Australia - travel tips

And finally, here are some useful tips for travelling in Australia.

1.) Reaching Oz is fairly easy, yet a bit on the expensive side (if from Europe). Emirate Airlines is your safe bet, while I flew with low-cost Jetstar from New Zealand. When going to Australia, take your time. 1 month. Or more. Fly to Sydney or Melbourne and start your journey there.
Check your visa requirements (Slovenians can apply online and print your visa in a day).
Don't bring in fresh fruits, veggies, meat, dirty camping equipment, etc. Australia has strict biosecurity rules that are implemented at the border (that is of course after Australia plagued NZ with half of their invasive species).
2.) When to go: any time. Australia is fairly warm throughout the year, but when planning your vacation make sure you know when the biggest events are happening. I was unfortunate enough to end up in Melly when Grand Prix took place, which means everything was super over-booked and prices skyrocketed. Check in advance, book in advance. Don't forget to get updates on all the summer festivals that are going on, for the same reasons as above or simply to catch up on the latest tunes yourself.
3.) Public transport. Huh.
In Melbourne you have a free tram zone, but this is virtually your walking zone, so it doesn't help a lot. For any other ventures you need to get a Myki card (yes, you actually pronounce it Mickey, disgusting), which costs $6 that you'll never see again.
In Sydney they will try to convince you that the cheapest way to get from the airport is to take a shuttle. WRONG! I found a cheaper way, you're welcome. Take a local bus 400 to Rockdale train station. Take a train to King's Cross (or any other station of your choice). This cost me $9.5 when buying tickets 'as you go' compared to $14 for the shuttle. But when you have a FREE Opal card (that you simply top up in kiosks) you pay a beautiful $6.5. $14 - $6.5 = $7.5 = your dinner. Again, you're welcome.
I did not use intercity transport anywhere else. Did lots of walking. Good for your legs, too.
4.) Must, must, must!
- Lentils as anything in Melbourne. Vegetarian, pay-as-you-want restaurant with yummy food. Also try Naked for Satan, heard great stuff about it.
- Great Ocean Road: cliffs, stunning scenery, koalas and pretty birds.
- Adelaide: chilled, relaxed, cute.
- Didgeridoo workshop at Sounds of Starlight in Alice Springs.
- The Rock Tour of Uluru. Incredible. Wild. Breathtaking. Spectacular. Worth every cent. Best experience in Australia. Would do again x 100.
- The Rocks and King's Cross in Sydney. Chilled, cozy, cosmopolitan.
- Great Barrier Reef with Rum Runner. How many times can I say 'colourful corals'? Colourful corals, colourful corals, colourful corals, colourful corals, colourful corals. And more.
- Cairns: beachy, easy-going, small but sassy.
- Uncle Brians's tour of Atherton Tablelands. 14 hours of laughter. And platypus, if you're behaving well.
5.) Budget: unlimited. Australia is freaking expensive and you can hardly get a tour for under a $100. Hostels generally cost between $25-$35, depending on the city, location and room size. Price doesn't always relate to quality. I can recommend Nate's Place in Sydney, The Guest House in Adelaide, and Njoy and Calypso in Cairns. Food is not too expensive and I highly recommend you to shop at central markets. Cheaper and yummier. Also it is often just as expensive to fly somewhere as it is to take a bus, so consider flying a lot. It will save you lots of precious time. I paid around $200 to fly from Ayers Rock to Sydney, which saved me 3 days on a train. Also I paid $260 for the Ghan, a train taking me from Adelaide to Alice Springs. This is a backpacker price which is available to anyone with ISIC, HI or YHA card. Worth the cost I would say.
6.) Internet is often a pricey affair so I suggest getting an Australian sim card. I got one at Vodafone and paid exactly $15 for 2GB data for 30 days. This was a special under-the-counter price, but often it is worth haggling a bit.
7.) Bring:
- sunblock
- sunglasses
- fly net
- sunblock
- big hat
- and sunblock
Seriously guys, Australian sun is freaking merciless and you don't want skin cancer, do you? Put that sunblock on, NOW! Also bring some super tropical mosquito repellent for Cairns and a fly net is a must for the Red Centre.
8.) Learn about Aboriginal culture. I mean truly learn. Try to understand this very special and soulful way of life. Read Dreamtime stories. Observe sacred places. And most importantly - respect!
9.) Learn about Aussie culture. Get that barbie going. Know what brekkie is. Wear thongs. Don't be hard on yourself. Go to the beach. Learn to surf. Eat vegemite (no, don't, really, avoid it at all cost).
10.) Don't just go hiking in the bush. Australia is indeed home to the most dangerous animals in the world, but there's no need to panic. Just be smart. As every tourist should be. Don't go poking things you shouldn't. There's that.
11.) Have fun. Australia is certainly about having fun and getting the most of your day. You'll see, once you go Oz... well everything else starts looking unnecessarily stressful. :)

Questions in the comments section, as always!

Cheers!

Northern Queensland

There you go, kids. My final leg of the journey, online. For. Real.

So, Northern Queensland. After the not-so-amazing beginning on the East Coast I was hoping for some major 'thumbs up' from the coral reef. Got them. Big time.

I arrived to Cairns airport late at night, slept for a few hours (suffocating humidity didn't help with my sleeping efforts) and got up early to start my Great Barrier Reef adventure. It rained. I got lost at the pier. It rained some more. Finally managed to spot the Rum Runner boat and hopped on. Let the journey begin!

And what a journey it was! I normally never ever get sick. Give me a car, a big lunch and as many curves and turns as you wish. Nothing, nada. But that boat was rocking like crazy and it took me about 15 minutes to visit my bff for the next two days - sea sickness. Oh my, did I have to exert some serious control over myself to stay calm and hide my discomfort. Best tip I can give you: stay on the deck, face the wind, breathe heavily and stare at the horizon. An extra bonus to our trip was of course the constant rain that was slapping our faces, so yay, much fun. Luckily the guys on board were really cool and we had fun despite the adversities.

And then it was time to tick another thing off my bucket list - scuba diving at the GBR. Big YAY! Our instructor Bear gave us a 'schnellkurz' on scuba diving and 'plop' - we were in the sea. Let me tell you, non-scuba divers, first time going down into the depths of the sea surely felt strange. But hey, once you figure out the breathing-pressure equalising technique it becomes just magical. I mean hey, Great fu**ing Barrier Reef, guys.

BAM! Corals! Crazy thin black starfish! Sea cushion! Colours! Fish! I just got started when we had to come up to the surface. But man, wasn't that a real treat! My financial situation didn't allow many more dives, so I was sticking to snorkeling for the next 6 stops, but it was just as spectacular. A real Australian must, I'm telling you.

Also the Rum Runner was great. Small, budget-friendly, but the crew was real fun and our skipper was this weird pirate-looking guy that was yelling at everybody yet could come up with the most amazing vegetarian meal imaginable. Big thumbs up for this as well!

Cairns Lagoon

After the GBR I had 3 days left in Cairns. I surely don't regret staying here over anywhere else. Cairns is great! On day 1 I explored the central market (gosh, my seventh central market on this trip) and the beach. Cairns municipality obviously decided their own natural beach isn't enough, so they created an artificial mini beach called the Lagoon. Fun & free, just the way I like it. Oh and btw, I got some funny fruits from the central market: mangosteen, custard apple and bunya tree nut (yes, it's a nut, not a fruit). All of them yummy. Mangosteen is sweet and tangy, a bit like lychee. Custard apple is big and green and tastes like... well, custard apple. And finally bunya nut is an Aboriginal staple, very nutritious and tasting a bit like pine nuts.

bunya tree nut, mangosteen, custard apple and pawpaw

Day 2 in Cairns - going North to botanical gardens (my obsession with central markets = my obsession with botanical gardens), did a big stroll and hiked up a hill to observe the city from above. Read a book in the shade with colourful butterflies flying around and a sweet smell of eucalyptus resin drying in the heat. Probably as close to my perfect day as realistically possible.

Day 3. The final adventure! Jumping on board of Gus the Bus, a tour organised by Uncle Brian's company, even though our guide actually ended up being Cousin Brad. The tour takes you to Atherton tablelands and it is supposed to be one of the best things you can do in Cairns. And it surely is one of the best things! Cousin Brad, while seemingly annoying at first, ended up being the nicest, funniest guy you can imagine. He took us through the rainforest, to many waterfalls where he took funny photos of us and finally to the big volcanic lake where we did our final dip. Yes, I was indeed swimming in a volcano. Beat that! :)

Time to leave my dear Cairns and head back to Syd. The quasi-capital of Australia is still among my favourite stops, so I wasn't too upset. I spent my day at Bondi beach, where I took a big stroll around the many bays all the way to Bronte beach. Lovely places, nice walks, just a bit too pretentious at times. Gotta time your walks well.

Bondi beach

So, to sum it up. Australia is beautiful. I mean BEAUTIFUL. It is diverse. Extraordinary. Adventurous. Full of friendly people. Good food. Nice weather. It's goddamn big. Ginormous. Yet easy to get around. Relaxed. Never boring (unless in Surfers Paradise ;) ).
Would recommend? Certainly yes.

Yours truly,

Ajda

East Coast

One of my friends gave me a hard time for not finishing what I started. He was right. I have to finish my blog for the moment. My only excuse is I was busy finishing job applications. Maybe that's good enough.

I landed in Sydney full of hope of leisurely making my way towards Cairns in the following days. Boy was I wrong! The travel agent looked at me in disbelief and said: "5 days to get to Cairns? Honey, I'll book you some flights." And there I was, blowing my budget and agreeing to fly to Cairns and back. Luckily I had enough time to make my way to Brisbane by bus.

My first stop on the way was Byron Bay, a hippie-surfer town on the coast. I had exactly 3 hours to do sightseeing. But since I'm not a surfer, it was quite enough. The town itself is small, but full of lovely cafes and boutiques. As it was the time for Byron Bay's most famous festival (Bluesfest), the city was packed and all the hostels were booked, so I had to move on to Surfers Paradise in Gold Coast.

Surfers Paradise

My expectations for Surfers Paradise were low and rightfully so. This is an expensive, dull, Miami-like part of Gold Coast and I didn't care a tiny bit for it. There's a long sandy beach with no shade apart from the one that is cast by large skyscrapers in the evening. So what I did for the following two days was... I sunbathed. Hey, it was actually the only sensible thing to do. Waves are too strong for swimming and there's not really any sightseeing to do. Moving on.

Brisbane. What a pleasant city! Streets in the centre are broad and easy to navigate, there are botanical gardens within walking distance and the absolutely best part of the city is the South Bank! South Bank is basically a bank walkway / park / city beach / get together spot. I loved:
- Nepal temple
- Mini rainforest pathway
- City beach
There's also a free city ferry that takes you from Botanical gardens to South Bank and further to the city. A really great way to see the city!

Brissie

Anyhow, I was not terribly impressed by the southern part of the East coast. Maybe because I've already seen the absolutely best Australia has to offer (a.k.a. Uluru) and it is virtually impossible to surpass that! Still, a pleasant kick-off to the final leg of the journey.

Yours truly,

Ajda

Fiji - travel tips

There you go folks, some first hand travel advice for you!

1.) GO TO FIJI! It might sounds too far and too expensive, and it is, but guys I promise you won't regret it. Unless you hate endless sandy beaches, lush rainforests, good food and friendly people. In this case, don't go.
2.) Fiji offers many places to visit, so do some research in advance. Do you like resort type accommodation, snorkeling, and chilling at the beach? Go to Western Islands (Mamanucas & Yasawas). Do you prefer adventure, unspoiled nature and true Fiji? Then Taveuni is for you. How about swimming, surfing, meeting friendly people and filling you day with fun activities? Coral Coast should be your choice. My personal favourite is Taveuni, but remember, the ferry only runs twice a week, so you might want to plan your trip around certain dates.
3.) Public transport in Fiji is loads better than Samoa. Seems like you can get a bus to just about anywhere in a short period of time. Just go stand at the side of the road and wave down the bus going in your direction. Average price for a bus from Nadi to Suva is 20 $FJD (10€), public transport in Nadi costs 1.15$FJD.
You will spend most of your transport budget on ferries and boats, if you plan to do some island hopping. Honestly it pays off to visit an island or two, because the overall experience is much different than Viti Levu. In my opinion it is pointless to go all the way up to the last island is the Yasawas, because you can have great time in the Mamanucas for half the price. I would still suggest you to make your way to Taveuni, even though this means two overnight journeys on a shitty boat.
4.) In 11 days I managed to see Mana Island in the Mamanucas, go to Taveuni for 3 nights and spend 2 nights at the Coral Coast. In Fiji, take your time. Trust me, you won't want to leave. I recommend 10-14 days minimum. Also expect some delays as everything works on Fiji time (no schedules, go with the flow approach).
5.) Things to do: SNORKELING! SCUBA DIVING! The coral reefs here are amazing! It is a true Fijian must! Fiji is also known for great surfing spots, but they are supposed to be more suitable for experienced surfers. Other things: waterfalls and rainforest hikes, swimming with manta rays or sharks, visiting villages, sand dunes, kava parties, food tastings...
6.) When to go: we had really nice weather at the end of March, but on our last day there we had rain, so expect some adversities. Best times are June, July, and August, but you can try your luck also between March and May or September and November.
7.) Budget: Fiji is surprisingly expensive for a Pacific Island. In some places prices are basically European, which means 7-10€ for dinner and 2€ for coffee. In the Western Islands also expect to pay compulsory food package. There are no common kitchens in the dorms anyway, so you are left without much choice. I spent about 600€ overall, plane tickets excluded. Dorms should cost between 10-40$FJD a night, the more expensive ones include breakfast, offer better location and extra activities. P.s.: Local currency is Fijian dollar and has about 2:1 conversion ratio (2$FJD = 1€).
8.) Accommodation: dorms are available at many places and most of them are nice and clean. But sometimes you will have to settle for basic. Often you will only have cold showers (in the Fijian hot climate this is an advantage), bed sheets are sometimes a little iffy (washed but stained) and you might see cockroaches at times. But relax. Nobody ever died of that. The more you relax and take it easy, the more you will enjoy Fiji. I can certainly recommend Bamboo Backpackers in Nadi, Maravu Lodge in Taveuni and The Beachhouse on Coral Coast. Ratu Kini on Mana island was on the basic side, but offered a fairly good value and had nice staff.
9.) Tours: I did the Northern Fiji Backpackers combo in Taveuni, which was a great choice. We were basically treated like royalty - the 450$FJD included all transfers, accommodation, food (with a three course dinner included) and many activities to fill a 4 day stay on the island. Highly recommended.
10.) Flights: you can reach Fiji from Australia with Jetstar, Fiji Airways or Virgin Airlines. I paid 570$AUD return from Sydney, but there is also a chance to fly in from Europe through Hong Kong with Fiji Airlines.
11.) Must-dos: try ALL the local fruits such as guavas, papayas, fresh coconuts and passion fruit. Traditional Fijian dish is fish marinated in coconut sauce, but I can't really tell you whether it is good or not (for obvious reasons). Attend a kava party! Kava is a root powder drink that looks and tastes like muddy puddle, but Fijians love it and this is the best way to spend time with the locals.

That's it. If you've got any questions or comments, use the comment section.

Yours truly,

Ajda

Taveuni and other paradises

Guys, pack your bags and come straight to Fiji, that's all I can say. This place is spectacular!

It was Friday morning when I packed my bags, met Greg, my future husband and travel buddy (I'll explain), and hopped on the bus to Suva. It was a fairly long ride, but in good company time flies. Mr Ba, a local guide, helped us to organise everything before boarding the ferry and starting our 16 hour journey towards Taveuni. The ferry was one of those boats you wish you'd never see, let alone spend a night there, but the reward in the end was to big to miss it. We also met two nice Argentinian girls and I managed to practice my Spanish for the next 8 days. I am ever so glad to have met some great people on the way, because as my wise friend says: happiness is worthless unless you have someone to share it with. I am mostly happy being on my own, but this particular journey got much better as a result of a great company.

Anyhow, we battled our way to Taveuni and discovered paradise. Unlike the fairly boring mainland of Viti Levu (can you call an island a mainland?) Taveuni is blessed with lush forests and a relaxed atmosphere of real Fiji. We did a Northen Fiji Backpackers combo, thus we were taken straight to our home for the next couple of days - Maravu Plantation Resort. As luck would have it, the guys at the reception overbooked the dorms so Greg and I were upgraded to a private honeymoon suite. And this is how he became my husband.

The decision to go with Taveuni combo was seriously one of the best I've made so far. We were treated like royalty (free upgrade, three course dinner, all activities covered) and got to experience the best of the island. On day 1 we explored the beach and relaxed from our long journey. On day 2 we went trekking to Bouma national park with beautiful waterfalls where you can also swim in the mini lakes and had a massage. On day 3 we went to the international dateline, took a slide down the natural waterslide and visited what supposed to be a 'true Fijian village'. There we met the chief and had kava ceremony with him, but I couldn't stop thinking how much of it is just staged for the tourists. It made me feel a bit sad. On our final day we went snorkelling and then it was already time to go back to Suva. Another 16 hour ride, but this time it passed smoothly, which means we slept for most of the time.

Since I had two days left in Fiji, we decided to all relocate to Beachhouse resort on the Coral Coast. Marvelous place. Free ping pong table, pool table, slackline, kayaks, etc. Really awesome. I had low expectations for Fiji, especially after the picture-perfect Samoa, but I was actually quite impressed. It is a wonderful destination, both for leisurly vacationers and adventurous backpackers. Highly recommended.

But life sucks and I have to leave this paradise and go back to finish my Australian adventure.
Till Sydney folks!

Yours truly,

Ajda

Fuđi

Second part of my trip is here. I reached Sydney from Ayers Rock and stayed there for a day. I must admit, I like Sydney better than Melbourne. Oops. But when I was strolling down the Rocks neighborhood and being caught in the buzz of the Sunday market, I actually felt a coolness to the city I haven't really felt in Melly. And yes, I saw the opera, botanical gardens and the Governor's house. All cool.

After another night at the airport I finally boarded the plane for Fiji. Fiji, like Samoa, has been my dream since those Australia and Oceania lectures at university. I absolutely wanted to see how a state of coup d'etat and a country of deep ethnic divide functions in everyday life. And try it's famous beaches, I won't lie.

I landed in Nadi and got one of the harshest immigration scans yet. Even Armenia was better than this! They wanted my return boarding pass (which I didn't have yet, because I am flying with low-cost Jetstar) and they wanted to know my financial status. I suspect it's because they've literally never heard of Slovenia before. They also double, triple checked with me if I'm sure I don't mean Slovakia. I was sure.

Still I managed to get to Bamboo Backpackers, which is a truly nice place and would recommend it to everyone. Lying in a hammock, overlooking the sea and reading a good book finally soothed my nerves. The evening finished with kava party, which is a Fijian specialty. Kava is a root of kadava plant, which is finely ground and made into a drink. They say you need to get used to the taste and right they are! It is bitter and looks like dirt. But so does coffee, so who am I to judge?  :)

Next morning I was whizzed off to Mana island in the Mamanuca group. I was told it's beautiful. Well it surely is nice, but as an avid ecologist I can't get past the trash that everybody seems to simply discard wherever. Like Samoa. I am frustrated as hell. These guys have a true paradise at their disposal and they're treating it like it doesn't matter. Grrrrhhhh!

Still, the Ratu Kini Resort was ok. Food was not too bad, rooms were fairly basic, but the staff was nice. As the tides are quite extreme, you can't really swim in the afternoon with the low tide. So Nathan, the chef, offered to show me his favourite spot where you can swim at any time of the day. It was a great spot! The next day I visited it again with proper snorkeling gear and it was even more spectacular! What a coral reef! Such colours! White, pink, yellow, blue, orange! And fish! What a variety! And colours and patterns! I even saw an actual turtle. Turtle. Swimming. In front of me. Sweet mother of....
Yeah, definitely go snorkeling or scuba diving in Fiji! A must!
Naturally things can't be too great for too long, so I got severe sunburns despite my many layers of sunscreen.

Now I am back in Nadi, where I just got back from the town. Nadi is not really spectacular in any way, but I did see the biggest Hindu temple in the country and local market, which was obviously amazing. I bought passion fruit and quawa to try. Yum! Pacific fruits just can't be beaten.

That's it folks. Tomorrow I am heading towards the capital Suva and then even further to Taveuni island.

Yours truly,

Ajda

Uluru

While Alice Springs isn't a very exciting town, it certainly does have its own little share to offer.
I had two days before my departure for Uluru, so I decided to book a tour to Palm Valley to make the most of my stay here. Actually I wanted to go to the MacDonnell ranges, but as my travelling luck goes, there were no departures in the next two days. Thus Palm Valley.
I am not a big fan of tours, but in the outback there's not much choice. You certainly can go out alone, but there's 90% chance you'll get lost and die. And rule no1 in the outback is "don't die".
So the tour took us first to the historic town of Hermannsburg. Now this is a quaint sight! This town is basically a result of German-Lutheran colonisation of the Australian centre. Honestly, I didn't expect to see anything German here. As a matter of fact I am meeting way too many German things and folks on this trip. Take it easy, Deutschland!

Palm Valley itself is not really spectacular if you ask me. Ok, rare cycads in the middle of the desert. I get it. I still wasn't blown away.

Day no3: Alice Springs sightseeing. Got up early to beat the heat. Climbed Goat Hill in honor of my Goat family (long story). Visited the museum of Royal Flying Doctors Service. This was awesome,  everybody visiting Alice Springs should do it. These guys are fucking amazing and are saving lives in the outback on a daily basis. By paying admission fee you contribute to the functioning of RFDS; if you can't go there, but would like to contribute, they always welcome donations. Day was getting hot so I needed to hurry. The Residency is a nice colonial house, where you can learn about the early days of the Red Centre colonisation and you can make your own tea for a small donation. Nice! Final stop: didgeridoo workshop. In the Sounds of the Starlight shop a nice man Andrew shows you how to play this magnificent and ancient instrument. 10$ fee is well worth it! Going back to the hostel in 43°C. Alice, you get a 8/10.

And now, FINALLY, Uluru. On an early Friday morning I boarded a van presided by Mr Nick, the Dane. We rushed towards King's Canyon and then we rushed a bit more. I still couldn't get over the fact that Oz is so big. It takes HOURS to get anywhere! Eventually we would get to the canyon. Blazing heat. And we were to walk up hill. Due to the extreme weather conditions we weren't allowed to do the big track, so we walked just to the best lookout. It was great! You can really see the layers of sediments in the rock and how it transformed over centuries.

This night we would be sleeping under the stars. Literally. We got some beer and cider out of a small gas station and headed towards the real outback. We gathered the wood and started the fire. A part of the team was chopping veggies meanwhile. We cooked our dinner over campfire and drank our ciders. Our beds for the night were swags, basically open air foam mattresses in a canvas bag. All you had to do was open your eyes and gaze at the magnificent starry sky. Too bad I don't see shit without my lenses. And btw, there were actual dingos howling around us over night. Insane.

Next morning we visited the Olgas or Kata Tjuta as Aborigines call it. These are round, dome - like rock formations of stunning red colour. We did the big walk and it was well worth it, for the views. In the evening we visited Ananga cultural centre, where we learned about the importance of Tjukurpa, which is a complex set of beliefs, morals, rights and rules in Aboriginal culture. This is why I decided not to post any photos of Uluru. I have taken many, but I wish to invite all the interested parties for a private viewing, where I will explain the meaning behind each photo and the significance of Tjukurpa.

On the final day we did the Base Walk around Uluru and headed towards the airport where I got off. I way flying from Ayers Rock to Sydney, which made me all excited as I'll be able to see the Rock from the air. Of course, I was on the wrong side of the plane. FML.

Anyhow, this trip to the Red Centre was truly amazing and a definite must for any Australian experience!

Yours truly,

Ajda

The Red Centre

So I boarded the Ghan. What a nice train! I obviously bought the cheapest ticket, yet I was still treated with respect. The leg room was great, there were showers on the train (yes, my second weird shower of the trip!), we even got a complimentary towel to use. Coffee was only $3.5, which is cheaper than in many other places. Another bonus was a commentary along the way (not that the outback offers many sights, but still).

Overall, the journey was worth its price. Trains are incomparably better than buses and enjoying the landscape while sipping coffee in a cafe was also a joy. Moreover, people were chatty and I actually made some friends on the train. One of them was 80 years old and he told me a terrible story.

When the early settlers decided to colonize the outback, they first ventured to the Red Centre themselves to inspect the landscape. As they were terribly ignorant in the ways of nature, they didn't know how to get water in the arid lands of central Australia. So they caught an Aborigine and kept him locked for two days. In that time he got thirsty enough to start running towards the water source as soon as the settlers released him. All they needed to do was follow the poor man.

Australia is full of stories like that and I am beyond shocked to see how most people respond to them. They start saying how rough the early settlers had it and how brave they were. Brave? Brutally exploiting the natives is being brave?

I am getting sadder each day. I see Aborigines and all I see in their eyes is longing and despair. Maybe even confusion. I feel so guilty towards them,  a real White man syndrome. Which is ironic, because I am a Slav (not many famous colonialists among Slovenians). Still I feel I am an intruder on their land. The land they understand, appreciate and respect as no other. I silently beg forgivness from them, but I know that is not something they need or want. They want their land back and their way of life. The way that is incomprehensible to us, too natural, too far away from the material obsessions we are perpetuating.

Thus I wander the streets of Alice Springs in melancholic mood, wishing people would abandon their self - righteous ways and become infinitely more humble towards not only Aborigines, but the nature herself. But that is only a distant dream... is it not?

Yours truly,
Ajda

Adelaide and such

The reason it took me a while to write my next entry is simple. I couldn't decide what to write.  Or rather how to write it.
My head is full of thoughts and as much as I wanted to have a blog about travel tips, I urgently need to describe my view of Australia, to get it out of the system.

After a few days in Melly I took the Great Ocean Road tour. This was not entirely a bad idea as the route is really nice, but masses of tourists kind of ruined it for me. 12 Apostles are indeed a spectacular sight, but when a group of Japanese tourists is pushing you in every direction you can't help but to start hating the trip.

Later I returned to Melly where I waited for my night bus to Adelaide. I actually had no other option but to take this bus as the day route has been booked a week in advance. Gosh. Still, the night ride wasn't bad and things started improving as soon as I've arrived to Adelaide.

First of all the bus station has complimentary showers. I am not kidding.  There was a shower at the station and I HAD to try it (curiosity, not only because I was super stinky after the ride). The shower was clean, spacious and actually really nice. 10 points for Adelaide.

Then I had an early morning walk to the hostel. I love early mornings! Everything is so peaceful and serene.

At the hostel I dropped my luggage and got a free bike. Another 10 points! Thus I was breezing through the city on the bike which is absolutely the best way to get around.

Central Market? Probably +20 points. Lots of produce, also organic, lovely stalls and many interesting things to try. If only my budget was a tad bigger... I'd probably own half of the Central Market by now.

The city itself is lovely. There's a nice river flowing through, which offers many jogging, walking and cycling opportunities. The centre is small, manageable and full of interesting shops (old school candy shop anyone?).

I decided to catch the guided tour at Aboriginal art centre, only to come to the Spirit festival that celebrates Aboriginal culture. Yay! I attended painting, weaving and singing workshop, free of charge, and each one was incredible! What an amazing turn of events! (Have you noticed how many things are free of charge in Adelaide, unlike in Melbourne?)

I am still having regrets for not spending more time in this pleasant city. If I had to move to Australia, Adelaide would surely be at the top of my list of cities to live in!

Sunday morning demanded some discipline of me as I walked for 3km, with all my luggage, to the Great Southern Railway station. There I boarded the Ghan, one of the greatest train travels in the world.

To be continued....

Yours truly,
Ajda

Travel tips:
- spend less time in Melbourne and more time in Adelaide
- consider renting a car to avoid tourists (which means also travelling very early or very late in the day)
- if coming to Australia in the summer, be sure to book everything in advance
- do the Great Ocean Road in two days, don't rush

Melly

So, down to business. I finally reached the land of plenty. Plenty of poisonous animals that is. ;) Kidding, kidding, Oz is nice. My first stop is Melbourne, supposedly one of the top 5 cities to live in in the world. The big question is - is this true?
At first I hated Melbourne. Ok, hated might be a bit rough, but I disliked it for sure. Later on I realized why. It is big, enormous (for a Slovenian). It is expensive. It is crowded. I am a countryside girl, a child of wilderness (lol), thus Melly at first didn't seem like my cup of tea.
Later I chilled. Relaxed. Started breathing. And finally I realized Melly is kinda cool. The city is a lovechild of the vibrant, restless New York and a laid-back, chillaxed beach town (imaginary Aussie surf spot). It is big without being overwhelming. It is cosmopolitan without being impersonal. It is hip without being pretentious. Truly a nice place.

The whole reason my spirit was up is naturally because I was socialising with people. At first I couldn't get a couch to surf, spent a lot of money on internet, hostel, transport and alike, so no wonder I was pissed. Later situation improved dramatically. My friend Lachy agreed to meet me and we had a truly wonderful conversation over a truly wonderful Japanese dinner. The next day I also got an invitation for couchsurfing, which turned out to be a great experience. The guy that is hosting me is Egyptian, living with his equally Egyptian friend. At first you would think what have I gotten myself into, couchsurfing with Middle Eastern male strangers. I was a tad sceptical myself, I have to admit. But life full of prejudice is a life wasted, so I decided to give it a go. And how glad I am to have done so! Ahmed proved to be a super nice guy, very forward-thinking, relaxed, and generous, so my anxiety disappeared within seconds.
As I was celebrating my twenty khm birthday, the guys took me out for a Middle Eastern brunch, which included fava bean falafel, yummy bean stew, feta cheese, olives, AND, halleluyah, Turkish coffee. Last part was pure heaven, naturally. In the evening I insisted on baking a cake, since it was the day of my birth, and the guys put a candle on it and sang happy birthday. Thus even though I was miles away from my friends and family, I felt loved and respected. Yes, couchsurfing is amazing.
Today we were sightseeing a bit more and when we got hungry, Ahmed suggested a place called Lentils as anything. This is a 'pay what you feel' restaurant, where you contribute as much money as you wish after the meal. The restaurant is vegetarian, with a self-service buffet of yummy food. Today's menu: shredded salad, coconut thai curry, baked pasta, baked polenta with sour cream and cardamom cake. Yum, yum, yum! The atmosphere is fabulous, food delicious, prices.... customised. We paid the fair price of 13$ each, so no freeloading here!
Before the nightfall I managed to catch the sunset at St Kilda beach, which is the-beach-to-be in Melbourne. Locals gather there for an evening kitesurfing practice, to walk the dog, play volleyball match with friends and strangers, throw frisbee, or just catch the last rays of sunlight.
Another great day in another great city, I say.
Yet, my conclusion always comes in 50 shades of grey:
Negative
- people leisurly strolling down a busy avenue, obstructing more active folks
- internet insanely expensive, free wifi a dream
- prices (hostels cost on average 35$ a night, that is rouhly 25€)
- people's personal style. Now this could be an entry on its own. While Kiwi girls generally copy the style of Lorde, which I am not crazy about, but at least it is a style concept, here everybody wears what they want. Leggings as trousers. See-throughs and cut-outs. Leggings with patterns. Vintage pieces from 3 different periods. Crocs. Birkenstocks as businesswear. Shorts shorts with camel toes. Nothing is too much. When you are not feeling underdressed as a tourist in sweatsuit and sneakers, then you know something is wrong.
Positive
+ food culture (yummy food and fantastic markets)
+ über-friendly people
+ man buns
+ weather
Overall, thumbs up. Would come back.

Yours truly,
Ajda

The eco girl

After 8 years of independent travels I thought I had everything sorted. Until I discovered I had been doing it wrong all this time.
Wrapping things in plastic to keep them 'fresh' and protected. Buying loads of small and individually packed things for 'practical reasons'. Eating on the budget.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Now I realize travelling is a privilege and we should treat it as such. When visiting a country, we are not there only to satisfy our insatiable greed for new experiences, but also to show respect to the land, the people and the culture.
And here is how I changed my habits for the benefit of all:
- I became inseparable from my reusable shopping bag. This little friend is with me at all times and comes in handy when I am shopping for groceries or storing my jacket when it's hot. I NEVER take plastic bags at the supermarket check out. I believe just in the past 3 months I have spared the environment already over a 100 plastic bags. And this makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE with LITTLE EFFORT.
- I buy fruits and veggies at farmer's markets, organically, locally. By doing this I support local farmers and local economy. I also eat better and honor my body by offering it a healthier diet. No, it is not the cheapest way to do it. But I am talking about personal health here. Surely that is not something worth saving your money on. By supporting organic food you strengthen the industry that is sustainable and responsible towards the environment. No sprays and pesticides means healthier land for the locals, too.
- Avoid individually packed items and plastic on top of plastic. I consciously buy items packed in cardboard, paper or nothing at all. If you can't avoid plastic, then reuse it and/or recycle it.
- One of the best things I bought were silicone travel tubes and silicone food container. Travel tubes 'GoTube' come in carry-on sizes, are reusable and don't leak. Also handy when making your own toothpaste or shampoo. The food container I got from Kathmandu, it folds when not in use and also has a leak-proof lid.
- My cosmetics are bio - degradable. I use organic soap that is not only good for the environment (I don't want a polluted Samoa, do you?), but also for your skin. Same goes for the shampoo and toothpaste.
- Stop freaking buying bottled water and start drinking tap water. In most countries it is completely safe. If in risky areas, get one of those purifying straws or electric purifiers.
- Don't buy rubbish souvenirs. That plastic kitsch isn't worth it. Your friends and family are only going to look at it once and probably throw it away at the next spring clean-up. If you insist on gifts, donate to a worthy local cause in your friend's name or purchase a sustainable, local handicraft.

There are many ways to make this planet a better place to live. This is my meager contribution to our future generations.
Reuse! Recycle! Respect!

And get that ducking rubbish out of your life. You ain't worth it and neither is our planet.

Yours truly,

Eco-Ajda

Killing me softly

Today was another day of hikes. Early in the morning I witnessed a spectacular dawning at Tekapo before heading to Mt Cook National Park for some extra sore muscles. Mt Cook village is situated on a plain surrounded by mountains, not unlike Sorško polje back home, but a tad more dramatic. I went for a full monty which included a hike to both Kea point and Hooker village.
Kea point is basically a viewpoint in front of the glacier morraine, which is cool, but it was too windy to stay there for long and enjoy the view. Thus I continued my way across three swing bridges, which were a ton of fun in that deadly wind. Also I was nearly knocked over, but that's another story. My dirty mind simply couldn't stop thinking, how Hooker valley needs another name. Sure the valley is invitingly open (wink wink nudge nudge), but Fart valley might be more appropriate for it is windy as hell.
Anyhow, I was battling my way onwards, struggling with my lenses (curse you, keratoconus!) and fighting the fatigue that was coming onto me. After 5 hours I finally managed the circuit and returned to the hostel exhausted. I fell asleep in the common area and barely managed to move my ass over to the room. Now I am off to a looooog sleep. Back to Chch tomorrow and heading towards Taupo on Wednesday.
Much love,
Ajda

Tongariro crossing

Today was the day I did Tongariro crossing. 4 years ago I was at the same place at the same time, but they told me the weather would suck so 'don't go'. The weather of course didn't suck.
This time I wasn't taking no for an answer. I booked my tickets to Taupo, checked the weather forecast and what do you know, it was cloudy with fine spells today! So even though I was sleeping mostly on a night bus from Wellington and had a short 'nap' at the hostel, I was ready at 5.30 to begin the adventure! I was so excited I couldn't even sleep on the way to the starting point.
It was just beginning to dawn as we began our trek across Tongariro national park. Crowds of people were rushing to the top which definitely took away a lot of the charm. The other thing was the steep climb at the beginning of the track, namely at 7.40 in the morning. I can do it. If those obnoxious British teens can, so can I.
Luckily the crowd thinned at the bottom of Mt Doom (I can't spell the original name of this mountain, sorry guys). Later it thickened again at the very annoying part of the track where there was just gravel on a steep slope. Slippery, dusty, dangerous. But the view! Emerald lakes! Red rock! Mysterious volcanic formations! Yes!
By the way, this was my first time climbing an active volcano and it was quite exciting.
At three quarters of the way the fog began to roll over the mountain tops and it got cold. Then it got sunny again. And cold. And very hot a moment later.
The descent was half annoying, half fabulous. It was annoying, because it was so goddamn long and tiredness began to kick in. The fabulous part was the views, the geothermal steam coming out of the mountain, curvy track, heather everywhere, then lush greenery. Really nice.
However, overall, Tongariro didn't really impress me. I was expecting a lot (perhaps too much) as it is supposed to be one of New Zealand's Great walks. It is not bad, but I much preferred the unadvertised Tekapo track. And I am from Slovenia, there are hundreds of spectacular walks over there.
Anyhow, one tick off my bucket list. Wait, two. Tongariro and climbing an active volcano. I'll continue ticking off a couple more once I get to Australia.
That's it for today, kids!
Yours truly,
Ajda

Down South/Na jug

The world is my oyster again, this time at Lake Tekapo. On my way to Mt Cook I decided to stop at Tekapo for its famous night sky views, but this destination has to offer much more than that!
I left Chch in the morning and reached Tekapo at 1pm. First stop was YHA hostel where I am staying for the night. And oh my gosh what a hostel this is! Clean and tidy with every utensil you can imagine! I mean seriously, have you ever been in a hostel that has a blender in the kitchen? I haven't! But the best part is of course the view of the lake. Peace and quiet...
As soon as I have unpacked everything I started my sightseeing tour. Church of the Good Shepherd is that famous little church in every picture of Tekapo. And it truly is nice minus packs of zombie tourists flashing their cameras at everything that moves. But a surprise avaited me there. As soon as I exited the church the guide came after me and asked me whether I am from Slovenia. I replied "yes" in a shock. "How did you know?" I forgot I decided to sport my I feel sLOVEenia shirt today and the guide pointed at my shirt as if it should be obvious. "I haven't met a single Slovenian until today, but I really want to visit the country next year. Can you give me some tips?" And this is how the roles have been reversed. I was giving inside tips to a guide in Tekapo. Imagine!
I pondered on the strange coincidences of life as I was making my way to Mt John. Mt John is a strange solitary hill by the lake, about the height of Šmarjetna or even less. But this little hill is a place of University of Canterbury's astrological observatory and one of the best place in the southern hemisphere to look at the starry sky. Since it was daytime I settled for incredible views of surrounding mountain ranges and the crystal clear lake. At the very top Astro cafe offers the same great views with the added bonus of coffee, cakes and protection from the wind. I went for hot lemon and honey, just because, and it was delicious.
The longer way down led me further down the peninsula and then along the beach back to Tekapo. The sun decided to show up and make a performance of incredible blues of the lake, yellows of the dry grass, whites of the clouds, greys of the shadows and goldens of the sunbeams leisurly caressing the distant mountain ranges. The silence was indescribable and only gushes of wind broke it every now and then. I was alone, overlooking a spectacular lake that a glacier carved into the rock a long time ago. I felt as if I am the only person in the world, the first settler to this pristine land.
And now I am here, in the cozy lounge, again with the views of the lake, watching the sun go down and slowly wrap the lake in the darkness. Supposedly the most spectacular darkness in New Zealand. I have my astrophotography nightly escape still ahead of me, but I already know this place is something truly special. It revoked my big love of New Zealand and cured my terrible case of longing for the mountains. I am happy.

Yours truly,
Ajda

Almost there / Skoraj tam

In a week's time I'll be hitting the road after 3 months and a half of hard work. My body needs holidays, that's for sure, but no as much as my spirit does. I have wanderlust pretty much every day of my life when I'm not travelling, but these past months have been particularly hard on me for the lack of... you guessed it, mountains. Residing in a country endowed with spectacular mountains ranges and not being able to sneak out on a hike is just pure torture.
Thus...

Čez teden dni bom po treh in pol mesecih trdega dela zopet na poti. Moje telo potrebuje oddih, to je res, ampak še bolj pa ga potrebuje moja duša. Ko ne potujem, živim nekako v premanentnem stanju potovalne mrzlice, ampak zadnjih nekaj mesecev je bilo izrazito težavnih zaradi... uganili ste, gorotožja. Bivati v deželi, obdarjeni s tako dih jemajočimi gorskimi verigami, in ne imeti priložnosti odkrasti se na en samcat pohod je čisto mučenje. Zato...

Remarkables Mountain Range. True to its name.

I'm putting my hiking boots back on! First stop - Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park. I'll be spending my first night at lake Tekapo, where you can see one of the best night skies in the southern hemisphere. Then I'll be wandering about the national park until my feet hurt.

...bom zopet obula svoje pohodne čevlje! Prva postaja - Mt Cook/Aoraki narodni park. Prvo noč bom preživela ob jezeru Tekapo, ki ponuja enega najlepših pogledov na zvezdnato nebo na južni polobli. In potem bom pohajkovala po narodnem parku, dokler me ne bodo bolele noge.

Night sky over lake Tekapo.

Second stop - Tongariro Crossing. Last time I was in NZ I was robbed of this must-do NZ experience and this time I'm not letting it pass!

Druga postaja - Tongariro Crossing. Nazadnje, ko sem bila na NZ, me je vreme oropalo te enkratne NZ izkušnje in tokrat priložnosti ne bom spustila iz rok!

Tongariro Crossing.

Just before my birthday I'm flying out to Melbourne, where my Aussie trip begins. From there I'll be visiting Adelaide and all the way up to the red centre - Ayers Rock. And because Oz is so big I'm forced to fly to Syndey before my Fiji flight, which does wonders to my budget (wonders as in money magically disappearing).

Tik pred rojstnim dnem letim v Melbourne, kjer se bo pričelo moje popotovanje po Avstraliji. Od tam se bom podala proti Adelaide in še višje proti 'rdečemu centru' - gori Ayers Rock. In ker je Oz tako velika, sem prisiljena leteti v Sydney pred mojim letom na Fidži, kar dela čudeže mojemu proračunu (t.j. denar čudežno izginja z računa).

Uluru/Ayers Rock.

9 days in Fiji. First I'll be doing a bit of island hopping, because I want to see both groups of islands - the Mananucas and the Yasawas. The final four days I'll dedicate to exploring Viti Levu, one of two main islands of Fiji.

9 dni na Fidžiju. Najprej se bom podala na otočke, ker si želim videti obe otočji - Mamanuca in Yasawa. Zadnje štiri dni bom posvetila raziskovanju otoka Viti Lavu, enega od dveh glavnih otokov Fidžija.

Islands of Fiji.

Then it's back to Oz for the final leg of the tour. I hope to get a relocation deal where you can rent a car or a van for as little as 1$ a day and hit the East coast road all the way up to Cairns. I've got two weeks for that and in mid-April my grand journey finishes back in NZ.

Potem se vračam v Oz na zadnji del potovanja. Računam na 'relocation', kjer lahko najamete avto ali kombi za 1$ na dan. Tako se nameravam podati po vzhodni obali vse do Cairnsa. Temu sem namenila 14 dni in sredi aprila se vračam nazaj na NZ.

Beach near Cairns.

And then I can finally start dreaming of my mum's štruklji with mushroom sauce that will be waiting for me when I come back home. After all that's what my journeys are indeed - just a longer and more scenic way home.

See you at Tekapo!

Ajda

In nato lahko končno začnem sanjati o mamičnih štrukljih z gobovo omako, ki me bodo čakali ob povratku domov. Konec koncev so vsa moja potovanja prav to - malce daljša in bolj slikovita pot domov.

Se vidimo na jezeru Tekapo!

Ajda

p.s.: Pictures are for representational purposes only.
Slike so zgolj simbolične.

Everything is the same / Vse je isto

About time I write something, eh?
Well, NYE is well behind us and my days are just the same old routine. With the added bonus of job hunt. Which I hate, fyi.

The first of January was great though! We went to Motunau beach just North of Christchurch, where we had a little Slovenian picnic with ajvar and all the other goodies. I also ticked off one of my bucket list to-dos, which is to swim outside on the first of January. Done. Ticked. Hooray!

Apart from that there's nothing really going on in the southern hemisphere. Surely, I am enjoying the summer as days are hot and long. This is supposed to be the hottest, driest summer in NZ in the last 15 years. Lucky me! And I do love the little man, he's really sweet.

But here I feel like I'm living somebody else's life, not mine. My life is not on a pause, waiting to resume its track. I am really looking forward to my month in Oz, even though there is still a chance I might cancel it if I get a job (any job, really). And then... home sweet home. :) Štruklji, weekend house, Bohinj, board games, improv... All of it!!! Can't wait!

novoletni ajvar

Motunau beach

na plaži v Sumnerju

Skrajni čas, da nekaj napišem, kajne?
No, silverster je že za nami in moji dnevi so zopet postali rutina. Z dodanim bonuspm iskanja službe. Kar sovražim, mimogrede.

Prvi januar je bil sicer super! Šli smo do Motunau plaže severno od Christchurcha, kjer smo imeli manjši slovenski piknik z ajvarjem in vsem kar sodi zraven. Odkljukala sem tudi eno od stvari, ki jih moram storiti, preden umrem. Plavala sem na prostem prvega januarja. Opravljeno. Obkljukano. Hura!

Razen tega pa se ne dogaja nič novega na južni polobli. Saj uživam v dolgih in vročih poletnih dnevih, to že. To naj bi bilo najbolj vroče in suho poletje na NZ zadnjih 15 let. Srečka jaz! In mali mož mi je prirasel k srcu.

Ampak počutim se, kot da živim tuje življenje, ne svoje. Moje življenje je na pavzi, čaka na povratek na stare tire. Resnično se veselim mojega meseca v Avstraliji, čeprav še vedno obstaja možnost, da bom odpovedala potovanje, če dobim službo (katerokoli službe, res). In potem.... ljubo doma, kdor ga ima. :) Štruklji, vikendica, Bohinj, namizne igre, impro.... Vse to!!! Komaj čakam!