Kakadu Tour

A trip to Darwin to visit Ween and her new baby Max was the first time I had visited the Northern Territory. To see Kakadu National Park I chose to join a tour organised by 4wd Wilderness Adventures

Day 1 - 10 August 2008



I was picked up early in the morning from Ween's house and the Toyota Landcruiser troop carrier then headed out of town. We stopped at the Corroboree Park Tavern which was a chance to meet everyone. The people on the tour were Julia and Esmerelda from Spain, Sarah and Marion from France on a round the world trip, Penelope and Guillame from France who had been living in Sydney for the past two years, Kathrin from Germany and Damien an Australian electrician working at the Alcan refinery in Gove, NT. Our tour guide was Noni.

The first point of interest was the Corroboree Billabong where we went on a crocodile and wildlife viewing cruise. It was quite amazing to see so many crocodiles and the waterway was also teeming with birds.

We drove into Kakadu National Park via the Old Jim Jim Road and went to Maguk. A beautiful waterhole where we had a swim. We camped for the night at Gunlom and had time to climb up to the lookout and enjoy a great view and watch the sunset.

Day 2 - 11 August 2008



This day we hiked along Koolpin Gorge which is an area that requires a permit to visit. Once again I was struck by the amazing landscape. The sun was pretty hot in the afternoon but we had the chance to swim and cool off.

Day 3 - 12 August 2008



This day involved a hike up to the top of Jim Jim Falls. There was a bit of a climb up to the top of the escarpment and then a long walk through some dry and rocky country. The view from the top of the falls was quite amazing and there was a 220 metre vertical drop. I went for a swim up there, but the water felt very cold as it is in the shade most of the day.

After eating lunch up there we hiked down and then went to the bottom of the falls. There was a bit more of a crowd of people there, but it was a good place to relax for a while.

Day 4 - 13 August 2008



The morning began with a visit to Twin Falls. To get there involved a short boat trip through the gorge. The falls were spectacular although you couldn't swim there because of crocodile danger.

In the afternoon we visited the Warradjan Cultural Centre and it was great to finally start to learn something about the aboriginal culture and history of the area.

Later in the afternoon we went to the Anbangbang Billabong where there were plenty of birds to see. The 55-250 lens on my Canon 400d got a good workout. Then we hiked up to the Nawurlandja Lookout which gives a good view of Nourlangie Rock and a huge area of the park. Noni told us that you can see 10-15% of the park from there. It lets you appreciate how huge the area is you can see over a large section of the escarpment and plains of the park there.



We watched the sunset before heading to Muirella Campground. It was next to a billabong and we were warned not to go near the water. A crocodile had been sighted there quite recently. Damien made a great fire and BBQ for the final night. Later Noni and Brad took a group for a night walk. We saw a few cane toads and the eyes of a couple of crocs in the torch light.

Day 5 - 14 August 2008



The first place we went in the morning was Kakadu Culture Camp. It was nice to finally make some real connection with the aboriginal people living in the park. They showed us some traditional weaving and cooking methods and then we had a go at spear throwing.



From there we went to Ubirr, a rock art site. The art work was quite amazing and the rock formations there formed a perfect site for it. After that we started the drive back to Darwin with stops at the Mamukala wetlands, a termite mound and the Didgeridoo Hut. The five days went so quickly but it was a chance to discover something of a very amazing place.

*lots of photos from the tour at flickr.

Visit to Melbourne

It is hard to believe it is almost ten years since I last lived in Melbourne. Since then I have only been there for a few short visits. After being back in Australia from Taiwan for almost two weeks it was time to head from the bush to the big smoke.



I caught the 8:29 V/Line express train from Kyneton to Melbourne. The first thing I noticed that was different was many new buildings in the Docklands area. There was even a big ferris wheel under construction. The new Southern Cross Station looked very modern.



I caught a tram down Collins Street and then walked to Federation Square. There I discovered a book launch for a new book about Peter Brock. They had several cars on display including the Austin 7 that Brock drove around his family's farm when he was twelve years old.

I then went to have a look at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) which is located in Federation Square. The exhibition there included small booths with video screens where you could watch short films. I watched four shorts including a 1973 short directed by Philip Noyce called The Caravan Park. I thought the whole concept was wonderful as so often these short films only get screened at film festivals. I could have easily sat there half the day selecting more films from the menu.

The next place I visited was the Immigration Museum in the old Customs House on Flinders Street. I thought the displays were excellent. It detailed the history of immigration to Australia from the 18th century up to the present day.



There was a special exhibition of "Kimono: Osaka's Golden Age". There was also another exhibition "Waters of Tuvalu: Nation at Risk". The latter exhibition wasn't open as there was an ABC TV crew doing interviews there. I saw them interviewing Rob Gell. As well as being a TV weatherman he is quite knowledgable and outspoken about environmental issues.



I had lunch at Crossways Vegetarian Restaurant. The restaurant is run by ISKCON (Hare Krishna) and it is $6.50 for all you can eat. The place hadn't changed much since the last time I went there. After lunch I went to see a movie at the Kino Cinema. I saw the new Australian film The Square (official website). I quite enjoyed this Australian crime thriller.

In the evening I went to stay at Will and Fiona's house. It was the first time I had been to their place in Brunswick. We went to Sydney Road for dinner at a Moroccan Restaurant. I had lamb shanks with couscous. After dinner we walked up to Blyth Street to have a look at the house where I used to live. It hadn't changed much although it looked like they were renovating it.

Next day after Will left for work I caught a tram on Sydney Road to Melbourne University. I wandered around the campus and then walked over to Lygon Street. I had a pizza for lunch and browsed in Readings and Borders bookshops. Finally I met Dad and then we drove back to the bush!

Trip to Indonesia

During the Chinese New Year vacation I travelled to Indonesia for six days. Indonesia was the first Asian country I visited some 11 years ago. It was interesting to return.

My sister and her boyfriend live and work in Bogor and my parents flew over from Australia so we could all travel together. I was lucky that my sister and her boyfriend were both fairly competent in Bahasa Indonesia and they did a great job as tour guides.

It was also great to be with my parents. They had visited me a year earlier in Thailand and this was their second trip to Asia.





I began the trip by flying into Jakarta and met my family at Gambir Station. We then took the train to Bandung.



Just as the train was about to leave there was a thunderstorm with lots of lightning. The skies looked quite dramatic. The train was a very comfortable express train and took about three hours to reach Bandung.



We stayed at Sumi Buwanggaling, a hotel built by the Dutch.



Later we enjoyed dinner at a roadside warung (shop). I had Ayam Goreng (fried chicken). I was the only one in the family who at the chicken's feet!!!



The next day we explored Jeans Street (Jalan Ciampelas). This street in Bandung is famous for its factory outlets selling cheap jeans. I bought a pair for just 105,000 rupiah (about US$12). Some of the shops are famous for being decorated with superheroes and cartoon characters. There is a Rambo, Spiderman and Superman store. The shop in the photo above had a whole line up of superheroes.



The next day we had a car and driver. Our first destination was to drive high up into the mountains to Kawah Putih, a volcanic crater on Gunung Patuha (2334m). This place was eerily beautiful, like something out of a sci-fi movie. The lake was steaming hot and the surrounding area totally barren.



The next stop was a little further on but still in the mountains. Situ Patengan was a n idyllic crater lake in the mountains. Unlike Kawah Putih the water wasn't steaming or acidic and we paddled a boat out on the lake.



Next we drove to the Malabar Tea Estate where we stayed for the next two nights. We stayed at the Malabar Mess. The Tea Estate is at an altitude of 1,500 metres which made the weather quite cool. It also rained a lot. With the Dutch colonial mansion and beautiful gardens it would be easy to think you were in Europe not near the equator!!



We walked across the tea plantation to visit the tea factory. The tea factory was interesting to see. The best quality tea is exported to the Middle East. The lower quality ends up in tea bags.

After visiting the tea factory we walked to some hot springs. Will was the only one who had a dip. It started raining while we there and continued to do so for most of the afternoon and night. It was a good chance to play some games of cards together in the Malabar Mess.



Next we drove to Bogor where Will and Ween live. On the way back we passed some flooded areas. We stopped for lunch at the Puncak Pass where we took the photo above. Finally arriving in Bogor we reached Will and Ween's house. It was a very beautiful house too, a lot more palatial than my apartment in Taiwan.

We took the chance to relax and unwind there and unfortunately Dad became sick with stomach bug. My time in Indonesia was almost at an end. I got up at 5:00 am the next morning to take a taxi to the airport and fly back to Taiwan. It was great to spend some time with my family in Indonesia though.

You can find more photos at flickr.

Provinces of China I have visited

create your own China map

I found this online tool that shows the provinces of China visited. It is similar to a tool at World66 that creates a world map showing countries visited. You can see my world map in an earlier post.

PLEASE NOTE: Even though Taiwan is coloured in red, it is an independent country. It is NOT a province of China.

New Year in Malaysia

Na and I spent the new year in Kota Bharu, Malaysia. Getting there involved a long haul overnight train journey to Sungai Kolok, followed by a walk across the border and then a relatively short bus ride to Kota Bharu.

Kota Bharu is the capital of Kelantan State, in the northeast corner of the Peninsular Malaysia. It is the most distinctly Muslim area of Malaysia and the city prides itself on being a centre of Islamic culture. In contrast to the cultural diversity of Penang the population here is mostly Malay Muslim with a few ethnic Chinese.


Main mosque in Kota Bharu

The city features a number of museums. Some of them were former royal households that have been opened to the public. They display various royal paraphernalia. The Royal Palace occupies a central place in the city. It is rather understated in its design, being mostly of wooden construction. The nearby main mosque is large without being extravagent or overpowering.


Jahar Palace and Royal Museum

The city is also just a few kilometres from the beach. We took a bus there and found the beach somewhat windswept. It may not have looked its best after the floods and storms that recently hit the area.

It was interesting to visit Kota Bharu and compare it with Penang, which I had visited a few months earlier. It has made me curious to further explore Malaysia.


beach near Kota Bharu

A city of surprises

Good things come in small packages. This is certainly true of the city of Georgetown on Penang Island in Malaysia. The city may not be as big or as glamourous as Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok, but it makes up for its lack of size with many small but special attractions.

What most impressed me about the city was its ability to surprise. It is a place where you can wander the streets and discover beautiful and interesting places by chance.

While walking along Armenian Street I noticed an interesting, but not especially attractive, Chinese gate. Entering through it and wandering down a small alley I suddenly came across a stunningly beautiful traditional Chinese courtyard house and temple. Cheah Kongsi, built in the 1870s is described as "a classic 'Penang style' temple -- a hybrid of a Chinese temple, a Chinese courtyard mansion and a colonial bungalow".


Cheah Kongsi

The many small but beautiful Chinese temples that dot the streets of Penang are perhaps the highlight of the city. The temples there in fact surpass anything I have seen in China or Taiwan. Their artwork -- stone carvings and murals -- is exquisite.

Nearby Cheah Kongsi is the larger Leong San Toon Khoo Kongsi temple and museum. It is well worth the MR5 entry fee to see the temple's beautiful artwork and the informative museum.


Leong San Toon Khoo Kongsi temple and museum

A quick bus ride away on the edge of the city is Kek Lok Si, a Buddhist temple complex which sprawls over a hillside. It claims to be the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. Exploring its halls and pagodas reveals many beautiful Buddha statues and artworks. The temple's hillside location also offers many great views of the city. The temple's crowning glory is a 108 feet tall statue of Kwan Yin reached by a ride in an inclined lift.


Kek Lok Si temple


Buddha statue in Kek Lok Si temple

To talk only of the Chinese features though would to ignore the vibrant Asian cocktail that makes up Penang. The Malay Muslim and Indian communities also give life and color to the city. Mosques and Hindu temples are almost as abundant as the many Chinese temples.


Kapitan Kling Mosque


Hindu temple

The food in Penang deserves as much praise as the architecture. You can enjoy many of Asia's finest culinary delights -- Indian, Chinese and Malay cuisine. The street stalls offer cheap food at all hours and many of the restaurants are only slightly more expensive.


Hokkien style noodles with oyster

Penang is small enough to be easy to travel around -- walking is the best way to enjoy most of its sights -- and big enough to offer a many attractions. For a true Asian experience it would be difficult to find anything better.

Penang signese

Continuing on the theme of signese here are a few photos from my recent trip to Penang, Malaysia. The earlier posts about signese can be found on my other blogs. See Not Chinese but Signese, Siamese Signese and Signo-Thai.


Tea


Lok Lok


Hairdresser's shop


East Xiamen Delicacies

Where have I been?

I found this interesting little tool online that allows you to create a map showing the countries you have visited. The red on my map seems to be confined mostly to a certain corner of the world, but spending a few days in Canada allowed me to colour in half of North America! If you want to create your own map click here.

To Yack and back

I set out early in the morning with my bike fully loaded planning to ride from Taradale to Yackandandah. I expected it would take me three days to cover the 300 kilometre distance. It was the first time I had done any serious cycling since my tour down the east coast last year so I wasn’t sure how my legs would cope.

My first stop was the small town of Redesdale about 25 kilometres down the road. The town would barely register on the map but it is notable for its beautiful old bluestone buildings and historic bridge. A little further down the road I stopped in Heathcote where I stocked up on food at the supermarket.

Heading north from Heathcote the roads flattened out and I was able to make good pace. I passed through Nagambie and then kept on riding as I had plenty of daylight hours left. I eventually came to a stop a bit after seven o'clock in the evening. I had covered 150 kilometres which was the longest distance I have ever ridden in one day. I set up camp in Miepoll under the red gums on the bank of a small creek.

The next day after I had ridden a couple of kilometres I came across two men in a van stopped by the side of the road. They had stopped because there was a koala on the road. Unfortunately it had been hit by a car or truck and wasn't in a very good state. There wasn’t much we could do for it except move it off the road.

The next town I passed through was Violet Town where I stopped for a cup of coffee. After that I was on to the Hume Freeway. Riding on the freeway was a little boring, but fairly safe because there was a nice wide, sealed shoulder to ride on. I passed through Benalla and finally exited the freeway late in the afternoon. I rode to Tarrawingee where I camped for the night.

The next day I returned to the hills after having ridden on pretty flat roads for last 200 kilometres. The climb up to Beechworth was a decent ascent. Beechworth is a beautiful, historic town built during the Gold Rush. I stopped at the bakery to refuel. While there I met another cyclist riding a new carbon-fibre framed Giant road bike. He told me that the bike was "an unfair advantage". It wasn't hard to believe and I thought how much easier it would have been riding up the hill on a lightweight bike like that rather than my bike which was loaded down with gear.

In Beechworth I also visited the cemetery where there is a very large Chinese section. It dates back to the presence of Chinese miners during the Gold Rush of the 19th century. From Beechworth it was mostly downhill to Yackandandah. In Yack I was able to relax at my brother's house. Will and Fiona took good care of me for the night and I enjoyed some delicious food.

It rained during the night and was still raining the next morning. As a result I delayed my departure for a while. In the afternoon it looked like it was clearing, so I took my chances and set off. I got caught very briefly in a short downpour but for the rain seemed to have abated as I headed west. I rode 70 kilometres before I stopped to camp for the night between Rutherglen and Yarrawonga.

The next day I had a long ride through some pretty flat country. I passed through Yarrawonga, Cobram and Numurkah before I finally stopped to camp on Broken River near Barmah. I had covered 161 kilometres in about nine hours which was a long day on the bike. The day eclipsed my previous record for the longest distance in one day. I had always wanted to ride 100 miles in a day and finally I had done it.

From Barmah I crossed the Murray River and the border into New South Wales and then rode down to Echuca. I stopped there to visit the other branch of the Beechworth Bakery. Heading south from Echuca the riding was not great. The road was busy with trucks and I was battling head winds. I passed through Rochester, birthplace of Sir Hubert Opperman one of Australia's greatest cyclists.

South of Elmore I got off the highway at last and rode on some good roads with very little traffic. I camped near Axedale. I knew it was only about 50 kilometres from Axedale back to Taradale, but I didn't have a map so getting there was mostly guesswork. I worked on the theory that if I kept heading south I would have to get home eventually. The roads in the area had no signposts saying where they went to so I had no idea where I was most of the time. I had to ride on some pretty rough gravel roads at times. Eventually I got near Metcalfe and finally knew exactly where I was. It was about eight more kilometres to home and I got there in time for lunch.

Myanmar misadventure

The Thai town of Ranong is located on a broad inlet of the Andaman Sea. It is a beautiful spot surrounded by mountains and a broad stretch of water dotted by islands.

A short distance across the water from Ranong lies the Burmese town of Kaw Thaung. It is the southern most part of the Burmese mainland.

From Ranong it is possible to take a boat across the water to Burma. Indeed hundreds of farang do it every day mainly for the purpose of extending their Thai visa. There is also a continuous stream of Thai and Burmese crossing for work, shopping or trade.

Crossing the border is pretty easy. You go to the Thai immigration office and get yourself stamped out of Thailand. It is then a short walk to the peir where you pay 50 baht jump on one of the many long tail boats plying the waters. Geting across turned out to be a bit of an adventure. I was directed to sit right up on the bow of the boat which wasn't the safest place to sit, but luckily the waters were pretty smooth. The boat's engine did stop once on the way across but after a few minutes of adjustments the boat's crew (of two) managed to start it again.



On the way across there was one small island that clearly belonged to the Thai side. A Chinese Buddhist temple, a Thai flag and a small military bunker with two soldiers were probably all that was needed to defend this little rock from any possible Burmese cross-border foray.

Next there was a stretch of open water. It seemed a lot further across to the other side once you were out in the open water in a small boat designed for river travel rather than the open ocean.

Once acroos the water there was another island at the base of which there was a small concrete building on stilts that was the Burmese immigration office. It was a simple matter of paying a US$5 fee and having a two-day visa to Burma issued on the spot.



Then it was another short ride in the boat to reach the town of Kaw Thaung. I jumped off the boat and started to wander around the town. Several boys followed me doggedly determined that I engage their services as a guide. Eventually I told them in abrupt terms to leave me alone.

One thing that was clear to me was that I was definitely in a different country. The contrast with Thailand was stark. I went and sat in a tea shop and had a cup of tea. I was the centre of attention and I was stared at by all and sundry.

I found a Muslim restaurant to eat lunch at. Thankfully I attracted a lot less attention there. I spent another hour or so wandering around the town before I decided to jump on a boat and head back to the more familiar world of Thailand.

I got down to the peir and found myself on the same boat as I had taken across in the morning. The boat safely made it across although the engine did stop once on the way.

After I got off the boat I went to Thai immigration to reenter Thailand. The immigration officer spent a long time looking through my passport. I thought he was just being thorough, but then he asked me where the exit stamp from Burma was. I didn't have one! I caught the boat back and it didn't stop at the immigration office. I didn't think it would really matter but the Thai official refused to stamp my passport. He said I must go back to Burma again. I pleaded with him but he was very firm and obviously not interested in bending the rules.

The journey across was a bit exciting the first time, but second time around it wasn't so much fun. It basically meant spending two hours out on the water in the hot afternoon sun. Suffice to say I wasn't particularly happy about it. However, I did get that little stamp in my passport that allowed me to come back into Thailand legally.