Coober Pedy - like no other place on earth!

Probably not unless there's gonna be a nuclear war. I just found that first sentence from the visitor centre a little bit amusing.

Have a look at the other blog about this trip:
http://saq.kapsi.fi/

It's in finnish though..or in Kankaanpaa.

Ajetaan hiljaa että tulee kalaa

In short in english: We're stuck in Coober Peby cause the car is broken and hence are gonna start mining for opals.

Noni nyt ollaan jumissa aavikolla sitten. Hauskaa on niinku haitarilla kesällä. Kannattaa vuokrata auto halvimmalta puljulta niin. Moottori kuumeni keskellä Simsonin aavikkoa, työnnettiin pakua viimeset 40 kilsaa 50 asteen helteessä. Kaivettiin yöks luola jossa nukuttiin ja aamulla Saku pyydysti kengurun jonka verta käytettii jäähdytysneesteenä moottoriin.

No oikeesti juodaan nyt kaljaa Coober Pebyssä (joka on lonarin mukaan kuin "post-apocalyptic hell hole") kaljaa ja ootellaan autoon vara-osaa joka tulee parin päivän päästä. Onneks on opaaleita niin ei tu tylsää. Huomenna perustetaan kaivos.

Täs mitä on tähän mennessä löydetty ettimällä kivikasasta ("noodling"):



Täs kartta ja kuvia tähän astisen matkan varrelta, tasasesti 80km/h on ajettu paitsi sillon ku puhutaa kankaanpäästä tai politiikasta. Jokases mahdollises "nähtävyydessä" on pysähdytty ja AMVtä muistellaan rakkaudella joka kerta kun pyyhitään tuulilasi vilkuttaessa.

So far happened:


From Litchfield:


A seal in Katherine Gorge:




Larrimah

Cheers!

Devil's Marbles (Paholaisen pallurat), first sunset and then sunrise.




Barrow Creek

Sunrise pic showing Uluru and Kata Tjuta. We also went to watch the sunset and saw a huge meteor burning in the sky.


Valley of the Winds, a fairy tale-like walk through Kata Tjuta, possibly the most beautiful place we've seen so far here.

Curtins Springs station.

King's Canyon:

Almost in Coober Pedy

Alice

We're in Alice now, 1500km south of Darwin, only that we've been driving (actually saku has been driving..and singing most of the time) already for 2600 km..yeah!

First days we spent in Kakadu and Litchfield national parks. Rockpaintings, swimming holes, wallabies, bats and stuff. Here's two from Litchfield:



"Ei tuo normaalia ole" -Saku



Then southwards to Katherine where we went canoing in Katherine Gorge.

After Katherine we've seen rocks, more rocks, different coloured and shaped rocks and sand and bush. And now that I think of it we also saw a bush fire and rotting cows and kangaroos along the road. And terribly exciting old telegraph stations.

No really it has been beautiful after Katherine also, I loved especially Karlu Karlu (Devil's Marbles), Daly Water's Pub and all the wallabies and lizards and other creatures.

And now I noticed I have only uploaded photos before Katherine..so until later.

Back together with Saku!

Yesterday we both came to Darwin, me from Cairns and he from near Melbourne, from now on we're going to continue together, hooray! We are renting a campervan, first stops are Kakadu and Litchfield National parks, then south through the red (i heard now actually a little bit green) centre.

A couple of past pics of some creatures I came across in Whitsundays.

A prize for the one who knows first what this is:



Can you spot this one?

Gimme some nitrogen!

Did what I really came to Cairns for..diving yei! 2 days and 7 dives in the Great Barrier Reef, including one night dive. That one was almost scary, sharks' eyes glowing green when you point your torch towards them.

Anyway I took pics only from the last dive since my camera bag is only good until 10 metres. So there's a couple of clams and fish for you. Especially dedicated to Janne, here you are.




Here's me and The Huge Clam.

Going north

Took a nice 11-hour bus trip north to Cairns. First thing I did here was to check out Daintree rainforest and Cape Tribulation, saw nice trees, cool bugs, snakes, frogs, here's couple of pics from there.

Whitsundays

Ok now I understand why many people are so enthusiastic about sailing, and why so many said Whitsundays was the best place in Australia.

So the story goes I came here on Wednesday and met this couchsurfing guy Derek who lives on a boat. He had to work but his wonderful friend Pete was happy to go for a little sail, the idea was to go only for one day..now after 4 days we're back. And I steered the boat for most of the time, oujea =)

I can't find any words to describe it, I'll just state OMG. Seriously considering becoming a boat bum.


Cassini-the-boat


White haven where we spent the first night.


Cid harbour, (second and third night) climbed to a hill for some pretty nice views. Amazing amounts of turtles and got attacked by a flying fish ;)

Thats it

So the first part of my travel, the half year Brissie part, the working part, is ending. Now. (!!)

Thanks to everyone involved, it was a pleasure. Extra special thanks to my lovely housemates, enjoy summer and keep the bonsai dead! I will miss you.

From last night, Jes, Hedvig and Lindsay.


I've been thinking about what I'll miss in Brisbane, in addition to all the cool people, and made a small list:

Long Sundays at the veranda at home
West End markets
Coffee breaks in the beautiful St Lucia campus, thanks Signe for those :)
Crazy uphills
This lovely house and the possum on the tree



What I wont miss:

Vegemite
Traffic

I'm heading now to Whitsundays, then Cairns, then catch Saku in Darwin -->

Raps aan pisteilla

Suomen kieli on suuri menestys kirjotettuna jos ei satu olemaan skandikirjaimia saatavilla.

Sohvasurffauksen kautta tapaa kyl kaikellaisia tyyppeja. Eilen kavin parilla drinksulla pariskunnan kanssa joka asuu omalla purjeveneella joka on nyt parkissa Brisbanen joella. Niitten elama on aika lailla muutama kuukausi toita ja saastamista ja loppu vuosi purjehtimista ympariinsa. Suunnitelmana oli purjehtia Australian ja sitten maailman ympari. Kuulemma ois ollu veneessa tilaakin..hittolainen luulen et ei tarvi neljan kuukauden lekoilun jalkeen kysella pomolta enempaa lomaa..pyh.

Istuttii yhen pubin nurkas ja selan takana seinal oli sellanen ihmeellinen metallihakkyrasta rakennettu isosilmainen kasvopatsas, oikeestaa aika karmivan nakonen himmeessa valaistuksessa. Huomautin et jos mun pubissa ois tuollanen niin rakentaisin siihen sellasen mekanismin et ne silmat aukeis aina joskus ja pelastyttelis ihmisia. No varmaan arvaatte mita se patsas teki heti kun olin sanonu ton. Yhtaan en pelastyny juu.