I'm coming home

My last blog I will write in English , so my international friends can finally understand whatever I am writing. I stopped writing when I left Perth. Together with Maartje and Kelly, we rented a campervan and drove all the way up to Darwin. A journey of approximately 7000 km. We started of by following the coast of WA. Exciting dirt tracks to the Nature's window in Kalbarri national park. Dolphins right at your feet and a campfire evening with an Aboriginal at Shark bay. Snorkeling with grey nurse sharks and sea turtles in the Ningaloo reef. After we went inland to the Pilbara, desert. Karijini national park with its amazing gorges and freshwater pools, was definitely a favourite. After the 'Big Empty' started. 250 k to Port Hedland, the most ugly town of WA, and after 600 k nothing more but two roadhouses and the desert. As far as we looked there was nothing, absolute nothing. Some kangaroos passing by, cattle at the middle of the road. Very surreal that a country can be that empty, that remote. We camped alongside the highway under a blanket of a million stars. The southern cross bright in the air. After the big empty we arrived in Broome. A tropical and expensive place. Beautiful beach which became a mirror at sunset. We rode camels at Cable beach. Next night we stayed at a station at the Gibb river road. So remote and simple, but so refreshing. Kelly and I rode a horse at the savannah in between boab trees and termite nests bigger than the horse and me together. After we went through the Kimberley, first stop at Fitzroy Crossing. The lonely planet wrote about a pub in town which was an eye-opener. Curious we were, we went to the pub. You could hear the people from a kilometer distance. Aboriginals only, and maybe two white men. Woaw, we were shocked. Felt very uncomfortable, we were stared at as if we were monkeys. After a couple of very awkward minutes, one Aboriginal man came to us. Asked where we came from. The moment he realized we were travelers, everything was ok. And so more and more people came up to us. Wanted to talk to us. Not aggressive at all, very friendly and interested in us. By the time we wanted to leave, we almost couldn't because that many came up to us. They waved at us as we left. Woaw, yes lonely planet was right, that was most definitely an eye opener. After we went to Geikie gorge. But as you can get sick of all the churches in Italy after a while, we got a bit sick of the gorges. Yes it is beautiful, and the crocs swimming next to us were cool, but it didn't make any more impression really. So we continued our road through the Kimberley to the border of WA and NT. How strange that after two weeks of a lot of driving we were not only still in the same country, but we were even still in the same state! The border of WA and NT felt as the border in between the Netherlands and Belgium. The road is different, and where WA barely places any signs along the road, NT placed them everywhere. 'Watch out, in 5km you will have to slow down 10k an hour.' Quite funny we thought. First of all we drove to Katherine, to the gorge where we probably did our toughest exercise of the whole roadtrip: canoeing the gorge up and down. And somehow it felt as if we were going downstream both ways. Or maybe we just zigzagged that much, that we exhausted ourselves. After Katherine we went to Kakadu national park. With rock art so ancient, it's probably the very oldest kind of art of human history. In Kakadu there are saltwater crocs (salties). Everyone was talking about it, and somehow we didn't manage to see any. Until sunset at Yellow water, where a black monster of a saltie jumped out of the water to get a bird. Unfortunately the most interesting places in Kakadu are only reachable by a dirt track. And since we already had a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere, we didn't exactly like to experience that same story again. So we decided to only drive the first 10k to a camping ground, and hitchhike the last part. Many cars stopped, most were full. Until this incredibly friendly family drove by. We squished us three in the car and drove to Gunlom pool. Together we hiked up to the top of the waterfall, where we found one of the most beautiful places on earth. A freshwater pool at the edge of a huge cliff, a panorama view all over Arnhem land. Arnhem land is a huge area of Aboriginals only. All our effort was more than worth everything. Our pre-last stop was Litchfield. A natural water park. Waterfalls and freshwater pools everywhere. It was so hot. And so the cool pools where perfect after a sweaty hike. So much fun! Last stop was Darwin, where everything didn't go as planned. Trouble with finding accommodation, then we ended up with the most horrible man. So we made up our minds, left the place and went looking for a hotel. What a luxury after three weeks of a campervan which made me feel a little claustrophobic sometimes. We ended our ultimate roadtrip with a night out. We had dinner and danced until Kelly had to go to the airport. Day after, it was time for me as well to leave Australia. This roadtrip has been so amazing. the outback, our continuous struggle for enough water and petrol. All together made it such an unique experiemce.mSome days we seemed to see more kangaroos than cars. I absolutely loved every single moment! I thought it was pretty hard to leave. Spend about 7 months in this country, so many amazing experiences. And I love the country so much! Time always seemed to be infinite. But the more adventures, the faster time seemed to fly. And all of a sudden it was the 14th of July, and I left Australia to Indonesia.

Well Bali wasn't that bad at all. Neele was waiting for me at the airport and next day Max arrived. First we went surfing at Legian beach. Never seen waves that perfect! Great surf! Even Neele gave surfing a try, and managed very well to stand up. That evening we went to the south of Bali to the Uluwatu temple and watched an Indonesian dance. Practically all the man were making funny noises which made a rhythm. And there were actors in the most beautiful and colorful costumes. But the whole Kuta, Legian, Seminyak area is so crowded and chaotic. People seem to drive on any side of the road. So we left to Ubud where we stayed at the house of an Indonesian family. Very friendly people. We could rent motorbikes and discovered the streets of Bali on our own. We went through rice paddies and small villages to a temple. Of course we had to wear a sarong, but we almost got attacked by ladies trying to sell them to us. The temple looked just like an Indiana Jones scene. We did yoga with some very spiritual people. And did a bike tour downhill. We rode through villages and rice paddies. Some of our group fell into the little creek next to the rice paddies, pretty hilarious. But as a Dutch girl, I couldn't let that happen of course. An adventurous and cultural trip at the same time. The house where we stayed was pretty hidden in a back alley, and so we got lost every time we wanted to go back. The whole family, every generation lives at the house. Basically there are more houses and a temple at their property. Very cool to experience the Indonesian family life. After Ubud we went to the north. Stopped at Jatiluwih. A valley full of rice paddies. Every color of green. Was really cool to walk through it. We stayed in a village on a volcano: Munduk. We thought it was very remote, but apparently it wasn't because there were quite a lot of tourists amd so we had trouble with finding accommodation and transfer the next day. After Munduk we went to the east, to a tiny town called Tirta Gangga. In the middle of rice paddies, at the foot of Gunung Agung, the highest mountain of Bali. We hiked up through the jungle for five hours with a guide to a temple. Along the way we passed a tiny house. Or actually it was more a shed. And the poorest people I have ever seen lived in there. They were so skinny that they looked as if they had already died. They had absolutely no food, and so they ate spider soup for dinner. Very shocking. A bit further we arrived at the staircase leading to Pura Lempuyang. Of course we had to wear a sarong, but it's pretty difficult to walk up a zillion steps if you wear a sarong with a knot too tight. When we were at the top we saw two pillars which looked like the door to heaven. Behind it we saw just the clouds in the sky, breathtaking! Because our guide was Hindu, we had access to the temple itself. He made an offer and prayed. Special to see how they do that. Next stop was Padangbai where we split up. Max went back to Seminyak, Neele and I stayed. And a day later I took the ferry to Gili Trawangan. A tropical paradise. Water so blue, sand so white. And so many backpackers! Loved it! In half a day I knew half of the island. We had dinner for $1,50 at the market and went to the bar later. People danced at the streets of the silent disco. And I met so many nice people! Absolutely loved it! For our last destination we went back to Seminyak to Merry (Max' mum). She had rented a villa with some friends and we could stay there. So friendly! An absolute treat after everywhere we had stayed the nights before. Neele and I went out for our last night in Kuta. The day after it was already time to get on a plane. Neele left in the afternoon. My flight was later, and so Merry took me out for dinner in this Japanese restaurant with amazing food. So friendly! I must admit after 10 days eating Indonesian or pancakes, I got sick of it a little and loved the Japanese food.
And so now I am home. My plane from Perth was delayed, so I ran the marathon of Dubai to make sure I got on my flight to Amsterdam. I forgot about the distance actually in between Holland and Australia. 29 hours.. Australia never seemed that far, but l felt like as if I was going to the moon with that airplane. Such a strange thing that my gapyear is over. I enjoyed it so much. Would go back in time if I could. Do it all over again. I reached my goals and my biggest dream came true. I experienced and learned so much. Still feels a little surreal to be home again after such a long time. But it is so good at the same time to see my family and friends again.