Tag: #solofemaletraveler

United Kingdom

I left Sydney with some apprehension. The Russian war on Ukraine is worrying and the East coast of Australia is being ravaged by floods. I am a volunteer for the Red Cross Emergency Services and had received requests to assist in evacuation centres or in the Public Information Centre and felt guilty I was going away on a “holiday” while people are suffering. I don’t think my travel insurance will cover my guilt though. So with a couple of farewell dinners with the too much Sambucca I kissed my family and dear friends goodbye for 6 months.

My Singapore Airlines flight included a 2.5 hour stopover in Changi. The 8 hour flight was comfortable. After a 14 hour second flight, I arrived in London on 2 March 2022 for the first time. Had a giggle when propositioned by an airport worker who thought I was an American. Getting through border control was quite easy although it took 40 minutes. I was expecting Covid to have made it difficult but completing the passenger locator form before flying made the process of entering the UK very efficient.

To get to my airbnb at Watford, I had the choice to take an Uber or start my adventure testing my skills with the public transport system. Adventure won and I walked to Heathrow Central to get the 724 bus to Watford Junction at a cost of £12. Unfortunately my UK SIM card did not yet work and I didn’t have any wifi to get an Uber from Watford Juntion to the airbnb so I took a cab for £9. I did pretty alright. An Uber from Heathrow to Watford would have cost £67 and although 20 minutes longer, the bus and taxi trip saved me £46 or $AUD92. I think I will be ok with UK public transport.

Airbnb – my home for the first 7 days to get my bearings

I chose this place in Watford as it was well priced, had a separate granny flat with a garden in case I got Covid I didn’t want to be stuck in a hotel room in London with no window. Watford is known for Elton John purchasing their football team many years ago and the Harry Potter Studio which I am going to tomorrow.

Ceduna/Nullarbor/Head of the Bight

I had a marathon day today. Drove over 600 km exploring a place I did not imagine I would drive alone. The Nullarbor means treeless in Latin. Although I found the changing landscape not as barren as the name suggests but is ever changing. Although I am aware this is the Eastern part of the Nullarbor and it gets more and more arid further west.

Leaving Ceduna I stopped off at Penong for the windmill museum.

Along the way I snapped some cute Christmas decorations at the entrance of several properties.

Roadsigns and you know you are in the outback

The Great Australian Bight. I had no idea the Bight would be so turquoise and violet. Breathtaking. At the bottom of the centre of Australia.

Nullarbor Roadhouse

would not be the Nullarbor without a roadtrain

Ceduna

What a pretty place!! A population of around 2000 friendly people. Great feed at the Ceduna Foreshore Hotel Motel Bistro. Lovely beach. Only problem is that it is soo windy at this time. I understand that it is not normally this windy. Walking along the jetty is very scary. There is a railing on only one side and down at the end, there is no railing at all and I was too worried I would be blown into the ocean. Taking photos I thought my phone would blow out of my hands. The water is so clear with changing colours.

railing on one side!!

Some indigenous pavement art

Fossiking for treasure for my daughterinlaw

What a sunset!!

Port Lincoln

3 days in Port Lincoln over Christmas with my son’s inlaws. They live in Point Boston, 20 minutes out of Port Lincoln. There is nothing here but a few locals and a private beach. The beach is 20metres from their home.

I am staying in a quaint motel called First Landings complete with a four poster bed.

Walk into town

Whyalla to Port Lincoln

Whyalla is a steelworks and mining town and parts look a little old and disadvantaged but the area near the jetty has lovely old homes. I did a quick drive through and a little stroll. I love the smell of the beach in this part of the world. Even when low tide, it is a clean ocean smell. It is very windy and I wonder if this is why there are no people on the beach.

Next stop was Cowell. Known for their crabs. Apparently it is so easy to find blue swimmer crabs. When I have more time I would like to explore this. I stopped off to snap a photo of the silo art.

I bought a lovely pair of earrings in the Jade Shop. Cowell has the largest deposit of Jade in the world. The mine is run by Japanese but you can pick up some locally made jewellery from the Jade Motel where the stones are cut, polished and set on site.

Then on to Arno Bay to check this beachside village.

Tumby Bay silo art.

Adelaide to Whyalla

On my way to Port Lincoln for Christmas and I have broken up the trip a little. First stop was Lochiel to see the Pink Lake (Lake Bumbunga). Lochiel has their own legend or a sense of humour with their own Lochness monster known as the Loch-Eel.

Next stop was Port Germein to walk what was once the longest wooden jetty. I had a blustery 3 km walk on a very hot day. I should have stayed overnight in this quaint fishing village. Perhaps on the way back to Adelaide.

View out to sea
View from the Sea end looking back to shore 1.6km away

On to the Arid Botanical Gardens. I had a very quick stop here as I didn’t have much time but the gardens had a very particular scent I would liken to herbs and pine trees.

On the way the Port Wakefield tank art required a short stop.

Overnight stop at Whyalla. Very, very windy but the cabin I am in is very warm. I am too tired to check the new jetty in town but I did capture this pretty sunset.

Adelaide River and Crocodile Cruise

I started on a bus tour of Litchfield Park at 7.20am and never imagined it could end in such a high note. I had already done a cruise in Kakadu, the Yellow Waters Cruise, the Nitmiluk Cruise of Katherine Gorge. All special cruises with wonderful guides. My photos and videos will show how amazing this Crocodile cruise is. It went for over an hour. Cruise director, Pat in my mind is a real life Crocodile Dundee. He has a wealth of knowledge of the crocodiles, salt water crocodiles in the Adelaide River. On the tour Pat packs a Ruger “in case of an emergency”.

We were carefully seated on the boat to balance it correctly. Pat stressed no limbs or body parts whatsoever past the railings. Only one side to stand at a time.

Then Pat encouraged the crocodiles to come play.

Sneaky getting a snack. 4.6 metres 7 feet of crocodile

Gnasher is a male salt water crocodile and is approximately 4.9 metres metres long 16 feet long and about 50 years old.

Gnasher

Litchfield

I was a little unsure of doing a tour of Litchfield as I am a very independent traveller  and don’t like someone else controlling my trip and worried about the type of people on the bus. Offroad Dreaming has changed my mind. Lyn is a fun informative  driver and tour guide. With Pat, I will say is a real life ‘Crocodile Dundee’. More on Pat later.

20 people picked up at various hotels around Darwin and my pick up was 7.20am. First stop, cathedral and magnetic termite mounds

Cathedral termite mound
Magnetic termite mounds

Florence Falls has several swimming spots.

Buley Rockhole. We stopped for a dip and delicious lunch prepared by Lyn.

Wangi Falls. No swimming allowed yet as the rangers haven’t found and relocated a crocodile spotted on 19 April 2021. Shame as this spot looks glorious to swim up to the waterfalls.

Introducing Pat. My real life Crocodile Dundee. Complete with a Ruger. In case of emergency. Check my next post for a section devoted to Pat and his Crocodile Cruise.

Pat. Whom I call Crocodile Dundee

I love this weather rock from Humpty Doo

Port Lincoln to Ceduna

The decision to drive to Ceduna came about as this would be the closest I will get to seeing the Nullarbor Plain. The road runs along the Great Australian Bight stretch of land on the southern part of Australia which is flat, almost treeless, arid or semi-arid country of southern Australia with the Great Victoria Desert to its north.

The drive from Port Lincoln to Ceduna is 4 hours but it took me 7.5 hours with some stops along the way.

Lake Hamilton Eating House. I cannot imagine the adventurous people who stopped by here to rest in the 1800s. I am exhausted driving from Port Lincoln to here with air conditioning.

Cummings Monument. I parked my little Yaris at the carpark 500m from the monument. Luckily I did. The holes on the way up would have ripped my chassis off. There are warnings not to get too close to the edge and I was too frightened to look over to see the wreck, if you could see it, as the wind was blowing a gale, as it has been since I got to Port Lincoln. Hoping the wind will die down.

Sheringa Roadhouse reminded me of Route 66.

Lochs Well Beach. Bumped into some lovely Colombian people.

This spot has a very safe wooden stairs down to the beach. The beach is very treacherous and not recommended to swim.

Elliston is another lovely beach stop well known for salmon.

Murphys Haystacks are a unique form of pillars and boulders dating back 100,000 years ago. How does something like this end up in such a landscape?

Eyre Waterhole is a free rest area for campers. It is the historic site where early explorer Edward Eyre camped.  The Eyre’s Waterhole was an important water supply for the explorer and the local aboriginal people.  It’s also known as Cooeyanna Well. The water doesn’t look too refreshing at the moment.

Streaky Bay on the western side of the Eyre Peninsula. Another lovely seaside village.

Smoky Bay population 200. Beach, bay, oysters and quiet place for relaxation.

Left Port Lincoln at 9:30am and arrived at Ceduna at 5:00pm. Resting tonight. Contemplating what my plans will be over the next few days. The South Australian government have implemented restrictions. 10 people permitted in a home, no dancing or singing in indoor venues. Waiting to hear if the masquerade ball in Glenelg will be going ahead on New Years Eve. Watch this space.