Royal National Park

Hello from NSW.  I am on the first of my trips to National Parks around Australia. This time I am visiting the Royal National Park, near Sydney, and the Blue Mountains National Park (and I will be based in Katoomba). I travelled from Bright to Sydney by bus and train and as you can probably guess that was an adventure in itself....

Getting to Sydney

Well the first thing I noticed while waiting at Wangaratta station was that they appear to be operating a metal recycling company out of their store room. First I noticed a whole lot of shopping trolleys in there, then someone came out with a wheel barrow full of crushed aluminium cans. The train trip to Sydney was relatively uneventful, apart from the train being 1.5 hours late, and the tourists in front of me constantly making their DIY meals and applying hand cream.

When I finally got to Sydney I had trouble finding my way out of Central station (the station is huge, on multi levels), then when I got to the hotel a Chinese family (or rather entourage, as there was so many of them) were negotiating a room at 10pm, at the Y Hotel (which is nothing more than an expensive hostel) - I think they thought they were in a strong negotiating position, I suspect the person behind the counter would have loved them to walk out the door.

Interesting People

I caught the local train to get to the Royal National Park, the trains are really good but you get to see some interesting people...

One day on the way back I was sitting at a station when someone came up to me, standing, and plonked their bag next to me. Why, I thought - as there was a whole station platform to stand on - there was only about 5 people on the platform. Well the reason was because he wanted to talk - out of the blue he asked me about how I use my walking poles. That's a question I was not expecting. It's like asking someone how that breathing thing works. Then he started going on about his friend who has a wrecked knee and rattled out some medical terms. It turns out he is a fitness student (but he looked at least 30) and he had all the hallmarks of an interesting person: he was wearing lycra shorts  and was wearing way too many wrist bands on one hand. Then he asked about my walking socks - luckily then the train came and I let him go in front of me, he went on the top storey and I went below - I love those double decker trains. 

On another trip a mother thought it was really important to discuss loudly, with her child, their underwear requirements., then she decided to talk about her counselling sessions to the child - as she was getting off her mother rang her but she could only speak to her on loudspeaker because her phone was broken. I really felt for the poor child.

But the best one was the character I saw, wearing long shorts and bright runners, at Central station who carefully stepped over the ticket barrier (as he was quite short), then he went up to one of the CCTV cameras and waived his umbrella in front of it. Obviously an anarchist.

Chinese

I think they are targeting me. Sydney is full of Chinese tourists and I think one of their main missions appears to be to irritate me. They cross in front of me on the footpath, they block me on the footpath. I even found a whole lot of them playing Chinese music outside my room at the hotel when I came back, I don't know who they were.

Anyway some pictures from the Royal National Park...

Notes from the Backyard

Hello again, no big trips this time but I am going to the the Royal and Blue Mountains National Parks, near Sydney, next week. However, despite that I still have accumulated a few observations locally and from my trips to Melbourne....

 

Wildlife

I continue to have run ins with wildlife. The lizard living in my garage got another ride on the garage door (see picture below). Still living in the garage (part time) but hiding under the mower now (probably safer there). Nearly swallowed a butterfly when going downhill at speed on my mountain bike - instead it probably was concussed after hitting me in the face. 
One afternoon I was watching TV and something scuttled past the window, a few minutes later two rats ran past playing chasey. I have left them some tasty treats for the next time they visit.

Wrinklies (aka old codgers/older people)

I guess I come across them a lot more these days being retired. I went to the cinema (yes, Bright now has a cinema, or rather it has one again as it had one a while ago) and some codgers there were claiming it was too hot and that the cinema should put the air conditioning on. It was only a maximum of 30 that day - and that was much later in the day. One of them said they had the air conditioning on from the morning in their house - I don't think it would have been 20 degrees.

But the one that wins the prize is the 66 year old hiker that has been rescued by helicopter from the same place three times for the same reason (dehydration). See the article at: http://northeastnewspapers.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx?noredirect=true

I like the comment from Bright police that maybe he just likes helicopter rides.

Building Works

For some days a deck was being constructed next door, it took them a long time. I don't know whether they were professional builders or not as there was a lot of swearing and I heard the phrase "You have got to be kidding" frequently.

Burn Offs

A problem here in Bright (and surrounds) has been unregistered burnoffs - particularly in the spring. The problem is the CFA gets unnecessary call outs to these incidents. One they had a little while ago, not far from me (which I actually saw) was someone burning a mattress in the front yard. I am glad to say this person had sold the house.

Plain English

I was watching a TV report about a commemoration in Sydney for the Lindt shootings and the reporter referred to the attendees as "stakeholders". I am am sure there is probably a more relevant term as I don't think they were going there to give input on a proposal. 

The Tasmanian Minister for Emergency Services during a press conference the other day referred to deploying fighter bombers to combat the current fires there. I guess that's one solution, particularly if you are short of water.

Tourists

It has been very busy with the number of tourists here - particularly between Christmas and New Year it was crazy. Apart from dawdling and riding their bikes on the footpaths at the shops, one of them stole my fish and chips. I was waiting for my order, others had come and gone, and then one of the employees asked me what I had ordered - he concluded that someone else had taken my order.

City Folk

I must be even more intolerant of the city these days as I seem to notice the stupid people even more when I visit Melbourne. One pair were waiting for the lights and when they changed, they crossed the opposite road, against the lights, in front of a car. Maybe they don't they know how the lights work? Lets face it there aren't any instructions on them. During my last visit to Melbourne there were people that came out of shops etc. on to the footpath and nearly ran into me - they didn't even contemplate that there might be someone walking on the footpath. I also saw a man in his 30-40s in a onesie riding a scooter. At Southern Cross station while sitting on a seat someone ran straight into me with their bag - they didn't even have glasses, perhaps that's the problem.

Electric Toothbrushes

If you are contemplating getting one of these, just a few tips, having recently purchased one: never turn it on except in your mouth (otherwise you will have toothpaste scatted around your bathroom) and if you are sensitive to vibrations in your head, don't buy one.

And as usual, some photos....

 

Blue Wren which comes to visit

Near Mount Hotham

Ovens River, Cherry Walk

Track to Huggins Lookout, Bright

Mt Buffalo

Murray to Mountains Rail Trail

Hello,

I'm back again. My first Australian expedition was just a 3 day trip on the rail trail from last Wednesday. The rail trail is called the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail but it essentially, at the moment, is just a rail trail from Bright to Wangaratta. The first day I cycled from Bright to Beechworth (75 km). This was a real killer as the last 15km was (gradual) uphill and I was out of condition (also there were a few trees across the path due to a storm the previous day which resulted in landslides across the Great Alpine Road). The second day was from Beechworth to Wangaratta - a short and easy 43 km. The final day was the return to Bright (85 km) - a lot easier than I thought - probably because it was cooler, and I had less weight (both in my backpack and on me). Nappy rash was the only problem (I will leave that topic there).

Not a lot happened on the trip - there weren't a lot of people on the trail - a school group and a women's cycling group. There were a few animals: rabbits, rosellas, and an echidna that I nearly ran over on the trail (he reacted quicker than I did). Then there was the eagles, hawks etc. They would disconcertingly fly over - have a look - think, no, too big and then fly on. Then there was the football field in Wangratta which, as it it was not being used for football, seemed to be used to grow wheat or something.

On the domestic front, there have been a few more adventures - mainly with animals (and I have only been up here in Bright just over a month):

• Local television news is interesting. Apart from what rates as news you learn about interesting things. There was the story about COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). COPD is a term used to describe a number of lung conditions and the support group in this region calls itself the Murray Wheezers. Then there is the the trial of bow fishing in rivers that is to commence - yes, fishing with a bow and arrow. At least a fishing line gives them an even chance and only the dumb fish die. I wonder whether fish shooting is next.
• The animal interactions have been many and varied. There is the the two blue tongue lizards that have moved into the garage. I inadvertently gave the younger one a ride on the garage roller door the other day as it decided to take a rest on the lip of it. There is the blue wren that comes to visit everyday - mainly to look at its reflection - and it usually comes when I have the musuc on. Completely non-fazed with me being here. When I went walking I saw this weird dog - it was a kelpie in the front but it had a white wolf/coyote shaped tail with black stripes. Mated with a Tasmaian Tiger? Zebra? Then there was the spider in the tolietr roll - as in between the sheets of paper - that was a surprise but the spider was cleaely worse for wear. Anf finally, I had a thrip infestation when I had all the windows open. I only noticed them when there was a pile of the insects on the floor. They had apparently cooked themselves on the light. Annoying and stupid.

Well that's it, here are some photos from the rail trail trip.  Have a great Christmas and News Year!

Lake Sambell, Beechworth

Beechworth

Beechworth

Beechworth

Beechworth

Lemon Scented Gum plated in 1901 to commemorate Ferderation at site of old Tarrawingie station

Wangratta