Comin' back - Bent

I, I walked along and I wound my way round
I, I saw a light, shining bright
I, I'm not sure
Is it too late to call
so I keep my eyes to the floor
Oh I, I can't carry this load anymore
Oh I'm so afraid to call on your door

Feeling so alone
Along a lonely road
Feeling so alone
Well I'm comin' back

I walked along the water's edge
I saw my reflection stare back
I don't know where I'm going
But I know where I've been
Some days I don't fit in my own skin
Oh I, I can't carry this load anymore
Oh I'm so afraid to call on your door
Oh I can't carry this load anymore
Oh I, I'm comin' back
Comin' back

Last update (for this trip) and whereabouts

In the last month and a half I've been writing exams, telling about myself to people I've never met and even wearing a suit for the first time! Yes, I was searching for a job in Sydney. During that process I have realized that heading back to Israel will benefit me best professionally at the moment. Therefore I'm packing my stuff and this Saturday, with 21 world leaders (or not, see www.apec.org) I'm flying out of Sydney after six months. I'll spend two nights in Bangkok and on the 10th of September, 23:10, I'll hit the ground of the holy land, 11 months (and two days) after I've left it.

I thank all the people in Sydney, my family, new friends and their friends who hosted me as if we knew each other before (well, some actually did), who have made my visit here so special. I was glad to find that most of you are not riding kangaroos to work, nor fighting crocodiles, eating Vegemite or dodging deadly spiders, and that Max Brener has more branches here than in Israel. I'm glad I came here to find that out myself. If you ever happen to visit Israel don't hesitate to get in touch and I'll take you on a camel ride (kidding, unless you really insist).

For everyone back home, see you very soon!

Closing time - Semisonic

Closing time
Open all the doors and let you out into the world
Closing time
Turn all of the lights on over every boy and every girl
Closing time
One last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer
Closing time
You don't have to go home but you can't stay here

I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home

Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from
Closing time
This room won't be open till your brothers or your sisters come
So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits
I hope you have found a friend
Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end

I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
Take me home

Game Over

I arrived two days ago back to Sydney, ending 2 months of travel in Australia, which are part of a total travel of 9 months (and 1 week) in a corner of the world. In that time I went through 7 countries (actually visiting 6), 5 out of 8 Australian states, more than 5 islands, with the help of 4 Lonely Planet guides (and another I didn't even open, just got it nicely soaked with water), 3.5 reading books, 1 camera which produced about 15GB of data, which are 8248 photos, 961 of them ended up on Flickr, 12 flights (out of them 7 domestic), 2 overnight train rides, almost endless bus rides, day and night, ferries and 1 rented car, who circled Tasmania for 1700km. My longest trek lasted 20 days, my longest tour 11, but the average was 3. I went rafting for 3 days, climbed 4 walls, visited the under water world 18 times, but mostly walked, a lot. I visited 2 doctors, 1 physiotherapist, had 3 colds and 0 traveler's diarrheas. But who counts, right?

This journey would not have been what it was without a lot of people. First, a huge community of travelers. A group of open-minded people who were willing to share the way the life in their countries really are, shading a different light than the stereotypes and TV and newspapers based knowledge I came with. Then there are the people I met from each country I visited, which added the spices and herbs to make each spot more than a collection of natural and artificial attractions. Finally the great group of people I left home (and around the world), my family and friends, who, though far far away, were always there to encourage, support, advise, help, criticize and comment.

If you'll be looking for me, I will be in Sydney for the next two months, trying to figure out what I'll be doing next without a backpack (and keep myself warm with those blasted cold waves). After that you might find me in Bangkok, maybe around Road Rambuttri, eating stir fried rice on the street, or maybe even at Haad Yao, Koh Phangan, reading a book and watching the sunset. Somewhere around the beginning of October, I'll head back home.

חתולי - בוטן מתוק בקרקס

חתול חתולי בתוך קופסת קרטון
תעשו לי קצת חורים אני רוצה לנשום היום
פיתולים פיתולים מתיר את הקשרים
פינת החדר ואני אני ואת

אם את כאן או לא כאן
אם את באה והולכת
אני לבד אני חושב
מי בכלל הסכים לך מי נתן לך רשות
להסתובב אצלי בתוך הלב

בלבולים בלבולים איבדתי מזמן
את הדרך ולאן לאן לאט

אם את כאן או לא כאן
אם את באה והולכת
אני לבד אני חושב
מי בכלל הסכים לך מי נתן לך רשות
להסתובב אצלי בתוך הלב

Do what you have to do - Sarah McLachlan

What ravages of spirit
conjured this temptuous rage
created you a monster
broken by the rules of love
and fate has lead you through it
you do what you have to do
and fate has led you through it
you do what you have to do ...

and I have the sense to recognize that
I don't know how to let you go
every moment marked
with apparitions of your soul
I'm ever swiftly moving
trying to escape this desire
the yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
the yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
but I have the sense to recognize

that I don't know how
to let you go
I don't know how
to let you go

a glowing ember
burning hot
burning slow
deep within I'm shaken by the violence
of existing for only you

I know I can't be with you
I do what I have to do
I know I can't be with you
I do what I have to do
and I have sense to recognize but
I don't know how to let you go
I don't know how to let you go
I don't know how to let you go

Private road - Bent

My heart from now is a private road
No thoroughfare
No heavy load
No slow traffic
No graphic details
Cold or collision
No more stories to make me end

I'll always love you, still you are mine
Why do you have to take so much time calling me?
I just wanted it to be easy like
Sunday morning

Snow falls in silence and covers the green
Still you can see where the birds have been
Hungry but alive and free
Waiting

Up along the East coast in a month and a half, part 1

The means: A hop on hop off bus ticket, a golden plastic card backed up with a luxurious bank account and, as one intelligent guy once said, underwear ( In my case, ten of them).

The mission: Go through about 3000km of beaches and other natural attractions, fake ones too, hostels, pubs (sometimes the same thing) and drunk travelers.


15-16 May - Coffs Harbour


A nice town I liked for its nice coastal scenery. My highlight was walking up to mutton bird hill, a nesting spot for the mutton birds! They weren't there when I was but the view was excellent. Other than that there is a nice mangrove walk and pretty big botanical gardens.
The YHA hostel over there was one of the best, with very friendly staff and rides to a local hotel for cheap dinner and backpackers' gathering.

17-20 May - Byron Bay



Hippie Byron Bay is definitely that. But other than that it has a nice beach, a lovely national park with the most easterly point in Australia and a relaxed atmosphere. Off the beach you can see Julian Rocks, my first diving spot along the cost. I went for one dive with Sundive and saw many Wobegong sharks, one Leopard shark and a turtle. The sea conditions were pretty rough as the sun decided to disappear just when I needed it (this element will repeat quite a few times in the story). Nevertheless, the visibility under the water was excellent, one of the best I ever had. It was also the first time I went into the water commando style, rolling backwards.
I stayed first at Arts Factory Lodge, a famous hostel. It was quite unique but a bit too expensive for the facilities it provided. I moved after a few days to Cape Byron YHA which was very good.

21-22 May - Surfers Paradise



A paradise? Maybe, I'm not sure for who. The main activity around here is clubs or pubs "crawling". The bad weather decided to join in on my arrival day. From stories I have heard, I'm not the only one to whom it happened. I believe it might be more than a coincidence.



The main reason I arrived to Surfers Paradise was Dream World, a rides theme park. So the next the day, with excellent weather, I went there for some roller coasters fun. I was disappointed to know that the park closes at five. In contrast, the Six Flag parks in USA close at midnight. On the other hand, I went in the middle of the week and there was not that much to do. So I did the big five thrill rides about seven times each, except for the roller coaster, which was quite lame. The ushers on the big five insist that you strip off your belongings and anything that is not attached to you. Fortunately there are reusable lockers for the whole day. The ride that maintained its excitement level throughout repeated rides was the Claw


The free fall won second place.

23-25 May - Brisbane



Brisbane is a nice spot, but not a lot of places of interest to me. The main area of interest is the South bank of the river. There are quite a few museums for modern art and the like. There is a nice park, some nice take away dining and an artificial beach with real bodies.


I took a bus to mountain Coot-Tha, which has a view over the city.



From there I walked down a trail that leads to a now dried waterfall, because of recent years' draught. Next stop was the planetarium on the way down. I have watched a movie about our galaxy and Brisbane's night sky. The movie was shown around three. Being in a very very dark room at this time of the day meant that I had a good nap too.

I went to the city hall, visited the mayor's office and wondered around. You can go up to the clock tower of the city hall, which is a famous(?) symbol of Brisbane. Sadly, the only view from up there is of the skyscrapers surrounding it. The botanic gardens are a nice spot to have a quiet afternoon.

In Brisbane I met Stacy, whom I met in a hostel in Hobart, Tasmania. She is studying at Brisbane, but originates from Taiwan.

My hostel was a nice one, if a bit expensive. One day before my departure, the cleaners "cleaned" a bit more than they were supposed to. I found some of my personal belongings at their room, one thrown out at the corridor and that's about it. The manager had them look for the stuff but it wasn't found. The story hasn't ended yet. The annoying part is not hearing an apology from him (or anyone else in that matter, though one of the cleaner might have said something...).

26-27 May - Noosa



Noosa was a stop I didn't plan but came out quite well. There are actually a few "Noosa"s around, Noosa head, Noosa hill and more. The place has a mellow atmosphere to it, even though it is quite commercialised and oriented more towards those with deep pockets. Next to the beach is a national park with several walking tracks and koalas, if you can spot them. The marking of the tracks was the best I ever seen. I stayed at the Halse Lodge YHA, which is a historical building (but with modern facilities...).

A trip I did not know about and therefore missed was going through a place called the everglades for a few days with a kayak.

Status update

Hi! I'm still here. I'm just updating verrrry slow. That's mostly due to being busy and to the amazingly "fast" Internet connections around here.

I'm at Darwin at the moment. I arrived three days ago and I will stay here four more days. This is because I made a mistake by not taking into account the school holidays. All the flights to Sydney are booked and the only seats available are for three times the price. Therefore my flight back to Sydney, and the end of this part of the trip, is on the 16th of July.

The weather here is warm and sunny, blue sky and no cloud in sight. After three weeks on the East coast without a glimpse of the sun, fast winds and rain, I'm not in a hurry to go back to cold Sydney. It was supposed to be the dry season on the East coast, but it wasn't. Even the locals admitted it was a bit weird.

Another reason I'm happy to be here is that I had enough of the East coast. After a while, some of the things repeat themselves. My biggest two disappointments were the Whitsunday islands cruise and Cape Tribulation (I will expand more on it later) which wasn't so special. Of course, everything is relative. Cape Tribulation came right after Mission beach, which gave me all the rain forest I needed. The day after I went on a tour to a place called the Atherton Tablelands. It was much better than the Cape Tribulation tour.

On the 5th of July I am going on an eleven day tour, starting from Darwin and ending up in Alice Springs. The tour is actually made out of three separate tours: A three days Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks tour, three days Darwin to Alice Springs tour and four days center tour. The witty ones noticed that there are actually ten days. The eleventh day is a explore Alice Springs day at your own expense (accommodation included).

After that I will be over with traveling for now.

More than meets the eye

I couldn't help it, the heat, the intense light outdoors and the cool and dark promising interior. Not to mention to see my childhood action figures (about eighteen years ago...). Thus I went to see the Transformers. The action scenes were brilliant. They made up for the fact that the movie's skeleton was a teen-flick, boy wants girl, etc. and other senseless acting, especially by John Turturo. The transformers are enough of an attraction without the annoying teenage scenes.
Enjoy!

Sucked in


Spreading out on too many things wastes your time. But it was inevitable and I am now on Facebook too. My main web-sites for the moment are still Flickr and Blogger, but I'll be maintaining facebook too, for the sake of travel "relations". So check it out.