Eile j6udsime me l6puks tagasi Brisbane'i. Meie algne plaan oli Sally juures olla kaks n2dalat, aga l6puks veetsime me seal yle kuu aja. Viimastel n2dalatel olid meil k2ed-jalad t88d-tegemist t2is, mist6ttu pole ma senini j6udnud millestki kirjutada ka - ja kirjutada on mul paljust! Seega, j2tkates sealt kus ma viimati pooleli j2in...
Viimane n2dalavahetus enne poolakate saabumist oli p2ris tore. Laup2eval olime me k6ik kutsutud Sally naabrite Doni ja Janine'i juurde grilli6htule. Nende t2iskasvanud tytar Georgia oli samuti seal, kes muidu elab ja 6pib Brisbane'is. K6ik pereliikmed olid huvitavad ja intelligentsed ning saime k6iksugustel teemadel r22gitud. Don tahtis hirmsasti kedagi kellega koos ta kitarri m2ngida saaks ning 6htu l6puks tinistasid nad Bretiga koos. Vahva oli kohalikega paremini tutvust teha ja see oli nendest ytlemata tore, et nad meid enda juurde kutsusid.
Viimane n2dalavahetus enne poolakate saabumist oli p2ris tore. Laup2eval olime me k6ik kutsutud Sally naabrite Doni ja Janine'i juurde grilli6htule. Nende t2iskasvanud tytar Georgia oli samuti seal, kes muidu elab ja 6pib Brisbane'is. K6ik pereliikmed olid huvitavad ja intelligentsed ning saime k6iksugustel teemadel r22gitud. Don tahtis hirmsasti kedagi kellega koos ta kitarri m2ngida saaks ning 6htu l6puks tinistasid nad Bretiga koos. Vahva oli kohalikega paremini tutvust teha ja see oli nendest ytlemata tore, et nad meid enda juurde kutsusid.
J2rgmisel p2eval s6itsime me j2lle Noosasse. Sel korral ei l2inud me loodusesse jalutama vaid peesitasime niisama rannas ja ujusime suurtes lainetes. Noosa on v2ga tuntud rannalinn ja oluline surfipaik (natuke nagu Biarritz Prantsusmaal), seega on lahe, et me oleme sellest vaid tunnise s6idu kaugusel ning saame sinna tihti minna.
J2rgmisel esmasp2eval yhinesid ameeriklaste ja meiega Rafa ja Gabi, varajastes kolmekymnendates poola abielupaar kes on p2rit Poznanist. Samas on nad juba yle nelja aasta j2rjest reisinud, l2bi Aasia, Uus-Meremaa ja nyyd Austraalia ning enne reisimist elasid nad mitu aastat Iirimaal. Me veetsime nendega nende pika reisi k6ige viimase osa tegelikult, kuna eile l2ksid nad lennuki peale et tagasi Euroopasse s6ita ja oma pere yle nelja aasta j2lle n2ha. Nad otsustasid oma viimased n2dalad Austraalias Sally juures veeta, kuna nad olid eelmine aasta juba ta juures kolm kuud olnud - ja neile meeldis seal piisavalt et tagasi tulla.
N2dala jooksul t88tasime me k6ik kuuekesi koos, tehes aiat88d, niites muru ja kaevates kive ja vanu aiaposte v2lja. Gabi aitas Sallyl loomade eest ka hoolitseda, eriti lammaste eest, kuna ta oli olnud seal kui seitse kuud tagasi nad paarip2evaste talledena esmalt Sally juurde toodi. Gabi oli Buoy'le piima jootnud, seega tundis ta ennast arusaadavalt reedetuna kui Buoy teda myksata proovis. Seda ei maksa aga isklikult v6tta, kuna Buoy tahab absoluutselt k6iki ja k6ike rammida, sealhulgas mind - mul oli p2ris mitu adrenaliinirikast hetke kui ma ta rynnakute eest 2ra p6genesin.
Ahjaa, ma m2rkasin et viimasel korral kui ma k6iki Sally loomasid nimetlesin, olin ma haned 2ra unustanud! Tegemist on kahe halli hanememmega, kes on t2iesti eraldamatud. V2idetavalt oli nendega koos kunagi ka hanetaat, aga kaks memme ei talunud teda ja ajasid ta minema. Nyyd saavad nad rahus koos ringi jalutada, koos syya ja koos igale poole sittuda :) Haned on ainsad loomad kelle eest Aline, Sally eakas ema, ikka veel hoolt kannab. Igal hommikul laseb ta nad oma kuudist v2lja ja igal 6htul tulevad haned 6igeks ajaks aeda tagasi et ta nad tagasi kuuti panna saaks. Uskumatu!
Ahjaa, ma m2rkasin et viimasel korral kui ma k6iki Sally loomasid nimetlesin, olin ma haned 2ra unustanud! Tegemist on kahe halli hanememmega, kes on t2iesti eraldamatud. V2idetavalt oli nendega koos kunagi ka hanetaat, aga kaks memme ei talunud teda ja ajasid ta minema. Nyyd saavad nad rahus koos ringi jalutada, koos syya ja koos igale poole sittuda :) Haned on ainsad loomad kelle eest Aline, Sally eakas ema, ikka veel hoolt kannab. Igal hommikul laseb ta nad oma kuudist v2lja ja igal 6htul tulevad haned 6igeks ajaks aeda tagasi et ta nad tagasi kuuti panna saaks. Uskumatu!
Ameeriklaste, Paolo ja minu jaoks oli t88n2dal sel korral veidi lyhem, kuna reedel s6itsime me n2dalavahetuseks Fraseri saarele. See, et me sinna mindud saime oli t2nu uskumatule 6nnele. Fraseri saar on Sally juurest paari tunni s6idu kaugusel ning tegemist on Austraalia yhe v2gevaima loodusliku paigaga. See on maailma suurim liivasaar, tipust tipuni on yle 120 kilomeetri. See on oluline paik lindudele ning kogu saare puhul on tegemist kaitstud looduspargiga. Seal leidub kilomeetrite kaupa kaunist (ilmselgelt) liivaranda ning yleyldse on tegemist uskumatult ilusa ja ainulaadse paigaga. Saart kylastab tohutult palju turiste, minnes sinna organiseeritud tuuridega, mis on hirmkallid. Me teadsime Fraseri kylastamisega kaasnevaid hindasid ja olime juba aktsepteerinud, et sel korral me sinna ei l2he. Aga siis tuli v2lja, et meid v6etakse sinna hoopis kylalistena kaasa!
Mis juhtus oli see, et Sally oli oma elektrikust s6bra Iani kutsunud enda juurde elektrit8id tegema. Kuna t88d oli palju, j2i ta 88seks meie juurde ja me s6ime k6ik koos 6htust. Ta kuulis, et me ytlesime kuidas me tahaks kyll Fraseri saarele minna, aga et minek on liiga kallis, mille peale ta kostis, et tal on Fraseri saarel suvila - ning et kui ta naine n6us on, v6ime me k6ik neljakesi nendega kaasa minna kui nad n2dalavahetuseks sinna s6idavad! See oli temast uskumatult tore ettepanek ning kuna ta naine Jennifer oli ka n6us meid kaasa v6tma, leppisime me kokku, et s6idame k6ik koos reedel kaheks 88ks Fraseri saarele.
S6idu tegime me Iani ja Jenny Land Cruiseris - Fraseri saarel ei ole teid ja ainult neljarattalise veoga s6idukid saavad sealsete liivateedega hakkama. S6it yle maismaa v6ttis umbes tunni, misj2rel j6udsime me Inskip Pointi kust me praami peale l2ksime - s6it yle vee kestis 15 minutit, ja siis olimegi Fraseri saare l6unatipus. Iani ja Jenny suvila on saare p6hjaosas, seega pidime me s6itma umbes sada kilomeetrit yle rannaliiva m88da saare idarannikut, peatudes mitmes huvitavas kohas. Kiire s6it m88da rannaliiva, vaid meetrite kaugusel mereveest oli ylimalt lahe uus elamus. Randa m88da saab korralikult s6ita ainult m66na ajal, kuna siis on rand lai ja lamedal liival on h6lpsam s6ita. T6us sunnib juhid pehme liiva peale ja sealne s6it on aeglane.
Esmalt peatusime me yhes hotellis kohvipausiks ning seej2rel kaunis imeselge veega j6e 22res. Me jalutasime j6e 22res m88da jalutusplatvormi sisemaa suunas, ning, olles turistidemassist turvaliselt ylesvoolu, j6ime j6est otse v2rsket ja imepuhast vett. Tagasi k6ndisime me j6e sees, mis oli superlahe. J2rgmisena peatusime me teise maailmas6jaaegse laevavreki juures, kus saime hulga lahedaid pilte teha. P2rast kahte tundi rannal s6itmist keerasime me l6puks sisemaa suunas, alustades s6itu kitsastel pehmetel liivateedel l2bi metsa. Jah, metsa - saarel on kyllaga taimestikku vaatamata sellele, et seal on ainult liiv. Tegelikult on seal isegi vihmametsad, ja mitte ainult kuiv v6sastik. Taimestik suudab ellu j22da t2nu liivas looduslikult leiduvatele mykoriissetele seentele, mis toodavad toitaineid mida taimed suudavad tarbida. Kas pole lahe?
P2rast m6nda aega l2bi metsa s6itmist hakkasid j2rsku majad paistma. Saarel on pysivaid elanikke vaid napilt alla 200, kuid siiski leidub alasid kus on piisavalt maju koos et seda v6iks kylaks nimetada. Iani ja Jenny maja oli yhe sellise kyla l2heduses, ent privaatsemas kohas, vaid yhe teise maja l2heduses. Nad olid meile 8elnud, et nende maja on alles pooleli, aga tegelikkuses on nende elamine juba praegu uskumatult kaunis, ruumikas ja valgusrikas - peamiselt on nad ehituses kasutanud puitu. Maja on ehitatud j2rsule kynkale ning eesots on toetatud k6rgetele palkidele. Ylimalt m6nus elamine. P2rast kiiret l6unat hyppasime me tagasi autosse ja l2ksime randa kalastama koos veini ja suupistetega (otseloomulikult ei pyydnud mitte keegi yhtegi kala). P2rast imekaunist p2ikeseloojangut l2ksime tagasi suvilasse 6htus88giks liha grillima. Grillilt tulevad l6hnad meelitasid maja juurde ka yhe uudishimuliku dingo. Dingod on teatud tyypi austraalia metsikud koerad. Tavaliselt on nad punaka karvaga ja valge rinna ja 'sokkidega'. Fraseri saare dingosid peetakse 'puhtaimaks' dingoks, kuna mujal Austraalias on dingod tavaliste koeradega segunenud, ent Fraseri saarel on koerad looduskaitse p6hjustel keelatud. Seega on saare dingod samuti kaitse all ning nende puhul on tegu yhe Fraseri saare ikooniga. Samas, olles nagu koerad, on dingod oportunistlikud ning proovivad inimeste toiduj22tmeid syya. Ja siis on loomulikult tolasid kes neid toidavad, muutes nad inimeste suhtes v2hem kartlikuks. See on omakorda viinud selleni, et dingod on kohati inimesi ka rynnanud (ent peamiselt idioote kes neid h2irima l2ksid v6i lapsi, kuna nad on pisikesed). Et selliseid olukordi proovida v2ltida, on kogu saar t2is dingode eest hoiatavaid silte. Tegelikkuses on nad kaunid loomad ja ei h2iri kedagi kui nad rahule j2tta.
J2rgmisel hommikul aitasid poisid Ianil Ikea m88blit kokku panna mis nad olid maismaalt kaasa toonud ja siis l2ksime me j2lle saart avastama. Ian ja Jenny viisid meid luidetele jalutama (ja me ronisime yhe eriti suure ja j2rsu luite otsa ka) ja j2lle uude kohta kalale. Seej2rel l2ksime me tagasi suvilasse et nende kaks kanuud auto peale laadida ja l2hedalasuva j2rve 22rde s6ita. K6ik said kanuuga j2rvel s6itmist proovida ja j2rvevees ujuda, mis oli ookeani v2rske vee k6rval m6nusalt soe. Kyle, olles infotabloolt lugenud, et j2rve l2heduses leidub surmavalt myrgiseid lehter2mblikke, l2ks koheselt nende kergelt 2ratuntavaid lehterv6rkusid otsima. Ja tal isegi 6nnestus yks leida, kuigi tema kurvastuseks (ja meie kergenduseks) oli see ammu juba omaniku poolt hyljatud.
Me s6itsime m6ne 6lle ja sn2kkidega tagasi randa et enne 6htus66ki p2ikeseloojangut n2ha. Me olime hommikupoole otsustanud, et oleks hea loojangu ajaks veelkord tolle k6rge ja j2rsu liivaluite otsa ronida ja seda me ka tegime - ja hea ka, sest vaatamata sellele et 6htupoolik oli pilves ja hall, saime me n2ha t2iesti vapustavat p2ikeseloojangut - kindlasti yks v6imsaim mis ma kunagi n2inud olen. Ameeriklased aga magasid 6ige hetke maja kuna nad j2id varasemalt meie piknikku tulnud dingot pildistama, pyydes talle v6imalikult l2hedale roomata - dingo tundus sellest ysna yllatunud olema.
J2rgmisel hommikul pakkisime me oma asjad kokku ja lahkusime suvilast, ent meil polnud saarelt minema s6itmisega kiire, kuna m66n oli alles p2rastl6unal. Ian ja Jenny viisid meid veel paari huvitavat paika vaatama. Esmalt peatusime me Shampanjabasseinide juures, mis on p6him6tteliselt rannas kivide varjus olevad looduslikud 'basseinid', kus t6usu ajal lained yle kivide l88vad ja basseinidesse hulgaga merevahtu viskavad (seega 'shampanja' nimes). Basseinides ujumine on l6bus ja ysna turvaline, kuna kivide varjus pole ohtu, et laine ujuja endaga kaasa viiks. Samas aga, nagu ma kogemusest 6ppisin, on laine ajal kivide juures hulpimine halb m6te, kuna nad on p2ris teravad ja laine on tugev. Sain suveniiriks endale kintsu ja k2e peale m6nusad kriimustused.
Viimane peatus enne praami peale minemist oli Indiaani Pea nimelise mere22rse kalju juures. Me l2ksime kiirele matkale m2est yles, et k6rget ja v6imast kaljut pealtpoolt imetleda. Vaade on muljetavaldav, ja kalju t6useb otse merest. Koha ajalugu aga muutis kogemuse melanhooliliseks. See oli koht kuhu Fraseri saare kohalik aborigeenide h6im - Butchulla - valgete poolt toodi ning kus nad sunniti kas kaljult alla hyppama v6i pystolilasust surema. Fraseri saare p6liselanikke enam ei eksisteeri, kuna too h2vitusmeetod oli v2ga efektiivne. Suurt osa Butchullade kurvas saatuses m2ngis shoti naine Eliza Fraser (kelle j2rgi ka saar nime on saanud). 1836. aastal s6itis ta kaubalaeval mille kapteniks ta abikaasa oli, ning nad s6itsid korallriffidel karile. Ta j6udis koos abikaasaga l6puks Fraseri saarele, ent mees suri vigastustesse ja n2lga. Eliza ise j2i ellu kuna p6liselanikud v6tsid ta endaga elama, koheldes teda nagu k6iki teisi h6imunaisi - st et ta pandi t88le, ent ta sai syya ja peavarju. Kui ta l6puks kaks kuud hiljem tagasi tsivilisatsiooni sai, r22kis ta (hea rahasumma eest, kindlasti) oma kogemusest, tehes sellest hirmsa loo kus ta kohalike poolt r88viti ning piinati. Ta vyrtsitas oma lugu 6udsate detailidega, mist6ttu hakati Fraseri saare kohalikke n2gema kui koletisi. See eba6iglane maine sai nendele saatuslikuks. Nyyd on valitsusel plaan saar ametlikult ymber nimetada K'gariks (Butchullade nimi saarele, mis t2hendab 'paradiisi'), et l6puks side Eliza Fraseriga katkestada.
Nii saigi otsa meie kylastus sellesse kaunisse kohta. Me oleme Ianile ja Jennyle ylimalt t2nulikud, et nad olid nii lahked ja meile saart n2itasid. Me nautisime iga hetke ja l2heks heameelega uuesti - Fraseri saar on t6esti nii ainulaadne ja kaunis. Ja ma pole elu sees nii palju liiva yhes kohas n2inud!
Me naasesime Sally juurde, et seal oma viimased poolteist n2dalat veeta. N2dala sees t88tasime me Paologa oma onni k6rval oleval alal, et seda korrastada - Sallyl on plaanis sinna tekitada m6nus istumisala vaba6hubaariga. Ma sain k2tt proovida kiviseina ehitamises, kui ma ala eri k6rgusega tasandeid piiristasin. Ma sain ka yhe eriti laheda projektiga tegelada - Sally oli ostnud kaks kasutatud puust baaripukki mida ta palus mul korda teha. Ma vahetasin istumispadja katted, v2rvisin pukid valgeks ja siis liivatasin v2rvi selliselt maha, et pukkidele kulunud mulje anda - et need muu vanamoodse m88bli k6rval kohatud ei paistaks. T88 oli m6nus ja nii Sally kui ma ise olime tulemusega rahul. Kindlasti midagi mida ma ka tulevikus teha tahaks.
N2dala l6pupoole saime me suurt l6ket teha kui me l6puks suurele lantanaoksade hunnikule tule otsa saime panna - Ameeriklased tahtsid l6ket Molotovi kokteilidega süüdata, mis paraku ei olnud p2ris nii efektiivne kui v6iks arvata. See 6htu oli ka pizza6htu, kus Paolo kypsetas hulga maitsvaid pizzasid - otse grillahjus! Reede 6htu oli aga meie esimene p2ris pidu6htu. Sally oli viieks p2evaks oma tytardega puhkusele minemas ja oli planeerinud Noosasse kontserdile minna, koos naabrite Doni ja Janine'i ning Iani ja Jennyga. Ta kutsus ka k6ik oma kuus abilist (st meid) kaasa. Tegu oli rokk-kontserdiga, ja b2nd, the Black Sorrows, oli tegutsenud 70ndatest alates. 6htu oli lahe, kuigi me olime publiku keskmisest vanusest v2hemalt 25 aastat nooremad!
Meie viimane n2dalavahetus m66dus p2ris vaikselt. Kuna Sally oli 2ra, ei saanud me k6ik koos v2lja minna, kuna keegi pidi j22ma ja Aline'i eest hoolt kandma. Laup2eval j2ime me Paologa koju l66gastuma kui teised Noosasse l2ksid, ja pyhap2eval j2id teised koju ja meie Paologa l2ksime s6itu. Meil oli isu m2e otsa ronida, mist6ttu s6itsime me Pomonasse, kus me Cooroora m2ge l2ksime vallutama. M2gi on nagu j2rsk kalju mis ylej22nud maastikust nagu sarv v2lja punnitab, ning p2rast eukalyptimetsast l2bi matkamist l2heb ronimine v2ga j2rsuks. Enamjaolt olid ronimiseks astmed, kas siis metallist trepi v6i otse kivisse raiutud astmete n2ol, ning juures oli metallist kett millest kinni hoida. Viimased 30m pidime aga ilma mingi abita kividest yles ronima. See oli v2sitav aga l6bus (ja hea trenn pealekauba) ja m2e otsa j6udes tervitasid meid imelised vaated. Kuna ronimine v6ttis vaevu ainult kaks tundi, s6itsime me edasi Noosasse, et veel viimast korda sealses rannas ujumas k2ia.
Siis oligi meil vaid kolm p2eva veel Sally juures j22nud, ning p2rast kolmap2eva 6htust viimase p2eva pidu s6idutasid Bret ja Kyle meid neljap2eva varahommikul rongijaama, kust me Gabi ja Rafaga Brisbane'i poole s6itsime. Ameeriklased j2id veel paariks p2evaks Sally juurde, ning Gabi ja Rafa, nagu mainitud, s6itsid tagasi Euroopasse. Me Paologa veedame kaks p2eva Brisbane'is ning siis suundume edasi Sydneysse.
M88dunud kuu oli ylivahva, kuid nyyd oleme valmis ja innukad j2llegi millegi uue tegemiseks ning n2gemiseks.
Aa, ja luban, et j2rgmist kirjutist ei tule nii kaua oodata kui praegust tuli!
P2rast m6nda aega l2bi metsa s6itmist hakkasid j2rsku majad paistma. Saarel on pysivaid elanikke vaid napilt alla 200, kuid siiski leidub alasid kus on piisavalt maju koos et seda v6iks kylaks nimetada. Iani ja Jenny maja oli yhe sellise kyla l2heduses, ent privaatsemas kohas, vaid yhe teise maja l2heduses. Nad olid meile 8elnud, et nende maja on alles pooleli, aga tegelikkuses on nende elamine juba praegu uskumatult kaunis, ruumikas ja valgusrikas - peamiselt on nad ehituses kasutanud puitu. Maja on ehitatud j2rsule kynkale ning eesots on toetatud k6rgetele palkidele. Ylimalt m6nus elamine. P2rast kiiret l6unat hyppasime me tagasi autosse ja l2ksime randa kalastama koos veini ja suupistetega (otseloomulikult ei pyydnud mitte keegi yhtegi kala). P2rast imekaunist p2ikeseloojangut l2ksime tagasi suvilasse 6htus88giks liha grillima. Grillilt tulevad l6hnad meelitasid maja juurde ka yhe uudishimuliku dingo. Dingod on teatud tyypi austraalia metsikud koerad. Tavaliselt on nad punaka karvaga ja valge rinna ja 'sokkidega'. Fraseri saare dingosid peetakse 'puhtaimaks' dingoks, kuna mujal Austraalias on dingod tavaliste koeradega segunenud, ent Fraseri saarel on koerad looduskaitse p6hjustel keelatud. Seega on saare dingod samuti kaitse all ning nende puhul on tegu yhe Fraseri saare ikooniga. Samas, olles nagu koerad, on dingod oportunistlikud ning proovivad inimeste toiduj22tmeid syya. Ja siis on loomulikult tolasid kes neid toidavad, muutes nad inimeste suhtes v2hem kartlikuks. See on omakorda viinud selleni, et dingod on kohati inimesi ka rynnanud (ent peamiselt idioote kes neid h2irima l2ksid v6i lapsi, kuna nad on pisikesed). Et selliseid olukordi proovida v2ltida, on kogu saar t2is dingode eest hoiatavaid silte. Tegelikkuses on nad kaunid loomad ja ei h2iri kedagi kui nad rahule j2tta.
J2rgmisel hommikul aitasid poisid Ianil Ikea m88blit kokku panna mis nad olid maismaalt kaasa toonud ja siis l2ksime me j2lle saart avastama. Ian ja Jenny viisid meid luidetele jalutama (ja me ronisime yhe eriti suure ja j2rsu luite otsa ka) ja j2lle uude kohta kalale. Seej2rel l2ksime me tagasi suvilasse et nende kaks kanuud auto peale laadida ja l2hedalasuva j2rve 22rde s6ita. K6ik said kanuuga j2rvel s6itmist proovida ja j2rvevees ujuda, mis oli ookeani v2rske vee k6rval m6nusalt soe. Kyle, olles infotabloolt lugenud, et j2rve l2heduses leidub surmavalt myrgiseid lehter2mblikke, l2ks koheselt nende kergelt 2ratuntavaid lehterv6rkusid otsima. Ja tal isegi 6nnestus yks leida, kuigi tema kurvastuseks (ja meie kergenduseks) oli see ammu juba omaniku poolt hyljatud.
Me s6itsime m6ne 6lle ja sn2kkidega tagasi randa et enne 6htus66ki p2ikeseloojangut n2ha. Me olime hommikupoole otsustanud, et oleks hea loojangu ajaks veelkord tolle k6rge ja j2rsu liivaluite otsa ronida ja seda me ka tegime - ja hea ka, sest vaatamata sellele et 6htupoolik oli pilves ja hall, saime me n2ha t2iesti vapustavat p2ikeseloojangut - kindlasti yks v6imsaim mis ma kunagi n2inud olen. Ameeriklased aga magasid 6ige hetke maja kuna nad j2id varasemalt meie piknikku tulnud dingot pildistama, pyydes talle v6imalikult l2hedale roomata - dingo tundus sellest ysna yllatunud olema.
J2rgmisel hommikul pakkisime me oma asjad kokku ja lahkusime suvilast, ent meil polnud saarelt minema s6itmisega kiire, kuna m66n oli alles p2rastl6unal. Ian ja Jenny viisid meid veel paari huvitavat paika vaatama. Esmalt peatusime me Shampanjabasseinide juures, mis on p6him6tteliselt rannas kivide varjus olevad looduslikud 'basseinid', kus t6usu ajal lained yle kivide l88vad ja basseinidesse hulgaga merevahtu viskavad (seega 'shampanja' nimes). Basseinides ujumine on l6bus ja ysna turvaline, kuna kivide varjus pole ohtu, et laine ujuja endaga kaasa viiks. Samas aga, nagu ma kogemusest 6ppisin, on laine ajal kivide juures hulpimine halb m6te, kuna nad on p2ris teravad ja laine on tugev. Sain suveniiriks endale kintsu ja k2e peale m6nusad kriimustused.
Viimane peatus enne praami peale minemist oli Indiaani Pea nimelise mere22rse kalju juures. Me l2ksime kiirele matkale m2est yles, et k6rget ja v6imast kaljut pealtpoolt imetleda. Vaade on muljetavaldav, ja kalju t6useb otse merest. Koha ajalugu aga muutis kogemuse melanhooliliseks. See oli koht kuhu Fraseri saare kohalik aborigeenide h6im - Butchulla - valgete poolt toodi ning kus nad sunniti kas kaljult alla hyppama v6i pystolilasust surema. Fraseri saare p6liselanikke enam ei eksisteeri, kuna too h2vitusmeetod oli v2ga efektiivne. Suurt osa Butchullade kurvas saatuses m2ngis shoti naine Eliza Fraser (kelle j2rgi ka saar nime on saanud). 1836. aastal s6itis ta kaubalaeval mille kapteniks ta abikaasa oli, ning nad s6itsid korallriffidel karile. Ta j6udis koos abikaasaga l6puks Fraseri saarele, ent mees suri vigastustesse ja n2lga. Eliza ise j2i ellu kuna p6liselanikud v6tsid ta endaga elama, koheldes teda nagu k6iki teisi h6imunaisi - st et ta pandi t88le, ent ta sai syya ja peavarju. Kui ta l6puks kaks kuud hiljem tagasi tsivilisatsiooni sai, r22kis ta (hea rahasumma eest, kindlasti) oma kogemusest, tehes sellest hirmsa loo kus ta kohalike poolt r88viti ning piinati. Ta vyrtsitas oma lugu 6udsate detailidega, mist6ttu hakati Fraseri saare kohalikke n2gema kui koletisi. See eba6iglane maine sai nendele saatuslikuks. Nyyd on valitsusel plaan saar ametlikult ymber nimetada K'gariks (Butchullade nimi saarele, mis t2hendab 'paradiisi'), et l6puks side Eliza Fraseriga katkestada.
Nii saigi otsa meie kylastus sellesse kaunisse kohta. Me oleme Ianile ja Jennyle ylimalt t2nulikud, et nad olid nii lahked ja meile saart n2itasid. Me nautisime iga hetke ja l2heks heameelega uuesti - Fraseri saar on t6esti nii ainulaadne ja kaunis. Ja ma pole elu sees nii palju liiva yhes kohas n2inud!
Me naasesime Sally juurde, et seal oma viimased poolteist n2dalat veeta. N2dala sees t88tasime me Paologa oma onni k6rval oleval alal, et seda korrastada - Sallyl on plaanis sinna tekitada m6nus istumisala vaba6hubaariga. Ma sain k2tt proovida kiviseina ehitamises, kui ma ala eri k6rgusega tasandeid piiristasin. Ma sain ka yhe eriti laheda projektiga tegelada - Sally oli ostnud kaks kasutatud puust baaripukki mida ta palus mul korda teha. Ma vahetasin istumispadja katted, v2rvisin pukid valgeks ja siis liivatasin v2rvi selliselt maha, et pukkidele kulunud mulje anda - et need muu vanamoodse m88bli k6rval kohatud ei paistaks. T88 oli m6nus ja nii Sally kui ma ise olime tulemusega rahul. Kindlasti midagi mida ma ka tulevikus teha tahaks.
N2dala l6pupoole saime me suurt l6ket teha kui me l6puks suurele lantanaoksade hunnikule tule otsa saime panna - Ameeriklased tahtsid l6ket Molotovi kokteilidega süüdata, mis paraku ei olnud p2ris nii efektiivne kui v6iks arvata. See 6htu oli ka pizza6htu, kus Paolo kypsetas hulga maitsvaid pizzasid - otse grillahjus! Reede 6htu oli aga meie esimene p2ris pidu6htu. Sally oli viieks p2evaks oma tytardega puhkusele minemas ja oli planeerinud Noosasse kontserdile minna, koos naabrite Doni ja Janine'i ning Iani ja Jennyga. Ta kutsus ka k6ik oma kuus abilist (st meid) kaasa. Tegu oli rokk-kontserdiga, ja b2nd, the Black Sorrows, oli tegutsenud 70ndatest alates. 6htu oli lahe, kuigi me olime publiku keskmisest vanusest v2hemalt 25 aastat nooremad!
Meie viimane n2dalavahetus m66dus p2ris vaikselt. Kuna Sally oli 2ra, ei saanud me k6ik koos v2lja minna, kuna keegi pidi j22ma ja Aline'i eest hoolt kandma. Laup2eval j2ime me Paologa koju l66gastuma kui teised Noosasse l2ksid, ja pyhap2eval j2id teised koju ja meie Paologa l2ksime s6itu. Meil oli isu m2e otsa ronida, mist6ttu s6itsime me Pomonasse, kus me Cooroora m2ge l2ksime vallutama. M2gi on nagu j2rsk kalju mis ylej22nud maastikust nagu sarv v2lja punnitab, ning p2rast eukalyptimetsast l2bi matkamist l2heb ronimine v2ga j2rsuks. Enamjaolt olid ronimiseks astmed, kas siis metallist trepi v6i otse kivisse raiutud astmete n2ol, ning juures oli metallist kett millest kinni hoida. Viimased 30m pidime aga ilma mingi abita kividest yles ronima. See oli v2sitav aga l6bus (ja hea trenn pealekauba) ja m2e otsa j6udes tervitasid meid imelised vaated. Kuna ronimine v6ttis vaevu ainult kaks tundi, s6itsime me edasi Noosasse, et veel viimast korda sealses rannas ujumas k2ia.
Siis oligi meil vaid kolm p2eva veel Sally juures j22nud, ning p2rast kolmap2eva 6htust viimase p2eva pidu s6idutasid Bret ja Kyle meid neljap2eva varahommikul rongijaama, kust me Gabi ja Rafaga Brisbane'i poole s6itsime. Ameeriklased j2id veel paariks p2evaks Sally juurde, ning Gabi ja Rafa, nagu mainitud, s6itsid tagasi Euroopasse. Me Paologa veedame kaks p2eva Brisbane'is ning siis suundume edasi Sydneysse.
M88dunud kuu oli ylivahva, kuid nyyd oleme valmis ja innukad j2llegi millegi uue tegemiseks ning n2gemiseks.
Aa, ja luban, et j2rgmist kirjutist ei tule nii kaua oodata kui praegust tuli!
////////////////////////////////////
Yesterday we finally arrived back to Brisbane. We had originally planned to spend two weeks at Sally's, but we ended up staying over a month. We were up to a lot of stuff in the last few weeks which is why I haven't had time to write anything until now - and there is quite a bit to write about! So, from where I last left off...
The last weekend before we were joined by the Polish couple was quite fun. On the Saturday we had all been invited for a barbecue by Don and Janine, Sally's neighbours. Their adult daughter Georgia was there too, who currently lives and studies in Brisbane. They were all interesting and intelligent people and we had a great time chatting about all sorts of stuff. Don was keen to have some companions to play guitar with and he and Bret were jamming in the end. It was great to get to know some of the people in the area and we felt it was super nice of them to invite us over.
The day after we went to Noosa again. This time we skipped the nature walk and just chilled on the beautiful main beach and swam among the big waves. Noosa is a very well-known beach town and an important spot for surfers (kind of like Biarritz in France), so it's great that we are so near to it and have been able to visit multiple times.
On the Monday after, the Americans and we were joined by Rafa and Gabi, a married Polish couple in their early 30s, originally from Poznan. However, they had been travelling for over four years, through Asia, then New Zealand and Australia, and before that they had lived in Ireland for years. We actually got to spend the very last leg of their journey with them, since yesterday they left Australia to go back to Europe and to see their families after four years away. They decided to spend their last weeks in Australia at Sally's, since they had already spent three months as helpers with her a few months ago - and enjoyed it so much that they came back.
All six of us got to work on Sally's farm during the week, doing gardening, lawnmowing, digging up rocks and old fenceposts and lots of other things. Gabi also helped Sally manage the animals, in particular the sheep, since she had been there seven months ago when the they had first come to the farm, as little lambs only days old. She had nursed Buoy as a little one, and she could not help but feel a little bit betrayed when he now tried to headbutt her! No need to take that personally though, since he had continued to try and headbutt everything and everyone, including me - I had a few moments of adrenaline when I had to escape from his attacks.
Oh, I also noticed that last time when I described the animals of the farm, I had forgot to include the two lesbian geese! They are a pair of grey lady geese who are completely and utterly inseparable. Apparently there used to be a male goose around too, but the two ladies ganged up on him and got rid of him. Now they are free to be together :) The geese are the only animals that Aline, Sally's elderly mother, still takes care of. Every morning she lets them out, and every evening when she comes down from the house, the geese will be there waiting for her to put them to their pen. It is amazing!
For the American boys and us, the work week was one day shorter this time, since on Friday we went together to Fraser Island for the weekend. And it was an amazing stroke of luck that we did get to go. Fraser Island is a few hours' ride from Sally's place, and it is one of Australia's most amazing natural attractions. It is the world's largest sand island, stretching over 120km. It is an important site for birds and other wildlife, and the whole place is a protected area and a natural park. It has beautiful sandy (obviously) beaches and is just a completely unique place. Lots and lots of tourists visit it with organised tours, which are deadly expensive. We had known of the prices and had already resigned to the idea that we will skip Fraser Island this time. But little did we know that we would be taken along for a trip there!
What happened was that Sally had her friend Ian, an electrician, come over the previous week to rewire the electricity and set up new power points etc. He stayed overnight and we all had dinner together. He heard us saying that we would have liked to go to Fraser, but probably can't, to which he said that he has a holiday house on Fraser Island - and that, provided his wife agrees, all four of us are welcome to come over for the weekend! It was incredibly kind of him to offer, and since his wife Jennifer was happy to have us as well, we had agreed to meet up with them on the Friday to go and stay on the island for two nights.
We drove there in Ian and Jenny's Land Cruiser - Fraser Island has no roads and only four-wheel drive vehicles can survive the sand roads. The journey overland took about an hour, after which we reached Inskip Point, where we took a ferry - and after 15 minutes on the water, we were on the southern tip of Fraser Island. Ian and Jenny's place is in the north, so we then drove all along the eastern shore of the island, along the beach, stopping in various places on the way. It was such a new and exciting experience, driving fast on the sand, just next to the sea. You can really only drive during low tide, since then the beach is wide and the going is easier on the flat sand. High tides push drivers onto soft sand, and there it's slow.
We stopped in a place for a coffee, and then at a beautiful clear blue creek that flowed out toward the sea. We walked along a plankwalk along the creek inland and, upriver from the tourists, drank deep from the clean water. We walked back in the creek, which was brilliant. We then also stopped next to a beached shipwreck from WWII, which was pretty cool. After driving on the beach for over two hours, we finally turned inland onto the narrow soft sand tracks winding through forest. Also - yes there is vegetation on the island, despite it being all sand. In fact there are even rainforests, not just dry bush. The vegetation manages to survive thanks to the naturally occurring mycorrhizal fungi present in the sand, which release nutrients in a form that can be absorbed by the plants. How cool!
After some time in the wilderness, suddenly houses appeared out of nowhere. There are only some 200 people who live permanently on the island, but there are some areas with clusters of houses that can be described as villages. Ian and Jenny's place was near one of these, but a little bit more private, with just one other house nearby. They had mentioned that they were only still building the house, but in truth the place they have is already absolutely gorgeous, spacious and just plain awesome. Built on a hillside, on a raised platform, the house is modern, spacious and bright, and mainly built of wood. We loved it there! After a quick lunch, we were out again with the car to the nearby bar for a quick beer while it stopped raining, and then onto the beach for some fishing, wine and snacks (by now it goes without saying that we did not catch anything when fishing). We were treated to a beautiful sunset after which we went back and had a delicious barbecue dinner. The smells of the cooking meat also managed to draw out a dingo - who suddenly appeared in the darkness just meters away from where we were eating. Dingoes are a type of wild dog native to Australia. They're usually reddish in colour, with a white belly and 'socks'. The Fraser Island dingoes are thought to be the 'purest' dingo out there, since in other places on the mainland the native populations have interbred with domestic dogs, but dogs are not allowed on Fraser Island due to its protected status. Therefore the dingo population is protected and the animals themselves one of the more iconic symbols of the island. However, being dogs, they are opportunistic and will try to scavenge. And then there are idiots who feed them, making them less afraid to approach people. This has led them to occasionally attack people (mainly douchebags who were asking for it, or kids, since they're small). To prevent this from happening again, the whole island is full of warning signs about dingoes. In truth, they are beautiful and will not bother people if left alone.
The next morning, the guys helped Ian assemble some Ikea furniture that they had brought with them from the mainland, and then we were off exploring again. Ian and Jenny took us first for a walk along some of the sand dunes (and we climbed a steep one, which was seriously hard work), and for some more fishing. We then went back for their canoes and drove to a lake near their house. We all got to go on the water in the canoes and swim in the lake, which was pleasantly warm in comparison to the cool ocean water. Kyle, having read on the nearby information board that there are deadly funnelweb spiders the area around the lake, immediately spent his whole time there looking for their telltale webs. And he even managed to find one, although to his chagrin (and our relief) it was long abandoned.
We drove back to the beach with some beers and snacks to see the sunset before dinner. We had decided earlier during the day that it would be good to climb the steep dune again in time to see the sun go down, and that's what we did - and good too, because despite the evening being quite overcast and drab, the sunset we saw was one of the most magnificent I have ever seen. The Americans though were late for the summit, since our earlier little picnic was joined by a dingo waiting to see if we leave anything edible for him. The guys proceeded to try and take a closeup photo of the dingo, much to the animals bewilderment.
The next morning we packed up and were ready to leave, but were in no hurry to leave the island due to the low tide being in the early afternoon. Ian and Jenny took us to see some more places on our way down. We stopped first at the Champagne Pools, which are basically sheltered pools among rocks on the beach, and during high tide, the waves wash over the rocks, splashing lots of foamy water into the pools (hence the 'Champagne' part of the name). For people in the pools, it's fun and relatively safe, since the rocks prevent you from being swept away by the big waves. However, as I learned the hard way, it's nonetheless a bad idea to be near the rocks when a wave hits, since they are nevertheless pretty sharp and the wave is strong. I got some cool scratches on my thigh and hand as a souvenir from that visit.
Our final stop before taking the ferry back was at a cliff next to the sea called Indian Head. We went for a quick hike up to see the cliff, which is high and impressive, and drops straight into the sea. The history of the place however makes it a melancholy experience. This was the place where the native Aboriginal tribe of Fraser Island - the Butchulla - were lead to by white settlers and forced to either be shot or to jump off the cliff to their deaths. There are no more native Fraser Islanders, since this method of extermination was very effective. A large part in this fate was played by a Scotswoman called Eliza Fraser (after whom the island is named). In 1836, she was on a cargo ship captained by her husband when they hit a reef and were shipwrecked. She made it to Fraser Island along with her husband, who died later of starvation. She was taken in by the natives, and treated as other women of the tribe - meaning she had to work, but was fed and cared for. When she finally managed to make it back to civilization two months later, she recounted her experience (for a nice sum of money I'm sure), making it up to be a horrific tale of abduction by barbaric Aboriginals who mistreated and tortured her. She elaborated her story with details so gory that the Fraser Islanders were seen as nothing short of monsters. This unjust reputation cost them their lives. Now there are plans to officially rename the island after it's Aboriginal name K'gari (meaning 'paradise'), finally severing the connection to Eliza Fraser.
And so ended our visit to this beautiful place. We were extremely grateful to Ian and Jenny for being so kind and showing us the island. We had wonderful time, and would love to go again - Fraser Island is truly magnificent and unique. Also I've never seen so much sand in my life!
We returned for our last week and a half at Sally's. The following week we worked on making the area next to our cabin nice - Sally plans to have an outdoor bar / sitting area there. I got to try my hand in building rock walls, to help define the two different levels of the area there. I also got to do a really cool little project - Sally had bought two secondhand wooden bar stools, which she asked me to refurbish. I replaced the cushions, painted the stools white, and then sanded down the paint to give the stools a worn look to match the rustic style of the cabin. It was great fun and I liked how they turned out. Definitely something I would like to do again in the future.
Near to the end of the week. we got to have a big bonfire, finally burning the huge pile of lantana branches that had been removed during the previous weeks - the Americans insisted in lighting the fire by using Molotov cocktails, which, perhaps unsurprisingly, were not as effective as you would think :D Paolo also made delicious pizza - in the barbecue! Friday night however was our first real night out. Sally was going away for the weekend for a holiday with her daughters, and had made plans to go out to Noosa for a concert. Her neighbours Don and Janine came, as well as Ian and Jenny. And she had invited all us six helpers along too. It was a rock concert by a band playing together since the 70s - the Black Sorrows. It was good, but we were at least 25 years under the average age of the punters there :D
Our last weekend passed quietly. With Sally gone, we could not all go out at the same time, since someone had to stay and look after Aline. Paolo and I stayed and had a quiet relaxing day on Saturday, and on Sunday we went for a trip on our own, leaving the rest of the guys at the house. We felt like climbing a hill, so we drove to Pomona to climb up Cooroora mountain. It is a steep rock jutting up like a horn from the surrounding landscape, and after the initial stroll through a eucalyptus forest, the climb becomes very steep. It was mostly steps, either metal ones or carved into the rock face, with a chain to hold onto on the side. The last 30 meters though was just a scramble up the rocks. It was tiring but great fun (and good exercise) and we were rewarded by some spectacular views on the top. Since the climb only took us two hours, we then drove on to Noosa for a final swim on the beach there.
We then had just three more days at Sally's, and after a staying up late celebrating our last night on Wednesday, on Thursday early morning Kyle and Bret drove Rafa, Gabi, Paolo and me to take a train to Brisbane. The Americans will stay at Sally's for a few more days, while Rafa and Gabi, as mentioned, took a flight back to Europe. Paolo and I will stay in Brisbane for one more night now before heading to Sydney.
The last month was brilliant, but we are ready and energised to do something new again, and see some more of Australia.
Also, next post will not take as long as this one did, promise!
We stopped in a place for a coffee, and then at a beautiful clear blue creek that flowed out toward the sea. We walked along a plankwalk along the creek inland and, upriver from the tourists, drank deep from the clean water. We walked back in the creek, which was brilliant. We then also stopped next to a beached shipwreck from WWII, which was pretty cool. After driving on the beach for over two hours, we finally turned inland onto the narrow soft sand tracks winding through forest. Also - yes there is vegetation on the island, despite it being all sand. In fact there are even rainforests, not just dry bush. The vegetation manages to survive thanks to the naturally occurring mycorrhizal fungi present in the sand, which release nutrients in a form that can be absorbed by the plants. How cool!
After some time in the wilderness, suddenly houses appeared out of nowhere. There are only some 200 people who live permanently on the island, but there are some areas with clusters of houses that can be described as villages. Ian and Jenny's place was near one of these, but a little bit more private, with just one other house nearby. They had mentioned that they were only still building the house, but in truth the place they have is already absolutely gorgeous, spacious and just plain awesome. Built on a hillside, on a raised platform, the house is modern, spacious and bright, and mainly built of wood. We loved it there! After a quick lunch, we were out again with the car to the nearby bar for a quick beer while it stopped raining, and then onto the beach for some fishing, wine and snacks (by now it goes without saying that we did not catch anything when fishing). We were treated to a beautiful sunset after which we went back and had a delicious barbecue dinner. The smells of the cooking meat also managed to draw out a dingo - who suddenly appeared in the darkness just meters away from where we were eating. Dingoes are a type of wild dog native to Australia. They're usually reddish in colour, with a white belly and 'socks'. The Fraser Island dingoes are thought to be the 'purest' dingo out there, since in other places on the mainland the native populations have interbred with domestic dogs, but dogs are not allowed on Fraser Island due to its protected status. Therefore the dingo population is protected and the animals themselves one of the more iconic symbols of the island. However, being dogs, they are opportunistic and will try to scavenge. And then there are idiots who feed them, making them less afraid to approach people. This has led them to occasionally attack people (mainly douchebags who were asking for it, or kids, since they're small). To prevent this from happening again, the whole island is full of warning signs about dingoes. In truth, they are beautiful and will not bother people if left alone.
The next morning, the guys helped Ian assemble some Ikea furniture that they had brought with them from the mainland, and then we were off exploring again. Ian and Jenny took us first for a walk along some of the sand dunes (and we climbed a steep one, which was seriously hard work), and for some more fishing. We then went back for their canoes and drove to a lake near their house. We all got to go on the water in the canoes and swim in the lake, which was pleasantly warm in comparison to the cool ocean water. Kyle, having read on the nearby information board that there are deadly funnelweb spiders the area around the lake, immediately spent his whole time there looking for their telltale webs. And he even managed to find one, although to his chagrin (and our relief) it was long abandoned.
We drove back to the beach with some beers and snacks to see the sunset before dinner. We had decided earlier during the day that it would be good to climb the steep dune again in time to see the sun go down, and that's what we did - and good too, because despite the evening being quite overcast and drab, the sunset we saw was one of the most magnificent I have ever seen. The Americans though were late for the summit, since our earlier little picnic was joined by a dingo waiting to see if we leave anything edible for him. The guys proceeded to try and take a closeup photo of the dingo, much to the animals bewilderment.
The next morning we packed up and were ready to leave, but were in no hurry to leave the island due to the low tide being in the early afternoon. Ian and Jenny took us to see some more places on our way down. We stopped first at the Champagne Pools, which are basically sheltered pools among rocks on the beach, and during high tide, the waves wash over the rocks, splashing lots of foamy water into the pools (hence the 'Champagne' part of the name). For people in the pools, it's fun and relatively safe, since the rocks prevent you from being swept away by the big waves. However, as I learned the hard way, it's nonetheless a bad idea to be near the rocks when a wave hits, since they are nevertheless pretty sharp and the wave is strong. I got some cool scratches on my thigh and hand as a souvenir from that visit.
Our final stop before taking the ferry back was at a cliff next to the sea called Indian Head. We went for a quick hike up to see the cliff, which is high and impressive, and drops straight into the sea. The history of the place however makes it a melancholy experience. This was the place where the native Aboriginal tribe of Fraser Island - the Butchulla - were lead to by white settlers and forced to either be shot or to jump off the cliff to their deaths. There are no more native Fraser Islanders, since this method of extermination was very effective. A large part in this fate was played by a Scotswoman called Eliza Fraser (after whom the island is named). In 1836, she was on a cargo ship captained by her husband when they hit a reef and were shipwrecked. She made it to Fraser Island along with her husband, who died later of starvation. She was taken in by the natives, and treated as other women of the tribe - meaning she had to work, but was fed and cared for. When she finally managed to make it back to civilization two months later, she recounted her experience (for a nice sum of money I'm sure), making it up to be a horrific tale of abduction by barbaric Aboriginals who mistreated and tortured her. She elaborated her story with details so gory that the Fraser Islanders were seen as nothing short of monsters. This unjust reputation cost them their lives. Now there are plans to officially rename the island after it's Aboriginal name K'gari (meaning 'paradise'), finally severing the connection to Eliza Fraser.
And so ended our visit to this beautiful place. We were extremely grateful to Ian and Jenny for being so kind and showing us the island. We had wonderful time, and would love to go again - Fraser Island is truly magnificent and unique. Also I've never seen so much sand in my life!
We returned for our last week and a half at Sally's. The following week we worked on making the area next to our cabin nice - Sally plans to have an outdoor bar / sitting area there. I got to try my hand in building rock walls, to help define the two different levels of the area there. I also got to do a really cool little project - Sally had bought two secondhand wooden bar stools, which she asked me to refurbish. I replaced the cushions, painted the stools white, and then sanded down the paint to give the stools a worn look to match the rustic style of the cabin. It was great fun and I liked how they turned out. Definitely something I would like to do again in the future.
Near to the end of the week. we got to have a big bonfire, finally burning the huge pile of lantana branches that had been removed during the previous weeks - the Americans insisted in lighting the fire by using Molotov cocktails, which, perhaps unsurprisingly, were not as effective as you would think :D Paolo also made delicious pizza - in the barbecue! Friday night however was our first real night out. Sally was going away for the weekend for a holiday with her daughters, and had made plans to go out to Noosa for a concert. Her neighbours Don and Janine came, as well as Ian and Jenny. And she had invited all us six helpers along too. It was a rock concert by a band playing together since the 70s - the Black Sorrows. It was good, but we were at least 25 years under the average age of the punters there :D
Our last weekend passed quietly. With Sally gone, we could not all go out at the same time, since someone had to stay and look after Aline. Paolo and I stayed and had a quiet relaxing day on Saturday, and on Sunday we went for a trip on our own, leaving the rest of the guys at the house. We felt like climbing a hill, so we drove to Pomona to climb up Cooroora mountain. It is a steep rock jutting up like a horn from the surrounding landscape, and after the initial stroll through a eucalyptus forest, the climb becomes very steep. It was mostly steps, either metal ones or carved into the rock face, with a chain to hold onto on the side. The last 30 meters though was just a scramble up the rocks. It was tiring but great fun (and good exercise) and we were rewarded by some spectacular views on the top. Since the climb only took us two hours, we then drove on to Noosa for a final swim on the beach there.
We then had just three more days at Sally's, and after a staying up late celebrating our last night on Wednesday, on Thursday early morning Kyle and Bret drove Rafa, Gabi, Paolo and me to take a train to Brisbane. The Americans will stay at Sally's for a few more days, while Rafa and Gabi, as mentioned, took a flight back to Europe. Paolo and I will stay in Brisbane for one more night now before heading to Sydney.
The last month was brilliant, but we are ready and energised to do something new again, and see some more of Australia.
Also, next post will not take as long as this one did, promise!
 |
| Alustame s6itu Fraseri saarel // We begin our ride on Fraser Island |
 |
| Laevavraki sees // Inside the shipwreck |
 |
| Tyypiline Fraseri saare autotee // Typical Fraser Island road |
 |
| Iani ja Jennyga 6lle joomas // Having a schooner with Ian and Jenny |
 |
| J2rsk ylesminek ees // Steep climb ahead |
 |
| Alla tulemine oli palju l6busam! // Much more fun getting down! |
 |
| Kyle ja Bret kohe koos alla hyppamas // Kyle and Bret jumping together |
 |
| Dingo! |
 |
| Imekaunis p2ikeseloojang // Beautiful sunset |
 |
| Shampanja basseinid // Champagne pools |
 |
| Indian Headi kalju // Indian Head cliff |
 |
| Praamil tagasis6itu alustamas // Beginning our journey back on the ferry |
 |
| Baaripukk enne... // Bar stool before... |
 |
| ...ja p2rast // ...and after |
 |
| Kohaliku kyla baar // Pub at the local village |
 |
| Cooroora m2est ylesminek // Climbing Mt Cooroora |
 |
| Vaated tasusid 2ra // Views were worth it |
 |
| Leidsime 6uest vigastatud 88sorri :( Viisime ta loomaarsti juurde, loodetavasti said nad ta terveks ravida // We found an injured Tawny Frogmouth in the paddock :( We took it to the vet, hopefully they managed to fix it |
Kommentaare ei ole:
Postita kommentaar