Around The World Gaby and Gu 2006-2007

Our trip in Australia is coming to an end very soon. Since we were (very) tired from our fantastic 2 weeks with my sister, we decided to take it easy and enjoy some well deserved quiet and relaxing days (the first ones in a long time) spending our last 2 days like locals do : going to the movies, for a walk and have a coffee on a terrace and last but not least going to Bondi !! The place to be in Summer...the problem is that the summer's gone and despite the sun we don't feel like swimming...it's soo cold !!!! Anyway, we had a great time in Australia and having seen only a little part of it gives us an excellent reason to come back !!

Sister !! You are leaving this morning, oh nooo !! We will miss you. We had such a good time with you during those 2 weeks. Hope you enjoyed as much as we did ! Se ha de repetir en este pais o en otro en cuanto antes ! Hasta pronto y que tengas buen viaje !!!

On our way back to Sydney, we decided to stop by the Featherdale Wildlife Animal Park, which differs from a Zoo or other parks because it actually allows most animals to be around people within a pretty large enclosure. A very nice experience to be able to approach a kangaroo or a koala without seeing them run away from you. And there's one typical aussie animal, which we didn't manage to see in the wild, that we finally could see, the cute and kinda lazy wombat. Animals are definitely amazing !!

We are back in the Blue Mountains for a short 2-day-stay in order to show my sister the beauties of the area ! Of course, we couldn't stay anywhere else than in our favourite Guesthouse, Kurrara (again, some free advertising here, guys :O) with our nice hosts. Hope you liked it Sister !! We loved to re-do it with you ! :O)

After lovely Broken Hill, off we are back for a short stay to the Blue Mountains, but before, we have a 12 hour drive ahead of us with a stopover in a caravan park in Cobar for the night. Yes, we have spent a lot of time on the road but it was well worth it, since the landscapes are simply stunning ! We love the red soil ! We love seeing nothing but empty landscapes in front of us ! :O)

Broken Hill known in the past as a prosperous mining town is, at least for us, a pearl in the outback. It's right in the middle of nowhere but it really gives a feeling of modernity ((it has everything a town can expect to have) and art (there are lots of art galleries) in contrast with the building's old-and-far-west-style architecture. It's really like travelling back in time. We loved it !!

Our day trip to Mungo was great but it's already time to move forward. We have a four hour drive ahead that will take us to Broken Hill, a town...somewhere...in the middle of nowhere...just like the Silver City Highway...a magnificient and empty road that gives you an incredible feeling of space and freedom...there's nothing around and you'd better not breakdown because kangaroos, rabbits and emus are more popular than cars on this road. Unfortunately, they aren't of any help ;O). Anyway, the Outback is fascinating !

The long dreamed Mungo Lake is finally within our reach !!! After spending 2 hours in our 4WD car, it was finally there in front of our eyes. The Mungo area and the now dry shore of its lake shows evidence that burial ceremonies already existed 40'000 years ago. All sorts of stone tools, human bones and even footprints where found in this area !!! What's left of the lake is eroded sand formations which are quite amazing to see ! Mungo...definitely the highlight of our aussie trip !!

We have little time to show Australia to my sister but we will make it !! Our first destination : Mildura, about 1200kms south west of Sydney. It takes about 12 hours to get there and the landscapes are absolutely stunning. Our objective in Mildura - Mungo National Park - but before going there we want to relax and enjoy the town and have a look at The Kings Billabong Wildlife Reserve for a walk. Follow us :O)

My sister has had the great idea to join us for 2 weeks in Australia !! Yeah ! After picking her up at the airport at an undecent time, we decided to take her for a 2-day visit of Sydney starting with the Taronga Zoo, followed by a walk in the city and some tasteful coffees at The Opera House cafe :O)! Sister we want you to enjoy those 2 weeks as much as possible !!!

For our last day at the Royal National Park, we decided to go for some exercise. Yes, it doesn't look like it but we are getting ugly and fat :O). The food in Australia is OK but far from being balanced. Anyway, we had a great time during our walk and saw many many beautiful places...so many we couldn't stop walking !!

Camping in a Van after our comfy stay in the Blue Mountains looked like it was going to be tough...but actually it was way better than we thought. Probably because we found a very nice camping spot which wasn't too crowded. The next day, we open the sliding door and first thing we see is a big Goanna trying to find leftover food from our neighbours !! That's the kind of thing you like to see in the morning except when "the beast" gets too close to you ;O)

This is the place we actually couldn't get away from !! Cozy, beautiful and more importantly held by two very nice persons that made our stay in The Blue Mountains unforgettable. Thank you David and Anthony, we had a lovely time with you. By the way, the address is following.

...gorgeous ! Yes they are gorgeous and this time again we had an amazing weather that made the whole place look even more beautiful !

Today, the weather is much better...but even if it had been bad, we would have gone to Jenolan Caves since they are...caves no need to have sun ;O). There are actually many caves with different sorts of stalagmites / stalagtites / stromatolites and other amazing mineral formations. We only visited one cave but that was enough to impress us ! Today also...introducing a parrokeet fighting a raven for the sake of a french frie and our first encounter with wild kangaroos (see closely the last 2 pictures...) ! Yeah, what a day ! ;O)