So today my friend Weekse and I went and did the Sublime Point walk at the Illawarra Escarpment west of Austinmer. This was our second time doing the walk together (my third). Our first time doing the walk took a rather dramatic turn as it began to pour with rain as we reached the bottom (it's all downhill and then straight back up) and so we found ourselves walking up was was basically becoming a waterfall while be swarmed by hundreds of leeches constantly. However today with nice weather there were no leeches.
Your first view is a beautiful lookout over the Illawarra.
However the first time we did this walk that lookout was like looking into oblivion. Just thick white fog, we couldn't even see a few feet in front of us.
The walk is a steep one, very shortly beginning a decent down ladders and then becoming stairs the whole way down. While seeming a relatively easy walk down, the walk back up begins to burn in the legs instantly, and so while not a long walk time or distant-wise it is one I'd recommend a decent fitness level for.
Continuing down you will come to a junction in which you can continue straight on down to a road (where Myself and Weekse had previously taken a reprieve to try and pulls hundreds of leeches off of us before trudging up the waterfall like stairs whilst being once again attacked by swarms), not too far from there, ending the Sublime Point walk. At which point you can turn around and walk directly up the god-forsaken steps of death, or take the alternate path out seeing where it goes as we decided to do before heading back up.
This walk is relatively flat, but after walking for a while takes you to another junction. However one of these paths was closed of so we continued on straight before coming to a big empty field. There appeared to be two separate paths here, neither saying how long they went on for, or how long they would take. So instead of blinding following paths to god knows where we headed back and proceeded to climb back up to the top.
It was towards the top on our way back we saw the most interesting things of the walk. A Lyrebird, and something even more fitting of the terrible place that is the Illawarra; a garbage bin in a tree.
So while not the most outstanding walk, if you're looking for something not relatively long, but something to still get the heart racing and maybe get your fitness up, this would be the walk. Though there are still more walks up the top where the Sublime Point Lookout is, I will do them one day and post them up. Who knows I might even be lucky enough to see the fabled 'Black Panther'. Although I highly doubt it.
So Myself, and four other friends began a walk at 10am along the Kiama Coastal Track, however only the last section (there's three) this section is about 6km long up and down hills along the side of the coast to Werri Lagoon. Having began the walk two of my friends who I might as well just say were Jake and Luke, realised they had not packed any food or water. Because who needs preparation? So after 2 hours (or possibly longer as myself and Nathan are slow) we reached Werri lagoon.
Luke and Jake decided we should continue walking along the beach up into Gerringong so they could buy some food and drink. Everyone agreed and we began the long walk up the beach into town. After sitting and eating they somehow came up with the bright idea that catching the train to Kiama from Gerringong train station would be much better than having to walk all the way back, so we walked ourselves to Gerringong train station (this had already resulted in a simple 6km hike becoming 9.1kms). So even though a few of us had no money we had to hope there would be no transit officers. However, hyperactive as they are Luke and Jake began to play around on the train tracks while Nathan, Weekse and Myself waited.
Suddenly a voice came over on the speakers telling us that the police had been called for playing on the tracks, that they were on their way. Already frustrated with them we now had to flee so as to not get into trouble from the police, and everyone decided the best idea would be to just follow the tracks along.
So off we ran following the tracks back to Kiama, and although I thought this was a stupid, ridiculous and terrible idea, I also admired the thought, as it reminded me of my favourite film Stand By Me.
We followed the tracks past a major road, ducking down behind the large reeds so no cops would find us, and climbing down into them when a train came beeping it's way down the tracks. Following the winding tracks was arduous and our feet where tired and our legs chaffed.
Soon we came along a train tunnel. We looked down to see the small spot of light at the end. My heart twinged. I knew it was a terrible idea. All around us was a massive hill, we all knew to walk over it would cost us even more hours of walking. "We should just go through". Insisted, once again, Jake and Luke.
I didn't think it was a good idea. I had seen Stand By Me and I vividly remembered what happened as they tried to cross the train bridge in the film.
"There's room on the sides". They both insisted. "For workers and stuff, there's plenty of room, if a train does come just throw yourself into the corner it'll be fine".
I still tried to argue to walk around, unsure of going through the tunnel. I did not want to die. I imagined the G-Force of the train pulling on of us into it and killing us. After about 10 minutes of discussion we decided to walk through the long train tunnel.
We began at a slow pace, eventually trying to quicken, all well aware that a train could come at any moment. I kept looking out behind me, hoping if a train did come it would come from in front as we were still close to the way out.
Deeper in we walked, so I began to have flashes of the train coming from in front of us, knowing we were beginning to get to the middle of the tunnel and either way would be a long way to the exit.
Suddenly I light lit up behind me and I screamed in what almost felt like slow motion to me. "Train!"
We began to run, as fast as we could, trying not to trip over our own feet. All of us were terrified, we ran, and ran and ran, the exit getting closer, finally we burst out the other side and through ourselves down in a pile of dirt, all panting and sweaty. After a few moments someone looked and there was no train. "I thought you said there was a train" Jake said.
Turns out, Luke (who was at the end behind me), had switched on his phone light. Panting and dying we rested until we could breath again and continued on the painful walk on our swollen feet, with no idea how many extra kilometres the winding train tracks had added.
Finally we arrived back at the cars by nighttime (around 8pm), stinking wet with sweat and just wanting to get home and have a shower.
So I recently got home from my trip to Bali (Indonesia), where I was for my 21st birthday, so I figured I’d write a post detailing my journey!
Day 1: I was picked up from home by a driver in a Mercedes (which I guess I supposed to be a good car? Not much of a car guy), so he drove Myself and My Mum (who I traveled with) to Sydney airport where we spent 6 hours on a plane to Bali. We flew with Virgin, which I probably wont do again. The seats where tiny, there was no TV or music, and no free food. So we arrived at Denpasar Airport where we were picked up by our driver who gave us a bit of an introduction to Bali, already taking in the scenery. So we arrived at the Green Gardens Hotel in Kuta, stinking hot. We put all the stuff in our room and decided to go out for dinner. We went for Thai across the road and just up the street where we ended up trying Green Mango Salad which my Mum adored (having at least 5 times over the course of our trip). And we scheduled a full body massage for the next morning, my birthday.
Day 2: We woke up early and went down for a breakfast where there were an assortment of (what I found to be) exotic food to eat. There were foods such as grilled banana with cheese, rambutan (a fruit), and washed it down with good ol’ coffee.
We then went to have our full body massage. Which started with a foot and leg scrubbing with nice oils and the like. I found it to be quite pleasant. We then put on a pair of thongs (flip-flops?) and were led upstairs to the massage room. Thankfully, I found, the girls were quite pretty, so I wouldn’t be thinking ‘gross!’ the entire time. We were than given, tiny, black paper, see-through undies. Already I was uncomfortable. “I get to put these on over my undies right?” I say to Mum. “No” She laughs, telling Me I have to wear just them. Apparently the look on my face said it all, and I went off behind the curtain into my own section to put on the damn, tight, see-through undies and laid down asking Myself what I had gotten into. The lady came in and proceeding to massage Me. Which was not uncomfortable. After a while of having a relaxing message I hear the lady speaking. “Turn over” she says. “Oh God, not in these little paper undies”, I thought to Myself. I stared at the woman blankly hoping I wouldn’t have to. She had already touched the bottom of my bum and massaged my, as they say, plumbers crack. Thoughts in my head had already played about the so called ‘happy ending’ supposedly given whilst being messaged, that couldn’t happen face down. “Turn over” she said again as I stared blankly. “Change position” she said to Me, possibly thinking I misheard. And this time, I did. I didn’t hear ‘change position’ I heard ‘It’s a proposition’. “No, no!” I said, shaking my head. “No!” She repeated again and I finely understood and rolled over, where my eyes were covered by a towel. By now I needed, not only to pee, but to fart. As she massaged up around my belly and above my bladder I felt incredibly uncomfortable and awkward. But finally it was over, my 1 and a half hour massage, and I was able to release. It was an interesting experience, not quite my ‘thing’ and the mishearing about the ‘happy ending’ makes for a funny tale. Mum and I then went for a long walk down the streets of Kuta and went shopping, buying ourselves a bunch of exotic fruit, such as the Snakeskin fruit, Mangosteen, Carambola, two different types of Dragonfruit, some Green Oranges and some others. We then went out for lunch with two of Mum’s friends, Elle and Garth who were already in Bali (and seem to spend a lot of time there) we went back for Thai for, once again, the Green Mango Salad and the Bali favourite. The beer, Bintang. We went back to the hotel, where we rested for a bit before going and exploring more of Bali. We then came back to the hotel to change for dinner, where we were picked up by Elle and Garth and taken to Sanur, to Massimo’s Italian Restaurant. Now, if you’ve been to Bali, you probably know how crazy the driving it over there. If not. Only going will explain it. It’s insane. I was then sung happy birthday to and delivered a cake.
Day 3: We were picked up at 7 in the morning to go on the Bali on Bike experience. We started at a coffee plantation where we where shown how the coffee was made, especially the Kopi Luwak, or Civet Coffee.
We then sat down to try 10 sample coffee’s and teas. The Ginseng Coffee being particular good. We had to pay extra to try the Catpoochino, but we did, having been on my Bucketlist. We also had pancakes with coconut in them for lunch.
We where then driven to Kintamani Volcano all the while being told about numerous things by our guide ‘Moon’.
He explained to us about how the Hindu’s sacrifice a Cow into the Volcano for the Gods, and how across the crater lake they bury bodies at the base of a particular tree but leave the heads unburied, where they rot.. so the sun still shines upon them, and that the smell of the tree sap is so strong it blocks the rotting smell at least two meters away. But that taking a boat over there is quiet dangerous as the person will get your money first, and then demand the rest midway or chuck you off the boat in the middle of the lake. We then went on a 4 hour ride from Kintamani to Ubud in the centre of Bali, through the jungles and all the run down villages. It was truly something different.
At one point we stopped to try Durian, or ‘Stinky Fruit’ I certainly can’t say I was a fan. It tasted to me like those strong cheeses, whilst Mum thought it tasted like pickled onion! We then finished at Bob’s house with a huge authentic Balinese feast cooked by his wife. We sat around eating and drinking talking to Bob and Moon and the only two people to come on the tour with us, an American couple. We were then driven home, which was one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced as I needed to pee incredibly bad.
Day 4: I took a rest day to lounge around after 4 hours of bike riding (and the temple we stopped at that had 300 and something stairs to walk (up/down). We had a wedding to go to that night however. Mum had met Ozzie (Balinese) and Yumi (Japanese) last time she had come to Bali with Elle, and so we were invited to their wedding. Which was, much different to Australia weddings. No dancing and a lot of ceremony and photos. But I got to meet Ozzie who was a really cool dude.
Day 5: I had booked my swimming with Dolphins! Another to clear from my Bucketlist, were were picked up and taken to a harbor (the location of which I cannot recall).
At first I got to pat and rub the Dolphins belly and then feed them.
But I then got to hop in the water and ride them by holding onto their fins, as well as dance with them.
We were then driven back. We then went DVD shopping, were I got myself a bit over 100 DVDs. We then stopped at a place with what were called Dr. Fish or Garra rufa.
This night we also experienced an Earthquake where the whole room shook, and was the first time I’d felt an Earthquake quite like that.
Day 6: We took a drive out to the Temple at Uluratu, to see the Monkeys!
They were quite snatchy and stole my bottle of water!
Everyday going to new restaurants and trying new and delicious foods!
Day 7: I went to the Zoo with Garth where they did animal shows and Elephant shows and a very interesting show performed in a theatre that was pretty spectacular.
Actually shortly after this photo with the Lion it jumped up and I ran away.
Day 8: I again had a lounge around day after being walking around the Zoo all day, however Mum and I went for a walk to the beach to see the Squirrels. We later went to Nusa Dua, where we had lunch again with Elle and Garth before going back to their hotel to chill out. On the way to their hotel they stopped at a store to buy some drinks as we were to go to Ozzie and Yumi’s for dinner that night. I decided to wait in the car as I had just stripped off my shoes. Mum, buying what she thought were cans of soft drink for me to try, ended up buying cans of throat medicine, which, weren’t quite pleasant to drink. After chilling at Elle and Garth’s we went to Ozzie and Yumi’s where everyone ate prawns, but Me, because seafood makes me sick. So Yumi cooked me up a special spicy (being told repeatedly how much I like spicy food by everyone) Japanese dish, my first time eating Japanese food. It was quite delicious. Elle and Garth then drove us back to the hotel where we rested up.
Day 9: Our finally day in Bali, Mum did some last minute shopping and we did some packing and went out for lunch. And more packing before dinner. Finally we finished packing and went down into the foyer to wait for our driver. Not before the security came in saying there were missing beach towels. Apparently we were supposed to have 4, only being given one the entire time. Because, with how completely overstuffed our bags were, we wanted to steal some $1 beach towels? After realising their mistake they repeatedly apologised and we took our lift to the airport. After making our way through the annoyances that is the security, and lining up, and waiting…. we finally got on our plane around 12:12 am. I have to say 5 and a half hour trying to sleep on a plane with a baby crying is the worst thing, ever. Finally arriving back in Australia and getting home, I proceeded to vomit out of my nose. And finally went to bed super early. And thus, I am back to reality, and my adventure has ended for now!
