Under Down Under

Tasmania, it has some of the cleanest air in the world. The sun is deceitful, it bites you when you're not expecting. The wind may be cold, but secretly, you're getting a deadly sunburn from very high UV rays, Dangerous, and beautiful. An amazing combination. I arrived here on my own about two weeks ago. It was an experience.

In Melbourne I had very bad luck to the point where, when I arrived in Hobart, I just wanted to sleep in my hostel to avoid coming into more misfortune. I had gotten robbed once, and then jumped and robbed of my wallet and money at a night club. Leaving me with a pretty sore face, and no cards in a foreign country. Nevertheless, I have my best friend with me, and she sent me to Tasmania with cash in my pocket. I left for Tasmania, and she took the train to Sydney. 

My first week in Tasmania was full of depression, I slept through most of it. I did manage to meet some great people in that time, though. People who helped me work my issues out before Chan arrived, and helped to show me how generous people can be. I was stressing about what little money I had before I got robbed, for the first time. After the second time, I felt like I was being taught a number of lessons. 1) Stop being so petty, stop worrying so much about how much money you have. (Because I had NONE) 2) People are generally good, don't give too much trust, but stay open to possibilities. 3) I have an amazing friend, who really cares about me. This put a lot of minor issues to rest.

Although I appreciate the bad experiences as a learning opportunity (and it was), I'll skip to when we reunite.

Time to come out of my shell, leave the hostel, y'know? Go back to being an explorer. I lost it for a minute. It's a scary thought, knowing that you can change so quickly due to an outsiders actions.

Our friend Michael took us sailing on his boat, he's from Perth, Australia. When he bought the boat he had no idea how to sail, and he ended up teaching himself with the help of few others. The boat is a project, and it was a successful one. I really enjoyed this day. It was a great way to spend Chan's first day in Tasmania.

Then I saw my first Tasmanian Sunset

Everything is back to normal

Yesterday we went for a 4 hour hike up Mt Nelson

I went dreadfully unprepared, but once we made it to the top it was quite a view.

My first real look over Hobart.

Nate, Michael, Chantal, Michaelle, Me and Monique

Shoeless : )

When we got back to the hostel we were part of a birthday celebration for our mate Millin, It was very nice to be apart of this. I am very happy to settle in Hobart for the next little while, it's everything I want in a place, small, quiet and intimate. I can't wait to get outside of the city, to experience wild Tasmania, and have something to really write about!

Back to Melbs

Stuck in Adelaide without a ride, because we didn't read the fine print on the rental car website. Either way, we sit down and figure this shit out. While being treated like homeless people by the coffee shop guy. What an idiot... We're so hungover and so ready to get back to Melbourne it's unbearable. Finally, we find a rental place that can get us a car, but we're not easy about it. Just because it's a lot of money on one person's credit card. But we trust eachother... and for SOME reason we trust the person that Chan just met on tour to come travel with us... Now we wait to pick up the vehicle, no worries, just no where to go for 5 hours. Talk about feeling homeless!

Now we finally pick up our new little Suzuki Swift and get back on the road.

We are trying to hit Portland on the first night, but because we had to wait for so long to get the car we don't make it in time. We find a place in Naracoorte, SA. A free camping space with a fire pit which is a huge bonus. Although I back our rental into a picnic table costing us an extra fee that none of us can really afford. So, we chill out for the night, play cards and laugh off the day.

On the way to Portland, there's no documentation, thank god. I had a humiliating night, and would like to never remember it. After a night in Portland we hit the road and go directly for Melbourne, but first we hit the Great Ocean Road because Chris has never seen it. We also stop in to see an old friend in Port Campbell, Robin, who surprisingly remembered us!

It's time to get naked at the 12 Apostles!

Expose yourself to Oz

Then we drag our selves off to Melbourne, in the mean time we get robbed by the guy we were travelling with for over 500 dollars, a camera and some electronics. The car gets backed into by some delusional Aussie bitch that will not admit to the damage. On a more positive note we get to see some old friends that we love. Like Jimmy, Chuck, Freddy and Stu. They take care of us while we are here at The Barkly.

For my last drinks in Melbourne we play centurion with the Irish. 1 shot of beer every minutes for 100 minutes.

First shot:

Last shot:

And I don't remember much after this picture...

Tomorrow, Tasmania

Cya later Melbourne, it's been a slice

Desert to Berri

I miss the desert already. Chantal and I had to split up to come back to Adelaide. I went with my friend Tom, across the desert in two days, and she went on a tour with another friend, and a full bus of people. A week apart was interesting, we met up in Coober Pedy for one night of ridiculously mental partying. 

How cute is that baby Emo? Tom and I start a very long drive back to Adelaide, pretty much 9 - 10 hours a day of driving, but we stopped to see some cool stuff on the way, like this Goana. It's only a small one, but you can definitely tell he's a male...

Stopped into the salt lake, that actually had a little bit of water in it this time, we collected some salt to give to his dad.

When we got to Coober Pedy, we just hung out, drank some beer, watched the sunset, and waited for Chaz and Sid's tour bus. This guy Chris in the batgirl costume is our next travel buddy...

Lazers, Strobe, Bubble machine, and a fog machine in an underground hostel, and you get a night like we had in Coober, and i barely remember any of it. There was a water fight though. Definitely. 

After a couple of nights in Adelaide we are on the road to the country, a place called Berri where Tom grew up. This was one of the coolest moments in Berri. Tom literally ran up a tree to get this angry female monitor...

Stops to swim!

We are very well while camping, travelling with two tour guides and a chef comes with its perks.

Swags

Sid

This is a picture of a brown snake that we saw while camping in Berri, after this picture we found out it was dead. Still, the second most venomous snake in the world.

Camping by the river, in swags, let the fishing begin. Tom fishes with spears though, so this is gonna be fun.

Ernie's game

Rope swing!

Chris and I

The sunrise at camp

And more fishing!

Someone gave me a spear... dear god

Tom

Chantal and I borrow Tom's 4WD and go for a spin around the dunes, we challenge the beast to some clay and mud, we got er' stuck, but we managed to get er' out again. In the mean time, we had a blast. Tom never told us not to get it stuck, he just kindly ask we not get lost ...

The last supper before we head back to Adelaide, we all say goodbye to Tomas.

Once again. amazing people, amazing time. I've had a real adventure on this trip to the desert and back, I've never felt so relaxed and comfortable with myself and the people around me. This is a new experience and I'm glad I'm here. I'm very happy to be able to share this with my best friend as well.

On to the next Chapter