LIFE UNLEASHED

Author’s Note: This post is a continuation of our last post “1 Campervan, 2 Silly Canadians and 5000 Dusty Kms” and best read in that order.

We left you with visions of sharks & manta rays from the West Coast of Australia to move inland to some of the most spectacular scenery in Australia – Karinjini National Park.

Picture the middle of the Western Desert springing forth deep gorges almost untouched by man and you’ve got Karinjini National Park. There are some great hikes you can do to the bottom of gorges, lush with plant life, full of birds and secret swimming holes. We did most of them and can recommend all. But the definite highlight of our 4 days was the canyoning trip taken with West Oz Adventures. Listed as one of the “Top Ten things a Bloke should do before he dies” (or a Sheila should do for that matter!) how could we resist the challenge.

So we threw on wet suits, helmets, ropes & an inner tube to float through the gorges on and jumped (10 m down a natural rock water-slide to be exact) right in! Our canyoning adventure included 5 hours of hiking down into a gorge, abseiling through a waterfall, water-sliding down natural rock slides, rock climbing along sheer rock ledges (clamped on, of course) and marveling at the amazing rock colours surrounding us. Never have we felt so close to nature and so adrenalin pumped at the same time.

How do you follow-up one of the best things we’ve done in our lives (canyoning)? By a few more life highlights in the Bungle Bungles. But before that we had 2000km to cover and took a lovely 4 day break on the coast in the most remote ‘city’ in Australia - Broome. We enjoyed a few movies in the oldest outdoor cinema in the world, took advantage of a more developed city in some tasty restaurants, spent a day on lounge chairs at Cable Beach (voted one of the best in the world) and recharged our batteries after a suspicious cough/fever that might have been caused by what Brad termed “Gorge Pigs” in Karinjini. (i.e. possibly a mild case of swine flu).

We left Broome with the excitement of crossing the Kimberly through one of the last areas of Australia we haven’t covered by land (just have the Nullabor left now!). The Kimberly is as remote, arid and almost deserted as you’d expect. But at the same time it has some amazing swimming holes, gorges, wildlife and natural rock formations like the Bungle Bungles. We left Wanda for a few days and headed into Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles) for 3 days of 4 WD adventure and camping on our own.

To begin with, it was 100% worth the extra effort of taking your own (or Thrifty’s) rental 4WD into the Bungle Bungles. The drive in was a fun 4WD track that went over small rivers, through bumpy rocky outcrops and past some stunning scenery. Once in the Bungle Bungles there were some fantastic walks to Echidna Chasm, Cathedral Gorge and one of our favs – Mini Palm Gorge where we were the only humans in site. It was hot. Not just a little hot. HOT! So be prepared.

We loved the hikes, and the connection of being in place that is so remote and almost sacred feeling. But for a kick of adrenalin we took an early morning helicopter tour of the Bungle Bungles. Picture us helicopter newbie’s (1st time!) walking up to a tiny, blue helicopter without any doors riding over ancient landscapes. We were grinning the whole time! AWESOME!

After leaving the Bungle Bungles things did settle down a bit. We camped a few days beside Lake Kunnunura and had a friendly freshi crocodile named George visit the lakeside each night. I don’t know about you, but if there is any sized crocodile next to my tent I’d be a little worried! Bats would fly by in the thousands and all the while we’re sipping a cool glass of white wine soaking in all the adventures. What more could you ask for?

We finished the final 1000km of our 5000km from Perth in Darwin a city we’ve visited a few times already. Luckily we made it to the Mindle Beach Markets for a fresh mango smoothie and a glass of wine while watching the best sunset in the world.

Western Australia –that’s what I call 5 weeks unleashed!

“Get your motor runnin‘.  Head out on the highway.”  There is no better way to see the Tuscan countryside than on a motor bike -  All 125 cc’s of it screaming up hills and around windy corners.  As an Italian co-worker of mine told me - “Us Italians, we like our roads like we like our woman…CURVY!”  We spent the day driving past olive groves and vineyards, past castles and over hilltops.  We stopped when could to sample the fine foods and wine, admire the awesome views and walk through the ancient battlements.  The effect of the day was made even cooler by Lisa’s idea to wear 60’s inspired blue jean bell bottoms.  We WERE Easy Rider!  Scooters are so prevalent in Italy that you can actually feel cool riding one.  Especially if you park it next to a 1500 cc BMW bike so and pretend that we rode in style.  Go mad motor scooter, GO! 

We even did most of our riding on the right side of the road, which in Italy, is the RIGHT side of the road.  However, my Australian brainwashing did have me drive off a one way street on the LEFT side of the road. That’s one more of my nine lives gone. The only consolation was that the screaming man coming towards us on a very fast moving Ducati would have assumed we were British. 

You take a bit of a risk when you book yourself into a hayloft!  Luckily, the Tuscans know how to make a  11th  century Hayloft pretty inviting.  Firstly, they build the Hayloft right in the middle of the Chianti wine region, allowing us to sample the finest Chianti Classico our meagre backpacker budget would allow.  Secondly, they plant olive trees all around the hayloft and then press the olives into a fine olive oil which they supply you free of charge.  Thirdly, they make your hayloft into a 2 story fully equipped apartment with flat screen television and wireless internet.  Fourth, they put in a pool right outside your front door.  Fifth, they get three huge (but friendly) dogs named Shampoo, Shanti and Sheela, to greet you every time you come through the front gate.  Last but not, least they drench everything in a healthy dose of Tuscan sunshine.  Perfect. 

(Check out Casa Mezzuola at:  www.mezzuola.com)

The word for trouble in Italain is spelled L-I-S-A!

Upon entering a fast food restaurant I was immediately told:

“Madame. In Line please”. (All I was trying to do was read the menu before deciding where to eat)

You’d think I would learn but alas, in a moment of rebellious foolhardiness I approached a fruit stand and picked up a Pink Lady (apple) to buy:”

“No touch-a the fruit!”

The culmination of my troublemaker status came while we were picnicking in a park in the town of Frascat (near Rome)i. Our ignorance of the Italian language prevented us from reading the “Keep of the Grass” sign. Along waddled an old lady who started up in a pitch close to that of an ambulance siren. Now, as I mentioned we do not speak Italian but this is what we infer that she said

“Ma Ma Mia! Why you walk on the grass? This-a lawn, it’s-a been in ma family for sixteen generations. Why? Why you bend-a the blades? Why you hav-a to sit on it?!?! We post-a da sign. Still you bend-a the blades. Six-a-teen generations! Why? Wwwwwwwhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyy?”

So as you can see, L-I-S-A clearly spells trouble in Italy.

Note: We know this post is utterly offensive  (but we couldn’t resist) and for that we apologize wholeheartedly to our many Italian friends and in fact to the whole country of Italy. The Italian people have been wonderful hosts and always ready with a smile. Please take this with humou as at no point was anyone particularly mean to me.  A bit of scolding is nothing 2 or 3 gelati won’t fix J

African Safari.  On many peoples  “to do before I die” list and in our case, one of the best things we’ve ever done!  So why not do it in one of the best game parks in Africa - the Serengeti.  Big 5 here we come!

The great thing about the Serengeti is that you don’t even have to be in it to see awesome animals.  On the way there we found a bunch of Giraffes and a herd of Zebra and a large family of baboons.  But once you actually get into the park you become overwhelmed.  Many people don’t realize this but the Serengeti is actually a cool climate plateau situated about 1000 meters above sea level.  To get there you have to climb up and over a ridge  formed by ancient volcanoes providing a stunning view back to lake Manayara.  You think you have seen one of the most beautiful sights ever until and hour later you reach the famed Ngorogoro crater.  This 19 km wide hole IS the lost world!  You peer over the rim and see small forests, open pastures and a large mirror like lake and  to your right is a guy with a sub machine gun?!?!? 

So you ask, “dude, why the heavy artillery?”

“protect you from lions”, he calmly remarks

You slowly walk backwards from the rim and get back into your 4WD Land Cruiser.  I asked our super knowledgeable driver Habib what actually lives down in the crater.  His answer - “everything!”  I looked back into the crater half expecting to see a pterodactyl!  Habib would take us down there but not until after the Serengeti as Ngorogor’s over abundance of wildlife in such a small area could spoil the rest of trip and is therefore best done last.  It was a great thing we had Habib to do the planning, his 14 years of experience in the Serengeti let him know where to go and when to get there to have the best experience.  Another great thing about Habib was that he seemed to have had a surgery which had implanted permanent binoculars where his eyes once were.  He could spot animals that were miles away and tell you what sex they were.  Often even with binoculars we would just be able to make out a dark smudge that  would then morph into the animal Habib had mentioned as we drove closer.

Story 1 - The Hunt

We pulled up to a rather uninteresting and lazy looking group of Wildebeest.  About two seconds after stopping Habib calls out “Lion in the grass”  The Lion had been crouched down watching the wildebeest and had made a decision to use our vehicle as cove to get closer to the heard.  We watched the lion break into a trot along side the vehicle and the explode in a burst of speed at the end of our front bumper.  The wildebeest herd freaked out and split in two main groups heading in opposite directions.  A few unlucky wildebeest didn’t know which way to go and the lion quickly locked onto to one of these.  10 seconds and a hundred meters later the lion swiped out the rear leg of the beast.  As it hit the ground the lion automatically clamped it jaws around the throat.  We rolled up along side and watched the flailing kicks of the wildebeest as it struggled for it life.  It’s lips peeled back from it’s teeth as it  gasped for air.  After five minutes the wildebeest had stopped moving and the lion was exhausted.  The lion just lay there panting for another ten minutes before summoning the strength to drag the carcass a few feet into the tall grass.  What an amazing thing to witness.  It was like watching discovery channel but in real life.  We couldn’t help feel bad for the wildebeest but, hey, a lion’s got to do what a lion’s got to do.

Story 2 - The Grumpy Elephant

We had spent an entire day in the northern Serengeti searching for a large heard of elephants that we had heard about.  While we saw a lot of other things, elephants remained elusive.  How hard could it be to find a bunch of 2 tonne animals?!?!?  So it was with our heads hung low that we headed back to Migration Camp at about 6 pm.  of course what did we find less than a kilometre away from our luxury tent?  Fifty Elephants walking beside the road.  We got great pics of mothers herding newborns,  a large 20 year old mail feeding and then our way was blocked.  A 70 year old male with huge  tusks was in the road right in front of us.  We challenged him a few times by pulling up within about 10 meters.  Each time he would turn towards us and trumpet to give us a bit of a warning.  No matter what we tried he would not get out of the road though.  So after about thirty minutes of slowly following this grumpy old guy we finally found a suitable break in the dense vegetation to off road around him.  Once he saw that we got in front of him he let out one last great call as if to say that we cheated!.  It’s a truly amazing experience to get  to spend time with an old timer like this guy as there are very few elephants lucky enough to reach this age now in Africa.

Story 3 - Whats better than seeing a cheetah cub?

Two of the harder things to find in the Serengeti are leopards and cheetahs.  Right up until the end of our week long Safari we had been tied with 3 leopards and 3 cheetahs.  Just before getting to the gate on the way out the tie was broken by a sleepy leopard high up in a tree.  We were sure leopards were the winner but then on the other side of the gate along came a cheetah.  Most cheetah have small litters of two or three but this one had six cubs in tow!  They were super fuzzy, with big round heads and still free of spots. 

When we told an experienced guide about it he said “No way!!  6 cubs!  That’s unheard of”.  Partially because the mother cheetah typically eats the runt of the litter to regain the energy she’s lost from pushing out 6 cubs and not hunting for a few weeks.  I guess this mother cheetah had a soft heart!

Ah Holi, what better excuse to get liquored up and throw bright coloured powdered paint at each other than Holi.  It’s extra fun when combined with visiting one of the biggest outdoor crafts markets, in Anjuna, Goa..  We went from stall to stall looking at jewellery, tapestries, clothing, bags, drums, paintings and then in between each get hit with a colour bomb to the face.  Once people got tired of painting each other they turned on the sacred cows roaming along the beach.  By the end of the day there was a pink cow, a blue cow and a green cow and a  couple of very festive rainbow cows that we spotted. Ofcourse, they were immediately christened the Holi Cows!

Oh, and if you are worried about staining your clothes with all that powdered paint; any Indian will tell you it washes out.  It doesn’t!  Total cost to attend  Holi: 300 Rupies for beer.  2 Shirts.