Spring in Australia is significantly warmer than in New Zealand. Yes, I'm getting this out of the way first, because it has caused confusion for many people: We are in Australia.
 |
| First Steps in Australia |
This has primarily to do with our New Zealand visa. The visa process in New Zealand is complicated, and you have to plan a little ahead to avoid suddenly having to leave the country when it’s the last thing you want. After we applied for a new visa in August, we were once again granted a six-month stay. This time, the visa is valid for three years. Within these three years, we’re allowed to enter and leave the country as often as we want. However, we’re limited to a rolling 180-day period. So if I want to leave New Zealand on May 1 of next year, I can’t have been in the country for more than 180 days by that point. This means we always have to keep our desired departure date in mind. Since we already entered the country in August of this year, we would have exceeded the 180-day limit by May 1, 2027—meaning we’d have to leave the country earlier. But since cyclone season runs from December through April, it would be a bummer if a cyclone were to get in our way then. For this reason, we’ve decided to visit Australia for three months.
 |
| Our Campervan |
We rented what’s known as a campervan. I should have known better. A country that produced a Crocodile Dundee tends to take a rather rugged approach to nature—including camping. In Europe, you generally only see odometer readings well over 400,000 kilometers on trucks. On a passenger car, that kind of mileage usually gives you stomach cramps. And it’s not just because of the mileage. The previous renters have already driven the car to every possible—and impossible—spot. It’s no coincidence that there’s a sign stuck to the dashboard indicating a height limit of 3.0 meters. So our campervan doesn’t fit into a shopping center parking garage, because they usually have a maximum height of 2.10 meters. That’s actually posted at every entrance. Even so, the roof rack is dented. The backup camera only works when you don’t need it. In tight spaces, it first displays a blue screen and then shuts down completely. The engine warning light stays on constantly.
 |
| Dents Everywhere |
“But you don’t have to worry about that,” the friendly gentleman tells me as he hands over the keys. “If anything happens, you can call the rental company’s number.” At least we have a toilet on board, which cost me a whopping 2,000€ extra for the three months we rented the campervan. All in all, this vehicle—which I’d say has long since paid for itself—costs us 13,500 AUS$, which is 8,400€ after all. At least the vehicle is so compact that it fits into almost any parking space. That’s especially handy in cities, where parking is very limited.
 |
| Cockatoo in Coledale, Australia |
Our route takes us south along the coast at first. We’ve already driven through several national parks, which are strung along the coast like pearls on a string. The weather is much nicer than in New Zealand, and the temperatures are also much more pleasant. Except for today—it’s been raining all day, and the temperatures have plummeted. The air temperature of 14 °C is similar to that in New Zealand, but it’s supposed to climb back up to around 20 °C tomorrow, which is very pleasant for us. Our first stop is Coledale. The campground is located on the beach with impressive waves. A group of cockatoos is chatting loudly as we arrive. Before that, we drove through the Royal National Park. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any kangaroos there. In the evening, while looking for a bar, we stumbled upon the Coledale Fine Wines liquor store. They have wine here, but also German beer. We sit down on a bench outside and watch the locals as they buy their liquor. When you’re sitting on a bench like that, it doesn’t take five minutes before someone strikes up a conversation. It’s shaping up to be an interesting evening.
 |
| Wine Shop in Coledale, Australia |
The next day, we head to Kiama via Wollongong. Preparations for Labor Day are in full swing. We check out the lighthouse and the blowhole. We also take a stroll through town. At a beach parking lot above Kiama, we set up our camping chairs and table and enjoy our lunch while taking in the magnificent view of the bay.
 |
| Blowhole in Kiama, Australia |
 |
| Courthouse in Kiama, Australia |
We spend the night in Killalea Regional Park. Here, we’re confronted by a swarm of moths. The critters get stuck all over the car, and it takes us another two days to remove them from the interior. The next day, we continue on to Jervis Bay. We drive through Jervis Bay National Park to Currarong. Here lies the wreck of the SS Merimbula, which ran aground off the coast in 1928. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
 |
| The SS Merimbula, Jervis Bay, Australia |
There isn’t much left to see of the ship that ran aground nearly 100 years ago, but the short loop trail through the nearby eucalyptus forests is a pleasant walk. Unfortunately, just like earlier in Killalea Regional Park, we don’t see any kangaroos here either. At Booderee National Park, at the southern end of Jervis Bay, we want to catch a glimpse of the open ocean. If you’re lucky, you can spot whales here. But neither whales nor kangaroos cross our path. By the way, admission to the park costs 20 AUS$. For that price, they could at least have let the “tourist kangaroo” roam free.
 |
| Hiking Trails Around Jervis Bay, Australia |
Anyway, I’m slowly starting to feel like there aren’t any kangaroos in Australia at all and that it’s all just a myth. We’ll see. We spend our next night in a parking lot where overnight stays are apparently allowed. At least that’s what our camping app says. It works out without a hitch, and since it started raining during the night, we skip making coffee in our campervan the next morning and buy some at the café across the street. I’ll tell you next week how things continue without any kangaroos. Until then, may you always have fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
Comments
Post a Comment