Wedding trip between Koalas and Kangaroos

Australia, what an incredible place, huge spaces very kind people and strange animals

 

Curti - Roma - Melbourne

It starts with the Emirates milestones are Rome-Dubai, Dubai-Singapore-Melbourne Sigapore for a total of 25 hours of flight (!!!). Dell'Emirates The plane is beautiful, very comfortable, eating well (for the first time I had to refuse the food on board!) And between a film and video game time now spends.

Melbourne

We arrive in Melbourne at 0:20 exhausted after having taken the luggage we do it "sniffing" by a dog anti simpaticissimo foreign food (such as training course ???), is vietatissimo import plants in Australia, meat etc. salatissima a penalty fine. Obviously it is night, and the only means available is the taxi come to our beautiful hotel, the Mercure at 1: 10 ..... you go to sleep.

Melbourne

Having slept only six hours we wake up and we head towards the city center, full of wide roads ecentri commercial, and I must say that Melbourne is a very nice city. Towards evening we head to a stalactite greek take-away where we take two very good suvlaki.

Melbourne - Adelaide

After a good breakfast we head coach to the terminal where the skybus we bring in only 20 min (13 AUD) at the terminal of virgin blue (www.virginblue.com.au) a beautiful and efficient low cost, we bought a ticket via internet Adelaide to just 50 euros. Arrive at their destination after 1h of flight, the weather is bad, we take the skyline from that leads us to the city center where there is a huge square (Victoria Square) with the Aboriginal flag (red and black with a yellow circle to center) waves that crazy. Just a moment of disorientation can find the bus T225 that brings us close to our hotel near the Princes Lodge motel. Given the trying hours of food and yet we come in a greek restaurant, where we eat the usual calamari, fries, and suvlaki coka AUD 40 .... wake up tomorrow at 6:00 Am is part of the island for the kangaroos.

Adelaide - Kangaroo island

We have an appointment with the Sealink (see the advice is really a company organized and you can book everything through internet http://www.sealink.com.au) at 6:05 outside the lodge, but Prince is not out of anyone just after a few minutes understand that it is thanks to the strange time difference between Melbourne and Adelaide (only 30 min) we wake up at 5:00 instead of 5:30 to .... however. The coach takes us "on time" and after a quick check in starting at a time of Cape Jervis, travel lasting 1h 45min. At about 9:00 Sailing at a time of Kangaroo Island where they landed 50 minutes later. Arrived at Kangaroo Island there's a bus that will take us around the small island, after admiring a breathtaking view to go Parndana Conservation Park where for the first time in our life we can admire the magnificent animals on this island: the kangaroo, the wallaby, the koala soft and tender, the charming Echidna, wombat, possum and even an albino kangaroo !!!!!. After this exciting tour we head to seal bay, where there awaits a colony of sea lions that bask in the sun timido Australian. The last stop of the day is a small local company that makes honey (pity that you can not buy it because of customs), and all'Ozone stayed in a wonderful position on the seafront.

Kangaroo island-Adelaide

Dopo una bella colazione saliamo sul bus della sealink che ci porta avisitare una distilleria di eucalipto, dove apprendiamo i rudimenti della preparazione dell'olio di questa pianta. Altra tappa sono le kelly hill caves delle caverne abbastanza carine ma nulla di che (dopo aver visto le Cango caves in sudafrica), dopo le caverne una piccola sosa per assaporare il classico BBQ australiano niente male (specialmente la carne di canguro, da provare). Ci rechiamo al Flinders Chase National Park, dove ci aspetta un panorama mozzafiato, una strada asfaltata che taglia in due una foresta vergine che sbocca sul mare e da lontano si ammirano le Remarkable Rocks, delle formazioni rocciose ricoperte da un licheno arancione. Da li ci rechiamo a Cape du Couedic dove ci aspettano delle foche pelose della nuova zelanda che pigramente prendono il "sole" sotto all'Admiral Arch (formazione rocciosa a forma di arco). Bello, bellissimo per finire al rientro una echidna ci attraversa la strada, in ogni parte di questa splendida isola si è immersi nella natura. Ritorniamo ad Adelaide al nostro Princes lodge verso le 11 di sera.

Adelaide-Alice spring

Anche oggi levataccia il taxi per 20 AUD ci porta al terminal della Virgin Blue, facciamo colazione in aereoporto e si parte per Alice Spring facendo scalo a Sidney (purtroppo ad aprile 2004 bisognafa fare così, ho visto qualche giorno fà il nuovo sito...addirittura hanno messo delle tratte per le isole del pacifico). L'aereoporto è molto piccolo e fà abbastanza caldo, all'arrivo c'è il solito controllo anti-cibo (anche tra regione e regione), prendiamo un bus che ci scarica direttamente al nostro hotel il Desert Palm resort (non proprio al centro, ma veramente molto carino). Dopo aver posato le nostre cose decidiamo di fare un bel giro in centro, purtroppo la prima cosa che si vede ad ASP sono gli aborigeni con la bottiglia in mano; come ben illustrato dalle varie guide turistiche queste persone provengono dalle comunità alla periferia di ASP e si recano qui solo per acquistare dell'alcool visto che da loro è praticamente impossibile...ovviamente, anche se molto facile visto che sono i primi locali che si incontrano, non bisogna stereotipare l'aborigeno la maggiorparte sono persone che lavorano molto e poco hanno a che fare con l'alcool....(comunque ci sono abituato, vedi la classica Napoli = Mafia). irando per la città entriamo nei classici negozi per turisti, dove si vendono cose molto carine a prezzi proibitivi, le cose più belle sono i didgeridoo ed i dipinti. Per i didgeridoo la guida lonely planet ha una bellissima descrizione su come riconoscere e dove acquistare un didgeridoo originale, quindi trovatene uno (ne vedrete a milioni), acquistatelo e...speditelo!!!!, ovviamente, come pensate di portarvi appresso questo coso di un metro e mezzo pesantissimo, unica soluzione è spedirlo. I negozi (suggeriti dalla Lonely e non) ve lo proporranno, io mi sono fidato ne ho spediti due insieme ad un boomerang, addirittura sono arrivati prima loro che noi (circa 15-20 giorni anche se il negoziante vi dirà 30 gg, lasciate un recapito telefonico di qualcuno in Italia, perchè quando arriverà il pacco quelli della dogana vi chiameranno per sapere cosa è e per farvi pagare le tasse). Non comprate i dipinti nei negozi, la sera girando per ASP facilmente incontrerete delle donne che vi venderanno dei favolosi dipinti a prezzi 100 volte inferiori, dietro riportano il significato, addirittura l'aborigena vi chiederà un penna per firmare il suo capolavoro la mia si è firmata Peggy.

Alice spring - King Canyon - Squallido motel

Just waking up early, but that honeymoon is?, At 5:30 this morning we booked our trip with the rustic but efficient emurun (http://www.emurun.com.au/). We take the Desert palm and street party in the desert complete, we now realize that the levataccia was fortunate, in the dawn desrto Australian is something unforgettable, we even see a kangaroo in the bush (very different from those the kangaroo is.) that we cut the road. The hours pass and the desert wind away quickly, the predominant color is red with some shrub that timidly emerge. First stop in a tavern where we eat a desolate spring roll (spring rolls) and the famous meat pie, which together with the vegemite schifez ... national dishes. The meat pie is a sort of pizza rustica with inside "something" to remember the meat (in my there are also mushrooms, so I believe), the vegemite is a yeast extract from the black that Australians love to spread on bread (a Apparently, the daily intake of this food drastically reduces the sting from the mosquitoes, since the yeast is rich in vitamins of group B. ....... I think it is not a cliché because different guides see rough and lonely show this thing ...!!!). After six hours of travel from ASP Canyon come to the king, the leadership here now are not we all xchè we brought plenty of water ..... remember 1 liter of water per person, we risk great .... but the most remote desert mica find a kiosk of drinks, but the Australians are organized and then you know there is a fountain of water to disoposizione (cabbage at least bring the bottles). We leave for our 6 km of track with a temperature of 25 ° C and full of flies that attack anywhere in the summer should be a tragedy. The walk is a bit difficult but offers fantastic views. After the visit you return to the hotel / motel (very rustic) lost in the desert .......... ahh relaxing.

Motel sperduto - Uluru - Alice spring

This morning we go to the "monument" symbol of this nation or the Ayers Rock or Uluru as it is called by the aborigines. The road is very long and we decide to sleep a little, at some point we see from distant red hill .... this is a real emotion, arrived in the reserve that is home to Uluru we make a quick stop at the Aboriginal Cultural Center, and so we go to foot of the mountain, ovviamnete guide asks if anyone is going to salirci above .... honestly, considering that this is a sacred place to me seems to commit a sacrilege, I see that the vast majority of tourists think like us. In return we expect a bela walk around the mountain. Fà really hot running around we can see small caverns with fascinating rock paintings, there are also caves with forms, including all of the bell that it seems to me that most "apt", the surface of the hill is perfectly smooth and of a red intense. The next stop near Uluru are the Olgas, a series of 36 cunette of various sizes perfectly smooth, two of which really make a huge narrow gorge where you can walk easily. At a certain point on the Heading in the bus and we head into a place where you get a fascinating view dell'Ayers Rock, where you can admire the phenomenon of color change. In fact, when the sun sets, the sunlight inclianzione give a different color that goes from red to purple to fire Brown quid prepared to take a picture every 10 minutes away from the guide (the effect is not as visible to the naked eye, and makes it better in the photo). While we are intent to take beautiful photos of the bus types extracted from the trunk and a BBQ will bring mobile to cook sausages and bread for a small snack .... meanwhile we can see Uluru in all its beauty while sipping sparkling wine. Back home, the journey is long we decide to sleep at a certain point, the bus makes a stop, it's night, go and see this sky covered with stars, here in the Australian desert, without a light that seems to contaminate this wonder of be stifled. for the first time I see the cross of the south (the alter ego of our Great Bear).

Alice spring - Sydney

Usually meet with the virgin blue that brings us to Sydney, stay here all 'Hotel Aarons a little bit but we are in the center, unfortunately we are too tired and decide to leave only "in search of food" and then immediately nanna.

Sidney

Finally we wake up calmly, after a small visit to the city market located close to our hotel we head to the Opera House which is located about 2 km from our hotel, we are rewarded by the view span of the bridge (also known as the old hanger) overlooking the bay in Sydney, we head towards the south pylon, and after 200 steps we can admire a fantastic landscape, after photos of ritual we decide to cross the bridge and go to the other side. We rest a bit in one of the many parks of this city, buy a sandwich and take a small ferry that takes us back to the circular quey (the pier in the center near the House). From here we go to the royal botanic garden that absolutely must see with its magnificent and mammoth trees, the park you can have wonderful views of the bay.

Sidney

Next stop is the famous aquarium where we can see beautiful colorful fish worthy of note are two great tunnels that cross these huge tanks where you can literally "touch" these imaginary animals, is really a nice feeling "pet" a shark. In reality we have come to see an animal in particular, very rare that lives exclusively in the east coast of Australia .... we are talking dell'ornitorinco that really gets to wait like a prima donna ... but South Africa's experience teaches voui see when an animal you must have patience. After a quick tour to the Darling Harbor we pause to watch the sunset over the bay, the show dell'opera house at night all lit is really fantastic.

Sidney - Cairns

Today you fly in Queensland in Cairns, more specifically, total hours of flight from Sydney 3rd Here in Cairns, the climate is markedly different, there is a frightening and humidity make a beastly hot. At the airport there is the usual bus that takes you up from your hotel in our case the Waterfront terrace (you must go the quality is very good price), our room is huge and overlooks the sea. We have to descend quickly to book a trip on the reef (the barrier corrallina) for tomorrow, and catapulted us to the pier or rather the reef fleet terminal, are almost all closed, but giving a quick glance offer the same things. Honestly I did not want to go right on the barrier where you are there on a raft in the middle of the sea x all day .... optima then Green Island to be a good compromise. Attention we have no morals or beach towel, but here in Cairns is not a problem there are many shops where to buy these things. Booked our trip was the dinner hour of lonely strongly suggests Sheridan St. Fishlip on a little hard to find but we eat divinely.

Cairns - Green Island - Cairns

The small bus company that organized the trip to Green Island to take us on time, we come to the reef fleet terminal and we embark on a beautiful catamaran, the big cat, that in less than 1h us on (the sea was really moved and bags were distributed like candy). At 11 we have the trip with a small boat semisommersa type submarine, you will enter into and there are windows to both sides where you can clearly see the bottom. The boat party and after a while we can see and touch almost all the "inhabitants" of the reef you can see fish of every size and color are truly exciting. Not content submarine after this we meet with a boat from the bottom of glass, even though initially I believe to be disappointed since the first experience immediately change my mind from here we have a different view of the reef, for a change immediately see a large (and beautiful ) sea turtle that run under our boat. Returning to the catamaran, after a lavish meal, give us a nice walk in the rain forest (National Park) on the island, the circular path for a period of 30 minutes. The rest of the day we spend in the sun on the beach and then back to Cairns.

Cairns - Christchurch (New Zealand)

Today is the day dedicated exclusively classical movement, we arrive at the airport domestic terminal Cairns paying the same amount of buses for two people, so remember to take a taxi. Today we go to New Zealand and always fly with virgin blue, in reality for the international travel company is flypacificblue, at check-in we will deliver the cards out in Australia, the train ticket to get from Brisbane domestic terminal and internationally. After the stopover in Brisbane leave the terminal for domestic flights and take the train that brings us to international flights here after passing customs controls will embark for New Zealand (continued ...) Today is the day dedicated exclusively classical movement , we arrive at the domestic terminal located for Cairns paying the same amount of buses for two people, so remember to take a taxi. Today we go to New Zealand and always fly with virgin blue, in reality for the international travel company is flypacificblue, at check-in we will deliver the cards out in Australia, the train ticket to get from Brisbane domestic terminal and internationally. After the stopover in Brisbane leave the terminal for domestic flights and take the train that brings us to international flights here after passing customs controls will embark for New Zealand (... continued)