Jaab, Louise and the 5 stars curiosity
Jaab is from Netherland, but has been living in Australia for ten years or so. Louise is australian. They met a little bit more than one year ago. Since, they sold there houses and most of the things they owned, in order to buy “The Spiring of Curiosity”. An old bus, transformed to a 5 stars house, where they now live full time, traveling -as slowly as possible- across Australia. Travelers, couchsurfers. The Spirit of Curiosity is big enough to allow them to host other travelers they meet on the road. I’ve seen there profile while they were in Coober Pedy. they were the only other couchsurfer while I was there. I didn’t contact them immediately, and when I looked for there profile again, they were already gone. A few weeks later, they were in Alice Springs. Hripsime contact them before flying to the red center, as I was not in the best condition to host her myself. That allows her to enjoy an amazing welcome in a bus more than comfy. Well, I do have to confess that I enjoy the comfort of the bus too. Jaab and Louise are just lovely. We spent a lot of amazing moment talking -most of the time while having food, and some wine. Travelers in the soul, with lot of anecdotes to share. If we talked about Europe, North America and Australia, we also talked about artificial intelligence, politics, economy, and so much more.
And finally, “the Spiring of Curiosity” had to go back on the road, heading north. We are going west. For a small loop, in the West Macdonnel Ranges. We’ll be coming back in Alice in a few days, and then heading to Uluru. Before going north too.
As usual, saying “good bye” was not really easy. But even if they have a long advance on us, they travel slower than we do. So we do have an appointment. Some where. Some time. Here. Or there. Or maybe somewhere else.
Jaab, Louise and the 5 stars curiosity
Jaab is from Netherland, but has been living in Australia for ten years or so. Louise is australian. They met a little bit more than one year ago. Since, they sold there houses and most of the things they owned, in order to buy “The Spiring of Curiosity”. An old bus, transformed to a 5 stars house, where they now live full time, traveling -as slowly as possible- across Australia. Travelers, couchsurfers. The Spirit of Curiosity is big enough to allow them to host other travelers they meet on the road. I’ve seen there profile while they were in Coober Pedy. they were the only other couchsurfer while I was there. I didn’t contact them immediately, and when I looked for there profile again, they were already gone. A few weeks later, they were in Alice Springs. Hripsime contact them before flying to the red center, as I was not in the best condition to host her myself. That allows her to enjoy an amazing welcome in a bus more than comfy. Well, I do have to confess that I enjoy the comfort of the bus too. Jaab and Louise are just lovely. We spent a lot of amazing moment talking -most of the time while having food, and some wine. Travelers in the soul, with lot of anecdotes to share. If we talked about Europe, North America and Australia, we also talked about artificial intelligence, politics, economy, and so much more.
And finally, “the Spiring of Curiosity” had to go back on the road, heading north. We are going west. For a small loop, in the West Macdonnel Ranges. We’ll be coming back in Alice in a few days, and then heading to Uluru. Before going north too.
As usual, saying “good bye” was not really easy. But even if they have a long advance on us, they travel slower than we do. So we do have an appointment. Some where. Some time. Here. Or there. Or maybe somewhere else.
Back on the road. Arltunga and Trephina.
Hripsime is staying with two couchsurfers who are living in a bus. Jaap and Louise. Traveling around Australia in this giant bus, big enough to host people from time to time. They were planning to do a one day trip to Arltunga Historical Reserve and Trephina Gorge. And I was more than welcome to join.
Back to life
I’ve been quiet for a little while. I think it’s important to alternate quiet period and more busy period. That’s what I did over the last two weeks in Alice Springs. Well, when I arrived here, I was quite motivated to find a job, and start my quest immediately. I was really interested to work as a guide, and I started doing all the different things that need to be done… I just ended up catching the flu, a pretty big one, that left me half alive in a backpackers for a few days. During that time, I had feedback for the guide job opportunity. ” Someone who speaks french is exactly what we need at the moment. Bilingual is even better. You have a nice profile. That’s perfect. But to bad, you’re on a Working Holiday Visa, you can stay only 4 months, so we’re not going to hire you”. And at the same time, I was listening to this french girl, with such an accent that even a caricaturist won’t try to copy it, explaining with such a bad vocabulary that she just got a job in a cafe where I applied too. Seems that my boobs where not as good as hers…
I’ve decide to forget about finding a job in Alice. Instead, I was going to start a secret plan. A plan I’ve been working on the last few days. It supposed to happened this sunday. I’ll be able to tell you more by then. So at the moment, I’m just relaxing and enjoying, leaving in a caravan, with no door, no heater, no mattress, but internet. Little bit cold by night, but people here are really friendly. And I can stay a couple of days, as long as I help a little bit from time to time.
My friend Hripsime, that I met in Melbourne, just arrived in Alice Springs. I was really happy to see her back at the airport. Now have a new travelmate. Adventures starting again soon !
John McDouall Stuart
John McDouall Stuart is one of the most famous australian explorer. And one of those who spent the most time discovering the outback.
Born in Scotland, the 7 of september 1815, he’s the youngest boy of a family of 9 children. He studied at the Scottish Naval and Military Academy as a civil engineer, before he moved to Australia in 1838, at 23. He’s a slight delicately built man, about 168cm tall, and weighing less that 55 kg. When in arrived in South Australia, in 1839, there’s nothing to find there. He worked as a surveyor, in the semi arid scrub of the newly settled districts, making out blocks for settlers and miners. If life in camp is hard, Stuart quickly get a reputation of being someone extremely precise.
In 1844, Captain Sturt took the young Stuart with him on an exploration journey to the Simpson Desert, one of the aridest part of South Australia. When the commandant in second died, Sturt appointed Stuart in his place. They finally managed to came back to Adelaide, but Sturt will never totally recover from the expedition, and it took Stuart one year to be able to work again. It’s only a few years later than Stuart will start heading expedition by himself.
Because of its small seize, Stuart looks very friendly to aboriginal people, who quiet often help him, as they seems to find him less dangerous than the other white people. Known to be alcoholic, with sight problem, his body was still able to suffer lots of privation, and he had a very strong will. With not so many friend, he tried to avoid crowd as much as he can. He didn’t really matter what we was wearing, our how people saw him. He had everything of a sociopath, but seems to be highly trust for his survival skills in the outback.
He had already lead two majors expeditions -leading them almost to what’s now the border between the Northern Territory- when Australian government starts the telegraph contest, with a 2,000 pounds price to win. The objective is to find a way to build a telegraph line from Adelaide to Darwin. Darwin is already connected to Indonesia and, from there, to London. The idea of this telegraph line is to connect Sydney to the mother land. A few expedition was held, including the famous one by Burke and Wills (more details to come about this one too).
Stuart lead a few expeditions north, going a little bit further each time. Traveling as light as he can, taking with him only a few men and dozen of horses. Going as far as he can, and then coming back. At his third attempt after the beginning of the contest, he finally reach Darwin area on the 24th of july 1862. He came back to Adelaide, where the price won’t be given to him. Known to be a drunk sociopath, he instead had a rent. The price went, instead, to a search program. Half blind of all this time spent in the desert, he finally came back to scotland, where in died on the 5th of june 1866. Story says that there was only one person to attend the funeral of this man who explored so much of Australia.
The telegraph line was finally built following his advice. What of the constraint was to be able to find water source often on the road, to be able to build repeater office. Later, the Ghan railway follow part of the same trail too. As did the road, the Stuart Highway, that links Adelaide to Darwin. Some of the roadhouse, where you can often stop during the drive, are actually at the same place the old repeater office were…
Wish all of you a great solstice
Should it be a summer one or a winter one! Never forget how awesome the sun is, and how magical the moment you share with him can be.
Two years on the road
Two years on the road… I guess some might disagree, as I’ve been back to Montreal during those two years. But for me, a journey doesn’t start when you close your door, when you take your backpack, or when you get in the bus. A journey can start long before that…
It was on the 18th of june 2010. I was boarding a plane to San Francisco. We were two, going together. I was alone to come back, to learn that I’ve lost my job too. I’ve never totally come back to Montreal since…
Today, in order to celebrate, I’m starting to settle down quietly in Alice Springs. Waiting for news for an appointment in order to work as a tour guide. Today, I’ve finished writing my book, and I’ve just send it for rereading. Today is sunny, and a new journey has began. Administrative journey, this time. Not that easy to work as a guide! I’ll give you some news soon…
That’s what those last two years looks like. Yes, I’ve been blogging for a long time now. But only in french at that time. Sorry for that!
Les Aventures du Pourquoi Pas ?, july-october 2010
The Ghan
Previously called “The Afghan Express” in homage to the Afghans Camelers who keep a permanent link for more than 150 years with the Red Center, “The Ghan” links Adelaide, in South Australia, to Darwin, in Northern Territories. A 2,979 kilometers trip that will takes you 3 days to complete.
The first track was following John MacDouall Stuart trail. Yes, the one who gives his name to the Stuart Highway. Still planning to tell you more about this one. On sunday the 4th of august 1929, the first train left Adelaide, boarding more than 100 passengers, heading to the remote town of Stuart. A town that, a few years later, will be named “Alice Springs”.
The Ghan crosses some of the most arid and hardest land of Australia. Subject to flash flood, fire, and even to termites. The legend says that one of the train staid blocked for 2 weeks at the same place, and that the motor engineer had to shoot wild goats to feed himself and the passengers.
In 1980, a new track was built, using concrete, termite proof. Still had to wait until 2004 for Darwin to be connected.
A trip aboard the Ghan is a unique experience, as are the landscape you’ll see from the train. MacDonnell Ranges in the south, the Red Center, and the tropical landscape in the north.
Interesting fact: the Ghan timetable is made for tourist. So the train stops for a few hours in Katherine, for passenger to be able to jump in a bus, and have a quick look around. Same in Alice, where you can stop for a few hours, or a few days, to have the time to visit Uluru. It’s not a real train trip. More a train cruse. Train drives by night when the landscape is not so much inspiring, and by day when you really want to see through your window. Definitely a unique way of traveling.
And what about the comfort? As usual, I’ve been traveling on a “poor” seat, taking the cheapest ticket I could find. And I just traveled from Katherine to Alice Springs. Only 1200 kilometers, traveled in 15 hours. People told me that the Ghan was a retirement house on wheel. That’s actually true if you stay in the most expensive part of the train. But if you’re happy with a simple seat, then you’ll meet all kind of travelers. Expect a nice comfort, but nothing exceptional. Wide folding seat, so you can rest, but with nothing to put your feet on. Less comfy that Amtrak in the States or Via Rail in Canada. But definitely better than the SNCF night train in France!
Anyway… the experience is unique and really nice. And I still keep the train as my favorite way of traveling!
Katherine Gorges
I have this feeling that I’ve been asking too much those last weeks. Like if I had use all my “luck point”. It seems to me that it’s time to come back to a more simple way of doing thing, without asking any question. Just traveling simply. It’s hard to explain… maybe it’s just about thinking that everything is going to be just perfect, and admit that some time, there might be something going wrong. Yes, maybe I just need to connect again with reality.
Yesterday has been a little bit hard, but a good night helps me to feel much better. This morning, once again, the day starts with some staff practice. It’s just amazing how it hep me feeling so great. After that, I can just start my day slowly. Packing my backpack, and be back on the road, thumbs up. Two minutes later, a car stops and drive me in town. Quick internet break, and I’m now on the road to the gorges. I’m thinking with amusement that I’ve been hitchhiking exactly at the same place, just a few days ago, with Mara, in order to get back to Alex and Petrina’s house. Wait has been shorter. Still… I didn’t have that much to wait. A really friendly guy stop. He’s driving to the hospital, 7 km from here. When I tell him that I’m going to the gorge, he just says something like “well, I can take a little detour I guess”. And he drops me, 25 km later, at the entrance of the campground, after a great ride, talking about nothing and everything. I thank him, and wish him a great day before I start walking again.
The place seems perfect. Calm and relax. I already know that I would have stay a few more days. But I have a train to catch tomorrow. I walk toward the campground, and put my tent in a tranquil place. Before I start a new adventure.
I grab a few information. There’s a lot of great hike to do. There’s also the possibility of renting a canoe, at an honest price. Nothing available for this afternoon, but maybe tomorrow morning… I’ll see. As for now, I take my backpack, my flute and my didgeridoo. I can’t really leave them behind me anymore. They are part of me as is my camera.
The hike starts with a nice climb up, giving a few great view over the gorge, before walking away from the cliffs. This place is as quiet as I was expecting. The sun is a little bit hot, but not too much. I’m feeling well. I’m me. I’m walking.
I arrive at the “Rock hole”. Amazing falls during wet season, it’s just a little stream and a place of coolness today. I stop. Play a little bit of music, walk to the gorges, and start walking back.
I meet three austrian guys, with whom I talk up to the campground. One more time, my didgeridoo is a reason of many question, that I answer with the same pleasure as usual. Maybe I should have buy a few of them before leaving Melbourne, and sell them on the road! I really feel that this way of making didge is totally new, as everybody just give me exactly the same comment: “that’s the first time I see one like that”.
Back to the campground, for a quiet evening. I’m writing on my computer when I hear a little bit of noise. I give a look. There’s a really nice python, wandering in the campground. Great beast!
It’s always at that time that a little voice just remind you “don’t forget that you’re walking barefoot. And don’t forget that you’re sleeping in a tent. On the ground”. Well… I imagine that I’m a little bit to big for this guy. The fact that I wake up alive, the next morning, seems to confirm that.
I’ll spend the morning, canoeing on the river, being just amazed by a really relaxing place. The gorge is just awesome.
Edith Falls
I finally said good bye to Mara. She’s taking the plane in a few hours. And I’m driving back slowly to Katherine. Just want to take my time. I do a quick first stop, close to the springs, to have a look to the river, and go back on the road.
I’ll do an other detour, stopping at Edith Falls, where I also take the time for a small walk, in order to see the falls. It’s nice to be back walking. Haven’t done that for a while! When I reach the lake, I have a look to the water. I look the falls. Look the water again. Check the warmth. To cold for me. Definitely to cold. Well… that’s what I usually say. But I’ve decided to fight with this fear of cold water for a little while now. I’m just tired of seeing all those amazing place to swim, but staying on the shore, because I don’t want to swim in cold water. There was a time when it didn’t bother me. I’m quite cold proof outside, in the air. I do love water. It’s time for me to start swimming in cold water again. Put my feet. Put my knees. It’s really cold. Just a bad time to go through. I’m thinking. Water is part of me as much as I’m part of water. That’s just as simple as that. Water is my element, she’s waiting for me. I dive. It’s cold. I swim. Done. Not cold anymore. Of course, I knew this was going to happen. I’m laughing. I’m happy. I haven’t done that for ages! Swim up to the falls, swim back. Feeling so well!
Walk back to the car, and go back on the road.
Back in Katherine, I have a quite anxious message from Toni. Seems that we had a misunderstanding about the car, and she doesn’t understand why she can’t reach me. I meet her a little bit later. We have a talk about that. I give the car back, it will be easier.
I’m a little bit lost, in the middle of Katherine, not really knowing where to go now… I’m not going anywhere… spend a little while on internet, before I decide it could be a good idea to find a place to stay. The first hostel is closed. The second one too. I try a motel, but it’s way to expensive for me. I jump into a cab, who drive me to a campground, with better price. I’m back in my tent, in a campground with no soul, on the side of the road. Coming back to really is, sometime, a difficult experience!
A place of perfect balance: Douglas Hot Springs
I consider myself to be well balanced. I like this word, as in french, libra -my astrological sign- translate in “balance”. I do not believe in astrologic, but still like this coincidence. I’m not talking about being mentally balanced (hope I am!) but elemental balance. I’m feeling as strongly linked with water and fire, with air and earth. I like free diving as I like fire breathing. I like flying a kite as I like seating in the dust in the middle of the desert. I like being happy, wherever I am.
I was talking with Mara about Crater Lake, in Oregon. Probably one of the place I’ve find myself the most in peace. Air is absolutely transparent in perfect purity. As is the water of the lake. The rim cliffs, forming the caldera, embrace everything is a strong and unbreakable hug. The volcano’s fire calm down, a long time ago. But you can still feel it, everywhere around you. Is the creative fire, at the beginning of this perfect place. You can’t ignore it. I haven’t been to so many place where or the element mixes in such a perfect harmony. And that in those kind of place I feel in perfect harmony with my surrounding. In those kind of place that I can feel so strongly my own balance.
I slept in the back of the truck, with a amazing view on the sky. I heard a few times that Kakadu was one of the best place to look to a starry night. The park is not so far from here, and I guess we can enjoy the same awesome view. I’ve never seen so many starts before. Even the milky way is so intense that you can almost believe it’s a could in the sky. I didn’t really sleep during the night. I was just so happy… I still trust life, and she’s still giving back. I’m not asking anything else. Almost…
I wake up a little bit before sunrise. Took my camera, my flute and my didgeridoo. The water, the vapor twirling, the sandy ground and the trees around, the warmth, coming straight from the heart of the earth. I find my balance again. I find an other place where I’m in perfect harmony with my surrounding. The slowly howling of the didgeridoo just fits perfectly with the twirling of hot vapor.
Je me revendique comme une personne extrêmement équilibrée. Pour ça, j’aime bien utiliser le terme anglais « balanced » qui, même si je ne crois toujours pas en l’astrologie, convient très bien à la balance que je suis. Je ne parle pas d’un équilibre mental (que je pense quand même avoir !) mais d’un équilibre élémentaire. Je me sens autant en lien avec l’eau qu’avec le feu, avec l’air qu’avec la terre. J’aime faire de l’apnée et cracher du feu. J’aime faire voler un cerf volant et m’asseoir dans la poussière au milieu du désert. J’aime être heureux, peu importe l’endroit où je me trouve.
Je parlais avec Mara de Crater Lake, dans l’Oregon. Sans doute l’un des endroits où je me suis trouvé le plus en paix avec moi même. L’air est absolument transparent. D’une pureté parfaite. Tout comme l’eau du lac. Les lignes de crêtes déchiquetées des montagnes, et les falaises qui forment le cratère englobe le tout, dans un écrin qui semble indestructible. Le feu du volcan s’est apaisé il y a longtemps de cela. Mais on le sent toujours, tout autour de nous. Il est le feu créateur, à l’origine de cet endroit parfait. On ne peut l’ignorer. Je n’ai pas rencontré beaucoup de lieu où tout les éléments se rencontrent avec une telle harmonie. Ce sont dans les endroits comme ça que je me sens en complète communion avec ce qui m’entoure. Que je redécouvre mon propre équilibre intérieur.
J’ai dormi à l’arrière du camion, avec une vue imprenable sur le ciel. J’avais entendu dire depuis longtemps que Kakadu était l’un des plus beaux endroits pour observer le ciel. Je ne suis qu’à quelques centaines de kilomètres du parc. Je pense profiter du même ciel parfait. Jamais je n’ai vu autant d’étoiles. La voie lactée est tellement présente que l’on pense voir un nuage au milieu du ciel. Je n’ai pas vraiment dormi de la nuit. J’étais juste heureux, et bien. Je continue de faire confiance en la vie, elle continue à me le rendre. Je ne demande rien de plus. Ou presque…
Je me suis levé un peu avant le soleil. Mes parents vont bientôt devoir demander un exorcisme je crois. J’ai attrapé mon appareil photo, ma flûte, et mon didgéridoo. L’eau, les volutes de vapeur, le sol sableux et les arbres tout autour, la chaleur du ventre de la terre. J’ai retrouvé mon équilibre. J’ai trouvé un autre endroit où je suis bien. Où l’harmonie des éléments me permet de me dissiper doucement dans tout ce qui m’entoure. Le lent bourdonnement du didgéridoo s’est marié à merveille avec les volutes d’eau chaude.
