I suspect even most of my hiker friends have never heard of the Bib Track either. I stumbled on it when I was looking aimlessly at TrailJournals.com. I liked the idea of going to Australia and this seemed to be a promising choice.
It's billed as going from the mountains to the sea. Mountains are a relative concept. Australia is so old that most of the mountains have eroded down to rugged hills. I enjoyed that section but the real highlight was the south coast. Lone beaches, steep cliffs and very wild, remote scenery.
The trail has a lot of the feel of the Appalachian Trail. The shelters are spaced a short day's walk apart. The towns are 3-6 days apart and people love to thru-hike it. It has yet to be as populated as the AT but it's only been around about 30 years.
I saw kangaroos virtually every day and most days I saw 10 to 15. Despite their size and sharp claws they're very timid animals and hop away without much provocation. I ran into snakes as well but they were
also happy to stay out of the way (fine with me!). I saw (and heard) lots of birds especially wild parrots.
My personal favorite though was the bob-tailed skink. It was a stubby little fellow that looked like a snake
with legs. One of them very proudly snapped a fly out of the air while I was watching and gave me a look of
triumph afterwards.
All in all quite an experience.
Perth
Perth. It's kind of become my home away from home.
After struggling with limited services along the Bibbulmun Track it was nice to get back to a major city and get my web/shopping/TV needs met. The Bibbulmun Track was a great experience. The coast was like discovering the beautiful sister of the ordinary looking girl you knew all along. All of a sudden the ordinary looking one becomes more beautiful not just because she gives you a shot at the beautiful one but because you notice the beautiful qualities that you missed before.
There aren't many hikes I would consider doing over again but this would be one. Partly because of the section I missed but also because it makes sense to me in a way it didn't before I did the whole thing.
After struggling with limited services along the Bibbulmun Track it was nice to get back to a major city and get my web/shopping/TV needs met. The Bibbulmun Track was a great experience. The coast was like discovering the beautiful sister of the ordinary looking girl you knew all along. All of a sudden the ordinary looking one becomes more beautiful not just because she gives you a shot at the beautiful one but because you notice the beautiful qualities that you missed before.
There aren't many hikes I would consider doing over again but this would be one. Partly because of the section I missed but also because it makes sense to me in a way it didn't before I did the whole thing.
Tazzie
No matter how much I tell myself that I had no idea what to expect, I'm always surprised by what I find.
From thick woods in Western Australia to beautiful remote coastline. I guess I expected Tasmania to be
a lot more remote and disconnected than it turned out to be.
While a huge slice of the island is set aside as National Park land, the cities are quite active. Hobart is a city of over 200,000 with a bustling downtown and a lot of upscale retail. The topography was reminiscent of West Virginia, at least on the coast. Hills, hills and more hills. Whatever way you turned you found yourself going up or down a steep hill.
Launceston isn't quite as big but it also has a busy downtown. Tourism and the proximity to Melbourne keep the island well tuned in to what is going on. And I'd have to say it feels a lot more plugged in than Western Australia. Not that Perth doesn't have it's pricy shops but its mining and millions don't depend on anything else. Just let the Chinese and Japanese fight it out for the iron ore and let the good times roll.
From thick woods in Western Australia to beautiful remote coastline. I guess I expected Tasmania to be
a lot more remote and disconnected than it turned out to be.
While a huge slice of the island is set aside as National Park land, the cities are quite active. Hobart is a city of over 200,000 with a bustling downtown and a lot of upscale retail. The topography was reminiscent of West Virginia, at least on the coast. Hills, hills and more hills. Whatever way you turned you found yourself going up or down a steep hill.
Launceston isn't quite as big but it also has a busy downtown. Tourism and the proximity to Melbourne keep the island well tuned in to what is going on. And I'd have to say it feels a lot more plugged in than Western Australia. Not that Perth doesn't have it's pricy shops but its mining and millions don't depend on anything else. Just let the Chinese and Japanese fight it out for the iron ore and let the good times roll.
Overland Track
After all the arranging, rearranging, hassles and
headaches I have to say it was all worth it.
The Overland Track is one of the great hikes in the world in a beautiful World Heritage Area that is wild like few other places. It's also wet and I had to take my medicine on that score dealing with rain about half the time I was on the Track. Still, the scenery was breathtaking and it's one I'd love to do again.
Click on the title bar and see for yourself
headaches I have to say it was all worth it.
The Overland Track is one of the great hikes in the world in a beautiful World Heritage Area that is wild like few other places. It's also wet and I had to take my medicine on that score dealing with rain about half the time I was on the Track. Still, the scenery was breathtaking and it's one I'd love to do again.
Click on the title bar and see for yourself
Spirit of Tasmania Ferry
Tazzie is done. Managed to hike the Freycinet Peninsula (which was gorgeous) but couldn't really afford some of the other hiking choices, most notably the South Coast Walk which requires being flown in to the starting point. All that being said, it was a unique and beautiful place and I'm better for the experience.
The Ferry ride to Melbourne had a few surprises, mostly how hot it got as we approached the Australian mainland. I've never been that hot on open water in my life and I've been out in some pretty warm weather. Oceans are usually bigger than continents and win the temperature battle at the coast but not here.
The ferry itself was huge and it was fun just finding my way around the thing. However instead of entering Melbourne on a beautiful sunset we arrived in stifling heat and a lot of daylight left. Checked into a crowded
hostel and struggled to sleep. I know. Tough life.
I'm only just starting to find my way around Melbourne which has been tarnished recently by some very ugly
racial incidents against Indian students including one being set on fire (which the police insist was not a
racist incident). I suppose every country has to go through this for itself but it's still pretty painful to watch. Anyway, hoping things settle down both for my visit and for the sake of the city.
Melbourne
January 16, 2009
The big city at last. And what a change from quiet Perth and tourist
Tasmania. Melbourne is 'old money' by Australian standards and has
many beautiful Victorian buildings to prove it. Striking in their
lack of decay and grime, there is a freshness about them that one
doesn't find in similar buildings in the US.
But as lovely as they may be, they are dwarfed by the modern skyline.
Melbourne is the first city I've been to in Oz that is truly the
driver for its region. Event driven, filled with cultural
attractions, the old money connection gives its museums and neigh-
borhoods a sense of rootedness that one doesn't feel elsewhere.
For the traveller the food prices are better and the lodging prices
slightly higher so it's about even if you can stay out of the high-
end eateries. Prices being what they are in Australia the hostels
tend to have longer term guests who are working to help pay for
their travels. This changes the vibe a bit and puts the short-term
guest in the minority. It is what it is.
Next up, a bit of seashore camping en route to Canberra, the nation's
capital.
The big city at last. And what a change from quiet Perth and tourist
Tasmania. Melbourne is 'old money' by Australian standards and has
many beautiful Victorian buildings to prove it. Striking in their
lack of decay and grime, there is a freshness about them that one
doesn't find in similar buildings in the US.
But as lovely as they may be, they are dwarfed by the modern skyline.
Melbourne is the first city I've been to in Oz that is truly the
driver for its region. Event driven, filled with cultural
attractions, the old money connection gives its museums and neigh-
borhoods a sense of rootedness that one doesn't feel elsewhere.
For the traveller the food prices are better and the lodging prices
slightly higher so it's about even if you can stay out of the high-
end eateries. Prices being what they are in Australia the hostels
tend to have longer term guests who are working to help pay for
their travels. This changes the vibe a bit and puts the short-term
guest in the minority. It is what it is.
Next up, a bit of seashore camping en route to Canberra, the nation's
capital.
Lakes Entrance, Victoria
Little white travel sins.
That's probably the best way I can describe bootleg camping. I did it in Florida to be able to see spring training and I did it again to save a few dollars after Melbourne in a pretty little tourist town called Lakes Entrance. After inquiring at the Visitre Centre about tent camping I found a nice wooded area that wasn't visible to anyone and quite convenient to town and presto-chango, free lodging for a few days.
Lakes Entrance is pretty touristy but its small, pretty and easily walkable. A nice place to relax for a few days before the final stretch into Canberra and Sydney.
That's probably the best way I can describe bootleg camping. I did it in Florida to be able to see spring training and I did it again to save a few dollars after Melbourne in a pretty little tourist town called Lakes Entrance. After inquiring at the Visitre Centre about tent camping I found a nice wooded area that wasn't visible to anyone and quite convenient to town and presto-chango, free lodging for a few days.
Lakes Entrance is pretty touristy but its small, pretty and easily walkable. A nice place to relax for a few days before the final stretch into Canberra and Sydney.
Canberra
Like many states and countries with two rival candidates for its capitol city, Australia chose a city halfway between them and ended up with a capitol without a city, at least not an organic living breathing one.
I kind of picked that up going in so I wasn't put off by the occasional sterility, concrete or lack of people. All that being said, the Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Art are home to some real treasures of Australian and Pacific art. I love being able to see a country myself and then seeing it through the eyes of its artists.
Aussie museums have had some very interesting surprises. The museum in Perth seemed to be a commentary on the blandness that has crept into the suburban landscape. But there was a fascinating series of art school paintings on the theme of Christ in the wilderness. At the time the school required all paintings to be on biblical subjects and the result was like nothing else I've ever seen in either sacred or non-sacred art.
The other exhibition that impressed me the most was of Tasmanian high school students called Art-Rage 09 in Hobart. It was outstanding. New, fresh, it had a lot to say and really showed an easy command of the various media. I would have been impressed in any case but the fact that they weren't just art students but high school students was even more impressive. Australia is just full of surprises.
Mostly Canberra was about catching up with my friend from the Appalachian Trail, Ann Penhallow and meeting her 14 month old son, Jasper. Ann was a fabulous host, driving me all over town (an absolute requirement in Canberra) and taking care of everything possible. We had a great old time going through her AT album and going down memory lane. She took me to a concert at the Botanic Gardens and a Fernwood friend I'd had lunch with the day before was there. It was a complete accident and she was kind of hoping
to see if any of her friends were there. Anyway, good times in the Capitol, thanks mostly to She-Ra; Princess of Power.
I kind of picked that up going in so I wasn't put off by the occasional sterility, concrete or lack of people. All that being said, the Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Art are home to some real treasures of Australian and Pacific art. I love being able to see a country myself and then seeing it through the eyes of its artists.
Aussie museums have had some very interesting surprises. The museum in Perth seemed to be a commentary on the blandness that has crept into the suburban landscape. But there was a fascinating series of art school paintings on the theme of Christ in the wilderness. At the time the school required all paintings to be on biblical subjects and the result was like nothing else I've ever seen in either sacred or non-sacred art.
The other exhibition that impressed me the most was of Tasmanian high school students called Art-Rage 09 in Hobart. It was outstanding. New, fresh, it had a lot to say and really showed an easy command of the various media. I would have been impressed in any case but the fact that they weren't just art students but high school students was even more impressive. Australia is just full of surprises.
Mostly Canberra was about catching up with my friend from the Appalachian Trail, Ann Penhallow and meeting her 14 month old son, Jasper. Ann was a fabulous host, driving me all over town (an absolute requirement in Canberra) and taking care of everything possible. We had a great old time going through her AT album and going down memory lane. She took me to a concert at the Botanic Gardens and a Fernwood friend I'd had lunch with the day before was there. It was a complete accident and she was kind of hoping
to see if any of her friends were there. Anyway, good times in the Capitol, thanks mostly to She-Ra; Princess of Power.
Sydney-Kings Cross
Kings Cross. What a noble English sounding kind of a place. After I put my stuff in my room I made a quick trip to the grocery store I was delighted to see all the trees interspersed throughout the neighborhood and a kind of modern warmth. A city place but a lived-in city place.
Little did I know that a block in the other direction was prostitute central. This became quite evident as I took an early-morning walk. There seemed to be an awful lot of mens clubs, girlie shows and a premium internet café for handling all those ‘special’ downloads. Furthermore, it was early enough in the morning to still be considered ‘business hours’ for the folks that do this for a living.
Eek!!
Between cheapness and pride this is not something I partake in and was certainly not what I had in mind for a morning stroll. Avoiding eye contact was generally enough to keep the situation at arms length until a much older prostitute decided I was her one big chance. Awkward.
I have nothing against sex workers. Most are just making a living or there are extenuating circumstances. I’m actually somewhat heartened by the churches who have realized that combating AIDS and human trafficking means getting on the front lines and dealing compassionately with sex workers. The Salvation Army actually
had a booth at the Sydney Sex-po trying to educate people about human trafficking.
So when this sixty-something prostitute approached me with a sweet look in her eye. I said no as gently as I could and moved on.
Sydney-Parting Thoughts
I can't believe that Melbourne has four million people and Sydney has five. Sydney feels about twice as big.
I also have the sense that Australians are torn about Sydney. If Sydney is the future of Australia, it's a
future many Australians have mixed feelings about. It's a competitive, multi-ethnic, global future in an
Australia that still yearns to be white, privileged and left alone.
I have mixed feelings about Australia. It's an utterly incredible place both in harshness and in beauty. That
anyone has been able to survive here at all, let alone prosper is a monumental achievement. But it is a young
country with some dark secrets that it is only just starting to face. There's also an insecurity that Australians feel being in an unforgiving land surrounded by an Asia that grows more economically aggressive every day.
Still, the Australians have it good. They love sports, love the outdoors, have created a world class wine
industry from nothing and sit on a motherlode of the world's mineral wealth. So whatever clouds loom on the horizon, the good times keep rolling and after all they've had to deal with, I can't really grudge them that.
I also have the sense that Australians are torn about Sydney. If Sydney is the future of Australia, it's a
future many Australians have mixed feelings about. It's a competitive, multi-ethnic, global future in an
Australia that still yearns to be white, privileged and left alone.
I have mixed feelings about Australia. It's an utterly incredible place both in harshness and in beauty. That
anyone has been able to survive here at all, let alone prosper is a monumental achievement. But it is a young
country with some dark secrets that it is only just starting to face. There's also an insecurity that Australians feel being in an unforgiving land surrounded by an Asia that grows more economically aggressive every day.
Still, the Australians have it good. They love sports, love the outdoors, have created a world class wine
industry from nothing and sit on a motherlode of the world's mineral wealth. So whatever clouds loom on the horizon, the good times keep rolling and after all they've had to deal with, I can't really grudge them that.
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