Flinders Range Hiking

Yesterday I did a 14.6km hike in the Flinders ranges up to St Mary's Peak, the highest peak in the Flinders Ranges(1171m above sea level). The first part of the hike was fairly easy and I was thinking to myself, i'm going to complete this 6 hour hike in like 3.5 hours, this is easy. Then I had to start climbing up boulders and suddenly it wasn't so easy anymore! I was sweating, guzzling my water and cursing all my time at the pub and not in a gym or exercising. When I finally made it to the top the views were spectacular and it was worth all of the effort in the end.

I'm starting to get a hang of driving around and I am really enjoying myself. I saw some wild animals today and have been lucky enough so far not to have hit anything other than a lizard and a small bird that refused to move from my path. There are dead kangaroos everywhere, I hope that I don't hit one. Please keep the positive thoughts about this going, because if I hit one I will have to post pictures and no one wants to see that!

Does the mountain look like someones side profile of their face if they were laying down?

Please note I am posting my blog behind real time as I am having trouble finding reliable and affordable internet.

You can check out the rest of my pictures from today here: Click here

South Australia Driving - Timelapse

South Australian Sunset

Today I mostly drove, I created a timelapse video below of some of my driving, which is pretty cool.

I went into a small town gas station and was looking around to do some walking and the lady behind the counter, called out to ask if she could help me find anything. I told her that I was just looking around and she offered to discount anything that I wanted to buy. I ended up purchasing $20 worth of stuff because she gave it all to me at a discount!

Here is the video:

The Great Ocean Road

Last night was my first night in the van and I learned some valuable lessons:

1) Check that everything that is supposed to be in the van is there before leaving. My van was missing the sheets, which meant I slept in and on my clothes.
2) The van is MUCH smaller than I envisioned in my mind. There isn't much room for groceries, clothes and myself.
3) Mosquitoes are not my friend. I woke up this morning and I was bitten everywhere that was exposed, my hands, face and butt crack!

I completed the Great Ocean Road drive along the coast today, which was spectacular. Pieces of the land fall into the ocean as they are made up of different types of rocks/sand with different parts being weaker than other parts.

I then left the state of Victoria and passed into the state of South Australia. The change was immediate with forests, farms and winerys all around.

My Australian Roadtrip

After two years in Australia, I have decided that it's time to leave Australia and head somewhere new. Before I go I there are plenty of places that I haven't yet seen so I have rented a converted minivan/campervan to drive around Australia. I have given myself 4 weeks for this journey and have made a spreadsheet with tentative places to go and distances to drive. I have a good balance of beach and outback and I should have time to see everything that I want to see before leaving the Land Down Under.

Today I flew from Sydney to Melbourne and picked up my van that will be my home for the next month. I have started my roadtrip down the Great Ocean Road, following the coast from Melbourne to Adelaide.