Destination: Australia

Bunya Mountains National Park

Sat, 26 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [1256]

Queensland is the land of sun, surf and the Great Barrier Reef.  But we are at 1000 meters in Bunya National Park in the interior of Queensland, which is an Equus caballus of a completely different hue. First of all it rained all day and most of ... Read more >

Back to Brisbane

Thu, 24 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [851]

As we were debating whether to spend our last day in Vanuatu cruising around the island in a rental car or sailing to one of the offshore islands, Connie started feeling ill.  Food poisoning, stomach flu, Mele's Revenge?  Whatever, we stayed close to ... Read more >

Photos: Queensland

Sun, 20 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Photo Gallery

Ted and Shirley

Fri, 18 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [829]

Just before Christmas in 2004 we set up our tent on a shaded site in the nearly deserted Malacoota campground in New South Wales.  Incredibly, a caravan pulled in and set up right beside us, ignoring the hundreds of vacant sites.  "How long are ... Read more >

Water Lily Dreams

Wed, 16 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [1873]

The floor of Darwin International Airport is carpeted.  Giant water lilies, very Monet-esque float upon blue-green water.  Attractive, yes but it doesn't make for a good mattress or a good night's sleep! We arrived at the airport and settled in for ... Read more >

Litchfield National Park

Sat, 12 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [2101]

"Litchfield Do, Kaka Don't," is the mantra of Darwiners (or Darwinians or Darwinites or whatever they call themselves) when it comes to distant Kakadu National Park v. nearer Litchfield.  Even our disappointing Rough Guide quotes the advice.... Read more >

Photos: Travels

Thu, 10 May 2012 | By acinonyx | Flickr Photo Gallery

WARNING! Towns On The Map May Be Smaller Than They Appear

Thu, 10 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [1019]

Cooinda, Mary River and Pine Creek are prominently shown on our NT map.  Like Burma Shave limericks without the punch-line, signs announcing their approach - "Pine Creek 201kms," "Mary River 90kms" - line the roadside.  Signs and ... Read more >

Photos: Tasmania 2012

Thu, 10 May 2012 | By johnsteel | Photo Gallery

Third Tramp in Tasmania

Thu, 10 May 2012 | By johnsteel | Views [712]

What is it that has lured us back to Tasmania for the third time? Is it the strange mixture of wilderness; the dark convict history; good food (especially the apples); beautiful old buildings and quaint wooden cottages; the feeling ... Read more >

Tags: bathurst harbour, bushwalking, deny king, fagus, mona, tasmania, trekking

Work work work

Thu, 10 May 2012 | By waz_and_bec | Views [208]

Yellow Waters Billabong

Tue, 8 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [1361]

Even Nicole at the Flight Centre told us not to miss a morning boat trip on the Yellow Waters Billabong.  It is home to thousands of birds, resident and transient crocodiles and huge barramundi, the Top End's most sought after gamefish.  At $A99 a head ... Read more >

Kakadu National Park

Mon, 7 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [1294]

The local indigenous people recognize six seasons but there really are only two, "The Wet" and "The Dry."  April, the end of the Wet, averages one inch of rain per day, July just a few tenths for the entire month.  May is somewhere ... Read more >

Leaving feels different every time

Sun, 6 May 2012 | By emmagoltz | Views [321]

My departure for London is one week from today. My blogging credentials are heavily laced with a hint of unreliability - so do not expect much from me. In fact, there is a high probability that this will be my first and last entry. But against these ... Read more >

The Top End

Thu, 3 May 2012 | By vagabonds | Views [782]

"No worries, mate.  We can get a visa extension done today.  But it will cost you."  was the reply from the guy at the government office in Darwin.  When I asked how much, he said with a smile, "$A290."  Which is exactly the same ... Read more >