Backpacking at an Older Age

By Raymond A. Ringhoff

Back Packing at an Older Age

This book is about my 6-month adventure, back packing and working around Australia, which was a dream of mine since migrating to Australia in 1996. Eventually becoming an Australian citizen. This type of down to earth adventure travel gives one a totally different perspective about the country landscape and about the travelers from different countries that do this type of adventure. I hope one will get excited as I did when they read this book about my adventure and that no matter how old you are one can have an experience of a lifetime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 30, 2009
• ISBN: 9781469115559

Raymond A. Ringhoff

I have always been someone who loved to go hiking and camping in the great outdoors. Have been fascinated by nature’s wonders that surround the planet and each continent having its own unique characteristics. Ever since I was young, traveling was in my blood, and wanting to learn about other cultures and gaining new friendships has been a dream of mine. Even though life has been one of ups and downs, this dream of mine has kept me motivated and positive. I have experienced many wonders of America, besides that of countries like Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam and Costa Rica. You can email me at [e-mail].

Book preview

Copyright © 2009 by Raymond A. Ringhoff.

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-4415-0939-0

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-4415-0938-3

ISBN:   Ebook   978-1-4691-1555-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Contents

Preface

Chapter 1

A Working Backpackers Hostel

Port Arthur

The Great Western Tourist Route

Only One day In Launceston

Chapter 2

Great Ocean Road and The Grampians

Great Ocean Road and The Grampians

Vineyard Worker

Echuca Moama Wine Tours

Mildura

Mungo National Park

Chapter 3

Victor Harbor

Lets go groovy grape’n

West MacDonnell Ranges

Central Australia’s Unique Oasis

Ballooning Australia’s Outback

Chapter 4

Alice Spring to Cairns

Cape Tribulation

Kuranda

Whitsunday Islands Adventure

Whitsunday’s Sailing

Fraser Island

Brisbane

Sydney

Preface

This book, like many good travel books geared to the Back Packer, has been a long time in development. I came up with this title Back Packing at an Older Age, since I did this adventure when I was 59 years young. Since I was on a budget and really wanted to experience Australia’s wonders from a different perspective, staying at Youth Hostels seemed like the best way, also a great way to meet other Back Packers from other countries. I stayed at Youth Hostels in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland, where I lived and ate with younger Back Packers from Europe, Asia, South America, South Africa and even New Zealand. The experience of engaging the different cultures at a level of understanding that is quite different then staying at a four star hotel, was something that one had to experience. Exploring the wonders of Australia with young Back Packers was not a challenge to me but a rewarding experience that kept me young. I took many travel adventures with these young International Back Packers and because of my personality I had no problem fitting in and eventually accepted as one of them, even at my age. By doing this type of travel, I was able to stay fit and healthy, made many new friends and experienced Australia’s beautiful countryside from a Back Packers view.

What I learned from this experience is how the other countries young look and think about America and I found it quite interesting. I learned that in other countries they look at life different and pursue their ambitions and enjoy life and seemed to have a happier and healthier life style then Americans. My Back Packing experience has made an impact on me as to how I look at life and my goals and mostly what is important to me. But most of all the fact that I became an Australian citizen has been a positive and not a negative and I never had to give up my American citizenship. From this experience I plan on doing other Back Packing adventures in Europe and Asia, staying at Youth Hostels to get that same experience.

I have also included information that is prevalent to my story.

Using the Australian map that’s enclosed for my backpacking route

Chapter One

Flew from Sydney to Hobart in Tasmania

Tour from Hobart to Strahan and then to Launceston

Flew from Launceston to Melbourne

Chapter Two

Melbourne along Great Ocean Road then to The Grampians National Park

Route goes from Melbourne to Warrnambool to Halls Gap (on map close city is Ararat)

Back to Melbourne

Melbourne to Echuca

Echuca to Mildura

Mildura to Adelaide

Chapter Three

Adelaide to Victor Harbor

Adelaide to Alice Spring

Tours to Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)

Kings Canyon

The Olgas

Map showing Central Australia Region use for my trips in the Red Centre

Chapter Four

Alice Springs to Boulia to Hughenden to Cairns

Tour from Cairns to Cape Tribulation

Cairns to Airlie Beach

Sailing Tour around Whitsunday Islands

Day tour on Long Island

Airlie Beach to Hervey Bay

3-Day tour on Fraser Island

Hervey Bay to Brisbane

Last leg driving only from Brisbane to Sydney

Chapter 1

A Working Backpackers Hostel

What in the name is that?

My experience at Montgomery’s Hostel in Hobart, along with my day tour to Port Arthur and strolling around Hobart’s Port Centre was a treat.

What was my next experience as a Mature Back Packer, especially an American, was something out of Southern California’s agriculture workers. Which was Mexican’s working the agriculture fields of California, picking fruit and vegetables for the American consumer and the exporter? However, this was different because the workers at this Back Packers Hostel were here to make enough money, so they could travel around Australia. The Hostel manager, Jane would be contacted by the local farmer that needed pickers.

So when I got off the Grey line bus from Hobart, at this small town called Cygnet, while it rained like cats and dogs. The door opens and Jane yells out, are you Ray, hop in and off she drives to the Hostel, the Huon Valley Backpacker. But first she stops at the general store so I could stock up on some food, who knows how long it will be to shop again.

Well it wasn’t long for me to find out what a working hostel was. It’s a hostel out in the middle of no where, with the main objective is for Back packers to board and cook, while they spend the day harvesting fruit under the hot sun or rainy clouds. Just so they can save up enough money to move on to the next destination. The whole idea is to see Australia while stopping long enough to make some money. Just realizing that’s what I’m just about to do for the next three weeks.

Fortunately Jane kept this hostel in a very clean state. I would have been petrified if it was like the hostel’s I heard from Back packers in Hobart. The hostel layout was quite nice and as I said before well kept and very clean. I grabbled my backpack and bag of groceries from the van and headed to the reception centre with Jane. Entering the building through a sliding door, I came into an area that had several computers, a reading area, racks of literature and the reception counter, which was adjacent to the main house. After paying for my room, organizing work, then I got the insight on what was offered at the hostel.

I grabbed my things and followed Jane to the building where the Back packers stayed. The building was quite organized with bathrooms and showers at one end, kitchen and dinning area next, long hallway leading to the other end of the building, with four rooms on each side. Finding room number four, I opened the door and dropped my backpack and groceries on the floor and slumped into the bottom bunk, with a sigh of relief. After a short time I grabbed my bag of groceries, a plastic tray that had a bowl, plate, cup, eating utensils and went to the kitchen to make something to eat. Selecting what I was going to eat and putting the rest on the shelf, a young Asian girl walked in, we made eye contact and introduced ourselves. Her name was Sayuri, she was from Japan, has been at the hostel for a short time. Sayuri had been backpacking around Australia, picking fruit, while staying at working hostels.

It finally hit me hard, seeing the hostel and its location, listening to Jane and then Sayuri; I’m actually at What in the name is that, a working hostel. The next day four young backpackers came to the hostel looking for harvest work. They introduced themselves as Alexandra and Johanna from Germany, Hisako from Japan and Kwang Yeol from Korea.

Jane had arranged some harvest work for us the next day, meaning we would be making money, not just spending it. Well the Utopia feeling didn’t last to long after we found out from Jane what the farmer was having us pick, then seeing the field, along with many others, it was strawberry picking. What quickly crossed my mine was feeling like being in the shoes of the Mexican laborers in California, picking vegetables and fruit, what am I doing! Once we got to the gate we hoped out of the van, Jane telling us she will be back later to pick us up, we saw the farmer and were told what to do and then joined the other pickers. It was back breaking work, bending over, sometimes sitting down, snapping off only red strawberries, putting them into a tray, moving along the row, one after another, under the hot sun or rain drops, knowing that you were being paid by the tray. It was a long grueling day for this Mature Back packer and when Jane came back to pick us up, it felt like being released from prison. I was tired, dirty, wet and bones aching each day, just like everyone else. I did this routine with the others from the hostel for three weeks, dealing with rainy cold and hot sunny days, resulting with not much money for the effort.

During my time at the hostel, along with everyone else when not picking, Jane gave us the opportunity to see things by driving us in the van, so we decided on a time and day. On that day everyone pilled out of the hostel into the van, with a smiling Jane and her daughter, saying is everyone ready for an exciting day. We just knew that had to be because it was a beautiful warm sunny day, without a cloud in the sky. Jane’s route took us through the Township of Franklin, Dover and onto Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs. We all shouted out to each other, what a beautiful countryside, not one strawberry field, loud laughter followed.

Thermal%20Springs%20Walk.jpg

Visiting the cave was first, but what was interesting was that we had to walk along a wooden platform through native forest, again a photographer’s and environmentalist delight. We reach the entrance that led to a platform, one by one, up the stairs to the platform, which was a waiting area. We read about the Hastings Caves, having a group pictures taken by a fellow traveler, when Sayuri turned and let out a shirk, we all turned and saw this small, dreary gated cave entrance, with a smiling guide Geoff, telling us to come in. Walking down the steps to the cave floor and along the dimly lighted chambers, with stalagmites and stalactites all around us, it was an eerie, since it was also cold and damp. Coming to areas that were sights of interest, the lighting was great for viewing and photo taking. After that tough cave experience, we headed to the Thermal Springs. Approaching the Thermal Springs we heard all these loud noises and then saw young rowdy people all over. So Jane suggested, lets do the thirty-minute walk around the Thermal Springs that sliced through the native bush. Off we went as a group and never regretted the decision we followed the wooden path, which protected the ground cover, passing so many species of ferns, trees, grass, flowered plants, fungus and a clear cold running stream, with the sounds of native birds. With the walk over, we reached the Thermal Springs again, this time it was quite and no one there. Everyone got ready for that Love in feeling, warm, soothing, refreshing spring water, and in we go. If you never spent time at a Thermal spring, then I would say what are you waiting for. I would say?

On the road again, this time Jane went around the channel to the lookout over looking Randels Bay and Egg and Bacon Bay, the sight of water, air and land inter locking each other was beautiful from this location, again everyone was snapping away with their digital camera’s. The best came next, Randels Bay Beach, where everyone had their own time for peace and tranquility. Along the waters edge, bare foot walking in the sand, sitting on a fallen tree or just gazing at the water holes at the edge of the beach. Everyone was so relaxed, body’s and spirits recharged, that Jane said, now is the time for some nourishments. So off we went around the channel to the Glenview Cheesery for wine and cheese, I was in my world again, I’m a wine enthusiasts. Next was Pepperment Bay that had a museum, deli/restaurant where we had lunch and a great view of the water.

Randel%27s%20Bay.jpg

Once again it was time to continue because it was getting late. Jane headed back along Nichols Rivulet to Cygnet, our hostel home. But Jane had one last surprise for us; we stopped at Panorama Vineyard for some wine tasting. Did Jane hear my thoughts about having more wine tasting? I had the time of my life, I’ve worked in wineries, enjoy wines and cooking with wines, that I had to buy a bottle of Merlot. This came in use later that night when I shared it with Alexandra while watching a video together.

The time came for this wonderful outing to end, so we headed back to the hostel, knowing that tomorrow was a Strawberry Day again.

Port Arthur