Luke, aka Snorkel Santa

Smell the fresh scent of plastic!

But work in the ED carries on, 24/7/365

Santa’s helpers

When life gives you mangos….

The skiing alternative….

Evenings out on the veranda

Aussie Ginger Beer…Luke approved.

Christmas Ham Dinner– all served cool….

V-a-c-a-t-i-o-n!!!!

Working off those calories

Aussie Christmas Day

Seasonal flowers

My three wonderful sons

Pandanus Palm

Christmas Choir

Claire’s handmade masterpiece

Growing up!

Summer blooming

A Brisbane summer storm blowing up….

Tempting the fates…

Lightning fear…

Merry Christmas from Brisbane, Australia 2014 !!!

 I thought it might be fun to just throw in a random bunch of
photos of what we’ve been up to since the Sydney trip.
So, here’s a quick blast of various fun, interesting or downright
weird stuff we’ve experienced recently. Enjoy!!

Boxing Day sea monster!!

Watch yer fingers…!

Crazy monster eel caught off the dock

Ominous seabirds….

Banksia bloom

White faced heron (and doctor…)

Beach Hyacinth?

Rae’s at Wategos…where we couldn’t afford to stay…

The Pass, Byron Bay

Keepin’ it simple folks

Byron Beach scribblings

Me and “Mister Skunky…”

Aidan in the surf

The Bruns Pub- my favorite hideaway…

The return of ominous seabirds….

Luke at the Pass, Byron Bay, NSW

Byron Head from Brunswick Heads beach, with kite sailors

Freedom brothers

My beloved Cate

The three young’ns

Luke and Cate, besties….

Aquatic Center, Cleveland

My lovely ladies

Ma ‘n Pa

Stephanie in Brisbane- the Big Smoke

Southbank evening

The Brisbane eye

A G-20 survivor

Laughing eel

Beach bod! (Uhmm….:-0…!)

Surf Lifesaver Santa

On the beach-Brunswick Heads

                                                                    
So, a perfect Aussie Christmas moment; as I was walking down the open, endless beach at Brunswick Heads I came upon this Surf Lifesaver group and thought, “That’s a perfect Christmas photo…” I approached and asked if I could get a few shots..In true Aussie fashion, they were really psyched and cooperative. When I asked them if I could put them on my blog that would be read all the way back to America and New York, the blonde bloke in the ballcap laughed incredulously and simply said, ” Oh cheerio, lovely….!”

So, that about sums up the year of 2014 for us in Australia….Oh cheerio, lovely! Thanks for following along. And we wish the same for you and your families in 2015…Merry Christmas and peace on earth to one and all…..DDU

Merry Aussie Christmas… Oh, Cheerio, lovely…..!

The Blue Mountains- Luke Love!

Sydney aerial

We’ve been busy down under, settled into the inevitable daily routines of school, work, meals, laundry…..just living life. But every so often a really great opportunity comes along and we try our best to grab it. I had scheduled a Royal Flying Doctors Aeromedical Retrieval course in Sydney. As school is in mid-session, we couldn’t all get up and go. Thus, a father-son road trip with Luke was hatched. He missed a week of school, but gained a lifetime of new experiences and memories…

Wentworth Falls

Over Wentworth Falls

We left right out of Sydney airport and headed west into the Blue Mountains. Given that Sydney, at 4 million is, along with Melbourne, the largest population center in Australia by far, it’s remarkable how quickly you leave the ” Big Smoke” behind. Within 50 miles you are heading up into the vast Great Dividing Range; home to three major national parks covering over 2.5 million acres of mostly wilderness.

Rock n’ rails abstract

It’s a long, sheer drop down!

The World Heritage listed Blue Mountains have been a summer playground for wealthy Sydney-siders for 150 years. The infrastructure and overlooks are all well laid out and safely constructed. In the small mountain hamlets of Leura, Katoomba, Blackheath and Mount Victoria you find impressively preserved Victorian-era hotels and country estates with formal English gardens. A bit of an Australian imagined version of the distant motherland. But if you veer off the established walkways a few hundred meters you are suddenly into the vast Australian bush, with treacherous 500m drop offs everywhere! As always in Australia, whatever your expectations, expect grander, vaster, more awesome…and they really are the most curious, variegated shades of blue! (Said to be due to suspended eucalypt oils refracting the sunlight BTW).  Still, impressively, deeply blue….

Strathearn Cottage, c 1930’s

We had a good connection to a simple restored coalminer’s cottage in Leura; Strathearn Cottage, circa 1930. Owned by our Cleveland landlady’s sister, it made a handy and quaint base for exploring the region.

The weather was favorable, and on the first night we had fantastic views of the iconic Three Sisters in the evening light. Storms were rolling in, it was a mid-week evening and the place was deserted. Per-fect! Unfortunately, for many visitors the famously fickle Blue Mountain weather settles in and leaves the view limited to your basic grey cloudbank. Lucky!

Storms approaching across the Jamison Valley

A curious local Echidna

That’s the money shot!

It’s all in your perspective…

See, it’s easy….

Leura cascades

Another wonderful feature of the Blue Mnts is the number of cascades flowing off the escarpments. Virtually every eroded canyon contains a creek, so water music is everywhere. And, as water supports life, every riparian stream side is a veritable cool fern grotto; tucked beneath the jagged sandstone cliffs overhead. Magical!

Adventure buds…

First Sister summit

That was so cool, the next am we were back at the Three Sisters to explore a bit more. There’s a famous bridge out to the first Sister. But I never realized that you have to clamber down to it. Another surprise is how high off the valley floor it rises. The spires you see in the calenders is just the top of a ridgeline that falls away over 600-700 ft to the forest floor below.

On the First Sister

Luke across the little bridge, with a bench even…

Flying over the Jamison Valley

Cockatoo in flight

Ancient aboriginal face ?, rainforest pocket

We visited ” Everglades” in Leura, the weekend home of a wealthy Sydney industrialist from the 1930’s. It’s now heritage-listed and has acres of formal gardens; manually hacked out of the stony mountain side over decades. Very impressive achievement! The Azaleas and Rhododendrons thrive in the cooler climate and were at peak bloom during our visit. Lucky!

Luke at Everglades

Feeling very floral…

Leura, NSW. A hip mountain town indeed

Now that’s a PIZZA PIE!

In keeping with the well-heeled , resort-y feel of the area, the restaurants were really good. Even the basic Asian/ Malaysian places were top notch. We got a tip on Trip Advisor about a highly rated family pizza place in Katoomba. I walked in and saw a US style pizza oven, and wanted to cry. I said to the waiter, ” You have a real pizza oven..”  He apologized, ” It’s not wood-fired, only gas…”  I then cried….What ensued was “the best Aussie pizza ever”, an easy 8.5 on the USA scale. Real dough crust even…! It might seem a bit over the top, but Australia, while awesome in many, if not most respects, is certainly a pizza desert. Skinny, pre-formed frozen crusts cooked on toaster-like conveyor belts is the norm. Dominos counts as gourmet here….Sorry to obsess, but it’s been a LONG three years counted in pizza-time. So, all love goes out to Papadinos Pizza, Katoomba, NSW.. Just go there…:-)

Working off the pizza at Govett’s Leap, Grose Valley

Springtime in the Blues

Soon enough it was time to hit the road. We took an alternate high altitude route back to Sydney on the famous Bells Line of Road, a route laid down in the 1820’s by a 17 year old surveyor named Bell. Still in use today, it’s one of only two major routes crossing the Dividing Range west of Sydney. In fact, the rugged mountains, which rise to over 1100m (3600 ft)  turned back successive expeditions; keeping the early settlers crowded on the eastern coastal plains of NSW for 25 years before finally being breached.

A Waratah, state flower of NSW

The sublime Grose Valley

A major destination is the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden at Mount Tombah, a cool climate annex of the vast Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney. It’s free and very well done. Highly recommended for several hour’s relaxing wandering and perhaps lunch.

Wollemi Pine, a living dinosaur

Wollemi Pine detail

Very near here, in the 1990’s,the botanical world was stunned by the re-discovery of a genus of pine tree thought to be extinct for millions of years in a remote canyon. The Wollemi Pine has since been successfully transplanted to various locations in Australia. Imagine the botanic equivalent of a living dinosaur found thriving within 50 miles of Sydney! Australia, such a strange, remarkable continent!

Chillin’ and grillin’, Palm Beach, NSW

It would be easy to spend weeks, or months exploring the vast Blue Mountains, but our schedule carried us on back to Sydney. The conference was held at MacQuarie University, north of the CBD, so we had an opportunity to explore the fabled Northern Beaches that run up a narrow peninsula for 20-30 miles north from Manly near the entrance to Sydney Harbor, ( Port Phillip Bay).

Most of these beaches are pretty wild, and famous for surfing. So, each has a saltwater tide pool build below high water mark to allow for swim competitions and safety for families. They are refreshed on each incoming tide, and tend to be community social hubs.

Saltwater tide pool,  Palm Beach, NSW

Twilight, Northern Beaches, NSW

Bronte Beach Saltwater Tide Pool

We had a final day before the RFDS course started, so we headed for parts yet unseen, the Eastern Beaches of Sydney. Famous for the well known Bondi Beach, the coastline here feels somehow Mediterranean. Densely packed but livable, with small coastal headlands seperating distinct communities, each centered on crescent beaches and green public parks. Sweet as…!

Bondi Beach overlook

We somehow stumbled upon opening weekend of  “Sculpture By the Sea” a 2 week open air sculpture fest, running along the famous clifftop walk between Bondi and Tamarama Beaches. It was a bit busy, but the great weather and festive air made for a memorable outing. The sculptures really couldn’t compete with the natural beauty of the stunning seascapes however. Lucky!

Luke on the Clifftop Walk, NSW

We’re getting fried out here! Tamarama Beach, NSW

We headed into town for lunch and to explore the Rocks, inner harbor and Opera House. This was Luke’s first trip to Sydney, and I’d only been once a few years ago. It’s a vast, complex metropolis, so we only had time to hit the highest of the high points

As stunning as ever, an iconic structure.

We did walk up onto the harbor bridge

Futurism now!

Checking out the mannequin. I actually bought the dress for Stephanie. Weird, huh…?

Praise the Lord!

Lord Nelson Brewery respite!

 The course was held at the MacQuarie University Graduate School of Management, a green oasis on the north side of Port Phillip Bay, only 20 minutes from Sydney CBD. The hotel rooms there open directly onto a large park. Highly recommended.

Pediatric Trauma drill

Next up, it was back to work. The RFDS
Aeromedical Retrieval Course is a full 3 day, hands-on primer on all things aviation/ pre-hospital emergency stabilization and transport of critically ill and injured patients. It culminates in an intense multi-casualty, nighttime moulage using live paramedic actors, recus. dummies and buckets of fake blood. Luke was very psyched to be able to audit most of the classes and was even allowed to be a patient actor. RFDS was really kind to include him, and even gave him a Certificate of Attendance! Perhaps a career changing experience for Luke?

Amputation via Crocodile

Luke delivering an alien

Impaled! A tricky one to sort out,,,

On MacQuarie University campus

Well, the course wrapped up without a problem Thanks to RFDS for being so welcoming of Luke as a participant. It was a real eye opener into the world of Emergency Medicine and EMS for him. Who knows, he might join the next generation of front-line lifesavers! Thanks to all friends, family and loyal DDU readers for coming along for the ride. I hope the trip kept you interested and informed as we continue to have new learning experiences, now heading into the final months of our third year down under. Best to all, near and far.. Luke and DDU.

Packing up and out…

Heading home to Brisbane

A seasoned traveler

Nolan family hello, from Whitehaven Beach

Urangan Pier, Hervey Bay

It’s now winter in Australia. The kids had a two week winter break in July, so we headed north along the vast coastline of Queensland, to get to some warmer weather… I guess we’re getting soft; mid-60’s just don’t cut it anymore..:-) ! Here, north means heading towards the equator and our destination the Whitsunday Islands. It turned out to be an epic 2500 km (1600 mile), 12 day adventure. We hope you enjoy the ride.

Pier Abstract…1984..?

Given that we were traveling with seven in a van, we broke the trip up into manageable bites, 20 hours of driving over three days. First stop, the whale watching center of Hervey Bay. The Urangan Pier, circa 1913-17, constructed of local hardwood and was over 1100 meters long at completion, and actually had a railroad line to carry coal and supplies. Now only 900 meters, it’s been fully restored and is an impressive coastal landmark.

Vacation time…!

Next morning, it was up early and 9 hours north through the vast cattle country of central coast Queensland around Rockhampton. Winter is the dry season here, so we passed through hours of dusty brown savannah under flawless blue skies. Second night was spent out on the beautiful coastal peninsula near Yeppoon and Kinka Beach.

Kinka Beach

Breaking up the boredom at 110 km/hr

Bundaberg Country Pub

Sugar Cane fully ripe

It’s amazing that much of the M1 coastal highway, the major north-south artery along the populous east coast from Sydney to Cairns, is still undivided two lane road. Especially north of Brisbane, you really have to be alert for cattle, kangaroos and oncoming tractor trailers! The plan is to complete a modern, four lane, limited access highway all the way to Cairns within the next 30 years. There is an enormous amount of construction going on. But it’s a vivid reminder of just how young and vast this country really is.

Luke at Airlie Beach

North of Rockhampton, the cattle ranges gradually give way to widespread sugar cane plantations. They grow, cut and harvest cane year-round up north, so you see vast fields at all stages of growth simultaneously. Small country towns can be located off in the distance by their distinctive sugar mill smokestacks. A different world than Brisbane!

Finally, we passed through the sugar capital of Australia, Mackay, and arrived at Airlie Beach, the jumping off point for the Whitsunday Islands. Although you are now about 1000 km north of Brisbane, you are still less than halfway up the coast to the northern tip at Cape York.

On the ferry to Hamilton Island

Passing Daydream Island

The 74 Whitsunday Islands are a major winter playground for Australians, and the international yachting fraternity. Only 6 islands have any development, the remainder are all protected as a National Park, and look very unchanged since Lt. James Cook named the passage he sailed through on Whitsunday (Pentecost Sunday) in 1770; during his epic voyage up the Australian east coast. The whole chain is protected by the Great Barrier Reef offshore, and the brisk SE breezes make for world class sailing through the complex archipelago.

At last…Hammo!

The Nolan ladies, Catseye Beach

Outside of Blue Water Views Apts.

Student drivers!

Hamilton Island is the most well-known resort island, but even when fully booked out, only holds 10,000 people. Surprisingly, some pretty famous people have private homes out here including George Harrison and Angelina Jolie. We decided to rent a three bedroom condo for five nights, which came with a golf cart. No private cars are allowed on the island, which maintains a pretty relaxed vibe. The other great thing about getting a condo is that you have a full kitchen, so you can self-cater and not have to go out for every meal.

Local, wild Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos

The boys ad I fished nightly on a local pier, catching a variety of colorful reef fish…All released unharmed.

One Tree Hill : Sunset over Whitsunday Passage

Resort Hotels on Catseye Beach

One area of the island contains the hotels. As a single company manages the entire island, you have access to all the hotel pools and facilities if you rent a condo, which are in a much more private area. So a win all around!

And a hot tub on the deck too!

Owen?…..A ghost,…a mirage? A really bad hangover…?

Dent Island from One Tree Hill

Catseye Cate…

Cool teens… stylin’…

Passage Peak from Catseye Beach

Hamilton Island Yacht Club

The bait boy

Uhhmm…Dad…

A reef jewel!

A nice grouper

The Fourth of July BBQ

Hamilton Island is 70% undeveloped National Park, so there are some really great hikes right out the door. We took all the kids on the 6 km hike up Passage Peak. The views were stunning.

Cardio Challenge

Looking down on the resorts below

A silver-blue dream, Whitsunday Island beyond…

;

Pentecost Island

TheWhitsundays are surprisingly mountainous. This is because the entire region is an ancient flooded coastline. The rising seas now surround the once coastal mountain ranges.
With it’s rocky ledges and Pine Trees, at times it feels, strangely enough, like Coastal Maine or Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks…But then a parrot flies by overhead…so….not really…

Island Chapel

Claire

Parrotfish

Waiting on a bite

Yellow-tailed Pike

Moses Perch

Wedding Fireworks

Morning view from Blue Water Views

We took the girls over to the Dent Island Golf Club for a tour and lunch. Build by the Oatley family, famous wine makers, for 45 million dollars, it might someday break even. But it’s a stunning course on an otherwise uninhabited island. Highly recommended.

Looking over the Club House to Hamilton Island

A stunning setting for lunch

Local Spanish Mackerel, superb!

Gettin’ frisky!

The Nolan Men

Sunset dream over Whitsunday Passage

One Tree Hill

The next morning, it was the boy’s turn. Fishing charter out around the outer islands. The Spanish Mackerel were running strong and our hopes were high.

Renegade Fishing Charters

Up on the bridge, Psyched!!

Interesting trolling rig, it has to be perfect

Unfortunately, though there were fish on the depth finder, they had plenty of real food and weren’t hitting, so we switched over to bottom gear for some reef fish. The next day, the same boat landed 15 Spanish Mackerel!  But that’s fishing… you’ve gotta get out there to have any chance at all!

A small Red Emperor

A nice Nanigai or Scarlet Perch

A nice catch of Nanigai

Renegade crew dudes. Great job guys!

Hiking above the resort

Nanigai filets for dinner- beautiful

A Cresting Cockatoo

On our final day departure, we headed north on the ferry to visit Whitehaven Beach on the eastern side of Whitsunday Island. World famous for it’s pure silica sand, it’s considered one of the most pristine and beautiful beaches in the world. The only development is a few primitive campsites on the entire island! A good place to play Robinson Crusoe for sure…

The beach is really impressive, the sand like flour and the waters a crystalline aqua blue. You can polish your jewelry to shine in the tropical sun. Even though I was expecting just another beach, I must admit, it’s a really, really fine one!

NB:  he was Lt. Cook until his return to England, a national hero

Cheeky Aidan…

A wild and colorful friend

So, after five nights and six days, it was time to bid the Whitsundays a fond adieu and head out on the long drive south to Brisbane. All the kids were unanimous in naming this the best road trip yet.

On the return we stayed in Airlie Beach and were treated to a wild bird feeding; where the normally skittish and constantly in motion Rainbow Lorikeets got up close and personable.

Why, Hello….!

Local ducks too…

A typical cabin, available all over Australia

We spent our last night in the beautiful beach town of Noosa. It’s a high-end resort surrounded by National Parks, wilderness coastline, surf breaks, rainforested mountains, lakes…oh, and the restaurants are great too. In short, it’s got everything you could want except urban sprawl…Perfect!

In Noosa, we had a final Thai feast to celebrate such a safe and wonderful road trip together. Blessed indeed!

Next morning, we had time for a hike out onto the Noosa Point headland. A very beautiful spot indeed.

Hell’s Gate, an impressive sea gorge on Noosa Point

Spazzing at Noosa main beach…Not sure why…:-)

So, after Noosa it was a final 2 1/2 hours drive south, back to our busy daily lives near Brisbane. Reality calls…It was a long but interesting journey to drive the central coastline of Queensland. The distances are impressive, but we survived intact! Thanks for taking the journey with us, all friends and family, near and far. Next up, hopefully, will be a long-planned return to Sydney and spring hiking in the Blue Mountains. Stay tuned…docdownunder

Hell’s Gate , July 2014

Coff’s Harbor from Muttonbird Island

Luke and Claire on Muttonbird Island

I got a recent offer to work as a Locums in the ED at Coff’s Harbor, a 5 hours drive down the coast from Brisbane in northern New South Wales. As it was school break, the hospital was kind to provide me with a three bedroom apartment right on the beach. So, we were traveling with seven. Stephanie and the kids had a blast while I spent some time in the ED.

Stephanie, Cate and Owen

Aidan, the Big A…

Morning beach walk before my first shift

Sunrise surfers

Pacific Towers holiday apartments

Pacific Towers, our crash pad for the week

The coastline in northern NSW is very undeveloped and beautiful. Lots of space and surf breaks. At Coff’s, there are large rocky fingers that stretch seaward with open grassy tops. Strangely, it feels like Ireland to me. The coastal mountain ranges are in close proximity to the sea at Coff’s Harbor, making it a well-established holiday center for adventure and eco-tourists, as well as divers, surfers, boating and fishing enthusiasts. The area is also capable of producing an amazing array of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as seafood, beef and lamb; making it a foodie heaven for the growing hoards of localvores, including me!

A minimalist, painterly sunset

Sublime Digger’s Beach twilight

The grow so fast! Claire, a beach beauty

Best buddies!!

Stephanie and the kids saw some of the local landmarks, including getting kissed by friendly seals and dolphins at Dolphin Marine Magic. Highly recommended by all the kids!

Holding up the famous Big Banana

Digger’s Beach morning. Feels like the west coast of Costa Rica…

Best buds…

Luke, a dedicated and improving surfer

Child of the Sea

Coff’s ED…How I spent my week..Reality intrudes!

Natural saltwater pool, Sawtell, NSW. Refreshed on each tide…

Sawtell Seascapes

Introducing Aidan to the ED

But, it’s not all a vacation….

Leaving Pacific Towers

Soon enough my ED shifts passed (uneventfully) and it was time to move on. We decided to do a large loop back to Brisbane, first heading west into the rain-forested mountains above Bellingen; up the famous Waterfall Way. We had a few nights booked in a vacation home on a mountaintop above Dorrigo. This is a lush, rolling landscape of ranches, dairies and 11 national parks.

Bellingen heritage building

Dangar Falls, Dorrigo

Stephanie, my life partner and true love

Home for a few nights, 3000 ft above Coff’s Harbor

Contemplation…

Dorrigo landscape

Getting cheeky with fresh limes…!

My excellent young men, Aidan and Luke

Front porch view

We spent a few days hiking in the amazing sub-tropical rainforests of Dorrigo NP. Well marked trails lead down into heavily forested, shady fern grottos. Mountain streams become impressive waterfalls as they drop over ancient escarpments.

Behind Crystal Cascade, Dorrigo NP

Tropical shower!

Best buddies!

Virgin rainforest

Crystal Cascade Falls

Natural refreshment!!

Sisters hiking out

Dorrigo tablelands #1

Dorrigo tablelands #2

Tree Frog visitor

Mountaintop guru

NSW sunset atop Mount Christopherson

Sunset fireball…unretouched…!

Aidan…our chef at work

Mt Christopherson sunset

Ebor Falls, Waterfall Way, NSW

Our sweet Owen

We headed further west along the Waterfall Way towards the New England highlands college town of Armidale. The area is surrounded by enormous National Parks containing many large waterfalls, impressive remote canyons and a diverse range of habitats.

Looking into New England NP

My wonderful son Aidan

Woolombombi Falls, Oxley Wild Rivers NP

We spent a final two nights in the Granite Country of northern NSW and southern QLD; returning to the sublime, mysterious Girraween NP.  Regular readers of DDU will recall this was one of the very first road trips I did with Luke and Aidan on our arrival to Australia. Being a New Englander from the US, I just had to check out a region of Australia labelled, curiously enough, New England. We chose the Girraween Environmental Lodges, a beautifully landscaped eco-lodge on over 400 acres surrounded by Girraween NP. It is a peaceful, wildlife filled retreat. Highly recommended. At over 3000 ft, it was crisp enough at night to have a woodburner going. Just like home!

The boys loving the cabin life…

Mom and joey

A brilliantly colored Common Rosella

A young Kangaroo

First Pyramid, our hiking goal

The climbing team prepares…

Interesting rock slide

The world’s most savage ants, over 1″ long!

Girraween is famous for it’s unusual rock formations and high altitude meadows, filled with wildflowers in springtime. Like a miniature Yosemite in a way…but really not…

Second Pyramid beyond

Indigenous Cunningham’s Skink, 14-16″ long

Success!!

Claire holding up Balancing Rock

Claire with “Little Biddle”

Hello to friends and family near and far

Weird boulders

Wave Rock

Multi-colored Ghost Gum

Girraween meadows

Hot-tubbing after the hike

Our five amazing, energetic kids!

Cathedral Rocks

Life finds any roothold…

Girraween Environmental Lodges below

A country church

New England tablelands

Heritage Town Hall, Glen Innes, NSW

QLD Scenic Rim Mountains via Cunningham’s Gap

Looking NE towards Brisbane from Cunningham’s Gap

 Heading northeast down out of the Granite Belt, one passes through the historic, pastoral shiretowns of Tenterfield, Stanthorpe and Warwick. You have to negotiate the impressive Cunningham’s Gap through the mountains that ring Brisbane to the south and west. The trail took decades to establish, cut by hand out of the antipodean wilderness in the 1830-40’s.

Your host and driver, Doctor Nolan

…and Stephanie and the Nolan kids.

So, after nine days on the road, it was nice to get back to our temporary home on the coast near Brisbane. The northern NSW region is especially gifted with a vast, sparsely populated and highly diverse, productive landscape. It is probably my overall favorite region of Australia we have yet explored. I hope making the trip with us was enjoyable and informative for all of you as well. Next up, we have planned a 12 day road trip north up the mid-coast of QLD, including a five night stay in the tropical Whitsunday Islands over July 4th!  Please come along too as, it being “winter” here, we head north for some warmth and sunshine, ( as if we don’t get enough in Brissie!)…Until then, safe travels, the best medicine of all…DDU

Aoraki/ Mt. Cook, 12,320 feet over Lake Pukaki

Lakefront Kiosk

I really don’t want to bore any of my fine readers, but the final leg of my NZ South Island adventure deserves a decent run-through, as it’s a very different environment once you leave Queenstown. And perhaps you’ll pick up a few pointers as you plan your trip to the “Land of the Long White Cloud.”

An easy attraction to miss is the beautiful botanic garden in QTown; on a point in the lake, right downtown, it’s definitely worth a few hours of your time.

Silver Fern sculpture, a NZ icon

The TSS Earnslaw steaming down lake, from the hotel, departure morning.

A region built on sheep and wool

First stop, the actual birthplace of bungy-jumping in 1988, Kawarau Bridge, a few miles out of QTown. It’s been upgraded into a high-tech adrenaline machine, but the hertitage bridge, c 1880, remains. Surprisingly, they let you walk right up to the action…Close enough to “smell the fear…” With five young kids to raise, Stephanie made me promise not to try it. So, I have an airtight excuse not to participate!

Almost ready to drop 140 ft

Awaiting pick up by a dinghy

Kawarau Bridge and Gorge. Some LOTR scenes were filmed here as well

The modern Bungy Center

Vineyards along the gorge

High, dry country

Fresh local cherries

Soon after leaving the Gibbston Valley vineyards, the landscape changes dramatically; becoming higher and much drier. Beyond the irrigated fruit-growing areas around Bannockburn and Cromwell, the landscape feels reminiscent of the American west; Wyoming or even Nevada…

A long rural drive takes you north through Twizel and finally along Lake Pukaki towards the towering heights of the very ruggedly alpine Southern Alps. The storm clouds were building ominously and the landscape became marginally more fertile; with wide, glaciated river flats…Suddenly, Alaska…!

Approaching Mt Cook

Mt Cook/ Aoraki under clearing, if windy, skies

The famous Hermitage Hotel, clad in corrugated sheet metal

Miraculously, once again on this trip, the clouds parted at the vital moment and there was the summit of Mt Cook, luminescent, almost 13,000 ft above the valley floor. Like Milford Sound, a view many travel miles to see, though oftentimes obscured by cloud cover.

The Nolan Hotel, keeping it basic next door

I did spend a rather sleepless night with clear, sharp winds gusting off the mountains to over 100 km/hr (60 mph). A few times, I actually thought my stout mountain tent would be shredded, but no…we passed the hours without disaster.

One thing not to miss in Mt Cook NP is the wonderful, free museum that details the history of NZ mountaineering, including the ascent of Sir Edmund Hillary, who trained here for his successful assault on Mt Everest.

A series of books commemorating all the park alpine fatalities over 100 years

Hooker Valley view

Next morning it was up early, under beautiful sunshine for a 3-4 hour solo hike up the Hooker Valley. There are tour operators who do guided day tours here, but save your money. This is an easy, exciting hike that you can plan on your own. Just pack a lunch and head off…

NZ swing bridge- a big one!

Never happier than on a hike..

The trail follows a glacial stream up to a moraine lake, right at the foot of Mt Cook. Impressive peaks if the weather is favorable.

Of 27 NZ peaks over 3000m, 22 are in this park

High up, the vegetation becomes sparse due to the many months of snow cover and poor soils.

No place for sissies….Even the plants here need to be tough

Mt Cook over Lake Pukaki

Mt Cook NP was a real highlight of the trip. Much more severely alpine than I expected. The awesome weather helped, but if you come well-prepared, you won’t regret the effort required to get here.

Lake Tekapo campground

The famous Church of the Good Shepard, c 1935

Campsite neighbor

Heading north a few hours towards Christchurch, you arrive at Lake Tekapo, one of a series of large, turquoise, glacial lakes flowing out of the Southern Alps. This is the heart of the MacKenzie Country. A vast sub-alpine plateau, settled by tough Scots-Irish shepherds in the 1840’s and still wild and sparsely settled to this day. Sheep remain the primary occupation in this austere, but intensely scenic, area.

An Echidna

Mount John from the campground.

Climbing Mt John, a small mountain on the SW corner of Lake Tekapo, is a must do. The views are awe- inspiring, and there’s a highly regarded summit cafe, as well as natural hot-springs at the base, for an after-hike reward. The campground here is beautiful, right on the lake, next to the hot springs. Plan on 2 nights at least.

Evening cloud sliding over the ridge…

Tekapo from Mt John

Summit contemplation

Above Lake Tekapo

Because of it’s isolation and clear, dark skies, Mt John is also the sight of a major Observatory for the Univ. of Christchurch. Not something you see on many summits…

The MacKenzie Country below

The Collie Monument

Just out of town is the ridiculously photogenic, lakeside Church of the Good Shepard, built in 1935; scene of many weddings and calendar shoots. Much less known is the nearby Collie monument, a tribute to the dogs that helped settle this wild country.

Cantebury Plains, approaching Christchurch

Banks Peninsula interior

Heading several more hours north brings us back into Christchurch. I arrived in ChCh a full day early for one last adventure. Several travellers had raved about the unusual beauty of the Banks Peninsula; a vast, varigated coastline which is actually a massive, flooded, collapsed volcano
 caldera. And even better, it’s only an hour’s drive SE of ChCh.

Strangely, the main town and harbor, Akaroa, was originally settled by French sailors prior to NZ being claimed by Britain. They stayed on, and now 150 years later, there exists a tiny outpost of Gallic culture on the South Island of NZ. Incredible history….!

The peninsula is a genteel weekend playground for Christchurchians, and retains a very charming, pastoral feel; like some long lost Carribean isle.

WWI monument with earthquake damage

Another activity I was here for was a dolphin cruise on the  Fox 2, a restored 1920’s Ketch, run by an American expat couple from NYC! Several people told me it was a “Top Three” NZ experience, so I just had to get aboard…

The weather was perfect, the company fun and the skipper very enthusiastic and informative. It was awesome. We got outside of the long harbor of Akaroa, into the open sea, passed impressive sea cliffs and saw lots of wildlife

As good as all that was, the star feature of the day was
the gregarious pod of Hector’s Dolphins that played right alongside the boat. They are the world’s smallest (3-4 ft) and rarest dolphin, less than 2000 are estimated to remain. This is the only place on earth you are likely to encounter them, so we felt very blessed and fortunate to have the experience.

Mast and sea cliffs

Cool sea caves

Back at port

I have to agree…a day sail on the Fox 2 out of Akaroa was a top NZ experience for me too. If you are in the area, it’s a must do..Highly recommended!

Summit Road, Banks Peninsula

From Akaroa, you can drive the impossibly windy summit road back towards ChCh…..It’s an amazing drive, but “keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel…” for sure. I had to get back for the next day’s flight out. If you have time sufficient, one could easily spend a very pleasant week out here exploring all the little harbors and byways.

Akaroa below

The flooded caldera

A distant, remote harbor and village

Akaroa Harbor NZ, a sublime landscape

The end of the line

A country estate, Banks Peninsula

So, even the best adventures have to end; and life, work, family…reality…. soon enough intrude.  But these eighteen solo days in NZ felt like a real gift, and a vital reinvigoration of my busy life in Brisbane. And that’s how the perfect trip should end, not with regret, but anticipation…. As great as it was, I was surprised to find myself ready to get home, sleep in my own bed,  pick up Stephanie and the kids at the airport the day after my return and get back into our routine. Hopefully, there will be many other adventures to come, but the warm, golden memories of this one can sustain me for a long while, indeed, until then…

Thanks for hanging in there folks. This was a long one, but I wanted to do NZ justice. Hopefully, you can take away a few nuggets of info that will help you as you plan your next great adventure too. All the best in your travels. Cheers! DDU

Custom bus, Queenstown to Lake Te Anau

A model of a Tekahe, thought extinct for years

First evening misty mountains from Glade House

Glade House lounge and dining room

The Milford is really popular, but still remote. You have to drive 3 1/2 hours south from Queenstown, and take a ferry down Lake Te Anau for 1 1/2 hrs just to get to the trailhead. There are public cabins, but permits need to be booked a year in advance, as weather closes the track for 6 months every year. Ultimate Hikes is the only private company on the track. For a very fair price they arrange all permits and transpo, provide private bunkrooms with hot showers and real beds, and provide all food for four nights and five days. For me, a first-timer to NZ, it was the way to go. PS: you still have to put in the hard miles, though with a lighter pack.

Glade House Museum

Steve leading the post dinner orientation

Local NZ Venison Stew…Yum….!

A really great feature were the friendly, knowledgeable guides. Every evening held an informative talk on the day’s events, local history, flora/fauna and a preview of the next morning’s challenges.

Lead guide Steve heading out on Day ##2

Clinton River at Glade House

I seem to have lost my photos of the ferry ride, but it was a pretty wild and windy affair; with whitecaps and angry grey cloud-cover overhead as we headed down lake and into the impressively steep and brooding alpine mountains. Very reminiscent of the Alaskan panhandle around Sitka for me. Towards evening, the ceiling lifted somewhat, and we had high hopes of better weather and visibility by morning.

A deep, green world…. The trail ahead.

An iconic NZ swing bridge

Clearing skies…!

Exploring a sphagnum bog

New life reaching upwards

Heading up the Clinton River

Snacks and blister check

An interesting aspect of a group hike was to meet people from all over the world and hear their stories. Fifty strangers all working towards the same goal, for many different reasons. The esprit de corps was high and over five challenging days, bonds and memories were forged. Another nice feature of the Milford is that it’s a one way trail. Once you got into your groove, you hardly saw anyone else all day long except at rest stops. No “trail etiquette” required working past oncoming groups…Very chill indeed….

Feeling the freedom in the sublime Clinton Valley

Maddie, a nurse from Maine, working in Sydney

Pristine water, all drinkable without treatment

Up into the “Prairie”

Higher into the valley, timber thinning out

Peaks tower 4000 ft overhead on both sides of the valley

Crossing avalanche talus rubble

Pompolona Lodge, ten miles in

Clean and dry. Spartan, but beats a tent!

Fresh scones to greet you

Pre-dinner cocktail hour. Sharing stories of the trail

Guitars even..!

Pompolona twilight, night #2

Lights out, big day tomorrow.

The way ahead, morning day #3

Looking back down valley

Guide Andrew and Maddie setting the pace

Approaching Mackinnon Pass

Adjusting gear before heading over the pass

Mackinnon Pass to the right

Pass trail winding higher

As a marquee hiking destination, the trails, bridges and shelters along the Milford are maintained to a world-class standard. The public shelters are placed a mile or so beyond the Ultimate Hike’s, so you never encounter the folks ahead of you. The entire experience feels authentic, uncrowded and pristine. No fires or camping are allowed on the track and hikers must keep moving every day.

Looking down into Clinton Valley, the way we’ve come.

In the groove and feelin’ good…

Mt. Cook Lily

Moving higher, above timberline

Getting “rugged up” in the alpine weather

Clearing skies in the pass, pretty rare…

Mackinnon Memorial at the pass, built in 1912

A spot of hot tea..?….”Why, yes…”

A Kea, the world’s only true alpine parrot

An ominous cloud break; the way down as well…

Above the monument, “12 second drop” beyond

Heading for the Pass Hut, out of the wind…

High above the Clinton Valley

The famous ” Loo with a view” Listed in the top ten in the world!

Lives up to it’s reputation…!

Keas are very bold and cheeky. Watch your lunch, and fingers!

Lunch and warmth inside the Pass Hut

The “12 second drop”, off the backside of the pass

After making the pass, the work’s not over. For many hikers, the 3 1/2 mile, 2000+ ft down hike to Quintin Lodge is the real knee-strainer. It was long and painful by the end of 10 miles…

Trail down

A portable bridge over avalanche rubble, placed seasonally.

First sighting of Sutherland Falls

Water music all around you

The trail follows a wonderful series of cascades

Amazing infrastructure engineering

Below 12 second drop, off the Pass

A profusion of ferns

Quintin Lodge piano carried in almost a century ago

Bridge towards Sutherland Falls

Once you get to Quintin lodge, you really just want a well-earned rest, hot shower and cold beer. However, the rest must be brief if you intend to make the 3 mile, 1 1/2 hour side trip to Sutherland Falls before dark.
At nearly 2000 ft, it’s the world’s 5th highest waterfall and NZ’s highest. A thunderous triple cascade that overwhelms with it’s raw power, it’s definitely worth the extra effort.

Even from far off the roar is impressive, and exciting!

Approaching the falls, too wet for cameras!

Another awesome experience is to brave the forceful blast of the falls and go laterally up towards the cliff face. You can then walk behind the falls. As you approach closer, the water is blowing horizontally off the rocks in gale force, an icy, stinging spray. You stumble over mossy, soaked boulders, nearly blinded by the force. You then sneak along the cliff face and are suddenly in a relatively quiet pocket behind the thunderous cataract. Soaked to the bone, but feeling more alive than you have in a long while!  Exhilarating….!

Look carefully to the far left, you can see Pete’s leg

Me and Pete after the falls soaking…Feeling very alive!

Drying room at Quintin Lodge

Steve, lead guide, at Quintin Lodge

The evening’s entertainment begins

A well-earned eye-filet….Oh, yes….

What happens in NZ, stays in NZ…Quintin hijinks…!

Packing lunches for day #4

Evening storm moving in. But the pass is behind us…

Getting ready for day #4

Morning waterfalls above Quintin Lodge

Wayne and a Tree Fern, Jurassic Park in real life..

Two Concord-Carlisle (Mass) Grads, Peter 1989, Me 1975. Small world!

It finally rained on the 4th day. But we’d been very fortunate. The guides remarked that in the past two 5 day hikes, they saw not one ray of sunlight over 10 days! Only 1/3 of days on the pass has any visibility at all. In a weird way, having the rain falling gave the track an entirely different feel. The rivulets and creeks were all running hard, filling the air with water music from every direction. And the verdant, varied greens of the foliage glistened with a magical iridescence. Completed the rainforest effect, you might say…

Long swing bridge over the Arthur River

Camera’s getting pretty soggy

Day #4 is a long one, 13.5 miles,  but you are over the pass and on the long slog out to Sandfly Point and the ferry to Milford Sound village. The miles and hours pass as you get into the rhythm of the trail.

A long green tunnel

Iconic Mackay Falls, a scene from a thousand calenders, but worthy!

Trail buds, Wayne and me at Mackay Falls

Trail cut into the cliff by prisoners in the 1890s

Giants Gate Falls

Sensing victory selfie

Trail now broad, flat, open….Close…!

Sandfly Point shelter!

Reaching the finish line, and not even a blister!

A feeling of real accomplishment!

Waiting for pickup

Milford Sound Ferry

New Zealand nautical colors

Buddies celebrating their experience

Milford Sound, our destination

Mitre Peak Lodge

A well-earned lambchop!

And then amazingly, the ceiling began to lift again towards evening; and we were treated to the sublime Grand Finale of the stunning Mitre Peak. This is a view that many travel great distances to see, and are often denied; due to the persistant cloud cover….Lucky folks indeed…!

Mitre Peak from the lodge

Feeling the Pinot…or something…

Epic way to end the hike…

Our guides; Steve, Adie, Amanda and Andrew

The evening finished off with a really funny awards ceremony and talent show, liberally lubricated with adult beverages, now that we were all safely off the track. Only then did we discover that a quiet, unassuming Japanese gentleman was the oldest person in our group. He did the Milford, without even a complaint, at 79 years old! Inspiring…!

Morning over Milford Sound

Morning walk to the Ferry

The adventure, and great weather, continued as the hike culminated in a 2 hour cruise of the fabled Milford Sound out onto the Tasman Sea. None of us could believe our good fortune with the sudden weather change. The boat pilot said it was the best day on the sound in over three months!

The perfect end to a lifelong dream

Out onto the (rarely) gentle Tasman Sea

Even the Fur Seals are basking

More waterfall close encounters!!

Me and guide Andrew, a Sydney college student in real life

Kayakers dead ahead…

It’s a busy little harbor

Back on the bus to Queenstown,  a very smooth operation

Road scenery along the famous Milford Sound road

Up in the high, dry country near Lake Te Anau

Our guides dropped off at Te Anau ferry to start all over again!

Lake Wakatipu, approaching Queenstown

A valley sheep station, Lake Wakatipu

Queenstown along the far shore

Evening light in downtown Queenstown

And suddenly, you are off the bus and back into reality. The past five days of cameraderie, effort and accomplishment a sweet memory, already past. Fifty people working towards a common goal for very different reasons, now scattering around the globe, most never to be seen again.

In sum, hiking the Milford Track was a life-long goal, and while not the extreme climbing challenge of my younger, wilder days, provided a challenging goal to work up to and accomplish. The trip was even better than anticipated, and I expected it would be great! Ultimate Hikes took all the logistical challenges away, and allowed for peace of mind as well as a lighter pack, which made the entire experience more enjoyable. They come highly recommended for those with a little extra cash laying around but the desire to share a challenging adventure in New Zealand. I hope to do the Routeburn 3 day alpine hike with them next year, in fact!
So thanks to them for being wonderful guides and hosts during our brief time together.

I will eventually finish “DDU Does NZ -part three “which will travel north into the Mt Cook/ Aoraki National Park  and McKenzie Country Lakes District for some further alpine adventures, Kiwi-style; as well as a sailing adventure off the sublime Banks Peninsula and French heritage town of Akaroa. Until then, I hope this installmant inspires you all to dust off those old hiking boots and find that trail less travelled that still haunts your dreams..And hike it…! Happy trails!  DDU

Hiking up the Clinton Valley, Milford Track, NZ

Hard to believe it’s been six weeks since I returned from an 18 day solo hiking/ road trip on the South Island of NZ. Stephanie and the kids were back in the US for Christmas and January,  I worked over the holidays, and then took the opportunity to see a new part of the world and complete a lifelong goal of hiking the Milford Track in the Fiordlands area of SW New Zealand. It was an amazing adventure; one that will require yet another three-part DDU, so I hope you enjoy the ride as much as did!

Maori wood carving

So, New Zealand…I’ve never been, and after two years in Australia I thought it would basically be like an alpine Aussie experience. It’s only a three hour flight from Brisbane to Christchurch, on the east coast of the South Island. There’s a long and lively rivalry between the two countries about everything imaginable, but especially rugby; also a common English Commonwealth heritage and language. At one time NZ actually considered entering the AU Federation as the seventh state!

But, in fact, NZ and AU are very different worlds indeed. A few amazing (non-scientific) facts to consider:

NZ is one of the most volcanically active places on the planet, the last AU volcanic period was around 20 million years ago.

There are some 700 species of eucalypt in AU, by far the most dominant plant genus. There are none in NZ.

AU is word famous for it’s curious mammals, most of which are unique marsupials. NZ has no native mammal species except for two species of bat

Maori hunting the now extinct, 6 ft, flightless Moa

NZ was the last major, fertile landform to be inhabited by humans. The native Maori (15% of the pop. today) only arrived 800-1000 years ago, crossing the vast Pacific from Polynesia in small boats. They are closely related linguistically to Hawaiian Islanders.

The Aboriginals of AU are considered to be the oldest currently active culture on earth. Origins somewhat obscure, they have been in AU for at least 50,000, and perhaps as long as 100,000 years. They have no cultural connections to the Maori.

And even the native NZ folks, so-called Kiwis, are a different breed than their Aussie cousins. Perhaps it’s the harsher, more demanding climate, but Kiwis in general seem more direct, focused and no-nonsense than the laid-back Aussies. If Kiwis are similar to New Englanders, Aussies are more southern Californian, or if rural and ranchy, Texan. Just my own observations here.   So…it’s like a completely different country down there….Who knew!   And only just across the Tasman Sea (or “Ditch”  as they call it down here).  Well, let’s get going, shall we…..?

Brisbane International

1st view of the wild west coast

Southern Alps heading east

Mount Cavendish above Christchurch

Micro Brews..Oh, yes…!

Junk fish art…

ChCh Cathedral with the main spire gone

Christchurch (ChCh) was historically considered the most English of NZ cities; a small (500K) compact college and literary center, founded in the 1840s, it is the capital of the Canterbury region and sits on a vast alluvial basin right on the east coast . Famous for extensive and beautiful heritage stone buildings and graceful parks, a genteel pastime is punting on the Avon River that flows through downtown. Life changed abruptly on 4 Sept 2010 when the city was struck by a 7.1 mag. earthquake. A second 6.3 mag. tremblor struck on 22 Feb 2011; shallow and centered less than 10 km from the CBD, this quake essentially destroyed central ChCh in under 30 seconds. A heroic rescue and rebuilding effort has been underway in the ensuing three years and I was very interested to see how the city was recovering.

Extensive heritage building resoration

Eighty-five percent of the buildings in the CBD were damaged beyond repair, and most of the ones still standing are condemned and will be torn down. Extensive, and ingenious, re-engineering is ongoing to salvage the remaining fragile heritage buildings and make them more earthquake resilient. Work moves ahead slowly, impeded by over 2000 aftershocks.

Botanic Garden bridge

Antarctic exploration exhibit at Caterbury Museum

In spite of the destruction, life continues along. The Botanic Gardens and adjacent Canterbury Museum are wonderful, orderly spaces of normalcy that are highly recommended.

And punting continues on the Avon River

Downtown, the scappy local community soon got a temporary shopping district up and running. Using shipping containers, painted in bright colors, it’s become an iconic testimony to human ingenuity and resilience in the face of overwhelming loss.

Unfortunately, much of the CBD remains a vast network of
vacant lots; now cleared and leveled and awaiting
the next, uncertain phase. Frankly, I was overwhelmed by the scale
of loss and how much recovery remains. It’s daunting to think of all the sub-surface “stuff” that was also destroyed. Sewer, electic, water all needing to be meticulously reconstructed while life continues along above ground. So thoughts and prayers for the resilient residents of ChCh as they continue to rebuild their shattered city….

Heritage dormer awaiting replacement

The entire structure rebuilt and reassembled over a concrete and rebar form…

Summit road above ChCh

The basin ChCh is built on, much of the substrata liquified and can’t be rebuilt on

Very high and dense windbreak, outlining pasture. Unique!

After two nights exploring Christchurch, it was time to hit the road west, through Arthur’s Pass to the west coast…Another thing about NZ, it’s a very rural place….About the size of Great Britain, with one fourteenth the population (at 4 million). You are into farm country with grazing sheep within 30 minutes of leaving the CBD.

Castle Hill, right out of Lord of the Rings

Amazing limestone formations

Summit selfie

Midsummer wildflowers

Riders of Rohan, I swear…!

Antarctic Beech

Devil’s Punchbowl Falls

Green, wet and wild….I like this…

Perfusion of ferns

Summer Lupine

Extensive glacial rivers

Heading west…

Over the pass, into the wild and wooly Westlands

Engineering marvel

A very cheeky Kea, the world’s only true alpine parrot

If you can”t beat ’em; shunting rock and waterfall over the road…

Kea, crow-sized , olive color, with bright red underwings..

Heading for Lake Brunnner

Rough country

Cow tunnel under the road,  at milking time…

Lake Brunner

The wild west coast

Downtown Hokitika

Clearing skies…a good omen

Hiking up to the base of Franz Josef Glacier

Water falling everywhere…music!

Chocolate and Vanilla avalanches…

Keepin’ it simple at Fox Glacier

Evening pastures

Famous Mt Cook reflections at Lake Matheson

Matheson Cafe…excellent!

Western face of Aoraki/ Mt Cook summit in twilight

Clearing skies at dusk, psyched..!

NZ can be expensive, that’s per LITER, (around $9/ gallon!)

Fox Glacier moraine

More LOTRs…Helm’s Deep…?

Lake Wanaka

After getting really lucky with the weather for a few days on the west coast, I turned inland heading SE up and through the sublime alpine Haast Pass. Into the high, dry Central Otago plateau. It’s a landscape of vast, dry alpine valleys and enormous, crystalline mountain lakes. Stunning…..Next stop, Waneka and then Queenstown, the adrenaline capital of NZ!

Sunset at Wanaka

Summit ridge above…gee, that looks pretty far…

Next day it was up early, hot and dry already. The plan was a challenging training hike up Mt. Roy. Around 16 km (10 miles) and around 3000ft elevation gain, my final buildup for the Milford Track.

Sublime Lake Wanaka below

Summit Ridge, and really feeling it, believe me…!

Looking NW into Mt Aspiring NP

Happy, happy knees…

Mt. Aspiring

Wanaka town below

“The earth makes music for those who listen….”   Shhh….

The road home…

The parking lot….tiny…tiny….tiny…

Leveling out, finally…

A NZ icon, on the high road to Queenstown

High road to Queenstown, see it off in the distance?

Gibbston Valley

Lake Wakatipu and Walter Peak, Queenstown

TSS Earnslaw, a 1912 steam-powered lake steamer. The last of it’s kind

Busy, groovy, outdoorsy QTown

Queenstown is the outdoor adventure capitol of NZ, and the birthplace of bungy jumping. There are a million ways to break a sweat and spend a buck in this town. Nice to visit, but I was here for a very specific purpose; as the link-up point for a five day, 35 mile hike on the Milford Track with Ultimate Hikes NZ. After spending the afternoon exploring the compact downtown, we had a pre-trip orientation at their headquarters, then off to bed for an early morning departure for Lake Te Anau and wild places beyond. The Milford Track will be the sole subject of “DDU Does NZ”, Part 2. I think you’ll find it to be quite a worthy adventure and perhaps motivating to start planning your own hiking adventure. Safe  travels and happy trails, until then!  Your DDU….

Calorie loading before the Milford Track

Hotel sunset over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables

Well-named…..Remarkable!

Morning storm brewing….?

All set to go…….morning pick-up.

Ultimate Hikes last minute preps and meeting the crew…..

Stay tuned for the next, riveting installment…Will they make it out alive….?  With how many blisters…? Cannibalism in the wilds of NZ…? We’ll see…. Thanks for traveling along, ddu

Welcome to “Rad”elaide…

Botanical Garden main gate

Welcome to Cheers! Part 3. Thanks for staying around…Tonight’s offering might be a little below my usual standard for scholarship and careful fact checking. I’m off solo to the South Island of NZ tomorrow at 0600, for 18 days.  Bags packed, now only the waiting… I pick up Stephanie and the gang from New York the morning after I get back to Brissie. If I don’t finish this installment now, it likely won’t ever happen. So, lots of pix and captions. Hang on….!

Sebel Hotel dining room

University of SA with Jacaranda Trees

Living Fossils

I have to take a moment to comment on this weird looking tree. It’s the botanic equivalent of finding a living T. Rex in 2013. Some botanists found a few of these specimens growing up a remote, tight canyon in the Blue Mnts of NSW, not 100 km from the Sydney CBD. This genus was thought extinct 100 million years ago or so….This tree was germinated from the seeds and grows in Adelaide, now truly a Jurrasic Park!  Oh, and me…crap, I’m pushing 60…!

Bicentennial Dome, largest in the Southern Hemisphere

A classic Aussie pub on Rundle Street

The Mount Lofty House

Stephanie could only stay one night in Adelaide. Had to get back and pack up the kids for their Christmas adventure back in NY. I dropped her off at the airport and spent the day exploring the Adelaide Hills, only 30 minutes east of downtown.

After the wedding vows…

Looking east, into the hills. Higher and cooler than the coastal plain below

The Botanic Garden is beautifully maintained by volunteers. Entry is free with a goodwill offering if so moved. A gem of the area and highly recommended.

Fern Selfie

Fern Gully

Heritage Cafe at Waterfall Gully

Devonshire (iced) Tea…

The weather began to clear as I drove off the summit of Mt. Lofty, so I took a windy side road up a dead-end canyon at Waterfall Gully. Aussies love their English-style Devonshire Tea; which is basically a fresh, soft, plain scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream on the side. Makes a great Sunday brekkie. The day being hot, I innovated with an iced tea, without raising any eyebrows. Thus fortified, I started up the 2 mile trail towards the summit, not sure how far I would get.

First Waterfall

Above the falls

As is typical in Australia, the cool cloud cover lifted, and the heat was quickly a’ risin’…This trail started to kick my butt….

Stunted eucalypts nearing the summit

Feel the burn….

Adelaide below Mt. Lofty summit

I have to say, after all that wine-tasting, the last 500 meters or so was pretty tough. But success at last!

Matthew Flinders really got around these parts in 1802

Clearing skies over the Adelaide Hills

The way down

I was really lucky to hear a soft digging sound in the bush with dirt falling, on the descent. Hiking off the trail, (watch those snakes!), I came right up to a Short-eared Echidna, busily searching for dinner.. Pretty uncommon, a porcupine sized, spine-covered hedgehog..I stood right over him. Attempts to pop him out with a stick, to see his face , were met with more furious burrowing, so you’ll have to be content looking at his butt!

Second waterfall

Trails end, four hot, sweaty hours later

A large Sycamore, not native

She’s on stilts too

Local shucking talent

Opening night party was a superb blend of Adelaide Festival weirdness and sublime foods from SA. It was a mix and mingle on the back veranda of the convention center, on the Torrens River, right downtown. Oh, and the weather was flawless, not unusual in SA.

Aussie Prawns, not shrimp down here…

Yikes, it’s Serpent Girl…!

Meet my three new friends….

Goat Cheese with edible flowers

Band o’ Clowns, playing Gypsy-swing jazz no less…!

Local Coffin Bay Oysters– beautiful!

I’m pretty much OK right now,,,,

Who are all these people anyway….?

Oh no….she’s back….!

Lecture view, proof that some work was done…BORING….!

Governors House, nice pad….

WW1 Monument

There are WW1 monuments all over Australia, and the Aussies mourn that war in some ways more than WW2. The young nation, pop. around 7 million in 1914, had over 400,000 casualties in WW1. Over 60% of troops were either killed or wounded, an astonishing figure by any historic measure. Basically the British put them on the front lines as cannon fodder for the Empire, and Australia suffered a vastly higher % of casualties than any other Western nation.  The losses in WW2 were comparatively mild , though Darwin was bombed repeatedly and there was a real danger of invasion by the Japanese.

It tells a story, if you speak the language….

Aboriginal shields

Adelaide has several highly regarded museums, including the world’s finest collections of Aboriginal and Pacific Island artifacts…

Bark paintings

A map of Aboriginal linguistic dialects, hundreds of them…very complex…many now lost forever….

I almost missed the Pacific Island display. Over 100 years old, and brought to Adelaide by various missionaries and adventurers over many years, each island group has it’s own display; beautifully arranged and encased in antique hardwood frames. Many of these traditions are extinct today. Eerie, primordial, a bit spooky. Highly recommended!

Birds of Paradise

Spear point detail

Art Museum of SA

Wooden skelton

He carved himself….!

German born Hans Heysen, the finest painter of the SA Outback

In complimentary contrast to it’s hipster-vibe reputation, Adelaide is also a city of colonial sandstone buildings and graceful English-style parks and gardens. A winning combo in my book!

Saltwater Croc skull…a large one…!

University of Adelaide with Jacarandas blooming

Another classic Aussie pub…let’s get busy…

Indeed…Dr. Ross out on the town

Real Belgians….on draft too!

Thai style whole Barramundi

Mall sculpture, affectionately called “The Mall’s Balls” by locals

Piggin’ out, late night Adelaide…

Dr Ross and his new friends…

Convention Center

It seems the whole city was undergoing construction

Peking duck window shot…

Adelaide Central Market

Another night, another “function…”

Tough work

Duck n’ Wine…OK by me…

What was that you were saying…?

X Ray of my head, the next day….

Botanical Garden art shot,,,Steady…

Convention Center detail

Final night, closing dinner. Honestly, I left early,,,Got to give it a rest Dr. Nolan…!

Roaring 20’s Theme, band etc…Me, too Pooped to Pop…

Endless Aussie plains

Coming home to Brisbane

The Lucky Country indeed!

Well, there, we made it! Thanks for staying with me thru all three installments. I hope you enjoyed the trip and learned a bit about SA, a unique corner of this fascinating continent. Believe me, I’m learning all the time…Now I can head off to NZ with a clear mind and conscience…..No “homework” waiting for me on my return.

I’ve never been to NZ, and this trip will start and end in earthquake- ravaged Christchurch, get an update on their rebuilding progress;  head down the wild and windy west coast, then up into the central Otago/ Queenstown region, before touring the Mt Cook National Park.
A particular highlight, and a bucket list sort of experience for me,  will be a five day side trip to hike the 55 km Milford Track. Wish my aging knees well. I think they are up for this……In any case, it sounds like an epic multi-part DDU from Aotearoa, the “Land of the Long White Cloud” is in the offing. Until then, Cheers! All the best in 2014 from down under. DDU