My Barrier Reef Experience

At the barrier reef we moored at a platform, I got to go see the fish ๐Ÿ  staying dry; in a glass bottom boat and going down steps to look at fish ๐ŸŸ from a window under the sea (like at an aquarium; but better because this was a window out to to ๐Ÿชธ ๐Ÿ  ๐ŸŸ THE barrier reef ๐Ÿชธ ๐Ÿ  ๐ŸŸ !

I did also get to experience being immersed in the sea. I went snorkelling ๐Ÿคฟ and went down slide ๐Ÿ› from the platform a few times.

Looking back a talking point was how we warned that there was going to be a 1.5m swell and we should all take sea sickness tablets. So that put some people off going.

We did all share and pop sea sickness tablets. Then going out the staff on the boat

kept handing out sick bags and stood over us watching, armed with sick bags. So at the time that was rather disconcerting. But in hindsight it is funny and part of the experience I had. I did not feel sick either way so was able to enjoy ice cream on the way back.

Getting ready to go in the sea was a faff as you had to have so much equipment; mask, snorkel, flippers, life jacket, full wetsuit and I think gloves and either a hood or a hat too? On the way to the reef there was a video about what to wear and where to collect it from. Then when it came too it you were left to find the bits yourself in your size amongst the other sizes whilst lots of other people were doing the same thing. I would have far rather been in the sea in a bikini but had to be fully covered I think because of jellyfish. I can fantasise how it would have been floating amongst the colourful fish I saw like a beautiful, thin mermaid.

I believe different parts of the coral are in different states of health. There was plenty of fish where I was. Perhaps scuba diving getting deeper there would have been more fish but I liked the control of snorkelling being able to put head up when wanted as opposed to scuba where you are relying on someone else to get you up and down. Also with scuba that person determines where you go but I was free to have my own little adventure following fish that I chose.

French Island Australia

French island is a an island on a circular ferry route from Stoney point which also stops at Philips island (which can be reached by road). Stoney point / Philip island is about 60km from Melbourne.

I think it is a place you need to prepare for before turning up. When you get off the ferry it feels very isolated! If you go there alone you definitely need a plan and water! Insect repellent could be useful too. Think you can take bikes across to the island or rent a car. โ€ฆ if you have booked in advance. This is not a place where you are greeted by people offering you tours etcโ€ฆ It is a great place to spot koalas ๐Ÿจ. There are no kangaroos ๐Ÿฆ˜ on the island.

I did this as part of a tour with Philip island. We went to a farm I think called Bayside Chicory Kiln. In a ladyโ€™s home we were given afternoon tea and told about the island. When I visited December 2022 we were told the island only had 110 inhabitants. Electricity only from generators, water from bore holes and no street lights. There is a primary school which at the time had less than 10 children but no secondary school so children then have to get the ferry to the mainland. Being an island they managed to not have any covid cases until January 2022 and by then islanders were vaccinated. If you came by yourself you would easily get an idea of the how unpopulated and dilated the island is and you may enjoy that if looking for peace. But I found hearing from a resident was what really engaged me in the island.

The farm had peacocks ๐Ÿฆš roaming, a chicory kiln, Horses in the field, Koalas ๐Ÿจ in the trees in the garden: although also a lot of mosquitos under those trees hence recommend insect repellant. I did not see other buildings from the farm although a short ride down the road was a cricket pitch. That road had lots of koalas ๐Ÿจ in trees which really made the day!

The Dome in Cairns

The dome in Cairns is above the casino and you can spend money about as quick in the Dome as in the casino!

There is an entry fee to look at a range of birds and small marsupials . There are crocodiles and koalas, but of course they all sleepy and still. It does not take too long to look round this for the price.

What elevates the experience is doing the rope courses. It is atmospheric to climb amongst the birds flying around and over the sleeping crocodiles. There is different courses to suit different people or you can do multiple courses the price for extra courses is less then the first course. There is also the opportunity to walk over, outside of the dome; I was not able to do that as it was too wet!

The dome also offers opportunities to hold animals for a photo opportunity, again for a price. My recommendation to get a good photo is to do your photos before going into the dome. My hair is soaking on my photo, I think from the humidity in the dome. This is not a petting an animal opportunity literally you get to hold the animal for seconds for a photo.

Kangaroo ๐Ÿฆ˜ Island

I spent 2 nights and 1 day on kangaroo ๐Ÿฆ˜ island. It was evening time on the first night arrived which is the time kangaroos like best so that was the only time saw kangaroos from a bus. The next day and morning left saw no kangaroos on kangaroo island. But both on the way from Adelaide to the the Kangaroo ferry and the return journey I did see kangaroos from a bus. These were the only wild ones saw in Australia.

The full day spent on Kangaroo island was mainly spent by coast so perhaps that was also why did not see kangaroos. But saw lots of other animals. First was on a beach with sea lions then a bird show with raptors and parrots later seals by the coast.

Also went to a place called remarkable rocks. You walk down to them from the road and from the road they do not look very impressive. But once get to them they are fun for posing around and exploring as interesting shapes due to way eroded.

Perth (Australia) Lessons Learnt

1. There are free buses called CAT buses that go on different loops round the city. You just hail them and get on (no ticket needed). There is also a big bus tour which obviously comes with a cost but you get the commentary. As often with those buses the cost for 48hours is not double 24hours, in this case just a few dollars more.

2. The Bell Tower is not open on on a Monday or Tuesday. So I know from outside it is a tall glass building with water in front and lots of padlocks on chains next to the water.

3. You can pay for boat to Rottonest Island. ๐Ÿ€ ๐Ÿ Apparently people tend to spend about 5hours there! The main attraction is quokas which are marsupials but look like rats ๐Ÿ€ hence Rotto in island name. But you can also see quokas in the zoo in south Perth.

Rain in the Australian desert โ€ฆ.

If you go to Australia in December people before and after will comment on hot and sunny it must be at that time of year. But if you are yet to go and going , yes pack factor 50 etcโ€ฆ However do not get hopes too high on sun!

Look up weather Ullra rock any day you like and you are likely to see chance of rain as 0% for days as it is desert. It rained when I was there though. Not heavily but was cloudy and raining in the afternoon. The rain had stopped by sunset. It was a beautiful sunset and the idea is you stand between the rock and the sunset and then the sun reflects causing magical colour changes on the rock. Due to the weather, the sunset that I was there; the rock colour magic did not happen. It was warm though standing there bubbles in hand and the sunset was beautiful. Apparently although not much rain in the area it can be cloudy. Indeed at sun rise the morning after the night before, the top half of the rock was covered in cloud. It got light without us seeing the sun rise. Again it was not cold being out in the dark or early light.

In contrast to the desert, Cairns is surrounded by rain forest so rain is to be expected. I was there 6 days over Christmas 2022 and it rained every morning apart from morning left. Sometimes could be hot enough to soak you. On Christmas Day I swam in the rain as it was still warm. My Cairns Christmas Day

One of the two days I was in Perth there was also torrential rain.

Melbourne natives will tell you it is rare to have more than a few dry days together. But I saw no rain there.

Alice Springs and desert

Visiting Alice Springs is about seeing a remote place. If you get a window seat you on a plane flying in and out of Alice Springs airport you can get some idea of how remote it. But to really see remoteness then a road trip helps. I flew into Alice Springs then travelled on out tour bus 500km to Ullra rock. You see red sand for miles. Perhaps some camals. We stopped at a petrol station with an emu farm next door from which there was nothing else around. Also we stopped to climb a sand dune from which could glimpse Ullra rock. It was like something from a movie with a toad with hardly any cars on it! Incredible by day but not sure would like to be in a car in the dark, having watched Jeepers Creepers! Plus at night would miss stunning red sand.

Alice Springs itself we did obligatory Telegraph post stop.

We also visited a centre for remote schooling and learnt about how kids are schooled and sent school work in remote areas around Alice Springs. In the shop I bought a book to donate and got to write on a label to go in the front. I think it was a YA book that could imagine a teenage girl reading.

Also went to centre for flying doctors. This included watching videos about there work, climbing into a life size model of one of the helicopters and putting on a head set to get a virtual tour of a helicopter.

Apart from that only other stops in Alice Springs was a war memorial then hotel was on edges. We were advised not to go into the town at night for our safety. So I saw how remote Alice Springs is and how it helps even remoter places but not a lot of Alice Springs itself. I donโ€™t think looking round town would have rang long so happy at all fitted in during short visit.

Meeting her son in Melbourne โ€ฆ and buying a ring ๐Ÿ’

On a Saturday in Adelaide I met a couple of ladies Adelaide chapter. The next day I was flying to Melboune. One of the ladies texted me with her sonโ€™s name Thomas and where he worked so I could go and meet him.

The Melbourne flight was not until 11.45 so it was well into the afternoon before arrived in Melbourne. Our bus from the airport took us on an orientation tour with stops at various points including Melbourne market and part of formula one track.

It was about 5 or 6 when got to the hotel. It was exciting coming to a new city and having someone to meet. I got changed in my room with prime view of the cricket ground. Then took the tram a few stops.

The bar I was looking for was near street art alleys.

It turned out on the same street was three venues part of the same venue. Originally I went in next to where I was meant to be going. Luckily they knew who I was looking for and pointed me next door.

Next door was a small tapas bar. I was greeted by a man and thought he may be my man. He was not and said Thomas had just left as they were quiet. Although seemed busy as no tables in the small bar – only bar space. I ordered a beer ๐Ÿบ and sat at the bar. The bar tender asked how I knew Thomas; I had to say I did not but his Mum had sent me! He then revealed Thomas was drinking next door but one.

I ate tapas at the bar. Then whilst paying checked where he thought Thomas was. He confirmed next door but one โ€ฆ with girlfriend. Still I went there and for the third time that night asked for Thomas. It turned out he had gone again!

So I never met Thomas, as next day had a trip to French and Philip islands. Day after think I may have known it was Thomasโ€™s day off. Then the Wednesday morning it was time to move on again. Still it was exciting having a quest upon arriving in Melbourne. My first stop in Melbourne after the airport was the market. It is the market where I bought myself a ring for $5 which was cheap like ยฃ2.50.

What I would like to do upon an Adelaide revisit.

As I wrote in this Iadeal-aide day I had a fabulous day in Adelaide December 2022. I would love to return; these are the things I would love to do:

1. When I first arrived in Adelaide airport we were on our way to Kangaroo a island. Therefore we just had a brief stop in Glengelg which is a suburb of Adelaide. There is a beach there. I would love to get a tram from the centre of Adelaide out to Glengelg at the end of the line. I would like to spend time on the beach and revisit Bracegirdle chocolate shop and cafe. I imagine there are some interesting sights to see on the tram route.

2. Definitely worth revisiting the botanical gardens.

3. I was based near the Botanical gardens and there is a whole side of the city that I did not explore on foot including China town.

4. Would be tempted to do the factory tour of Haighโ€™s chocolate. I could not do it when I was there because there were not tours due to being so close to Christmas.

5. Would love to be there during the Adelaide Fringe!

6. Queen Elizabeth statue.

7. Hopefully meet up with ladies from my last visit.

aIdeal -aide Day

I love a Saturday exploring a new city featuring some art. Therefore a Saturday in Adelaide it was bound to be a good day. But it was more amazing then I could have imagined kind of ideal.

The day started with a swim in a rooftop, infinity pool. Followed by a mooch round Adelaide museum and near by art gallery. The art gallery had some fabulous sculptural exhibits (see Wonderwall 360 Instagram for photos).

Next was a walk through the beautiful botanical gardens which are free to enter. The walk ended at the zoo., where the day just got better.

At the zoo, I took the very wise decision (in hindsight) to do one of the free tours with a guide. I thought it would be a quick 20mins – 30mins whistle stop tour, but we ended up with guide for about 2 and half hours. There was only myself and two ladies from Adelaide on the tour, so we was able to tailor it to us. Our guide, Jade was very knowledgeable. At the pandas the male panda was out whilst female was being protected from public view as displaying signs of pregnancy. We learnt a lot about why it is so difficult to detect pregnancy in pandas, especially as they often have phantom pregnancies. After eagerly awaiting news about a panda birth about a month after I visited i learnt it had been a phantom pregnancy.

At the zoo as I had chosen not to go to Rottonest island to see the Australian marsupial quokkas, I was keen to visit them at the zoo when saw them listed on the website. I would never have found one without the help of the guide. There had been disease issues with certain animals so animas had been moved around. it became a quokka quest with the guide taking us round various places there may be a quokka. Until we finally had success.

At the zoo we also spent a several joyous entertaining minutes looking at a pair of natives colorful baby birds that had nested in a tree. As it looked like one of them was attempting to leave the nest.

Upon leaving the zoo the two women that I had done the tour with offered to show me the Christmas tree in the library. It was a big tree, in an old fashioned picturesque library. From there they wanted me to try Haighs chocolate. We rushed to the nearest store and arrived at 5pm as the door was being locked. The ladies tried to persuade them to let me in! Which was funny but fruitless. Although I was back at the door at 9am the next day when they opened to acquire chocolate successfully before flight to Melbourne.

Next the women took me to a rooftop bar 2kw, so called because it is at 2 King William Street. It was busy so we shared a booth with a couple. We ended upo talking to the couple as he was originally from England and had worked in the building where the bar was when it was a bank. They were going to the restaurant on the ground floor fish bank and invited me. I had a drink with them at the bar in Fishbank whilst we waited to see if they could fit me in. The restaurant is a fancy fish restaurant. There was not space for me. But whilst I did go downstairs to the underground toilets as that had originally been bank safe so still had the safe and protective cages. The mirrors were old art deco mirror (see Wonderwall360 Instrgram for photos)

I ended the day with a solo thai meal.

But that was just the end of this story. I left with the women’s contact details and the name and place of work in my next stop of one of the women’s son … To be continued