Sydney		travel diary Sydney-Darwin Please read as well the travel diaries: Sydney-Cairns / Darwin-Perth / Adelaide-Hobart
Sydney Canberra Melbourne Great Ocean Road Adelaide Coober Pedy Ayers Rock etc. Alice Springs Darwin		August 2nd , 1999 (Melbourne -> Sydney) After an exhausting night at Melbourne Airport we catch the Ansett Australia plane at 6 a.m. to Sydney. There we get our rented car and I take my time to prepare for driving on the left side of the road - my first time! But after all you have no other choice than just start driving. The first impressions of Sydney are less traffic than expected and the TV tower as being the highest building. By the way Sydney's city map - a book of several hundred pages - is very confusing for European visitors ;-) Close to the tower we park our car and go right to the top in order to get an overview of interesting places. Our second station is the Opera House for a Cappuccino and afterwards the ferry to Manly Beach, where I buy the hat you may see on several pictures (it was a recommention of my brother, hello Daniel :-) More than tired we are happy going to bed. NOTE: If you stay in hostels or backpackers, buy a YHA-membership-card (about $28), which will save $1-$2 per night :-)
		August 3rd , 1999 (Sydney) We start in the Botanic Garden and walk to the Opera House. Then we pay attention to Sydney Harbour Bridge, first the old harbour buildings called "The Rocks", then across the bridge to the other side of the river. NOTE: It takes time for it's a long way and you may take a lot of pictures! Don't forget to climb one of the pylons! After lunch we visit the area of this year's Olympic Games. Unfortunately we are too late to participate a guided tour, so we spend the saved time on buying souvenirs in the evening.		downtown, Sydney
		August 4th , 1999 (Sydney -> Katoomba) We leave Sydney heading the Blue Mountains. After asking for the right way several times we get help from our Sydney map against our expectations. I can hardly believe that we are still within Sydney ;-) So we finally get out and thanks to the hiking map of our acquaintances in Sydney we immediately find the hiking trail starting from Wentworth Falls. We need rd 5 hours for the nice round trip that passes the Wentworth Waterfalls. Afterwards we drive to Katoomba and relish the view of the "Three Sisters". Then we are lucky having a fireplace in the backpacker, because especially here in the mountains it is getting cold after sunset. After all it is still almost winter ;-)		Canberra
Sydney Canberra Melbourne Great Ocean Road Adelaide Coober Pedy Ayers Rock etc. Alice Springs Darwin		August 5th , 1999 (Katoomba -> Canberra) We drive to Canberra following our map and unfortunately we take a road which is partly unsealed. I just think of the car, because it is the second day of 26 and we are already using a gravel road, whoch we shouldn't do with that car. In Goulburn we have pizza for lunch and we then continue to Canberra where NOTE: we immediately stop at the Tourist-Center on the main incoming road. Provided with a city map we easily find the way to Mt.Ainslie, which is only a few kilometers from the city centre. In my opinion the view from here is one of Canberra's highlights. Of course we as well visit the parliament building and then settle down in our room in Kingston Hotel (which has backpacker level). Being there we have the crazy idea of visiting the TV tower by night. It was crazy because even with a city map it was a matter of luck to find the right junction where we had to turn off to he tower. In addition the TV tower is somewhat ridiculous because the observation platform is situated below half of the tower's height ;-( But after all, the view wasn't bad.		Canberra
		August 6th , 1999 (Canberra -> Orbost) Today we at last reach the shore, our first stop is Eden, where we are overwhelmed of the beautiful calm beach. During lunch in a bistro I notice a map of Ben Boyd National Park, where there is something said of "Pinnacles - colourful rock formation". We decide to drive the ten kilometers and we were not disappointed. But unfortunately our visit of Boyd Towers wasn't as good as we expected from reading our guide-book (Anyhow the place is interesting from a geomorphological view!). Afterwards we manage to complete our first journey during dusk heading Orbost, just in order to "eat miles". NOTE: Avoid driving at times "from dusk till dawn" ;-) in any case, because game pass is reinforced! The animals are not used to human beings! Second NOTE: A large pizza in Australia is really large, so medium size might be all your stomach can cope with ;-)		Entrance
		August 7th , 1999 (Orbost -> Philip Island) Wetravel to Lakes Entrance, where we walk along a part of Ninety-Mile-Beach. Our kind of holiday feeling isn't wasted although we have fast food at "Mäckes" (i.e.McDonald's) ;-) Afterwards we rash to reach Philip Island before dusk. The reason is, that we'd like to see the penguins comeing out of the sea! We manage to be there on time, but after all it is a kind of circus feeling, because the audience is sitting on a stand on he beach. But the dwarf penguins are really cute :-) NOTE: You can observe the penguins closely when you take the wooden walkway back to the visitor-center after the parade. But: Taking pictures with flashlight is strongly forbidden (that is the reason why my picture was taken in Taronga Zoo, Sydney). In the night we tried a discotheque in Cowes :-)		Melbourne
Sydney Canberra Melbourne Great Ocean Road Adelaide Coober Pedy Ayers Rock etc. Alice Springs Darwin		August 8th , 1999 (Philip Island -> Melbourne) Bad weather forecast: It is raining cats and dogs, so we must cancel our planned visit of the wildlifepark on Philip Island. Unfortunately it is still raining when we reach Melbourne ;-( We park out car in the Crown-Plaza and managed some accommodation. After all the weather was bexoming better so we dared to NOTE: visit the observation deck of the Rialto-Towers, in my opinion absolutely a must! After visiting the yellow Flinders St Station we spent the rest of the day in the Crown Plaza because it once again started raining. There you can anyway spend hours because it is like a small city in one building ;-) NOTE: Don't forget to have a glance at the Crown-Casino! By the way we recognized in Melbourne, why they print the hotel's adress on the key tags ;-)		Melbourne
		August 9th , 1999 (Melbourne) At last we sleep late! Then we move our cr out of the car park to drive along the former Grand-Prix-Course. But it is boring and not worth doing, because it is a normal city's road. Besides we go shopping and to the pictures at night: "Notting Hill" and NOTE: Every full hour there is a spectacular performance with fire, light and water in front of the Crown Plaza and as well within the lounge! The night dies away while we're playing pool.		OceanRoad
		August 10th , 1999 (Melbourne -> Port Campbell) We leave Melbourne heading Geelong, where we turn off to the Great Ocean Road. NOTE: You should drive along this road with your own (or rented ;-) car, because there are so many places where you might like to stop! But: The co driver should be able to cope with all the turns ;-) The tourism is reflected in the prices, we pay 13$ for a normal palte with pasta. We continue to Port Campbell National Park to see the "Twelve Apostels" and their side kicks in the sunset. NOTE: The Twelve Apostels are best visited in the morning (if you'd like to have the sun from behind), "London Bridge" is only worth going during sunset, the other sights are more or less nice at any time during sunlight. At night we again play pool ;-)		Port Campbell NP
		August 11th , 1999 (Port Campbell -> Halls Gap) Because of the light conditions we visit the Twelve Apostels for a second time, then we drive to Grampians National Park. We are searching for NOTE: Wonderland-Track. The climb takes about one hour, the way back only half of the time. Before the night we watch wallabies and then talk with the other guests in front of the fireplace. In Germany the people watch the total solar eclipse today, we can't be there ;-(		Adelaide
Sydney Canberra Melbourne Great Ocean Road Adelaide Coober Pedy Ayers Rock etc. Alice Springs Darwin		August 12th , 1999 (Halls Gap -> Adelaide) After breakfast NOTE: we hike to the "Balkonies", which only takes half an hour but is worth doing. Afterwards we are heading Adelaide, where it unfortunately rains. I'm not very fond of that, so we try to kill our frustration with AYCE at Pizza-Hut. My friend Jochen is lucky to have mobile reception again :-)
		August 13th , 1999 (Adelaide) Because of bad weather conditions we go shopping and - in a very short dry and sunny period - we rashly take some pictures. Shortly before we go to bed, I'm invited to a beer from one of the staff members of our hotel, when I just asked how to leave the city best on the next day. He can't understand taht we don't like to go to the Flinders Ranges. I tell him, that we don't have enough time, but within 45 minutes he persuades me of the opposite in telling me precisely how many days we have to stay where on our way to Darwin. So I witnessed the unforced Australian hospitality :-) By the way we recognized much too late that there is a time shift of half an hour between Melbourne(VIC) and Adelaide(SA) :-o
		August 14th , 1999 (Adelaide -> Port Augusta) After I killed a cockroach during my shower in the morning :-0, we start with our longest distance tour. For after we turned off to the Flinders Ranges, I had to fight against the unwill of my co driver until I surrendered to go back. We reached the Flinders Ranges near Wilpena just for taking a few pictures and then went back :-( Nevertheless I was able to see that NOTE: this landscape is predestinated for hiking. Finally we came to Port Augusta in the dusk after running 674km. This city has actually no atmosphere and it is even difficult to find a billard table. But eventually we are lucky and enjoy the night with our French room mate, who is travelling Australia on inline skates. By the way the housekeeper of our backpacker looks like a "worn out" ZZ TOP-member and we hardly understand his English ;-)		Flinders Ranges NP CooberPedy
Sydney Canberra Melbourne Great Ocean Road Adelaide Coober Pedy Ayers Rock etc. Alice Springs Darwin		August 15th , 1999 (Port Augusta -> Coober Pedy) Shopping in Port Augusta, NOTE: we buy a lot of food preparing for entering the Red Centre, where everything is very expensive. Second NOTE: If you are travelling by car, you should buy at least a water tank of ten litre, in case of an emergency on the roads within the Red Centre! We continue to Coober Pedy which is famous for opale mining. It has not even 3.000 inhabitants but is marked on any good map. Maybe that convinces you that you reached the outback ;-) The roads consist of dust, but nevertheless we are driving around in the sunset for taking some pictures. Despite of this kind of "loneliness" there are reasonable pool tables :-)
		August 16th , 1999 (Coober Pedy -> Marla) We visit an opale mining factory and an underground appartment, and then make our way to NOTE: Crocodile Harry. In the afternoon we leave heading Marla, in order to come closer to Ayers Rock. Unfortunately it is difficult to get some proper food in Marla as long as it is only a place for traveller's rest :-(		roadsign, Coober Pedy Yulara
		August 17th , 1999 (Marla -> Yulara) We drive to Ayers Rock, in the Northern Territory there is no speed limit, so that you can reach an average of about 120-140 km/h. But the Lasseter Highway, starting at Erldunda is narrower than Stuart Highway. Coming to the ressort we have no rest but continue and climb the rock. It is a lofty feeling, because there is lowlands all around you except the Olgas and a few uprisings on the horizon. In the evening the sunset view lures and we don't miss it :-) The atmosphere in the accommodation is fine, but it is too expensive.
		August 18th , 1999 (Yulara) As an exception we get up early to witness the sunrise from the outlook point close to our accommodation. From here you actually can better observe the Olgas than Ayers Rock changing their colours in the sunrise and you'll know why the area is called Red Centre. After breakfast we then NOTE: walk clock-wise around Ayers Rock. There is no better way to explore the various surface shapes. But this walking tour is only a warming up for us, because we then drive to the Olgas (50km away by car, 30km by air) to go NOTE: hiking in the valley of the winds. In the night we have a look at the place where the moneyed visitors stay and afford a Cappuccino in Ayers-Rock-Resort ;-)
Sydney Canberra Melbourne Great Ocean Road Adelaide Coober Pedy Ayers Rock etc. Alice Springs Darwin		August 19th , 1999 (Yulara -> Kings Canyon) Our plan today is only a flight over Ayers Rock and Olgas. NOTE: We did the flight after lunch when you have good light conditions concerning the sun's position. We then continue to Kings Canyon, which is more than 320km away. There we enjoy the Kings Creek Walk when the sundown enhances the yellow colour of the rocks. Here we are annoyed by flies for the first time, they like to settle down in your nose and ears :-( First night: We sleep in the car, because the backpacker is too expensive in our opinion.		The Olgas, Kata Tjuta NP Alice
		August 20th , 1999 (Kings Canyon -> Alice Springs) We survived our night in the car, and we are full of enery. So I'm NOTE: doing the round trip along the canyon walls. Then we have to say farewell to the Red Centre, we reach Alice Springs after about 500km. We enjoy the obligatory view onto he city and then walk through the centre itself, which isn't as big as you might suppose. As an exception we then wash out cloths in a laundrette instead of waiting in the backpacker for an available washing machine. In the night we try a discotheque, but being contrary to my so driver I quit early.
		August 21st , 1999 (Alice Springs -> Tennant Creek) We visit the NOTE: Royal Flying Doctor Service. After shopping and lunch we carry on to the Devils Marbles. NOTE: You should be here during sunset! In the dusk we reach Tennant Creek, where we meet out hostfather in the YHA sitting at a playstation ;-)		Devils Marbles
Katherine		August 22nd , 1999 (Tennant Creek -> Mataranka) Our next main stop is at Daly Waters, where we visit the famous pub and have a beer. After passing a lot of termite's mounds, we reach Mataranka and relish swimming in the natural springs. After dinner we play billard and NOTE: make already a reservation for a canoe in Katherine from here.		Katherine
Sydney Canberra Melbourne Great Ocean Road Adelaide Coober Pedy Ayers Rock etc. Alice Springs Darwin		August 23rd , 1999 (Mataranka -> Katherine) NOTE: We are canoeing in Katherine Gorge and have a long break with swimming. So we only achieve to make our way till the third gorge (half day trip for four hours). In the night we are fond of having a reasonnable cappuccino.		Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk NP Darwin
		August 24th , 1999 (Katherine -> Darwin) As we continue to the north we see the roadsign pointing to the Edith Falls, which still belong to Nitmiluk National Park. After looking it up in our guide book we decide to turn off and are not disappointed. Afterwards we prefer to go directly to Darwin and visit either Kakadu NP or Litchfield Park on the next day. Heading Darwin we have to stop once in order to get a bird out of our engine, so that was the reason for the not well working air condition ;-( Being in Darwin we escape from all the fast food offers and relish a proper Italian pasta served with wine :-) In our backpacker we play billard with some other guests.
		August 25th , 1999 (Darwin) We explore Darwin but quickly notice that there is nothing much to explore. That means we go shopping having cappuccinos and relax as well as we are writing postcards. We spend our night in NOTE: the Victoria Hotel with AYCE and discotheque.
		August 26th , 1999 (Darwin) We leave Darwin for a one-day trip first having a look at the "Jumping Crocodiles". It is more like a circus than wild life, although the animals of course are living wild in the Adelaide River and have at least to be found. We continue to Litchfield Park, which won our choice against Kakadu NP. Again it was the right decision :-) because NOTE: there you can swim in the pool of the Florence Falls surrounded by pure nature. A short hiking trial guides us to beautiful cycads and after seeing the Wangi Falls we go back to Darwin. Now we ran more than th 000 km! We get all of our belongings out of the car, because we have to be early at the rent-a-car company tomorrow.
Sydney Canberra Melbourne Great Ocean Road Adelaide Coober Pedy Ayers Rock etc. Alice Springs Darwin		August 27th , 1999 (Darwin) We get up early, because we have to return the car early. I have my first - and certainly last! - breakfast at McDonald's :-( In order not to waste all the time again we visit the Museum of Arts, where there is a special exhibition about hurricane Tracy, which destroyed most parts of Darwin in 197th For dinner we once again go to an Italian restaurant with wine, because my co-traveller will leave tomorrow and I will travel the rest of the time on my own.		Darwin Beach
		Please read as well the travel diaries: Sydney-Cairns / Darwin-Perth / Adelaide-Hobart