The Flinders Ranges
The Easter weekend usually sees many Australians heading off of a long weekend break travelling to various parts of the state or even interstate. The traffic on such weekends can be quite busy, not to mention dangerous. Added to the long weekend are the school holidays which started this weekend in South Australia. This just adds more reason for potential chaos on our roads.
Flinders Ranges
This year we are not venturing forth anywhere. Not being tied to a job now we can choose when we travel and try to avoid the school holidays and long weekends if we can. In years gone by we would use long weekends or school holidays to set off to the Flinders Ranges in the north of South Australia. We often packed up all our camping gear in the trailer on in the 4WD and race off for some tranquility in these beautiful ranges – along with thousands of others seeking the same tranquility.
Good therapy
Despite its crowdedness these days it is still possible to find quiet spots in some of the gorges and valleys in the ranges. There are plenty of gullies and gorges to investigate. The creeks running through these gorges contain waterholes and fabulous rock formations. Sitting quietly on a fallen tree trunk watching the water trickling over the rocks is very therapeutic – I can thorougly recommend it. Sitting still also enables one to appreciate the rich birdlife of the area.
Artist’s paradise
The Flinders Ranges exhibit picture perfect scenes at almost every turn. Magnificent towering gums line the creek beds, their branches twisting and turning trying to embrace the azure sky overhead. Fiery red rock faces light up the morning – or evening – skyline. Delicate flowers adorn the ground and stately native pines go marching up the slopes. Artists and photographers could spend years recording the many gowns dressing the mountains in splendour.
Oh dear – I think I’ll go and pack the tent in the 4WD and head off right now.
All Creatures Great and Small
No Comments »15th April, 2006; Category: Animals, Birds, General, Murray River, Photos, South Australia, Zoos
When we go to visit friends or family in other parts of the state or interstate we have sometimes asked the question, “What’s interesting to see around here?” Most people haven’t a clue about their own town and district. They don’t think like a tourist in their own place on Earth.
I’m fairly familiar with my own district but it came as a delight to read about it in today’s paper. There was an excellent travel article about the district where I live in today’s Adelaide “The Advertiser” newspaper.
Many of the features mentioned in the article are within a few minutes drive from my home in Murray Bridge South Australia.
To read the full article “All Creatures Great and Small” click here.
It sounded so interesting I must get out and revisit some of these places.
Protests continue in Nepal
The following report on the political troubles in Nepal is from “The Advertiser” web site in Adelaide, South Australia. I include this because I travelled and trekked in Nepal in January of this year. To read my blog of my experiences in this beautiful yet troubled country go to the Archives section.
Fresh Protests in Nepal
FRESH pro-democracy protests broke out in Nepal today despite King Gyanendra’s call for elections in the Himalayan kingdom, as activists said he offered nothing new or substantive.
Groups of protesters took to the streets of Kathmandu hours after the king’s midnight message, chanting “Gyanendra, thief, quit the country” and “Down with autocracy, end police repression”.Riot police arrested about 20 demonstrators, but there was no violence.
Political parties leading the movement against the king were quick to reject his offer for elections, saying the monarch’s message would not defuse the fierce campaign in which four people have been killed and hundreds wounded in the past week alone.
The message was broadcast at the stroke of midnight, at the start of the Nepali Hindu New Year.
To read the rest of this article go to “The Advertiser” by clicking here.
Winds of Change in Nepal?
The following report was published in today’s South Australian newspaper “The Advertiser.”
King renews poll pledge
NEPAL’S embattled King Gyanendra vowed overnight to hold elections in his Himalayan kingdom but gave no firm dates and did not to go beyond previous promises to resolve a raging campaign against his rule.
Political parties leading the movement against the king were quick to reject his offer, suggesting the monarch’s message – broadcast at the stroke of midnight at the start of the Nepali Hindu New Year – was unlikely to defuse violent protests that have killed four people in the past week and wounded hundreds.
“It is our wish that in order to re-energise multi-party democracy there should not be any delay in reactivating all representative bodies through elections,” the king’s message said.
“May the efforts at ensuring sustainable peace and meaningful democracy in the interests of the nation and the people bear fruit during the new year.”
The message was largely a repeat of earlier promises to hold elections by April 2007.
For the full story in “The Advertiser” click here.
My hope for Nepal
I certainly hope that the winds of change are beginning to blow in Nepal. This beautiful country does not deserve to be swept up in more political turmoil. The people can ill afford a civil war. They have been on the brink of a complete breakdown of law and order now for so long, and so many people have died.
I visited Nepal in January of this year. For my experiences there go to the Archives section and read my blog.
Unrest in Nepal
It saddens me to hear or read about in the news of the current political turmoil in Nepal. There have been numerous protests, riots and even deaths in recent days. Country wide curfews have been put in place and these are severely damaging the economy of a country struggling to develop. The trouble is particularly damaging to the tourism industry which has been an integral part of its economy.
My Experiences in Nepal
I spent nearly four weeks in Nepal in January of this year. I was staggered by the amazing beauty of the country. Tourism has become the life blood of this emerging nation. It can ill afford such turmoil. I would dearly love to return to visit other parts of Nepal, but the current trouble discourages me from going. Other tourists must feel the same.
To read about my recent trip to Nepal, including trekking the Everest region of the Himalayas, go to the archives section of this blog.