Sunday, September 05, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
ALICE SPRINGS & ULURU ---- JULY 2010
You cannot leave Australia without seeing the Aboriginal Red Centre in the Northern Territory, so they say.
Uluru, Kata Tjuta and King's Canyon (famous Australian rock formations in Northern Territory, in the very centre of the country), my destinations during the trip (which I did with my friends: Mariona, Lukasz and Karina), are a fare drive away (about 450 km) from Alice Springs, where you get by plane from most cities in Australia.
On the first night we weren't lucky enough to reach the first stop before 10 pm and the Roadhouse we were planning to stay at, was already shut. First night was tough then, spent in the car without taking a shower and stretching legs. But that seemed to be unimportant - on the next day we were about to see the magnificent red rocks.
Uluru [Ayers Rock] - World Heritage Site listed monolith sandstone rock formation, being a sacred place for Anangu traditional owners. It is 348 m high and 9.4 km in circumference. It is most popular for it's changing colours at different times of the day and seasonally.
You can choose few walking tracks to see the rock. You might also climb the rock, although it is regarded as a violation of the Anangu's culture. For them, the rock has a great spiritual significance.
Uluru is well-designed for visitors, in the special sunset viewing area you can park the car and have a picnic, while snaping nice shots of the changing formation.
Uluru, Kata Tjuta and King's Canyon (famous Australian rock formations in Northern Territory, in the very centre of the country), my destinations during the trip (which I did with my friends: Mariona, Lukasz and Karina), are a fare drive away (about 450 km) from Alice Springs, where you get by plane from most cities in Australia.
On the first night we weren't lucky enough to reach the first stop before 10 pm and the Roadhouse we were planning to stay at, was already shut. First night was tough then, spent in the car without taking a shower and stretching legs. But that seemed to be unimportant - on the next day we were about to see the magnificent red rocks.
Uluru [Ayers Rock] - World Heritage Site listed monolith sandstone rock formation, being a sacred place for Anangu traditional owners. It is 348 m high and 9.4 km in circumference. It is most popular for it's changing colours at different times of the day and seasonally.
You can choose few walking tracks to see the rock. You might also climb the rock, although it is regarded as a violation of the Anangu's culture. For them, the rock has a great spiritual significance.
Uluru is well-designed for visitors, in the special sunset viewing area you can park the car and have a picnic, while snaping nice shots of the changing formation.
Kata Tjuta ["many heads"] - located 25 km away from Uluru in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. It is a much more diversified rock formation, consisting of 36 sedimentary domes, resembling the shape of 'many heads', and that is the exact translation of its Pitjantjajara name. Kata Tjuta's highest peak is called Mount Olga and reaches 546 m.
Alike Uluru, Kata Tjuta is a sacred place.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Western Australia 29/01 - 13/02/2010
Western
Australia: the largest Australian state, inhabited by only 10% of
country's population (2.2 million, 85% of them living in the
south-western corner of the state, 1.6 million living in Perth!).
Perth: state's capital , founded on Swan River in 1829 by James Stirling.
Regarded as the most isolated and remote city in the world. Often called "City of Lights", as 'city residents lit their house lights and streetlights as American astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting the earth on Friendship 7 in 1962'.
Duration: 17 days
Crew: 2
Vehicles: 4 WD campervan Toyota Hi-Lux --Daewoo Lanos -- Toyota Corolla -- Suzuki Swift
Weather: over 30 degrees (up to 40 and over), dry, cloudless.
Distance: over 3,500 km.
Route: Perth - Geraldton - Monkey Mia - Coral Bay - Exmouth - Perth - Albany - Denmark - Margaret River - (Geographe Bay) - Dunsborough - Bunbry - Perth.
The map below demonstrates the route and a variety of used vehicles.
Pink Lake in Port Gregory
Rottnest Island
WA coast
Eagle's bay
Perth
Random cattle
Tropic of Capricorn
The Pinnacles National Park
WA Coast
Yardie Creek - be careful, you can only cross it at the low tide!
Perth: state's capital , founded on Swan River in 1829 by James Stirling.
Regarded as the most isolated and remote city in the world. Often called "City of Lights", as 'city residents lit their house lights and streetlights as American astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting the earth on Friendship 7 in 1962'.
Duration: 17 days
Crew: 2
Vehicles: 4 WD campervan Toyota Hi-Lux --Daewoo Lanos -- Toyota Corolla -- Suzuki Swift
Weather: over 30 degrees (up to 40 and over), dry, cloudless.
Distance: over 3,500 km.
Route: Perth - Geraldton - Monkey Mia - Coral Bay - Exmouth - Perth - Albany - Denmark - Margaret River - (Geographe Bay) - Dunsborough - Bunbry - Perth.
The map below demonstrates the route and a variety of used vehicles.
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