Charging down through China

Beijing Forbidden City Palace

Great Wall of China

With two weeks to fill before our flight home from Singapore we decided to revisit China while our Visas were still valid. Landing in Beijing was a shock with the temperature of -4 C, after leaving Melbourne with temperatures in the low 30's. Entering China without a vehicle is so much easier, and we breezed through immigration and customs.

Summer Palace - Beijing

The trip has turned out to be another tour of world heritage sites, China has so much history, culture and fantastic scenery that many of the sights have been listed by UNESCO. Our first stop was at the Forbidden City in Beijing, which was the home of the emperors. It is a huge site in the middle of the city with hundreds of temples and palace buildings, which after a while all start to look somewhat similar. However it is an incredible place and reflects the size of the court the emperor had. Despite the sub zero temperatures there were still thousands of tourists, something we had to get used to right through China.
The great Wall runs relatively close to Beijing, so we took the bus to the wall and spent the day, again in freezing temperatures walking the vest restored section of the wall. The weather ensured the wall was not too crowded and we could walk some of the less popular sections (where tour groups do not venture) and have sections almost to ourselves. It is an incredible structure, built over some of the most inhospitable terrain. In places the wall climbs up slopes greater then 50 degrees and it is very convoluted as it maintains the highest points of the mountains.


Ping Yao Street

Back in Beijing the emperor and court moved to the summer palace on the outskirts of the city for the hot period of the year, where the empress had a huge lake excavated and palace buildings, temples and follies constructed, using monies which were meant to be spent on building their navy. As with many things Chinese the scale of the endeavour is huge.


Ping Yao City Wall

Taking the excellent bullet trains which travel at up to 300kph, we headed south, stopping briefly at Ping Yao, a mediaeval village which has remained completely intact within its old city walls. One of the oldest Confucian temples as well as the location of the oldest bank lie within the walls, and it has retained its original street layout. Now a significant tourist attraction the centre has been renovated to offer all a tourist needs.


Bullet Train

Xian our next stop is another huge city which lies at the eastern end of one of the old silk roads. It is being developed into a new industrial centre but has retained a lot of its old charm in the centre where again the huge city walls protected the inhabitants. The Shanxi museum has some fantastic displays of artefacts from excavations in and around Xian some dating back to 5000BC which demonstrate remarkable advanced culture and technological skills.

Pottery from 5000BC

A visit to he terracotta warriors is a must, and again it is difficult to appreciate the scale of the work. Pit 1 - the most famous is absolutely huge and housed thousands of warriors. Whilst most pictures show the lines of restored warriors they do not show the immensity of the pit, and the painstaking work required to excavate and reconstruct the warriors. With only a fraction of the pit excavated it will be tens of years before it can all be reconstructed. The detail on the warriors is incredible, although standard mould were used to make the heads the detail of the faces was all done by hand, so every one is different, and the facial characteristics reflect the variety found across greater China.

Terracotta warriors in Pit 1

For a change of scenery we caught the train to Huashan Mountain. Huashan is a large granite mountain which rises 4000ft almost vertically from the adjoining plains and was sacred to Taoists who built many temples on the very rugged top. Nowadays there is a cable car which takes 10 minutes and saves climbing the 21,000 steps to the top. However, even when at the top there is a continuous series of steps mainly carved into the granite to enable you to access the various temples on the peaks. Incredible scenery, and incredible endeavour to build temples up here, having to carry all the materials up 21,000 steps!

Hua Shan Mountain

Hua Shan - spot the cable car gondolas

Our whirlwind tour continued to Chengdu - a fast developing megacity in the south west where the main attraction was the panda research centre. This remarkable place houses and breeds pandas with great success. Pandas are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity, but Chengdu have managed to breed over 130 pandas and are aiming to reach 300 when they believe they will have sufficient stock to reintroduce some into the wild. These docile creatures live solitary lives in the mountains but their habitat is being progressively destroyed. There are currently around 1500 wild pandas and 500 in captivity, so breeding 130 is a significant achievement. As well as the giant pandas they breed the beautiful red panda.
The other attraction outside Chengdu is the giant 72 metre high buddha carved into the cliff at Leshan. The site is the junction of three rivers and the Buddha was cut as a means of appeasing the gods to tame the torrential rivers at its feet.

Giant Panda

A 14 hour train ride then took us through the mountains, the high speed rail line has many long tunnels and huge sections built on stilts, to Shanghai where we had time to see the famous view from the Bund and get a flavour of this very cosmopolitan city before our final stop in Hong Kong.

Leshan Giant Buddha

So what are our impressions of the eastern side of China,
 - it is remarkably well developed and there is a huge amount of new building of blocks of flats and infrastructure.
- it has a long history of which the Chinese are justifiable proud.
- the public transport system is very efficient and cheap.
- they design and construct on a huge scale, and are investing very heavily in tourism, manily domestic.
- there are vast numbers of people - even the small cities have populations of over a million.  

Shanghai skyline

 
 

 

Terracotta warrior

as excavated - Before restoration

Young Giant Panda                                                              Red Panda

 

Night time street scene - Xian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye Australia ~ for now

Red Gum trees on path to Wilpena Pound

As we headed south the temperatures started to reduce and heading NE out of Port Augusta we headed into the Flinders National park. This is the first area of non-sandstone mountains we had seen for a long time and are the first range south of the generally flat north and centre of Australia, so were a welcome sight. We first visited Wilpena Pound, an almost circular valley formed by a syncline in the rocks which has a narrow gorge for an entrance.

Bark of Red Gum tree



Wilpena Pound

The walk into the Pound wound along the creek overarched by enormous gum trees to a viewpoint overlooking the valley where in the past times of greater rainfall wheat had been grown. A drive through the North Flinders wound up ridges and down valleys, and while walking part of the long distance trail up a beautiful secluded valley we encountered Scottish type drizzle and low cloud - a real contrast to the previous few weeks.


Tasmanian Tiger skeleton at Narcoorte

South of the Flinders we headed to the Murray River - the largest river in Australia. This magnificent river meanders through its floodplain leaving large areas of marsh and many ox-bow lakes, but out of the floodplain the land is heavily cultivated, irrigated by water from the Murray River, with vast areas of vines and fruit orchards. A number of the famous large Australian vineyards are in this area along with a host of specialist vintners.
Heading south through regular rainstorms we reached the Naracoorte National Park - which has received a world heritage listing for its accumulation of recent fossils in Victoria Cave. The fossil bed was found in the late 1960's and is still being researched, with the involvement of some of the original team which discovered the beds. It is unusual in that the fossils are from the last 500,000 years and include parts from over 130 species and provides a unique picture of animal extinctions and the effect of the various ice ages.

London Bridge, without the left hand arch

Our route south headed for the coast which we have then followed all the way to Melbourne along the fantastic Great Ocean Road. Portland is a working port where thousands of tons of timber from the huge coniferous plantations along the coast are shipped, either as logs, or as woodchip, which is much easier to lead from the huge piles of woodchips on the quay. There is a constant convoy of trucks bringing logs to the harbour. Despite this the old town away from the port is very attractive. Shortly after Portland the great Ocean Road proper starts. It was constructed immediately after the first world war to provide employment for returning soldiers and is a fantastic achievement, in places cut into the cliff face or zig zagging inland over the limestone mountains.

Australian Fur Seals

New Zealand Fur seal

Along the route is some fantastic coastal scenery of sandy beaches, vertical cliffs with arches and stacks and jagged offshore islands. Notable along the route are London Bridge - which until 1990 was a double arch promontory, but one collapsed leaving a single arch stranded in the sea, Loch Ard Gorge, a series of deep inlets and blowholes named after a ship which sank there in the late 1800's, and the 12 apostles, a very atmospheric series of stacks offshore from high vertical cliffs.
On one of the headlands there are two seal colonies, one Australian Fur Seal and one New Zealand Fur seal separated by a few hundred metres, but apparently never intermixing. Several seals were pulled up onto the rocks with some playing in the water nearby. Further along the coast we pulled off to Cape Ord where Koalas were introduced into the forest some years ago, but have bred uncontrollably and are now killing the eucalypts they feed off.
We had to exit the country by 27th November to meet the Visa requirements and with just over 2 weeks before our flight home from Singapore we decided to take the opportunity to visit China before our visa expires and have left the van at a caravan storage yard near Melbourne and headed north to Beijing.   

The 12 Apostles

Loch Ard Coastline

Wild Koala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Red Centre

Small salt water crocodile

5.5m long saltie

With temperatures in the north rising rapidly, and the approach of the wet season rains we decided to start on the long drive south, but not before seeing a salt water crocodile. So before leaving Darwin we booked an evening cruise in a nature reserve. This huge area of interconnected waterways is a bit like the Norfolk Broads and has a huge amount of birdlife, including beautiful sea eagles. Our first sighting was of a small salt water crocodile around 2.5m long, but later we came across this huge 5.5m long adult resting on the bank. Salt water crocodiles weigh up to two tons and  can be very aggressive, causing the deaths of several people each year. Our only route was to pass right behind him which made for an exciting moment.



The Devils Marbles

From Darwin to Alice Springs is 1500kms along a relatively straight and flat tarmac road, which can become quite monotonous. As there is little traffic drivers are looking for any distraction so always wave to passing motorists. There are a few landmarks en route and we made a point of stopping at one each day, including a sandstone gorge at Katherine, some freshwater springs in the middle of the desert, surrounded by palms housing hundreds of bats, and further south various rock formations significant to the aborigines such as the devils Marbles.



Chain of Ponds gorge in McDonnel Range

Around 1000kms south of Darwin, as we approached the dryer centre,  we were relieved to discover that night-time temperatures were much lower making it easier to sleep.
Passing the geographical centre of Australia and just south of the Tropic of Capricorn is Alice Springs (of a Town like Alice fame) which now boasts a wide range of modern and upmarket facilities for travellers and tourists. It is the largest town for over 1000 kms in any direction and sits in the middle of the

180 degree panorama from Kings Canyon rim walk

Uluru - Ayres Rock

McDonnel range of mountains. These are red sandstone outcrops which run for several hundred kms across the centre of Australia and are cut by deep gorges which often have cool swimming waterholes year round. On one exploratory walk we came across Emma and her daughter Emily from the UK who are travelling round Australia for a year. After spending a very pleasant evening exchanging experiences we went our separate ways only to bump into each other in various places over the next couple of weeks. It was always great to meet and chat.


Kata Tjuta
 

After exploring some of the gorges we headed south stopping at the stunning Kings canyon, where we walked the canyon rim in the early morning as they close it if the temperature rises above 36 degrees, The walk is stunning. After climbing up several 100m to pass through beehive like formations, it run along the rim with sheer vertical sandstone faces 300m high dropping into the gorge.


Kata Tjuta

Everywhere the rock is red, and the sand and dust are red - hence the name of the Red centre, but there is a covering of tufts of prickly spinifex grass and small shrubs and trees providing a surprising amount of greenery.
Uluru (or Ayres Rock) rose from the flat plain as we approached and is every bit as impressive as it is made out to be. This red sandstone monolith which towers 350m above the plain has no erosion scree or debris with the smoothed rock sides dropping almost vertically to the desert plain below. An extraordinary sight. They have just announced that in two years time people will be prohibited from  from climbing Uluru, but the public are already asked not to climb it as it is sacred to the Aboriginies. However on the days we were there the rock was closed anyway as it was too windy. It is also closed when the temperature rises above 36 degrees, or if it is raining or low cloud.

Painted Desert

50kms away is another extraordinary rock outcrop Kata Tjuta - a series of rounded conglomerate domes rising 500m from the desert, with narrow passageways between them. Paths wind through the outcrops giving a sense of just how large these outcrops are.

Part of 5000km long dog fence

Having spent 10 days around Alice and Uluru we needed to be on the move again to make sure we reach Melbourne for the end of November. After a couple of long days driving we pulled off the Stewart Highway and headed 100kms east along a dirt road to the Painted Desert - an area of beautiful coloured weathered rock which looks like an artists mixing palate. We were the only people on the road, and here is true desert, no vegetation, just a dry stony surface cut by rain channels. Our route took us through the dog fence, a 5000km long fence round south Australia to keep dingoes out and protect the sheep industry, and through the opal fields near Coober Pedy.

Opal mining spoil heaps

This extraordinary town has been responsible for the mining of 80% of the worlds opal. When first discovered there were hundreds of claims and the spoil heaps from the workings are scattered across the desert.

Underground church Coober Pedy

The town developed despite the lack of water and the fierce summer heat when temperatures can reach 50 degrees, and the sub zero winter nights. To overcome this many of the houses, and even the churches are cut into the soft rock where the temperature summer and winter is around 23 degrees. A really quirky town which still is home to many characters and a lot of old mining junk in yards round the town. Our visit coincided with a tremendous thunderstorm and pouring rain, very unusual in this town which sometimes does not see rain for several years.

Quirky Opal Bug in Coober Pedy

Our final stretch of the Stuart Highway took us through Woomera rocket testing range, where the British tested the Blue Streak rockets in the 1960's which has several large white salt lakes either side of the road.  We eventually pulled in to the RV park in Port Augusta, which sits on the southern coast, to be welcomed once again by Emma and Emily

 



McDonnel Range Gorge                                                                                      Ghost Gum

 

 

Pair of Sea Eagles                                            Inquisitive Wallaby

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Big Heat and the Top End

Camel Riders on Cable Beach Broome

As we have travelled north so the temperatures have increased, until here near Darwin they are an uncomfortable 40 degrees during the day, and generally not dropping below around 28 degrees at night. Hence we tend to visit places morning and evening and travel during the middle of the day when the car's air-conditioning provides relief from the heat.

Deserted outback road

From Karijini National park we headed to Broome on the coast for a couple of day's relaxation and enjoyed lovely coastal scenery and visited the 100 year old outdoor cinema where the latest Hollywood blockbusters can be enjoyed under the stars.

Beautiful peaceful Windjana Gorge

Freshwater Crocodile

Having stocked up on food we headed north to the Kimberley which has some spectacular rugged sandstone scenery, with red vertical cliffs rising out of the plains and cascading waterfalls into deep cool plunge pools, many offering a chance to cool off.




The sandstone heights are frequently cut by deep narrow gorges which remain shaded and cool during the day. NW Australia is the home of the Boab tree - very similar to the Baobab of Africa with huge bloated trunks supporting a few short branches. The trees are just coming into leaf heralding the start of the wet season. Our first stop from Broome was Windjana Gorge where we enjoyed a spectacular thunderstorm overnight, followed by a glorious clear day when we walked through this peaceful gorge in an ancient Devonian barrier reef. The river through the gorge is inhabited by dozens of small (up to 3m long) freshwater crocodiles (freshies), which are claimed to be relatively harmless, unlike their bigger cousins the saltwater crocs (salties) which grow to 7m and can be very aggressive. Further along the same road is Tunnel creek - a natural river tunnel which winds 750m through the barrier reef which can be walked and waded through provided you have a good torch.

Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater

A detour took us to Wolfe Creek crater - the second largest meteorite crater in the world which is almost perfectly circular and rises out of a completely flat plain. It must have been a huge impact. 

Purnulu National Park is home to the Bungle Bungles, which provide some strange rock formations with banded black and red sandstone domes rising from the plain. The sandstone is fissured providing a number of canyons ranging from the intimate Echidna Canyon which in places is only 1m wide, to Cathedral canyon which opens to a wide amphitheatre with a dramatic overhang under a wet season waterfall.

The Bungle Bungles



Echidna Gorge

Cathedral Gorge

Pentecost River Crossing - Gibb River Road

North again is El Questro Park with a series of stunning swimming holes set in deep sandstone canyons and encompassing several large rivers including Pentecost River which the Gibb River road crosses in a 200m long ford. From Western Australia we have crossed into Northern territories and headed north to Darwin, a reasonably large city in the "Top End" which has an amazing number of WW2 airfields and defences, as well as being adjacent to the Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks.

Aboriginal Rock Art in Kakadu

Litchfield has some lovely walking trails through lush tropical valleys, while UNESCO listed Kakadu spans a wide range of habitats from coast, through swamp and floodplain to sandstone cliffs. Two excellent sites containing a lot of ancient Aboriginal rock art are set in the Park providing a glimpse of ancient Aboriginal culture, and the rock shelters they used for millennia.

 

One feaure of the NW is the number of birds of prey and the prolific and spectacular bird life in general, from the beautiful to the ugly.


The beautiful Comb Crested Jacana

Masked Lapwing

Having caught our breath in Darwin we are planning to head south through the centre to Alice Springs and Uluru.

Too hot for Kites

A friendly spider trying to eat a beetle

 

Driving hazard - 60m long road trains