Australia

Australia was amazing. The Land of Akubra, Croc Dundee, and the deadliest animals in the world has a lot to offer. My first stop was Sydney, where I spent quite a few days. It was excellent--there were no surprises, just sun, friendly people, good food, and tasty beer.

Darling Harbor, which is a really cool place to hang out. There are tons of good restaurants in the area.

Boat Harbor, where I learned
(well, where I was taught!) to Surf.

I won't be gracing the covers of any international surfing magazines anytime soon, but here I am after hitting the water.

The Opera House

After my few days in Sydney I was off to the Outback to Alice Springs. I was a bit misinformed, however, because I wanted to see Ayers Rock and I was under the impression that Alice Springs was a mere stone's throw away! How wrong I was. It was more like a 5 hour drive! However, the folks at Annies Place Hostel really looked after me. Rosco, one of the owners, had me booked in on a camping trip in no time, and away I went off into the Outback for 3 days with a group of 20 others, and our guide Gavin.

My First look at Uluru (Ayers Rock)

The Camping Crew.

Gavin, far left with the Keppi, is bar none the BEST guide I've ever had for anything. Frank, immediatley to his right, Gavin, and myself got along swimmingly. The rest of the group, not so much, but they were all really nice people. Just didn't get where I was coming from and visa versa.

Sun setting at Ayers Rock

This was the moon on the way to our camping site that night, and it was the most amazing image of the moon I've ever seen.

That night, we all got sufficiently well in the bag off of our liqour rations, and passed out around 9:00pm. At around 11:00, the Ants came in like a carpet. I said "Screw this" and took my sleeping back to the top of our trailer (pictured later) and slept like a baby. Everyone else was busy swatting at ants all night and hardly slept at all. This may have contributed to me not being the favorite of the group!

Prepping breakfast the next morning as we watched the sunrise at the rock.

After that, it was off to The Olgas, aka Kata Tjuta, to do a climb. It was great fun, despite the 46 degree celcius temperatures.

The Olgas from a distance

Sunset from campsite number 2.

Once again, I slept on top of the trailer (I DID offer it, like a gent, to some folks who didn't sleep so well the night before but no one took it). Alas, we were ant free that night, so everyone was well rested.

It's hard to tell, but the rock on the top of the cliff sticks out into mid air about 5 feet, and is about 2 feet thick--Like a diving board.

Standing on it, naturally, is dangerous. So I did! Gavin, our guide, said "You know, in my younger years, I'd have whole groups out on there...but now that I'm older and grown a brain...well I wouldn't try it!"