Tasmania | Enchanted Walk

The day we arrived at Cradle Mountain National Park we had patches of rain in the morning, but we managed to squeeze in the short walk at the entrance of the park which is fittingly named. Moss and lichen covered rocks, trees which made you feel like you were walking in an enchanted forest, and a stream with waterfalls. When you're made to feel like you could be in the Lord of the Rings, you know you've experienced something good. We got through without it raining on us and spent the other hours of the day looking at the videos and installations at the park centre, the afternoon involved relaxing in the ute at our camp site (where a wallaby came to say hello), and we went to the Tasmanian Devil Sanctuary to watch the feeding as it got dark. We finished the night with dinner at Pepper's and a drive to check out what wildlife we could find - with an outcome of something like 11 wombats (!) and countless other animals.

Africa | 3 of 5

This day began with a morning game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we saw our first elephants, 3 or 4 in total (I can't quite remember) most were pretty far in the distance. But, there was one which suddenly appeared only a few metres away. It was complete amazement to see that giant, wrinkled, grey creature, waving its huge ears - something I had imagined for years before - up close in the wild. It's still hard to believe sometimes, that I've seen an African elephant.

In the afternoon we went for a boat ride down Kazinga Channel, I will post about this next. My first two Africa posts can be seen here and here.

   

Africa | 2 of 5

The next two days consisted of long drives and sore backs. Travelling up the Mau Mau Escarpment, a thousand metres above the floor of the Rift Valley, crossing the border from Kenya into Uganda, speed bumps through any area which was mildly built up (too often), passing the Equator line into the Northern Hemisphere for the first time, and driving on roads through dense jungle. Much of the land we saw on our trip was once just like that, but majority, like many parts of the world has been logged over time. It was fascinating seeing nothing but a green wall right by your window, pouring down rain, there is definitely not a shortage of things to occupy your eyes as you cross this continent.

You can see my previous post, which includes my first safari experience, from my Africa series here. Up next is Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Ugandan women

Baboons blocking the road

Outskirts of Kampala

Three-legged cat at the campsite

Leaving Kampala

 7.30am

 Tea plantations

 Rwenzori Mountains (5,109 metre summit)