Saturday, February 18, 2006

Melbourne

For the ones who think I am lost somewhere in Tasmania I am happy to set s.o.'s mind at rest… I am still alive and ok. The problem was that before coming in Melbourne it was very difficult to find an internet and even the few I found had no USB: no pictures, no stories…
I am happy to be again in the civilized word, to have the possibility to buy something to eat also in the night and to see a lot of people. I was not expecting to speak like this… but, I am glad to be back to the city.
We (Yukie and I) arrived in Melbourne this morning and, after some misadventures with happy ending, we are relaxing again in the hostel.
But before, I want to tell you about my travel around Tasmania.
If I well remember we were in Port Arthur last time, with the rain and the cold.
I was writing about being in the middle of nowhere (I did not know what I was speaking about) and we decided to go to the market next morning.
Getting to the market I was feeling like in medieval age, when people from the countryside were going to the city on Saturday, bringing eggs, honey or vegetable. I already told you that I love Markets… isn’t it? And I could not detain me from buying some honey, fruits, a warm pillow (that after saved my life) and a Hammock. I know, I know, I already have one… but you have to see this one. When is closed is very little, more or less like my camera, and is less than 1 kg. When is open, two person can stay on it… so, now I am really ready… I have the tend I was buying in Hobart and the hammock… ready to go everywhere.
After the market we decided to go to Bicheno, in the north east of Tasmania. Before getting there Yukie and I wanted to buy something at the supermarket. Founding one in the street, we stopped and who we met there? The Australian of the ship! It was funny and nice meeting them again in this way. We get some picture and I promise them I am going to publish on my blog, so that they can get it…
Then, ok, hurrying up to arrive to Bicheno before the hostel close, we sow the landscape changing completely. First remarkable thing: it was sunny. The clouds were not more all over the sky but were really little and nice ones… Than the streets were empty. Nobody but us was passing these places forgotten by God (direct translated from Italian). Everything was so yellow and green and peaceful and relaxing that we stopped in the street for a while, forgetting we were in a hurry but only enjoying the fact to be there.
Anyway, at the end, we get to Bicheno, and fortunately the hostel was still open. Ok, I think I can simply say that Bicheno is smaller than Sipicciano or Villa San Giovanni in Tuscia, (for those who do not know about Sipicciano or Villa San Giovanni in Tuscia, let imagine a village were there is only one street and no more).But, surprise surprise!! Bicheno is full of penguins. We managed to see a lot of them also if they come out only at night and flash is prohibited. But we were surrounded of penguins. I was trying to get some pictures without flash but I am sorry to disappoint you… the penguins were moving and my pictures are only something difficult to interpret.
We passed the night in this hostel and next morning we went to wineglass bay. It is the most wonderful beach I have never seen in my life. Just perfect. We have been to the wineglass lookout before and than to the beach, also if too cold to get into the water… some people were trying and screaming…
We have been walking for more than 6 hours to get there and back. This is the reason why this beach is so beautiful… it is also difficult to reach. But the pictures speak alones.
Next day to Launceston. Here we have been relaxing for a while… the hostel was quite far from the city and to get there again we get lost with the car…
Next morning we have been to the caves near Deloraine. They were wonderful. The guide was turning off the light when we were there and the top of the cave was glowing with stars. They are luminescent insects that glow to attract other insects and getting something to eat without moving from their place. Simply amazing.
To arrive to the cave we pass through a rain forest. Not as spectacular as the ones in Costa Rica, not so savage at all, but nice for a walk and refreshing, in a day so hot like that.
Than, from the caves to the Cradle Mountains. There we decided to take a red trek and climb the mountain. It was the best idea we ever had. The panorama was gorgeous. And yes, at the beginning of the trip I was feeling really disappointed about my capacity of climbing mountains. But after this I am feeling more proud. Ok, this time it was not a question of resistance, it was more a question of concentration. We had to climb with hands and feet, we had to be careful and control the best places to hang. It was the first time I found it not difficult for my resistance. Ok, programmed… the “Inca trail” is my next one… ;-)
That night we slept in Strahan, on the west coast. That was really in the middle of nowhere. We did not find any place to eat because at 9 everything was already closed. We had to wait until next morning…
Next morning just a quick view of the south side of the Cradle Mountains, to the Dam and than back to Hobart. There we separated from Bob, who had to leave next morning with the plane.
We spent one night in the worst hostel I have slept here in Australia and the morning after we delivered the car and took the first bus to go to Launceston again.
We arrived at the bus station of Launceston at 1:00. It was really hot but we were searching for a hostel. So, we took all our stuff (much more from the very beginning, just because before we had a car and with the car was easy to collect things) and walked the entire city to arrive to the hostel I was reading about in the Lonely Planet. We decided to go to this hostel just because the one we have been sleeping before was too far and this time we were without car and we wanted to say in the centre. After half an hour walking I finally could see the hostel. I was encouraging Yukie and myself to do the last effort, the hostel was near, and a shower was already calling and waiting for me. The most we approached the hostel the most the hostel was looking dirty. We arrived to the front and I could not believe at my own eyes… the hostel was burnt…
Closed and with flowers outside, probably someone was dying in the fire. The building was completely destroyed. We spent some minutes in front of the burnt building, looking at it, trying to realize this was the reality. The sight was so disconcerting we remained looking to it without taking off our backpack. I did not know if I wanted to cry or scream. All this way for nothing. We set on our backpack and called other hostel. Full. But they told us that the staff from the burnt hostel was moving to other. They gave us the telephone number. We called them and they reassure us that they are going to pick us up from the old hostel and bring us to the new one. After this we began to laugh. The happy ending was transforming the tragedy in an adventure. We spent the 10 minutes waiting for the bus taking pictures and laughing about the story.
The shuttle came to bring us to the new hostel. I was asking for the name of the new hostel: Tasmanian Devils Backpackers… it was the same of the last time, the one that remain outside the city and where we didn’t want to sleep any more. Ok, for us was enough, we went to this hostel and discovered they have a free shuttle to go to the city, so, every problem was really resolved.
Then, we spent the day in the city and the next one we met again the Australians for a beer. Than we took the Spirit of Tasmania and we arrived this morning to Melbourne.
In the Spirit of Tasmania we had seat accommodations. And that were really only seat, so, I was taking everything and trying to sleep in the bar but was almost impossible… some people were screaming getting drunk.
So, arrived to Melbourne the most important thing has been searching for a hostel where I could sleep just a little. This one is nice, in the real City and has free breakfast… what do I want more?
So, today I had not so much time to look at the city but tomorrow is Sunday and there is a good market here… a good way to begin to visit it… isn’t it?
And free pancakes for breakfast… I think I am going to sleep very well this night…

Friday, February 10, 2006

Port Arthur

This place is putting me in a very emotional mood. We (Yukie, Bob, I) are in the middle of nowhere, or in the middle of the forest if you prefer and want to do it more adventurous.We arrived yesterday morning in Port Arthur; if you have a map of Tasmania you can see it on the right of Hobart, in the peninsula. It is cold as only here can be, it means a lot… the wind today is coming directly from the Antarctic bringing with him penguins, rain and 3 fool people who decided to explore the country together. We are in a hostel… there are 2 in the peninsula... and it is really nice and worm… we are using the heating… there is no reception for my telephone, there is no supermarket, and there is no city. Port Arthur is a historical place for isolated convicts.
Yesterday we went exploring the ex prison and I was feeling as in “the Rock”. That was a real prison, with real people, and now is a tourist place with a lot of people walking through and taking pictures. And this was no more than 150 years ago.Speaking about the “historical places”. Tasmanians are really funny. Everybody is speaking about the bridge of Richmond, the wonderful historical bridge of Richmond. We got there… do you see it? Perhaps it is historical… 1823!! But is so little!!! It was the first place we reached after renting the car… we had to take pictures there…I was almost forgetting!!! The car!!! We rent a car!!! And I am driving!!! I really can… now, if you are asking you why I am so excited to drive a car is just that perhaps you forgot that in Australia they are driving on the left… on the other side… like in England. And I am driving an automatic… that oblige me to remember I do not need to change the gears… I am really good, and it is easier than I was thinking. Eh eh eh…Continuing exploring the animals of the country, we could not forget the Tasmanian Devil!! We have been to a reserve where these animals live. The problem is that they have a rare form of a cancer that is killing them. They can transmit this cancer only by contact and they are dying of it. This is the reason why now the Tasmanian Devil is always in reserve, because scientists are searching for some remedy to save the life of this species. At the same time they are isolating the healthy members from the sick ones. They are called Devil because they are screaming and blowing and the first settlement in Tasmania could not see them… they are black and able to hide. This is the reason of Devil… and also because they are eating everything of a prey, also the fur… I sow it, I was there at the feeding time again and it was enough cruel…I have to add that the island is full of kangaroo. If I was thinking that in the zoo there were many… I was wrong. They are everywhere, jumping in the street when you are driving, jumping on the beach, jumping everywhere…In the park they also told me that Tasmania is full of these birds… but they are impossible to recognise as they are of the same colour of the trees they are living in… they were also too nice not to take a picture…And last but not least there are penguins!!! I still not have good picture of them but I promise, as soon as I get some good I will put in the internet… they are very small and very lovely…Anyway, this is the second night we are spending in this hostel and I am getting more organized… we were returning from the national park today and I was so cold I can hardly believe it. I was wearing 7 sweaters + my jacket + other jacket against wind and rain. I was still feeling cold. But coming back I get under the shower. I was coming again to normal life after half an hour under hot water, my knees and feet were red as my face but finally I am feeling worm again.Today we have been again to Port Arthur and to the national park to walk walk wolk.I think I am getting the deep meaning of walking up to a mountain across a forest while raining. At the beginning we were speaking a lot but after a while we began to walk in silent, concentrating in our thoughts. Going up and up and down and up and down and up… but… at the end… nothing is comparable to the pleasure of arriving to the top and have a wonderful view. We arrived there and the place was silent and pure, a rock overhanging the ocean. The wind was so cold that my cheeks were freezing and I could hardly smile in the pictures. But taking a picture was no more necessary… after all this work to go up the mountain, the picture of the experience is inside yourself… no photo would be enough good to explain your feeling in this moment. You feel full and empty at the same time, tired but satisfied, happy and relaxed…So, this is the “Spirit of Tasmania” at the end, not only the name of the boat that brought me to this island, but a savage, pure, uncontaminated land. In this peninsula the main road is so small that when two cars cross the same road you need to stop and wait and the normal roads are not asphalted. This is still one of these places where you feel that the tourism has still to arrive. Certification for this point is that if you do not rent a car, there is no bus and you can not move…So, tomorrow Hobart, the centre of the life here, or at least a place where there are supermarket and internet cafes… but the very important thing is that tomorrow there will be the market!!! I am already happy about it!!!So I hope you like the pictures, there are much more but if I don’t do a selection my blog would be full only with pictures…I am sorry I could not answer anybody but now you can see my reason were good enough…So, now you know, I am still alive and above all I am enjoying to be it!!!

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

My 25 birthday

Thank you!!! I just wanted to give a big thank you to all these people who gave me happy birthday!!!
And it was a happy one… also if ok… a lot of people were missing and I would have liked to have my friends (and Patrick!!!) at my side… but ok…
The 4 February I went all the day around the city, really all around… Beginning form the south and ending in a dinner in Manly… wonderful!!!
I received also my birthday present... totally unespected: Cloudstreet by Tim Winton, an Australian author… I already began to read the book and it is my stile! I am really happy and all this helped me a lot not to think too much at home…
Next day ferry to go to Tasmania. When I get into my room I met Lynda, she is from Tasmania, and she is really nice. She offered to give me a lift until her city as she was travelling with the car… could it be better? Then we met some Australian boys in the ship and a Japanese girl, Yukie.
So, at the beginning of the trip everything was so wonderful… sitting on the top of the boat, with the salt wind coming to your face and the sun in your shoulders… and in front of you: the ocean. I was feeling travelling in another way, the same way people arrived there, in a boat, pushed and cuddled by the waves, looking for a hope, for the promise land, following some crazy idea that folly people called dream.
I was immersed in this ocean of emotions when I looked at the other people on the boat and they were rocking, from the left to the right, from the right to the left, from the left….
This was the moment I realized it could have been not a wonderful idea going there with the ship, and the moment I also realized it was too late to change idea. I tried everything. I could not move because you could not go anywhere without banging against the wall, I could not eat nor go upstairs nor downstairs…
I met the Australians when I was lying in the sofa trying to get better. At the end, everybody was coming upstairs with me also if it was really cold. But we enjoyed the stars and I begin to feel better. Finally I managed to go to bed and there I was also able to sleep (this is also because perhaps I was taking 2 pills against nausea).
Next morning I was feeling so good that I went to take breakfast and the time I arrived was coming so quick I cannot believe it is possible.
There I get to Launceston with Lynda and Yukie. Then Yukie and I went on until Hobart with the bus. This is another story… it is made by Penguins and Tasmania devils and temperature that go under 0 in the night as we are near the Antarctic. But now is quite late, I have to sleep to organize me better tomorrow. So, for the next story you have to wait, not too much…
At the end I will always remember this Birthday, almost vomiting in a boat on the way to Tasmania, celebrating with people I met the day before or the same day, but feeling in a ocean of emotions.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

At the zoo

It’s raining today. The perfect conditions to write something. To be sincere I wanted to take the occasion to put online some pictures I took at the zoo yesterday.
Finally I succeeded to go to the zoo!! It was more expensive I was thinking but also nicer than I was expecting. The cages were not too small and the animals seem to be ok. I was there at the feeding time, which means that I had the possibility to give carrots to the giraffes…
I was looking at the person who has to take the picture with my camera and I didn’t realized that a giraffe was trying to get the carrot from my hand… she rolled up her tongue around my hand to get it… you can see from my face I was a little bit disgusted. But it has been funny. ;-)
The lions and the tigers were exceptionally exited and that was a pity we were not allowed to give them food… ;-) In this case I would not have looked at the camera…
Finally I sow those famous koalas… they are sleeping all the day because the eucalyptus leaves, which is the only thing they eat, is very difficult to digest. For this reason they feel drunk all day long.
The kangaroos are just unbelievable and they were jumping all around. The chimpanzee liked me and shows me that he can be the king of the family.
As a result, I was looking for a relaxing day and finally I have been walking all the time to see all this animals… better than I was expecting.
Today is the relaxing day I hope… Also if I already met a Canadian girl, my room mate and we are going out together this night…
I booked to go to Tasmania on Sunday… 2 days on a boat to arrive to that island that, as everybody says, looks like New Zealand… let’s see…

p.s.
I know I exaggerated a little with the pictures this time… but it was so difficult to choose the best when everyone is so nice…
First of all the giraffes…

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Again in The City

Here I am again, in the big city. Going out of it has been fantastic, not only because I was with friends but also because Australia is wonderful. But I want to tell you everything from the very beginning…Once upon a time the little girl we left wandering in the streets of the city decided to go to the aquarium. She was looking to the fishes in those small cages and to all those people taking picture with flash and she thought about “finding Nemo” and how all these fishes have to feel.She decided to do something. She advised one boy to take picture without flash… it would have been better for the fishes and for the pictures…The boy began to speak with her and he brought her to his friends. This boy is Andrè (you can see him in the pictures).This story explains how I met them. It has been really good sharing emotion and amazing landscapes with other people.The last few days have been really full of things to do and to see. I was, as everybody knows, at the Blue Mountains and my legs still have to get over the effort needed to climb and to go back. There was really everything unbelievable and it is worth it. In the night coming back we bought some T-bones and we decided to do a BBQ… it could not have been better.The hostel at the Blue Mountains was really nice and cheap also if the people were a little bit strange and I have had some problem with the computer. But as Patrick would have told in this case, “das Leben ist kein Wunsh Konzert“ ;-)Yesterday was a lazy day… (Today was worst than yesterday).Spending the day wandering again, just because we woke up to late to go to the zoo as we wanted to, but, at the end, passing through the park to go home we decided to go to the open air cinema. Ok, ok, it has been the most expensive cinema I have ever been before but perhaps the picture can give you an idea about it. It is in the perfect place… the skyscraper on the left side and the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge on the right side…. Also the flying fox (bats big as I never seen before) and the mosquitoes are part of the film but it was everything so beautiful that with a bit of lotion against the mosquitoes the whole thing was perfect.Now I have time to think about where to go than and the most probable is to Tasmania. The fact is that now in the North is monsoon time, which means that it rains everyday. In the centre people are dying because is the hottest period of the year, so I decided to wait a little bit before going there. The south seems to be the best idea…I will have to take care of jellyfishes having a bath just because I do not know if you know but here is becoming a real problem. During the last week-end more than 300 people have been stung by the blue bottle jellyfish… I was in these 300 people and Andrè too (he has been stung three times in one hour) while learning to serf. I read an article that explained that all those jellyfishes are coming from the north with the wind, and more are still on the way to came here… a disaster for surfing and have a bath…Now I know and I will take care… I promise!I am sorry if some picture would make you jealous but you know… there are a lot of plane coming here everyday, you can always take the first and visit me ;-)Bye bye
p.s.I could not put all the picture I wanted... probabli I need to reduce the quality before doing it...I will and edit again... bye bye...