New Year New Resolve

Everyone! I figured it was about time for an update.

Much has happened since the last update (November 28th, 2006!?!?) I finished school last year on a positive note - I organized a group to go Whitewater Rafting for a week on the Motu River. It was awesome. Very remote and beautiful.

Once school finished I went back to Aussie for Christmas and New Years to see all I wanted to see in that grand continent before I leave this corner of the world. So I flew out December 24th to Cairns, where I spent Christmas Day. Adjusting to the heat was tough. The hostel I was at put on a massive Christmas breakfast. It was great. Later Christmas Day I flew to Darwin where I stayed for 2 days before my tour left. I didn't really like Darwin too much - the hostel I was at was crap, the town didn't have much happening, and it was really hot and humid.

I left Darwin for my first tour to Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks. The first day we drove to Litchfield to see the massive termite mounds and swim at Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole (they were croc-free of course.) Later that day we drove to the Mary River (highest concentration of saltwater crocs in the world) for a river cruise. We saw heaps of birdlife and quite a few crocs. That night we camped at Point Stuart. Next day we went to Ubirr in Kakadu National Park. It has some awesome examples of Aboriginal rock art and was also a filming location for "Crocodile Dundee." It was awesome. The afternoon of day 2 we went swimming again at another waterfall. Day 3 we swam at Motorcar Falls and another rock hole (I can't remember the name) and then drove back to Darwin. I would highly recommend a tour of these National parks - if only for the swimming holes!

Day 4 I left Darwin for Katherine, where we spent New Years Eve. We got to the campsite for lunch and got settled, then went to Katherine Gorge for a swim, but the gorge had become croc infested so we went to the Katherine pool instead. We headed back to the campsite late afternoon for dinner and lots of drinks. It was a New Years Eve I won't soon forget. Day 5 we headed to Mataranka thermals pools, where there was a huge colony of flying foxes. We stopped at Daly Waters pub for lunch - the oldest in the Northern Territories - and then carried on to Tennant Creek, where we camped for the night. Day 6 we headed out early to the "Devil's Marbles." The Aborginal people believe that they are the Rainbow Serpent's eggs (the Rainbow Serpent is a very prominent figure in Aborginal people's history.) However they got there they were pretty awesome. We end up in Alice Spings that day.

On Day 7 I left Alice Springs for Uluru (Ayer's Rock.) We made it there around mid-afternoon and did a driveby and stopped at the cultural centre. We headed to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) for a short walk and then back to Uluru for sunset. Someone told me that if you see Uluru and don't get some sort of emotional respone that something is wrong with you. It was definitely an amazing sight. We camped in Yulara - a purpose-built town to cater for the tourists going to Uluru - that night so we could get up early for sunrise at Uluru. Apparently during the right sunrise and sunsets Uluru changes colour but we didn't see it happen. After sunrise I walked around the monolith and then we drove to King's Canyon. We camped at the King's Canyon Resort that night, where I slept under the stars. Early day 9 we headed to King's Canyon for a short walk and then drove back to Alice Springs, ending my 9 day tour of the Northern Territories.

You may have noticed the "swimming" trend thoughout the tour - it was at least 40 degrees everyday and that was the only way to survive the heat. Unbelievable, oppressive heat.

From Alice Springs I flew to Brisbane where I wandered for an afternoon. That night I hopped on an overnight (18hour) bus ride to Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach was where I recovered from the past 10 days of moving. I got myself settled, and laid by the lagoon (you can't swim anywhere in Northern Aussie because of jellyfish or crocs.) I did a tour around the Whitsunday Island on an 80 foot Maxi yacht to Whitehaven Beach and back. I also went to the Great Barrier Reef where I dove for my very first time. The reef was so amazing and vibrant - everything was so colourful and alive. I can only imagine a reef that isn't so touristy!

From Airlie Beach I returned to Cairns to fly back to Auckland where I met Jess. She spent Christmas and New Years in Thailand and loved it. I can't wait to go myself.We came back to life in NZ and got ourselves sorted for a 4 day tramp, the Tongariro Northern Circuit, but the weather packed in and we cancelled it. Another time.

So that pretty much brings us to present day. The 2007 school year starts next week so I'm going to be at school everyday this week getting ready.

There is a picture update at my photo site as well. Follow the link on the right called "My Photos" or this link Aussie Photos.

I will try to make more updates this year (one of my resolutions.) Also, I figured out how to "moderate" the comments so I can now see my comments (before I couldn't see the comments so sorry to everyone that commented and didn't get a response.)

That's all that's on my mind. Happy and Healthy 2007 everyone!