Le Fabuleux Voyage de Napoleon

The Mungo National Park

2009-02-07T13:55:00.001-08:00

Today was the Big Day... The reason why I headed to Mildura was because I wanted to see the Mungo National Park.
The park is about 100 kms from the city, so I had to find a guide who would bring me there...
This was the hottest day in my life. 50°C in the park in the afternoon. So we waited a bit before going for a walk...
There was a strong wind, raising all the dust...

We went through a semi-arid area...

Red earth again... You can never get tired of it.

This tree may be 1000 years old!

The habitual crew at the visitor centre...

I think we woke this one up!

There were plenty of them...

The woolshed, probably from 1869...

It is one of the most significant European buildings in the area.

The Mungo National Park is mainly situated in the Willandra Lakes Region, a World Heritage Area.

Traces of human occupation dating as far as 60000 years ago have been found there. It is the evidence of the longest continuous record of Aboriginal life in Australia. When the lake was still full, Aboriginal people lived and fished along the shore.

Apart from its archaeological interest, the place offers stunning views.

This is a fossilised eucalyptus.

The rain creates beautiful natural sculptures on the "Walls of China". The colour of the earth changes, the different layers representing a different period in time.

Graham, the guide from Harry Nanya Tours, told us some traditional stories and played them on his didgeridoo. It was really impressive.
It is possible to go and visit the park by yourself. But taking a guided tour makes the experience richer. There are so many things I would not even have noticed without him!

From Broken Hill to Mildura

2009-02-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

Today I took the little bus connecting Broken Hill to Mildura. Another 4-hour drive, with Coombah at mid-way. It is written in big on the map but... it's just one house! Well, this little place can be of a vital importance, if you are running low of petrol, of food or of drink...

Broken Hill and the Living Desert

2009-02-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

This morning, I did a little walk in the desert... Kangaroos were enjoying their pick nick...

The Living Desert Flora and Fauna Sanctuary is a protected area near Broken Hill. Bordered by an electric predator proof fence, this reserve highlights the importance of preserving our environment.

It is a good occasion to see native plants in their natural environment. Sturt's desert peas cannot live without humidity. They start blossoming as soon as there is sufficient rain.

A bluebush... You can eat it! The leaves are a bit juicy, and nicely salty.

Not far from the Living Desert is the Sculpture Symposium. Pieces of art in the middle of nowhere...

From there, you can see the city in a distance...

On the horizon, the Pinnacles... These are not natural hills: they were born from the mine...

A kangaroo, again! Many Aussies say they are a pest, but they still look really cute... Don't huge them though... They are very skilled boxers!

Thanks to Ian, who was a great guide, I had a beautiful day!

Back at the hostel, I bumped into another guest and we decided to look for a bar to spend the evening...
We were curious about the Mario Palace Hotel, famous because of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert...

From the outside, the house looked great. It has on of the biggest terraces I have seen in Australia so far.

The bar door was closed. So we entered through the hotel door... And this is what we saw...

All the walls were painted. It may look a bit kitsch at first, but the whole thing was really beautiful. It had a very strange atmosphere too. There was nobody there. We wandered around for a while, went up to the first floor...

The dining room looked ready for guests, but it was obvious that it had not been used for quite a while... It was really dusty! The whole thing looked like a partly abandoned and derelict house, that had not lost anything of its beauty.

We walked around a bit, it was amazing! But when we got out, one thing was sure: we had to look for another place to spend the evening.

The Day Dream Mine and a little walk in Broken Hill

2009-02-04T04:02:00.000-08:00

Going to the Day Dream Mine...

Along the road, old mines have been closed for a long time.

We were welcomed by two beautiful horses at the visitor centre...

Belts, hard hats, frontal lamps... Ready to go down!

It was too dark to take pictures inside. We went down for 30 meters, and the guide was really good at explaining the horrible working conditions of the miners in the late 19th century. They were dying of dysentery, typhoid, lead-poisoning, lung diseases... Or in the many accidents occurring.

Back to Broken Hill...

Argent Street, the main street. Many of the town’s streets are named after metals and minerals found in the mine.

This is how it was before, at the beginning of the 20th century...

... in 1888...

The roo bar, a "must-have"equipement here in the outback.

The hill divides the city into two different parts. There is a great view from the top, the Miners' Memorial, and a restaurant.

Passing in front of the station...

After crossing the railway, I started climbing... The flies are terrible. They stick to your face, your mouth, your eyes... It's impossible to get rid of them.

Another closed mine on the way...

And here I was at the top!

Silverton

2009-02-03T15:13:00.000-08:00

Silverton is a small village about 25 kms from Broken Hill.

It was once an important place due to the discovery of silver deposits, but was soon eclipsed by Broken Hill.

On the way to get there, a view of the Mundi Mundi plains...

And here we are!

A house here, a church there... there is not much left in the village. As the population dropped, inhabited houses were destroyed, and the material was used for new accommodation in Broken Hill.

There is still a permanent population of about 50 people living there. The place attracts many artists because of the beauty of the landscape.

Some of the historical buildings have been nicely restored...

The Silverton Hotel appears in many commercials and movies.

And there is a little museum with heaps of objects and pictures from past times, giving an idea of the everyday life of early settlers in Silverton and Broken Hill...

They even had a whole collection of pegs, which I fell in love with!

The old gaol... Not really cosy!

And the little hospital...

"Australian sun is especially harsh, but you can preserve your pale complexion"...

In the region, many houses are still in corrugated iron. This was a preferred material, because it was easier to transport than bricks and stone...

This was Silverton... It has a little look of a place for tourists, with all the galleries, but in a way, it has not lost its harshness. It is a very strange place to visit. In today's silent atmosphere, it is hard to imagine that sometime in the 1880s, up to 3000 people lived there.

From Sydney to Broken Hill - a day in the Outback Explorer

2009-02-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

Broken Hill is in the outback of New South Wales, a bit more than 1000 kms from Sydney (red dot on the map). Situated on an important mining region, it is known as the Silver City. It feels like an oasis in the middle of the desert, and attracts many artists. There is a direct train twice a week from Sydney to Broken Hill, and it takes about 13 hours to get there.

This is a beautiful trip. Because of the extreme heat (about 47°C), it was longer than expected. The train had to be stopped and sprayed with water in Ivanhoe, and it could never reach its normal travel speed. But the landscape was so great that I never felt bored.

After Sydney and the Blue Mountains, we went through a land of farms and fields.

We stopped in many pretty old stations.

Little by little, it was becoming dryer... The landscape became yellow...

... and patches of red earth appeared now and then.

There where huge farm properties. The grain is processed close to the railway, and loaded directly in the trains.

The colours kept on changing...

It was like an ever-changing painting.

What you cannot see in the pictures is the thousands and thousands of grasshoppers everywhere... The field was moving. I was happy to be in the train!

We passed in front of another train....

but we could never see the end of it.

Many animals on the way... Cows, kangaroos, emus, sheep, goats, kockatoos. Many bones and skeletons too.

It was so cold in the train! The air cond. was at its maximum, so we had to wear trousers and jumpers to get warmer... My neighbour was hiding in her sleeping bag! But when you put your hand on the window, you realise it is boiling.

The Station in Eubalong West... Apart from this, no house could be seen from the train...

And suddenly, it was raining.

Red earth after the rain...

A pink tornado!!!

It was the first of many...
Suddenly, the weather got crazy... We passed through a big dust storm.

It was changing every second... We could not see much anymore.

Then we got out of it...

... and in again! It looked completely surreal.

A prolonged stop at Ivanhoe... We could go out of the train for about 15 minutes. The wind was boiling hot: it was 47°C outside!!

In a few seconds, there was sand everywhere...
And then we left again...

After Menindee, a beautiful sunset...

And we arrived 2 hours late in Broken Hill. It was completely dark, but there was no air at all. After about two minutes out of the train, I was already completely wet with sweat. It was a strange sensation, it was 21.00, but there was absolutely nobody in the streets. Spiders were running everywhere. 10 minutes later, I was at the hostel and jumped immediately in their little pool... That was such a relief!

Going to Surry Hills...

2009-01-28T17:50:00.000-08:00

The Surry Hills district begins right behind Central Station...

A funny liquor shop on Oxford Street...

The area bursts with nice little cafés. This one is full of pretty colours...

Even the toilets are a source of surprise.

Old houses on the way...

Painted walls everywhere...

Know your goat!

Flying shoes...

And sleeping chairs...

Good night!

Australia Day

2009-01-26T01:43:00.000-08:00

On January 26th 1788, the First Fleet of convict ships arrived at Sydney Cove. Today, January 26th is celebrated as "Australia Day".
It is a day when you will see little flags on everything...

... and on everybody!

Aboriginal people are divided on the subject. For many of them, 26th of January is "invasion day". But others do celebrate, with their own colours. Black for Aboriginal people, yellow for the sun, the constant re-newer of life, and red for the earth and peoples' relationship to the land.

Many concert were held in the Rocks... It was crowded.

Mojo Juju and the Snake Oil Merchants were really good and full of positive energy.

Then I got lost in some green...

... And it started to rain heavily... This was the end of the party!

A really hot day in Sydney

2009-01-24T00:18:00.000-08:00

Today was 40°C in the shade. But it was hard to find any shade.

Some could not resist anymore...

... the only problem was... it was right in the window of a pharmacy...

This seemed like the best publicity ever!

And that's it for today... It was just toooo damn hot to do anything!

From Kings Cross to Elizabeth Bay

2009-01-20T21:07:00.000-08:00

The area around Kings Cross is...

... a train station in the city...

A very famous crossing with an equally famous publicity board...

Busy roads...

... and small colourful streets...

Lots of stairs and beautiful views of the city centre...

Old terrace houses...

War ships...

Some of the oldest buildings in the city...

... and some of the newest ones.

Ancient luxurious villas...

Ornamented fountains...

The iconic and densely populated El Alamein Fountain...

A geography lesson...

and glimpses of everyday life...

It is close to the CBD but has a completely different feeling.

How convenient... Within a few minutes, you're back to the good old Central Station.

Sydney Festival

2009-01-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

An evening at The Domain, enjoying the Gypsy Queens and Kings and their nice music from Eastern Europe... Thanks Torsten for the tip!

From Kurnell to Cronulla Beach

2009-01-13T20:17:00.000-08:00

This walk has been the longest since this blog existed. About 17 kms, on a bright sunny day. With almost no shadow, it was a bit hard, but it was worth trying...

Mysterious drawings on the trunk of a red gum tree...

Honey on the way...

A bit further, the wood was over... The rock became white, reflecting the bright sunlight...

This one had the strangest shape ;-)

The landscape looked like a fairy tale.

Rock waves...

And in the middle of nowhere... pipes!

Seaweed cure...

And starfishes by the thousands.

Cronulla beach... the end of the walk!

Taronga Zoo to Clifton Gardens

2009-01-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

This morning a new beautiful flower had appeared in the garden...

This garden is great. It's a continuous source of surprises, considering it's shared with many other living beings...
This one laid eggs recently, so very soon there will be plenty of them.

This one was saving some food for dinner. It's huge and hairy! And it always makes her web again and again at the same spot, just on the way to get out. So you have to be careful when coming back in the dark.

Anyway... On the boat I was again, for another walk from Taronga zoo to the Clifton gardens.

I walked through a beautiful wood of gum trees...

They all have pretty weird shapes.

They loose their bark little by little....

and have bright red blood!

And guess who was hiding behind the leaves!?

This rainbow lorikeet was more curious than shy... Probably waiting for some food!

Back at the wharf, waiting for the ferry...

... and here we are, arriving at Circular Quay...

In the City Centre

2009-01-08T22:10:00.000-08:00

Enough green and nature! Today, let's have a look at the City Centre...

The Hospital and its beautiful fountain...

The incredible mix of modern and ancient...

As almost any big city, Sydney has its tower...

The Strand, an old shopping complex with many beautiful details...

In the same style: the Queen Victoria Building. This one was threatened by demolition, but fortunately, this never happened.

A quick look in the kitchen, Chinese district...

And here is Darling Harbour...

Lunch time for everybody...

The monorail on Pyrmont Bridge...

Later at the rocks... Another view of the Opera House...

... and the calm of Observatory Hill...

That's it for today!

From the Spit to Manly

2009-01-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

The walk from the Spit to Manly is supposed to take about 5 hours. But with all the beautiful beaches on the way, it was closer to 10 hours!

It was a day with loads of bright blue water and little boats...

People relaxing, swimming, rowing...

Beautiful plants everywhere...

Animals that didn't seem to be scared at all...

This water dragon even seemed to like modelling a lot!

Lots of red... Red as the trunk of the red gum trees...

Red as the soil and my poor tired feet!

After a break...

... time to follow the path further...

It's starting to get late...

But here we are in Manly!

A "spaceship" was waiting for us at the city centre!

It was big!!!

And the Opera House suddenly looked no bigger than a little ant.

Time to go home... For a well deserved sleep!

January 1st 2009

2009-01-01T02:20:00.000-08:00

A short walk around Manly...

Back on the ferry...

A drink on top of a skyscraper...

Surprise encounter on the way home...

Finishing 2008 in Sydney

2008-12-31T00:56:00.000-08:00

There is no better way to finish the year than going to the beach.

The day started with a short walk in the city centre...

... and a long bus trip to Palm Beach.

After about two hours on the road, there we were...

The waves were beautiful...

A bit of shade was most welcome after a good swim.

And then it was time to get back to the city...

Not for everybody though... Some people were probably going to spend the night in their Magic Bus...

Balmain was a good spot to spend this very special evening...

People preparing for the night... There was a huge picnic going on in the whole city.

Mysterious messages in the sky...

It was becoming dark!

And suddenly the city was on fire!

The finale was crazy. You didn't know where to look anymore!

And then we were all tired... Time to go to bed! And a Happy New Year!

In Forster...

2008-12-27T17:20:00.000-08:00

Forster is right in the centre of the Great Lakes District. It is on the edge of the Wallis Lake, where oysters are farmed...

There is plenty of fish out there! Fishing and scuba diving are very popular among locals and tourists.

And that's probably why I met so many pelicans there...

Day-dreaming...

Inquisitive...

Patient...

Performing...

Running for food!

When food is involved, they don't know how to behave anymore.

Australian curiosity in public toilets...

And then out at sea...

A whale, not that far away...

And here come the dolphins!

They were fast! And followed the boat for a while...

Back to the beach... Those who don't like big waves can try the rock swimming pool, catching water from the high tide.

Some little fishes remain prisoners for some hours... Waiting for the next tide!

In the evening, Cape Hawk and its beautiful colours is the best way to finish the day...

Bonne nuit!

A day around the Great Lakes

2008-12-26T17:22:00.000-08:00

The Great Lakes district is home to many fellow pelicans. What a good surprise! I could spend Xmas with family!

It was fishing day at Green Point: a real social event for some...

... a meditative experience for others...

No wonder, with such a beautiful landscape. I tell you, pelicans know where the good things are in life.

I went into the forest for some cooler air...

... and arrived at the quite surprising Green Cathedral.

This is the most beautiful worship place I've ever seen.

A strange visitor passed by at picnic time... This was my first encounter with a goanna.

He walked around, but finally did not seem that attracted to the smell of sandwiches.

The water was really clear. You could see little fish swimming around!

And the old trees were a paradise for spiders.

The vegetation was rich and diverse. A real collection of exotic bark and leaves.

Further along the way, this aggressive bulldog ant was waiting for a fight!

And the cicadas were giving a giant concert.

Approaching the ocean, the landscape became suddenly more dramatic.

At the very top of the hill, some holiday accommodation with a view of the beach...

... and the white Sugarloaf lighthouse...

It was really well maintained, with beautiful and funny details.

At the end of the day trip, Smiths Lake at low tide...

Night was falling down, and it was time to go back home....

On the road to the Great Lakes

2008-12-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

The Great Lakes area is about 300kms north of Sydney. It is famous for its many beaches.

The trip go get there from Sydney is beautiful, with great views on Lake Macquarie...

Short break at Newcastle, an old industrial city, with a major harbour.

The number of ships queuing to get in was impressive.

On the beach, the Art déco Ocean Baths, a salt water bathing complex, was built in the early 20th century.

Next stop: Stroud. With many old farms on the way...

Stroud is known to be Australia's first "company town". It was founded by the Australian Agricultural Company, and most of the building work was implemented by convicts.

A view from the hill... fields and woods everywhere. The place is very neat, and pretty quiet.

So quiet that the birds are not even scared... You could get as close as you want, this one would just go on sleeping.

Back on the road... And the first kangaroos of the trip! They were cute. A bit cautious, but very curious at the same time.

Many creative letterboxes...

More letterboxes...

And even more letterboxes...

Funny fences... People were getting ready for Xmas!

And a last stop before the final destination... MIAM!

Camping in the Kangaroo Valley

2008-12-21T15:24:00.000-08:00

The Kangaroo Valley is about 150 kms from Sydney. The perfect place for going camping on the weekend. We found a nice space, close to the river and started a settlement.

There we were, ready for the night...

Some other campers had found the place too, but it was far from being crowded.

We haven't seen any kangaroo in Kangaroo Valley. But as the night was falling down, sleepy wombats started to go out of their holes.

This one was not scared at all. He was too busy eating the grass around.

And it went on and on the whole night... no need to cut the grass here!

In the morning, the valley was covered by mist... The river and all the animals were waking up little by little...

It was the perfect occasion for a swim...

... and for breakfast!

And then, time to head up to new places...

We passed through a little town...

Walked in the river...

... crossed an old wooden bridge...

And went back to Sydney....

Back to Sydney

2008-12-05T01:06:00.000-08:00

Three hours on a cotton ocean... and I was back in Australia.

Eh noho ra, Aotearoa!

Back to Auckland - Rangitoto Island

2008-12-04T00:21:00.000-08:00

For my last day in New Zealand, I took a ferry to Rangitoto Island, 10 kms away from the city centre of Auckland. The Rangitoto Island is part of the Hauraki Gulf. From the wharf, you have a view of another small island of the gulf.

Past the little wooden houses half-hidden in the forest, the adventure begins...

Rangitoto is a volcanic island that erupted about 600 years ago. The lava soil is black, contrasting with the blue of the sea. It can get pretty hot here on sunny days!

Many plants grow here. Among them, the pohutukawa and its bright red flowers.

Trees can get so rough and deformed that they look like sculpted stone.

At the end of the track, a view of Devonport and the city centre.

Back to the hostel, after a little rest, we had fun singing with Ishbel and her ukulele, Mathilde and Hubert. That was a great last evening in NZ!

Second day in Rotorua: Wai-o-Tapu and the Waimangu Valley

2008-11-29T17:59:00.000-08:00

The second day in Rotorua was even better than the first one. In the morning, a little shuttle bus was waiting in front of the hostel. It drove us about 30 kms away from Rotorua. Once again, I enjoyed the green and hilly regional landscape.

We made a first stop at a big mud pool...

... and arrived a few minutes later in Wai-o-Tapu.

Wai-o-Tapu means "sacred waters" in Maori. It is a 18 sq.km thermal reserve covered with craters, boiling pools, colourful lakes, fumaroles...

Devil's Home

Devil's Ink Pots

Then suddenly, I could not believe what I was seeing through the trees...

The Artist's Palette is a lake full of minerals. As the water cools down, the minerals are exposed to the atmosphere and give the lake these fantastic colours...

Primrose Terrace

Champagne Pool

Temperatures up to 300°C have been recorded in the reserve... Definitely not the best place to go for a swim!

Frying Pan Flat

Green as Colloidal Sulphur and Ferrous Salts...

Orange as Antimony...

Purple as Manganese Oxide...

White as Silica...

Yellow as Sulphur...

Red-brown as Iron Oxide...

Black as Sulphur and Carbon...

A Pied Stilt was having his lunch in the pool... He didn't seem to mind the high acid level of the water too much...

More strange chemistry...

... and the green waters of Lake Ngakoro

At the end of the tour, the Devil's Bath, changing from green to yellow, according to the day...

A bus drive later, I was in the Waimangu Valley.

A real paradise for ferns... They were big and everywhere!

The valley nowadays...

... and back in 1886... The year of the largest volcanic eruption since European settlement.

Echo Crater, November 1886 (G. Valentine) - Collection: The Hocken Library, University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ

This place already attracted tourist in the beginning of the 20th century.

"On Frying Pan Flat", ca. 1910 (F.G. Radcliffe)

Huge bubbles under water, circles of steam on the surface...

The magic smoking mountain...

After this indication post, I found the most incredible thing I have seen in my whole life.

Behind the trees, a bright blue light...

There I was, at the Inferno Crater...

Now imagine, you're walking in a magnificent valley, and suddenly, you see this amazing blue steamy lake. It seemed like some light was coming from under water. Add to this a strange smell and the smothered sound of bubbling water, in the middle of a great silence... This was a very special experience.

After a long break, I went on walking... There was a whole range of beautiful plants to look at.

Little by little, I was getting closer to the great lake...

I followed a little stream for a while...

I even met a baby-geyser on the way...

And this was the end of the walk, on the edge of the Rotomahana Lake!

First day in Rotorua - a trip to the moon!

2008-11-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

My first day in Rotorua was quite a big one!

Rotorua is a quiet city of about 60 000 inhabitants, 230 kms from Auckland. It is situated on the edge of a big lake, in the middle of a thermal area. 35% of the population is Maori, and it is thus the perfect place to get to know this culture.

Map from www.tourism.net.nz

I staid at the Kiwi Paka hostel, close to the Kuirau Park. The wind was regularly bringing some strange smells from there, so early in the morning, I decided to go and have a look at what was happening... And this is what I discovered...

Steam was coming from behind the trees...

The wooden path brought me to another world...

The heat emanating from the water was quite strong in some places, making it difficult for trees to survive.

This was an ever-changing landscape! It felt like being on another planet.

The ground too was interesting, displaying a whole range of unusual colours.

Water was bubbling...

Mud was boiling...

Then I walked till Ohinemutu, a Maori village on the edge of the lake.

In the central square, the marae (meeting house) and its beautiful carvings.

A bit further, this one was pretty funny!

Here too, steam comes out of the ground...

I sat down on the grass and had a picnic enjoying the view. But I suddenly felt a strong heat under my poor bottom... And realized it was not a really safe place I had chosen. Indeed, the ground was not exactly stable...

The lake is populated with a whole colony of black swans, famous for attacking people feeding them...

They were very gracious...

But not completely black!

I found many people to talk to!

It was family-day around the lake...

A beautiful Maori canoe was sitting there.

Little by little, the water was becoming whiter and whiter because of the high level of sulphur in it.

Even the stones and the sand were becoming colourless.

A pool of boiling water along the way...

During the late 19th century, this area became famous among Europeans for its therapeutic properties. It is said that some of the pools emitted hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide gases, which produced uncontrolled laugher, and eventually fainting, making bathing quite dangerous.

I was suddenly back to civilisation for a while, in the Government Gardens and their touches of typical British culture.

This former spa is now the Rotorua Museum of Art & History.

Opposite is the Blue Bath, one of the first places in Rotorua where families could bathe for fun.

The Band Rotorua was built in 1900. At that time, two local brass bands, one Maori and one European, played during the tourist season.

A group gathers for a sporting event in the gardens, c. 1910 - Rotorua Museum

There was a lot of art spread around the garden...
Below: Waitukei sculpture - 2001, by Rotorua artist Lyonel Grant.

After a close look at the bowling game, I went back to the wilderness...

Not many plants can survive in this environment. But this tea tree is very common here. It was used by the Maori as a remedy for many complaints.

I really felt I was on the moon... The most surprising thing is that it is just about 20 minutes walk from the city. But you feel like you're alone in the middle of a strange universe...

The more I walked, the more dead and carbonated trees...

And those sign posts everywhere were starting to worry me a bit. It was a long time since I hadn't crossed anyone on the path...

Then even the track became unsure. There where steamy holes right in the middle...

It was time to go back to a safer spot!

About an hour later, I was once again in the welcoming park close to the hostel...

During the day, the water level had increased, and mud pools were bubbling even stronger than in the morning.

I had a small rest and enjoyed a well deserved foot bath in the park... That was hot!!!

A short visit to Devonport

2008-11-27T02:08:00.000-08:00

I left the hostel early this morning and took a ferry to Devonport. Devonport is another suburb of Auckland, almost completely surrounded by water.
Walking there is a good way to be aware of the volcanic origins of the city.
Walking up Mount Victoria, I met this strange funny man.

The view was fantastic up there.
On one side, the city centre....

On the other side, the Hauraki Gulf Islands...

and Rangitoto Island.

After a good breakfast on the top, I went down to wander around the streets. This very colourful bird was quite shy and wouldn't let me approach him.

I went on till the peaceful Cheltenham Beach. It was still early and a bit cold for a swim...

But just enjoying the view was fantastic.

Then I had to catch my bus to Rotorua...

Bye-bye Auckland! I had 4 hours to enjoy the beautiful hilly landscape.

And there I was in Rotorua, ready for new exciting adventures!

First day in Auckland

2008-11-26T23:55:00.000-08:00

Today I spent the morning in the city centre. It is not very big, but really busy. As in Sydney, cars seem to be a major thing here. Actually, I realized during my trip that without a driving license, you can get easily stuck in this country! Anyway, this is the 328 metre high Sky Tower. It is said to be the highest in the southern hemisphere...

I went back to Parnell in the afternoon. Auckland is a very hilly city, so you have to have strong legs to survive there!

Parnell is very quiet. Many painted wooden houses with beautiful details and small gardens are hidden in the back streets.

They all have different colours and are pretty well maintained...

And on Parnell Road, the main street, you can find some very chic venues at Parnell Village.

The Knox Church was standing there at one side of the road.

Not far from there, in the middle of a huge park (the Domain), is the Auckland Museum.

I went there with one of the other "strange birds" staying at the backpacker...

We saw the Secrets Revealed exhibition.

"Did you know that only 2% of the Museum’s objects are on display? The remaining 98% have been hidden away, carefully cared for by our Museum staff. But now a host of these objects have escaped their storage confines wanting some limelight! Listen to these objects as they tell you their intriguing secrets while at the same time discover the Museum’s secrets – the way we collect, study and care for our treasures."

The setup was really good. It may have been really fun to put everything together.

We saw many boxes hiding mysterious objects.

Strange creatures from another era...

Old books telling us forgotten stories...

For a couple of hours, we got lost in a fantastic world...

Going to New Zealand

2008-11-25T22:41:00.000-08:00

That's it! I'm off for 10 days in New Zealand. The flight went all right and in only 2.5 hours, I was here.

It was quite cloudy and we couldn't really enjoy the great view arriving on the Northern Island.

I went straight to Parnell, a quiet surburb close to the city centre, to have a rest at the Lantana Lodge Backpacker.

It was a white-painted wooden house, typical from the area.

I'm having a great time there and have already met some nice people.

The Glebe Festival

2008-11-16T21:35:00.000-08:00

This Saturday was the Glebe Festival. It looked like a huge street market.

There was nice swinging music

And colours everywhere

More music...

And more colours...

Many funny hats enjoying the party

And, the best of the best: Real Dutch Poffertjes!

I would never have thought I could enjoy my favourite dessert so far away from home.

An afternoon in the Botanic Garden

2008-11-13T18:12:00.000-08:00

It was pretty sunny this afternoon, and the shadow of the Botanic Garden was quite tempting.

The Garden is right opposite the Opera House. Each time I pass in front of this monument, I cannot help from taking pictures of it. Everybody does, and about 80% of all the postcards that you can find in Sydney feature the Opera House. How boring! So, I am not being original at all. But it is really beautiful, and it always changes according to the light...

I liked the sign at the entrance of the Garden.

"Please walk on the grass... You are also welcome to smell the roses, hug the trees, talk to the birds..." Talk to the birds!!?! I felt so happy! You feel really welcome in here!

This is a beautiful park, right in the centre of the city.

On one side, the skyscrapers...

... on the other side, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge...

The park is a real collection of amazing trees and colours.

It is also the memory of the city.

It's a paradise for ferns...

and for bamboos

for cactus...

And looking up into the trees, I saw "THEM".

They were everywhere!

On every single branch...

They were a bit scary, much bigger than the ones I've seen in Europe. And they were making so much noise! This was a real bat colony...

Watch this one's fingers!

I decided to follow it and see where it was going to... This was the end of my little visit to the Botanic Garden.

From Manly to Spring Cove

2008-11-12T00:39:00.000-08:00

Manly is one of my favourite beaches in Sydney. This morning, it looked very quiet, but because of strong undercurrents, you couldn't go for a swim.

I followed the coast path leading to Spring Cove, a calm walk away from the crowd.

After a few meters, I got welcomed by this beautiful octopus.

But this was only the beginning. In the next little wood, I suddenly heard something big moving... I thought I was back to prehistory!

Waterdragons can get quite big. This one was about 60 cm. But he didn't seem to like getting his picture taken very much.

Anyway, I was the only one being amazed by his presence. Everyone else was just passing by, without even watching it. And later on I understood why... There were dozens of them sunbaking!

This part of Sydney seems to be quite rich in wild life... But I haven't seen any of those cute bandicoots.

After about two hours, this was Collins Beach. A magnificent wild little place, still in its virgin state.

A bit further in Spring Cove, it seemed that everything had stayed untouched...

It is hard to imagine that in the 1920s, this place was chosen as a gasworks site.

But the factory closed in 1964 and some years later, the whole area was cleaned, becoming the perfect place to spend a day out.

A little walk brought me to the wharf, and after a ferry ride, here I was again, in the city.

The old tram depot

2008-11-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

Walking around the other day, I passed in front of this old building. A great example of industrial heritage.

It was easy to get inside. And it was huge! It may have stayed unused for quite some time, and little by little, nature is coming back.

I decided to explore the place further. You feel so small sometimes!

Obviously some people did explore before us...

The roof structure was quite impressive

But obviously not very solid anymore...

So I ended my visit...

I walked in the colorfull back streets...

through an over-painted tunnel...

saw a beautiful Illawarra Flame Tree...

I almost walked on a banana... WHO in hell left that there?

Sydney is a highly multicultural place, and for some seconds, I thought I was somewhere else in the world.

I stopped to play a bit...

And then it was time go get back home... Everybody was preparing for the night...

Greetings from Watson's Bay!

2008-11-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

Today was the perfect day for a walk through Watson's Bay; my favourite place so far.

Little boats sunbathing...

More trees looking like strange creatures...

This one was huge!!!

I even made a new friend... Punk is not dead at Watson's Bay!

And this is what you find at the end of the little park... The Gap!

Looking to the left...

Looking to the right...

This is the most famous place in Sydney for... suicide!

It also used to be a key point for the protection of the city.

Terrible things happened here in the past.

But today, nobody seems to care anymore...

People go fishing near the beach...

And this big blue-tongue lizard was probably the slowest in the world...

Sailing is safer than ever...

On my way back I got jealous of this little fairy wren.

So I made a crucial decision: I'm gonna dye my feathers as soon as I get home!

Another lighthouse... I like them all...

Well... This was close to Lady Beach, one of the most beautiful places to go and swim... I don't know why it has such a name, because the only living beings I could see there were a crowd of naked men staring at me while I was passing by. Sure, they've never seen a photographer-pelican before... I quickly turned my camera towards the opposite side and tried to concentrate on something less problematic...

I wouldn't mind living in this place...

But unfortunately, this is not the case... This bridge led me to the bus stop, back to Enmore...

Once again, this was a fantastic day, and I jumped in bed with loads of beautiful images to dream about...

From Cremorne Point to Taronga Zoo

2008-11-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

This morning a big cruise ship arrived at Circular Quay.

A cruise ship from...

I wonder how much time it may take by sea...

In comparison, the ferry to the North of Sydney looked not bigger than a little ant...

We arrived at Cremorne Point and its white light house.

Like many others in the area, this was once the place to be. People used to go there for amusement in the late 19th century.

The point almost became a mining center, but thanks to the many protesters, this never happenned.

It is now a natural reserve, and it is hard to imagine all the activity that went on there in the past.

I had to cross a little forest... but didn't see any dangerous spiders.

I did see some enormous termite nests...

Some of them were so heavy that they just fell on the ground... So I watched my head.

I saw many wicked trees...

Another feathered creature...

And ships "resting" in Mosman Bay at the end of the afternoon...

This was a nice and easy walk. In 15 minutes by ferry, you can really feel kilometers away from the big city.

Sculpture By The Sea

2008-11-02T15:42:00.000-08:00

Today I took a bus to Bondi... Surprise! It was the last day of Sculpture by the Sea. The walk between Bondi and Bronte beach was crowded, but there were many good works on show.

Here are some of them. I couldn't find the names of all the artists yet, so I will complete this post as soon as I get more info...

Someone was living there...

The Blue's Point Walk

2008-10-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

Today I decided that the moment had come to really start discovering the city. So I took the Walking Sydney book in my beak, my camera under my wing, and jumped in the first train to North Sydney.

I saw many beautiful buildings... The city is a true mix of old and modern architecture. This former school is now a pub.

The Christ Church had a perfect little garden for a break.

I saw a beautiful old swimming pool with cute little details...

Cute little houses with beautiful old details...

... and fellow animals on them...

I saw great plants...

A big Moreton Bay Fig - they have the greatest smell... Trust my Pelican nose!

A jacaranda tree...

And bougainvilleas everywhere!

I passed in front of the Luna Park...

It was actually quite funny, with all those old fashion Merry-go-rounds...

And there I was at Blue's Point!

The place was named after Billy Blue, an early Australian convict. The story they told in the book was quite funny.

"His crime was stealing a bag of sugar. In 1807, Billy became Sydney's first ferryman, rowing commuters across the harbour with their horses swimming alongside. [...] Billy was caught red-handed with two barrels of spirits lashed to his boat, and was gaoled for a year. He became an outrageous eccentric, dressing in an outlandish naval uniform, insisting women curtsy and men salute him. He went so far as to insist his passengers do their own rowing when he was in command."

I staid there some time, watching the boats passing by and a Chinese couple getting married.

... and crossed back over the bridge to the other side... It was moving quite a lot in the middle!

Sydney in 8 pics

2008-10-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

After a few days in Sydney, here are some first impressions of the city...

An impressive skyline…

Huge buildings… This was in July, when they cut the traffic in the city center because of the Pope’s visit.

The streets are usually crowded with cars, trucks, buses... Here they have highways in the middle of the city

But fortunately, nature is never far away...

Strange birds haunt the many parks

And a majority of Sydneysiders lives in pretty suburb houses...

Actually, the city center is quite tiny, but greater Sydney spreads kilometers and kilometers away.

Anyway, it's always easy to get on one of the many ferries and go for a walk...

Or simply go to the beach!

The trip...

2008-10-18T05:32:00.000-07:00

So, that’s it, I’m on the big island. The trip to get here was pretty long, and it feels strange to stop in all those countries that you cannot even visit.

This was Hong-Kong... A view from the airport. With two hours of transit, no time for visiting. But those huge buildings were quite amazing.