AUSTRALIA #8 -Farewell!

Our last two days in Sydney. We were up bright and early for our outing to Featherdale Wildlife Park, the Blue Mountains and to Leura Village for lunch. Since we had already been to Kangaroo Island and saw an abundance of animals in their natural environment, we scoffed at the thought of seeing animals in a “zoo-like” environment. It was fabulous.

Kangaroos and wallabies were bouncing around the park and koalas were smiling for pictures from their perch in a eucalyptus tree. In one area you could actually feed and pet the kangaroos and wallabies. When they had “had it” with tourists, they bounced off to a roped off area where no tourists were permitted. We even saw a wallaby with a joey in her pouch, sticking its head out to check out his new surroundings. So cute!!!

We walked through the park, amazed at the abundance of animals and the interesting and well-kept areas in which they were housed. I finally saw a tasmanian devil…strange looking with a disproportionate head and prominent jaw and teeth.

I also saw an albino kangaroo for the first time. I didn’t even know they existed. And I finally saw a Glossy Black Cockatoo (we looked in Kangaroo Island but never did find one in the wild.) It was an amazing morning and none of us wanted to leave the park. If you’re planning an outing outside Sydney, Featherdale Wildlife Park is a must. If you’re an animal person plan for at least two to three hours, you won’t be disappointed.

Next on our agenda were the Blue Mountains and the famous “Three Sisters” rock formation. The Tree Sisters is one of several well-known natural attractions, a unique sandstone rock formation towering above the Jamison Valley at Echo Point. The name of the formation is from an Aboriginal legend about three sisters who fell in love with three brothers from another tribe, whom they were not allowed to marry. This caused a tribal battle. To make the story short, in order to protect the three sisters they were turned into stone by a witchdoctor. It was supposed to be a temporary spell, but the witchdoctor died and no one could reverse the spell. I love these romantic tales.

The Blue Mountain region is absolutely beautiful with many hiking trails, waterfalls and amazing rock formations. While most tourists come out to see the Three Sisters rock formation, there are lots of places to visit if you have the time and enjoy the great outdoors. On our way back to Sydney we stopped for a late lunch in Leura, a small village with quaint shops and a really nice restaurant, the Bon Ton.

Sunday, our last day in Sydney. Carolyn Groves and I walked down to the Rocks, near the base of the Harbour Bridge, to an artisan outdoor market that stretched on for blocks.

Several members of the group visited the Sydney Aquarium and spent the afternoon in Darling Harbour. And then there was Dave and Lisa Lunzer and Sabina and Alan Duke, who had reservations to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge at 11:00 that morning.

I’m glad to report that all went well and they had a great time on the climb. They reported in at 10:30, changed into the grey climbing suit and met with the other eight brave souls for an orientation meeting and a class on Bridge Climbing 101!!! According to the climbers, the view was magnificent, the climb down a bit scary, and the exaltation and realization that they actually climbed 440 feet above Sydney Harbour, priceless. Check out their smiling faces--they really enjoyed the climb. If you are planning a trip to Sydney the cost of the climb is $125 (AUS) per person and reservations are a must.
We met for cocktails at 6:00 that evening at the Shangri-La lounge to share our days’ adventures and then to the Summit Restaurant for our farewell dinner. The restaurant was delightful and we thoroughly enjoyed the revolving 360-degree view of the city skyline. According to Lisa and Sabina, it was a lot easier seeing the view from the restaurant and taking the elevator up 47 floors than it was climbing the bridge that morning!!!

Usually after a three-week trip I’m ready to head home. I wasn’t ready to leave Australia. The trip was wonderful from the rainforests and reefs of Cairns to the bright lights and excitement of Sydney. For nature lovers to city slickers, Australia has something for everyone.

AUSTRALIA #7 - Sydney, the Heartbeat of Australia

We flew into Sydney in the late afternoon. I had mixed emotions. I didn’t want to leave Tasmania, yet I was excited to get to Sydney. It also meant our trip was coming to an end.
We stayed at the Shangri-La Hotel in the historic Rocks area overlooking Sydney Harbor and the Sydney Opera House. The view from our room was spectacular.Once settled in the hotel we walked down the hill to Circular Quay, a lively area with parks, boutiques and restaurants and a great place to people watch. It is also the transportation hub for ferries and trains coming into the city and is quite near the Opera House.

The following morning we were off early for a tour of the city. Our first stop--the Sydney Harbour Bridge, one of Australia's most well known and photographed landmarks. It is the world's largest (but not the longest) steel arch bridge with the top of the bridge standing 440 feet above the harbour. The bridge opened for traffic in March, 1932. Four people in the group had reservations to climb the bridge the following Sunday. It was interesting to see their reaction as our guide talked about the bridge and the height over the water.Our next stop was Darling Harbour, a large recreational and pedestrian area near Chinatown in downtown Sydney. On my first trip to Sydney in 1999 we stayed in the Darling Harbour area and it was fun with all the restaurants and tourist attractions close by. Since 1999 the area has doubled in size. The Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, a venue for the 2000 Summer Olympic, contributed to the area’s popularity along with several other major facilities including the Sydney Aquarium, the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Imax Theater, among others.The last stop on our morning tour was Bondi Beach, well known among surfers worldwide. It became a household name during the 2000 Summer Olympics as the venue for volleyball. It has a beautiful white sandy beach and lots of cafes and restaurants, a popular nightspot for the younger crowd.Absolutely no trip to Sydney would be complete without a tour of the Sydney Opera House. It is probably the most recognizable building in the world as well as the most famous performing arts center in the world. The tour of the Opera House was wonderful.The planning of the Opera House actually began in the late 1940s. A competition was launched in September 1955 to find the best design for a multi-functional performing arts center. The criteria specified a large hall seating 3,000 and a small hall for 1,200 people, each to be designed for different uses including full-scale operas, orchestral and choral concerts, mass meetings, lectures, ballet performances and other presentations. The winner, announced in 1957, was Jorn Utzon, a Danish architect.The estimated cost of the project was seven million dollars with a time estimate of three years. The Sydney Opera House opened its doors on October 20, 1973, 93 million dollars over budget and taking 14 years to build. Jorn Utzon, the architect, was ahead of his time. His original design was structurally impossible to build. After several long and frustrating years Utzon finally altered his design and gave the roof vaults a defined spherical geometry. This enabled the roofs to be constructed in a pre-cast fashion, greatly reducing both time and cost.The construction problem’s continued and were compounded when a new government was elected in NSW (New South Wales) in 1965, partly on the campaign promise to "do something" about the cost overruns with the Opera House." The new government refused to agree to Utzon’s new design ideas and proposed construction methods. In February. 1966, Utzon was forced to resign as stage II was nearing completion. A team of Australian architects took over and after an extensive review of the proposed functions of the building, proceeded with its completion. Utzon went back to Denmark. He was not invited to the grand opening in 1973. In later years there was a reconciliation and Utzon was hired as a consultant for a new addition to the Opera House. In June, 2007, the Sydney Opera House was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jorn Utzon died in Copenhagen in November, 2008, at the age of 90, having never seen in person his masterpiece come to life for the world to enjoy.
The Opera House tour is an hour and cost approximately $25.00, less if you order online. Since we had tickets for a concert that same evening we strolled along the waterfront and had dinner at the very popular Opera House Bar, overlooking the Harbour Bridge.
The concert, Sense and Sensibility, from Bizet to Debussy, was fabulous and being in the Concert Hall made it even more special. A perfect ending to a wonderful day in Sydney.
Join me next week as we venture outside the city to Featherdale Wildlife Park and a tour of the Blue Mountains.

AUSTRALIA #6 - Cradle Mountain: The Great Outdoors in Tasmania

When I first started planning my trip to Australia, the company I worked with suggested a week in Tasmania. I, of course, said no because there were just too many other places I wanted to see on the mainland. I should have listened--or at least spent more than four days on the island. Tasmania is beautiful with lots to see and do all year around.
After two nights in Hobart we left early in the morning for Cradle Mountain--Lake St Clair National Park, a World Heritage area in central Tasmania. After being on the move for the past two weeks the thought of a restful two days surrounded by Mother Nature was a real plus. From Hobart it took us about six hours driving through small towns and some beautiful wilderness areas.

We stopped for lunch in Sheffield, a small town with a nice restaurant for lunch and a great country store with everything from groceries to ski equipment. The weather had turned cold (not typical fall weather in Tasmania) and we took the opportunity to shop for scarves and gloves.
By the time we arrived at Cradle Mountain Lodge, the skies looked ominous but it wasn’t snowing, and for that we were thankful.We checked into our “cabins” and for the next two days we were free to do some hiking, mountain trekking, have a massage or just sit and enjoy the great outdoors.I learned that my good friend, Carolyn Groves, had been a camper in her youth and could actually build a fire in the pot-bellied stove in our cabin. I was impressed. We would have frozen to death if it had been left to me!!The group actually did it all. The park covers more than 650 square miles of wilderness area with stunning gorges, lakes, and mountains plus a vast variety of wildlife.There are hiking trails throughout the park, which you can pick and choose, depending on your fitness level. Carolyn and I did a combination tour and hike that ended at Lake St. Clair, Australia’s deepest freshwater lake.
The scenery was magnificent and we even saw a wombat and echidna scurrying across the trail. Wombats are marsupials and look like small, furry bears with short legs. For some reason I always thought wombats were like beavers and spent most of their time in the water. They spend all their time on land digging extensive burrow systems and are vegetarians.

The Echidna, which we first saw on Kangaroo Island, looks like a cross between a porcupine and an anteater. They are actually egg laying mammals and live on a diet of ants and termites, but are not related to the anteater species. Being an animal person I was really excited when our guide spotted the echidna.
We were actually on the lookout for a Tasmanian Devil (a carnivorous marsupial that smells bad, has a loud screech and is about the size of a small dog), but we never did find one, even on our nocturnal tour.

Day two we spent relaxing and enjoying the amenities of the lodge, including a massage in the spa adjacent to the lodge. For a long time I sat on the balcony of our cabin with my binoculars, hoping to do some bird watching. Apparently, when the weather turned cold the birds headed north (Southern hemisphere) and I mostly saw blackbirds, which I thought were crows but were actually Currawongs, not part of the Australian crow family (thank you Terry Davitt Powell and her knowledge of crows.)
In the afternoon, on one of the many trails around the lodge, we did find a wallaby taking a nap and enjoying the few minutes when the sun peaked through the clouds. He blended in so well we passed him.

The people behind us spotted him. After our hectic schedule in Hobart, Adelaide and even Kangaroo Island, it was good to have a day to ourselves.

In the evening we gathered for cocktails and dinner to catch up with the group and share the days activities. It was a great way to end a near perfect day.

Refreshed and ready to go, we packed up and headed for Launcestron Airport for our flight to Sydney. Join me next week as we explore Sydney, tour the Opera House and take a trip outside Sydney to the Blue Mountains and Featherdale Wildlife Park.

Care to comment? Click "comments" at the end of the column.

AUSTRALIA'S Tasmanian Devil

After viewing this video from National Geographic, I'm glad I didn't stumble across one of these devils in the dark!

AUSTRALIA: One Meal We Missed--Not for Sheilas!!

AUSTRALIA #5 - Hobart, the Heart of Tasmania

I guess it’s a good sign when you’re not ready to leave a particular city or destination. That’s how I felt about Kangaroo Island; I could have stayed and watched the animals for several more days.

We left Kangaroo Island in the evening with a quick overnight in Adelaide before heading for Tasmania. Actually, the overnight proved useful. From all our hiking and outdoor activity on Kangaroo Island we had a lot of muddy clothes and it was nice to have a washer and dryer in our hotel suite. Not exactly an exciting evening in Adelaide, but it sure is nice to have clean clothes to wear!

It was interesting flying into Hobart. Like California, you are not permitted to bring plants or fruit products into Tasmania, and they are serious about checking both hand and checked luggage. I was glad I took the apples out of my suitcase when I saw the dog sniffing the luggage on the carousel.When I was researching Tasmania I found a hotel in Hobart that sounded absolutely fascinating--the Henry Jones Art Hotel.Standing on Hobart’s waterfront where Europeans first stepped ashore over 200 years ago, stands a row of warehouses dating back to the 1820s that have been transformed into a first-class, unique hotel and shopping area that showcases the work of Tasmania’s finest visual and performing artists. The hotel is a unique combination of antique and the ultra modern.In its prime the building was a jam factory and, in its conversion, lost none of the original charm. It still has some original staircases, brick interior walls and restored machinery along with a new, magnificent all-glass atrium that is used for major hotel functions. It lived up to all the hype--we all loved staying at the hotel.When we arrived in Hobart the weather had turned cool and none of us ventured far from the hotel. There were several seafood restaurants along the waterfront that turned out to be really good. We also discovered that Tasmania produces quite nice wines, particularly their Chardonnay and Riesling due to the cooler climate down south.

The following morning we took off for a full day tour of Port Arthur, the infamous penal colony that became the major center for punishment of convicts who re-offended after their arrival in Australia from Britain in the late 1700s.When you first look at the colony it looks quite tranquil: beautiful old buildings, manicured grounds with lovely gardens, a nice church and several beautiful homes once lived in by the administrative staff. Over the years, convict labor was used to develop the public facilities of the colonies--roads, causeways, churches, courthouses and hospitals. But the guided tour certainly dispelled any notion that this was a “walk in the park” for the convicts incarcerated in Port Arthur. According to our guide, convicts shared deplorable conditions.One convict described the working conditions as inhuman:

We have to work from 14 - 18 hours a day, sometimes up to our knees in cold water, 'til we are ready to sink with fatigue.... The inhuman driver struck one John Smith with a heavy thong.

The first boys' prison was built on Point Puer, two miles across Opossum Bay from Port Arthur. (Puer is the Latin word for boy.) It was for young boys, some as young as nine, like James Lynch, arrested for stealing toys. James Gavagan stole some umbrellas when he was 11 and was sent to Tasmania for seven years. He arrived at Point Puer in 1835. When he turned 17, he was sent to the main prison at Port Arthur. He was released in March, 1842.

The boys were kept away from the main convict area. About 3,500 boys were sent to Point Puer. Like the adults, the boys were given hard work such as stone cutting and construction. There was also a school run by two ex-convicts. There are only a few stones left on the island to mark the site of the boys' prison.Escape from Port Arthur was said to be impossible, often compared to Alcatraz. Some prisoners did try to escape. One prisoner, George "Billy" Hunt, covered himself with a kangaroo skin and tried to escape. The hungry guards on duty tried to shoot him for food. When he saw them pointing their guns, Hunt gave himself up. He was whipped 150 times.

I was glad when the tour was over. It was interesting, and is a significant part of Australian history, but I truly hate hearing about the terrible conditions and treatment the prisoners were subjected to.

On the way back to Hobart we stopped at a cheese factory and tasted some really interesting cheeses. My favorite was the wasabi cheese, strong with a real bite!Gus, our driver, took us on a city tour of Hobart, pointing out the downtown shopping area, the town hall, the large sports arena, the residential areas and other points of interest. Several of us got out and walked back to the hotel, after engaging in some shopping therapy! Actually, we went to a sporting goods store to buy some long johns --the weather report for Cradle Mountain was snow.

Join me next week on our adventures in Cradle Mountain.

AUSTRALIA #4: A Hop, Skip and Jump to Kangaroo Island

This was the part of the trip I was most excited about--Kangaroo Island. I’m a real animal person and love seeing animals in their natural environment. I had read an article several years ago about the animals of Kangaroo Island and knew I had to go. Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest Island (after Tasmania and Melville Island) with a population of around 4,200 inhabitants. The island is 92 miles long and 35 miles wide with beautiful beaches and an abundance of wildlife. Several species of kangaroo and wallabies are native to the island along with the common brushtail possum, the New Zealand fur seal and the short-beaked echidna (a type of anteater that looks like a porcupine.) The koala was introduced to the island and has survived because of the vast numbers of Eucalyptus forests. More than half of the island has never been cleared of vegetation and a quarter of it is conserved in National Parks, Conservation Parks and wilderness area. I did my homework before leaving for Australia!!!

We left Adelaide in the early morning for the short flight (35 minutes) to Kangaroo Island.For this flight we had to pare down our luggage to 33 pounds, which wasn’t too hard since we were only staying one night. We were met at the airport by our naturalist guide, Brian, and immediately set off to explore the island. Brian told half the group to keep their eyes on the treetops and look for dark clumps (koala bears,) while the other half was checking along the highway for wallabies and echidnas. It didn’t take us long to spot our first koala bear--high up on a eucalyptus tree, sleeping. During our two-day stay on the island we saw several koalas, and only one was actually awake, eating.Koala bears, which are not really bears, but marsupials, may look cute, but have long claws and can be vicious when cornered. Apparently koalas sleep 75 percent of the time and the other 25 percent they spend eating eucalyptus leaves. Koalas have a slow metabolic rate due to their high-fiber, low nutrient diet. Because they store little or no fat, koalas must adopt strategies that conserve energy. Sleeping is one of them. Each koala eats over a pound of leaves a day.Not long after we arrived the weather cleared and the sun peeked through the clouds. With the sun came the wallabies. All along the road they were sunning themselves and trying to get dry like the rest of us!!They are so cute. Wallabies look like small kangaroos and come in a variety of sizes from the very small hare wallaby to the larger shrub wallaby. All wallabies are marsupials or pouched mammals. Wallaby young are born tiny, helpless, and undeveloped.
They immediately crawl into their mothers' pouches where they continue to develop after birth--usually for a couple of months. Young wallabies, like their larger kangaroo cousins, are called joeys. Even after a joey leaves the pouch, it often returns to jump in when danger approaches.

That first day we literally drove from one end of the island to the other. On the way to the North Coast we stopped at Lathami Conservation Park in search of the Glossy Black Cockatoo, a rare subspecies of cockatoo found only on Kangaroo Island. We never did see the elusive Black Cockatoo, but did see a pair of beautiful Crimson Rosella Parrotsand flocks of Galahs ( beautiful pink and grey parrots native to Australia,)and several kangaroos lounging in the grass.One in particular had quite a large joey in her pouch with the feet and tail sticking out--a funny sight to see.Our next stop was Seal Bay Conservation Park on the North Coast. On the way we stopped for lunch among a forest of Eucalyptus trees in hopes of seeing more Koalas. What we thought was going to be a quick lunch turned out to be a feast with fish cooked over an open grill, several different kinds of salads, yummy grilled potatoes, rolls, wonderful Australian wines and, of course, the local beer of the region--Coopers.Not only was Brian a fabulous naturalist guide, he was also a fabulous cook.We made it to Seal Bay and started our walk down to the beautiful sandy beach, home for a large family of sea lions. We were greeted on the path by a fairly large sea lion that came out of the bushes and “honked” at us for several minutes.
I think we disturbed his nap!!! We stood on the beach for a long time watching the sea lions play in the surfand chase each other around the sand.We checked into our hotel in the late afternoon. It had been a full day and we were looking forward to the nocturnal tour planned for that evening. Many of the animals living on Kangaroo Island are nocturnal--marsupials are mainly active at night. We did see some kangaroos and wallabies foraging for food along with a small group of Fairy Penguins nesting by the beach. Our guide did point out a brush-tailed possum, but he moved too fast for me to get a good look.

The next morning we were off again bright and early--our flight back to Adelaide wasn’t until 7:00 that evening so we had the whole day to explore the west end of the island. Our first stop that morning was Flinders Chase National Park--a vast wilderness area covering the entire west end of the island. At Cape du Couedic there is a large fur seal colony and we made a valiant attempt to climb down the path to Admirals Arch,
a spectacular coastal grotto where the fur seals congregate. The wind was fierce and at one time I was actually pushed up against the rail. I gave up the quest but several of our group did make it down. The pictures are courtesy of Dave Lunzer.
Another fun stop was the old Eucalyptus Oil Factory at Ridge. At one time eucalyptus distilling was one of Kangaroo Islands major industries with over 100 stills. Sheep farming took over being more viable for farmers, and thus eucalyptus distilling became part of history. Today Emu Ridge is the only commercial Eucalyptus Distillery in South Australia. We walked around the farm, visited with a pair of Emus, and did some shopping in the craft center adjacent to the distillery.
We continued our drive along the rocky coastline at the west end of the island to Kelly Hill Conservation Park. We had another late lunch and thoroughly enjoyed Brian’s “home cooking.” We walked through the park, on the lookout for kangaroos and wallabies, and was pleasantly surprised when a pair of kangaroos hopped across our path.

It had been a wonderful two days and I really didn’t want to leave. If you’re planning a trip to Australia, definitely consider adding Kangaroo Island to your itinerary.

Join me next week in Tasmania and our visit to Port Arthur.

AUSTRALIA #3: Adelaide

None of us were ready to leave the outback; we loved our experiences at Uluru and at Longitude 131. Our aboriginal guides were terrific and really imparted the deep spiritual feeling the “rock” holds for the aboriginal people of the area.

We left Longitude 131 for the small airport at Ayers Rock for our flight to Adelaide, only to learn our flight had been delayed and that we were certain to miss our connection in Alice Springs.Depending where you are, missing connections is usually no big deal. However, when you’re in the middle of the outback with very few flights in or out, it can become a problem or in the least, a major inconvenience. Longitude 131 was wonderful. Since our flight was going to be delayed for several hours, they took us back to the camp and provided us full use of the facility including meals and beverages. It certainly made the wait a lot easier.

We ended up flying from Ayers Rock to Perth to Adelaide. That was the only flight the entire day, that would get us into Adelaide the same day--10:30 pm. If you’re not familiar with Australia, that’s like going from Chicago to Los Angeles to get to Dallas, definitely a long way around.With only minutes to spare in Perth we were met at the gate and escorted to our Adelaide flight. Our luggage even made it!!!

Kudos to Qantas Airlines. My gut feelings tell me if we were flying an American carrier we would still be waiting for our luggage!!!We finally made it to Adelaide and arrived at our hotel well after 11:00 pm, exhausted, but in good spirits, rain and all. Geologically speaking, Australia is 90 per cent desert and when it rains, Australians are happy. Adelaide has been in a drought situation for seven years and any rain was welcome, even on their parade on Anzac day (April 25th, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand to honor members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I).

The next morning we were not up bright and early, but managed to meet our guide at 10:00 am for a wine tour of the Barossa Valley, one of the most popular and best-known wine regions in Australia.Lisa Lunzer, Carolyn Groves, Sabina and Alan Duke really enjoyed the wine.

The Barossa Valley is about 70 miles north of Adelaide and, according to Ana, our guide for the afternoon, is renowned for its opulent styles of Shiraz, as well as producing excellent examples of Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Chardonnay.After visiting three different wineries (Chateau Tanunda, Barossa Valley Estates and Langmeil Winery,) I agree with Ana, their Shiraz is wonderful, along with their Cabernet and Chardonnay. I don’t remember tasting any Semillon, but I’m sure it was good!!!They served a delicious lunch!Since our flights were delayed the previous day Ana graciously gave us a quick city tour of Adelaide. Adelaide is the capital and most populous state in South Australia, with a population of more than 1.1 million. I was impressed with all the parks and green areas set aside for recreation, which definitely gives the city a friendly feel. According to Ana, Adelaide is best known for its many festivals, its trendy food and good wines and its wonderful beaches. What’s there not to like!!?

The rain was with us on and off all day. Instead of walking around the city several of us opted to peruse the large central market in downtown Adelaide, across from our hotel. The stalls in the market sell everything from toys to food to freshly baked goods.You can get seafood with the tails twitching, meat that had breakfast that morning, and a lot of specialty mustards, jams, cheeses, nuts--you name it, they have it.There is also a large section of the market devoted to Asian cooking and other ethnic-style foods. I managed to find the Haigh Chocolate shop, a specialty of South Australia. I also discovered that Adelaide is the home of Cadbury Chocolate. As a journalist I felt it was my duty to sample the different brands of chocolate, and report my findings. The Haigh dark chocolate was divine, but my preference was the Cadbury milk chocolate. It’s a hard job but someone has to do it!!!!Directly across the street from our hotel was a lovely cathedral with an interesting story. It took 140 years to complete St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral. Since the parish lost many of its members (and their funding) due to the exodus to the goldfields in Victoria around 1851, the cathedral was designed to be built in 3 stages. Opened in 1858, the cathedral was finally dedicated in 1996.
You can’t write about Adelaide without visiting Glenelg or other beach communities close to the city. Glenelg is a popular tourist destination with its white sandy beaches, a variety of restaurants and a great place for clubbing. In fact, there is a trolley line from Victoria Square (the center of Adelaide) that takes you right to the main square in Glenelg for a mere 25 cents Australian.We managed a couple of hours in Glenelg and particularly enjoyed the museum in Heritage Hall.Glenelg dates back to the mid 1800s and is the oldest European settlement on the mainland in South Australia.

Our time was far too short in Adelaide. Because of the weather we didn’t do a lot of walking, which I think is the best way to become familiar with a city. It just means I have to go back and spend more time in Adelaide!
Join me next week on our adventures in Kangaroo Island.

AUSTRALIA #2: Beautiful Uluru

We had a great time in Cairns and were now well rested and on “Australian time.” The next stop on our itinerary was Uluru, the aboriginal name for Ayers Rock.We flew into the airport at Ayers Rock and drove to our "camp” in the middle of nowhere.Last year, as I was planning this trip, I found a camp in the middle of the Outback that featured views of “the rock” from every “tent.”I use the word tent very loosely. Longitude 131 is modeled after South African safari camps: elevated luxury tents with stone floors, ensuite bathrooms and all the comforts of a five star hotel, plus an awesome view of Uluru.I must say that waking up at sunrise and watching the rock change colors from shadowed hues to intense reds was magnificent and well worth the pricey accommodations.

One more word about Longitude 131: it is an all-inclusive camp which means all your meals, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and many tours are included in the price of the accommodations. There are 16 tents, all offering unrivaled views of Ayers Rock.


We arrived at the camp in the early afternoon and after a delicious lunch had a guided tour of the area by our aboriginal guide, which included both history and geology lessons. The first question asked was about the name. Uluru is the aboriginal name and has been used by the local Pitjantjatara and Yankunytjatjara peoples for centuries. It has no particular meaning in their language; however, it is considered sacred by the aboriginal people of the area. In July, 1873, the surveyor William Gosse visited Uluru and named it Ayers Rock in honor of the then Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. Since then Ayers Rock became the more common name used by people living outside Australia. However, in 1993 the official name of “the rock” was changed to Ayers Rock/Uluru. In 2002 that was officially reversed and it is now called Uluru/Ayers Rock. A little trivia just in case you ever appear on Jeopardy!!

Geologically speaking, Uluru is a large sandstone rock formation located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, 220 miles southwest of Alice Springs. It is the second-largest monolith in the world (after Mount Augustus, also in Australia,) more then 986 ft high and 5 miles around. It also extends 1.5 miles into the ground. It has a plethora of natural springs and waterholes. It also has rock caves, ancient paintings and an over abundance of very annoying flies. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site.

For dinner that evening we had the unique experience of dining under the stars. At sunset we met for cocktails on a bluff overlooking Uluru and Kata Tjuta (large domed rock formations) and watched once again as “the rock” changed colors with reflections of the setting sun.Adding the sounds of a didgeridoo in the background was absolutely magical.

From there we were driven to a secluded campsite and sat down to a candlelight dinner under the stars.Even though it was autumn in Australia it was a warm night in the desert. After dinner the candles were extinguished and our guide oriented us to the southern skies and told stories from Aboriginal folklore about the different constellations. From all my trips to South America I actually found the Southern Cross with no problem; however, I’m glad I wasn’t tested on the other constellations.

The following morning we were up bright and early for an Uluru Sunrise Walk and again experienced the incredible changing colors of the entire desert landscape and the spectacular sight of Uluru and Kata Tjuta at dawn.We arrived at the base of Uluru as the sun began to rise and day was beginning in the Australian outback. Our group sat quietly listening to our guide share his personal experiences with “the rock” and the meaning of Uluru to the aboriginal people. A unique and wonderful way to start the morning.

That afternoon we toured the Cultural Centre with its impressive display of aboriginal art and literature. There was also an opportunity to shop and many in our group did buy ceramic works and paintings by local artists. Our guide finally managed to get us all out of the Cultural Center and we again traveled to Uluru. We took a short walk into Kantju Gorge where we were served drinks and hors d'oeuvres ‘inside’ Uluru, and watched the sun set over Kata Tjuta--an awesome site.We returned to our camp for another wonderful dinner and truly lamented the fact that we were leaving the following morning.

We all loved our two days in the middle of nowhere. Uluru is amazing and the camp and our accommodations were perfect. The only criticism I have is the pesky flies that followed us during the day. In the rooms were mosquito type nets to wear on walks that really helped keep the flies away from our faces. Check out the picture of Lisa Lunzer, Bonnie Roberts, Carolyn Groves and me in our stylish “fly netting.”Join me next week in Adelaide and for some wine tasting in the Barossa Valley.

AUSTRALIA #1: The Great Barrier Reef & Kuranda Rainforest

I’m back from Australia and had a fabulous time. What a wonderful, vibrant country! I can’t wait to share my experiences with you.

Before I begin I want to give you an update on my new “featherweight” luggage I bought specifically for my trip to Australia. Given I could only take 23 kilos (50 pounds) on certain flights within Australia, I appreciated the lightweight feature. However, to help keep the bag lightweight (only 5lbs.10 oz. empty,) they did away with the handle on the side, which made it difficult to maneuver onto carts, for checking-in, taking off the conveyor belt, etc. Otherwise, it was fine and my luggage never exceeded 21 kilos.

We arrived into Cairns on April 16 (two days later than when we left due to passing over the international date line.) Even thought the actual flight time into Sydney is less than13 hours and another three hours to Cairns (in northern Queensland on the Coral Sea,) I felt like I had been on the plane forever. Thank goodness for movies. I caught up on all the good pictures I missed this past three months. Two thumbs up for Slum Dog Millionaire.

April is autumn in Australia (Australia is in the southern hemisphere south of the equator) and the weather was warm with a nice breeze. Instead of staying in downtown Cairns, I opted to stay in a small town in the Northern Beaches area, about 25 minutes north of Cairns. I immediately felt like I was on vacation. Everyone in the group decided to come in a day early to rest up from the long flight and get acclimated to a different time zone (Cairns is 19 hours ahead of Los Angeles.) We stayed at the Angsana Resort and Spa, right on the beach in Palm Cove.Surrounded by tropical gardens and palm trees, it reminded me of Kauai 25 years ago. For a day and a half we lounged, swam in the different pools, had massages and strolled on the sandy white beaches. When time came to play tourist, we were ready!Our first major outing was on the Ocean Spirit, a 100 ft. catamaran that took us out to Michaelmas Cay in the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system in the world.The Great Barrier Reef is over 133,000 sq. miles and is composed of 29,000 individual reefs and 900 islands. Other than the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef is the most visited tourist attraction in Australia.

We had a ball. Most of us were snorkelers, but there were a few divers in the group. After we signed up for our respective groups, and picked up the appropriate gear, we set off for the beach. The water was clear and warm, really no need for a wet suit except for protection against jellyfish, which I never saw.I have snorkeled around the world including Hawaii, Tahiti, the Caribbean, Mexico, etc. and I was expecting really colorful coral and more brightly colored fish. It may be where we were snorkeling, because the divers, in far deeper waters, saw a much larger array of fish and types of coral. However, I did see blue coral, which I had never seen before,and giant, iridescent clams.I always enjoy my snorkeling experiences and was thrilled I had the opportunity to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef. We spent the entire day on the reef and by the time we returned to Palm Cove we were exhausted. I tell you, it takes energy to play tourist!!!

The following morning we were off to the rainforest, or, more accurately, the Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda. Even though it has tourist stamped all over it--it was fun and educational. There are three ways to reach Kuranda Village--bus, rail or skyway. Our package included the skyrail up to the village, a tour of Rainforeststation and returning by train.The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway glides over and through the rainforest stopping at two different stations where you can get out and take a short nature walk before reaching Kuranda Village. The “ride” takes over an hour and for someone who doesn’t like heights, I really enjoyed the skyrail. As you first ascend up to the canopy the views of the water and the valley below were absolutely spectacular.The “village” is cute and really has some nice galleries featuring aboriginal art. We spent about 30 minutes browsing through the boutiques and galleries before going into the nature park. The park is divided into three main attractions: the Aboriginal Experience, the Wildlife Park and the Army Duck Rainforest Tour.

The Aboriginal Experience was interesting; we tried our hand at boomerang and spear throwing, watched as the dancers told stories of the indigenous peoples and their culture,and listened as our guide played the didgeridoo, an ancient wind instrument of the Aborigines of northern Australia.Once we entered the Wildlife Park we didn’t want to leave. The exhibits were interesting, but the kangaroos and wallabies were wonderful as they hopped around the park “greeting” tourists from around the world. They are really cute and it was great fun being able to actually pet and feed them.We ended our tour of the park with a ride through the rainforest aboard an amphibious World War II Army Duck. Our guide, who truly loved his Army Duck, did point out the many different tropical plants and kept his eyes peeled for reptiles lying in wait in the tall grass. We never did see a crocodile, except for “Big Sam” in the Wildlife Park.We came up by the skyrail and down by the Kuranda Scenic Railway.The railroad dates back to the 1800’s. By shear determination 150 miles of track was laid along with 15 tunnels, a dozen bridges and over 90 sharp curves. It really is an engineering masterpiece given the rough terrain and no modern equipment.Another full day of touring. There really is a lot to see in and around Cairns. “I wish we had another day,” became our mantra throughout the trip. Join me next week as we journey to Uluru in the Australian Outback.