Seoul, South Korea

The first part of my 15 day trip to South Korea took me to Seoul, the nation's capital. Excluding Ireland, South Korea is the 25th country I have visited, a nice landmark. However, despite all my adventures throughout my career as a part time traveller, it is only the second country I have visited in Asia, the first being Japan back in 2008.

The journey from Melbourne consisted of a 14 hour overnight layover at Shanghai Airport in China. Thankfully I was able to find a room in the airport hotel, allowing me to get a solid night of sleep, significantly reducing what would otherwise have been a painful test of endurance. Though my time spent in China was extremely minimal, my one observation was the unfriendliness and the rude nature of the local people. In all my life, I have never been spoken to in such an appalling manner by so many people in the one place. I wouldn't go so far to say that it has completely put me off the idea of visiting China in the future, but the country certainly has dropped down my must-see list significantly due to this experience.

Seoul, on the other hand, has left me with nothing but fond memories. It a city of beautiful contrast between old and new. It is so typically Far-Eastern in it's design, with the buildings displaying numerous flashing neon lights, and bright signs, each one a different colour from the next. The streets are usually thronged with people, similar in many ways to Tokyo. This is hardly surprising though, given the fact Seoul has one of the largest metropolitan areas on the entire planet.

However, it is the remnants from Seoul's past which are particularly fascinating. Being honest, due to my extended travels around Australia, I never got around to doing much research with regards what to see and do once I got to Seoul. However, whenever one has a lack of knowledge about an upcoming travel destination, you can always call on UNESCO to lend a hand. A quick look at the UNESCO World Heritage list showed me that there are 3 World Heritage Sites in the the Seoul metropolitan area. Barring the odd exception, any time I have been to a UNESCO World Heritage Site I have left very impressed, so I put my faith in them that they wouldn't let me down this time around.

The first of the three was Jongmyo Shrine, which served as the venue for royal ancestral rites in years gone by. The structure of the buildings are quite simple, but the fact it is located in a sort of urban forest, gives one the impression of being far away from such a large city and the place certainly has a very peaceful feel to it. Next up was Changdeokgung Palace, one of the 5 Great Palaces of Seoul. What makes this one shine above the rest however, is the fact it blends in so well with its natural surroundings and shows outstanding examples of traditional palace architecture. All of the many buildings in this complex are beautifully designed with some very picturesque artwork.

The final part of this UNESCO-fest took me to the nearby city of Suwon, just 30 kilometres south of Seoul. Suwon is best known to Irish people as the site of Ireland's heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Spain at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. However the purpose of my journey was not to visit the stadium, and revisit all those painful memories, but rather to check out the Hwaseong Fortress. This construction was built in the late 18th century, and surrounds the old city of Suwon. The walls of the fortress have a total length of 5.7 kilometres, making for a long walk, painful at times given the high heat and intense humidity. Throughout this journey I came across numerous attractive facilities that were used in the past, such as observation towers, shrines, gates, and small castles. The most scenic part of the fortress is at the West side, as the walls climb steeply up the Paldal Mountain, allowing for some impressive views of the construction and of the modern day city of Suwon.

Another attractive part of Seoul I visited is Bukchon Hanok Village, a small area of traditional style Korean residential houses situated on narrow winding hilly streets. While it is not as beautiful as places like Paraty in Brazil and Colonia in Uruguay, it certainly is very pretty, and the fact that such traditional style structures exist in this day and age, in the centre of an ultra-modern metropolis is the main appeal of the village.

Another aspect of Seoul which deserves mention is its landscape. South Korea is a very mountainous country, and Seoul is no different from the rest of the nation. From the top of the N Seoul Tower, which stands on top of a hill, the views of the city are quite impressive, with numerous mountains surrounding and cutting through this enormous urban area. I was pleasantly surprised by the views that I witnessed.

One of the great discoveries during my time in Seoul was the Korean Barbecue, known to the locals as Samgyeopsal. This is no ordinary BBQ however. Basically you select a meal from the menu (all of which is in Korean, so it is usually a case of pointing and hoping for the best), and within minutes a huge chunk of raw meat is presented to you on a plate. The waiter provides you with a scissors to cut the meat into small pieces. Next he throws a load of hot coal into the middle of your table and gets the flame started. A temporary grill is placed on top of this random BBQ which is located in the middle of where you are supposed to be eating, and then you are all set to cook the meat yourself. Stretched around the table is lots of other elements of the meal. There's lettuce, huge chunks of garlic, a pepper and salt mix, some sort of sauce, and a bunch of other random things which I couldn't even pretend to describe to you. Once the meet is cooked, you put a few pieces on top of a leaf of lettuce, mixed with whatever else you want. Finally you wrap the lettuce around everything, and eat it one mouthful. Absolutely bizarre stuff, but highly addictive. I certainly was impressed and went back to the same restaurant the following two evenings and ordered the same meal. However on one occasion I was dining alone, and the restaurant had a bizarre policy that the minimum order allowed was for two people. Just as well I possess an enormous appetite.

What is most endearing about Seoul is the amount of oddities you come across simply by strolling the streets. From the moment I arrived in Seoul Airport and was greeted by a large poster of Pierce Brosnan welcoming me to South Korea, I knew I was in for a few bizarre observations and experiences. Seoul is so wonderfully weird, and the following are some of the strange things I have come across in my short time in this city:

1) When looking for a place to eat one afternoon we wandered down a particular street. On this road there were no restaurants however, just jewellery stores, about 20 of them, lined one after the other. This surely has to be the most densely populated area of jewellery stores in the world!

2) At each subway station music blares loudly to signal that a train is about to arrive. The kind of music however is the type you would expect to hear when Rocky Balboa is making his entrance into the ring to tussle it out over 12 rounds with Apollo Creed!

3) In Seoul, it is perfectly acceptable to buy a beer from 7-Eleven, and crack it open once you've stepped outside the door and guzzle it wherever you see fit. Drinking on the streets in Korea is perfectly legal and acceptable.

4) There are many Irish people who have forgotten, or indeed may not have heard of Dunkin' Donuts. If my memory is correct, this US donut chain went out of business on the Emerald Isle in the early to mid 90's. In the USA it now merely exists, according to a few Americans I have met recently. However in Seoul, business has never been better. It seems that there is one on every corner in downtown Seoul, and from my observations, they appear to out number McDonalds by about three to one.

5) While wandering through the Bukchon Hanok Village, I started to feel peckish, and decided to go in search of somewhere to grab a quick bite. In the distance, on the other side of the road, I saw the word "Chicken". Intrigued, I marched straight over, in search of a much needed meal. However, upon my arrival, I learned that this was no restaurant, but rather the Seoul Museum of Chicken Art, consisting of the largest collection of chicken related paintings and sculptures in all of South Korea. Enough said!

6) When in Burger King one day (I need my daily intake of Western food, I can't be eating Korean cuisine three times a day!), having ordered my meal, the lady behind the counter presents me with my drink without a lid. Maybe a bit odd, but nothing that made me take much notice. Then, however, when I asked for salt, she proceeded to grab a plastic lid, which she had not seen as necessary only moments earlier, and shook the salt into it. I found it impossible not to show my amusement as she handed me a plastic lid full of salt. The next day in McDonalds, in a different part of the city, the entire process was repeated.

7) In Downtown Seoul, crossing a busy road is the ultimate test of patience. On a couple of occasions I stood at the side of the road for five minutes. No joke. Pedestrians seem to be an after thought in this city, and it is actually easier to walk down into the subway, and cross the road underground, than it is to stand waiting for the damn green man to arrive!

8) While walking through the bustling Namdaemun Market, I could not help but notice the amount of people selling cooked food on the street. Within the market, there must have been approximately 50 different vendors selling to hungry passers-by. The strange thing though, was the fact that each of these had exactly the same cuisine on offer as the next. There literally was not one bit of variation. Surely there's a chance there for one of them to make a quick buck by putting something new on the menu!

9) While the Korean BBQ was a delightful experience, some of the other foods on offer in Korea are a lot less likely to be purchased by myself any time soon. Some of the stuff people eat out here is weird to say the very least, and in some cases doesn't even look like food at all. Many restaurants have pictures of their meals, and after one glance at it, more often than not I am on my way in search of the next restaurant. This process repeats numerous times until I inevitably give up and settle for McDonalds!

10) The favourite alcoholic beverage of many Koreans is Soju, a drink with a percentage of around 20-25% volume. Despite the fact Soju is so strong, a 300ml bottle is available for sale in all good 7-Eleven stores at a price less than that of a bottle of beer. It is quite amazing that hard liquor is available at the ridiculously cheap price of AUD$1.50. You'd swear that the South Korean government were trying to encourage alcoholism among university students. What's more, it tastes absolutely vile, somewhere along the lines of a mixture of vodka and sandpaper, and it is the world's greatest producer of all day hangovers!

11) Seoul is so very easy to get lost in. All street names sound and look pretty much the same as each other, in some cases the sign posting is brutal, and the maps are not detailed enough. In addition the subway system bizarrely has two Number 1 metro lines, which go to complete opposite ends of the city. It doesn't help when the burning heat and suffocating humidity of August time Korea is preventing the brain from concentrating properly. Getting around this city is challenging at the best of times, but when the weather is causing havoc to the body and mind, then it is almost inevitable that a first time visitor will get badly lost, which I did... on many occasions.

12) It is quite amazing that Seoul hasn't developed a litter problem, as rubbish bins are certainly at a premium in this city. When I ask the locals where I can find somewhere to dispose of my rubbish, they usually just take it off me. It's easier for them to just take it off me, than have to give me directions to the nearest bin!

13) As a general rule, if you are looking for something in particular in Seoul, then you are destined not to find it. I spent 2 hours one day walking through the busy shopping streets looking for an electronic store so I could purchase a plug adaptor. In that time, I walked past no fewer than a dozen mobile phone stores, all in close proximity to each other.

My time in Seoul has been thoroughly enjoyable and I would highly recommend anybody travelling extensively around Asia to strongly consider adding this charming city to the itinerary. Now I am in Daegu, where I will spend 9 days watching the IAAF World Athletics Championships, the main purpose of my journey to South Korea.

Until next time, take it easy.

Darwin, Mary River & Kakadu National Park, Australia

After 21 days of high intense travelling, I reached the Northern Territory capital of Darwin absolutely exhausted and in need of a few days of relaxation before undertaking the next adventure. As a result, my time in Darwin was spent mostly chilling out, and catching up with various things online. Having been in the wilderness for most of the previous 3 weeks, having access to the Internet now seemed like a serious novelty. However I did take some time to discover the small, though hugely sprawled city of Darwin.

Darwin has a population of 127,000, over half of the entire Northern Territory, and is very modern, mainly as a result of its turbulent past. Not once, but twice the city has been pretty much wiped out during the 20th century. On 19 February 1942, the Japanese bombed Darwin, causing severe damage to the city and killing 243 people. Over the coming years the city was rebuilt, only to be dealt another cruel blow 32 years later. In the early hours of Christmas morning, 1974, Cyclone Tracy hit the city, killing 71 people and wiping out almost the entire metropolis. Most people were left homeless, and an enormous evacuation was put in place to bring the vast majority of Darwin's dwellers to Sydney. The Museum and Art Gallery of NT has a very interesting exhibit dedicated to Cyclone Tracy, which puts across very well the devastation caused on what should have been the happiest day of the year.

However, Darwin is not a particularly interesting city. Because of the Japanese bombings and Cyclone Tracy, the entire city is made up of modern buildings, with very little traces of its history evident to the naked eye. Like any city in the world, Lonely Planet hypes up Darwin no end, listing a million and one things that a traveller can do, but the reality is that there is very little to do here that you can't do somewhere else. The city doesn't appear to have anything interesting that is unique to Darwin, and the place is used by many tourists as merely a base for exploring the various national parks in Northern Territory. In addition, the main street, Mitchell Street, is full of obscenely drunk backpackers at night (unfortunately, many of whom are from my own country), making the place a bit of an eyesore.

The main purpose of my stay in Darwin was as a starting point for a 3 day tour with Adventure Tours to Mary River and Kakadu National Park. The tour got off to a disastrous start for our tour guide Emma, as our brand new 4WD broke down literally minutes after leaving Darwin. Thankfully we got a replacement and without much delay we were again on our way. Our first couple of stops were not memorable in the slightest. We visited two different waterfalls in Lichfield National Park and went for a swim in the plunge pools. However, every tour bus in Northern Australia seemed to be there, following each other around like a bunch of attention seeking puppies. The appeal of these remote parts of Australia is to feel...well.... remote, not to be part of a Disneyland type circus!

However, this was the only disappointment of the trip, with the rest being thoroughly enjoyable. First up was a trip to an Aboriginal cultural centre where members of the local indigenous community told us a few things about their culture. One of the elder members, Eddie, showed us how to play a didgeridoo, a musical instrument played by Aboriginal people. He also informed us that there is no limit on the number of husbands or wives an Aboriginal man and woman can have. The entire tour group sat there in shock as Eddie proudly announced that he has currently got three wives, and a "European" on the side. When the group sat there with a slight awkward silence, he simply reassured everybody cheerily with the words "our culture".

Next we visited Mary River National Park for a one hour cruise along the river in a search to spot some crocodiles and other wildlife. We were not to be disappointed, as there were numerous freshwater and saltwater crocodiles located in the many billabongs beside the river, and also we spotted a few out of the water, chilling on the bank of the river. Some of these creatures were worryingly large, and indeed when one mean looking saltwater crocodile copped on that we were spying on him from just 15 metres away, he swiftly ran straight back into the river. While he is no Usain Bolt, this saltwater croc can certainly move fast. You wouldn't want to be completely out of shape if being chased by this toothy hungry beast! Even putting aside the incredible wildlife on show, Mary River in itself is extremely picturesque, with numerous billabongs, filled with tens of thousands of lilies, surrounding the main river.

On day two we entered Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for both its cultural and natural values. It is Australia's largest national park, covering almost 20,000 square kilometres, roughly the size of Slovenia. The first part of Kakadu we explored was the Ubirr Art Site, home of many Aboriginal rock art paintings, some of which dated back to 20,000 years. The paintings are extremely impressive, and it is quite remarkable that they have stood the test of time so well. The subject matter of the rock art varies, with many of the paintings dedicated to the various wildlife in the region at the time, while others depict an aboriginal dreamtime story, of which white people are only told the children's version. We are not trusted enough in the Aboriginal community to be told the full versions of their stories, and given the almost total destruction of their culture by the British in the 19th and much of the 20th century, you can hardly blame them for being so secretive. At Ubirr we also got the opportunity to enjoy a stunning 360 degree panoramic view, which gives a good insight into the various landscapes in Kakadu National Park. From this viewpoint you can see woodlands, wetlands and also escarpment - an amazing variety.

Afterwards we briefly stopped at Cahill's crossing to view more saltwater crocodiles and from a distance, caught a glimpse of Arnhemland on the other side of the river. Arnhemland is one of the last true wilderness areas on Earth. It is owned by the Aboriginal people and a permit is required for anybody else, even Australian citizens, to enter this area. Furthermore, Aboriginal cultural law overrides government law in this region, so if you get hit by a spear, then tough luck mate!

Next up was a hike up to the top of the waterfall at Maguk. The scenery was impressive, and the various natural pools above the waterfall was surprisingly warm, allowing me to make a rare appearance in the water. Indeed this is one of the few areas in Kakadu that a swim is recommended, with most of the park's wetlands, rivers and pools populated by ravenous saltwater crocodiles, lurking patiently for the next idiot to go against advice!

Day three was the most adventurous of all. We visited both Twin Falls and Jim Jim Falls. While both areas are pretty beautiful in their own right, it was more the torturous journey to get to them that was particularly enjoyable. To get to Twin Falls, we firstly spent approximately one hour driving on one of the worst roads I have ever witnessed. This dirt track was narrow, bumpy, rocky, full of twists and turns and sometimes disappeared under water. It makes the road into the Bungle Bungles seem like the Pacific Coast Highway, and at times it was even almost as poor as the roads I experienced in Bolivia, except that in Australia the drivers aren't crazy -  a massive plus! Next we needed to catch a 15 minute boat ride along the river, followed by a 20 minute walk. To reach Jim Jim Falls, more stomach twisting travel was required along the so called "road", followed by a 45 minute walk, in which most of the time was spent hiking over massive boulders, one to two metres in height at times, with each and every member of the group petrified of loosing footing and inflicting massive physical pain on oneself.

So my 5 weeks of travel around Western Australia and Northern Territory has come to an end. I have witnessed so much immense scenery, seen an abundance of wildlife, and have met so many brilliant people. When travelling with the same people for 9, 10, 12 and in some cases 21 days, you begin to feel that you have known them your entire life, which makes it more difficult to have to say goodbye. Indeed that is what makes travelling so bittersweet. You meet so many like-minded people from different parts of the world, but have to say goodbye far too quickly, as everybody goes their separate ways. But I'm certain there will be many reunions to come in the future and the fond memories of the last five weeks will not disappear anytime soon.

I am now back in Melbourne, where I will catch up with some friends before making a monstrous journey to Seoul, to begin 15 days in South Korea. I better learn a few words of Korean!

Broome to Darwin, Australia

After a couple of days in Broome, mostly spent on Cable Beach, with a cold beer in my hand, myself and three of the others from my Perth to Broome tour group said our goodbyes to the rest of the group and set off on a 9 day adventure through the wilderness of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, finishing in Darwin.

The tour didn't get off to a glorious start. Nobody on the tour stocked up on alcohol before leaving Broome, and with the next bottle shop or bar being a solid four days away, the result was a much needed, though unwanted, detox. Perhaps it was optimistic to expect a bottle shop in such a remote location, such as the Gibb River Road, but I guess none of us were thinking particularly straight.

The Gibb River Road is a gravel road which stretches for 660 kilometres through the heart of the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. While not nearly as shocking as the roads I encountered in Bolivia last year, the "Gibb" still made for a very bumpy ride and attempting it in anything other than a 4WD is risky business. The most striking characteristic of this particular road is the amount of times it disappears underneath a river, stream or creek. It certainly makes for quite an adventure when driving through water is needed every 20-30 minutes. Indeed during the wet season (November to March) the road is closed as the water levels make it impossible to negotiate safely.

In total we spent 5 days traveling along the Gibb River Road, exploring the stunning scenery the Kimberleys has to offer. First up was a trip to Tunnel Creek, a large, pitch dark cave, filled with very cold water, inhabited by freshwater crocodiles. It was quite impressive, but my enjoyment of this natural phenomenon was heavily restricted due to the insane decision to walk through the caves barefooted. Every step was reminiscent of a very small, but very painful, cactus rubbing against my foot. Walking on sharp, tiny stones is not the best way to spend the afternoon, and after such hardship, I decided that, going forward, a grain of salt would be needed when taking advice from our tour guide, and my flip-flops would not be parting with me again!

After Tunnel Creek, the remainder of the first 5 days was spent visiting various gorges, which being brutally honest, got extremely repetitive. Don't get me wrong, most of them were extremely picturesque, but when you've been to 16 gorges over the space of a 21 day trip, you start to lose a bit of interest after awhile. It really is a sign that you are all gorged out when you start providing a critical analysis of each individual gorge visited. Having said all that, some of the gorges we witnessed were absolutely stunning, and thankfully didn't involve as much scuppering over cliff-edge rocks, like in Karijini National Park on my previous trip. The most memorable were Bell Gorge, Manning Gorge, and Emma Gorge. In addition to this gorge-fest, we got to see some Aboriginal rock art, located in some seriously remote places. Some of this artwork was extremely impressive, while others looked like the scribblings of a three year old child.

On day 6 however, the tour exploded into life, upon visiting Purnululu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Purnululu is best known for its main component, the Bungle Bungle Range, an area made up of hundreds of distinctive beehive shaped sandstone towers. The Bungle Bungles are approximately 99 times the size of the world famous Uluru (Ayers Rock), and in my humble opinion, about 99 times as beautiful. I am not being dramatic when I say that this remarkable landform is the single most picturesque thing I have seen in all of Australia, and considering how stunning this country is, that is quite an honour. What makes the Bungle Bungles even more remarkable is the fact that most people have never even heard of them, the fact it was apparently only discovered as recently as 1982, and the turbulent journey needed to get there in the first place. 55 kilometres on a winding, gravel road full of rolling hills, which took over an hour and half to negotiate and resulted in a few of the group feeling the need for a good cleansing of the stomach!

After the Bungle Bungles we visited Lake Argyle, the second largest artificial lake in Australia. Considering it is man made, I wasn't expecting to be particularly impressed, but the whole area exceeded my expectations greatly. The landscape is absolutely beautiful, and quite reminiscent of what I witnessed on the ferry between Wellington and Picton in New Zealand.We took a 90 minute boat ride through the lake, and went for a swim in the surprisingly warm waters, incorporating the occasional rock jump from a solid 7 metres high.

On day 8, we left Western Australia, and crossed the border into Northern Territory, an area around 10 times the size of Ireland, but with a population of just 230,000 people, with over half of those living in Darwin. Upon crossing the state border, we lost one and a half hours of our lives. Not one hour, not two, yes one and a half. I do find it a bit odd that they have a time zone 8.5 hours ahead of GMT, but no time zone that is 8 hours ahead, but I won't bother questioning their reasons! Another thing I noticed about the Northern Territory is the large indigenous population. Approximately 30% of the territory are of Aboriginal origin, compared to just 3% nationwide. Unfortunately this also presents a massive social problem, with many (not all) of the indigenous people loitering around the streets drunk. In the bottle shops in certain towns they don't sell full strength beer until after 5pm, as a way of trying to minimise the problem of drunkenness on the streets. It is not the nicest image to be honest, and it also gives the Aboriginal people, as a whole, a bad name. Two years ago, in a bar in Quorn, South Australia, I had a chat with some very pleasant Aboriginal people. It is sad that some people tar them all with the same brush, as they certainly are not all wasting themselves away. Far from it.

Throughout the trip we saw plenty of animals in the wild. Kangaroos pretty much anywhere. Rock Wallabies at Lake Argyle. A snake which was stupidly sleeping on the middle of the Gibb River Road, which our tour guide proceeded to pick up and hold by the neck, much to the snake's disgust. We also saw many different types of lizards hanging about on rocks at the various gorges we visited. However until day 8, I had still not seen a crocodile properly (with the exception of one underwater on the first day). Considering these were the animals I was most looking forward to seeing, and that I was in a big crocodile region, this was quite disappointing. However, all good things come to those who wait, and on the way out of Lake Argyle, I saw a big freshwater crocodile lying on the bank of a river, catching some rays. We also saw a baby crocodile, which our tour guide again decided to pick up for everybody to get a closer look. Clearly he is a big fan of Steve Irwin!

With regards to the people I traveled with on this tour, it was a very different type of group to the one from Perth to Broome. On the first trip, most people were within a similar age bracket, while on this trip there was more diversity in that department. Obviously this had some downsides, with there not being as many crazy sessions going into the early hours of the morning. But for the most part it was a nice group to travel with. Of the new people on the trip, the best were two very fun girls from New Zealand, a lad from Switzerland who adores his banter with a passion, and a very nice family of four from England, with two very pleasant teen-aged children. On the contrary, we had to put up with an incredibly irritating, strange, rude, know-it-all 13 year old kid from the Netherlands, who had the remarkable ability to be more annoying than an attention starved beagle puppy!

Our tour guide Adam, also deserves a special mention. Just days before the start of the tour he fell off the roof of the 4WD and broke his foot. Despite this, he soldiered on and was always positive throughout, something which was hugely admirable, if not a little insane. His relaxed, carefree, attitude to life in general, and his amazing ability to squeeze the word "anyway" into a short tale as many times as possible will not be forgotten in a hurry. He had great knowledge of the Kimberley region and appears to adore his job. Again, as with my previous tour guide Simon, I have no complaints.

One minor inconvenience was the extreme heat. Every day we were undertaking hikes and walks in temperatures well into the 30s. In the words of Johnny Cash (who provided the theme tune of our trip with Ring of Fire), it burns burns burns!

Overall, the tour was hugely enjoyable, and the scenery in the Kimberley region is simply breathtaking. The only suggestion I would have is for Western Exposure to create a bit more variety during the first few days of the trip, rather than visiting every gorge known to man.

I'm now in Darwin, where I will spend a few days before beginning yet another trip with Adventure Tours. This time a 3 day tour to Lichfield National Park and the world famous Kakadu National Park. Hopefully I will spot more crocs!

Perth to Broome, Australia

After 6 nights in Perth, I set off on the first part of my journey to Darwin: a 10 day tour with Western Exposure to the beach side township of Broome. The first stop was at Namburg National Park to view the famous Pinnacles Desert, a region of hundreds of limestone pillars, the tallest of which is 4 metres high. After lunch we proceeded to go sandboarding down a steep, large sand dune. Like my previous sandboarding adventures, I yet again found it close to impossible to stay on the board for a significant amount of time. It was immense fun, but the timing of this activity was curious to say the least – literally 20 minutes after I gobbled down three large sandwiches for lunch!

Day 2 began with a disgustingly early 5AM kick off to begin another long day of driving. We stopped at Kalbarri National Park where we took in a stunning view of the river from Nature’s Window, and hiked down into the Z-Bend Gorge (the first of many gorges on this trip) where we chilled for awhile beside the natural pool. However when I think of Kalbarri, the first thing that comes to mind is Kangaroo related tragedy. The driver of another tour bus rammed straight into the oblivious and fairly blind creature, killing her instantly. However, her offspring, the Joey, miraculously escaped. For the next hour or so one of the members of the other tour bus kept the terrified looking fella warm until the park ranger arrived to take him into good hands. It is just one example of road kill that happens all over Australia, on a daily basis. Those Kangaroos don’t watch where they are hopping!

After lunch we set off on a long drive to Shark Bay World Heritage and Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. First up was a trip to Hamelin Pool to check out the stromatolites. If you believe what the scientists say, these unremarkable creatures are the earliest form of life on earth, dating back to 3.5 billion years. While this place would no doubt be heaven for science enthusiasts, to everybody else they look like nothing but a bunch of rocks sitting in shallow water. In fact, one of the girls presented an amusing theory that stromatolites do not exist, that they are just rocks, and the local souvenir shop simply use the term ‘’stromatolites’’ to draw in silly tourists to buy postcards, fridge magnets and 5 dollar milkshakes. These lazy creatures became the subject of numerous jokes throughout the rest of the tour, and I simply cannot fathom why the world renowned travel writer Bill Bryson drove such an enormous distance from Perth specifically to see these things!

However, Shark Bay then livened up dramatically. First up we visited Shell Beach for sunset, a beach made entirely out of small shells, with not a bit of sand in sight. What made this place more remarkable was the fact that we were the only people on this piece of majestic coastline. That is the beauty of the Western Australia, it is completely off the beaten track and for the most part it has not been built up for tourist purposes. The following morning, we headed for Monkey Mia, a tiny beach made famous by the local dolphins who come to shore of their own accord every morning to interact with humans and to be fed. It is quite an extraordinary site witnessing such interaction in a natural environment. People refer to dogs as being the most social creatures of earth, but they were merely bred by humans to behave like this. This behavior by the dozen or so dolphins at Monkey Mia is 100% natural, and I was left awfully impressed by the whole thing.

After another stint of long driving through the wilderness, we stopped at the extraordinary blowholes situated at incredibly isolated coastline. The rugged scenery of the steep cliffs and powerful waves were simply breathtaking, and the blowholes themselves did not disappoint, with the water spraying up to heights of 25 metres. We then continued northwards, past the Tropic of Capricorn to Coral Bay, a tiny town of 150 residents, situated on the Ningaloo Reef, a newly declared UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While not as large as the World famous Great Barrier Reef, it is also not thronged with anywhere near as many tourists. What´s more, the coral on the Ningaloo Reef comes right into the shore, unlike it´s bigger brother on the East Coast. This allowed us to simply hire snorkels pretty cheaply and go snorkeling on the beach, which was a relief because most of the other activities, such as diving with whale sharks, were incredibly expensive. I thoroughly enjoyed snorkeling on this stunning beach and witnessed all sorts of strange looking fish, swimming around and through the large amounts of coral. The next day we continued on to the township of Exmouth. From here we took a journey out to the gorgeous Turquoise Bay, where most of us spent the day snorkeling on the reef once more and chilling out on the splendid beach.

Days 6, 7 and 8 were spent in Karijini National Park, where we spent three nights camping in swags. The idea was to sleep outside under the sparkling stars. However, the first night was bitterly cold, which resulted in the majority of the group suffering from mild insomnia. After that, the sensible decision was taken by most people to sleep under the tents for the remaining nights. Despite the uncomfortable nights in the swag, Karijini was a magnificent place of wilderness. In total we visited 5 gorges: Knox Gorge, Hancock Gorge, Weano Gorge, Joffre Gorge and Dales Gorge. Each was stunning in its own unique way. However, what they all had in common was the ridiculous terrain that one had to tackle in order to get to the bottom. I assumed that there would be a lot of hiking on this trip, but never foresaw myself scavenging over and across steep rocks perched on the edge of cliffs. Extreme caution needed to be taken at all times, and being perfectly honest I felt a little uneasy at certain points. Certainly not something for the faint hearted. Thankfully everybody made it through each gorge without injury. A few of us were amazed that people are allowed to hike this terrain at all, and I was personally disgusted that some parents were bringing their children through these dangerous parts of the gorges.

While Karijini is first and foremost a haven for gorge lovers, there was another activity which we undertook, and that was hiking to the top of Mount Bruce, the second highest mountain in the state of Western Australia, at a little over 1200 metres high. Starting off at 700 metres above sea level, we set off for the top, with the prestigious Western Exposure record of 1 hour and 2 minutes in the back of my mind. The hike was longer than anticipated with numerous flat parts, along with some extremely steep sections. Myself and two of the others from the group made it to the top in 1 hour 14 minutes, a good effort. However, according to our tour guide the woman who made it to the top in 62 minutes was as mad as a bag of dingos, and basically ran all the flat bits. We opted against such lunacy. The record simply wasn´t THAT important.

After Karijini, the final 2 days were pretty quiet, with not a lot to see in the 1000 kilometres or so to Broome. We stayed  at Pardoo Cattle station for our final night of the tour, before arriving into Broome early afternoon on day 10. Here, on Cable Beach, I witnessed one of the most spectacular sunsets in my lifetime.

In total we drove an enormous 4100 kilometres over the 10 days, a perfect example of how vast this incredible country is. Western Australia is particular possesses some of the most isolated communities in the world. A typical day of travelling would consist of 2 hours driving through barren wilderness, stop at a random roadhouse in the middle of nowhere to purchase overpriced crisps, Coca Cola, and the occasional fridge magnet, continue on for another 2 hours of driving through absolutely nothing, stop at something that really shouldn´t be classified as a toilet, another 2 hours driving, and then arrive at some tiny town that Vodafone hasn´t bothered to service. What´s more is the fact that looking out the window at the barren landscape does strange things to one’s mind. You just can’t help daydreaming about all sorts of things when the scenery consists of a desert with nothing but spinifex, gum trees and other rough water-starved vegetation growing on it. But this is what is so amazing about Australia. Despite the fact it is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, most of it is so isolated and unforgiving. And of course, there is usually the occasional Kangaroo and Emu hanging around in the middle of nowhere. It doesn’t matter how many times you spot these animals in the wild, the novelty does not ware off.

Overall, I had an incredible 10 days and could not recommend this trip and the tour company, Western Exposure (Adventure Tours Australia) high enough. The itinerary was perfect, the sights and scenery were breathtaking, and the food was absolutely top notch. It is very rare that one doesn’t have even a little bit of negative feedback about a tour like this, but I simply cannot think of any. It was perfectly run, and the tour guide was very flexible and relaxed in his approach. Another positive aspect of the trip was the people I travelled with in the tour group. Barring the odd exception, they were an absolute pleasure to travel with, were always up for a laugh, regardless of what time of day it was, and I have made lots of new like-minded friends from Ireland, England, Wales, Germany, Switzerland, France and Australia. In addition I had the great pleasure of being in the company of a couple of the funniest people I have ever met. 

Also, a shout out to our tour guide Simon is much needed. He did a great job encouraging the group to socialize each evening over a few cold beers (or lemonades as he liked to call them) and was not afraid to join in the drinking and general banter. Two of the nights he staged a bus party after midnight, where general mayhem and carnage happened. His positive energy towards his job and willingness to enjoy himself was something that definitely fed into the rest of the group.

Finally, this trip saw the Vengaboys return to the consciousness of many people. This dreadful 1990’s cheesy pop band provided the theme tunes of our trip in the form of ‘Boom Boom Boom Boom’ (or Broome Broome Broome Broome as we preferred to call it) and ‘We’re Going to Ibiza’. Anytime I hear those songs in the future, they will no doubt bring back many fond memories of an unforgettable 10 days.

I now have two days in Broome to relax before embarking on a 9 day journey to Darwin, through the isolated wilderness of the Kimberleys. Each night will be spent camping and some of the sites are so far off the beaten track, that a 4WD is needed to get to them. Only three of the Perth to Broome tour group will be continuing on to Darwin, so for the most part it will be a completely new group. If they are half as good as the people I travelled with over the last 10 days then it is sure to be a memorable trip.

In the words of our tour guide Simon, West is most definitely best!