Postscript

One last word after the last word. We are home again, so thought we would add the following photos (and they did not go in in the intended order):







Sylvia at the Opera House


Both of us back home in our natural habitat.

And me at the Sydney Harbour Bridge

This one is of a Koala (in the zoo - like most Australian animals, Koalas are nocturnal, so we never actually found one in the wild). This is Toronga Zoo, one of the few things in Australia we were disappointed in.

Closing the loop

So, we have turned in the camper van. After 15 weeks, it felt like we owned it, but I suppose we spent more time in it than some cars we have owned. Managed to get it back without any scrapes or dents. The circumnavigation is complete. By the numbers:
A total of 25272 km. Theoretically, you can do the “loop” in 16K more or less. I guess we made some side trips (the jaunt up to Alice Springs was about 3K, and Tasmania added 2K). We had planned for about 20K, so not so far off target.
Time enroute 106 days. All in the van, except for the two nights we spent on the Tassy ferry. We travelled on about 60% of days, and stayed put the balance. So, we averaged less than 400 km per day, on the days we moved.
Fuel cost averaged about $A1.40 per litre – a bit more than the $A1.30 than we planned, but it went up at least that much during our stay. Fuel economy of 11.7 litres/100km
The last markup of the map is attached to show the detailed route.

To cover off the last week or so:
Most of you will recall that I misspent some of my youth working on the Snowy Mountains project, here in New South Wales. So, we returned to the scene of the crime. Our trip through the mountains was great (the weather on the coast remained cloudy, but was very good in the mountains). The birds in the mountains were amazing, with pairs of Crimson Rosellas and Sulphur Crested Cockatoos around every corner. And there were lots of corners. Khancoban, where I lived, was a bit disappointing. The town was built for the project, and was going strong when I lived there – there were 2000 workers in the camp where I lived. Anyway, it is down to about 400 people now with zero economic activity, and has just about dried up and blown away. Too bad, because it is a beautiful area. I did manage to tip a schooner in the pub that was the centrepiece of the town when I lived there (poured more beer than any other pub in Australia for three years running – not sure which ones, but like to think I helped). The bar is only half the length that it used to be – the pokies (slot machines) in the background of the photo occupy the other half. I have a photo of the Murray 2 switchyard that I built nearly single-handedly, if anyone wants to see it. This is a greater accomplishment, if you consider that I was 18 and only there three months.
We spent our last three days, before heading North to Sydney (and the rain) camped on the beach at Huskisson (Jervis Bay). We got in some sun and beach time, and did some visiting with the Roach family, including Brad – one of Julie White’s many admirers. Bob (Brad’s Dad) and Brad took us golfing at their club. We didn’t golf that well, but it was a nice course and a lovely afternoon. As you can see by the photo, the course is overrun by ‘roos. Golfing in December is a bonus, anyway. One really annoying thing was the Kookaburra who seemed to go into his laughing routine whenever I shot. Hard to stay mad at Kookaburras (except at 5 in the morning), ‘though.
I include a shot of 7 Mile Beach just North of Huskisson, and the possum who was scrounging around the campground.
I guess this is the “Last Post” for DSWalkabout, at least the 07 version. Who knows, we may do it again. It has been an incredible experience. And, yes, those who picked Sylvia’s return date in the pool much earlier, will have to pay up. Now the long trip home and then Christmas.

-30-

More beach bums

Here are the photos to go with the earlier post

Beach bums

This time the text was no problem, but the photos failed three times, will try again later.


So, back on the mainland again, dealing with the flies. We did not experience any bushflies or mosquitoes while in Tasmania, so it makes the plague on the mainland even more noticeable. I have been entertaining myself by killing them and feeding them to the ants. We have sort of been puttering our way along the coast since we landed in Melbourne (from Tasmania), and are currently in the middle of at least three days in Eden, NSW (staying in the Garden of Eden Caravan Park – quite a nice place). We are about 500 km South of Sydney, where we have to turn in the van on the 17th. We expect to arrive in Sydney on the 15th (we actually changed our hotel booking to arrive two days earlier, as Bob and Sue from Toowoomba were coming down, but those plans have changed.) However, we will stay with that plan, do some shopping and tourist stuff in Sydney before our planned flight home on the 19th.
As you can see, the trip is kind of winding down – we are in our last two weeks on the road, and starting to think about going home. As much as going home will be nice, and Christmas should be fun, the thought of the cold and snow is a bit disconcerting. We are very much without current plans. We will have at least one more stop before Sydney, may spend a few days in one of the beach areas South of Sydney. We have been considering swinging inland a bit to visit Khancoban, the place I lived in ’65, although there is no real need to do so. That decision may be driven by the weather, and the practicality of us becoming total beach bums. The cloudy, showery weather of the past few days are pleasant enough, but not exactly beach weather. The beach right here is nice enough, although I don’t see anyone swimming.
Many of the people we meet in our wanderings are retired. No big surprise, as who else would have the kind of time required to do this sort of thing. Most of them have Australian accents, of course, but also have significant traces of accent from their original homeland. This is most noticeable in the European immigrants, less so in those from the UK. Many have arrived in their new land since my first trip here in ’65, and seem to have generally prospered in their new lives here. It does remind you that this rather old land is still a very young country – being a country of immigrants much as Canada, but perhaps with more of it recent. I expect the character of Australia to change as this generation passes on and hands off to a generation born in OZ. We ate dinner last night in a place that was hosting a busload of Italo-Australians from Melbourne. We visited with a bunch of them (did the judging for their dance contest) and have a standing invitation to the Australian-Italian Club in Melbourne.
Anyway, to this weeks photos:
The echidna – this critter was wandering through our campsite, so Sylvia hunted him down with a camera. Sort of a cross between an anteater and porcupine in appearance, he is fairly common here, and – being slow-moving, quite often road-kill.
The Christmas parade – we stopped in Sale (Victoria) for gas, and saw this parade forming up, so stayed to watch it. Kind of like a Burns Lake parade, except the Christmas theme. Still a little strange watching a pipe band with full kilt and regalia wearing Christmas hats and playing Waltzing Matilda. We still remark on the strangeness of Christmas preparations in a place where it is so warm. Still not quite as much fun as the little Mexicans singing Christmas Carols (mostly in English) in Cozumel, this time last year.
The parrot – is a wild one, part of a mating pair living in the trees across the way from here. Sylvia was gung ho to get a good photo, and one of the residents brought her out a hand of sunflower seeds, and attracted him/her right in. That is Sylvia’s hand – I actually prefer the photo where you can see the face she is making as the bird walks on her arm.
Sylvia’s shell collection – most from one beach down near Lakes Entrance, where she got a little wet getting some of them. Quite a conversation piece here. The following picture is Sylvia extracting the previous tenant with my needlenose pliers.

Farewell to Tasmania, your seabound coast...

Actually, I guess that song is about Nova Scotia. Well, the similarities with Tasmania and NS are substantial, in terms of terrain, vegetation, even climate and agriculture. The North Coast of Tasmania is heavy to agriculture, including dairy products. There are bits of logging and lumbering around the state – they cut both gum trees and (introduced) pine trees. The logging trucks represent the same hazard to anyone else driving that they do at home, although the trucks and loads are a bit smaller here. The West coast is rugged and is only populated with a couple of mining towns that look fairly poor (especially when you can see the wealth associated with mining in Western Australia). South Coast is mostly about Hobart and the history of the area (photo of Hobart attached). The East Coast is more about the tourist industry than anything much else, as you can see from the beach and coast photos enclosed, it is fairly spectacular scenery. The climate on the East Coast is allegedly a bit milder than the rest of the state. I think that the latitude of Tasmania is much like Oregon, and the climate might match, as well. Anyway, definitely put Tasmania on your list of places to visit before you die.
I am a bit disappointed in the lingo here. I was expecting a vocabulary something like Newfoundland (with the Australian accent, of course), given that they are both islands somewhat remote from the mainland. However, my ear has not picked up much in the way of difference in accent here. I would say that is true around the whole of Australia: while a student of accents would pick up the differences from state to state, I have found less difference than there is from Province to Province (or region to region) in Canada. The exceptions might be in South Australia, where we found more of an accent, and the young ladies in shops who are difficult to understand, when they can be troubled to wait on you. We did notice differences in expressions: When greeting someone in Queensland, G’Day (guhDie) still prevails, where Western Australia and the Southern States are more inclined to say Howyagownmate (yes, that’s one word) and Tassy might even just say Good Morning. The younger generation might very well just say Hi, which is proof to the older generation that the Americanization of the culture continues unabated. (I have certainly noticed that happening, during my five visits over the past forty-odd years.)
We are currently in a delightful place called Deloraine (same spelling as the place in Manitoba, somewhat different climate). Sylvia spotted a hairdresser that would make an appointment to cut her hair, so we scouted out the local municipal campground, down by the river (with water in it, if a bit muddy). So, we will spend the night here, then drive the hour up to Devonport for the ferry back to the mainland tomorrow evening. The distances here are quite small, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the travel times are, as some of the roads are very narrow, crooked and hilly. We like it that way – sort of like Ireland in some places, Portugal in others.
Not sure where/when this will get posted. Maybe later today, Wednesday Nov 28th.

Text for earlier post

The first photo here should be of the Melbourne tram. “Melbun” tram, I guess I should say, to get the pronunciation right. We used the trams to get around while there – like we have been doing in all the capital cities, getting a caravan park near public transit, then using that to go downtown. In this case, it was about a two km hike to the tram line. The buses were right across the street, but they quit running far too early. The core of the city is much like the large Canadian cities, with substantial Asian population visible. Anyway, on the way in to the city, we went through one of the older neighbourhoods that looked intriguing (area settled substantially by those of Greek and Italian descent) so we resolved to try to jump off the tram and stop there on the way back, perhaps have supper there. So, that is what we did. We landed in the middle of one of their Saturday street markets, where the side street is blocked off to traffic, and booths and food of all sorts were available for purchase, not to mention wall to wall people. We found a restaurant back on the main street and had a very nice dinner. We did manage to get back on the tram, although did get a bit lost walking from the end of the tram line to the van park.
The crossing to Tasmania was much better than anticipated. The weather was quite calm, and the ferry itself was great. We had a two-berth cabin on the way over, and have booked a deluxe cabin for the return trip. We had a good dinner as soon as the boat sailed, then Sylvia went straight to the casino, hit on the slot machine (pokie), collected her winnings, and went off to bed.
We landed early in the morning (about 7), and could have sworn immediately that the boat had made a wrong turn and dumped us in New Zealand. Tas is as green as the rest of the country is brown. The roads are also as narrow and crooked and hilly as the others are flat and straight. Maybe this place should join NZ.
In an earlier post, I mentioned that there is some sort of quarantine between most states, preventing the importation of fruit and vegetables – seems to vary from place to place – kind of a remnant of the British Colonial bureaucracy. Well, Tasmania takes it very seriously: They have just the one point of entry for vehicles, at Devonport where the ferry lands. They have sniffer dogs to ferret out illegal fruits and vegetables. We saw them apprehend a bouquet of flowers, for which the mutt was handsomely rewarded. We are getting used to the routine and had consumed or tossed all of our fruit and vegetables, so our next stop was a grocery store to restock.
We spent our first day along the Northwest coast – very rural and agricultural, lots of dairy cows, overnighted in a neat touristy village named Stanley.
We then worked our way down the West coast, as near as you can. We went to the National Park at Cradle Mountain, did a hike around Dove Lake. (This is significant, since at 7 km, it is the longest one I have done yet. It went well enough, although we got caught in the rain and cold, and there was one section of a couple of kms that was quite steep and slippery. Progress was very slow.) The photo is of Cradle Mountain – had one with both of us in it, but got rain on the lens. We overnighted in the Park, the closest to bush camping we have done yet. Still had power, and the shower building was near at hand.
Since then, we have been working our way down to Hobart, (doing some of the short walks in the National Parks along the way) and intend to head in there today (Friday, 23rd) for a look around, maybe post this. While we were on the West Coast (actually at Arthur River) a sign noted that, if you looked straight West, you could see Argentina. It seems that at 42 degrees S, we are South of Africa.