I had just two full days in Sydney after Tasmania,and had a tip from a friend to do the Giant Staircase up in the Blue Mountains. This low range of mountains is about 2 hours by train out of Sydney and is weird for a mountain range in that all of the developments are on the top, and all of the parks and wilderness are …
What a wonderful 10+ days I had on this island. It is so pristine, scenic, varied and easy to get around. It is in the process of being “discovered,” chiefly by the Chinese. I think that is partially due to the reputation for having the cleanest air and water on the planet. The main …
Australia is quite good about creating unique travel experiences. This is a culture that travels far more than most and really enjoys the whole experience. In my Stanley post, I talked of the @VDL hotel done in an 1843 storehouse. Later on the Tasmania trip, I stayed in a lodge at Tarraleah. This elegant lodge was …
I have always loved the California redwoods. They are ancient, majestic in size and seem rather eternal. Here on Tasmania, totally unknown to me, I came across the swamp gum, the largest broad leaf trees in the world. While a good redwood gets to 300’+, these can get nearly there, topping out around 280.’ They are part …
Sorry, no full sized kangaroos, but lots of very interesting rather weird critters, chiefly due to the island’s isolation. The tough thing about trying to see them is that nearly all are nocturnal. But, if you count road kills along the road, I have probably seen all of them. These shots are chiefly from Cradle Mountain Park, and the Tasmanian devil is a paid admission semi-zoo …
My second day at Cradle mountain was much better weather wise, so I headed off to Marion Peak, 1000′ feet above the lake. The final ascent and alternate descent involved chains to pull yourself up or work yourself down. For those of you that know me well, this was terrifying, but I actually did it. All to get …
This National Park in the center of Tasmania is a world heritage site due to the stunning scenery and very significant bio-diversity found here. It is reminiscent of Olympic National park in that there is only one short road in and the balance is wilderness. Because of the ancient split off of Australia from …
Stanley is a historic town on a spit on the northwest coast of Tasmania. It is unique geologically due to an ancient volcanic plug that occupies the end of the 6 mile long spit. The “nut” as it is called. The town is built around the base and has the feeling of a quaint …
Wow, what a change after the desert of Uluru and Alice Springs. I landed in Launceston in full daylight at 8:30 PM, temperatures just like an early June day in Seattle. (i.e. be sure to take your jacket when you go out!) Like much of Australia, this town was well …
I spent my last few days in the desert in the famous town of Alice Springs. One day I was to visit the West MacDonald ranges out of town, but it literally poured rain! To the point it was hard to drive. In the desert! What was amazing to see, and I think …
Continue reading “LAST DAY IN THE DESERT (And yes, a ‘roo sighting)”