Welcome to Alice - Where the F... is Alice <25.5.2009>

Here I am – in the center of Australia; in the middle of nowhere; right in the desert … and how does it look like?



It`s completely different as you may imagine such place. Alice Springs is a tidy town with few thousand blokes green parks and guesses what – rain! Yes – rain in the desert!



We had to drive nearly 9.000 km through tropical areas, wetlands, sea side’s right in to the desert to experience our first rain in Australia x-)

Australia is really different!

Yea - but who gives a sh** about it?!



After exploring the city with its historical left over’s and colorful shopping malls,






we had a closer look to the mountain range which is surrounding Alice – the MacDonnel Ranges.



Starting with the more famous West MD Ranges which features the Simpson Gap




Standley Chasm – a delight during high noon sun




And the less accessible Serpentine Gorge




Or the highlight of the area the Ormiston Gorge with its all year water hole. Don`t miss the the trail which leads around the area – just fantastic!





All in all can easily fill your program for one or two days – so bring enough of time.


The next day we head to the other side – the East Mac Donnel Ranges. They are more quiet but also has real good attractions.



So after a really chilly night at the Glen Helen Gorge and a morning walk around this area, we drove down the 200km to east side to have a closer look at the Emily & Jessie Gab





And finally the round hike of today`s final gorge – the Trephina gorge.






Yes – you are right – I can`t count the number of gorges anymore x-)



Getting back in cosy 18 deg. Temperature to Alice, we are sitting below (nonvisible) stars and drinking hot caipirinha!

Salut!

ALIENS - UFO center of Australia <24.5.2009>

BEAM ME UP - SCOTTY!!!

No joke, here I am: At the Alien Center of Australia … Wycliffe Well.




If you are in any kind of encounter with the 3rd kind, believing in Aliens, or just mad about the X-files and everything which comes with … this is your place to be!





This little nest actually just consists of one – perfectly maintained – caravan park with restaurant attached. For some reason this place was chosen by our extraterrestrial friends as landing strip in Australia.




No one knows why – but it might be because the pub has also the largest selection in beers around ;-)



Even you don`t believe in that, this is maybe one of the most beautiful and interesting caravan parks along the Stuart Highway, so don`t miss it.

If you are more into animals – check out the speaking parrots – they are spooky enough!




And for all my friends, believing in Aliens & UFOs ...
Come to this place you are very welcome:



Out of Space

The Way to the middle of OZ <2009.5.23>

It`s time to leave the tropical side of this country and to endeavor the famous red lunge of Australia.
We are on the way right to the center – we are going ALICE SPRINGS.

The next 1.500km is offering us a huge versatility on sights which kept us busy the way down.

Starting with the 3.5 billion year old Cuta Cuta Caves, which were just opened to public few years ago. Cuta Cuta means sparkling stars like as the sealing is shining like to star night at full moon.

The next power from below brings us to Mataranka – famous for its thermal springs where you can swim and relax between palm trees and water lilies … like in paradise!

On this long way you should not miss the great roadhouses with some real extraordinary pubs attached. One of the most famous one is at Daily Waters and yes this place is magical! As soon you enter you are in a different world: Set back in time to the wild wild west … millions of stuff around – a MUST see!

The route I am taking is actually the Stuart Highway – from its original pioneer. Also called the overlander trail, which is the first telegraph line build in the 19th century to connect Australia with the rest of the world. To keep this line alive there were several repeater station necessary which are now the oldest European buildings around – like here the one in Tennant Creek.

Coming closer to red desert of Australia you can feel the mystic of this area. The landscape is dominated by extreme colors & unusual shaped rock lines.

One of the most supernatural ones is the Devil Marbles. Those round shaped granite rocks are placed in an abnormal way of natural balance.





The Aboriginal myth says that those are the eggs of the rainbow snake – the origin of life!

When the sun settles down you can experience a firework of colors and the marbles start glowing red on the horizon!

From Hell

Swim in Darwin - The deadliest creatures waiting for ya <2009.5.19>

Welcome to the Top North of Australia - Darwin.

For the numbers: Northern Teritorry has the size of 5 times of Germany & just 200.000 inhabitants + 1 mio. Crocs x-)

Darwin has 50% with nearly 90.000 pax. and this is a "huge" city...

Darwin is a harbour city and has beautiful stretches of turquise beaches, but unfortunetaly no swimming there. Guess why - yes there are deadly mates waiting for you!

Either the most poisenes jelly fish - the sea wasp or box jelly fish or the salt water croc is waiting for you. Depending on the season you can meet one of those guys.

And I have the proof that they are there - here some bigger examples:

But I had to proof that mankind is on top of the food chain - so here comes the next level.

Who eats crocs?

Yes - it`s us, or better ME!

Having a Croc-Schnitzel-Semmel put me on the watch list of this little fellow in case I meet one of its relatives around - READY TO RUMBLE!

Byside the nice restaurants of Darwin, it also has some nice history sightseeing spots dating back hundreds of years...

Colonial Times

or recent VIP Yacht areas!

The northern tip of Darwin offers some spectecular cliff zones...

... and the famous Mindil Sunset Market

You think - who needs so many dijeridoos?

Here he is - emDee - extraodinary dijeridoo sounds!

Those guys are awsome, check 'em out:

http://www.rawdidge.com/finalweb/Default.htm

live performance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNWSO4NkhrY&feature=related

And of course FOOD, FOOD, FOOD....

Just berfore the sunset starts...

After 2 days buzzling city live, we are escaping south on our trip to the center of Australia.

Along historical side paths we head to Darwins playground - the Litchfield National Park.

It offers waterfalls & rock holes which are (should be) the few spots free of crocs.

On the way in to the NP you pass giant termite mounts which are prefectly aligned magnetically North to South to reduce the temperature influence of the sunlight. Smart little bugs!

However, after longer reconsideration, I would change by 90deg. to East to West - sorry my engineers heart ... what do you think?!

The park mains water falls are the Tolmer Falls

& the Wangi Falls.

Last ones offers great swimming, BUT not earliest from June, as there are still crocs around ... gosh!

Look at those inviting colors - isn`t it a crime not to swim there!

Whatever - patience pays off and so we end up in the berry springs or the buley rockholes where we finally got our heads cooled off!

Lovely - isn`t it!!!

ZSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!