Back to reality

I returned Friday night after many long flights.  Thank you to everyone for the support and encouragement along the way!  As you can see, it was all I imagined it could be and more!  I will post a few more pictures from New Zealand in the next few days and continue to post any thoughts I have about my transition back into reality.  Thank you again!!! 

Huka Falls

Right outside of Lake Taupo is Huka Falls.

Waikato River

The Waikato River comes from Lake Taupo and runs at a very fast rate to Huka Falls.

Glow worm capture device

All the larvae secrete a mucus that hangs down beneath them so that they can trap anything flying by...including the adult form of the larvae.

Glow worm cave

The blue dots are glow worms in a cave in Waitomo.  The worms are actually larvae that will eventually become a fly and try to get out of the cave.  The larvae are cannibalistic so that is why they do not stay closer together.

Maori Greeting

In traditional Maori greeting, you touch noses and smell so that you breathe the others breath.

Maori warrior

I went to a place that some Maori's taught about Maori culture. 

Maori figure

An example of a Maori statue that is gaurding against evil.

New Zealand Ferns

An example of New Zealand ferns within the redwood forest.  These plants are everywhere on the North Island and can be seen as very short (in the front of the picture) to very tall (in the back of the picture). 

Redwood Forest

This redwood forest is outside of Rotorua and is free for anyone to visit so locals run/walk there often.

Rotorua Hot Springs

Hot springs are everywhere in this part of the North Island.  Rotorua has dozens of hot springs and smells like sulfur around the springs and around the town.

New Zealand

It might take me a little while to finish summing up my experience on the Great Barrier Reef so I will post that soon.  In the meantime, I am in Taupo, New Zealand (in the middle of the north island).  I flew into Auckland two days ago and then promptly boarded a bus heading south to Rotorua, Waitomo and Taupo.  I have learned about the Maori culture and swam in geothermal hot pools in Rotorua.  I saw glow worm caves in Waitomo, and raging Huka Falls near Taupo.  Tomorrow I have a little time in Taupo and then back to Auckland. 
Rain and cold have put a little bit of a damper on the outside activities but it is still really pretty here.  The island has rolling hills covered with cows and sheep feeding on the bright green grass.  Geothermal activity and Maori culture are infused into everyday life on the north island. 
I hope to go north of Auckland to the Bay of Islands next.  I will give more details when I return from that.
 
   

Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef from the surface.

My dive buddies

My British dive buddies who are marine biology students at the University of South Hampton.

Sea Cucumber

This leopard sea cucumber was feeding under a ledge on a night dive.

Nemo...hehe

Puffer

Very cool puffer, also not sure which species it was.

Bumphead Wrasse

Bumphead (humphead) wrasse followed the divers around all the time. 

Green sea turtle

I was lucky to see many green sea turtles on these dives!

Stingray

These stingrays were common, however, I am not sure exactly what species it was.  No blue spots...anyone?

Giant Clam up close

These clams were so colorful!

Giant Clam

My dive buddy looking at the giant clam. It looks like the damselfish is upset about him being there (bottom left).

Longfin Batfish

Whitetip Reef Shark

Whitetip reef sharks were common on the dives and always exciting to see!

Parrot fish school

A large school of parrotfish were going place to place to graze on coral.  It was loud and very neat to see!

Shallow part of GBR

Some reefs were only ~1 foot underwater.

ProDive Liveaboard

This is the boat I was on for three days.  It was very nice and with great food!

Great Barrier Reef!

For the past 3 days, I was on a live aboard boat on the outer banks of the Great Barrier Reef!    I was able to dive 10 times (including 2 night dives) and snorkel once (I had to fly the next day).  It was amazing!  I rented ("hired" as they like to call it) an underwater camera and was able to get a few good pictures.  I am at the Brisbane International Airport right now waiting to fly to Auckland, New Zealand so I will post my underwater reef pictures soon.  In short, the Great Barrier Reef is all I wanted it to be and more.  The coral, reef fish, sharks, turtles, etc were wonderful!!        

Cairns

I just arrived in Cairns (pronounced "Cans"), Queensland.  Many people know this city as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.  There are so many scuba diving options here, I will decide tomorrow which reefs and company to go with.  I will keep you posted...

Mixed Grill

At a bar in Alice, I ordered the mixed grill which included (from left to right): crocodile, emu sausage, buffalo, kangaroo and camel all glazed in a plum sauce over fries with a side salad.  All of it was surprisingly good, although I liked the kangaroo and camel the best!  The beer is called NT beer (I am guessing because it is made in the Northern Territory, where Alice is). 

Alice Springs, in the center of it all

Alice Springs has about 27,000 people living in and around it.  It is right in the middle of Australia so some attempts have been made to make Alice the capital.  Something tells me that will not happen any time soon.

Wet Rock

It rained all night so we could not see any sunrise on Uluru.  We did a short walk around Uluru due to the flooded trail and pouring rain.  The rain, however, caused amazing waterfalls everywhere (the white streaks).  I heard only 1% of people that visit Uluru get to see the waterfalls because it normally does not rain this much in the desert.

Uluru Sunset

Unfortunately, a storm came in right as we were leaving Uluru to take pictures of the rock at sunset.  This is what we saw from a distance which was still amazing. 

Uluru even closer

When you see Uluru up close, you see holes, caves, and its texture.  Aboriginal stories tell how Uluru acquired all of its features.

Uluru

Uluru is magical and it is all that you think it would be and more.  It is hard to describe the feeling when you get near it.   A sense of strength and history surrounds it.  It is easy to see how this would be so sacred to the Anganu people.  

Uluru up close

Uluru (Ayers Rock) is a monolith sandstone formation that stands 1,142 feet high and has a circumference of almost 6 miles.  It is also very sacred to its landowners, the aboriginal tribe, Anganu.  When you walk around it, signs point out areas that you should not photograph due to sacred cultural significance. 

First Glimpse of The Rock!

When the bus turned and I first saw Uluru, it took my breath away!  Although I had seen amazing sites (Kings Canyon, Olgas, Mount Conner), nothing is like the rock!

The Olgas and tour bus

This is another angle of The Olgas.  The bus I travelled to all of these places is shown in the picture.  It held 20 people and the trailer on the back held our backpacks and food.

Next day... The Olgas (Kata Tjuga)

The Olgas (or Kata Tjuta) is a beautiful, sacred place for aboriginals with ceremonies still held there.  No one but aboriginals are allowed to walk its 36 domes.  You would be fined and possibly deported.  These domes are made out of many granite and basalt rocks cemented together by sandstone.  You can actually see individual rocks.      

Campfire and Swags

What outback experience is complete without sleeping under the stars?  The shiny objects at the bottom of the picture are swags.  Untie, roll out and you have a water resistant, comfy bed.  They are made of thick canvas with a cushion inside and a flap to go over your head if you want.  This is how a lot of Aussies camp.  I'm not sure why we haven't embraced swags yet.  I almost forgot to mention, the stars were amazing, stretching all the way down to the horizon.

Wild Camels!

Yes, those are camels running away from the group.  Camels were introduced a long time ago and have been used in construction and travelling in the past.  Some are still roaming around the outback.

Red Center

The center of Australia (Alice Springs and surrounding areas) is often referred to as the Red Center (or Centre :-).  Red dirt and small plants dominate the landscape for miles and miles (or should I say kilometers and kilometers).

Wildflowers at Kings Canyon

Since there has been so much rain in the past month, all the wildflowers were blooming!

More Kings Canyon

This was a tough but amazing hike up and around Kings Canyon. 

"Garden of Eden" at Kings Canyon

People can swim here year round.

Kings Canyon

It is a 5 hour drive from Alice Springs to Uluru.  This was one of the amazing stops on the way.

Uluru magic

I flew from Hobart to Alice Springs today.  I will hike around Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kings Canyon for the next three days.  Many people say it is a magical place.  I will try to find the magic and post thoughts and pictures when I return.    

Last night in Hobart

Bruny Island

Australian Fur Seals

Found near Bruny Island

Southern Right Whale

This is one of the southern right whales near Bruny Island

Bruny Island, south of Hobart

Bruny Island is such a beautiful place, I do not think my pictures capture how pretty it is!

Jess and me

Jess is my friend from Hobart.  She was so great to show me around and take me to this place where I had wallaby pizza and good Tassie wine!!!

Platypus

I saw this platypus in the wild!

Wombat

This female juvenile wombat lost her mom to a car.  She is very cute because she follows the caretakers everywhere they go.