Australia Part 3 : May 21 - June 12

Caloundra, Queensland: Wednesday, May 24, 2006

It was an extreme travel day. We didn’t have to hop on planes, boats or trains but we did have to endure a road trip with Brian. Our day started when we picked up our van at Europcar in the center of Sydney at 7:30am. We obtained clear instructions on how to get to the North Sydney suburbs over the Harbour Bridge. Unfortunately what we didn’t receive was the traffic report telling us that there was a nasty accident on the bridge. It stopped traffic in both directions and we got stuck on a ramp for 40 minutes. Brian was fuming because he had wanted to take the tunnel and I was the one who wanted to drive on the famous bridge. There wasn’t any view from the top which didn’t help my case at all. All we saw were high iron railings and cars. Oh well it could have been worse, we could have been the ones in the accident or trying to come into the city. (The traffic was backed up even farther in that direction.) Eventually we crossed the bridge and then we found ourselves on congested, narrow roads for another hour as we navigated through the suburbs. It was definitely an exercise in patience to get out of the city.

Once we finally reached the Pacific Highway, we were able to pick up a little speed (100km) through some beautiful tree covered rolling hills. Our goal for the day was to get about halfway to Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane in Queensland. We were joining my parents in their apartment for a few days and then we would be continuing up the coast to Cairns. It was about 900 kilometers from Sydney to Caloundra, with long stretches of road meandering through tiny seaside towns. We knew it was going to be slow but we didn’t expect to experience as many aggravations as we did.

The biggest frustration was the incredibly slow non-aggressive drivers who were even worse than the ones along the Great Ocean Drive. These ones continually drove at about ten kilometers under the speed limit and refused to pull over or pass even slower drivers. When we saw one vehicle actually pull out to overtake a camper, we joked that it must have been another tourist behind the wheel. We think that governments at both the federal and state levels must have started a safe driving campaign and were really backing up their crusade with very strong penalties. There were signs constantly posted along the highways reminding people about drinking and driving, speeding, getting drowsy and stopping to rest and what the penalties were for accidents etc. We saw hundreds of police cars during our travels today and they were checking motorists for speeding, seat belts and other traffic infractions. So we didn’t exceed the speed limit either but it was nice to at least do it! It was so different from the Northern Territory where we saw very few vehicles and the major highways didn’t have any speed limits.

On top of all of this, there was a lot of construction and the speed limit was bouncing around all over the place. It went from 40 to 60 to 80 km back to 40 etc. It almost gave us whiplash! The most frequent sign was the warning to take breaks every two hours. In fact some of our rental vehicles had warning buzzers every two hours with a coffee cup symbol on the dash. The beeping continued until the engine was turned off. This wasn’t on Brian’s agenda however and we traveled for ten hours and made three stops. We had to beg for food and bathroom breaks. Once he gets going, Brian can be very determined in reaching a goal. So our plan to overnight part way also changed when we realized that it would be possible to reach Caloundra in one day. All of us were excited to see my parents but Brian was also calculating the effect on the budget if we didn’t stay at a hotel tonight. So we pressed on but the last four hours were extremely tiring and difficult. The sun set at 5:30 and we were driving in the dark with the bright lights from semi-trucks glaring in our eyes.

Finally around 9:30pm we arrived in Caloundra. Even though the distance was almost 300km less than our marathon from Kununurra to Broome across the Kimberley, it took us more time and was much more exhausting. The reward at the end of such a long journey was to see my parents after almost ten months. They looked wonderful and we enjoyed lots of hugs and conversations into the night. Hello Sunshine Coast.

Thursday, May 25, 2006: Caloundra, Australia

We discovered that Caloundra is a lovely little seaside resort town of about 55,000 people. It is definitely a quiet place for families or seniors and not for anyone looking for nightlife. When we drove into the center of town last night at about nine o’clock there wasn’t another car or person to be seen. The beaches here are very sandy and some of them have excellent surf for boarders. They were also a very popular place for the dozens of fishermen of all ages. The main street lined with tiny shops and huge trees was impeccably clean. (This level of tidiness was very common with Australian cities.)

After running a few errands with my folks who were glad to have transportation, we joined the kids in the apartment pool for some great fun. It was a very relaxing day and was topped off with a traditional happy hour. This is the life!!!!

Friday, May 26, 2006: Caloundra, Australia

Not far from Caloundra was the area’s “sole unmissable attraction” or the Australia Zoo. It was the home of the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. I have to admit I was rather skeptical about what I would find at this zoo but I was pleasantly surprised. The grounds were immaculately kept, the animals were well cared for and there was a great variety of Australian animals as well as a smaller number of foreign species. In fact this zoo had a better representation of native animals than the Sydney Zoo. It has actually been in existence since 1970 when it was started by Steve’s parents. Steve and his wife, Terri took over management of the zoo in 1992 and made it famous with his show.

As well as all the critters in their huge enclosures, we saw a bunch of live animal shows in a large stadium type theater called the Crocoseum. The shows included enormous snakes, jumping tigers, flocks of birds and a hungry crocodile. Watching the handlers feed the croc from just feet away was very exciting. I wonder how much that job pays? We also got dive bombed by a bunch of parrots and thankfully didn’t get splattered with any droppings. It was amazing how close they got to us. My parents are avid birdwatchers so they really enjoyed the show and walking through the aviaries. Australian birds are so colourful.

Steve Irwin believes in a truly “hands-on” zoo so the highlight of the day was petting kangaroos and koalas. As mom and dad hadn’t seen too many native animals until today, they were very excited to both see and touch the local wildlife. Dad thought the crocodiles, snakes and Tasmanian devil were not particularly attractive but we won’t tell that to Steve. It was wonderful to see a kangaroo joey feeding, a white albino kangaroo and especially the face of a tiny koala baby hanging out of its mother’s pouch. As well as visitors petting the animals, the zoo staff was constantly handling the less dangerous critters. The wombats in particular loved the close contact, following the keeper when she finished with them and looking for more belly rubs. They were almost like dogs.

We spent a lot more time than we had planned to at the zoo and didn’t get back to Caloundra until almost happy hour. Crikey what a great day!

Saturday, May 27, 2006: Caloundra, Australia

There was no sleeping in today; we had a lot of sightseeing to do. The city of Caloundra is located on the ocean but there are many lovely sights to see inland as well. Without a vehicle, mom and dad hadn’t been able to explore. Our first stop for the day was the outdoor market at Eumundi; a small town northwest of us. They opened at 6:30am but we weren’t there THAT early. However we did start investigating the 500+ stalls at about 7:45am. There was an amazing selection of goods for sale from clothing, candy, CDs and handicrafts to fresh fruits and vegetables. Sierra was so pleased when Brian bought her a pink top with tie-dyed edges. She claims that she didn’t even have to beg! By the time we left after nine o’clock the place was hopping and our nearby free parking space was highly coveted.

We continued our journey through the rural countryside, passing many farms and ranches. Our eyes were peeled for wildlife but we didn’t spot any. We hoped to gain entry to a national park for a short hike but it wasn’t open to the public. So we pressed on to Monteville village. En route we stopped at some spectacular lookouts with vistas all the way out to the ocean. We were told that Monteville had a German flair to its buildings but I think it would be fairer to call it an international style. There was a Connemara cottage, an Indian building, several Bavarian shops and some traditional Aussie buildings. The kids discovered “Olde Auntie Maureen’s Fudge Factory” and grandpa and grandma treated them to some slabs of the creamy stuff. We were amazed at the size of the wild cream, pink and red poinsettias lining the park edges. All the flowers have been remarkable here even in the late autumn. My favourite, the brilliant golden yellow daisies that covered the hillsides were bathed in sunshine as we drove through the steep gorges. It was impossible to stop for a picture but it would have been spectacular.

By this time, we were all feeling a little hungry and it was time to stop for a picnic. Just a few kilometers from Monteville was Kondalilla National Park. We carried our packed lunch down to a clearing with tables, a few mooching birds and plenty of sunshine and proceeded to devour most of the food. The birds weren’t happy with us. From here we completed a short hike (2+kms) through some subtropical rainforest down to a lovely little waterfall. It was a nice stretch of the legs. It was also a good test of dad’s heart as he had to climb several hundred steps back to the parking lot. Not bad for a 76 year old guy.

Australians seem to love their kitsch. On the trip to Caloundra we passed the Big Banana and the Big Avocado, both giant reproductions. Near the Grampions in Victoria State, we could have visited the Big Koala. Today we stopped at the Big Pineapple, a large fiberglass and metal replica of the aforementioned fruit. It was huge; at least two storeys high. We had to take some silly pictures before heading home.

Tonight we tried some kangaroo meat which met with mixed reviews. The kids definitely didn’t like it. Most of the adults found it very tender but not particularly flavourful. In general we would give it a thumbs down. I also thought it was odd to be eating a country’s national emblem.

Sunday, May 28, 2006: Caloundra, Australia

Today was our last full day in Caloundra. We enjoyed a sunny stroll along the beach boardwalks. On one stretch, we watched some of the lifeguards training with a zodiac boat entering the rough surf from the beach. They were certainly being tossed around in the waves. One guy was actually catapulted out of the boat and onto the sand when they were landing the craft.

After the boardwalk we visited the Sunday outdoor market in the center of town before returning to the apartment. The next few hours were spent trying to compact all of our belongings, both original and recently purchased, with mom and dad’s stuff. It will be a difficult pack tomorrow morning. I think we may end up with baggage on the seats and not just in the cargo area. Hmmmm……

The kids caught another movie, mom, dad and I went for another walk while Brian enjoyed some quiet time this afternoon. It was a nice way to wind down before all of our traveling days up to Cairns. ( NEXT PAGE )