The Question I get asked most often by the overseas folk is “But what about the SNAKES???” Now I know that Australia is known to have 20 of the 25 most poisonous snakes in the world, and spiders that are lethal, and other dangerous fauna that can make humans crook. Books like Bill Bryson’s “Down Under” go to great pains telling about the many Dangerous Australians lying in wait for the hapless traveller, and even the humble Stingray managed to spear our famous Wildlife Warrior Steve Irwin. In the Ocean there are more lethal creatures like the Box jellyfish which kills by stinging a person to death in agony, the Stone Fish, the Blue Ringed octopus and of course the Saltwater Crocks. If you worried about all of these hazards I am sure that no one would leave home, but in fact the country is teeming with grey nomads and backpackers all having a ball.
So far our tally of sighting fauna is abysmal. Maybe it’s because we come from Africa and are used to the bush being alive with big animals, but we find the bush very quiet and seemingly empty. Many of the Australian animals are quiet, small, gentle marsupials which are nocturnal. And the nasties really don’t want to get you either. Our tally so far is:
Many, many kangaroos, including the small, furry Brush Tailed Wallaby which is dark and lives in mountainous areas.
Many Emus
2 dead snakes on the road in SA
2 Echidnas
Few Dingos
A newly dead Wombat on the road
Lots of spiders webs, but nothing looking like it was out to get us
2 large lizards/ goanna things, which were about 2 meters long.
There are many wonderful birds and we are always seeing new types of parrots and kingfishers, water bird, doves, and the Whipbird with its strident call. We see many majestic Sea Eagles, Ospreys and heard the Cat Bird which Meows like a cat.
There are also many wonderful trees and plants, especially now that we are going into the subtropics. My favourite wildflowers so far are the Flame Lilies which are growing wild in this area. Also St Joseph Lilies seem to grow wild along the sides of the road, as well as Status and what looks like yellow Cosmos.
The worst experience we have had was when we were hiking in a rainforest in the High Plateau. It was a misty, drizzly day and the rainforest was breathtaking with huge buttress trees, ferns, and birds nest ferns growing on tree limbs. We hiked 3 kms down a steep slope which was muddy, and covered with a mat of dead leaves. We finally got to the waterfall we were going to see, and stood on the wooden lookout gazing at the 200 meter spout falling into the ravine in awe. After a minute or two I looked down at my walking shoe and saw that it was covered in....LEECHES! I squealed and immediately pulled my shoes and socks off to see a few attached to me and many more wriggling towards my foot...Paul looked at his shoes and saw that he, too ,was covered in the horrible little slimy , big mouthed creepies. I realised that there were many more coming for me, literally, and I tried to shake out my socks while dancing en pointe and balancing with as little of me touching the ground as possible. Every time my hand touched one it sort of stuck, and I’d squeal to Paul to take it off (which he heroically did) even tho he had problems of his own. I could not believe my eyes, these little worm like thingies came humping towards us from every crevice on the platform, as if drawn by the smell of blood. Paul even found one more than half way up his leg, enough to make a grown man weak just thinking about the possibilities. Finally we got our shoes and socks back on and started back up the steep and slippery path...and made it back in half the time we took to get down! Each time I stopped for a breath ( on a flat rock) I would suddenly see lots of tiny heads rear up through the damp leaves and then start their wriggle towards me....Horrors. Even tho they are not harmful the mere thought of them sucking my blood was enough to keep me almost jogging up the hill. They are masters of gaining entry, as we saw them make themselves thread thin and wriggle through the stitching of our shoes, and through the weave of the socks..only to grow to bloated slug like sizes once they attach themselves. They inject an anti coagulant so you bleed profusely, but other than that there are no side effects. We now know we must spray personal repellent on our feet and legs before a hiking in wet, foresty places next time as that deters them.. That, and some quite voracious sand flies at the latest campsite are the most lethal things we have had to contend with.
But the trip is not over yet.........
So far our tally of sighting fauna is abysmal. Maybe it’s because we come from Africa and are used to the bush being alive with big animals, but we find the bush very quiet and seemingly empty. Many of the Australian animals are quiet, small, gentle marsupials which are nocturnal. And the nasties really don’t want to get you either. Our tally so far is:
Many, many kangaroos, including the small, furry Brush Tailed Wallaby which is dark and lives in mountainous areas.
Many Emus
2 dead snakes on the road in SA
2 Echidnas
Few Dingos
A newly dead Wombat on the road
Lots of spiders webs, but nothing looking like it was out to get us
2 large lizards/ goanna things, which were about 2 meters long.
There are many wonderful birds and we are always seeing new types of parrots and kingfishers, water bird, doves, and the Whipbird with its strident call. We see many majestic Sea Eagles, Ospreys and heard the Cat Bird which Meows like a cat.
There are also many wonderful trees and plants, especially now that we are going into the subtropics. My favourite wildflowers so far are the Flame Lilies which are growing wild in this area. Also St Joseph Lilies seem to grow wild along the sides of the road, as well as Status and what looks like yellow Cosmos.
The worst experience we have had was when we were hiking in a rainforest in the High Plateau. It was a misty, drizzly day and the rainforest was breathtaking with huge buttress trees, ferns, and birds nest ferns growing on tree limbs. We hiked 3 kms down a steep slope which was muddy, and covered with a mat of dead leaves. We finally got to the waterfall we were going to see, and stood on the wooden lookout gazing at the 200 meter spout falling into the ravine in awe. After a minute or two I looked down at my walking shoe and saw that it was covered in....LEECHES! I squealed and immediately pulled my shoes and socks off to see a few attached to me and many more wriggling towards my foot...Paul looked at his shoes and saw that he, too ,was covered in the horrible little slimy , big mouthed creepies. I realised that there were many more coming for me, literally, and I tried to shake out my socks while dancing en pointe and balancing with as little of me touching the ground as possible. Every time my hand touched one it sort of stuck, and I’d squeal to Paul to take it off (which he heroically did) even tho he had problems of his own. I could not believe my eyes, these little worm like thingies came humping towards us from every crevice on the platform, as if drawn by the smell of blood. Paul even found one more than half way up his leg, enough to make a grown man weak just thinking about the possibilities. Finally we got our shoes and socks back on and started back up the steep and slippery path...and made it back in half the time we took to get down! Each time I stopped for a breath ( on a flat rock) I would suddenly see lots of tiny heads rear up through the damp leaves and then start their wriggle towards me....Horrors. Even tho they are not harmful the mere thought of them sucking my blood was enough to keep me almost jogging up the hill. They are masters of gaining entry, as we saw them make themselves thread thin and wriggle through the stitching of our shoes, and through the weave of the socks..only to grow to bloated slug like sizes once they attach themselves. They inject an anti coagulant so you bleed profusely, but other than that there are no side effects. We now know we must spray personal repellent on our feet and legs before a hiking in wet, foresty places next time as that deters them.. That, and some quite voracious sand flies at the latest campsite are the most lethal things we have had to contend with.
But the trip is not over yet.........
2 comments:
You 2 are doing really well. Enjoying your blog and pics. What a life. Maybe you should just sell up, buy a slightly bigger mobile home and just keep on trekking... Are you keeping fit and healthy - not much news on what you are eating. Must be good though as you both look great. Rita's sister Marion (husband Ian) is in Mareeba Q/land - if you want to drop in on them, I'll give you their address.
Love Frank, Jan and Joe.
Only just caught up with your travels. Wow! What a trip! I guess you won't be back for my big birthday bash next month. I didn't think so, but just checked in to see where you were at the moment.
Keep on trekking and staying safe.
Clare
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