Or at least thats what it says in my passport....Sitting at Perth airport looking out at the sunshine and crystal clear blue sky. The weather in London had better be just as nice...or perhaps I should prepare myself for a disappointment...
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Saturday 16 October 2010
Friday 15 October 2010
Rottnest
For my last day I took the ferry over to Rottnest – an island about 10 miles off the coast of Perth. There are no cars allowed on the island but you can hire a bike to get around. So I spent the day pedalling round the various bays and beaches. Rottnest is home to wombles (actually Quokka’s but they look like wombles). Its the only place you find them and since they have no natural predators they’re quite happy to let you come near them. I was lucky to find one with a baby womble in its pouch that kept sticking its head out to have a look at the world.
Thursday 14 October 2010
The Pinnacles
Took a trip out of Perth to the Pinnacles desert today. The Pinnacles desert is about 150 miles North of Perth and is a desert full of strange upright rock pinnacles. There is a geological explanation as to how they formed but its quite complicated and I wasn’t really listening properly….
Next we took the 4WD drive truck into the white Sand Dunes along the coast and had a go at Sand boarding…going down was easier than getting back up again. Also there was a bit of a breeze that meant we were continuously getting sand blasted..
After the sand boarding the idea was to take the 4WD drive up and over some of the dunes. This was great fun until we drove up a massive dune that turned out to have a much softer crest than the driver expected….We got completely beached and then weren’t going anywhere! The driver got the spade out but luckily another 4WD vehicle gave us a tow out. I helped by taking pictures…In then end it took about 30 mins to get the truck out.
Next we took the 4WD drive truck into the white Sand Dunes along the coast and had a go at Sand boarding…going down was easier than getting back up again. Also there was a bit of a breeze that meant we were continuously getting sand blasted..
After the sand boarding the idea was to take the 4WD drive up and over some of the dunes. This was great fun until we drove up a massive dune that turned out to have a much softer crest than the driver expected….We got completely beached and then weren’t going anywhere! The driver got the spade out but luckily another 4WD vehicle gave us a tow out. I helped by taking pictures…In then end it took about 30 mins to get the truck out.
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Perth
Spent most of the day travelling from one side of Australia to the other. Sydney to Perth is a 5 hour (and 3 time-zones) flight. It seems quite quiet after Sydney. Sydney has got a big-city feel to it, although a big city with a beautiful harbour and beaches. Perth has got a small-city feel to it. Perth is only about a quarter the size of Sydney population-wise. Perth’s claim to fame is that it is the most isolated city in the world. ie the furthest away from other big population centres. The nearest similar sized city must be Adelaide about 1500 miles away.
Tuesday 12 October 2010
Bridge Climb
The day started pretty overcast and I hadn’t got anything planned so I just wandered round the shops for a while. Didn’t buy anything except a cup of coffee but it was nice enough looking round the various shopping arcades around Pitt Street and George Street.
By the time I’d walked from one end of George Street to the other I was back round The Rocks district and the day had brightened up quite a bit. So on the spur of the moment I wandered into the Bridge Climb centre to see if they had any places on a climb that afternoon – and they had!
The whole climb takes about 3 hours but the first hour is getting kitted out in the suit and safety belt and doing a ‘practice’ climb up a few short ladders and catwalks in the bridge climb centre. Then you head out onto the bridge. Unfortunately you can’t take cameras on the climb, or anything at all actually. There would be too much risk of something falling onto the road deck below when up on the arch. They give you optional things like a handkerchief, fleece and gloves but they’re all attached to your suit so nothing can fall. The climb leader has a camera and does the picture taking. You have a radio and headset so you can hear the climb leader when up on the bridge.
You’re attached to the bridge via a belt attachment that follows a steel cable all along the climb route. It attaches to the cable at the start and once on the line there’s no way back and you cant swap places with anyone. You’re going forward whether you like it or not. The only way out at this point would be to take the belt off, but that would be stupid!
The climb starts by walking out of the side of the Southern bridge approach along a catwalk At this point you’re underneath the road deck approach and not yet over the water. You take the catwalk as far as the stone pylon at the Southern end, then up some easy stairs inside the pylon. The next bit is the ‘scary’ bit' - you exit the pylon on a see-thru mesh catwalk, now over the harbour. Then climb four ladders up through the road deck onto the arch. Once on the arch that’s the worst bit over its just a gentle stroll up to the top of the bridge. The view is awesome. You stop on the way up and also at the very top for pictures, then its across to the other side and follow the line down until finally coming off the end of the line back inside the approach embankment.
If you can just get past the catwalks and ladders bit it really is easy and the view makes it more than worth it. I really would recommend it to anyone who’s visiting Sydney. At the end everyone got a blue certificate but I got a gold one as its the second time I’ve done the climb :)
It was a really good way to end my last day in Sydney and I’m really glad I did the climb again!
By the time I’d walked from one end of George Street to the other I was back round The Rocks district and the day had brightened up quite a bit. So on the spur of the moment I wandered into the Bridge Climb centre to see if they had any places on a climb that afternoon – and they had!
The whole climb takes about 3 hours but the first hour is getting kitted out in the suit and safety belt and doing a ‘practice’ climb up a few short ladders and catwalks in the bridge climb centre. Then you head out onto the bridge. Unfortunately you can’t take cameras on the climb, or anything at all actually. There would be too much risk of something falling onto the road deck below when up on the arch. They give you optional things like a handkerchief, fleece and gloves but they’re all attached to your suit so nothing can fall. The climb leader has a camera and does the picture taking. You have a radio and headset so you can hear the climb leader when up on the bridge.
You’re attached to the bridge via a belt attachment that follows a steel cable all along the climb route. It attaches to the cable at the start and once on the line there’s no way back and you cant swap places with anyone. You’re going forward whether you like it or not. The only way out at this point would be to take the belt off, but that would be stupid!
The climb starts by walking out of the side of the Southern bridge approach along a catwalk At this point you’re underneath the road deck approach and not yet over the water. You take the catwalk as far as the stone pylon at the Southern end, then up some easy stairs inside the pylon. The next bit is the ‘scary’ bit' - you exit the pylon on a see-thru mesh catwalk, now over the harbour. Then climb four ladders up through the road deck onto the arch. Once on the arch that’s the worst bit over its just a gentle stroll up to the top of the bridge. The view is awesome. You stop on the way up and also at the very top for pictures, then its across to the other side and follow the line down until finally coming off the end of the line back inside the approach embankment.
If you can just get past the catwalks and ladders bit it really is easy and the view makes it more than worth it. I really would recommend it to anyone who’s visiting Sydney. At the end everyone got a blue certificate but I got a gold one as its the second time I’ve done the climb :)
It was a really good way to end my last day in Sydney and I’m really glad I did the climb again!
Sunday 10 October 2010
Sydney cont.
Just spent the morning wandering around. After a walk around The Rocks I decided to get the train one-stop to the inner city area of Kings Cross and have look if there is any resemblance to the area of London with the same name. The answer is not really….
The came back to the CBD area and wandered back down to Circular Quay via the park.
I decided to get the ferry over to Manly in the afternoon and took some pictures on the way of all the various yachts out on the harbour on a Sunday afternoon.
Manly is a seaside suburb on the North side of the harbour. The easiest way to get to Manly from central Sydney is to take the Manly ferry - a 30 minute ride across the Harbour. Manly has got 2 main beaches linked by a pedestrian mall. One beach is on the harbour-side so is pretty sheltered and calm. The main beach is on the ocean itself so has big rolling waves. Its the first of a string of ocean beaches going up the coast. The Manly beaches aren’t quite as perfect and empty as Cable beach in Broome, but not at all bad for beaches in a big city!
Later back at the hotel, while watching TV, a P&O cruise ship sailed past the window…
The came back to the CBD area and wandered back down to Circular Quay via the park.
I decided to get the ferry over to Manly in the afternoon and took some pictures on the way of all the various yachts out on the harbour on a Sunday afternoon.
Manly is a seaside suburb on the North side of the harbour. The easiest way to get to Manly from central Sydney is to take the Manly ferry - a 30 minute ride across the Harbour. Manly has got 2 main beaches linked by a pedestrian mall. One beach is on the harbour-side so is pretty sheltered and calm. The main beach is on the ocean itself so has big rolling waves. Its the first of a string of ocean beaches going up the coast. The Manly beaches aren’t quite as perfect and empty as Cable beach in Broome, but not at all bad for beaches in a big city!
Later back at the hotel, while watching TV, a P&O cruise ship sailed past the window…
Saturday 9 October 2010
Sydney cont.
I thought I’d hire a bike today and cycle over the Harbour bridge to Manly. The suburbs along the north shore of the harbour are beautiful, with all the little coves and inlets of the harbour. A lot of the houses are in the typical Sydney stile with red terracotta tile roofs. It looks a really nice area to live!
Manly turned out to be a bit over-ambitious. I only made it as far as Taronga zoo in the end. Too many ridiculously steep hills!
In the evening I wandered down to Darling Harbour where they have a free Firework show on Saturday evenings.
Manly turned out to be a bit over-ambitious. I only made it as far as Taronga zoo in the end. Too many ridiculously steep hills!
In the evening I wandered down to Darling Harbour where they have a free Firework show on Saturday evenings.
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