Un o'r uchafbwyntiau, os nad yr uchafbwynt, o'n cyfnod ym Mherth oedd ein hymweliad â Ynys Rottnest neu 'Rotto' fel alwai'r brodorion e. Mae'r ynys 19km i ffwrdd ar gwch o Freemantle ac mae'n 11km o hyd a 4.5km ar ei man lleta. Gwarchodfa bywyd gwyllt yw ac mae'n le poblogaidd iawn gyda nifer fawr o pobl Awstralia yn gwario ei gwyliau haf yno. Mae gan yr ynys ddwsine o draethau a baeau bychan o'i hamgylch gyda'r bywyd gwyllt mwyaf lliwgar yn, ac ar waelod y môr. Roeddwn yn nofio mewn môr o liw wrth ddeifio i lawr rhwng yr amrywiaeth eang o bysgod, coral a gwymon. Roeddwn yn colli fy hun yn yr amgylchfyd rhyfeddol a chyfoethog yma a bum yn y dwr am oriau i gyd yn darganfod bae ar ôl bae.
Roedd gan pob un o'r traethau dywod melyn-wyn a môr gwyrdd-las - nid yw'n bosib blino gweld y traethau hyfryd o'r math yma. Bydden yn teithio o draeth i draeth ac o fae i fae ar fws oedd yn amgylchynnu'r ynys. Yn un o'r baeau tawelaf ble nad oedd yr un enaid onid am Nia a finne deithym ar draws bysgodyn a elwir yn Pufferfish neu fel galwai'r brodorion nhw 'Blowies'. Ni wnaeth y pysgodyn yma nofio i ffwrdd yn syth pan deithym ar ei draws a felly cefais gyfle i'w ddilyn yn dawel bach a chael hwyl yn ei wylio. Bum yn gwneud hyn am sbel fach tan i mi sylweddoli fod y pysgodyn yma yn fy nilyn i gymaint ac yr oeddwn yn ei ddilyn ef. Wrth i mi arnofio yn y dwr bas gyda'm dwylo ar lawr y môr daeth y Blowie i fyny ataf a nofio reit o dan fy nhrwyn a rhwng fy mreichiau. Yna ddechreuodd gnoi ar ewyn fy mys bach ac mi'r oeddwn yn meddwl fod hyn yn ddigri iawn ... tan i'r diawl bach ddechrau cnoi ar man fwy tender ar ochr fy mys. Dwi ddim yn gwybod pwy gafodd y sioc fwyaf, fi o'r poen sydyn yn fy mys neu y Blowie o'r ffys fawr gwnes i. Ond dwi ddim yn credu i mi rhoi'r pysgodyn off y syniad o cael fy mys fel tamaid i fwyta oherwydd mewn munud neu ddau roedd e'n ôl ... gyda'i frawd mawr yn ei ddilyn ac mi'r oeddwn yn cael fy stelcian o ddau gyfeiriad. Amser i fi adael a ymweld â'r bae nesaf.
Hefyd ar Ynys Rotto gellir gweld Quokkas. Math o gangarw bach ydynt tua maint cath cyffredin ac ond mewn ychydig mannau prin yng ngorllewin Awtralia y maent yn bodoli bellach ac maent yn cael eu gwarchodi yma ar Ynys Rotto. Daethom ar draws sawl un ohonynt ac mi'r oedd un yn ddigon caredig i sefyll yn llonydd reit o'n blaenau tra ein bod yn cymryd lluniau o fri ohono. Rîl poser yn fy marn i!
Friday, 29 February 2008
Y Sinema
Onid am yr adloniant sy'n cael ei ddarparu ar awyrennau, nid oeddwn wedi gweld ffilm ers gadael gartref. Newidiwyd hyn i gyd tra ym Mherth. Yn gyntaf, ar ddiwrnod enwedig o boeth, fe benderfynom yn lle dioddef y gwres llethol, roeddem am fynd i'r sinema er mwyn mwynhau yr 'air-conditioning' ... o ie, ac i weld ffilm hefyd. Fe'r aeth Gwen a finne i wylio'r Hollywood blockbuster 'American Gangster' tra yr aeth Nia i wylio '27 Dresses' (gwir 'chick flick').
Wedyn, yn ystod ein cyfnod ym Mherth, roedd yna Wyl Ffilmiau Rhyngwladol yn cael ei chynnal ac mi'r oedd yn draddodiad gyda Gwen a rhai o'i ffrindiau i fynd yn wythnosol ar y Sul. Ond nid dim ond troi lan i sinema cyffredin, prynnu Cornetto a gwylio'r ffilm cyn dychwelyd adref gwnaent. I ddechrau byddem yn troi lan ryw cwpwl o oriau o flaen llaw gyda phicnic mawr mewn llaw a mwynhau rhannu bwyd hyfryd, cwpwl o wydrau o win a sgwrs ddiddorol mewn amgylchedd siriol ger llyn ar campws Prifysgol Joondalup Pines. Byddwn wedyn yn gwylio'r ffilm mewn Sinema awyr agored - y tro cyntaf i'r ddau ohonom brofi ffilm yn yr awyr agored ac mi'r oedd yn wirioneddol braf. Ar ben y profiad hyfryd yma cawsom ein hadlonni dros y tair Sul y buom yno gan dri ffilm ardderchog. Gwelsom ffilm Almaeneg/Twrciaidd 'Edge of Heaven' - drama dda; Ffilm o Sweden "Heartbreak Hotel' - ffilm ddoniol ac yr oedd yn cyffwrdd â'r galon; a hefyd ffilm o Ffrainc ' Tell No One' - ffilm gyffroes a dwys. Mae'r profiad wedi bod yn agoriad llygad i mi a'r safon ffilmiau estron a chredaf gall llawer iawn o ffilmiau Holywood ddysgu tipyn wrthynt. Roedd gan pob un stori dda i'w ddweud gyda chymeriadau cryf heb orfod ddibynnu ar jyst fomiau a gynnau a 'special effects' i geisio adlonni'r gynulleidfa. Da iawn wir.
Wedyn, yn ystod ein cyfnod ym Mherth, roedd yna Wyl Ffilmiau Rhyngwladol yn cael ei chynnal ac mi'r oedd yn draddodiad gyda Gwen a rhai o'i ffrindiau i fynd yn wythnosol ar y Sul. Ond nid dim ond troi lan i sinema cyffredin, prynnu Cornetto a gwylio'r ffilm cyn dychwelyd adref gwnaent. I ddechrau byddem yn troi lan ryw cwpwl o oriau o flaen llaw gyda phicnic mawr mewn llaw a mwynhau rhannu bwyd hyfryd, cwpwl o wydrau o win a sgwrs ddiddorol mewn amgylchedd siriol ger llyn ar campws Prifysgol Joondalup Pines. Byddwn wedyn yn gwylio'r ffilm mewn Sinema awyr agored - y tro cyntaf i'r ddau ohonom brofi ffilm yn yr awyr agored ac mi'r oedd yn wirioneddol braf. Ar ben y profiad hyfryd yma cawsom ein hadlonni dros y tair Sul y buom yno gan dri ffilm ardderchog. Gwelsom ffilm Almaeneg/Twrciaidd 'Edge of Heaven' - drama dda; Ffilm o Sweden "Heartbreak Hotel' - ffilm ddoniol ac yr oedd yn cyffwrdd â'r galon; a hefyd ffilm o Ffrainc ' Tell No One' - ffilm gyffroes a dwys. Mae'r profiad wedi bod yn agoriad llygad i mi a'r safon ffilmiau estron a chredaf gall llawer iawn o ffilmiau Holywood ddysgu tipyn wrthynt. Roedd gan pob un stori dda i'w ddweud gyda chymeriadau cryf heb orfod ddibynnu ar jyst fomiau a gynnau a 'special effects' i geisio adlonni'r gynulleidfa. Da iawn wir.
Y Pinnacles
Un o'r mannau cyntaf yr aeth Gwen a ni i ymweld â oedd Y Pinnacles, ryw tair awr a hanner i'r gogledd o Perth. Cawsom daith pleserus i fyny a chael gweld fersiwn Gorllewin Awstralia o'r 'bush' gyda Gwen yn pwyntio allan y gwahanol goed, blodau a phlanhigion ar y ffordd yn ogystal â'r bywyd gwyllt - wel, y cangarws beth bynnag. Ond arbenigedd Gwen yn fy marn i yw'r adar. Mi'r oedd yn medru enwi bron pob un math o aderyn yr oeddem yn eu gweld - dyma'r math o beth rydych yn ei ddysgu pan cewch eich dwyn lan ar ffarm fel y cafodd Gwen.
Roedd Y Pinnacles yn rhywbeth hollol wahanol ac unigryw. Cyfluniad calchfeini ydynt wedi'u llunio mewn i golofnau yn codi allan o'r anialwch - siâp tebyg i 'stalagmites'. Maent wedi eu creu ers miloedd o flynyddoedd ac mae yna filoedd ohonynt, pob un yn wahanol gyda rhai yn ymestyn i daldra o 4 medr. Mae rhywbeth digon spwci amdanynt, yn sefyll fanna yng nghanol yr anialwch fel petai fod pob un yn eich gwylio ond yn dweud dim gyda dim ond swn y gwynt yn eich clustiau. Roeddent yn fy hatgoffa rhywfaint o'r fyddin terracota darganfuwyd yn Tsieina. Pob colofn yn filwr yn sefyll i sylw ar wasgar ar faes y gâd. Golygfa naturiol rhyfeddol a bendigedig.
Wrth gwrs gan ein bod yn trafaelu mor bell rhaid oedd dod a phicnic gyda ni ac fe'i fwynhawyd ger Kangaroo Point ger y môr a yna wedi mwynhau Y Pinnacles galw yn Hangover Bay (na, doeddwn heb fod yn yfed y noswaith gynt ... wel, dim llawer ta beth) er mwyn nofio mewn bae a neb yno o gwbwl ond y tri ohonom. Neb, hynny yw, tan i bedwar beic cwad droi lan yn swn i gyd i ddinistrio ein heddwch ond fe'u diflanwyd dros y twyni tywod yr un mor gloi ac yr ymddangosant. Cyn troi am thref fe alwon mewn i dafarn yn y pentref cyfagos, Cervantes, am gwpwl o 'ice cold Aussie beers' wedi mwynhau diwrnod yn edmygu y byd natur ar waith yng ngwres poeth y dydd.
Roedd Y Pinnacles yn rhywbeth hollol wahanol ac unigryw. Cyfluniad calchfeini ydynt wedi'u llunio mewn i golofnau yn codi allan o'r anialwch - siâp tebyg i 'stalagmites'. Maent wedi eu creu ers miloedd o flynyddoedd ac mae yna filoedd ohonynt, pob un yn wahanol gyda rhai yn ymestyn i daldra o 4 medr. Mae rhywbeth digon spwci amdanynt, yn sefyll fanna yng nghanol yr anialwch fel petai fod pob un yn eich gwylio ond yn dweud dim gyda dim ond swn y gwynt yn eich clustiau. Roeddent yn fy hatgoffa rhywfaint o'r fyddin terracota darganfuwyd yn Tsieina. Pob colofn yn filwr yn sefyll i sylw ar wasgar ar faes y gâd. Golygfa naturiol rhyfeddol a bendigedig.
Wrth gwrs gan ein bod yn trafaelu mor bell rhaid oedd dod a phicnic gyda ni ac fe'i fwynhawyd ger Kangaroo Point ger y môr a yna wedi mwynhau Y Pinnacles galw yn Hangover Bay (na, doeddwn heb fod yn yfed y noswaith gynt ... wel, dim llawer ta beth) er mwyn nofio mewn bae a neb yno o gwbwl ond y tri ohonom. Neb, hynny yw, tan i bedwar beic cwad droi lan yn swn i gyd i ddinistrio ein heddwch ond fe'u diflanwyd dros y twyni tywod yr un mor gloi ac yr ymddangosant. Cyn troi am thref fe alwon mewn i dafarn yn y pentref cyfagos, Cervantes, am gwpwl o 'ice cold Aussie beers' wedi mwynhau diwrnod yn edmygu y byd natur ar waith yng ngwres poeth y dydd.
Saturday, 23 February 2008
Gwlad o Draethau, Picnic a Heulwen
Mae Perth a Talaith Gorllewin Awstralia yn wlad o draethau, picnics a heulwen. Arferiad Gwen, ein 'hostess with the mostest', ac wrth reswm ein harferiad ninnau hefyd tra ym Mherth oedd codi bob bore, cael brecwast bach cloi ac yna bant i'r traeth erbyn tua deg o'r gloch. Byddwn yn cerdded fyny'r traeth am ryw hanner awr neu mwy ac yna dychwelyd i'r man cychwyn cyn mynd i'r môr am nofiad bach hyfryd i'n cwlo ni lawr. Roedd y traeth yn fendigedig gyda tywod gwyn a môr tawel wyrdd-las yn ymestyn am filltiroedd. Wrth gerdded fyny'r traeth bydden yn mynd trwyddo rhan wedi ei neilltuo ar gyfer ymarfer cwn a dyna ble fyddai dwsine ohonynt yn rhedeg yn wyllt ar hyd y lle. Rhai yn nofio yn y môr ac yn pallu dod allan, rhai yn gwrthod mynd i'r môr ac yn cael eu cario i fewn, eraill yn carlamu ar ôl pêl neu ffrisbi neu ond yn rhedeg ar ôl eu gilydd. Roedd yn dipyn o sbort jyst yn eu gwylio ac gall fod yna o leiaf gwpwl o gannoedd ohonynt ar y penwythnos. Byddai Rosie, Jess, Sadie, Pero a Cassie (cwn Anti Mags) wrth ei boddau yna. Fi'n siwr byddai Jess wedi bachu pob pêl oedd ar y traeth os iddi gael hanner cyfle. Jyst ochr arall i'r rhan y cwn, roedd yna rhan wedi ei neilltuo ar gyfer y ceffylau. Roeddent yn fwy sidêt na'r cwn gyda dim o'r rhedeg gwyllt diolch byth neu falle bydde ni ddim yma nawr i adrodd yr hanes. Roeddent yn hapus i rolio yn y tywod neu nofio yn y môr. Roeddwn bob amser yn mynd a'n 'goggles' pan yn mynd i'r traeth er mwyn medru snorclio yn y dwr a chael gweld ryfeddodau'r môr. Roedd yna amrywiaeth o bysgod i'w gweld hyd yn oed yn agos i'r lan ac yna byddai rhaid i mi ddeifio i lawr i wely'r môr er mwyn casglu ambell gragen pan fod Nia yn dewis cael sesiwn o'u casglu.
Rhaid dweud mae'n fywyd braf yng Ngorllewin Awstralia ac mi'r oedd hi'n hawdd codi bob bore pan fod ymweliad i'r traeth yn ein disgwyl. Ac nid hwn oedd yr unig draeth i ni ymweld â. Byddai'r tryncs yn cael ei bacio bob tro byddai yna hanner cyfle y byddwn yn mynd yn agos i'r môr. Un tro aethom am swper ar lan môr - pysgod a sglodion wrth gwrs - ond rhaid oedd mynd i nofio yn gyntaf. Mwynhau y pysgod ar sglodion wedyn a'i olchu i lawr â chwpwl o poteli oer o gwrw Awstralaidd wrth wylio'r haul ym machlyd braf.
Mae gan pobl Gorllewin Awstalia y nac o baratoi picnic mewn beth dim o amser. Maent yn medru twli popeth at eu gilydd mewn eski ('coolbag') a bant a ni i le bynnag. Os bydden ni'n mynd am drip i unrhywle yna byddai picnic yn orfodol.
Er mwyn mwynhau yr holl bicnics a'r traethau rhaid oedd cael tywydd da ac mi'r oedd gan Perth hyn mewn digonedd. I ddweud y gwir yn onest (fel wede mamgu) dwi ddim yn cofio i ni cael glaw o gwbl tra ym Mherth. Cawsom ddigonedd o heulwen a digonedd o wres poeth. Roedd yn fwy tebygol i ni cael gwres yn y 30au uchel neu hyd yn oed yn y 40au na dim a pob diwrnod pryd byddai'r gwres yn uchel bydde ni'n gobeithio y bydd y Freemantle Doctor yn galw. Hwn fyddai'r awel môr goddefol hyfryd byddai'n galw gyda'r pnawn o gyfeiriad tref Freemantle. Ond os na byddai'r awel yma'n dod bydd hi'n teimlo'n drymedd reit a byddai rhaid cau pob drws a ffenestr i'r ty er mwyn ceisio cadw'r ty mor cwl a phosib. Does dim angen dweud i Nia a finne ddal dipyn o liw'r haul yn ein amser ym Mherth a dwi dal methu dod dros fod y lliw ar dop fy nhraed yn wahanol reit i'r lliw ar fy ngwadnau.
Rhaid dweud mae'n fywyd braf yng Ngorllewin Awstralia ac mi'r oedd hi'n hawdd codi bob bore pan fod ymweliad i'r traeth yn ein disgwyl. Ac nid hwn oedd yr unig draeth i ni ymweld â. Byddai'r tryncs yn cael ei bacio bob tro byddai yna hanner cyfle y byddwn yn mynd yn agos i'r môr. Un tro aethom am swper ar lan môr - pysgod a sglodion wrth gwrs - ond rhaid oedd mynd i nofio yn gyntaf. Mwynhau y pysgod ar sglodion wedyn a'i olchu i lawr â chwpwl o poteli oer o gwrw Awstralaidd wrth wylio'r haul ym machlyd braf.
Mae gan pobl Gorllewin Awstalia y nac o baratoi picnic mewn beth dim o amser. Maent yn medru twli popeth at eu gilydd mewn eski ('coolbag') a bant a ni i le bynnag. Os bydden ni'n mynd am drip i unrhywle yna byddai picnic yn orfodol.
Er mwyn mwynhau yr holl bicnics a'r traethau rhaid oedd cael tywydd da ac mi'r oedd gan Perth hyn mewn digonedd. I ddweud y gwir yn onest (fel wede mamgu) dwi ddim yn cofio i ni cael glaw o gwbl tra ym Mherth. Cawsom ddigonedd o heulwen a digonedd o wres poeth. Roedd yn fwy tebygol i ni cael gwres yn y 30au uchel neu hyd yn oed yn y 40au na dim a pob diwrnod pryd byddai'r gwres yn uchel bydde ni'n gobeithio y bydd y Freemantle Doctor yn galw. Hwn fyddai'r awel môr goddefol hyfryd byddai'n galw gyda'r pnawn o gyfeiriad tref Freemantle. Ond os na byddai'r awel yma'n dod bydd hi'n teimlo'n drymedd reit a byddai rhaid cau pob drws a ffenestr i'r ty er mwyn ceisio cadw'r ty mor cwl a phosib. Does dim angen dweud i Nia a finne ddal dipyn o liw'r haul yn ein amser ym Mherth a dwi dal methu dod dros fod y lliw ar dop fy nhraed yn wahanol reit i'r lliw ar fy ngwadnau.
ULURU AND A TOWN CALLED ALICE
It's hot in Alice Springs. Signposts as you approach the town, like Arid Zone Research Institute and Desert Monitoring Station give a few clues as to what to expect in the Red Centre. We arrived in Alice during rush-hour - we saw at least four cars on the main street as we drove to the hostel which is situated on the banks of the normally dry bed of the River Todd. You are advised however not to park anywhere near the riverbed as your vehicle could be washed away in an instant by the torrents that can thunder down without warning from upstream and you don't want to be a statistic on the wall of the Desert Monitoring Station. Going by what we'd read and had been told about Alice, we weren't expecting much more than a couple of red dusty streets and dingos wandering around, but the town was a very pleasant surprise. With a population of nearly 23,000 people, and the stop-off point for just about everyone heading off in the direction of 'The Rock' - it has all the amenities you could need and a roaring trade in all things Aboriginal.
At 5.55am, the bus come truck of Outback Safari's arrived outside the hostel to pick up one Marc Richards and one Nina Heavens for a three day adventure to the Red Centre. Another myth that was dispelled for us was the distance from Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers Rock) - it is 444km (275 miles) which took a pretty long time - time enough to stop for a break at a camel farm and for Marc to give an excellent impersonation of Lawrence of Arabia (well he was Welsh) as he masterfully rode a trotting camel around the paddock, well that's what I understood the flailing arms to be anyway. On we went, the unrelenting sun beating down on us (hope you're getting the picture) to a viewpoint of Kata Tjuta which is a group of 36 large domed red rock formations as sacred to the indigenous people as Uluru. After being driven nuts by the flies (they even managed to get under my very attractive head-net) we drove on and took a relatively short 2km walk into the Kata Tjuta Walpa Gorge Walk and boy, was it hot! Steve, our guide had advised us that throughout the safari, we should be drinking little and often to keep dehydration at bay, and even on this 1 hour walk, we should have drunk at least 2 litres each by the time we got back. He also advised that a wet bandana around the neck is a great way to keep cool which proved very true.
That evening, we got to see Uluru for the first time and it was truly awesome and breathtaking. We couldn't believe that we were actually there. We joined the hundreds of other tourists in the sunset viewing area a few kilometers away to watch the rock steadily change colour, one woman swiftly painting a watercolour of the vibrant scene as the sun went down.
Our accommodation for the safari were camps and permanent tents with beds (luxury) and we would all muck-in with preparing the meals and other chores like making sure that the beer was cold. Following a great BBQ on the first evening, we all turned in quite soon afterwards, as Steve had advised us of the early morning wake-up call so that we could return to Uluru for sunrise (we thought that he was joking at first). It was such a lovely night that Marc and I dragged our beds out of the tent and in no time at all, most of the others had done the same, so we spent the night under the most incredibly star-filled sky, just lying there watching shooting stars whizz across the sky, still not able to get used to Orion being upside down...
The wake-up call came at 4.15am and we all dragged ourselves to the food hut for some breakfast before getting on the bus and falling asleep again. We had been given three choices of walk for Uluru. Firstly, the climb which is against Aboriginal wishes, which no-one on the bus elected to do, a 5km walk to see sunrise, where we would no doubt have met up with the hundreds of tourists we had seen at sunset the night before, or the 8km basewalk, where you would see sunrise wherever you happened to be at that moment. Marc and I, along with another three couples, were dropped off in complete darkness and pointed in the direction of the rock with insturctions on where we could find the bus 2 hours later. We had one false start, where we ended up peering into the gloomy depths of a watering hole up a dead-end well it was still dark), but soon found the right track and started our walk along the path which snakes around the base of this giant. Again, we could hardly believe that we were so lucky to be doing something so amazing, touching and feeling the texture of the rock which was still warm from the sun of the day before. First light came and the rock became a purple colour and we gazed up at the sheer rockface as the patterns and shapes in the rock that tell the story of many an Aboriginal legend were revealed. High clouds muted any spectacular sunrise but as the skies brightened the rock turned into its familiar rich red-ochre colour.
There are many sacred areas around the base of Uluru, some that are traditionally for viewing only by Aboriginal elders and the initiated, there are also male sacred areas and female sacred areas none of which are accessible and photography of these areas is also prohibited and liable to a very hefty fine. We followed the flat red paths through trees, bushes and scrub and entered some small caves which were decorated with Aborignal paintings on the walls and ceilings. Many were fading, no thanks to the practice of European tourguides in the not-so-distant past of throwing buckets of water at the walls to brighten the colours in the gloomy caves! We joined the remainder of our group and were taken to a small watering hole at the top of a dead-end (ahem), where Steve explained that this was a sacred spot, the waters of which had bene used in Mala ceremonies on the rock for centuries. We had a quick stickybeak around the Aboriginal Culture centre where we were greeted by an old Aboriginal man who showed us how to throw a boomerang properly, then it was back on the bus.
Our second camp at Kings Creek Station, was about 300km away and we all dozed a bit as we drove along, seeing camels, emu and wild horses in the bush. We ventured into the off-road to collect firewood for cooking supper - all pieces had to be about 4 feet long and as thick as an average wrist (as soon as Steve said this, you could see everyone looking at their own wrist!) Our pot-chicken supper was cooked over the fire for us, accompanied by some tasty freshly-baked damper bread. We enjoyed some wine and chat until the camp fire went out then went to bed, the thought of another early start looming.
He was back at 4.15am, calling "It's probably not the time to rock and roll, but the kettle's boiling...". We drove out to Kings Canyon which is Australia's answer to the Grand Canyon. At 6.00am, so avoiding the heat of the day, we started out on the
Kings Canyon Rim Walk, the longer of the two walks around this spectacular area that traces the top of the canyon walls, which are over 100 metres high. A steep climb at the beginning of the walk, which locals call Heartbreak Hill due to its gradient took us to the top and stunning views of the gorge below and sunrise on the other side. About half way round the walk, a detour down a series of wooden steps and walkways descends to the Garden of Eden, a permanent waterhole surrounded by lush tropical plant life and a lonely duck called Adam. Apparently Eve left a couple of years ago and hasn't been back since. Marc was first into the deep black water followed by another two brave souls. I just sat on the bank taking pictures and wondering if he would ever surface again after diving down to see how deep it was. The plant life on the rocks was unique - because they grow in small fissures and clefts in the rock, the trees have small root systems and grow like bonsai. We came across a spectacular palm tree, about 2 metres high and Steve explained that this type of palm grows about 1 metre every 800 years. I remember thinking that I could well have one of these in my hallway! Given the early start we were back at camp for lunch by 10.00am and after loading all the Eski's into the back of the bus and sweeping out the red sand from our tents we headed back to Alice Springs, absoloutely shattered and looking forward to not being awoken at 4.15am, well not for a while anyway.
At 5.55am, the bus come truck of Outback Safari's arrived outside the hostel to pick up one Marc Richards and one Nina Heavens for a three day adventure to the Red Centre. Another myth that was dispelled for us was the distance from Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers Rock) - it is 444km (275 miles) which took a pretty long time - time enough to stop for a break at a camel farm and for Marc to give an excellent impersonation of Lawrence of Arabia (well he was Welsh) as he masterfully rode a trotting camel around the paddock, well that's what I understood the flailing arms to be anyway. On we went, the unrelenting sun beating down on us (hope you're getting the picture) to a viewpoint of Kata Tjuta which is a group of 36 large domed red rock formations as sacred to the indigenous people as Uluru. After being driven nuts by the flies (they even managed to get under my very attractive head-net) we drove on and took a relatively short 2km walk into the Kata Tjuta Walpa Gorge Walk and boy, was it hot! Steve, our guide had advised us that throughout the safari, we should be drinking little and often to keep dehydration at bay, and even on this 1 hour walk, we should have drunk at least 2 litres each by the time we got back. He also advised that a wet bandana around the neck is a great way to keep cool which proved very true.
That evening, we got to see Uluru for the first time and it was truly awesome and breathtaking. We couldn't believe that we were actually there. We joined the hundreds of other tourists in the sunset viewing area a few kilometers away to watch the rock steadily change colour, one woman swiftly painting a watercolour of the vibrant scene as the sun went down.
Our accommodation for the safari were camps and permanent tents with beds (luxury) and we would all muck-in with preparing the meals and other chores like making sure that the beer was cold. Following a great BBQ on the first evening, we all turned in quite soon afterwards, as Steve had advised us of the early morning wake-up call so that we could return to Uluru for sunrise (we thought that he was joking at first). It was such a lovely night that Marc and I dragged our beds out of the tent and in no time at all, most of the others had done the same, so we spent the night under the most incredibly star-filled sky, just lying there watching shooting stars whizz across the sky, still not able to get used to Orion being upside down...
The wake-up call came at 4.15am and we all dragged ourselves to the food hut for some breakfast before getting on the bus and falling asleep again. We had been given three choices of walk for Uluru. Firstly, the climb which is against Aboriginal wishes, which no-one on the bus elected to do, a 5km walk to see sunrise, where we would no doubt have met up with the hundreds of tourists we had seen at sunset the night before, or the 8km basewalk, where you would see sunrise wherever you happened to be at that moment. Marc and I, along with another three couples, were dropped off in complete darkness and pointed in the direction of the rock with insturctions on where we could find the bus 2 hours later. We had one false start, where we ended up peering into the gloomy depths of a watering hole up a dead-end well it was still dark), but soon found the right track and started our walk along the path which snakes around the base of this giant. Again, we could hardly believe that we were so lucky to be doing something so amazing, touching and feeling the texture of the rock which was still warm from the sun of the day before. First light came and the rock became a purple colour and we gazed up at the sheer rockface as the patterns and shapes in the rock that tell the story of many an Aboriginal legend were revealed. High clouds muted any spectacular sunrise but as the skies brightened the rock turned into its familiar rich red-ochre colour.
There are many sacred areas around the base of Uluru, some that are traditionally for viewing only by Aboriginal elders and the initiated, there are also male sacred areas and female sacred areas none of which are accessible and photography of these areas is also prohibited and liable to a very hefty fine. We followed the flat red paths through trees, bushes and scrub and entered some small caves which were decorated with Aborignal paintings on the walls and ceilings. Many were fading, no thanks to the practice of European tourguides in the not-so-distant past of throwing buckets of water at the walls to brighten the colours in the gloomy caves! We joined the remainder of our group and were taken to a small watering hole at the top of a dead-end (ahem), where Steve explained that this was a sacred spot, the waters of which had bene used in Mala ceremonies on the rock for centuries. We had a quick stickybeak around the Aboriginal Culture centre where we were greeted by an old Aboriginal man who showed us how to throw a boomerang properly, then it was back on the bus.
Our second camp at Kings Creek Station, was about 300km away and we all dozed a bit as we drove along, seeing camels, emu and wild horses in the bush. We ventured into the off-road to collect firewood for cooking supper - all pieces had to be about 4 feet long and as thick as an average wrist (as soon as Steve said this, you could see everyone looking at their own wrist!) Our pot-chicken supper was cooked over the fire for us, accompanied by some tasty freshly-baked damper bread. We enjoyed some wine and chat until the camp fire went out then went to bed, the thought of another early start looming.
He was back at 4.15am, calling "It's probably not the time to rock and roll, but the kettle's boiling...". We drove out to Kings Canyon which is Australia's answer to the Grand Canyon. At 6.00am, so avoiding the heat of the day, we started out on the
Kings Canyon Rim Walk, the longer of the two walks around this spectacular area that traces the top of the canyon walls, which are over 100 metres high. A steep climb at the beginning of the walk, which locals call Heartbreak Hill due to its gradient took us to the top and stunning views of the gorge below and sunrise on the other side. About half way round the walk, a detour down a series of wooden steps and walkways descends to the Garden of Eden, a permanent waterhole surrounded by lush tropical plant life and a lonely duck called Adam. Apparently Eve left a couple of years ago and hasn't been back since. Marc was first into the deep black water followed by another two brave souls. I just sat on the bank taking pictures and wondering if he would ever surface again after diving down to see how deep it was. The plant life on the rocks was unique - because they grow in small fissures and clefts in the rock, the trees have small root systems and grow like bonsai. We came across a spectacular palm tree, about 2 metres high and Steve explained that this type of palm grows about 1 metre every 800 years. I remember thinking that I could well have one of these in my hallway! Given the early start we were back at camp for lunch by 10.00am and after loading all the Eski's into the back of the bus and sweeping out the red sand from our tents we headed back to Alice Springs, absoloutely shattered and looking forward to not being awoken at 4.15am, well not for a while anyway.
Thursday, 21 February 2008
PERTH - QUOKKAS, GNOMES & FREE CHOCOLATE
Firstly, apologies for the recent lack of updates. We did get off the Indian Pacific train and have been doing lots of exciting things, hence the slack-attack. So here I am to tell you about a few things we got up to in the lovely city of Perth on the West coast of Australia. Are you sitting comfortably?
Perth, capital city of West Australia, lies on the banks of the Swan River and has a reputation for sunshine and an easy-going lifestyle which we fell into very easily. Its one and a half million residents are known as Sandgropers, named after the native insect that is also happiest dwelling in the sand. We were very lucky to have been able to stay with Gwen, who we had met in the Pier in Aber last summer for a drink - little did she suspect that morning that her life would be turned upside-down six months later! Gwen's home, or Gwen's Bwthyn Bach to give it the name on the door, is a little corner of Wales in Oz. Gwen's family hails from good Welsh stock and the first things I noticed as we walked into the kitchen were a photo of Tregaron square on the fridge, the teatowel featuring Welsh castles, a painting of Constitution Hill on the wall and Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau inscribed on a slate on the wall.
Sandgropers certaily know how to relax and have a good time and have a knack of being able to pack a gourmet picnic in five minutes flat. Our regular Sunday night out was an evening at the open air cinema at Joondalup Pines which was a complete novelty for both of us. The cinema is situated on the outskirts of the city, so we'd take a picnic. We would meet up with friends who had also brought picnics and two hours before the movie started, our picnic bench would be laden with delights that would be washed down with a couple of bottles of Australia's finest. We'd then grab a cappuccino before taking our seats, made comfier by half the pillows and bedding brought from home. The films that we saw were excellent foreign movies, shown as part of the Perth International Arts Festival and it was so easy to forget where you were and suddenly look up and see the stars and get excited about the venue all over again. You'll be glad to hear that I resisted the urge to make shadow animal shapes on the screen.
Another regular slot was the beach. Every morning that we possibly could (and even some mornings when we had to change other arrangements to fit around it), we would start the day with an hours walk on the beach followed by a lovely swim. They say that the beaches in West Australia are some of the best in the world and they are right. The whitest of soft sands are lapped by the bluest, clearest waters that I've ever seen. I can't think of a better reason to get up from bed in the morning, even after the few shark-infested tales we've heard along the way. The first bit of our walk took us through the Animal Exercise Area which was a delight, with hundreds of dogs and their owners running riot. Tennis balls and squeaky toys flew through the air as dogs of all shapes and sizes were either carried or cajoled into the water whilst others just careered in, bowling over anything in their path, including me in the case of a huge brown thing that ran into the back of my legs, buckling my knees and tipping me over into an undignified heap. There were even dogs on surf boards! Things get a little more refined and sedate at the far end of the beach as this is where horses are exercised. Watching them swim was a real joy but it was best to avoid taking a dip anywhere near this little patch, if you get my drift!
Gwen took us out for a few 'spins' in the car. The first was a 600km round trip, so naturally, we took a picnic. Our destination was The Pinnacles - huge limestone pillars, some up to 12 feet tall that have been left exposed as surrounding desert sands have been blown away over the ages. It looks just like a lunar landscape and I was half expecting a couple of Clangers to appear by my side. Nearby is Lake Thetis, where you will find living fossils known as stromatolites. Not much to look at, just stony mounds the size of a wheel hub, sitting there doing nothing, then you read that they are hundreds of thousands of years old and still growing, so I poked one with my finger for good measure before we left.
Another 'spin' took us on a trip of 400km into the lush Ferguson Valley, so naturally, we took a picnic. We ended up at a bizzare spot called Gnomesville in the middle of nowhere. Gnomesville came to be many years ago when an unwanted and unloved garden gnome was made gnomeless and left all alone on a roundabout outside the village. By next morning, he had been joined by another gnome, then another and another, until today when there are literally thousands of gnomes that have over-run their gnome on the roundabout and are now living in the ferny undergrowth by a creek in a nearby wood. They are left by people from all over the world, single gnomes, pairs and even groups with family names written on their little hats. Needless to say, they were joined by a little Welsh gnome called Dai, who has moved in next to a gnome from Cwmbran!
The island of Rottnest lies 18km off the coast of Perth and we caught the morning ferry over from Freemantle, planning to return on the last, so naturally, we took a picnic. Armed with a ticket for the island Hop On - Hop Off Bay Explorer Bus, a map, sunnies and swimming togs, we spent the day walking and swimming at the most spectacular deserted beaches surrounded by shoals of fish. Marc ventured a little deeper and was rewarded by jewel-coloured corals and sealife and was even stalked and had his finger bitten by a little puffer fish for his trouble. The island is home to cute furry little creatures called quokkas - just imagine a cross between a kangaroo and a rat. We saw a few running about around the island and one even posed for some photos but I came face to face with a huge one as I went into the ladies loo. I looked at it and it looked at me, frozen to the spot, so I went out to give it a chance to leave. It didn't emerge so I peered in again and it was still looking in my direction so we played peek-a-boo for a minute before it made a run for it.
We spent a brilliant afternoon in the Perth Mint (no picnic, but great Asian Caff next door). We saw gold nuggets big enough to make your eyes water and even had a go at lifting a gold bar. If my handbag had been bigger, by hook or by crook, I would definately have got it out of the tiny wrist-sized hole in the glass box that I had to poke my hand through to lift it. We saw a demonstration of casting of a gold bar which cooled from liquid gold to a solid bar in about 20 seconds. Sadly, they weren't giving any away that day. There was also an opportunity to get on a pair of scales that gave your weight in gold. I was worth $13mAUD, but Marc is happy to settle for the nearest offer.
For our last week before leaving, we loaded up Gwen's car with everything but the kitchen sink (it wouldn't fit in) and headed off for South West Australia to spend the week touring, sightseeing and staying with friends and family of Gwen's along the way. Our first stop was at Gwen's sister's winery called Wandering Brook in a town called, guess what - Wandering! It was only a quick visit, but enough time to pick up some supplies, taste a few samples and get a few labels for Marc's global collection. By the evening, we had arrived with Daphne and Peter who farm at Katanning, a busy regional centre at the heart of the South West which holds a really bizzare world record. The Dog in a Ute event involves the coming together of two great rural Aussie icons – the ‘Ute’ (pick-up truck) and man’s best friend, the ‘Dog’. The world record for the largest gathering was smashed (or should I say chewed to bits) in 2002 when 1527 Utes with a dog in the back turned out in a fine showing, raising funds for charity to boot. Peter has become my official blog Quality Controller and will be checking factual details from now on to ensure accuracy.
We then descended on Gwen's brother Kev, who still lives in Mount Barker, where the family were brought up. Next morning, we piled into Kev's truck for a day out in Albany where we went to the Whaleworld Centre, now an excellent museum on the site that was Australia's last working whaling station that closed in 1978. It was backbreaking and smelly work, the photos of observers above the flensing deck where the disembowelling and boiling down of the blubber took place show them all holding their noses!
Those of you that remember the children's programme, Mary, Mungo & Midge (Carwyn's favourite, mine was Mr Ben) will be able to picture the next bit very well. Right in the centre of Albany there is a landmark called Dog Rock. It is a boulder about 20 feet tall shaped exactly like a dog's head, and it could have been modelled on Mungo. It has a stripey collar painted around the base and the road system has been developed around it. Even the Dog Rock Vets practice nearby has taken it's name. It was fantastic (well it amused me anyway, Marc didn't bother getting out of the car!).
The charabang rolled on in a Westerly direction through the forests of huge Karri trees that is Tall Timber country. We stopped at Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk to venture up a walkway suspended 40 metres above the ground in the tree canopy, which swayed gently in the breeze. It swayed even more when Marc was rocking it from side to side. A sign at the start advised that there should be no more than 10 people on one 'span' at any one time and no more than 20 on a linking platform. One woman spent all her time counting people and shrieking "I can't look down" and "Don't touch me"! Really worth her going up then ...
The next stop involved an even taller tree - a 61 metre high fire look out called the Gloucester Tree. The tree was made redundant a few years ago but still retains its access to the viewing platform at the top - a series of steel rods drilled into the trunk in a steep spiral fashion. There aren't any branches until about half way up and all that stops anyone from falling into oblivion is a pretty flimsy looking piece of pig-fencing draped around the edge. From this you may have gathered that I chose not to climb, but someone else was up there like a rat up a drainpipe. Marc stayed up there so long that Gwen and I thought that he'd decided to take residence but it turns out that he was taking some amazing photos to prove that he'd made it and wasn't just hiding around the back of the trunk all of the time.
We made it to Busselton by early evening and were spoilt rotten by Cissy and Dave who threw a superb BBQ. Next morning we walked the 2km to the end of Busselton Jetty, the second longest in the world (Southend being the record holder)where we descended under the waves into the Underwater Observatory. Imagine a huge concrete tube up-ended and sunk into the sea and a rainbow of creatures peering in at us as they swam around the corals that have grown on the pylons that anchor the observatory to the sea-bed. It was excellent.
One place that has to be mentioned is the Margaret River Chocolate Company, of which we had heard rave reviews thousands of kilometers away in Melbourne. This place doesn't advertise much, it can depend on reputation and word of mouth. Mind you, even the tattiest sign at the side of the road saying 'Chocolate' would guarantee that most cars with a female passenger would turn in immediately! This is the nearest you'll get to Willy Wonka's - the first things that catch your eye as you go in are the three massive bowls of dark, milk and white chocolate buttons that you can taste for free whilst your nose is pressed up against the glass partition behind which there are huge vats of melted chocolate and Oompa Loompas hand decorating heavenly treats. As you walk around the big shop, trying to decide what not to buy, a strange invisible force draws you back to the freebie bowls time and time again and it's not until you leave that you see the choccie 'bites' for sale in boxes and realise that you've snaffled about $10 worth on your way round. Oh joy!
Our time in Perth shot past and there are still so many things to tell you about, but don't worry, if you're lucky I'll bore you to sleep one evening this winter with more tales. Thanks again to Gwen for being a complete star, giving us her time and letting us have the run of her lovely house. We look forward to having her to stay the next time she's round our way.
Coming soon(ish), Uluru and A Town called Alice ...
Perth, capital city of West Australia, lies on the banks of the Swan River and has a reputation for sunshine and an easy-going lifestyle which we fell into very easily. Its one and a half million residents are known as Sandgropers, named after the native insect that is also happiest dwelling in the sand. We were very lucky to have been able to stay with Gwen, who we had met in the Pier in Aber last summer for a drink - little did she suspect that morning that her life would be turned upside-down six months later! Gwen's home, or Gwen's Bwthyn Bach to give it the name on the door, is a little corner of Wales in Oz. Gwen's family hails from good Welsh stock and the first things I noticed as we walked into the kitchen were a photo of Tregaron square on the fridge, the teatowel featuring Welsh castles, a painting of Constitution Hill on the wall and Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau inscribed on a slate on the wall.
Sandgropers certaily know how to relax and have a good time and have a knack of being able to pack a gourmet picnic in five minutes flat. Our regular Sunday night out was an evening at the open air cinema at Joondalup Pines which was a complete novelty for both of us. The cinema is situated on the outskirts of the city, so we'd take a picnic. We would meet up with friends who had also brought picnics and two hours before the movie started, our picnic bench would be laden with delights that would be washed down with a couple of bottles of Australia's finest. We'd then grab a cappuccino before taking our seats, made comfier by half the pillows and bedding brought from home. The films that we saw were excellent foreign movies, shown as part of the Perth International Arts Festival and it was so easy to forget where you were and suddenly look up and see the stars and get excited about the venue all over again. You'll be glad to hear that I resisted the urge to make shadow animal shapes on the screen.
Another regular slot was the beach. Every morning that we possibly could (and even some mornings when we had to change other arrangements to fit around it), we would start the day with an hours walk on the beach followed by a lovely swim. They say that the beaches in West Australia are some of the best in the world and they are right. The whitest of soft sands are lapped by the bluest, clearest waters that I've ever seen. I can't think of a better reason to get up from bed in the morning, even after the few shark-infested tales we've heard along the way. The first bit of our walk took us through the Animal Exercise Area which was a delight, with hundreds of dogs and their owners running riot. Tennis balls and squeaky toys flew through the air as dogs of all shapes and sizes were either carried or cajoled into the water whilst others just careered in, bowling over anything in their path, including me in the case of a huge brown thing that ran into the back of my legs, buckling my knees and tipping me over into an undignified heap. There were even dogs on surf boards! Things get a little more refined and sedate at the far end of the beach as this is where horses are exercised. Watching them swim was a real joy but it was best to avoid taking a dip anywhere near this little patch, if you get my drift!
Gwen took us out for a few 'spins' in the car. The first was a 600km round trip, so naturally, we took a picnic. Our destination was The Pinnacles - huge limestone pillars, some up to 12 feet tall that have been left exposed as surrounding desert sands have been blown away over the ages. It looks just like a lunar landscape and I was half expecting a couple of Clangers to appear by my side. Nearby is Lake Thetis, where you will find living fossils known as stromatolites. Not much to look at, just stony mounds the size of a wheel hub, sitting there doing nothing, then you read that they are hundreds of thousands of years old and still growing, so I poked one with my finger for good measure before we left.
Another 'spin' took us on a trip of 400km into the lush Ferguson Valley, so naturally, we took a picnic. We ended up at a bizzare spot called Gnomesville in the middle of nowhere. Gnomesville came to be many years ago when an unwanted and unloved garden gnome was made gnomeless and left all alone on a roundabout outside the village. By next morning, he had been joined by another gnome, then another and another, until today when there are literally thousands of gnomes that have over-run their gnome on the roundabout and are now living in the ferny undergrowth by a creek in a nearby wood. They are left by people from all over the world, single gnomes, pairs and even groups with family names written on their little hats. Needless to say, they were joined by a little Welsh gnome called Dai, who has moved in next to a gnome from Cwmbran!
The island of Rottnest lies 18km off the coast of Perth and we caught the morning ferry over from Freemantle, planning to return on the last, so naturally, we took a picnic. Armed with a ticket for the island Hop On - Hop Off Bay Explorer Bus, a map, sunnies and swimming togs, we spent the day walking and swimming at the most spectacular deserted beaches surrounded by shoals of fish. Marc ventured a little deeper and was rewarded by jewel-coloured corals and sealife and was even stalked and had his finger bitten by a little puffer fish for his trouble. The island is home to cute furry little creatures called quokkas - just imagine a cross between a kangaroo and a rat. We saw a few running about around the island and one even posed for some photos but I came face to face with a huge one as I went into the ladies loo. I looked at it and it looked at me, frozen to the spot, so I went out to give it a chance to leave. It didn't emerge so I peered in again and it was still looking in my direction so we played peek-a-boo for a minute before it made a run for it.
We spent a brilliant afternoon in the Perth Mint (no picnic, but great Asian Caff next door). We saw gold nuggets big enough to make your eyes water and even had a go at lifting a gold bar. If my handbag had been bigger, by hook or by crook, I would definately have got it out of the tiny wrist-sized hole in the glass box that I had to poke my hand through to lift it. We saw a demonstration of casting of a gold bar which cooled from liquid gold to a solid bar in about 20 seconds. Sadly, they weren't giving any away that day. There was also an opportunity to get on a pair of scales that gave your weight in gold. I was worth $13mAUD, but Marc is happy to settle for the nearest offer.
For our last week before leaving, we loaded up Gwen's car with everything but the kitchen sink (it wouldn't fit in) and headed off for South West Australia to spend the week touring, sightseeing and staying with friends and family of Gwen's along the way. Our first stop was at Gwen's sister's winery called Wandering Brook in a town called, guess what - Wandering! It was only a quick visit, but enough time to pick up some supplies, taste a few samples and get a few labels for Marc's global collection. By the evening, we had arrived with Daphne and Peter who farm at Katanning, a busy regional centre at the heart of the South West which holds a really bizzare world record. The Dog in a Ute event involves the coming together of two great rural Aussie icons – the ‘Ute’ (pick-up truck) and man’s best friend, the ‘Dog’. The world record for the largest gathering was smashed (or should I say chewed to bits) in 2002 when 1527 Utes with a dog in the back turned out in a fine showing, raising funds for charity to boot. Peter has become my official blog Quality Controller and will be checking factual details from now on to ensure accuracy.
We then descended on Gwen's brother Kev, who still lives in Mount Barker, where the family were brought up. Next morning, we piled into Kev's truck for a day out in Albany where we went to the Whaleworld Centre, now an excellent museum on the site that was Australia's last working whaling station that closed in 1978. It was backbreaking and smelly work, the photos of observers above the flensing deck where the disembowelling and boiling down of the blubber took place show them all holding their noses!
Those of you that remember the children's programme, Mary, Mungo & Midge (Carwyn's favourite, mine was Mr Ben) will be able to picture the next bit very well. Right in the centre of Albany there is a landmark called Dog Rock. It is a boulder about 20 feet tall shaped exactly like a dog's head, and it could have been modelled on Mungo. It has a stripey collar painted around the base and the road system has been developed around it. Even the Dog Rock Vets practice nearby has taken it's name. It was fantastic (well it amused me anyway, Marc didn't bother getting out of the car!).
The charabang rolled on in a Westerly direction through the forests of huge Karri trees that is Tall Timber country. We stopped at Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk to venture up a walkway suspended 40 metres above the ground in the tree canopy, which swayed gently in the breeze. It swayed even more when Marc was rocking it from side to side. A sign at the start advised that there should be no more than 10 people on one 'span' at any one time and no more than 20 on a linking platform. One woman spent all her time counting people and shrieking "I can't look down" and "Don't touch me"! Really worth her going up then ...
The next stop involved an even taller tree - a 61 metre high fire look out called the Gloucester Tree. The tree was made redundant a few years ago but still retains its access to the viewing platform at the top - a series of steel rods drilled into the trunk in a steep spiral fashion. There aren't any branches until about half way up and all that stops anyone from falling into oblivion is a pretty flimsy looking piece of pig-fencing draped around the edge. From this you may have gathered that I chose not to climb, but someone else was up there like a rat up a drainpipe. Marc stayed up there so long that Gwen and I thought that he'd decided to take residence but it turns out that he was taking some amazing photos to prove that he'd made it and wasn't just hiding around the back of the trunk all of the time.
We made it to Busselton by early evening and were spoilt rotten by Cissy and Dave who threw a superb BBQ. Next morning we walked the 2km to the end of Busselton Jetty, the second longest in the world (Southend being the record holder)where we descended under the waves into the Underwater Observatory. Imagine a huge concrete tube up-ended and sunk into the sea and a rainbow of creatures peering in at us as they swam around the corals that have grown on the pylons that anchor the observatory to the sea-bed. It was excellent.
One place that has to be mentioned is the Margaret River Chocolate Company, of which we had heard rave reviews thousands of kilometers away in Melbourne. This place doesn't advertise much, it can depend on reputation and word of mouth. Mind you, even the tattiest sign at the side of the road saying 'Chocolate' would guarantee that most cars with a female passenger would turn in immediately! This is the nearest you'll get to Willy Wonka's - the first things that catch your eye as you go in are the three massive bowls of dark, milk and white chocolate buttons that you can taste for free whilst your nose is pressed up against the glass partition behind which there are huge vats of melted chocolate and Oompa Loompas hand decorating heavenly treats. As you walk around the big shop, trying to decide what not to buy, a strange invisible force draws you back to the freebie bowls time and time again and it's not until you leave that you see the choccie 'bites' for sale in boxes and realise that you've snaffled about $10 worth on your way round. Oh joy!
Our time in Perth shot past and there are still so many things to tell you about, but don't worry, if you're lucky I'll bore you to sleep one evening this winter with more tales. Thanks again to Gwen for being a complete star, giving us her time and letting us have the run of her lovely house. We look forward to having her to stay the next time she's round our way.
Coming soon(ish), Uluru and A Town called Alice ...
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Da iawn Cymru ...eto
Da iawn yr hogiau. Dau allan o ddau. Gallaf ddod yn gyfarwydd a'r ennill yma.
Buom yn cerdded ogwmpas Katoomba yn oriau man y bore yn gobeithio dod ar draws rhywle oedd yn darlledu'r gem ond yn anffodus cawsom ddim lwc. Mae'r gemau i gyd yn cael eu darlledu ar sianel newydd mae'n debyg a doedd dim un o'r tafarnau wedi tanysgrifo i'r sianel yma eto. Derbyniom y newydd da o lawenydd mawr gan Brian ar fore Sul - Gwyddel yw sy'n gweithio yn y dderbynfa yn yr Hostel yng Nghatoomba. Roedd e'n falch iawn o'r canlyniad yr wythnos gynt. Yn anffodus dwi heb weld llawer o Saeson i rhwbo halen i'r briw eto, ond yw gweld dim Saeson ddim yn golled!
Edrych ymlaen i'r gem yn erbyn yr Eidal nawr a gobeithio bydd Wncwl Alun yn gallu sortio allan ein bod yn medru gwylio'r gem yn rhywle.
Buom yn cerdded ogwmpas Katoomba yn oriau man y bore yn gobeithio dod ar draws rhywle oedd yn darlledu'r gem ond yn anffodus cawsom ddim lwc. Mae'r gemau i gyd yn cael eu darlledu ar sianel newydd mae'n debyg a doedd dim un o'r tafarnau wedi tanysgrifo i'r sianel yma eto. Derbyniom y newydd da o lawenydd mawr gan Brian ar fore Sul - Gwyddel yw sy'n gweithio yn y dderbynfa yn yr Hostel yng Nghatoomba. Roedd e'n falch iawn o'r canlyniad yr wythnos gynt. Yn anffodus dwi heb weld llawer o Saeson i rhwbo halen i'r briw eto, ond yw gweld dim Saeson ddim yn golled!
Edrych ymlaen i'r gem yn erbyn yr Eidal nawr a gobeithio bydd Wncwl Alun yn gallu sortio allan ein bod yn medru gwylio'r gem yn rhywle.
Monday, 4 February 2008
Dyna i chi drên hir … a siwrne hyrach byth
Yn gyntaf dyma ychydig o feithiau am drên yr Indian Pacific:
Mae’r trên yn cysylltu un ochr o Awstralia (Sydney) gyda’r llall (Perth) ac yn cwrdd ogwmpas y canol yn Adelaide. Mae yn 4,352km o hyd rhwng Sydney a Perth a tua 2,550km rhwng Adelaide a Perth, y rhan roedd Nia a finne yn ei drafaelu arno. Dechreuom ein taith am tua hanner wedi chwech ar y nos Iau a chyrraedd Perth ychydig wedi naw bore Sadwrn. Taith o 38 awr a hanner gyda cwpwl o ‘stops’ bach clou mewn trefi ynysedig yng nghanol yr ‘outback’o’r enw Cook (lle bach iawn) a Kalgoorlie (mae llawer o aur yno mae’n debyg ond ni weles i ddim ohono yn anffodus!). Roedd y siwrne yn mynd a ni drwy anialwch Awstralia gan gynnwys y Nullarbor Plains ble geir yr ymestyniad hyraf o drac syth yn y byd - yn 476km o hyd (dychmygwch gyrru’r darn yna mewn car!). Wel, dyna ddigon o ffeithiau i chi cyn i chi gyd gwmpo i gysgu.
Yn nosbarth y Kangarw Coch roeddem, neu’r ‘Cattle Class’ fel wede Nia, a felly roeddem yn eistedd a chysgu yn yr un sedd drwy gydol y siwrne. I fod yn deg, mi’r oedd y seddi yn ddigon cyfforddus gyda digon o le i’r coesau. Os mai ar awyren yr oeddem yn trafaelu yna bydden ni yn y dosbarth busnes o leiaf os nad y dosbarth cyntaf ond gan nad wyf erioed wedi trafaelu mewn sut moethusrwydd ni allaf gymharu yn go iawn. Yr unig siom cefais oedd nad oedd gan y seddi sgriniau adloniant, yn wir doedd dim un o’i fath o fewn ein cerbyd. Chwalwyd fy ngobaith o wylio ffilm ar ôl ffilm am gyfnod ein taith. Ar yr ochr orau, roedd yna gerbyd ar y trên a oedd yn gwasanaethu bwyd a diod a felly roedd yna ddigon o gwrw ac ambell baned o de i’w gael.
Ffilm neu dim ffilm doedd dim byd gwell na edrych allan drwy’r ffenestr a gweld byd hollol unigryw yn mynd heibio. Nid oedd yn newid llawer ond mi’r oedd rhywbeth digon hypnotig ac arbennig amdano, milltir ar ôl milltir. Cawsom weld bob nawr ac yn y man ambell i gangarw a walabi, carafan o gamelod gwyllt, teulu o emus a nifer o eryrod - y Wedge-tailed Eagle – aderyn ysglyfaethus mwyaf Awstralia ac un o’r mwyaf yn y byd. Ar ben hyn i gyd cawsom ddau fachlud haul hyfryd.
Erbyn diwedd y daith roedd y ddau ohonom yn ddigon blinedig. Balch iawn roeddem i weld Gwen, ein ‘hostess with the mostest’ ym Mherth, yn disgwyl amdanom ar y platform wrth i’r trên dod fewn i’r orsaf ar ddiwedd ein taith, yn chwifio’r fflag Gymraeg a gewn fawr i’n croesawi.
O.N. Gyda llaw, dwi'n dal i ddathlu Y Canlyniad. Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus ...
Mae’r trên yn cysylltu un ochr o Awstralia (Sydney) gyda’r llall (Perth) ac yn cwrdd ogwmpas y canol yn Adelaide. Mae yn 4,352km o hyd rhwng Sydney a Perth a tua 2,550km rhwng Adelaide a Perth, y rhan roedd Nia a finne yn ei drafaelu arno. Dechreuom ein taith am tua hanner wedi chwech ar y nos Iau a chyrraedd Perth ychydig wedi naw bore Sadwrn. Taith o 38 awr a hanner gyda cwpwl o ‘stops’ bach clou mewn trefi ynysedig yng nghanol yr ‘outback’o’r enw Cook (lle bach iawn) a Kalgoorlie (mae llawer o aur yno mae’n debyg ond ni weles i ddim ohono yn anffodus!). Roedd y siwrne yn mynd a ni drwy anialwch Awstralia gan gynnwys y Nullarbor Plains ble geir yr ymestyniad hyraf o drac syth yn y byd - yn 476km o hyd (dychmygwch gyrru’r darn yna mewn car!). Wel, dyna ddigon o ffeithiau i chi cyn i chi gyd gwmpo i gysgu.
Yn nosbarth y Kangarw Coch roeddem, neu’r ‘Cattle Class’ fel wede Nia, a felly roeddem yn eistedd a chysgu yn yr un sedd drwy gydol y siwrne. I fod yn deg, mi’r oedd y seddi yn ddigon cyfforddus gyda digon o le i’r coesau. Os mai ar awyren yr oeddem yn trafaelu yna bydden ni yn y dosbarth busnes o leiaf os nad y dosbarth cyntaf ond gan nad wyf erioed wedi trafaelu mewn sut moethusrwydd ni allaf gymharu yn go iawn. Yr unig siom cefais oedd nad oedd gan y seddi sgriniau adloniant, yn wir doedd dim un o’i fath o fewn ein cerbyd. Chwalwyd fy ngobaith o wylio ffilm ar ôl ffilm am gyfnod ein taith. Ar yr ochr orau, roedd yna gerbyd ar y trên a oedd yn gwasanaethu bwyd a diod a felly roedd yna ddigon o gwrw ac ambell baned o de i’w gael.
Ffilm neu dim ffilm doedd dim byd gwell na edrych allan drwy’r ffenestr a gweld byd hollol unigryw yn mynd heibio. Nid oedd yn newid llawer ond mi’r oedd rhywbeth digon hypnotig ac arbennig amdano, milltir ar ôl milltir. Cawsom weld bob nawr ac yn y man ambell i gangarw a walabi, carafan o gamelod gwyllt, teulu o emus a nifer o eryrod - y Wedge-tailed Eagle – aderyn ysglyfaethus mwyaf Awstralia ac un o’r mwyaf yn y byd. Ar ben hyn i gyd cawsom ddau fachlud haul hyfryd.
Erbyn diwedd y daith roedd y ddau ohonom yn ddigon blinedig. Balch iawn roeddem i weld Gwen, ein ‘hostess with the mostest’ ym Mherth, yn disgwyl amdanom ar y platform wrth i’r trên dod fewn i’r orsaf ar ddiwedd ein taith, yn chwifio’r fflag Gymraeg a gewn fawr i’n croesawi.
O.N. Gyda llaw, dwi'n dal i ddathlu Y Canlyniad. Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus ...
Sunday, 3 February 2008
Gwin a Chriced yn Adelaide
Cyrrhaeddom Adelaide am hanner wedi chwech y bore yn flinedig wedi cael ond ychydig o gwsg ar y bws dros nos o Melbourne ac oriau yn rhy gynnar cyn medrwn tsiecio i fewn i’n hostel. Diolch byth bod hostelau YHA yn dda iawn ac yn gadael i ni ddefnyddio ei cyfleusterau er nad oedd ein hystafell yn barod. Yn ogystal â hyn, mae ganddynt system dda yn ei ceginau lle gall pobl sy’n symud ymlaen adael eu bwydydd sydd dros ben ac heb eu orffen ar gyfer eraill i’w ddefnyddio. Gelwir y system yma yn ‘Free Food’. A felly roedd modd i ni gael frecwast o fwsli a phaned o de gyda ond yr angen i ni brynnu llaeth o’r dderbynfa.
Wedi brecwast, a chyn i ni syrthio i gysgu ar y soffau, gadawsom ein bagiau yn y storfa a bant a ni i ddarganfod Adelaide. Yn gyntaf daethom ar ddrwas Llyfrgell Talaith De Awstralia a oedd yn dangos arddangosiad Don Bradman. Ef oedd cricedwr gorau Awstralia os nad y byd i gyd ac yn wir wrth ddysgu am ei yrfa roedd yn bendant yn ddraenen yn ochr tîm Lloegr. Hefyd yn y Llyfrgell fe ddarganfuom y’i bod hi’n bosib i ni wneud defnydd o gyfleusterau cyfrifiadurol y llyfrgell yn rhad ac am ddim ac fe wnaethom dipyn o hynny tra yn Adelaide.
Gyda’r hwyr aethom am dro i fyny i man ucha’r dref … wwwps, dinas dwi’n ei olygu (cefais fy nghywiro ar y mater yma o fewn pum munud o gyrraedd Adelaide), er mwyn gweld yr haul yn machlud. Yno roedd cerflun o Matthew Light, y dyn wnaeth gosod allan cynllun y ddinas. Roedd hi’n noswaith hyfryd iawn, tipyn mwy ffres i’r hyn roeddem yn gyfarwydd â yn Melbourne. Cerddom nôl heibio’r Adelaide Oval ac yna ar hyd yr afon Torres ble cawsom ‘close encounter’ bach digon cyfeillgar gyda cwpwl o elyrch du.
Trip i lan môr ac i le o’r enw Glenelg gwnaethom y diwrnod canlynol. Teithiom yno ar dram a oedd yn rhedeg o ganol Adelaide. Roedd yn le bach braf gyda pier ac mi’r oeddwn yn falch ohono wrth gysgodi o’i tano tra roedd Nia yn ffrio ei hun yn yr haul. Roedd dwr y môr yn gynnes neis a’r tonnau yn fiwiog a chryf. Yn anffodus roedd yna hefyd awel gref ac erbyn ganol y pnawn roedd yn chwipio’r tywod i bob man ac nid oedd yn bleserus bod yno bellach, felly bant a ni nôl i’r ddinas.
Tra yn Adelaide fe bwcio ni drip ar y Groovy Grape - trip i ymweld a nifer o winllanau yn y byd enwog Barrosa Valley. Fi’n gwybod beth ‘da chi’n ei feddwl ond byddech chi ddim yn ymweld a Paris heb fynd lan y Twr Eiffel na chwaith Efrog Newydd heb ymweld a cherflun Liberty. Felly, ar drip blasu gwin yr aethom. Yn ffodus (neu’n anffodus os yr oeddech yn disgwyl yfed gwin am naw y bore) roedd yna gwpwl o lefydd di-alcohol ar y deithlen. Ymweld a ffatri tegannau o bren oedd y stop cyntaf ond welsom fawr dim o’r ffatri, na’r siop na hyd yn oed y caffi gan i’r ddau ohonom cael ein denu i’r ‘animal sanctuary’ a oedd yn rhan o’r un lle. Roeddem yn gallu cerdded i fewn i’r gorlan ble roedd yna kangarws, wallabies, pain, hwyed a nifer fathau o adar eraill i gyd yn byw gyda’u gilydd gyda emus yn y gorlan nesaf. Cawsom llawer o hwyl yn bwydo’r anifeiliaid, yn cerdded yn eu mysg ac yn tynnu nifer fawr o luniau gyda’r camera. Roedd yn brofiad gwych ac annisgwyl. Yr ail stop cyn y gwin oedd argae sy’n cael ei alw’n Whispering Wall. Mae’n debyg eich bod yn medru sefyll ar un ochr y wal enfawr yma a chael sgwrs cyffredin gyda person sy’n sefyll reit pen draw ar yr ochr arall, ryw 140 o fedrau i ffwrdd. I ddechrau credais mai ryw fath o ‘gimmick’ ydoedd, ond na, roedd yn hollol wir a chafodd Nia a finne sgwrs fach â’n gilydd yng Ngymraeg. Tybed a’i y tro cyntaf i’r wal glywed y Gymraeg? – ynta na. Mae’n debyg mae rhywbeth i wenud â sut mae tonnau swn yn trafaelu ar hyd troad y wal sy’n achosi’r ffenomena yma. Wrth gwrs, fi oedd rhaid cerdded i ben arall y wal tra roedd Nia yn aros ger y pen agosa i’r bws.
Ar ôl y ddau atyniad yma roedd y ‘serious stuff’ yn dechrau. Ymwelsom a phedair winllan i gyd yn cael blâs ar ddwsine o winoedd:
1. Jacobs Creek – neis iawn yn arbennig y Reisling a’r Shiraz Reserve.
2. Vine Crest – reodd pawb ar y trip yn cytuno mae hwn oedd y winllan â’r gwin gorau.
3. Richmond Grove – rhywfaint yn siomedig ydoedd y gwin yma ond cawsom taith ogwmpas y winllan ac ar ôl y blasu cawsom wledd o farbeciw wedi ei baratoi gan Tom, ein gyrrwr bws. Er fod Tom wedi byw rhan fwyaf o’i fywyd yn Awstralia roedd ganddo acen Wyddeleg gryf o hyd.
4. Bethany – roedd pethau yn llai ffurfiol yma ac roeddem yn cael dewis pa winoedd roeddem am flasu. Neis iawn yma hefyd.
Os oes un peth sy’n gallu cael grwp o fobl sy’n ddieithr i’w gilydd i gymdeithasu yna gwin, neu i fod yn fwy cywir, alcohol yw hynny. Digon tawel roedd yr hwyl ar y bws peth cyntaf y bore ond rhaid cofio roedd pawb wedi codi’n gynnar gyda’r taith yn cychwyn am gwarter i wyth. Erbyn i ni orffen ymweld â’r winllan gyntaf roedd y cymdeithasu o fewn y grwp wedi cychwyn o fri ac mi’r oedd yn dal i fod mewn ‘full swing’ tan i ni ddringo nôl ar y bws am y daith olaf nôl i’r ddinas ar ddiwedd y pnawn. Dyna pryd ddechreuodd effaith yr holl win a’r cinio mawr gicio i fewn a chwsg ddaeth dros bron pawb. Cawsom dipyn o sbort ar y trip yn enwedig yng nghwmni Rowan, Niamh a Ffiona o Iwerddon, Esmeralda o’r Iseldiroedd a Chymro o’r enw Peter sy’n wreiddiol o Benybont-ar-ogwr.
Mi’r oedd trip y Groovy Grape yn ddiwrnod cyfan ond mi’r oedd gyda ni amser gyda’r hwyr i wneud rhywbeth hollol newydd. Fe fynychom gêm criced proffesiynol am y tro cyntaf erioed. Gêm Twenty/20 ydoedd rhwng talaith Gorllewin Awstraliad a talaith De Awstralia a chwaraewyd yn yr Adelaide Oval. Roedd hi’n noswaith hyfryd a chawsom ein hadlonni gan y criced, nid falle o’r safon gorau, ond mi’r oedd hi’n brofiad mwynhaol gyda torf golew o with mil a hanner mewn stadiwm hyfryd iawn.
Ar ein diwrnod olaf yn Adelaide rhaid oedd paratoi ar gyfer ein trip mawr yng ngroes hanner Awstralia yn teithio ar drên yr India Pacific. Rhiad oedd pacio ar ei gyfer a prynnu a paratoi picnic a wedyn treipsio ar hyd y siopau i brynnu bobi bilo i wneud ein siwrne hir rywfaint yn fwy cyfforddus ac i’n helpu gysgu’r ddwy noswaith y byddwn ar y trên. Ond mi’r oedd gyda ni ychydig o amser sbâr i ymweld âg Amgueddfa De Awstralia i gymryd fewn ychydig o ddiwylliant cyn bod neb yn fy nghyhuddo mae’r unig ddiwylliant dwi’n ei fwynhau yw’r math sy’n ymwneud â alcohol! Yna gyda’r hwyr, bant a ni i’r orsaf trên ar gyfer ein taith dirfawr.
Wedi brecwast, a chyn i ni syrthio i gysgu ar y soffau, gadawsom ein bagiau yn y storfa a bant a ni i ddarganfod Adelaide. Yn gyntaf daethom ar ddrwas Llyfrgell Talaith De Awstralia a oedd yn dangos arddangosiad Don Bradman. Ef oedd cricedwr gorau Awstralia os nad y byd i gyd ac yn wir wrth ddysgu am ei yrfa roedd yn bendant yn ddraenen yn ochr tîm Lloegr. Hefyd yn y Llyfrgell fe ddarganfuom y’i bod hi’n bosib i ni wneud defnydd o gyfleusterau cyfrifiadurol y llyfrgell yn rhad ac am ddim ac fe wnaethom dipyn o hynny tra yn Adelaide.
Gyda’r hwyr aethom am dro i fyny i man ucha’r dref … wwwps, dinas dwi’n ei olygu (cefais fy nghywiro ar y mater yma o fewn pum munud o gyrraedd Adelaide), er mwyn gweld yr haul yn machlud. Yno roedd cerflun o Matthew Light, y dyn wnaeth gosod allan cynllun y ddinas. Roedd hi’n noswaith hyfryd iawn, tipyn mwy ffres i’r hyn roeddem yn gyfarwydd â yn Melbourne. Cerddom nôl heibio’r Adelaide Oval ac yna ar hyd yr afon Torres ble cawsom ‘close encounter’ bach digon cyfeillgar gyda cwpwl o elyrch du.
Trip i lan môr ac i le o’r enw Glenelg gwnaethom y diwrnod canlynol. Teithiom yno ar dram a oedd yn rhedeg o ganol Adelaide. Roedd yn le bach braf gyda pier ac mi’r oeddwn yn falch ohono wrth gysgodi o’i tano tra roedd Nia yn ffrio ei hun yn yr haul. Roedd dwr y môr yn gynnes neis a’r tonnau yn fiwiog a chryf. Yn anffodus roedd yna hefyd awel gref ac erbyn ganol y pnawn roedd yn chwipio’r tywod i bob man ac nid oedd yn bleserus bod yno bellach, felly bant a ni nôl i’r ddinas.
Tra yn Adelaide fe bwcio ni drip ar y Groovy Grape - trip i ymweld a nifer o winllanau yn y byd enwog Barrosa Valley. Fi’n gwybod beth ‘da chi’n ei feddwl ond byddech chi ddim yn ymweld a Paris heb fynd lan y Twr Eiffel na chwaith Efrog Newydd heb ymweld a cherflun Liberty. Felly, ar drip blasu gwin yr aethom. Yn ffodus (neu’n anffodus os yr oeddech yn disgwyl yfed gwin am naw y bore) roedd yna gwpwl o lefydd di-alcohol ar y deithlen. Ymweld a ffatri tegannau o bren oedd y stop cyntaf ond welsom fawr dim o’r ffatri, na’r siop na hyd yn oed y caffi gan i’r ddau ohonom cael ein denu i’r ‘animal sanctuary’ a oedd yn rhan o’r un lle. Roeddem yn gallu cerdded i fewn i’r gorlan ble roedd yna kangarws, wallabies, pain, hwyed a nifer fathau o adar eraill i gyd yn byw gyda’u gilydd gyda emus yn y gorlan nesaf. Cawsom llawer o hwyl yn bwydo’r anifeiliaid, yn cerdded yn eu mysg ac yn tynnu nifer fawr o luniau gyda’r camera. Roedd yn brofiad gwych ac annisgwyl. Yr ail stop cyn y gwin oedd argae sy’n cael ei alw’n Whispering Wall. Mae’n debyg eich bod yn medru sefyll ar un ochr y wal enfawr yma a chael sgwrs cyffredin gyda person sy’n sefyll reit pen draw ar yr ochr arall, ryw 140 o fedrau i ffwrdd. I ddechrau credais mai ryw fath o ‘gimmick’ ydoedd, ond na, roedd yn hollol wir a chafodd Nia a finne sgwrs fach â’n gilydd yng Ngymraeg. Tybed a’i y tro cyntaf i’r wal glywed y Gymraeg? – ynta na. Mae’n debyg mae rhywbeth i wenud â sut mae tonnau swn yn trafaelu ar hyd troad y wal sy’n achosi’r ffenomena yma. Wrth gwrs, fi oedd rhaid cerdded i ben arall y wal tra roedd Nia yn aros ger y pen agosa i’r bws.
Ar ôl y ddau atyniad yma roedd y ‘serious stuff’ yn dechrau. Ymwelsom a phedair winllan i gyd yn cael blâs ar ddwsine o winoedd:
1. Jacobs Creek – neis iawn yn arbennig y Reisling a’r Shiraz Reserve.
2. Vine Crest – reodd pawb ar y trip yn cytuno mae hwn oedd y winllan â’r gwin gorau.
3. Richmond Grove – rhywfaint yn siomedig ydoedd y gwin yma ond cawsom taith ogwmpas y winllan ac ar ôl y blasu cawsom wledd o farbeciw wedi ei baratoi gan Tom, ein gyrrwr bws. Er fod Tom wedi byw rhan fwyaf o’i fywyd yn Awstralia roedd ganddo acen Wyddeleg gryf o hyd.
4. Bethany – roedd pethau yn llai ffurfiol yma ac roeddem yn cael dewis pa winoedd roeddem am flasu. Neis iawn yma hefyd.
Os oes un peth sy’n gallu cael grwp o fobl sy’n ddieithr i’w gilydd i gymdeithasu yna gwin, neu i fod yn fwy cywir, alcohol yw hynny. Digon tawel roedd yr hwyl ar y bws peth cyntaf y bore ond rhaid cofio roedd pawb wedi codi’n gynnar gyda’r taith yn cychwyn am gwarter i wyth. Erbyn i ni orffen ymweld â’r winllan gyntaf roedd y cymdeithasu o fewn y grwp wedi cychwyn o fri ac mi’r oedd yn dal i fod mewn ‘full swing’ tan i ni ddringo nôl ar y bws am y daith olaf nôl i’r ddinas ar ddiwedd y pnawn. Dyna pryd ddechreuodd effaith yr holl win a’r cinio mawr gicio i fewn a chwsg ddaeth dros bron pawb. Cawsom dipyn o sbort ar y trip yn enwedig yng nghwmni Rowan, Niamh a Ffiona o Iwerddon, Esmeralda o’r Iseldiroedd a Chymro o’r enw Peter sy’n wreiddiol o Benybont-ar-ogwr.
Mi’r oedd trip y Groovy Grape yn ddiwrnod cyfan ond mi’r oedd gyda ni amser gyda’r hwyr i wneud rhywbeth hollol newydd. Fe fynychom gêm criced proffesiynol am y tro cyntaf erioed. Gêm Twenty/20 ydoedd rhwng talaith Gorllewin Awstraliad a talaith De Awstralia a chwaraewyd yn yr Adelaide Oval. Roedd hi’n noswaith hyfryd a chawsom ein hadlonni gan y criced, nid falle o’r safon gorau, ond mi’r oedd hi’n brofiad mwynhaol gyda torf golew o with mil a hanner mewn stadiwm hyfryd iawn.
Ar ein diwrnod olaf yn Adelaide rhaid oedd paratoi ar gyfer ein trip mawr yng ngroes hanner Awstralia yn teithio ar drên yr India Pacific. Rhiad oedd pacio ar ei gyfer a prynnu a paratoi picnic a wedyn treipsio ar hyd y siopau i brynnu bobi bilo i wneud ein siwrne hir rywfaint yn fwy cyfforddus ac i’n helpu gysgu’r ddwy noswaith y byddwn ar y trên. Ond mi’r oedd gyda ni ychydig o amser sbâr i ymweld âg Amgueddfa De Awstralia i gymryd fewn ychydig o ddiwylliant cyn bod neb yn fy nghyhuddo mae’r unig ddiwylliant dwi’n ei fwynhau yw’r math sy’n ymwneud â alcohol! Yna gyda’r hwyr, bant a ni i’r orsaf trên ar gyfer ein taith dirfawr.
Diolch i Eifion a phawb arall
Wrth adael Melbourne wedi cael yr amser gorau hoffwn ddiolch i Eifion am edrych ar ein holau mor dda. Rydym yn ddiolchgar am bopeth, am Dolig a Blwyddyn Newydd bendigedig, am gyflwyno a dangos y gorau o Melbourne i ni, am yr hwyl a’r sbri y cawsom ac rydym hefyd yn falch o’r cyfle i ddod i’th nabod. Diolch hefyd i bawb arall, yn deulu a ffrindiau newydd am eu caredigrwydd a’u cyfeillgarwch - wnawn ni byth eu anghofio.
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Ffantastig Cymru!!!!
Cymru 26 - Lloegr 19
Ardderchog Cymru. Arbennig, arbennig, arbennig!
Mae'n hanner awr wedi tri y bore yma yn Perth a dwi'n dawnsio ar hyd y lle. Wedi gwrando ar y gêm gyfan ar y radio. Bendigedig, gwych, penigamp - mae'r ansoddeiriau yn rholio oddi ar fy nhafod ac ambell i un arall dwi methu ei hargraffu yma. Da iawn y bechgyn am gadw ati a stwffio'r Saeson trahaus.
Dim cwsg heno nawr, bant i'r oergell am cwrw arall ac ychydig o Galon Lân a Sosban Fach ...
Ardderchog Cymru. Arbennig, arbennig, arbennig!
Mae'n hanner awr wedi tri y bore yma yn Perth a dwi'n dawnsio ar hyd y lle. Wedi gwrando ar y gêm gyfan ar y radio. Bendigedig, gwych, penigamp - mae'r ansoddeiriau yn rholio oddi ar fy nhafod ac ambell i un arall dwi methu ei hargraffu yma. Da iawn y bechgyn am gadw ati a stwffio'r Saeson trahaus.
Dim cwsg heno nawr, bant i'r oergell am cwrw arall ac ychydig o Galon Lân a Sosban Fach ...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
