GERMANY TO AUSTRALIA
I was travelling a lot and I visited almost wholel Europe but that time I had an opportunity to travel to Australia.
My journey stared in Germany in March in the huge Frankfurt airport and Emirates were my airlines.
Boeing 777 300ER took me to Dubai. The plane was almost full and very comfortable. Everybody had his own small TV with 500 movies, radio stations and games. There was a possibility to check where the plane was in that moment, how high and how fast it went.
I had a 5 hours long stopover in Dubai but I hadn't got a visa to visit this city. Firstly I thought that Frankfurt airport is big but I was wrong - Dubai is amazing and incredibly huge. If you travel with old or disabled person they will help you and probably you will be lucky and you would get to terminal without any traffic.
There is a traffic because they have planes every few minutes.
Inside you have an internet cafe, bars, shops and about 3 km long hall if you want go from the beginning to the end of terminal and they still expand it.
Inside you have an internet cafe, bars, shops and about 3 km long hall if you want go from the beginning to the end of terminal and they still expand it.
From Dubai the plane took me to Melbourne - and there I started my monthly trip to Australia.
The first day was for rest one because my way from Europe to Australia took about 30hours.
MELBOURNE
First few days I spent in Melbourne looking around, walking in China Town and seeing old buildings matched with modern architecture.
I was using free trams and buses. The trams have short routes way and with busses I saw almost all important and interesting parts of the city.
Near the harbor in the centre is a white parrot for memory of Aborigine who lived there before.
I was in the Fitzroy Gardens and in old building of First and Second WW memory near ‘Shrine of Remembrance’ near the Melbourne Observatory in Royal Botanic Garden. This botanic garden is very colorful probably that is why there is Government House.
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
Near the Flinders station there is a good tourist information office where you could find all important information about the city.
KOSCIUSZKO PEAK
My next target was the highest top in Australia Continent - Mt. Kosciuszko, I got cheap flight to the capital city of Canberra and hitchhiked to the mountain range.
In small city Berriadale I asked about any information about 'Kosciuszko peak' and the lady asked me if I was Polish. I had a good conversation with her and she told me that so many Polish people ask about the 'Kosciuszko peak' and always they have different accent because they know how to say ‘Kosciuszko’ but they always say a little in Polish. there were many cars equipped with bull bars to protect them against wild animals on the road.
She told me that it is better to go by car – the ticket cost
16 $AUD and I could sleep on campsite – it was included for this price. There were two walking paths one short and the second one long.
16 $AUD and I could sleep on campsite – it was included for this price. There were two walking paths one short and the second one long.
Of course, I decided to follow the longest one. It's took me about 5 hours to get to the top and to go back to the place where I left my baggage. The hike was really great.
During my trip I saw only 5 people and everything was like in ‘Bieszczady’ mountains in Poland or Highlands in Scotland. Visibility was quite good and I saw small lakes and many good places for a rest.
In a half way I saw a Kosciuszko peak but it was still long way to climb to the top but in my opinion it was easy hike. I had time for enjoying nature around me. That is what I love - Mountains and an open space around me.
The last part of the route was marked by a sign and I took a picture with it. Descent from the peak wasn’t different - I went down to the same sign? And then I chose a different route to my rucksack. The summit is marked by concrete obelisk and there isn't any information that you are on the top.
I spent only 2 days in mountains because there were too many places to see.
CANBERA
The next day I came back to Canberra to visit the Australia’s capital city. I saw a military museum where was an incredible collection of military equipment. There was a small ship and a bomber. In the park I saw parrots and I was so happy that I could take many photos:-)
The last night I spent near Namadgi National Park where I decided to go sleeping. There was a small bush, the night wasn't so bad - maybe because I was so tired.
I heard of course all forest noises but I decided to stay there - probably I didn’t have a choice. In the early morning parrots woke me up. They were everywhere and were so noisy. It was that day when I stated that parrots were not my favorites animals.
On the last day I visited Tidbinbilla Natural Reserve with many kangaroos. What was surprising for me, was that I was 2 metres to a kangaroo and he was still posing for my pictures.
I took many pictures of kangaroos. Usually they were lying or staying in the tree shadow. When something was wrong they escaped really fast. Kangaroos live together with Emu which were walking everywhere.
The park was really big and animals there had many paths. Whole territory was separated only of safety for the animals. I found there small rocks and kangaroos with children in the pockets. It was a great experience. And I tried to approach them as close as possible.
It took me about 20 min but it was good idea. There was information about snakes but I didn't saw any.
GREAT BARRIER REEF
Next week I spent on the Great Barrier Reef. I had a flight to Hamilton Island and I spent all day on this paradise on the earth.
This small island offers free buses going around, many hotels and many activities such as go-cards, tyrolines, helicopter, snorkeling and walking tours.
I took the last ferry to the continent to meet with my friend who is an underwater photographer. I stayed in his house for few days and he was really happy when I brought to him Polish Vodka – ‘Zubrowka’:-)
He offered me 3 days long activities with the company for he was working.
For the first day, it was Long Island - nothing special, they say that this is a good place for snorkeling but for me it was good place to have a walk in to the bush.
We were there with a guide and he told us about spiders and turtles. When I saw that it wasn't a good place for snoorkeling because there were sandy beaches. I decided to have my own trip once more and spend some time relaxing. I saw many crabs, and shellfish and spiders of course.
The next day was the one I was waiting for. A trip to the Great Barrier Reef. We started in the morning and we spent all day on a special platform. It was really amazing and well organized, we had lunch there too. The platform had a sunny deck, a slide to ocean, an underwater boat trip and something everybody was looking for – a possibility of snoorkeling and diving in the Great Barrier Reef.
It was really colorful. There were buoys for people who don’t swim very well and all equipment. If you wasn’t confident in the water, they offered lifejacket and all the time the crew on the fast boat took care of people.
It's really hard to describe what could you see in this place and of course my photos aren't the good ones because I didn’t have a good underwater camera. There were many different kinds of fish, so colorful and in different sizes.
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