at the Novotel, reserve a dinner to the 'Overlanders Steak House "and immediately resume the machine in the direction of Simpson's Gap 20 km from Alice on the road from where we had just arrived. Here, a short walk we arrive at the edge of a beautiful billabong (pond) set between red walls populated by the Rock Wallaby, a cute marsupial similar to a small kangaroo.
On the way back we stop at Flynn's Grave (founder of the Royal Flying Doctors) and prepare for dinner. The Steak House, very touristy, it's still pretty and finally managed to taste the flesh of kangaroo, emu, crocodile and camel.

Alice Springs - Darwin (airplane, 1500 kms; car, 36 kms)

We spend the morning wandering for Alice Springs. We go to Tod's Mall, a pedestrian street full of shops, visit the Flynn's Church, the old prison, the great fresco that depicts the story of the birth of the city.
In short drive away we go to Old Telegraph Station, 4 miles north of downtown, the place really deserves because in addition to being the place where the city was actually founded in 1871 (it has a repeater of Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide Darwin), is also the place from which springs the real Alice Springs, the springs that gave the city its name.
The time to fill up petrol car and within minutes we arrive at the airport where it took off at noon for Darwin. In a couple of hours of flight we move from a cool climate and dry to a warm (30 degrees) and humid. We are in the tropics!
That concludes our adventure in the Red Center, after covering nearly a thousand miles in cars on roads of all types across landscapes and unforgettable places. A wonderful place where we hope one day to be able to bring our children.
Darwin and collect the car after you left the luggage at the Resort Mirabeena started shooting on foot. It will be because it's Sunday, it will be because it's hot, but there's hardly anyone around and the city seems a bit 'sleepy and discharged. Visit the whole city, ie the area between the Esplanade, the garden of the bicentennial and Cavenagh Street.
Darwin is actually a very lively city, full of young employees, most of which today are on the beach! And in fact we just need to move by car to Mindil Beach and adjacent to East Point Reserve to grasp more clearly the beauty of the place and find everyone, absolutely everyone sprawled on the beach or stroll in the famous flea market is held every Sunday just at Mindil Beach.
For the 8.00 pm we're back in the center where we have dinner by spending a stupid (54 AUD) in St. Mitchell Street into a pub and restaurant full of young allegroni, the Shenningan's.

Darwin - Kakadu National Park (car, 480 kms)

We start early hour of the Kakadu National Park. In a couple of hours we arrive at the Visitor's Center where there's everything you need to navigate in what is one of the largest national parks in Australia. We understand immediately that, for us that we turn the car a couple of days devoting scarce, the park is divided into zones within easy reach.
The first step is Ubirr the far north of the park. The site is famous for stone carvings that are of great interest especially for the state of conservation. I recommend completing the walk to the lookout on top of a cliff where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the East Alligator River estuary and the immense populations of birds, kangaroos (we sighted a pair) and crocodiles (which by now are desired).
After returning to leave bags Gadudjiu Crocodile Resort and once again on the area of Nourlangie where you find other sites of rock art, the most famous of the park, for the truth. That, so to speak, where he portrayed the famous image of the deity which has since been reported on thousands of postcards and gadgets. The site is a World Heritage Site.
We reach then the Anbangbang Billabong, a body of water (this is the dry season) where many birds and water lilies. Even here the crocodiles, despite warning signs, not even the shadow.
Frankly, they are sincere, the first impact with Kakadu was thwarted in the sense that we imagine it differently. Perhaps because in our heads we had the impression of a place full of water, with a vegetation explosive. The fact is that the vegetation at the edge of the roads are quite dry (there are also many controlled burning) and fauna for the moment is a poor Pelino, at least to the untrained eye we simply tourists.
Surely the trip tomorrow on the Yellow Water boat to enable us to see the best of this park is so important for its biodiversity.

Kakadu - Darwin (car, 395 kms)

We wake up in time to be at 9 at Yellow Water (Cooinda), 50 km south of Jabiru.
We arrive just in time: we go on a small boat and spend an unforgettable two hours to the point of us forget the skepticism of the previous day. We sail in the midst of a flock of white birds, pink, all colors, eagles, and then they, the crocodiles: As the sun heats the atmosphere, leaving many people, big, small, some even 4-5 meters . Let photos crazy and we regret a lot to finish the tour!
Departure for Darwin around 12.00, but we stop for a leisurely walk in the Mamukala Wetlands, 30 km west of Jabiru on the Arnhem High Way.
Around Darwin we pause at the junction between the Arnheim Hyw and Stuart Hyw, nell'Aboriginal Cultural and Art Center, where, apart from making the acquaintance of a friendly parrot, bought two paintings by Aboriginal artists representing some of the gods that we have seen in Kakadu.
Spend the evening between the Wharf, sipping a nice cold beer on the pier overlooking the sea, and Mitchell's Street, where we eat.
Tomorrow at 4:30 the alarm is because the flight to Cairns is at 6.00 am.

Darwin - Cape Tribulation (airplane, 1000 kms; car 175 kms).

At 10.00 am we have already withdrawn their suitcases at the airport of Cairns. We'll collect the car and spend a couple of hours to visiting the seaside town that has a beautiful promenade, complete with artificial lagoon (the sea here is often impractical because of Cubomeduse) and a pedestrian area full of pubs and shops. Finally I find time to go into a shop and buy me a Billabong T-Shirt.
Proceed 80 km to the north: in fact we booked a room at Hotel Coconut Beach Resort Cape Tribulation in the heart of the Rainforest ", the Australian wet tropical rain forest, the only place in the world where this type of forest and ocean meet . The whole region is a World Heritage Site.
To get through places such as Palm Cove, Port Douglas and a host of beautiful deserted beaches (signal Halloways Beach, a few kilometers north of Cairns).
Port Douglas after the landscape begins to change: no more perfect road lined by palm trees typical of a resort of luxury, but reveal the soul of the country's agricultural, normally passing through large plantations of sugar cane in bloom. The town center core of this area is Mossman, a village vaguely Texan (only one road that crosses a row of wooden houses and shops), where we stop for a bite (Good's good preparation courses, apparently healthy and affordable popular. It is run by two curious ladies) and to visit the Mossman Gorge, a gorge from which we understand that the "Rainforest" is now upon us.
A few miles north of Mossman "civilization," abandons us, the road is interrupted by the Daintree River can be crossed only by loading the mini car on a ferry - cable car of the past. The trip takes a few minutes and allows us to officially enter the World Heritage Daintree National Park, the park that protects what remains of one of the oldest rainforests in the world.
From here the road that is paved (but sometimes a bit 'bumpy and narrow) only up to Cape Tribulation (over and up to Cook Town becomes a track only passable in a 4x4), leads into a sort of interrupted humid jungle here and there from Bed and Breakfast or Lodge that are slowly rising in the wake of the tourism development here is in its infancy.
Our hotel is truly spectacular: every room is actually a sort of wooden hut completely independent and immersed in the colors, sounds and animals of the forest. There are no glass in the windows, just mosquito nets. The interior, however, and luxurious furnishings: bed, 3 bed, wood and parquet everywhere, of course a private bathroom. We decided to book dinner at the hotel restaurant "The Cape", near the Coral Sea, but nestled in the forest. The hotel is minutes from Cape Tribulation where we arrive just in time for sunset. The beach overlooking this corner of the world so wild and mythical (here the Captain Cook's ship ran aground during exploration), it is amazing: white sand, palm trees, rivers that flow into the sea. We also make the acquaintance of a cassowary (Cassowary), a sort of large ostrich with its head that looks like a chicken and wild living in these areas. Not much seems to enjoy our presence ...
We spend the night to enjoy, in addition to well-deserved rest, even the sounds and the rustling of the rainforest. It's one of those experiences that we remember.

Cape Tribulation - Palm Cove (car, 138 kms).

The day is beautiful, postcard.
We spend most of the day to learn more about this unique ecosystem: walks on the beach playing with endless coconut palms from falling or being carried here by the sea, along the Mardja Botanical Walk, visit the beautiful Cow Bay and eventually go to the Aerial Walk, a walk to buy (30 AUD per person) and through a bridge and a tower allows you to walk until you are literally above the treetops at 23 meters height. Wherever you stand mangroves, billabongs, eucalyptus, fig trees and gigantic creepers.
In the afternoon, quietly, on returning to Port Douglas (pretty with its endless Four Miles Beach, which really is quite crowded) and Palm Cove, much more discreet and exclusive beach with a much more intimate.
Here we sit at the Sea Temple Resort & Spa where we spend two nights running well! It is an uber cool hotel, built a few meters from the beach and equipped with every luxury.

Palm Cove (car, 100 kms)

We wake up early and after a wonderful breakfast in the warm morning sun we get in the car to visit the area of Arethon Tabeland, the agricultural hinterland of the region. The itinerary is deliberately brief because we want to spend the hottest hours of the pool and the hotel beach.
Visit Kuranda (the pretty market, tourist, but vaguely hippie) and Mareeba;, wandering here and there with the car off the main roads to get an idea of the area.
Lunch at the hotel poolside lounging and writing in our journal.
We have dinner in downtown Palm Cove, alive, a restaurant where we eat really well, maybe the best so far, a little 'expensive (125 AUD).

Cairns - Lizard Island (airplane, 250 kms; car 50 kms)

At 11.00 am we fly to Lizard Island. After much wandering, we decided to give us 5 days in a tropical paradise in Australia. Lizard is a small island off the coast of Cook's Town, in the midst of another masterpiece of nature, the Great Barrier Reef, the oldest and largest living organism on Earth.
The reach a flight of 50 minutes on a small 6-seater Cessna airline Hinterland Aviation.
The flight, low altitude, among other things allows us to observe from a vantage point of the Barrier Reef and the endless atolls that emerge here and there in the sea of corals.
Plane, Lizard seems to be the imagination: a paradise made of vegetation and feigned small beaches of fine white sand.
A Lizard there are only two ways to stay: a small camp for a dozen people, or a luxury hotel in the chain Voyages. Once landed on the small track we are welcomed by a staff member who leads us in the Resort.
I will not lose much time to describe it: the landscape is unforgettable, the service definitely high level and very discreet, the atmosphere informal and relaxed. There are only 40 villas surrounded by greenery and a few meters from the sea.
On balance the island where the resort is complete, can accommodate more than one hundred people. The beaches are about thirty, then the probability of meeting someone is minimal! There seems to be on the edge of reality.
Our villa has a wonderful veranda that overlooks Sunset Beach. We must not ask anything, just whatever we want already there: the champagne room, fresh fruit, a mini-fucking included in the total charge. There is no TV, cell phones do not take. Only a small and slow internet terminal can communicate with the world.
Celebrate with an afternoon on the beach that we can easily define privacy, while we're just us.
Dinner is by candlelight.

Lizard Island

The hotel puts at guests' disposal of small motorboats with which we can single-handed around the island.
It's low tide, so for now you can not access by sea to the beaches of Blue Lagoon, the triangle of sea between Lizard and two other small islands where the water and the underwater life is spectacular.
Then we go on the advice of the staff at Mermaid Beach, just 20 minutes away. It's sunny, hot weather we are alone. Beautiful!
The beach is deserted and remains so throughout the day. Mount a small umbrella to do some 'shady landed sumptuous picnic of fish supplied to us from the hotel, spend, isolated, 7 hours unforgettable.

Lizard Island

Today no boat, we walk to explore the island. In the morning we reach the Mangrove Beach, just behind the airport runway (for the record, this little less than a kilometer long runway was built in the past as a carrier for the Royal Flying Doctor Service). Here too ... just us on a long beach, overlooking the Blue Lagoon. At the edge of a colony of mangroves create beautiful cove.
In the afternoon we decide to sacrifice the sea to face a rather difficult walk: 3 hours (return) to "climb" the mountain of the island (560 meters) and reach the Cook's Lookout, the highest point of the Lizard and the place from which Captain Cook, who landed on this island in 1770 during his expeditions, he sighted for the first time from the Great Barrier Reef.
The walk along the top Watson's Bay, another beautiful beach, then starts to climb steeply to the summit. The conquest around 5.00 pm when the sunlight has its best colors. We feel so fortunate to be here! Beneath the pile of stones left by tourists as souvenirs got here is a small wooden chest that contains within it a plastic bag containing a small diary where we can leave our signatures and our thinking. Basically if there are few people who come to the Lizard, very few are those who come up to here!
We sit down to enjoy the view and then slowly descend to the sea. What a beautiful day!

Lizard Island

Today we go again with the ding, the boat. The tide allows us to visit the Blue Lagoon for two hours and the two small islands near Lizard: Palfray Island and South Island, both uninhabited.
Of course we are only two of us and we enjoy the most of the many small beaches on which they land and make the beautiful large bathrooms.
In the afternoon we do another round on foot. Reach a small Research Station, where a handful of biologists to study the Australian Museum live aquatic fauna of this corner of paradise. A lot of small ponds are home to fish of all kinds, but even the shadow of biologists, it seems uninhabited. The atmosphere reminds us of one of those movies where aliens take place weird experiments ...
The station overlooks another beautiful beach (Casuarina Beach). Taking advantage of low tide back to the Resort "by sea" along the coast. We get less, throughout the south west of Lizard and enjoy the colors of the sunset.

Lizard Island

Last day here in paradise. And dedicated it entirely to the sun, the sea, sailing with our boat and another really good picnic isolated from everything and everyone.

Lizard Island - Cairns - Brisbane (airplane, 1750 kms; car 115, kms)

The small Cessna us back to Cairns in the early afternoon. The experience of the Lizard, as well as relaxing, was unique. And to think that both of us were undecided whether to "sacrifice" 5 days of our journey devoted to an island ...!
A Qantas flight from Cairns takes us less than two hours to Brisbane.
Cristian, a friend of mine who moved to Australia 6 years ago (he married Elke, a girl Tasmania), after having lived in Alice Springs and Melbourne, has settled in these parts. We're going to find it. Lives in Caloundra, 90 km north of Brisbane.
We arrive in the evening. Cristian gives us a pizza, we eat in the hotel room (also offered by him) telling us the latest news.

Brisbane (car, 190 kms)

In the morning, after visiting Caloundra quickly, a small and peaceful resort on the sea (the point is ...!), Cristian Cristian with his wife and son Mark take us a little 'round. We're going to Mooloolaba, another cheerful seaside town, where we do a great brunch and pleasant conversation to understand a little 'issues and way of life of Australians.
We continue along the mountain town of Montville, where it seems to be sealed in the middle of ... Christmas! Fact are the days of Christmas in July. We eat a slice of cake in a room with the air of another era. It's 3:00 pm. It's time to say goodbye. We must return to Brisbane in time to find a room for the night. It gave me pleasure to come to find Cristian!
Found a place at the Hotel Sofitel. Now it's already dark, so we decide to sacrifice the dinner, replacing it with a rich aperitif "all you can eat" included in the price of the room on the top floor. We leave refreshed around 8:00 pm and spend a couple of hours to visiting Queen Street, a pedestrian area very happy where I finally decided to buy a good didgeridoo (I hope) quality. Didgeridoo, for those who do not know, is a musical instrument of wood by the aboriginals.

Brisbane - Singapore - Frankfurt - Milan (Airplane, 16500 kms; car, 18 kms)

We spend all morning walking around the city following a walking tour recommended by our Lonely Planet. Brisbane is a very lively town, with a climate very pleasant even in winter. The Brisbane River, which traverses the winding, gives it a relaxed atmosphere.
And it's full of green areas and, needless to say, people who love to live outdoors.
We leave for the airport around 11.00 am. The Qantas flight QF 051 for Singapore and from there to Frankfurt is punctual and takes off at 2:00 pm.
Arrived in Milan in the late morning of 8 July.
G'Day!!