Warning: call_user_func_array() expects parameter 1 to be a valid callback, class 'collapsArch' does not have a method 'enqueue_scripts' in C:\inetpub\vhosts\globitrotter.com\httpdocs\blog\wp-includes\class-wp-hook.php on line 307

Category: Uncategorized

Taiwan go go go!

When I went home from my long holiday in Australia and Fiji I flew through Taipei where I had been for about 5 months before the trip. It was a little weird to come back and I was only going to spend a few hours in the airport. But as I was walking between the terminals I saw this poster on the wall and got very happy. I had almost forgotten but Taiwan is still the same and somehow I will miss it.

Taiwan really good!

Better to have it and loose it…

The best thing about travelling is that you continuously meet a lot of very nice people. Even though you might not spend much time with all of them they often mean a lot to your experience of a place. It is sometimes difficult to say goodbye to the new friends you have made. I often wish I could just stop time for a while, I do not feel ready to go on yet. Sometimes I even wonder if it is worth the effort to get to know new friends if you just have to say goodbye and probably never see them again. But at the end of the day what you gain is so much more and it is better to have it and loose it that not to have it at all. And you never know, you might meet up again somewhere, sometime.

To all the new friends I have made in Australia: I will miss you loads!

Spirit of Freedom

The Spirit of Freedom. Photo: Andy Durrer

Last week I had the good fortune to be diving the Great Barrier Reef on the Spirit of Freedom. It was an intense week with a total of 27 dives including 3 night dives. When we were not diving we were eating or sleeping. The chef fed us great food constantly.

Unfortunately we did not make it out to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea due to the weather. We were hoping for good visibility and possibly some hammerheads and other sharks. Instead we continued to dive the Ribbon Reefs. The diving was easy, mostly fairly shallow and none or weak current. The corals are amazing and it was mainly small stuff we were looking for. There was the occasional white tip reef shark and turtle but otherwise we focused on nudibranchs, flatworms etc. My favourite dive sites were Cod hole, which is known for it spectacular coral formations and the potato cod (huge, ugly fish) and Steve’s Bommie, a pinnacle that has lots to look at on depths from 5 to 30 m. Unfortunately on the pinnacles it becomes very crowded when 25 divers gets in the water at the same time…

Deep talk with a Potato Cod. Photo: Andy Durrer.

Beautiful nudibranch. Photo: Andy Durrer.

We found this sleeping pufferfish on a night dive. Is he not adorable? Photo: Andy Durrer.

This liveaboard was different from others I have done. The biggest difference was that there were about 25 divers (a lot!) and that the dives were not lead by a dive master. The navigation was not very complicated so it was no problem to dive on your own. I was lucky though and got my own personal dive master and instructor. My buddies, Birgit (dive master) and Andy (instructor) were simply the best. We had lots of fun both in the water and on the boat. I will miss you guys!

Having a well deserved glass of wine with my buddies, Andy and Birgit.

Apart from excellent diving the crew and the other guests made the trip unforgetable. I had a spectacular time and will never forget this lovely week.

Me! Photo: Andy Durrer.

Part two

When I arrived in Cairns yesterday it felt like a whole new trip had started. It was 10 or more degrees warmer than Sydney and the humidity a lot higher. This kind of weather is for me strongly connected to holidays while the Sydney weather is more familiar. The pace is also significantly slower, people walk slowly and are just hanging around.

This is the kind of environment I will spend my last month of travelling in. Actually today I am a little worried that I will find it boring after being fairly active down south with hiking and other activities. But I have two weeks of diving and 3 days of sailing planned so I think I will be fine. 🙂 I am very good at adapting to the surroundings…

In just a few hours I will board the dive boat, the Spirit of Freedom, which will take me and about 20 other divers around the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea for 7 days. So in a week and after 25 or so dives I will be back to civilisation in Cairns with more stories.

Until then…

Oh, did I tell you I bought a boat….

Dear Debbie and Graeme

One good thing about joining a group is all the nice people you meet. Hiking the Overland Track was not only a fantastic experience when it comes to scenery but I also got to know you. I enjoyed our conversations about travels and Australian football. I didn’t realize before I came here that australian rules football even existed.

Thank you so much for you hospitality, for inviting me to your lovely home in Ballarat and to the footy game in Melbourne! You made me feel very welcome and it was a real treat to spend a few nights with you and your family.

I hope we will meet again soon, maybe in Sweden or hiking somewhere in the world. Maybe the European Alps next time?

Take care and send the family my love.

Angela