Smack in the middle of the Red Centre of Australia

 

We left our airport hotel on Monday early morning, walked over to a nearby bus station and had a short ride over to the Domestic Terminal. Could have walked, too, but that would have taken a bit longer with our luggage.

Sydney Airport is airy and convenient, we had to have coffee first, because strangely, though Australia is known for a great coffee culture, in accommodations you only get instant coffee. 

Our Jetair plane, a A-320, started on time - Sydney on the left photo - and we even had the center seat empty for this short 2.5 hour-flight. Approaching the Red Centre of Australia (below), with Kata Tjouta in the background, briefly before touchdown.

 

"PALYA" is an universal word and means everything from Welcome, Hello to Thank you or Okay.  We arrived 1/2 hour earlier at Ayres Rock Airport, a very relaxed, very laid-back, very pleasant little airport. Busses were waiting for the transport of guests to the Ayres Rock Resort, a complex founded in the 1970s on the land and under the ownership of the Indigenous People of the region, the Anangu. The complex consists of five hotels, a hostel and a campground, several restaurants/cafés, shops and the GOCA (Gallery of Central Australia, further below). 

 

We had booked one of the more affordable hotels, the Lost Camel, and were fortunate to be able to check in at 1 pm already, plus, we got an upgrade, meaning, a larger room with three windows (the other rooms just have indirect lighting through the bathrooms) and an extra sofa. Pool is great,  too and we went for a swim almost immediately.

It was a bit cloudy and not too hot, windy and rather pleasant. Different from what we had expected! After unpacking (3 nights at the same place!!!), we studied the lay of the land and did our research on tours and other offerings on the resort grounds. Got us some dinner items at the rather small (and expensive) IGA supermarket and took part at two lectures/presentations: one in the fantastic art gallery (below) about weapons and boomerangs (which were also often used as hunting weapons by the Aboriginal People)  , the second was a more general short film about the land and the people in the theatre.

For sunset (above) we walked over to a nearby observation point, and, though the sunset itself wasn't too spectacular because of clouds, the landscape and the two rock formations nearby - the better known Uluru (above) and the Kata Tjuta (further below) - began to glow magically! Great contrast between red sand and lush green patches, too, flourishing because of the recent rain. Some flowers are still in bloom, too.

Overwhelming views! Lots of empty land, the outback of Australia. We called it a day after that and enjoyed - for a change - to have many TV channels, among them "SBS Food", which we love!

 

Grand Pacific Drive

Back to Sydney in the meantime, 1.400 km driven when we returned the car Sunday evening. But back to the beginning: we left our cottage in the morning, again: in the rain! Misty and sort of foggy. We drove on a different (mountain) road through Jamberoo (lookout see photo below) to Kiama and from there north along the coast, the so-called Grand Pacific Drive.

 

First stop on the coast was the Kiama Blowhole (right), next to a lighthouse. It has a 2.5 metre wide opening and has been recorded at heights of more than 30 metres. You can hear an impressive whoosh sound and often feel the spray of the ocean when it blows. Unfortunately, it rained and views were not really terrific, nor typically "Australian".

At Shellharbour City we stopped for fish (Barramundi) and chips, again - deliciously fresh! Continued to Port Kembla and Wollongong - a highly industrial area with coal mining, chemical and steel factories, spreckled with some beaches, but not very idyllic views (see photo on the left). Port Kembla is a major international industrial port and NSW’s primary hub for motor vehicle imports and grain exports. Since the 1890s it manages bulk and container cargo.

The "Grand Pacific Drive" is a a 140 km scenic coastal drive along the South Coast of NSW, but parts of it are not soo "grand", partly due to weather, partly because of the traffic and "thousands" of roundabouts and bumpers. Also, there are not too many viewpoints or pull-outs, the road mostly doesn't follow the coastline, but goes inland, passing little towns (looking very similar). Besides the beach villages not many observation points to pull out. Weekender traffic was pretty dense and the drive was slow. Best part in any case is the Sea Cliff Bridge, a 665 m curved cantilever bridge directly along the ocean, with a viewpoint: 

People watching the paragliders and enjoying the view (above).

Royal National Park, further north towards Sydney, was one of Australia’s first areas of land set aside for conservation. Again, rainforest landscape, very lush, but, again, the visitor center was mostly functioning as a souvenir shop and café not highly instructive. And, we didn't have time anymore for a longer hike.

The drive through the Sydney metro area on a mostly 8-lane fast road, was not really fun on a Sunday late afternoon. Due to dense traffic it took us over an hour to get from the National Park to the car rental station. So glad, to get rid of the car for a while - we were pooped!

We had booked an Ibis Hotel in walking distance from the rental car station, checked in, took a shower and took the train to Circular Quai. From there we bit goodbye to Sydney at the Sydney Brewery where we enjoy a well-earned cold drink and a pizza. Out to Uluru tomorrow!

 

 

Beachlife - but, no kangaroos yet!

 

Miscalculation this morning in regard to the weather,,, Rain in the morning, when we got up, but, in the course of the day, it warmed up considerably. Didn't have bathing suits with us and were wearing jeans!!! Much too warm !!!

After breakfast, we left our cozy cottage towards the west. First, to  Morton National Park with the Fitzroy Falls (left photo, on the left). Beautiful scenery with clouds and fog hanging low. The water plunges dramatically into the untouched valley 81m below.

 

We drove on, down from Southern Highlands through the Kangaroo Valley to the coast. Kangaroo Valley is lush and green – though, we didn't see any kangaroos! - with morning mist and a patchwork of farmland. We drove over Australia’s last existing wooden suspension bridge, Hampden Bridge, constructed between 1895 and 1898 (below).

 

 

 

A winding, steep, narrow road went down to Jervis Bay, through the woods. The whole area is called "Shoalhaven" – promoting its 100 beaches, 49 towns and villages strongly. It's a favorite destination for Sydneysiders and day-trippers from there. Since it was a weekend, it was accordingly packed along the coast.

Huskisson (photos further below) - in the heart of the bay - was our first stop. We walked over to the beach and had fish/calamari & chips for lunch. Usually, never do lunch while traveling, but this was too appealing!  

Driving on to the small village of Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay - renowned for its pristine, powdery white sand and crystal clear waters. Long beaches, one after the other, not a whole lot of shade, though,,, and, no swim suit!

Booderee National Park on the south side of the Bay was our next stop, mainly because of the Booderee Botanic Gardens. It's the only Aboriginal (Koori people)-owned botanic gardens in Australia, beautiful landscape, though,  frankly, there is not a whole lot of information offered. No visitor center, just a couple of signs, no "educational walk" or such,,, Seems to be a problem for us in Australia: it's not like in the U.S.A.: clear signage, preannouncements, maps and instructive trails, etc. Rather "self-explanatory" in some regard,,,

At least we learned the names of some more plants and had a pleasant stroll through the gardens.

Grevillea Honey Gem (below), dried and fresh

Banksia aquilonia Jingana (above)

Eucalyptus racemosa (Northern Scribbly Gum) - above 

More Eucalyptus above,,,

On the way back sky had cleared and it was much warmer. We stopped at another "antiques store" - owned by two elderly gents, being fully involved in horse racing (another favorite passion of many Australians!) - on the way "home". On the terrace in front of our cottage (below) we enjoyed the sunset and played around with horses, cats and dogs and watched the cockadoos attacking a fruit tree.