A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand - Part 1

A forum that'll feed your need for exploring the limitless adventure possibilities found in "other" places. Post trip reports or ask questions about outdoor adventures beyond the Sierra Nevada here.
User avatar
Snow Nymph
Founding Member
Posts: 2042
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:43 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA
Contact:

A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand - Part 1

Post by Snow Nymph »

Wednesday July 30 - Saturday August 2
LAX to Australia, first stop Kangaroo Island

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/56 ... 9997_Mifw4


I left California on July 30th, and arrived in Australia on Aug 1st, 23.5 hrs later. The flight was the nightmare I was afraid it might be. I got an aisle seat instead of my window seat. The seats were tight, and I kept rubbing elbows with the woman in the middle seat. She knew this was new to me when the steward handed me headphones and I asked what it was for. After that she helped when ever I had that confused look on my face. I moved into the middle aisle where a woman had 4 seats to herself. I was squished in the one seat, and she laid out and occasionally rubbed her feet on me during the night. I finally gave up trying to sleep when the pain in my neck and shoulders kept me up. We got off the plane in Auckland, NZ and got back on an hour later and flew to Melbourne. We were a little late landing, and after going thru customs and trying to find the right place to take my luggage, I found out I missed the flight. I didn't have any Australian cash and my cell didn't work. I finally found the currency exchange booth so I could get cash and a phone card so I could let Snowdude know the new flight would be 2 hrs later. I was so happy to see him at the airport!! We headed for the ferry that would take us to Kangaroo Island for the weekend. I got sick on the ferry and SnowDude said it was the most civilized vomiting he had ever seen. I slept a little, then we had a great dinner at Penneshaw after landing, then checked out the Blue Penguins after. The 2nd highlight of my day was the Koala Bear that crossed the road on our way to the Hanson Bay Cabin! Very Cool! We got in late, 6:30am my body time, and I fell asleep pretty quick. Saturday we attempted a hike, and checked out Koalas and Seals, and drove around Kangaroo Island.

I'm on a Mac here with slow internet connection so I'll add pix to this thread later. It took 2 days to get pix uploaded to SmugMug! :\ Having a great time! Will post more later.
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


http://snownymph.smugmug.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
ridgeline
Founding Member
Posts: 285
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:51 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Granada Hills Ca

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by ridgeline »

Beautiful place! Enjoy.
User avatar
Snow Nymph
Founding Member
Posts: 2042
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:43 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA
Contact:

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by Snow Nymph »

Sunday, 3 August 2008
Kelly Hill to Hanson Bay Hike

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/56 ... 7128_GhbbW


After breakfast we went for a short drive to check out the burn area from last fall. Our destination was a bushwalk from Kelly Hill to Hanson Bay. We originally tried Hanson Bay to Kelly Hill on Saturday, but couldn't get across the river. I was feeling jetlag, and the first hour kicked my butt. After some Emergen-C and some food, I felt better. We got there at our turnaround time and made it back as planned. I saw my first Echidna near the Lagoon. I got to drive the longer distance back to prepare me for the city, on the wrong side of the road sitting on the wrong side of the car. :eek: SnowDude drove after the ferry ride while I slept. First night in his apartment.

Echidna
Image
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


http://snownymph.smugmug.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
Snow Nymph
Founding Member
Posts: 2042
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:43 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA
Contact:

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by Snow Nymph »

first night at Kangaroo Island
Image
Image
Image

first day out on Kangaroo Island
Image
rainbow over our cabin
Image
Image
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


http://snownymph.smugmug.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
copeg
Founding Member & Forums Administrator
Founding Member & Forums Administrator
Posts: 2109
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 9:25 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Contact:

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by copeg »

Looks like an awesome place, and looks like you're enjoying every minute of it! Some beautiful pics
User avatar
Snow Nymph
Founding Member
Posts: 2042
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:43 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA
Contact:

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by Snow Nymph »

Thanks, Greg! Sounds like your plane ride was worse than mine.

Internet connection sux here, only posting day 4, and its day 20 here! We were in New Zealand for 10 days, so I'll catch up as the internet lets me.

Monday, Aug 4, 2008
Torrens Lake in the rain (Adelaide, Australia)

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/56 ... 1332_dK5fb


Day 4: I was still adjusting to the time change, so I went to downtown Adelaide to see the birds at Lake Torrens. Not many out, probably due to rain.

Lorikeets are all over
Image
The pigeons are kinda different
Image
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


http://snownymph.smugmug.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
Snow Nymph
Founding Member
Posts: 2042
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:43 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA
Contact:

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by Snow Nymph »

Tuesday, 5 August 2008 (Day 5)

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/56 ... 8578_gKyLe


Day 5: My first time driving on the opposite side of the road. I drove to Cleland Wildlife Park and only got honked at once. Those 'roundabouts' are confusing! Got to pet a Koala, and got close to the kangaroos and wallabies. The Tasmanian Devil was a crackup! It ran the same path over and over, and the third time saw me watching and stopped for a photo. Just like the cartoon!

Kangaroo and Joey (that's an arm and foot on his head)
Image
Rusty and me
Image
Dingo
Image
Wallaby and Joey
Image
Joey and me
Image
Tasmanian DevilImage
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


http://snownymph.smugmug.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
madeintahoe
Topix Expert
Posts: 467
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:58 am
Experience: N/A
Location: South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, CA.
Contact:

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by madeintahoe »

I am just in awe of all the different wildlife you are seeing :) I can't even imagine what that would be like to be so close to them..all I know is I would love it and would not want to leave them :lol:
How special it must be to see them all......Looks like you two are having a wonderful time..thats awesome!
Enjoy Cori
User avatar
Trekker
Topix Regular
Posts: 236
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 1:46 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: San Diego

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by Trekker »

Seems a little quiet on the Peakbagging site without Cori's weekly posts!!! ;) I'm waiting for those New Zealand pics! :nod:
User avatar
Snow Nymph
Founding Member
Posts: 2042
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:43 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA
Contact:

Re: A 3.5 week trip to Australia and New Zealand

Post by Snow Nymph »

I'm back! I left Australia Tues 8/26 at 9:40am, and arrived LAX Tues 8/26 at 10:15am. :retard: 17.5 hrs of flying, with 1.5 hrs between flights in Sydney AUS, no walking around or stretching, and not much sleep sitting up with people in the next seat is tough! 2 glasses of wine and I still couldn't sleep, it only made me go to the bathroom. It was nice to lay down and sleep in my own bed (3 hr nap)

Got a lot of catching up to do.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty, and Platypus Noctornal Tour, Adelaide, Australia

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/56 ... 4157_fFfeG

Day 5: My first 'walk' in Australia. I hiked to a summit, but its different from the hiking I do in CA. After the hike I drove to a Platypus Tour (I was the only one besides the guide).

Sulfer Crested Cockatoos along the trail
Image

Platypus in a protected area
Image
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 25 guests