Kia Ora! Good morning from Christchurch, New Zealand!

Before I begin today’s adventure commentary, I just wanted to mention a few things.

Yesterday, when we arrived in New Zealand, our luggage again went through security. They are very serious about not bringing anything into New Zealand that is from another country, that could be harmful to the delicate environ of this beautiful country. They also checked a few of our shoe bottoms since we had been in the Outback and wanted to make sure they were clean and free from debris.

Also, Susan told us that the day before we were at the Great Barrier Reef, someone tragically coded and had to be transported out by helicopter and did pass away. She also confirmed that in Darwin, two fisherman were taken by crocodiles and never seen again. She said people think the crocodiles are not that dangerous and after they’ve been drinking and trying to goad the crocs, they can come to a very sad demise.

And finally, in Australia, Chlamydia is devastating the koala population. However, even though the disease is widespread in most koala populations, the disease is not present on Kangaroo Island due to its isolation from other colonies. Currently, in the areas where Chlamydia is rampant, veterinarians are testing a process that would vaccinate the koalas for the disease. Two vaccinations are needed, so scientists are trying to come up with a way to give an injection first and also implant a pellet at the same time that disintegrates over time to administer the second dose. They would use a rapid Chlamydia test that can be done in 20 minutes and if the koala is Chlamydia free, he would be vaccinated and the pellet would be implanted and the koala would be sent back into the wild.

And now…. Christchurch, New Zealand.

Our hotel is lovely and after breakfast, we met with our guide for the next two weeks in New Zealand, Catherine. She told us about her family… Her daughter is a Master wine maker and owns the Blank Canvas winery, and years ago, Catherine herself made wines.

Catherine told us about what to expect for the next few weeks and ended the talk giving everyone a taste of manuka honey. Manuka honey has been found to have various benefits, including antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities. Scientists have been trying to use Manuka honey in the area of tissue engineering to design a template for regeneration. It was thick and delicious.

After our talk with Catherine, we walked over to the Otakaro River to learn how to paddle a kayak. We also learned the chants that keep the rhythm for the paddlers to stay in sync.

First we played a game with the paddles. We all stood in a circle and one of the Maori, Dave, told us the words for “right”, “left”, and “clap twice in front of you”… And then he called them out and we had to grab the paddle of the person either to our left or right, or just clap. It was a lot of fun.

Then we climbed into the kayak and we all worked in sync chanting the rhythm. It was paddles up, paddles in the water, then it was paddle, tap the paddle on the kayak, paddle, tap, paddle, tap, until our guide Dave said paddles up. We did a great job!!

Christchurch became a city in 1856, making it officially the oldest established city in New Zealand. Christchurch is one of five Antarctic gateway cities, hosting bases for several Nations.

The city suffered a series of earthquakes between 2010 and 2012, the most destructive occurring in 2011 in which 185 people died and thousands of buildings suffered severe damage and collapse. As we walked around, we could see the devastation as well as the rebuilding that is going on of many of the buildings.

An OAT group like our group was here during the earthquake. Their hotel was damaged and deemed uninhabitable. Fortunately, the group was out on a dolphin watch tour at the time of the quake. They were not allowed back into the hotel and had to be taken to the nearest embassy in order to get passports reissued since many left their passports, money, etc. in the hotel. They also could not retrieve their luggage. Unbelievably, 9 months later, all the tourists that were impacted received a knock on the doors where they lived, and their belongings were returned to them.

The earthquake destroyed the Christchurch Cathedral spire and damaged most of the building. The Anglican Church decided to demolish the building and replace it with a new structure, but various groups opposed the church’s intentions. It was eventually decided that the cathedral would be reinstated with monies promised by grants and loans from governments. By 2019 stabilisation began. In the meantime, the people worshipped at the Cardboard Cathedral also known as the Transitional Cathedral.

We then visited the Cardboard Cathedral. What a work of art. The materials used to build this building consists of cardboard tubes, timber and steel. Also, shipping containers were used in the construction. Instead of a replacement rose window, the building has triangular pieces of stained glass which are beautiful. The cathedral is magnificent.

Allan and I had a delicious lunch of kiwi chicken pie (Allan’s had bacon and cheese and mine had brie and cranberries). Then we walked to the Botanical Gardens. The flowers were blooming and the trees were changing color. Just lovely.

Everyone in our group split up and we all went to a home hosted dinner. Allan and I were with four others and we went to a lovely couple’s home and had a delicious meal. We sat at the table and had a wonderful conversation about their life in New Zealand. Their home was beautiful and actually, most of their home had to be repaired and rebuilt after the earthquake. The husband Shaun is a builder and did most of the work.

They cooked a delicious dinner for us. We had some appetizers and then they served lamb, roasted potatoes, roasted root vegetables, and peas. For dessert we had homemade pavlova with homemade hokey pokey ice cream.

We chatted for quite awhile and then they took us back to our hotel and we bid them a fond farewell.

Our guide Catherine with her daughter who is a Master Wine maker, and Catherine’s granddaughter Isabella.

Kayaking

We all worked together and went down the river

It is autumn here and just beautiful

Care for the people

The Arts Center

Bridge of Remembrance

Delicious Chicken, brie, and cranberry kiwi pie. It’s not made with kiwi…it’s just the name of the pie that is so delicious and served all over.

The peacock fountain in the botanical garden

Flowers were in bloom

Trees are changing colors

Kayaking

Info about the Christchurch Cathedral

The Cardboard Cathedral

The triangular stained glass

Inside the cathedral

Shaun and Nicki – our dinner hosts

We bid a fond goodbye to our wonderful Australian guide Susan, and boarded our flight to Christchurch, New Zealand.

The Sydney airport is crazy town!! What a mess!! Our flight was delayed over 45 minutes and then we went on one line, herded into another waiting area, waited there for about 30 minutes, was herded into a bus, and finally arrived at our plane.

The flight was fine, however, three people lost their luggage. Apparently, Qantas deleted their luggage ticket and now they have no clue where the luggage is. Sadly, they had medications that they need as well as cameras in the luggage. This is a wake up reminder. Never, ever put anything you absolutely need in something other than what will be on your person and with you at all times!

We met our new guide Catherine and had a welcome dinner to get acquainted. I had Hoki fish for the first time. It was okay… But I wouldn’t order it again.

Our hotel is lovely and we all were pretty tired from traveling all day, so it was off to bed.

Hoki fish

First glimpse of New Zealand

We slept in today and had a late breakfast and then we met Debbie and took the light rail to the wharf to board Captain Cook’s Harbor Cruise which took us all throughout Sydney harbor. Susan gave us each a light rail card with $20 on it so we were able to ride the rail until the money ran out, which never happened as it was enough on the card to get around the city all day. It’s a “tap on tap off system” where you tap your card before boarding the light rail and again when you get off. It’s a $200 fine if you try to ride for free and they catch you.

It was a beautiful sunny day and the hour ride on the boat was lovely. We sat up on the top deck and the sea air was refreshing and we were able to get a good overview of the city. It was also nice to see an entirely different view of the opera house, one you can only view from the water.

Since it was lunchtime when we disembarked the boat, the three of us went for lunch at a local pub. I had fish and chips which was very good. Allan had a chicken dish.

Debbie was interested in touring The Hyde Park Barracks museum so we once again boarded the light rail and did the tour.

Entry to the museum was free and we were given a headset with a commentary device that you could either listen to or read while you went through the museum. The headset was intuitive to know exactly what exhibit you were viewing and what room you were walking into. Pretty neat.

The Barracks is a UNESCO World Heritage site and presents an amazing record of colonial Australia. It was originally built to house prisoners and as we went from room to room we saw how the convicts lived and how they were treated. Many of the convicts were there perhaps because they had stolen a loaf of bread or committed some other minor crime. They were taken to the Barracks instead of being hung, and forced to work in chain gangs to build and expand colonial Australia. Some of the convicts were flogged if they didn’t obey and we were able to see the different forms of punishment the convicts endured.

It was getting late so we had to leave the Barracks to get ready for our farewell dinner cruise. We all met in the lobby of our hotel and while some of the group walked to the wharf, Allan and I went with others on the light rail to get to there.

It was a beautiful sunset cruise and a nice salad, chicken dinner and desserts were served. We took lots of photos along the way of the skyline in the glow of the setting sun.

After dinner, were took some of the bottles of wine that they were serving on the cruise (shhhhhh… don’t tell) and had a “pub walk”, stopping periodically as we walked back to the hotel, toasting each other with the wine, regaling all the wonderful things we experienced in our two weeks in Australia. There were a lot of laughs and good natured teasing and we had a great time as we sauntered back to our hotel to get ready for our flight tomorrow to New Zealand – to embark on the second half of this amazing trip.

When we returned to the hotel, a few of us stayed up and chatted with Susan and enjoyed a final evening with our fabulous guide. Then, it was off to our rooms to pack for our flight to Christchurch, New Zealand.

Entry to New Zealand from another country is very strict. On board our flight we will be given an Arrivals Card to complete which we will hand to a customs official. We must declare any food items containing loose nuts or seeds as they are not permitted and fresh fruit is also prohibited. We are not allowed to take any food from the plane and we cannot bring in shells or coral. We also have to declare any wood or leather items.
In regard to our shoes, we have to make sure the soles are clean and we have to wear the shoes we wore in the Outback, since customs will check them and it saves customs from searching through our bags for them.

It will be around 68 degrees when we land and we should be able get some great views of the majestic Southern Alps upon disembarking.

Our morning cruise

Seeing the Sydney Opera House from the water

The Barracks

The hammocks where the convicts slept.

Walking back to the hotel through the park

Our sunset dinner cruise

On our “pub walk” back to the hotel

Our sunset cruise

Our “pub walk”

This morning we had a delicious breakfast in the hotel. There was the usual breakfast items, but in addition, they featured pork dumplings, stir fried noodles, and congee. There is a large Asian presence in the city. 

After breakfast, we visited the iconic Sydney Opera House for a private tour.  Groundbreaking for this magnificent structure began on March 1, 1959 and was completed in 1973.  The opera house is the home to Opera Australia, The Australian Ballet, the Sydney Theater Company, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and others.

It was designed by Jorn Utzon, but completed by Peter Hall due to circumstances that overshadowed the building of the opera house, causing Utzon to be forced out and resign. Sadly, he never returned to Australia to see his design completed, but he did live long enough to see it named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

Our tour guide explained how the structure was built.  It features a series of over 900,000 precast concrete shells forming the roofs. It is supported on concrete piers that sink at least 82 feet into the ground. The shells are not all white (ice), but also include beige colored ones (cream) so the overall look from the distance is not stark white and instead becomes “ice cream” colored. 

We were very fortunate that there were no rehearsals going on in the different concert theaters so we got to see the Joan Sutherland Theater where Opera Australia as well as the Australian Ballet perform.  Interestingly, the floor where the ballerinas perform is made with a special Tarkett floor which gives slightly so the ballerinas do not injure their legs when they perform. And often, the stage managers mop the floor with classic Coca Cola  to make the surface sticky so the dancers’ shoes will stick better and they won’t slide. 

Beautiful red carpet, a royal color, leads the way to the Sutherland Theater, but into the concert hall, there is a purple carpet leading the way.  Although purple is a royal color as well, it is considered bad luck by many musicians. When Pavorotti came to sing at the concert hall, he refused to go in and so they had to move everything to a different hall, one without any hint of purple. 

There are what look like large petals hanging from the ceiling in the concert hall that can be moved in different ways to reflect sound back to the musicians so they can hear better.  

The opera house is just beautiful and we enjoyed learning all about it from our guide. It is well worth seeing the inside and of course marveling at the iconic outside, as it sits perched on the water. 

We then met another guide who walked us all through The Rocks District. The Rocks is the oldest historical district in Sydney and was originally a slum with very squalid conditions. The bubonic plague broke out at one point causing thousands of homes to be demolished. 

We walked through the “Nurses Walk” which runs into the “Suez Canal”, a narrow passageway where sewage actually flowed through, hence “Sewers” canal.  The canal was later filled in and became a haven for prostitutes and gangsters. Today, the Rocks is a thriving neighborhood with cafes, restaurants, and boutique shops and is lovely to wander through the narrow lanes that wind throughout. 

We enjoyed lunch and then took a long walk through the botanical gardens with another guide who was a First Nations member.  First Nations’ recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the sovereign people of the land. She told us about her life and customs, many of which we had already learned about in Port Douglas, but she was very interesting and we enjoyed the talk as well as touring the gardens. 

The heavens opened up at one point with thunder and lightning, so we made our way to the cultural center where she showed us many artifacts indigenous to her culture. 

I want to mention that whenever we take a flight in Australia, begin to listen to a lecture, or begin a tour of an historical area, the Aboriginal people are honored with these words: “We respect and honor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present, and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions, and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders on this land and we commit to building a brighter future together”. This is usually followed by a moment of silence. 

Allan and I had a quick bite to eat and then we took an Uber over to the Handa Opera House on Sydney Bay to see West Side Story in the open air overlooking the bay. 

We had fabulous center seats since I purchased them months ago, and it was a sold out performance, so I was happy to have purchased tickets so far in advance. 

It was a beautiful moonlit night with mild temperatures, although we were dressed warmly which we appreciated as the evening wore on and the breeze over the water picked up. 

The sets were amazing, the singers spectacular, and the dancing choreography was unbelievable. The actor who sang Tony’s part was our favorite. His voice was beautiful as he sang Maria. Fireworks went off at one point during the show which was wonderful!  

We had purchased platinum club tickets for intermission which was to include drinks and appetizers, but that was a waste of money. The wine was awful and we were only offered two measley appetizers along with a cookie. 

The show was well worth the price and we Ubered back to the hotel with the iconic tunes to the musical swirling around in our heads until we climbed into bed. 

It was a fabulous day. 

Flying into Sydney

Sydney’s beautiful skyscrapers

The iconic bridge

Inside the opera house

An amazing architectural feat

The ice and cream colors

The purple carpet

Spectacular!

Botanical gardens

Art museum. ….Michael Angelo??? Too funny!

The stage

A friend took this photo. Gorgeous!

Nothing was planned this morning before our flight to Sydney so we slept in and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.

We checked out of our hotel and said goodbye to Port Douglas – the gateway to two UNESCO World Heritage natural wonders – the Great Barrier Reef and the beautiful and lush Daintree Rainforest. So glad we were able to experience both.

Had a great Qantas flight to Sydney, a short orientation briefing when we arrived at our hotel, and then Allan and I had some Chinese dumplings and soup and it was off to bed.

The streets in Sydney were bustling with city night life and we are right in the middle of it all – staying in a hotel at World Square. Can’t wait to experience it all tomorrow.

First let me say that yesterday, some of the seasoned snorklers decided not to go out because the water was too rough, so now I’m really proud of myself that I did the snorkling for the first time in not the greatest of conditions!

We woke up this morning to rain, which was predicted for the whole day. Allan and I were well prepared with rain jackets and rain pants from REI. Everyone was impressed that I kept my pocketbook in a jumbo ziplok bag to keep it from getting soaked. We also wore our waterproof shoes so we stayed dry for the tour to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, which sounded rather hokey, but actually, was a wonderful opportunity to see many of Australia’s wildlife up close and personal. 

First stop was a boat ride around Hartley’s lagoon where the captain of the boat dangled chicken carcasses periodically and we watched as the crocodiles came up and out of the water to snatch the chicken off the line. The captain also tapped his long pole on the side of the boat which alerted the crocs to feeding time. 

Interestingly, in Queensland in the fishing areas, it is no longer allowed to tap on anything in order to see the crocodiles.  This law came about after a man who was fishing tapped his pipe on the side of the boat to empty it and a crocodile dove out of the water and over his boat. Fortunately, the fisherman wasn’t harmed. 

After seeing the crocs, we walked all around the park seeing cassowaries, wombats, emus, kangaroos, wallabies, and we even had an opportunity to feed the kangaroos and to pet a koala.  It was really amazing seeing the animals and birds close up. Some of the animals are dangerous to humans so you have to be very careful and respectful of the fences. 

We had lunch at Hemingway’s Brewery which was delicious. Interestingly, it’s very hard to get a nice dark ale anywhere. Australians prefer the lighter beers, so Allan and I opted for a Shiraz instead. 

Dinner was a BBQ but it was still a tad rainy so we ate indoors. Nice selection of food and then we bid everyone good night and went back to our rooms. On the way back, we passed the lily pad pond by the pool. Beautiful lilies open up each evening and we can hear the frogs chirping when we went by. I was happy to get a photo of one of the frogs, but on closer inspection…. Well…. You draw your own conclusion from the pic.

Tomorrow we fly to Sydney.

On the boat going through the lagoon

Koala

Redlegged Padimelon

Cassowary

Wombat

I’m feeding a little joey

Our group

Photo op with a real koala named Crumbles.

The pond at our resort. Love is in the air! Get a room!

First of all, there are two posts about Port Douglas on two different days, so hopefully you read both of them.

Also…I forgot to mention that our guide from yesterday, Lync, told us that the Australian zookeeper and conservationist Steve Irwin was killed near where we were having our talk. He was killed by a stingray while filming in 2006. He had decided to snorkel in shallow waters when a stingray’s barb penetrated his chest causing massive trauma. People need to obey the signs and warnings around the reefs and beaches. It is serious. He wasn’t wearing protective gear at the time, which sadly would have saved his life. 

After breakfast, we boarded a coach and spent the entire day aboard a boat that took us out to three different sites in the Great Barrier Reef to snorkel and for those who had a certificate, to scuba dive. 

It was rainy today and the wind had picked up to about 30 miles an hour, so it was rough waters as we traveled deep into the reef. I had never snorkeled, but I was determined to give it a try. 

They tied the boat onto a massive concrete block that sits down on the ocean floor, since they can’t lay anchor into the reef. Before anyone could get into snorkel gear, they gave us the safety instructions. By the time they were done, I was thinking to myself, maybe I don’t want to do this. The water is rough with waves bouncing up and down, and keeping the snorkel above water with the waves didn’t sound feasible. 

I went down below to the first deck of the boat with all the snorkelers, and we were handed our snorkel gear. First, we had to don a full Lycra body suit that covered us from head to toe since the stingrays’ barbs can be lethal as I told you above. Then we were given a snorkel and fins and I was assigned to one of the crew since I was a newbie. 

I got into the water and tried to form a seal around the mouthpiece, but to no avail. The waves were crashing into me and I was not having fun. Finally the crew guy said don’t use the snorkel – just hold your breath and put your head down. I still had the mask on so that’s what I did!  WOW!!!!  What a glorious sight. The reef is spectacular and I could see little fish floating under me and beautiful sealife growing out of the reef. It was magnificent. 

I stayed out for a while and then told the crew guy I was done!  Everyone said this was not the weather to learn how to snorkel in, but they were all cheering that I did it!  I was proud of myself too. It was not the calm waters of the Caribbean for sure. As a matter of fact, some of the seasoned snorklers in our group gave up as well because the waters were so rough.

We had lunch on the boat and the boat stopped at two other sites for those who wanted to continue snorkeling. I was done and Susan helped me get out of my Lycra suit and I changed back into my clothes. 

The waters were even rougher going back to port and the rain was pouring down. Susan asked if Allan and I would host a birthday party for one of our fellow travelers in our room and of course we said yes. So at 6 everyone came with their glasses of wine and whatever snacks they had to share and we all sat around talking and wishing our fellow traveler happy birthday. 

Susan then shared with us that just last week on an OAT trip to the reef, a traveler almost died while snorkeling. She still is in intensive care. Yikes!!! I might not have gone in if I knew that beforehand. 

Everyone stayed talking and when they finally went back to their own rooms, Allan and I walked to the restaurant in the pouring rain only to find out it was closed. So…we ate cheese and crackers in our room and of course drank some wine as well. 

In the past two days I’ve licked a green ant and survived snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef!!  Life is good!

How the heck does this thing go on!!!!

Ok…just about all set

Got my fins and snorkle! Ready as I’ll ever be.

I’m going in!!!! See ya!

And off I go!!

Looking down under with my crew guy.

beautiful waters

Our Great Barrier Reef boat

After breakfast and a leisurely morning, we left at 9:30 and boarded our coach for the drive to Cooya Beach.  We were greeted by our guide Lync who told us about the fishing and gathering ways of his family and the region.  

He guided us to a small tree area and before he started his talk, he lit paperbark and waved it around all of us. This is called a smoking ceremony and it is an ancient as well as a contemporary custom among some Aboriginal Australians. The smoke is believed to have both spiritual and physical cleansing properties, as well as the ability to ward off bad spirits. Our guide said it was to protect us from anything bad happening to us. 

We stood under a canopy of trees and he said that sometimes snakes can drop from the trees. Fortunately, none came down while we were there. 

He showed us turtle shells from turtles that were large enough to feed hundreds of people. He also showed us boomerangs with different shapes and different purposes. Some boomerangs are to throw at birds to knock them down as they were flying, while other boomerangs are used to break the legs of a kangaroo to fell them.

We enjoyed homemade bread with sugar cane syrup and butter and he cracked open a coconut shell and we all drank from the shell and savored the milk.

We walked down to the beach. You have to be cognizant of crocodiles and you have to stay near the foliage and not go by the water’s edge.  The water is also filled with jellyfish that have deadly stingers. 

He picked leaves from a plant and rinsed them in the water and we put it on our skin. It is used as a bandage or as a cooling agent in warm weather. He also picked flowers and we tasted them and Lync said they are used in salads. 

Lync reached into a Yangga nest (green ants) and had many crawling on his hand.  These ants have medicinal purposes and are used to combat coughs and flu. You can eat them or crush them and then inhale their vapor which smelled like Vicks vapor rub. 

He grabbed each ant by the back part so those who wanted to (of course I did) could grasp the ant by the head and then lick the back part.  It tasted like lemon.

Lync played the Didgeridoo for us and then we all had a lesson in spear throwing which is how they catch their fish. Some natives are able to throw a spear the length of a football field. 

His family paints burny beans and they make them into trinkets for sale so I purchased one that I’ll make into a slide. Burny beans are rubbed on a flat stone to make a spark to start a fire. 

We drove to Mossman Gorge, the  gateway to the Daintree Rainforest region. This is the oldest rainforest in the world, and home to the  Kuku Yulanji people for more than 50,000 years. 

We met with a local Kuku Yalanji and learned about his culture. Before we began, we had another smoking ceremony. We walked around in a circle around a fire that was burning paperbark and we all got close to the smoke to inhale it so it would protect us and drive away the evil spirits. Our guide chanted while we walked. 

Afterwards he told us about his customs and how some of the local plants are used. It was very interesting. 

We enjoyed lunch and then went on a nature hike through the lush rainforest. Susan pointed out all of the interesting vines and trees along the way. We arrived at the rocky fast flowing water where kids were swimming. They were stupid because there were signs all over saying you cold not swim today because it was too dangerous. Susan said people do not listen to the warnings and some sadly drown. 

Before dinner, we met with a marine biologist who talked about the Great Barrier Reef and coral bleaching. 

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most complex natural phenomena on earth.  It is composed of almost 3,000 individual reefs and it is so large it can be seen from outer space. 

The biologist said the reef is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coralpolyps. However, climate change, overfishing, and cyclones, among other things, have created lasting damage and has contributed to coral bleaching. 

When the water is too warm, corals expel algae that lives within their tissue. This causes the coral to become white. It isn’t dead and can possibly survive until conditions get better.  But if the detrimental conditions continue, the coral will continue to be under stress, and can die.  In 2020, a study found that the Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half of its corals since 1995 due to warmer seas driven by climate change. 

It can take decades for coral to recover from a bleaching event so it is vital that these events are few and far between. 

After listening to the biologist, we went for dinner and then went back to our rooms to prepare for our outing tomorrow – snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. 

Turtle shell

Sawfish

Didgeridoo

Mother of pearl shell they use to make buttons out of

Delicious bread with butter and sugar cane syrup

Medicinal plant leaf

Eating a flower

Licking the end of the green ant

Spear throwing

My necklace slide to be

Smoking ceremony

A local Kuku Yalanji showing us his traditions. The large wooden piece on the right is used for protection if someone tries to injure you, for rain protection when placed on your head, for digging in the ground, for paddling when in the water, for carrying a child, and for carrying food etc. Very versatile.

The rainforest vines and foliage

We crossed a suspension bridge

Spotted a kookaburra

Rapids in the rainforest

We had a delicious breakfast this morning. I am so hooked on the thick multigrain bread smeared with peanut butter and jam. So delicious! After breakfast we boarded the bus to take us to the airport.  Susan changed our flight and that’s why we were up so early. We flew directly to Cairns instead of first flying to Sydney. That was great news.  The only disappointing thing was, because of the change, we didn’t have the morning free, so we couldn’t take the helicopter ride over Uluru. 

It was such a wonderful experience being in central Australia – camping in the Outback  and learning so much about the Aborigines. We all said a fond palya as we left to go to the airport.  

 Bulletin:   I apparently have a McDonald’s foodie reputation with the group. Susan announced on the bus what restaurants would be in the airport when we landed and then added “And sorry Irene. No McDonald’s”!  The whole bus said. “Irene – Oh no!!!!”  Too funny!!

We had a wonderful flight. We had a nice sandwich and drink en route and then we met our bus driver who took us to pick up wine and snacks and then we went on to Port Douglas and the Oaks Resort Hotel. 

On the way, we drove along the coast and Susan said you can’t swim wherever you’d like because of sharks and crocodiles. The beaches have lifeguards that cull the water within the roped area everyday to make sure the swimmers will be safe. 

We also observed washed out areas and huge boulders that had traveled down the mountain side. Apparently there was a cyclone that came through in December and did quite a lot of flooding damage to the area.

We arrived at our hotel and checked into a  lovely suite…sitting area, large bedroom, and two nice patios off both the living room and bedroom. We even have a washer and dryer in our suite that Susan requested for us since we are such frequent OAT/Grand Circle travelers. This is our ninth trip! 

The best part is…we no longer need to wear our fly nets. No black flies here!!!  It’s about 80 degrees outside and we can take advantage of the pool if we’d like. 

Since today was a travel day, we had a free evening. We were invited to help celebrate one of our fellow traveler’s birthday in their room at 6 pm and then we ordered pizza at the restaurant and sat and laughed and chatted with some of the other travelers and then we went to bed. Busy day tomorrow. 

Palya Uluru

On our way to Port Douglas

This morning we again had an early wake-up call to catch the sunrise at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National park. We wanted to watch the sunrise as it cast its rays onto Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock. Uluru is a large sandstone monolith that is sacred to the Aborigines. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site twice over and is only one of a few dozen sites that has achieved that status in the world. It was first recognized in 1987 for its rare plant life, geological formations, and its animals. And then in 1994 it received its second award for “the unique relationship between the natural environment and the belief system of the Aborigines, one of the oldest societies on earth.”

Uluru is noted for appearing to change color at different times of the day and year, most notably when it glows red at dawn and sunset.

As we entered the park to see the sunrise, Susan told us to say the word palya which means hello in the Aborigine language. It is a form of respect to the sacred monolith. Interestingly, the word also means goodbye, finish, and thank you.

Susan and Tristan arranged for us to have coffee, tea, and biscuits when we arrived at the park which we enjoyed in the darkness, and then we walked to one of the viewing platforms to wait for the sunrise.

It was dark and serene, and a few people had already arrived to witness the event. We stood quietly and watched as the sun started to emerge from the horizon and began to cast its colors and shadows on Uluru.

And what a sight it was!! The pictures do not do it justice. We all just kept taking pic after pic to capture the changing colors of the rock.

After sunrise, we went back to the resort and had breakfast and then we were out once again to visit the National Park and Kata Tjuta . While Uluru is the centerpiece of the national park, Kata Tjuṯa, meaning many heads, is sacred to the local Aboriginal Anangu people, who have inhabited the area for more than 22,000 years. It is an important focus of their spiritual life. It includes spectacular rock formations and we were able to walk to the gap area that made for a great photo op.

The walk wasn’t easy as the rocks and uneven stones made for difficult footing, but we persevered and Susan pointed out interesting points along the way.

As we boarded our coach to return for lunch, Susan passed out Tim Tam, a favorite chocolate cookie that the Australians love. It was very good, but very sweet.

After lunch we took an impromptu tour back at Uluru, getting up close and personal to the rock. First we visited the Cultural Center, which according to the brochure, “promises a warm welcome from the Anangu, the traditional owners of Uluru. It introduces visitors to Tjukurpa, which is the foundation of Aboriginal culture in the region and the traditional law that guides daily life for the Anangu people.” It was very interesting to learn the ways of these people.

After the visit to the center, we once again visited Uluru and Tristan told us many of the stories and legends of the different markings on the rock. He took us to a cave where paintings and markings from thousands of years ago were still present. We walked to a waterhole which is sometimes dry but today was beautiful with the water sparkling in the sun. It is a sacred area and Tristan asked us to meditate in silence for a few minutes as we gazed into the water.

Sunset was quickly approaching, but we made one more stop to a place where we could touch Uluru. There are places around the rock that the Anangu people have asked visitors not to photograph because of its sacredness, so of course we all complied. But we were able to touch the rock in a designated area. Tristan had the idea to photograph our shadows on the wall which made for a great pic.

We then had a lovely champagne party at sunset, with cheese and crackers as we watched the sun set and cast colors and shadows, just like sunrise, onto Uluru.

We left after the sunset and Allan and I and one of our friends Sharon went to dinner at a local pub. Tristan drove us over and then joined us for a soda. When we arrived, Allan and I selected our meat (2 lamb chops) and then we went over to the BBQ area and I grilled them myself. We also had unlimited salad bar to go with the meat.

Unfortunately, the lamb was fatty and very tough. We couldn’t even cut it no less eat it. We had the salad bar but we didn’t have the beer we were hoping for since they didn’t have any dark beer available.

We enjoyed talking with Tristan and Sharon and then Allan, Sharon, and I caught the shuttle back to our hotel in the resort to pack for our flight in the morning.

Beginning of sunrise

Uluru as the sun rose

The rocky path at Kata Tjuṯa

Kata Tjuṯa

Kata Tjuṯa

Kata Tjuṯa

One of the caves of Uluru.

Sunset party

Uluru at sunset

Our shadows on Uluru

Touching Uluru

Allan and me

Grilling lamb chops at the Outback pub.

The Southern Cross in the night sky