And on towards Sydney (Second Week)

Monday 5th December

Left our bush camp on the Finke River at 07:00, briefly viewing Mount Connor and Lake Augustine on our way to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayres Rock). We drove to Kata Tjuta site viewing the Kata Tjuta dunes before embarking on the 7 km Valley of the Winds walk through the rock formations – the views were spectacular. We then drove back towards Uluru and visited the Cultural Centre before viewing the sunset overlooking Uluru while enjoying our supper (along with a number of other visiting coach parties). After sunset we drove out of the National Park to camp overnight.

 Tuesday 6th December

We left our bush camp at 04:45 and re-entered the National Park to see the sunrise at Uluru (over breakfast) before walking around the rock. After leaving the National Park we again made our way towards the Stuart Highway where we left Northern Territory and entered South Australia. We made bush camp about 100 km north of Coober Pedy after a long day mainly travelling. During the drive south we had a front tyre blow out and when trying to fit the spare wheel Steve (our Australian driver) realised that the spare wheel did not fit correctly and therefore we had to proceed with only 3 out of 4 rear wheels (usually there were 4 wheels on the rear axle and 2 on the front) – this limited the speed we could proceed.


Wednesday 7th December
The next morning we we left for the opal mining town of Coober Pedy where we went around a mine museum complete with underground house. The scenery had now changed to a more typical outback appearance. Steve unsuccessfully tried to find a replacement tyre and wheel so we were again limited to 80 km/hr. After leaving Coober Pedy we saw some salt lakes in the desert then stopped briefly at Woomera village where they had a display of the space missiles which were tested at the nearby Woomera rocket range in the 1960’s.
Thursday 8th December
After breakfast we passed through Port Augusta and Peterborough where again we failed to replace the wheel and tyre, however in Broken Hill we were more successful. The rest of the day were taken up with driving and fuel stops.

Friday 9th December

After the bush camp we stopped at the copper mining town of Cobah before continuing to the town of Dubbo for lunch. I visited the local jail museum (which was closed as a jail in the 1960’s. In the late afternoon we made a bush camp at Ponto Falls (although no one could find the waterfall).


Saturday 10th December
We left the bush camp at 08:30 passing through Wellington and arriving at Bathhurst at 11:00. We then drove around the Mt Panorama motor racing circuit (the wrong way round) – the race takes place once a year, but the rest of the year the track is a normal public road. We then arrived at Lu’s uncles farm where we set up our final bush camp. The evening was a barbeque with various awards and presentations to the group members as we celebrated the end of the trip.


Sunday 11th December
We left the farm early at 06:30 calling in at the Echo Point viewpoint in the Blue Mountains en route to Sydney. However a flat tyre slightly delayed us as Steve had to change the wheel (again).







We arrived in Sydney at Macquarie Street near the Opera house at 11:30 in brilliant sunshine (later in the day it changed to rain showers) after travelling a total of 39,553 km over 169 days from London.
Trip Stats
39553km (Truck: 26303; Ferries: 760; Vietnam: 1343; Cambodia: 1209; Indonesia: 2331: Flight: 1762: Australia: 5845)
169 days
77 Bush Camps
16 Camp Grounds
2 Overnight Buses
2 Sleeps (or not sleeps) at Borders
2 Yurts
1 Ferry
69 Hotel/Hostels
Pat and Cathryn were there on cue to greet all of us. JOB DONE!!

And on towards Sydney (First Week)

Tuesday 29th November

Left the Darwin Camp site to spend some time in Darwin centre.

We then drove to the Kakadu National Park for a Forest walk and a look at an Aboriginal art sites.
We then walked to Ubirr viewpoint to view the usually good sunset – unfortunately today it was not an impressive site!! Camped overnight at Malabanjbanjdju.






 Wednesday 30th November
Left the campsite at 07:00 and drove to Nourlangie for a 1 km walk to see the outdoor Aboriginal art site. Afterwards we visited the Aboriginal cultural centre at Warradjan. Stopped for lunch (and swim, shower etc) at Yellow River where there was an optional river trip which a few of the group went on and really enjoyed (inc. Kieran, Glen, Peggy & John). After lunch we set off towards the town of Katherine and we left the Kakadu National Park.


Thursday 1st December

After breaking bush camp at 07:00 we all enjoyed a 1 hr walk viewing the Katherine Gorge before spending about 90 minutes in Katherine itself. I

n the afternoon we stopped at Mataranka Hot Thermal Springs where most of the group enjoyed a short swim in the hot thermal pools. The Hot springs are part of the Elsey National Park and then we left for an overnight bush camp at the old Gorrei airfield (which was used extensively in the 2nd World War). The land surrounding the old airstrip was full of termite hills so we had to be careful where we pitched our tents!!




Friday 2nd December

Left for Larrimah after enjoying pancakes for breakfast at the Gorrei airfield bush camp. Stopped in Larrimah to view the small museum and zoo. There were 2 Road trains parked behind the zoo and these can be up to 53m long and can comprise of a tractor unit and 3 linked trailer units.

 We then called into Daly Waters to see the original site of Australia’s first international airstrip and the remains of the Stuart Tree which the explorer engraved his initials in 1862 during his successful journey from Adelaide to Darwin (the first crossing across Australia).
We spent some time in the small town of Daly Waters including admiring the decorations in the pub/restaurant. We stopped off to see the Junction Hotel Hotel at Newcastle Waters which was an important drovers hotel from the early 1930’s to the 1950’s. We then made alunch stop at Elliott and a short stop at Renner Spring before moving onto a bush camp near Kunjarra.

Saturday 3rd December

Left Kunjarra (The Pebbles) at 07:30 towards Tennant Creek stopping off at Mary Ann Dam for showers and washing at 09:00. Stopped for lunch shopping at Tennant Creek before moving onto see the Devils Marbles (including lunch). In the afternoon we briefly visited Barrow Creek Telegraph Station before we set up a bush camp at Connors Well.

Sunday 4th December

Briefly stopped at the marker for the Tropic of Capricorn before we visited Alice Springs for most of the day. We viewed the town from the Anzac Hill viewpoint and war memorial before exploring the small desert town. Most of us visited the Flying Doctor museum in the town before leaving at 16:30 and we set up our bush camp ay the Finke River.

Now in Australia

Nov 28th & 29th

Links now added to the Indonesia and Australia albums.  Flight to Darwin went as planned and we are now 8 hrs 30 mins ahead of the UK.  Arrived at a campsite close to Darwin after neeting Steve and the Aus coacd at the airport.  Spend 90 mins and Monday and Tuesday morning in Darwin city centre before we move aff to the Northern National Park.  Weather is very hot (especially at night) and also thundery with heavy rain from time to time.  We camped at a campsite last night, but expect quite a few bushcamps in the next 12 days, so not many blogs etc.  Good to be back in a western culture (albiet dirrerent to Europe) and now really looking forward to Sydney on Dec 11th.   

Mount Bromo and on to Bali

24th November

Really long hard day today – up at 03:30 to catch a jeep at 04:00 up to a viewpoint overlooking Mt Bromo to see the sunrise.





 

Then on to Mt Bromo itself (which last erupted in Dec 2010/Jan 2011) to view the crater.
This involved to hard climbs (especially before breakfast) and we were all exhausted when we finished. Then back to the hotel at 07:30 in the jeeps for small breakfast. Some of us caught up with some sleep before we were off again in 2 small minibuses at 09:30 to the local town where we caught the main coach for Bali.

On the coach all day (except for the short ferry crossing to Bali at 17:00). A 3 hr coach ride to the nearest appropriate coach station before we transferred (again) to 2 taxis to our hotel at Kuta Beach (on the south coast of Bali).








25th November ton 27th November

We are in Kuta for 4 nights (3 days) so this will be a chill out time for all of us before we fly to Darwin. Walked around this hyper seaside town – fabulous beach but typical seaside shopping facilities. Very active nightlife. Hotel is better than some we have used and has a swimming pool, hot water, bath & shower, but no internet , laundry or food facilities. Joined up with Eamon, Phil and Marina who had all flown from Jakarta a few days ago.  Very little to do here other than eat, fry (in the heat), drink and shop. Other than the beach not many photo opportunities.  Leaving tomorrow for Darwin then a night at a campsite and bush camping through Australia.  Not sure when I will have regular internet access again.  Looking forward to meeting up with Pat and Cathryn in 2 weeks time.   

On to Yogyakarta

Monday 21st November

Left the Jakarta hotel at 06:00 for the 08:00 train to, except that it left 2 hts late. We bought a meal on board (except that it took 2 hrs to be served!) and we arrived at Yogykarta just after 18:00. Checked into the Indonesia hotel (poor on facilities) and there was then only time to get an evening meal.






Tuesday 22nd November

Peggy, John and myself went on a morning outing to 3 famous temples (Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut). The Borobudur site is very impressive and quite different from other ancient temples we have seen on this trip.Kieran & Glen then went to Bororudur in the afternoon and they missed out on the rain. 

Returned for lunch and then I set off to walk to the palace, but it started to rain so I decided that I would spend the afternoon exploring the streets closer to the centre and the hotel.

Leaving Singapore to Indonesia and crossing the Equator

15th & 16th November
After a morning when everyone sorted out their baggages and last minute shopping we left the hotel at midday taking the MRT to the Ferry port. Everyone checked in their main bag (most were around the free 20 kg limit, but a few incurred a small charge). After taking lunch waiting for boarding and changing our remaining Singapore Dollars we then travelled on the short (45 min) ferry ride to Batam.

Getting into Indonesia was straight forward (Visa cost US$25), however we then learned that the ferry we were due to catch the following morning to Jakarta was in repair and would not run for 2 weeks. We decided that the next morning we would take the ferry to Sumatra then pick up a coach though Sumatra and then a ferry to Jakarta. All last minute stuff, but could not be avoided.
We left the Batam hotel at 06:30 and we caught a ferry to Dumai (Sumatra) at 0800. Later on the 16th we boarded a 12 hr coach leaving from Dumai at 19:00 to Padang where we arrived at about 10:00 the next day. The coach was crowded and we only just got on with all our bags (we shared the bus with a scooter) – it stopped 3 times and there was constant loud music on board. Sometime during the night we crossed the Equator.

17th November
Arrived at Padang fairly shattered, so after a shave and shower I walked into the centre of Dumai for lunch (at KFC), then along the beach front (Dumai is on the Western Sumatra coast) and then caught up with some sleep. Leaving on the 18th for a 24 hr bus trip to Bonderlamping on the East coast before the final hop to Jakarta.

18th & 19th November
Eamon decided to fly to Jakarta (instead of joining with the rest of us on the long bus drive) and subsequently decided to fly directly to Bali where we should meet up with him on Thursday.

Nothing seems straightforward in Indonesia. First we are back to the 3rd world in Sumatra – quite a shock from the affluent Singapore just a couple of days ago. Second understanding the transport options was a nightmare. We thought we were leaving on a 24 hr. bus trip, stay overnight then catch a different bus to Jakarta. However we actually caught a “direct” bus to Jakarta which took about 38 hrs. including a 2 hr. ferry crossing – so we spent a second night on a bus and a third night (well most of it) on a ferry and a bus. We actually arrived in Jakarta at 03:00 and then Lu managed to get a hotel for us all for the rest of that night and well as the next night!! The bus broke down during the journey (they had to change a drive belt) and then some of us were then questioned (quite aggressively) at the ferry port when leaving for Java. In addition street sellers got on the bus at every opportunity to sell food and drink (or play the guitar or sing to us) and we made infrequent toilet and refreshment stops. The quality of the toilets were some of the worst we had encountered during the entire trip.
However when we got to Java it was chalk and cheese – modern motorways and skyscrapers in downtown – a complete contrast to Sumatra where we had just left.

20th November
We are only in Jakarta for 1 day (20 Nov) and we will spend most of that walking locally to the hotel and catching up on our sleep and emails etc. I did do a little local sightseeing and the contrast between the modern malls and the older more run down parts a feww hundred yards away was striking.

Singapore 14th November

Phil and Marina have left us for a couple of days with some of their family in Singapore, otherwise we are all together again.  We should met up agin in Jakarta in a few days. 

Today I had a relatively easy day - I started at Mustala Centre for a little shopping then decided to use the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system to explore further.  I initially went to the end of the North East line at Harbour Front (where we will go to tomorrow to catch the ferry to Batam in Indonesia).  The MRT system is less than 20 years old and is therefore up to date and very efficient (particuarly compared to London).  Lots of shops as usual so I had lunch and did a bit of shopping.  I resisted going on the cable car as it was quite expensive. 

I then made the return journey on the MRT stopping off at Clarks Quay from where I walked to Fort Canning Park.  This has great historical interest to the island of Singapore and has some good views of the city. 

On returning to Clarks Quay I saw the giant swing in action - nothing would pursuade me to go on that!!





No rain so far today, but at 17:00 is is thundering well.